ESS Gazette
4/30/2021
Dear ESS Families,
The first full week of May is designated as Teacher Appreciation Week! It is a wonderful way to show our admiration and gratitude to those that teach our children every day! We are fortune to have such a dedicated and caring staff who positively influence our students every day. They teach our students to expand their knowledge, encourage them to take academic risks and inspire a passion for learning that will live on throughout their lives. We thank them for all they do, seen and unseen, to make our students’ experience at ESS amazing and memorable.
Warmly,
Mark Lord
Bethany Calado
**Playground**
Drop-Off Safety
- Please make sure to pull up as far as you can in the crosswalk area
- Please only drop off your child in the crosswalk area
- Please have your child exit the vehicle on the passenger side
- Please wait until the car in front of you leaves before pulling away. Do not drive around a car that is parked and still dropping off their child.
**Upcoming Dates**
May 3rd: Progress Reports Distributed(Change) Full remote reports will be emailed
May 4th: PTO Meeting at 6:00pm on Zoom
May 24th: First Reader's Ceremony Drive Thru at 7:30pm at Asnuntuck Community College
PTO Corner
**Next Meeting - May 4th**
Get to Know Your Board of Education!
BOE Meetings
We thought it would be helpful to show the dates and a link for future Board of Education meetings. They are a great way to stay involved and informed throughout the school-year.
All meetings are planned to begin at 7:00 PM.
April 27
May 11 & May 25
June 8 & June 22
July 13
August 24
September 14 & September 28
October 12 & October 26
November 23
December 14
Connecticut State Department of Education Resources for Families
**Important Lunch and Breakfast Information**
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
LUNCH & BREAKFAST MENUS
Effective April 19th to May 14th, 2021
Elementary breakfast and lunch will be served to the student in the classroom.
MEALS ARE FREE TO ALL STUDENTS
due to a federally funded Covid waiver until June 16, 2021
***LUNCH MEAL PLATE OPTIONS***
Wrapped tray contains all 4 components: Protein, Grain, Vegetable, Fruit. Choice of Milk is served separately.
PICK ONE MEAL OPTION Per Day:
§ Turkey & American Cheese Sandwich
§ Ham (Turkey) & American Cheese Sandwich
§ Cheese Sandwich
§ Or Rotating Option:
· MONDAYS: Warm Waffles & String Cheese Sticks
· TUESDAYS: Cheese Stuffed Bread Sticks with Marinara Cup
· THURSDAYS: Soft Pretzel, Hummus Cup & String Cheese Stick
· FRIDAYS: Personal Size Cheese Pizza
ALL ABOVE MEALS CHOICES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
Crunchy Raw Vegetable of the Day
For example: baby carrots or cucumber slices
Fruit of the day
For example: apple slices or peach cup
Milk - choice of white or chocolate.
MILK CAN BE PURCHASED IF BRINGING A LUNCH FROM HOME $ .50
***COLD BREAKFAST BAG MEAL***
**Until June 16, 2021 all meals are FREE TO ALL STUDENTS due to a Federally Funded Covid waiver**
Breakfast Bag consists of: Cereal, Fruit Punch 100% Juice, Graham Crackers
Choice of Milk is served separately: White or Chocolate
Additional fruit choice is available, changes daily.
Cereal in bag:
· Monday & Thursday: Cinnamon Toast Crunch
· Tuesday & Friday: Cocoa Puffs
Unfortunately, bags are made up before students arrive so, there is no choice available.
*****MENU IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME*****
iPads
Lexia
Lexia Core 5 is one of the online learning tools our teachers are using to help provide our students with additional literacy instruction. This program provides our teachers with valuable data so they may plan instruction that will meet the individualized needs of our students. Our teachers have been assigning Lexia time as part of their literacy instruction for students to complete while in school and during remote learning. Please make sure your child achieves the weekly Lexia minutes as recommended by the classroom teacher. Due to the nature of the current educational model, Lexia progress is also a primary indicator that we use to determine if further support is needed. It is also an excellent tool that develops key phonetic skills that current research has shown is integral to increasing reading skills.
EdTech
iReady
All students are assigned lessons on their My Path which is help with previous years math content that they are not proficient with and/or will push your student past their current math level. The goal is for students to spend 45-60 minutes each week in their My Path. Students will be provided time during the school day and any additional time at home is greatly encouraged.
SBCH Resources
Attendance
If your child should be in-person and instead logs in from home, they will be marked absent. If you are keeping your child home due to an exposure to covid-19 or an illness, then the nurse should be contacted to discuss school re-entry. At that time, we will plan for your child to attend class remotely if they feel well enough to do so, and your child will then be marked remote present.
Please make sure to communicate to the main office if your child is quarantining at home if a household member had tested positive for the corona virus. In this situation, the nurse will reach out to you with a timeline for re-entry.
Remote Learning Protocols
While student privacy and the confidentiality of student information is of utmost importance, parents/guardians are reminded that the District is not in direct control of individual homes or the physical locations of students participating in videoconferencing remotely.
In addition, please note the following suggestions regarding remote participation in videoconferencing:
- Parents/guardians are encouraged to have their students participate via a location that is quiet and free of distraction, to the extent possible.
- Consider adjusting the lighting on the student’s face for better visibility.
- Please be mindful of what is in view on the camera behind the participant and take care to choose a location with an appropriate background.
- Students are encouraged to use a headset or headphones while participating in videoconferencing, especially if they are in a room with other individuals or at home where others can hear.
Note from the Nurse
Watch for symptoms
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19
Please be aware that many of the symptoms of Covid-19 are similar to other illnesses like colds, allergies, strep throat and the flu. Symptoms are often mild. Please monitor your children for these symptoms. If you have any questions if your student should be in school please contact me at 860-253-6564 or tsylvest@enfieldschools.org
Mask Wearing
PBIS
Absent teacher
Community Support Opportunities
Grandparent Support Group
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Support Group
Are you a grandparent or relative responsible for raising your grandchild or the child of a relative? If so, you are not alone. There are 2.4 million grandparent-headed households in the United States and this number continues to grow.
The Enfield Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group was created for grandparents that can benefit from support and resources while they face the joys and challenges of raising their grandchildren
*WHERE: Stowe Early Learning Center 117 Post Office Rd, Enfield
*TIME: Evenings
*WHEN: Mondays in 2020-2021
Per the pandemic we are holding the meetings face-to-face when possible outdoors however, this is not always possible, so some weeks the meetings are held virtually via. zoom. If you are interested in joining please call or e-mail me at the e-mail address below, so you can be added to the e-mail distribution list and know when meetings are occurring and details about when/where.
To register or for more information, please contact
Heather Benyak, Family Resource Center Social Worker
hbenyak@enfield.org 860-253-5214
Circle of Security
Are you struggling with knowing what your child is really asking from you?
Join us to learn how to support and strengthen your parent-child relationship.
Circle of Security Parenting will help you:
• Understand your child’s emotional needs
• Support your child to manage their emotions
• Enhance the development of your child's self esteem
• Strengthen your attachment with your child
This 8-session virtual series is geared towards children
ages 4 months-six years. Sessions are offered at a variety of times to meet the needs of families.
Please contact Erin Grimes, Family Resource Center Parent Educator,
at 860-253-6580 or egrimes@enfield.org to get more information or be put on a list for an upcoming session.
Parent Support Group
Town of Enfield
Department of Social Services
The Parent Support Group is facilitated by Social Workers Heather Benyak, LMSW from The Family Resource Center and Joanna Fornwalt, LCSW from Enfield Youth & Family Services.
The group was created in order to support all parents and caregivers with everyday challenges they may be facing during these uncertain and demanding times. In this group, parents are encouraged to share and discuss their experiences and also receive positive feedback from their peers in a safe, non-judgmental environment. The group can also provide you with additional supports and resources depending on individualized needs and circumstances.
WHERE: Virtually through ZOOM
WHEN: Mondays at 7:00 p.m. OR
Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m.
We invite you to register for this group by calling us at
(860)253-5214 or by emailing Heather Benyak at hbenyak@enfield.org.
You are also welcomed to make an appointment to meet with us individually.
Family Resource Centers:
Henry Barnard School
27 Shaker Road
Enfield, CT. 06082
(860) 253-4721
Stowe Early Learning Center
117 Post Office Road
Enfield, CT. 06082
(860)253-6580