Weekly Message from the Superintendent

Dear SPS Community: 

Thank you to everyone who turned out last night for our first Coffee & Conversation event. It was a spirited and informative discussion on a range of topics including facilities, safety, academic rigor, teacher absences, assessments, budgeting, homework, special education, and more. I am grateful to everyone who took the time to join us to share what is working, what is not, and how we can build together to better serve all students.

If you were unable to attend last night, there are three more opportunities to join us this fall:    

• Monday, October 19 at 6:30 pm (SPS Welcome Center) - meeting presented in Spanish
• Wednesday, October 21 at 7 pm (Westover Magnet School)
• Thursday, November 12 at 7 pm (Rogers International School)

Please register in ParentSquare if you plan to attend. If you are unable to join us this fall, additional Coffee & Conversation events will be scheduled after the New Year. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up on October 14, 15, and 16. On these days, schools will follow the early release schedule, providing teachers with time during their contractual work day to meet with parents and guardians.

I cannot stress enough the importance of participating in Parent-Teacher Conferences. Whether your child is starting kindergarten or finishing high school, establishing and maintaining a relationship with your child’s teachers is an important part of supporting their success.

Conferences are an opportunity to learn more than what you see in PowerSchool or Google Classroom. This is when you can ask how your child is progressing academically, where they are excelling, where they may be struggling, whether they are active participants in class, and what you can do at home to support their continued growth.

For families of students in grades 6 through 12, these conversations can be particularly valuable. As middle and high school students become more independent, parents and guardians may naturally hear less about what is happening at school on a daily basis. Conferences give families of older students an opportunity to connect directly with their child’s teachers, understand how their child is doing across multiple classes, and ask questions about curriculum, assignments, assessments, expectations, or any concerns they may have.

Parent-Teacher Conferences strengthen the partnership between families and schools. When parents, guardians, and educators communicate openly and regularly, we are better positioned to support students and help them succeed.

Supporting our students also means acknowledging that they must develop and master a variety of fundamental skills during childhood and adolescence. In addition to acquiring academic skills and knowledge, decades of research shows that students who develop core social and emotional competencies during childhood are more likely to succeed in school, the workplace, and life. 

Stamford Public Schools uses the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) to identify what social-emotional competencies students have developed and where there are opportunities for further growth. For instance, can students persevere when something is difficult? Can they manage frustration and remain engaged? Can they work productively with others? Can they make responsible decisions, navigate conflict, and ask for help when they need it? 

The DESSA is used three times per year to assess social-emotional development. Just as we administer diagnostic assessments in reading and math at the beginning, middle and end of each year, the DESSA helps us measure students' growth in their social-emotional skills over the same time period.   

There has been discussion about social-emotional learning and assessment, both locally and nationally, so I want to be clear about our goals. The DESSA is not used to diagnose mental health or behavioral issues. Rather, the DESSA helps us understand whether students are developing the “soft skills" that directly affect their ability to participate in school, engage with instruction, build productive relationships, and respond to challenges.

No single assessment tells us everything about a child, and the DESSA is no exception. But when considered alongside academic performance, attendance, classroom observations, and other information available to our educators, it can help us better understand where our students are succeeding and where they may need additional support.

Academic achievement remains our central focus. Supporting the skills that allow students to engage, persevere, collaborate, and learn is integral to achieving that goal.

Please continue reading below for information about our upcoming meeting for families of students with disabilities and the City of Stamford's Automated Speed Enforcement Program that begins this month. 

Thank you for reading, and thank you for being an important part of the Stamford Public Schools community. 

Sincerely, 

Adrian B. Talley, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Families of students with disabilities are invited to join us for the next SCOPES meeting on Wednesday, October 7 at 6:30 pm at the SPS Welcome Center or via Zoom.

This month, the speaker is James Oliver from the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS).  Topics will include:  

• DDS Eligibility & Application Process
• Helpline Support Services
• Employment & Day Programs
• Transition Timeline for Youth & Families

Please click here to register. 

The meeting will be offered in-person and via Zoom. Spanish interpretation will be available.  

If attending in person, please arrive by 6:15 pm to ensure a prompt start to the meeting.

SCOPES is presented in partnership with Stamford Cradle to Career and the Parent-Teacher Council of Stamford. 

Automated Speed Enforcement Program

The City of Stamford will launch its Automated Speed Enforcement Program at 14 locations in seven school zones across the city this month.

This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to improve roadway safety and advance the goals of Stamford’s Vision Zero Program.

Speeding is one of the most significant factors contributing to serious crashes, and this program is an important tool to encourage safer driving behavior, especially around our schools.

The cameras will be located near Cloonan Middle School, Dolan Middle School, Springdale Elementary, K.T. Murphy Elementary Julia A. Stark Elementary, Stamford High School, and Strawberry Hill School.

Important aspects of the program include:

• Vehicle owners will be ticketed for exceeding the posted speed limit by 11 MPH or more.
• The program will begin with a 45-day warning period, during which drivers who exceed the enforcement threshold will receive a warning rather than a fine.
• Following the warning period, violations will result in a $50 fine for a first offense and $75 for subsequent offenses.
• Speed camera enforcement fines are a civil penalty and will not be assessed against the owner’s driver’s license or insurance.

More information on the program can be found on the city’s website.