From the Principal's Pen
February 3, 2019
CLOSING AND DELAYED OPENING NOTIFICATIONS
There are several other alternate notification methods just in case. Here are a few options:
Connecticut Weather Center E-Notifications (email only)
NBC Connecticut First Alert Closing Central (email and/or text)
Information regarding delays and closings is also always available via the Greenwich Public Schools website at www.greenwichschools.org.
IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION - 4TH AND 5TH GRADES
During February, our 5th graders will be taking an interim assessment based on the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). These standards are the basis of our revised science curriculum being implemented this year. The students will be taking two assessments. One was taken this past Friday, February 1st. The second is scheduled for Wednesday, February 27th.
4th Grade NAEP Assessment
This coming Thursday, our 4th graders will be participating in NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress). Initial information about this assessment was sent home back in January. If you are the parent of a 4th grader, you will be receiving more detailed information from the 4th grade team on Monday.
No special preparation is necessary for either of these assessments other than a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast! If you have any questions regarding these assessments, please contact our assistant principal, Mrs. Brush.
NURSE'S NOTES
When to keep your child home following illness:
There have been several cases of flu and strep in the school and although not considered rampant, it is important to follow appropriate guidelines before returning to school.
Your child may return to school when:
- Temperature is normal for 24 hours after stopping Tylenol or Ibuprofen
- Diarrhea and/or vomiting has stopped for 24 hours
- Children diagnosed with strep may return 24 hours after antibiotics have started
- PLEASE NOTE: Children diagnosed with flu must stay home 5 days. This is a district-wide policy.
As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns,
Helen Brooks, RN
IN OTHER NURSE NEWS...
We have two important announcements about our beloved Nurse Helen! The first is that she will be out on medical leave starting with the February recess and she will be returning right around the spring recess. Nurse Helen will be undergoing knee replacement surgery. Please join us in wishing Nurse Helen a smooth surgery and a speedy recovery. We are working with the nursing supervisor Mary Keller to identify a substitute, although we know there is no substitute for Nurse Helen! It is more than likely that we will have 2 nurses alternating during Nurse Helen’s seven weeks of leave.
After her surgery, Nurse Helen will return in April and remain with us until the end of the year, but she will not return to Julian Curtiss for the 2019-2020 school year. Nurse Helen is RETIRING! She is ready for the next stage in her life and with that new knee she will be doing a lot of dancing! Congratulations! We will miss you more than you know, Nurse Helen!
From our PPS Department: HOT TOPIC - EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING
- Paying attention
- Organizing and planning
- Initiating tasks and staying focused on them
- Regulating emotions
- Self-monitoring
Obviously these skills are necessary for us to get along in every day life, but they are also things that are not always strengths. There are things we can do to help our children - and ourselves - to strengthen these skills.
Each month, our district's PPS staff puts together a resource of suggested activities that can be used at school and/or at home to help improve executive functioning skills. Below are some of suggested activities from this month.
K-2nd Grade:
- Card games (Crazy Eights, Uno, Blink, Set) and board games (Battleship, Checkers, Sorry!) can help practice cognitive flexibility.
- Musical chairs, four square, dodgeball, and tetherball require paying attention and inhibition.
- Simon Says improves attention, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility.
- Solving puzzles and brain teaser books improve problem-solving abilities as well as cognitive flexibility.
2nd - 6th Grade:
- Card games and board games (Hearts, Bridge, Rummy, Chess) exercise working memory, quick decision making, and practice with building strategies.
- Physical activities that require constant monitoring of your environment like soccer, baseball, and flashlight tag improve executive functioning skills.
- Playing a musical instrument, singing, and dancing all improve attention, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition.
- Brain teasers, crossword puzzles, math and number puzzles, and visual/spatial puzzles like Rubik's Cubes improve working memory and mental and cognitive flexibility.
Images from Understood.org
THE JC WEEKLY SHOW
JC STUDENTS CHANGE THE WORLD
The JC Service Club is asking for your help in collecting donations for Mrs. Brush's upcoming trip to Bogotá over the February break. They have set a goal to raise $500. Service Club members will be collecting change at morning drop-off, and in the cafeteria from Tuesday, January 22nd until Thursday, February 7th. A donation jar will also be available in the front hallway. The funds will help purchase things that the children need such as clothing, diapers, toothbrushes, and medical supplies.
For more information, email Mrs. Brush at brenda_brush@greenwich.k12.ct.us.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Mrs. Brush, Ms. Stewart, Mr. O'Brien and the JC Service Club
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Mrs. Trish McGuire - Principal
Email: trish_mcguire@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: www.greenwichschools.org/jcs
Location: 180 East Elm Street, Greenwich, CT, USA
Phone: (203) 869-1896
Twitter: @jcsprincipal