Principal's Weekly Update

We have made it to a much needed mid-winter break. There have been many illnesses going around this year and I think that this four day weekend will be very beneficial in helping us all to rest up and recoup. As automated letters continue to be sent at certain absence thresholds, please know that we are sympathetic to what I just mentioned– we know that in many cases the absences are the result of legitimate illness. Our teachers have been reaching out to families to see how we might help any student who has missed time to get back on track with school work. Our efforts around combating “chronic absenteeism” continue to focus on identifying any students who face barriers to regular attendance which go beyond legitimate illnesses. Thank you again for your cooperation with this effort.

If you are already despondent that Valentine’s Day is over for another year, you can perhaps redirect your celebratory energies– today happens to be School Resource Officer Appreciation Day. This is a time for us to reflect on how fortunate we are to have Officer Wes Bartosik in our building– we are equally grateful for his training and expertise, which helps to keep us all safe, as we are for his “student first” attitude, which makes him so friendly and approachable. To provide photographic evidence of this, our insert photo this week shows Officer Wes diving right in as a participant in “Panthers Love to Play Day’. Thank you for all that you do Officer Wes !!

Panther's Love to Play Day was as highly successful as ever. There were so many interesting activities for students to choose from. There are some pictures below. I had so many to choose from. I could have also featured students designing personalized water bottles, some Disney karaoke sing along, planespotting (for commercial aviation buffs), AI Game Design, or sports activities such as Team Handball. The “final photo” depicts two students and their intensive focus during a chess match.

We are a little less than a month away now from Student Led Conferences, which will be held in two sessions on Tuesday, March 11th, from 1pm-3pm and from 6pm to 8pm. Conference scheduling will begin on February 25th at 6pm and will end on March 10th at 6pm. Please see this letter for more information and directions on how to register.

February is designated as Black History Month, a time to honor and celebrate the rich heritage,achievements, and contributions of African Americans to the history, culture, and progress of the United States. This upcoming Thursday, 2/20, our 8th grade students will travel to the Klein Auditorium in Bridgeport to see a one-man play which celebrates the contributions of Frederick Douglass to the abolitionist movement. This show has been running at the Klein since 2019, and has become an annual event for Madison students as well.

Clubs & Activities:

The MARCH MADNESS BOOK TOURNAMENT is ON! Students can read the book selections on THIS BRACKET and circle their favorites as they read. To be in the game, students must fill out a book bracket and return to Ms. Dwyer by February 28. Voting starts in March!

The Competitive Esports tryouts for the Spring season will be held on Wednesday, February 19th from 2:30-4:00 in the Hillcrest Planetarium. If trying out, you must have a ride home at 4:00 PM from Hillcrest. There will be a bus that you can take from Madison to Hillcrest if you are trying out. Please email Mrs. Miller if you have any questions: MillerK@trumbullps.org

The Literary Magazine Club will meet on Wednesday, February 19th.

I hope that you are all able to enjoy some extra time with your children these four days. Perhaps some of you have Monday off for the Federal Holiday of Presidents Day. A quick history lesson from this former Social Studies teacher– Washington’s birthday– February 22nd– was designated as a holiday for all workers in 1885. It was the first federal holiday to honor an individual’s birthdate. In 1971 a law changed the date to the third Monday in February. The holiday now incorporates a celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birth day, which is February 12th. Whether or not you have any extra time during this four day weekend for our students, I hope that you are able to either enjoy the winter weather (I’m thinking of any skiers), or hunker down and enjoy your favorite cozy indoor activities.

Take care,

Peter Sullivan