DANBURY – The Danbury school system isn’t just one of the fastest-growing school districts in Connecticut with almost 12,000 students; it’s also getting recognized for its quality.
Recently, the Connecticut Department of Education recognized four Danbury schools as Schools of Distinction. These include Great Plain Elementary, King Street Primary, South Street Elementary, and Western Connecticut Academy of International Studies (WCAIS) Elementary Magnet School. The schools are led by Dr. Keshia Smith-Davis; Domitila Pereira; Carmen Vargas-Guevara; and Dr. Jeanine Pocoski, respectively. Great Plain, South Street, and AIS have previously been awarded this distinction; it’s the first time for King Street.
That’s impressive when you consider the district has a total of 17 schools: 13 elementary schools, including one magnet school; three middle schools; and a high school with two campuses.
“We saw an overall 2.5% district gain over last year, as well as some incredible school specific areas of marked improvement and achievement,” said Superintendent Kara Casimiro. “We are extraordinarily proud of the efforts of our principals, their staff, and the central office members that helped support the improvements, and we hope to continue steady progress across all schools.”
The schools were recognized for academic excellence and improvement, strong growth and performance, and dedication to student success.
Specific areas of achievement that were noted for each school include:
- Great Plain Elementary – high growth in English Language Arts (ELA) for all students
- King Street Primary – high performance and great improvement
- South Street Elementary – high growth in math for all students and high growth for high needs students in math
- WCAIS – high performance and high growth for all students in English Language Arts and high growth for high needs students in ELA and math.
“This recognition highlights the incredible work happening across our school district,” said Mayor Roberto Alves. “Our administrators, teachers, and students are working tirelessly, and this honor validates the direction we’re heading in. We know Danbury has the capacity to become one of the best school systems in the state, and achievements like this show that we’re well on our way.”
For Alves, the recognition is personal as he is a graduate of Danbury Public Schools.
“I am very proud,” he said. “As someone who grew up attending our public schools, and now as a parent with two children in the district, I’ve always believed that Danbury offers a high-quality education and a diverse, real-world learning environment. Seeing our schools recognized at this level reinforces what I’ve known all along about Danbury’s students and educators.”
Going forward, Casimiro is focused on building on momentum to support school success. “There’s a great deal of hard work that goes into creating growth and increasing proficiency, and these schools have demonstrated the ability to engage in a continuous improvement cycle that are driving positive student outcomes,” the superintendent said. “Our work and partnership with our teachers, along with the current positive overall results, speak highly of the caliber of leaders we have in Danbury and to our unified commitment to becoming the Best Urban District in Connecticut,” said Casimiro.
Mayor Alves agrees.
“This recognition aligns directly with our mission to invest in the next generation,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure students have the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to succeed academically and beyond. It also reflects the strength of our community when families, educators, and local partners work together.
“When our schools excel, our entire city benefits. These distinctions reaffirm that we’re building a foundation for long-term success that will impact every Danbury student.”
