New Fairfield’s Board of Education (BOE) unanimously approved the proposed Technology Package for the new high school on Thursday, November 17, following the same move by the Town’s Permanent Building Committee the week before. Representatives from JCJ Architecture walked the school board through the package’s highlights, explaining that all hardware and installation needs will be covered well within the budget.

The $607K package includes classroom and conference room audiovisual equipment, digital signage, screens, collaboration hardware, computer hardware, PCs and Macs for the Design Lab, and network equipment. Telephone handsets and charging stations for laptops and tablets are also included. The Technology Package will now go to the state for final approval and the goal is to release the package prior to the Christmas holiday. As of now, there are no significant delays in the supply chain for technological equipment purchases.

Director of Curriculum Ms. Alyce Misuraca led a lengthy presentation on the coaching and learning intervention that is happening throughout the district. Following lackluster standardized testing results—a nationwide trend due to pandemic disruptions in education—Misuraca presented an all hands on deck scenario to support growth and achievement, with coaches and interventionists staying agile to identify and meet demands as they arise. Several coaches and interventionists were on hand to support the presentation and many expressed thanks for the Board’s keen interest in their work.

The collaborative effort of the “triad of coaches, teachers, and interventionists” was described in detail by Misuraca. All maintain high-quality instruction and the development of a Vision of the Graduate as their guiding principles. Overall, the teachers are delivering instruction and the interventionists are then providing additional targeted instruction that aims to close learning gaps. Though there is some need for students to be instructed away from the classroom, Misuraca said that ideally “we want all kids in their classrooms learning alongside their peers.” There is a focus on planning and instruction, the consistency of content and pacing, and using assessments to drive instruction and form what needs to be done in the classroom every day. This goes hand in hand with professional learning strategies.

Misuraca said that “this year we’ve worked really hard to develop a shared understanding of the role of a coach in our district and our coaching model,” going on to say, “it’s really looking at everybody’s collective strengths and using what everybody has to offer to really move instruction.” This year New Fairfield has six coaches. They all meet once a month to plan for consistent professional learning experiences. In addition, there are bi-weekly professional learning meetings where coaches can meet with each grade level. In addition to helping students, coaches also support teachers through individual and team coaching. Misuraca explained that “this instructional coaching model, as part of the new system in support of growth and achievement, is helping teachers to lift instruction that is both engaging and differentiated.”

The presentation included a breakdown of interventionists’ duties and the similarities and differences between reading and math interventionists. The biggest similarity revolves around engagement, “the more engaged students are, the better they are going to perform,” Misuraca said.

In his Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Ken Craw said, “I really look at it as this [Thanksgiving] as the end of the beginning of the year.” He reflected on being new to the district, the “Herculean task” that was accomplished at the start of the year by faculty and staff to get moved into the new pre-K to five facility and said, “we’re now running on all cylinders.” He and BOE Chair Mr. Dominic Cipollone said that they are thankful for all the staff and students. They are both particularly grateful to have nineteen new substitute teachers up and running in the system, due to the efforts of Assistant Superintendent Ms. Julie Luby and the Human Resources staff. “Hopefully, we don’t get to use them too much,” Cipollone half-joked, “because teachers come to work every day…but to have them on the bench in a pinch is a good thing.”

The next regular Board Education meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 1, 7:00 p.m.

By Sarah Opdahl