Another school year is almost here, and there are many questions I am sure you have. I hope to keep you informed on BHS happenings through this newsletter, which I will send out regularly through the Infinite Campus system to your Campus Portal and your email on file. Please check your Infinite Campus information to make sure that it is accurate, especially your email address. I will rarely use the phone system for notices and prefer to send news to your email and portal.

I hope you find some helpful information here, but if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at dmarks@sheltonpublicschools.org. I am happy to answer your questions if I can and will provide you with as much information as I am able. I am a private resident with a family as well as an educator, so I do ask that you come to me rather than speculate on social media. It is my policy to limit my internet "friends" to personal contacts, so please do not be insulted if I do not seek out parents.

You can expect class assignments to go out in early to mid August. There are no secretaries working at BHS over the summer to help with this process. I know you are eager to find out, and we will get those out ASAP.

There is a lot of information to sort through, and so much is still up in the air.

Shelton Public Schools has a COVID-19 Quick Link that includes the Shelton Reopening Plan and other great information. This is your best source for official information (not Facebook!).

Another great resource is the SPSS YouTube Channel, where you can view past meeting and information sessions. You can also subscribe and receive notifications when they stream live meetings.

Currently, the start date on the SPS calendar is August 31...HOWEVER, the State may grant a 3-Day waiver to provide staff more COVID and distance learning training, so the first day of school may change. Stay tuned...

Under the current schedule, 8/31-9/4 are early dismissal dates, but we may run early dismissal schedules later, particularly if the weather remains very hot.

Our first few weeks (and thereafter) will have a heavy push on establishing relationships and making sure students are comfortable with their teachers.

Because of food allergies and students eating in classrooms, I will ask that all home lunches be nut-free.

A form will be provided for opting out of "in-person" school. Parents may opt to withdraw and home-school or opt for a distance learning model. After opting out, if a family wishes to return to in-school classes, we ask for 1 weeks notice so that the classroom and transportation can be set up.

Parents and visitors will not be allowed in the building.

The BHS Library website has a wealth of Summer Reading and Home Resources.

BHS Library website: https://sites.google.com/a/sheltonpublicschools.org/booth-hill-media-center/home

BHS Summer Reading: https://sites.google.com/a/sheltonpublicschools.org/booth-hill-media-center/summer-reading

BHS Home Resources: https://sites.google.com/a/sheltonpublicschools.org/booth-hill-media-center/home-resources

My favorite commercial of all time is the Staples commercial of the guy dancing through the aisles with his kids trudging behind while "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" plays (this is not an endorsement for Staples; just a funny commercial).

We love our supply lists! These are current. I included a home supply list in case of distance learning (it was made by Walmart and included things like a laptop and printer/scanner/copier, so I edited it a bit). You can also stock up on anything in the grade level lists while it is on sale now and keep some at home just in case.

MASKS: Masks are required to be worn by all students at all times except through a doctor's advice and approved by our School nurse. Masks must cover the nose and mouth and may not have an exterior vent. Face shields are not a substitution for face masks.

I would also encourage you to send in a labeled water bottle (my kid ruined dozens of fancy ones with the straw and different spouts by chewing on them, so go with a simple snap-top lid if you can).

Also, set aside an old beach or bath towel that your child can keep in a backpack and bring outside to socially separate and sit on the grass for mask breaks.

Congratulations to Jamie Weber on her appointment to Principal of Elizabeth Shelton School and to Darla Lussier for her appointment to Principal of Mohegan School. Booth Hill will miss you both, but we are very excited for you!

Please welcome Alyssa Fernandes to the Art room and Lauren Cederbaum to First Grade! We look forward to working with these fine educators.

Several teachers are working with the Project Excel Leadership Academy. Project EXCEL is working with our English Learning (EL) populations by providing professional development and support to teachers in our K-12 schools. The program pairs General education teachers with EL teachers to help provide our EL students & families with more support. Congratulations to these teachers who have earned micro-credentials in Fostering Positive School Cultures and Family Engagement so far this summer:

Jessica Flores

Wendy Grabarz

Susan Pan

Madeline Priddle

Deborah Testani

Several teachers have been attending virtual meetings in preparation for Fall 2020, and some teachers have been teaching in our Summer Learning Program.

Many to the teachers as well as the Hanas family for weeding the garden areas around the school. It looks gorgeous!

Huge thanks to our custodial staff, Bill, Glenn, and Tyler, for sanitizing our school and making the floors shine! They are working hard in the heat.

544 Booth Hill Road

Shelton, CT 06484

203-929-5625

Fax: 203-225-1587

http://boothhill.sheltonpublicschools.org/home_page

Dina Marks, Principal

dmarks@sheltonpublicschools.org