October at LES!

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful fall weather! Learning and community building is in full swing at LES! We hosted over 80% of our families at Open House and presented curriculum, Social Emotional Learning, and safety information. Students had the opportunity to share their classrooms and introduce family members to their teachers. Check out the many fun family events coming to LES this October and November! Also, we look forward to reviewing your student's strengths and progress at Parent/Teacher Conferences on November 6th and 7th.

Attendance is very important at our school! A student is considered truant if they have four or more unexcused absences in a month or more than ten unexcused absences in one school year. Chronic absenteeism can lead to delays in academic progress. Please continue to partner with the school to ensure a good attendance standing. Of course, students should remain home if they are feeling sick. Please contact our attendance team at lesattendance@lebanonct.org or 860.642.7593 to report an excused absence or forward medical documentation.

Wishing you all a wonderful October! Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education.

Best,

Ms. Scorso

Climate and Culture Specialist Update

Stephanie DeLucia-stephanie.delucia@lebanonct.org

I am excited to announce that Lebanon Elementary School has a Climate and Culture Specialist. As the Climate and Culture Specialist I will strive to make LES a safe, positive, and welcoming learning environment for all students. One of my main roles will be to manage behavior referrals including leading restorative conferences and contacting families as needed. I hope to build upon the wonderful family engagement activities LES provides and help support our students to have positive peer relationships.

Instructional Coach’s Update

October 2023

Stephanie DeLucia-stephanie.delucia@lebanonct.org

Happy Fall Lebanon Families! Our LES students have completed beginning of year assessments to help all of our educators make the best instructional decisions possible for each individual student. Students in grades 1-4 completed the iReady reading and math diagnostic assessments. These assessments help identify each students’ strengths, challenges, and next steps for instruction. This family resource explains which domains are covered by the iReady diagnostic. Teachers use this data, curriculum based data, and their professional observations to determine what type of differentiation each student needs.

One of our district goals is for students to be active learners who have opportunities to lead their learning. Student agency is students having an active role in their learning through voice and choice. Families can help develop student agency at home. Here are some ways to help your child develop voice and choice.

• Give your child meaningful and safe choices from which to choose. When there are many options to choose from, you can help your child feel agency and support by helping organize choices.

• Help your child learn from mistakes. Mistakes happen and teach us valuable lessons. Rather than trying to prevent mistakes from happening, allow your child to safely make mistakes and then have conversations after about their feelings, reflections, and next steps.

• Provide your child opportunities to work with real-life responsibilities. Ownership supports confidence. Have your child pack lunches, feed pets, set the table, take out the trash, set their own timer for their instrument practice or reading, do their laundry, etc.

• Help your child set goals in school and out of school.

• For more information, check out this Podcast for Parents, by Steve Barkley, called Why are Schools Exploring Student Agency and Inquiry?

In October, teachers will be completing the DESSA at Lebanon Elementary School. DESSA stands for Devereux Student Strengths Assessment. It’s a social emotional screener to help staff identify students’ social emotional strengths, concerns and what skills we can target through social-emotional interventions and classroom instruction. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Rachel Brown, School Psychologist, 860.642.5766 or Matthew Borkowski, School Social Worker, 860.642.5693.

New Entry Age for Kindergarten for starting 2024-2025 school year:

Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, children need to turn 5 years old on or before September 1 in order to be automatically eligible for kindergarten. This will be a change from the current kindergarten cutoff date of January 1. For the 2024-25 school year, and all following years, children must turn 5 on or before September 1 to enter kindergarten for any given school year.

Are there any exceptions to this change?

Yes. If your child does not meet the new entry cutoff date, they may still be admitted into kindergarten

upon (1) a written request from the parent or guardian, and (2) an assessment completed by the school

that determines admitting the child to kindergarten would be developmentally appropriate. A written request should be made to the principal by March 1, 2024.

Please reach out to Ms. Scorso with any questions.

October:

• School Readiness Monitoring-October 11

• PreK Screening-October 12

• Fire Prevention Assemblies-October 13 9am-grades 2-4, 10am-Prek-1, 1pm PMPreK

• PTA Talent Show-October 13 2pm and 6pm

• PTA Book Fair-October 16-20

• Goodies with Grandparents-before school-October 19 and 20

• Fall Festival Day-October 31

November:

• MTSS Day-November 1

• Parent/teacher conferences-Nov. 6 1:30-6:30pm, Nov. 7 8:15am-3:30pm

• STEAM Night-November 8, 6-7pm-Also, National STEM Day

• Veterans Day Assembly-9am Gym

• No School-Observed Veterans Day-November 10

• World Diabetes Day-Wear Blue-November 14

• Wellness Night-November 16, 6-7pm

• PBIS Assembly-November 17, 9:15am

• Picture Retake Day-November 20

• Early dismissal-November 22, Thanksgiving Recess-November 23-24