Dear JC Staff and Families,
As we approach Thanksgiving, I am thankful for our incredible JC community. I want to express heartfelt gratitude for the remarkable ways you contribute to making our school such a special place. Your partnership ensures we create an environment where every student can thrive academically and emotionally.
This season reminds us that it truly takes a village to support our students. Your dedication helps each child feel seen, valued, and empowered to succeed. It is an honor to serve such a wonderful community.
Wishing you a warm and joyful Thanksgiving filled with love, connection, and cherished memories.
With deep appreciation,
Principal, JC
Thank you,
Eduardo Calderon and Claribel Michilena
Do you have a love for teaching and learning? Want to be part of an amazing school community? JC is the place for you! We are seeking enthusiastic, flexible individuals to join our dynamic team - help shape young minds and make a meaningful impact, one day at a time!
If interested, please contact Mr. Calderon at (203) 869-1896 and click on this link https://www.applitrack.com/greenwich/onlineapp to apply.
Feel free to pass this message along.
Friendly Reminder:
For the safety and comfort of all our students, we kindly ask that families refrain from bringing dogs onto school grounds (including our blacktop/playground area). We love our furry friends, but keeping our grounds pet-free helps ensure a safe environment for everyone. Thank you so much for your understanding and cooperation!
Our 2nd graders will be taking the NWEA MAP assessment. The test is a computer-adaptive standardized test that measures a student’s reading, language usage, and math skills. It’s designed to measure a student’s progress and growth over time. The test helps educators understand where your child’s academic strengths and areas of growth are, so they can tailor instructions to meet your child’s unique learning needs. It also helps track your child’s academic growth over time. MAP scores, also known as RIT scores, are used to measure your child’s academic growth. There’s no passing or failing. Instead, the scores provide a snapshot of where your child is academically compared to their peers, and show how much they’ve grown over time.
In November, we’re excited to celebrate several meaningful themes with our students and school community. This month, we’re embracing gratitude, honoring Native American Heritage Month, celebrating Diwali—the Festival of Lights—and highlighting the diversity and unity that make our school such a special place. To enrich our exploration of these themes, we are reading Luli and the Language of Tea written by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Hyewon Yum, an award-winning book that highlights the power of kindness and connection across languages and cultures.
The story emphasizes that when we seek to connect with others, we often look for a common bond. The word for “tea” sounds similar in many languages, and tea becomes the unifying metaphor that brings a diverse group of children together. In Native American culture, for instance, certain herbal infusions—often called “teas”—hold deep meaning. Plants such as mint, sage, three-leaf sumac, and cedar are used for their healing properties and for fostering community bonds, symbolizing respect and gratitude for nature’s gifts.
The book also includes fascinating material at the back that delves into the rich and ancient history of tea across cultures, featuring maps, statistics, and details that engage our readers and deepen their appreciation for shared traditions around the world. We’re excited to share these stories and experiences with our students as we learn and grow together.
