The Beeline Times - Guilford Public Schools
The Beeline Times - Guilford Public Schools
The Beeline Times - Guilford Public Schools
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Beeline</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
Melissa Jones School Newsletter A PTO Sponsored <strong>Public</strong>ation December 2010 / January 2011<br />
From <strong>The</strong> Principal’s From the Principal’s Desk<br />
What’s Coming Up<br />
December 8 Grades 2, 3 & 4<br />
Cozy up to Reading<br />
6:30 p.m.<br />
December 9 Grades K and 1<br />
Cozy up to Reading<br />
6:30 p.m.<br />
December 10 * Winter Concert<br />
10:15 a.m.<br />
* TIME CHANGES K a.m. 1 & 2 grades<br />
2:15 p.m.<br />
K p.m. 3 & 4 grades<br />
December 13 BOE Meeting GHS<br />
Library 7:30 p.m.<br />
December 24-31 Winter Recess<br />
No School<br />
January 5 9:00 a.m. PTO<br />
Meeting ~ Cafeteria<br />
January 17 Martin Luther King<br />
Jr.<br />
No School<br />
Ice Skating Party<br />
January 26 Early Dismissal<br />
February 2 9:00 a.m. PTO<br />
Meeting ~ Cafeteria<br />
February 21-25 Winter Recess<br />
Dear Melissa Jones Families,<br />
We have now reached our goal for every classroom to have a Smart<br />
Board. Teachers have participated in training on how to use them<br />
last year and again this November. Thank you to the PTO and the<br />
district funding that has allowed us to acquire them over the past<br />
three years. Ask your student how she or he likes using Smart<br />
Boards in the classroom.<br />
Again, it is our goal that everyone who comes through our doors,<br />
staff, students, parents and visitors are welcomed and excited to be<br />
here. <strong>The</strong> teachers are happy to be at Melissa Jones School; the<br />
students are great; and the PTO is very supportive. Please join us for<br />
the upcoming events: Cozy Up to Reading Nights on December 8th<br />
and 9 th and our Winter Song Share on December 10.<br />
We strive to create and maintain an environment that promotes high<br />
academic achievement for all students. If I can be of any assistance<br />
please give me a call, send an email, or stop by to see me. It is with<br />
partnership that our students will do even better.<br />
<strong>The</strong> staff of Melissa Jones School joins me in wishing you and your<br />
family a happy holiday season and a new year of good health and<br />
happiness.<br />
With warm wishes,<br />
Paula McCarthy<br />
Principal<br />
Melissa Jones School
<strong>The</strong> next PTO meeting is Wednesday, January 5th, 9:00 a.m. in the school Cafeteria.<br />
Join us! All are welcome.<br />
Fall Book Fair - Thank you !!!!!!!!<br />
Once again the Fall Book Fair was a huge success. Thanks to all of you who came out and shopped and<br />
shopped and shopped. We would like to especially thank all the volunteers, without your help, we<br />
wouldn’t be able to do it.<br />
Andrea Evans<br />
Andrea Gladwin<br />
Anne Ranfone<br />
April Booth<br />
Bernadette LaFrance<br />
Beth Crowley<br />
Christine Cuozzo<br />
Christine Kagan<br />
Deb Lent<br />
Denise Paley<br />
Denise Witheril<br />
Donna DeRosa<br />
Erin Keanna<br />
Gary Getrost<br />
Jill Boender<br />
Julie Johnson<br />
Karen Moriarty<br />
Kate Ryan<br />
Kelly Updyke<br />
Kris Corpuel<br />
Kris Dietzko<br />
Lisa Geiger<br />
Mary Mensing<br />
Michelle Barry<br />
Michelle Gray<br />
Monica Fournier<br />
Natalie Turcio<br />
Pam Murtagh<br />
Paula Ghiroli<br />
Rebecca Ortiz<br />
Renee Riga<br />
Sara Castlevetro<br />
Tabea Garla<br />
Tammy Afragola<br />
Tara Santa Barbara<br />
Terese Hill<br />
Vukie Mann<br />
Vicki Newman<br />
Plus a special thank you to all the kids that helped us set up and breakdown! You were all a great help!<br />
<strong>The</strong> Fall Book Fair Chairpersons<br />
Kelley Edwards and Judy Goldstein<br />
MJS PTO News
Winter Concert<br />
Students at Melisa Jones Elementary School are busy preparing for their concert on December 10, 2010.<br />
We will sing songs involving many cultural holidays and also each grade will present a dance too.<br />
Morning kindergarten, grades one and two will present in the morning at 10:15 and then afternoon<br />
kindergarten, and grades three and four will present at 2:15. Both concerts will be held in the gym. Hope<br />
to see you there.<br />
Mimi Dudley, music teacher<br />
Class Room News<br />
Second Graders in Melissa Jones School have had a busy Fall. Second Grade Teachers are proud of how<br />
well students have settled into their new grade and gotten down to the business of learning.<br />
In Social Studies we have read about how the Pilgrims arrived in the New World and made it their home.<br />
Students compared Pilgrim times to the way we live now. Our trip to the Whitfield House in November<br />
reinforced what we learned as students saw how holidays were celebrated and how people lived in the<br />
sixteen hundreds. Many students are glad that they live in the twenty-first century. In December we are<br />
studying winter holidays around the world to further our knowledge of other cultures. <strong>The</strong> holiday<br />
customs and traditions of other countries all have a familiar ring as many of these traditions have also<br />
became a part of our own customs here in the USA.<br />
Students are also working hard using their senses to include elaboration and detail when describing a<br />
critical setting, character, or object in their writing. <strong>The</strong>y have also learned how to write great story<br />
beginnings to capture the reader’s interest and will soon learn to “cook up a great ending”.<br />
In Math we continue to work on place value, counting money and making change. Our current unit<br />
involves solving addition and subtraction story problems while also exploring temperature, shapes,<br />
measurement and attributes.<br />
In Reading we are learning new strategies to help construct meaning from text. In our shared and guided<br />
reading instruction we are practicing a method called ‘Text Talk’ where we stop often to ‘think’ about<br />
what we are reading or listening to, and wonder about, or question what the author is trying to tell us. By<br />
stopping often and questioning the author we hope to gain a deeper meaning of the piece we are reading.<br />
We are learning that ‘reading’ is not only decoding words, but ‘figuring out’ what the author means. In<br />
Science, we are studying ‘Nutrition’. We will be using classroom resources, and data from the Internet, to<br />
learn the importance of eating healthy foods and exercising regularly.<br />
<strong>The</strong> second grade would like to wish everyone in our Melissa Jones community a wonderful holiday<br />
season and a healthy and happy New Year!
Writers Wall<br />
All Melissa Jones students are invited to submit writing to be displayed on the Writers’ Wall in the front<br />
lobby of our school. <strong>The</strong> Writers’ Wall Review Board is made up of twelve fourth grade students who<br />
were invited to review student writing, as they have shown they enjoy working hard to improve their<br />
own writing. Sometimes, they offer specific suggestions for improvement to young authors so students<br />
can resubmit their writing. This ensures their best revised writing is displayed. Recently, members of the<br />
Writers’ Wall Review Board visited all first through fourth grade classrooms to share rubrics used when<br />
deciding if writing includes elements appropriate to each grade level and put up posters reminding<br />
students of submission guidelines and dates.<br />
Students are encouraged, but not required, to submit writings which may include stories, poems, a part of<br />
a story, fiction and non-fiction writing. Students should share stories of events in their lives or research<br />
that interests them, as well as fictional stories about topics they enjoy. We are in the third year of<br />
celebrating student writing by displaying and publishing and are looking for variety in writing and topics.<br />
In mid-April, all writing that has been displayed on the wall will be compiled into a book funded by the<br />
generosity of the PTO that will be distributed to all families at the end of the school year.<br />
By Mrs. Houle, 4 th Grade Teacher
MJS PTO Presents:<br />
<strong>The</strong> Annual MJS Ice Skating Party<br />
Monday, January 17, 2011<br />
Martin Luther King Day – School Holiday<br />
At the Northford Ice Pavilion -We'll have the ice reserved for MJS students & their families from<br />
2:15 to 3:45pm.<br />
$3.00 per person includes Skate Time, Skate Rental, Hot Cocoa & sweet treats.<br />
** Unaccompanied children will not be admitted. Parent(s) must accompany children. **<br />
Directions:<br />
From Route 80: Take Route 80 West turn right onto Route 22 Approx 4 miles. Follow Route 22 as it turns left for another 1.5<br />
miles. Turn Right at Honeywell-Fire-Lite Co onto Fire-Lite Place. Rink is on the right.<br />
Questions? E-mail MJS.PTO@gmail.com or Lisa Gieger at lmgieger@yahoo.com.<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
Entry by advanced purchase only, due to limited group size. Return this order form, with check payable to MJS-PTO, in a<br />
sealed envelope labeled PTO Ice Skating to the PTO mailbox no later than Wednesday, January 12, 2010.<br />
Family Name __________________________<br />
No. of Tickets __________________________<br />
No. Skate Rentals __________________________<br />
Amount Enclosed __________________________
Classifieds<br />
Please Consider Volunteering:<br />
• <strong>The</strong> PTO has a ‘committee chair’ position that it needs help in filling. Colonial Gardens –<br />
Volunteer to help organize the planting, weeding and harvesting of the colonial gardens.<br />
• We are also looking for a parent volunteer to run the banking program. Please contact the Lisa<br />
Gieger at lmgieger@yahoo.com for additional information or to volunteer.<br />
Banking: Attention all MJS Bankers. If you are interested in participating in the school banking<br />
program offered through <strong>Guilford</strong> Savings Bank, please send a message to the PTO at<br />
MJS.PTO@gmail.com<br />
School Store:<br />
MJS school store cart is available for students to purchase pencils, markers, erasers,<br />
buzz pads, MJS magnets MJS tote bags and other small items every:<br />
• Tuesday (for grades K-2nd) from 8:40 – 8:55<br />
• Friday (for grades 3-4) from 8:40-8:55<br />
<strong>The</strong> children enjoy bringing in their coins and seeing what they can purchase! We are still looking for<br />
parent volunteers to assist on Tuesday and Friday morning. It's a 30 minute time commitment. If you are<br />
interested, please contact Kris Corpuel at 457-6950 or kriscorpuel@comcast.net.<br />
Book Room<br />
Parent Volunteers are needed for the Book Room one day a week from 2:00 - 3:15. Also, if you are a 4th<br />
Grade parent and would like to help with the Buzzing Readers Club which usually meets the 3rd Friday of<br />
the month for a half hour after the fourth grade lunch, please contact Deb Lent debdavel@comcast.net<br />
203-453-4595.<br />
Stop & Shop A+ rewards Program; MJS has been newly registered with Stop & Shop. MJS<br />
parents please visit the Stop & Shop website and register your Stop & Shop loyalty cards. When you shop<br />
with your card, MJS automatically earns points toward rewards for our school. It's easy! Visit<br />
www.stopandshop.com/aplus and click on "register your card". You will be asked to enter your last<br />
name and 13 digit Stop and Shop card number. You can then select Melissa Jones School to receive your<br />
points earned. Our school ID# is 06825. Thanks everyone!!! Jen Tower<br />
We want to see our MJS kids in the paper! If you have any pictures of the MJS float<br />
from the parade (or from any other MJS newsworthy activities) that we could put in the newspaper<br />
please e-mail them to: Debra Lent debdavel@comcast.net.<br />
Thank you, Debra Lent (MJS PR chair)
Enrichment Scholarships<br />
Notice Regarding Enrichment: If would like to apply for a partial or full scholarship for your child’s<br />
enrichment class please refer to the form below.<br />
________________________________________________________________________<br />
PTO Financial Aid Request Form for Enrichment Programs<br />
Filing for Financial aid is confidential and will be based on eligibility and financial need. One form must<br />
be filled out for reach enrichment program as family situations constantly change. By filling out this form,<br />
it does not guarantee your child a spot in the enrichment program as all spots are filled on a first<br />
come/first serve basis. You will be notified of the decision and the form will be destroyed once the<br />
program is over since you will need to complete a new one for each enrichment program. If you have any<br />
questions, please do not hesitate to contact Lori Shaw, MJS social worker at 457-0773.<br />
PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN IN ENVELOPE MARKED: LORRIE SHAW, MJS, SOCIAL WORKER<br />
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________<br />
Child’s Name: _____________________________________________________________________________<br />
Grade/Teacher: _____________________________________________________________________________<br />
Phone number & email address: ______________________________________________________________________________<br />
Enrichment program requesting assistance:<br />
______________________________________________________________________________<br />
Reason for request: _____________________________________________________________________<br />
_____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Amount requesting: _______Full program Fee / _______75 % / _____ 50% / _____ 25%
From the MJS Office<br />
Power School / Power Lunch: At home or on the go, PowerSchool for Parents is available<br />
anywhere in the world just by logging on to the Internet. In addition to checking your child’s lunch<br />
balance, you can also review and edit the phone number(s) and email address (es) that are on file. To<br />
obtain your unique Username and Password simply click on the PowerSchool/PowerLunch link<br />
located on your child’s school website and follow the instructions.<br />
All students K – 4: are required to wear sneakers with ties or velcro for gym class. Students have<br />
physical education two times a week. Please check with your child’s teacher about their students P.E.<br />
days.<br />
Safety: If you pick up your student at the end of the school day, please use the “side” door which enters<br />
directly to the café. We ask that parents wait in the café until the teacher on duty notes you and your<br />
student on the pick up dismissal roster. This is to ensure the safety of our students.<br />
Lost and Found: It is in the café. Help reduce our Lost and Found collection. Those lunch boxes are<br />
still new and already piling up and the jackets will be next. Please write your child’s name on lunch boxes<br />
and jackets. We find misplaced items all the time and it is easier to return them to students when there’s<br />
a name written inside items.<br />
Due to the high volume of transportation changes being made during the<br />
school day by parents, you need to be aware of the following:<br />
• If your student’s transportation plans are changed from his or her regular routine, please send a<br />
note with your child in the morning.<br />
• Please know that a change in bus plans cannot be accomplished over the phone. <strong>The</strong> only<br />
exception will be in an emergency situation.<br />
Changes made during the day pose a safety hazard and take away instructional time from the<br />
classroom. Some children become upset and confused if they do not know what their plans are<br />
after school.<br />
• If a child does not have a note for Brownies, CCD, enrichment programs and play dates the office<br />
will not call parents to confirm after school plans.<br />
• If for any reason written notification is not sent into school, your child will be sent home on<br />
his/her regular bus. Students need to know their plans for the day. We want all our students to<br />
have a good day.<br />
Thank you for your cooperation.
MJS PTO BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS FOR 2009-10 SCHOOL YEAR<br />
Co-President Tammy Afragola 458-1663 tafragola@gmail.com<br />
Co-President Barbara Banning 457-1661 4bannings@att.net<br />
Vice-President Pam Murtagh 453-6052 murtaghp@comcast.net<br />
Recording Secretary Deb Villavicencio 533-5161 debvil@hotmail.com<br />
Corresponding Secretary Deb Lent 453-4595 debdavel@comcast.net<br />
Treasurer Lisa Gieger 457-4414 lmgieger@yahoo.com<br />
4th Grade Promotion Celebration Diane Vilaseca 860-349-9922 dvilaseca@snet.net<br />
4th Grade Promotion DVD Diane Vilaseca 860-349-9922 dvilaseca@snet.net<br />
After/Before School Enrichment Denise Paley-<br />
Tibere<br />
457-9097 dtpaley@yahoo.com<br />
Archivist Diane Vilaseca 860-349-9922 dvilaseca@snet.net<br />
Back to School Picnic Jodi Standrowicz 533-5446 jjstandrow@comcast.net<br />
Board of Ed Rep Tammy Afragola 458-1663 tafragola@comcast.net<br />
Board of Ed Rep Kris Corpuel 457-6950 kriscorpuel@comcast.net<br />
Box Tops/Labels Julie Johnson 457-1766 juliejohnson18@gmail.com<br />
Box Tops/Labels Jen Tower 457-9711 fourattheshore@yahoo.com<br />
Beading Projects Barbara Banning 457-1661 4bannings@att.net<br />
Calendar/Handbook Deb Lent 453-4595 debdavel@comcast.net<br />
Calendar/Handbook Pam Murtagh 453-6052 murtaghp@comcast.net<br />
Colonial Gardens Open Open<br />
Cultural Arts Bernadette<br />
LaFrance<br />
457-0013 lafranceb@comcast.net<br />
End of the Year Picnic Sonya Murray 310-709-7277 smurray@sh-3.com<br />
Extra Pair of Hands Julie Johnson 457-1766 juliejohnson18@gmail.com<br />
Extra Pair of Hands Deb Lent 453-4595 debdavel@comcast.net<br />
Fall Book Fair Judy Goldstein 457-9135 judyg1964@yahoo.com<br />
Fall Book Fair Kelley Edwards<br />
Field Day Lori Moroso 457-0055 lorimoroso@comcast.net<br />
Float Holly Werle 457-1036 hollywerle@sbcglobal.net<br />
Halloween Carnival Sara Castlevetro 457-9856 ellaesther@comcast.net<br />
Halloween Carnival Barbara Banning 457-16614 4bannings@att.net<br />
Hospitality Carrie Carrignan 453-5238 therigney@yahoo.com<br />
Hospitality Clo Siciliano 457-2057 cksiciliano@yahoo.com<br />
Ice Cream Social Pam Murtagh 453-6052 murtaghp@comcast.net<br />
Ice Skating Party Lisa Gieger 457-4414 lmgieger@yahoo.com<br />
Ice Skating Party Karen Moriarty 533-5764 krnmo@hotmail.com<br />
Jump Rope for Heart April Booth 457-9729 aprilbooth@netzero.com<br />
Newsletter Chad Eschinger 533-5161 chad.eschinger@gmail.com
Plant/Wreath Sale Diane Vilaseca 860-349-9922 dvilaseca@snet.net<br />
Playground Kim Camarota 457-0437 CMthRf3@aol.com<br />
<strong>Public</strong>ity Deb Lent 453-4595 debdavel@comcast.net<br />
School Photos Christine Cuozzo 457-1119 chris.sig@comcast.net<br />
School Store Pam Murtagh 453-6052 murtaghp@comcast.net<br />
School Store Kris Corpuel 457-6950 kriscorpuel@comcast.net<br />
Math/Science Night Sara Castlevetro 457-9856 ellaesther@comcast.net<br />
Scrapbooking Ammie Bradley bradleya@guilford.k12.ct.us<br />
Spirit Wear Kris Corpuel 457-6950 kriscorpuel@comcast.net<br />
Spring Book Fair Allison Audet 457-9728 theaudets@yahoo.com<br />
Spring Book Fair Christine Kagan 457-2650 mkagan@arubanetworks.com<br />
Student Directory Pam Murtagh 453-6052 murtaghp@comcast.net<br />
Student Directory Deb Lent 453-4595 debdavel@comcast.net<br />
Unicef Julie Johnson 457-1766 juliejohnson18@gmail.com<br />
Website Jim Murtagh 453-6052 murtaghj@comcast.net<br />
Writer's Wall Pam Murtagh 453-6052 murtaghp@comcast.net<br />
Yearbook Diane Vilaseca 457-0208 dvilaseca@snet.net<br />
Yearbook April Booth 457-9729 aprilbooth@netzero.com<br />
Yearbook Lisa Gieger 457-4414 lmgieger@yahoo.com<br />
Yearbook Clo Sicilano 457-2057 cksiciliano@yahoo.com<br />
Yearbook Kim Hall 457-9094 khall0323@aol.com<br />
“<strong>The</strong> <strong>Guilford</strong> Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status,<br />
national/ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, or disability in its programs, activities, and employment<br />
practices.<br />
Questions or complaints related to Title IX should be directed to Anne Keene, Assistant Superintendent, 55<br />
Park St., <strong>Guilford</strong>, CT 06437 or at 203-453-8216; questions or complaints related to disabilities, should be<br />
directed to Patricia Brett, Director of Pupil Services, 280 South Union St., <strong>Guilford</strong>, CT or 203-453-0128.
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