The Norwalk Board of Education is proud to recognize September 15 to October 15, 2021 as Hispanic Heritage Month.

All NPS students regardless of race or ethnicity, make Norwalk a unique and special place to learn and grow. In 2020-21, to further affirm our commitment to our community’s diversity, Norwalk Public Schools launched a comprehensive initiative designed to examine and address educational equity in Norwalk. This initiative is a priority within the NPS Strategic Plan to ensure equitable opportunities, facilities, experiences and outcomes for all students.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, we recognize the contributions made and the important presence and impact of Hispanic and Latino Americans in our community and nation. Through strong commitment to family, faith and hard work Latinos have enhanced and shaped our national character with centuries-old traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their community.

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, or other Spanish cultures. 

The roots of Hispanic Heritage Month go back to 1968. Each year on September 15, the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries is recognized: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico, Chile and Belize also celebrate their independence days during this period. The observation started in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson as Hispanic Heritage Week, and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period.

The Hispanic population of the United States now totals more than 60.5 million people, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or racial minority. As of July 2019, Hispanics constituted 18.5 percent of the nation’s total population.  In Norwalk, Spanish language and culture are an integral part of family life with over 4,300 students who speak Spanish as a primary language.

By declaring this Hispanic Heritage Month, the Board of Education encourages all schools to bring an appreciation and understanding of others' cultures and languages into the lives of our young children, and share in this annual tribute by celebrating the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced our city and country.