Communications Corner June 2023

Greetings Ellington Families!

Summer is here! Can you believe it? This year has flown by. We hope you have made the most of it and wish you a safe, fun, and healthy summer vacation!

First up, we want to CONGRATULATE the Class of 2023! We wish you much success as you begin your next chapter!

Also, we're excited to introduce our two newest Administrators - Mr. John Powell and Ms. JoAnna Schmidt! We welcome you to the Ellington Family!

Finally, Ellington Unplugged has officially launched! Ellington Unplugged is a series of concepts for the Ellington Family–students, staff, family members, and community to consider that may enrich one’s life. Scroll through to check it out!

We look forward to seeing you around town this summer! Tag us @boe.ellington with all your fun summer adventures, recipe photos, or just fun with friends or family - home or away!

Happy Reading,

Committee Chair Jenn Mullin

"One kind deed is more beautiful than one-thousand intentions...Ellington is rooting for you always", said Board Chair Jennifer Dzen. Ms. Dzen elaborated on five principles to guide the Class of 2023 in their future endeavors:

• Fine-tune your moral compass
• Own your actions
• Make meaningful mistakes and mistakes that are meaningful
• Respect the most and the least powerful person in the room
• Give back - your time, talent, knowledge, and gifts

You can watch the full Commencement address HERE.

I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Ellington Public Schools and the community at Windermere School! I am excited to build upon the amazing work that is being done within the district to educate and prepare the whole child to become successful and reflective adults. As a leader, I operate from a strengths based mindset and I believe that every child can and will be successful when their educational spark is lit. I can't wait to join this amazing district and become part of the team that makes school a gateway to success for every child.

I am thrilled to be joining Crystal Lake Elementary School and Ellington Public Schools. From the moment I learned about the school district's deep commitment to community-mindedness, I knew this was the perfect fit for me. The enthusiasm and passion for education that emanates from the Ellington learning community is inspiring, and I am honored to be a part of it. I firmly believe that education is a collaborative endeavor, and I am excited to work hand-in-hand with dedicated teachers, parents, and staff to create an environment where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. Together, we will foster a sense of belonging and ignite a love for learning that will have a lasting impact on our students through to middle and high school as well as the wider community. I am genuinely excited to embark on this remarkable journey with all of you, and I cannot wait to see the incredible things we will achieve together at Crystal Lake Elementary School.

At the June meeting, Gary Blanchette was honored for 30 years of service to the Ellington Public Schools and the Town of Ellington. In honor of his time and dedication, the Ellington Public Schools sign has been officially dedicated to Mr. Gary Blanchette. Many thanks!

At the June meeting, the BOE recognized Rik for his outstanding work as the student liaison for the 22-23 school year! On behalf of the Ellington BOE, thank you!

At the June meeting, the Ellington Board of Education along with EHS Administration, appointed Noelle as the new student liaison for the 23-24 school year! Congratulations, Noelle!

Teachers Kim LaDuke and Tim Bifolck and FBLA representatives shared their experience at the state conference. 11 of 15 students who attended placed in their respective categories. Student liaison Rik, also place and spoke at the April meeting. Congratulations to the Future Business Leaders of America Club members!

EHS students held a Paint Night in April. What a fun event! An awesome Education in Ellington video was created to share all about Neurodiversity. I spy Board Member Kerry Socha creating a masterpiece in this pic!

Teacher Appreciation Week 2023 was celebrated with notes of thanks, breakfasts, luncheons, special treats and gifts. Big thanks to the PTO at each school for their work to honor Ellington Teachers!

Congratulations to all the student-athletes whether on Freshman, JV, or Varsity teams, on their Spring seasons and to the teams with a successful conference and state tournament run!

Congrats to our graduating senior athletes on a memorable senior year! Board Members Jenn Mullin, Angie Moser and Kerry Socha were spotted on the sidelines cheering on our student athletes!

Mr. Anderson Rawlins, Director of Athletics and Wellness, shared at the June meeting that the Boy's Basketball team received the IAABO recognition for their sportsmanship on and off of the court. This is a special recognition awarded by the CT Officials Association that is an honor to receive. Congratulations Knights!

An amazing all-staff raffle was sponsored by the Wellness Committee as well as Wellness Demos in all of our building for staff. Board Member Angie Moser was spotted checking out the great recipes at Windermere School and Marcia Kupferschmid attended the BASES presentation! Check them out below! Board Member Miriam Underwood shared all about it in her May liaison report at the May BOE meeting!

Board Member Miriam Underwood was honored to present CLS with their 2023 poster at their end-of-year concert!

EPS welcomed Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Senator John Kissel, Representative Jaime Foster, and First Selectman Lori Spielman for their time at today's Press Conference at Center School! It was a beautiful day to share with the community about the $3.7 million awarded to EPS for HVAC system upgrades at three of our schools!

On May 23rd the Town Budget Referendum passed including the appropriations for the Windermere Building project (418 YES/219 NO). The project is anticipated to be complete by 2025.

At the April Board Meeting, Chair Dzen acknowledged the Board Treasurer, Liz Nord for her work dedicated to the budget season this year. Liz was "relentless in her pursuit and commitment to finding savings while maintaining teaching and learning". You can watch the special recognition here.