Good afternoon,

We have shared this through Parentsquare but we want to take the opportunity to share this again. Over the last several years, we have had an ongoing partnership with Sandy Hook Promise, which promotes school-wide efforts to create safe schools for all our learners. Through our partnership, we have held programs that help to teach middle and high school students to recognize the warning signs of someone at-risk of hurting themselves or others and helps develop skills for students to confidently seek out a trusted adult.

It can be hard for adults to know how the children in their lives are feeling. Today, many teens and adolescents turn to online channels to express themselves, their thoughts and hopes, and their anxieties and personal feelings. Some even go as far as hinting they want to hurt themselves or someone else. Their friends and peers are the eyes and ears of a school community and may observe these communications but not always understand or know what to do with that information. This week's advisory was focused on the district’s 6-12 launch of the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System.

Wednesday's training talked through the 3 steps- 1) Look for warning signs and threats, 2) Act immediately, take it seriously; 3) Say Something to a trusted adult or use its anonymous reporting system. We currently have a district developed anonymous reporting system that students use to report concerns. Starting tomorrow, the current form will be replaced with the Sandy Hook Anonymously reporting system that is available 24/7/365 in conjunction with the Sandy Hook Crisis Center.

We encourage you to talk to your child about how important it is to Say Something and encourage them to share what they are learning. Not only will this conversation help you to recognize any signs in your own student’s expressions, but it also demonstrates to them that you take this subject seriously and can be one of the trusted adults they turn to if they suspect someone may need help.

The Sandy Hook Anonymous Reporting System will be available on the district website. Thank you for your continued partnership in collaborating to develop the skills to empower students to speak up for anyone in need.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Best,

Christina & Emily

Mon., Oct 16th: 8th Grade Summer Math & Reading Celebration

Mon., Oct 16th: Paint Panthers Pink - Wear Pink to support the Sandy Peszynski Breast Cancer Foundation

Mon., Oct 16th - 20th: National School Bus Safety Week

Mon., Oct 23rd: Board of Education Meeting 6:30 Town Hall

Picture day was a success! Just a reminder that make ups for Picture Day will be Monday, November 27th. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the photographer, Ted Morton. Contact information is below:

At the end of 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.

We also have a welcome from our Unified Arts team. The Unified Arts team consists of our specials, P.E., T.I. and World Language teachers.

Enjoy!

EAST HAMPTON MS ATHLETICS SCHEDULE OCT 9 - OCT 13 (subject to change)

EAST HAMPTON MS ATHLETICS SCHEDULE OCT 16 - OCT 20 (subject to change)

MONDAY, OCT 16

RHAM MS soccer at East Hampton, 3:30 pm game.

Girls at East Hampton High School, 2:50 pm shuttle.

Boys at East Hampton Middle School

Note: East Hampton teams should wear their white uniforms.

East Hampton cross country at RHAM MS, 2:20 dismissal, 2:30 bus.

Note: Girls run first

TUESDAY, OCT 17

Griswold MS (Rocky Hill) at East Hampton, 3:30 pm game.

Boys at East Hampton High School, 2:50 pm shuttle. Note: boys bring school/athletic bags!

Girls at East Hampton Middle School

Note: East Hampton teams should wear their white uniforms.

Cross Country off

WEDNESDAY, OCT 18

Cross Country 2:35 until 4 pm

Boys soccer 2:35 until 4:30 pm

Girls soccer 2:35 until 4:30 pm

THURSDAY, OCT 19

Cromwell boys soccer at East Hampton Middle School, 3:30 pm game.

East Hampton girls soccer at McGee MS (Berlin), 2:20 dismissal, 2:30 bus, 3:30 pm game.

Cross Country 2:35 until 4 pm

FRIDAY, OCT 20

Hale Ray MS soccer at East Hampton.

Boys game at 5:30 pm

Girls game at 7 pm

Note: No JV game, 2-35 minute games.

Cross Country off

Winter Registration is now open on familyid.com

This is for boys basketball, girls basketball and cheer leading only!

Deadline is Sunday, November 5th

Earlier this month, our 6th graders participated in a day of team building and nature at Hurd State Park. Students spent half the day walking the beautiful trails at Hurd Park and half the day engaging in team building activities that focused on leadership, cooperation, listening, and following directions with Empower Leadership, an organization focused on supporting groups on leadership and team building. The staff from Empower encouraged, challenged, and led out students in several fun activities throughout the day and students did a fabulous job in their participation.

The seventh graders had their Summer Math and Reading celebration today. Students who completed their summer reading logs and math packets attended a special breakfast in the library to enjoy their favorite breakfast treats! Grade 8 will celebrate on October 16.

Below are students who have received Positive Office Referrals for their behaviors that have exemplified our PBIS pillars of Respect, Responsibility, Compassion and Pride. Students were able to choose a reward from our menu of options like eating outside with friends! Great job!

The EHMS Yearbook Club is holding a yearbook cover contest for both the front and back covers. Those artists whose covers are chosen will get a free yearbook. Students will be notified on our morning announcements beginning 10/10/23.

Entries must include:

School year

Name of school

school appropriate design.

Submit your entry on regular size paper (8.5 x 11). The deadline for entry is Monday October 23, 2023 at 3p. No cover designs will be accepted after this date. Drop off your entry to Mrs. Buchan in the office or email at cbuchan@easthamptonct.org.

Good luck!

Looking for a way to give back? Want to help make the world a better place? Then please join the EarlyAct Club at any of our upcoming events and opportunities to spread compassion! ALL are welcome and no previous club experience is required. Check out our rolling monthly agenda to see where you can help us to make a difference!

Panthers get ready to wear pink! On Monday, October 16th, EHMS will be hosting, “Paint Panthers Pink!”

Students and faculty are invited to wear pink and bring in a dollar or more donation to contribute to The Sandy Peszynski Breast Cancer Foundation. Donations can be given to homeroom teachers and sent in to Ms. Seeley by the end of the day. Additionally, pink, breast cancer awareness bracelets will be sold during all three lunch waves for $2.00 each.

Get ready to show your support and put on your best pink apparel!

When & Where

Mark your calendars and save the date. On Saturday, November 4, 2023 the 14th Annual East Hampton Turkey Plunge will be held at Sears Park at 9:00 a.m.

What & Why

People of all ages are invited to take the plunge and participate in the "coolest" event of the season. The event is open to the public; it's free, and it's loads of fun for the entire family.

​

Because many of our friends and neighbors are struggling during this challenging time, it's critical we help to raise funds in support of our local Food Bank. Through the East Hampton Rotary Club, we have online registration! Also back this year - virtual plunging - plungers can register, dip on their own, and send us their plunge video.

​

Please be part of this worthwhile event, whether it's being a plunger, sponsoring your favorite plunger, or making a donation. Everyone can be part of Turkey Plunge! Because so many of you have come back year after year, we can help so many families in our Belltown community who need a helping hand.

How

For this event, we have our own club team that you can join, or if you would like, you may simply offer a donation for the cause.

Student participants must also complete the Turkey Plunge EHMS sign-up & permission form.

The East Hampton Running Club will be participating in the Middle School XC State meet on November 4th at Wickham Park in Manchester. All middle school students are invited to join. Practices will take place after school beginning October 25th and ending on November 3rd. Deadline for sign up is October 20th. Contact information for Christine Gustavson is linked below.

We are looking for interested 8th graders to attend the ACM Aerospace Alley Future Workforce Opportunities Fair that will take place November 1st. Joanna Mercaldi will be the chaperone on the trip. We are able to accommodate the first 25 interested 8th graders. We will be joining some students from the high school. We will be leaving on bus right at 8 and returning to school prior to 8th grade lunch. There will be no fee to attend. The event provides students the opportunity to speak with over 90 local aerospace firms to learn about the valuable career opportunities that exist and discuss the expectations employers have when hiring as well as see first-hand leading-edge manufacturing technologies used across Connecticut and Western Massachusetts.

An electronic permission slip will be sent through Parentsquare on Monday October 16th at 6:00 pm. Once the first 25 slots have been filled, we will be closed access to the form. Any questions, please reach out to Joanna Mercaldi at jmercaldi@easthamptonct.org. See information flyer below.

Harvest of the Month

Our Harvest of the month is apples and all our apples at Middle School are local. Beckett Farms in Glastonbury is our main apple supplier, there is just nothing better than a farm fresh apple picked ripe from the tree!

Lunch They’ll Love to Munch:

We’ve noticed that Middle School students love spicy foods, so next week we are trying a new recipe that we think your kiddos will flip for – Buffalo Chicken Tots! Cheesy Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip over tater tots served with fresh roasted zucchini fries from Cold Spring Farm. The secret to our Buffalo Dip is it’s actually healthy (don’t tell your kids!) Made with lean chicken breast and Greek yogurt to replace most of the mayonnaise that is typically used in this recipe, this meal is packed with protein and calcium.

In order to promote strong attendance habits and maximize learning, the East Hampton schools urge all parents to make sure that their children attend every day unless they are ill. Teachers work to pace instruction on a uniform schedule, so good attendance really matters in every child’s learning. As a result, parents should expect strong connection between success in school and good attendance. This year, as we continue with the second year of

new programming in grades K-5 math and implement new math programming in grades 6-7, please note that attendance matters!

Per the East Hampton Board of Education’s Attendance Policy and Connecticut statute, parents and guardians may only approve the first 9 absences of the school year with a parent note. Absences 10 and above can only be excused with further documentation and under specific circumstances.

In addition, if a student has four unexcused absences in one month or 10 unexcused absences in a year they are classified as truant. If a child misses 18 or more days in a school year – excused or unexcused absences – the student is classified as chronically absent. Access to the East Hampton attendance policy is available HERE.

To increase the ease of reporting an absence and documenting parent approval of the absence for a student’s first 9 absences, the East Hampton Public Schools has created email addresses that parents can use to contact their student’s school and report an absence. Effectively immediately, the following email address for EHMS (EHMS_Attendance@easthamptonct.org) can be used by parents to report and document their approval of an absence. Below are links to each school's email address:

Note: Between the school name and the word Attendance is a underscore ( _ )

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 student’s first 9 absences. After your student has more than 9 absences, additional documentation or communication will be required to excuse the absence. Please use the email to continue to notify the school that your child will not attend. You may call your child’s school at any time to report an absence, as well.

Unfortunately, it is that time of year when the germs are going to be making their way around! Let’s work together to stay healthy. Below are a few reminders.

Illness: A fever is 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. A student will be sent home and may not return the next day if they have a fever while in school. They may return to school if they have been fever free for 24 hours WITHOUT fever reducing medications.

· COVID: Currently, there are no changes to the districts policy for guidelines. We recommend a student be out of school for 5 days from start of symptoms. Please provide a physician note to the office as this is needed for attendance purposes.

· Students may bring their own supply of cough drops to use throughout the school day. They may carry them with their belongings but may NOT share with others due to allergies throughout the building.

Medications: Every medication that is brought into school requires a “Medication Authorization” form to be signed by the student’s doctor and parent/guardian. Please use a large ziplock bag for the medication plus the medication order and label the bag with your child’s name before dropping off. Any controlled medications will need to be counted and signed off with the RN and parent so please allow for a few extra minutes at drop off.

**Beginning in 6th grade, your student may carry their own inhalers and EpiPens, IF approved by physician, parent, and nurse**

Health Concerns: If you have any specific concerns that arise during the school year (such as stitches, concussions, broken bones, etc.) it is best that you send in a doctor’s note with dates and guidelines, so we can all be on the same page.

**Please remind your students to bring in their water bottles. Hydration is important!**

As always, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. Email is best and is below for your reference.

Regards,

Nurse Krystle

Krystle Hafele, BSN,RN

School Nurse

East Hampton Middle School

Office: 860-365-4060

Fax: 860-365-4064

Khafele@easthamptonct.org

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.

We understand that often families are seeking assistance in supporting their children through outside counseling or therapy. We are proud to have partnered with School Based Health in order to be able to provide those services within the school. Megan Donnelly is our School Based Health Center Counselor here at East Hampton Middle School who is here 5 days a week. More information is below include a link to their website. Feel free to call the main office if you would like to speak with Megan.

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