GPS Summer Shark Splash Week 3

We are officially halfway through our GPS summer programs! Week Three brought consistency and community-building to New Lebanon and Western Middle Schools as our students got into the rhythm of ESY and summer school.

Both of our school sites completed lockdown drills on Tuesday, July 15 in conjunction with our district director of school security and the Greenwich Police Department.

In our classrooms at New Lebanon, K-4 students have been working through the district’s summer literacy curriculum to hone their reading skills. This week, students completed a midpoint DIBELS task to demonstrate their progress. A literacy post-assessment will be administered at the end of the 6-week summer program.

As a reminder, please continue to notify your school by 9:00 AM if your child’s dismissal plans change:

• New Lebanon: email brittney_veniga@greenwich.k12.ct.us or call (203) 531-9139
• Western: email ambar_coburn@greenwich.k12.ct.us or call (203) 531-5700

This week, our classrooms stepped into the wild for Outdoor Adventure Week. This week’s outdoor adventures brought imagination, exploration, and critical thinking to life across all grade levels. Our youngest learners used sidewalk chalk to tell stories and express their interests. They also had fun blowing bubbles with bubble wands outside. Students gathered for campfire stories and songs, sharing spooky flashlight tales and classic read-alouds under the glow of flickering campfires or flashlights. Some classes took a virtual trip to Katmai National Park in Alaska, where we observed brown bears fishing during the salmon run. This inspired writing about hibernation, survival, and ecosystem dynamics. Students stretched their critical thinking muscles with Desert Island Cards, making thoughtful choices about what they would bring to survive, and worked collaboratively on Eco-Expedition Reports, where they researched biomes and crafted plans with maps, travel math, and persuasive writing.

Our students participating in the Community Connections program are settled into their job sites for the summer. Below are some photos from their experiences at Town Hall, Milbrook Club, Greenwich Library (during a community trip), and New Lebanon School.

Are you looking for something your children can do after our summer school day is over? The YMCA has a program designed just for our students where they can join a camp in the afternoon. We have a bus that goes directly to the YMCA after school. Head to the YMCA website for more information.

This week, our students and staff will engage in Shark Week activities! We look forward to sharing highlights in our next newsletter.

Look through this website and learn about the different shark species. Then draw a shark, give your shark a name, and write a story about their experience in the ocean. Be creative!

Send your submissions to your teacher and/or gps_summerschool@greenwich.k12.ct.us.

🔦 Flashlight Reading Night – Grab a book and read in the dark. Use a blanket fort or go outside under the stars.

📸 Nature Walk Photo Scavenger Hunt – Take a walk and challenge your child to spot and photograph natural patterns, animals, or colors of the rainbow.

🎶 Campfire Story Night (no fire needed!) – Share a silly story around a fake campfire (YouTube “cozy campfire background” works great!) and have each family member add a part.

🐻 Bear Watch Together – Visit explore.org to watch the brown bears of Alaska fishing in the river. Try journaling what you see together!

🗺️ Adventure Plan – Have your child plan a dream adventure! Where would they go? What would they need to pack? Can they create a budget or travel log?

✨Keep fostering curiosity and fun—thank you for being part of our summer adventure!