Good afternoon,

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us in supporting our 8th graders at the Capstone Convention. Our students shined as they shared their passion projects with the community—what an impressive showcase of their hard work and creativity! You’ll find more highlights and details in this newsletter.

As we head into the weekend, we wish everyone a restful and meaningful break. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all our families who have served or have loved ones who have served—we honor and remember your sacrifices this Memorial Day.

Best,

Christina & Emily

Fri. May 30th - Festival of Flight for 6th Grade

Thu. June 5th - 8th Grade Step Up Ceremony

Thu. June 5th - 8th Grade Formal

Fri. June 6th - 8th Grade End of Year Trip - Lake Compounce

Fri. June 6th - 5th Grade Visit to EHMS

Fri. June 6th - 7th Grade Field Day

Mon. June 9th - 6th Grade Field Day

Thu. June 12th - Last Day of School

On Thursday, our students took time to reflect on the true meaning of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday through a special learning activity. They began by exploring the history and purpose of Memorial Day, gaining a deeper understanding of its importance in honoring the men and women who gave their lives in military service. Inspired by what they learned, students then designed and created their own memorials—personal tributes that express gratitude and remembrance. These thoughtful creations are now displayed throughout the school as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made for our freedom.

Below are students who have received Positive Office Referrals for their behaviors that have exemplified our PBIS pillars of Respect, Responsibility, Compassion and Pride. Students were able to choose a reward from our menu of options like eating outside with friends! Great job!

6th Graders

Emma Giemza, Veda Youngs, Bronn Ewan, Brayden Goodwin, Blake Rau, Moses Simon, Liam Mutters, Skylar Lafountain, Jayden Caliskan, Matthew Lessard

8th Graders

Lachlan Plante, Emma Riddell, Savannah Duplin, Tamzin Lemire, Aoife Pont

This week, our 8th graders took part in the Capstone Convention, showcasing months of hard work and dedication. Some students rebuilt tractors and quads; others learned new skills such as musical instruments and styling hair; and many gave back to their community through donation drives and volunteer work. As part of their ELA class, each student also wrote a journalism article for our Capstone Chronicles newspaper, reflecting on their experience and sharing their unique journeys along with research on their topics. We are incredibly proud of our students and all they have accomplished!

On Monday at the Aqua Turf, the Connecticut Association of Schools’ Student Leadership Awards Banquet was held for honoring middle level learners across the state. At this special event, 8th graders Alyssa Arnold and Bennett Galovich were recognized for their exceptional academic performance, strong character, and the positive impact they’ve made within our school community. They selected Mrs. Berube and Mr. McCarthy to celebrate with them!

Congratulations again to all our students who participated in the National French Assessment. Aoife Pont was celebrated this week as she was unable to attend the BOE meeting as highlighted in the last smore.

In 6th grade, a creative writing contest took place! Today students rotated in stations to read and vote for their favorites. Students were assigned a picture from the What Do You Meme game and they had to create a news article based on the picture. Each student was assigned a 3-digit number so stories were anonymous for authentic voting. Students had a create time reading each other's pieces!

As we move into the final stretch of the 2024-2025 school year, we invite you to share your feedback and reflections with us. While we are proud of the work we do, we are always looking to improve and implement best practices that will meet the needs of every learner at East Hampton Middle School. Please use this link to provide your feedback about your child's experience:

May 26 - May 30 (subject to change)

MONDAY, MAY 26

No Athletics-Happy Memorial Day!

TUESDAY, MAY 27

East Hampton baseball/softball at Griswold MS (Rocky Hill), 2:20 dismissal, 2:30 bus, 3:30 pm game.

Baseball Site: Sunnycrest Park

Softball Site: Vicino Field

Note: softball and baseball uniforms will be collected at the end of the game! Please make sure you have a change of clothes, thank you!

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28

Softball team party 2:35 until 4:30 pm.

No Baseball

This will conclude our Spring Season!

End of year information from the Health Office:

All medications in the nurse’s office must be picked up by the last day of school or they will be discarded. Students are not allowed to carry medication home themselves. All controlled medication must be picked up and signed off!

** All 6th grade students must have a current physical on file before entering 7th grade ** Physicals must be dated after the last day of school LAST year (June 13, 2024).

There are 2 required immunizations prior to entering 7th grade: Tdap and Meningococcal

Any clothing donations are welcome and appreciated! The health office is most in need of leggings and sweatpants currently.

Thank you!
Melanie King RN, BSN
East Hampton Middle School Nurse
mking@easthamptonct.org
860-365-4060 Ext 5

Thank you so much for your incredible support during our Panther Prowl event and fundraiser! Because of your generosity and involvement, we were able to raise an amazing $6,850 for our school—much needed funds that will go a long way in supporting our students and programs.

The students had an absolute blast both during the event and throughout the prize challenges leading up to it. It was such a fun and exciting time, and we’re so grateful for the enthusiasm and encouragement from our Panther families. We visited lunch waves on Thursday to give students their prizes from the Panther Prowl!

Per the East Hampton Board of Education’s Attendance Policy and Connecticut statute, parents and guardians may only approve the first 9 absences of the school year with a parent note. Absences 10 and above can only be excused with further documentation and under specific circumstances.

In addition, if a student has four unexcused absences in one month or 10 unexcused absences in a year they are classified as truant. If a child misses 18 or more days in a school year – excused or unexcused absences – the student is classified as chronically absent.

A phone call is appreciated, but only an email to our attendance inbox or written note can officially excuse absence 1 through 9. Below is our attendance email:

Note: Between the school name and the word Attendance is a underscore ( _ )

EHMS_Attendance@easthamptonct.org

If a student has four unexcused absences in one month or 10 unexcused absences in a year they are classified as truant. If a child misses 18 or more days in a school year – excused or unexcused absences – the student is classified as chronically absent.

Below is a helpful handout for families as you engage in discussions around attendance with your children.

The East Hampton Board of Education and the school community as a whole promote a secure and productive school climate, conducive to teaching and learning that is free from threat, harassment, any type of bullying behavior, and teen dating violence. Therefore it shall be the policy of the Board that bullying and/or teen dating violence committed against a student by another student is prohibited. The Board believes that a school environment in which students feel safe, supported, engaged and helpfully challenged is optimal for learning and healthy development. The Board seeks an environment in which students and adults feel socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically safe; an environment that is free of harassment, intimidation, teen dating violence and bullying. Our website provides links to various policies and reporting forms including our Safe School Climate Plan. Hard copies are also available in our main office. If at any point you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to building administration for further assistance.

Happy New Year! Did you resolve to be more on top of your and your child’s health this year? Here’s an easy solution: Sign your child up for School-Based Health Care. Your child’s school works with Community Health Center, Inc.’s School-Based Health Care program to provide health services to your child during the school day. This means they won’t miss as much class and you don’t need to miss work to support their health care needs. Learn more about the services offered at your child’s school and enroll today at SBHC1.com!

The attached bulletins below were developed through a collaborative effort among the Department of Children and Families, the Department Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Office of Child Advocate, the Department of Public Health, the State Department of Education, and the Governor's Office. The content includes information on suicide, helpful tips to support people of all ages, and where to go for additional support and resources.

Board of Education Statement on School Safety: The East Hampton Board of Education is committed to a safe and secure learning environment that honors and celebrates the diversity of our students, our community, and our nation. The Board of Education in partnership with the school community will not tolerate any threat of violence in the schools or any hate speech that targets any race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Each student is held to the highest standards of responsible decision making within a culture that is expected to foster compassion, caring, and empathy.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement of the East Hampton Public Schools: The school community of East Hampton is committed to the mission of honoring and celebrating the diversity of our students, our community, and our nation. We strive to guide our students to conscious, deliberate, individual and collective actions that cultivate the respect of all races, religions, and social backgrounds. Our school community endeavors to produce graduates who are equipped with a greater understanding of the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Nondiscrimination Statement of the East Hampton Public Schools: The East Hampton Board of Education, in compliance with federal and state law, affirms its policy of equal educational opportunity for all students and equal employment opportunity for all persons. It is the policy of the District to promote nondiscrimination and an environment free of harassment regardless of an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability (including but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability, or learning disability), genetic information, marital status, or age or because of the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, or age of any persons with whom the individual associates. The District shall provide to all students without discrimination, course offerings, counseling, assistance, employment, athletics, and extracurricular activities. The District shall provide equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The District shall make reasonable accommodations for identified physical and mental impairments that constitute disabilities, consistent with federal and state statutes and regulations.

Email: camaral@easthamptonct.org
Website: https://www.easthamptonps.org/o/ehms
Location: 19 Childs Road, East Hampton, CT, USA
Phone: (860) 365 4060