By Cherry

NEW FAIRFIELD – At the January 16th regular meeting of the New Fairfield Board of Education (BOE), Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Craw provided an update on staff attendance, reporting an impressive improvement to 97% for teachers—exceeding the district’s 95% target. He acknowledged Michelle Brown, president of the New Fairfield Education Association (NFEA), for her contributions. Dr. Craw stated, “I am really pleased to report, and I really want to thank our NFEA for their efforts with attendance. I set a bar of a 95% attendance rate for the district, and our teachers are trending at 97%. Last year, the rate was 92–93% for the entire year. So, 85 days through, we are at 97%.”

Referring to Ms. Brown, Dr. Craw added, “I shared this with the leadership, including Michelle Brown, president of the NFEA. I couldn’t be happier. It is a tough season with colds going around. While we do not want people to come in when they are sick, regular, consistent attendance by students and educators is critical to the success of our plans.”

BOE Chair Dominic Cipollone echoed Dr. Craw’s gratitude, saying, “Thank you, teachers and staff. It is really important. We have emphasized the importance of students attending school, and we certainly expect our staff to be there, ready and prepared. So, thank you.”

During their report, student representatives highlighted upcoming key school activities, including New Fairfield High School’s (NFHS) Unified Spirit Week and the Festival of Cultures. Unified Spirit Week will run from January 27–31, celebrating the school’s unified sports athletes and promoting inclusion, kindness, and respect. The week will kick off with a school-wide assembly and conclude with the winter pep rally, where the unified team will play against Newtown during halftime.

The Beta Club will host the Festival of Cultures on February 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the high school. Organizers are seeking community members interested in sharing aspects of their culture at the event.

The representatives also congratulated students selected for the Western Region Honors Music Progr am. NFHS has a strong tradition of participation in the Connecticut Music Educators Association’s (CMEA) Western Region Honors Music Program. Each year, numerous NFHS students a udition and are selected to participate in this prestigious festival, which features band, orchestra, and choir performances.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kristine Woleck discussed the growth of the orchestra program, which will expand with the BOE’s budget approval. She noted, “The program has been growing over the past several years, moving from the elementary to middle school. Now, we have a cohort of eighth graders transitioning to high school who wish to continue with orchestra. This approval allows the ensemble to advance into high school and welcomes any 10th, 11th, or 12th grader who plays a stringed instrument but hasn’t had the opportunity to join an ensemble. We’re excited to continue building this program, which will complement the high school’s band and chorus.”

The meeting also included an update on the bus lot. Dr. Craw announced a special multi-board meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 23, at 7 p.m. at the elementary school. Representatives from the Board of Selectmen, BOE, Board of Finance, and the Permane nt Building Committee will attend. An engineer contracted to study potential bus lot sites will present a technical update, detailing the pros and cons of each location. Dr. Craw noted that meeting announcements will be posted.

Before adjourning, the BOE accepted a donation valued at approximately $1,800 from the New Fairfield Community Thrift Shop. The donation will support the school’s field trip to France, assisting families with insurance reimbursement and transportation costs.

The next regular New Fairfield Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 6, at 7 p.m.