Booth Free School Newsletter

I cannot believe we are already almost two weeks into March already! I wanted to share with you a lot of things happening at Booth Free School:

Gratitude to Our PTO
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) for hosting our upcoming enrichment program on March 17th. The students will get to have some fun with science in this entertaining and educational program.

Read-A-Thon and Book Bonanza

Thank you to all the families that supported our students reading during our Read-A-Thon so far by either participating in the fundraiser, purchasing from our Book Bonanza, or just encouraging going to our local library and focusing on the importance of reading. We are also so grateful to have local community members come in during the month of March to read to our students, like our First Selectman, Patrick Roy. All of this couldn't have been possible without Trish Gordon, Sarah Curren and Amy Testani - so thank you!

Academic Milestone – ARC Unit 3 Completion
Our students are concluding Unit 3 of the American Reading Company (ARC) reading program. This unit has focused on exploring traditional tales, allowing students to study literary elements within this genre and construct their own narratives. Through this engaging curriculum, students have developed a deeper understanding of storytelling traditions and enhanced their creative writing skills.

Upcoming Reminders

• Parent-Teacher Conferences – Students will be dismissed at 12:45 PM this Thursday and Friday for parent-teacher conferences.
• Upcoming Concert – Save the Date! We are delighted to announce that our students will showcase their musical talents at an upcoming concert on April 3rd at 2:00 PM. Families are warmly invited to attend and enjoy the performances. This event promises to be a wonderful celebration of our students' hard work and dedication to the arts.We are proud of our students' accomplishments and look forward to their continued growth in the upcoming units.
• Movie Night - Please join our Burnham and Booth Free Student Council in celebrating a wrap up of our Read-A-Thon with a movie night at Burnham on Thursday, March 27th at 5:00pm. If you plan on attending please fill out the Google form to RSVP.

I look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events,

Dr. Rhew

Second Graders Designing Their Own Communities!

This month, our second graders have been hard at work becoming city planners! As part of our social studies and geography lessons, students have been designing their own communities, carefully thinking about how different buildings and spaces fit into the land and meet the needs of the people who live there. This hands-on project encourages creativity, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of how communities function.

Each student has designed community buildings such as schools, fire stations, parks, hospitals, and grocery stores, considering their importance and placement within their town or city. They are also exploring how geography—such as rivers, mountains, and roads—impacts where and how buildings are placed. Through discussions and collaborative planning, they are thinking critically about why communities need certain services and how land is used to support the people who live there.

This project has been an exciting way to bring learning to life, connecting social studies, geography, and even elements of math and art! We encourage you to ask your child about their community design and the decisions they made. Thank you for supporting their learning at home, and we can’t wait to share their incredible community creations with you soon!

In fourth grade, we have been learning a ton! In writing, we have been focusing on our American Historical fiction unit. In this unit, we use the book Scraps of Time to explore topics such as characters, plot, physical setting, and social setting. We are also exploring protagonists and antagonists throughout the novel and in our own independent reading. Many students have been exploring new genres in their book clubs. From fantasy novels to horror, we have been discovering even more to love about reading. When fourth graders have the opportunity to, they enjoy getting cozy reading both inside and outside. In math, we have been diving into the world of fractions. We started off our unit on fractions by decomposing proper fractions into mixed numbers. Then quickly moved onto creating equivalent fractions. We pushed our fraction learning even further with our equivalent fraction craft. Students chose a fraction and had to make at least 5 equivalent fractions. Many students decided to make even more equivalent fractions, some students making as many as 100 equivalent fractions! As a whole class, we are working to earn dojo points for our next reward. Students can earn dojo points by showing awesome behavior in specials, being a role model in the classroom, or completing extra skill work. Clearly, we have been up to a lot in fourth grade this month!

Physical Education class has been inside for the winter months. During this time all students have been introduced to floor gymnastics, floor hockey, volleyball (with beach balls), badminton, and scooters. Every class also has a fitness component that will emphasize flexibility, strength, or cardiovascular endurance. All grade levels take part in these units but the games and challenges presented are all scaled according to age and ability. My goal is to help your child succeed and have fun doing so. In the coming weeks, we hope to get outside to the fields.

Coming up next , our 4th and 5th students dig deeper into fitness training and are looking to improve upon their fitness scores from last year. 3rd grade is formally introduced to the fitness test as well. I expect to see some great scores put up when we formally take the Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment in March. Our younger students will be working on overhead throwing in a variety of small sided games as well as taking part in “Clown School.” We will be juggling scarves, spinning plates, and balancing feathers as we learn the secrets to being a clown.

For students in grades 4 and 5, we have started up our intramurals program. I open the front doors at 8:10 and we start the day with some movement. This happens on Mon, Tues., or Wed. of the week; it's always the first day of the week the students have PE for their specials. I have a calendar for kids to take home if you might be interested. Any concerns, please email me at morgand@region-12.org

As we welcome March, we’re entering a season of change! With the arrival of spring just around the corner, it’s important to stay on top of health updates and keep our children feeling their best. Here are a few tips and reminders for this month:

1. Spring Allergies: Spring in Connecticut often brings an uptick in allergy symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, and runny noses. If your child is prone to seasonal allergies, please make sure they have their medication ready. It's also a good idea to remind your child to wash their hands often and avoid touching their faces to reduce the spread of pollen.

2. Flu & Cold Season: Although we’re moving toward warmer weather, flu and cold season is still in full swing. Please remember that children should stay home if they have a fever, cough, or are feeling unwell. Students must be fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication before returning to school.

3. Health & Wellness: With daylight hours getting longer, it’s the perfect time to encourage healthy habits! Make sure your child is eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep. For elementary students, 9-11 hours of sleep is ideal for school performance and overall well-being.

4. PowerSchool Health Update/Verification Form: Please take a moment to review your child's PowerSchool Health Update/Verification Form to ensure it has been signed and completed for the 2024/2025 school year. There are still a handful of students I am missing this on.

Wishing you and your family a healthy and joyful March!

3/17 PTO Enrichment Program

3/27 Movie Night, 5p.m.

4/3 Booth Free Spring Concert/Jam Session, 2 p.m.