Dr. Thompson's 2022 Open Letter to Bloomfield Community
Dear Bloomfield community:
As we start the 2022 calendar year and reach the mid-point of the
2021-22 school year, I wanted to share some district highlights.
The 2022 year is a significant one
for our schools because we will be implementing transformational steps to
enhance the transitions from Pre-K to Grade 12. These are the district’s action
plans for this year:
- Implement Portrait of a Graduate to
identify and align, within our curriculum, ideal learning experiences
needed for our students to prosper in a 21st century global
economy.
- Develop a Talented and
Gifted Program that encompasses a whole school and small group model.
- Establish and support
preschool/readiness programs to service all district three and four year
olds.
- Monitor the progress of our new reading and math
programs.
- Expanding the career-pathway programs at Bloomfield High School
and the Donald F. Harris Sr. Agriscience & Technology Center.
- Incorporate
Black and Latinos studies in our curriculum.
While we are positioned for additional growth and success in
the upcoming year, we also want to highlight some noteworthy accomplishments
from 2021. These points of pride underscore the district’s theme to achieve
excellence in academics, athletics and the arts.
ACADEMICS (2021)
- The district
started its Portrait of a Graduate initiative in the spring of 2021. This
involved a team collaboration involving our families, our town
representatives, and our community. This team identified the following four
competencies: critical thinking, problem solving, communication and
adaptability. We believe that these skill sets, along with our locally
developed and globally positioned vision, will afford our students success in
college, career and life.
- We
continue our work in equity and culturally relevant teaching. Also, we
established a curriculum to address the state’s new Black & Latino studies
law. A lead author to the new law was State Rep. Bobby Gibson (D-Bloomfield).
- The district implemented summer programs for all
students, Pre-K to Grade 12.
- CT State Department of Education awarded Kyle Mansfield, an Applied Behavior
Analysis Assistant with the district’s Steps to Success program, with its Anne Marie Murphy
Paraeducator of the Year award.
- Bloomfield
High School (BHS) seniors won first place in an inaugural, international 2021 Made
to Move Communities Global Health Challenge, sponsored by Otis Worldwide
Corporations. The team presented innovative ideas to improve contactless
grocery shopping and delivery during a pandemic.
- Bloomfield student Charles Fennell, was the 2021
CT Spelling Bee Champion.
ATHLETICS
- The BHS football team finished the regular
season undefeated and ranked #1 in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic
Conference’s Class S division.
- Blomfield is home to the state’s top-ranked
girls’ indoor high jumper. D’Jior Delisser, a senior at BHS, is also recognized
as one of the top high jumpers in the country.
- BHS boys and girls indoor track teams compete
for another Central Connecticut Conference championship January 29.
- The undefeated BHS boys basketball team is off
to a very promising start in the 2021-22 season.The BHS athletic department once again was
honored with the CIAC’s Michaels Achievement Cup, which recognizes exemplary
athletic programs whose core values are sportsmanship and community service.
The ARTS
- The district hosted a yearlong
tribute to the Harlem Renaissance centennial, producing virtual programs
that engaged families, staff and the community.
- For the third year in a
row, Bloomfield was recognized by the National Association of Music
Merchants – known as NAMM - as one of the “Best Communities” in the nation
for music education. NAMM’s mission is to strengthen and promote music
education.
- Bloomfield Public Schools
was the recipient of the 2021 Connecticut Association
of Boards of Education's Bonnie B. Carney Award of Excellence for
Educational Communications. The district was recognized in
the Special Projects (Audio/Visual) category for the video produced by a
team of staffers entitled "Celebrating the Legacy of the Harlem
Renaissance".
Though we continue to be mindful in monitoring COVID-19 health
data and safety protocols, we are very much focused on reaffirming high
expectations for all students.
Thank you for your continued
support of Bloomfield Public Schools.
Dr. James Thompson, Jr.
Superintendent, Bloomfield Public Schools