Three things students and parents should consider signing up for online: Aspen, personal results of state standardized tests and a survey on the search for a new superintendent.
Interim Superintendent Eric Byrne touched on all those topics in his newsletter last Friday, along with: driving carefully near school vans and cars used to transport students; a DHS concert is coming; the Middlesex Open House again had a strong turnout from Darien parents.
Oh, and Byrne met Riptide. The superintendent reports the DHS mascot is “an absolute mush.”
Weekend events mentioned in the newsletter are now past, so we’ve cut them from this article. Here’s what remains:
Dear Darien Community,
Image from Riptide's account on Instagram
News flash: Don’t let the snarling face fool you — he’s an absolute mush.
On Wednesday morning I had the privilege of meeting Riptide, the Darien High School mascot. Riptide was in front of DHS greeting students as they arrived at school for the day. While Riptide may look fierce with an intimidating snarl, don’t be fooled by the optics. Riptide is an absolute mush and loves interacting with the community.
District Alerts/Notifications
This week’s incident at DHS reminded us how crucial it is to stay in the loop with what’s happening at our schools. We use contact information provided in Aspen to send out timely updates, news, and alerts via SchoolMessenger generated emails, phone calls and text messages.
To make sure you get all the information you need, please take a moment to double-check your contact information in your Aspen account. In addition, you must opt in to start receiving text messages. Please simply send “subscribe, opt in, or yes” to the number 67587 to sign up for text message alerts from the district.
If you are having trouble receiving messages or opting in, please submit a “Help Ticket” by clicking on the “Contact the Help Desk” button on the main page of the district website: https://www.darienps.org/.
Transportation Safety
While we are all familiar with the rules surrounding school bus safety, it is important to note that not all of our students ride on traditional yellow school buses. Some of our students in Darien are transported to and from school by van or suburban and not buses.
These vehicles are white and not the traditional yellow, but they do often make multiple stops, may drive more slowly than typical traffic, and sometimes wait a few moments for families to meet the vehicle during pickups.
Please observe the same traffic rules when you approach one of our vans or suburbans on the roads. Your patience and attentiveness help ensure that all students can get to and from school safely.
Performing Arts
The fall performing arts season begins at Darien High School next week. The DHS Ensembles Autumn Showcase Concert will be held on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. in the DHS auditorium.
This is your chance to hear selections from each of the DHS Band, Chorus, and Orchestra all in the same concert! The concert will be livestreamed and recorded. The link will be posted on the music website when it is available. Break a leg!
State Standardized Assessments
The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is transitioning to electronic distribution for the Individual Student Score Reports for the State Standardized Assessments – Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) and Next Generation Science Standards Assessment (NGSS).
The annual district assessment letter is linked here. The assessment letter includes directions for families to access the score reports from the Aspen portal. The assessment letter and Individual Score Reports were posted on the Aspen Portal today. If you require a paper copy of your child’s Individual Score Report, please contact your child’s school.
Back to School Open House
Thank you to our middle school parents and guardians for attending open house this week. It was great to see such a strong turnout from our community at the back to school events these last two weeks.
We are incredibly grateful for your continued support of our students, faculty and staff. Dr. Fedigan and I truly enjoyed meeting so many of you. A special thank you to our teachers for their comprehensive presentations.
From the Board of Education – Superintendent Search
Community members are invited to provide their input to help develop the ideal candidate’s qualifications and skills by completing this brief survey by Octo. 3, 2025.
Your participation is an important part of this process and appreciated. Community updates and information regarding the search can also be found on the district website.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely,
Eric A. Byrne, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent of Schools