Middlebrook Lion's Link
Linking Our School To Our Community April 14, 2022
WEEKLY NEWS
Early Dismissal Hours:
8:35 AM – 1:00 PM
Upcoming Events:
April 1st - April 30th
- Autism Awareness Month
Friday, April 15th
- No School - Good Friday
- Passover Begins
Sunday, April 17th
- Easter
Monday, April 18th - Friday April 22nd
- Spring Break
Wednesday, April 27th
- Administrative Professional's Day
Thursday, April 28th
- School Store
Friday, April 29th
- Wear a jersey or a number on your shirt
- Bingo 6-9pm in the school gym
- Arbor Day
May 2nd - May 6th Teacher Appreciation Week
Sunday, May 1st
- Ramadan Ends
Monday, May 2nd
- One Book, One School Kick-Off
- Eid al-Fitr begins at sundown
Tuesday, May 3rd
- Teacher Appreciation Day
- BOE Meeting; 7:00 PM
- Plant Sale - during the school day and from 4:30-7:30pm
Wednesday, May 4th
- Plant Sale - during the school day
- SBA Reading Testing for Grades 3-5
Thursday, May 5th
- Cinco De Mayo
- SBA Reading Testing for Grades 3-5
Friday, May 6th
- School Lunch Hero Day
- International Festival 6:00-8:00pm in the school gym
Sunday, May 8th
- Mother's Day
Tuesday, May 10th
- SBA Math Testing for Grades 3-5
Wednesday, May 11th
- School Nurse Day
- SBA Math Testing for Grades 3-5
Thursday, May 12th
- SBA Math Performance Testing for Grades 3-5
Monday, May 16th
- PTA meeting - 7:15 PM in the school cafeteria
- I-Ready testing window May 16th - May 27th grades K-2
Tuesday, May 17th
- SBA Science Testing for Grade 5
- Grade 1 Russo/Velazquez Library Visit; 9:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Thursday, May 19th
- Grade 1 Rodrigues/Ekstrom Library Visit; 9:15-10:45 AM
- Spring Concert - 7:00 PM in the school gym
Friday, May 20th
- Kindergarten End of Year Celebration - details provided by classroom teachers
Saturday, May 21st
- Armed Forces Day
Monday, May 23rd
- I-Ready testing window May 23rd - June 3rd grades 3-5
Tuesday, May 24th
- BOE Meeting; 7:00 PM
Thursday, May 26th
- School Store
Monday, May 30th
- No School; Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 31st
- Grade 5 Boothe Park (2 classes TBD)
Thursday, June 2nd
- Field Day
Friday, June 3rd
- Celebration of the Arts
- Grade 5 Boothe Park (2 classes TBD)
Sunday, June 5th
- Kids Marathon Final Mile; 9:00 AM
Monday, June 6th
- Orientation for "NEW" incoming Kindergarteners
Tuesday, June 7th
- Orientation for "NEW" incoming Kindergarteners
- BOE Meeting; 7:00 PM
Wednesday, June 8th
- Rain date for Field Day
- 5th grade Talent Show 6:30 PM in the school gym
Friday, June 10th
- 5th grade trip to Madison/Hillcrest Schools 8:50-11:15 AM
Monday, June 13th
- 5th grade Party - Beach Memorial
Tuesday, June 14th
- Flag Day
- Rain date - 5th grade Party - Beach Memorial
Sunday, June 19th
- Father's Day
Monday, June 20th
- Early Dismissal; 1:00 PM
Tuesday, June 21st
- First Day of Summer
- Last Day of School
- Grade 5 "Stepping Up" Ceremony; 9:30 AM
- Report Cards Issued
- Early Dismissal; 1:00 PM
Next month, we will begin to administer the Smarter Balanced Assessments to our students in grades 3-5. The SBA Assessments will expose students to Common Core English/Language Arts questions and Mathematics problems. In addition to the SBA assessments, our students in grade 5 will be taking the NGSS Science Field Test.
SBA Testing Schedule
Grades 3 - 5
English Lang. Arts
5/4 & 5/5
slight change - no testing on 5/3
Math
5/10, 5/11 & 5/12
Science Testing - Grades 5
NGSS - Science Field Test
5/17
We hope students will not be absent during the testing period, except for illness, and that they will strive to do their very best.
Here are some ways you can help us from home:
- Make sure your child arrives to school on time. If he or she is late, your child will not be able to enter the classroom until testing is done for the day. A make-up test will be given at another time by one of the specialists so your child will miss classroom instruction.
- Make sure your child has a nutritious breakfast. Even toast and a piece of fruit will provide the body and brain energy.
- Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep. Most children need at least 10 hours of sleep each night. Children cannot do their best work when they are tired.
- Let your child know that you expect him or her to try their very best.
Some children can become so worried about taking a test that they cannot demonstrate what they know. It will not be effective to just tell your child not to worry.
Instead, share these tips:
- Tell your child to remember past tests where he or she did well and remind your child that he or she can do well again!
- Reassure your child. Let your child know that all you expect is his or her best effort.
In addition to the SBA state assessments, we will be administering our district iReady assessments in mid-May to early June.
Placement Process
The process of class placement for the upcoming school year is beginning for classroom teachers and specialists. Please know that grade level teams and support staff take the placement process very seriously and class communities are built thoughtfully. Teams work diligently and consider many factors when deciding upon student placement. Some of the factors considered are:
Balancing classrooms academically, behaviorally and by gender
Social partnerships; some enhance learning while others may distract from the learning process
Understanding each child’s unique needs and our ability to deliver differentiated instruction and support
These decisions are not made in isolation and are always made in the best interest of the student. You are asked to refrain from requesting a specific teacher. If there is a particular situation or learning need regarding placement that you need to share I ask that you inform me in writing by sending an email to dponte@trumbullps.org by May 1, 2022. Remember, this is not to request a particular teacher or student placement with others due to friendships, teachers already take the latter into consideration.
Please note that changes happen over the summer. Sometimes there are students that join or leave Middlebrook. There can also be teacher changes that are unavoidable, therefore in alignment with all the elementary schools in Trumbull we wait until approximately one week before school starts to disseminate class placement lists. Thank you for your understanding.
We conducted a practice lockdown drill on Monday, April 11th. It was supervised by the district's security team. The student's did a great job. We explain to students this is another drill we use to keep them safe.
I hope you all have a wonderful spring break and that you are able to spend some special time with your family and your friends. Happy Easter and Passover to those of you who celebrate!
We thank you for your continued support for our work at Middlebrook School! As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or good news to share, please feel free to email me at dponte@trumbullps.org or contact me at school at 203-452-4411.
Warm regards,
~Debbie Ponte
Fun Spring Break activity for kids in grades 3-6
Yearbook Information
1. Yearbook ordering: It's time to pre-order your yearbook! Order by 4/30 to reserve your child's copy. Yearbooks will be delivered mid-June. We will have a limited supply on hand for in-person purchasing. The only way to ensure your child receives one is to pre-order via the link here.
https://middlebrookelementarypta.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/180243
2. Lovelines: Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Guardians, Loved Ones: Send a real "text" message to your favorite MB student(s), teacher or staff member! Congratulate your 5th grader on moving up.
Acknowledge a great event, grade or year.
Just say "I love you" in print!
Purchase a message via the link here (be sure to include your student's name!):
https://middlebrookelementarypta.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/136471
3. Submit pictures: Do you have pics from your kid's class? From the winter concert? From Trunk or Treat? From the holiday boutique? From the First Day of School? From any Middlebrook event or class? Please follow the instructions below to upload so we can potentially include it in the yearbook! The yearbook staff needs your help!
1. Click this link (school code if asked is middlebrook):
https://hjeshare.com/eShare/#!/?code=middlebrook
2. Enter contact info
3. Click "Upload General Photos"
4. Upload one or more photos from your phone or computer
5. Enter grade, student name (if known; if not enter "unknown" or "various")
6. In Description field, enter a brief description of photo such as holiday boutique, Mr Silhavy's class, winter concert, 2nd grade, etc.
7. Submit and you're done!
Note: The yearbook staff will not use photos from any non-MB event, so please don't send birthday party pics, vacation pics, etc. Only exception to that rule is first day of school pics and 5th grade baby photos!
If you have any issues, please reach out to Kate or Katie.
Middlebrook's International Festival
Please see the link below for details.
A message from the OOM team
Special thanks to our PTA
Thanks to the generous support of our PTA, students enjoyed a visit with an author this week.
Dan Gutman visited virtually with Grades 2 - 5 and his humorous manner had students excited about reading and writing. Some of the things that Dan shared were the 9 steps of his writing process, differences in writing chapter books versus graphic novels, Chapter 1 of his upcoming book Miss Stoker is a Joker, and his notebook filled with rejection letters. It took Dan 15 years to find his niche in the writing world, but he did not give up and advised students, "I hope you don't give up either."
Alyssa Satin Capucilli joined students in Grades K & 1 in our library, to everyone's delight. Before reading her first Biscuit book with students, Alyssa discussed the inspiration for it and her writing process. Each day Alyssa goes for a walk and uses her five senses to learn about the world around her. Ideas are all around, and you just have to find what inspires you as a writer. Alyssa shared her Treasure Keeper (notebook) and remarked, "When we sit down to write, it is a treasure." Alyssa enjoyed looking at the Biscuit books Kindergarten students made Biscuit's Adventure at Middlebrook Elementary School and the First Grade students' Biscuit story ideas should she gets writer's block.
What a wonderful experience for all thanks to the support of our PTA!
Messages From the 5th Grade Activities Committee
Hello 5th Graders & Families,
We have been continuing to plan activities and events for the kids throughout this year and each event costs a fee, depending on the event type and location. The Committee is also responsible for organizing many of the End of Year activities such as:
· End of year Graduation Party at Beaches Pool
· Graduation decorations and slideshow
· Graduation T-shirts and Yard Signs for each child
· School Plaque Presented to Principal at Graduation
· Class Gift/Project to the school
· End of Year Talent Show
To help with the above end of year costs, we are asking for each 5th grader to pay a one-time end of year activity fee of $25.00. To pay for this fee, you can go to Membership Toolkit at: https://middlebrookelementarypta.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/166166
Should you have any questions, please contact Liza Pontonio, at LPontonio77@gmail.com.
SLIDESHOW SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE: APRIL 30, 2022
We are collecting photos to put together the slideshow that will be played at our children's graduation in June. We need your help by providing your photos of the kids from Kindergarten through 5th grade.
Here is a guideline of what we need from you:
1. Email your high-quality images to 5thgradeslideshow2022@gmail.com.
2. Please label each photo with your child’s full name, grade level, and activity. For example, Addison DeLong, 1st grade Halloween.
**Landscape photos are preferred.
**Group photos are encouraged so we can include as many of the kids as possible. Please label with grade level and activity.
If you have any questions, please email Liza and Justin at 5thgradeslideshow2022@gmail.com.
Thank you in advance for your support this year.
-The 5th Grade Activities Committee
Class Fun!
All about Science in grade 4
Mrs. Alfano's and Mrs. Rydelek's fourth grade class spent two days observing and dissecting the external and internal structures of a squid. It was exciting to watch our students locate, remove and observe the bucal bulb, eyes, lungs, hearts (yes, there are three), caecum, stomach, as well as determining the gender of their squid. In addition, the students were able to remove the ink sac and write the first initial of their first name with it.
We had an amazing two days!
Mrs. Mercier, Miss Barnett and Mrs. Inzero's classes hunting for eggs
Mrs. Abate's Class
Mrs. Abate's Class read Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco and painted beautifully colored eggs. They displayed them in the teacher's room for purchase by staff. All proceeds collected were donated to fund for Ukraine.
A brief story synopsis......
Old Babushka, known throughout all of Moskva for her beautifully painted eggs, is preparing her eggs for the Easter Festival when she takes in an injured goose. She names the goose Rechenka, and they live happily together until one day when Rechenka accidentally overturns a basket, breaking all of Babushka's lovingly crafted eggs.But the next morning Babushka has a surprise awaiting her in the basket. She cries: "A miracle!" It is one of many in this charmingly told tale of friendship and caring.
With vibrant illustrations, Patricia Polacco has joyously re-created the flavor of Old Moscow and its festivals. The eggs, stunningly colored and intricately designed, are authentic reproductions of eggs painted in the Ukrainian style. Rechenka's Eggs is a timeless story of classic beauty.
“MATH IS TOO HARD!” “I’m not good at Math! I’ll never understand this!”
Let’s be honest…math really is HARD (at times)! We all have probably encountered many moments when either learning or applying math where we became frustrated. Maybe we didn’t understand a new concept or we couldn’t solve a problem on our own. Math can be hard, but at the SAME time, we can push through it and learn from our mistakes! The BIG question that actually matters quite a lot in predicting our students’ success is, “How do they respond when stuck??!!!”
There is a large body of research that shows us HOW WE THINK about math (and everything, actually) will directly impact our success in math! As parents and teachers, we are fortunate enough to help mold the thinking of our children, without sharing our own anxieties about math. Even if math wasn’t our strongest subject, we can lead our children to have a positive attitude by avoiding these words, “I’m not good at math.” Instead, what types of positive thinking can we instill in them??? Here are just a few ideas:
I’m going to train my brain in math. This may take some time and effort.
I’ll use some of the strategies I’ve learned. I’m on the right track.
I made a mistake…Mistakes are proof that I’m trying! Mistakes help me improve!
LEARN MORE HERE: Parents' Belief About Math Changes Their Children's Achievement
YMCA information Session 4/28.
Spring season of VIP Soccer
Trumbull Nature and Arts Center
Volunteer Forms
Parents,
We welcome limited volunteering this school year, but you must complete the Volunteer Form. It can take up to 2 weeks to get approved by Long Hill so please don't delay. If you did not complete one this school year and would like to volunteer, the forms must be completed. We need/want our parents in to volunteer! Use the link below to access the forms to complete. This needs to be done every school year. Please make sure every blank is filled in, use N/A where necessary.
https://www.trumbullps.org/Attachments/boe/volunteerforms201920.pdf
See the flyer below for more information.
TLC Registration is Open for 2022-23
Register now and we'll make sure your children have a safe and fun experience in our Before and After School programs for the upcoming school year. Please use the following link to register: https://parentportal.tlctrumbull.com/
UPCOMING PTA DATES
PTA General Meeting Dates:
May 16th
Middlebrook School
Email: dponte@trumbullps.org
Website: middlebrookelementary.com
Location: 220 Middlebrooks Avenue, Trumbull, CT, USA
Phone: 203-452-4411