Weekly Message from the Superintendent

Superintendent's Weekly Message - September 26, 2025

Dear SPS Families and Staff:

On Monday, I was honored to join U.S. Congressman Jim Himes, Family Centers CEO Louis Josephson, Family Centers Chief Health Officer Dennis Torres, City of Stamford Director of Health & Human Services Jody Bishop-Pullan, City of Stamford Director of Community Engagement Janeene Freeman, and TOR Principal Dr. Mark Bonasera for the grand opening of the new School Based Health Center at Turn of River Middle School.

Family Centers School Based Health Centers (SBHC) are free-standing, federally qualified medical centers open to all students where a clinic is located, regardless of income or health care coverage. Students can go to the SBHCs for basic sick visits, physicals, immunizations, and more.

In addition to the new SBHC at Turn of River, Family Centers operates medical centers at Cloonan, Dolan, Rippowam (also serving AITE), Stamford High School, and Westhill High School. All services are coordinated with the school nurse. Services are free, but parents must complete the Stamford School Based Health Centers Permission Form.

Thank you to Family Centers for their continued partnership and to Representative Himes for securing the federal funds to make the Turn of River School Based Health Center a reality!

Magnet Lottery Information Sessions - Monday at 9 am & 7 pm via Zoom

Every year, parents have questions about magnet school admission, which is managed through a controlled lottery as outlined in Board of Education Policy 5117.2 and Regulation 5117.2R. Please join us on Monday, September 29 at 9 am via Zoom or 7 pm via Zoom to learn more about magnet school admission. Both meetings will be presented with simultaneous Spanish interpretation.

Custodian Recognition Day is Thursday, October 2

Next Thursday, October 2, is National School Custodial Workers Appreciation Day. Our custodians work hard year-round to maintain more than 3 million square feet of building space on 300+ acres. School custodians do so much, including maintaining mechanical equipment and HVAC systems, landscape maintenance, snow plowing, cleaning, painting, general repairs, and more. Please take time next week to say thank you to a custodian!

Café con la Super is Monday, October 6

The next Café con la Super is Monday, October 6 at 6:30 pm at the SPS Welcome Center. During this meeting, we will share tips on how to prepare for upcoming parent-teacher conferences and also review school safety and security protocols. Café con la Super is open to the entire school community. The meeting is presented in Spanish with simultaneous English interpretation. Please register to let us know you will attend.

SPEF 5K Walk & Run is Sunday!

The Stamford Public Education Foundation’s (SPEF) annual 5K Walk & Run is this Sunday, September 28 at 9 am in Mill River Park. There’s still time to register and take part in this event. SPS students under 18 years of age can participate for FREE, while the adult registration fee is $43.40. All proceeds benefit SPEF, which supports SPS through programs including the Summer Start Early Education Program and Books Across Stamford.

The school community with the most participants as a percentage of total enrollment will win the MarcUS for Change Spirit Award, including a $500 donation to the school’s parent teacher organization. Westhill High School is the reigning champion and is seeking to three-peat at the 2025 SPEF 5K.

AgriScience Fall Festival is October 4 at Westhill

Save the date for the Stamford Regional FFA annual Fall Festival on Saturday, October 4 from 10 am to 3 pm at Westhill High School. There will be fall mums and student-made agricultural goods/crafts for sale as well as student-led tours of the Agriscience Program. The Stamford Regional FFA’s Agriscience Program is one of six specialized academic programs at Stamford High and Westhill that enrolls students from throughout Stamford regardless of their zoned high school. Students must apply to the AgriScience program during 8th grade.