Good afternoon,

Thank you to everyone who came to Wednesday night's Open House. It was a pleasure welcoming you to East Hampton Middle School. I have included information from Open House for those who were not able to make it. We look forward to next Friday's Pantherfest event. More details of the event are within this newsletter.

We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Best,

Christina & Emily

Mon. Sept 16th - Sept 20th - Start with Hello Week!

Tues. Sept 17th - EHMS PTO meeting at 5:30 in EHMS Library

Wed. Sept 18th - Picture Day for EHMS students

Fri. Sept 20th - Pantherfest at 3:00 - more information to be shared

Mon. Sept 23rd - Board of Education Meeting, Town Hall at 6:30

Wed. Oct 2nd - 8th Grade Informational Parent Night (more information shared within this post)

Last Friday, our EHMS PTO hosted a "Welcome Back to School" event at the Yard Goats game. It was a wonderful evening, and our students and families had a great time watching baseball. We were even invited onto the field to high-five the players as they took the field to start the game. Some of our students were lucky to bring home a baseball!

This week, Ms. Seeley’s classes explored how they recommend books to one another and discussed where they can access books. Students were excited to discover Libby, a digital platform that provides free access to audiobooks through the public library. Everyone is encouraged to sign up for a library card through the East Hampton Public Library to enjoy these audiobooks!

Students in Algebra 1 are currently learning about Scientific Notation and how to use it in everyday situations. They are exploring how this method helps manage very large or very small numbers more easily. For example, they might use it to understand distances in space, like how far away stars are, or to work with tiny quantities in science, such as measuring small amounts of medicine. As part of their studies, students are performing various operations with numbers in Scientific Notation, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. By applying these operations to real-life problems, they are gaining a clearer understanding of how to simplify and work with complex numbers.

We are learning to properly measure dry and wet ingredients in Family and Consumer Science class!! Students cycled though different stations to practice and learn the difference between measuring flour, liquid, granulated sugar and brown sugar. The will also use the measuring cups to follow a recipe for a tasty treat as part of their station work!

Our Panther Ambassador students led by our advisors Mrs. Mercaldi and Mrs. Vasquez have planned activities for Start with Hello Week that begins on Monday September 16th. The program seeks to combat social isolation by encouraging students and individuals to reach out and connect with others through simple, yet powerful, actions such as saying hello, starting conversations, and including those who may feel left out. This week-long event empowers young people to take meaningful steps towards creating a more welcoming and connected environment.

We are working to finalize our club advisors and the days that clubs will meet. Communication will be shared either in Parentsquare or our Panther Posts to provide families with details on clubs and the process for students to sign up. We encourage all our students to try an activity out and would love for everyone to be part of something here at East Hampton Middle School.

More to come!

EHMS Drama Club will be presenting the musical Monty Python’s Spamalot in March. If your student is interested in being involved with the show, have them join our google classroom (code m3qimce). Google classroom will be the best way for your student to keep up to date with the musical.

If your child is interested in being onstage, they will audition in December (dates TBA). If they are only interested in being backstage, please have your student let Mrs. Werme or Mrs. LaBrec know. Those interested in backstage will not need to audition.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Werme or Mrs. LaBrec, our advisors for Drama Club.

Welcome to the 2024/2025 school year. The EHMS Health and Physical Education (PE) department is excited to begin another year of learning and moving with you. All students are required to have proper footwear for PE class! Acceptable footwear includes any type of sneaker/tennis/gym shoe that has closed toes and heels that cover the entire foot, and allow your child to safely participate in all activities. Shoes unsuitable for PE include (but are not limited to): boots, sandals, shoes with very thick soles, dress shoes, hiking boots, cleats, snow boots, flip-flops, crocs. Please help us in providing the best PE experience possible by sending your child/children to school with their gym shoes. Students in PE are beginning the year with a unit on Volleyball skills and tactics. Students can expect to experience lessons taught indoors and outdoors as we make use of the gymnasium and sand volleyball court. Any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out!

EHMS Health/PE Team

Ken Landry, Morgan Terribile & Kevin Doherty

Below is the presentation I provided to families at the beginning of Open House. Thank you to the East Hampton Public Library, East Hampton Prevention Partnership and the EHHS Interact Club who all had information available for parents that night.

Each year the East Hampton Public Schools administers the i-Ready Diagnostic in Reading and Math in the fall, winter, and spring to monitor student growth and performance. The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions to suit your child’s needs. Each item a student receives is based on their answer to the previous question. For example, a series of correct answers will result in slightly harder questions, while a series of incorrect answers will yield slightly easier ones. The purpose of this is not to give your child a score or grade but to determine how to best support their learning. These results are reviewed as one data point amongst other assessments, observations, and data regarding student performance. The assessment is integrated into your child’s day as part of their academic learning and is paced to ensure that they work on the assessment in small chunks of time. The implementation of this assessment is completed in accordance with Connecticut State Department of Education guidelines. The reading i-Ready assessment will begin on Monday, September 16th in all homeroom classrooms. We will have testing for students in the morning followed by a FLEX period. Students then will follow their classes as a typical day. The i-Ready Diagnostic will provide results that help our team identify your child’s strengths and determine the next steps for instruction.

Math and Literacy Intervention Services

The East Hampton Public Schools uses assessment data to measure student growth and skill development in both math and literacy. Through these universal assessments, the reading and math department identifies students who may need additional tiers of support to demonstrate grade-level skill attainment. Once our fall assessments are completed, we will review student needs to determine changes to services or groupings of students. The reading and math departments communicate directly with families regarding any additional services.

What can I do to help?

To help prepare your child for the i-Ready Diagnostic, encourage them to:

• Get a good night’s sleep and eat a full breakfast the day of the assessment.

• Try their best on each question and try not to rush.

• Try not to worry about questions they do not know—remind them that it is expected they will only get about half of the questions correct.

• Be respectful of other students who take longer to finish

• Students should come to school with their wired earbuds and a fully charged Chromebook.

Sept 16 - Sept 20 (subject to change)

MONDAY, SEPT 16

East Hampton boys soccer at William Johnston MS (Colchester), 2:20 dismissal, 2:30 bus, 3:30 pm game.

Note: Boys on East Field.

Girls Soccer practice 2:35 until 4:30 pm

Cross Country practice 2:35 until 4 pm

TUESDAY, SEPT 17

Cromwell b/g soccer at East Hampton, 3:30 pm.

Note: East Hampton girls soccer 2:30 pm dismissal for shuttle to HS. Will ride with Bus 8.

Note: Girls Soccer at East Hampton HS/Boys Soccer at East Hampton Middle.

Note: Boys and Girls soccer should wear white uniforms!!

Note: Boys Soccer team picture before game!

East Hampton b/g cross country at Cromwell, 2:20 dismissal, 2:30 bus.

Note: Girls run first!

WEDNESDAY, SEPT 18

Cross Country practice 2:35 until 4 pm

Boys Soccer 2:35 until 4:30 pm

Girls Soccer 2:35 until 4:30 pm

THURSDAY, SEPT 19

Cross Country practice 2:35 until 4 pm

Boys Soccer 2:35 until 4:30 pm

Girls Soccer 2:35 until 4:30 pm

FRIDAY SEPT 20

PANTHER FEST 3 PM - 9 PM

(Bolton BG Soccer/XC. Portland BG Soccer/XC, Lebannon BG Soccer/XC, Hale Ray XC)

Note: Boys JV soccer dismissed at 2:20 pm. Coaches will let players know who is playing in that game!

Boys soccer will leave their school bags in the boys locker room.

Girls soccer will leave their school bags in the girls locker room.

Cross country will put their school bags in the physical ed fitness storage room.

Athletes should only bring down things they will need to run or play soccer, plus their drink(s).

Pantherfest is an opportunity for our Cross Country and Soccer teams to compete with several of our neighboring school districts. Our EHMS PTO helps in supporting the event and hosting a concession stand where snacks and drinks may be purchased. The PTO is also selling Pantherfest t-shirts which we encourage families to purchase ahead of time so they can wear the t-shirt at the event.

Pantherfest will be held on Friday September 20th with the first Soccer event taking place at 3:00. Middle school students who wish to attend Pantherfest must have verbal parent permission ahead of time to stay after school; no note is needed. Please make a plan with your child on attending the event prior to Friday. We welcome any parents to attend with their children as this is a EHMS community event. As with student attendance for any middle school sporting event, families do not need to notify the school if their child will attend. Students should have been present at school. Cross Country races and Soccer games will take place throughout the afternoon. As this is a middle school event, former students may only attend if accompanied by a parent.

Parents should plan on picking students up at 6:00 or plan on accompanying their child to watch the remaining soccer games. The event will end at 9:00pm and the concession stand will end at 7:00pm.

The following is our expectations for students who are at the event:

• Polite behavior, appreciation and attention to the athletic games
• We ask that students do not bring bikes, soccer balls, Frisbees, football or any extracurricular activities to the event.
• The building will not be open for use. There will be lavatory facilities outside for use.
• Students should remain in the areas of the concession, lavatory when needed, and spectator areas.

As always, we want to ensure safety for all our student athletes and spectators. We greatly appreciate your support!

Special thank you to Coach Loveland and Jean who supplied us with beautiful flowers from his garden to decorate the EHMS office!

We hope you will join us in the below district fundraiser. Our EarlyAct members will be selling bags during lunch waves and a table will be available at next week's Open House. More information will come regarding sales at lunch waves. Community members can donate and create a luminaria for $5 or make a donation of any amount at.

The next game for our Hawk athletes will be held Sunday, 9/15, @ EHMS vs. Vernon, games at 9am and 11am - Good luck!

Per the East Hampton Board of Education’s Attendance Policy and Connecticut statute, parents and guardians may only approve the first 9 absences of the school year with a parent note. Absences 10 and above can only be excused with further documentation and under specific circumstances.

In addition, if a student has four unexcused absences in one month or 10 unexcused absences in a year they are classified as truant. If a child misses 18 or more days in a school year – excused or unexcused absences – the student is classified as chronically absent.

A phone call is appreciated, but only an email to our attendance inbox or written note can officially excuse absence 1 through 9. Below is our attendance email:

Note: Between the school name and the word Attendance is a underscore ( _ )

EHMS_Attendance@easthamptonct.org

If a student has four unexcused absences in one month or 10 unexcused absences in a year they are classified as truant. If a child misses 18 or more days in a school year – excused or unexcused absences – the student is classified as chronically absent.

The East Hampton Board of Education and the school community as a whole promote a secure and productive school climate, conducive to teaching and learning that is free from threat, harassment, any type of bullying behavior, and teen dating violence. Therefore it shall be the policy of the Board that bullying and/or teen dating violence committed against a student by another student is prohibited. The Board believes that a school environment in which students feel safe, supported, engaged and helpfully challenged is optimal for learning and healthy development. The Board seeks an environment in which students and adults feel socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically safe; an environment that is free of harassment, intimidation, teen dating violence and bullying. Our website provides links to various policies and reporting forms including our Safe School Climate Plan. Hard copies are also available in our main office. If at any point you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to building administration for further assistance.

School Meals are a great value to our students! Prepayment is expected for all cafeteria purchases. Families eligible for free and reduced meals may qualify by completing an application online on Easthampton.familyportal.cloud or by paper application here: Application for Free and Reduced School Meals(also available in the school’s Main Office). Families with children enrolled in HUSKY or Temporary Family Assistance programs will have their status transmitted directly by the State of Connecticut to the District.

To deposit funds on your child’s account, please visit Easthampton.familyportal.cloud . Our Cafeterias also accept checks made payable to “East Hampton Cafeteria Fund”.

In September, students can enjoy fresh apples from Beckett Farms of South Glastonbury and carrots from Cold Spring Farm of Colchester. Keep an eye out for upcoming celebrations! If you have questions, please contact Director of Nutrition Services, Kate Caselli at kcaselli@easthamptonct.org or 860.316.7324.

Happy New Year! Did you resolve to be more on top of your and your child’s health this year? Here’s an easy solution: Sign your child up for School-Based Health Care. Your child’s school works with Community Health Center, Inc.’s School-Based Health Care program to provide health services to your child during the school day. This means they won’t miss as much class and you don’t need to miss work to support their health care needs. Learn more about the services offered at your child’s school and enroll today at SBHC1.com!

The attached bulletins below were developed through a collaborative effort among the Department of Children and Families, the Department Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Office of Child Advocate, the Department of Public Health, the State Department of Education, and the Governor's Office. The content includes information on suicide, helpful tips to support people of all ages, and where to go for additional support and resources.

Board of Education Statement on School Safety: The East Hampton Board of Education is committed to a safe and secure learning environment that honors and celebrates the diversity of our students, our community, and our nation. The Board of Education in partnership with the school community will not tolerate any threat of violence in the schools or any hate speech that targets any race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Each student is held to the highest standards of responsible decision making within a culture that is expected to foster compassion, caring, and empathy.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement of the East Hampton Public Schools: The school community of East Hampton is committed to the mission of honoring and celebrating the diversity of our students, our community, and our nation. We strive to guide our students to conscious, deliberate, individual and collective actions that cultivate the respect of all races, religions, and social backgrounds. Our school community endeavors to produce graduates who are equipped with a greater understanding of the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Nondiscrimination Statement of the East Hampton Public Schools: The East Hampton Board of Education, in compliance with federal and state law, affirms its policy of equal educational opportunity for all students and equal employment opportunity for all persons. It is the policy of the District to promote nondiscrimination and an environment free of harassment regardless of an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability (including but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability, or learning disability), genetic information, marital status, or age or because of the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, or age of any persons with whom the individual associates. The District shall provide to all students without discrimination, course offerings, counseling, assistance, employment, athletics, and extracurricular activities. The District shall provide equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The District shall make reasonable accommodations for identified physical and mental impairments that constitute disabilities, consistent with federal and state statutes and regulations.

Email: camaral@easthamptonct.org
Website: https://www.easthamptonps.org/o/ehms
Location: 19 Childs Road, East Hampton, CT, USA
Phone: (860) 365 4060