The Big Cat Courier
Your Source for Big Cat News, Right Meow
June 24, 2022
Happy Summer Big Cats,
I've said it at several points across this school year and to tell you the truth, I'm still in awe of how quickly the year flew by! Even with the year having passed so quickly, it's important for us to pause and celebrate all of the hard work the students and staff put in, not only this year, but across the last 27 months. Kids and the people who work with them never cease to amaze me with their resilience and determination.
With that said, I know that I can speak for the whole staff at HBS when I share just how much we'll miss our future third graders. Our time with them was anything but traditional and we'll always remember the "adventures" we shared during the last three very unusual school years. We are also excited to meet to meet our incoming Kindergarten students and their families!
With new beginnings this August, we are all hoping for a more traditional upcoming school year.
Enjoy a safe, fun summer with the kids!
Today's Extra Early Dismissal is at 11:50
No ERfC Program Today
iPads are Headed Home for the Summer
We are excited to share that students will be taking their iPads home for the summer! As a result, all students in Grades K-8 will have access to continue using i-Ready to support their personalized learning of mathematics and reading skills.
i-Ready will continue to be available for students to utilize as an optional enrichment activity until Sunday, August 14th. At that point, we will begin the process of getting ready for the new school year. Students will resume having access after they take the first diagnostic, usually by the end of September. As optional enrichment and to support grade level skills, it is recommended that students complete 30-45 minutes in both reading and mathematics per week. See the iReady Flyer as well as the optional iReady tracking sheet provided in the next few pages. Use of the tracking sheet is completely optional for families; it will not be collected in the fall.
On our Website you will find information on the following:
• Directions for how to access iReady from an iPad.
• An optional weekly tracking sheet to help keep track of student usage and progress (30-45 minutes in each subject per week is encouraged).
• A flyer with tips for keeping the iPad running smoothly over the summer. Enfield Public Schools has protections in place to support the use of the iPad for instructional purposes.
Some additional tips for Summer Use of the iPad include:
o Check the iPad for weekly Software Updates.
o Keep the iPad in the case!
o Keep the iPad away from extreme heat and cold; keep it away from liquids.
o Charge the iPad overnight.
o Along with the flyer, additional options are available the iPad Tips and Tricks page located under EPS – Tech Support.
Support:
Our EdTechHelp Team will be available by email over the summer for any support needs that arise. To contact the team, email: EdTechHelp@enfieldschools.org.
10 Tips to Prevent Summer Learning Loss
https://www.simplylearningtuition.co.uk/advice-for-parents/how-to-prevent-summer-learning-loss/
Upcoming Dates to Keep An Eye On
Report Cards will go out electronically on Friday, 6/24
Construction on the new parking lot begins the end of June/beginning of July
Class Placements for next year will be mailed out the second week of August
Kindergarten Orientation will be held on August 22. Times and information will arrive with class placement information
Important Items from Previous Newsletters -
Enfield Community Resources for Young Families from Our Partners at KITE
The Difficulty in Honoring a Request for Next Year's Classroom Teacher
Every year families make inquiries on how to request a specific teacher for their child's upcoming school year. While on the surface a single request may seem simple to accommodate however, the way classes are constructed makes it extremely difficult to honor a request for a specific classroom teacher. The process of creating class lists is a long and intensive one for the staff. We begin this work as early as April and focus on constructing lists that reflect balanced, positive working groups. The lists go through several revisions throughout the spring. It is also important to note that class lists are not constructed with specific teachers in mind and in fact, teachers are assigned to each group as the last step in the process. Luckily, we have a very strong teaching staff at all three grade levels with several past Teacher of the Year candidates and nominees.
Our Community Partners -
The Barnard-Crandall PTO
For PTO updates, resources, schedules, and news, click on the link to their official website: https://enfieldpto.com/henrybarnard
The Family Resource Center (FRC)
For more information, please follow this link: https://www.enfield-ct.gov/375/Family-Resource-Center
Enfield Resources for Children (ERfC)
Follow this link for more information: https://erfcinc.org/
The KITE Collaborative
Please check out their website for more information about this amazing group.
The Big Cat Courier
Enfield Public Schools
Ready to Learn
Henry Barnard School
Email: jgraham@enfieldschools.org
Website: https://henry.sharpschool.com/
Location: 27 Shaker Road, Enfield, CT, USA
Phone: (860) 253-6540
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnfieldPublicSschools/
Twitter: @EnfieldPS