Julian Curtiss Newsletter #17
December 20, 2024
Today, our school community came together for a heartwarming holiday sing-along that filled our school building with joy and festive spirit. Students from Pre-K through 5th grade gathered to celebrate the holiday season, creating a magical atmosphere as their voices united in song. Our teachers, Ms. Champion and Ms. Engle, did a wonderful job leading the event, guiding our students through a delightful selection of holiday favorites. The children's enthusiasm was contagious as they shook their jingle bells in time with the music, adding an extra layer of cheer to the celebration. It was truly special to see our entire elementary school community sharing in the holiday spirit together.
Happy Holidays to everyone!
Thank you,
Eduardo Calderon and Claribel Michilena
We were honored to welcome author Kate Petruziello for an inspiring visit to share her book "Mighty Mila." Our students were captivated by the story of Mila, a determined and creative deaf girl who demonstrates remarkable perseverance in pursuing her goals while navigating life with cochlear implants. Through engaging assemblies with our PreK-1st grade students and 2nd-3rd graders, followed by special visits to our 4th grade classrooms, Ms. Petruziello delivered a powerful message about determination and self-belief. The story's core theme - that anything is possible with imagination, perseverance, and support from others - deeply resonated with our scholars, who participated enthusiastically throughout the presentations. It was wonderful to see our students so engaged and inspired by Mila's journey, learning that every challenge can be overcome with the right mindset and determination.
Thank you to Ms. Elspeth Spransy, our curriculum enrichment liaison, and Ms. Esra Murray, our media specialist, for making this possible for our school.
On Saturday, December 14th, our 5th graders braved the cold weather to sell hot chocolate. This fundraiser event took place in front of the Board of Education building on Greenwich Avenue and helped raise over $700. Thank you Ms. Stewart and 5th grade parents for your support with this successful event.
It's time for our mid-year check-in. We will be administering the assessments below to collect data that will help teachers know how to plan targeted instruction for each of their scholars. This data is not used for grading, it is used as a resource to identify the specific needs of our scholars.
Mid-Year Assessments Windows
DIBELS window opens Jan 3 - 24th (K-3)
LAS Links window opens Jan 2 - March 7th (ESL students)
Link it Form B now open for January administration (K-5)
JC invites you to join us for our Magnet Open House, 1/3/25!
JC takes pride in being the Magnet school of World Languages since 2003. Our students represent 60 countries & 30 languages in one great school, offering the choice of learning either Spanish or French. It has been described as “the little United Nations School of Greenwich.”
Come and learn more about everything that makes JC such a special place.
There will be two information sessions:
JC Magnet Open House
Friday, January 3rd @ 9:30am
Friday, January 3rd @ 6pm
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!
“A celebration of seven different winter holidays observed in the US
and the traditions that unite them all.”
We are thrilled to introduce our Book of the Month: We Celebrate the Light by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple, illustrated by Jieting Chen. This beautiful story highlights the joy and traditions of holidays like Diwali, Solstice, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, and Lunar New Year.
With stunning visuals and a lyrical, read-aloud text, this book celebrates what unites these holidays—light, love, food, and family. Simple explanations on each page and more detailed backmatter make it a wonderful resource for sparking conversations about our shared traditions and the diverse ways we honor them.
Beloved author Jane Yolen, along with her daughter Heidi Stemple, has crafted a heartfelt story that offers both warmth and inclusivity. Whether your family celebrates one of these holidays or you're curious to learn about others, this empowering and informative book has something for everyone.
We hope this story will inspire meaningful discussions at home about the beauty of our differences and the traditions that bring us together.
Happy reading!
