PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOL PANTHER POINTS of Interest

PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOL PANTHER POINTS of interest

Mrs. Tiffany Caouette, Principal Phone: 860-610-0291 Dr. Alicia Farris, Associate Principal Fax: 860-282-2287

December 18, 2020

UPCOMING EVENTS PICTURE RETAKE DAY Mon. 12/21—Wed. 12/23 Distance Learning Days for All Students Friday, January 15th Thurs. 12/24—Fri. 1/1 NO SCHOOL—Winter Vacation Order before Picture Day on mylifetouch.com

Mon. 1/4—Fri. 1/8 using your Picture Day ID: EVTVGSPK3 Distance Learning Days for All Students

Fri. 1/15 Picture Retake Day is for students who have not had Picture Retake Day their picture taken yet or need to have it retaken.

Mon. 1/18 NO SCHOOL If your in-person learner needs to have his or her Martin Luther King picture taken, please let your teacher know.

If your distance learner needs to have his or her SEND A SMILE picture taken, please sign up at Please join Chartwells as they spread https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4BAFAA2AA3FAC07-distance2 smiles to their friends at Morrison Living CommuniƟes across the country. See aƩachment for more informaƟon.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ESSAY CONTEST PRESCHOOL APPLICATIONS

South Windsor Public Schools is now Senator Chris Murphy invites your students to accepting applications for preschool role participate in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Essay models for the 2021-2022 school year! Contest! One winner will be chosen from the Please see attachment for more details. elementary, middle school, and high school submissions per Congressional District. Winners will Every time you shop from Amazon Smile, have their essays displayed in Senator Murphy’s office. Pleasant Valley PTO will receive a percentage of your purchase! Essays should be no more than 500 words for high With the holidays approaching, many of us will school students (grades 9-12), 300 words for middle be doing a good deal of online shopping. schools students (grades 6-8), and 100-200 words for Please consider supporting our PTO by signing up with Amazon Smile. elementary school students (grades K-5). Pictures are optional for elementary school submissions. All Just go to submissions are due by January 8th. smile.amazon.com and select Pleasant Valley PTO. Please see attachment for submission information. Supporting Connections Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 7 Pleasant Valley December 2020 How to Help Support Your Child’s Learning Over Distance Learning Around the Winter Break Some Tips To Help Your Winter break brings a time which we all need to relax and Child Stay Focused on recharge. It also brings the challenge of supporting our Learning1 children in continuing their learning despite the excitement that awaits them both before the break and in coming back Go Outside if Your Child is Having to school. The below tips can apply to learning before and Trouble Sitting after winter break. Let your child go outside, 15 minutes is enough, to help their brains refocus and

get some of their energy out! Keep Their Hands Busy Give them something to fidget with: playdough, squishy ball. Monitor it does not become a toy, but this tool can help their brain stay focused on their learning. Take a Break Take a Break When Their Teacher is Not Live Teaching. Small Breaks can break up longer periods of work and encourage work stamina. Have Fun Talk to them about their learning, make connections, ask them to teach YOU!

Resources 110 Ways to Keep Students Focused Before a Holiday Break https://www.learnersedge.com/blog/10-ways-to-keep-stu dents-focused-before-a-holiday-break 7 Tips to Manage Your Child’s Routine During the Holiday Season https://pulse.seattlechildrens.org/7-tips-to-manage-your -childs-routine-during-the-holiday-season/ 5 Ways to Keep Kids Learning During the School Holidays https://www.melbournechildpsychology.com.au/blog/5-w ays-to-keep-kids-learning-during-the-school-holidays/

M. Fazzino, School Psychologist Senator Murphy invites you to take part in the MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ESSAY CONTEST

We are asking students from elementary, middle, and high schools from across Connecticut to participate in honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by submitting essays that reflect on Dr. King’s dream, their own aspirations, and the importance of what Dr. King means to them.

All submissions must be received by January 8th. Essays can be submitted at bit.ly/murphymlk or mailed to our Hartford office:

Kay Muñoz 120 Huyshope Avenue Hartford, Connecticut 06106 Send A Smile - Winter Edition!

We’re all doing our part to stop the spread of Coronavirus – like washing our hands (a lot!), going to school online, and even missing fun things like sport practices and birthday parties.

Older adults (like grandmas and grandpas) need to be especially careful; and that means no visitors, which can be pretty lonely.

But you can help! Did you know you can send smiles… in the mail?!? We hope you’ll join us at Chartwells K12 as we spread smiles to our friends at Morrison Living communities across the country.

It’s easy! Here’s how it works…

1 First, wash your hands, of course! 2 Write a letter and/or draw a picture to an older adult living in your area. You can make up your own or use the guides included in this packet.

3 Place your letter and drawings in an envelope and then draw a smiley face on the outside of the envelope. Feel free to send as many as you like, there’s no limit on smiles these days!

4 Use the following address to send your Smile in the mail, and don’t forget the stamp!

Sending Smiles c/o Morrison Living 400 Northridge Road, Suite 600 Sandy Springs, GA 30350

We’ll take care of the rest by getting your Smile to an older adult whose 5 day will be brighter because of YOU!

Preschool Outreach Program South Windsor Public Schools NOW Accepting Applications for 2021-2022

Philosophy The town of South Windsor is committed to educating preschool children through an integrated environment which is developmentally appropriate. Each child is viewed as an individual with unique abilities and educational needs. The goal of our early intervention program is to maximize the child’s ability to benefit from ongoing and future educational opportunities.

Overview of Preschool Outreach Program (POP) The Preschool Outreach Program (POP) is housed at Timothy Edwards Middle School. POP is a language based program that incorporates the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS) and Connecticut Preschool Assessment Framework (CT PAF). Staff members include certified teachers, paraprofessionals, occupational and physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, behavior analyst, social worker, school psychologist and a nurse.

What is POP? POP is a… • Reversed mainstream preschool program (consisting of peer role models and special education students) • Language enriched program • High teacher to student ratio (allowing for more individualized student attention) • Structured preschool environment • Center-based program targeting Connecticut Standards & Frameworks

A typical preschool day consists of: (Program runs Monday-Thursday) • Table top toys and manipulatives • Story and/or sharing time • Circle time • Group activities • Snack • Centers (structured play)

Eligibility-Community Peer Models • South Windsor resident • Three, Four, and Five years of age • Toilet trained • Ability to model appropriate skills in the areas of play, social, adaptive behaviors, and expressive/receptive communication

Enrollment is ongoing as space permits. Early application is encouraged. Current fee is $2,000 paid in three installments. For more information contact POP at Timothy Edwards Middle School at (860)474-1616 or Special Services at (860) 291-1240. South Windsor Philosophy South Windsor Public Schools is committed to edu- Kate Carter, Ed.D. South Windsor Public Schools cating preschool children with special education Superintendent of Schools needs in integrated environments which are developmentally appropriate. Each child is viewed as an individual with unique abilities and educational Tracie D. Peterson P reschool needs. The goal of our early intervention program is Assistant Superintendent for to maximize a child’s ability to benefit from ongo- Curriculum and Instruction ing and future educational opportunities. Like all of O utreach our special education programs, South Windsor provides a wide range of services for our preschool Colin J. McNamara Assistant Superintendent for population, including home-school consultations, Personnel and Administration community placements, coordinated services with P rogram other agencies, or placement in the Preschool Out- reach Program (POP). Jessica L. Kuckel Director of Special Services

Special Education Eligibility Eve M. Hurley  South Windsor resident 6-12 Special Education Supervisor  Three (3) years of age or older  Demonstrate one or more of the following ar- Kimberly A. Sokale eas of significant educational need as deter- PK-5 Special Education Supervisor mined by a developmental assessment:

∼ Cognitive ∼ Perceptual/Motor ∼ Social ∼ Communication Skills Located at: Special Education Referrals Timothy Edwards Middle School 100 Arnold Way Referrals for children who may require special edu- South Windsor, CT 06074 cation services can be made by parents, family Phone: (860) 648-5030 members, and community professionals who are Fax: (860) 648-5029 familiar with the child. Referrals should be made to the social worker at your home elementary school It is the policy of the South Windsor Board of Edu- (e.g., Eli Terry, Orchard Hill, Philip R. Smith or Pleas- cation that any form of discrimination or harass- Melissa Morgan-Hostetler ment on the basis of race, religion, color, national ant Valley). The elementary school team will con- Principal duct a screening of the child, which may include a origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, home visit or an observation at a day care place- disability (including pregnancy), veteran status, David St. Jean ment. If the screening results indicate possible gender identity or expression, or any other basis Associate Principal prohibited by state or federal law, is prohibited, Jarrid Clifton need for service, a Planning and Placement Team whether by students, Board employees or third (PPT) meeting will be arranged to decide what parties subject to the control of the Board. Associate Principal evaluations need to be administered. Upon com- Kimberly Sokale pletion of the evaluations, another PPT will be held PK-5 Special Education Supervisor to determine what services are required and to de- velop an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Revised 11/20 Preschool Outreach Program Children enrolled in the IPOP program have access Program Hours to speech and language therapy, occupational The Preschool Outreach Program (POP) services The POP program operates Monday through Thurs- children ages 3 through 5 who have been identi- therapy, and physical therapy if deemed eligible through evaluation and the PPT process. In addi- day. There are two sessions, one in the morning fied as needing special education services. The and one in the afternoon. Sessions are assigned program is located in the lower level wing of Timo- tion, a BCBA provides support to the program on a regular basis. based on the needs of the program. Parents will be thy Edwards Middle School. The structure of the notified of the session into which their child is en- program (hours, days, and staffing) remains flexi- rolled prior to the start of the school year. ble and may change annually based on the indi- Community Peer Role Model Application AM SESSION PM SESSION vidual needs of the identified children. Role model Parents who are interested in their child participat- peers from the community are included to pro- ing in the POP program as a community peer role 9:05 – 11:45 12:50 – 3:40 vide age appropriate modeling of play, lan- model can obtain an application from any South The IPOP program operates on a schedule cre- guage, and social skills. Windsor elementary school or from the Timothy Ed- ated to meet the individualized needs of its stu- The program has an interdisciplinary language- wards Middle School main office at any time during dents. Parents will be provided details upon enroll- based approach and incorporates the Connecti- the school year. The number of students accepted ment. cut Early Learning and Development Standards into the program is determined by the number of Both the POP and IPOP programs follow the operating (CT ELDS). Staff members include certified teach- special education students enrolled. If more children apply than there are openings, we will employ schedule of South Windsor Public Schools. If schools are ers, paraprofessionals, speech and language closed due to inclement weather, the POP program will a lottery system for selection. pathologists, occupational and physical thera- also be closed. pists, social worker, psychologist, board certified The cost to participate in the POP program as a peer Questions? behavior analyst (BCBA), and a nurse. Parent par- role model is $2,000. This amount may be paid in ticipation and involvement are important compo- three installments. Additional information regarding POP, IPOP and nents of the program. other special services programs is available on our Transportation for students enrolled as peer role website. If you have any questions or concerns, models is the responsibility of the parent. Intensive POP (IPOP) please contact the Special Services office at (860) IPOP is a specialized preschool experience for stu- Peer Model Eligibility 291-1240. dents requiring a systematic teaching approach. This program is based upon empirically validated, To be eligible for consideration, the child must be: research-based approaches to teaching and be- • a resident of South Windsor, havior intervention such as Applied Behavior Anal- • 3-5 years of age ysis (ABA), Treatment and Education of Autistic • Toilet trained; and and related Communication-handicapped Chil- • Able to model appropriate skills in the areas of dren (TEACCH), and Pictures Exchange Communi- play, language, social, and adaptive behaviors cations System (PECS). Skills are broken down, re- as determined by a screening process peated often, and performance is reinforced to Once the application is complete, the POP teach- maximize the acquisition of skills for students who ers will invite your child to come in for a screening. have challenges learning in the typical POP class- Teachers will observe the child to determine if room. he/she demonstrates age appropriate communi- Referrals to IPOP are made through the PPT pro- cation and social skills. Not all children may be se- cess and the specific services a student receives lected. are determined by the team. Skills-based assess- ments are conducted as a tool to monitor pro- gress during the year. Levels of support and the time required in IPOP are monitored and adjusted as appropriate through the PPT process. The amount of time a student is included in a typical POP classroom is also determined on an individual basis by the PPT. Preschool Outreach Program (POP) Community Role Model Application Thank you for your interest in the Preschool Outreach Program Instructions

1. Please complete both sides of this form in its entirety. Upon receipt of your child’s completed application, you will receive a letter by mail indicating the next steps of the application process.

2. Applications must be dropped off or mailed to:

POP at Timothy Edwards Middle School Attn: Preschool Team 100 Arnold Way South Windsor, CT 06074

Application Information

Application for school year: 20____ - 20____ Today’s Date:______

Parent/Guardian Completing Application:______

How did you hear about POP?______

Demographic Information

Child’s Name:______☐ Male ☐ Female

Date of Birth:______Parent Name(s):______

Best Contact Information: Phone:______Email:______

Address:______

Sibling Names & Ages: ______

______

Have any siblings or other family members previously attended POP?______

Are any immediate relatives employed by South Windsor Public Schools?______

What is your child’s “home elementary school” (where your child will go to kindergarten)? Eli Terry Orchard Hill Pleasant Valley P.R. Smith

List all languages spoken in the child’s home:______

What was the first language your child learned to speak?______

What language does your child speak most of the time?______

Rev. 8/2018 over Preschool Outreach Program (POP) Community Role Model Application Please provide written responses.

1. How would you describe your child’s personality?______

2. How would you describe your child’s behavior?______

3. What are your child’s favorite activities and interests?______

4. How long does your child typically spend playing with a favorite toy or activity? ______

5. Describe your child’s strengths: ______

6. Describe any concerns that you have about your child’s development:______

7. List peer-related experiences in which your child participates (i.e. daycare, playgroup, classes):______

8. Has your child ever received Early Intervention Services (i.e. Birth-to-Three, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, etc.)? If yes, please explain:______

Check all that apply. Please read carefully.

1. Check the tasks that your child can complete independently:

☐ toileting ☐ dressing ☐ hand washing ☐ eating/drinking ☐ wiping nose

2. Check the following behaviors and social skills that describe your child:

☐ follows directions ☐ is aware of others’ feelings ☐ will join group activities ☐ takes turns & shares

☐ highly active ☐ requires frequent adult attention ☐ separates easily from parent

3. Check the following play skills that your child demonstrates:

☐ imaginative/pretend play ☐ interacts with other children in play ☐ prefers to play alone

4. Check the following language skills that describe your child:

☐ engages in conversations ☐ answers who, what & where questions ☐ talks during play

☐ speech is clearly understood by others ☐ listens while others are speaking

☐ listens as books are read ☐ describes stories & experiences ☐ talks in sentences of 3+ words Rev. 8/2018