KP Connection
March 16, 2018
Need to Know Dates
Wednesday, 3/21 - World Down Syndrome Day
Thursday, 3/22 - 7th Grade to CT Science Center - 9am to 1:45pm
Friday - 3/23 - 3rd Annual Staff/Student Basketball Game - 7pm@ Hall HS
Friday - 3/23 - Saturday - 3/24 - Northern Regionals
Saturday - 3/24 - West Hartford's Cookin' - 6:30pm - West Hartford Town Hall
Thursday - 3/29 - Rotary Luncheon - 11am to 1pm
Friday - 3/30 - Good Friday - school & offices closed
8th Grade vs Faculty Basketball Game
Attention All Middle School Families
Save the Date!
Thursday, May 10, 2018
At King Philip Middle School
6:00-8:10pm. (Registration 6pm).
Join the KP Health and Physical Education Department for a fun and informative evening. This opportunity will allow King Philip families to be active, learn, and spend time together.
Come to explore:
1) Yoga/Mindfulness Practice
2) Sport of Pickleball
3) What students and caregivers should know about current trends and concerns about vaping.
In order to help us plan, please complete the RSVP form below by Friday, May 4th.
6th Grade Coin Wars start Next Week
KP Chess Program finishes 2nd at State Championships
On March 3, 2018, the KP chess program competed as a team at the 2018 Connecticut Scholastic Chess Championships. Participating players were Pranav B, grade 8, Samuel L, grade 7, Ethan S-C, grade 7 and Caitlin S-C, grade 7.
Caitlin, Ethan and Sam scored three wins each through the first four rounds, and Pranav added two wins. KP held a 1.5 point lead into the fifth and final round.
However, the team was unable to score in the fifth round and finished in Second just one half point behind Ludlowe Middle (Fairfield), who competed with a team of seven. The long term disadvantage of competing with only four players left KP no wiggle room to substitute lower scores. Unluckily, several top KP players were not available for this tournament.
The 2018 State middle school title was a five team competition. KP outperformed all teams, including shorthanded Sedgwick, through the first four rounds, and faced substantially stronger opponents in rounds two through five, resulting in KP's unusually large tie breaks lead on strength of schedule. However, regardless of KP's gutsy performance, Ludlowe managed the two wins necessary to overtake KP in the fifth round.
Congratulations to KP and our four champions!
March Intramural Offerings
Art Beat reception postponed to 3/21 4.30-6:30
1-4pm, Thursday-Sunday. Visitors are urged to call before going.
We've gathered over 200lbs of Film Plastics! Keep recycling!
Parent Information
www.WHSEPTO.org Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/West-Hartford-SEPTO - Follow us on Instagram at @whsepto
March 2018 Events
Wednesday, March 21 @ 7pm
To Medicate or Not?
The decision to medicate your child is never easy and can be downright gut wrenching. Making the choice to medicate your child for behavior or mental health issues is not one that should be taken lightly.
There are far more questions to answer regarding the topic than we can discuss in this one-hour meeting, but Dr. Namerow will give us an introduction to the topic and hopes to help you make this very important decision.
Dr. Lisa Namerow is a Board Certified Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist specializing in Developmental Disorders, Mental Health, Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
LOCATION: King Philip Middle School, Media Center
Friday, April 6 @ 9:30am
Coffee & Conversation
Come join some members of SEPTO for a casual get together to meet other people in town. Sit down, grab a cup of coffee or a bite to eat and mingle with other parents, caregivers or family members of children receiving special education services in West Hartford.
LOCATION: Panera, Bishops Corner
Saturday, May 19 @ 7-9:30pm
“Silent” Spring Fling Dance
Join us at The Underground on Saturday, May 19th from 7 to 9:30 for an all inclusive dance party experience designed specifically for individuals with sensory sensitivities. The DJ will spin a live set of dance favorites through wireless Bluetooth headphones allowing attendees to control their own volume levels.
All students (typical and non-typical) 10 years of age and older are invited to attend.
Tickets are $5 each for students. Tickets available online now at http://bit.ly/silentspringfling
Parents are strongly encouraged to attend for free and a parent lounge is provided for families to relax and connect with other members of their community during the event.
Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/West-Hartford-SEPTO - Follow us on Instagram at @whsepto
Parent resources
DE-STRESS AND NURTURE YOURSELF
Adults need to take care of themselves too.
Join Adele Mary Caruso for this very informative talk and walk away with ways to relax and nurture yourself, learn what foods reduce stress and cleanse the body, how to say no and set boundaries, listen to your inner child, add more fun to your life, and discover ways to schedule more time for you each day. This event held at the Noah Webster Library, 20 South Main Street, West Hartford - click here to register
MINDFULNESS PARENTING MEDITATION
JOIN LAURA WILSON, WEST HARTFORD SCHOOL COUNSELOR, FOR GUIDED MEDITATION FOCUSED ON GROUNDED RESEARCH BASED, PARENTING ADVICE.
Sessions are 30-45 minutes long offered at 6:00pm every Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
FREE WILL SUGGESTED DONATION PER SESSION.
Mindfulness and Matters
485 New Park Ave.
West Hartford, CT 06110, USA
Community Events
Rethinking School Start Time Committee
Rethinking School Start Time Committee
UPDATE
New Dates: Stakeholder Surveys/Family Information Night
The Rethinking School Start Time (RSST) Committee which consists of a group of volunteer parents, students, teachers and administrators, is studying the issue of changing school start times. At the request of the Board of Education, the committee is examining the impact a change will have on all aspects of the educational program.
One important aspect of the committee’s work is to gather information from stakeholders. To that end, the committee will issue a survey for parents, teachers, and secondary school students. Originally, the committee planned to administer the surveys in February and March. The committee has secured the services of the Hanover Research Group to support the creation of a survey personalized to West Hartford’s needs. Hanover will administer the survey and work with the RSST Committee to analyze the results. The new survey window is May 1-May 15. A Family Information Night will held at 7:00 p.m. on May 3 in the auditorium at Town Hall, 50 South Main Street.
The survey and family information night are two ways for stakeholders to communicate their questions, comments and concerns about this important issue. If you prefer to use email, please direct any comments to RSST@whps.org . You are always welcome to attend a Board of Education meeting and address the Board of Education members in person during the public comment portion of the meeting.
"Public Act 16-189
We believe that it is vital for all students in West Hartford Public Schools to be able to efficiently and effectively use digital tools that empower them in all phases of the learning process, including research, problem solving, content creation, communication, and collaboration. We also believe that we must be committed at all times to protecting students' privacy and providing them with a powerful and safe educational experience. To that end, the West Hartford Public Schools follow the legal requirements of Public Act 16-189 to promote the safety and security of all students and staff.
In compliance with Connecticut State Law, we update online programs used within the district that house student data. The programs may be used district-wide, in a very small number of classrooms, or with individual students. The list will be updated each time the district enters into a new contract where student data is housed. For more information on the specifics of Public Act 16-189 and updates of vendor agreements, visit www.whps.org/pa189."