Fox Run Merits Award

On Tuesday night, Fox Run Elementary School took home a finalist distinction from the Lone Pine Foundation's Fairfield County Academic Gain Award Ceremony. While not the top prize, Principal James Martinez is nonetheless inspired by the recognition. “I’m motivated to work harder for our kids and sustain our improvements. I’m so proud of our teachers and staff .”


Fox Run was one of three elementary schools, including two in Bridgeport, receiving honors for academic improvement. Top prize went to Second Hill Lane School in Stratford. The ceremony took place at the University of Connecticut, Stamford campus and was attended by several hundred people including most of the Fox Run staff, some parents, superintendent Susan Marks, Board of Education members, central office administrators and representatives of the West Norwalk Association.

“I am so proud of Fox Run,” said Superintendent Marks. “It’s an exemplary school that shows us that every child can learn. Norwalk is continuing its legacy with this award,” she said referring to the Jefferson Elementary's win last year, when Silvermine was also selected as a finalist. In past years, Brookside has also been named a finalist. As a finalist, every full-time employee at Fox Run will get $250, part-time employees will receive half that amount. In addition, the school will receive $1,000 to be used at the school’s discretion.

John Reynolds, principal of Jefferson, was selected as this year’s keynote speaker. He thanked Lone Pine for looking at “what is working in schools, not what is broken, but what is working.” He went over strategies his school uses that have improved results like flexible regrouping of students for literacy instruction and the constant use of data to measure results. “At Jefferson we knew that Superman was not coming,. Instead we have looked for the superhero in each of us,” Reynolds concluded.

The Lone Pine Foundation's mission statement says it is “committed to breaking the cycle of poverty through education.” The foundation and Cambridge Education conducted a statistical analysis of test scores and performed site visits at all four schools, which were chosen from all public elementary schools in Fairfield County.