The Lawrence Elementary School
VISION:
The Lawrence School is an inclusive community that supports and values the academic, social, physical, and emotional development of every student. We create a safe environment and foster mutually-supportive relationships among all stakeholders so that all children can maximize their potential in order to succeed as global citizens.
Principal’s Newsletter for March 2018
Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Party on March 6 was another great success. I love seeing so many families attend and participate in arts and crafts, reading, family games, and of course face-painting. I want to thank our two amazing and creative face painters, Aimee Blair from Party Face and Milly the Clown, for making this a special night. A huge thank you deserves to go to Teachers Melissa Nelson, Kerry Darby, Kelly Tuttle, and Shannon Johnson for co-planning this event and organizing the materials with me. This annual event is a great way to celebrate Read Across America Day.
Parent Conferences are right around the corner on Wednesday, March 14, Thursday, March 15, and Friday, March 16. I want to strongly encourage all families to either attend the parent conferences or conduct a phone conference with your child’s teacher. This is a great opportunity to hear how your child is doing and to work with the teacher on how to help your child improve. Sharing your goals for your children and discussing ways to collaborate on achieving those goals is ideal! There will be early dismissal at 1:15 p.m. on those days and lunch will be served. The night of March 14 is available as well for families who may not be able to get out of work before 5:00 pm. I hope to see you there!
Spring Book Fair
Our Spring Scholastic Book Fair is here. Please make plans to visit our Book Fair and be involved in shaping your child’s reading habits. The funds we raise through Scholastic are used to enhance the literary selections in both your child's classrooms, as well as the library.
The Book Fair will run from Monday, March 12 - Friday, March 16 (same week as parent-teacher conferences). Please consider volunteering your time during the Book Fair; it is a week-long event that requires a lot of help from our families. A huge thank you to Parent Kelly Weisenberg and Administrative Assistant Mary Monarca for organizing the event and beautifully decorating our library.
Shopping Hours:
Tuesday, 3/13 Grand Lunch from 11:30 am-2:00 pm have lunch with your Child or Grandchild and then come visit the Book Fair together. Please check when your child has lunch
Wednesday, 3/14 Student and Family shopping from 10:30 am-7:30 pm
Thursday, 3/15 Student and Family shopping from 10:30 am-4:30 pm
Friday, 3/16 Student and Family shopping from 10:30 am-4:30 pm
Box Tops for Education: thank you for your support!
Thank you to everyone for submitting your Box Tops for education coupons. In total this year, we collected over 3100, which will earn our school $319.80. Thanks to Parent Stacey Mendes for her help counting and packaging them up. This money will go toward the activities and events planned by the PTA for Lawrence students and their families. Your clipping is greatly helping all students and programming! THANK YOU!
gaudreauj@mpsct.org
The Lawrence School Brownie Girl Scout Troop #60441 would like to thank our Lawrence community for all of the recent generous donations. Two of our families recently experienced some significant hardships. We are so pleased with the outstanding amount of items collected for our families in need. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY!
The Brownie Troop has an exciting new challenge for the students and families of Lawrence School: the “Kindness Challenge.” Let’s continue to show one another how kind our Lawrence community is. There is a bulletin board in the hallway with a small envelope on the bottom of the board. Inside there is a list of random acts of kindness. Challenge yourself to complete all 20 examples in one week!
On Wednesday, March 14th, from 1:30pm – 7:30pm at Lawrence School, Brownie Troop 60441 will be selling all your favorite cookies: Samoas, Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Trefoils, and more! Stop by when you come in for your conference or your visit to the book fair. Cash only please. Proceeds will help support our Brownie troop with activities and service work in Middletown.
Middletown Public Schools K-12 District Art Show
Zilkha Gallery at Wesleyan University
Opening Reception is March 17, from 5-7 pm
Hours: Sat. and Sun. 1-4pm, Mon.-Fri. 12-7pm
Save the Dates! March 17-25 are the dates of this year's Middletown District Art Show at Wesleyan University. Students who have been chosen to have artwork on display will receive a special invitation so be on the lookout for a post card sized invitation. For additional information on the show and to read what your child is doing in art, please check the Lawrence art site. Thank you! Alison Kaye kayea@mpsct.org
- Go to the Lawrence School homepage (www.middletownschools.org)
- Scroll down the page to find a blue circle that says CONTACT US select that button
- Scroll down to the staff directory and in the text box, type in KAYE hit search
- Alison Kaye’s information will appear Hit MORE and My Website
Minds in Motion March 24, 2018 1-4 pm
Minds in Motion is a fun state-wide event held annually in Middletown. The event will be held at our beautiful high school, and all Lawrence students are invited to attend. Children participate in creative, hands-on activities and critical thinking and problem-solving activities designed to challenge the mind. Parents get to participate in free workshops while the children are in classrooms from 1-4 pm, or parents can browse the amazing vendor stations with fantastic books and games to develop your children as creative thinkers and problem solvers. It is a fun day for all. Please consider attending.
Workshops fill quickly.
Register at http://mimmiddletown.weebly.com.
Amazing Grace Food Pantry Olympic Challenge
For the month of February, Lawrence families really rose to the challenge to help those in need. We collected roughly 687 pounds of food to donate to Amazing Grace, which represents around 750 cans and boxes of food. WOW! Thank you for your generosity and for helping others.
Music Notes - March
The annual All-City Music Festival is coming up this month for 4th and 5th grade students. These students have the choice to perform in band, chorus, and recorder ensembles at this event, and many students perform in all three! The festival is a great way to see the scope of the Middletown Public Schools music program as students from fourth through twelfth grade all perform. The finale piece, a long-time Middletown tradition, involves all of the students present and is truly a sight to behold. Please join us! Rehearsal and performance dates are below.
Please contact me with any questions at scalaf@mpsct.org
Mrs. Scala
News from the Library Media Center
Kindergarteners and first graders are reading books by Dr. Seuss. Second through fourth graders are practicing their listening skills through literature. Fifth graders are creating book trailers for the Charter Oak Children’s Book Award nominees, which kindergarteners through third graders will read and vote on later in the spring.
Once again, the PTA will hold the Scholastic Book Fair in the library media center during the week of March 12. THANK YOU to the PTA for all the work they do to support literacy in our school! Mrs. Darby darbyk@mpsct.org
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
March 11 Daylight Saving Time Begins Clocks spring forward one hour J
March 12 – 16 SPRING BOOK FAIR
March 12: Online Sales for Book Fair starts
March 13: GRAND LUNCH families can have lunch, visit the book fair
March 14: Book Fair open from 10:30am – 7:30 pm. Shop at Night!
March 15, 16: Book Fair open 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
March 14–16 Parent Conferences Students are dismissed at 1:15 pm each day Report cards are distributed Lunch is served each day!!!!
March 12-16 Penny Wars continues all week
March 16 Spirit Day: students can dress as their favorite characters from books or TV
March 19 Early Dismissal at 1:15 pm
March 20 First Day of Spring
March 21 Karate Club show at 4:00 pm this is the last class
March 23 Grade 2 Field Trip to the Lincoln Theatre, West Hartford 9:15-12:15
March 27 SPRING PICTURES for those interested
March 30 Good Friday: NO SCHOOL
April 2 Early Dismissal at 1:15 pm
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, goal setting, and reflection.
- We foster a safe and welcoming environment that promotes a school community of supportive, empathetic, and cooperative individuals who are socially responsible.
- We engage learners by purposefully planning lessons that encourage inquiry and critical thinking, value student interest, and promote collaboration and discourse.
- We value a comprehensive arts and physical education program that enhances the core curriculum and allows students to explore, experience, and appreciate world cultures, 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.
Statement of Non-Discrimination
The Middletown Board of Education is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, and it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, civil union, military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or past or present physical or mental disability in any of its education programs, activities, or employment policies. All educational programs and offerings, including vocational education and extracurricular activities, subscribe to this policy. Marco Gaylord, Director of District Operations, has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the district non-discrimination policies and may be reached at 311 Hunting Hill Avenue, Middletown, CT 06457; phone (860) 638-1485.