1/17/2026

Dear Rippowam Families,

As we finish our second full week of 2026, it’s hard to believe we are already halfway through January. We also wrapped up our i-Ready mid-year assessments this week, and we are proud of the focus and effort students showed in both Math and ELA.As we head into the long weekend, I wish you time to rest and connect as a family. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I’d like to share a quote that reflects our Raptor PRIDE values:

“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”

At Rippowam, we believe learning and character go hand in hand, and this quote is a powerful reminder of the values we strive to model each day.  Wishing you a meaningful and restful MLK weekend.

Upcoming events:

• JAN 20th- ROSCCO AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM RESUMES

• JAN 20th - JAN 23rd:  Q2 MATH EXAM

• JAN 23rd - END OF Q2

• FEB 6th - Q2 GRADES IN PARENT PORTAL

• FEB 13th - 16th - FEBRUARY BREAK

No school on Monday, January 19th in honor of MLK

School resumes on Tuesday, 1/20.  On Saturday, January 17th from 11 am to 2 pm at UCONN Stamford for the MLK Day of Service. Activities will include writing letters to U.S. troops, creating cards for senior citizens, and more. Light refreshments will be served. Please see the flyer (English / Spanish) for more information.

Q2 ends on Friday, January 23rd

Students have a week to complete necessary assignments.  Final grades will be visible in Parent Portal on Friday, February 6th.

i-Ready Mid-Year Assessment in Reading is Tuesday, January 13th
It will be taken during the school day.  These assessments are important because they help us measure your child’s growth in reading and math skills and inform second-semester scheduling decisions, including the placement in or removal from intervention classes. We ask that you please talk with your child about the importance of doing their best and taking the assessment seriously so the results accurately reflect their learning.

Parents may also access their child’s iReady Report via Clever, which is a technology platform used by SPS to provide students and teachers with a single sign on (SSO) for all digital resources. To access Clever, you will need your child’s SPS gmail account login. Detailed instructions to access iReady Reports via Clever may be accessed here. 

Your child’s teacher(s) will share more information about how the i-Ready assessments are used to support learning. You may also find the following general resources helpful:

• i-Ready Family Video (English / Spanish)

• i-Ready Family Guide (English / Spanish / Haitian Creole)

• Understanding Your Student’s i-Ready Diagnostic Result (English / Spanish / Haitian Creole)

PTO Coin War Fundraiser for the month of January!
Get ready for Coin Wars, our January PTO fundraiser supporting grade-level field trips! We’re switching things up this year —all coins earn positive points for your team, while paper bills are the sabotage and count as negative points for other teams.

How it works:
• Put coins in your own team’s jar to earn points
• Put paper bills in other teams’ jars to subtract points

The team with the highest total of positive points will win raffle tickets for a chance to pie a staff member in the face on 2/12.

Valentine’s Day Carnation Sales
Valentine’s Carnation Day is coming! The Rippowam PTO will be selling carnations for $2 each, including a card to write a message. Pre-orders run from January 12 through January 28, with delivery on February 10. Students may purchase carnations with cash in the main office or from PTO volunteers during lunch waves. Don’t miss out on spreading some Valentine’s Day cheer!
 

Best,

Kristina Colmenares
Principal, Rippowam Middle School

If you didn’t see the Superintendent’s weekly message, please click HERE.