Norwalk Public Schools

🎉 We had an amazing time at last month’s Hispanic Heritage Festival! The evening was filled with incredible student performances, vibrant cultural traditions, and meaningful connections with families and community organizations, all coming together to celebrate the richness of Hispanic heritage. Find the full performance video, digital performances and more in the Hispanic Heritage Festival playlist on the NPS YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/e6QQi8zT

SIDEWALKS ARE COMING TO WEST ROCKS ROAD 🔜 Norwalk pedestrians, including West Rocks Middle School families, will be able to walk along two miles of brand new sidewalks come Summer 2026! A huge shout out to Congressman Jim Himes for helping the City of Norwalk secure a $1.4 million federal grant that - on top of another $1 million state grant - will be a huge aid in the funding of this project! Thank you to our state delegation, Common Council, City of Norwalk, and all of our community partners and stakeholders who are helping in making West Rocks Road a more pedestrian-friendly area!

🎉 What a first day! We hope everyone had an amazing start to the 2025–26 school year across Norwalk Public Schools. We’re just getting started! 🎥 Check out the highlights from schools all across the district as students were welcomed back with big smiles, open arms, and lots of excitement. 📬 Be sure to read a special Welcome Back message from Superintendent Dr. Estrella: https://lnkd.in/eJ87esjU An exciting moment from today was the official opening of the new South Norwalk Elementary School! We were thrilled to welcome students and families to their brand new, state-of-the-art building alongside Dr. Estrella, Mayor Harry Rilling, First Lady Lucia Rilling, Principal Randall Austin, and Assistant Principal Francheska Rodriguez. And the celebration didn’t stop there! Governor Ned Lamont joined Senator Bob Duff, Common Council member Darlene Young, and Board of Education member Mary Ellen Flaherty-Ludwig in the afternoon to send students home with a smile after an unforgettable first day.

On Aug. 20, Norwalk Public Schools proudly welcomed back our amazing teachers and staff for a virtual Convocation to kick off the 2025–26 school year! Superintendent Dr. Estrella opened Convocation by celebrating staff achievements, reaffirming our commitment to student success and literacy, and inspiring our educators to lead with compassion, collaboration, and purpose to make Norwalk the place to be. We were honored to be joined by Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling; Senator Bob Duff, CT Senate Majority Leader; BOE Vice Chair Sheri McCready-Pritchett; NFT President Mary Yordon; and Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy Principal Dr. Damon Lewis, the 2025-26 National Middle School Principal of the Year, who each shared words of inspiration and encouragement for the year ahead. A very special thank you to our keynote speaker, Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president emeritus of UMBC, who graciously volunteered his time with us to share powerful reflections on his own educational journey including marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the importance of literacy across all subjects, and how his mother, a teacher, inspired his passion for education. We’re excited for the school year ahead and can’t wait to see the incredible work happening in our classrooms as we prepare to welcome students back next Monday!

From Hearst Connecticut Media Group Principal at Norwalk's Ponus Ridge Middle School earns national honor: 'Changing the narrative' NORWALK — From reducing chronic absenteeism in his school by 15% to redesigning the school’s Gifted & Talented Program, Damon Lewis takes pride in “changing the narrative” of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy. https://lnkd.in/esn_KAN6

Later this month, Digital Promise will be hosting Dr. Alexandra Estrella as part of an engaging panel discussion on the importance of providing language education! For more information, check the link below or check out the Digital Promise website. https://lnkd.in/dPHhCnun

Last month, members of the Superintendent’s Student Leadership Council presented to district administrators during the Summer Leadership Retreat, sharing powerful insights on the current state of mental health in schools for both students and staff. Throughout the 2024–25 school year, Indi “Indy” Nuñes, Blerta Hoxha, Joy Weng and Arden Rals Gerez Estanislao worked on a project that surveyed students and staff about mental wellness, strategies for support, and ways to prevent burnout. The students were guided in their work by NPS Social Worker in Residence, Robin Gredinger, who provided valuable insight and feedback. A huge thank you to these student leaders for taking time out of their summer break to share their work and offer meaningful feedback to our school leaders. We’re proud of their dedication and look forward to seeing what they accomplish next!

We love seeing all the well-earned recognition for Dr. Damon Lewis following his selection as the 2025–26 National Middle School Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). His leadership, vision, and dedication to students truly set him apart. Congratulations again, Dr. Lewis! You are most deserving! 📖 Read more from EducationWeek: https://lnkd.in/esuXihEa 🎓 Read the feature from his alma mater, Southern Connecticut State University: https://lnkd.in/e6hGtukR

We’re thrilled to share that Dr. Damon Lewis, principal of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy, has been named the 2025–26 National Middle School Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)! Dr. Lewis received this incredible honor in front of hundreds of fellow school leaders during the Illuminate Gala at the UNITED Conference in Seattle, hosted by NASSP and the National Association of Elementary School Principals. 🎥 Watch the powerful moment his name was announced and his heartfelt acceptance speech. Congratulations, Dr. Lewis! Your leadership, heart, and commitment to students are an inspiration to us all.

🎉 Congratulations to our CFO, Lunda Asmani! Asmani was recently named President of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), a leading professional association representing over 26,000 public finance officials across the United States and Canada. GFOA provides leadership, training, and best practices in public finance to help governments serve their communities effectively. Asmani has been involved with GFOA since the beginning of his 20-year career. His appointment reflects a deep commitment to public service and a strong dedication to community leadership. He will continue his leadership as CFO of Norwalk Public Schools while serving in this national role. 🔗 Learn more about his goals for GFOA and his commitment to making a difference in local government: https://lnkd.in/e9gRxCsb