The Gilbert School E-News
October 2025
Dear Gilbert Community,
Before the winter season arrives, I want to be proactive and provide you with information regarding our inclement weather procedures. The State Department of Education will not permit us to use remote instruction; therefore, any days missed due to weather will need to be made up at the end of the school year.
Each morning when inclement weather is expected, I join other area superintendents on a conference call with our weather consultant to assess the situation and its potential impact on schools. In addition to this information, we receive updates from our local Public Works Department, the Town of Winchester Police Department, the WPS Maintenance Department, and Litchfield County Dispatch. Based on all of this input, a final decision regarding school closures or delays is made.
Once a decision has been made, I will immediately notify all Gilbert School faculty, staff, and families by 6:00 AM via School Messenger, local news stations, local radio stations, and a website alert.
The Gilbert School uses the following inclement weather scheduling options:
Early Dismissal: 12:16 PM
Late Openings:
2-Hour Delay: 9:45 AM start3-Hour Delay: 10:45 AM start
To ensure clear and uninterrupted communication, your phone numbers must be up to date with Gilbert’s Main Office. If you have recently changed your contact information, please call our Main Office at 860-379-8521 to update your details.
For your convenience, here is a list of radio and television stations that will report any schedule changes due to inclement weather:
Radio: WZBG FM 97.3
Television: WFSB 3, NBC 30, FOX 61, WTNH 8
If you have any questions about our procedures, please feel free to contact me at 860-379-8521.
Warm regards,
Michael Susi, Head of School
Parents can order portraits for students in grades 7-11 ahead of time by clicking here, by scanning the QR code on the flyer below, or by having your student stop by Mrs. Poirier's room (#316) for a paper order form. Thank you for helping us capture another year of smiles and memories!
PSAT testing will take place during the school day on October 15 for all grade 8, freshmen, sophomore, and junior students. Students taking the PSAT may be dismissed early with written permission from their parent or guardian. Permission must be provided to the Main Office PRIOR to test day. Registration for the PSAT is not required.
During testing, senior students will attend a working session with Mrs. Fiducia from 7:45 to approximately 11:00am. The expectation for the session is that students make progress on post-high school processes such as working on the Common App, CT State application, or trade program application. Students should also search for and complete scholarship applications. If a student would like to go into the military students should research next steps including locating their local recruiter and taking the ASVAB. Students looking to go to employment should work on updating or creating a resume.
Students in Grade 7 will be experiencing their regularly scheduled B day schedule.
For students in Grades 8-11, please review the attached letter from Miss Lewis which contains detailed information about testing.
Activities & Events for CURRENT Yellowjackets
Spirit Week
TGS high school students, get ready to show your school pride - Spirit Week will take place from October 20-24! Each day will feature a fun theme, so start planning your outfits and get creative:
- Monday, 10/20 - Adam Sandler Day
- Tuesday, 10/21 - Twin Day
- Wednesday, 10/22 - City VS. Country Day
- Thursday, 10/23 - Blue & Gold Day
- Friday, 10/24 - Class Color Day (check the flyer to see what color to wear!)
Wall Building
Wall Building begins on Thursday after school starting at 2:16pm! This year’s Wall Building themes are:
Seniors - Paris
Juniors - New York City
Sophomores - Hawaii
Freshmen - Las Vegas
Wall Presentation & Judging:
Friday morning, 7:00 - 7:45 am
Pep Rally
We’ll wrap up the week with a Pep Rally on Friday afternoon, leading into an exciting weekend of Homecoming festivities!
Homecoming Game & Dance
Don't forget to join us on Saturday, October 25 for the Homecoming football game and then the Homecoming Dance, themed Night in the Bayou from 7-10pm.
Let’s make this Spirit Week one to remember - go Yellowjackets!
Saturday, October 25, 2025 Homecoming Schedule
8:00-9:00 a.m. - Alumni Soccer Game (Football Field)
9:00 a.m. - Alumni Check In (Outside)
9:00-11:30 a.m. - Continental Breakfast (Outside)
9:00-11:00 a.m. - School Tours (TGS Library will have an alumni archive display set up)
9:00-10:00 a.m. - Alumni Volleyball Game (Gymnasium)
10:30 a.m. - Alumni Cheerleaders (Meet in Small Gym, Cheer for the 1st half of the football game)
11:00 am-12:00 p.m. - Ribbon Cutting for Remodel of Gymnasium
Star Spangled Banner & Gilbert Gold and Blue – Gilbert School Chorus led by Mr. Adam Atkins, Choral Director
Welcome Speech - Michael Susi, Head of School
Dignitary Speakers
Speech - Josh Penn, Athletic Director
Student Speakers
Ribbon Cutting to dedicate the New Gymnasium
Gilbert School Chorus Performance
Yellowjacket Marching Band Performance
12:00 p.m. - Pre-game Events
- Press Box Dedication to Billy Richmond
- 1975 Championship Football Team
1:00 p.m. - Football Game Kick Off
"Fall Into the Arts" High School Open Mic Night (formerly Coffee House) will take place in the Library Media Center, 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 20. Encourage your high schooler to complete an application to perform in front of classmates, parents, and Gilbert faculty and staff. Musical performances, stand-up comedy, poetry and other reading, skits, presentation of artwork, etc. are welcome. It will be a casual, supportive environment. Applications are due November 10.
Students interested in participation should contact Mrs. Valigorsky in room 309, valigorskyg@gilbertschool.org. Prepackaged snack and beverage donations are welcome.
The Gilbert School is excited to announce that we will once again be hosting an Aerial Drone Competition here at Gilbert on November 22nd, the weekend before Thanksgiving break.
We will be hosting teams from across the region, including our very own TGS Drone teams, to compete in the REC Foundation’s Aerial Drone Competition. Students will showcase their piloting and programming skills, navigating their drones to complete obstacle courses and teamwork missions.
It will be a busy day with doors opening at 7:30 and the competition lasting until mid-afternoon. We look forward to seeing you at "THE FLIGHT BEFORE THE FEAST"!
By Ms. Karen Moore Pfeffer, Library Media Specialist
TGS Student Ambassadors headed to the International Dorm on Friday, September 26th to begin planning for upcoming events as well as to make posters to support Gilbert School athletes. Upcoming events include Halloween movies and pizza and a Friendsgiving dinner.
By Ms. Karen Moore Pfeffer, Library Media Specialist
TGS GSA (Genders and Sexuality Alliance aka Gay and Straight Alliance) continues to promote tolerance and acceptance of all students. All staff members were recently gifted an “I’m Here” badge which identified them as a Safe Person or Safe Place within the school. In addition, members updated the design of the “Safe Space” signs. Signs were then offered to any interested staff members. TGS GSA is researching their passion project for the year similar to the crocheted hearts which the group made last year. New members are welcome.
By Mrs. Jessica Pelletier, World Language Department Liaison
We are proud to announce that applications are now open for students interested in pursuing the Seal of Biliteracy. This prestigious recognition is awarded to high school students who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one additional language.
Earning the Seal of Biliteracy is an impressive accomplishment that highlights students’ language skills, strengthens college and career opportunities, and celebrates our community’s cultural and linguistic diversity. The Seal will be affixed to recipients’ high school diplomas and noted on their transcripts prior to graduation.
Eligible Juniors and Seniors who wish to apply should complete the application form (available from Mrs. Pelletier) by October 6, 2025 with the testing date of October 9, 2025, during periods 1-3. For more information, please contact Mrs. Pelletier (pelletierj@gilbertschool.org).
We encourage all eligible students to apply and take advantage of this exciting opportunity to showcase their multilingual abilities!
By Scott Minnerly, Director of Bands
On Saturday, 9/27 the Yellowjacket Marching Band traveled to Rocky Hill High School to compete in its first show of the competitive season. The YJMB scored a 72.1, and took First Place in Class IIA! In addition we won the awards for Best Overall Effect, Best Music, and Best Visuals in our class.
The 72.1 score is 7 points higher than we scored last season in our first show! While it's a long season, this score bodes well for future competitions.
We compete again on October 11th at the Cheshire High School show and October 18th at Naugatuck High School. You can also catch our 2025 show "Perennial" on October 25th (Homecoming!), and November 15th (Senior Day).
We hope to see you at one of the upcoming performances!
We are proud to announce that twenty-one TGS students were accepted into the Berkshire Music Festival! The Berkshire Music Festival is an event that brings together students from the Berkshire League (Nonnewaug, Shepaug, Torrington, Lakevew, Northwestern, Gilbert, Housatonic, Lewis Mills, Terryville, and Thomaston) for a two day festival.
This year's festival was hosted at Lewis Mills High School on Wednesday, October 1.The accepted students (listed below) traveled to Lewis Mills in the morning where they rehearsed into the afternoon. The concert will be held on October 10th @ 7:00 pm. Congratulations to those students who were selected to participate!
BERKSHIRE CHOIR
Jenaily Erazo - Soprano
Amaya Santos - Soprano
Sieanna Ricketts - Soprano
Emily LePlante - Soprano
Jayden Cruden - Alto
Grace Smith - Alto
Colleen Morgan - Alto
Sophia Sessa - Alto
Lemon Dickens - Tenor
Destiny Angle - Tenor
James Slauta - Bass
Alec Marvin - Bass
Tobin Gangi - Bass
BERKSHIRE BAND
Kate Hudak - Flute
Rose Mojica - Flute
Grace Oakes - Sand Clarinet
Vyanni Paulino - Tenor Saxophone
Madden Holcomb - Baritone Saxophone
Mackenzie Hale - Euphonium
Ethan Cavajani - Percussion
Cameron Picard -Percussion
The Music Department has a very busy Homecoming schedule coming up on October 25th! The High School Concert Choir and Yellowjacket Marching Band are performing at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the newly renovated TGS Gymnasium at 11:00 am. The Middle School "Junior Jacket" Marching Band is performing the National Anthem at the football game, and the Yellowjacket Marching Band will be performing at halftime! Here is a list of our upcoming performances, and a list of our student leaders involved in the group:
Upcoming Performances:
- October 11 - Cheshire HS Competition - 6:15 performance
- October 18 - Naugatuck HS Competition - TBD
- October 25 - Homecoming Football Game - 1:00 pm kickoff (This is also our Middle School Band Day, where the MS Band performs the National Anthem)
- November 1 - CT State Championships - TBD
- November 15 - Home football game & Senior Day - 1:00 kickoff
Student Leaders:
Drum Majors: Kate Hudak & Mackenzie Hale, Assistant Drum Major: Mariapaz Avendano Cabra, Color Guard Captain: Christina Harrington, Section Leaders: Kate Hudak (Woodwinds), Alec Marvin (Brass), Ethan Cavajani (Percussion), Cameron Picard (Asst. Percussion)
GNH Football has been battling all season. They are now 1-3 after an electric win over Derby under the lights on Friday 9/26. On 10/3 they took on perennial power Naugatuck and lost in a great battle, coming up just short of the win.
Girls Soccer has played well over the last couple of weeks. They are still searching for their first win, but they are getting better every game.
Cross Country has been improving with every run. They hosted their only home meet of the season on 9/23. The team ran great and almost every runner set a PR at our very difficult course.
Volleyball is back in the Hive! The volleyball team plays the first home game in the newly renovated gym on Thursday 10/2. The girls look to win against Terryville for the second time this year and look forward to Senior Keegan Connolly rejoining the team on Monday 10/6.
Boys Soccer has yet to get a win this year, but they played one of the best Gilbert Boys Soccer games in recent memory in a 2-1 heartbreaking loss to Oliver Wolcott. Junior Captain James Slauta buried the lone goal for Gilbert. Sophomore Akeim Buchanan was incredible in goal making save after save to keep Gilbert in the game.
Middle School sports are officially underway. Boys and Girls soccer have both been playing hard and are showing their Yellowjacket Spirit at every game.
TGS ESports is back in play during their first season of the 2025-2026 school year. Co-Captains Tobin Gangi and Aiden Southworth are supported on the competitive team by Junior Clover Gangi. The core team also includes Lincoln Levesque. This year, freshmen Penelopie Goldi, Illeana Goldi, and Donavan Ricci have joined the squad. ESports is a CIAC sanctioned sport. Matches are played via the PlayVS platform and TGS ESports competes playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The second season begins in January. Anyone interested in joining ESports should reach out to Tobin or Aiden for more information. We would love to have a second team run in the next season. The team is coached for the third year by Mrs. Pfeffer
Homecoming Games
- Monday, 10/20 - Boys Soccer vs. Housatonic on Van Why Field
- Monday, 10/20 - Volleyball vs. St. Paul
- Thursday, 10/23 - Volleyball vs. Amistad
- Friday, 10/24 - Volleyball vs Northwestern
- Saturday, 1/25 - Football vs Wolcott High School
Miscellaneous Information
- The Travel Release Form can be found here on the Gilbert Website and is an online form. Once completed, the Athletics Office will receive a notification.
- Game schedules are posted on the Gilbert Athletics website. I look forward to a great fall season and hope to see the stands filled with Blue and Gold!
At the end of quarter 1, Middle School students will attend their first ‘Town Hall’ of the year. Teachers will recognize their ‘Students of Quarter 1’. Students that receive honor and high honor grades on their report cards will be invited to attend a special celebration for their hard work in their academics.
School social workers are meeting with 7th grade students 2-3 times weekly in groups to provide social/emotional support, curriculum, and skill development lessons during Hive Time. If you would like more information about Hive Time for your middle school student, please contact Mr. Cerbone at cerbonej@gilbertschool.org.
The Middle School Student Council will be starting up soon! Middle School Student Council Advisors, Mrs. Noh and Mr. Harbach, will be speaking with all students about the engagement opportunity of this activity. A student informational session will be held during Advisory. Students interested in joining the extracurricular club should attend the informational meeting and sign the contract form with parent consent, returning it to Mrs. Noh, Mr. Harbach, or their Advisory teacher. Other clubs and extracurricular activities include:
Computer Club
Robotics
Aerial Drone Competition
Stage Crew
Gilbert Drama
National Junior Honor Society
Yearbook
Advertising for these clubs will be posted around the school and shared as start dates and signups become available.
On October 30th, the School Counseling and Career/Tech Ed departments will be taking 50 high school students to the Aerospace Components Manufacturing Workforce Opportunities Career Fair at the Hartford Convention Center.
The goal of this trip is to make students and their families aware of the wide array of employment opportunities and well-paying careers available in the local aerospace industry. Students will have the opportunity to meet representatives from over 100 local aerospace firms to learn about what employees look for when hiring new employees and the leading-edge technologies that modern manufacturers are using.
Students in grades 9-12 will have an opportunity to sign up and visit. See Mrs. Fiducia in the School Counseling office to sign up. Click on the video below for more information about this exciting event!
Wondering what it takes to get accepted into a certain college or university? Curious what campus life is like there, or if they have they have the majors you're considering? Speak with an Admissions Rep to find out! Click on the link below to see which college and university Admissions reps will be visiting The Gilbert School this fall. College rep visits are for junior and senior students, and will take place in the library. Students should click HERE to sign up for College Admissions Rep visits at TGS. Students are responsible for all missed classwork. Check your email, Naviance, and the linked list regularly, as additional colleges/universities are being added daily!
Mr. Brintle and Ms. Fiducia continue meeting individually with seniors to discuss and prepare for their post-secondary plans after graduation. Students will be able to get assistance completing college applications, applications to training/trade programs, or information to connect with a military recruiter.
Hundreds of colleges and universities from the US and worldwide will be ready and waiting to talk with you at an upcoming in-person college fair. Don't miss these free, one-day events for high school students and families. Click on the link below to see info about upcoming fairs in New England.
NEACAC College Fairs (various Fall dates & locations)
Khan Academy, in conjunction with College Board, offers free customized SAT prep based on a student's performance on the PSAT/SAT. Generated SAT practice is tailored specifically to focus on those areas in which the student requires the most practice. Click on the button below to find out more information!
This month, all Grade 8-11 students will participate in PSATs at The Gilbert School. However, any grade 9-12 student can register online to take the SAT and/or to take the ACT throughout the year - as many times as you choose. Like anything else, the more you practice, the better you'll get!
*Please note that The Gilbert School is no longer a testing site and will not be hosting SAT testing on alternate dates.
Inset photo, pictured left to right: Miss Ayanna, Sabrina, Sophia
Pictured below left to right: Sophia, Sabrina, Frank, Erbudu, Nicolas
All Grades 7 & 9 Students Are REQUIRED To Have A Physical By Their Physician
Students are required to have a physical exam for seventh grade, and also during ninth grade prior to the start of tenth grade. "Blue" physical forms were mailed out in your student's back-to-school packets in August. Forms can also be found in physician’s offices, the TGS main office, as well as the nurse's office. Physicals are also required every 13 months for students who are trying out for sports. If you have any questions regarding this State mandated requirement, please contact the nurse. If your child has already had a physical, please submit it to the Nurse's Office. If you would like to have your physician fax a copy, the confidential direct fax number is 860-738-9651.
Does your child want to play a sport? Don’t forget to book your sports physical! Students need a current physical on file in the nurse’s office to try out for a sport. Physicals should be dated within 13 months.
Connecticut experienced a heartbreaking rise in teen suicides this summer. The 988 National Contact Center services include rapid 24/7 access to trained staff who can help students (and adults) experiencing suicidal, substance use and other mental health crises, provide referrals to resources, and perform warm transfers to Mobile Crisis or emergency services as needed/desired. Additional information, resources, and materials for Connecticut residents can be found at the links below.
A nationwide harm reduction agency, Next Distro, is offering a free Narcan-similar opioid overdose medication to be delivered to your home. Their website requires watching a training video, taking a short quiz and providing your enrollment info. Click HERE to find out more information about how to receive FREE Naxolone, sent directly to your home.
- Would you like a part time job with summers off?
- Are you available to work during school hours?
- If you answered yes, School Food Service may be the place for you!
Opening for cafeteria workers, daily, or on a substitute basis. The work schedule follows the school calendar, approximately 5.25 hours/day, on an as needed basis. Applicants must be flexible with times, as school lunch schedules occasionally change. No experience needed, will train. Application, resume, letter of intent and 2 letters of reference are requested. Interested individuals should click HERE to apply online.
We use local! The Gilbert Café uses local produce purchased from many local farms through the Northwest Connecticut Food Hub. We love supporting our local economy & feeding great local products to our students!
For any Seniors who have not taken their senior portraits yet...the next round of photo sessions will be on Tuesday, Oct 14th, 2025 & again on Tuesday, Nov 18th, 2025 from 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm in the TGS Library. Our photography partner, Legacy Studios, emailed parents and guardians detailed information regarding session options, packages, and pricing. If you haven’t seen those messages, please check your inbox (or spam/junk folder) for emails from either Legacy Studios or Aquity. Those messages will include the booking links and additional details. (Scroll to the bottom of the page for booking links.)
Unsure how to set up your parent PowerSchool account? No problem! Follow these simple steps:
- Begin at The Gilbert School Webpage www.gilbertschool.org
- From the Parent dropdown menu, choose PowerSchool
- Click on the PowerSchool logo
- Click the create an account button
- Completely fill out the form
(The Access ID is your child’s student ID number, and the Access password was sent home in a mailing.)
PLEASE NOTE - PASSWORDS MUST BE:
- At least 7 characters
- At least one uppercase and one lowercase letter
- At least one number
- At least one special character (!,$,&,*, etc.)
Should you need assistance, please contact Mrs. Battista in the Associate Principal's office at battistas@gilbertschool.org.
Our school utilizes the SchoolMessenger system to deliver text messages straight to your mobile phone with important information about school closings, delays, early dismissals, saftey alerts, and more.
You can participate in this free service by sending a text message of "Y" or "YES" to our school's short code number, 67587. You can opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our messages with "Stop".
Opt in now from your mobile phone. Point your phone's camera at this QR code.
2026 Gilbert High School Yearbooks are on sale now for $75. Prices will only increase, so get it now before the price goes up! Click on the button below to purchase your yearbook and add ons.
Yearbook Pricing:
- $75 from 10/1-11/30
- $85 from 12/1-12/30
New this year: Donate a yearbook to someone in need! Click on the button below to donate an entire yearbook to a student, or you can donate any dollar amount towards a yearbook. Any questions please email Mrs. Poirier at poirierv@gilbertschool.org.
Buy An Ad For Your Business or Your TGS Senior!
Business yearbook ads are now available for purchase. Creating an ad that will seen by local parents, students, and community members is a fantastic way to promote your greater Winchester area business. Click on the button below, and scroll down to purchase an ad.
Personal yearbook ads are also available for purchase! Personal ads for your students are a great way to support them and show them how proud you are of all their accomplishments! Ads can be purchased and created on the yearbook website by clicking on the button below.
Any questions please email Mrs. Poirier at poirierv@gilbertschool.org.
No School
10/13 - Holiday
Early Dismissal (12:16 PM)
10/8
School Picture Day
10/7
Senior Portrait Days
10/14 and 11/18
PSAT School Day
10/15
Spirit Week
10/20-10/24
Pep Rally
10/24
Homecoming Game & Dance
10/25
