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Tips to help make the return to school easier this year

The pediatric experts at Connecticut Children's put together a Back to School Kit designed to answer questions and ease concerns that many parents have about the start of the school year.

For example, Connecticut’s Physician-in-Chief Juan Salazar, MD, MPH, offers this advice about what to consider:

SEL + OST = PERFECT: see the new conference report from the Wallace Foundation

Here is a new conference report from the Wallace Foundation on Social Emotional Learning as it is applied to Out of School Time learning. The report (SEL+OST=PERFECT) examines how to develop adults’ skills at nurturing children’s social-emotional development and how to convey the importance of SEL skills to others.

After school, summer and other out-of-school-time programs, such as those that Carver provides year-round, can be ideal settings for children to learn and build social and emotional well-being—when skilled and trusted adults are there to guide them, according to this conference report.

15-year-old children’s book guru Marley Dias launches a new project on Netflix

Marley Dias — founder and author of the social media campaign  #1000BlackGirlBooks — is known for her book, “Marley Dias Gets It Done (And So Can You!),” among many other initiatives. In the book, she writes about youth activism, social justice and using social media to make positive changes in communities.

Today, the 15-year-old is starting a new Netflix project, “Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices,” a collection of 12 five-minute episodes featuring Black celebrities and artists reading children’s books by Black authors that highlight the Black experience, beginning September 1st.

Dias serves as host and executive producer of the series, whose books and conversations center on themes of identity, respect, justice and action. Guests include: Chicago native, rapper, actor and writer Common; actor and author Lupita Nyong’o; comedian, actor and author Tiffany Haddish; actor and ”Little” executive producer Marsai Martin; singer, actor and poet Jill Scott; actor and activist Kendrick Sampson; actor and author Grace Byers; actor Caleb McLaughlin; TV personality Karamo Brown; ballerina and author Misty Copeland and author Jacqueline Woodson.

The books that will be read are: “ABCs for Girls Like Me” by Melanie Goolsby, “Antiracist Baby” by Ibram X. Kendi, “Brown Boy Joy” by Thomishia Booker, “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut” by Derrick Barnes, “Firebird” by Copeland, “I Am Enough” by Byers, “I Am Perfectly Designed” by Brown, “I Love My Hair!” by Chicagoan Natasha Tarpley, “Let’s Talk About Race” by Julius Lester, “Pretty Brown Face” by Andrea and Brian Pinkney, “Sulwe” by Nyong’o, “The Day You Begin” by Woodson and “We March” by Shane Evans.

According to Dias, the project will provide families a tool set to start meaningful conversations with kids about difficult topics through short-form, book-based content. Dias said “Bookmarks” can help parents who have children who don’t find reading enjoyable. She hopes that, in this medium, young nonreaders are encouraged to care more about such stories.

Parent University at Norwalk Public Schools

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The NPS Parent University helps parents learn skills to work with their students and help them achieve. All Live Sessions Run 6:00-6:45 or 7:00-7:45.

Parents enrolled in Parent University have the opportunity to attend collaborative learning sessions with their students. Examples of Course Topics are Technology Demonstrations, Conversations about Digital Safety, and providing academic support.

All resources are designed by NPS educators to help provide both parents and students the tools they need to achieve in todays 21st-Century Hybrid Classrooms.

August 25

August 26

Carver's 2020 Child of America honoree, Kamilah Forbes, is creating great art at The Apollo Theater

Artists recently joined Apollo Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes to discuss what they’re creating for the Apollo’s ongoing support and amplification of Black voices. You can watch a recording of the conversation on the Apollo Digital Stage.

The Apollo is committed to developing the next generation of diverse arts leaders. Earlier this summer, the education department pivoted their six-week summer internship program to take place completely online, culminating on August 11 with the Apollo’s Teen Takeover. It was so inspirational to watch these students using their powerful voices to share their visions for a more equitable future. You can watch their production, entitled “Dear Future…”, here. The fall internship program will also be virtual; you can visit the Apollo’s website for more information on how to participate.

The 2019 HBO documentary The Apollo has been nominated for “Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special” at this year’s Emmy Awards, which air on September 20.

To continue the conversations started at the Apollo in 2018 with the world premiere staged adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me, HBO will be adapting the production for the small screen, once again directed by Kamilah Forbes and premiering this fall (more here).

Registration begins for Carver Middle & High School After School Programs

REGISTER HERE FOR ALL CARVER K-12 BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

Make arrangements directly with the school to register your child in Carver’s after school program at Side By Side Chater School in Norwalk or the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport.

For questions about middle and high school after school programs, please contact our Manager of School Based Programs, Mary Martini, at (203) 838-4305; ext 119; mary@carvercenterct.org.

Until mid-June, our students’ daytime teachers and other Carver staff provided virtual academic, enrichment and wellness programming for our students who attended our programs at the Carver Community Center, After the Bell elementary schools, the 5th grade transition programs, Norwalk’s four middle and two high schools, Side By Side Charter School, and the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport. You can read more about our virtual after school programming here.

Carver's after school Youth Development Program (YDP) provides middle and high school students (a minimum 2.5 hours per day, not including field trips, college tours, career fairs, etc.) throughout Norwalk with a variety of learning opportunities that compliment and enrich, but do not duplicate, school day instruction. YDP Program Coordinators are certified teachers within each school and Carver provides free transportation for all students.

Here is a a collection of stories told by some of our high school YDP students.

Carver after school programs operate in Side By Side Charter School, the Carver Community Center, and in the Norwalk Public Schools four middle and two high schools. Carver programs compliment regular school day learning with literacy, math, technology, engineering, science, arts, wellness and other programming after school. Our multi-tiered, project-based, hands-on personalized learning uses an array of resources to help each student excel in school and life.

Registration begins for 2020-2021 After the Bell

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REGISTER HERE FOR ALL CARVER K-12 BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

Make arrangements directly with the school to register your child in Carver’s after school program at Side By Side Chater School in Norwalk or the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport.

Norwalk Public Schools is delaying the start of the school year until Sept. 7. The one-week delay is needed to make sure all health and safety precautions are in place. 

Carver after school and summer 2020 programming is subject to the Norwalk Public Schools calendar and City of Norwalk public health instructions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Carver regularly updates its website with the latest news.

For questions about our grades K-5 after school programs, please contact our Director of Elementary School Based Programs, Tricia Massucco, at (203) 838-4305; ext 115; tricia@carvercenterct.org.

Carver provides the After the Bell program in nine Norwalk public elementary schools and in the Carver Community Center. Those interested in signing their child up for After the Bell in person should do so at the Carver Community Center, located at 7 Academy Street, Norwalk. This is a change from previous years when the After The Bell office was located in Norwalk City Hall. The program structure, locations, services, payment schedules and offerings are the same.

Welcome back to school!

What you need to know about riding the school bus!

Here is what Norwalk Public Schools is planning this new school year.

  • Masks are required to ride the bus at all times. If a student arrives to the stop without a mask, one will be provided by a staff member

  • Students will have assigned seats based on where their bus stop is scheduled on the route. Students will not change buses or stops and will remain in their assigned seats during the ride

  • Students will load the bus from the back of the bus to the front. Students will unload the bus from the front of the bus to the back

  • On arrival at the building, staff will be available to assist students into their assigned point of entry

Please have your student arrive at the scheduled bus stop 15 minutes prior to the estimated arrival time. As new bus routes have been created to reflect the new bell time schedules, we would ask that families allow a grace period while the school community adjusts to the new schedules. 

Durham School Services is the new bus company and can be reached at 203-428-4192 between the hours of 6am and 6pm.  Information regarding the new parent bus-tracking app will be distributed in September. 

If you have any concerns regarding your students assignments, please email transportation@norwalkps.org.