Amy Stino - Assistant Principal

Tammy Nye - Administrative Assistant

Joanne Solecki - Administrative Assistant

Email: Klevenduski@hwporter.org

Astino@hwporter.org

Website: hwporter.org

Location: 3 Schoolhouse Road, Columbia, CT 06237
Phone: (860)228-9493

11/20 - 11/27 - HWP Scholastic Book Fair

11/23 - Hockey Night Out (8th Grade HUB)

11/25 - 1/2 Day - Conferences

11/26 - 1/2 Day - Conferences

11/27 - 1/2 Day of School (Games of Gratitude)

11/28 - 12/1 - Holiday Recess

12/07 - 8th Grade Pancake Breakfast

12/13 - CCMC PJ Day

12/13 - Lil shoppers (PTO)

01/15 - 8th Grade High School Expo Night (5 pm - 6:30 pm)

When: Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Where: The Gym
Time: 8:00am-10:30am

We are asking for your help! Listed in this post are donated items we will need for Games of Gratitude. On November 27, 2024, students will rotate through the gym and play games with the donated items. Middle school students will play the games in their rooms. At the end of the morning, all items will be packaged and dropped off to our local food bank and go to families in need!

If you are able to help assist with games thrghout the morning, or help bring items to our local pantry, please sign up to help!

We ask that all donated items be sent in with your child or dropped off to the school no later than November 15th. This is a fun way to give back to our community! Thank you for your support!

Please click this link to sign up for donations or to volunteer!

https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/39832732

Reading is such a magical experience. Kindergarten has been focused on learning the sounds that letters make and blending those sounds together to make words. Today the three classes joined up outside to create some words.

Ms. Lawton’s class took over the vowels, while Mrs. Neumuth and Ms. Severance’s classes did the beginning and ending consonants.

The three classes identified the sounds for each letter, tapped out and blended the sounds together to say the word. Then they called out whether it was a real or nonsense word.

The K team has been thrilled to see the progress our students have made since the beginning of the year. Being able to have them come together and show off their skills built such a sense of community and added a little extra sparkle to the week.

First Trimester Art Exhibit

Porter student artists have been busy since September creating beautiful works of art!

Completed work will be hung during the week of fall conferences and remain up for the holiday season.

It will be a revolving art show. Each trimester, new work will be hung.

You can view the artwork in the halls around the office during winter events at the school.

Well done, Porter artists!!

This month we celebrate gratitude! Here are our Student of the Week recipients for this award! We are so proud of our students!

The grade 7 music students learned about Hawaiian music, culture and tradition traditions this trimester. Students learned how to sing traditional Hawaiian songs, play ukulele and even learned how to hula! As a final project, students learned how to make spam musubi, a snack commonly found in Hawaii. Students also enjoyed brown butter mochi bars and shared foods with one other that have an importance to their own families. Ms. Stolarun was thrilled to share all she learned on her Fund for Teachers learning experience to Hawaii with the students in music this fall.

Dear Parents,

As a token of appreciation, Lifetouch is offering discounts on school photography!

• 50% off a purchase of $50+ with code USNOV50
• 40% off a purchase of $40+ with code USNOV40
• 30% off a purchase of $30+ with code USNOV30

Valid through 12/1/24

To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an online account. Don't forget to order your FREE Digital SmileSafe card!

More about the Smilesafe program here.

Thank you!

ParentSquare is our new platform for communication. We are encouraging all families to join ParentSquare. This is the platform we will be switching over to instead of using School Messenger. We are hoping to fully transition by November this year. If you are having difficulty, please click the link below for more information so you do not miss out on notices, alerts, or messages from your child's teachers.

Held in the Library, Wednesday, November 20th - 27th. Classes will visit during scheduled library times. Family shopping will be during conferences on the 25th and 26th.

Student Council Flour Girl Fundraiser Thursday, November 21, 2024, to Sunday, December 1, 2024.

Order pick-up will take place on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at the Flour Girl Bakery in Hebron, CT

Fundraiser information and website to COMING SOON!

Student Council and Mentors Toys for Tots Fundraiser:

Collections will occur from November 18- December 5, 2024

Student representatives will join classrooms to read the story "One Snowy Night", by Nick Butterwork. Follow up discussion with each classroom about the act of giving and sharing to promote the Toys for Tots program.

• Drop off is 7:50am. Some mornings students get dropped off early because they are in clubs; however, if your child is not in a club they can not get dropped off before 7:50am.
• Please bring an ID for entering the building and parent pick up. We understand it is not convenient, but it is for your child's safety. We appreciate your help with this!
• If you plan to pick up your child from school or need to make any changes to their transportation please complete the Transportation & Notes Form.
• All cellphones must remain in student's lockers.

• Registration for After School Clubs is open. You can register your child through Family ID. Please read the After School Clubs Flyer to view the clubs offered for this session. Please feel free to contact Jessica Doubleday at jdoubleday@hwporter.org if you have any questions. Session 2 is open to sign up.

• Don't forget to check out our PTO page for many fundraisers and events that are happening this month!

• We have many things happening in our community! Be sure to click the "Events Around The Community" down below to check them all out!

Substitute Paras and Teachers needed. Please contact Klevenduski@hwporter.org

Everyone can help take action to prevent suicide. Click on the link for more information. https://www.preventsuicidect.org/

• Connecticut Public Act 22-47 - legislation regarding suicide. Connecticut Public Act 22-47, Section 28, requires that the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number be included on identification (ID) badges of students in Grades 6 through 12. Due to the timing of the implementation of 988, the requirement becomes effective for the 2024-25 school year. The United Way of Connecticut has provided the 988 QR code for access to the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board website that may be posted to the back of student IDs with a brief statement such as “Call or text 988 for crisis support,” or an equivalent. The 988 Contact Center services include rapid 24/7 access to trained staff who can help students (and adults) experiencing suicidal, substance use, and other mental health crises, provide referrals to resources, and perform warm transfers to Mobile Crisis or emergency services as needed/desired.

AHM is OPEN to the public and excited to offer our services to Porter students and Columbia residents!

AHM Youth and Family Services offers mental health clinical services to youth and their families! These

services are designed to support families in transition, crisis, or normal developmental processes.

Individual and/or family therapy is available for children, adolescents, and young adults up to age 26 to

address social, emotional and/or behavioral issues. Family and parent sessions are often utilized in

conjunction with individual sessions to support a child’s progress in therapy.

In addition, many fun programs are offered throughout the year for all ages, including theater, health &

wellness, and craft programs. For more information and registration links, please visit ahmyouth.org or

call the office at (860) 228-9488.