Julian Curtiss Elementary School

Thank you to all of the families who joined us for Family Fun Night this past Friday, September 26. It was truly a blast as families gathered together to celebrate the JC tradition. Our scholars enjoyed time on the playground, the field, and were especially excited about the auctions and raffles, which gave them the chance to win some pretty awesome prizes—from gift cards to local restaurants and creative gift baskets, to lunch with the principal, and the always-popular Labubu! The event was packed with happy faces, and everyone enjoyed delicious snowcones from our Cone Truck.

A huge thank you goes out to our amazing PTA, to Dawn Fuller for planning and organizing the event, to our dedicated custodial staff, and to all the parents who generously contributed donations. Family Fun Night was FUN and a true reflection of what makes JC special. Thank you for making JC the place to be!

Soar like Eagles,

Eduardo Calderón and Claribel Michilena

Our teachers are true lifelong learners, continually seeking new knowledge and strategies to support every child’s success. As they gathered on September 30th and October 1st for collaborative professional development around Big Ideas Math, they were modeling for our scholars that learning never stops. Not only did educators from Ham Ave, New Lebanon, and JC engage in meaningful cross-school conversation and planning, but under the guidance of math consultant Jen Bulson, they deepened their use of resources to meet the diverse needs of our students.

By dedicating time to ongoing learning and collaboration, our teachers show our scholars the power of curiosity and growth—and remind us all that at JC, learning is truly a lifelong journey.

This past Wednesday afternoon, our dedicated JC staff came together for an important collaborative session focused on analyzing our school data and establishing goals for our 2025-2026 School Improvement Plan (SIP). In alignment with district priorities, we set meaningful targets across six essential categories: Mastery of Reading, Mastery of Mathematics, Mastery of Science, Family and Community Engagement, Student Sense of Belonging, and Positive Working Environment for Teachers and Staff.

Each goal reflects our commitment to thoughtfully examining how we can continue to grow and improve in service of our students. We are excited to build upon the successes and momentum we achieved last year, and we're grateful for the participation of our entire team—classroom teachers, specialists, interventionists, mental health professionals, special educators, and essential staff members. What truly energized this session was the high level of engagement and genuine dedication our staff demonstrated, as they worked together with a shared vision of ensuring JC provides exceptional educational experiences for every one of our scholars.

We are happy to share that on September 30th, the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich celebrated its official ribbon cutting ceremony, marking an exciting milestone for this cherished community organization that has served generations of our families. The event was truly special, drawing an abundance of support from across our community, and the newly renovated facility is absolutely beautiful. Every upgrade and enhancement was thoughtfully designed with children at the heart of every decision.

We are especially pleased to announce that we now offer a late bus service that picks up our scholars around 4:10pm from JC and transports them directly to the Boys & Girls Club. This convenient option means our students can fully participate in JC's afterschool programs and still enjoy all the opportunities available at the Boys & Girls Club, giving families even more flexibility to support their children's growth and enrichment.

We will be having our annual Halloween Parade on Friday, October 31st at 2:15pm. As you prepare, we ask that students choose fun, school-appropriate consumes. Please avoid costumes with blood, gore, monsters, weapons or any themes that may considered scary, evil or inappropriate. Refrain from masks that obscure the entire face as it inhibits the teacher's ability to supervise their students.

We want to ensure that everyone enjoys a festive and safe celebration.

Thank you for you partnership and attention to this request.

Each month, all of our students in grades PreK–5 share a common story through our Book of the Month program. Reading the same book across grade levels fosters a shared experience, sparks meaningful conversations, and builds a strong sense of community around literature.

This month, our students are reading Not Perfect, a heartfelt story about Dot, a girl who feels like she just can’t measure up to the “perfect” talents of her family and friends. From messy cupcakes to off-key piano notes, Dot discovers that what truly matters isn’t being perfect, but being yourself and celebrating the people you admire. The story encourages children to embrace mistakes, build resilience, and recognize the beauty in trying.

Not Perfect has received national recognition, including being named A Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, and A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year.

We invite families to join the conversation at home by asking children what Dot learns about herself, sharing stories of times when “not perfect” moments turned into learning opportunities, and celebrating the small victories that come from persistence and creativity. Together, we can help our children see that imperfection is part of growth- and sometimes even the best part of the story.

Friday, October 10th - Outdoor Movie Night

Monday, October 20th - Friday, October 24th - UN Week

Thursday, October 23rd - UN Parade @ 12pm

Friday, October 24th - International Food Night - 5:30-7:30pm

Friday, October 31st - Halloween Parade @ 2:15pm