It is that time for a well deserved spring break! I hope you are able to take time to rest and relax.

With only a few weeks remaining this school year, we would like to provide you with an opportunity to complete our school climate survey. This feedback from our families is integral in the district's effort to promote school improvement and educational accountability.

The survey can be found here, and can be submitted for consideration until May 5, 2023.

The survey results will be reviewed by district leadership and the Board of Education in order to help guide our goals for the 2023-2024 school year.

Your time and feedback is greatly appreciated.

Also, the process of class placement for the upcoming school year is beginning for classroom teachers and specialists. Please know that grade level teams and support staff take the placement process very seriously and class communities are built thoughtfully. Teams work diligently and consider many factors when deciding upon student placement.

Some of the factors considered are:

• Balancing classrooms academically, behaviorally and by gender
• Social partnerships; some enhance learning while others may distract from the learning process
• Understanding each child’s unique needs and our ability to deliver differentiated instruction and support

These decisions are not made in isolation and are always made in the best interest of the student. You are asked to refrain from requesting a specific teacher. If there is a particular situation or learning need regarding placement that you need to share, I ask that you inform me in writing by sending an email to dponte@trumbullps.org by Friday, April 28, 2023.

Remember, this is not to request a particular teacher or student placement with others due to friendships, teachers already take the latter into consideration.

Please note that changes happen over the summer. Sometimes there are students that join or leave Middlebrook. There can also be teacher changes that are unavoidable, therefore in alignment with all the elementary schools in Trumbull we wait until approximately one week before school starts to disseminate class placement lists.

Thank you for your understanding.

We hope you all have a wonderful spring break and that you are able to spend some special time with your family and your friends. Happy Easter and Passover to those of you who celebrate!

Best,

Ms. Ponte

Ms. Molloy

This week was Author Week in the library. A BIG "Thank You" to our PTA for the funding required in order to hold these special events. Author Steve Swinburne was ill, but he will be coming to see us May 9th. For those who purchased his books, I will hold them until Steve is here to sign them.

Students in Grades 4 & 5 visited with Connecticut’s own Janae Marks, whose book From the Desk of Zoe Washington is nominated for this year’s Nutmeg Book Award and is being made into a movie on the Disney channel. Janae shared her path to success with students and where she gets her ideas from. She spoke to students about perseverance; how rejections are common in the writing industry but she never gave up on her dream and neither should students.

Grades K - 3 students visited with author and illustrator David Biedrzycki. Students were engaged listening to David discuss his writing process, the importance of revision, share one of his stories, and were mesmerized as he created a beetle illustration. David encouraged writing and sketching in a journal whenever you get an idea. Don’t be surprised if your budding artists and writers ask for a journal; he recommended keeping one handy because you never know when you will be inspired.

Middlebrook Mathematicians are always busy learning and growing their mathematical thinking! Helping our children become mathematically fluent allows them the opportunity to engage in deeper mathematical tasks. Becoming fluent with numbers and facts is not about memorizing. It’s about having many opportunities at home and in the classroom to manipulate and count objects, visualize sets, break apart numbers, build equal groups, etc. Below are a few quick ways you can help support your child’s mathematical fluency:

• Kindergarten - Practice counting up to 100 daily by ones and tens; Provide lots of opportunities for your child to count objects around the home (ie. pasta, buttons, blocks)
• 1st Grade - Practice addition facts within 10 using objects and games; Provide lots of opportunities for your child to count sets of objects around the home (ie. pasta, buttons, blocks)
• 2nd Grade- Practice addition and subtraction facts to 20, applying strategies from class
• 3rd Grade - Practice multiplication facts to 100 and ask your child to explain the strategies taught in class
• 4th Grade - Practice multi-digit addition and subtraction, especially in real-life situations; Continue to practice multiplication facts at least 5 minutes each day using strategies learned
• 5th Grade - Practice multi-digit multiplication and division; Continue to practice unknown multiplication and division facts.
• 
  

Here are a few other great resources:

Multiplication Strategy Fact Cards

6 Ways to Support your Child’s Mathematical Development

Math Fact Lab

We thank you for your continued support at home as your children build their math minds!

Michelle Consolati and Stacey Powell
Math Specialists

April

Autism Awareness Month

Math Awareness Month

March 22nd-April 20th

Ramadan

Monday, April 17th

Madison and Hillcrest visit 5th grade classes at Middlebrook

PTA Meeting 7:15pm in the library

Tuesday, April 18th

BOE meeting 7:00pm

Thursday, April 20th

Madison and Hillcrest visit 5th grade classes at Middlebrook

Father's Club Meeting 7:30pm in the library

Friday, April 21st

Student Council Color Day - "Team Seas" $1.00 donation see flyer below for grade level color

Ramadan ends

Eid al Fitr begins at sunset

Saturday, April 22nd

Earth Day
Eid al-Fitr ends at sunset

Tuesday, April 25th and Wednesday, April 26th

Grades 3,4, and 5 Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) ELA

Wednesday, April 26th

Administrative Professional's Day

Thursday, April 27th

Orientation for 5th grade parents at Madison and Hillcrest 6:30pm

Friday, April 28th

Arbor Day

School Store

Math Spirit Day - more info to come

International Festival - more information coming soon

Ethan Guo, in Grade 4, is always willing to share toys and classroom supplies with his peers, especially when younger students ask him to take a turn. During small group games and activities, he often invites other students to join in on his activity or have a turn with the toy he is playing with. Ethan is a great role model for students in all grades when it comes to sharing!

Adam Znbarakji, in Kindergarten, is always the first to share his materials with a peer. He is always willing to share a marker, crayon, or pencil with a classmate. Adam is always well mannered and willing to help out a friend, even without an adult asking! Adam loves to share and make his peers feel welcome and included in our classroom!

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sometimes also referred to as Autism Spectrum Conditions affects how a person experiences the world and interacts with other people. People with ASD often find social communication and interaction to be challenging. They may have restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests, or may have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.

Autism exists on a spectrum, which means that its qualities may show up to different extremes in different individuals. The CDC estimates that about 1 in 44 children have been identified with ASD.

In 1965 the Autism Society was formed in the US. In 1972, the Autism Society launched the first annual National Autistic Children’s week, which later evolved into Autism Acceptance Month (AAM). Beginning in 2008, the United Nations has designated April 2nd to be World Autism Awareness Day. The month of April continues to be observed as a special month for a variety of Autism advocacy groups worldwide to focus on awareness and acceptance of people with Autism and to encourage communities to celebrate neurodiversity and become more inclusive of people with autism.

Sources: https://www.autism-society.org/get-involved/national-autism-awareness-month/ https://www.autismspeaks.org/world-autism-month-faq https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/addm.html

Take a look at the resources below to learn more with your family.

Web Resources for parents and kids

● https://www.familyeducation.com/school/autism/6-autism-awareness-activities-kids

● https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/subtopics/just-for-parents/

● https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/subtopics/making-friends/

● https://youtu.be/mtRYKjucDHk

Children’s books:

● https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/30-best-childrens-books-about-the-autism-spectrum/

● https://www.readingrockets.org/booklists/picture-books-featuring-characters-autism-or-asperger-s

● https://www.huffpost.com/entry/17-childrens-books-that-promote-understanding-of-autism_n_5ade4580e4b036e7aeb58a64

The talent show is scheduled for Friday June, 9th at 7pm

Sign ups are live on the Membership Toolkit until April 17th. Be sure to sign your child up today!

Volunteers are needed to make this event a success!

Contact katiesmolinsky@gmail.com with any questions.

https://middlebrookelementarypta.membershiptoolkit.com/

Wednesday, May 17th is Parent Orientation (parents/guardians only)

More information will be distributed only to those families registered as the date gets closer.

Please submit your child's physical by June 1, 2023. Physicals must be dated between June 1, 2022 and June 1, 2023 to meet the requirement.

If you have questions, concerns, or aren’t sure if you sent this in already please contact Nurse Jeanne at 203-452-4412.

As an all-volunteer group, the Fathers Club is very flexible and appreciates of all contributions of time and/or services parents can give. Getting involved is easy, fun and a great way to be connected with the children and their school.

For more information on the organization and how you can get involved,

please contact Brayan Murillo.

Email: middlebrookfathersclub@gmail.com

Upcoming meetings

Location: Middlebrook Library

April 20

May 18

District K-5 Curriculum Guide Overviews

The Department of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessments has captured in brochure format the major curriculum outcomes across all subject areas for each primary school grade, from kindergarten through grade 5. Below, please find the link to each grade-level curriculum overview. https://www.trumbullps.org/techlearn/curriculum/k-5-curr-overviews.html

Parent Volunteer Form

We welcome volunteers at Tashua school, however you must complete the Volunteer Form, link below. Please make sure every blank is filled in, use N/A where necessary.

Trumbull Public School Volunteer Form .

Trumbull Mental Health Matters

The Trumbull Rotary Club has worked with community partners to offer this brochure on available mental health resources for our families. We appreciate the Trumbull Rotary for taking an active role in such an important area of need.

Middlebrook School Hours

Doors open at 8:20 AM

Regular School Hours: 8:35 AM - 3:20 PM

Early Dismissal Hours: 8:35 AM - 1:00 PM

Delayed Opening Hours

Click below to view the Trumbull Public School 2022-23 Calendar