Long Hill School Newsletter

The beginning of the school year has flown by! It’s hard to believe that we have already entered our third month of school. It was wonderful to see so many parents and guardians at our first evening of Parent/Teacher Conferences last Thursday. Your continued support and partnership are greatly appreciated as we work together to support the academic and social-emotional growth and success of our students.

October was a busy and exciting month at LHS, filled with wonderful activities and experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Once again, our PTO-sponsored Book Fair was a great success! Students were excited to make their purchases and eager to read and share their new books. Our LHS community also demonstrated its generosity by donating $300 to the Valley Goes Pink initiative as we proudly wore pink on October 27. Additionally, thanks to the generosity of our families and staff, we raised over $720 for The Tommy Fund through our Hats for Hope Day. Throughout the month, students also participated in Unity Day and Orange & Black Day, celebrating kindness, inclusion, and school spirit.

One of my favorite parts of each day is visiting classrooms and seeing our students actively engaged in learning, participating in meaningful discussions, and collaborating with one another. It is always rewarding to witness their enthusiasm, curiosity, and growth.

With Thanksgiving break just around the corner, it is a reminder of how quickly time passes. Before we know it, winter will be here and snow will be on the ground! We have so much to be grateful for at LHS. I am especially thankful for our wonderful students, dedicated staff, and supportive families who make our school community so special. I truly value the opportunity to work together with each of you to make LHS a place where every child can learn, grow, and thrive. As we approach Thanksgiving, I wish you and your families a wonderful holiday filled with happiness, gratitude, and time spent with loved ones. Happy Thanksgiving!

• Tuesday, November 3: No School - Election Day
• Wednesday, November 4: Picture Day Retakes by Photography by Roman
• Wednesday, November 11: Early dismissal K-4:1:50pm; Pre-k am session hours: 8:45am-11:05am; Pre-k pm session hours: 11:45am-1:50pm; 2:30-5:00pm Parent/Teacher Conferences
• Wednesday, November 11: Veteran's Day - Wear red, white, and blue
• Wednesday, November 25: Early dismissal K-4:1:50pm; Pre-k am session hours: 8:45am-11:05am; Pre-k pm session hours: 11:45am-1:50pm
• Thursday, November 26-Friday, November 27: No School - Thanksgiving Recess

Our annual food drive will take place from Monday, November 2- Wednesday, November 18. A collection box will be located in our main lobby. All donations will go to the Audrey Dreyer Food Bank. The list of items that are needed is below.

Please join us as we honor the people in our lives and community who are actively serving, or have served, as members of the armed forces (Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard).

If you would like to participate in this optional project, please have your child complete the star (which was previously sent home) and hand it in to his/her teacher by Thursday, November 5, 2026.

Congrats to the winners of the LHS Staff Pumpkin Decorating Contest! Our students were so excited to not only view all the entries - 13 in total - but to also vote for their favorite!

First Place - Ms. Caterson (Secretary)

Second Place - Ms. Zwolinski (Fourth Grade)

Third Place - Ms. Robinson & Ms. Sosik (Pre-K)

The bus company will not let students off the bus if there is no adult waiting at the stop. Be sure you have a plan in place for your child if you are unable to meet the bus. Traffic and weather can unexpectedly impact your ability to arrive for your child on time. If there is no adult waiting, the bus company will return your child to school and someone must pick them up in a timely manner.

During this time of year, students will learn about a variety of winter holidays and traditions, including Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, the Winter Solstice, and St. Nicholas Day. Through age-appropriate discussions, stories, and activities, students will explore how different families and cultures celebrate this season and the meaningful traditions they share.

Music will be an important part of learning more about winter holidays and traditions. As part of some of Mrs. Hamilton's music classes, students will learn about some of these songs and sing them. Music is just one of the ways that LHS students can recognize the diversity of our school community, and build connections through music.

By exploring different winter traditions, we hope to encourage curiosity, respect, and an appreciation for the many ways people celebrate this time of year. We look forward to sharing this special musical experience with our students as we celebrate community, culture, and the joy of learning together!

With the winter weather approaching, please make sure your information in Infinite Campus is updated so we have the proper contact information. It is imperative that you keep us updated if any of this information changes. You can do this by calling the main office.

In addition, if you move you MUST notify the main office immediately.

As the weather is getting cooler, please make sure your child comes to school properly dressed and has a coat as students will continue to go outdoors for recess.

Students are expected to attend school each day school is in session for the entire day. Students arriving after 9:00am will be marked as tardy, unless they have arrived on a bus. Being late to school is disruptive for all in the classroom.

Our instructional blocks will be starting promptly at 9:10am daily. To ensure a smooth morning transition, please have your child to school on time.

Students have 9 excused absences allotted to them-after that all absences are considered unexcused unless accompanied by a doctor's note.

Board of Education policy requires that parents/guardians call the school at (203)-929-4077 when their child will be absent.

• Attendance is taken daily.
• Automated absence calls go out at 10:30am and 2:00pm (for the Pre-K afternoon session) daily. If you did not call your child out of school you will receive a call.
• All absences are unexcused unless we receive a call or email about an absence.
• A voice mailbox is available for calls at night or early morning for your convenience. When you leave a message, please state the student’s first and last name, the date of the absence, the classroom teacher, and the reason for the absence.
• Please either call the school, email your child’s teacher, or Mrs. Sastram (school secretary) at asastram@sheltonpublicschools.org or Ms. Caterson (school secretary) at acaterson@sheltonpublicschools.org.

• Parents will not be allowed to the rear of the building until 1:35pm on early dismissal days and 3:35pm on full school days.
• There will be NO access for parents or vehicles until 3:35pm when the chain is removed by a staff member. Please DO NOT park in the front and walk to the back of the school if the chain is up.
• Please be cognizant of this because we can not block access to the school and back up traffic on Long Hill Avenue.

Please understand there are classes outside until that time, therefore there is no access until 3:35pm to ensure the safety of our students.

We are a nut free school. Please be cognizant of this when packing lunches and snacks for your child. If your child brings in a product containing nuts, your child will not be able to eat it and it will be sent back home. Please note, we do not have snacks to pass out.

As a reminder, lunch and breakfast are available each day for kindergarten - fourth grade students at a charge. In addition to the hot lunch choice-chicken nuggets, bagel, grilled cheese, and salad are available each day.

• Elementary Breakfast FREE FOR ALL K-4 Students
• Elementary Lunch $3.45/ Reduced $0.40

Breakfast ONLY will be free to all SPSS students this year. Please encourage your children to only take breakfast if they are going to eat it and let them know if they should not take it or buy lunch.

A breakfast and lunch menu will be sent home electronically at the beginning of each month with food choices (subject to availability). Menus are also available on the district's website. Students may also bring lunch from home.

We do not have a microwave for students to heat lunches and staff will not cut up food for students. Please be sure your child knows how to open their lunch, drink, and lunch box.

Households may submit a free-and-reduced-priced-meal-application as soon as possible

to determine a student's eligibility for this school year.

If you need a paper copy of this application, please contact the main office.

Please find the complete FRAM packet on the district's website. Please return all completed application forms to the school.

Visitors are NOT permitted to use the playground during school hours; as it is limited to our students during these hours.

What an AMAZING October, Long Hill School!

Our LHS community has had such an exciting start to the school year, and we couldn’t be more grateful for all the families, teachers, staff, and volunteers who have helped make it so special!

Our Trunk or Treat was a huge success, with 30 decorated cars and over 300 students joining in the fun! We even had some of our wonderful teachers and staff participate this year, making the night even more memorable. Thank you to everyone who helped bring this fun evening to life!

Our Scholastic Book Fair was another wonderful event! It was so much fun seeing our students excitedly picking out new books, posters, journals, and little treasures to bring home.

We also kicked off our Booster Fun Run Fundraiser, and thanks to our amazing LHS families, we are SO CLOSE to reaching our goal! Every donation helps us bring exciting Cultural Assemblies and School Enhancements to our students. Let’s keep it going, LHS!

Coming Up Next!

• November 5: Booster Fun Run
• November 16: PTO Meeting at 5:30 PM in the Media Center
• November 25: In-Class Fall Celebrations (details to come)
• December 9–12: Holiday Fair
• December 12: Holiday Party with Santa & More! | 12:00–2:00 PM

We can’t wait to make even more wonderful memories together!

There’s Still Time to Join the PTO!

Our PTO membership deadline is November 15, and we’d love for your family to be part of it!

Your membership helps us create special experiences for our students and support exciting school improvements, including new projector and sound equipment. Plus, PTO members enjoy perks like discounted admission to select events throughout the year!

Join here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/lhs-pto-membership-dues-2026–27

Our Zeffy portal has no processing fees, and you can download your membership card! Prefer cash or check? Email us at ptolonghill@gmail.com.

CLASSROOM CHALLENGE: The two classrooms with the highest PTO membership participation will each win a PIZZA PARTY!

From Our PTO Family to Yours, Thank You!

As we head into the season of gratitude, we want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us during these first two months. Whether you’ve volunteered, attended an event, donated, or simply cheered us on, you’ve helped make our LHS community a wonderful place to be.

We have so much more fun planned, and we’re excited to share it all with you!

Wishing all our LHS families a happy, healthy, and wonderful Thanksgiving!

With gratitude,
Your Long Hill School PTO Executive Board

Address: 565 Long Hill Avenue, Shelton

Phone number: (203)-929-4077

Fax number: (203)-929-8250

Website: http://longhill.sheltonpublicschools.org/home_page

Twitter: @DAiutoAndrea

Instagram: mrsdaiutolhs

LHS Policies & Procedures: Click Here