Dear Parents and Students:
It’s hard to believe that October is here and that soon we will see the beauty of fall around us as our trees and hills turn to spectacular colors. Life seems to be at least trying to return to normal, fall sports are up and our teams are competing against their regional foe, our marching band is working diligently to prepare for another marching band season, and our clubs and activities are starting to form. But are we truly back to normal? The COVID-19 numbers seem to be reaching a plateau in our state, which is good news, but here at The Gilbert School, we seem to be lagging behind state metrix numbers. Unfortunately, we have students out on quarantine, missing those competitions, unable to practice their marching band routines, unable to join their peers with their clubs and activities, and most important, missing school and the dynamics of the classroom. Over the past three weeks, we have seen an uptick in those students needing to quarantine. Unfortunately, the common denominator for those needing to quarantine is the lack of vaccination. Mrs. Gilbert, our school’s COVID liaison is doing herculean work in trying to manage our health and safety, and she and our school are bound to the mandates and restrictions put forth on us by the Connecticut State Department of Education and the Department of Public Health and we must adhere to Addendum 5: Interim Guidance for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios in Connecticut School Districts. I mentioned earlier that we are lagging behind; this message is not intended to politicize the issue but rather speak to the facts, the number of our 12 -17-year-old students vaccinated is woefully low compared to state averages and area towns. In fact, only 34.46% of our students have been fully vaccinated. Unfortunately, many of our students that are forced to quarantine are asymptomatic, yet unvaccinated, whereas vaccinated students who are identified during contact tracing that are asymptomatic do not have to quarantine. Our weekly figures can be found at COVID-19 Information and resources.
What are the expectations when on quarantine? Stay home and isolate to the best extent possible, and do not attend school activities and functions. Quarantine and Isolation Information
Self-monitoring is a key strategy to keeping our learning community healthy. Use the symptom checker below to determine if Covid-19 Testing is needed:
ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS:
- Fever/Chills
- Cough
- Shortness of Breath
- Loss of Taste
- Loss of Smell
TWO OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS:
- Fatigue
- Muscle or Body Aches
- Headache
- Sore Throat
- Congestion or Runny Nose
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Diarrhea
If your child meets these criteria, get a PCR COVID test and consult their physician. If their physician does not think it is COVID, please submit physician documentation of alternate diagnosis.
As you may be aware, on September 10, 2021, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order # 13G STATE OF CONNECTICUT BY HIS EXCELLENCY NED LAMONT EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 13G PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY DURING COVID-19 Executive Order # 13G mandates that all non-exempt Connecticut K-12 school employees hired on or after September 27, 2021, must have received at least their first COVID-19 vaccination shot. Current employees and those hired prior to September 27, 2021, who are not fully vaccinated as of September 27, 2021 (whether by choice, by exemption, or because they are in the process of getting fully vaccinated after a first dose) must undergo weekly COVID-19 testing and report the results to the school district.
I'm truly hopeful that we can return to normal as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Greg P. Shugrue
Head of School
Contact Information Updates
Substitutes Wanted
Immediate opening for Building Substitute in grades 7-12 at The Gilbert School. The schedule follows the school calendar, 7:30 am – 2:30 pm. Interested parties should complete an application online at https://www.applitrack.com/gilbertschool/onlineapp/ and submit a letter of intent, resume, and two (2) letters of reference. Please contact 860-379-8521 with questions.
AP Students & Parents: Exam Registration
AP Exam fees are due on November 1st. The Gilbert School is committed to the successful completion of your AP classes and exams and offers the AP exam at a reduced fee of $48.00, half of the $96.00 test fee published by the College Board. AP students will receive an AP EXAM SCHEDULE & REGISTRATION form along with a letter with more information about eligibility for fee waivers and special testing accommodations. We ask students to return this form indicating which exams they are taking, total payment enclosed (or fee waiver request), and special testing accommodations, if eligible.
Please pay exam fees by either personal check or money order made out to the Gilbert School, with the student's name and AP exam/s written in the note. If you must pay with cash, only the exact amount will be accepted.
**Exams are graded by College Board on a scale of 1 through 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. If a student earns an exam score of 3, 4, or 5, your $48.00 fee will be refunded to you in September 2022.
Spirit Week & Homecoming
It’s time to show that YellowJacket spirit! Spirit Week is October 4-8, culminating with the Homecoming game on Saturday, October 9th.
• Monday, October 4 - Color Day (Seniors- black, Juniors- blue, Sophomores- white, Freshmen- yellow, 8th graders- green, 7th graders- purple)
• Tuesday, October 5 - Tourist Tuesday
• Wednesday, October 6 - Decade Day
(Seniors- ‘90s, Juniors- '80's, Sophomores- 2000's, Freshmen- '70's, Middle School- any decade)
• Thursday, October 7 - Jersey Day; wall-building after school
• Friday, October 8- Blue & Gold Day; pep rally and the announcement of the wall and spirit week winners!
• Saturday, October 9 - Homecoming game 1 PM(the Homecoming Court will be announced at halftime)
The Homecoming Dance is scheduled for Saturday, November 6, 7-10 pm
The Debates are Back!
The Gilbert School Social Studies Department is once again excited to host two debates for the upcoming municipal election on November 2nd. Students in the AP Government and Civics classes are currently learning about town government and organizing the debates.
The Board of Education debate is scheduled for Thursday, October 21st and the Board of Selectmen debate will be held on Thursday, October 28th. Both debates are scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. and last approximately ninety minutes.
The debates will be held in The Gilbert School auditorium. We will open the doors at 6:30 p.m. As of now, the debates will be open to the public, pending the COVID situation in Winsted. Masks will be required. The debate will also be streamed live and hopefully be on Channel 192 as well.
Gilbert students are excited to host this important community event. Please attend and show your support for our students and learn about the candidates. And don't forget to vote on November 2nd!
Attention Senior Parents and Guardians!
Will your senior be applying for financial aid to pay for college OR trade school for the 2022-2023 school year?
The free application for federal student aid (otherwise known as the FAFSA) opens on October 1st. To assist families with completing the FAFSA, Gilbert's High School Counseling Office is hosting an important Financial Aid Workshop for parents and guardians on Tuesday, October 5th at 6 pm in The Gilbert School library. Bring your senior and finish both parent and student sections of the FAFSA together.
Ms. Holly Franquest is our guest speaker for the Financial Aid Workshop for parents and senior students on Tuesday, October 5th at 6 pm. Ms. Franquest is an expert on all forms of financial aid and helps connect students and their families with financial aid resources for college and trade schools. She'll be joining us here at Gilbert to answer your questions and help you and your student understand the financial aid process and complete the FAFSA application necessary for all forms of financial aid, including student loans, grants, and scholarships.
Be first in line for receiving funds for college!
Please RSVP and send questions to:
Kim Fiducia, School Counselor, fiduciak@gilbertschool.org
College Visits Begin 9/28
College Admissions Representatives are now scheduled to visit Gilbert starting September 28th! Check out the Visits schedule and register to meet college reps that are eager to meet Gilbert students. Register to attend right from your phone or Chromebook:
- Log into your Naviance account weekly to see which colleges want to meet with Gilbert students!
- Open the "Colleges" tab and click on "Visits" to register now.
Questions? Contact Mrs. Fiducia!
FREE Tuition for Connecticut Community College Students
Pledge to Advance Connecticut, otherwise known as the PACT program, allows eligible Connecticut students to attend Connecticut community colleges for free as first-time, full-time students.
To qualify, students must:
- be a Connecticut high school graduate
- be attending college for the first time
- fill out FAFSA and accept all awards (by 7/15 for Fall semester, or 11/15 for Spring semester)
- register for classes by 7/15 for Fall semester (for priority access to funding) or 11/15 for the Spring semester (to be considered if funding is available after continuing students are awarded)
- attend community college full-time
- once enrolled, remain in good academic standing
Click here to learn about the amazing educational opportunities right here in Winsted at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, where a savvy TGS graduate could save a ton of money on college tuition! NCCC also offers an extensive list of workforce training/certificate programs in addition to traditional college courses.
Kalia Kellogg, NCCC Director of Enrollment Management explains that PACT's statewide program "alleviates the deep costs associated with attending college and gives students a brighter economic outlook after their college journey." For more in-depth information about PACT, click here.
GRADES 9-11: SAT & ACT Test Dates
In spring 2022, all junior students will be participating in the Connecticut SAT School Day here at The Gilbert School (date to be announced). However, any student (not just juniors!) can register online to take the SAT and/or to take the ACT throughout the year - as many times as you choose. Additional testing dates are listed below. Like anything else, the more you practice, the better you'll get!
*Please note that The Gilbert School is no longer a testing site and will not be hosting SAT testing on alternate dates.
GRADES 9-12: Virtual College Fairs Continue
- Sunday, Oct. 3 Signature Fair: 1-6 p.m. ET
- Thursday, Oct. 14: Midwest US Fair: 5-9 p.m. ET
- Sunday, Oct. 24: Signature Fair: 1-6 p.m. ET
- Tuesday, Nov. 2: Arts & STEM Fair: 4-8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, Nov. 14: Signature Fair: 1-6 p.m. ET
Don't miss these free, one-day events for high school students, transfer students, and families. Go to virtualcollegefairs.org to see the list of participating colleges. Then log in on any fair date to attend Zoom sessions, text your questions, and demonstrate interest... all waithout leaving home. It's a great way to connect with hundreds of collegs in a short amount of time to learn about majors, scholarship, and more.
FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORES, & JUNIORS: Get FREE Customized Online SAT Prep
Khan Academy, in conjunction with College Board, is offering free customized SAT prep based on a student's performance on the PSAT. Generated SAT practice is tailored specifically to focus on those areas in which the student requires the most practice. Click on the button below to find out more information!
Middle School Community
The 7th and 9th-grade students at TGS started the year with an Amazing Race to learn the layout of the building. In keeping with the Amazing theme, the 7th and 8th-grade students held discussions in Advisory about what makes them Amazing. Those statements are displayed on the bulletin boards on the second floor.
During the month of October, middle school students will participate in a Halloween-themed door decorating contest. Students will need to work together to plan and then decorate their classroom door.
After that, students will begin to work on Giving Thanks activities for the month of November. The end result will showcase what we are thankful for at TGS.
Gilbert Boys First Varsity Soccer Game
By Dean of Admissions, Debra LaRoche Walls
On Monday, September 13th, the Gilbert boys’ varsity soccer game played their first game of the season at Walker Field on Willow Street. Under the direction of new soccer Coach, Nikita Tarabar, the team played against Litchfield High School for a 3:45 pm game. It was a beautiful weather afternoon and included in the support of the team were international students, Carlos Garcia, (Mexico), Richard Sebastian, (Indonesia) and Jhonatan Silveira, (Brazil).
In addition to those who cheered on the team, international senior student, Alan Wan, (China) played his first soccer game as an alternate goalie. Here in the photo, Alan protected the ball against a Litchfield player from becoming a goal. The team ultimately lost their first game to Litchfield with a final score of 11-0. Other supporters in the stands from The Gilbert School were Head of School, Mr. Shugrue, Athletic Director, Buck Morgan, Mr. Donny Crossman, Mr. Patrick Cooke, Mrs. Jessica Nardine and Debra Walls and several cheering parents and friends.
PowerSchool Registration Instructions
Unsure how to set up your PowerSchool account? No problem! Follow these simple steps:
- Begin at The Gilbert School Webpage www.gilbertschool.org
- From the Parent dropdown menu, choose PowerSchool
- Click on the PowerSchool logo
- Click the create an account button
- Completely fill out the form
(The Access ID is your child’s student ID number, and the Access password is the first 8 letters of your child’s last name.)
PLEASE NOTE - PASSWORDS MUST BE:
- At least 7 characters
- At least one uppercase and one lowercase letter
- At least one number
- At least one special character (!,$,&,*, etc.)
Should you need assistance, please contact battistas@gilbertschool.org
