The Big Cat Courier
Your Source for Big Cat News, Right Meow
April 5, 2024
Good Afternoon Barnard Families,
The week leading up to April Break was a fun packed four student days here at HBS! In addition to our Spirit Week, we finished our final Barnard March Madness match this past Wednesday. As planned, the second graders took on the staff in a friendly game of basketball. The staff is thankful for their height advantage, which gave them the edge, brining them to victory in this final game in our students vs staff series. The second graders' boundless energy and "go get'em" attitude kept the kids in the game until the very end when the staff unexpectedly scored, breaking the tie that would have sent the game into overtime!
The final round of our family Math and Literacy Night series was held last night for our second graders. Thank you to the students and families who were able to participate in our three grade level events over the last three weeks. A very special thank you goes out to the staff who made all three events so FUN and to our partners at the FRC for providing the food at each of the events!
Coming up after April Vacation, we have Purple Up Day to recognize the children of military families, Spring Picture Day, three PTO events, a event for next year's incoming kindergarten families, the annual PK-12 student art show, and some fun family science nights here in the building.
As a side note, the PTO's Cash Calendar Fundraiser for next month is now up and running if you'd like to buy in for chances to win across the entire month of May. We are also kicking off a clothing drive for the nursing offices at both HBS and our sister school, PCS. See below in the PTO section for more details on these two initiatives and many more.
I wish you all a fun, safe April Break with the kids and we'll see you back on the 15th in purple!
Purple Up Day is on Monday April 15th
The entire month of April is designated as the Month of the Military Child, but Monday, April 15th is an especially important part of the month. The Monday we return from April Break is "Purple Up Day", which is a day set aside to recognize the sacrifice and the strength of the children in military families. After all, parent deployments, moves from place to place as assignments change, etc. impact children, too. To show our support for our military families and our students who are part of military families, please join us in wearing purple on Monday, April 15th.
Student Attendance and Student Attendance Update Letters
https://viewer.joomag.com/eps-elementary-handbook-2023-24/0028781001692965944?auth_sso=1
As noted in the EPS BOE attendance policy, letters outlining current student attendance are sent home to alert families of their child's absences. The letters are sent to families when their child has reached absence number 5, again at 9, followed by one at 10, and then every few absences after that.
The letters report overall absences from school rather than just unexcused absences. The State collects student attendance data yearly and looks only at overall absences, which mirrors the letters sent home to families.
If you have any wonderings regarding what an excused vs unexcused absence is, when the State deems a child to be Truant, or when they are assigned a designation of Chronically Absent, please take a look at the policy where it is outlined in detail. If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us here at the school so we can help.
An event for next year's incoming kindergarten families is coming up on 4/16.
If you have an incoming kindergarten student or know somebody who does, come to EPS's Welcome to Kindergarten night. See the information below:
2024 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
This year’s Enfield Public Schools 2024/2025 Kindergarten registration can be completed online on our website at www.enfieldschools.org. The registration link will be opening on April 1, 2024. This link will allow you to upload any required documentation to complete the process. If there are any questions, please contact your home school (Henry Barnard School, Enfield Street School, and Hazardville Memorial School), or they will contact you for any necessary clarifications or missing documentation.
Based on new Connecticut Legislation, students must now be five years old on or before September 1, 2024 to be eligible to attend kindergarten starting on August 29, 2024. Current legislation does allow an option for parents/guardians of students who will turn five between September 2nd and January 1st to request in writing if they would prefer their child to be granted a waiver to enroll in school early based on results of an assessment of the student’s academic and social skills. Parents may visit our website at www.enfieldschools.org to find a link to a form. Once the form has been completed, parents will be contacted by the school to set up an assessment date.
Students currently attending Enfield Head Start, EPS Integrated Pre-Kindergarten, and EPS Pre-K STEAM Academy are registered and do not need to re-register.
If you have any questions regarding the 2024/2025 Kindergarten Registration process, please call the Enfield Board of Education office at (860) 253-6557.
Listed below are the phone numbers for each elementary school.
Henry Barnard School—860-253-5171
Enfield Street School—860-253-6563
Hazardville Memorial School—860-763-7501
Kindergarten Age Entrance and Waiver Information Press Release
Do you have an incoming kindergarten child that has been impacted by CT's change in the kindergarten eligibility age or know somebody who does? Please see below for today's press release from Enfield Public Schools.
Looking for something to do over April Break with the kids?
There is a free Fire Safety & Prevention Event here in Enfield on Thursday, April 11th. So, if you're looking for something fun to do with the kids, check it out.
Summer Clay Camp for Students Entering Grades 2-12
Enfield Public Schools is offering a great summer enrichment opportunity that will be open to EPS students entering grades 2-12. To sign a student up, caretakers have to fill out an MS Form (link below) and pay the fee through Square Space (link included in the MS Form).
April's PTO Meeting
April's virtual PTO meeting has been rescheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 23rd. We will meet via Zoom at 6:00 PM. All Barnard and Crandall parents/guardians are welcome to participate. In addition to our regular business, we will also be covering information about the current draft of the EPS Vison of a Graduate.
Upcoming Barnard-Crandall PTO Fundraisers
The Cash Calendar is Almost Here!
The PTO's most popular fundraiser of the year is about to kick off. Tickets are on sale now for next month's drawing!
Donations Needed for HBS and PCS Students
If you are able to donate clothing to the nursing offices at Barnard/Crandall, our nurses and our students would be very grateful. When accidents happen, whether a spill at lunch, a fall at recess, etc., our nurses need to have clothing on hand in case the students don't have an extra set of clothes here in the building. Thank you for thinking of us as you start going through dresser drawers and closets during your spring cleanup.
Who doesn't like panini?
Have you checked out the newly renovated Moe's yet?
The Lunch Menu for April
The lunch menu for the coming month is as follows:
Upcoming Dates to Keep an Eye On
No School for April Vacation, 4/8-4/12
Purple Up Day on Monday, 4/15
PTO Fundraiser at Hot Table on Monday, 4/15
Welcome to Kindergarten Night for Fall 2024 Incoming Kindergarten Families at JFK, Tuesday, 4/16
Kindergarten Family Night with the CT Science Center, Thursday, 4/18
Spring Pictures with LifeTouch (no group, just individual), Friday, 4/19
EPS PK-12 Student Art Expo on Friday and Saturday, 4/19 and 4/20
Early Release, Wednesday, 4/24
First Grade Family Night with the CT Science Center, Thursday, 4/25
Trimester 3 Progress Reports go home on Tuesday, April 30th (Report Cards follow on the last day of the school year)
PTO Fundraiser at Moe's Southwest Grill on Wednesday, 5/1
Barnard Family Music Night with Miss Rene rescheduled to take place on Tuesday, 5/21
Second Grade Family Night with the CT Science Center, Monday, 5/13
Important Information from Previous Editions of The Big Cat Courier
Student Arrival/Drop Off Reminder
Student drop off is located at the doors in the back parking lot in between the library and gymnasium. Please remain in your car as you loop around the back lot to drop your child off at the doors. If you are the family of a walker, please look for the orange traffic cones at the drop off doors to guide you safely into that space. Students may only be dropped off when staff are present and on duty.
Please note that during arrival times, the front doors to the school are being reserved to receive bus students only. All other students, will use the doors in the back parking lot between the library and gymnasium. If you need to speak with somebody from the main office in person, please plan to do so before or after student drop off to alleviate congestion at the front doors.
Please remember that when a school bus, of any size, is stopped with it's lights on and it's "Stop" sign extended, other vehicles must stop as well. Vehicles may only pass by a bus if their lights are off and their "Stop" sign is not extended. It can feel frustrating to have to wait while a bus is unloading but it's the law.
To better support orderly traffic flow on campus and on Shaker Road, please stick to the right lane of the entry driveway. This will allow buses to line up and use the left lane leading down to the loop in the front of the building. It is also helpful in keeping the drop off line moving efficiently if students have their backpacks ready and have said their goodbyes before the vehicle pulls up to the arrival doors.
If you are dropping your child to school tardy, please park in the front lot and walk your child to the front door. Ring the doorbell and we will assist you right away.
Some Thoughts on Social Media
Having said that, please make us your first stop rather than Facebook, Nextdoor, The Enfield Forum, etc... Social media platforms are a great way to share photos and cute pet videos with your friends and family but not an effective way to solve an issue that you feel needs to be addressed. Unfortunately , Social Media is terrible at is solving problems or getting accurate information. If something school related ever comes up that you are unhappy with, don't understand, or otherwise need help with, please contact the school directly so we can help. Whether you reach out to your child's teacher, a specialist, an interventionist, our nursing staff, the front office, or any of the other people who work in the building, we are all here for you.
Please know that as a school, we cannot respond to questions or concerns on Social Media platforms. While every school would love to, we cannot for a number of reasons, including student confidentiality. As is typically the case in any Social Media post, there is more to the situation that we, unfortunately, cannot address in a public forum.
We ask that if you find an individual expressing some kind of question or concern regarding our school on Social Media, please refer them back to the school so that we can assist them in bringing the issue to a positive resolution. We are always here for our students and their families.
Are You Looking for Meaningful Work with Child Friendly Hours?
Enfield Public Schools is looking for good people to help us do good work for students. If you're looking for meaningful work where you can make a real difference in the lives of others AND need to keep child friendly hours, EPS may be the opportunity you've been looking for! From Paraprofessional and Behavior Technician positions to Long-term and Building Substitute positions, our available career opportunities run the gamut of possibilities. Follow the link to our current postings for more information about available positions: https://enfield.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx
Progress Reports, Report Cards, and PowerSchool
Option to Disable YouTube on Student iPads
There is an option for families to block YouTube from their child's school issued iPad. If you are interested, please follow the link and fill out the information on the survey. Once your survey information is processed, YouTube will be filtered from your child's device.
Helping Everyone Remain Healthy and Learning
The winter season always brings with it all kinds of seasonal sicknesses and this year is no different. We are already seeing cases of the seasonal flu, colds, strep, stomach bug, RSV, and even COVID among our students and staff. In order to help keep our students, staff, and their families as safe as possible, I'm including the following reminders regarding the illness protocols.
• If your child has a fever (temperature greater than 100 degrees), they will need to remain home until they are fever free for 24 hours without medication;
• If your child is dismissed from school due to a fever, they will need to remain home the following day and until they are fever free without medication for 24 hours;
• If your child is ill with vomiting and/or diarrhea, they will need to remain home until they are free of these symptoms for 24 hours and are well enough to return to school;
• If your child is ill with COVID, they will need to remain home for 5 days following the onset of symptoms or a positive test – presuming symptoms are improving.
By following these protocols, we can help minimize exposure to these illnesses here at school, which translates to healthier kids, teachers, and families. Thank you in advance for your diligence.
Strong Attendance in the Primary Grades is Vital to Long Term Success
Research is showing that children who are chronically absent in the primary grades are much less likely to read at grade level by the third grade, making them four-times more likely to drop-out of high school.
The statistic above is a frightening one but one that both schools and families need to pay attention to. A designation of chronically absent describes students who are absent 10% or more of the school year. That sounds like a hard threshold to reach but when you consider it takes fewer than 2 absences each month to reach it, the importance of good attendance starts to present itself. Furthermore, the total number of a student's absences are counted rather than just those that fall into the unexcused category. In addition the the 10% threshold for a chronically absent designation, any student with four or more unexcused absences in a month is also designated as truant.
As a primary building (and many of us parents ourselves), everyone at HBS understands that childhood illnesses occur. However, it is essential to students' successful acquisition of academic skills and later scholastic success that they are in school as often as possible. Thank you for your partnership on this important issue.
Getting Signed Up for PowerSchool and School Messenger
Getting signed up for both PowerSchool and SchoolMessenger is vital for Henry Barnard and Enfield Public Schools to share important information with you. PowerSchool is our main student information platform and includes things like your child's Report Card, Progress Reports, Emergency Contact Information, etc. SchoolMessenger is the platform we use to send you important automated calls, emails, and texts. If you haven't updated your contact information recently or logged in to either platform to manage your contact preferences, it's likely that you are missing important updates from our school and our school district.
Families may access both platforms on the front page of the District's main website. Both can be found under the "Quick Links" section and appear as big red buttons. You can find our website at:
Planning Ahead for Early Release Days
While it can feel tricky, planning ahead for Early Release Days alleviates a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety for your child. Students who mistakenly don't get picked up at 1:50 or who are returned to school by the bus company because there was nobody at the bus stop to get them off the bus are often fearful of the situation. While I can assure you that your child will always be safe in the main office until you arrive, students often arrive shaken and scared about what happened and what might come next. Families can easily stay informed about when Early Release Days are planned throughout the year by keeping a copy of the school calendar handy and by relying on SchoolMessenger reminders that are sent out by EPS. Please see the section above about schoolMessenger and PowerSchool to make sure those channels are open to you. You can also access the school calendar at:
https://www.enfieldschools.org/calendar/2023-24_school_calendar
Monthly Safety Drills
SBHC Is Available to Support Students at Henry Barnard School:
Our PTO is AMAZING! Don't Believe Me? You Should Come See for Yourself!
The Remind App
https://help.remind.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409807883149-Frequently-asked-questions-for-parents
Paying for School Lunch (and iPad Insurance)
Information for mySchoolBucks is available is available at the following link:
https://www.enfieldschools.org/search/default.aspx?q=mySchoolBucks&type=0,
Elementary Handbook
The Student Handbook is packed with information for families about dates, policies, procedures, and more. Please take some time to take a look through the document. It can be found at the following link:
Our Community Partners -
Consider Joining the PTO
Having said that, all the good work that the PTO puts into our schools translates directly to a richer educational experience for our students. They help fund fieldtrips and educational experiences that we would otherwise not have available to our students.
The PTO meets once each month. Meetings usually run for less than an hour and are dedicated to school updates and planning for upcoming events. Please consider being a part of the PTO. Many hands make light work!
For more information, please follow the link: https://enfieldpto.com/henrybarnard
The Family Resource Center (FRC)
For more information, please follow this link: https://www.enfield-ct.gov/375/Family-Resource-Center
Enfield Resources for Children (ERfC)
Follow this link for more information: https://erfcinc.org/
The Big Cat Courier
Enfield Public Schools
Learning Through Play
Henry Barnard School
Email: jgraham@enfieldschools.org
Website: https://henry.sharpschool.com/
Location: 27 Shaker Road, Enfield, CT, USA
Phone: (860) 253-6540
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnfieldPublicSschools/
Twitter: @EnfieldPS