As I near the end of my first year as superintendent, I want to thank you — our families, staff, students and community members — for your support and engagement.
My focus this year has been clear: listen deeply, learn thoughtfully and lay the groundwork for a strong, sustainable future for Ridgefield schools.
That foundation is being constructed through relationships, transparency, and collaboration. With input from across our school community, we’ve identified key areas in need of reinforcement — and we are now taking meaningful steps to shore up and strengthen the entire structure of our district.
Budget realities and responsible stewardship
As we plan for the year ahead, our financial blueprint remains front and center. The recent state legislative session brought only modest increases to funding for Special Education and Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs (MSOCs) — improvements we appreciate but which still fall far short of covering the actual cost of delivering a high-quality public education.
Until the state addresses this funding gap in a comprehensive way, school districts — including Ridgefield — will continue to face the tough choice between relying more heavily on local taxpayers or reducing staffing and programs. We are mindful of the difficult budget decisions unfolding in many of our neighboring districts and remain committed to charting a sustainable path forward here at home.
Designing a system of support and alignment
To balance the 2025–26 budget responsibly, we’re remodeling how we support students and staff. We’re restructuring Central Services to better meet critical needs — particularly in special education and employee services — and repurposing vacant administrative positions to realign resources with district and community priorities.
We’ve also strengthened our systems for enrollment projections and staffing allocations to ensure certificated and classified staffing levels match our student population. At the same time, we’re planning ahead to address deferred maintenance needs, bolster cybersecurity and ensure that students have access to high-quality curriculum and materials in every classroom.
Just as any strong structure depends on sound internal systems, we’re reinforcing the operational framework of our district. This includes reviewing and updating outdated policies and procedures and ensuring legal compliance across all areas of our work. At the heart of this work is our ongoing commitment to instructional excellence, including the district-wide implementation of Professional Learning Communities — research and evidence-based practices that support student learning and professional growth.
Blueprint for the future
We’ve officially launched a year-long strategic planning process to design the blueprint for our district’s next chapter. Initial community input sessions are happening now, and a Strategic Planning Workgroup will begin its work this fall. This process will shape our mission, vision and core values — and we invite all members of our community to help frame the plans we’ll build together. We are also preparing to break ground on elementary school No. 3 this June — a major milestone made possible by your support of our local levies. Construction will be underway throughout the next school year, with the new school slated to open in fall 2026. In the months ahead, we’ll be tackling related decisions, including elementary boundary adjustments and evaluating the potential return of fifth grade to elementary campuses.
There’s plenty of work ahead — but our foundation is solid. Together, we are building a school district that reflects the very best of Ridgefield: strong, forward-thinking and deeply committed to our students. Thank you for your continued support of Ridgefield schools and students.
Go Spuds!
