Ridgefield Tiger Talk: Recent Episodes
Ridgefield Tiger Talk
This podcast covers educational news and happenings for the Ridgefield Public School system in Ridgefield Connecticut.
Tiger Talk Senior Intern take over, return of the interns! This week on Tiger Talk, we welcome a second group of RPS Communications intern co-hosts, Claire Burns and Kayla Jacobowitz. They join us to talk about the exciting new projects including an Insider's Guide to RHS and a district art e-gallery showcasing RPS student artists. Thanks for listening to these fresh new voices!
Tiger Talk Senior Intern take over! On this episode, RHS Senior interns Henry Neligan and Andrew Carter interview Kylie Lassow and Chloe Collins, two attendees of the Panama intern trip. This episode of Tiger Talk dives into the global medical squad Panama trip our interns went on. We learn about why they went, what they did, and what they got out of it. You will get a peek into what a day looks like for both our Panama interns and our RPS communication interns, Henry and Andrew.
This week on Tiger Talk, we welcome back Dane Street, the Director of Athletics for RHS! Dane joins us to share exciting updates from across the department, including winter sports highlights in skiing and wrestling, and a recap of the spring season covering boys' rugby and volleyball just to name a few. We also dive into upcoming athletic initiatives and discuss how the Tigers are gearing up for the summer and next year's sports seasons. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we welcome back Assistant Superintendent Cory Gillette. Mrs. Gillette joins us to share details about the incredible offerings in this year’s Forever Summer Bridge Program at RPS. We dive into everything from the lower and upper school offerings to Jumpstart programs, Best Buddies, volunteer opportunities and high school courses. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s episode of tiger talk, we welcome back Counseling Department Supervisor Joy Squitieri. She tells us about RHS’s college fair happening next Wednesday at 6:30pm. There will be over 100 college representatives in attendance and the counseling department will be holding many informational sessions for parents and students. This year they’re also excited to roll out a digital sign-up system to make staying in contact with colleges you were interested in easier. Thanks for listening!
In this week's episode of Ridgefield Tiger talk we welcome back Michael Murphy, Physics and Robotics teacher at Ridgefield high school. Joining him are three RHS students, Connor Graves Robotics Club Vice President, Brian Murphy Co-Student Event Manager for this year's Ridgefield VEX Tournament, and Ayan Bhowmik Robotics Club Co-President. We discussed the annual robotics tournament held at Ridgefield high school this Saturday, February 7. Click here to see the event flyer. Also, if you can’t make the event, it’ll be streamed on YouTube here. Thanks for listening.
On this week’s episode of Tiger Talk, we sit down with RHS English teacher Jaclyn Aaron and English Department Chair Patricia Boutilier. We dive into their captivating new course, Mysteries, Mayhem, and True Crime, discussing its origins, the importance of such topics for student engagement, and the incredible buzz it’s generating around RHS. Thanks for listening!
On today’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, Cory Gillette joins us for a conversation with a Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) all-star panel featuring Michael McNamara, Shane Peters, Ryan Dunne, Rachael Zumbo-Penney, and Teresa Ringkamp. We dive into the department’s impressive accomplishments and initiatives from the past five years. For more details, please explore our VPA Five-Year Review and visit the RPS budget website.
Earlier this week, we launched the 2026-2027 budget season with the presentation of the Superintendent’s Proposed Budget at Monday night’s Board of Education meeting. Because of the amazing work this leadership team has done over the past five years, Assistant Superintendent Cory Gillette joins me on the podcast today so we can discuss some new additions to the budget website that offer historical insight into some of our cost centers and provide context for the FY27 budget. Thanks for listening! Click Here for the Budget Website
On today’s episode of Tiger Talk, we welcome Counseling Department Supervisor Joy Squitieri and RHS Counselor Michelle McCullough to discuss post-high school readiness. We cover essential topics such as actionable steps juniors can take right now, what parents should consider as their child approaches junior year, the upcoming college fair, and various opportunities beyond college. Thanks for listening! Click here for the counseling website.
In this episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we get to interview the Ridgefield High School's acclaimed chorus group, The Madrigals who recently performed at the iconic Radio City Music Hall. Under the guidance of Choir Director Lauren Verney-Fink, these talented young singers brought holiday cheer to the big stage. Elizabeth Campbell, Joseph Capone, Hazel Connally, and Jonathan Waymire share behind-the-scenes stories, what it felt like performing in such a legendary venue, and how this experience has inspired them. Also keep a lookout for the Madrigals at this year’s holiday stroll in downtown Ridgefield as well as other holiday events. Thanks for listening!
In this week's episode of Tiger Talk, we welcome Dr. Rachel Besharat Mann from Wesleyan University and Christine Schenzer, Branchville Elementary Library Media Specialist. The duo recently co-authored an article in the prestigious academic journal The Reading Teacher, and they join us to share how their collaboration began. We dive into the innovative, developmentally appropriate model used by Ridgefield Public Schools to teach technology and digital citizenship. Plus, both guests are set to present at a major conference in Denver this week. Thank you for tuning in—here's a link to their insightful article!
Joining us for a patriotic discussion on Ridgefield Tiger Talk are East Ridge Middle School teachers Michael Settanni (Social Studies) and Alison Picarella (Health/PE). We discuss the very meaningful 24-year annual event that has become a powerful Ridgefield tradition that includes many members of the school and town community. This event has been a keyway for our students to make connections with the veterans in our community. Thank you for listening!
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we’re excited to welcome RHS 11th grader William Knispel. He’s the amazing young man who has started the teen chapter of the Ridgefield CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program. Working with the CERT program, he is bringing important training such as first aid, disaster response, and basic car repair, to name just a few. Visit the Ridgefield CERT website or search for “Ridgefield Teen CERT” on Facebook/Instagram for more information. Thanks for listening!
Beautiful foliage is in full swing and you know what that means! It’s time for the fall sports update on Ridgefield Tiger Talk! Joining us on today’s podcast is a guest everyone is familiar with, Dane Street Director of Athletics for Ridgefield High School. We talk about the amazing fall season for swimming, football, soccer, field hockey, cheer/dance golf, cross county, and unified sports! Highlighting some of our amazing students, and teams. Thanks for listening!Click here for the athletics website.
It’s that spooky time of year again! We welcome back to Tiger Talk the First Selectperson of Ridgefield, Rudy Marconi. We discussed all of the exciting and fun activities that are happening in the next few weeks. Starting on Oct 17th the Paranormal Park is open, Keeler Tavern Museum History Center will be hosting ghosts of Ridgefield on the 24th and 25th, Main Street will be having its Halloween walk on the 25th and many other fun happenings. There’s something for everyone this Halloween in Ridgefield. Thanks for listening! Click here for more information on these events.
Ridgefield Tiger talk is back and on today’s episode will be talking about Ridgefield High School’s National Honor Society. Joining us is Mitch Peterson, Library Media Specialist and NHS teacher leader, and seniors Charlotte Osher and Lauren Ciuffetelli who are NHS officers. We discuss how students become members of the national honor Society, their volunteer work, tutoring services, and impact on their community. Thanks for listening! For more information on the NHS click here.
RPS is ALL IN! This is Ridgefield Tiger talk’s season finale for the 24-25 school year. On today’s show, we welcome Cory Gillette, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction. We discuss some of the amazing work that our teachers, students, and administrators have done to be ALL IN here at Ridgefield Public Schools. Tiger Talk will be off for the summer, but don’t worry the show will return a few weeks into the 25-26 school year. Thanks for listening and have a great summer!
It was a week of firsts for the Ridgefield Tiger Talk podcast! We welcomed our first-ever RPS Communications intern, RHS senior Murphy Everdell. She discusses her internship, which is covering her fellow senior interns—in the office, in the schools, or on the farm. In the second part of the show, Murphy takes her turn as our first student co-host, interviewing her school counselor, Lori Bran, about the first intern service trip to Panama. Interns packed a lifetime into a five-day trip. Thanks for listening
Although the current weather conditions don’t feel very spring-like, we welcome back Ridgefield High School’s Director of Athletics Dane Street to give us the Spring sports update. We discuss where the spring sports teams are in their season, what teams are going to the finals, a preview of what’s happening this summer, and some updates happening this fall. Thanks for listening!Link to the athletics website.
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we welcome back Assistant Principal for RHS Mike Yagid and Science Teacher JR Condosta. We discuss the University of Connecticut’s early College Experience Program (or ECE for short), how it differs from a traditional AP course, the robust experiences our students have to choose from, and some impressive accolades for Ridgefield High School. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we’re excited to welcome back Dr. Tony Showah, Assistant Director of Special Services. He tells us about all the amazing things happening at next week’s Inclusion Expo at Ridgefield High School on April 30 at 5 PM. Click here for the flyer, and click here if you’d like to RSVP. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we welcome back to the show, Kimberly Davis, Library Media Specialist at RHS, and Danny Martins, Department Head for Social Studies. They tell us about an exciting new club called Educators Rising. In this club, our students learn what it takes to become an educator, take on roles and responsibilities in different facets of education, and compete at the local and national level. We are already seeing our students gain many accolades. Thanks for listening!
In this episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we welcome back Stephanie Cheung RHS’s Counseling Supervisor. We’ll discuss the 2025 College Fair, Tuesday March 18th 6:00 p.m. There is a lot of noteworthy stuff happening this year. Currently there are over 90 colleges signed up, the counseling staff will be hosting many informational breakout sessions, and many opportunities for our students to top one on one with college representatives. Definitely a must listen, if you have a high school age student(s)! Link to college fair website mentioned in the podcast and the Post High School Planning Guide.
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger talk we welcome three RHS music teachers. Michael McNamara VPA chair, Lauren Verney-Fink chorus teacher, and George Beratis Band teacher. They tell us about an amazing opportunity that our music students will be having by traveling to New Orleans later this month. They will perform live at a few venues. Participate in a college level music clinic, and learn about the rich musical history of New Orleans. Thanks for listening!
With the inevitable thaw of winter, we welcome back Ridgefield High School’s Director of Athletics Dane Street to give us a winter sports update. We discuss the many amazing accomplishments that RPS athletes achieved this past season, what teams are making it to the finals, a preview of spring sports, and some of the mental health training/community outreach athletic staff are participating in. Thanks for listening! Link to the athletics website.
We have an All-Star crew for this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk. Dr. Susie Da Silva Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway Assistant Superintendent of Special Services, and Jill Browne Director of Finance join the show to tell us about a very important vote happening February 25th. We discussed the importance of the new space needed for the Alternative High School/Ridgefield Transition Program, the long-term cost savings it can bring the community, and the importance of having a commitment like this for our impressive students. Thanks for listening. Click here to see the Alternative High School website mentioned in the show.
It’s budget season and on this week’s episode of Tiger Talk we welcome back Superintendent Dr. Susie Da Silva and Director of Finance Jill Browne (our second attempt at doing a budget podcast). We discuss the budget building process, some of the factors that go into creating the budget, how we arrived at this year’s number, and the upcoming presentations/meetings to bring the budget to completion. Thanks for listening!
Click here for the budget website that was mentioned on the podcast.
Click here for the Superintendent Proposed Budget presentation from 01/16/25.
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we welcome Stephanie Cheung Counseling Supervisor and Lori Bran School Counselor. We discussed this year’s course selection for RHS students and students coming from middle school, next week’s (01/15/25 @6pm) open house for parents of eighth graders to see the high school’s elective offerings, and tips and tricks for both parents & students when trying to figure out what courses to take. Click here for the counseling website that was mentioned in the show. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we welcome back to the show the Director of Safety and Security, Josh Zabin. We discuss how the new school security officer (SSO) model is working, the benefits/community impact of having these SSO’s at each building, the continuing work in making our buildings secure, and Sandy Hook promise our anonymous reporting system. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we welcome back Physics and Robotics teacher Michael Murphy. Joining him are Ridgefield high school robotics team members Addis Engel, Declan Kelly, Juliette Langberg & Vijay Pertab. We discuss the robot club/high school course offerings that students can choose from, this year’s Vex robotics tournament game, the amazing skills that our students are able to develop in these courses/club, and how you can see these robots in action this Saturday 9am November 23rd at Ridgefield High School. Thanks for listening and for more information on the eventClick Here and to learn how the game is playedClick Here.
This week we have a very patriotic episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk. Joining us is Tom Grace Assistant Principal at East Ridge Middle School, Michael Settanni Social Studies Teacher and Alison Picarella Health/PE Teacher. We discuss this very meaningful an annual that that has been running at East Ridge Middle School for the past 23 years. It is not only become a Ridgefield tradition, but it helps connect us to the veterans in our community. Thanks for listening!
This week’s episode of Tiger Talk, we welcome Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway Assistant Superintendent of Special and Services Andree Fitzgerald Director of Nursing, Health, & Wellness. Just a few things we discuss are, how this new position supports our students, how the role of a school nurse has changed over the years, the new emphasis on mental wellness, and how RPS works with community partners to best serve our children. Thanks for listening!
It’s time for a sports update here at Ridgefield Tiger Talk! Joining us on today’s podcast is a guest everyone is familiar with, Dane Street Director of Athletics for Ridgefield High School. We talk about the amazing fall season. Some of our sports teams are having (many qualified for both FCIAC and States), highlights of some amazing students, and the amazing work that our coaches put in for our athletes. Thanks for listening! Click here for the athletics website.
It’s that spooky time of year again! We welcome back to Tiger Talk the First Selectperson of Ridgefield, Rudy Marconi. We discussed all of the exciting and fun activities that are happening in the next few weeks. From a very scary paranormal park to an adorable trunk or treat at the Lounsbury house. There’s something for everyone this Halloween in Ridgefield. Thanks for listening! Click here for more information on these events.
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we have an All-Star cast to talk about World Language at the Elementary level. Joining us is Cory Gillette the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Linda Johnson the director of elementary education, Allyson Power World Language Department Head, and Jill Quattrocchi Elementary World Language teacher. We discuss how the program began, the benefits of learning new languages at a young age, the experience our students are having in the classroom, and what to expect next from this new program. Gracias por escuchar!
We assembled an all-star cast for this very special episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk. Joining us is Dr. Susie Da Silva, Superintendent of Schools; Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway, Assistant Superintendent of Special Services; Dr. Anthony Showah, Assistant Director of Special Services; Jessica DiValentino, Transition Program Coordinator; and Kate Collins, Alternative High School Coordinator. We have heard many questions from the community regarding the new proposed location of our transition program and alternative high school, and we feel this podcast is the best way for people to understand the programs and their needs. Thanks for listening!
Ridgefield Tiger Talk is back for the 24-25 school year! In our first episode of the season, we welcome back Jill Browne our Director of Finance and Billy Gramajo our Transportation Coordinator to go over some frequently asked questions about transportation. Some of the topics we cover are how bus routes are planned, all the factors that decide where a bus stop is, and how the student first app works. Thanks for listening!
If you have any further questions regarding transportation here’s the email discussed in the show: RPSTransportation@RidgefieldPS.net
RPS has Leveled UP! This is Ridgefield Tiger talk’s season finale for the 23-24 school year. On today’s show, we welcome Cory Gillette, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction. We discuss all of the amazing work that our teachers, students, and administrators have done this year to Level Up Ridgefield Public Schools. Even though there will be no new episodes of Tiger, talk this summer everyone here will be hard at work getting ready for the next school year. But don’t worry the show will return a few weeks into the 24-25 school year. Thanks for listening and have a great summer!
Continuing our theme of environmentally friendly shows, this week we welcome Ridgefield High School Biology teacher, Arlyn Kilduff to Tiger Talk. She tells us about the Environmental and Sustainability Club, their involvement with the town, and current projects like the Pollinator Pathway and the RHS recycling audit. Thanks for listening!
We have a charged-up episode of Tiger Talk! Joining us is Dwayne Escola, the chair of the Ridgefield Energy Task Force. We discuss the environmental impacts of installing solar panels on our schools, the up-and-coming solar canopies that will be installed in the high school parking lot this summer, and some of the future endeavors that the task force is looking forward to. Thanks for listening!
On today’s episode, we welcome back a Ridgefield Tiger Talk MVP. Dane Street, the Director of Athletics for Ridgefield High School joins the show. We discussed the many accolades that our amazing athletes received, winter sports recap, a current update on Spring sports, and a call to anyone in the community who’s interested in helping out in athletics. Thanks for listening!
We’re Trash Talking on this week’s episode of Tiger Talk! We welcome back to the show Tiffany Carlson Ridgefield’s Recycling Coordinator. We discussed the 50th anniversary of the Ridgefield Recycling Center, how the schools are helping in the composting effort, some of the free services that the recycling department offers, and ways that you can help your community. Thanks for listening and for more information please email: recyclingcoordinator@ridgefieldct.gov
In this episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk Stephanie Cheung RHS’s Counseling Supervisor joins us to discuss the 2024 College Fair. There is a lot of noteworthy stuff happening this year. Currently there are over 80 colleges signed up, the Editor and Chief of the Princeton review will be the keynote speaker, and the counseling staff will be hosting many informational breakout sessions. Definitely a must listen, if you have a high school age student(s)! Link to the RHS counselors page mentioned in the show.
Wow, we made it to 100 episodes! On this very special episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we reach out to some of our teachers and administrators to tell us why RPS is such an amazing place! Joining us is Elizabeth Van Duyne, Jennifer DeJulio, Michael Murphy, Sarah Kehoe, Jamie Palladino, Tom Grace, Cory Gillette, and Dr. Susie Da Silva. We are so proud and fortunate to have the remarkable staff that we do. Thanks for getting us to 100 episodes, and thanks for listening!
In this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger talk we welcome back Dr. Anthony Showah
Assistant Director of Special Services. We discuss the many updates in the special services department, the expansion of the RISE program, pre-kindergarten, the transition program, how we can leverage AI in helping meet the needs of our students, and much more. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we welcome Linda Johnson Director of Elementary Education and Jamie Palladino District Math Specialist. We discussed some of the modern methods in which we educate elementary age children in mathematics, what a math fact is, and what parents can do at home to help their children become dynamic math thinkers. Thanks for listening! Click Here for more info on the Summer Bridge Program.
It’s that time of the year again, Ridgefield Public schools is in budget season! On this week’s episode of Tiger Talk, we welcome Dr. Susie Da Silva, Superintendent of Schools and Jill Browne, Director of Finance. We discuss how the budget process works, and the schedule for up-and-coming events, as well as some frequently, asked questions. Click here for our budget website and thanks for listening!
We have quite the exceptional story this week on Ridgefield Tiger Talk! Joining us on the show is Michael McNamara the 6-12 VPA Department Chair and Lauren Verney-Fink the RHS Choral Director. Recently, high school and middle school students from RPS were able to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. We talked to Lauren about this amazing journey, how they prepared, and what’s next for the choir! Also, don’t forget that there is a concert at Ridgefield high school next Tuesday, January 30th. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s episode, we welcome Becky Laus the Principal of Barlow Mountain Elementary School, and Nancy Caron the Principal of Farmingville Elementary School to talk to us about some of the innovative ways that they promote Social Emotional Learning (also known as SEL) in their schools. It’s not just about what we do in the classroom but what the school does with all members of the community. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we welcome Jeffrey Corbishley, RPS’s 6–12 Math/Science Supervisor. We discuss some of the new exciting program updates to our 6-12 math program, how our math departments support students, what a modern math classroom looks like, and some other ways a student can extend their mathematics opportunities outside of the normal classroom setting. You don’t want to miss this great show, thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we welcome to the show RHS’s School Counselor Department Head Stephanie Cheung and Counselor Jenna Barbino. We discuss all of the post high school options that our students have, how we prepare our students for post high school success, how to have the right mindset when looking for colleges, and how parents can support these endeavors. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we welcome back Dane Street, Ridgefield High School’s Director of Athletics. He brings us up-to-date on the impressive accomplishments of this past fall season, current accomplishments of our amazing student athletes, some really cool updates to the athletics program, and a preview of the winter sports season. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s Tiger Talk we welcome back Annie Tucci our 6-12 Humanities Supervisor. She talks to us about year two of the Wittiness Stone Project, a joint venture between Ridgefield Public Schools and the Ridgefield historical society. This inquiry based project is one of the many examples for how we can make the history right in our backyard come alive. Here is the link to the live stream on November 15th. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we welcome back to the podcast physics and robotics teacher Michael Murphy who is joined with two RHS students Harshiv Gorakhiya and Declan Kelly. They tell us about the RHS robotics program and after school club. Also, on Saturday, November 4, Ridgefield high school will be hosting a huge robotics competition that’ll have over 60 teams from different states. If you’re interested in going, click here for the flyer. Also, here is a link to the YouTube channel if you’d like to stream it on the day of the event. Thanks for listening!
We have a spooky episode for you on this week’s Tiger Talk! We welcome back to the show Ridgefield’s First Selectman Rudy Marconi! He tells us about all the cool and spooky things happening in town over the next two weeks. There’s the Paranormal Park at Richardson Park this weekend & next, the Main Street Trick or Treat on the 28th, and of course Halloween night. We also talk about some other fun activities for both kids & adults after October. Let’s have our fingers crossed for good weather, thanks for listening!
On this week’s Episode of Tiger Talk we welcome Billy Gramajo, Ridgefield Public Schools Transportation Coordinator and Jill Brown our Director of Finance. We talk about our 4 tiers of busing, the TransFinder Software upgrade, the new First View app, the challenges of planning routes, and much more. Thanks for Listening!
Ridgefield Tiger Talk is back for its fourth season! To start us off we welcome guest Cory Gillette, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction. We discuss some of this year’s district goals, items that we’ll be studying, updates to Visual & Performing Arts, and much more. Thanks for listening!
It’s Ridgefield Tiger Talks’ season finale! On today’s show, we welcome our two Assistant Superintendents, Cory Gillette Curriculum and Instruction and Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway Special Services. As we close out the school year, we talk about all the exciting things that are happening at RPS during the summer time. We discuss the Bridge program, ESY, building updates, and a few things we are looking forward to for the beginning of next school year. Thanks for listening and we wish everyone a fun and safe summer break and we will see you next fall.
On this week’s episode of Tiger Talk we are excited to have Katie Blake, a Family Consumer Science teacher from Ridgefield High School. She discusses with us her work in reviving Tiger TV. Many years ago, the high school used to host a few television shows, but as technology moved on, and some priorities changed, it was mothballed. But now, with the introduction of media production next fall, and some very passionate students, Tiger TV is ready for a modern comeback. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s Episode of Tiger Talk we welcome Josh Zabin, Ridgefield Public School’s new Director of Safety and Security. You’ll learn about his background in law enforcement, serving the Fairfield community for many years. Then we’ll discuss his vision for security now and into the future, as well as some very helpful information for parents and community members. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of Tiger Talk, we get down to business with a Ridgefield High School Business Department. Business teachers Jesse Peterkin and Kelly Predham along with a whole host of business students join us on the podcast to discuss all of the interesting topics that are covered in the many different business classes that they can take. We also talk about 3 impressive business clubs that are student run and are making some remarkable accolades. Thanks for listening!
We’re talking trash on today’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk! Joining us on the podcast, Jill Browne, the Director of Finance for Ridgefield Public schools, and Tiffany Carlson recycling coordinator for the town of Ridgefield. We talk about the current way we manage waste in our schools and how we are piloting a forward-thinking composting system that not only benefits the environment but also the community. Thanks for listening!
It’s Sports Update time here at Ridgefield Tiger Talk! Joining us on this week’s podcast is Dane Street the Athletics Director for Ridgefield High School. He tells us about all of the amazing winter sports accomplishments, a preview of spring sports, recent player accolades, and future project planning. Thanks for listening! Link to RHS Athletics Site.
This week’s show rocks!!! Pun intended….We welcome JR Condosta a Science teacher at RHS who teaches UCONN GeoScience. He is joined by three seniors Keelan McQuilken, Evan Ralph, and Jay Caterina. They tell us about what Geo Science is, careers in that field, the unique Geology of Ridgefield, and how our students are planning on using their knowledge beyond school. Thanks for listening!
Ridgefield Tiger Talk returns from winter break with a bang! Pat Huges a Physics and Science Research Teacher at Ridgefield High School brings on two remarkable students to tell us about their research. Aditi Gupta (Grade 12) with her research on the Impact of Artificial Sweeteners and Heather Wallace (Grade 12) with her research on the efficiency of different Micrometeorite collection Methods. These impressive RHS students tell us about their original research conducted right here in Ridgefield. Thanks for listening!
In this episode of Tiger Talk we answer the frequently asked questions (FAQ) that RPS has been hearing from the community. Joining us on the show will be Dr. Susie Da Silva, Superintendent of Schools and Jill Browne, Director of Finance. Click here for the budget informational site that was mentioned in the show.
We are excited to welcome to Tiger Talk Rick Sadlon the Executive Director of Connecticut Arts Administrators Association to talk to us about Ridgefield Public School’s VPA program. Also joining us on the show is Linda Johnson, Director of Elementary Education and Michael McNamara 6-12 VPA Department Chair. We discuss the current state of our VPA curriculum, how that curriculum is rapidly evolving, and the future of VPA in our district. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s podcast we welcome to the show Mike Yagid Assistant Principal at RHS and Eileen Stewart Teacher and Student Life Office (SLO) Coordinator. They tell us about the new block style schedule, how it’s different from the previous schedule, the introduction of the new flex period, how a schedule can benefit overall well-being, and the innovative offerings that our teachers are providing to our students every morning. Make sure to have a listen!
In this week’s podcast we welcome, Dr. Annie Tucci RPS’s 6–12 Humanities Supervisor. We discuss a very impressive assignment that our middle school students conducted a few weeks ago, called the Witness Stones Project. We discussed the thought-provoking and complex history here in Ridgefield while working in collaboration with the Ridgefield historical society. Also, here is the video discussed in the podcast. Thanks for listening!
In this week’s show we welcome Melissa Ettere-Showah from the Prospector Theater here in Ridgefield. We discuss the amazing mission of the theater, how it impacts the local/broad community, and the opportunities that are offered to those who are differently abled. Thanks for listening! Also, here is the link to the video discussed in the podcast.
On today’s podcast Dane Street, the Director of Athletics for Ridgefield
High School joins us to give the 2022 Fall Sports Update. We
cover the ending seasons for the fall sports, talk about some of the current
media endeavors of Tiger TV, and we get a sneak peek of
what to expect for the winter sports season. Tiger Talk is off next week due to
the Thanksgiving holiday and we wish everyone a happy and safe break. Thanks
for listening!
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk we welcome two East Ridge Middle School teachers, Michael Settanni and Maureen Tyra to the tell us about their Veterans Day ceremony. We learn the history of the ceremony, all the hard work that goes into the event, and the community connection that has been a part of Ridgefield for over 20 years. Thanks for listening.
This Saturday, November 5th Ridgefield High School is hosting a huge robotics competition! For more information click here. Joining us on this week’s Tiger talk is Physics/Robotics Teacher, Michael Murphy, and two RHS robotics team members Aidan Fremed and Kayleen Smith. They tell us about this year’s game, the hard work that goes into creating a robot for competition, and the amazing event Ridgefield High School is hosting. You should definitely pop in this Saturday, but if you can’t, the competition will be broadcast live on YouTube here. Thanks for listening!
Election season is upon us! Recently Ridgefield High School held an event where local political candidates got to field questions from our very own students. Joining us on this week’s episode of Tiger talk is Danny Martin’s Social Studies Department Head and two high school students Charlotte Norcross and Tor Petersen to tell us all about it. They cover the history of the event, RHS’s mock election, and the topics concerning our students. Thanks for listening!
Halloween is almost upon us and to get ready for this spooky event Ridgefield Tiger Talk has a very special guest. Joining us on this week’s show is First Selectman of Ridgefield, Rudy Marconi! We talk about all of the really cool activities happening this weekend and the weekend of Halloween. Main street will be shut down for trick-or-treating opportunities, there are haunted ghost walks, and much more! Make sure you don’t miss this episode and thanks for listening!
Ridgefield Tiger Talk Podcast is excited to be back for a third season! In this week’s episode Kim Moran joins us to talk about district technology and Digital Citizenship. We cover what types of devices our students use, some of the new technology we are deploying in the district, and all the different ways we teach Digital Citizenship. Here is the link to the website mentioned in the show for Common Sense Media. Thanks for listening!
This will be the last Tiger Talk for the 2021-22 school year! But don’t worry we will return at the beginning of the school year in the fall! In this week so we welcome superintendent Dr. Susie Da Silva, Assistant Superintendent Cory Gillette and Assistant Superintendent of Special Services Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway. We close out […]
Tiger Talk welcomes back Dane Street, Ridgefield High School’s Athletics Director. He tells us about the awesome spring sports achievements our RHS students have made, who is still finishing up their seasons, notable athletes, and some upcoming news/information on the 2022 Fall season. It’s a fun show and thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of Tiger Talk we welcome Ridgefield High School’s Teacher of the Year Mike Murphy and his two students Alex Yates and Logan Tole. They tell us about a new innovative course that is becoming very popular called Product Design. It’s a course where students get to learn all of the ins and […]
In this week’s podcast we welcome Lori Bran and Stacy Marchionni, both are School Counselors at Ridgefield High School and run the Senior Internship Program. We learn about the 20 plus year history of the program, the many different types of internships that our students can go on, how the community embraces these students, and […]
This week’s Tiger Talk features in amazing story about Scotland Elementary School fifth graders raising money for the “A Walk to Water” charity. Joining us is Principal Jill Katkocin, fifth grade teacher Amanda Pasquarella, and fifth grade student Hudson Renner. We discuss all the fun activities they did to raise the money, the goals of […]
In this week’s Tiger Talk we welcome two East Ridge Middle School Counselors Amy Jonsson and Caitlin DeMello. They tell us about some really cool things going on at ERMS. We cover their “Speak Up” presentation, the role of a MS School Counselor, and exciting summer opportunities for our middle school students. Thanks for listening!
We’re Back! In this week’s episode Dane Street, The Athletics Director for Ridgefield High School returns to give us a sports update. We cover the really amazing Winter Post Season, the current Spring Season accomplishments, student highlights, and some really cool charity work that our athletes are doing. Be sure to give it a listen!
In this week’s podcast we welcome back to the show Terence Houlihan the department head for the RHS Counselors Department. He has some exciting news for us after an over 20-year hiatus, Ridgefield High School will be hosting a college fair on April 7th. We discuss how the fair came to be, the selection of […]
Joining us on this week’s show are Jennifer Bray and Merryl Polak of Scotts Ridge Middle School. They’re here to tell us all about Legally Blond Jr the musical playing This Friday the 25th & Saturday the 26th. We discuss the important skills students gain from doing these types of activities, all the hard work […]
In this week’s podcast we invite Scotts Ridge Middle School History Teacher Thomas Broderick to the show. He brings with him five amazing 8th grade students to talk about their entries into the National History Day competition. In this competition students pick a historical subject then they must create informative displays, documentaries, websites, or other […]
In this week’s episode we talk to James Reed the English teacher in charge of the student newspaper The Ridgefielder and two of its student editors Kavya Podila and Michael Stamatis. We learn about the creative process in planning articles, conducting boots on the Ground journalism, professional article layout, and social media/distribution of their news […]
In this week’s Tiger Talk we welcome Principal Tim Salem and Assistant Principal Lisa Frese of Scotts Ridge Middle School to talk about RULER at the middle school level. We discuss how it was a helpful resource during the pandemic, how students/adults can use its tools in everyday life, modeling the use of therapy dogs […]
In today’s show we get down to business (pun intended). Joining us on Tiger Talk is Jesse Peterkin the lead teacher for the RHS Business Department and 11th grade business student Corrie Vakil. We cover why students should take a business course, all the really cool offerings in these courses, the RHS trading room, and impressive […]
It’s budget season for Ridgefield Public Schools! Joining us on this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk is Superintendent of Schools Dr. Susie Da Silva and her leadership cabinet. In this show we talk about the budget process, the district’s needs/goals, current themes in education, and budget priorities. Make sure you don’t miss this very […]
Big sports update on this week’s episode! We welcome back to Tiger Talk Dane Street the Athletics Director for Ridgefield High School. In this show he updates us on the current COVID protocols with winter sports, how those protocols might change, a lot of great sports news, and all the impressive charity work our athletes […]
In this week’s episode we get a quick update from the Director of Nursing Services, Aaron Crook. We discuss the new changes in Covid policy/procedures for schools, answer some commonly asked questions, and run through our process in interpreting these guidelines. Thanks for listening!
For our last podcast of 2021 we welcome Nancy Caron the Principal of Farmingville Elementary School to the show. We talk about FES’s Be Kind program, Ben’s Bells, teachers/students creating a school wide “CARES” plan, 5th grade newscasts, and other fun topics. Thanks for listening! Also, Tiger Talk will be off for the holiday break and return […]
Joining us on this week’s show are the Teen Talk counselors from East Ridge and Scotts Ridge Middle Schools. Alexandra Avila and Audrey Camino-jara tell us about their role in their school, how the position is different from a guidance counselor, all the services that they provide, and resources that both parents and students can […]
In this week’s podcast we have two middle school music teachers joining us. Tiger Talk welcomes Shane Peters and Hilary Brown back to the podcast to talk about all the exciting things happening at East Ridge and Scotts Ridge Middle Schools. We cover how this year’s Covid protocols are working for music courses, the different […]
On this week’s show we invite two guests to talk about social emotional learning at the elementary level. Becky Laus Principal of Barlow Mountain Elementary and Jill Katkocin Principal of Scotland Elementary tell us about the Responsive Classroom, RULER, the Mood Meter, and other methods that provide meaningful touch points that give our youngest students autonomy. […]
In this week’s show we welcome back Aaron Crook, Ridgefield Public School’s Director of nursing services. He gives us an update on the state of Connecticut’s new guidelines for its in school Covid policies and how Ridgefield is implementing them. It’s a very informative show, definitely worth a listen!
Joining us on week’s show is Physics & Robotics teacher Michael Murphy and 11th Grader Heather Wallace. We chat about RHS’s robotics courses and the robotics club. There are a lot of cool things going on in these courses! Planning, building, coding, collaboration, friendly competition, and simulating a real engineering working environment are just a few […]
Joining me on this week’s podcast is Terence Houlihan, Ridgefield High School’s Head of the Counseling Department. We discuss the shift away from the term guidance counselor to school counselor and why it’s such an important distinction. We also talk about the goals of the modern counselor as well the new dynamics that our students have […]
In this week’s episode we get to talk to Eileen Stewart, the head coordinator of the Student Life Office (or SLO) at Ridgefield High School. We talk about all the amazing things that this department handles to help cultivate the student experience outside of the classroom. Clubs, sports, events, and many other activities are handled […]
Ridgefield Tiger Talk is back for its third season! Today we talk to Dane Street, Ridgefield High School’s Athletic Director about this year’s sports Covid protocols, the work being done at Tiger Hollow/Scotts Ridge’s Field, a fall sports update, and some future projects that are currently being worked on. Thanks for listening!
Happy summer everyone! This is our final podcast for the school year and we are super excited to have Dr. Susie Da Silva the Superintendent of Schools, Cory Gillette the Assistant Superintendent, and Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway the Assistant Superintendent of Special Services. In this show we put Dr. Da Silva in the hot seat to […]
In today’s podcast we’ll talk about a really cool event happening Friday, June 4th that has both visual art and music. Joining us is Teresa Ringkamp, Shane Peters, and Andrew Clavi. They tell us about the Scotts Ridge Visual and Performing Arts Festival. In the show we talk about the types of concert performances guests will […]
Last sports update for the school year! On today’s show we welcome back Dane Street, the Athletic Director for Ridgefield High School. We discuss all the current happenings for spring sports, how the athletics department is navigating the changing Covid guidelines, current status of summer sports training, and what’s happening for the fall season along […]
In today’s podcast we welcome back three RHS music teachers George Beratis, Kevin Haines, and Michael McNamara. We talk about all the extraordinary things the high school music department has done while addressing this year’s challenges. Spring concert in Ballard Park, streaming musicals, and new methods for teaching are just a few of the things […]
In today’s podcast we are excited to talk to some of the hard-working members in RPS’s RISE program. Joining us will be Anthony Showah, Anthony Spinelli, Christina Cipriano, and Taylor Leach. They will talk about the amazing effort that goes into meeting the needs of our RISE students, collaboration between the many stakeholders involved, what makes RISE different […]
Recently students from Ridgefield High School attended (virtually) The United Nations International School’s conference on Covid’s impact across different nations. On today show we talk to sophomores Cora Fitzgerald and Jeremy Haber who both attended this conference and tell us about their experiences, how they contributed, and the ideas that they bring back to the Ridgefield […]
Getting ready for summer fun! In today’s show we welcome Cory Gillette Assistant Superintendent and Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway Assistant Superintendent of Special Services. We talk about Ridgefield Public School’s exciting new Bridge Program. A post school year program that’s offering a lot of exciting hands-on experiences for our students. Whether it’s volunteer work, credit recovery, […]
April 19th is a big day for Ridgefield, we are inviting all students at all grades to come back in full! In today’s show we welcome Dr. Susie Da Silva Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway Assistant Superintendent of Special Services, and Aaron Crook Director of Nursing Services. We talk about how we’re preparing schools for […]
We have a very inventive show for you today. Megan LiVolsi, Magda Fincham, and Sarah Pettitt join the show today to talk about the invention convention, how it was started at Branchville Elementary School, the amazing opportunities that it provides our invented students, and some of the really cool products our children were able to […]
On today show we have Emily Shiller and Janine Johnson from Scotts Ridge Middle School’s Library Learning Commons (or LLC for short). We talk about all the cool things students can do in a middle school LLC, how the LLC has evolved from the traditional library, how they have adapted to Covid, and what they’re […]
In this episode we welcome three East Ridge Middle School Music teachers to the show. Hillary Brown, Rebecca Merrick, and Shane Peters join us as we talk about modifications that they had to make to their music programs this year, new technology that they are using that will carry over when after Covid is over, […]
We are excited to have Allison Anderson on this week’s episode. Allison is an elementary art teacher at Barlow Mountain and Scotland Elementary Schools. She helped bring the Memory Project to our Schools. We talk about art enrichment of elementary age children, this project’s ability to produce amazing experiences, and the reception of our students’ […]
We have a very interesting “once in a 43-year” show today! If you haven’t heard a time capsule has been recovered from Ridgebury Elementary School that was buried in 1977. We talk with Jamie Palladino principal of Ridgebury Elementary School and Melinda Prills an RES kindergarten teacher. They tell us the story of how the […]
In this week’s show we welcome back to the podcast Dane Street the Athletics Director for Ridgefield High School. Dane gives us an update on the current happenings in Winter sports, all of the accomplishments of this year’s Fall sports, and a look forward to Spring. Thanks for listening!
Joining us on this week’s episode is Steven Anton. He is a Math, Computer Science and Engineering teacher at Ridgefield High School. We talk about what students learn in a computer programming class, useful skills that can go with you to any occupation, and what younger students can do to get interested in programming. Thanks […]
In this week’s episode we learn about Ridgefield’s remarkable preschool program. Joining me to talk about all the great stuff that they do is Christina Salvestrini, Tara Dore, Holly Mackey, and Alexandra Lipitz. We cover what a day is like for a preschooler, the standards behind our methods, and how parents can learn more about […]
In this week’s episode Ridgefield High School’s Art Department Head Michael Rivera brings on two students to talk about their art experiences. Ryder Dadasovich, a sophomore who has been exploring photography and film making, and Beatrice Altopp, a senior who did improv and is now focusing on three-dimensional art. We talk about what inspires them, […]
We have an exciting show for you. In this episode we talk to Claire Griffin and Gianna Greco. Two science research students from Ridgefield High School who have been spending the past three years studying the genetic modification tool known as CRISPR. Also joining them is their teacher Mr. Patrick Hughes. We’ll talk about what science research is […]
We return from our holiday break and in this episode, we talk to Aaron Crook Ridgefield Public Schools Director of Nursing Services. Topics we asked Aaron about cover Connecticut’s rollout of the vaccine, his personal experience receiving the vaccine, and how the RPS is addressing an increase in cases. Thanks for listening!
Happy Holidays everyone! In this show we’re going to do something a little bit different before we go on break. I am joined with the Assistant Superintendent of Special Services Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway and together we are going to answer a grab bag of questions commonly asked by you the listeners. Questions such as how […]
In this episode, we get to talk to some of the amazing physical education teachers at our elementary schools. Joe DeLuca, Sarah Wiedemann, and Shirley Hughes talk to us about the skills are elementary students learn in PE class, what current class activities look like, some of the cool things that kids can do at […]
In this episode we are excited to have a big panel of music teachers while also having Dr. Alison Villanueva co-host. George Beratis, Michael McNamara, Alexandria McGowan, and Shane Peters join us on the show to talk about how the music programs adapted to this year’s needs, the enthusiasm of having children play instruments, and the takeaways […]
Joining us on today’s podcast is Scott Robert Ridgefield High School’s Counseling Department Head. In this show we talk about the evolving job of a school counselor, how students navigate the complex landscape of choosing class pathways in high school, how colleges are adapting to COVID, and other opportunities students explore that are not college […]
In this week’s episode we get a glimpse inside the decision-making process that happens every Friday between the town Health Director Ed Briggs, the town Medical Advisor Dr. James Ahern, and the leadership of the Ridgefield Public School system. This group works incredibly hard to adapt to the changing situations in Ridgefield while also adjusting […]
Joining us on today’s show is Jeff Lovelace the School Psychologist at Veterans Park Elementary School. In this episode we talk about important aspects of a child’s mental health, how a school’s psychologist supports teachers and parents, strategies that Jeff uses when connecting with students, and lastly the importance of having fun (and why sometimes […]
This week we bring you the podcast earlier than normal to talk to our special guest Ridgefield’s First Selectmen Rudy Marconi about how the town is handling Halloween this year. Even though the Main Street event has been canceled we talk about other things going on in the town, what you can do in your […]
In this show the tables are turned when host Dr. Wes DeSantis is put in the hot seat by Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway, the Assistant Superintendent of Special Services and Tim Salem the Principle of Scotts Ridge Middle School. They talk to Wes about instructional technology, how we make decisions regarding the technology we use, what we’re doing […]
Joining us on this week’s show is Dr. Jacob Greenwood (the new) Principal of Ridgefield High School and Assistant Principal Michael Yagid. We discuss the work that went into the high school’s decision to stay hybrid, ways that we’re supporting our students, lessons learned over the past six months, and a giant pumpkin?! Thanks for […]
In this show we welcome Ellen Tuckner Principal of Veterans Park Elementary and Keith Margolus Principal of Branchville Elementary School. We talk about how the elementary schools started out in a hybrid model and are now transitioning to full in person, how the school staff is meeting the needs of our youngest learners, and the excitement plus positivity of having students back […]
This episode we welcome two guests, Tricia Raneri Principal of East Ridge Middle School and Tim Salem Principal of Scotts Ridge Middle School. We talk about how the middle schools are handling hybrid learning, the hard work the teachers are doing to rise to this challenge, as well as climate and culture with both students and […]
Ridgefield High School’s Athletic Director Dane Street joins us for today’s show. We discuss how sports will be running this year, measures to address COVID-19, the many positives sports bring to teenagers, how those skills translate into their adult life, and Dr. DeSantis’ clear inadequacies in sports knowledge. Thanks for listening!
In this show we talk to Dr. Elizabeth Hannaway, the Assistant Superintendent of Special Services and Karen Dewing, Director of Personnel. Both are serving as the co-chairs of the RPS reopening committee. We cover how the reopening was planned, why we reopened the way we did, and how we are currently collecting data on how […]
Ridgefield Tiger Talk is back! In our return show we are excited to have Aaron Crook as our guest. Aaron is the Coordinator of Nursing Services for Ridgefield Public Schools and is also currently serving as the COVID-19 Health and Safety Compliance Liaison. In this episode we talk about the reopening of schools here in […]
This is just a quick update to let people know that the podcast will be taking a break for summer but will be returning before school starts. Thank you for listening!
The past eight years Ridgefield High School has had the pleasure of being led by Dr. Stacey Gross. Earlier in the school year she announced her retirement and will be leaving at the end of June. In this show we discuss her career, the amazing accomplishments of the high school community, and what the future […]
Joining us in this show are Hildegard Grob and Melissa Houston of the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center and Thomas Broderick a history teacher from Scotts Ridge Middle School. We discuss the historical significance of Keeler Tavern, how we connect the town’s history to our curriculum, and some of the amazing projects between the museum […]
Joining us in this show are Music Teacher Kevin Haines, and art students Melanie Kardos and Ryan Sierakowski. We talk about how Richfield High School Visual Performing Arts students are handling distance-learning, some of the exciting projects they’re working on, and how this year’s art show is going completely digital with a custom website. Thanks for listening!
We are extremely excited to have Dr. Marc Brackett, the Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence as our guest on the show this week. We talk about RULER, methods in identifying emotions, and coping in a distanced environment. Thanks for listening!
Joining us in this show is Jamie Palladino, the Principal of Ridgebury Elementary School here in Ridgefield CT. We talk about the modern elementary learning experience as well as some challenges and highlights. Thanks for listening!
In this show Dr. DeSantis talks to Thomas Grace the Assistant Principal of East Ridge Middle School. We talk about how the middle school model works, teacher collaboration, modern challenges, and many other topics. Thanks for listening!
In this show we talk to David Griffith and Judy Silver, the creators of the Ridgefield high school Reading Department. The program was introduced almost 10 years ago and has grown immensely since then and continues to innovate. Thanks for listening!
Welcome to the very first episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk in this (our inaugural) episode, host Dr. DeSantis interviews our new superintendent Dr. Susie Da Silva. Thanks for listening!