Friendship Family Newsletter
Andrea Simmons, Principal & Kristen Trahan, Asst Principal
November 21, 2017
Students and staff at The Friendship School have been very busy since our last monthly newsletter! Classes have been investigating topics that are interesting to them, and we've had lots of special visitors and awesome field trips based on our theme of inquiry-based learning. Please visit our website to find out more about inquiry-based learning (http://www.thefriendshipschool.org/cms/one.aspx?pageId=233227) and feel free to ask Andrea, Kristen, or your child's teacher if you have any questions, or if you'd like to get involved in an inquiry project! Our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/thefriendshipschoolct) is another great place to see inquiry-based learning in action!
Thank you to all the families who attended our Artisan and Crafter Market this past Saturday. Between table rentals and raffles, we raised over $1,500! That money goes directly into the Student Activities Account, which funds the visitors, field trips, and experiences to support the inquiry-based learning mentioned above.
We have a few reminders and updates below. Please be in touch if you have any wonders or concerns. Thank you, families, for your partnership and collaboration so we may continue to work together to support all children here at TFS.
Warmly,
Andrea Simmons & Kristen Trahan
Ms. Zdanys's class experiments with movement by blowing "wind" on different objects.
Mrs. Biekert's and Mrs. Lucier's classes are exploring animals, and had a visit from the Roger Williams Zoo "Zoomobile!" This is Harry the Hedgehog.
Ms. Hubbard's class read PEACEFUL PIGGY MEDITATION by Kerry MacLean and practiced meditation.
Important Information:
- Please remember to drive carefully in all of our parking lots and roadways around the school. We understand that parking is a challenge, but recent observations of cars moving too quickly have been a cause for concern. Many times, parents and caregivers have several young children walking through the parking lot, and it is difficult to see our smallest friends when backing up or turning a corner in a vehicle. Please take care!
- There is no school on Wednesday 11/22, Thursday 11/23, or Friday 11/24. Happy Thanksgiving! We also have early dismissal for professional development for all staff on Wednesday 12/13.
- Friendly reminder: any food brought into school must meet our wellness guidelines (candy, cookies, cake, cupcakes, sweets, soda, chip products, etc are not permitted). Instead, if you are hoping to share a food item with your child's class, plan to bring something healthy (fruit trays, yogurt, granola, applesauce, cheese slices, plain popcorn, etc). As always, ensure the food is nut-free, as we have many allergies at TFS.
- TFS is tentatively planning to participate in the Niantic Light Parade on Saturday, December 9. We are awaiting confirmation that there is space for us. Our section of the parade will be students with wagons and tricycles with battery-powered light strings! If you would like to participate, please contact Brenda Cornell (for pre-k students; bcornell@thefriendshipschool.org) or Kevin Stevenson (for kindergarten students; kstevenson@thefriendshipschool.org) and we will keep you up-to-date on details.
- TFS will be participating in a loose change drive for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Thanks to our school nurse, Lori Gatheral, for leading this effort. Stay tuned for more information!
- As we approach Mrs. Simmons' maternity leave (due date is February 8), you will see more and more of Paul Carolan ("Mr. C") around! Mr. C will be the interim principal, with continued support from and partnership with Mrs. Trahan. Mr. C was the interim assistant principal for the first half of the 2016-17 school year, and was the principal (retired) of the Regional Multicultural Magnet School until 2015. Welcome, Mr. C!
- Thank you to all families for your partnership and support as field trip chaperones, volunteers at recess, participating in FFO, helping with the coat drive...there are countless ways that you are supporting our school, and we appreciate it!
The Friendship School
Email: asimmons@thefriendshipschool.org
Website: www.thefriendshipschool.org
Location: 24 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford, CT, United States
Phone: 860-447-4049
Facebook: facebook.com/thefriendshipschoolct