With Gratitude and a Heavy Heart - A Message from Superintendent Dr. Estrella

Dear NPS Community,

It is with both gratitude and a heavy heart that I share an important update with our Norwalk Public Schools community. I have accepted the opportunity to serve as superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia, and I will be concluding my time as superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools at the end of this school year.

This decision comes with mixed emotions. Professionally, the opportunity to lead one of the largest and most diverse school districts in the nation represents an important milestone in my career. Personally, however, it is incredibly difficult to step away from a community that has meant so much to me and my family. Both of my sons graduated from Norwalk schools, and the relationships we have built here will always remain deeply meaningful. My family and I will always carry Norwalk with us.

When I joined Norwalk Public Schools nearly six years ago, I knew I was entering a district filled with dedicated educators and a community deeply committed to its students. What none of us could have predicted was that we would soon be navigating a global pandemic together. I will never forget the resilience and determination our community demonstrated during that time. Our teachers and staff worked around the clock to support students and families through unprecedented challenges, ensuring that learning continued and that students felt supported not only academically but emotionally as well.

In the years since, I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made together. Norwalk Public Schools has consistently been the top performing city school district in the state of Connecticut, a reflection of the dedication of our educators, students, and families. Our graduation rate reached 92.6 percent in 2024, and we have seen a dramatic decline in chronic absenteeism, which fell to 17.9 percent during the 2024–25 school year. At the same time, our students demonstrated strong academic growth, with districtwide gains in English/language arts and mathematics exceeding state averages. The growth of our high-needs students has exceeded their peers statewide for three consecutive years in both ELA and math, reflecting our shared commitment to ensuring that every student has the support they need to succeed.

We have also made important strides in strengthening services for our students with disabilities and our multilingual learners. Over the past several years, we have been able to bring more students back into inclusive classroom environments with their peers and welcome students back to the district who once needed services outside of Norwalk. These efforts are reflected in improved outcomes for our students, including a significant increase in the graduation rate among our multilingual learners, which rose by more than eight percent between 2023 and 2024. Over the past four years, the graduation rate for students receiving special education services has also increased by nearly nine percent. These changes reflect the extraordinary work of our educators and specialists who believe deeply in the potential of every child.

We also focused intentionally on developing the people who make our schools strong. Over the past several years, we expanded leadership development opportunities and built greater capacity across the district by strengthening coaching models, supporting instructional leaders, and investing in the growth of interventionists and classroom teachers. For the first time, we also introduced dedicated professional learning opportunities for paraprofessionals, recognizing the vital role they play in supporting our students every day. These efforts have helped ensure that educators across Norwalk Public Schools have the tools, training, and support necessary to continuously improve teaching and learning in our classrooms.

Together, we have also worked to ensure that Norwalk Public Schools is preparing students for the future. Through investments in digital learning, technology, and the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence, we have begun to modernize the learning experience for our students. Our Portrait of a Graduate initiative continues to define the knowledge, skills, and character traits our students will need to thrive in an ever-changing world. At the same time, we strengthened the systems behind the work in our classrooms by establishing more robust data systems that allow us to better track student progress, analyze outcomes, and provide educators with meaningful feedback to guide instruction and improve academic results.

We also placed a strong focus on advancing equity across our schools by establishing school-based equity teams dedicated to examining practices, supporting inclusive learning environments, and ensuring every student feels valued and supported. This work has contributed to reductions in disciplinary actions across the district while helping create stronger school cultures and a greater sense of belonging for our students. We have also made important investments in the physical and mental health of our students by more than doubling the number of school-based health centers across the district, expanding access to essential care and support for students and families. At the same time, our district has undertaken significant school construction and facilities improvements that are creating modern, welcoming, and safe learning environments for both students and staff.

None of this progress would have been possible without the extraordinary people who serve our students every single day. I am deeply grateful to our school administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, social workers, therapists, nurses, secretaries, custodians, security staff, and every member of our school community whose dedication and compassion shape the lives of our students. Your work often happens quietly and without recognition, but it makes an immeasurable difference.

I am equally grateful to our families and community partners whose advocacy and commitment to public education help make Norwalk such a special place. The collaboration between our district and our city, state, and federal leaders has strengthened our ability to provide meaningful opportunities for students, secure important resources, and continue improving our schools.

I am confident that Norwalk Public Schools will continue to move forward with strength and stability. The Board of Education will appoint an interim superintendent shortly and begin a national search for my replacement.

I am committed to Norwalk until the end of the school year, and I look forward to spending the coming months celebrating our students and thanking the many people who have made my time here so meaningful. Serving this community has been one of the greatest honors of my career, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together.

Thank you for welcoming my family and me into this remarkable community. Norwalk will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Alexandra Estrella
Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools