Weekly Message from the Superintendent

Dear SPS Community: 

The New Year is a good time for parents and guardians to make sure their contact information is up-to-date in PowerSchool. We use the information in PowerSchool to contact families in case of an illness, accident, or other emergency involving their child. We also use the information in PowerSchool to let families know about school closures, delays, or early dismissals.   

It’s important for parents/guardians to also list one or more emergency contacts for their child. Emergency contacts can be extended family members or other trusted adults who are authorized to pick up students from school in case of an illness, emergency, or weather-related closure when the parent/guardian is unavailable.  

School Closings, Delays, and Early Dismissals

January and February bring the likelihood of school delays, early dismissals, and closures due to inclement weather. When poor weather is forecast for our area, I remain in close contact with local meteorologists, the City of Stamford Operations and Public Safety Departments, First Student, our facilities team, and the superintendents from neighboring school districts. Our goal is to make decisions about closings and delays no later than 5:15 am. Decisions about early dismissals are generally made by 9 am.  

Families will be notified via school messenger phone calls and emails using the contact information in PowerSchool. Staff will be notified via phone calls and emails. Early dismissals also will be announced in-building. 

More information about inclement weather protocols can be found here. 

Second Big Picture Learning Academy Public Hearing is January 6 

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is hosting a second public hearing to gauge public support for a Stamford Big Picture Learning Academy Charter High School. The hearing is Monday, January 6 at 7:15 pm at Strawberry Hill School. If you are interested in providing public comment, please plan to attend. Thank you again to everyone who spoke in support of this program at the first public hearing in December. 

Cafe con la Super is January 13 

Please join us in person at the Stamford Government Center on Monday, January 13 at 6:30 pm for Cafe con la Super, our monthly Spanish language community conversation. This month’s topic will be kindergarten registration and readiness. Meetings are presented in Spanish with simultaneous English translation. Please click here to register for this meeting. 

Meeting for Families of Students with Special Needs is January 15 

The Stamford Coalition of Parents Expecting Success (SCOPES) will host its next meeting on Wednesday, January 15 at 6 pm via Zoom. This month, attendees will learn strategies for managing disagreements about the services provided to their child. The presenter will be Leona Adamczyk, Family School Partnerships Coordinator for the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, Inc. (CPAC).

The meeting will be presented with simultaneous Spanish and Haitian Creole interpretation. Please register to let us know if you plan to participate in this Zoom meeting. 

AITE to Host Yale Debate Association Exhibition on January 22 

I’m excited to share that the AITE Debate Team is hosting an evening of collegiate debate featuring the Yale Debate Association (YDA) on Wednesday, January 22 at 7 pm in the Rippowam Middle School auditorium.  

This FREE event will showcase the women from the Yale Debate Team to promote girls’ participation in high school debate. YDA is Yale University’s only competitive intercollegiate debate team and the most successful intercollegiate debating society in North America.

In addition to the debate exhibition, Yale faculty member and best-selling author Zoe Chance will share her perspectives on persuasion, public speaking, and empowerment, while Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons will discuss the importance of girls being encouraged to develop their public speaking skills. 

Stamford Public Schools has strong debate programs at all three high schools. Both AITE and Stamford High have won or placed at several Connecticut Debate Association events so far this school year. 

Stay Safe & Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent

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