BIANNUAL JOURNAL OF EAST HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Exploring
Empowering
Achieving
Items of Interest: Superintendent’s
Message
Board of Education
Goals
Community Spirit Curriculum,
Instruction and Student Achievement
Parents’ Corner District Announce-
East Haven Public Schools Issue No. 5
Words from the Board Chair
Dear Parents/Residents of East Haven: I am looking forward to a very busy and positive next two years for the Board. The Board and Superintendent have established some very aggressive goals for the upcoming term that focus on supporting the ultimate goal of advancing student achievement. As this Board moves forward, it will do so by applying a basic litmus test to everything we do that will help us to prioritize our actions. We will ask a simple question of every action we take, “How does this action impact student achievement?” This means
February 2016 holding everyone involved to a higher standard of expectation while at the same time trying to build greater public and parental involvement in the process. The residents of East Haven have entrusted the Board with their greatest possession— your child/children’s education. This Board takes this role very seriously and is up for the challenge of making our educational program better with everything we do.
Superintendent’s Message
Dear Parents/Students: With a new year comes reflection, goal setting, and great expectation.
The 2015-2016 school year started with many new and exciting things occurring in our classrooms that embeds rigor within our instruction, improves student learning and increases student achievement from preschool to 12th grade. Reviewing some of these initiatives, we are already experiencing higher expectations of our students in the earlier grades with building foundational skills in literacy that will affect students’ reading levels, fluency, decoding, and comprehension. Data shows that our students are reaching District benchmarks and meeting standards with proficiency. Our Middle School math program is finally challenging students with concepts that need to be mastered before entering 9th grade in preparation for them to be successful for the rigor of a High School math program. (Cont’d. on page 2)
ments
Student Wellness Our Creative Side—
Winter Concert Photos
Follow Us on Twitter: @EHSD_pbonner Like East Haven Public Schools on Facebook East Haven District Website: www.east-haven.k12.ct.us District App: Go to our District website to download app
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We have great expectations of what our District can be as we (Cont’d. from page 1) continue to focus our eye on the importance of educating our young to develop the key Technology has become an attributes of a 21st Century important tool for instruction, learner! We are preparing for learning, research, analysis, and here, now, and the future! communication. Staff continues to learn how to incorporate the use of Google Classroom to improve instructional techniques that are more captivating to this generation of students that are digital natives.
Superintendent’s Message
Speaking of goal setting, the Board of Education has already buckled down to continue the progress that has been made over the past two years with transforming the District to one in which the community can be proud of and have set new goals that have a laser-like focus on student learning and achieveGet in the know about your ment. child’s school and School District! We encourage you to download our District App for iOS and Android which can also link to your child’s school, and the District’s website. Also, follow us on Twitter and Like Us on Facebook. Sincerely, Dr. Portia S. Bonner Superintendent of Schools
CLOSING OF DC MOORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Yes, it is official. The Board of Education has voted to close DC Moore Elementary School at the end of this school year and absorb students across the District. Momauguin Elementary School will become a Pre-K-5 school when it absorbs these students. Additionally, EH Academy will expand to include grades 1-2 for the next school year.
More changes—Tuttle Elementary School will become K-5 with the reopening of Overbrook as our Early Learning Center which will house some of our Preschool Programs. This is the first step to addressing our changing enrollment, managing the operational budget, and addressing our facilities. The Board of Education plans to request approval to renovate the JMMS complex as well.
Issue No. 5
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Board of Education Sets New Goals for 2015-2017 Board of Education Members had their annual retreat on November 17, 2015 to discuss furthering their progress to improve academic performance in the core content areas and preparing our students to be both college and career ready. During the Retreat, discussion on how to strengthen the relationship between the Board and the Superintendent’s office was at the forefront in order for the District to reach its goals. We set four (4) important goals to show the community that we are serious about the strength of our educational programs and preparing our students to be competitive in a global world. The goals are as follows: Goal 1: Committing ourselves to academic excellence! We have defined academic excellence by increasing the number of students who take SAT and AP exams and score above the State average on these national assessments. Improved performance on State assessments, more students graduating on-time and attending a 4-year post-secondary institution of higher education. More of our students taking either Advanced Placement courses, and/or receiving college credit alongside their high school program. It is our plan to offer expanded opportunities for students to excel by providing a more personalized approach to attaining academic standards, expanding extracurricular programming, extending the school day, providing mentoring for students at risk, implementing an honors and alternative program at the high school, and reviewing our grading policy and practice for grades 6-12. Goal 2: Changing the Culture of How the Community Values Education! In concert with this year’s theme, we want to change the negative perception of what our community and outsiders think about East Haven Public Schools! Stop perseverating on the negative and accentuate the positive things that are occurring in our District. This comes with reaching out to all stakeholders in the community and engaging them in important conversations around education, changing the Board’s focus at Board meetings that goes beyond fiscal management, and reaching our families of diverse backgrounds. Goal 3: Increase the Engagement and Involvement of Families! We encourage our families to become more involved and engaged in their school community, support their child’s learning, and participate in school events and activities. As we reach out to the families we serve, our second Board meeting of the month will be located at an alternative school. This will allow us to hear directly from those families within their community school. We know that in order for our schools to be successful, we must work together as a whole. All energies should be in how we affect the change that is needed in our District rather than just talking about what’s wrong. Goal 4: Safe and Secure Environment for Student Learning! Over the past two years, we have updated our security and school climate plans at all schools, improved security measures at our buildings, improved workplace safety by ensuring the upkeep of facilities, training of staff, and review of policies and procedures. As mental health issues are becoming a more prevalent concern across the nation, we are addressing the additional need for social workers and school psychologists in the schools.
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Community Spirit—Our Kids Giving Back to the Community Toys for Tots (HOSA, SADD and Exploring Technology Classes) East Haven High School students from SADD, HOSA, and Mr. Iavarone’s Woodworking classes collaborated together to hold a toy drive. SADD sponsored the drive in support of Madeline Guarraia, a 9-year old East Lyme girl who has cancer. Madeline is unable to receive any more treatments. A bone marrow from her brother was her last hope. Madeline’s Christmas wish was that people donate toys to the hospital for children her age. According to her dad, when she goes into the hospital, she always looks around and says, “Dad, I feel sorry for that kid over there.”
Donalson, Jake Ferraiolo. Absent from photograph: Joshua Rao, Casey Marshall.
HOSA—Granting Wishes and Running the Midnight Run to children at the East Haven Counseling Center.
HOSA collected toys for the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. Students delivered new toys, donated by staff and students, to the hospital. A team from Mr. Iavarone’s periods 4 and 7 Exploring Technology classes produced wooden toy airplanes and cars while participating in a collaborative project with HOSA regarding the Toys for Tots Program at Yale New Haven Hospital. All wooden toys were constructed from recycled materials that were originally lumber “cut offs” and wooden skids from construction job sites. Pictured left to right is: Gianni DiMartino, Mario Natale, Michael Cousins, Spencer
Dan Trzcinski’s Advanced Baking and Pastry classes made gingerbread houses that were delivered and displayed at CT Hospice during the Christmas Season. This picture shows a few of the students that set up a display in the main office.
HOSA prepared 50 bagged lunches for the midnight run in front of the Christmas Tree in Town Center to help the homeless and needy.
The EHHS National Honor Society sponsored a Christmas Tree Raffle. The idea of the raffle was to gather donated gift cards from various businesses, put them on a tree, and raffle off the tree containing all of the gift cards to the winners. The money collected would be sent to families in need who have children in our school system. The community came together, and members received over $700 worth of gift cards from many local businesses. Students raised $1,050 from the tree raffle. Three families in the East Haven community received a $350 gift card to help ease the burden during the holiday season.
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Issue No. 5
Community Spirit—Our Kids Giving Back to the Community JMMS Student Council— Raised over $350 for the East Haven Animal Shelter and delivered a truckload of donated food to the food pantry!
Winter Wonderland at D.C. Moore The Family Resource Center and Little Jacket families raised $200 for the East Haven Food Pantry.
East Haven Elementary Schools—participated in Shop Rite Scarecrow Contest.
JMMS Honor Society— Raised $600 for the Rotary’s Annual “Clothe the Children” drive! Kudos to the principals for encouraging our students to participate! Congratulations to our artists: Richard Filipelli, 1st place, DC Moore Brianna Braver, 2nd place, Overbrook JMMS Students Ugly Sweater for a Cause— Raised over $300 for the East Haven Food Pantry!
3rd Place Winners and remaining participants: Stella Butler, DC Moore Jaedyn Fallon, Ferrara Julia Nargi, Tuttle Michael Pendred, EH Academy Hagyn Davis, Ferrara Jenna Laudano, DC Moore Kayla Wolfe, Ferrrara
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Superintendent’s Reading Challenge Drum Roll Please!! The total is 45,075! Another exciting year as we edge towards our goal to read 85,000 books! Why the challenge and why reading is so important to us? Reading is a fundamental skill that is necessary to excel in the core content areas! Skilled readers are fluent, can decode words, comprehend what they’ve read and have a strong use of vocabulary! We want all of our students to be “skilled readers”, that’s why we are really focusing on literacy!
Summer Reading Challenge Winners Adrianna Pappacoda (Gr. 2) at Deer Run Nora Stewart (Gr. 3) at EH Academy Genesis Camejo (Gr. 6) at JMMS Nicholas Vessicchio (Gr. 9) at EHHS Lisa Brown’s 2nd Gr. Class @ Deer Run Ann Diamantini’s 3rd Gr. Class @ EH Academy JMMS 6th Gr. Team (Teachers) Deer Run Elem. School read the most books with a whopping total of Michelle Ardolino, JMMS read the most books for staff
241 170 29 3 856 278 557 3,183 85
Fall Reading Challenge Winners Quinn Leonard (Kind.) at Overbrook
337
Abbie Hubble (Gr. 3) at Ferrara Victoria Nicholls (Gr. 7) at EH Academy Sara Kelsey’s Gr. 11 English Class at EHHS Linda Peterson’s Gr. 1 Class @ Overbrook Chris Brown’s 5th Gr. Class @ Momauguin JMMS 8th Gr. Team (Teachers) Deer Run Elem. School read the most books with a whopping total of Marge Venice (Library Aide) read the most for staff
31 32 165 1,381 225 885 12,166 53
Victoria Nicholls, Grade 7—EH Academy, recommends The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon and Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea.
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Issue No. 5
CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT What is Mole Day? EHHS celebrates annually on October 23rd from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m., Mole Day which commemorates Avogadro’s Number (6.02 x 10²³), which is a basic measuring unit in chemistry. Mole Day was created as a way to foster interest in chemistry. Schools throughout the United States and around the world celebrate Mole Day with various activities related to chemistry and/or moles.
This relationship was first discovered by Amadeo Avogadro (1776-1858) and he received credit for this after his death.
You will see more of this across the District embedded in our technology instruction.
Tuttle Students’ Code!
Checkout Code.org, Khan
A day of coding! What’s that all about? Students at Tuttle learned about the importance of having the ability to code (Computer Science 101) as the job market in the Year 2020 and beyond will look very different from where we are now! We are preparing students for future occupations that have not even been created! So what’s coding? It’s another name for programming! Our students are given challenges that require logic and critical thinking in the form of puzzles or games.
For a given molecule, one mole is a mass (in grams) whose number is equal to the molar mass of the molecule. For example, the water molecule has a molar mass of 18; therefore, one mole of water weighs 18 grams. In general, one mole of any substance contains Avogadro’s Number of molecules or atoms of that substance.
Academy & Scratch. Also, an article in Ed Week, All
Grades Learn Computer Programming, December 9, 2015
National History Day Project Eighth grade students at JMMS and tenth grade students at EHHS have been busy working on the National History Day project in their social studies classes. Each year, students are challenged to develop self-selected research projects centered around an annual theme. The 20152016 theme is Exploration,
Encounter, Exchange in History. Students have the
option of submitting their work to a regional competition where it will be evaluated by community members and professional historians. It is self-paced and students continue to work at a challenge until they move to the next level. Students apply mathematics, sequencing skills, logic, and problem-solving when engaging in these challenges.
This year’s projects include a mix of museum-type exhibits, document ary videos, research papers, and websites.
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CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Ferrara Elementary School Participates in ACES STEM Program STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Explorations is a year-long learning program designed to deepen core competencies in science, technology, engineering and math for 5th grade urban and suburban school students and their teachers. STEM Explorations will strengthen core competencies and comfort levels among teaching staff, who will play an integral role in the program and receive integrated professional development through support of virtual in-class programming throughout the year. The program will align with the identified Math Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. In a multi-district cohort of 100 students from four classes, each urban classroom will be paired with a suburban classroom and will meet in-person every two months for four intensive and fun days of STEM learning. In between face-to-face gatherings, students will solve and write about STEM problems in virtual sessions (video-conferencing and blogging) with their peer partners. STEM Explorations has partnered with several strong science, technology, engineering and math resources to provide integrated and sequentially-paced STEM instruction. The first two days of in-person programming will take place at the Eli Whitney Museum. Students will participate in STEM workshops, interviews and ice-breaker activities, designed for students from diverse communities to learn more about each other and celebrate their diversity within their mixed interdistrict groups of 25. During these two days, students will construct a music machine and hear the logic of Leonardo’s mind at work as he invents the first modern robot—an automatic drummer whose rhythms can be reprogrammed flexibly and whose tempos adjust automatically. They will participate in two interactive math lessons involving patterns, angles, geometry and programming applications, provided by an experienced math educator and coach. The second two days of STEM programming will take place at each of the four schools, allowing students to learn more about their partners’ communities. NE First, an educational resource focused on strengthening students’ expertise in engineering, will conduct these sessions on robotics, culminating in the construction of LEGOS Robotic models, within small groups. A technology consultant will help classroom teachers to facilitate the virtual activities, utilizing CANVAS technology, webconferencing, blogging and social media platforms. A culminating event will be planned for the spring, at which students, teachers, parents, and families participate in STEM activities and view presentations by students. Check out Ferrara’s website for more information and photos.
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Issue No. 5 ‘
CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT STEM Competition East Haven Public Schools held our annual middle school STEM competition at East Haven High School on November 19, 2015. The creativity and fun continued this year with the sixth grade “Quake and Shake”, seventh grade “Paddle Boats” and the eighth grade “Mousetrap Cars”. Students spent three weeks using the engineering design process to design, build, experiment, collaborate, and refine their designs for the finals.
Mousetrap Car Speed 1st Place: David Prenetta, Coralyz Torres, Emma Luden 2nd Place: Kaymond Quattlebaum, Kenny Martino 3rd Place: Michael Fatone, Antwan Lao
Creativity 1st Place - Quentin Sibley, Mason Wilson 2nd Place - Hailey Bruneau, Alexis Pendziwater, Mariah Perkins 3rd Place - Mary Fucci, Shane Hanson, Francesca Landino
Knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) could be the key to a successful future for many of our students. We are very proud of their work! Please join us in congratulating the following Final Competition winners:
Winners from Grade 8 Mousetrap Car Distance 1st Place: Carolyn Miller, Isabella Miranda, Cameron Duplessie 2nd Place: Mikayla Franklin, Sarah Greenspun, Tanner DiVito 3rd Place: Charles Uschak
Winners from Grade 7 Boat Challenge Distance 1st Place: Nicole Montoya, Bobbi Severino 2nd Place: Dharm Patel, Jovan Loja, Justin Donnelly, Kevin Gallman 3rd Place: Andrew Voira, Joseph Gernhard
Boat Challenge Speed 1st Place: Andrew Voira, Joseph Gernhar 2nd Place: Alex Gargano, Ashley Brown, Adam Kotapka 3rd Place: Asa Myers, John Carballo, James O'Brien
3D Tin
STEM WINNERS NOVEMBER 2015 3D Tin 1st Place- Samantha Schlottman, Nick Capone, Isabella Ragaini 2nd Place - Alina Tran, Aracelli Tello 3rd Place- Arianna Zampano, Kyle Hubbell, Samantha Rivera
1st Place: Tyler Vance, Carly Cordova, and Brooke Clancy 2nd Place: Kisha Francois, Anthony Butler, and Mckayla Wheeler 3rd Place: Ohm Patel and Sam Purnell
Creativity 1st Place: Natalia Gentile, Mackenzie Smith and Shawn Eisensmith 2nd Place: Sienna Demaio, Ally Tatro, and Robert Cofrancesco 3rd Place: Taylor Saloto, Sophia Speringo, and Austin Sasso
EHPS
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CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT STEM (Cont’d. from pg. 9)
Winners from Grade 6 Logo winner: Olivia Mazzucco
3D Tin 1st Place: Christy Phimmavong 2nd Place: Jessica Ha 3rd Place: Terese Coker
Google Leadership Symposium & EHPS EHPS is considered to be a leader in using the Google Platform to catapult blended learning across the grades and curriculum. We hosted a symposium for educators from across the State showcasing what’s happening in our classrooms. East Haven Academy was the place of venue! Students and staff showed how using Chromebooks allows them to access various adaptive learning platforms. Students engaged in content that was self-paced and provided immediate feedback. Staff can collect data on students’ performance that is stored in a cloud-based database that teachers can use to plan and/or modify instruction. Over 100 participants from across the State toured our classrooms at the Academy observing lessons that utilized the Google Suite of software programs and attended workshops that were facilitated by staff and representatives from Google. It was an exciting day for our staff, District, and students. Kudos to the Technology Department!
Shake and Quake Survival 1st Place: Michael Gagliardi, Matthew Gaudioso, Michael Kosiorek 2nd Place: Maddie Trudeau, Virginia Johnson, and Angelina Nicholls 3rd Place: Jake Ortiz, Matt Brown, and Brandon Goulet
East Haven High School Launches Attendance Recovery Program A gift of a second chance, students can now attend classes on Saturday to recover lost credit due to attendance. The fees for this program are as follows: Fees:
Semester Course: $75/course Full-Yr. Course: $150/course Students on Free or Reduced Lunch /Program:
Free/Fee Waived
For further information, please Office at 203-468-3351.
contact the Guidance
Issue No. 5
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CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Experience Corp. Extra bodies on deck at Ferrara, Momauguin & Tuttle to assist our students! Taking lessons from our most seasoned! This year the District has partnered with AARP-Experience Corp. tutors to provide additional support in literacy! This partnership also enhances the importance of building healthy relationships with caring, older adults in their community. This program has reduced disruptive behavior, improved participant’s concentration and improved the number of students reading at grade level.
Check out the video presentation on the District website under dropdown “Curriculum” (load video and click link).
Literacy How and Talking Fingers Project Literacy How, through a grant, has been working with our Pre-K and kindergarten students with a project called Talking Fingers. This project is to test the effectiveness of using literacy Apps on iPads in developing phoneme awareness, phonic skills, and recognition of sight words. Our children have been engaged in this project since September and we are already seeing the effects of this work in student performance on progress monitoring assessments.
Pioneers Program EHHS will introduce a new program for honors students seeking academic challenges beyond the core curriculum and seek to expand their leadership potential through realworld experiences! This new program is called: The “Pioneers Program”! It is a cohort-based academic model that personalizes learning, develops leadership and community service in a manner that prepares our students to be college ready and civic minded. Students interested in this program must meet admission criteria. See your Middle School or Academy counselor about the program! Applications are due March 1, 2016.
Parents’ Corner Building “Grit!” Help your child learn how to persevere!!! Perseverance is what helps us to overcome obstacles and to obtain our dreams! “Grit”
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DISTRICT ANNOUNCEMENTS & INFORMATION Is your Child entering Kindergarten in August 2016? The Incoming Kindergarten Parent Information Program will be held at E.H.H.S on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Parents will be able to complete initial registration information after a brief presentation. The snow date will be Wednesday, February 3, 2016. Centralized Kindergarten Registration for the following school zones: D.C. Moore/Momauguin, Deer Run, and Overbrook/Tuttle Schools will be held on: Thursday, February 18, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at EHHS in the Library Media Center Wednesday, April 27, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at EHHS in the Library Media Center If you need information regarding which school your home address is assigned to or another aspect of registration, call any school.
Mrs. Jackie Bacon at D.C. Moore (203) 468-3316 Ms. Phyllis Savo at Deer Run (203) 468-3324 Ms. Diane MacKinnon at Overbrook (203) 468-3305 Requirements for Registration:
Child must reach their fifth birthday on or before January 1, 2017. Birth certificate and immunization records must be presented at registration. Parents must bring a photo ID of themselves. Three proofs of residency must also be presented; one of these must be in the form of a current lease or current mortgage document. Other proofs may be utility or tax bills.
East Haven Academy Lottery (For Students Entering Grade 1-3 Only) School Vision Statement: To create a safe, nurturing environment that builds on and
strengthens the unique intellectual, emotional, social, and physical potential of the whole child. January 27, 2016 February 18, 2016 March 21, 2016 March 28, 2016
Information Night in the JMMS Auditorium at 5:00 p.m. (Grade 3) Information Night in the JMMS Auditorium at 5:00 p.m. (Grades 1-2) Due date for applications for lottery (Grades 1-3) Lottery will be run (Grades 1-3)
Issue No. 5
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DISTRICT ANNOUNCEMENTS & INFORMATION What’s the Buzz? CONNECTICUT STUDENT ASSESSMENT CALENDAR 2015 - 2016 State Assessment CMT Science CAPT Science CMT/CAPT Skills Checklist NCSC/CT Alternate Assessment (CTAA) SBAC ELA and Math PSAT Reading and Math SAT Reading and Math (SAT Make-up Date)
Grade (s) 5, 8 10 5, 8 and 10 3-8 and 11 3-8 9 11 11
Testing Window March 22–29 March 2 March 1–29 March 15-May 27 May 2-20 March 2 March 2 April 27
What’s at the bottom of a snowman?*
Photo and Design Courtesy of Preschool Children at Momauguin! *(Two feet)
Word of the year! Bombinate - to make a humming or buzzing sound— like a yellow jacket!
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EHPS
Issue No. 5
Promoting Good Attendance All Winter Long Every winter, bad weather, snow, slush, and freezing temperatures can present challenges to getting children to school. So do the colds, fevers, and earaches that often come with the winter months. Families are crucial to ensuring students attend school every day whether their role is to transport a young child to school or monitor whether their teenager is showing up to class. Absences, even if they are excused, can add up to academic trouble. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school. What families say and do has a big influence on their child’s attendance.
What Can Parents Do? 1. Develop backup plans for getting your children to school in bad weather.
Form a “walking school bus” with other families to get students to school safely. Join other families in a snow shovel brigade to clear the sidewalks closest to the school.
2. Keep your children healthy.
Dress them warmly for the cold weather. Stress the importance of eating a good breakfast every morning. Stress handwashing, particularly in the winter months. Talk to your doctor or school nurse about when a sick child should come to school.
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OUR CREATIVE SIDE - WINTER CONCERT PHOTOS
BIANNUAL JOURNAL OF EAST HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Central Office Staff Dr. Portia Bonner Erica Forti Robert Swan Randel Osborne James Farrell Amy Eichberger Janice Ball Ellen D’Agostino
Board of Education John Finkle, Chair Michele DeLucia Ronald DeNuzzo Lisa Geraci-Anastasio Thomas Hennessey Christine Maisano Louis Pacelli MaryAnn Pellegrino Christine Sandford
