The Lawrence Elementary School
The Lawrence School is a candidate school* for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme and pursuing authorization as an IB World School. IB World Schools share a common philosophy—a commitment to improve the teaching and learning of a diverse and inclusive community of students by delivering challenging, high quality programmes of international education that share a powerful vision.**
*Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit
www.ibo.org **Mission Statement from the IB The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
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Click here for more information on our IB Candidate School:
The Lawrence School Primary Years Programme
Summer 2022 School Newsletter
I hope all of our students, families, and teachers are staying safe and healthy this summer! Getting the opportunity to visit with family and friends is important, so I hope all of you have found some time to relax.
School starts on Wednesday, August 31. This will be a full day of school for all students.
Open House will be on Tuesday, August 30.
Kindergarten Families can attend from 4:30 – 5:30 pm
New Families with children in gr. 1-5 will meet with the principal from 4:30 – 5:00 pm
Families with children in grades 1-5 can attend Open House from 5:00 – 6:00 pm
You will be able to meet the teachers and visit the classrooms.
Teacher Assignments for the 2022-2023 school year will be sent to all families the week of Aug. 22
Summer Kindergarten and New Student Registration:
(If your child attended Snow Pre-K last year, please skip to step 3)
- Visit our website (www.middletownschools.org) and click on New Student Registration or Kindergarten Registration
- Create PowerSchool Parent Portal Account (If you have an older child enrolled in Middletown Schools and already have a Parent Portal Account, you add your Kindergarten student to that account)
- Log into Parent Portal Account and Complete Forms
- Upload necessary documents (If you are having trouble doing this, please read below)
Please note:
- Steps 1 & 2 are the initial steps. Once you submit the information on this page, the initial registration will need to be approved by the school secretary. Once she approves it, you will be notified by email and directions will be sent with a code to set up your PowerSchool Parent Portal account. Please only do this one time.
- Registration Documents: If you have difficulty uploading some of the required documents, please plan to visit Lawrence School to drop off any of the necessary paperwork. Documents can be dropped off or we can make copies for you of any required documentation. Please call Lawrence School before visiting to guarantee that the secretary or principal are in the building. 860-632-2158 Ext: 0
- All incoming Kindergarten parents are required to complete online registration forms.
Please reach out to the school secretary, Mrs. Mosca, if you need help with any of the following:
- You have not received an email saying your registration request was approved
- You are having trouble setting up your account
- You cannot remember your login and password
- You need help adding your Kindergarten student to your Parent Portal Account
- English is not your first language and you think you may need support in completing the registration
- Any other questions regarding registration
Mrs. Mosca: [email protected] Lawrence School: 860-632-2158 Ext: 0
Technology and Summer Learning for Families of Students in Grades K-5:
Your children were allowed to keep their IPads or Chrome books over the summer so that they can continue to access educational websites. The only students who needed to return their devices were students who were moving out of Middletown.
I strongly recommend for students in K & grade 1 to access Footsteps to Brilliance. All of our returning students are familiar with how to log in and they all have their passcodes.
Math Summer Practice:
Below is a listing of fun, interactive on-line opportunities that your child can do at home in order to practice a variety of math skills. We hope that these will assist you in supporting your child’s mathematical progress throughout the summer.
http://illuminations.nctm.org http://funbrain.com
http://starfall.com http://arcademics.com
http://primarygames.com http://coolmathgames.com
http://IXL.com
Two of our favorites that many teachers use are www.khanacademy.org and https://xtramath.org. Many of our students may already have accounts, so enjoy!!!!
SUMMER READING LOGS: Please keep track of all of the books that you read over the summer. You can list the titles on the summer reading logs found on the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge forms that children were given at school (or even on a piece of paper). All children who complete a log will be recognized for their efforts in September. J
TECHNOLOGY: If you have any questions over the summer regarding technology, the district technology department can be contacted to offer free support. Email address: [email protected], to contact the technology department when having technical issues with the student devices.
Summer Lawrence School Office Hours:
Our school secretary is on vacation for much of July and August, so the best way to communicate with the school is through e-mail. You can email me (Principal Jim Gaudreau) at [email protected] and I will respond to your email as soon as possible. I will be on vacation for a couple of weeks, so I will respond promptly when I return. Any questions for the secretary regarding registration for incoming or outgoing students can be sent to Mrs. Mosca at [email protected].
Bus Information will be available on our website (www.middletownschools.org) at the end of August. Even students who will not be taking the bus will receive a route and bus stop. All you need to do is visit the website under Transportation and look for prompts that lead to bus routes. Once you type in your street address, a bus stop with approximate times will be available. If you have a question, please contact the Transportation Dept. at 860-638-1418.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES:
To get ready for the start of the school year, here is a list of recommended supplies your children will need for their specific grades. We provide almost all of the supplies the children will need during the school day, but we recommend that all children in all grades have a set of pencils, crayons, colored pencils, scissors, and glue at home to help with homework and projects.
Students will have time for a daily snack. You will provide your children with snacks of your choice. Snacks should be items that can be eaten quickly and that do not make a mess. Some classrooms will be identified as NUT or PEANUT FREE. The teacher will let families know if this is the case.
Students are required to wear sneakers on days when they have Physical Education. Your child’s teacher will communicate when your PE day is.
Kindergarten: backpack with no wheels, lunch box (if needed), labeled bag with extra set of clothes (underwear, pants/shorts, shirt), an optional bag for snack
Grade 1: backpack, lunch box (if needed), labeled bag with extra set of clothes (underwear, pants/shorts, shirt), tissues
Grade 2: backpack, lunch box (if needed), reusable water bottle
Grade 3: backpack, lunch box (if needed), reusable water bottle, personal headphones
Grade 4: backpack, lunch box (if needed), reusable water bottle, personal headphones, thick and thin markers, pencils
Grade 5: backpack, lunch box (if needed), water bottle, personal headphones, pencils
FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS!!!!!
Great news, Lawrence Families! All children, regardless of income, will receive free breakfast and lunch at school if they wish to participate. Every morning, children will be asked by their teachers if they wish to order breakfast and lunch. Please communicate with your child on how you wish your child to be fed.
I am looking forward to a great year. My door is always open if you ever have any questions or concerns.
Fondly,
Jim Gaudreau, Principal [email protected] (860) 632-2158
VISION:
The Lawrence School is an inclusive community that supports and values the academic, social, physical, and emotional development of every student through an engaging and relevant transdisciplinary curriculum that fosters students as collaborators, communicators, thinkers, and global citizens.
MISSION STATEMENTS:
- We foster students’ emotional intelligence because we believe social-emotional learning is key to the development of the whole child.
- We cultivate a growth mindset among students, families, and staff because we believe in the value and importance of perseverance, varied learning dispositions, risk-taking, goal setting, and reflection.
- We foster a safe and welcoming environment that promotes a mutually-supportive school community of empathetic and collaborative individuals who are globally responsible, curious, and action-oriented.
- We engage learners by purposefully planning lessons that encourage inquiry and critical thinking, value student interest, and promote collaboration and discourse among all students.
- We value a balanced and comprehensive arts and physical education program that enhances the core curriculum and allows students to explore, experience, and appreciate world cultures and language experiences while encouraging creativity, curiosity, and healthy movement.
- We provide rigorous challenges so students take ownership of their learning as they use reasoning and thinking skills and academic risk-taking in order to develop creativity, perseverance, and recognition of their role in the global environment.