The Lawrence Elementary School
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Principal's Corner
Principal’s Corner for November 2020
November is my favorite month of the year! It is a time to think about all of the people and things that we are thankful for in our lives. I know that I am thankful to be able to work in a school with such a loving community, dedicated staff, and wonderful families and children. Showing our appreciation to others is a positive theme that will be reinforced throughout many of the activities here at school.
Our school community has shown the care we have for others by our recent food drive. Thank you to our families and staff who participated in the stuffing collection! We collected over 400 boxes of stuffing to support the Amazing Grace Food Pantry. Thank you for making a difference in people’s lives.
Parent Conferences are fast approaching! That means that children will be receiving their first report cards soon! On Wednesday, December 2, Thursday, December 3, and Friday, December 4, VIRTUAL parent conferences will be held for kindergarten and grades 1- 5 so families can see the progress their children have made. We will have early dismissal each of those days; children will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m. and lunch will be served.
I want to strongly encourage every Lawrence School family to attend the parent conferences. This is the perfect opportunity to talk to the teachers about your concerns, questions, or your goals for your children. The teachers can share tips on how to help your children at home with homework, reading, and math. It is also important for your children to share their goals with you. Your children’s reflections will be a part of the conference.
ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES UPDATES
This is a friendly reminder about the importance of hand-writing an absence note for your children if they miss school for any reason. In order for the absence to be excused or verified, the office needs a written note within 10 days of the student’s absence. Thank you for your help with this.
New Meal Service Pick-Up Option
Starting Thursday, November 19, 2020, families may pick up meals Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the following three sites:
Snow School, 299 Wadsworth Street
Phone number: 860-347-2579 Location: Main Office Entrance
Spencer School, 207 Westfield Street (this is very close to Lawrence School)
Phone number: 860-344-0701 Location: Main Office Entrance
Macdonough School, 66 Spring Street
Phone number: 860-347-8553 Location: Side of the building via Pease Ave. Please park on the curbside on Pease Ave. near the gym entrance.
Please call the school ahead of time to inform them that you will be picking up meals. Please give the number of meals and your approximate time of arrival. When you arrive at school please call the main office number and someone will bring the meals out to the car. Please do not exit your vehicle at any time.
LAWRENCE SCHOOL provides FREE breakfasts and lunches every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. You do not need to call ahead; simply park near the cafeteria doors (labeled # 4 & 5) and you can get FREE food for you and your family.
HOLIDAY TRAVEL GUIDELINES
As per the State's guidelines, families who decide to travel to any state that's on the Connecticut Travel Advisory List are required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Alternatively, you are exempt from self-quarantine if you have had a test for COVID-19 following your return to Connecticut, and the result of the test is negative. Please send negative test results to the school nurse or principal. If a negative test result is not received, then your child or children will not be allowed to attend school in person. Please note, the nucleic acid test (PCR) is the only acceptable testing option.
In addition to providing written proof of a negative test to the nurse, you must also provide written proof of such negative test result to the Commissioner of Public Health via email to DPH.COVID-Travel@ct.gov or via facsimile to (860) 326-0529.
Please visit the State's website for more information: https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus/travel
The safety of our community is our utmost priority. We are monitoring these situations daily and will continue to update you of any changes or additional information.
Nurse Boirie: boiriet@mpsct.org Principal Jim Gaudreau: gaudreauj@mpsct.org
Middletown2024
MPS Strategic Planning Campaign
Let Your Voice Be Heard: Be A Part of the Growing Middletown2024 Campaign
Share your feedback by accessing the link below to directly reach the Middletown2024 site to add your voice
bit.ly/mpsct2024
Feedback Campaign Open Until November 20, 2020
Bernie O'Rourke & Detroit Hunter 69th Memorial Christmas Toy Drive
Middletown families who are eligible for holiday toys may apply between Monday, November 2, and Monday, December 14th. NO applications will be accepted after Monday, December 14th.
Applications will be accepted ONLINE, BY MAIL, OR YOU MAY CALL AND REQUEST AN APPLICATION. Gifts will benefit children 12 and under only. You will be called with an appointment time to pick up your toys between December 1 and December 18.
You must complete our application or register online then provide proof of residency and each child's birth certificate AT TIME OF PICK UP for 2020 only.
If you have an existing household, you may register at https://webtrac.middletownct.gov
Registration number: 419050 -20.
Please email us at rec@middletownct.gov with your wish list.
IN THE SUBJECT LINE PLEASE TYPE YOUR FULL NAME AND THEN "TOY WISH LIST"
You may download an application from our website middletownct.gov/recreation and mail in the
application to 61 Durant Terrace or drop the application into our mailbox by the front door.
If you need an actual hard copy, please call 860.638.4500 to arrange a pick up time.
Karen J Nocera, Manager of Recreation
Middletown Recreation and Community Services
61 Durant Terrace, Middletown CT 06457 Phone: 860.638.4502 Work Cell: 860.414.2400 Office Fax: 860.344.3319
IB update for November
Our new Learner Profile Attribute for this month is Thinkers. Students will learn ways to improve critical thinking and problem solving skills, will continue focusing on our meta-moments to think about our emotions and ways to react, and also thinking about how our words and actions can affect others. Emphasizing curiosity and creativity will be central to the current units.
Denise Kraft, IB Coordinator kraftd@mpsct.org
Social-Emotional Strategies: A focus for us is to help students recognize their feelings and to help them learn strategies to self-regulate and respond appropriately to triggers. Communicating their feelings in a constructive way is emphasized, and the Meta-Moment is shared with students. We discuss that all of us – every student in the school, every teacher, every parent – we all have triggers, something that may get us angry or upset. Learning to recognize our triggers and the triggers of others helps us with our emotional responses. Taking the time to stop and think about the best way to respond to a peer or adult when one is triggered is emphasized.
Social-Emotional Strategies:
A focus at Lawrence School is in helping students to be able to recognize their feelings and to help them learn strategies to self-regulate and respond appropriately to triggers. Communicating their feelings in a constructive way is emphasized, and the Meta-Moment is shared with students.
We discuss that all of us – every student in the school, every teacher, every parent – we all have triggers, something that may get us angry or upset. Learning to recognize our triggers and the triggers of others helps us with our emotional responses. Taking the time to stop and think about the best way to respond to a peer or adult when one is triggered is emphasized.
Sample Strategies: Take 3 deep breaths, Get a drink of water, Count to 10, Go to the Calming Corner [take a break], Draw, Write, Read a Book, Think of a Place/Person/Pet that makes you happy, Talk to someone you trust, Squeeze or hold a comfort object, Positive self-talk
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.
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.