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

10/25 - PTO Trunk or Treat - 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

10/25 - NJAHS - Face Painting, Crafts, Henna Tattoos - 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

10/25 - The Haunted Hallway - 7:00 p.m. (8th Grade Fundraiser see details below)

10/28 - 11/1 - Bullying Prevention Spirit Week (Information down below)

10/31 - Dress like a book character/Fall Parade

11/05 - No School for students

11/11 - Veteran's Day/No School

11/13 - Early Dismissal for Students

11/15 - Kid Market (PTO Event)

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

On Thursday, October 31, 2024 we will have a Book Character Parade. Students and staff are invited to dress up as a book character on this day. Families are INVITED to come watch our parade outside around our building from 1:25pm-1:55pm. Our 7th and 8th grade band students will be playing spooky music in the front of the school for added entertainment. Please mark your calendars and join in on the FUN!

The Fifth Graders have been participating in Connecticut's Kid Governor program. It is a civics program that empowers 5th graders to change the world by learning about Connecticut's three branches of state government, the role of the Governor, leadership, and how/why elections are held. Our own First Selectman, Mr. Steve Everett, sent us a video to share his experience as our town leader. He shared how he works with the community to solve community issues. Then our students picked issues that were of concern to them. They researched their topics and created platforms with action plans. Nine students created video campaign speeches for the fifth grade classes to view. After voting ballots were counted, Emmett Bedini was selected to represent Horace W. Porter School as the candidate for consideration in the Connecticut's Kid Governor statewide election. His platform is about friendship. Let's wish him luck as he participates in the next steps. ALL students are to be celebrated, though! Everyone now knows what it takes to be a civic-minded citizen!

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

Huge shout out to all of our panthers who earned student of the week for KINDNESS! We are SO proud of you!!

10/29 - Vocational Agri-Sci Program Open House 5:30 PM
11/7 - Bolton High School Open House for 8th Grade Families 6:30-8:00 PM
11/8 - Grade 8 Visits BHS for tour
11/13 - Vocational Agri-Sci Program Open House 5:00
11/14 - ACT High School Gala and Open House 6-8 PM
11/14 - Windham Tech Open House 5:00-7:00 PM

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.

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 1 ends Oct. 31.

• 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

Here are some photos of 7th grade students working on their scale factor projects!

Huge shout out to our very own, Kim Tattersall!

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.