Together We Can
March 9 , 2026
Style Around the World
The Cos Cob School preschool classrooms concluded their clothing unit by traveling the world. Students and teachers presented and showed off traditional costumes from their families' countries. Some examples included items such as: the chinita dress from Chile, british flatcap from England, a kilt from Ireland, wooden shoes from Denmark, and a kimono from Japan as well as many others. Students loved learning about cultures in this special way.
Un-BALL-ievable Discoveries
Ms. Horan’s preschool class at Julian Curtiss School continue to ask questions about different kinds of balls: Will it bounce? Does it float? Which weighs more? Their most recent question was: “What is inside a tennis ball?” Students were excited to discover the answer when their teacher safely cut one open and revealed what was inside.
Glowing Critters: A Technicolor Sort
Students in Ms. Micallef's preschool classroom at North Street School are practicing sorting animals by color. What could make this more exciting? A light table! As we continue to explore, compare, and build items in our classroom, the glowing light helps us see details we might not notice otherwise.
Twist, Dye, Rainbow
Students in Ms. Szanto’s preschool class at Hamilton Avenue School were excited to smock up and try tie-dye as part of their rainbow study. This week of colorful exploration was part of a larger unit on learning about clothing. The shirts students tie-dyed were later worn as they walked the red carpet during their fancy fashion show!
Handmade Style on the Runway
Students in all five Hamilton Avenue preschool classrooms celebrated the end of their Clothing Unit with a joyful Fashion Show. Throughout the unit, students designed and created their own clothing items—including hats, shirts, pocketbooks, ties, and more. Families were invited to attend as students proudly walked the red carpet, showed off their creations, and struck a pose for the audience.
Parent Program on Executive Functioning
The district's psychologist, Dr. Alina Agiurgioaei Boie, presented to the North Mianus School team about executive functioning. They enjoyed the hands on activities. Participants shared personal stories and future goals for their students.
Celebrating One of America's Favorite Cookies
No, they did not eat them. They studied them. Students in Ms. Ledonne's first grade at Hamilton Avenue School recently celebrated National Oreo Day. Students safely graphed their favorite Oreo flavors of original, mint, birthday cake, peanut butter, and golden. Mint came out as the the clear winner.
Getting into the Green Spirit
Kindergarten students at Julian Curtiss School in Ms. DiLascia class celebrated "Green Day" with a green themed day. Students did everything related to green for the day, including writing. How fun!
Force and Motion PE Collaboration
Kindergarten students joined forces (pun-intended) with Grade 5 mentors to apply science concepts of force and motion to the winter sport of curling. Under the guidance of physical education teachers Mr. Prisinzano and Mr. Taylor, fifth grade teacher Ms. Cofone, and kindergarten teacher Mrs. Harris, all students participated in a high-energy activity in which fifth grade students curled their kindergarten partners across the floor on scooters. The physical activity served as a powerful catalyst for academic discussion; the air was filled with meaningful conversations regarding force, friction, and the relationship between speed and the amount of force applied.
Making Sense of Stories Through Sequencing
Parkway School's speech-language pathologist, Ms. Luzzi, conducted a session focused on sequencing and narrative skills. During the activity, the student arranged three pictures in the correct order and described the events using temporal terms such as first, next, then, and last. This task supported the student’s comprehension and expressive language by helping him organize information and describe events in a logical sequence. Developing these skills helps him better understand stories, follow directions, and clearly express ideas during academic tasks, supporting his access to classroom learning.
Visible Thinking
Third-grade students at Cos Cob School are using vertical, non-permanent surfaces, such as whiteboards and chart paper, to share their thinking while solving mathematical problems. Working in groups allows students to discuss strategies, compare approaches, and build on one another’s ideas. By recording their thinking in a visible space, students make their reasoning clear not only to their peers but also to themselves. This visual sharing encourages mathematical discourse, helps students notice patterns and connections, and allows them to revise their thinking as new ideas emerge. The use of vertical surfaces also promotes engagement and collaboration, as students can easily observe and respond to the work of others. Together, these practices support deeper understanding of mathematical concepts and strengthen students’ problem-solving skills.
Building Thinking Classrooms
Students at Glenville School collaborated on problem-solving during a math lesson facilitated by Ms. Povemba using the Building Thinking Classrooms approach. Students began with an answer statement and worked together to develop a plan for solving the problem. Through this process, they practiced communicating and explaining their mathematical thinking while working collaboratively with their peers. Collaborative learning at the elementary level helps students build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and deepen their understanding by learning from one another’s ideas and strategies. Additionally, building a problem from an already established answer encourages students to think about mathematics from a different perspective, making the process engaging and fun.
Complex Paragraph Organizer
During Mrs. Cheney's Academic Lab at Eastern Middle School, the lesson began with students brainstorming various activities they did over their vacation. Working in a small group and one-on-one with the teacher, each student used a complex paragraph organizer to narrow down five initial ideas to their top three favorites. Afterward, students flipped the organizer over to draft a full paragraph. To ensure variety, the teacher modeled how to construct simple, compound, and complex sentences before the students wrote their own.
Social Issues
In Mrs. Bernard’s and Mrs. Jukic’s ELA classes at Central Middle School, students recently tackled a comprehensive social issues project. Each student selected a topic of personal interest, ranging from screen addiction and self-image to bullying, social media, and deportation. To complete the assignment, they first established a clear definition of their chosen issue before analyzing its root causes, societal effects, and potential solutions.
Personalized Coursework
Mrs. Fawcett's eighth grade students at Eastern Middle School used their Academic Lab time to work on personalized coursework tied directly to their goals and objectives. Examples of this targeted practice included: math problems IXL diagnostic testing, inferential questions citing evidence from a passage. By individualizing the workload, the teacher was able to focus on specific skill gaps.
Creative Expression
In Mrs. Shearer’s academic class at Central Middle School, students enhanced their writing by using "who, what, where, and when" prompts to add meaningful detail and elaboration. To ensure progress toward specific IEP goals, the teacher provided personalized feedback while students utilized a structured checklist to refine their work. Beyond content, the lesson focused heavily on technical accuracy, requiring students to carefully review and correct their grammar and punctuation. This comprehensive approach allowed students to strengthen both their creative expression and their command of writing mechanics.
Using DIgital Tools
Ms. White, the district's assistive technology specialist, worked with a class at Western Middle School and practiced (or reviewed in most cases) text-to-speech, speech-to-text, vocabulary tools, and digital note-taking tools. Students demonstrated abilities to read texts aloud and voice type on Google Docs.
Bridging Process for Students with IEP's
The SESS Department hosted virtual information sessions on the bridging process. Please view the presentations below if you have a child transitioning in Fall 2026 from preschool to kindergarten, elementary to middle school, or middle to high school. We have recorded and posted the information on our website if anyone was not able to make it. Please see Google links below:
Our SES PTAC representatives want you to know that they are available to anyone who wants to talk with someone about your child's receiving school to learn a little bit more about the day to day. Please email them at ses@greenwichptac.org with what the new school will be and they will connect you with the correct person.
PreK - Elementary
Elementary - Middle School
Middle School - High School
Tuesday March 10: Middle to High School → Special Education Parent Orientation SESS (6:30-7:30 PM, Virtual)
Google Link: meet.google.com/dtt-ozuz-pfm
Inclusion Corner
With Rachel Rubin
In our schools, we work to create inclusive environments where every student feels safe, understood, and supported. A key part of inclusive practice is helping children learn how to manage emotions, communicate their needs, and work through challenges.
Sometimes children, especially those with learning differences, attention challenges, or disabilities, can feel overwhelmed by big feelings. When adults respond with calm, empathy, and curiosity, it helps children feel seen and supported, allowing their brains to settle and return to problem-solving and learning.
Many of the strategies educators use in inclusive classrooms can also be helpful at home. Simple approaches like listening first, offering choices, slowing down our language, and creating calm spaces can make a big difference.
Below are “Lifelines”, simple phrases and strategies from the organization Inclusive Schooling that families can keep at the ready during challenging moments. Be sure to review the Lifelines infographic.
Start With Curiosity
Before reacting, pause and approach your child with curiosity.
You might think or say:
• “I wonder what happened.”
• “Let me try to understand what my child is experiencing.”
When adults stay calm and curious, it helps children feel safer and more understood.
Approach Calmly
Your tone, body language, and pace matter.
Try to:
• Speak in a calm voice
• Slow down your words and movements
• Use warm facial expressions and relaxed body language
Sometimes simply sitting nearby quietly can help a child settle.
Show Empathy
Let your child know you understand their feelings.
You might say:
• “That must have been really hard.”
• “I can see you're frustrated.”
• “That sounds upsetting.”
Feeling understood is often the first step toward calming down.
Ask Questions to Understand
Instead of jumping straight to solutions, invite your child to share.
Try asking:
• “Can you tell me what happened?”
• “Help me understand.”
• “What was that like for you?”
Listening first helps children feel respected and heard.
Offer Simple Choices
Choices give children a sense of control.
Examples:
• “Do you want to stay here or go somewhere quiet?”
• “Would you like a few minutes before we start?”
• “Would you rather draw or talk about it?”
Keep Language Simple
When emotions are high, too many words can be overwhelming.
It can help to:
• Give fewer directions
• Avoid rapid questions
• Pause and allow quiet moments
Create a Calmer Environment
Sometimes small changes in the environment can help children regulate.
You might try:
• Lowering voices and reducing noise
• Turning off phone or device notifications
• Clearing clutter from workspaces
• Limiting distractions
Children do not always need adults to immediately fix the problem. Often, what helps most is knowing that a trusted adult is present, calm, and ready to listen.
These small moments of connection help children build the skills they need to manage emotions and solve problems over time.
Spotlight on Student Wellbeing & Support
With Jessica McEvily
Recognizing Anxiety and When to Seek Support
As we move into the spring months, many students are juggling experiences that can naturally bring some anxiety with them. From recital and performance season, to upcoming state testing, to seniors awaiting college decisions, this time of year can feel especially busy and high stakes. At the same time, young people are also absorbing the broader stressors in the world around them. It can be hard to find anyone, children or adults, who is not feeling at least a little anxious these days. Because anxiety is such a common experience, it can be helpful for families to understand what is typical and when additional support may be helpful.
Anxiety is a normal and healthy part of life. In small amounts, it can even be helpful, motivating students to prepare for a test, practice for a performance, or navigate new experiences. Feeling nervous before a challenge is part of how we learn and grow.
However, anxiety may require additional support when worries become frequent, intense, or begin to interfere with daily life. Signs that a child may need extra help can include avoiding school or activities, frequent physical complaints such as stomachaches, difficulty concentrating, or persistent worry that does not improve with reassurance.
School counselors, psychologists, and social workers support students in developing coping strategies that help them manage stress and anxiety within the school setting so they can fully access their learning. If worries or anxiety seem larger than what might be considered developmentally typical, feel out of proportion to the situation, or begin to interfere with a student’s ability to participate in daily routines, reaching out to your school’s support team can be a helpful first step. School professionals can often help families determine whether what a child is experiencing is a common developmental concern or whether additional support outside or inside school may be beneficial.
Families can learn more about typical childhood anxiety and when to seek support through the Kids Mental Health Foundation.
Special Education & Student Supports Information and Resource Website
Please visit the new Special Education and Student Supports Department webpage on the Greenwich Public School Website. Information about Special Education supports and services as well as contact information is provided
The Office of Special Education and Student Supports
Email: stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: https://www.greenwichschools.org/teaching-learning/special-education
Location: 290 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT
Phone: (203) 625-7493