Principal's Weekly Update
September 1st, 2023
Dear Parent(s)/ Guardian(s):
Our opening week can be described as a “smooth success”. I give our students (and teachers) credit for so quickly settling into school routines. Staff members began the week on Monday with the District’s Opening Convocation– we were once again brimming with “Panther Pride” as we listened to District Teacher of the Year Jody D’Addario’s remarks– she followed a formula which called for equal parts inspiration and science-related themes. Jody has always had an ability to connect with the audience in front of her– with her 8th grade students, she draws upon her unique ability to understand the middle school mentality and to speak in relatable ways.
When students joined us for opening day on Tuesday, they experienced their own type of convocation, as Mr. Coppola and I spoke to the 7th and 8th graders in the auditorium and to the 6th graders in the cafeteria (they had to learn about lunchroom procedures). During these opening day assemblies, we looked to offer advice to the students– examples include “Be prepared”, “Get involved”, “Show respect” and “Get attention for the right reasons”. The students were an attentive audience and I am very optimistic about their potential for success this school year.
I follow next with updates on a number of important topics:
Dress Code
As we begin every school year with warm weather, and since the forecast next week is for downright hot weather, it is especially appropriate to stress important aspects of the Trumbull Public Schools Dress Code. We have already seen some attire which is not allowable based on the following regulations listed in the BOE policy:
“Shirts and tops must completely cover the midriff and lower back when sitting or standing. Clothing should also provide appropriate coverage at the neckline. No tank tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps, muscle shirts, or see through clothing shall be worn in school.”
Please work with us to ensure that all of our students abide by the district dress code.
Hot Weather Protocols
Since the forecast calls for possible 90+ degree temperatures next week, please know that we have a number of air conditioned spaces in the building as well as several air conditioned classrooms. We always set up a system so that teachers can share those classrooms and spaces on any hot days when a cooler setting is necessary for student comfort. Please also note that students are allowed to carry water bottles with them to class– that is true on any day, not just particularly hot ones.
i-Ready
The district utilizes i-Ready ( K-8) for progress monitoring of student achievement in the areas of math and reading. We repeat the testing in the winter and then spring to chart student progress throughout the year. This first administration of the test provides the teachers with an important ”baseline” for planning instruction as well as any necessary interventions. The math test will be administered this upcoming week, on Thursday, 9/7 -- there is a special schedule for the day which will be posted on the daily announcements.
Attendance
Regular attendance is an essential key to academic success. This year, once again one of our district and building level goals is to reduce the percentage of “chronic absenteeism”, which is defined as absences from school which are greater than 10% of the school year-- so in a180 day school year, it applies to any student who reaches 18 absences. A student is considered “truant” if they accumulate 4 unexcused absences within the same month, or a total of 10 unexcused absences in the course of the year.
As a reminder-- a parent may “excuse” the first 9 absences of the school year for a variety of reasons. But, beginning with the 10th absence, a parent must provide a doctor’s note to have the absence recorded as “excused”. If a parent does not take these steps, each absence beyond the ninth would be labeled as “unexcused”. Our team leaders always work with the administrators to alert parents once absences start to accumulate, to help families to avoid the designations of “chronically absent” or “truant”. Please reinforce with your child the importance of regular attendance. Last year Madison’s rate of chronically absent students was well below the state average (which is alarmingly high)-- we would like to continue to keep our attendance data trend moving in the right direction.
Drop off Procedures
A note on morning drop off: once the buses have completed dropping off the students (they usually are finished around 7:30), it is acceptable, and in fact encouraged, that cars utilize the front parking lots, or even the road that leads up to the school, to drop off students. At that point we want to get students into the building as quickly as possible--cars can, of course, still proceed toward the drop off spot on the side of the building-- we just want to do what we can to prevent a long line from building up. One more tip-- at any time during morning drop off--if you need to take a left onto Madison Avenue, it is often easier to do so if you cut through the front parking lot and exit from the other side.
Reminders:
Back to School Night for both Trumbull Middle Schools is now scheduled for Wednesday, 9/13, from 6:30- 8:30.
Late buses will start on Monday, 9/18. Many of our after school clubs will begin meeting that week. I will preview many of those clubs in my weekly letters.
Chromebook Insurance: Enrollment and payment for the 1:1 Device Insurance Program will be processed via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. To purchase the insurance login to the Parent Portal, and select School Store on the left menu. Click here to access step-by-step instructions for adding the insurance and completing payment online.
Announcement:
We are excited to once again offer a Cross Country team– all students are welcome to participate. Interested runners should read this letter: MS Cross Country 2023.
Finally...
I’m sure that our students, if given a choice, would vote to start the school year after Labor Day, as many of us did back in our day, but I hope that they feel the same satisfaction that I do every year at this time. On my end, all of the summer planning has paid off– our hiring, scheduling, and goal setting have all come together. The students have weathered any first day jitters, have reconnected with friends, and have learned all of the expectations which their teachers have for them. We have laid the foundation for a successful and fun school year. We can all take a step back now and enjoy the Labor Day weekend even more, as our reward for putting in our best effort to start off the school year strong. I hope you all enjoy any Labor Day weekend plans that you might have.
Take care,
Peter Sullivan