Hamilton Avenue School Update

During National Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the diverse history of generations of Latinos, whose aspirations and achievements have shaped the soul of our Nation.

-President Joe Biden

Another great week! Looking forward to Open House on Tuesday! We were excited to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month and look forward to activities around this month.

Odyssey of the Mind kick off meetings on the evening of Open House, see below for more information.

To our friends that celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Happy New Year!

Best,

Mrs. Fox

Open House is scheduled on Tuesday, September 19th from 6-7:30. Click the link (ENG/SPA) for the letter with the schedule for this exciting evening! A few reminders:

• please DO NOT bring children to Open House, this is for parents only
• the PTA will provide babysitting, however, due to limited space, please try to make other arrangements for child care Tuesday night if possible

We are so looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday!

For the past two years, Hamilton Avenue has sent a team to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. We

Hamilton Avenue has sent a team to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals for the past two years. We are beginning to form this year's teams. If you would like your child to participate or would like more information, there will be two parent information sessions during Open House. The first session will be at 6:00 p.m. and the second at 6:30. Both sessions will be held in room 226 at the top of staircase 6 (Mrs. Byrne’s room).

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. It is a learning experience that integrates creative problem-solving, promotes career readiness, and helps students develop skills that will last a lifetime. Students learn to cooperate and respect the ideas of others evaluate ideas, and make decisions on their own. Our students gain greater self-confidence and increased self-esteem through their hard work. In addition, they work within a budget, so they learn to manage their money. Students see that there is often more than one way to solve a problem and that sometimes the process is more important than the end result.

Teams of up to 7 students come together under the guidance of an adult coach to create, collaborate, and prepare for the March 16, 2024, CTOM Competition at Southern Connecticut State University.

This year, we will have two teams. Our Primary team will be K-2 students, and our Division 1 team will be made up of students in grades 3-5. The Primary team (K-2) will meet on Tuesdays from 2:45 - 4:00. The Division 1 team (Grades 3-5) will meet from 2:45 - 4:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Parent pick-up for both teams is in the parking lot at 4:00.

If your child is interested in participating in Odyssey of the Mind please come to our information sessions at 6:00 and 6:30 during Open House. You can also fill out this application.

REMINDER K-5 ONLY!!

We are using School Dismissal Manager to notify the office of a CHANGE in your child's typical dismissal plan. Call the main office if you need assistance setting this up. Don't have the email? Download the APP "School Dismissal Manager" you will see the green apple logo, click on "forgot password" and it will walk you through the process of setting up an account.

Friday, September 22nd is our first parent coffee is for Kindergarten in the STEAM Lab at 7:45 AM. Please join us to learn all about our school!

Student Council Elections are coming up! Student Council provides students with an opportunity for leadership and voice. It creates an environment where individuals can collaborate on student-led initiatives for our school. Student Council meets once a month before school (7:00-8:00) and will provide students with opportunities to use empathy to guide their decision-making and make a difference in our school.

Important Running Dates:

•Paperwork Sent home: Week of September 5th-8th

•Paperwork Due: Wednesday, September 27th
•Officer Speeches: Monday, October 2nd
•Campaign: After your paperwork is submitted
•Officer Elections: Monday, October 2nd
•Class Representative Elections: Wednesday, October 4th
•First Student Council Meeting: Friday Morning, October 6th

Students interested in applying for Student Council must complete all paperwork including an adult signature and written speech by the due date.

Beginning Monday, the Boys and Girls club will be meeting at St. Roch's school building after school. If you child is a member and you are registered with the B & G club for this year, through the lottery, your children will be picked up from school and walked across the street by B & G staff.

Barbara's House provides FREE educational support to elementary (2-5) and middle school students, providing in-person homework and tutoring support. Homework Club will be held right after school four days per week Monday-Thursday from 2:45-5:30. Click here for more information and for the English and Spanish application.

The window for DIBELS universal reading assessment opens on Monday 9/18 and closes on Friday, 10/6. All students in grades K-3 and students in grades 4 & 5 with reading goals on their IEPs will be taking this assessment. More information and details about the subtests given can be found here: DIBELS Parent Guide (English) or DIBELS Parent Guide (Spanish). As a reminder DIBELS 8 replaces STAR Early Literacy/Reading Assessment. This assessment will be administered three times per year.

Thanks for the great turnout at our first PTA meeting on Tues Sept 12 ! Look for information on the next one which will be in the morning for those that cannot make evenings. This is a great opportunity to meet Hamilton Avenue parents and staff, stay informed and learn about ways to support our school!

Also don't forget to sign up for the PTA. You can sign up easily online here. This is our most important fundraiser and helps to support field trips, after school events, and our wonderful Hamilton Avenue staff and administration! Our goal is 100% participation! Get your Hamilton Avenue Husky gear at https://logosgreenwich.com/hamave. Greenwich Logos makes it so easy for pick-up or delivery and has really great options for all!

Support our 5th grade on 9/19 and take a night off from cooking. Order from garden catering (hamilton ave location), mention ham ave when you order and the 5th grade will receive a portion of the sales back.

Click here (SPA) for information about Mothers For Others Diaper Distribution Day, scheduled for 9/23 at Wilbur Peck and Armstrong Court

Did you happen to read the first District Digest? Click here to see an article about our beloved Suzuki Students playing at Mrs. Simonelli's wedding!!

Please sign and return the following required forms found on the Hamilton Avenue School Website by the first day of school and any other forms applicable to your children:

REMINDER all REQUIRED forms are to be turned in no later than September 9, 2022

• School Handbook Acknowledge Form (REQUIRED)
• Student Emergency Contact Form (REQUIRED)
• Authorized for Medical Treatment/Risk Notification (REQUIRED)
• Press Publicity Permission/Denial Form (REQUIRED)
• Notice of Network Use Opt-out Form (REQUIRED)

Additional forms to be returned if applicable

• Student Device Loan Form (all new students and Kindergarten students)
• School Lunch Debit Account Form (if applicable
• Free and Reduced 2023-24 Application-Family (English)
• Free and Reduced Addendum (must accompany application)
• Free and Reduced 2023-24 Application-Spanish
• Free and Reduced Addendum - Spanish (must accompany application)
• Student Accident Insurance (if applicable)

School lunch will NO LONGER be available for free this year. There will be one hot option along with several “grab and go” cold options each day. Breakfast will be available at 7:45 am for students and will continue to be free. More information coming in a separate email from the district.

PLEASE NOTE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH FORMS ARE LINKED ABOVE AND CAME HOME ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. Please fill these out and return them to the main office by 9/30/23. It is imperative that we receive these completed forms returned to school in order to be considered for free lunch status.

September:

September 19: Vision and Hearing Screenings

September 19: Open House

September 22: Kindergarten Parent Coffee

September 25: No School Yom Kippur

September 27: Grade 1 Parent Coffee

September 29: Grade 2 Parent Coffee

October:

October 3: School Photos

October 4: Grade 3 Parent Coffee

October 6: Grade 4 Parent Coffee

October 10: Greenwich Fire Department visit Grades K-1

October 11: Grade 5 Parent Coffee

October 25: Early Release - Professional Development

October 26: PTA Halloween Bingo Night

Email: Diane_Fox@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: https://has.greenwichschools.org/
Location: Hamilton Avenue School, 184 Hamilton Avenue, Greenwich, CT, USA
Phone: (203)869-1685