Two weeks ago we featured "Student Ambassadors", a new student leadership initiative. This week we're featuring another leadership opportunity for our Grade 5 students: Peer Mediation!

Peer Mediators are student leaders and mentors for their grade. They are officially trained to assist students who have a conflict with a peer by facilitating a conversation aimed at resolving their issue. Students voluntarily sign up for a mediation if they are having a conflict with another student. Mediators help people talk and listen to each other to come up with a resolution that both students agree to. Students in Grades 4 through 5 are eligible to use mediation this fall, and Grade 3 will be eligible in January.

This year's team of Peer Mediators is amazing and have already memorized their opening and closing scripts, as well as completed the "book" portion of their training. Next week they'll take to the ropes course to continue developing their collaborative problem solving skills.

Peer mediators are an important part of our problem solving toolbox of strategies here at ET and we're so lucky to have the following students on the team this year!

Daksha Malli

Nabila Kandil

Harper Earley

Amelia Ottey

Grace Cincotta

Saathvik Maheswaran

Anayo Uwaoma

Joey Lodge

Cruz McConnell

Austin Russell

Terrier Tuesdays are expanding!

Beginning next Tuesday (10/3), and every Tuesday for the rest of the year, students (and parents if they're in the building) are encouraged to join us in rockin' their Eli Terry spirit wear/gear!

Don't have spirit wear yet...NO WORRIES! Not only is the PTO hosting a sale this fall, but you can wear green, black, yellow or anything dog-themed!

And be on the lookout for a Tuesday morning volunteering opportunity...it may involve a costume!

In order to make our Morning Announcements more accessible and engaging for all our students, beginning in October, we will transition to VIDEO morning announcements!

In collaboration with Ms. Delvecchio and Mrs. Wagner, our Student Ambassadors will work to create the first few weeks of interactive and multimedia presentations. Beginning the week of October 16th, all students will have the opportunity to be featured by winning the PAWS raffle prize.

Click below for a sneak peek of Monday's announcements!

With our first month of school in the rearview, there is lots to celebrate -- especially the recipients of a PAWSitive Office Referral or community shoutout!

Our students recognized with a PAWSitive Office Referral exemplified one or more of our PAWS tenets: personal responsibility, acting safely, working together, showing respect.

Our community members recognized with a shoutout made our community a better place thanks to their kindness, love of students, and willingness to go above and beyond.

We are SO proud of everyone recognized this month and can't wait to see what October has in store!

South Windsor Public Schools is excited to announce the return of the after school STEM clubs for the 2023-2024 school year. These clubs will be free of charge to all participants. The purpose of these clubs is to provide an opportunity for our elementary students to participate in STEM enrichment and foster an appreciation for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

This year we will be offering three separate 8 week sessions occurring throughout the school year. Each session will offer the same activities so students should not sign up for the same club twice. Sign ups for each session will begin approximately a month before the start of the session.

The 8 week sessions will run as follows:
Session 1 - Week of October 16th - December 4th

Session 2 - Week of January 8th - Week of February 26th

Session 3 - Week of March 25th - Week of May 20th

The form below is for clubs being offered for the first session, running from October 16th through December 4th. Later this year you will see another form to complete for sessions 2 and 3. A separate form is required for each child in a family.

The clubs will run at Eli Terry on Thursday afternoons from 3:45-4:45. Our families who reside in South Windsor are responsible for transportation home. Students will be entered into a lottery to determine enrollment in the requested club and session.

Registration will close on Thursday, October 5th, at 5:00 pm.

Please complete the form below to enter your child into the registration lottery!

An important RULER skill is the ability to recognize (R) emotions in oneself and in others. The skill of recognizing emotions refers to identifying emotions by interpreting:

• Our own thoughts and physiology (heart rate, body temperature, etc.)
• Cues in ourselves and others such as facial expressions, vocal tones, body language, words and behavior

Students in Mrs. Conyers Grade 4 classroom practice these skills by beginning each day with a "Mindful Moment".

A "Mindful Moment" is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, or other practices to relax the body and mind, and help reduce stress. Practicing this skill builds our self-awareness; when we pay attention to our own thoughts and behavior, we begin to know and understand ourselves better.

If you are interested in integrating "Mindful Moments" at home, here are a couple strategies the whole family can benefit from!

• Three Good Things (beautiful connection to our "attitude of gratitude" and shoutout campaign)
• Five Senses
• Box Breathing
• Body Scan

The 5th grade class is hosting a fundraiser and we are reaching out to our wonderful Eli Terry community for support!

We are partnering with Charleston Wrap to offer you gift wrap, kitchen and home goods, and over 2,500 other products. Each purchase helps support the Eli Terry 5th grade class with their graduating year activities.

To support the Eli Terry graduating class click the image below!

Thank you!
Eli Terry, 5th Grade Class

During Mrs. VanGasbeck's science lesson, students learned about chemical reactions and then had the chance to mix their onw chemical reactions to make GOOP!

Please join us for Eli Terry's Virtual Paint Night on Tuesday, November 14th!

Sharon Cavanaugh from the CT Art School will lead us in painting a fun fall themed Eli the Terrier painting!

Registration is required via the form below and information about material pickup is in the form and flyer!

As you reflect upon the past week, is there someone in the Eli Terry school community that deserves a "shout out"?

• Maybe an ET neighbor who watched your child at the bus stop so you could get to work early?
• Maybe an ET student who was a buddy to your child on the bus or during recess?
• Or maybe an ET staff member who you feel went above and beyond?

We encourage you to share your gratitude by completing the quick Google Form linked below!

Expressing gratitude brings joy to not only those being acknowledged but those doing the acknowledging!

• Registration Opens for PTO Paint Night - Friday, September 29th (see flyer and form above!)
• Fall Scholastic Book Fair - October 2nd - 6th (the specific day/time your child's class is visiting will be shared by your child's teacher)
• Walk, Bike, Roll to School - Wednesday, October 4th (see information above!)
• Book Fair Family Night - Thursday, October 5th, 5:30-7:30PM
• Registration Opens for PTO "Trunk or Treat" - Friday, October 6th
• NO SCHOOL - Indigenous Peoples Day - Monday, October 9th
• STEM Night - Thursday, Oct. 12th, 6-7:30PM (see flyer below!)
• PTO Information Night for New Families - Tuesday, October 24th, 7-8PM (see flyer above!)

Remember...any of the above events can be quickly added to your own Google Calendar just by clicking the blue hyperlink!

Throughout the year, you may miss something and want to easily access a previous week's newsletter. Thanks to YOUR feedback, we've made that easy. You'll be able to just click the links below! We've included the last few weeks of newsletters here:

September 22nd, 2023

September 15th, 2023

September 8th, 2023

September 1st, 2023

If you would like access to ALL previous newsletters you can find them here!