CMS Thursday Notice
September 2, 2021
CMS K-8
A wonderful place where we all learn and grow . . .
Email: lakint@norwalkps.org
Website: cms.norwalkps.org
Location: 46 Concord Street, Norwalk, CT, 06854
Phone: (203)899-2840
Important Dates
Monday, September 6: LABOR DAY - SCHOOL HOLIDAY
Tuesday, September 7: ROSH HASHANAH - SCHOOL HOLIDAY
Wednesday, September 8: CMS Mr. Frosty's Night, 6:00-9:00 pm
Sunday, September 19: CMS Back-to-School Family Picnic
Thursday, September 23: CMS Virtual Open House
CMS THURSDAY NOTICE
Our first Thursday Notice of the new school year! By reading this weekly newsletter you are already on your way to being informed, in touch, and an active member of the CMS community. The Thursday Notice will keep you up to date on school and district events and activities, special announcements, procedures, community events and other items of interest. The Thursday Notice is emailed to all CMS families on Thursdays. It will also be posted on the CMS website: cms.norwalkps.org and on the CMS Parents Group Page on Facebook.
Virtual All School Meeting
We held our first virtual All School Meeting yesterday. Mr. Thomas introduced new staff members and read "First Day Jitters." We ended our meeting with Ms. Murray leading us in our school song "Our School's a Rainbow." We hope to share a link to this meeting soon.
SAVE THE DATE!
A MESSAGE FROM NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
NPS is aware of the arrival and dismissal traffic backups this week. We know that the first week of school is always challenging, as there are more parents driving kids to school, new students getting used to bus routines, and drivers working around unexpected accidents and detours.
This year is also the first time that we have had all students back in person under new start times. A change to school start times was approved in October 2019, following recommendations by the NPS School Start Time Committee, which included community members, parents, teachers, administrators, and medical experts, and supported by a consultant in school district transportation.
Over an 18-month period, Start Time Committee work included a comprehensive review of the health research and data on the impact of school start times for high school students. The work included extensive parent, student and community outreach; discussions of the potential impact on athletics and after-school activities; consideration of potential impacts on other grade levels; and a thorough analysis of complex timing and transportation scenarios.
As a result, Norwalk Public Schools adopted a high school start time of 8:30 am, to begin with the 2020-21 school year. The transportation model selected in 2019 meant that there were only minor changes to times for other grade levels.
Unfortunately, Covid interrupted some of the detailed planning and traffic evaluations that typically would have been completed in Spring of 2020, before the schedule change was due to be implemented. When the new start time schedules were rolled out last year, they included comprehensive health and safety protocols added in response to the pandemic. However, with fewer people driving during Covid, and fewer students in schools, the true impact on arrivals and dismissals was not visible.
We are looking closely at this week’s delays to determine where changes should be made to make things easier and more efficient for all.
To help with this work, we ask that all families please take a few minutes to fill out a short survey to provide us with your feedback. (Please click on the link below.)
School Breakfast and Lunch Information
Free Breakfast and Lunch will be offered to all Norwalk Public School students through June, 2022.
Breakfast and lunch are available to all students through the Chartwell’s Food Service Program. A monthly menu is published so that parents/students can select the dates that they wish to order breakfast and/or lunch. Each meal is completely balanced and nutritious. Students may opt to bring a packed lunch from home if they prefer.
Parents may also view menus on the CMS WEBSITE homepage: https://cms.norwalkps.org/ and click on the “Lunch Menus” Quick Link.
CMS Before and After School Care
Before and after-school child care is offered at CMS through the YMCA of Norwalk/Wilton School Age Child Care (SACC) program. The SACC program is designed to meet the needs of the children and their parents. Parents can be assured that their children are being cared for in an enriching environment where the top priorities are safety, supervision and fun! Registration forms are available by contacting a representative at (203) 762-8384 x213 or online at:
http://www.wiltonymca.org/norwalk/programs/school-aged-child-care/
♦ SACC parents should only use the Rain Door. Please ring the bell for admittance.
♦ If school is dismissed early due to inclement weather, the SACC program is also cancelled.
ATTENTION PARENTS!
Please be sure to closely monitor children playing on our playground after dismissal. Thank you for your cooperation!
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS NEWSLETTER FOR INFORMATION AND UPDATES TO SCHOOL PROCEDURES AND A LINK TO THE NPS BACK-TO-SCHOOL FAMILY GUIDEBOOK.
CMS PTA News and Events
Thank You! Thank You!
Let's celebrate the beginning of another school year the best way we know how - with ICE CREAM!
Stop by Mr. Frosty's on Wednesday, September 8 from 6:00-9:00pm for our first "Give Back Night." A percentage of sales will be donated to CMS.
CMS Back-To-School Picnic
Sunday, September 19
Pack a picnic, grab a blanket, and bring your whole family to the CMS Back-to-School Picnic! Complementary ice cream will be served. Look for more details coming home soon.
CMS Spirit Wear!
JOIN THE "CMS PARENTS' GROUP" ON FACEBOOK!
DON'T FORGET! SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 FOR LABOR DAY AND TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 FOR ROSH HASHANAH. HAVE A GREAT LOOOONG WEEKEND!
Reminders and Changes of School Procedures
SCHOOL HOURS FOR THE 2021/22 SCHOOL YEAR:
Office Hours: 8:00am-4:00pm
Doors Open: 9:00am
School Hours: 9:00am-3:50pm
Bus Transportation:
Students riding buses should be at bus stops 15 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time, this is to ensure ample time for the routes. A bus can arrive up to 15 minutes after scheduled arrival time and still be considered "on time" at the school. During the first few weeks of school it is important for students to adhere to this policy. As the weeks go by and the community becomes adjusted to the opening of school the actual arrival time will be closer to schedule.
Correspondence and requests regarding buses should be sent in writing to the NPS Transportation Office.
Norwalk Public Schools
Transportation Office
125 East Avenue - P.O. Box 6001 Norwalk, CT 06852
If you need additional information, you may contact the Norwalk Public Schools Transportation Office at 203-854-4074 or send an email to Transportation@norwalkps.org.
Arrival Procedures for Student Drop-Off:
Parents bringing their children to school by car should be aware that the bus lane on Chestnut Street is to remain clear at all times.
Doors open for students being dropped off at 9:00am.
Parents/guardians dropping off students may begin queuing in their cars at 8:45 via the King Kennedy Apartment access to Arthur J. Perschino Way.
Children should remain in their seats and not exit the car until it is in the drop-off area in front of the school. Children exiting from the passenger side of the car should walk around the front of the car to the Front Door where they will be greeted by CMS staff members.
Dismissal Procedures for Student Pick-Up:
We begin dismissed at 3:35pm.
Students being picked up wait in their classrooms or in designated waiting areas on the first floor. Monitors outside radio in the names of students being picked up and the students exit the front door. Please be patient. To expedite this process, please place a name sign in your car window.
Students being picked up by walk-up also wait in their classrooms or designated areas on the first floor. Parents must wait at the Playground Door and give their child’s name to the Door Monitor. The Monitor radios names of students to be sent to the Playground Door for pickup.
Dismissal Procedures for Students Leaving School Early:
If a special circumstance, such as a doctor’s appointment, requires your child to be picked up early from school, we ask that you inform your classroom teacher in advance, indicating the date and time of this request and the name of the person who will be picking up your child.
Due to the timing of dismissal, students will not be available for early pick up after 3:15pm.
Change in After-School Plans:
Parents must inform the school or classroom teacher if there is a change in their child’s after-school plans either by written note, email, or voicemail message. Please note that messages regarding students’ change of after-school plans must be left before 3:00pm.