Chichester Central Connection

October was filled with learning, laughter, and plenty of community spirit from Trunk or Treat to Fire Prevention Week! As we move into November, our students are showing tremendous growth and kindness. The energy in our classrooms has been wonderful, and it’s inspiring to see students supporting one another and taking pride in their work.

We are so thankful for our families, staff, and community partners who continue to make Chichester Central School such a special place. Your involvement, whether volunteering at events, cheering on our athletes, or simply encouraging your children at home, makes all the difference. We’re looking forward to the upcoming holiday season and the opportunities it brings to celebrate, learn, and give back together as a CCS community

• Trunk or Treat: A huge success! Thank you PTO!

• Fire Prevention Week: Thank you to Chief Tim Robinson and the Chichester Fire Department for visiting classrooms and engaging students.

• Field Trips:

  • Grade 4 to the NH Farm Museum

  • Grade 5 to Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum

  • Kindergarten trip to Meadow Ledge Farm

• School Spirit: Middle School Dance and Red Ribbon Week had great energy!

• K–5: Eureka Math

  • Kindergarten: Counting and comparing numbers 1–10, building early number sense.

  • Grade 1: Understanding addition and subtraction within 20 using number bonds and stories.

  • Grade 2: Exploring place value and using strategies to add and subtract within 100.

  • Grade 3: Developing multiplication and division concepts through equal groups and arrays.

  • Grade 4: Working with multi-digit multiplication and problem-solving with factors and multiples.

  • Grade 5: Exploring fractions — identifying equivalent fractions and comparing their size.

  Grades 6–8: Big Ideas Math

  • Grade 6: Ratios, rates, and fraction division in real-world contexts.

  • Grade 7: Proportional relationships and integer operations.

  • Grade 8: Exploring linear equations and graphing relationships on the coordinate plane.

  Tip for Families: Encourage your child to explain how they solved a problem — asking “What strategy did you use?” helps deepen understanding and build confidence!

  
  

(Applicable for Sports, Extra-Curricular, and all school activities)

1. Academic Expectations:

Students in grades 3-8 are expected to maintain satisfactory academic performance and consistently demonstrate effort in all subjects, including Unified Arts. Active participation in extracurricular activities is a privilege that requires students to meet these standards.

2. Grade-Based Eligibility:

Eligibility for participation in athletics and extracurricular activities will be determined based on the most recent midterm or trimester final grades. To remain eligible, students must achieve a minimum overall average of 2 (P). Additionally, students may not receive less than a 2 in more than one of their core classes to remain eligible.

Initial Ineligibility:

-If a student fails to meet the academic requirements, they will be given a two-week probation period to improve their grades to the required standard.

- During this probation, the student is prohibited from participating in any practices, games, or extracurricular activities. They are required to stay after school any day they would be with their group and work on improving their grades. This can be at HW club, with a teacher, or working independently in the office as needed.

- If by the end of the two-week period the student meets the academic criteria, they may return to all activities.

- If not, the student will remain ineligible for the remainder of the trimester.

In the event that a student does receive below a 2 in one of the core classes, the student will be placed in a probationary status for a period of two weeks. During this time the student:

• Will be eligible to continue participation in the activity.

• Will meet with the teacher of the class in question to see what needs to be done to achieve a minimum grade of a 2.

• If at the end of two weeks the student has not remedied the situation, they will no longer be allowed to participate for a period of two weeks.

• If by the end of the two-week period the student meets the academic criteria, they may return to all activities.

• If not, the student will remain ineligible for the remainder of the trimester.

3. CARES/Work Study Competency Eligibility:

In addition to academic grades, students in 5-8 grade are expected to meet the standards set by the CARES (Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, Self-Control) framework and Work Study Practices.

- Probation for CARES/Work Study Competency:

Any student receiving a Beginning or Insufficient Evidence grade in a CARES/Work Study competency will be placed on probation until they achieve a Progressing grade or higher.

- The student's performance will be reviewed on the 15th and at the end of each month.

- During the two-week probation period, students are prohibited from participating in practices, games, or activities. Meeting with the teacher who recorded a “Beginning” or “Insufficient Evidence” is required.

- If, at the end of the probation period, the student has achieved a Progressing or higher grade in CARES/Work Study, they will regain eligibility. Otherwise, they will remain ineligible.

4. Re-evaluation Process:

- The academic and CARES/Work Study probation periods allow students two weeks to meet the necessary requirements for rejoining their activities.

- A student will only regain eligibility once they meet both academic and CARES/Work Study competency expectations.

• Student Council Food Drive begins soon — donations of non-perishable items will support local families.

• Lost and Found Reminder: Tables will be set up in the main hallway during conferences — please check for missing items!

• Guidance Corner: Mrs. Pecor has been teaching Relationship Skills lessons — students are practicing communication, teamwork, and empathy.

• STEM in Action: Technology classes using Pixar software and creative design challenges.

• Library News: Students are diving into new book series — stop by the library during Conferences to see what’s new!

• Artist of the Month:

A huge thank-you to our Sunshine Committee for organizing Soup Day! Staff brought in crockpots filled with delicious soups to share, and it was such an amazing (and cozy!) way to end the week. We’re so grateful for the teamwork, warmth, and spirit that make CCS such a special place to work and learn.

Meets on Tuesdays 2:50-4:00

Meets Tuesdays 2:50-4:30

Meets Wednesday 2:50-3:45

Students in Grades 3-8 can participate. Practices begin 11/3.

The Pembroke School Board is seeking input from families as they plan for the future needs of Pembroke Academy. Your feedback will help ensure the school continues to meet the needs of students and the community in the years ahead.

We invite all K–8 families to take a few minutes to complete the survey using this link: Pembroke Academy Planning Survey

Your voice matters! hank you for sharing your thoughts and helping shape the future for our students!

• Nov 5–6: Parent-Teacher Conferences

• Nov 10: Veterans Day Ceremony

• Nov 10: PTO Meeting 6:00

• Nov 11: No School (Veterans Day)

• Nov 13: Playground Committee Meeting 6:00

• Nov 14: Spirit Day- Crazy Hair Day!

• Nov 19: School Board Meeting 6:30

• Nov 22: PTO Craft Fair

• Nov 27–28: Thanksgiving Break

• Dec 18: Winter Concert for Families 1:00

• Jan 7: Winter Band and Chorus Concert (Pembroke) 6:00

For everyone’s safety, please slow down and stop when staff are crossing students across Main Street between 8:00–8:15 AM and 2:45–3:00 PM. Your attention during these times helps keep our students and staff safe.

When entering the Chichester Central School parking lot, please stay to the right of the cones.

• If you are dropping off or picking up, continue driving to the right of the school to go around the back of school.

• If you are parking, you may park in the big parking lot or to the left of the school near the baseball field. Drive slowly and look for students and adults.

Please remember that students exit the building throughout the day for outdoor learning and recess, so maintaining a slow speed at all times is critical. When leaving the school, always exit to the right of the cones.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to keeping CCS safe!

• Foster Open Dialogue: Create an environment where your child feels safe to talk to you about anything they encounter online, without fear of judgment or having their device immediately taken away.

  • Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of just checking their history, ask, “What do you and your friends like to do online?” or "Has anything online ever made you feel uncomfortable or worried?"

• Establish a Family Media Plan: Work together to set clear, age-appropriate rules about media use. This includes:

  • Screen-Free Times/Zones: Designate times (like family meals, homework, and bedtime) and places (bedrooms for younger kids) as tech-free.

  • Time Limits: Set clear limits for total screen time or specific apps/games.

• Be a Digital Role Model: Your kids are watching you. Model the healthy behaviors you want to see:

• Put your phone away during family conversations and meals.

• Talk about why you're using a device when you need to focus on it.

• Protect Personal Information: Teach your children what personal information is NEVER okay to share online (full name, address, school name, phone number, passwords, vacation plans).

• Stranger Danger: Explain that people online are not always who they say they are.

  • Discourage "friending" or chatting with people they don't know in real life.

  • Emphasize they should never agree to meet up with an online-only friend without parental approval and supervision.

• Think Before You Post: Explain the concept of a "digital footprint"—that once something is shared (a photo, a comment, a video), it is difficult, if not impossible, to completely erase.

  • Encourage them to pause and think if they would be embarrassed to have a teacher, future employer, or relative see it.

• Understand What's Real: Help them develop critical thinking skills to recognize:

  • Ads, sponsored content, and in-app purchase offers.

  • "Clickbait" or scams (e.g., "You've won a prize!").

  • Edited or misleading images/videos and misinformation.

• Cyberbullying: Discuss how their online behavior affects others and what to do if they or a friend are being bullied (stop, save the evidence, and tell a trusted adult).