Weekly Message from the Superintendent

Dear SPS Community: 

The FY26 budget process continues next week with the Joint Board of Finance/Board of Representatives Public Budget Hearing on Tuesday, April 8 at 7 pm via Zoom (Webinar ID: 863 3787 2097).  This is the public’s opportunity to share their comments about the City of Stamford budget with the City Boards. To sign up to speak or submit comments to be read at the meeting, email tdonoghue@stamfordct.gov or  bdreps@stamfordct.gov or call 203-977-4024. You must sign up to speak by 12 pm on Tuesday, April 8. 

The budget hearing will be presented with simultaneous English/Spanish interpretation. 

Both the Board of Finance and the Board of Representatives may either approve the budget as submitted or cut the budget. Any reduction in the BOE’s proposed operating budget by the BOF or BOR will result in the BOE having to possibly reduce programs, services, or staff for the 2025-26 school year.   

To learn more, view our FY26 Community Budget Guide in English or Spanish. 

Westhill Percussion Heads to WGI World Championships!

Westhill High School’s Winter Percussion program will be in Dayton, Ohio next weekend to compete in the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships, which is a showcase for dozens of the country's top-ranked high school marching arts programs. Westhill Percussion took gold at the WGI Dartmouth Regional Championship on March 8, catapulting the ensemble to #2 in the nation in the Scholastic A Class. The ensemble was subsequently promoted to Scholastic Open Class, a first for Westhill and one of the highest honors a marching arts program can receive.   

The Westhill Band Parent Association is still fundraising to help defray the cost of this trip for our students. If you are interested in supporting this amazing opportunity for our student musicians, click here to learn more. 

Westhill Percussion to Perform in Stamford on Saturday Night

You can catch the Westhill Winter Percussion Ensemble in action tomorrow—Saturday, April 5—when Westhill hosts the MAC Percussion Championships. The competition gets underway at 4:55 pm and features 15 high school percussion groups from throughout our region. The Westhill Winter Percussion ensemble will take to the floor at 7:30 pm to perform their award-winning production “Song of Sirens.” Tickets are $17 for ages 11+ and $10 each for children 10 and under.

My City Day is April 9

SPS is partnering with the City of Stamford for My City Day, a district-wide, interactive event offering students and their families a voice in shaping Stamford’s future! During My City Day, students will learn about city planning and share their ideas about what they want to see in the Stamford of the future. Families will be able to participate by completing an on-line survey about the goals in the Stamford 2035 Comprehensive Plan. My City Day is April 9 at all schools except Stamford High and Westhill, which will participate on April 10. My City Day is organized by My Architecture Workshops Inc. in cooperation with the City of Stamford and SPS. Look for more details—including the family survey link—early next week!

State Assessments Begin Next Week 

Next Wednesday, 11th grade students at Stamford High and Westhill will take the Next Generation Science Standards assessment. This exam is one of the state-mandated summative assessments that students take each spring. In addition to the NGSS assessment for grades 5, 8, and 11, students in grades 3-8 take the Smarter Balanced Assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Chief Academic Officer Amy Beldotti shared information about these assessments in a letter to families earlier this week. 

There will be a 4-hour delay for SHS and WHS students in grades 9, 10, and 12. Students in grades 9, 10, and 12 should not report to school until 11:25 am. SHS and WHS buses will make two runs on Wednesday morning to accommodate both start times.  Please note, there may be residual delays in afternoon bus service for elementary and K-8 students on Wednesday.    

Register to Attend Kindergarten Play & Learn Night 

Play & Learn Night for incoming K students and their families is Wednesday, April 23 at 5:30 pm. This is an opportunity for 2025-26 kindergarten families to meet the teachers and staff at their child’s school. Please click here to register for Play & Learn Night!

 

Stay Safe and Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent of Schools

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