Staples Principal Announces October Students of the Month
(L-R) Eleni Braga, Nina Lauterbach, Logan Noorily, Samantha Henske, Jeffrey Pogue, Morgan Tamm. Contributed photoPrincipal Thomas has announced Staples High School's recipient’s for October Student of the Month:
Eleni Braga. Gr. 9
Logan Noorily - Gr. 10
Samantha Henske- Gr. 10
Nina Lauterbach - Gr. 11
Jeffrey Pogue - Gr. 12
Morgan Tamm - Gr.11
The Students of the Month award program recognizes students who help make Staples High School a welcoming place for their peers and teachers alike. They are the “glue” of the Staples community: the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students that keep the high school together, making it the special place that it is.
Students of the month are nominated by their teachers, who are asked to think of those students who come to school regularly, are friendly to the staff and to fellow students, and make positive contributions in class as well as the Staples community. In short, these students are all-around good citizens of our school. Students of the Month are not necessarily star athletes, high honor students, or lead performers, and even if they are, this award recognizes the positive attitude they bring to school every day in making Staples High School a genial place in which to learn and teach.
ARKAI Duo Heads to Staples Orchestra for Two Day Residency Program
(Front) Violinist Jonathan Miron, (Rear) cellist Philip Sheegog. Contributed photoARKAI will conduct a two-day residency program with Staples High School Orchestras in October.
ARKAI is a dynamic duo featuring violinist Jonathan Miron and cellist Philip Sheegog. Winners of the 2021 Astral Artists National Auditions, their diverse genre-bending music forges new possibilities for violin and cello. Miron and Sheegog met at Juilliard where they joined forces to conduct performances at acclaimed concert halls around the world.
Their workshops will include performances interspersed with inspirational talks exploring concepts of life as 21st-century performing artists, finding one’s creative voice through curiosity, listening as an art, and sharing tips on using music technology within a diverse and rapidly-evolving world. Additional workshops will be interactive, including playing one of ARKAI's original tunes with the orchestras and introducing aural learning and improvisation.
This program, coordinated by Music for Youth, is brought to Staples High School by the Town of Westport through an allocation of a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act funding to local non-profits arts organizations. The Westport Art Advisory Committee organized the application process.
Superintendent’s Update as School Begins: “I am most optimistic”
Superintendent Thomas ScariceGood afternoon,
I always say that we are not perfect, but beyond some operational challenges mentioned below, we have had a very successful start to the year!!! There is renewed energy and a positive vibe in the school culture, something that was challenging as we confronted the pandemic.
Back to School Nights are underway, the summer heat has subsided, and as we complete our second week of the school year, I want to emphasize that we intend to sustain the early momentum we have experienced.
Our primary focus has been to reestablish a positive, inviting school climate for all in our school communities. You will notice additional efforts and gestures to this end. Engaging our kids in the learning process, while maintaining child-centered practices is a high priority.
A great start does not guarantee a great school year, and my responsibility is to support our team in delivering on our promises. I am most optimistic after these first two weeks. We have problems to confront, but with a strong school culture, I have no doubts that we will meet those challenges, some quite formidable.
And on with some updates…
22-23 School Calendar Changes
The Westport Board of Education voted on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, to revise the existing 2022-2023 student calendar. (See attached and linked here) The changes to the calendar are as follows:
Schools will be closed on Monday, January 2, 2022, to mark the observance of New Years Day. Students and staff will return from the winter recess on Tuesday, January 3, 2022.
The last day of school will now be Thursday, June 15, 2022.
The five built in snow days will now be June 16, 20, 21, 22 and 23.
The Westport Public Schools will be closed on Monday, June 19, 2022, to mark the observance of Juneteenth. This closure will only go into effect if two or more snow days cause the school year to extend beyond June 15, 2022.
It is important to note that the built in snow days could potentially move the last day of school to Friday June 23, 2022. Therefore, please keep in mind, when making summer recess plans, that schools may be in session from June 20 - June 23.
Transportation
Unfortunately, transportation continues to be a disappointment. The students and parents who are impacted by issues in transportation are highly frustrated. We share that frustration.
I can assure you that our team is working feverishly to resolve these challenges. We have experienced modest success in thinning out some dense rides in order to shorten the overall bus ride and increase reliability in pick up and drop off times. We will continue to apply similar interventions to other routes where possible.
The unfortunate truth is that we continue to be at a disadvantage due to the driver shortage. We ordinarily operate with approximately 58 drivers and we are currently functioning with approximately 51. We have not approached the level of disruption that some other CT districts have experienced as one CT district had to close school this week due to insecure transportation routes.
That said, we have identified specific buses that we are targeting for further intervention to increase reliability and assure pick up and drop off times. Additionally, we have tightened up our communication protocols to get messages to parents as soon as possible about any changes in routes. Finally, the “WheresTheBus” app is scheduled to go live in the next couple of weeks. As much as we would prefer to go live immediately, it would be a significant error to activate the app while some routes remain in flux as we intervene, and until we are certain the app is accurate and useful.
Again, students and parents who are impacted by these issues have every right to be frustrated. We share that frustration. As I mentioned last year when speaking about facilities, we have an expectation of a certain standard for our schools. We have some facilities below that standard that warrant remodeling or new construction. Likewise, the current level of transportation service is below the standard we expect in our district. We will continue to work to improve this level of performance until it meets the community’s expectations.
COVID
As we continue the start of the school year, the District is operating as close to pre-pandemic practices as possible. The District Health Team will employ thoughtful mitigation strategies, monitor COVID-19 cases, and implement respiratory prevention strategies as necessary. Project COVID DeteCT (weekly monitoring), the use of the COVID dashboard, the COVID hotline and daily notifications to classrooms will no longer be in effect. We ask that COVID cases be reported to the school nurse.
In the event that there is a cluster or outbreak with several cases of respiratory illness including influenza or COVID-19 in one class, parents/guardians will be notified through a classroom letter. We will continue to follow guidance from both the CDC and the State Department of Public Health and will adjust mitigating measures as indicated.
Vaccinations continue to be the most important line of defense in preventing respiratory diseases like influenza and COVID-19. Updated COVID boosters are now available and recommended for people 12 years and older and can be found at Vaccines.gov - Find COVID‑19 vaccine locations near you.
The Aspetuck Health District also has available appointments for influenza and updated boosters and can be found on their website at Aspetuck Health District – Public Health Services and Information. Additional information on State DPH guidance can be found at Link to DPH/CSDE/OEC guidance.
For more specific information on isolation and other COVID specific guidelines please see our Return to School Plan for the 2022-23 School year at Return to School Plan.
Successful Start With New “Healthy Use of Technology” Approach
In full candor, we held our collective breath as we implemented a “healthier use of technology” approach. It is not perfect, but I am proud to report that the initial implementation is very positive. Teachers report significantly more dialogue between students in transition times, before and after class, as well as during interactive instruction.
Though they might not admit it, we believe that many students are relieved to some degree. I’ve personally watched the insidious comparisons on social media compromise the happiness and welfare of my own children. This phenomenon is pervasive. We will not halt this phenomenon due to these changes, yet, we are seeing positive signs in our schools and classrooms by limiting distractions and restoring much of the humanity that was lost over the past few years.
This is only one strategy that we have employed in restoring our school culture and encouraging healthy interpersonal development, but the early feedback has been very positive.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Westport Superintendent: “The energy in our halls and classrooms is palpable”
Superintendent Thomas Scarice: Good afternoon,
I truly hope that each of you have taken time this summer to unwind, unplug, and connect with family, friends and loved ones. The calendar says “August”, and within days we will be welcoming back over 5,000 students!!
Today, our entire WPS team returned to finish final preparations for the start of the school year. The energy in our halls and classrooms is palpable. It is so refreshing to feel the “new school year energy” again!!!
First Day!!
Our first day of school is Tuesday August 30. If you have not already received information, please expect follow up from your child’s building principal about the schedule for the first day and beyond. Your child’s building principal is the best source of information at the school level.
Healthy Use of Technology
This is the first school opening since 2019 where the pandemic did not play a primary role. The district is fully committed to fostering community in our schools, returning to a more active learning environment, and restoring much of the humanity of our work that was lost over the past couple of years. With a focus on well-being, the district will move to encourage and implement a healthier use of technology.
As we know, technology has become a natural part of our learning environments, and critical to surviving the pandemic. However, the distractions of personal devices have compromised the instructional setting, and the interpersonal relationships in our schools.
Each level (i.e. elementary, middle school, high school), has revisited the research that was conducted just before the pandemic, and developed expectations for smartphones, smartwatches, etc., in order to limit distractions and encourage healthy interpersonal development.
Building principals will communicate this information to parents and students at the start of the year, and again throughout the year. Middle school students will be asked to keep their personal cell devices out of use and off their person once the school day begins, and high school students will be expected to do the same during individual class periods.
Again, further information will be provided by your child’s building principal, particularly related to the specific parameters of your school, the most expeditious manner to contact your child during the day, etc.
We will do our best to limit unnecessary technology use and we ask for your support in these changes. I can assure you that it will not be perfect, but it will be better for our children. Your support will be consequential.
“WheresTheBus” Parent App
With the transportation challenges school districts are facing across the country, we will be implementing a new “app” for parents to help with communication.
“WheresTheBus” is a tool for parents to know when the bus will arrive at your stop with up-to-the-minute ETAs to reduce the uncertainty. The app can be downloaded on any Apple or Android device.
Bus times at the start of the school year tend to settle into a routine by the end of the second or third week. New routes, morning pictures of the “first day”, new drivers, all contribute to this. As a result, the app will go “live” later in the month of September once routes are firmly established.
Again, I am certain that this will not be perfect, but it has the potential to significantly increase the timely flow of information to parents. Stay tuned for more information from the Transportation Department.
Calendar Change - January 2 Holiday
Some families may have vacations planned over the holiday break. In response to a state law regarding the placement of holidays that fall on a weekend, I have asked the Board of Education to modify the school calendar in order to make January 2 a holiday. As a result, one school day will be added to the end of the school year.
Brief Note on Covid-19
Following a strong finish to the 2021-2022 school year, we will begin this year as we ended last year. The goal will be to continue to maximize in-school learning and return to normalcy and pre-pandemic status.
The risk of COVID-19 continues to change for the better with protection from vaccines and growing immunity from prior infections. We will continue to follow guidance from the State Department of Public Health and the CDC on minimizing the effects of respiratory disease in school. Our focus this year will be on promoting vaccinations, monitoring symptoms and utilizing at-home self testing.
We continue to encourage all students, families and staff to stay up to date on vaccinations. Vaccinations are the first and most important defense for preventing respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 and influenza. Everyone 6 months and older can now receive COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. Options are plentiful in our community and can be found at Vaccines.gov - Find COVID‑19 vaccine locations near you
COVID-19 at home self test kits will be available to all families and staff and their use is encouraged. Families may also obtain tests by visiting COVID.gov/tests. A more detailed document with specific information will be available on the District website prior to the start of school.
Other Critical Start of School Information
Please see the attached document for a list of where to find forms and other important back-to-school information for families.
Thank you for your continued support!! We all eagerly await the first day of school!!
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Staples Student Spends Summer Exploring the Universe
Press Release
Over 39 intense days this summer, Rebecca Schussheim of Westport, a student at Staples High School, operated a research-grade telescope to take images of a near-earth asteroid, then calculated its orbital path, including the chance it will impact Earth in the future. She gained hands-on experience with vector calculus, physics, astronomy, and programming in Python.
Schussheim participated in the Summer Science Program (SSP), joining some of the world’s most promising science students for academic challenge, collaboration, and personal growth. Since 1959, this unique and highly selective program has offered teenagers their first taste of hands-on, authentic experimental research. Years and even decades later, alumni describe it as “the educational experience of a lifetime.” Most go on to earn advanced degrees and leadership roles in their chosen careers.
Schussheim and her colleagues spent over 300 hours collecting and analyzing data in teams of three, overseen by experienced researchers. They also had the opportunity to hear from and interact with prominent guest speakers.
SSP is operated by an independent non-profit, in cooperation with its host campuses: Indiana University Bloomington, New Mexico Tech, Purdue University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and academic affiliates: Caltech, MIT, and Harvey Mudd College. For complete information, visit SummerScience.org.
Board of Education Gives Nod to Allow Optional Masking for February 28th
In a special meeting of the Westport Board of Education tonight, Board Chair Lee Goldstein described the Board’s overall support in the superintendent and his allowing Westport students to choose to unmask beginning February 28th. The Board also described policy that allows the Superintendent to make decisions “to develop health and safety protocols related to COVID-19 (the “Safety Protocols”) consistent with applicable laws, rules, regulations, and requirements, and to consider current guidance in the development of the Safety Protocols.”
Superintendent Tom Scarice gave a brief explanation as to why he decided to recommend the switch while giving a brief health and wellness update with Supervisor of Health Services Suzanne Levasseur. Scarice described a lack of masking outside of the school day, high student vaccination rates, and a continued downward trend in cases after the omnicron variant swept through Westport as some of his reasons that guided his decision to allow the optional policy. Scarice’s recommendation came after Governor Ned Lamont announced on February 7th the ending of the State masking mandate at the end of the month, with multiple districts in the surrounding area subsequently announcing their plans to transition to the mask optional policy as soon as they’re able to.
Tonight’s meeting was not a vote, but a discussion amongst educational leaders and members of the public. Explicit support in the Superintendent’s plan was given by Board of Education members and several parents who spoke at the podium while other parents described concern with unmasking directly after the district’s winter break. Scarice announced that parents would be contacted at the end of this week with updates after tonight’s meeting, with Chair Goldstein giving the overall nod - saying that she expects them to be moving forward with the plan to allow optional masking on February 28th.
The Board of Education’s policy committee will be meeting tomorrow, February 17th at 11:00 AM to discuss the masking and COVID-19 policies in addition to “Equity in Girls and Boys Sports, Student and Family Data Privacy, and "Board/Schools Interaction with Town-Appointed Committees and Community Groups.” Click here for the agenda.
The next full Board of Education meeting will be on Monday, February 28th.
Coleytown Company Kids, Broadway Stars, and a Live Audience Celebrate the Return to the Stage; Tickets Still Available
Members of the Coleytown Company and a live audience will return to the middle school’s auditorium for the first time in over three years with their production of All Together Now.
All Together Now is a worldwide celebration organized by Music Theater International - who is allowing participating theater groups to use their musical revue songs free of charge. As the world continues to climb out of the pandemic era lockdowns, the licensing agency decided the donation of the popular musical hits for one weekend only is a way for organizations to fundraise and promote their performing arts centers’ re-openings.
Broadway Star Aimee Turner and Coleytown Company Director Ben FrimmerSo with the usually expensive licensing fees waived and rehearsals complete, Coleytown Company will join over 2,500 other theaters and over one million audience members across the globe Saturday as the kids sing and dance their way back into the spotlight. However they won’t do this alone, as ten Broadway stars have signed on to perform with the local middle schoolers for the one-night-only audience.
The curtain’s opening will be extra special for the Coleytown community. Although lockdowns affected the word in early 2020, Coleytown Company was shuttered even earlier after their building was closed for emergency renovations in September of 2018. After over three years, the students returned to a new school and new way of learning - something Coleytown Company Director and Theater Arts Educator Ben Frimmer had to compete with as he directed kids who had never experienced the Coleytown stage before. Through intensive rehearsals and with a minimal budget, the crew is ready to welcome audiences tomorrow both in person and through a virtual stream.
Click here to purchase tickets for tomorrow night’s performance and to support the Coleytown Company and their dedication to the musical theater tradition in Westport.
Superintendent Applauds BMS 7th Grader’s Journalism; Responds to Professional Reporter’s “Clickbait” Article
Superintendent of Schools Thomas ScariceGood morning,
On Jun 21, 2021, Ursus, the Bedford Middle School student newspaper, ran a story written by 7th grader, Owen Boberski, which captured the highlights of his interview with me. The subject of the story was an inquiry into the 2021-2022 opening of schools and how Covid mitigating measures might play a role. The reporting was balanced, information was verified, context was provided, and the article was void of bias. These are minimum standards of reporting that we expect. We should be proud of our middle school and high school newspapers, our outstanding and ethical faculty advisors, and the standards that they collectively uphold.
Last night I arrived home late and was met with a link to this article: https://www.westport-news.com/news/article/Westport-superintendent-looking-into-possible-16565569.php. I am disappointed to observe a lack of the reporting standards our own students maintain in this article.
Unfortunately, this is nothing more than clickbait. Clickbait can be defined as a headline or article whose main purpose is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link.
Last week I was, in fact, called by the Westport News new reporter Serenity Bishop. In the conversation I was told that there was an anonymous report of black mold at SES. I told the reporter that this was not reported to anyone in the district and I was unaware of any anonymous reports. I shared that a new roof project is scheduled and that as with buildings in need of roofs, leaks happen. They are addressed and remediated. We then discussed, at length, the recent Bedford and Long Lots reports and follow up actions, as well as our standard procedures when reports are made.
There have been no reports of black mold at SES. In fact, the SES administration just conducted a Tools for Schools (TFS) walk through of the building last week with the TFS team as part of our ongoing commitment to monitoring indoor air quality conditions in our buildings. By using our five senses and some simple tools, the TFS team uses a practical approach to evaluate heating and ventilation systems, classrooms, cafeterias, hallways, and entry paths.
Again, I have confirmed with Mrs. Messler that there have been no reports of black mold.
I called the reporter last night to share my disappointment in this low standard of reporting.
I do see an opportunity here. Last week, in a community forum, we discussed the capacities, competencies, and skills our kids will need to thrive in the modern world. This article is a great example of how important it is to teach our children about the need to identify reliable sources, and to recognize bias and substandard sources of information. Our students are drowning in information and equipping them with the tools to distinguish between good sources and substandard sources will serve them well.
If anyone in the school community has a report to make about indoor air quality, or any other topic, please contact the building principal so that the concern can be appropriately addressed.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent Gives Update on District COVID-19 Protocols; Teachers Permitted to Unmask while Delivering Instruction
Superintendent Thomas ScariceGood afternoon,
At the beginning of the year I informed the school community that we will revisit our Covid mitigating measures every 4-6 weeks. I could not predict the longevity of any of the mitigating measures beyond a 4-6 week timeframe. Now that we are six weeks into the year, and we are currently experiencing a continued drop in Covid positive cases, I want to update the school community on some changes to our Covid mitigation measures.
Unmasked Teachers Delivering Instruction: The CT Department of Public Health permitted school districts to afford an option for teachers to teach unmasked if they are vaccinated, provided that they are in the front of the room and the students are masked and seated. We did not implement this provision to start the year, but starting tomorrow, October 20, we will allow this option for teachers teaching students in grades 7-12 only. K-6 will be considered after November 1 when we have a better handle on ages 5-11 vaccinations. This is an option for teachers and not a requirement.
Lunch Tents: Lunch tents, particularly for the elementary level, will remain in place for the remainder of the month. We will revisit lunch practices when we better understand the K-6 vaccinations at the end of the month. The lunch supervision at the elementary levels is very challenging and we will move as quickly as we can to return to “normal” lunch provided our transmission rates continue to drop.
Visitor Vaccination Requirement: At the start of the year we instituted a requirement for visitors to show proof of vaccination. We will continue to require vaccination from visitors through at least December 31 at this point, perhaps longer. A reassessment of this requirement will take place at that point in time. Larger groups of visitors will be permitted to meet in person in our schools with building administration permission, provided there is the opportunity to distance (I.e. larger rooms), and that visitors are masked with proof of vaccination.
Elementary Parent Conferences: Elementary parent conferences will be held in person for vaccinated parents and virtual for unvaccinated parents. Virtual accommodations for any parent can be made provided. Elementary building principals will communicate additional information about parent/teacher conferences in the coming weeks.
Performances: There are a number of performances scheduled in the next couple of months. Following a meeting with the Westport/Weston Health District, we decided that we will monitor the Covid transmission rates to guide the mitigating measures we employ. For example, some of the measures we will consider include the degree to which we allow certain capacities to attend (i.e. 50%, 75%, 100%, etc.), and the type of spacing we require for seating. More information on specific performances will be forthcoming as individual events approach.
Building Rentals/Park and Rec Programs: We are open for building/space rental from community groups after hours. We will continue to recommend universal masking, however, these are outside events and we do not have the capacity to enforce our measures outside of school hours.
Field Trips: Some field trips have been approved so far this year, particularly those outside. However, we will begin to review field trip requests pending the continued low transmission rates.
I recently did a podcast with Dan Woog on the national discussions involving Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the impact on our school community. I am no expert on this topic, but I shared my thoughts on a variety of topics with Dan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DGg4CDqAKvLI
Thank you,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent Gives Update on COVID-19, NYU Metro Center Choices, Late School Buses
Superintendent Thomas Scarice
Support During Quarantine:
We continue to revisit our mitigating practices, such as the ways we support our students who are asked to quarantine. After some feedback, we have increased the level of services provided during quarantine. Please see this document for the changes by level (i.e. K-2, 3-5, 6-8), along with a “sample Google doc” for middle school students to access providing information for all of their classes.
Students with IEPs will receive all the supports provided to general education students. In addition, in days 0-9 of a quarantine, cumulatively in the year, students with IEPs will have contact with their special education teachers and related services providers via email, phone, or Google meet at the same frequency as they would if they were in school. If students are quarantined for more than 10 days in a school year, the students' teachers and providers will collaborate with families to deliver IEP services virtually. For our most complex learners participating in our Intensive Resource classrooms, IEP services will be delivered virtually beginning on day 3 of quarantine.
Fortunately, the Covid numbers continue to drop nationally and locally. However, increasing these services is necessary at this point in time.
Transportation Contingency Plans:
Transportation has been a major challenge this year. Busing delays and late arrivals have impacted the student school day and led to confusion and anxiety among parents and students.
Across the state and nation, a crippling bus driver shortage has impacted school district transportation services leading to closures and cancellations in some towns. Our transportation provider, Dattco, had been able to staff our buses by reallocating office personnel with the appropriate licensure to serve as drivers. However, the impact of the shortage has now hit Westport. To compound the challenges, there has been a marked increase in the volume of traffic on town roads.
Due to the shortage of drivers and increased traffic, routes are being consolidated while other routing options are being explored. The primary goal is to get all students to and from school on time. While consolidating routes could lead to delays, this temporary practice is necessary at this point in time.
Our newest drivers are becoming more familiar with our routes, which will enable routes to be completed more quickly. Schools will continue to communicate with parents at first notification that buses will be impacted by consolidation or a driver shortage.
Efforts are being made by Dattco to secure more drivers with incentives such as signing bonuses and expedited training for licensure.
Historically, all buses were expected to clear the school yard within 30 minutes of dismissal. Some schools were much quicker than this, and others took the full 30 or so minutes to clear. That standard, applied to our current start times, would estimate that our elementary schools should clear their buses for dismissal by 4:15pm (Saugatuck 3:45). The district is working to ensure that fully staffed buses depart by 4:15pm.
Combined runs could likely depart later than 4:15pm. When that is the case, principals will work with our transportation coordinator to provide as much advance notice as possible, with a specific time of departure from the school so parents can plan accordingly.
This resolution will be temporary until additional drivers can be secured.
Given this critical driver shortage, please have a morning and afternoon contingency plan, as you would with an inclement weather delayed opening/early closure, in the event of a significant delay due to the lack of a driver or the consolidation of a route. Building principals will communicate this information to you as soon as they are made aware.
This is not a permanent solution to this problem, but rather a way to provide transportation in a crisis. We will continue to work with Dattco to develop strategies to secure more drivers.
Equity Study Update
Last week I was asked to respond to a posting on the “06880” blog related to concerns about “critical race theory” and the priorities of our school district. I would like to share that statement with our parent community here.
Over the past few weeks there have been questions raised about the equity study the district began last year, the timeline of how the study will unfold, whether a public report will be shared, how this works fits into the overall district strategic plan, and the selection of NYU Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools.
In fairness, the district takes pride in high quality communication, yet the communication on this work could have been better and I am ultimately responsible for that.
In addition to the comments I shared last week in the link above, I’d like to address these questions with some further context.
Background
The district’s commitment to a culturally responsive education, with a focus on equity, inclusion and diversity, began a number of years ago and was captured in a statement in the 2017 district strategic plan.
Statewide, it’s important to note that on February 3, 2021, the CT State Department of Education formally adopted a position statement on culturally responsive education, followed by a joint statement this summer in collaboration with the CT Association of Boards of Education (CABE), CT Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), CT Association of Schools (CAS), CT Educator Association (CEA), and American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Given the district and town’s commitment over the years, and the fact that this focus is currently a part of the educational landscape across the state and nation as illustrated above, the question is how to pursue this work.
In Westport, the initiation of an equity study last year began with a focus on ensuring equitable access to all programs and services for all students, establishing a strong sense of belonging in our schools for all students, and delivering a curriculum and instructional program that prepares all students for thoughtful citizenship and a very diverse global economy.
The district is still in the study phase as no new curriculum units or Board of Education (BOE) policies have been adopted as a result of the equity study.
Local district data has been reviewed as a part of the study. It is common for organizations to analyze their data for discrepancies and disproportionality. For example, local police departments analyze their traffic stop data for disproportionality. For schools, academic and behavioral data can be used for analytical purposes.
In our equity study, local academic and behavioral data has been reviewed, focus groups have been held with students and parents, and this information has been interpreted by a committee of educators and community members with an interest in the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion. The district established a tab on our website last year with information for the community and it will be updated to include access to the data reviewed. Following that data and information informed subsequent steps in the process.
Upcoming Timeline:
At this point in the process, the formal committee meetings have concluded and three areas of focus for action planning have been identified: teaching/learning, professional development, and data systems. Further work in the equity study action plans will continue, but ultimately this work must fold into the overall district strategic plan, which will be available for public review and formally presented to the BOE for a vote. It is anticipated that the initial goals and objectives of the district strategic plan will be presented in December.
Equity Study Report:
Prior to the BOE adoption of a strategic plan in December a final report of the equity study will be presented publicly to the BOE as an information item for public discussion. It is expected that this will occur in November.
Selection of NYU Metro Center:
Last December, a formal Request for Qualifications was issued for the purposes of consultation on conducting an equity study. A number of applicants were reviewed by a committee of local educators. The deciding factors in selecting NYU Metropolitan Center by the committee were experience in consulting and research, the focus on a collaborative approach in co-creating action plans, the capacity to customize the study for our district, and the committee approach that precluded imposition by an outside group. The final action plans will be the work of WPS educators and community members, not handed to the district by an outside agency. Finally, the checks and balances of public education ensure that any formal action plans that will be folded in the district strategic plan will be voted on by the BOE in public session.
Closing
There is a great deal of information to review in this message. Full transparency and open communication is a priority for the district. Ordinarily, new information begets more questions. We will continue to share information on the work of our district moving forward.
Podcast
I am very pleased to announce that I will be interviewed on this topic next week by Dan Woog on his show, “06880: The Podcast”. I will be sure to send out the podcast link to our school community when completed.
I hope that you and your families enjoy this beautiful weather and have a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools