Best of Bennet
April 8, 2022
From the Principal
Hi Bennet Academy Families!
I hope this finds you all doing well! As we enter spring break, I want to acknowledge the hard work of our students! It has been a challenge to come back full time after such an inconsistent couple of years due to the pandemic. However, Bennet students have made a strong transition back to full time learning this school year. We, as a staff, are fully aware of the role you play in this at home. We thank you all for your support and partnership!
Today in the morning announcements livestream , I stressed to students and staff the importance of finding some time to relax and decompress over the break. Please support your child to try and do that. Thanks!
Just a reminder that the quarter 3 report cards will be posted in Home Access Center (HAC) by the beginning of next week. An email will be sent once they are posted.
We look forward to returning to school on Monday, 4/18/22, and finishing the last quarter of the school year on a high note! Thanks again for all your support! We could not do it without you!
With appreciation!
Joe Chella, Principal
Can my child go to school today?
Has your child or a family member been in close contact with a known positive Covid person?
Does your child or a family member have a persistent cough, or other respiratory symptoms, shortness of breath, lung congestion?
Has your child or a family member lost the ability to smell or taste?
Does your child or a family member have a fever over 100 F?
If you have answered YES to any of these questions for you or your child, your child should stay home and you should call the school absentee line.
If you answered YES to any of these questions for a member of your family, please contact the school nurse for advice prior to sending your child to school.
Does your child ride a bus? Do they need to go home with a friend?
A child may only ride the bus they are assigned to. If your child is not a bus rider they may not go home that way with a friend. Likewise, if your child is a bus rider, they may not ride a friend's bus, only their own. If your child is on the same bus as a friend and you need them to get off at a different stop there is a protocol. A written note should be sent in with your child and given to the office in the morning. At that point a staff member will call home to verify the plan and scan the note to the Transportation Department, who will then communicate with the bus company.
This is only if your child needs to get off at a different stop on their own bus. No bus changes will be made. This policy is for the safety and protection of your student. Thank you for your coopertion.
Attendance Line - 860-647-3583
Please take note, even if your child is in quarantine, it is important to call them in absent if they are to ill to complete assignments or participate in remote learning (if they qualify).
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CVS
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Spring Report Card Conferences!
Our Spring School Conferences are scheduled for two Wednesdays: 4/27/22 and 5/4/22. They will take place during PD early dismissal time. Teachers will be reaching out to schedule a conference. Most conferences will be virtual, however, if requested we can accomodate some in-person meetings.
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Things to note on the calendar:
Next week (April 11-15) is Spring Break...have a wonderful, restful week off!
REMEMBER WE HAVE EARLY RELEASE EVERY WEDNESDAY THROUGH JUNE 1st. Students will dismiss at 1:15 on Wedndesdays.
Home Access Center is where you access your child's grades. If you do not know your HAC information please email Mrs. Turner (b39hturn@mpspride.org). You can see your child's grades, attendance and progress notes as well as report cards, so take note of the different tabs.
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Parents please help!
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Physical Education at Bennet
Current Unit: Cooperative Games
Students will be participating in various activities that involve the skills we have taught throughout the year. Students will work together or individually to complete a common objective/task.
What’s up next: Fitness Testing
Did you know…. Our FAVORITE fruit and vegetables are...
Mr. Silver - Pineapple and Broccoli
Mr. Leitao - Banana and Brussel Sprouts
Ms. Palmisano - Pineapple and Asparagus
Mr. Wibly - Orange and Brussel Sprouts
Ms. Coles - Orange and Tomato
Lets Think: Who won the March Madness Tournament and where was their school located?
Have a question? E-mail us at:
Coles: b25scole@mpspride.org
Wibly: swibly@mpspride.org
Silver: msilver@mpspride.org
Leitao: mleitao@mpspride.org
Palmisano: apalm@mpspride.org
Mrs. Fioriello - Grade 6 STEAM
MATH - Students are wrapping up unit six on understanding percents, decimals, and fractions. In class, we’re working on finding percent of a number. The classes have done an excellent job grasping these concepts. Our end of the unit performance task involves students working together to create a mosaic in a celebrity’s home. Decimals, fractions, and percents will play a huge part in the group assignment. After April vacation, students will begin a unit in geometry. The focus is on solving area, surface area, and volume problems.
SCIENCE - This week we will wrap up our Adapt or Die unit. Students are taking what they have learned in class and applying it to our Atlantic salmon. The question we keep discussing and coming back to is; “Should we let nature take its course or get involved?" Our next unit of study is Ecosystems! Students will learn about food webs, how energy flows from one organism to the next, and how organisms work together in symbiotic relationships.
Our salmon field trip is scheduled for Monday, April 25th to Salmon River State Park in Colchester, CT. The focus for the day is to release salmon and explore the local river ecology. We will go rain or shine. Students are encouraged to bring a change of clothes/shoes on that day along with a bag lunch. Permissions slips went home on Monday, April 4th.
Parent conferences are scheduled for April 27th and May 4th from 1:15-3:30. More information will be coming home soon.
From the classrooms of Ms. Wollert, Mrs. Carlson & Mr. McDougal - Grade 6
The students have finished reading Refugee by Alan Gratz. They have jumped into writing their literary essay about their character of choice from the book.
Let’s hear some of our students' opinions on the book…
Dylan Baker: It was really good. Josef was my favorite character because I could envision his story the best. Rating: 5/5.
Bella De La O: My favorite character was Isabel because the shark scene was really exciting. Rating 4/5.
Hero Lee: I would definitely read it again. It had cliff hangers, an exciting plot, and twists. My favorite character was Mahmoud because he traveled through a lot of different countries. Rating: 5/5.
Emiliee Anderson: I thought it was amazing. My favorite character was Mahmoud because he and his brother had a great relationship just like me and mine. I can connect to Mahmoud the most. Rating 5/5.
Louis Carbins: I thought it was fine. I didn’t like the cliffhangers at the end of the chapters because something bad always happened. My favorite character was Isabel because she was the most interesting to me. Rating: 4/5.
Gabrian Vega: I thought it was a good book. I recommend it if you like historical fiction. My favorite part about the book was reading it in class. My favorite character was either Mahmoud or Isabel. Rating 5/5.
Je’nene Crandall: I thought it was good because there were a lot of mixed emotions in the book. My favorite character was Mahmoud because he went through a lot of trouble from surviving in the water, sacrificing his sister, getting bombed, and almost dying in the smoke. Rating 5/5.
Also check out the 6th grade art project from these classes below!
From Grade 5 Ms. Milton and Ms. Kowaleski:
ELA:
Both ELA classes have been busy working on their informational writing units. Students in ELA 1 have been researching a topic on Colonial history, whereas ELA 2 students have been writing about animals. Students are working hard and learning the writing process required to write informational papers about their topics. Additionally, students have been reading a lot of nonfiction texts and identifying the text’s main ideas. Papers will be completed by the end of April…ask your fifth grader to read their excellent writing samples.
Social Studies:
Social Studies students have been spending time learning about The Triangle Trade route utilized during the Colonial period. Students participated in a simulation trading activity to experience what it was like for the colonies to compete with the power of England. We are now working our way through the three regions of the 13 colonies. Students are learning about economics, life, geography, and slavery in the different regions.
Math:
In math we have been working on finishing up our unit on multiplying fractions. We have been working with fractions since January, and the students are able to add, subtract, and multiply fractions and mixed numbers. We have also been working together to solve open ended problems. The students really show perseverance and determination when working on these problems! After April break, we will be moving on to dividing fractions to end our units about fractions.
Science:
We completed the Earth Systems unit last week when students finished their models to show their understanding of the rain shadow effect. Students are targeting and strengthening their understanding of scientific vocabulary weekly. We just started our last unit this week: Earth and Sun. The driving question throughout the unit is, in Manchester, why do we experience more hours of daylight in summer and fewer hours of daylight in winter? We will explore the day-night cycle caused by the Earth’s 24-hour rotation and how the Sun seems to follow a path across the sky, rising in the East and setting in the West.
Ms. McDonnell & Ms. Leahy's classes:
5th Grade Classes - Ms. Borcea, Ms. Tanner, Ms. Kowaleski & Ms. Milton
Math: In math we have been working on finishing up our unit on multiplying fractions. We have been working with fractions since January, and the students are able to add, subtract, and multiply fractions and mixed numbers. We have also been working together to solve open ended problems. The students really show perseverance and determination when working on these problems! After April break, we will be moving on to dividing fractions to end our units about fractions.
Science: We completed the Earth Systems unit last week when students finished their models to show their understanding of the rain shadow effect. Students are targeting and strengthening their understanding of scientific vocabulary weekly. We just started our last unit this week: Earth and Sun. The driving question throughout the unit is, in Manchester, why do we experience more hours of daylight in summer and fewer hours of daylight in winter? We will explore the day-night cycle caused by the Earth’s 24-hour rotation and how the Sun seems to follow a path across the sky, rising in the East and setting in the West.
Social Studies & ELA: In Ms. Tanner's class students have been working on everything informational. They are reading a variety of informational texts in book clubs focusing on text features, text structures, increasing their vocabulary through word work, and fluency. In writing, students are researching a topic of their choice under the umbrella topic of American Colonial Life. They are also learning about verbs. In social studies students have been learning about the 13 colonies. They're using maps, videos, text, and primary sources to understand colonial life. Students create projects, such as postcards and advertisements, after studying each unit.
We are Nut-Free this year!
Bring those bottles in!
What's for lunch?
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The Bennet Bear Den
SHOUT OUTS!
We are going to continue highlighting the positives this school year. Throughout the year please let us know who has made you smile, or been a wonderful role model for your child, went that extra mile, or was there when you needed a shoulder. This could be a student, a teacher, support staff, or even an administrator. Remember, we rise by lifting others!
Shout out to Ms. Elana for always brightening my day!
Shout out to Ms. Olesnevich for spearheading the backpack drive for the displaced Ukranian children in honor of her mother. We filled 18 boxes, containing over 100 backpacks, weighing over 500 pounds!!!
Shout out to Ms. Palmisano, who is still smiling and making PE fun for her students even though she is 8+ months pregnant and ready to pop!!
We want to hear from parents and staff alike - email cberman@mpspride.org with your shout-out!!
Nurse's Corner
Parents please talk with your children about not texting or calling home from their cell phones when they feel ill and would like to go home. If your child is not feeling well the protocol is for them to get a pass to the nurse, who will then evaluate their status and determine if a call home is warranted, or if they need a little TLC, a snack, a rest, some ice, etc. and to go back to class. It is becoming an issue with students using their phones and parents arriving unexpectedly.
Bennet School Nurses
Penny Parent & Elisha Mathews
860-647-3582 (p)
860-647-6348 (f)
Attention: Sixth Grade Parents
Requirements for your student to start Grade 7 include:
-a copy of your child's most recent physical dated January 1, 2021 or later
-Tdap booster
-MPV/meningococcal vaccine
These documents can be faxed to Nurse Michaud at 860-647-6348. Please call 860-647-8189 with questions or email cmichaud@mpspride.org.
Christie Michaud BSN RN
Manchester Public Schools
District Nurse Substitute
Take a look at our Virtual Backpack!
PTSA
Jackie Wood- president
Brooke Barber- vice president
Howard Rovegno- treasurer
Deanna Sokola- secretary
Alison Watson- event/fundraiser chairperson
To join the PTSA as a regular member please fill out the membership form below and send it in with your child or email it.
News from the Bennet Office:
Picking your student up early? Please call about 10 minutes ahead and we will have your student ready. Let us know when you arrive and we will meet you at the front door with your student to check your ID. Thanks for being patient with this early dismissal procedure as we limit visitors.
For all technology assistance (including Chromebooks, laptops and iPads), go to the IT Helpdesk or call / text 860-682-0607, Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM.
- Did you move? Please see the list of required documents. Contact Registrar Heidi Turner to update your information: b39hturn@mpspride.org or 860.647.8275. Remember we cannot change your child's bus information until you have provided your new proof of residency.
- New number? Please remember to update the registrar with any changes to your phone number or email so we can reach you! We send out newsletters twice a month and emails from the principal weekly and you do not want to miss anything!
- New email? If you are reading this on our app and not in your email it may mean we have old information. Please contact Ms. Turner with your new email address so you don't miss out!
NOTES FROM SECURITY
If you pick up your child utilizing the School Street to Vine Street route please be aware that you may be blocking driveways of the residents on School Street. We have had several compaints about people not being able to get in or out of their driveways as cars are sitting in line, blocking the driveways and not yeilding for a resident to pull in or out. If you are blocking a driveway and see a car trying to get in or out, please yeild to them. It is very frustrating for our neighbors to have to fight to get in and out of their property every day. We appreciate your being aware of your location and helping spread goodwill!
Please be aware as you drive through our pick up/drop off area that students are everywhere!
Please do not stop on the CVS side of Wells Street to drop off or pick up your child. It is much too dangerous to have students crossing that narrow road and causes traffic issues on both sides of the road. Also, there is no parking in the CVS parking lot for drop-off or pick-up.
Please be sure to discuss pick up and drop off plans with your student to eliminate any confusion and keep your plan consistent. Thank you.
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Bennet Academy
Email: jchella@mpspride.org
Website: https://www.mpspride.org/Domain/9
Location: 1151 Main Street, Manchester, CT, USA
Phone: 860-647-3571