Weekly Message from the Superintendent

Dear Families and Staff,

The early blast of winter weather in many parts of the country is a reminder that we must prepare for school closings, delays, and early dismissals here in Stamford.  

When inclement weather is forecast, I stay in close contact with local meteorologists, the City of Stamford Operations and Public Safety Departments, First Student, and superintendents from nearby districts to monitor conditions throughout the area. In most cases, closings and delays will be announced no later than 5:15 am and early dismissals will be announced by 9 am.   

Notifications will be made as follows: 

• Families will be notified via School Messenger phone calls, emails, and texts based on the contact information and preferences set in PowerSchool. Make sure to add StamfordPS@schoolmessengermail.com to your safe senders list so emails do not go to spam/junk. To receive notifications by text, you must also opt in by texting “Y” or “YES” to 67587. 
• Staff will be notified via an all-staff email to their SPS email address. To receive phone calls or texts from School Messenger, opt-in to School Messenger Notifications by populating the appropriate fields in your DayForce account. To receive notifications by text, you must also opt in by texting “Y” or “YES” to 67587. 

Predicting the weather is an inexact science, and sometimes decisions must be made before there is certainty about the forecast, especially when dangerous weather is forecast to begin during the school day. We will always err on the side of caution to ensure the safety of our 18,000+ students, teachers, and staff.   

We understand that weather-related school closures can create challenges for families, and we appreciate your understanding as we navigate the winter weather ahead.   

Agriscience Program Holiday Fair is December 6 & 13 

The 130+ high school students from the Stamford Regional FFA (Agriscience) Program at Westhill are excited to welcome the community to their annual Holiday Shop, which will take place during the next two Saturdays, December 6 & 13, from 10 am to 3 pm in the Agriscience Building. The Holiday Shop features a wide selection of poinsettias, wreaths, and floral arrangements, as well as student-made crafts and food gifts. Tours will also be available for prospective students.  

“Annie” Opens Tomorrow Night: Get Your Tickets Now!  

This year’s All-School Musical is Annie, the heartwarming, high-energy Broadway musical filled with unforgettable characters, songs, humor, and heart! 

The 18th annual All-School Musical features 64 cast members and 18 crew members representing 17 area schools, including AITE, Cloonan, Davenport Ridge, Dolan, Hart, Rippowam, Rogers, Scofield, Stamford High, Strawberry Hill, Turn of River, Westhill, and Westover.  

Tickets are on sale now for the following performances at Rippowam Middle School: 

• Saturday, December 6 at 7:30 pm
• Sunday, December 7 at 2 pm (includes optional meet and greet with cast and “Sandy” the dog)
• Friday, December 12 at 7:30 pm
• Saturday, December 13 at 7:30 pm
• Sunday, December 14 at 2 pm

Please note, this performance is recommended for ages 4 and up. 

Annie has been delighting audiences for nearly 50 years and is sure to make you laugh, cry and leave the theater singing classic songs including "Tomorrow,"  "Maybe," and "It's a Hard Knock Life."  Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy a professional-caliber musical theater production right here in Stamford! 

District Calendar Webinar: December 9 at 6:30 pm via Zoom

Please join the Chief Staff and Family Resource Officer, Dr. Michael Fernandes, for a Zoom webinar about the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school calendars. During the webinar, Dr. Fernandes will share the criteria considered when developing the calendars and present the draft calendars for 2026-27 and 2027-28. 

Holidays in Harmony Student Performances Begin December 9 

The Stamford Town Center Holidays in Harmony music series features student performances from local schools and performing arts organizations throughout December. Please stop by the Stamford Town Center to enjoy the following performances by our talented SPS musicians: 

• Tuesday, December 9: Stamford High Concert Band (4:30 pm), Jazz Band (5:15 pm), Choir and Orchestra (7 pm) 
• Wednesday, December 10: Roxbury Elementary 4th Grade Chorus (6 pm) 
• Thursday, December 11: Julia A. Stark 5th Grade Chorus (5:30 pm)
• Tuesday, December 16: Stillmeadow Elementary Chorus (5:30 pm)
• Wednesday, December 17: Westhill Orchestra, Choir, and Jazz Band (6 pm)
• Thursday, December 18: Westover Magnet School Chorus (5:30 pm) 

Welcome to New BOE Members & Officers

Finally, please join me in welcoming our new Board of Education (BOE) members—Mr. Kristopher O'Brien, Mr. Adam Vandervoort, and Dr. Jennifer Werely—who were sworn in by Mayor Simmons earlier this week. We also would like to acknowledge the newly elected BOE officers and committee chairs for the upcoming year: 

• President: Andy George  
• Vice President: Gabriela Koc
• Secretary: Julienne Foy
• Assistant Secretary: Prasad Tunga 
• Fiscal Chair: Prasad Tunga 
• Labor Chair: Adam Vandervoort
• Operations Chair: Antonia Better-Wirz
• Policy Chair: Gabriela Koc 
• Teaching, Learning & Community Chair: Julienne Foy

Stay Safe & Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent

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