Superintendent's Report – October 2025

Continuously improve instruction, cultivate creativity, and enhance student engagement and performance.

Enhance the efficient and effective use of resources.

Foster a supportive climate for students and adults.  
 

Instruction

PSAT Day: October 16, 2025 was ARHS’s annual PSAT testing day for students in grades 9–11. For our juniors, this PSAT serves as the qualifying exam for National Merit Scholarship Competition recognition. For students in grades 9 and 10, the PSAT serves two important purposes. From the student perspective, it provides valuable exposure to taking an SAT-style test. For the school, it yields important performance data that helps us identify students who may need additional support and assess and adjust instructional practices when areas of concern emerge in the results. While the rest of the school was testing, our 12th graders spent the day off campus working on their post-secondary plans.  

Scholastic National Silver Medalists: Last Spring, Amity seniors Joy Deng (writing) and August Khan (photography) earned Gold Keys at the Connecticut Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, advancing their work to the National Scholastic competition. Following this summer’s national judging, we learned that both Joy and August received National Silver Medals—a meaningful recognition of their effort, talent, and passion for the arts.
 

Culinary & Composting: WTNH’s morning news program What’s Right with Schools featured Amity’s Culinary Arts program on October 7, 2025. This long-running segment, which highlights innovative and positive programs in Connecticut schools, showcased the creative cooking taking place in Chef Adrianna Linkstrom’s culinary classes and her emphasis on composting. The feature demonstrated how  the small choices students make in their work can have a big impact on the environment. You can view the segment here.

AMSO Government Day: AMSO Social Studies teachers partnered with Orange town officials and Orange Youth Services to bring back Government Day. Students shadowed local government departments, including the First Selectman’s Office, Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation, and the Community Center. The day began with former Town Clerk Pat O’Sullivan, who spoke with students about the importance of public service as a means to accomplish shared goals. It concluded with a meeting with First Selectman Jim Zeoli, who encouraged students to reflect on their experiences and presented each of them with an official town pin to commemorate the event.
 

Math Competition Opportunities at AMSB!: Thanks to Mrs. Deb DeMeo, students interested in participating in math competitions at AMSB will have two nationally recognized opportunities this school year. For the first time, AMSB will offer the AMC-8 Math Competition at the end of January. The AMC-8 will be available to any interested student at no cost and will be administered during the school day. More information will be shared with all math students in December and January. In addition, the AMSB Math Club will once again participate in the MATHCOUNTS Competition in February. Information about MATHCOUNTS can be found at www.mathcounts.org.  


Curriculum Writing Progress: Curriculum writing continues for many departments throughout the school year. On October 16, 2025, middle school teachers spent the day writing course curriculum. Seventh-grade Spanish, eighth-grade Math, and eighth-grade Social Studies teachers all had the opportunity to collaborate and advance their work.   

October Professional Learning: October 16, 2025, was an early release day. Teachers participated in a variety of professional learning opportunities organized by department. Curriculum writing, transition planning, determining course scope and sequence, and new program training were among the focus topics.
 

Fall STAR Testing: AMSB and AMSO students completed the Fall STAR screening for reading and math, while students in grades 9–11 at the high school completed the PSAT. The results from these assessments will be used to inform instruction.  
 

Middle School Data Review: Middle school teachers met with district coaches to review the fall data results. Teachers analyzed district and school data from last year and examined results for the students they currently teach. The group identified trends and discussed strategies to support students who may require additional help.

District Data Team Meeting: The District Data Team met to review results from the SAT, NGSS, and SBA assessments for our current students. This review highlighted both areas of strength and opportunities for growth. Based on these findings, the team identified key next steps to guide continued improvement efforts in the 2025–2026 school year. This work will continue throughout the year at the district, school, and teacher levels. 
 

Resources  

Local Candidates Forum: On October 16, 2025, students and teachers in our Critical Issues course collaborated with the League of Women Voters to host a Candidates Forum for selectperson candidates in Bethany, Orange, and Woodbridge. This was a well-attended event by both students and community members. Thank you to the students, the League of Women Voters, and all the candidates who participated — we appreciate you all!

Financial Aid Info Night: Amity’s School Counseling Department hosted its annual Financial Aid Information Night on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. Financing college and identifying the many resources available to help families navigate the planning process can be a huge challenge, and this event provided valuable advice and guidance on how to manage it successfully. For anyone who couldn’t attend or would like more information about this topic, the College & Career resources on our website are an excellent resource. Check them out here: ARHS Counseling Department's College & Career Readiness Resources.  

AMSO Peer Tutoring: Peer tutoring is underway at AMSO. Twenty-three 8th graders have been trained and paired with tutees based on student needs. In addition to supporting academic growth, the program provides students with an opportunity to develop valuable POG skills, including communication, empathy, and planning. 


Exciting Summer 2026 Professional Learning Opportunity!: We have offered our staff the opportunity to attend professional learning with Dr. Peter Liljedahl, who will be coming to Amity on July 30 and July 31, 2026, to engage our staff in Building Thinking Classrooms. Dr. Liljedahl is a Professor of Mathematics Education at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. Beyond his academic stature, he is a visionary leader in the field of education, seamlessly blending scholarly research with practical classroom applications. A former high school teacher turned scholar, Dr. Liljedahl’s impact resonates globally through his best-selling work, Building Thinking Classrooms. 
 

COLT Presenters: On October 16, 2025, four members of the ARHS World Languages Department — Ms. Serapiglia, Ms. Mirci, Ms. Caron, and Department Chair Ms. Xia — gave an outstanding presentation on “Bridging Cultures and Communities for a Brighter Future” at the Connecticut Council of Language Teachers (COLT) annual statewide conference.  

School Refusal Expertise: Pupil Services Director Mr. Brant, along with colleagues from Meriden Public Schools and the Connetquot Central School District, presented virtually at the Washington Association of School Psychologists Fall Conference. Their presentation focused on case conceptualizations of school-refusal behavior.  

Connecticut Targeted Violence & Terrorism Prevention Symposium: Ms. Rivera and Ms. Collins, School Psychologists at ARHS, and Mr. Boulton, ARSD Head of Security, attended the 2025 Connecticut Targeted Violence & Terrorism Prevention Symposium at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building. This day-long working session provided critical information about lessons learned and best practices in school mental health, safety, and physical security. The district will be reviewing several key takeaways as part of our ongoing safety processes.  

Transition Coordination Training: Ms. Berkowitz, Transition Coordinator, attended the International Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) Conference in Denver, CO. DCDT is an international professional educational organization affiliated with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). The information gained at this conference was shared during a workshop on transition services for all school psychologists, school social workers, special education teachers, school counselors, and speechlanguage pathologists during our October Professional Learning Day.  

Climate

Michaels’ Cup Recognizes Work of Class Act Council: On October 7, 2025, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) honored the outstanding work of the student-athletes in Amity’s Class Act Council for fostering positive sportsmanship and school spirit over the past year at the annual statewide CIAC Sportsmanship Conference. Being one of the small number of Connecticut schools awarded the Michaels Jewelers Achievement Cup is a significant honor — and even more impressive considering that Amity’s Class Act Council has received this distinction in four of the past five years.
 

AAC Month: In honor of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Month, SAILS students and teachers led a variety of activities during advisory to educate students about the many ways people express themselves — including tools such as gestures, communication boards, and speech-generating devices. Throughout October, AMSO students celebrated all the ways people communicate and showed their support for AAC users in our school and community. Please enjoy the video that was used to introduce students to AAC.

ARHS Celebrates National School Custodian Appreciation Day: October 2, 2025, was National School Custodian Appreciation Day. Throughout the week leading up to it, members of the Principal’s Committee designed a poster filled with messages of appreciation from students and staff for our custodial and maintenance team. The poster was presented to Head Custodian John Pellicani on behalf of the school on October 3rd.
 

Fall Sports Senior Nights: Mid-October marks the start of Senior Night recognition events for our fall sports teams. Congratulations to the teams that have already held their celebrations! We look forward to seeing everyone at the final Senior Night event on November 7, 2025:  

• Girls Volleyball: October 8
• Girls Soccer: October 9
• Girls Cross Country: October 10
• Girls Swimming and Diving: October 14
• Field Hockey: October 17
• Cheerleading: November 7
• Football: November 7
• Boys Soccer: October 13
   

AMSO Halloween Dance: The AMSO PTSO sponsored a Halloween Dance for students on October 17, 2025. Over 180 students came dressed in costume and enjoyed a fun evening of music, food, and friends. Our thanks go out to the teachers and staff members who volunteered to chaperone the event. 
 

AMSO Heads to Adventure Park: AMSO 7th-grade students enjoyed a day of team building at The Adventure Park at The Discovery Center in Bridgeport. Students and staff spent the afternoon navigating climbing and ropes courses, providing an authentic opportunity to build collaboration and teamwork skills as they challenged themselves and supported one another through various course levels.
 

AMSB Color Fun Run: On October 25, 2025, the AMSB PTSO hosted the annual Color Fun Run. Registration began at 9:00 a.m. and the event kicked off at 9:30 a.m. This major fundraiser brought the AMSB community together for a morning of running through the streets of Bethany while being sprayed with colorful water packets and powder. The event was filled with laughter, selfies, and strong community spirit. Families and students participated enthusiastically, and many volunteers helped make the day a success.
 

Veterans Day Volunteers Needed: On November 11, 2025, the AMSB Social Studies Department will once again host its annual Veterans Day program. Local veterans are invited to speak with students and share their experiences serving our country. Those interested should contact Marika Wissink at Marika.Wissink@amityregion5.org or message her through Schoology. 
 

AMSB Dig Pink: The AMSB Girls’ Volleyball team held its annual Dig Pink Fundraiser Game and Bake Sale for Breast Cancer Awareness on October 22, 2025, in the AMSB Gymnasium.
 

AMSB Fall Musical: Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination! Don’t miss the Bethany Spartan Players’ production of Willy Wonka Jr. on November 7, 8, and 9. Individual tickets are offered at the student rate of $12. To purchase tickets, complete this form. Payment can be made in cash to Mrs. Nall in AMSB Room 1, by check payable to Amity Middle School Bethany, or via Venmo @AMSBMusical.
 

Unified Sports Up and Running: Unified Sports at ARHS is off to a great start, with Amity hosting a Unified Soccer Tournament on October 15, 2025. Thank you to Ms. Carrafiello and Ms. Tucker for once again coaching our athletes, and to our paraprofessionals for supporting student participation after school hours. Unified Sports at the collegiate level has also begun – on October 17, 2025, ATA, with support from Albertus Magnus College, hosted a Unified Soccer Tournament featuring transition programs from Milford, East Haven, North Haven, and Branford. 

Hispanic Heritage Month: Hispanic Heritage Month ran from mid-September to mid-October, and ARHS observed the start of the month with a special reading during morning announcements focused on the purpose of the celebration and the theme “Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future.” At ARHS, the month was celebrated with music and trivia highlighting Hispanic culture, organized by members of the National Spanish Honor Society. 

At AMSO, students participated in a wide variety of activities recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month, exploring culture through music, dance, and history. Live presentations and interactive lessons included singing and salsa dancing, and students used their research skills to study Hispanic cultures and prepare  presentations entirely in the target language.