May 20th: PTO Meeting 6pm

May 23rd: MES Quassy Night!!

June 3rd: No School

June 4th: Field Day

June 5th: Field Day (Rain Date)

June 6th: Grade 5 Edgewood Trip

June 7th: Edgewood Rain Date (Grade 5)

June 12th @10am Grade 5 Moving On Celebration

June 12th: Last Day of School! 1pm Dismissal

Our elementary math coaches, Stacie Broden and Annie Smith, and the Teacher in Residence for Diversity and Cultural Competency, Erin Birden, are participants in a project led by Dr. Shelly Jones at Central Connecticut State University about creating culturally relevant math lessons using global and community math stories. Culturally relevant pedagogy is a research-based approach to teaching that helps to develop students’ positive mathematics identities and empowers them to achieve academically. Their math story will focus on Connecticut’s stone walls. You can help! They would love to build a collection of photographs of stone walls in our communities. If you have or find a stone wall, please send us a picture along with any information you may have about it. You can send it in with your child c/o Ms. Broden or email it to sbroden@region15.org.

As we move into the second half of the school year, please keep the following handbook items in mind! Thank you for your support!

DRESS CODE GUIDELINES

A student's appearance has a direct impact on an individual’s pride and consequently, on academic behavior. Poor hygiene can be a health hazard to the individual and the rest of the class. Therefore, we encourage parents to play a strong role in deciding how their children dress and in ensuring that they are neat and clean whenever they come to school. Children may not wear any clothing that may be disruptive to the educational process. The following are examples of attire that may not be worn in the school during the academic school day or at school activities:

1. Attire or accessories that contain disruptive messages, obscene writing, or inappropriate pictures.

2. Attire or accessories that depict logos or emblems that encourage the use of drugs, tobacco/nicotine products, weapons, or alcoholic beverages.

3. Clothing that is overly revealing, considering the age of the student (e.g. very short shorts, midriffs, and spaghetti straps).

4. Other attire or accessories that depict vulgar, illegal, racial, sexist, or other discriminatory viewpoints that could contribute to a hostile learning environment for students.

5. Shoes that are not safe including flip flops.

The full Board policy, Student Dress and Grooming, may be read by clicking on “Board Policies” on the school website.

CELL PHONES

Students are not allowed to have cell phones while in school. If it is imperative for a child in an upper grade to have a cell phone for after school purposes, the principal must be notified and it must remain in the child’s backpack and turned off. It is the responsibility of the parent to explain this to the child. If the cell phone is taken out during the day it will be confiscated by staff and a parent will have to come to school to get it back.

The school is not responsible for lost or damaged cell phones.

TOYS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES

In general, toys should not be brought to school since they are often disruptive and the school board cannot be responsible if toys are broken or lost.

• Trading cards and similar items should be kept at home.

• Toys that can present a danger to self or others such as skateboards, baseballs and bats are not allowed in school under any circumstances.

• Only soft, nerf-type sports equipment is allowed; other sports equipment must get approval before use.

• An updated region policy allows electronic reading devices (Kindles) for grades 3 - 5 with a signed permission form, available in the office.

• The expectation is that students will not bring in personal electronic devices to school with exceptions made only in significant circumstances. If a student has a watch on, it is expected that it will only function as a watch and not as a connected device. If a student misuses any electronic device as defined in our Region 15 Appropriate Use of Technology contract, they will be asked to put it away or to turn it over to the teacher or administrator if the use is repeated. If you have any questions or would like to request a special exception for your student, please reach out to your building principal.

The school is not responsible for lost or broken toys/electronics.

Procedures for Returning to School After Illness

If your child is not feeling well, please keep them home until feeling better for at least 24 hours and contact the nurse.

The following guidelines must be adhered to before returning to school:

• Fever of 100 degrees or higher - Student must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication before returning to school

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea - No further incidence for at least 24 hours before returning to school

• Strep throat - May return to school 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotic, fever-free for 24 hours, and feeling well enough to participate in the school day

• Conjunctivitis (“pink eye”) - Antibiotic treatment for 24 hours or three doses of antibiotics and no drainage from the eye(s)

• Lice - Appropriate treatment must be completed (call nurse for instructions). A no-nit policy is enforced. Students must see the nurse upon returning to school for a head check. Students may not ride the bus until cleared

• Impetigo - May return to school with affected areas covered after treatment for 24 hours

• Varicella (chicken pox) - Student must stay home until last eruption has crusted

• COVID - Contact school nurse for instructions regarding isolation & date of return to school