2/21/2026

Dear Rippowam Families,

Thank you to all the families who participated in parent/teacher conferences this week, whether in person or virtually. We value your partnership in supporting your child’s academic and social-emotional growth. If you have concerns about your child’s progress and were unable to attend a conference, please reach out to individual teachers or contact your child’s counselor to schedule a call or meeting.

Today we held our annual Pie-in-the-Face celebration. Congratulations to the Orange Team, our Coin War winners! Students joined us in the auditorium and, through a raffle, selected staff members—including me—to be pied. It was a fun event and a great way to celebrate while supporting our end-of-year field trips.

The 2026 School Climate Survey for families is now available. Please see the link below. Your feedback is incredibly important—we carefully review the results and use them to continue improving our school community for you and your child.

Upcoming events:

• FEB 25th - EARLY RELEASE DAY

• FEB 27th - SCHOOLWIDE BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION

• MAR 19th - SPRING FLING

• MAR 20th - NO SCHOOL FOR EID AL-FITR

• MAR 23rd - 27th - SPRING BOOK FAIR

Early Release on Wednesday, February 25
Rippowam will follow the early release schedule on Wednesday, February 25 for staff professional development.  Students are released at 11:45.

School Climate Survey for Families is open
The Stamford Public Schools Climate Survey for Families is now open. The SPS School Climate Survey measures how welcome and safe parents and caregivers feel in their child’s school.  The 2026 School Climate Survey for Families is available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Ukrainian. The survey is hosted by Panorama Education and all responses are completely anonymous.

Please complete a separate survey for each child you have in Stamford Public Schools. The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, March 27.

Teachers, staff, and students will have the opportunity to take the School Climate Survey in March.

Supporting Students During Ramadan
As Ramadan begins, we extend warm wishes to all of our families who observe this meaningful and sacred month. Ramadan is a time of reflection, prayer, community, and generosity, and we wish you a peaceful and fulfilling observance.

We are committed to supporting students who are fasting or who need time and space for prayer in accordance with their religious beliefs. Students are encouraged to speak with their school counselor or an administrator so we can ensure appropriate accommodations are in place.

Attention 8th grade students attending Westhill:
9th Grade Parent-Student Orientation at Westhill High School is Thursday, March 19, 2026 is 6:30 to 7:45 PM.  See THIS LINK for flyers in English and Spanish

Best,

Kristina Colmenares
Principal, Rippowam Middle School

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