Principal's Weekly Update

Dear Parent(s)/ Guardian(s):

It was great to meet so many of you on Back to School Night-- I take great pride in putting our teachers in the spotlight and offering them a chance to explain their plans for providing an engaging experience for our students. Speaking of engaging-- I understand that Mrs. D'Addario once again had her parent guests complete a quick science experiment to offer a flavor of what the students will experience. I'm sure your enjoyed many of the other presentations, even if they weren't quite so "hands on".

Another opportunity which parents had this past week was the chance to attend the Parent Portal Power Up Workshop. If you were not able to attend you can still Click here to access the slides and click here to access the recording.

Sticking with parents for one more announcement-- The District is offering a Multilingual Learner Parent Night this Thursday from 6-7pm at the Long Hill Administration Building (6254 Main Street). See this flyer for more information.

On the student front, we wrapped up a successful “Start With Hello” week on Friday. The students were open to the various themed activities which were designed to get students to reach out to students they might not yet know. On Wednesday we held our first monthly Advisory session, where students discussed strategies to use empathy to build a welcoming and inclusive community. We look forward to future initiatives which will build on this work.

I was very pleased with both the in person and virtual turnout for our first PTA meeting of the year. Our PTA has big plans as always for our staff and students. Stay tuned for information about October events, which will include our Scholastic Book Fair and a Fun-A-Thon.

You can sign up for PTA membership at: https://mms-pta.membershiptoolkit.com/home

I have previously tipped you all off to the fact that we offer a lot of clubs and activities for our students. Here, at long last, is your proof. During the official first week of late buses (ROUTES), we are offering all of the following:

The first Cartooning Club meeting will be this Monday, 9/23, after school in Room 102.

Chess Club begins on Monday, 9/23 in room 122. All are welcome!

The Ultimate Frisbee club starts on Monday, 9/23. You need a signed permission slip to participate. Stop by Room 111 and pick one up from Mr. LaSella.

The first Science Club meeting is Monday, 9/23 in Mrs. Baillargeon's Room (217).

The Star Wars Club's first meeting will be on Wednesday, 9/25 in room 219. See Mrs. Cerulli to get the Google Classroom code, and may the force be with you!

The SHADES Club will meet on Wednesday 9/25 (and every Wednesday) in Room 116.

The Period 8 Lounge where students can finish homework, study with friends, and organize work, will be held Thursday, September 26 after school in the Learning Commons. Snacks provided!

Robotics Club starts Thursday, 9/26 in Room 215 with Mrs. Rullo. We work in teams to design, build, and code robots to complete missions. Anyone can join - no experience required.

Pokemon Club begins on Thursday, 9/26 in room 122. We will meet every other week. Bring your Pokemon cards and get ready to trade and battle with your peers!

Art Studio Club begins on Thursday, 9/26 in room 216 with Ms. Mata. We will meet every week. Come in to create your own projects and explore your favorite or brand new art materials! Sign ups are on the room 216 door, first come first serve.

Additionally...

During an extended Homeroom on Thursday, students watched a Club Fair video which promotes and gives further information about many of the clubs which are offered. Bear in mind though, that teachers and students are constantly approaching me to pitch an idea for a new club-- if it is at all possible, I look to accommodate these proposals.

Final Reminder:

On Wednesday, 9/25 the Town of Trumbull is hosting a Community Forum to discuss the proposed rebuilding of Hillcrest Middle School, so that Trumbull residents are fully informed in advance of the referendum on this topic which will be on the ballot in November. Obviously, this is the first step of a plan to address the needs of all school buildings in Trumbull, and we encourage your active participation in the process.

In the "final photo" or "big photo finish" at the bottom (I go back and forth about what I should call it), you will see a new bulletin board which highlights the "executive functioning" skills which are at the heart of the learning process. They include organizational approaches, habits which encourage the retention of knowledge, and metacognition-- our own awareness of how we learn, which will allow us to "play to our strengths" as we take in new information. Our teachers look to create an awareness for our students, so that they can develop effective study habits.

The leaves are turning earlier this year-- I'm not imagining that, right ? I have read that the combination of many very cool nights, accompanied by a dramatic dry spell have hastened the process this year. I have always loved the fall foliage season-- with a daughter in college in the northern portion of Vermont, I might need to take my annual trip up to visit her sooner rather than later, as I would never want to miss out on the truly stunning color which our northern New England neighbor has to offer. Columbus Day weekend might be too late this year. Regardless-- I hope you enjoy the unfolding of the season's colors as much as I do. Enjoy the weekend.

Take care,

Peter Sullivan