Hello, Chestnut TAG Parents and students.

I have been so impressed with how hard our students, teachers and families are working to tackle remote learning. Without a doubt, remote learning has its limitations compared to being together in the school, but we will get through this time together. As we wind down the first marking period in the coming weeks, parents are strongly encouraged to monitor students grade by logging into www.chestnuttag.com, and follow the provided instructions. If you have any questions, please reach out to our guidance team at Staines@springfieldpublicschools.com, and Vanassea@springfieldpublicschools.com.

November Teacher Spotlight

Please provide a brief history (educational background, teaching background) as well as answering the following questions.

I earned my bachelor's degree in History and Political Science at UMass Amherst. I already knew that I wanted to be a Social Studies teacher, so I took Education classes along the way and tutored middle schooler's at local schools. I also earned my master's degree from UMass Amherst and did my student-teaching in Springfield Public Schools. Chestnut TAG was the first and only school I applied to and I knew it would be a great fit! This is my third-year teaching here at TAG and I love it!

What three traits define you? –

-I am compassionate. I care deeply about others and always try to be considerate of other people’s feelings. I treat people with the same kindness I would like to be treated with. I hope my students feel cared for and respected in my classroom and know that I am there for them!

-I am dedicated. I was always a diligent student and tried my best throughout my own schooling. I continue to work extremely hard as a teacher because my students deserve it. They motivate me to always work my hardest and try my best to ensure they’re receiving the best education I can provide. My dedication to my students and their education pushes me to continue becoming a better teacher for them.

-I am curious. I love to learn new things! I love researching things on my own and learning for myself. Throughout my life, I have been told I ask a lot of questions and I think that’s a good thing! One of my favorite parts of teaching is learning from and alongside my students.

What would you like to be your greatest accomplishment?

I would like my greatest accomplishment to be getting students interested in learning more about the world around them. I would feel accomplished if my students had a global perspective and were interested in what was going on in other parts of the world. I want my students to know they are powerful, and they are our future. I hope my students leave middle school with confidence, knowing they have the skills they need to be successful and make a difference.

What does true leadership mean to you?

True leadership to me is being a team player. Leaders are able to model hard work to others and always work in the best interest of the group. Leaders know that every individual has unique strengths and works to help everyone reach their fullest potential. True leadership would be working for the benefit of others and leading by example.

How do you define success?

I define success as working hard toward a goal that motivates you. Success to me is always working toward your next goal and to keep going, even if it gets hard. Success is achieving anything that was once challenging for you and working to move past any setbacks.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?

I would tell myself to stop comparing yourself to others and to try not to worry about what others may think. I would always compare my grades to other students, without realizing that making those comparisons had nothing to do with how much I learned! I would also tell myself not to let worrying about other people’s opinions keep you from trying something new!

What is SLFC???

Student-led family conferences provide you with an opportunity to share your portfolio of work and discuss progress with your family members. You will be responsible for facilitating the meeting from start to finish.

8th Grade Students-

1/7- High School Information Event (Virtual Event)- more information to come.

1/11- High School balloting begins.

PBIS-

Continue with the good work and displaying the SHARK TRAITS. Student's redeem your points. There will be designated days for scheduled pick up monthly.

How to access PowerSchool?? Informational video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kXuooqkTIA&t=8s

The Main Office- The Main office will be open from 7:30 -11:30 am.

https://springfieldpublicschools.zoom.us/j/88564702417