Branchville Bulletin
Educating Everyone Takes Everyone
September 1, 2024
Dear Branchville Community,
The sound of laughter, the excitement of meeting new and old friends, and eager joy filled Branchville as we welcomed our students back to campus. Monday’s Open School Hour, featuring a countdown and music at the main entrance, as well as the PTA-sponsored back-to-school picnic, captures our goal of fostering enthusiasm for learning and building a partnership with parents. The tagline "Educating everyone takes everyone" is more than just a slogan; a partnership is essential for a successful school.
Below, you'll find opportunities to learn more about your child's experience and our processes and procedures. This is meant to complement the Back to School Message I sent in August.
Never hesitate to reach out if you have a question or concern. I look forward to seeing you on campus in the coming days.
In partnership,
Keith L Margolus
Principal
Open House - Septemeber 18th
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, we are thrilled to hold our Branchville Open House Night. We are eager to meet with you and share the curriculum topics, the special projects, the trips, expectations, and common goals.
We will begin the evening with a brief general assembly in the cafeteria. Keri Tighe and I will make remarks about our opening. Following this, parents have the opportunity to visit their child’s classrooms.
The teachers' classroom programs will be divided into two sessions. The first two sessions are identical presentations. The 7:15 is an informal session and a chance to stop by a classroom you may have yet to visit. The special education teachers, literacy interventionists, literacy coach, math specialists, essential area teachers, speech pathologists, and school psychologists will also be available.
The schedule for our evening together will be:
6:00 - 6:20 Welcome-Auditorium
Welcome remarks by Principal Keith Margolus and Assitant Principal Keri Tighe
Welcome remarks by the PTA
6:25 - 6:45 Session I -Classrooms
Classroom and essential area teachers will provide an overview of their programs.
Essential area teachers (Art, Music, PE, Library, and Literacy) will be in their designated rooms.
6:50 - 7:10 Session II -Classrooms
Same format as Session I
7:15 - 7:30
Essential area teachers (Art, Music, PE, Library, and Literacy) will be in their designated rooms. Or, visit a classroom that you have not had a chance to visit during an earlier session. There is no formal presentation.
At Open House, teachers will provide you with information about our curriculum, homework, and classroom practices. While this is not a time for individual conferences, you can certainly contact the teacher in the future to arrange an appointment to meet. Moreover, our Open House program is designed for teacher-parent communication so it is not an event children attend.
We include the following suggestions to help you get the most from your visit:
Parents with multiple children at BES, please choose a session to attend for each child. If you have more than two children, we apologize for the hard choice you are faced with. If both parents attend, consider visiting classrooms as individuals and you may wish to visit the grade where you have the least experience. The third informal session is also an opportunity to meet classroom teachers.
Determine the essentialist as well as classroom teachers you wish to visit. Try to see that essentialist during the course of the evening rather than at the end when time is more limited.
Examine materials left out by the teacher.
Find your child's desk and experience his/her perspective.
We look forward to meeting with you and providing this glimpse of what your child will be experiencing in school throughout the year.
Sincerely,
Keith L. Margolus
Welcome to Our New Staff Members
As we continue to settle into the new school year, I'd like to take a moment to extend a warm welcome to several new staff members who have joined Branchville. For a comprehensive list of new staff, please read my Back to School Message,
Please join me in welcoming Brian Ho to the Branchville community. Mr. Ho is our new orchestra teacher. Nate Woods resigned this August for a position closer to home. Mr. Ho holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Hartford and a Master of Science in Music Education from Western Connecticut University. With 14 years of experience as an orchestra teacher for the Danbury Public Schools, we are excited to have him join our team later this month.
We are also delighted to welcome Mary Kirrane as a new special education teacher. Ms. Kirrane holds a Bachelor of Science from Wheelock College and a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from Western Connecticut University, as well as a Master of Science in Special Education from The University of Maine. Ms. Kirrane brings over 30 years of teaching experience to Branchville, having previously worked in the Bethel, Newtown, Monroe, Ridgefield, and Wilton public schools. She has served as a preschool teacher, kindergarten teacher and special education teacher throughout her career.
Tess Collins joins us as our part-time occupational therapist. Ms. Collins holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Bushnell University and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Sacred Heart University. With experience in both rehabilitation centers and school settings, she will be a great addition to our team.
Finally, we are thrilled to have Staci Day return to Branchville as a part-time school psychologist while we continue our search for a permanent replacement for Katie Greges. Ms. Day has previously served as a maternity leave substitute at BES and brings a wealth of experience in school psychology. Ms. Day holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts in School Psychology from Adelphi University.
We are excited to have these new staff members join our Branchville community
World Language for Grades 3-5 Starts on Tuesday
Message from Jill Quattrocchi, World Language Teacher
Dear Families,
I am Jill Quattrocchi, the new elementary World Language teacher in Ridgefield. All students in
grades 3-5 will be learning Spanish this year. Students will engage in Spanish instruction for
thirty minutes once every six days.
Before joining Ridgefield Public Schools, I worked as an elementary Spanish teacher for
Greenwich Public Schools, where I also served as the district elementary world language
learning facilitator. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Spanish, a Master of
Arts in Teaching, and a certificate in administration.
I am thrilled to join Ridgefield Public Schools and am excited to begin the world language
program! Look for more information coming soon!
Jill Quattrocchi
Cell Phones / Smartwatch/ Personal Devices
Students with cell phones at the elementary level are not permitted to use them during the school day. If a parent makes the decision to permit their child to have a cell phone, smartwatch, or similar device at school, it is expected that the cell phone or smartwatch be turned off and in the child’s backpack at all times. This includes the duration of the bus ride.
Please note, that we treat smartwatches (e.g. the Apple Watch, the Gizmo Watch, the Android Smart Watch) or other similar devices that provide a student with the ability to text, take photos, or make calls in the same way we treat a cell phone and they are subject to the same practice. We've noticed some watches that resemble smartwatches but don't have these capabilities. The variety of models makes it difficult for teachers and staff to determine which devices are allowed. To avoid classroom disruptions, we ask that all watches that look like smartwatches, be left at home.
If a staff member sees a student with any of the above mentioned devices, the student will be asked to remove the device and store it in their backpack and their teacher will likely contact you about the concern.
E-readers, Nooks, and Kindles are only permitted to support reading in school or on the bus if a teacher determines it is helpful and has told a parent it is allowed.
Attendance
Absence/attendance is now reported using the School Dismissal Manager (SDM) app. If your child will be absent please login and use the system. You will be prompted to explain the reason for the absence. Please report a student absence by 8:45. More information about SDM is found below.
K-5 Student Hanbook
Branchville and District Workshops and Opportunities
Intersted to know more about RPS curriculum? Did you miss a District presentation?
Ridgefield Public Schools Digital Backpack
RPS distribution flyers for outside groups via a Digital Backpack.
Organizations that meet the RPS policy may submit their request for inclusion in the digital backpack. Please help us in our effort to go green by checking students' Digital Backpacks Organizations that meet the RPS policy may submit their request for inclusion to cmelagrano@ridgefieldps.net. Thank you!
Visiting BES
Visiting BES
If you are visiting BES, one way to expedite the entry process is to fill out this form or use the QR code in advance of your planned visit (teacher meeting, PTA meeting, mystery reader, library or art volunteer, etc.) and your badge will be waiting for you when you arrive. If you have something to drop off for your child during the school day such as a forgotten lunch or instrument, there will be a table outside of the entrance to place the item.
When you arrive to enter the building, we ask that you press the video doorbell button and identify yourself. You will then be granted access to the vestibule.
Once in the vestibule, please do NOT hold the door open for a different guest entering the building. We cannot open the second set of doors until you are inside the vestibule. While this may be inconvenient and feel impolite, we are standardizing access to the buildings across the district so that everyone knows what to expect.
For visits to BES during the school day, I recommend that you arrive early as it takes some time to process your visitor badge. For a visit that is not arranged a day ahead of time, calling the main office ahead of your visit is a helpful practice.
Important Upcoming Dates
Septemeber
9/18 Open House
9/19 Ealry Dismissal 11:40 (Professional Development)
October
10/3 No School - Rosh Hashanah
10/11 Ealry Dismissal 11:40 (Professional Development)
10/14 No School - Columbus Day
10/18 Beaver Boogie
10/25 Beaver Boogie (Rain Date)
November
11/1 Beaver Boogie (Rain Date)
For a comprehensive list of upcoming events, please see the calendars below.
Follow Us on Instagram
Directory and Media OptOut
To withhold directory and media publications (including Instagram) please follow this path when you are logged in to PowerSchool.
On the left-hand side please click on "Demographic Change."
A number of tabs will appear. Click on "Directory & Media OptOut.
Branchville Elementary School
Keith L Margolus
Principal
Website: https://bes.ridgefield.org/Home
Location: 40 Florida Road, Ridgefield, CT, USA
Phone: 203.894.5850