February 1, 2019
Dear Parents/Guardians,
February has arrived, and I think Mother Nature is confused with snow showers and frigid temps soon followed by warmer days. It makes one wonder when winter will roar back with a vengeance. We currently have no days to make up at the end of the year, and I hope I did not jinx us with that statement.
During these cold winter months, remember to send your child to school with appropriate clothing for outdoor recess. Winter coats, hats and mittens are necessary, and boots are needed if we have snow. Fresh air helps us breathe germ-free air! Students need to wear indoor shoes during the school day, and not their snow boots. Also, remember the state of Connecticut mandates a student sent home with a fever cannot return to school until he/she is fever-free for 24 hours. That is for the protection of everyone, including the sick child.
We are truly excited for an annual favorite around here, Football Friday, which takes place February 1st in celebration of Super Bowl weekend. The participation of the NE Patriots in the game only adds to the fun of this annual SES tradition. Students should wear shirts, hats, or colors of their favorite football team for spirit points. Please don’t buy anything special.
Our tentative 100th day of school will take place on February 5th, but will be moved if weather causes school cancellations. We have completed our 100 day challenge of collecting dental hygiene items. I am proud to say that our tiny SES community far surpassed the 100-item target and collected 287 products! Thank you for your generosity and please know that you have helped many less fortunate people in the area.
In other news, our annual Bananagrams challenge is in full swing. This is our third-year challenging students in grades 3 through 6 using bracket competition. Students create connecting words using letter tiles. This fun outlet allows them to flex their muscles in spelling, reading, writing, sportsmanship, and team skills. We have completed Round 1 and will move on to Round 2 on Monday, February 4th. Grades PreK, Kindergarten and 1 are learning to play through the Appleletters and My First Bananagram games. Not only are students sharpening their ELA skills, they are also earning spirit points for their classes. The champion earns the Top Banana Award and bragging rights for an entire year.
We also continue working hard preparing for the Smarter Balance Assessments through the practice assessments and tune up of necessary computer skills. Students have been working with their teachers honing problem solving skills, and transitioning this knowledge to the computer screen. Our Smarter Balanced Assessments will begin in early April. More SBAC info will be sent home with students in grades 3 through 6 as testing time approaches.
I am sure that the short month of February will fly by but as always, we will be busy at SES!
Mrs. Pinsonneault
