A Look Inside:

West Hartford Public SchoolsOffice of the Superintendent50 South Main StreetWest Hartford, CT 06107

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDHARTFORD, CTPERMIT #751

Distribution of ConnectionsAn on-line version of Connections With the West Hartford Public Schools is now available at http://www.whps.org/connections.pdf. If you do not wish to have a copy of Connections mailed to your home, please email connectionsoptout@whps.org with your name, address, child’s name and school. Thank you.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

West HartfordPublic Schools

With the West Hartford Public Schools

ONNECTIONS Connections is a districtwide publication presented

to you by the Office of the Superintendent, West Hartford Public Schools,

50 South Main St., West Hartford, Connecticut 06107

West Hartford Public Schools, 50 South Main St., West Hartford, Connecticut 06107 Phone: (860)561-6651 Fax: (860)561-6910 E-Mails: superintendent@whps.org boardmembers@whps.org Website: www.whps.org

C CUpcoming Events

4th Issue

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A Cafella & Voce ConcertFirst Baptist Church of West HartfordMay 20, 6 pm

Gifts of Music RecitalCharter Oak International AcademyJune 13, 5-8 pm

Inter-Elementary Music FestivalThe Bushnell, Mortensen HallMay 24, 7:30 pmTickets: 860-987-5900 or visit Bushnell.org

Solisti & Camerata ShowcaseSt. James Episcopal -May 20, 3 pm

Solo Choir St. James Episcopal, May 20, 7 pm

School Concerts and Student Art ShowsThroughout the spring there are concerts and student art shows at all schools in town. Call individual schools for specific information.

ONNECTIONS With the West Hartford Public Schools

OCTOBER M T W TH F 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26 29 30 31 NOVEMBER M T W TH F 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30

DECEMBERM T W TH F 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 26 27 28 31 JANUARY M T W TH F 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23

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Second Semester 91 Days

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SEPTEMBER M T W TH F 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 26 27 28

First Semester 91 Days

School Calendar - 2018-2019

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AUGUST M T W TH F20 21 22 23 24 27 28 29 30 31

JANUARY M T W TH F 24 25 28 29 30 31 FEBRUARY M T W TH F 1 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 MARCH M T W TH F 1 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29

APRIL M T W TH F 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26 29 30

MAY M T W TH F 1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10 13 14 15 16 17 20 21 22 23 24 27 28 29 30 31

JUNE M T W TH F 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 26 27 28

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Teacher In-service Days (no school for students)

First Day of School

Legend:

Holiday/Vacation

End of Quarter

Snow Make-up Days, if needed

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Important Dates

Teacher In-service Days Aug. 27-28 (no school for students)

First Day of School Aug. 29

Labor Day Sept. 3

Rosh Hashanah Sept. 10

Yom Kippur Sept. 19

Columbus Day Oct. 8

Election Day Nov. 6 (teacher in-service, no school for students)

Veterans Day (observed) Nov. 12 (school in session))

Thanksgiving Recess Nov. 22-23

Holiday Recess Dec. 24-Jan. 1

Martin Luther King Day Jan. 21

Winter Recess Feb. 18-19 (includes Presidents' Day on Feb. 18)

Statewide Summative Assessments March-May

Spring Recess April 8-12

Good Friday April 19

Memorial Day May 27

Last Day of School June 12

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We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us. -Marcel Proust

The last day of school is scheduled for June 12. All snow or emergency days will be made up after this date in order to provide 182 instructional days. School calendars are posted on the West Hartford Public Schools website at www.whps.org.

As we end another school year in West Hartford, I hope that we have all achieved some measure of wisdom. For those students who are graduating, I hope that they have had a journey that was not always enjoyable, or tranquil, and certainly not easy. I hope that our graduates can look at their diplomas and think of those moments where they persevered, where they got through a situation, and they now know, “I can do it.” For those children who are somewhere between entering and finishing school, I hope that they are being exposed to challenging material, and pushing themselves to be the best versions of themselves. For those of us who are parents, I hope that as we watch our own children, and see them grow, we discover the wisdom that often, when we think that we are making things easier for our children, we are actually making their lives more difficult. Our children, to be productive adults, must have the opportunity to struggle, and the good fortune to figure out at a young age that they can overcome, that the success or failure of their future is in their own hands.With a son graduating this year, I have been thinking a lot about the journey through West Hartford Schools that we all take, and I am so glad that we made the move here as my kids were starting school. When I look at those years, however, I realize how often I was worried about things that were simply a part of life, and that what one focuses on in a first year as a kindergarten parent are not the same worries a few years down the line (or when one has a second or third child in kindergarten). Parenting is an accumulation of wisdom, and I hope that you all continue to reach out to teachers and administrators as we go on the journey together to raise our kids. We all need help, but I think we also need to remember that we cannot always fix everything, and that we cannot live our children’s lives for them. At some point our children are going to decide where to go to college, what career to enter, who to marry, and where to live. With all of these decisions, they cannot be crippled with doubt- they need to move forward with confidence that they have made choices and decisions before, and lived with the ramifications. But they can only do that if, at some point, we allow them to cut their hair differently than we would, wear clothes that we hate, stop playing a sport that they no longer love, and hang around with kids outside of our own circle of friends.I hope that we continue to be that “big small town” in West Hartford, where we look out for each other’s kids, and ask each other for help. Our graduates this year from both high schools have had some amazing successes, and some are entering the military or a trade, and others are going off to colleges not just all over the country, but all over the world. I hope that as they go off on their journeys, to soak up all that life has to offer, we as parents can listen to each other (not facebook diatribes or pithy comments, but actual conversations), and soak in the wisdom of those who have done it before us. Resiliency is the trait I most want for our graduates, and, in the coming years, I hope that we can work together to help instill it even more in our children. I look forward to seeing you back at school in August, and I hope that you have a wonderful summer.

A Message from the Superintendent

Clear Paths. Bright Futures. No Limits.

17-18

With the West Hartford Public Schools

• Teacher of the Year Finalists

• Teacher Career Fair• Continuing Education

Summer School Programs

• Inclusion and Awareness• Equity & Diversity

Council-Spring Highlights

• Upcoming Events

• School Calendar 2018-19

West HartfordPublic Schools

West HartfordPublic Schools

Clear Paths. Bright Futures. No Limits.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

West HartfordPublic Schools With the West Hartford Public Schools

ONNECTIONS CTeacher of the Year Finalists

We are very proud of our nationally recognized schools and our exceptional faculty. In an effort to recruit and hire the best teachers, WHPS hosts an Annual Teacher Career Fair. On April 5, 2018, WHPS administrators, teachers, and students welcomed nearly 400 aspiring teachers to our Career Fair held at Conard High School.

As candidates entered Conard, they were warmly greeted by students who provided each prospect with a welcome packet. Candidates then interviewed with key members of our administrative and teaching staff. Following their interviews, candidates were able to relax and mingle with other candidates while enjoying some refreshments and listening to the live music being performed by our Middle School Orchestra students.

In the spirit of inclusion and awareness, West Hartford Public Schools celebrated two significant days this spring. On March 21, 2018, students and staff “Rocked their Socks” and raised money for the World Down Syndrome Association by selling awareness wrist bands.

The date for WDSD, 3/21 was selected in 2006 and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 to signify the triplication of the 21st chromosome which results in Down syndrome. WHPS raised over $1,000.00.

On April 2, 2018, students kicked off Autism Awareness Month by wearing Blue and joining hands in the schools and at Town Hall. This year our hand represented the uniqueness of each person and like the puzzle piece, our joined hands symbolize the connectedness of all our students.

Inclusion and Awareness

The Teacher of the Year process is rigorous and begins with nominations from other teachers. Nominees then submit a resume, essay and recommendations. Finalists then have a lesson videotaped and the final three are then formally interviewed by the Teacher of the Year committee. The finalist will be announced on May 31, 2018.

The 2018 Teacher of the Year finalists are Michelle Lacroix, Rebecca Saraceno, and Sonya Stemmer

Michelle LacroixStart Date: August 20082008 – Special Education Teacher at Whiting Lane and NorfeldtPrevious teaching experience in Wilbraham and Holyoke MABachelor of Science-Elementary Education, Westfield State UniversityMasters of Science-Special Education, American International College

Rebecca SaracenoStart Date: August 20012001 – Vocal Music Teacher, SMITH STEM School Previous teaching experience in WethersfieldBachelor of Music in Piano Performance, Central Michigan UniversityMaster of Music in Piano Pedagogy & Piano Performance, The University of Michigan and Anticipated (May 2018) Sixth-Year Certificate in Educational Leadership (092), Central Connecticut State University

Sonya StemmerStart Date: August 20122015 – Language Arts Teacher and Team Leader2012 – Language Arts Teacher and Alternative Individualized Middle School Program FacilitatorPrevious teaching experience in Bristol and WaterburyBachelor of Arts, English, Minor in Theatre Arts, Rosemont CollegeMasters of Science, Educational Leadership, University of Scranton

WHPS Hosts Annual Teacher Career Fair

Spring into Summer! Continuing Education Summer School Programs

West Hartford Continuing and Summer Education offers tuition-based summer academic and enrichment options for Pre-K thru grade 1 students, and middle thru high school students. Four popular Continuing Education summer programs are:

Get Ready At Summer Pre-School (G.R.A.S.P.) is a summer school offering for children entering kindergarten in the fall. The program emphasizes early learning skills including learning to pay attention, follow instructions, taking turns, and completing tasks. Children enjoy music and art projects and experience activities designed to improve small and large motor coordination.

Summer Fun for Preschoolers offers creative summer-fun activities which include outdoor and nature experiences where sensory, motor, and language skills are specifically designed to meet the developmental needs of young children ages 3-5.

Moving On Up is a great way to get ready for first grade. Children experience reading, math, science and listening skills. Activities include puppetry, crafts, singing, dancing and videos.

The West Hartford Inter-district Summer High School offers courses for “get ahead” credit, credit recovery, and enrichment experiences. The summer high school also offers non-credit courses for middle school students. Back by popular demand are Maker It So-Makerspace and Summer Jazz Jam. Limited financial assistance is available for both programs. Please call the Office of Continuing Education at 860-561-6900 to inquire further.

Dates for the Summer Pre-K - Grade 1 program are June 25- July 19 (Mon-Thr). The location will be at Whiting Lane.

Dates for the 2018 WHPS Inter-District Summer High School are Semester 1 - June 25 to July 13 (excluding July 4); Semester 2 - July 16 to August 2. The location will be at Conard High School.

The Office of Continuing Education also accepts registrations online, by phone, fax, mail, or in person. Online summer registration is accessible via www.whlifelearn.org.

Equity and Diversity Council - Spring HighlightsThe Equity and Diversity Council (EDC) has had a productive year as we continue to work toward

building our capacity for cultural competence. Here are a few

important EDC developments: The Open Choice Enhancement subcommittee held a successful Game Night at Conard High School in December for families of Open Choice participants in grades K-12. The next scheduled event is a Family and Friends Ice Skate Party at Veteran’s Rink on Saturday, May, 12th. The Family Engagement subcommittee has invested considerable time this year planning pilot Welcoming School Walkthroughs. Two elementary schools and two middle schools have participated in the pilot. The Ethnic Affairs subcommittee continues to explore strategies to attract, retain and support high quality teachers from diverse backgrounds. Planning for the 2018-2019 school year include providing networking for our educators of color. In addition, this subcommittee remains committed to strengthening the Future Educators of Diversity high school clubs and working to provide mentorship to students from diverse backgrounds who aspire to be educators. The LGBTQ Advisory utilized district-wide data from a fall 2017 Professional Development Needs Assessment on LGBTQ. On-going topics include understanding and implementing policy (gender-neutral restrooms, name changes); respecting new terminology (pronouns); understanding challenges that LGBTQ youth face, and supporting safe and inclusive environments. The Student Achievement and Educator Capacity-Building subcommittee remains committed to keeping students in the center of our efforts.

AUTISM

AWARENESS

PUBLIC SCHOOLS