Good afternoon Panther Families,

We hope everyone's holiday is filled with memories to spend with friends and loved ones. We look forward to seeing everyone again in the new year!

Best,

Christina & Emily

• December 26th - January 2nd - Winter Recess
• January 3rd - Welcome Back!
• January 4th - EHMS Art Club
• January 5th - Yearbook Club
• January 9th - Board of Education Meeting @ Town Hall
• January 20th - 2nd Quarter Ends

Each month Team Leaders will share an update on current happenings throughout the team. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your child's Team Leader. Contact information is within each newsletter.

Below is access to team's December newsletters. Don't forget to check out Team Amethyst's newsletter. This is our specials and P.E. team. Team Leaders will be sending out their December newsletters through Parentsquare.

Enjoy!

As Paul mentioned in Monday's update, EHMS welcomes Ken Precourt to our building as our new Armed Security Officer. Ken is a retired Windsor Locks Police Officer and retired SRO. Ken will begin his role upon return from winter recess.

Our Panther Chefs helped to prepare various appetizers for staff across the district to enjoy! Below are some pictures of our students hard at work! Some Panther Chefs also came to serve appetizers during the event! We are so proud of all our students that participated.

We are proud to announce that EHMS Staff have won the esteemed trophy! Mr. Searles, Mr. Storrs, Mr. Shilansky and Ms. Cates represented EHMS Staff well during the Trivia Contest at our district-wide holiday party! We will house the trophy front and center in our office!

We are so proud when our students exemplify our PBIS pillars. Highlighted are the students from this week!

Math Celebrates the New Year

Happy New Year 2023! In order to celebrate the new year, all students are invited to participate in the “Year Game” during winter break. The rules of the game are: Use only the digits 2,0,2,3 in any order, with any operation to write expressions that are equal to the counting numbers 1 through 100. Students will be given the game sheet in their math class next week. The game sheet will also be accessible on your child’s math Google Classroom in case family members want to participate. The student(s) with the most correct expressions will get a prize. There will be a collection box in Room 14 for completed game sheets. Please return forms by Wednesday January 4th.

Mrs. Penn with the help of some of her students created a wonderful snowman to display in our office!

Mrs. Wosleger's Science classes have been learning about sensory receptors. While on a hike this past Wednesday, the class tried to identify which sensory receptors were being fired up by the outdoor elements. We also took a look at our shadows which are the longest this time of year due to the winter solstice.

The next day in the lab, students were focusing on which sensory receptors they use to complete various activities like what year the penny changed its composition, how our mouth feels after eating a candy cane then drinking water, and challenging our photoreceptors to analyze graphics.

Students in Mr. Kiser’s Pre- Algebra class have been working on graphing Linear Equations. This week they worked on solving for y to put the equation in slope-intercept form.

Thank you to all the students who came to participate in auditions for drama club. Please reach out to Mrs. Werme or Mrs. Rahusen if there are any questions. They could be reached through Parentsquare or email at kwerme@easthamptonct.org or rrahusen@easthamptonct.org

EHMS Band & Chorus Parents/Guardians/Students:

It's hard to believe that it's less than a month away until our EHMS Band and Chorus Winter Concert! The Concert will be: Wednesday January 18th, 2023 at 6:30pm in the East Hampton High School Auditorium (snow date Thursday January 19)

Students should arrive to EHHS at 6:00pm. Concert attire, similar to last year, is Panther Blue and White.

We're looking forward to a great concert!

Have a great holiday break
Mr. Shilansky & Mrs. Rahusen
EHMS Music

As students entered the building, our band students, along with Mr. Shilansky, welcomed everyone with some holiday music!

We had lots of students participating in spirit week!

We're so excited to be ramping up the Ski and Snowboarding Club! If you are interested in joining the Ski and Snowboarding Club please join the Ski and Snowboarding Club Group on Parent Square. All information will be posted on the group page. Thank you!

We will be running things just as we did last year.

• Family members Grades 2 and older will be able to join at the club rates!
• There will be no bus to and from the school; students and their families will be responsible for providing their own transportation. The school will leave it to parent/guardian discretion as to how their child and equipment (which cannot be stored at the school) get to and from the mountain each week.
• Arrive at the mountain at 3:15 PM, depart from the mountain at 7:30 PM

The dates we have booked are:

Thursday, 1/19

Thursday, 1/26

Thursday, 2/16

Thursday, 2/23

Pricing per person for the 4 passes varies depending on which package you choose:

Lift Ticket $140

Lift and Lesson $192

Lift and Rental Equipment $212

Lift, Lesson and Rental Equipment $252

While there are no refunds for missed days, Mount Southington will let you trade your lift ticket in for a different day later this season or the following one.

Registration/Sign-up instructions coming soon, so stay tuned!

Just a reminder that we continue to run Homework Club. Students can join at any point. Facilitated by a staff member, students who are interested can stay after school until 4:00 to have a quiet, structured space to work on school work. There will be times that we collaborate with the high school and students from Interact come to help assist students. The next Homework Club session is Tuesday, January 10th and the club will run every other Tuesday after that. If you are interested in your child participating, please complete the following google form. If there are any questions, please contact our main office.

We hope you will join us at our first meeting of 2023: Wednesday, January 11th at 5:30pm.

We will discuss plans for the new year and welcome your ideas!

Wishing everyone a safe and very happy holiday season!

The East Hampton Public Schools is proud to introduce Megan Donnelly our School Based Behavioral Health clinician. Soon, enrolled students will be able to receive behavioral health services during the school day. Megan is a licensed health care provider, who is able to deliver behavioral health services to students during the school day. She will work in conjunction with the student’s primary care providers to support their social, emotional, and behavioral health care needs. SBHC is proud to serve over 17,000 students throughout Connecticut. If you are interested in School-Based Health Care for your child, please visit SBCH2.com for enrollment information and forms.

A reminder that effective December 1, 2022 all meals will be fully paid, unless your children qualify for free or reduced school meals. We greatly thank you for your patience with any issues in trying to add funds into your child's account. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jen Bove at jbove@easthamptonct.org or Christina Amaral at camaral@easthamptonct.org.

Frequently asked questions for your reference:

How do we pay for our school meals?

Students will pay for their breakfast and lunch using their Meal Magic lunch account. If you have not yet set up a Meal Magic account, or you need to add funds to your students’ accounts, please go to our website at https://www.easthamptonps.org/page/nutritional-services-and-school-lunch, click on Meal Magic Family Payment Portal and follow the instructions.

How do we qualify for free or reduced price meals?

If you think that you may qualify for free or reduced price meals, please go to our website at https://www.easthamptonps.org/page/nutritional-services-and-school-lunch to fill out a free and reduced lunch application. Please note that the income level required for eligibility for SNAP (formerly food stamps) was raised as of October 1st, so some families who previously did not qualify for SNAP may now qualify. Any students who receive SNAP benefits are automatically eligible for free school meals, so please visit our website and click on the + sign beside Applying for Free and Reduced Meals to learn more about applying for SNAP.

How much will meals cost on December 1?

School Breakfast = $2.25 at all schools.

Memorial Lunch = $3.50

Center Lunch = $3.50

Middle School Lunch = $3.75

High School Lunch = $4.00 ($4.50 for full Salad Bar)

Every school lunch includes lean protein, a whole grain, a selection of both fruits and

vegetables, and a low fat milk

Effectively immediately, the following email addresses can be used by parents to report and document their approval of an absence:

Memorial_Attendance@easthamptonct.org

Center_Attendance@easthamptonct.org

EHMS_Attendance@easthamptonct.org

EHHS_Attendance@easthamptonct.org

If you have successfully emailed the school, you will receive an autoreply that notifies you that the absence communication has been received and recorded. This process is effective for your child for the first 9 absences. After your student has more than 9 absences, additional documentation or communication is required to excuse the absence. However, please continue to use the email designated for your child's school to continue to notify the school that your child will be absent. You may call your child’s school at any time to report an absence but please make sure to follow up a phone call with a note or email to the attendance email.

Send the library a photo of you reading over break. Let’s fill in the collage wall with lots of great places to read. Send it to Ms. Fielding at cfielding@easthamptonct.org.

Certified therapy dog "Kolbe" and her very kind human, Mr. Bob, visited students this week. Students were able pet Kolbe and ask Mr. Bob how Kolbe became a therapy dog.

Message from Nurse Hafele:

We are working on creating a collage of pets for the health office. Please send in a picture of your pet to add to our wall! Any and all pets welcome! Please hand in to Mrs. Hafele.

Now that Winter is upon us and the germs are starting to get a little too comfortable, let’s review the below guidelines.
Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:

• Very stuffy or runny nose and/or cough
• Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
• Mild headache and/or stomachache
• Fatigue

Definitely keep your child at home for treatment and observation if he or she has any of these symptoms:

• Fever (greater than 100 degrees. May return to school after 24 hours of no fever WITHOUT fever reducing medications)
• Vomiting (Even once. Must wait 24 hours after last vomit episode to return to school)
• Diarrhea (Must wait 24 hours after last episode to return to school)
• Chills
• General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness, and/or muscle aches
• Frequent congested, wet, or croupy cough
• Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose

To help prevent the flu and other colds, please remind your child(ren) about good hygiene habits:

• Wash hands frequently
• Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth
• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing/coughing and then wash hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

Helpful resources:
Please contact your child’s pediatrician first. If unable to be seen, here is a list of
local walk in/urgent care locations if unable to be seen by pediatrician:
CVS Minute Clinic, East Hampton 866-389-2727
ProHealth Extended Hours, Glastonbury 657-5940
Middlesex Health Urgent Care, Middletown 860-358-4170
Colchester Urgent Care 860-531-9749

If at any point you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at khafele@easthamptonct.org or call the school office at 860-365-4060.

Thank you!

Mrs. Hafele

**Registration for volleyball is now up on familyid.com for boys in grades 7th and 8th only. Registration for girls is now full at 60 members. Deadline for boys volleyball is Monday, Jan 30, 2023.

EAST HAMPTON MS ATHLETICS SCHEDULE

JAN 2 - JAN 6 (subject to change)

MONDAY, JAN 2

No Athletics

TUESDAY, JAN 3

Girls Basketball practice from 2:35 until 4:30 pm.

Boys Basketball study hall from 2:35 until 4:15 pm.

Boys Basketball practice 4:30 until 6 pm (arrive at 4:15)

Cheer Leading from 2:35 until 4:30 pm

WEDNESDAY, JAN 4

Girls Basketball practice from 2:35 until 4:30 pm.

Boys Basketball study hall from 2:35 until 4:15 pm.

Boys Basketball practice 4:30 until 6 pm (arrive at 4:15)

Cheer Leading from 2:35 until 4:30 pm

THURSDAY, JAN 5

East Hampton boys basketball at William Johnston MS (Colchester), 2:20 dismissal, 2:30 bus, 3:30 pm game.

Willian Johnston girls basketball at East Hampton, 3:30 pm game.

Monitors: Jarrett D and Maria S

Cheer attending game

FRIDAY, JAN 6

Girls Basketball practice from 2:35 until 4:30 pm.

Boys Basketball study hall from 2:35 until 4:15 pm.

Boys Basketball practice 4:30 until 6 pm (arrive at 4:15)

No Cheer Leading

If your child is having any Chromebook or technology issues please click on the link below to do some troubleshooting: EHMS TroubleShooting Tips

If the troubleshooting doesn't work click on the link below to submit an IT work ticket:

Chromebook Trouble Ticket

Please encourage your child to take pride and care in their device. Below is a video to review the proper care of Chromebooks with your child.

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.

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