NPS is pleased to announce that Robert Pennington has been named assistant superintendent of schools at Norwalk Public Schools. Mr. Pennington’s experience as principal of Rowayton Elementary School and the various leadership roles he has held at NPS have positioned him to oversee the work related to curriculum and instruction, special education, professional learning, counseling, student services and the multilingual, gifted and talented and visual and performing arts programs. Please join us in congratulating Mr. Pennington on this new chapter of his career.

As we conduct the search for a new principal, we are pleased to have Ms. Jennifer Sweeters serve as interim acting principal of Rowayton Elementary School. A skilled and enthusiastic professional with experience across all grades, Ms. Sweeters brings with her expertise in staff training, scheduling, planning events and Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI) data analysis. Ms. Sweeters joins Rowayton from Norwalk High School where she fostered relationships with parents of students facing difficult situations at school or at home, and trained teachers on effective teaching techniques, classroom management strategies and behavior modification.

Prior to joining Norwalk High School, Ms. Sweeters was curriculum and instruction site director at Columbus Magnet School. In this role, she encouraged interdepartmental and cross-functional team collaboration in development and support of student activities, programs and lessons. She also established a positive, stimulating learning environment for students and exciting education-focused setting for teachers.

Ms. Sweeters joined NPS in 2007, where she was a teacher at Brookside Elementary School for ten years before transitioning to an administrator role at Norwalk Pathways Academy. Prior to NPS, she held administrator and director positions at Shore Haven Country Club’s Summer Camp and Titan Tots Preschool.

Ms. Sweeters holds an administrative 092 certification from Sacred Heart University and a 6th and 7th year equivalent from the University of Bridgeport and Massachusetts Liberal Arts College. She also earned a Master of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Bridgeport, a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English and in Spanish from Western Connecticut State University and an Associate Degree in Early Childhood and Child Development from Norwalk Community College. Additionally, Ms. Sweeters has completed the New Leaders Program and Relay Principals Fellowship Academy with a focus on implementing strong systems and structures, coaching teachers, and planning training.   

To further support the school community, Ms. Katina Asmani will transition to the role of curriculum and instruction site director. Ms. Asmani joins Rowayton from Kendall College and Career Academy where she was a part of the instructional leadership team, having served as Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol instructional coach, SRBI coordinator and multi-language learner teacher. Ms. Asmani also served as Springboard Collaborative program lead at Kendall, Jefferson, Tracey and Marvin Elementary Schools.  During her 15-year tenure with Wichita Public Schools in Kansas, Ms. Asmani held a variety of leadership roles including principal and teacher in charge.

We welcome Ms. Sweeters and Ms. Asmani to the Rowayton community, and have the greatest confidence that they will support and ensure the highest standards of learning for our students.