Superintendent's Weekly Update- May 10, 2026

Posted Date: 05/10/26 (08:00 PM)

Dear BPS Community:

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, caregivers, mentors, and role models who provide support, comfort, and care. You are appreciated today and every day!

At last Wednesday night’s Regular Board of Education Meeting, 15 exceptional students were recognized with the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) Student Leadership Award. These students were selected not only for their academic achievements, but also for the character, leadership, and compassion they demonstrate every day in their schools and community.
Nominated by their school leaders, these outstanding scholars exemplify what it means to lead with integrity — whether by embracing challenges, showing diplomacy, or demonstrating genuine care for others. They truly represent the very best of Bristol.
Congratulations to our 2026 CABE Student Leadership Award recipients:

Bristol Central High School: Keira Ryan & Jacoby Fry
Greene Hills School: Grace Walters & Angelous Walton
Bristol Arts and Innovation Magnet School: Emani Gonzalez & Elvin Ansah
Bristol Eastern High School: Shawn'D Gonzalez-Miranda & Paige Ansah
Northeast Middle School: Lillian Hirx & Cayden Vernaglia
Chippens Hill Middle School: Kailyn Bush & Janay Guzman
West Bristol School: Ian Rodriguez & Gabby Valerim
Bristol Preparatory Academy: Bria Barnett

We are incredibly proud of each of these students and grateful for the positive impact they make throughout our schools and community.

We would also like to extend special recognition to Paige Ansah (Bristol Eastern High School) and Ameilia Brown (Bristol Central High School), who have proudly served as student representatives on the Board of Education for the past two years.

Paige Ansah, Bristol Eastern High School

Ameilia Brown, Bristol Central High School

In partnership,
Iris White
Superintendent of Schools

Financial Dashboard:

At last week’s Board of Education meeting, district leadership previewed a new Financial Dashboard designed to provide our community with greater transparency and real-time access to district financial information.
This initiative reflects our commitment to openness, accountability, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. The dashboard will help community members better understand how district funds are allocated and spent throughout the year, giving residents a clearer picture of the financial decisions that support our schools, students, and staff.
The preview highlighted several key features of the dashboard, including:

Real-time expenditure tracking
Budget-to-actual spending comparisons
Department and account-level financial reporting
Monthly and yearly spending trends
Visual charts and graphs that make financial information easier to understand

We hope this dashboard will serve as an important tool in strengthening trust between the district and the community. Taxpayers deserve timely, accurate, and accessible information regarding how their tax dollars are being invested to support educational excellence and operational efficiency.
Our goal is not only to meet financial reporting requirements but to exceed expectations by making district finances more understandable and transparent for everyone. By providing this level of visibility, we hope to encourage informed community engagement and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility. Thank you to Jeff Telke, District Director of IT and Student Data, who is spearheading this initiative and has developed this tool in-house.

The recording of this meeting, and all Bristol Board of Education meetings, can be viewed by clicking on this link: https://www.youtube.com/@bristolpublicschools.

School Bus Cameras:
On March 18th, the Board of Education approved the Bus Patrol proposal and moved it forward to the City Council. Bus Patrol will install the school bus cameras if the City Council approves the proposal. On May 5th, the City Ordinance Committee held a Public Hearing with school bus cameras on the agenda. There was no public comment during this hearing. During the Ordinance Committee meeting, I spoke in support of the proposal, and the item was approved unanimously to move forward to the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 12th (meeting agenda attached).

Teacher of the Year Visit:
In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, 2026 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Brian Betesh, along with semifinalists and members of the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council, visited District Teachers of the Year across the state to speak with students and staff and learn more about the powerful impact and lasting influence Connecticut’s teachers have within their school communities.
Last Tuesday, the group visited Bristol Public Schools to recognize and celebrate our current District Teacher of the Year, Dr. Sarah Lindstrom of Bristol Central High School. The visit highlighted the outstanding work taking place in our schools and the meaningful connections our educators build with students each day.

Champions in Hershey:
A massive shout-out to our 26 choir students and 37 band students who represented Bristol Central last weekend at the music festival! The choir took 2nd place in their category, with the "outstanding vocal soloist" award going to senior Yirelis Rodriguez. The band took 1st place in their category and was also awarded "best overall band" in the festival. Great work, everyone, you made Bristol Central proud in Pennsylvania!

Student Homelessness Prevention Project:

Bristol Public Schools is proud to partner in the Student Homelessness Prevention Project, an important statewide initiative focused on supporting students and families experiencing housing instability before they enter homelessness.

Led by RE!NSTITUTE in partnership with the Governor’s Office, the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, this initiative is designed to create a coordinated referral and prevention system that connects families with critical community resources through the McKinney-Vento identification process.
Implementation of this work is now underway in Bristol as the district begins the annual McKinney-Vento redetermination process. In the coming weeks, community members may notice outreach materials, including flyers and local media coverage, connected to this initiative.
This collaborative effort reflects Bristol Public Schools’ ongoing commitment to supporting the whole child and strengthening partnerships that help remove barriers to student success. This work is being led by Erika Treannie, Director of Climate, Culture, and Family Engagement, and Cecilia Garay, District Homeless Liaison, in collaboration with community providers who have developed a local resource guide, data-tracking systems, and measurable outcomes to support families in need.

We are also excited to share that Bristol’s leadership and collaboration in this work have been recognized statewide. As a result, Cecilia and Erika have been invited to co-present the initiative at the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness Annual Conference on May 20.
We are grateful for the many community partners working together to support Bristol students and families and remain committed to ensuring every student has access to the stability and resources needed to thrive. Please see the attached document, Student Homeless Prevention Project Update, for more information.