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Town Hall meeting tonight at 7 PM on the issue of Student Mental Health!

Please join the students of the Center for Youth Leadership at Brien McMahon High School for a discussion on student mental health needs, what schools have done to address them, and how the district can better meet the needs moving forward.

Click here or on the image below to join in the discussion via Zoom, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm, tonight.

This discussion is made possible by Norwalk ACTS. It provides a safe space for youth to come together to educate, share experiences and explore solutions to ensure an equitable school environment. As a reminder, these are student-led discussions, however, adults are encouraged to listen in.

In the news: Carver receives state youth violence prevention grant

Carver CEO Novelette Peterkin. (Harold F. Cobin)

Carver CEO Novelette Peterkin. (Harold F. Cobin)

Read the entire article here at Nancy on Norwalk.

NORWALK, Conn. — State grants totaling $150,000 will help fund youth violence prevention initiatives at “five wonderful nonprofit organizations in our community,” State Rep. Stephanie Thomas (D-143) said Friday.

“I believe that we all benefit when government and nonprofit organizations team up to address difficult issues,” Thomas said, at City Hall. “Our nonprofit partners are closest to the problem, and they focus on database solutions that work. Given the challenges we’ve all faced over the last 18 months, this funding will help vulnerable youth move forward in a positive direction. All five of these organizations have proven strategies that will help our young people stay on a positive path throughout their lives.”

“I want to just take a moment to really thank Representative Thomas for her efforts to bring this funding to our local communities. She is in her first term in the first year of her first term,” State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-25) said. “… It’s very hard to kind of find your way around (in your first year), whether it’s virtually or in-person and she managed to do not only that but find funding for these great organizations.”

“This grant will specifically help us to expand our Summer Run program. That’s a program that we’ve done for a number of years,” Carver Center Executive Director Novelette Peterkin said.

A Carver Facebook post explains that this summer, the program included the “new mobile L.O.V.E. Unit, an initiative that provided free basketball training and mentorship at Roodner Court and Columbus Court.”

“We actually took this on the road, which, as a result of this grant, we’re able to do that, so we’re very happy about that,” Peterkin said at Friday’s event.

Carver also offered high school students paid internships through an Earn and Learn Initiative, “as a result of this grant,” she said. “We also will add a number of family engagement at the community center. We plan to do a workshop on artificial intelligence. “There’s so many things that we want to do with families as well as with the students. So, we are grateful for this grant.”

The Carver Center, Homes for Hope, the Norwalk Housing Foundation, the Child Guidance Center of Mid-Fairfield County, and The Rowan Center are benefitting from the grant….

Bankwell's support of Carver is in the news!

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Bankwell Financial : supports the Carver Foundation of Norwalk, the largest provider of before and after school and summer programs in Norwalk.

As a longstanding supporter, Bankwell is proud to again support Carver Foundation and its mission to close opportunity gaps for all children and ensure they graduate on time and ready for college and careers.

Carver is Norwalk's largest provider of before and after school and summer programs. Serving approximately 2,400 students, Carver operates in 18 K-12 Norwalk Public Schools, Side By Side Charter School, the Carver Community Center, and the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport. Since 2005, 100% of Carver seniors have graduated on time, 95% of whom immediately enrolled in college.

Novelette Peterkin, Carver's Chief Executive Officer states, "Bankwell's generous support through the years helps to further our mission in many priceless ways. The great capacity of Bankwell managers to explore and address ways to close opportunity gaps for our children remains one of their greatest communal gifts. I do not think a day passes in which I fail to look with fresh gratitude on Bankwell's commitment to Carver kids. It helps that we proudly display a big Bankwell banner in our gymnasium!"

Bankwell is a commercial bank that provides banking and lending services to businesses and residents. Bankwell was founded on the principles of providing an exceptional banking experience and adding value to the communities it serves. More about Bankwell can be found at www.mybankwell.com.

New NPS bus routes starting on Tuesday, October 5th

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Revised NPS Start Times Effective Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Please click here to view revised school start times and dismissals starting Tuesday, October 5, 2021 

NPS Bus Routes

Please click here to view the NEW NPS School Bus Routes Starting Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Please click here to see the CURRENT NPS School Bus Routes as of 8/29/2021

Bus Information

The K-12 bus pass system that launched last year is being used again. Students swipe in with their bus pass upon entering the bus. The equipment works in cooperation with the GPS tracking system installed on the buses. There is a digital dashboard, which provides the district with reports of students’ daily attendance on buses. 

Bus Pass Distribution Information:

  • If you are a new student to Norwalk and you are eligible for the bus, a new bus pass will be issued in school. If you need have questions regarding eligibility please contact your school office.

As part of our health and safety measures, NPS will continue using the standard protocols to keep both students and staff safe while riding the bus. As a reminder:

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

  • Students will have an assigned area on the bus based on where their bus stop is scheduled on the route. Students will adhere to the driver’s directions on seating as they enter the bus. As they enter they will be expected to sit in the last empty seat available and fill the empty seats from the back to the front of the bus.

  • Students will not change buses or stops and will remain in their assigned seats during the ride.

  • On arrival at the building, staff will be available to direct students to their assigned entries.

Please arrive at the scheduled bus stop 15 minutes prior to the estimated arrival time.

Durham School Services is the NPS bus company and can be reached at 203-428-4192 between the hours of 6 am and 6 pm.

Rental and utility assistance for those impacted by COVID-19

Click here or on the image below to go to UniteCT - Emergency Rental Assistance for Connecticut's Economy.

Click here to access the UniteCT application and to see the bus schedule. On the bus, you will be able to use a computer to complete your application. Walks-ins are accepted, but appointments will be prioritized.

Click here to see our past blog post about rental assistance contact information for Norwalk residents.

UniteCT Program is administered by the Department of Housing on behalf of the US Treasury. UniteCT provides up to $15,000 rental and up to $1,500 electricity payment assistance on behalf of Connecticut households financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Thank You, Pitney Bowes!

The Carver community is deeply grateful to Pitney Bowes employees and to Ana Chadwick, EVP and CFO at Pitney Bowes, in particular for supporting our initiatives to close opportunity gaps for all children. We just received a generous sponsorship gift and last summer our high school transition programs for rising 9th graders was supported in part by Pitney Bowes, a member corporation of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation’s Fairfield County Corporate Collaborative for Education Equity.

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Pitney Bowes focuses its philanthropy on education to help improve opportunities for all students. Pitney Bowes joins Carver in believing that every child needs and deserves the opportunity, through a strong education, to grow to their fullest potential. For information about their Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy initiatives, visit pb.com/community.

Pitney Bowes is a global technology company providing commerce solutions that power billions of transactions. Clients around the world, including 90 percent of the Fortune 500, rely on the accuracy and precision delivered by Pitney Bowes solutions.

Thank you, Pitney Bowes, for including Carver in your giving!

Maritime Aquarium named the best educational initiative by any zoo or aquarium in the country!

Carver afterschool and summer programming is infused with phenomenal learning experiences provided by our stalwart partner, The Maritime Aquarium.

Any Carver kid knew this already, but for their rapid shift to online education when the coronavirus pandemic broke out, The Maritime Aquarium was recognized on Wednesday by the 241-member Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) as the best educational initiative in 2020 by any zoo or aquarium in the country!

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This is the fifth AZA Award in the last six years for The Maritime Aquarium’s educational initiatives. Last year, the AZA presented a Significant Achievement award in education to The Maritime Aquarium’s “Sound Resilience: Get on Board!” program, a four-year public outreach that engaged 2,000 local middle- and high-school students in modeling how to brace our coastline against climate change.

Since the pandemic began, Maritime has conducted programs with 44 states in the U.S. and on five continents. By June 2021, Maritime Aquarium had presented 1,644 virtual programs to schools, reaching 27,344 students, as well as family virtual programs to another 11,343 viewers. Schools and individuals have joined in from as far away as Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil, India, Nigeria, and South Korea.

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The Maritime Aquarium’s Education team works closely with schools throughout Connecticut and New York, providing (in a normal year) STEM-education experiences to some 80,000 students a year.

With the 2021-22 school year now underway but schools still under COVID restrictions, the Aquarium’s current slate of educational programs is available here.

Join us in congratulating our essential partner, The Maritime Aquarium!

Carver after-school returns to Norwalk Public Schools better than ever

“Enrollment is through the roof!” according to Tricia Massucco, Carver’s Director of Elementary School Based Programs, when asked about the before- and after-school programs she oversees. And we couldn’t be happier.

This school year is already remarkably different from last year. Though masks and social distancing are still required inside Norwalk’s public schools, K-12 students are once again learning in-person, surrounded by their peers and supportive educators. There’s hope for a return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy - for a school year without the severe disruptions that left students isolated and struggling to keep up with their education.

No one can be certain of what to expect this year. The Carver Foundation of Norwalk, however, is sure of one thing: that our 2,000+ K-12 students will be supported, encouraged, and empowered to strengthen their academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being through the expanded learning opportunities Carver provides.

An extensive network of programs and resources vital to Norwalk

Carver’s program sites. Our reach has expanded over the years, from a single community center to all Norwalk Public Schools.

Carver’s program sites. Our reach has expanded over the years, from a single community center to all Norwalk Public Schools.

We recently joined forces with Fox Run Elementary School and Columbus Magnet School to implement after-school programming. With these additions to our program sites, Carver is operating in every school building in the Norwalk Public Schools district, as well as Side by Side Charter School in Norwalk and Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport. The Carver Community Center houses its own after-school program, where K-8 students learn and play in a nurturing community environment.

These after-school programs combine:

High school students are provided with resources for college and career readiness to enable a productive transition into young adulthood. Certified teachers and paraprofessionals manage Carver’s programs in their respective schools.

But Carver is more than just an after-school provider. We are an advocate for equity in education, working to close opportunity gaps for children. We remove barriers to participation in our programs to ensure that students of all backgrounds benefit from an enhanced, personalized learning environment.

Looking toward the future

As enrollment continues to climb for Carver’s many programs, we are constantly brainstorming new ways of enhancing and expanding them. New ways to help our students. And ways to reach new kids.

Though it’s unknown what this new school year has in store for students, parents, educators, and everyone in between, Carver is looking ahead with optimism and determination.

Register your child for after-school today!

Register here

A successful summer: Carver helps 700+ Norwalk kids thrive during their summer break

On the last day of summer camp, a group of 5-6 year olds ran giddily around the playground at the Carver Community Center, faces radiant from the sunny day and the sense of freedom that’s unique to children on their summer break.

Four children were testing how high they could swing; one boy proudly announced that he had touched the leaves of a nearby tree. Across the way, another child was offering to make her counselor a friendship bracelet. “How many strings do you want? And which colors? I can add beads too!”

When asked about their favorite parts of camp, answers were similar across all ages and genders:

  • Making new friends

  • The teachers (Affectionately referring to their camp counselors)

  • Playing outside and in the gym

  • Learning in the computer lab (Math and literacy were taught using computer programs)

  • The field trips (Of which there were many: blueberry picking at Silverman’s Farm, The Beardsley Zoo, The Maritime Aquarium, Lake Compounce, and more...)

At Carver, we understood the importance of this summer and what it would mean to children who had just endured an isolating and difficult school year. Kids needed to be kids, to experience the joys that summertime brings. They needed an outlet for their creativity and curiosity. They rightfully deserved it.

Meeting the needs of Norwalk’s children

We knew we needed to strengthen their academic skills and facilitate their social-emotional development to help them recover from the learning loss precipitated by the pandemic and to adequately prepare them for the upcoming school year. Thankfully, our caring and talented team of Program Directors and Managers, Camp Directors, Coordinators, Counselors, and Administrative Assistants exceeded our expectations by designing and overseeing summer programs that combined academics, enrichments, and pure fun to captivate and educate our campers.

A summer learning program at Side by Side Charter School and After the Summer Bell at Kendall Elementary School were added to our summer offerings this year, joining our summer enrichment camps at the Carver Community Center and Columbus Magnet School, and our summer transition programs for incoming 6th and 9th graders at all Norwalk middle and high schools. Mo’s Summer Run, a community-based basketball program held in the evenings at the Carver Community Center, expanded with the addition of the L.O.V.E. Unit, which brought the program to Roodner Court and Columbus Court.

A snapshot of the Carver summer experience

Summer is a time for fun and exploration, for new experiences and new friends. By prioritizing accessibility and making our summer learning programs free and highly affordable, children of all backgrounds can enjoy the glee and wonder that summer elicits. Parents can attend to their work and personal obligations without worries, knowing that their child is in a safe, supportive environment.

Some of the many activities, enrichments, and field trips over 700 Carver kids experienced this summer are listed below.

After the Summer Bell engaged students through: 

At Side by Side, students enjoyed: 

  • Interactive STEM enrichments 

  • Fencing

  • Yoga 

  • Coding 

  • Pottery 

  • Scrapbooking 

  • Forensics

Campers at the Carver Community Center had weekly dance classes, soccer games led by a group of teenaged volunteers called “Level the Field,” a videography enrichment, and music and art classes led by Beatastic, a nonprofit group founded by a Greenwich Academy student.

Columbus campers were delighted by a surprise visit from Spiderman and a trip to SeaQuest in Trumbull, where they learned about and interacted with a variety of animals, including a snake and an albino hedgehog. 

At West Rocks Middle School, students in the transition program engaged in fun science experiments, learned about nature and sea creatures during visits from Earthplace and The Maritime Aquarium, and reached new heights at Sky Zone. The transition program at Ponus Ridge Middle School teamed up with West Rocks for an eventful trip to Bowlmor Lanes.

Incoming 9th graders at Brien McMahon High School and Norwalk High School loved the partnership between their respective transition programs and the new Norwalk Art Space, which had students exhibit projects summarizing what they learned about their new schools. Rowing was another favorite enrichment among students, with many experiencing the sport for the first time.

Our community cares

Our summer programming is made possible by an incredibly generous community of donors and volunteers. Thank you for your help in giving Carver kids the positive summer experience they deserved!

 

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NPS School Start Times To Shift Beginning Tuesday, October 5th

The Norwalk Board of Education held a special meeting yesterday to review solutions to the arrival and dismissal delays that we have been experiencing since the start of school. The meeting included an update from NPS about the impact delays have on instructional time, results from surveys of parents and students, and scheduling options to relieve traffic congestion. Public comments from parents, students and staff were also shared.

To watch the recording of the special meeting, click here.

To view the PowerPoint presentation that discussed during the meeting, please click here.

Following this discussion, the Board made the decision to change school start times back to the schedule that was in place during the 2019-20 school year. Revised bell times will be available on the NPS website shortly. This is the school bell time schedule that was in place prior to Covid, and before the implementation of new times recommended by the School Start Time Committee.

To give families time to adjust work schedules, pick up or drop off arrangements, child care, or enroll in before or after school programs, the schedule change will take effect on Tuesday, October 5. (Monday, October 4 is a professional development day for staff and a day off for students.)

New bus schedules will be published on the NPS website on Wednesday, September 22.