Dear BPS Community:
Fall is here, and winter weather will soon follow. Delays and/or cancellations are posted on the Bristol Public School website at https://www.bristol.k12.ct.us and on local news stations. Messages will also be posted on Parent Square.
As a reminder, all Bristol Public Schools will be closed on Monday, October 20th, in observance of Diwali.
Have a great week!

In partnership,
Iris White
Superintendent of Schools


AVID Program:
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is designed to help students overcome obstacles and succeed, enabling them to graduate and attend college at higher rates. More importantly, they learn to think critically, collaborate, and set high expectations to tackle future challenges. On Friday, September 12th, Bristol Central celebrated National AVID Day with their current AVID 9th through 12th-grade classes. 
I was invited to visit one of the AVID classes at Bristol Central and then speak with a small group of seniors about their experiences in the program. I enjoyed visiting Mr. McCabe's classroom to learn more about their most recent visits to Springfield College and Western CT State University. These visits are helping them to explore what they are looking for in their college experience. The students in the focus group were some of the most polite and engaging I've met. They spoke enthusiastically about how this program has enhanced their high school experience and prepared them for the exciting futures ahead.  
 
Thank you to the following students and our future leaders for sharing their experiences with me:  Carlos Mejia, Arianna Caron, Jose Taveras Severino, Deana Newkirk, Yudielis Visuma Perez, and  Eyad Elsayed. Thank you also to Chief Academic Officer Carly Fortin for her leadership in implementing AVID districtwide, and to all of the administrators, teachers, and staff who support this initiative. I look forward to future visits to other AVID classrooms throughout BPS!

2026 Teacher of the Year Celebration: 
Last Thursday, October 9th, BPS held its annual Teacher of the Year Celebration in the BOE auditorium. This year, we honored Dr. Sarah Lindstrom, World Language Teacher at Bristol Central High School. It was a truly family affair with Dr. Lindstrom's proud family in attendance along with her RAMily, headed by Principal Pete Wininger, Assistant Principals Dr. Ryan Broderick and Steven Troche, and her colleagues in the World Languages Department. Thank you to the Curriculum and Instructional Services Office for organizing the event and to David Foulds, Food Service Director, and Cheryl Pellerin for providing the refreshments. Congratulations, Dr. Lindstrom, we are very proud of you!


Family Resource Center Breakfast at South Side:
Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending South Side's first Family Resource Center Family Breakfast of the Year. Students were asked to draw pictures of what they liked best about South Side. These pictures will be displayed in the school. It was a great turnout, and I enjoyed meeting students, parents, and grandparents. Congratulations to Gail Zimmerman and the South Side Administration and Staff for a successful event!






2025 Fall Parent/Guardian Survey                
We ask that you take a few minutes to complete the Climate Survey for each of your children. If you have children in different schools or grades, please complete a separate survey for each child. The survey is very brief and should only take a few minutes to finish. If you need to take the survey in another language, you can select your preferred language at the top of the survey page.
Please click on the link to access the survey:  2025 Fall Parent/Guardian Survey. vb
Thank you for your time and for sharing your valuable input!