September/October 2008
Dear Ledyard Center Families,
Each month Ledyard Center families can expect to receive our school newsletter. It will include highlights of the LCS (Learning, Climate, Safety) at our school as well as important information, so please make time to review the newsletter with your child. Our newsletter is also distributed to the Board of Ed members, Central Office staff, all schools, MPTN Education Department and Town Hall. You are always welcome to call our school office with questions or comments.
Our school newsletter is also available on the Ledyard Public Schools website, ledyard.net. Click on the link for Ledyard Center School for information about our school throughout the year.
LEARNING
School improvement plans: Our teachers started this year reviewing data about their students and setting rigorous academic goals. We will regularly review our progress toward these goals as we work on improving student performance. You may have seen our 80% glass full of water as a symbol of this year’s challenge.
Math: This year we are implementing new math curriculum in grade 6. During our Parent Information Night, teachers shared information about the variety of resources and delivery options they will use to meet the needs of their students. To learn more, parents can take a look at the program by visiting glencoe.com and typing MC0442C1 in the quick pass to view content being covered in the first unit.
Literacy support: In addition to classroom instruction, our school offers increased time with literacy aides and remedial reading support. Kindergarten and Grade 1 Academy programs also provide focused literacy instruction. We use research based assessment to identify students most at risk and target instruction toward their areas of need.
This year we are using a pacing guide for reading comprehension instruction that allows both coordination at grade levels and promotes collaboration across grade levels. This pacing guide also uses prior year data to plan regular review of reader/text connections which has been identified as needing improvement. For example: second graders have been working on making personal connections to texts. Our students are learning how to describe their favorite parts of books and connecting this to something in their own life.
CMT results: Individual reports were mailed home to all families of our grade 4 – 6 students. As part of No Child Left Behind, the federal goal levels increased this year and we are proud to report that our school met these goals. The goal levels for CT are more rigorous and provided us with focus areas for improvement in reading, writing, and math.
Parent Information Night: Evaluations representing 130 students indicated parents were satisfied with classroom presentations and especially liked learning about grade level expectations. Many parents let us know they had difficulty getting to everything they wanted to do. We will use this information to revise the schedule and content for next year. If you were not able to attend, please call our school office to schedule a parent/teacher conference - scheduled for December 3, 4, 5 after the first marking period.
Summer Reading: Mrs. Brewer joined our all school meeting to recognize students who participated in summer reading programs. True to her promise, she actually ate a bug!!! Congratulations to student winners: Emme Cronin, Jon Burianek, Lauryn Lu, Chloe DeMaio, and Madison Vegliante. Emme read the most of all Ledyard Center summer readers – and – the most of all elementary students from all schools. Both Emme and Jon have been top summer readers for the last few years.
Fine Arts programs: Each year two grade levels prepare a music program and showcase their art work for our school and their families. This year, 1st and 4th grade students will share their talents. In art class, students have been working on an Art to Remember project. Be sure to check out our “gallery” outside the art room where student projects are displayed.
Physical Education: Grade 3 – 6 students have started their annual physical fitness assessment. Ask your child about their grade level targets for: 1 mile run, sit and reach, push ups, and sit ups.
Library: This year, resources have been added to our library collection to support classroom reading comprehension lessons and our character education initiative. Upper grade library ambassadors will lend a hand by keeping our collection organized and displaying books from their section to encourage other students. We’re looking forward to a great author visit in the spring. You can check out our visiting author at www.steveswinburne.com
From our Reading Room: Our Language Arts consultants are helping everyone learn terms used on the Connecticut Mastery Test by posting new words and what they mean. With both parents and teachers using these words, we hope students will have a better understanding of what the questions are asking so they can do their best. Take a look outside RM 17 for this month’s featured words:
support - writing down information from the text that shows what you mean
details – pieces of information from the text that will help you answer a question
compare – telling what is the same and what is different
difference – the ways people or things are not like each other
LEARN interdistrict programs: Four of our classes are partnered with schools from Montville and Norwich that include motivating lessons and interesting activities with their partner class throughout the year. Mr. Wheeler’s class is participating in the Pixels and Palettes program and Mr. Rode, Mr. Rogers, and Mrs. Motzko’s classes are participating in the Number Kids program. Our students gain experiences developing relationships and cooperating with new friends to develop their writing and math talents.
Destination Imagination: DI is a creative problem-solving program for children in Kindergarten through high school. With parents as team managers, groups of 5 – 7 students work together after school and participate in an annual statewide competition. For further information, call Judy Zagaski or visit www.destinationimagination.org . An informational meeting about DI will be held on Monday, October 6th from 6:30 – 7:30 PM in the Ledyard Center School library.
Our Building a School Community, one brick at a time has been refreshed this year to incorporate classroom literacy activities that support a featured characteristic. On Friday morning, our Green Team will host an all school meeting to encourage everyone to BE RESPONSIBILE by increasing our awareness of recycling practices. Using Responsive Classroom techniques to weave together social and academic development, our all school meetings help students learn about the featured character traits. We recognize students with a “brick”. Watch our “brick wall” grow throughout the year whenever you come to school. We also announce the names of all students who were added to our wall at each all-school meeting and pick two names for lunch with the principal.
PTO: Parents and Teachers met at the first of five meetings for the year to suggest a BIG GOAL project and support for annual commitments that enhance our educational program. Fundraising efforts throughout the year help support: grade level enrichment programs, field trip experiences, playground equipment as well as the goal project. An overview of this year’s activities and fundraisers was distributed to all students at the beginning of the school year. This year we will continue monthly family activities and plan for our school’s 60th birthday!!
School spirit: LCS spirit days are celebrated on the first Friday of each month. October 3rd is our next spirit day when we hope everyone will wear their green.
School mentors: If you have about an hour a week to meet with a student and join this effort, please let us know. We are looking to expand this program since we know that positive relationships enhance our school community.
Display case: We started the year with Mrs. Malavazos’ collection for a very “mice” year. We hope your child will share their personal collections, so please encourage them to let us know and stop in to see what’s on display.
Activities with Mr. Cummings: Students are often asked to join in group activities that our school psychologist, Mr. Cummings, arranges during lunch and recess. The purpose of the activities is to help children learn to make friends and enjoy doing something together. Activities might include lunch and a board game, basketball in the gym, an outdoor activity or an art project, or a walk to the store across the street.
SAFETY
Dismissal Procedures: Students who have brought a note or parents who call our office by noon can “check out” with a staff member in our front hallway. Parents can park along the gym side of the school, in back of the school or in one of the spots in front. To insure that dismissal is safe and orderly, please wait for your child on the office side of the front hallway.
School absences: Being on time and in school everyday is crucial to improved student performance. Please try to make appointments outside of school hours. If your child will not be in school, our absence line is available 24 hours a day. Call 887-9246, and then dial 109-1198. Do not press the # sign. Students who are out of school for 5 days should have a doctor’s note when they return to school.
School Safety: All doors are locked except the front door outside the office once school starts for the day. We expect a buzzer system to be installed for our front door as well. We also hold regular drills so that our students will be familiar with how to exit the building or shelter in place in case of emergency. All visitors need to sign in our office and get a pass.
Behavior: We have met with all students at grade level programs and morning meetings to talk about behavioral expectations for school and on the bus. Please review these with your child to ensure a safe learning environment.
Safe Haven: We are pleased to offer this support for students who are disruptive in class as well as those who benefit from setting individual goals to improve behavior and relationships.
DARE: Fifth graders have started meeting weekly with Officer Liz Smith for the DARE program. These lessons teach students problem solving strategies, how to deal with peer pressure and bullying. The skills they learn and practice will serve them well for making good choices no matter where they are.
Wellness: Please send your children to school with healthy snacks and lunches. We also ask that you carefully consider what to share with classmates for birthday celebrations. We look for ways to include the goals of the district wellness policy to promote healthy lifestyles and physical activity.
Emergency early dismissals: By now all families should have returned their emergency dismissal plans so that children know what to do if school closes early. Parents will receive email or text messages about school closings and emergency information through the Reverse 911 service. Important safety information is also highlighted on the district website home page ledyard.net.
Annual forms: Thank you for returning all the forms we sent at the beginning of the year. This week all students brought home “Pupil/parent resident/employment” survey forms that need to be returned right away.
From our school nurse: Vision and hearing screenings will be completed by the end of October. Many thanks to the family who sends in an extra lunch. We have used it everyday!
Good News/Around the Town
Good news: We love to share good news! Let us know about awards, recognition and we’ll include this news in our newsletter. For example: Lauryn Lu will be performing as the Gingerbread Girl in the Norwich Ice Rink’s production of the “Nutcracker on Ice” show in November.
Around the Town: We use this section of the newsletter for town wide news and announcements.
All of our school newsletters are included in the LCS section of the
Ledyard Public Schools Web site at www.ledyard.net
Upcoming dates for your calendar:
Friday, October 3 - All school meeting – Green Team, LCS spirit day – “wear green”, Opera performance for K – 2 “The Three Little Pigs”
Monday, October 6 - Destination Imagination info session 6:30 – 7:30 in our library
Wednesday, October 8 - Early dismissal for students PD for teachers
Thursday, October 9 - Aerospace Adventurers starts
Monday, October 13 - No school, Columbus Day observed
Wednesday, October 15 - LCS school pictures, Writers Workshop starts, 2/Motzko and 2/Rogers LEARN partner trips
Friday, October 17 - Family Movie Night, 6:30 PM, 5/Wheeler LEARN partner trip
Monday, October 20 - Frank Daly to visit 5th grade classrooms and one room schoolhouse for Revolutionary War presentation
Friday, October 24 - Art Horn weather presentation for 6th grade
Wednesday, October 29 - Early dismissal for students, PD for teachers, Special Education Parent Advisory Council, 9-10 AM and 6-7 PM at Central Office
Friday, October 31 - PTO Halloween trick or treating at LCS 4-6 PM
Tuesday, November 4 - No school, Election Day