Notes from the Board Table: “Wilton Student Achievement is Stronger than Ever”

The following is “Notes from the Board Table,” an update from Ruth DeLuca, chair of the Wilton Board of Education.

In March of 2017, then-board of education chair Bruce Likly, wrote “Something Fundamentally Different is Going on In Our Classrooms.” In service to Wilton’s educational values and commitment to provide our kids the best education possible, the board approved a series of strategic plans and choices premised on improving Wilton’s instructional core. We asked students to take greater ownership of their learning. We asked teachers to fundamentally transform the look and feel of the traditional classroom. We placed greater emphasis on strategy-based learning where students explore different processes — making mistakes along the way — to arrive at correct answers. We asked students and teachers to move away from desk rows and lectures and embrace small-group collaboration. We overhauled our math program. We asked all this while aligning curriculum to Common Core standards and working to ensure rigorous, authentic learning experiences were happening consistently across classrooms and grades.

Programs are built slowly over time. They grow, change, and adapt as needs and experiences dictate. Better models emerge and the system integrates and pivots. When the Covid pandemic hit, teaching and learning were thrown off course. In response, the district embraced a new model, the acceleration framework, to keep kids growing and achieving despite unfinished learning. Working together, our curriculum coordinators, coaches, and teachers designed and implemented academic tasks that prioritize grade-level concepts and skills and encourage deep learning and student self-efficacy. 

The tasks and asks were large, the ups and downs expected. What was never in doubt was our teachers’ ability to deliver and our related responsibility to support them. What was never in doubt was Wilton’s ability to do hard things and rise to meet the challenges. 

Today, as board chair, I can state “Wilton Student Achievement is Stronger than Ever.” The results are coming in and they are exceptional. This past spring Wilton High School had the highest percentage of students who passed both sections of the SAT in the state. We topped our District Reference Group (DRG A: Darien, Easton, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, and Westport) peers in Reading/Writing and came second in Math. Wilton High School had the highest percentage of students passing the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), with 90.2%. We returned to pre-pandemic passing rates on Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The seventh graders had top Smarter Balance Assessment (SBA) scores in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Math in Connecticut, including our DRG. This is the second year in a row Wilton seventh grade sits on top in Math. Wilton continues to be at the top of the state in terms of college preparation and persistence.

We have much to celebrate. Our programs are working — our teachers are dedicated and committed, and our students are thriving. The pieces are coming together and achievement and growth across the district is remarkable. These results did not happen overnight — they represent countless teacher and staff hours devoted to our kids. They represent the devotion and diligence of everyone who walks through our buildings and the support of parents and caregivers. Thank you. As we push Wilton education excellence forward this year and continuously improve, I hope we first take time to recognize and celebrate our accomplishments. I am tremendously proud of where we are and am so excited to see where we go.