Digital Backpack - June 14, 2013

New This Week:

1. Principal of the Matter
2. CES Summer Reading Program
3. We Need Your Input: Colchester Public Schools seek your valuable input regarding how we are doing. Starting next school year (2013-2014) the school system wishes to obtain parent input as part of our new teacher evaluation system. As we are always looking for appropriate grant opportunities, we will use pertinent information to identify district needs, as well. Please take this 77 question survey, http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ParentSurveyHowDoing, by July 30^th. The survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes. If needed, you may stop and restart the survey (“time-out”) after clicking NEXT at the bottom of each page. If you have more than one child in the school system, you may complete the survey for each child. If you prefer, paper copies are available at each of the schools’ main offices, at the Board of Education office, located in the Town Hall, or you may print one from the Digital Backpack by clicking here. Thank you - Jeffry P. Mathieu, Superintendent of Schools.
4. PTO's Need Licensed CPA to Donate Services: The Colchester Cooperative PTO, which is comprised of CES, JJIS and WJJMS PTO's, is looking for a licensed CPA to prepare their tax return.  They are all one non-profit organization whose fiscal year ends June 30^th. The annual return is due on November 15^th. The entire time commitment is approximately 4-8 hours per year. Please email treasurer@jjispto.org if you are able to donate your services or have any questions. Thank you for your support!
5. 2013-2014 School Year Calendar: Please click here to view the calendar for NEXT year.
6. The Perfect Day: Enjoy a Perfect Day of Golf, Food, Beverages, and Poker! The Perfect Day is a charity golf and poker tournament supporting C3 (Collaborative for Colchester’s Children) & the Wethersfield Early Childhood Collaborative. This event is co‐hosted by Massaro Wealth Management and Hathaway Financial Group. Register Online at www.theperfectdaytournament.org.
7. Colchester Farmer’s Market: June 16^th- October 20^th. Every Sunday on the Town Green from 9am-1pm. Enjoy all locally grown and made fresh produce, meat, cheeses, soap, pottery, honey, maple syrup, plants, and more! June 16^th Kick-Off Day! Come join us on the first day to enjoy entertainment such as: Live music performed by singer songwriter Jennifer Taylor at 10am; Kids Games and Activities; Inflatable Obstacle Course; and Hoola Hooping. (Co-sponsored by Colchester Parks and Recreation)
8. 2013 Summer Concerts on the Green: Thursdays – 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
9. Foster Families Needed: The Department of Children and Families needs foster families for children of all ages, particularly adolescents. Attend an information meeting where we will give descriptions of our foster family programs. Homes are especially needed for children under 5 and over 12 years old. Please click here for meeting dates and more information.

CES News:

1. Colchester Elementary School Students “Get Moving”: The students at Colchester Elementary School have been excited for their recent Physical Education school initiative. And why not…it was all about running, moving, and being active! The students had the option of running at recess, instead of playing games or on the playscape. If they chose to run they would fill out a paper cut-out of a foot and put their name on it. PE teachers, Kelly McAlpine and Don Levine, would hang them up for all to enjoy. Having circled the gymnasium twice, the feet then started to be hung throughout the school hub and hallways.  There are over 2,500 “feet” on the walls. In addition to the recess initiative, students were encouraged to complete a monthly calendar (30 days of activity). Students who completed one month received a gold star with their name on it to hang on the gymnasium wall's "Get Moving Wall of Fame". Students who did two consecutive 30 days of exercising at home earned a blue star.  Students were placed on the wall for running in 5K's and in one case climbing a mountain peak in New England. Staff members who participated in road races and various events were also placed on the wall.  There are 70 "Get Moving Wall of Fame" recipients. The recess initiative was a spin-off of our yearly goal.  Students run the 1/4 mile, both in the fall and spring.  Although there were a few cases of students remaining the same or missing their goal by only seconds, over 90% of our students achieved benchmark and nearly 95% improved their overall time from fall to spring.
   
2. Lunch Menu
3. Breakfast Menu

District-Wide News:

1. Assessments in PowerSchool: Students in grades K-10 are given “universal screening” assessments three or four times a year so that we may monitor their progress in reading and math and assure they are receiving the instruction needed. Beginning in September, 2013, parents and teachers will have easy access to the results of these tests on the PowerSchool website. The information will be located on the PowerSchool page for each student, under the “academics” column. Because each assessment is a bit different, you may want to look closely at what the numbers for your child’s tests mean. To help assist you, please click here for score information.
2. Please Donate Your Recorders (Music Instruments): Thanks to all who have donated their recorders! To date we have received 25 recorders that will be used for the third grade music program at JJIS, but we are looking for more! Do you have one or more recorders at home? Help Colchester reduce where we can, reuse what we have, and sustain our early music education program. Donate your recorder(s) back to Colchester Schools! Drop off your recorder(s) at JJIS, WJJMS, or Bacon Academy, either in the main office or the music department. Recorders are also accepted at the Board of Education office in Colchester Town Hall. Questions? Contact Donna Menhart at The Hartt School, University of Hartford: menhart@hartford.edu.
3. Summer Resources and Websites for Students: The Colchester Public Schools web site has a list of educational resources and websites for your son/daughter to access this summer. Visit http://www.colchesterct.org/page.cfm?p=391. Good choices for online content are not always easy to find, and websites that help your students stay engaged and thinking during summer are even harder. One of the most important things your child can do this summer is to practice finding, evaluating and presenting research. This can be as simple or as complicated as your child wants to make it. The resources included help make this possible by covering reading, math, searching, typing and digital presentations... all links provided are educational resources. "All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer."(Know The Facts). I hope that this list helps to keep your student engaged, reading, and learning this summer! Barbara Johnson, Technology Resource Teacher, Colchester Public Schools. Follow me on Twitter @technojohnson. Works Cited: "Know The Facts - National Summer Learning Association", 2009. Web. 24 May 2013.
4. Bacon Academy Educator Has 5^th Book Published: Colchester Public Schools is delighted to announce that John L. Stanizzi, Bacon Academy English teacher and theater director, recently released his fifth book of poems titled, “After the Bell”. The 1998 New England Poet of the Year (The New England Association of Teachers of English) has authored “Ecstasy Among Ghosts”, “Sleepwalking”, “Windows”, and Dance Against the Wall. He has had several works appear in other publications, such as The New York Quarterly, Tar River Poetry, Rattle, Freshwater, Passages North, The Spoon River Quarterly,Poet Lore, and The Connecticut River Review. After 21 dedicated years of teaching at Bacon Academy, Mr. Stanizzi has decided to retire at the end of this school year. Although he will be deeply missed by the students and staff we look forward to future works of art by this astounding eminent poet. His retirement coincides with his recent masterpiece, as it’s a collection of poems all about his years of teaching at Bacon. For more information on “After the Bell” and its prized author, please check out this website. Please click here for photos.
5. The Bacon Academy 210th Anniversary Party – All Class Reunion! August 3^rd at Mohegan Sun Casino's Uncas Ballroom.  Dinner, music, dancing, raffles, and memories (new & old)! Come and enjoy! Reservation deadline is July 19th. Please click here for information, details, and to RSVP.
6. Thank You for Your Help & Donations: Thank you to everyone who helped the CES PTO say a heartfelt good-bye to principal Jackie Somberg.  Special thanks to the area restaurants who donated the amazing food for the reception - Maria's Pizza Palace, Family Pizza, Angelo's Bakery, Tim's Bistro, Illiano's, and Papa Z's. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
7. The Colchester Board of Education Announces New CES Principal: Please click here.
8. A Drive to Benefit Oklahoma Families: As you know the tornado of Oklahoma has devastated families and touched the hearts of many around the country.  A select group of WJJMS students are running a drive to collect clothing of all sizes and kitchen essentials such as pots, pans, dishes, cups etc. Baby items such as strollers, car seats, and toys are also appreciated.  The deadline is June 17^th. Please consider making a donation. Donations can be dropped off at WJJMS. Thank you!

Community News:

1. New Volunteer Opportunity For Families: The Colchester Giving Garden is looking for volunteers to weed and harvest this summer. No experience is necessary. Come once this summer, once a month, or once a week for the length of time that works for you. Produce harvested will go to the Colchester Food Bank. Contact Colchester Youth and Social Services at 537-7235 to get on our email list for work days and times each week that our work group will be in the garden. Thank you!
   
2. CYB Presents Bobcat Basketball Camp: June 26^th-28^th & July 1^st & 2^nd from 9 am - 12 pm at WJJMS for boys entering Grades 6– 9. Coach Fennell and the Bacon Academy staff have teamed up with CYB for another exciting basketball camp. Click here for more information and a registration form.
3. It’s Not Too Late To Register For This Year’s Vacation Bible School! Camp will run June 24-28^th from 6-8:30pm at St. Andrew’s and is free to all families!  The program is designed for children entering grades K-5. Please register online at www.vacationbibleschool.com/standrewschurch or contact Tracey Wilson at wilsontracey9796@gmail.com or 860-537-6201.
4. Girls’ Basketball Clinic: Colchester Parks and Recreation is sponsoring a girls’ basketball clinic for grades 7, 8, and 9 on July 22-26 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in the Bacon Academy gym. The fee is $75, non-residents add $20. Pre-registration is required. This is a great opportunity for girls to learn fundamentals and improve on their existing skills. Clinic will consist of drills, scrimmages, and competition. The clinic is directed by Bacon Academy’s Girls’ Basketball Head Coach, Dave Shea, and Bacon Academy’s 2009, 2012, and 2013 state championship coaching staff. For additional information contact Parks & Rec at 860-537-7297. Register online at www.colchesterct.gov/rec. Space is limited.
5. Colchester Learning Foundation’s “Marked for Excellence” Teacher Recognition Program Makes Excellent End-of-Year Gifts: The end of the school year is fast approaching and many parents are thinking about how they will recognize the teachers and staff who made their children’s time in school special. The Colchester Learning Foundation’s (CLF) “Marked for Excellence” Recognition Program is an alternative to traditional end-of-year gift giving. For a nominal donation to CLF made in an educator’s name, the donor is provided with a gift that can be presented to the recipient by the student or delivered to the recipient’s school mailbox. Please click here for more details and order information.

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