Superintendent's Report – November 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

Model UN Takes Top Spot: Congratulations to our Model UN students who won the top award of Outstanding Team/School Overall (1st place) at the University of New Haven Charger MUN conference over the last weekend of October. Several individual student performances helped the team place so well including Luca DiSorbo and Emma Imanov for Best Position Paper, and Best Delegates Aitan Herman, Chase Kinton, Mattia Vessicchio, Srestha Kompalli, Luca DiSorbo, and Emma Imanov.  
 

Excellence in Science Instruction: On October 28, 2025, ARHS Science teachers Sarah Reeves and Lindsay McCarthy were recognized at the Connecticut Technology Council's Women of Innovation Awards for their work mentoring students in Amity's Science Research Program. Both of our teachers were among the top 5 finalists in the Academic Innovation & Leadership – Secondary category, and Ms. Reeves tied with another finalist for 1st place.  

Professional Learning Day: A district-wide professional learning day was held on November 4, 2025. Teachers participated in a Day of AI which focused on safely using AI as a tool to improve teaching and learning. The day included audio clips from student panels allowing us to hear how students are actually using AI and what they wish their teachers knew about AI. Teachers were able to explore numerous topics, in order to support their planning and instructional practices through a variety of workshops.  

Woodbridge Public Library Art Show: Students from across the Amity School District have artwork on display at the Woodbridge Public Library. The exhibit opened on November 6, 2025 and will run through December 3, 2025. The reception will be held on December 1st from 5:30 – 7:00 pm.  

AMSO School Psychologist Delivers a Lesson on Intellectual Disabilities: To help provide background information before students read Of Mice and Men, our school psychologist presented a lesson on intellectual disabilities to all 8th grade students. The presentation included conversations about what intelligence is and how it plays a role in daily life, as well as allowing students to understand differences in abilities and learning needs.  

Parent Conferences: The first sessions of parent teacher conferences were held on November 5, 6, 12, and 13, 2025 at our middle and high schools.    

Honor Society Inductions: Congratulations to the 30 new members of the National English Honor Society who were inducted in a ceremony on November 12, 2025, and the 34 new members of the National Art Honor society who were inducted into their organization at a ceremony on November 14, 2025.  

Articulation Meetings: Throughout the fall, vertical articulation meetings have been happening between middle schools and the high
school. The discussions have been an important part of aligning curriculum. BOWA vertical articulation meetings have happened in ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, WL, and Library Media. The discussion has been rich and continues to help us better align curriculum, share resources and collectively work tother to develop student skills and experiences.

In-house Curriculum Writing Training: The next cadre of teachers were trained on the curriculum writing process by the leaders of the Curriculum Council on November 17, 2025. Teachers from HS Science, MS PE/Health, CTE and VPA were engaged in this learning. We have now trained 175 teachers in the district on the curriculum writing process.

Strategic Plan Goal Setting: The District Data Team met on November 19, 2025, and reviewed results from the Next Generation Accountability report that was recently released. The group reviewed the District’s Strategic Plan and previous goals, discussed adult actions for improving teaching and learning, and worked on drafting new goals.  

 

Resources  

Trades Week: November 3 – 7, 2025 was Trades Week at Amity Regional High School. Interest in careers in the skilled trades increases among our students and parents every year, so Trades Week is an opportunity our Career Center has developed to expose everyone at Amity to a variety of skilled trade career options. The week started with a guest speaker from the CT Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Office, who shared information about trade apprenticeship options with interested students on Monday. Representatives from 21 career fields representing professions as varied as emergency services, health sciences, multiple types of contractors, and submarine manufacturers were available to speak with students at all lunches from Wednesday through Friday.  

US News & World Report: Each year, schools across the country are ranked by US News and for each state, schools are assessed on the number of students who scored proficient or above proficient in their mathematics and reading/language arts state assessments. The top-ranked schools are all high-achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students.  This year Amity Middle School Bethany was ranked the #5 middle school in the state of Connecticut thanks to the hard work of our students and the dedication of our amazing teachers.  This ranking is an improvement from last year and is a testament to our continued focus on student improvement, school climate, and student development.  

NHS Blood Drive: The ARHS National Honor Society chapter teamed up with the Red Cross on Tuesday for the first blood drive of the school year. The goal for the event was to collect at least 32 units of blood, and thanks to the generosity of our students, faculty, and staff, we went well beyond that, with 42 units collected.  

Career Day: Each year the AMSB counseling department hosts Career Day for 7th and 8th grade students. This year they welcomed 27 presenters on November 18, 2025. We appreciate those community members and parents who volunteered their time with our students.  

Canned Food Drive: The AMSB Student Council and Government are hosting a Canned Food Drive to support those in need in our community. The drive is running through November 26th and all food collected will be donated to the Woodbridge Food Pantry.    

Annual Psychologist Conference Presentations: Mr. Brant, Pupil Services Director, presented at both the Arizona and the New York Associations of School Psychologists Annual Conferences in early November. Mr. Brant presented topics that included addressing school refusal behaviors, grassroots advocacy, and ethical assessment procedures.  

SAILS Snacks & Beverages: Students in the ARHS SAILS program have kicked off personalized orders for their snack and beverage cart. They poll staff on what treats they want, turn that info into a shopping list, and make a Costco/Target/Stop and Shop run to stock up. After that, the students' price everything at fair market value and sell the goods to staff during the school day.  

ATA Thanksgiving: Amity Transition Academy hosted their annual Thanksgiving gathering at the Albertus Magnus College Campus. This annual gathering brings together staff and students from ATA and the University of New Haven. More than 50 attendees enjoyed a delightful spread of homemade Thanksgiving dishes and traditional family recipes lovingly prepared by students and their families.  

 

Climate

Class L State Champions!: Congratulations to the Amity Boys’ Cross Country team for their Class L State Championship win. Racing against the best runners from all the state’s Class L schools, the Spartans had seven runners place in the top 44, with two runners placing in the top 10. And leading the pack we had Luke Cushing, who won the individual state title with his first-place finish in a time of 15:57.51.  

Class LL Runners-Up!: Our girls’ soccer team had a standout season, capped off with a spot in the Class LL State Tournament finals, and they ended the season as the CIAC Class LL runner-up team.  

SCC Conference Champions!: Our girls’ volleyball team won their second SCC Conference Championship in a row, defeating Sacred Heart Academy in a highly competitive game with a final score of 3-1. Our girls’ swimming & diving team won their third SCC conference championship in a row competing against the best swimmers and divers from throughout the conference.  

Welcome Back the Class of ‘75: For the past two years, volunteer Link Crew leaders have provided tours for Amity Alumni as part of their 50th Reunion celebrations. On November 7, 2025, we welcomed back the Amity Class of ’75 and gave a tour of the school to more than 60 members of the class.  

Homecoming and Spirit Week: Spirit Week took place from November 17 – 21, 2025, with theme days and competitions throughout the week. It ended on Saturday, November 22, 2025 with the annual Homecoming Dance hosted by our Student Government.  

Movin’ and Groovin’: Amity’s annual fall music production, Movin’ and Groovin’ took place October 23, 2025. This performance featured a variety of band and vocal performances from students in our music program, and it was one of the most well-attended fall performances in recent years.  

Fiesta Latina: The National Spanish Honor Society hosted its Fiesta Latina celebration of music, food, and dance on October 23, 2025, for an appreciative crowd of students and community members.  

Veterans’ Day Programs: On November 11, 2025, the AMSB Social Studies department invited veterans from our community to speak with our middle school students and share their experiences of service to our country. Students were very attentive and appreciated their time with our veterans. AMSO students and staff proudly welcomed local Veterans to school in recognition of Veterans Day. Guests were honored with a student-led ceremony expressing our gratitude for their service and sacrifice. Following the ceremony, Veterans and their families met with a group of AMSO students for a Q&A session, giving students an authentic and meaningful glimpse into military life. Students also wrote heartfelt letters to Veterans and raised more than $1,200 for Disabled Veterans of America, demonstrating their appreciation and commitment to giving back. At ARHS, members of our staff and faculty were recognized for their service to our country with personalized coffee mugs engraved by our CTE students and department.  

Amity Advocates Visit AMSO: Last week, a group of Amity High School juniors and seniors known as the Amity Advocates visited AMSO to speak with 8th grade students about preparing for high school. The Advocates helped ease common worries, shared valuable insights, and offered practical tips for a smooth transition to Amity High School. Hearing this advice directly from current high school students made the experience especially meaningful and encouraging for our 8th graders.  

AMSO No Place for Hate Kickoff: The No Place for Hate committee launched the annual Pledge Week with a series of activities celebrating the talents and voices of our school community. The committee hosted “Rock the Pledge with Poetry and Art,” featuring student performances that included multilingual songs, original poetry, and comedy. Later in the week, students wrote acrostic poems during advisory using words such as “ally,” “empathy,” “kindness,” “respect,” and “love” to promote a caring and inclusive environment. These poems and accompanying artwork will be displayed throughout the school. The week concluded with students signing the No Place for Hate pledge as a commitment to fostering a warm and welcoming community for all.  

7th Grade Field Trip: The AMSB 7th Grade attended a Field Trip to Adventure Park in Bridgeport on November 3, 2025 for a day of fun and exploration. Students gained problem solving skills, improved motor skills and built self-esteem and confidence by participating in this hands-on approach to learning.  

AMSB Student of the Month: The first AMSB Student of the Month breakfast honored over 40 students recognized for their hard work, kindness, and character by our teachers.  The teachers hosted breakfast, and students were all provided with an opportunity to eat with friends and receive a recognition certificate for their efforts.  

AMSB National History Day Competition Club: National History Day is a secondary competition in which students create strong history projects for entry into the regional competition in March. Students are encouraged to research their historical interest, gain new skills in research, writing, and public speaking, and have fun. The first meeting of the club was held on November 20, 2025.  

Thank You Bus Drivers: The week of October 20 – 24, 2025, was Bus Driver Appreciation Week and the members of the ARHS Principal’s Committee created a large banner to thank our bus drivers that was hung on the outside wall of the school near the bus drop-off location for the week. We thank all our drivers who transport our students safely to school and activities every day.