ESS Gazette

Dear ESS Families,

We were so excited to see everyone at last week’s Trunk-or-Treat! Thank you to our amazing PTO for organizing the event.

Please make sure you have signed up for a conference with any staff members who work with your child. Conference dates are November 20th and 29th. If you are having any issues with the Bookings platform, please call the school directly and we will help you set up a conference. At this time there are still slots available, but they are filling up quickly.

Best,

Mark Lord

Bethany Calado

November:

11/7- No School- Election Day

11/8- Picture Retake Day

11/10- No School-Veterans Day

11/13- Report Cards Issued

11/13- Veterans Day Assembly (information below and invited guests only)

11/14- Chipotle Fundraiser 4-8pm

11/16- PTO Meeting @ 6:00pm via Zoom

11/16- Square 1 Art keepsake orders due

11/20- Early Release @ 1:50 pm (Afternoon and Evening Conferences)

11/21- Lyman Orchards order pick-up 5-7pm @ ESS

11/22- Early Release @ 1:50pm

11/23-11/24- Thanksgiving Break

11/27-11/30- Book Fair (more information to follow)

11/29- Early Release @ 1:50pm (Afternoon and Evening Conferences)

December:

12/5- Panera Fundraiser 4-8pm

12/6- Early Release @ 1:50pm (Staff Professional Learning)

12/22- Early Release @ 1:50pm

12/25-1/1- Winter Break

Room # 10 is spook-tacularly moving along! We are deeply into letters and their sounds. We are discovering and exploring how those sounds and letters go together to make our names, words, sentences, and stories. We are reading and discussing books and their characters and settings. We are even discussing what happened first, next, then, and last. We are illustrating and beginning to label in writing like authors and illustrators do. In math, we are working on number sense, 3 dimensional shapes, and weight!

Happy November! We have been noticing how nature changes with the changing seasons. We have also been learning about the life cycle of pumpkins and we watched a pumpkin grow from a seed to a pumpkin. In reading we are working on using strategies to help solve tricky words. In writing we have been working on our goal to build our stamina and adding more details to our stories. We have been working on number bonds and fact families in math.

Room 19 has just wrapped up our first writing unit on personal narratives. Students learned how to hook their readers with a strong beginning, write their story step by step, and end their stories with a question, hope, or strong feeling. In reading, students have been asking and answering questions about stories they listen to as they build their listening comprehension skills. We kicked off our science unit on matter with a Lego build to explore how all objects are made up of smaller pieces and can be taken apart and used to create different objects.

We are building sculptures in grade 2 using Model Magic and paint. Many students are using dots and bright colors like those seen in the woodcarvings from Oaxaca, Mexico. The Art Department is lucky to have several original works in our collection!

Grade 1 is connecting to previous lessons by refining paper manipulation for a one-day mask-making lesson. We surveyed some masks and their meanings from other parts of the globe.

Kindergarteners are using black paint and allowing the brush to run dry, creating a fuzzy textured effect. Some students created cat paintings inspired by cats from ancient Egypt.

Mark your calendars! Tree-Mendous Celebration at Enfield Square 90 Elm Street, Enfield Sat.-Sun. 11-7 p.m. November 24-December 10, 2023.

The Art Department

For the month of November, we are beginning with volleying different objects such beach balls, soft gator skin balls, and the use of short implements. Students will be taught the concepts of volleying and hand eye coordination. They will continue to use these skills with activities such as messy backyard, and other modified games. The objective will be for students to develop and enhance these skills, which will lead to other techniques such as catching and throwing. In the next few weeks, we will also be learning about pathways and scooter fitness.

Calling all United States Veterans and Active Military!

We will have our annual Veterans Day Assembly at Enfield Street School on Monday, November 13th at 9:45am! We would love to have family members of our students attend that are Veterans or active military. It means so much to our students each year to have loved ones attend as honored guests. You are welcome to wear uniforms, but they are not required. Students are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue.

Reserve your seat

A form went home with students for Vets to fill out, but if you would like to email, please email ccarroll@enfieldschools.org with the following information: Your name, branch, rank (civilian friendly, no acronyms please), the name of the student you are related to, and their classroom number.

The deadline to reserve your seat is Monday, November 6th. This invitation is for Veterans and active military only due to space unless a guest needs an escort for medical reasons. Please arrive 15 minutes early with your ID to check in.

What will it look like if you attend?

We will have a special section of seating for our honored guests, and students will perform patriotic songs for them. Veteran Lucien LeFevre, Post Commander of American Legion Post 154, will present the colors, and Enfield Mayor Cressotti will give opening remarks. Guests will be asked to stand briefly or wave when their branch is played in the Armed Forces Medley. Later, your name will be called, and your student(s) will present you with a certificate of appreciation and stand with you for a bit.

It is always a lovely and emotional day. We would love for you to be a part of it.

Sincerely,

The Assembly Committee

Our lost and found keeps growing! We have many unclaimed items with no names. Please remember to label your child's belongings so we can ensure they are returned to their owners. If you recognize something that belongs to your child in the photos, please remind them to come get it or contact the main office.

Your child's custom catalog for the Square 1 Art fundraiser was sent home this week. Orders are due 11/16/2023.

All classrooms will be showcased during our assemblies throughout the school year. Due to space limitations, we are asking only families of children who will be performing to attend on the given day. A valid ID is required.

Please do not send your child in with any over-the-counter or prescribed medications. Medications need to be dropped off to the nurse with the order from the doctor. In addition, please do not send your child to school with cough drops as they cannot self-administer them.

If you are picking up your child during afternoon dismissal you must park in a designated parking space. Cars cannot be parked along the curb as it impedes any cars or emergency vehicles needing to enter the parking lot. We appreciate you adhering to our important dismissal safety procedures.

If you are walking your child to the main entrance, you must park in a parking spot and walk your child to the door. Cars cannot be parked along the curb as it impedes those parents who are utilizing the carline to drop off their child(ren). If you are dropping your child off at the crosswalk, please have your child exit the car on the passenger’s side.

These procedures are in place to keep traffic flow moving appropriately and to maintain safety in the parking lot. Thank you in advance for following these very important safety procedures.

No student will be released from a dismissal door unless the parent or guardian has the appropriate matching placard. There will be no exceptions to this rule. Even if we know who you are, you will need to go to the office to present identification to pick-up your child. We know this can be inconvenient, but your child's safety and security is our primary concern.

Please be aware that once someone comes to the school with a placard, we will release the matching student. Please make sure you know who has the placard to at all times.

Breakfast is free for all students. Lunch will need to be purchased. Please use Myschoolbucks.com or the Myschoolsbucks app, to add money to your child's lunch count.​

Make sure that all information in PowerSchool is accurate. We use this information for emergency contacts and pick-ups. We will not release a child to anyone not in PowerSchool without your written or verbal permission.

President: Jeanne Davis

Vice President: Melissa Birch

Treasurer: Kristina Boulette

Meets virtually each month. Dates and times will be in our newsletter.

Per district attendance procedures, attendance letters will be sent out for all absences, excused or unexcused, following this schedule:

5th absence – 1st Letter

9th absence - 2nd Letter

10th absence – 3rd Letter

Additional letters will be sent after every 5th absence. (ex. 15th, 20th, 25th)

Regardless of the content of the letters, if the majority of absences are excused as defined in the student handbook, we will most likely not reach out unless there are a large number of absences.

If the majority of the absences are unexcused as defined in the handbook, an administrator will be reaching out to offer available support to make sure your child comes to school on a regular basis.

Please notify me as well with health issues if you send info to the teacher. This includes symptoms your child is experiencing, new concerns, and/or medication issues.

Please keep your child home if they have any symptoms. Please contact the school before returning.

No medications can be sent with student. This includes cough drops.

Please be sure to have that change of clothes in the backpack and switch out shorts as seasons change.

Always feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

tsylvest@enfieldschools.org 860-253-6564

We thought it would be helpful to show the dates and a link for future Board of Education meetings. They are a great way to stay involved and informed throughout the school-year.

All meetings are planned to begin at 7:00 PM.

November 28

December 12

Link to stream live meetings, or watch recorded meetings

Principal: Mark Lord mlord@enfieldschools.org

Assistant Principal: Bethany Calado bcalado@enfieldschools.org