Cheetah Pride Press

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” ―Henry David Thoreau

In last week's special edition "One Year Stronger", we revisited the past year and all the amazing accomplishments from our Memorial community as we navigated through the challenges of the pandemic and all the changes it brought with it. We have focused on remaining positive and connected in light of the circumstances and have constantly asked ourselves what can we take away from these changes that will make us stronger still.

In this edition, we highlight strategies, structures and supports we have put in place that have catapulted learning ahead, supported social/emotional growth and improved communication for all.

With pride,

Andy & Brandy

Our teachers have welcomed the opportunity to teach alongside experts from Teachers College using the virtual units of study. Our master teachers have used these videos as guides to enhance instruction by watching and note taking prior direct instruction or many times using this technology and "coteaching" with it. Witnessing this firsthand it has been powerful to observe our teachers pause the videos and reflect aloud at critical moments of the lesson like a coach calling a game timeout to make adjustments. Moving forward this is a tool we look forward to using as we continuously strive to maximize the growth of our readers and writers.

All classrooms spent an increased amount of time this school year starting each day with a Second Step lesson and/or a morning meeting. This community building time and explicit instruction on social/emotional skills and situations has been supportive of the needs of our young learners. At Memorial, we have always emphasized taking care of ourselves, others and things and this year we dedicated more time to this and specifically teaching our students how to identify and manage their emotions.

While meeting via Google Meet or Zoom is not ideal for all interactions, it has provided flexibility and increased availability for staff, students, teachers and families. We have been able to stay connected whereas in previous years we would not have had this opportunity. It has also allowed us to meet with families on days and times that are more convenient for them while adding the personal touch of seeing each other's faces. We have had numerous virtual professional learning sessions (with inhouse and outside presenters) that have been extremely productive and efficient.

As part of our mitigation strategies, we created a mask break schedule, changed our lunch locations and seating and added other routines/procedures to our school days. Some have proven to be actions that we look forward to continuing next year. Providing more breaks to our learners has actually increased productivity in the class. These brief times away from traditional learning have given us more time to develop classroom community and recharge our engines. Students transition back to class with more energy and focus. Additionally, our teams have enjoyed the ability to eat picnic style outside with their teachers and friends.

• Implement Second Step Social Emotional curriculum with fidelity across all grade levels and classrooms.
• Achieve individual growth targets as measured by the i-Ready reading and math diagnostic assessment for all students.

The Second Step program teaches skills in the following four areas:

1. Skills for Learning: Students gain skills to help themselves learn, including how to focus their attention, listen carefully, use self-talk to stay on task, and be assertive when asking for help with schoolwork.

2. Empathy: Students learn to identify and understand their own and others’ feelings. Students also learn how to take another’s perspective and how to show compassion.

3. Emotion Management: Students learn specific skills for calming down when experiencing strong feelings, such as anxiety or anger.

Ways to Calm Down: Belly breathing, using positive self-talk, counting

4. Problem Solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a positive way

i-Ready Personalized Instruction provides students with lessons based on their individual skill level and needs, so your student can learn at a pace that is just right for them. These lessons are fun and interactive to keep your student engaged as they learn. We recommend usage should be limited to 45 minutes per week per subject area! See below for how to access the progress and time on task for your student.

• Implement Fundations with fidelity across k-3 grade levels and classrooms.
• Utilize the workshop model of instruction in mathematics in all classrooms.

• Ensure that all teachers engage in Individual Data Meetings with Reading/Math Specialists and Administration to review student performance data, set individual growth targets for every learner, and create instructional plans to help realize these goals.
• Create teacher driven goals at the classroom level to enhance communication, connection and support in response to the 19-20 Parent Feedback survey.

All mid-year assessments have been completed including the i-Ready Diagnostic in reading and math. This assessment data along with other universal screening data informs our structures and groups for intervention services. Intervention services provide students additional instruction in math or reading. Our reading and math instructional specialists and classroom teachers have been reviewing and analyzing student performance data over the last several weeks. As a result of this careful analysis, new intervention groups have been formed and will begin meeting the week of March 1st. If you have any questions regarding math or reading intervention services, please contact:

Reading Specialist: Jess Warner and Andrea Montovani

Math Specialist: Andrea Winiarski

March 29--4pm-6:30pm--EHE PTO Fundraiser Pick-up--Butter Braids & Cookie Dough

April 2--No School--Good Friday

April 9--Calendar Change--Distance Learning in AM--Professional Development for Staff in PM

April 10-18--No School--School Vacation Week

2021-2022 Kindergarten Registration packets are available at the Memorial School foyer and online.

To secure a screening appointment for your child, we ask that you please return all completed registration paperwork to the Memorial School Office or drop box in the foyer by Friday, March 26, 2021.

A Parent information night will be held Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 6:00 pm. Details to follow.

Kindergarten Screenings will be held 9am -2pm the week of Monday, May 24th – Friday ,May 28th.

Volunteers from the Lions Club safely screened student vision with the WelchAllyn Spot. The WelchAllyn Spot looks almost like a camera. It focuses in on the eyes and in seconds screened for common vision issues including nearsightedness, farsightedness, blurred vision, unequal refractive power, lazy eye and eye misalignment.

...The mothers, the fathers, the teachers that reach us
Strangers to friends that show up in the end
From the bottom to the top, the listeners that hear us
This is for you, you make me fearless...

We appreciate how proactive families have been in taking students to get tested for COVID. Please know that if you choose to do this, you are required, per Chatham Health guidance, to keep your learner home until the negative results are shared with the school. Please also remember that rapid molecular and PCR tests are the only tests accepted by our schools.

Close contact: within 6 feet of an infected person (confirmed COVID19) for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, or a direct exposure to possibly infected droplets of saliva or nasal mucus (e.g., being sneezed or coughed on in the face).

A Message from the Department of Children and Families

We are asking for your help spreading the word about the state’s new “Talk It Out Line”, which is a Department of Children and Families’ initiative created to provide support and services to help parents and caretakers with the stress and increased needs resulting from caring for their children during the COVID-19 crisis. Parents and caregivers are invited to call 833-258-5011 and/or visit www.talkitoutct.com to speak with trained professionals (in both English and Spanish) who will listen and discuss their concerns and, if additional help is needed, refer them to responsive services. The "Talk It Out Line" is available Monday-Friday from 8am to 8pm; and on weekends from 1 pm to 8 pm.

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.

Home of 570 PK-3 Proud Young Cheetahs and Future Bellringers!

Email: memorialoffice@easthamptonct.org
Website: http://www.easthamptonps.org/o/memorial-school
Location: 20 Smith Street, East Hampton, CT 06424
Phone: 860-365-4020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ehmemorialschool/