New Lebanon School
Weekly Updates
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Hello Bobcat Families! A reminder there is no school next week - school resumes on Tuesday, February 16th. Please enjoy this time together with close friends and family; this is a great time to go for walks, play outside, or read a good book. If you can, try to limit screen time for students - this is a well-deserved break! Important reminders are below...
Contact Tracing
There will be limited contact tracing February 8th-12th.
Current Travel Advisories
It is important to make sure all families follow the Connecticut Travel Guidelines set by Governor Lamont's Executive Order No. 9S. Some of his key points include:
A traveler who has spent 24 hours or longer in an Affected State or an Affected Country are required to (1) complete the Connecticut Travel Health Form and (2) self-quarantine for a period of 10 days from the time of last contact with an Affected State or Affected Country.
Self-quarantine means to stay home or in your designated self-quarantine location, separate yourself from others, and monitor your health. You should not enter any public places.
An Affected Traveler is exempt from the self-quarantine requirement if the Affected Traveler (1) has had a test for COVID-19 in the 72 hours prior to arrival in Connecticut or at any time following arrival in Connecticut, (2) the result of such COVID-19 test is negative, and (3) he or she has provided written proof of such negative test result to the Commissioner of Public Health.
Reporting Travel and/or Test Results to GPS
We are asking families to send their updated information by 12:00PM on Sunday, February 14th, if a student or staff member should have a COVID-related exposure or positive test which they need to report. Please send any of these notifications to your school’s principal or Mary Keller, GPS Head of Nursing.
For any student or staff member that has traveled, please provide proof of a negative test to your school’s principal, school nurse, or to Mary Keller in order to return to school grounds on Tuesday, February 16th.
Family Members who are COVID Testing
As a reminder, GPS is asking that students stay home if a member of their immediate family is being tested due to exposure or symptoms. It will limit teachers and students from possible exposures, causing individuals to be quarantined. Quarantining is a great safety measure, but it can be disruptive for staff and families. We understand we have many families who regularly test as a proactive measure; staying home while awaiting results of proactive, regular testing is not necessary.
Free COVID-19 Testing
If you or your child are symptomatic, we recommend getting tested as soon as possible. But if there are no symptoms, waiting 3-5 days from the possible exposure will give you the most accurate test results. Family Centers Health Care offers free COVID-19 testing at their Greenwich and Stamford locations. Details about their hours of operation and appointments can be found on their website. To find all test sites in your area, please visit United Way’s 2-1-1 website.
Together in Safety and Learning,
Mrs. Michaelson & Mrs. Eisenstein
A Peak at our Week!
5th Grade does not miss a beat!
4th Grade explores clues authors give us in their writing!
Ms. Bolling Joins us for World Read Aloud Day to Read her Book, "Let's Dance"
Important Upcoming Dates
- February 8th-12th: NO SCHOOL, February Break
- Monday, February 15th: NO SCHOOL, President's Day
- Tuesday, February 16th: SCHOOL RESUMES (Cycle B Starts - if your child had Music, now they have Art, and vice versa!)
- Tuesday, February 16th : PTA Meeting, 7pm on Zoom - link coming soon!
- Thursday, February 18th @ 6pm - Virtual K Parent Orientation - CLICK HERE TO JOIN if you have a child entering Kindergarten this fall. Please feel free to share this link with your neighbors and friends!
- Friday, March 5th: 2nd Marking Period Closes
- SAVE THE DATE: Virtual March Parent-Teacher Conferences March 17th & 24th 2:45pm-6:45pm
New Lebanon School Celebrates Black History Month - Click below to read books from some of our favorite black authors!
Looking for help with a bedtime routine? Look no further! You can try these ideas at home...
Happy Chinese New Year!
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important celebration in the Chinese Calendar. It marks the start of the New Year and each year this is represented by a different animal from the Chinese zodiac. The coming year, 2021, will be the year of the Ox, symbolizing persistence and honesty.
To celebrate the New Year, there are many traditions:
- Before the festivities, families clean their homes thoroughly to make them ready for the celebrations. It is considered unlucky to clean on New Year’s Day as you may “sweep all your good luck for the New Year away!”
- To celebrate the day, people eat lots of food including noodle soup which is thought to bring luck in the New Year.
- Parades and performances also mark the celebrations as well as fireworks, which are thought to scare away any evil spirits with their loud noises and bright lights.
- Children typically receive money in red envelopes as gifts from the older generations.
- Traditionally the celebrations continue for two weeks and end with a special lantern festival.
LWV Greenwich Student Essay Writing Contest
The LWV Greenwich and their affiliate high school clubs announce the theme of their 2nd annual essay contest for Greenwich students* in grades K-12. In honor of America’s first female vice president, this year’s theme is “Dear Madam Vice President”. Students are encouraged to write a letter to Vice President Harris, sharing their stories, advice, and wishes.
Students are asked to write an essay of up to five-hundred words and to email their submission to the LWV Greenwich Student Outreach coordinator, Anne-Marie Hesser at youthoutreach@lwvgreenwich.org by Sunday, March 21. A panel of high school students will follow an anonymous judging protocol to review the essays and choose three winners: one each for elementary school, middle school, and high school. Children of LWV Greenwich board members are not eligible to participate.
Winners will be presented with their awards on Wednesday, June 2 at the LWV Greenwich’s Annual Dinner at the Riverside Yacht Club.
Additional information can be found on the LWV Greenwich website.
LUNCH MENU NEXT WEEK!
NEW: One (1) hot item choice will be available for lunch each day...
MONDAY, Feb. 15th - President's Day, No School
TUESDAY, Feb. 16th - Chicken Tenders, Oven Baked French Fries
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17th - Pasta with Meat Sauce
THURSDAY, Feb. 18th - Breakfast for Lunch: Egg & Cheese Sandwich, with Chicken Sausage Patty
FRIDAY, Feb. 19th - Cheese Pizza, Whole Grain Crust
MENUS: COVID19 menu notes:
A grab and go brown bag meal will be offered for breakfast and lunch consisting of the following:
Breakfast: Cereal with Milk or Whole Grain Muffin, Yogurt or Bagel, Cream Cheese, Jelly, Fresh Fruit.
Lunch: Deli Sandwich on Whole Grain Roll, Vegetable Bites, Whole Fruit Piece or Cut Fruits, Snack, and Milk.
Bottled Water available for both meal periods for 75 cents.
Alternate meal available: Gluten Free Vegan Veggie Wrap, Sun Butter and Jelly Sandwich, Cheese Sandwich, Plain Bagel with Cream Cheese/String Cheese, Fresh Fruit, Veggie Bites