9/23/2023

Dear Rippowam families,

It was great to see so many of you at our Open School Night!  We tried a different structure and got positive feedback and some additional suggestions to make it more flexible and supportive for parents next year.  If you would like to provide feedback, please do so on our Rippowam Open School Night Feedback Form to help us in planning future Open Houses and other events. 

Enjoy the long weekend and for our Rippowam families celebrating Yom Kippur, may you have an easy fast. 

No school on Monday, September 25th in observance of Yom Kippur

I-Ready Assessments are happening
This week all Rippowam students began Math screening assessments using a new platform called I-Ready that replaced the Math Inventory.  Next week, students will use the same online platform for their English assessment.  They are taking these in class over the course of 2-3 days.  This new platform will give teachers very detailed information about your child’s mastery or development towards key standards in the two subject areas.  We will use this data to make instructional decisions, support intervention and enrichment decisions and monitor student growth over time. They will take these assessments again at the midpoint and end of the school year. 

Make sure your child’s Acceptable Use Policy and Parental Consent to Use of Online Educational Services (AUP) Agreement and SPS Technology Device Agreement Forms are filled out so they ca  7th and 8th grade will be taking laptops home; 6th grade will begin with laptop carts in each classroom to help build independence and digital citizenship skills.  6th grade students will not need laptops for homework.  Contact our Parent Facilitator, Claudia Vettorazzi, at 203-977-4229 or cvettorazzi@stamfordct.gov for help.

After school activities at Rippowam
21st Century and Community Schools after school activities are set to begin on Monday, October 16th on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.  More information to follow later this week regarding registration and offerings. 

Upcoming Family Fun Opportunities

• Sunday’s Soundwaters Coastal Cleanup has been canceled due to predicted inclement weather.  They have some additional dates later in October, we will send out more information in future weeks to help keep Stamford beaches beautiful. 

• Sunday, October 1st at 8:30am:  Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF) 5 K run - Join Team Rippowam as we exercise and raise money and awareness for a great cause!  On Sunday, October 1st we will meet in Mill River Park at 8:30am.  Mark your calendars! FILL OUT THIS FORM to participate

• Thursday, October 12th from 6-8:  Rippowam Spanish Heritage Month Celebration!  Join us for a family engagement evening celebrating the culture, music and food of Latin America.  More information to follow shortly. 

Student Mental Health Support at Rippowam
Your child’s mental health is as important to us as their physical health and safety and their academic success.  Please reach out to your child’s school counselor with any concerns or for more information on the ways below we support mental health at Rippowam:

• All students participate in an Advisory program 2x a week dedicated to support their SEL growth and development as well as their ability to form strong and healthy relationships

• We have green “talk spots” in front of designated rooms where students can find the office of a trusted adult to talk to (this was a student initiative from the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council 2 years ago)

• Our mental health support team hosts lunch bunches and other informal groups to connect with students

• Our school counselors run groups and provide individual talk sessions with students regularly or as needed

• We have an incredible team of English and Spanish speaking mental health support staff (social workers and school psychologists) who also provide individual counseling or groups with students.

• We have a School-Based Health Center that provides counseling through a mental health clinician from Family Centers as well as an option for group counseling.

Best,

Kristina Colmenares
Principal, Rippowam Middle School

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