Chichester Central Connection

Welcome to a brand new school year at Chichester Central School! I am so excited to begin this journey with all of you, our incredible staff, supportive families, and most importantly, our eager and enthusiastic students. We are looking forward to an amazing year of learning, growth, and connection. Our team has been working hard to prepare for the first day, and we can’t wait to fill our classrooms with curiosity, collaboration, and joy.

We are also thrilled to welcome several new staff members to the CCS community this year. We are so excited about the strengths and experiences each of these educators brings to our school. It’s going to be a fantastic year, let’s make it one to remember!

Warmly,
Tanya Teeboom

Kindergarten is an exciting time filled with discovery, growth, and new beginnings. In September, our youngest learners started building early reading and writing skills, exploring numbers and patterns in math, and engaging in hands-on activities that spark curiosity in science and social studies. They are also learning important routines, practicing how to work and play together, and developing the foundational skills they’ll use throughout their school years. Our Kindergarten team is dedicated to creating a nurturing environment where every child feels safe, valued, and ready to learn.

Mrs. Hunt and Mrs. White are excited to guide our first graders through a year of growth, curiosity, and confidence. In September, students will dive into building stronger reading and writing skills, explore number sense in math, and begin hands-on science investigations. They’ll also work on developing independence, collaboration, and problem-solving as they adjust to new routines and expectations. Mrs. Hunt and Mrs. White are looking forward to creating a classroom community where every student feels supported, challenged, and inspired to learn each day.

Second grade is a year of exciting growth and discovery! In September, students began strengthening their reading fluency and comprehension, practicing writing skills, and tackling addition and subtraction strategies in math. They are also exploring engaging topics in science and social studies while building independence and responsibility in their daily routines. Our Mrs. Natusch and Mrs. Mara are dedicated to fostering classrooms where curiosity is encouraged, confidence is built, and learning is celebrated every day.

Mrs. Reeves and Ms. Martucci are excited to guide our third graders through a year of growth and big accomplishments. In September, students will dive deeper into reading comprehension and writing, tackle multiplication and division in math, and explore what it means to be a consumer and a producer in a marketplace. They’ll also work on developing their teamwork skills and taking responsibility for their learning. Mrs. Reeves and Ms. Martucci are dedicated to creating a classroom environment where curiosity is encouraged, confidence is built, and learning is something to celebrate every day.

In September, Mrs. JZ and Miss Fiquet worked to help our fourth graders reach new heights in both academics and personal growth. Students strengthened their reading and writing skills through in-depth literature studies and research projects, tackled multi-step math problems, and engaged in hands-on science experiments and social studies explorations. The month also emphasized organization, independence, and leadership as students prepared for the upper grades. Mrs. JZ and Miss Fiquet created a supportive, challenging, and inspiring classroom where every student had opportunities to shine.

Ms. Green is excited to lead her fifth graders through a year full of learning and discovery! This fall, they’ve been strengthening their reading and writing skills, solving tricky math problems with fractions and decimals, and exploring ecosystems by creating fun shoebox models. They’re also working on independence, responsibility, and teamwork as they get ready for middle school. With Ms. Green’s support, students are growing into confident learners who take pride in their progress every day!

Mrs. Bidwell, Mr. Cipriano, Mr. Gagnon, and Mrs. Guest are excited to inspire our middle school students through engaging lessons, challenging projects, and meaningful opportunities to grow as independent learners and responsible young adults. This fall, students have been diving into literature analysis, exploring advanced math concepts, conducting hands-on science investigations, and examining thought-provoking social studies topics. Alongside academics, they are also building strong study habits, leadership skills, and collaboration as they prepare for the transition to high school. Our dedicated middle school team is committed to creating a supportive and motivating environment where students are encouraged to think critically, take initiative, and always strive for their personal best.

A huge thank you to all the families who joined us for our BBQ and Open House! We are grateful to the School Board for grilling up delicious burgers and hot dogs, to our PTO for their generous donations, and to everyone who brought goodies and drinks.

The Open House scavenger hunt was a big success! Families explored homerooms, visited different classrooms, and had the chance to meet many of our wonderful staff. It was a fantastic evening of community, connection, and fun at CCS!

Aye mateys! On this day th’ halls o’ CCS were filled with pirates big an’ small, all dressed in their finest gear huntin’ fer gold! The young buccaneers traded their treasure fer tattoos, eye patches, an’ stickers. Arrr, what a jolly good day it be at our fine school!

Our soccer and cross country teams are in full swing at Chichester Central School! Students continue to show tremendous progress, hard work, and sportsmanship as they practice and compete. We are so proud of the effort, teamwork, and determination they bring to every game and meet.

Way to go, Rams! Keep giving it your best!

Photos of students engaged in projects, assemblies, or community events

K–8 Literacy

This year, your student will study an English language arts program called Arts & Letters. We are excited to introduce you to this program. Arts & Letters students build knowledge of the world and develop reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language skills. Each day your student will be engaged and challenged to learn. They will read and study award-winning literary and informational books, famous works of art, poetry, articles, videos, and photographs. These texts will awaken their curiosity and expand their knowledge about important topics. Students will learn to understand and analyze these complex texts and to speak and write clearly, logically, and effectively. We know you want to support your child's learning outside of school.

Here are some ideas:

• Read together. Read with your student. With a younger student, read aloud and talk about the book’s ideas, text, and pictures. With older students, read together for pleasure, share interesting articles or books you read, and ask questions about what your student is reading in school.
• Talk together. Ask questions about what your student is learning in school. Show excitement and curiosity when they share new and interesting facts or knowledge.
• Foster a love of words. Invite your student to tell you about what they are reading and to share interesting words or descriptions from the text. Challenge each other to use new vocabulary words your student is learning.
• Follow ideas from the Tips for Families. Your student will complete four modules, or units, in Arts & Letters. Your student’s teacher has Tips for Families for each module. These tips describe what your student is studying and give ideas to continue learning after school. See Attachments Below for K-2 Family Tips.

Wit & Wisdom has the the belief that every child is capable of greatness. Your child will be challenged, positively and productively. They will build knowledge of the world and develop English language arts skills. Wit & Wisdom students read and study award-winning fiction and nonfiction texts, famous works of art, videos, photographs, and more. These texts awaken and expand students’ curiosity. Wit & Wisdom students also learn about compelling topics such as the five senses, outer space, the Great Depression, and more. Through their work with these topics and texts, students hone their abilities to read challenging texts and to write and speak clearly, logically, and effectively. Wit & Wisdom students build strong knowledge and skills. We provide downloadable Family Tip Sheets for families and caregivers. These tips correspond with each module, or unit of study. Each tip sheet gives an overview of what your student is studying and offers ideas for learning outside of school.

How CCS is supporting all learners.

Our school is excited to partner with Sarah Shirilla, a literacy consultant, again this year! Sarah's work with Chichester Community School will impact students and teachers from kindergarten through 8th grade. Sarah is teaming up with teachers to implement our literacy programs- Arts & Letters in K-2 and Wit & Wisdom in grades 3-8. She is supporting teachers by working with them to plan engaging lessons, sharing resources, and modeling lessons in the classroom while teachers observe. Teachers are also working together in grade level teams with Sarah to reflect and collaborate, making sure every student is able to access the core grade level texts and content. This partnership is an exciting step forward, giving our teachers a deeper understanding of the literacy curriculum, new tools and strategies to increase student engagement, and boost achievement for all learners!

Mrs. Laurie Jaquith serves as CCS’s Title I Coordinator and Math Interventionist, providing critical support for both staff and students. She collaborates with teachers to review assessment data and, as a team, determine the best next steps to meet student needs. Mrs. Jaquith works closely with our math interventionist to identify effective strategies that strengthen math learning across grade levels, and she also provides students with foundational literacy support to build strong reading skills. In addition, she plays an essential role in writing and managing grants that bring valuable resources to CCS, including curriculum support, professional development for teachers, and staffing to better serve our students.

As CCS’s Reading Specialist, Mrs. Morgan Rowell plays a key role in supporting both students and teachers. She meets regularly with grade-level teams to review data from DIBELS and i-Ready, helping to shape intervention groups and identify students’ specific needs. Mrs. Rowell also provides teachers and paraeducators with strategies and ideas to strengthen targeted reading skills. Throughout the day, she supports students by pushing into classrooms and working with small groups, ensuring every learner has the tools they need to grow as confident readers.

The CCS Student Council currently has 14 active members for this school year. Membership is open to all students in grades 4–8 who are interested in learning about leadership and serving both the CCS and greater Chichester community. This is not an elected position, any student with an interest in leadership, teamwork, and service is welcome to participate.

The Student Council works to promote student voice, school spirit, and community involvement. Members take on leadership roles by organizing events, assisting with school activities, and sharing student concerns with the administration. Already this year, the group has helped clean and beautify the front school grounds, with many additional plans in the works to support both our school and community.

In past years, Student Council members have been actively involved in a wide range of projects, including:

• Decorating a tree for the Fez-tival of Trees to benefit Shriners Burns Hospital

• Repainting the four-square court

• Organizing food drives for the local pantry

• Shopping for families in need at Christmas

• Assisting the PTO during the craft fair

• Running the craft table at Santa Breakfast

• Hosting events such as movie night, trivia night, and cookie decorating

• Supporting a family who lost their home to a fire

• Preparing and delivering Thanksgiving baskets

• Leading pajama days and other school spirit events

Through their efforts, CCS Student Council members demonstrate responsibility, teamwork, and a commitment to making a positive impact on their school and community.

Attention grades 5–8!
Do you like to write, draw, or share the news? Join the Newspaper Club with Mrs. Guest and Ms. Green! We meet Tuesdays after school starting October 7th. Come help create our school newspaper, see Mrs. Guest or Ms. Green to sign up!

Band and chorus is in full swing at CCS! We are meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays with band lessons happening on Mondays and Wednesdays. We even played our first song together! Keep encouraging your student to practice and stay tuned for more details about the winter concert.

This year we are celebrating Fire Prevention week with two contests to help our students learn about Fire Safety. Winners will ride to school on a fire truck and receive a gift card!

Red Ribbon Week is a nationwide campaign that promotes healthy, drug-free lifestyles. At CCS, we’ll be celebrating with fun dress-up days and activities to help students learn the importance of making positive choices.

Here’s our lineup for the week:

• Monday: “RED-y to be Drug Free” – Wear red!

• Tuesday: “Reach Your Dream by Being Drug Free” – Wear pajamas.

• Wednesday: “Turn Your Back on Drugs” – Wear your clothes backwards.

• Thursday: “Stomp Out Drugs – Step Up for a Drug-Free Life” – Wear mismatched shoes.

• Friday (Halloween): “Drugs Are Scary” – Wear a school-appropriate Halloween costume.

Let’s show our spirit and commitment to making healthy choices!

Upcoming events:

• Next PTO Meeting is Tuesday, October 21st at 6:00 in CCS library. Please join us!
• TRUNK OR TREAT: Sunday 10/26 4:30-7pm. Come enjoy an evening of trick or treating with friends and neighbors at Carpenter Park. We need "trunks" to make this a great event - sign up using link below to show off your decorated trunk and pass out candy! https://trunk-or-treat-volunteers-copy-68411.cheddarup.com
• HALLOWEEN PARADE: Friday 10/31 grades K-5 will showcase their costumes to students and staff at CCS. Parents are welcome to join in the audience as kids parade outside the school and collect goodies along the way. More details to come.

• CRAFT FAIR: Saturday 11/22 9am - 2pm at CCS. Get a jump start on your holiday shopping or just shop for yourself! This event has free admission with over 50 vendors, raffles, food, and all sorts of fun. Don't miss it! Interested in being a vendor? More details using this link.https://my.cheddarup.com/c/2025-chichester-central-school-pto-craft-fair-vendor-registra/barriers/visitor-report

• SANTA BREAKFAST: save the date Saturday 12/6. More details to come.

• Fire Prevention Week and Contest
  
• Phase 1 Staff Training with Police Chief Joshua Wright and his team will take place on October 10th.

• Birds of Prey Presentation – Join us on Thursday, October 9th for a special program (see flyer attached).

• Teen Advisory Board – Now meeting on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. (flyer included).

• Trunk or Treat – Visit us on Saturday, October 26th from 4:30–6:30 p.m. for our Scooby-Doo Trunk, where we’ll be giving away free books and treats!

• Family Movie Night – Come watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on the big screen on Tuesday, October 15th at 6:00 p.m.

• Graphic Novel Book Club – Flyer included with details for our next meeting.

• Lego Club – Meets this Saturday, September 27th at 10:00 a.m. and usually the 4th Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m.

• Storytime – Every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. with Miss Meghan and Miss Caroline.

Thank you for supporting the Chichester Library, we look forward to seeing you at these events!

Want to know what is going on during guidance classes? Need to find a therapist? Need community resources? Check out the CCS School Counseling Department link for all this information, and more!

• Thank you Hope in Christ Church for your donation of snacks for the students! It has been very helpful, and we appreciate your thoughtfulness.
• Thanksgiving baskets are free to those who need it. If your family could use a basket, please complete the Thanksgiving Basket Sign up form by October 23rd. Pick up of Thanksgiving baskets will be on November 23rd at 12:30-2pm at Hope in Christ historic building.
• If you need food, Hope in Christ Church also has an undercover food pantry. It’s an anonymous way to receive food. It includes meat, butter, eggs, bread, and other non perishables food. It is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8am -12, and Wednesday noon-6pm. There is a cooler behind the main entrance of Hope in Christ. Leave the cooler but keep the food. If you need more information or would like to donate, contact ucp@hicnh.com, call 603-798-4220, or text 844-374-6823
• The Christmas season is coming. If you believe you will need support with gifts during this holiday season, please email Kate Mara at ktiernanmara@sau53.org. If you would like to support a family this season, please reach out to Kate.

A heartfelt thank you to Goosebay for generously donating mulch for our front garden and to FL Merrill Construction for providing transportation services. We also extend a special thank you to Michelle Edmond for her time and dedication in helping to beautify our garden. With your support, our school grounds remain a safe, welcoming, and beautiful space for our students, staff, and the entire Chichester community.

• Who has an hour of time they can donate this week? CCS could use a few volunteers to help spread fresh mulch in the front flower bed. If you're available one day this week from 3-4pm to grab a shovel or a rake and lend a helping hand, please consider helping out. Many hands make light work!
• Love books and libraries? Mrs. O'Leary is looking for library volunteers! Tasks would include shelving books, rearranging library shelves for easier browsing, and processing new books to get them on the shelves. No experience is required, just a desire to help the CCS community. Please reach out to the main office for volunteer requirements. For any other questions, reach out to Mrs. O'Leary. moleary@sau53.org

• Please enter any changes to your child’s dismissal plan into PickUp Patrol. This helps our staff ensure students are safely reminded of any changes to how they go home.
• We also ask families to remind children who ride the bus that food and drinks are not allowed. This rule is in place to help keep the bus clean, prevent allergic reactions, and ensure everyone’s safety while riding.
• For the safety of all students, the office will ask to see a photo ID from anyone picking up a child. Please remember to bring your ID with you each time. In addition, be sure ALMA is updated with the names of all adults authorized to pick up your child, so we can ensure a safe and smooth dismissal.

Chichester Central School thrives because of the strong support from our families and community! There are many opportunities to get involved from helping in the classroom or library, to supporting school events, chaperoning field trips, or lending a hand in the garden.

To ensure the safety of all students, all volunteers must be approved through the SAU. This includes completing a volunteer application, background check, and fingerprinting. Once cleared, your name will be added to our volunteer list for the year.

We are in the process of finalizing our list of approved volunteers. Administrators are reviewing paperwork, fingerprinting, and required clearances. If any paperwork is missing, we will send you an email to let you know. We are still waiting on our platform for the required training videos, and this will be shared as soon as it becomes available. Thank you for your patience as we complete this process.

Volunteering at CCS (Quick Steps)

• Interest Form: https://forms.gle/t7YcFTp4j5p7J8vEA
• Confidentiality Agreement (sign & return): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KxPIN_hCDV010Fc3BewhmhROTcxrtBuT/view?usp=sharing
• Fingerprinting Instructions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WO1_sdW0dWcN7Sm7kU3OQAKOiDAZ0k4V/view?usp=sharing

handbook, lunch menus, calendars.

September Theme Recap

In September, our focus was “Getting to Know You” building relationships, creating a welcoming classroom and school culture, and ensuring that every student and staff member feels safe, valued, and heard.

October Theme: Respect

For October, our monthly theme will be Respect. This month, we will review and practice our school-wide expectations across all areas of the building and campus. Students will learn what respect looks like in the classroom, hallways, cafeteria, playground, buses, and beyond.

Respect is one of our core values at CCS, and we want students to understand that it means:

• Treating others the way you would like to be treated

• Taking care of our school and community spaces

• Listening to and appreciating the voices of others

Through classroom lessons, assemblies, and daily routines, we will highlight respect as an essential part of maintaining a positive, safe, and caring learning environment.

Students were invited to share what they enjoy most about CCS, what they would like to see improved, and their ideas for the future. Here are some of their reflections:

Celebrating what we like about the school:

• Paper books- I don't like being on the computer all the time

• Assemblies

• Pizza with the principal

• School events

• Library

• Middle school dances

• Classroom layouts

• The amazing race

• Kohana Ice Truck

• Friends
• The teachers
• The learning, our brains keep growing
• Recess, we get to play soccer, we get to be loud four square, playing with friends (role playing)
• The food, it is yummy and hot and not soggy
• The play each year
• Band & chorus
• Field trips
• Student council
• The trails

CCS Hopes and Dreams:

• Bring the swings back

• Another slide on the playground

• Tree houses on the trails

• Outdoor classroom

• AC in the bus

• New balls on the playground

• Line the fields for soccer

• More benches outside to sit on

• Fix the baseball field and get wiffle ball stuff

• Class pets

• Therapy dog

• More comfy seating in classrooms

• Couches

• Pet parade

• Ice cream day

• Bring back baseball

To kick off one week with positive energy, our CCS Admin team and PTO partnered to put together some snacks and drinks for staff. These Monday Mood Busters are a small way to recharge, show appreciation, and keep our staff fueled for the amazing work they do every day. We look forward to continuing these little boosts throughout the year to help keep spirits high and energy strong!

• A big thank you to Kate Mara for all her help with our school garden! 🌱 We also appreciate the Student Council for pitching in to support this project. Together, you’re helping make CCS a more welcoming and beautiful place for everyone!
• A huge thank you to Mark Clements for updating PickUp Patrol, reaching out to families to confirm information, and ensuring all students were entered correctly in the system. His efforts made it possible for CCS to have safe, smooth, and organized dismissals each day. We appreciate your hard work, Mark!

• A big thank you to Ashli Roach for stepping up to substitute in PE while we continue our search for a permanent teacher. Students have had a blast staying active with games like Human Rock, Paper, Scissors and Head, Shoulder, Knees, Cone! Thank you Mrs. Roach!!
  

At Chichester Central School, we want to make sure families feel informed and connected! Here’s how you can stay up to date on what’s happening:

• Monthly Newsletter – Sent to families through Alma and also posted on our CCS List Serve and Facebook page.

• CCS List Serve –Subscribing to the CCSListServ can happen one of two ways:

  If you already have a Google Account:

  1. Sign in toGoogle Groups.

  <!---->

  1. Search for the group:

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  1. At the top, click My groups and select All groups and messages.

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  1. In the search box, enter the group’s name CCSListServ or email addressccslistserv@googlegroups.comand press Enter. Request to Join.

  If you do NOT have a Google Account:

  1. Please send an email toccslistserv@gmail.comwith the subject line subscribe and an invitation will be sent to you with 48 hours.

• School Website – Visit https://ccs.sau53.org for calendars, announcements, and important resources.

• Facebook – Follow our official page: Chichester Central School Facebook for photos, reminders, and celebrations.

Together, these tools help us keep everyone in the loop about events, announcements, and celebrations at CCS!