Please complete the Lawrence’s Spring Family-School Relationship Survey by clicking here, or clicking on the image below.
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 May Newsletter
I love to start newsletters with good news! Coming up on Thursday, May 24, our annual Young Author’s Night and Science Fair will take place from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. I hope all families can drop by to see your children’s work and to celebrate the efforts of all of the students at our school. The PTA will also be giving out hot dogs and juicy slices of watermelon for all of us to enjoy for FREE! Thank you to our amazing PTA Board – Erin Langford, Tarah Jarda, & Eric and Alice Kutcher – for volunteering their time to make this night special. In addition, our cafeteria will be filled with books as we have our annual BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE book sale. The book sale will start at 5:00 pm and end around 7:00 pm, so if you would like to stock up for summer reading, please drop by the cafeteria. Thank you to Parent Kelly Weisenberg for organizing the book sale.
Our students in grades 3-5 are finishing their state tests this month. The Smarter Balanced Test in Language Arts and Math is given annually to students and emphasizes the growth children make from one year to another. We encourage all children to try their best, persevere, and take their time, as these tests are untimed. Results of the tests usually are sent to families in late summer.
Music Notes
A reminder that our spring concert is approaching. Our shows will be as follows:
*Monday, June 4 at 9:30am all students in grades K-2 perform
*Monday, June 4 at 11:00am all students in grades 3-5 & band
Please send your student(s) to school in dressy clothes. If you would like for them to have something more comfortable to wear, please send in a change of clothing. Please feel free to contact Mrs. Scala with any questions: scalaf@mpsct.org.
Yearbooks for Sale: families have until Monday, May 21, to order their yearbooks. To place your order online, please go to https://lawrence.fluidmedia.com/communities/2626/commons
You can also choose to pay by cash or check made payable to Lawrence School PTA. The cost of the yearbook is $20. If you do not have the order form, then you can simply send in the payment in a sealed envelope and give that to your child’s teacher. Please join in thanking Parent Amy Strickland for all of her hard work and time that she puts into creating a beautiful yearbook.
Family Survey: we are hoping that all families can take a few minutes to complete a school survey. The results of the surveys help us to create school goals and look at what are strengths and areas for improvement are from our families’ perspectives.
The survey is near the top of our school website, so please visit www.middletownschools.org and click on OUR SCHOOLS, LAWRENCE. We appreciate your time and feedback.
Celebrate National School Nurse’s Day & Walk or Bike to School Day
National School Nurse’s Day is Wednesday, May 9. Please join in celebrating our amazing Nurse Kathy, who gives so much love and support to the children at Lawrence School.
When I think of Nurse Kathy, I think of two words: altruistic and active. Kathy is incredibly giving, as she consistently organizes food drives to support the Amazing Grace Food Pantry. She is also incredibly active, as she regularly rides her bike or walks to school every day (and it is quite a long journey J). What a coincidence then that National Walk or Bike to School Day is also the same day as National School Nurse’s Day. We will unload buses at the start of the circle to give our bus students a little more exercise than normal. Please support this great day!
Grants Awarded to Lawrence School Tied to Science
The Community Foundation of Middlesex County is supporting a grant opportunity created by the Connecticut Science Center’s Outreach Program that is running multiple hands-on lessons for students in grades 5, 4, 3, and 2. The topics relate to rocks, light, magnetism, the water cycle, becoming mystery detectives, and vibrations. Children get to explore all of these topics with staff from the CT Science Center. All of these topics are tied to the science curriculum for each of those grades. The CT Science Center is wrapping up its visits to Lawrence this month. On behalf of the appreciative teachers and enthusiastic students, I want to thank the CT Science Center and The Community Foundation of Middlesex County for their support of education and valuing the joys of curiosity and exploration.
Attendance: If your child is absent from school for any reason, please provide a handwritten note to excuse your child’s absence. This note should be sent to your child’s teacher or the school office. Thank you for your help with this!
Important Upcoming Dates
5/21 Early Dismissal at 1:15 pm for all students
5/23 All-City Strings Festival
5/24 Young Author’s Night & Science Fair (5:30 – 6:30 pm), Mini Book Fair (5:00 – 7:00 pm)
5/25 Family Survey closes
5/28 Memorial Day No School
5/29 Grade 3 Field Trip to Wadsworth Mansion
5/31 Grade 4 Field Trip to the New England Air Museum
5/31 School Governance Council meets at 5:00 pm, PTA meets at 6:30 pm
PTA will be conducting elections for positions for 2018-2019
6/1 Outdoor Movie Night, Family Soccer Game, and Spring Vendor Fair FREE EVENT bring your family to watch The Incredibles starting at 8 pm (free popcorn)
Vendor Fair goes from 5-8 pm
Family Soccer Game is from 6:30 – 7:30 pm
6/4 Spring Concert **please note that each child will perform only once see schedule above
6/8 Field Day – we are looking for families to volunteer from 9:00 – 11:30 am or 1:45 – 3:00 pm 6/8
Talent Show Performance in the evening
6/13 Rain Date for Field Day
6/20 Last Day of School students dismissed 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.