Colrain Central School News
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December 1, 2023
A Note From Mrs. Looman
- Thank you to all who donated to our food drive. Together we were able to collect a carload of items and many of them were baking supplies and personal hygiene items, which are a really special addition to the usual items that the food pantry gets. The Hilltown Churches Food Pantry has had a record number of families receiving food in the past few months, so this was much appreciated. The Food Pantry also wanted to remind us that everyone is welcome to come to a Tuesday food distribution at any point.
- Please note: the December lunch menu has been revised. The updated version can be found below.
- Picture Retake Day will be next Friday, Dec. 8th at 9:00 am.
- I'm super excited to share that author and illustrator, Marty Kelley, will be visiting on Dec. 21st. Each class will get the opportunity to meet with him and learn more about his writing process, hear some of his work, and see how he goes from an idea to a published book. Marty has visited with us in the past and he is always super engaging and a LOT of fun! There will be an opportunity for families to order books if they would like, so keep an eye out for the order form. If you'd like to learn more about him, please visit his website https://www.martykelley.com/
- If your family needs help this holiday season, please know that there are several resources available in our area. Please see the flyer below for some of those resources. Please also reach out if we can be of any help.
PTO News
- The Original Artworks products will be coming home today. Please be on the look out for this.
- The children’s shopping room will take place in the art room on Friday, December 15th from 3-7. All items are $0.25 and includes free gift wrapping. We recommend that you make a list for your child with the names of people they are shopping for. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For those of you new to our school, the shopping room provides an opportunity for students to purchase holiday gifts for their family members at a very discounted price. Donations of clean, gently used items can be dropped off during school hours in between the doors of the main entrance. Save the date and bring your quarters! All proceeds will help a family in need in our community. We hope to see you there!
- You should have received an email this week with a survey about PTO meetings. It is very brief and will provide us with very valuable information. Please take a moment to fill it out so we can better serve you. If you did not receive the survey, or would like it resent, please email mailto:alooman@mtrsd.org
District News: Upcoming Site Visits- Developing Culturally Responsive Practices and Inclusive Learning Environments
As part of the district strategic plan, we are committed to nurturing the culture of our schools so that all students feel a sense of belonging, have access to rigorous curriculum and instruction, and develop understanding and respect for diversity within our communities and the wider world.
For the last two years, a district leadership team made up of teachers, administrators, and a school committee member has participated in professional development, supported by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), meant to educate us as individuals and teams to make our practices and overall school system more equitable and inclusive. The next step in the process is to be visited by an outside team that will help us audit our system.
Over the course of two days this winter, the outside team will visit our schools, observe classes, and interview educators, students, community members, and caregivers about their experiences. We will use their findings to help us understand our areas of strength and opportunities for improvement, incorporating the information into a multiyear plan to become a more culturally responsive learning community.
We will keep you informed about the process and the development of our plan over the coming months.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Superintendent Sheryl Stanton sstanton@mtrsd.org, or Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Sarah Jetzon sjetzon@mtrsd.org
upcoming events
12/1: Original Artworks products go home
12/8: Picture Retake Day
12/13: 6:00 School Committee Meeting
12/20: 2:00 Winter Concert
12/21: Author Marty Kelly visits
12/22: 12:30 dismissal, ASP closes at 3:30
12/25-1/1: No School-winter break
12:30 dismissals: 12/22
1:50 dismissals: 12/6, 12/13