From the Principal's Pen
January 28, 2022
OUR EAGLES ARE SOARING!
- Midway through the year (and usually again in the Spring), we spend a little extra time revisiting and discussing our school district norms in classes. As a reminder our norms are: Be Here, Be Safe, Be Honest, Care for Self & Others & Let Go & Move On. Ask your Eagle to tell you what the norms mean to them.
- Students are now recognized for following the norms by earning "Good News About Your Child!" Thank you to our PBIS committee (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) for planning these postcards, planning assemblies and supporting our JC Eagles in the classrooms. Look out for your child's JC postcard in the future!
PBIS Committee
Trish McGuire -Prinicpal
Matthew Hartigan -Assistant Principal
Emily Peters - School Psychologist
LaShawana Jones - Social Worker
Caroline Perez - Special Education Teacher
Fabian Agiurgioaei Boie - District Psychologist and Behaviorist
Heather Currier - Fourth grade teacher
Dana Gubitosa - Kindergarten teacher
UPDATES
Dear Parents,
Brrrr! It's cold outside. I hope you are all warm and safe at home. We wanted to remind you that you can always check the district website for an overview of all grade level curriculum here- https://www.greenwichschools.org/teaching-learning/k-8-curriculum
Magnet School Applications Due
K-8 magnet applications must be received online this Tuesday, February 1, in order to be included in the lottery for the 2022-2023 school year. Present students that have siblings that would like to attend must apply through the lottery! Applications received February 1 will be considered only after all lottery applications have been placed. Only one application per student can be submitted, although you may enter up to three school lotteries.
Distinguished Teacher Awards
Do you know a teacher that deserves consideration for the 2022 Distinguished Teacher Awards? The main emphasis in identifying a distinguished teacher is the quality of a teacher’s work with students. To learn more about the criteria and eligibility requirements, read the Nomination Instruction Packet online. Nominators are responsible for collecting and submitting all forms for DTA Nomination by March 18 at 5:00 PM.
Worried about social media? Wondering if your child is old enough to use certain apps? These are great questions and something to really consider. We have recently heard about an uptick in younger users being on Tik Tok and we wanted to share some important information so parents can make an informed decision about their child's usage. Common Sense Media recommends the app for age 15+ mainly due to the privacy issues and mature content. TikTok requires that users be at least 13 years old to use the full TikTok experience, although there is a way for younger children to access the young users experience on the app, where children under 13 can view safer/filtered content, but can not comment or post their own videos. In addition, anyone under the age of 18 must have approval of a parent or guardian to sign up. Being informed and monitoring your child's online usage is the best way to ensure safe use.
We hope you have a safe and fun weekend.
Trish McGuire and Matt Hartigan
BOE PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND TAXATION
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
As we have explained prior there is a 1.5 million dollar budget line to allow for planning for architecture and design that includes an update on ADA compliance, HVAC and security for Julian Curtiss.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT SPOKE on BEHALF OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY!
You can read about the meeting below:
2022-2023 Operating and Capital Budgets
On Tuesday, Chair Stowe and Superintendent Toni Jones presented the BOE Proposed 2022-2023 Operating and Capital Budgets to the Board of Estimate & Taxation (BET). This Thursday at 9:00 AM, they will get feedback and answer questions from the BET Budget Committee.
BOE Special Meeting - Retreat
On Thursday, February 3, the Board of Education’s Special Meeting will take place at 7:00 PM at Central MIddle School, with a virtual viewing option on Zoom. The BOE will only discuss two agenda items: Strategic Plan Update and Special Education Action Plan. As a reminder, public comment happens only during monthly business meetings, not at special meetings.
Middle School Placement- Parent Opportunity to Provide Input- The Window Closes 2/4/2022
Important Fifth to Sixth Grade Transition Information for Parents
The Academic Coordinator Team has started the placement process for our current 5th graders as they enter into middle school next year. Parent input is a valuable component of the placement process. In order to provide input for your student’s middle school placement in ELA, Math, and Science, we give you an opportunity to provide the committee with your insights via a Google Form linked below.
Grade 6 students are placed into classes based on achievement, ability, and overall well-being. In early January, Academic Coordinator Team, Middle School Administrators, and School Counselors presented on the Middle School Transition Process. This informational meeting detailed social, emotional, and academic shifts at the middle level. Presenters also describe the differences in course offerings and support available. Video links to these presentations, as well as the slides used, are available below:
5th-6th Transition January 3, 2022
· Monday, January 3 at 9:00 am Youtube Link
· Monday, January 3 at 6:30 pm Youtube Link
Before completing the parent input form, we highly recommend reviewing the Transition Information for Parents made available by the district’s Academic Coordinator Team. While parent input is not required, if you wish to provide information, please complete the google form below by Friday, February 4th.
Parent Referral Form: https://forms.gle/iEJHSwyE4wCz8G5w9
If you have any questions, please contact us at advancedlearning@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Please follow Mrs. McGuire and Mr. Hartigan on Twitter
@JCSPrincipal and @JC_EagleAP
Mrs. Trish McGuire - Principal
Email: trish_mcguire@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: www.greenwichschools.org/jcs
Location: 180 East Elm Street, Greenwich, CT, USA
Phone: (203) 869-1896
Twitter: @jcsprincipal