Principal's Message & News

Arlette

 It is my honor to serve as your interim principal and partner with you in cultivating a love for learning, fostering self-reliance, and striving for excellence. At Franklin Elementary, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and build a brighter future.

Education is not just a profession for me—it is my passion. Growing up as a  child of educators, I witnessed firsthand the life-changing impact of quality education. As a native of Brazil, fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, I deeply value our community’s cultural diversity and our role in celebrating multiculturalism, greatness, and best practices in education. Since joining Franklin in 2019, I have been committed to ensuring every child has access to the tools and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.

I have had the privilege of serving as assistant principal for six years and as a bilingual first-grade teacher before stepping into the leadership role. Being part of this remarkable school community has been both an honor and a joy.

Together, we will continue to support our students’ individual needs, strengthen parent-school relationships, and foster healthy study routines that instill discipline, competence, confidence and love for learning. 

To  achieve our goals, we must  maintain open and consistent communication , promotie and sustain  healthy habits,  support  good attendance, and daily study routines at home to foster the retention of new skills. Please check ClassDojo daily for important updates, and look for my newsletters every Sunday to stay informed and connected. If you ever have questions, concerns, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Let’s collaborate and support one another to make the 2024-25 academic year safe, fun, productive, creative, and filled with wonderful learning experiences. As I always say,  “There are no limits to your greatness, Brilliant Falcons! You are loved, special and one of a kind!”

With love and gratitude,
Mrs. Johnson

Credentials

  EDUCATION   

  • Superintendent of Schools Certification Program, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT, 2022

  • 6th Year Degree in Advanced Study in Administration, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT, 2018

  • Intermediate Administration Program, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT, 2016 

  • M.A. in Bilingual Education, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, 2015

  • B.S. in Elementary Education K-6, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, 2012 

  • B.A. in Liberal Studies - Minors: Spanish & Mathematics, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, 2012   

                 ENDORSEMENTS  

Superintendent of Schools (093)    Intermediate Administration (092) K-6 Elementary Education (013)         K-6 Bilingual Education (009)

LANGUAGES
Fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish

AWARDS / RECOGNITIONS

  • 2023 National Association of Elementary Principals: National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year, National Harbor,  Maryland, 2023

  • 2023 Connecticut Association of Schools: Connecticut Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year, Portland, CT, 2023

  • 2017 Bridgeport Teacher of the Year: Theodore and Margaret Beard Excellence in Teaching Award Winner, Bridgeport, CT, 2017 

  • B.E.S.T Education Project Scholarship, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, 2015                                  

  • Dean Scholarship Award, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, 2014        

  • Dean List, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, 2008 -2012

  • Dean Scholarship Award, Housatonic Community College, Bridgeport, CT - 2008

     CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS / PUBLICATIONS

  • National Association for Multicultural Education, Philadelphia, PA, 2012    “Understanding the “other” side of us: A cooperative inquiry by minorities in teacher education”. 

  • American Education Research Association, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2012 “Learning from the “other” side of us: A cooperative inquiry by minorities in teacher education” (paper in repository).

  • Association of Teacher Educators, San Antonio, TX, 2012

    “Giving Voices to Diversity: Lessons from Diverse Teacher Candidates”. 

Paper accepted for publication in Teacher Education Quarterly: “Connecting with the “other” side of us through cooperative inquiry by self-identified minorities in a teacher preparation program”. [In Press, 2013]

THESIS 

  • A Mix-Method Study of Inner City Youth: Exploring the Relationship among Students’ Sense of Belonging, Academic Achievement and Volunteering Opportunities in a Multicultural Learning Community, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT, 2018

  • Springboarding Emergent Readers: An Innovative and Differentiated Literacy Game System for English Language Learners, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, 2015