From the Principal's Pen
May 31, 2020
Principal's Message
The school building is closed….but the learning and fun continue!
Thanks to our wonderful teachers, along with the great support we receive from our parents and PTA, we are still celebrating our spring traditions!
JC's Got Talent
I hope you have all had an opportunity to view JC’s Got Talent! It was sensational! Thank you to all that participated. Here is the link just in case you haven't had a chance to see the unique talents of our JC students!
https://flipgrid.com/jcgottalent (password: jctalent2020)
Grandparent's Day
Students sent in photos of their grandparents and donated birthday bags for children in need. When you donate $20 for this little birthday bag your grandparent will receive a certificate. There is still time if you want to send your grandparent's name and address to jcgrandparentsday@gmail.com and Venmo $20 to @Kirsten-Hennigan
K-4 Spring Art Show
The Second JC Virtual Art Show features work submitted by students in grades K-4 during Distance Learning. Students have explored a variety of themes, artists, and techniques, with accessible tools and materials. We would like to thank Ms. Le Ann Hinkle, our talented art teacher, for continuing to inspire our young artists during this time. We would also like to give special thanks to Mrs. Heather Bryant, one of our building substitutes, for her many hours of organizing and editing student work for this presentation. This art show would not be possible without our student and family photographers. All of you have submitted amazing photos and videos of your creative effort. The last JC Virtual Art Show will celebrate our fifth graders!
If you missed our first art show, "Artists for the Earth" click on the link below to check it out!
CONGRATULATIONS, LYNN GULLI!
In addition to all of this, while undergoing her leukemia treatment, Lynn designed a pair of socks through the organization Resilience Gives to help raise funds to provide art therapy for children in treatment. Lynn and her mother, Cindy Moss have recorded an episode of the Resilience Gives "Socks with Stories" podcast where they share the story of Lynn's leukemia journey. The link is below. Take a listen!
REMINDER - PICKING UP STUDENT BELONGINGS
Most teachers in grades K- 4 will be present in front of the school during your pick up time to wave and say goodbye to their students in person. Staff will still be teaching until June 12th but the teachers would like to have the opportunity to see their students before the end of the school year. Please come by with your child in your car to pick up your items and wave to your child’s teacher. We ask that you do not plan to come as an entire class (a full parade) during that time. You should arrive in your individual cars. Please understand that there are a few teachers that will not be able to make it at this time due to other family commitments. The fifth grade teachers will see their students at Ringing Out on June 12th.
Tuesday, June 2nd
9:00-11:00 Kindergarten
11:00-2:00 5th grade
Wednesday, June 3rd
9:00-11:00 1st grade
11:00-2:00 4th grade
Thursday, June 4th
9:00-11:00 2nd grade
11:00-2:00 3rd grade
RETURN OF iPADS
All students will keep their iPads over the summer and return them to school in the fall. Fifth graders will return their iPads to the middle school and exchange them for a Chromebook. If your child is moving or leaving the Greenwich Public Schools then you may return your child's iPad to Julian Curtiss on June 11th between 12:00 and 2:00 pm.
SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE
GPS Families,
As we approach our final two weeks of distance learning, I want to again share my thanks with our students, families, and staff for the continued partnership. I look forward to finishing out the academic year strong!
This past week we celebrated our 2020 Community Service Award Recipients, a group of students who have demonstrated the value of giving back to our community and who have had a profound impact on their respective schools. Congratulations, once again, to all of our recipients! Greenwich High School also announced their Valedictorians, Salutatorians and their 85 Headmaster Award recipients. We are so very proud of these students! We’re very excited to keep this celebratory spirit going with our upcoming graduation ceremonies for our fifth grade, eighth grade and GHS senior class!
Board of Education Meeting
Since the attendance has been so high at the virtual BOE meetings, we want to be sure our GPS community is aware that next week's virtual meeting was rescheduled for June 5th (Friday), at 3:00 pm. The date needed to be adjusted due to the high volume of COVID rescheduled Zoom budget meetings with the RTM and a much needed GPS Finance Committee meeting.
GPS Summer School
Our GPS Summer School website has been updated and includes important information for students and families about academic offerings, registration and school contacts. A few families have inquired about adding a class, and GPS is reviewing the possibility at this time. Stay tuned!
Summer Learning Websites
Many families have been asking if we are able to leave some of our K-8 software platforms open through the summer. We are very excited to off our Seamless Summer Learning website. If you scroll to the bottom, families can see which platforms will be left open through August 7th to support those who want to continue with a learning schedule. All students are encouraged to join the GPS Summer Reading Challenge! Whether your child has a school-issued device or is accessing the resources from any web-enabled device, all students will be able to participate in the programming available for summer learning.
Additionally, GHS has a link to their summer assignments page for those students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses, Innovation Lab, and ELL/ESOL for the 2020-2021 school year.
Moving or Changing School Districts Next Year?
If your family is withdrawing from GPS, please fill out the online Withdrawal Form as soon as possible. Next year will involve a great deal of planning, and understanding what grade levels are impacted by withdrawals will be very helpful. We also want to be sure that we can swiftly provide your child’s records to their new school if we are still working virtually.
GPS Extended School Year (ESY) for Special Education
An input letter was sent today to all eligible ESY Special Education families about summer programming. Please look for this email in your inbox. We’d appreciate a quick response as your input is needed to help us schedule teachers and create time schedules.
Virtual Magic Show to Benefit our GPS PTAs - June 2nd
Join us on Tuesday, June 2nd at 7:00pm for a magical night with the Greenwich PTA Council virtual spring fundraiser to benefit local Greenwich PTAs in financial need due to the coronavirus. You can watch the same performers from your favorite television shows like America’s Got Talent, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show – streamed right to the comfort of your home! You can even be selected to be part of the show! One ticket is good for the entire family. Just click on tinyurl.com/GreenwichMagic
Book Delivery Next Week
Girl Scout Troop 50681 and parent volunteers will be providing books to ALL families at each of the lunch stops next week. There will be books available at all levels from preschool to adults. If you are in need of books, please stop by. We will be delivering as follows:
Lunch Route 1 - Tuesday, June 2
Lunch Route 2 - Wednesday, June 3
Lunch Route 3 - Thursday, June 4
Social distancing will be followed during distribution, gloves, and masks will be used by those delivering the books, display of goods are laid out and hand sanitizer will be provided for all.
“A Walk with Chalk” Art Project
VIRTUAL OFFERINGS FROM THE BRUCE MUSEUM
Bruce Presents...
For museum directors, these are among the most pressing issues of our time: How will the global coronavirus pandemic change how public spaces are designed or modified, from classrooms to auditoriums, public restrooms to restaurants, hallways to elevators? How will the need for adequate social distancing impact how public spaces are used in a post-lockdown environment?
Providing expert insight into these new and urgent issues are four distinguished architects whose practices focus on the design of public buildings and spaces:
· Steve Dumez, Principal and Director of Design at EskewDumezRipple
· Nick Koster, Director, Architect, LEED AP, Landscape Architect at Snøhetta
· Maitland Jones, Principal at Deborah Berke Partners
· Paul Schulhof, Principal at Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects
The four architects will open the program at 7:00 pm; the three museum directors will join the panel at 7:45. The program will conclude with a Q&A session moderated by Leonard Jacobs, producer of Bruce Presents.
Register for the Zoom virtual webinar by clicking on the link below:
Architecture 20/20: New Visions for Public Spaces in the Age of COVID-19
Junior Art Competition 2020: Seeing and Feeling During the Pandemic
The Bruce Museum is excited to announce a new art competition that will highlight the talents and concerns of the coming generation of young artists.
The Bruce Museum Junior Art Competition 2020: Seeing and Feeling During the Pandemic has been developed for children in grades Kindergarten through grade 8. Using the prompt, “What do you see and feel during this time of pandemic?” the art competition asks kids to use their creativity to share their unique experiences during this unprecedented health crisis.
Deadline for entries is June 15, 2020. Winners will be announced on June 19, and their artwork will be exhibited virtually on a dedicated website.
Digital Bruce Beginnings: Dinosaurs
Do you miss Bruce Beginnings on Tuesdays at the Museum? Then watch this video for Digital Bruce Beginnings. This program, for children ages 3 through 5 and their caregivers, will be led by a museum educator and include a discussion of one of the Museum's online exhibitions, a related story book, and suggestions of interactive activities adults and kids can do together. Enjoy!
Digital Weekends
This week, for our next project, you will get to create your own diorama! Enjoy this activity, and feel free to share the creations you and your family make by using the hashtag #Brucemuseum.
The Bruce Museum is re-imagining science!
The Bruce Museum has embarked on an ambitious project to re-install our permanent science galleries. Our previous Changes in Our Land exhibition was well-loved, but after more than two decades, it is time to re-imagine our space to present a new vision, showcase exceptional new objects from our natural history collections, and take advantage of new technology. We have been planning the new Cycles exhibition for several years, and construction is now under way.
Please follow Mrs. McGuire and Mrs. Brush on Twitter
@JCSPrincipal and @JCSEaglesAP
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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