Newsletter 1

The Tattler Mrs. Megan Bennett, Principal November 2015

Phone: (860)628-3370 Fax: (860)628-3308

website: southingtonschools.org

“Where Children Soar and

Dreams Take Flight”

School Lunch Program Prices

Student Lunch - $2.75 Milk - 60 ¢ Snacks - 75 ¢ REMINDER: BREAKFAST PROGRAM TIME: Begins at 8:20—8:35 a.m. FULL PRICE: $1.75 REDUCED PRICE: $.30 (or if already approved free)

Information To Save: School Hours

Grades K-5 8:35-3:05

Early Dismissal Grades K-5 8:35-1:10

Lunch and Recess Schedule

Lunch Grades K-1 11:05-11:35 Recess Grades K-1 11:35-12:05

Lunch Grades 2-3 11:45-12:15 Recess Grades 2-3 12:15-12:45

Lunch Grades 4-5 12:30-1:00 Recess Grades 4-5 1:00-1:30

Newsletter 2

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRINCIPAL: Dear Thalberg Families, We welcomed some new staff members to Thalberg last month. Mrs. Jaci Belanger is the new face behind the secretary desk in the main office. Mrs. Belanger has quickly learned the systems and is learning the names and faces. Miss Jamie Narducci joins our third grade team. Miss Narducci did not waste any time as she was thrust into the spotlight of hosting a pep rally. This month we close out the first of the three marking periods. On November 6th, the marking period closes and the teachers will begin to prepare grades. You should expect report cards to come home with your child on Friday, November 20th. We ask that you review the report card prior to your parent/teacher conference meeting so you can make the most of your meeting with your child’s teacher. We are introducing a new program at Thalberg to celebrate our veterans. Mrs. Buden, our lead teacher, has organized a luncheon with the veterans on Thursday, November 19th. Our veterans will be invited to speak to our children at lunch and have a chance to talk to our children during their lunch wave. I am sure you have heard that the first part of the playground is installed. I want to thank everyone who donated his or her time, energy and money to the project. Mr. Coppola and the playground committee are hoping to complete the entire project by Spring 2016. November is going to fly by in the blink of an eye. There are so many things that I am thankful for at Thalberg. The number one thing I am thankful for are the incredible people we have in this community. Enjoy your Thanksgiving break (including the extra day this year)!

Respectfully, Megan Bennett

Newsletter 3

Bus Students Only those children who are eligible bus riders may ride their assigned buses to and from school. Please write a note to your child’s teacher if you decide NOT to have your child ride the bus home at the end of the day. If there isn’t a note from you, the child will board the bus as normal.

STUDENT ABSENCES If your child will be absent please call the nurse’s office to report the reason for their absence. When your child returns to school please send in a written note. Remember students with a contagious disease must notify the nurse and get a doctor’s note to return to school. Introducing:

“Nurse Laurie Bleau” School Nurse Office Number

(860)628-3300

School Lunch Program Your child has brought home a form to determine the eligibility for free or reduced lunch meals. To participate, please complete the form and return it to the school as soon as you can. It must be fully completed for a decision to be made. You may apply at any time during the year. If we can be of assistance, please call us. Our office lends money for a day to students who have forgotten their hot lunch money – we do not lend money for ice cream or snacks. Student Lunch - $2.75 Milk for cold lunch 60¢ Snacks - 75¢

PTO CORNER Keep up to the minute with Thalberg! Our PTO will send you email reminders of school events and our meeting minutes. Please send an email request to: thalbergminutes@cox.com PTO is also on Facebook. Friend request our Thalberg PTO to find out more information about our school.

Newsletter 4

REMINDERS: No student should be dropped off at the school without supervision. Doors open at 8:20 for student entry. Any drop offs after 8:35, students need to be brought in the front entrance by parent or adult.

Parents dropping off should NOT pass vehicles unloading students. This creates safety issues in the parent drop off circle. No backing into the circle.

All visitors must sign-in at the main office AND sign out. This information is used during fire drills.

The Southington School system is trying to “Be Green”. The newsletter is posted on the website or if you don’t have computer access a paper copy will be sent home. Please contact the office or your child’s teacher to let us know that you need a paper copy sent home. Below are directions as to how to get the newsletter. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the office. Thank you.

Access to Monthly Newsletters:

Go to Southington Public Schools Main Page (www.southingtonschools.org)

Click on Schools then on Thalberg Click on Newsletter

Then Current Month Newsletter.

JUST  A  REMINDER    -­‐  According  to  SOUTHINGTON  BOE  Transportation  policy….    STUDENTS  ARE  TO  BE  5  DAYS  CONSISTANT  AT  ANY  STOP  or  parents  are  responsible  to  provide  transportation  from  the  school  or  that  location  (example:  Day  Care)  on  the  alternate  days.      There  will  be  NO  ACCEPTIONS  to  this  policy  unless  permission  is  given  by  the  CENTRAL  OFFICE.    Be  advised  that  NBT  will  NOT  TAKE  RESPONSIBILITY  for  any  errors  or  missing  children  under  these  circumstances.      The  reason  for  this  POLICY  is  to  keep  NBT  and  the  BOE  from  any  liability  for  a  lost  child  being  put  on  a  wrong  bus  in  error.    

Newsletter 5

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 Adrian P.

3 4 5 Emma P. Emma V.

6

7 Mikayla B.

8 Sawyer G. Sebastian L.

9

10 Sophia L.

11 Mitchell M. Jacob P.

12 Luke P.

13 Daniel D. Geo D. Jillian S.

14

15 Kayla B. Jacob I. Gurleen S.

16 17 Jeremy P. Karan S.

18 David G.

19 20 21

22 Darys C. Manal C. Lillian F. Lauren K.

23 Micah A. Kathleen K. Elizabeth T.

24 Lilliana B. Laura E. Jeyla I. Emily L.

25 26 Liana B. Kaylee M.

27 28 Colin F.

29 Katrina P.

30 Nicholas B. Michael Z.

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

REMINDER: Students should not bring in cupcakes or food items for birthday celebrations. You are welcome to bring in pencils, erasers and stickers to share with other students. Goody Bags should not have candy or food included. Thank you for your continued support for our students’ health and sensitivity to allergies.

Newsletter 6

Reminder of Recess Weather Guidelines:

Dear Parents,

There is no change to this letter from last year:

We are getting into some colder weather patterns. Students are dressing in a variety of clothing options in order to meet the temperature requirements, however temperatures can vary throughout the day. Students need to be dress appropriately for the weather conditions during the recess period. Parents are welcome to send in a letter to wave our discretion as a school regarding outdoor play clothing choice (i.e. a note saying a sweatshirt or fleece is acceptable in all weather conditions).

The temperature information below is the guideline we use for outdoor recess participation.

Temperatures: 50-60 degrees: Long sleeves or a light jacket are acceptable. Long pants required. 40-50 degrees: Jacket and long pants are needed Below 40 degrees: Winter jacket and long pants are required

It is my hope that sharing our guidelines will help you with your child’s clothing options for the school day. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly.

Respectfully, Megan Bennett Principal mbennett@southingtonschools.org

The Tattler 7

Say Hello to Our New Playground…

The Tattler 8

Planning Celebrations and Activities in Elementary School

Dear Families, As we face a national epidemic of overweight children, life-threatening food allergies and the associated health consequences of these conditions, schools are turning to alternative ways to celebrate. FACT: From 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18% among children under age 18

years. (CDC 2010) A life threatening allergic reaction can be triggered by minute amounts of an allergen when ingested.

FACT: In 2011-2012, childhood obesity rates were 8.4% of 2 to 5 year-olds, 17.7% of 6 to 11 year-olds and 20.5% of 12 to 19 year-olds. (CDC 2014)

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS: Our elementary schools now celebrate food free birthdays by enjoying fun activities or projects. Examples of celebration ideas that parents and guardians may want to provide for their child include: • Bringing in non-food items (age appropriate) for celebrating such as: pencils, erasers, crayons, plant seeds,

bookmarks, stickers, etc.

• Arranging with your child’s teacher a time to come to school as a “Guest Reader” to celebrate the special day or donating a book in your child’s name.

• Donating games for indoor recess or supplies for outdoor recess - jump ropes, balls, etc.

• Engaging students in a special art project (teachers may provide suggestions).

Please consult with your child’s teacher to ensure that any items you wish to provide are safe for that classroom. All parents/guardians must advise their child’s teacher of a celebration request at least one week in advance. OTHER CELEBRATIONS and ACTIVITIES: May involve food with careful planning. To maintain the safety of all of our students, we must adhere to the following: • No unplanned or homemade foods will be allowed into a classroom or be given to students at any time. No

food items will be sent home with students including candy attached to Valentine’s cards or in goodie bags.

• The teacher will base food item choices by reviewing the classroom confidential list of food allergies and dietary restrictions and consulting with those student’s parents/guardians.

• Only planned, store-labeled food items will be allowed (in order to have availability to ingredient lists, if necessary). Fruits, vegetables and other healthy choices are preferred.

• Written notice of the food items (with brand names, if necessary) will be sent to all parents before a planned celebration/activity.

• Written permission for the food items will be obtained by teacher from parents/guardians of students with food allergies/dietary restrictions.

We encourage you to be creative with “alternative to food” ideas for ALL

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Preschool and Kindergarten Vision Screening

In November, The Southington Lions Club will conduct Vision Screenings for the Kindergarten students of our school. Members of the Southington Lions Club have been trained in the use of the PediaVision Spot Vision Screener and will perform these vision screenings. The screening is done by a photographic process from a distance of three feet. No physical contact is made with the child and no eye drops are administered. The individual screening takes just a few seconds. The vision screening tool is capable of screening for Astigmatism, Myopia, Hyperopia, Anisometropia, Strabismus, Amblyopia and Anisocoria. The equipment provides a print-out of the results for each individual which will be given to the parent. It is important to understand that this is only a screening and does not constitute an examination or diagnosis of vision problems. If a potential problem is detected the child will be referred to a pediatric eye professional for a full exam. This service is offered free of charge by the Southington Lions Club under the Lions Eye Health program administered by the Connecticut Lions Eye Research Foundation. Preschool students will need a permission form signed for this screening because vision screening is not mandated in school for this grade. Astigmatism - inability of the cornea to properly focus an image onto the retina resulting in a blurred image Myopia - nearsightedness Hyperopia - farsightedness Anisometropia - each eye has a different refractive power, so there is unequal focus between the two eyes Strabismus - misalignment of the eyes Amblyopia - decreased vision in one or both eyes Anisocoria - pupils that are different sizes at the same time

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Southington Soccer Club

The Southington Soccer Club Winter 2016 and Spring 2016 flyers have been uploaded to the website. Please take note that the Academy Spring Program only applies to ages 6, 7 & 8.

Yearbook Photos

Be part of the Papazzari!!

Upload your images for consideration in the yearbook!

Go to: https://community.lifetouch.com

‘Sign In’ or ‘Create an Account’ using Access Code: CKWXRH

All photos, whether group pictures or candid, should be from the current 2015-2016 school year and should be those taken at school or during school-related activities.

The Family Resource Center of Southington

Dear Families,

The Family Resource Center of Southington is dedicated to keeping our programs free for our families. The Southington Public Schools and the Community foundation of Greater New Britain share our desire and continue to fund us, but the rising costs of supplies that we use (paper, paint, etc.) has caused us to have to make cut backs to what we can purchase. We are asking for your help by offering a fundraiser that will help us with our supplies purchases.

Please share our Jamberry Nails Fundraiser link with any of your friends and family who might be interested. Purchases are shipped right to your door! They make great gifts for the ladies on your list! We will receive 30% of the sales directly back into our program.

To order your Jamberry: https://angelaandrade.jamberry.com or https://www.facebook.com/groups/southingtonfrcjamberry/

Please choose FRCS Fundraiser at checkout so we can get credit!

The sale will run from October 21 – November 14, 2015

Thank You,

Krista, Jen & Shannon

The Tattler 11

Dear Parent/Guardian, We are excited to announce that our school has access to the award-winning Britannica School. Teachers, librarians, and students have found this PreK-12 tool to be a safe, time-saving, and easy-to-use resource. As part of our school’s subscription, students have unlimited access to Britannica School from home, at no additional charge to you. Now your children can use the same resource at home and at school, providing students consistent help for homework and research assignments. In addition to encyclopedia articles, Britannica School also offers thousands of videos, images, learning materials, and educational games that deliver additional activities on subjects studied in class. To access Britannica School, simply visit: school.eb.com Enter username: southingtontes Enter password: learn Enjoy your free and unlimited access to Britannica School.

Fifth Grade Winter Concert Save the date, Monday, December 1, 2015, 7:00 P.M. Miss Baer and Miss McCloghry’s fifth grade music students will perform a Winter Concert. Performances will be at 2:15 for students and 7:00 P.M. for families and friends. Please join us as we welcome in the Winter Season with singing. Reminder Parents/Guardians are encouraged to visit the website for New Community Event Notifications. The latest additions include: Albano’s Nutcracker Flyer “Elks Drug Awareness Contest” Kindergarten Readiness Workshop Flyer

The Tattler 12

The Tattler 13

Tips for Test Anxiety By: Mrs. Hauge, Your School Counselor ~ Sometimes our thoughts, feelings, and expectations regarding events, such as taking tests, can be much worse than reality. Worrying too much about things can actually take away the energy and focus you need to complete various tasks successfully. A little worry can provide you with motivation, which is a good tool that can be used to drive us and can assist us with putting forth our best effort. However, when excess worry or anxiety takes over, it can adversely affect your performance, and even cause you some troublesome physical symptoms. ~ Did you know that is scientifically impossible to be both relaxed and anxious at the same time? So, why not choose relaxation? Why fill your time with worrying and suffering, when you can choose to fill your mind with positive thoughts and be more focused – rather than tense and have your mind go blank? It seems unfair that many times those who care most often, can also worry the most, which can cause an unhealthy unbalance. The answer isn’t to care less (as being a caring person is a wonderful attribute), it is more about learning ways to relax and focus your mind and body on the right things at the right time. Many athletes know that it’s not just your ability to master the skills that count, but also your ability to have the right mind-set, so you are able to perform. The three categories keys to success with overcoming test anxiety are: Relaxation, Positive Thinking, and Developing Healthy Habits 1. Relax and Clear Your Mind: Be aware of any negative mind loops. Catch them and stop them by focusing on some deep breathing exercises which will promote relaxation and clear your mind. Breathe as if your breath is flowing in and out of your chest. Do this quietly and naturally for about 4-5 seconds each time you inhale and exhale. While doing so, find an attitude of calmness about the situation. Do this in the days leading up to the test, right before, and during the test. 2. Address What-If Questions: Many times, anxiety can build up from our negative questions and thoughts, such as: “What if I fail, What if I can’t remember anything?”, or “What if I run out of time?” Change those What-If questions to positive ones and sense your confidence building… “What if I can remember more than I think I can?”, “What if I can feel calmer than I even imagined?”, or “What if I do better than I think I can?” 3. Think Confident, Calming Thoughts: If you think you can succeed, you will. If you think you can’t succeed, you won’t. Your mind and thoughts can be very powerful, and even determine your own fate. So given a choice, wouldn’t you rather succeed? Thinking calm and confident thoughts can go a long way to helping you achieve your goals. (“I can do this”! “All I need to do is show what I know”, “The clearer my mind, the more easily the answers will flow”.) 4. Fuel Your Mind and Body: Make sure you eat a hearty breakfast each morning, especially before a test. It is also very important to make sure you get enough sleep as well. [Source: Internet- HeartMath/TestEdge and the American School )

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The Tattler 15