By Sarah Opdahl

On the cusp of the 2024-2025 academic year, New Fairfield Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ken Craw is excited to begin the journey. With a new strategic plan in place, an energized group of new hires joining, and ambitious initiatives underway, he is confident about the successes ahead for the district.

Following an extensive drafting process, with input from all stakeholders, the district’s newly adopted Strategic Plan is  a focus for Craw. He explained that the Plan “will guide the continuous improvement of our schools,” and is centered on three goal areas: Curriculum, Instruction, and Wellness.  Eleven projects that stem from the Plan began this summer, including a remarkable effort to completely overhaul the K through 12 science curriculum.

With faculty orientation and professional development about to commence, the district is ready to welcome twenty new certified staff members. Craw remarked on their “passion for teaching students and the expertise that they will bring to our District.” He went on to say, “Many of the new teachers have commented during their hiring process that they were attracted to New Fairfield because of its strong commitment to excellence and personalized approach to learning.”

At each school there are a number of projects in progress. New Fairfield Middle School (NFMS) has experienced a large upgrade this summer, not only in the efforts to shore up the building following the demolition of the old New Fairfield High School (NFHS) but in the form of a STEAM space. Craw said, “we invested in our Middle School STEAM facilities and program to focus on robotics education at the eighth grade level.” Where the STEAM program was originally housed in the library, the new STEAM room was renovated to convert an existing space “into a state-of-the-art STEAM classroom, saving the district considerable money by accomplishing this project in-house with our own maintenance crew,” he explained. NFMS will also see a shift in personnel, with Mr. Steven Groccia, who was an assistant principal at the elementary campus, now filling the assistant principal vacancy.  A new library media specialist will also join the team, and world language instructional time is increasing significantly. Rather than a survey year of options, students will select either a French or Spanish course of study a year earlier, beginning in sixth grade.

NFHS will  implement a new master bell schedule this year, which Craw explained, “will increase the frequency with which classes will meet, while still allowing for extended blocks of instructional time.” There is  also an additional school counselor joining who will help to support student mental health. At the newly dubbed New Fairfield Elementary, the faculty will roll out a new literacy program.  Craw pointed out, “Our K-5 teachers will receive ongoing training to implement new resources to enhance student comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary skills.”

Craw hopes that New Fairfield’s learners have had summers rich in family time, as he has intentionally done, with his oldest daughter soon leaving for her freshman year in college. He is hopeful that messages regarding the importance of being present in school will continue to resonate with families, with the chronic absenteeism rate continuing to steadily fall. “My advice for a successful year is for our students to commit to daily, on-time attendance and be actively engaged in their classes and at least one co-curricular activity that interests them,” he said.

Overall, Craw is ever “grateful for the community support for education in New Fairfield and looking forward to a great year ahead as our students and staff return from summer break.”