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

Early Dismissal for Students -October 9, 2024

Holiday - No School -October 14, 2024

Professional Development Day -No School -October 15, 2024

Professional Development Day - No School - November 5, 2024

Veteran's Day - No School - November 11, 2024

How Can We Build An Effective Learning Community has been the objective of focus in Grade 6-8 Health Classes for the first 4 weeks!

We have worked on building comfort with one another by getting to know each other, creating one word goals and working together in mixed groups to complete a variety of team building activities such as: a tallest tower task, a digital pixel art challenge and a class puzzle creation assignment!

Please ask your child about their one word goal they set in Health class!

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.

We are excited to be having a Veteran's Day Ceremony this year (more details to come)! We would love to celebrate all of the amazing Veteran's within our Porter Family! If you have a picture you can share of a Veteran or someone who is in active duty, please send it in and we would love to include it in a slideshow at our assembly. Along with the picture please send the following information:

Name, rank, branch, the relationship the Veteran has with the person at our school.

Email all photos and information to Karen Martin: kmartin@hwporter.org

If you have submitted a picture in the past we can use it. Email Karen Martin and let her know the information and she can use the same picture.

5th Grade Band

Grade 5 band registration ended on 9/18/2024. If you have not yet registered and would like to sign your child up for grade 5 band, please email Ms. Stolarun at astolarun@hwporter.org - thank you! Band lessons will start the week of 9/23/2024. Grade 5 families registered for band should check their email for the lesson schedule.

The Lions Club Peace Poster Project is underway! Any grade 6-8 student between the ages of 11 and 13 (by Nov. 15) is encouraged to participate.

If your child wants to participate, but doesn't have art class, there is an after school club that will meet on Thursdays until 5pm starting September 26.

Otherwise, only the first trimester art students will be able to create posters in school.

If your child wants to participate but has NO art class and CANNOT participate in the club, have them pick up materials from Mrs. MacDonald to work on theirs from home.

Click on the community link below for a list of flu shot clinics.

• 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.
• Parent drop off in the AM beings at 7:50 a.m.. We are working with Park and Rec to create an AM options, more information to come later this month.

• 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 1 begins Sept. 24th and ends Oct. 31.

• Annual Updates have been sent out to families. Please complete your Annual Update by Friday, September 13th.
• 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

Bus routes for the 2024/2025 SY have been completed. Please keep in mind that the times may vary during the first few weeks of school as everyone gets adjusted to the new school year.

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.