Superintendent's Message

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Greetings Plainfield Community,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome team members into their new roles at Plainfield Public Schools.

Plainfield Public Schools is proud to announce the appointment of Jessica Fitch as our new Pupil Services Director.  A graduate of Plainfield High School, Mrs. Fitch began her career in New London County as a Head Start Family Advocate, before moving to the positions of Plainfield’s FRC Program Coordinator, School Counselor. Most Recently, Mrs. Fitch has served as the Supervisor of Pupil Services for Plainfield Public Schools.  Mrs. Fitch received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Connecticut, a Master’s Degree from Providence College and a Sixth Year Certificate from Sacred Heart University.  

The selection committee was particularly impressed by Mrs. Fitch’s ability to work with local families and agencies on all levels.   She will begin her new position on July 1, 2022, and is excited to share her plans to continue improving education in Plainfield.

Courtney Langlois, will be officially joining Plainfield as our new Supervisor of Pupil Services, replacing Jessica Fitch who has moved into the role of Director.  Courtney is a 1998 graduate of Plainfield High School and a 2002 graduate of Eastern CT State University. She has a master’s degree in special education from Southern CT State University and a sixth-year certificate in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University.  Over the past 19 years she has taught first grade, kindergarten and preschool for Canterbury Public Schools. Most recently she has taught in an integrated preschool program that is NAEYC accredited.  We are excited to welcome her back to Plainfield. 

Heidi Davis is not new to Plainfield, but she is new in her current role as Literacy Coordinator. Heidi has worked as a building leader in two previous districts and most recently she has worked as a classroom teacher at Shepard Hill Elementary. Heidi has worked on various curriculum and instruction committees both in Plainfield and her previous districts and brings a wealth of diverse knowledge to the role. We are excited to have continue her work in Plainfield in this new capacity and help support fellow teachers launch new literacy initiatives.

 

Mr. Paul M. Brenton

Superintendent of Schools

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May 24, 2022

At Plainfield schools, we are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic events which took place today at an elementary school in Texas.  As we process this tragedy, and grieve with the families in Texas, I wanted to reach out this evening to ensure families that student safety is a priority for our schools in Plainfield. 

In Plainfield, we are constantly reviewing and adapting our security needs to protect our students.  In the past year, we have worked to enhance security protocols at our schools, and have made changes which improve our ability to monitor safety on our campuses.  We also continue to work closely with the Plainfield Police Department and local law enforcement agencies on our procedures to ensure that our students can learn in a safe environment.

As a parent myself, I know that news and social media posts of the event may be difficult for your children. Please know that if your child is having any difficulty processing this tragedy and needs to speak to someone, they or you may reach out to our staff who can provide support.  

Paul M. Brenton 


May, 24, 2021
Greetings to the Plainfield Public School Community, 


I am delighted to be a part of the Plainfield Schools community and I look forward to working this year with our talented and caring faculty. Eastern Connecticut is a special place for me.  Working as a school administrator in Putnam and Killingly, I have experience firsthand the close connections that generations of families in our community have to the schools.  

I look forward to meeting staff and community members over the coming months.  I have already had the pleasure of meeting many Plainfield educators through regional work and professional development. I have been impressed by both the professionalism of these individuals, and the genuine compassion the community exhibits towards the students of Plainfield. 

I understand how difficult this past year has been for families.  As a parent of two school-aged children, I have watched the ways in which my children have needed to adapt to new learning environments and ever-changing conditions for interactions with peers.  Watching my children, I understand that supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of our students is paramount, as we support their academic growth.  I also understand the challenge parents have faced balancing work while meeting the needs of their children.  

During this challenging time, I am committed to providing leadership which focuses on connections which support relationships, consistent practice which build confidence, transparent decision-making processes which provide certainty, and practices which ensure access. 

In the next week, I will be sharing my entry plan with the Plainfield community.  This entry plan will outline my initial steps to build transparent relationships with families, community members and educators in Plainfield so that we can collectively ensure all students enjoy high quality learning experiences.   

I am excited to begin on July 1st, and to visit with students and staff in our summer programs.  As I do, I intend to honor all safety protocols currently in place, to ensure our community members remain safe.  Over the next few months, please know that my door is always open, should you wish to share ideas or suggestions with me.  

These are challenging and unprecedented times, but I remain inspired by the prospect of the work before us, and I look forward to engaging in the work with our community. As a former teacher, I look forward seeing students and staff in the classroom and to a time soon when I can meet all our students, parents, and staff in person. 

 In Partnership, 

Paul M. Brenton 


 

2/26/22

Good Morning Plainfield Community,

I hope that families were able to successfully remain safe on Friday during the winter storm.  Thankfully our community was able to avoid some of the power outages that other communities experienced due to the ice and freezing rain.

As you are already aware, Plainfield Public Schools made the decision to move to a “mask optional” policy effective Feb 28th in our schools. 

On Friday afternoon, while we were shoveling out our driveways, the CDC issued a statement regarding masks on school transportation which states: 

"Effective February 25, 2022, CDC does not require wearing of masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs."

This morning I coordinated with DATTCO, our transportation provider, on the updated guidance.  In accordance with our BOE motion and in partnership with DATTCO, Plainfield Public Schools will be moving to a "mask optional" protocol on school transportation on Monday Feb 28th.

Our school system will continue to provide masks for all students who desire to wear them on busses or in the classroom.  As a district, we will work together to build a supportive climate, in which an individual’s decision to wear or not wear a mask is respected. 

Additionally, I would like to thank all of the staff who volunteered their time on Thursday to help with our test kit distribution.  If any parents were unable to obtain a test kit for your family and still wish to do so, I would ask that you reach out to the school nurse in your child’s school on Monday.

Mr. Paul M. Brenton
[email protected]
651 Norwich Road
Plainfield, CT 06374
(860) 564-6403

Paul M. Brenton joined Plainfield Public Schools as Superintendent on July 1st 2021. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of Connecticut and Alma College.