Home
Happening at AITE
AITE News
Ms. Rivera's Weekly Communication
Dear AITE Family,
Laptop distribution took place this week. If your child did not receive a school issued device, please make sure you submitted the electronic forms on the Parent Portal of PowerSchool that are required before students can receive their laptops or use their own devices. Information on where to find these forms is below.
It was my great pleasure to welcome new families and reconnect with my returning families at last night’s Welcome Dinner sponsored by the PTSO. It was a wonderful event, and I hope everyone enjoyed the evening. If you were unable to make it to last night’s event, Open School Night, which will be held on Thursday, September 19, will give you another opportunity to get into the building. Please see below for more information. Events such as these provide an opportunity for us to come together as part of a community and celebrate the start of the new school year. Your participation in these events is invaluable, and I hope to see you there!
Finally, next week is National Security Officer Appreciation Week. On behalf of the AITE community, I would like to thank our dedicated school security team, Robbie Jenkins and AJ Melendez for all they do to help keep our schools safe. Whether managing building access, assisting with student arrival/dismissal, monitoring behavior, or addressing security concerns, our security staff works hard to help keep us all safe. Thanks, also, to Joe Kennedy, our director of safety and security who hires, trains, and manages our school security staff!
Warm regards,
Ms. Rivera
Absence Documentation
Written documentation is required from a parent/guardian whenever a student is absent from school. It can be sent in one of two ways:
1. by email to AITEAttendance@stamfordct.gov from the parent or
2. a written note from the parent sent directly to the office
The documentation must contain the date(s) of and the reason for the student's absence from school. Parents should contact their child's school counselor regarding the collection of homework assignments if their child will be out for several days.
Add/Drop Period
The add/drop period for full-year and first-semester classes will end on Monday, September 16. This was announced over the morning announcements all week, so students are aware of this deadline. Please check with them to make sure that their schedules do not need any changes, and if they do, please make sure they see their counselor on Monday.
AITE Drop Off and Pick-Up
Your child’s safety and security are paramount to us at the AITE/Rippowam/Apples campus and we have been continuously looking to tighten up areas that are potential safety concerns. Please adhere to the rules that have been set in place to accomplish this, which are explained in the safety letter attached to Ms. Rivera's weekly communication email.
Authorized Free Period – Seniors Only
Seniors who have accumulated 22 credits by the end of their junior year may apply for an authorized free period. Seniors who remain on campus during this time must report to the Media Center or Senior Lounge, unless they have a pass from a staff to be in a different location for a specific purpose. A parent/guardian must complete the Permission for an Authorized Free Period Form before the senior is granted this privilege. Monday is the deadline for parents to complete this form or counselors will begin scheduling seniors into classes where they have an opening. Here is the link to the form: Request for Authorized Free Period
Seniors, who are eligible for an Authorized Unassigned Period, are still bound by the policies and expectations pertaining to personal conduct and behavior as outlined in the Student Handbook, District Policies and Regulations including the District’s Open Campus Policy and Regulation (#5112), and will be subject to disciplinary action for violations. Seniors who wish to leave campus during an authorized free period must have a Open Campus Form on file, which must be completed by a parent/guardian in the Parent Portal of PowerSchool (see below).
Important Forms on the Parent Portal of PowerSchool
Instructions on how to access these forms can be found on the home page of our web site www.aitestamford.org All parents/guardians must complete and submit the RUA in order for their children to use a school laptop or a personal electronic device.
- Media Consent Form - This form gives SPS/AITE permission to post photos of your child online for school related events.
- Open Campus Permission Form – Parents/Guardians of seniors are required to complete this form if they grant permission for their children to leave campus during an authorized free period or their lunch wave.
- Responsible Use Agreement (RUA/formerly AUP) - You allow SPS to gather student information for use on Google & other educational programs; students agree to use appropriate language/behavior when using devices.
- SPS Technology Device Agreement - Complete this form to let us know if your child will need to BORROW a device from the school.
Important Resources for Families
If you need additional support for your child or family, or have questions about community resources, please reach out to Our Parent Facilitator, Ena Morrobel, at (203) 977-0875 our school social worker, Mary Hidajat-Crichlow, at (203) 977-4355, our Kids in Crisis Teen Talk counselor, Audrey Camino-Jara, at (203) 977-0840 or contact the Office of Family & Community Engagement at (203) 977-5312 or ofce@stamfordct.gov.
Open School Night
Thursday, September 19, 2024 is Open School Night. The event will start at 5:45 pm, with information sessions about school and community resources in various locations in the building. These information sessions are optional and will run until 6:25 pm (see the Open School Night document attached to Ms. Rivera's weekly communication email for more information). Parents will also have an opportunity to meet their school counselors before the teacher presentations at 6:30 pm. The FBLA Club will be selling AITE merchandise across from the Main Office throughout the evening, which will end at 8:30 pm.
Legacy Studios Picture Day – September 18
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 is picture day. All students in grades 9, 10, and 11 must be photographed for their ID Badges and the Yearbook. Please see attached flyer for more information. Parents/guardians do not have to purchase pictures; however, those who would like to purchase them will be prompted to pre-order online. Order forms are also available in the main office, which students can pick up and bring home. All packages ordered before photo day will ship directly to the school.
Upcoming Events
September 18 Legacy Studios - Picture day for staff & students
September 19 Open School Night
September 25 Early Dismissal for Students/Staff PD
October 3 & 4 School Closed – Rosh Hashanah
District News
2025-2026 Important Lottery Dates
Lottery application available - September 16, 2024
Lottery Application Due Date - January 15, 2025 - 4:00pm
Lottery Draw Date - February 1, 2025
Lottery Acceptances Due - February 21, 2025
Upcoming AITE Information Sessions
Saturday Morning in November (DATE TBD)
Thursday Evening in December (DATE TBD)
AITE only accepts applications for incoming 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students.
Upcoming Events
AITE - Program of Studies
AITE Ambassadors
Student Ambassador Training
We are looking for students who would like to be trained to be Student Ambassadors for the 2024-2025 school year. The primary responsibilities of Student Ambassadors are to conduct tours during Open House and other events and to welcome and prepare activities for incoming 9th graders at their orientation in August. Student Ambassadors receive community service hours for these events. If you are interested in becoming a Student Ambassador, please send an email to Ms. Rivera at mrivera@stamfordct.gov If you have been trained and would like to continue your work as a Student Ambassador, please send an email to Ms. Rivera as well. There will be a one-day training session for new and returning Student Ambassadors at AITE on Friday, August 23rd from 9 am - 11 am. Students will plan ice breaker activities and create welcome posters for the 9th Grade Orientation, which will take place on Tuesday, August 27th from 7:25 am - 11:45 am. Buses will be running on August 27th; however, students must have their own transportation for the training session on August 23rd.
AITE Pride Points
Outstanding Teacher of the Year
AITE science teacher, Danielle Weber, who in addition to receiving a Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Outstanding Teacher of the Year award (only 79 teachers across the US were selected) was selected as PTLW’s National Teacher of the Year for the Biomedical Program. This is a very competitive and prestigious award and we are very proud of all that she has done to make AITE’s program exceptional.
AITE Alumnus Performs with Cirque du Soleil
TJ Salta, AITE alumnis and recent graduate of Quinnipiac University, is performing magic in a new Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas called the Mad Apple.
https://www.qu.edu/quinnipiac-today/quinnipiac-university-student-tj-salta-of-norwalk-connecticut-to-embark-on-magic-gig-with-cirque-du-soleil-in-las-vegas-2022-03-21/.
$50,000 Raised by Students this Past School Year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
AITE students Ava Lesser and Nora Amsellem successfully raised over $50,000 this past school year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Their initial goal was to raise an ambitious $35,000; however, by the time their fundraising campaign concluded, they well surpassed their goal, raising a total of $53,274 from an estimated 750 different donors.
Because Ava and Nora surpassed the $50,000 mark, they have been rewarded with a research grant and were recognized as one of the top 8 teams in the Fairfield/Westchester area. They will have the opportunity to direct the funds they raised towards a specific research initiative within LLS and have been asked to share their materials with the National Team to be used in their nationwide efforts to raise money and awareness.
Commended by NEASC Decennial Accreditation
AITE is proud that the in the report by the visiting team for our recent NEASC Decennial Accreditation Visit the school was commended for “its safe, supportive, and inclusive culture and environment, the staff and administration’s awareness of students’ social and emotional needs, and the emphasis on building and maintaining strong relationships.”
AITE Student won 1st-place in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship World Series of Innovation, Saint-Gobain Sustainable Cities Challenge
AITE student, Arnav Gover, won first-place in the Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) World Series of Innovation, Saint-Gobain Sustainable Cities Challenge. The World Series of Innovation is an annual innovation challenge series focused on advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). His project, Cardbio, focuses on the creation of an environmentally friendly composite material for sustainability and commercial use. It has been awarded the top entry in the Saint-Gobain Sustainable Cities Challenge, which requested innovative ideas to achieve progress on one of the UN Global Goals #11, Sustainable Cities and Communities. Thousands of young entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world entered the competition in the fall, and the top ten entries in each challenge bracket moved on to the final round of judging earlier this month. The winners were announced on March 31. Arnav has won $1,500 and he will have the ability to work with St. Gobain engineers to turn his concept into a reality. Arnav and other students at AITE worked on submitting solutions to the challenges in Entrepreneurship class with teachers Mr. Schrag and Ms. Zanga.