– Henry Ford

A team of educators at LES is piloting myView Literacy from Savvas Learning Company in response to recent legislation regarding reading programs in elementary schools. We are extremely grateful for their willingness to support this important work. Their participation and feedback is essential in selecting the best program for our youngest learners as well as in supporting the transition for the rest of the teaching team.

Here are some requirements (there are many more) that we have to follow as part of the agreement to receive funding to support this initiative.

ARPA-Right to Read Grant recipients are required to: • use the funds to support Connecticut approved, evidence-based, scientifically based Kindergarten to grade three (Grades K-3) universal screening reading assessments, Grades K-3 Reading curriculum models and programs, and associated professional learning, • establish a district leadership literacy team that will attend a total of 20, two-hour CSDE sponsored virtual workshops pertaining to the science of reading and the creation of a district literacy plan.

To that end, on October 12th this team engaged in the CT Right To Read Professional Series focused on the Science of Reading. This was the first in a series of trainings they will receive during the school year.

Believe it or not we are already in the process of developing a proposal for the 2024-2025 Lebanon Public Schools budget. Budget request forms have already been sent to the building Principals and other Central Office staff so that they can begin to gather the request from the teaching teams. The Principals will meet with me to review school budgets in early November and then we will construct our first iteration of the 2024-2025 budget. I will be sharing the details for the Budget Input sessions in a future communication. Please take time to come and share your thoughts about the budget. If for some reason you cannot attend, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly to talk to me about your ideas and feelings about what should be included in our schools.

On October 18th building level attendance committees met with EdAdvance to continue to develop strategies to identify patterns, trends, and barriers affecting attendance and engagement. They began developing customized interventions aligned to attendance and engagement-related issues specific to local context. They also started creating streamlined system-wide policies and procedures related to attendance and engagement. The next time EdAdvance comes to Lebanon it will be to work at the school level with all staff.

I recently also participated in a webinar titled, Superintendent Research Briefing: District-Wide Strategies for Reducing Chronic Absenteeism. Both the aforementioned professional development and this webinar were helpful in giving us ideas to bolster our efforts around attendance.

Please remember our district goal of providing a safe, positive, respectful, and inclusive culture that demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We want our students to be in school, on-time, learning each day.

To date we have 16% of our student population across the district that has missed 4 or more days. There are less than 2% of our students who have missed more than 10 days. We understand that everyone misses school sometimes but regular attendance is the goal.

The graphics below are from the state's attendance initiative called "School is better with you".

The safety and security of our students, staff and schools is our top priority. As such, we have continued to look for ways to enhance security within the district. For the last two years I have applied for state safety and security grants. Thankfully, this year we did receive a small award.

Through this accord, the Lebanon Public Schools shall use grant funding in the amount of $38,775.94 from the 2023 Public Multi-Media School Security Competitive Grant Program for approved costs related to multi-media school security infrastructure improvement. The purpose of this grant is to better protect Connecticut’s students, teachers, faculty members and administrators from possible threats and hazards.

This amount is nowhere near the amount of money the district needs to fully fund safety and security projects in our schools, but it is a start.

More exciting safety and security news is that the Town of Lebanon will be moving onto the State CLMRN 7/800 radio system. The Lebanon Schools will continue to utilize our current radio system but there will now be a new 7/800 Portable Radio located in each of the 3 schools’ offices and 1 in the Superintendent’s Office. These radios will have access into the Town Wide Admin Talk Group.

As part of this proposal all 76 VHF radio’s in circulation within the school system will be replaced with new VHF Portable Radios. The First Selectman, Fire Marshal, Emergency Management Director, LVFD Fire Officers and Select Fire Apparatus will have the ability to talk directly to any radio unit within the school on their current VHF System, utilizing the Tri-Band Portable Radio. This allows 2 ways to contact the schools should there be an emergency at any of the schools.

Scan this QR Code and be brought to our Lebanon Public Schools webpage!

On October 18th at a Town Meeting it was decided that town surplus funds would be used to fund a variety of projects across boards in our community. The Board of Education was given $575,000. Projects that will be completed using these funds are as follows; District Burglar Alarm $30,000, Comprehensive School Study $100,000, address water infiltration at LES gym floor and complete associated work $100,000, 2nd Phase of Asbestos Remediation $145,000, Repair and warranty roof at LMHS $200,000. These projects will get underway soon. I am grateful that the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance voted to move these projects to Town meeting.

This month is National Farm to School month. On October 5th our students at Lebanon Elementary School participated in a Mood Boost event during their lunch waves. This event was aimed at helping kids connect what they eat with how they feel as part of developing healthy eating patterns. The students were introduced to characters and icons (pictured below) along with educational material that explain to them the relationship of food to mood. The students also had a chance to enjoy a smoothie made with local milk and fruits grown right here in town. Additionally, their lunch that day featured a delicious butternut squash grown two miles from our school and apples from a neighboring orchard.

The curriculum department has planned personalized professional development centered on district goals for all teachers. Although professional development days are scheduled throughout the school year, professional learning is an on-going occurrence; teachers have opportunities to learn during PLC time (professional learning communities) and team time. Professional development allows for collaborative team discussions led by colleagues and/or outside consultants and focuses on relevant topics such as math programming, curriculum writing, science, social emotional learning, school climate and student data analysis. Our PLEC district committee, consisting of paraeducators, teachers and administrators, reviews survey results and helps build professional development schedules to meet the needs of faculty and staff.

At the building level, the October 6th professional development day provided an opportunity for teachers to delve into specific content areas; on a district scale, there was a focus on Restorative Practice. Restorative Practice is an approach focused on improvement and repair of relationships between people and communities. The purpose is to build healthy communities, increase social capital, decrease crime and antisocial behavior, repair harm and restore relationships.

In addition to this past professional development day, teachers have also engaged collaboratively on the following topics:

• LES - Prek scope and sequence planning, science of reading, new social studies standards, Savvas Pilot training, I-Ready math training, Science Center training in fourth grade, data diving, curriculum writing, ELL training

• LMS - ELA readers/writer’s workshop, data diving, I-Ready math training, Science center training, curriculum writing, Choose Love, ELL training

• Lyman - curriculum writing, NEASC training, ELL training,

These professional learning opportunities directly impact students by ensuring an understanding of best practices in pedagogy, evidence based curriculum and maintaining student engagement. New teachers are in particularly need of support; our TEAM program continues to work with assistance and mentorship for our first and second-year teachers. The program stresses culturally responsive training, as well as an opportunity for newer teachers to engage in collegial observation and collaboration with mentors and/or other teachers in their disciplines. The state-mandated TEAM program provides new teachers with continuous professional growth designed around five professional growth modules: class environment, planning, instruction, assessment, and professional responsibility.

Lebanon Public Schools is now in the App Store. On your phones, in the "app store" you can search Lebanon Public Schools and you should see our logo. Please install as another way to get notifications and news from our school district.

House Bill 6880 raised the Kindergarten starting age from age 5 by January 1, to age 5 by September 1 of a given year.

General Statute 10-15c(a) reads "A student may be admitted early upon a written request by the parent or guardian of such child to the Principal of the school in which such child would be enrolled and following an assessment of such child by such Principal and an appropriate staff member of the school to ensure that admitting such child is developmentally appropriate"

We understand that we have families and students that this will impact. We have already met several times as an administrative team to discuss supporting our community with this change. More information about plans that are in progress will be shared at future preschool screenings, kindergarten orientations, during the registration process and in ongoing Superintendent Updates.

I have taken pride in creating and maintaining the Superintendent Facebook page which now has 455 followers. I recently set up an Instagram page to provide another platform to share important information and to celebrate our schools.

We are happy to celebrate a few of educators who recently earned the International Society for Technology in Education Certification.

The ISTE Certification for Educators was designed to help educators take the next steps in using technology for learning—to move from simply integrating technology to catalyzing active, high-impact learning.

The ISTE Certification gives our teachers the skills they need to lead high-impact learning using the technology we've already invested in. We are excited to see the return on instruction because the ISTE Certification course prioritized pedagogy and showed our team how to use technology to increase student engagement and achievement.

We appreciate the time and talents of Jennifer Olsen, John Klosowski and Genevieve Nowosad and it is our pleasure to Spotlight them in this edition of the Superintendent Update

Mrs. Olsen has 22 years teaching experience, 17 of which is in the Lebanon School District. She has been a 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade teacher, as well as an upper Multi-age teacher for LES. Currently, this is her 5th year as the STEM and Technology teacher. at the elementary school.

She said that going to the ISTE conference made her realize how quickly the needs are changing in the job market, and how as teachers we need to prepare all our students for changes that we can't even imagine. She was quoted, "being fluent in technology is not optional for our students. To ensure they have a seat at the table, all students need to be exposed to coding, creative problem solving, and all areas of STEM early in their education".

Jen wants all her students to feel like studying coding and STEM fields in high school and beyond is open to them. She says "as a society, we need the backgrounds and values of the people creating the technology to reflect society at large".

When asked what she enjoys about teaching in Lebanon she enthusiastically replied "I absolutely love teaching in Lebanon! It's such a warm and supportive community. It was a great place to raise my two children. Also, I really appreciate the love of the outdoors and agriculture that the students at LES bring".

Jen was appreciative of the district's investment in her professional development. She stated that the opportunity to become ISTE Certified will definitely impact the students she teaches at LES, giving her the resources to prepare students for their future.

Mr. Klosowsi has taught in Lebanon since 1997 - this is his 27th year at LMS. He spent the first 20 years as a 6th grade Social Studies, ELA and Reading teacher. This is his 7th year as the LMS Computer Teacher.

John feels the ISTE Conference provides a chance to learn about new technology in great detail. It also gave him an opportunity to learn about the new technology that he didn't even know existed. He took advantage of the ability to meet with representatives of tech companies to get information and give them feedback about their products. One of the new technologies he learned about this year is something that he will start using right way - Microbits. They allow students to create code that then makes the Microbit do what the code says. They also have temperature and motion sensors which he feels could be integrated into Science classes at LMS.

John says. "I have enjoyed teaching in Lebanon for over half my life. It has become a second family to so many of us on the staff here. Lebanon has also allowed me to follow my interest in educational technology - first as a classroom teacher with computers and a smartboard - to now where I have switched to being the LMS Computer teacher".

Genvieve Nowosad has been teaching in Lebanon for 8 years. She is the high school Library Media Specialist and also helps out at the elementary school library. She did not go to the ISTE conference but during the portfolio phase she found it really great to share tips and resources with other educators throughout the state. She plans to use many of these tools in her new Media Literacy class. She also plans to incorporate the elements of student choice for projects and assessments as this class allows for more student input. She "loves that Lebanon is a close knit community".

Barbara Wengloski worked tirelessly with the committee to plan for a year full of special events. Recently Barbara delivered to me a 330 page book titled, A Lasting Legacy- George W. Lyman Memorial High School- Moving Forward, Looking Back. The book details Lyman's rich history and is a must read.

As I reflect on all Barbara did to highlight the Lasting Legacy of Lyman I am in awe. She put in more hours than you can imagine. She was at every meeting, event and celebration. I am sure there were bouts with fatigue or moments of stress but Barbara never showed it. She led these functions with grace and humility.

Thank you Barbara for so proudly celebrating our high school! Your extraordinary efforts are appreciated and will be remembered forever.

We are always looking for opportunities to recognize our learners for demonstrating leadership in our schools and the community.

As part of her community engagement based senior project Sadie Seagrave hosted a family movie night open to the public on Friday, September 29th at 6pm in the Lyman auditorium, Through her efforts Sadie has demonstrated several of the dispositions outlined in our Portrait of a graduate. She has been an effective communicator by creating flyers and working with building principals to share this information with our families. 60 people attended the family movie night and she made $695 that will be used to purchase and donate school supplies for the Kindergarten classrooms at LES which highlights Sadie as a responsible citizen. Additionally, I feel this event fits nicely in with our district emphasis on inclusion and belonging. Coming together as one to enjoy this type of event is what makes our district such a special place.

Congrats go to Hazel DeLucia for being recognized recently as the Eastern Connecticut Conference Athlete of the week. Below is a snapshot of Hazel's accomplishments so far this year:

-She is undefeated in the ECC conference

-She came in 1st place at the Wheeler Invitational

-She came in 2nd place in the Ocean State Invitational- She ran a 5K time of 19.18 at the Ocean State Invitational, which is the best 5K time ever run by a female Lyman XC runner

-She came in 4th place at the Stratton Brook Invitational

-won the Harry Geraghty Invitational. She ran 19.17

Keep up the great work on the trails and in the classroom Hazel!

#BleedBlue#LebanonPride

Lebanon Public Schools actively seeks to assist children and families by locating, identifying, and referring children from birth to age 21 who require special education and related services. If you are concerned about a child's development, you are encouraged to contact Lebanon Elementary School to receive information about Early Childhood Screenings.

If the child is younger than 3 years of age, you may choose instead to contact the Connecticut Birth to Three System at 1-800-505-7000.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact 860-642-5636.

Click "buttons" throughout update to view articles & important documents

Families, please feel free to send photos of our students in action so that I can celebrate them in the Superintendent Updates. Thanks for helping share our Lebanon Pride! andrew.gonzalez@lebanonct.org

On Friday, 10/13, Mrs. Ayer and Mr. Kuczynski took 20 sophomores, juniors, and a senior to ECSU for a Literary Festival. Over 11 CT high schools (and over 200 students) attended this annual event. Students listened to keynote speakers Elsa Nunez, ECSU president, who reminded students that “words have the power to hurt but also the power to heal,” and published author Aaron Caycedo Kimura. Kimura told students that “education and experience are never wasted,” and that “it may feel like you’ve taken wrong turns, remember they’re all lessons to learn from…The world needs to hear your voice.”

Students then went into break-out groups; Lyman students worked with ECSU professor and published author, Dr Raouf Mama to create oral stories. After lunch, there was an open mic where several Lyman students joined others and read their stories, essays, or poems.

Lastly, we took a campus tour with ECSU student, Julianna.

A creative writing contest was held in conjunction with the festival and Sophomore Kassidi Murzyn and Junior Hayden Marrero both received Honorable Mentions for their writing.

Dr. Mama works with Alyssa Szemreylo, Makayla Thornton, Adamina Glidden, Ethan Adams, and Kassidi Murzyn to develop their story.

Bennett Auger and Rhiannon Dixon act out their collaborative story.

Hannah Barnes and Kiersten Kulman perform their skit.

Dr. Mama consults with Cody Rahmann, James Crowley, Nick Chalifoux, Owen Masse, and Kevin Botticello.

Please help me welcome Mable our new addition, she is a show pig that will be bred to have piglets in the spring.

Mable is extremely friendly and loves scratches. She is located in the old barn and is welcoming visitors

Sabena Escott, MSW sabena.escott@lebanonct.org

Lyman Memorial High School Social Worker and District Family Care Coordinator

With legislation over the summer, a family care coordinator has been added to the growing number of mental health staff that CT recognizes will further support our children and families in the school setting. The family care coordinator role already encompasses what our Lebanon school district mental health teams provide for students and families. Providing students with access to mental health resources within the community and bringing mental health services to students inside of the school has always been a priority in our district. Please reach out if there are any specific mental health topics, community programs, therapeutic referrals or town programs and resources that you would like to know more about. Below are a few programs and resources for students and families.

Lebanon Social Services Office offers a variety of services to Lebanon children, adults, and seniors. Social Services Administrator Shelly Ashcom works with federal, state, and local organizations to provide assistance to Lebanon residents in need. Town of Lebanon Social Services

*The use of the resources/programs in this section are not required by LPS to be used by parents/guardians. They are recommendations only.*

Call or text a trained crisis counselor to talk:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. They’re free and available 24/7:
  Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

• Trevor Project (crisis intervention & suicide prevention for the LGBTQ community): 1-866-488-7386 or Text 678678

• Crisis Text Line: text CTL to 741741

NIMH offers brochures and fact sheets on mental health disorders and related topics for children, adolescents and their families. Printed materials can be ordered free of charge. Brochures and fact sheets in English and Spanish.

Housing and Homeless Services can be accessed through Coordinated Access Networks (CAN). Persons are prioritized for housing services based on an assessment to be completed after calling 211.

Housing and Homeless Services

The Lebanon Public Schools, in partnership with families and the community, will prepare students to be contributing members of a diverse global society. We will provide a safe, nurturing, rigorous, and student-centered learning environment.

The school community of Lebanon 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.

The Lebanon 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 and the District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, alienage, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, veteran status or any other category protected under state or federal law in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its program or activities. The District also provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups and is specifically required by Title IX not to discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs and activities. The District shall make reasonable accommodations for individuals with identified physical and mental impairments that constitute disabilities, consistent with federal and state statutes and regulations.

The following person has been designated to handle inquires regarding Title IX sex discrimination policies: Dawn DeLia, Title IX Coordinator, 891 Exeter Road, Lebanon, CT; 860-642-5764

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding other non-discrimination policies: Dawn DeLia, 504/ADA Coordinator, 891 Exeter Road, Lebanon, CT; 860-642-5764

Email: andrew.gonzalez@lebanonct.org
Website: https://www.lebanonct.org/
Location: 891 Exeter Road, Lebanon, CT, USA
Phone: 860-642-5637