Aiken Update

Dear Aiken Families,

This fall, members of the West Hartford Board of Education have been visiting schools to meet staff members, see students and get a sense of each school community. At the board meeting this week, one of the board members specifically mentioned Aiken, and the "intentionality" that she noticed in the way that we build relationships, celebrate diversity and promote social emotional learning among our students. This is something that we work toward each and every day and I could not be more proud that Ms. Yagaloff felt that when she visited our school. You can click on the link to hear what she said about Aiken.

On Monday, several veterans will be visiting Aiken. Thank you to Dr. Adrian Durham, Dr. Charity Durham, Mr. Paul Vicinus, Mr. Patrick Britton, Mr. Darren Foster, Mr. Vincent Medrek, Mr. Eliad Shmuel, Mr. Brandon Schoonover, Mr. Ryan Proto, Mr. Jon Coss, Mr. John Thompson and Mr. Matthew Kilday for taking the time to visit and share your experiences with our students. We are grateful for your service!

Also in honor of Veterans Day, I would like to share a very special slideshow. The slideshow is a long standing Aiken tradition and highlights dozens of veterans within our school community with pictures and stories that were shared by staff and families. No matter how many times I watch it, I am continually moved by the sacrifices and scope of service represented in the slideshow. Thank you to everyone that sent in a picture. A huge thank you to Craig Diamond in our district IT Department who took all of the information I sent him and created such a beautiful finished product.

Here's a link to the 2024 Veterans Day slideshow.

Have a great weekend,

Shannon

Aiken’s annual Scholastic Book Fair will be starting the week of 11/18-11/22 so mark your calendar! This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage your child’s reading and support the Aiken library. Don’t forget that classroom Penny Wars are going on. All the money collected through this drive will help to ensure that every Aiken student is able to get a book from the fair! Thank you for helping to make this event special for everyone! I am looking forward to another successful book fair!! I am always looking for volunteers to help run the fair, if you are interested in helping please click here.

• Take a Sneak Peak at the Scholastic Book Fair Flyer

• Visit the Aiken Book Fair Website to see what books will be available for purchase

• To donate electronically to the Penny Wars, please click here. Don’t forget to add your child’s name, so their class gets credit towards the competition!

Best,

Jessica Tamaccio

Library Media Specialist

https://westhartford.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=13826

https://westhartford.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=13827

Join One Community as we come together with high school students to discuss important issues affecting our youth. We will explore topics such as academic demands, the impact of social media, and mental health. RSVP HERE! We will have language support available in Portuguese and Spanish. If you are in need of additional language support please contact shaena_gray@whps.org

https://order.grynnandbarrett.com/login

Mother Nature still seems to be undecided on the season, but the weather for next week looks to be more seasonal. Please have your child dress in layers and bring a coat to school so they are not cold during recess.

We know that while the winter holidays are joyful, they can also be very stressful. With a generous donation from our PTO, Aiken School will be offering holiday assistance. The process is completely confidential. Families will be identified only as Family #1, Family #2, etc. If you would like to participate, please click on the link: Holiday Helper Program

With just a couple of weeks of school completed, we'd like to remind you about our attendance policy. Please utilize our new attendance email to report an absence. aikenattendance@whps.org. There's no need to call the office. If we don't receive written notice of your child's absence, one of our secretaries will contact you at home or work to verify. We rely on your cooperation to ensure your child’s safety.

A student is considered chronically absent after 18 missed days of school. We will be reaching out monthly to families with students who are on track to meet this threshold. Thank you for your efforts in helping your child to maintain consistent attendance.

If a student brings a cellphone to school, it must be turned off and stored in backpacks during school hours. This policy is also in effect during after school activities, field trips, and while riding the bus.

Many students are coming to school with a watch/Fitbit. Students may not use a watch to call, text, take photos, or play games during the day. All technology guidelines apply. It is imperative if a student has an issue that they report it to the adult in charge at school. Texting home can impede our ability to handle a situation in a timely manner and adequately support your child. Thank you for supporting these efforts to help minimize disruption to learning and to ensure student safety.

Email: Shannon_Mlodzinski@whps.org
Website: http://aiken.whps.org
Location: 212 King Philip Drive, West Hartford, CT, USA
Phone: 860-233-6994