Laura Foxx Principal [email protected]

October 2020 Matthew Ryan Assistant Principal Inspiring Growth Achieving Success 14 Rye Street, Broad Brook, CT 06016, Phone 860-623-2433, fax 860-623-0717 [email protected]

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Dear BBS Families,

At the end of September we administered the I-Ready universal screen. This adaptive online assessment provides us with information on each child’s performance in reading and math. We can view the data in two ways. Looking at the beginning of the year skills data shows that most of our students have the skills they need to learn grade level material.

Here is the data showing where students are with current grade level material. Laura Foxx, Principal

Teachers are using this data to plan instruction for students. Your child’s scores were sent home the week of October 19th. If you have any questions about your child’s scores or academic work please contact your child’s teacher. Your child’s report card will be posted on the parent portal prior to parent teacher conferences. Please see the attached instructions on how to access the portal and view the report card. If you need help accessing the parent portal, please call Mrs. Murphy at 860-623-2433. You will notice that many indicators are not assessed during the first quarter. Over the course of the school year, we will teach and assess each indicator. Also, note that many standards are assessed incrementally over the course of the school year. This means your child may meet the increment of the standard and as the difficulty increases your child may demonstrate difficulty meeting the standard. Please contact me with any questions.

Parent teacher conferences are November 18-20. Please go to www.eastwindsork12.schoolappointments.com to schedule your child’s conference. This is a great opportunity for you to speak with your child’s teacher about your child’s learning and progress. If you need help scheduling the conference, please contact Mrs. Murphy at 860-623-2433.

Thank you the WPFD and the BBFD for coming to BBS to teach us all about fire safety. The firefighters taught us all how to stop, drop and roll, what to do if there is a fire and the importance of fire alarms. We also saw what the firefighters look like in their gear so we know not to be afraid of them if there is a fire. Check out this informative video by the WPFD https://youtu.be/YTQ2XhvE7nc We appreciate their time, patience and willingness to collaborate with us to teach our students. Thank you to Officer Devlin, our SRO, for teaching students about Halloween safety and stranger danger.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Ryan, the Assistant Principal, or me.

Laura Foxx, Principal How to view Report Cards on PlusPortal

1. Log into your PlusPortal account. https://www.plusportals.com/BroadBrookElementary

2. Choose “E Locker” from the horizontal toolbar on top of the screen:

3. Select the appropriate quarter report card from the list and click the blue arrow on the far right to download a PDF of the report card.

If you are experiencing any difficulty accessing the Parent Portal, please contact Mrs. Murphy at [email protected]. As a reminder, your username for the Parent Portal is your full email address including the @domain.com portion of the address.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Social Emotional Learning Throughout this school year our Social and Emotional lessons will be presented through the use of Circles. Circles are an integral component of our Restorative Practice model. Through the use of circles, teachers and students work together to build caring relationships and engage in productive conversations. Circles within the classroom for both academic and social/emotional learning blends very well with our Responsive Classroom and Trauma Sensitive school practices. Our approach of integrating the use of circles with the social and emotional learning Matthew Ryan, lessons has been progressing smoothly. The productive and reflective conversations Assistant Principal students are having with their teachers and classmates are very encouraging. Our hope is that by participating in the circle conversations at school your child is better prepared to share with you their thoughts and feelings about current life events.

During the month of November students will be working on Self-Management

November – Self-Management: The ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working towards achieving personal and academic goals.

 How do I manage my emotions in different situations?  How do I exhibit self-control?  How do I deal with challenges?  How do I motivate myself to achieve my goals?  How do I set and achieve personal goals?

Grade level teams will also be choosing Second Step lessons to review with their classes around the focus for that month. This is part of Broad Brook Schools efforts to continue to work with students on their emotional learning.

CHILD FIND

East Windsor Public Schools is responsible for the identification of students with disabilities who may require special education services for children ages 3 to 21. The Broad Brook Elementary School will be holding screenings for students ages 3-5 throughout the school year. These screenings will take place on the first Friday of each month. Screenings can be scheduled by contacting the special education office at 860-623-3347. In addition, please contact the special education office to schedule an appointment for children ages 5 to 21 that may require special education services or with any questions regarding a child’s development. NURSE’S NEWS OFFICE UPDATES Broad Brook community, this is not easy but you are rocking it. We asked you not to send your kids to school sick. You RETURNING TO IN-PERSON UPDATE listened. We asked you to pick up within 30 minutes when November 2: Students in grades K, 1, called. You do. We make your life difficult with our strict 2 are scheduled to return. protocols and you, by and large accept them gracefully, recognizing they are for the greater good. Thank you. November 16: Students in grades 3,

A few quick reminders: 4 are scheduled to return.

 If your child is tested for Covid 19 for any reason, they may After your child’s grade is scheduled to return, they not come to school until the nurse has seen the results EVEN if must attend 4 days or you must sign them up for full the doctor has diagnosed him/her with another illness. remote learning; we will no longer use a hybrid model  A negative rapid antigen test will not be accepted in clearing unless Dr. DeBarge makes a change due to issues with your child to return to school. Please refer to our student sick COVID 19. Please see the latest Parent Update HERE. protocol on our district website in our Reopening Information Page. Be sure you get the PCR/RNA test or you will be required to either retest or keep your child home for at least 10 days. If you need to change your child’s attendance or  If your child has a chronic condition such as allergies, irritable transportation plans, please contact the office at 860- bowel syndrome, migraines or acid reflux etc. please ensure 623-2433 or by email at [email protected]. the school nurse is aware of these chronic conditions. Often times these conditions have symptoms which can mimic Covid All transportation changes require a 3 day advanced 19 symptoms. Having this information can be very helpful when the school nurse is assessing your child and it allows us notice and a completed transportation form, available to respond appropriately while still following our guidelines. HERE. This also applies if you plan to bring your child and/or pick them up from school. The holidays are coming! If travel is in your plans, please check the state of Connecticut’s travel ban map before leaving. If the TECHNOLOGY TROUBLESHOOTING state you are visiting is red or turns red while you are there, your child may not return to school until 14 days after your If you are experiencing technology related issues, we return to the state. According to the North Central District ask that you please contact our Distance Learning IT Health Department’s recommendation and our district Team by email at [email protected]. A member protocol, testing out of quarantine is not an option. of the IT team will reach out to determine whether or not they can troubleshoot remotely or if your Also, as you heard on the call from Mrs. Foxx, we are asking you to wash your child’s masks after each wear. This is another computer requires an in-person repair. step to reduce the risk of Covid 19 transmission. Frequent washing will also reduce mask-related acne and other IMPORTANT DATES irritations. As a reminder, the last page of this parent bulletin is always a monthly calendar with important upcoming We recommend having several masks per person in your household if able. Thanks to kind donations, we do have some events. Please be sure to check this out! fabric masks available to give away. Please contact me at [email protected] if you need more masks in order to have a fresh mask for your child every day. - Disposable masks are always available in the event your child does not have a clean mask. However, they must wear an approved face covering on the bus and entering the school. - If you do not have a washing machine readily available, hand wash the facemasks and hang to dry, preferably in Do you have a question or an idea you’d like to see direct sunlight. featured in our parent bulletin? We are always looking for parent and guardian suggestions on how we can

Thank you for taking the time to read this. We appreciate you improve! Send an email to [email protected] and you working with us to promote safety and wellbeing. Always feel may see your idea featured in an upcoming edition! welcome to call with questions. We are happy to help. Thanks for keeping Broad Brook School PAWSOME!

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PRESCHOOL NEWS FIRST GRADE NEWS

The preschool classes will begin to learn about The first weeks community helpers this month. We are also discussing have flown by in family and what it means to be thankful. We will sort and first grade! We compare community helper uniforms, as well as send have started the home an assignment surrounding “your family”. year establishing In math we will continue to sort and compare numbers classroom and shapes with the students. Children will begin to look at numbers and compare quantities 0 - 5. routines and procedures. In continuing our letter work, we will finish straight-lined Each first grader letters and begin working on curved-lined letters. has been learning and reviewing the school wide rules Students will explore building letters in a variety of ways through modeling and practicing. The A,B,C’s are the through different media and will work on letter sounds school wide rules: Always do your best, Be respectful, through games and daily activities. Care for yourself, others and our school. The students will continue to work on building friendships through teamwork projects and our whole school social- We are currently launching the Reader’s Workshop emotional lessons; as well as building on their model in every classroom. The students are learning independence through trial and error, peer support, and how pick a just right book for themselves. They have teacher modeling. Keep your eye out for the family assignment coming from learned what independent reading looks like, sounds your child’s classroom! like, and feels like. We are building our reading stamina. During independent reading, the teachers will start meeting with individual students or small groups to support their learning. Students are learning and reviewing independent reading strategies to figure out “tricky” words by themselves. Also, the students are discussing their reading, by choosing a favorite part of a story and expressing why it is their favorite part.

KINDERGARTEN NEWS In math, we are finishing up the first 20 days of Math Reading: Workshop. We are learning how to use manipulatives We started our Building Readers unit which entails as tools to support our learning. Students are retelling using a variety of books, identifying the author reviewing kindergarten math skills and learning games and illustrator of a story and sequencing with pictures. to practice and reinforce skills by themselves and with We are practicing how to retell stories we have heard others. independently. We are learning about rhyming, letters and sounds, as well as how letters make words and In addition, the classes have started their word work, words make sentences. We have begun learning sight Handwriting Without Tears handwriting program, and words we will use all year long. Writer’s Workshop. Your first grader has been Math: extremely busy! In math we are very busy exploring numbers 0-5. We

are practicing how to write the numbers correctly and we will be continuing to work on that for some time to Thank you for your support at home by assisting your come. We are learning to recognize the numbers in the child with his or her Seesaw work, reading with or to world around us and we are doing lots and lots of your child, and practicing sight words for automatic counting. While counting we are comparing the recognition. numbers 0-5 and learning to represent them in many different ways.

5 SECOND GRADE NEWS THIRD GRADE NEWS During the month of November we will In our second reading continue to work on multiplication and unit, students will be division, shifting our focus from understanding how examining the different these operations function, to building fact fluency and parts of fiction solving word problems involving all operations. Part of stories. They will be this work includes learning strategies to help us solve able to explain how the multiplication and division problems quickly and beginning of a story introduces the story, how in the effectively within 100. Some of these strategies middle of the story characters respond to major include the properties of multiplication, doubles facts, events and challenges, and how the end concludes fact families, and square numbers. the action. Students will also focus on asking and answering questions about the text to demonstrate We are currently working on paying close comprehension. In writing, students will be attention to our character's thoughts, dialogue, constructing personal narrative true moment stories actions, and interactions with other characters in about their own lives. They will work on creating an order to understand their traits. We are identifying exciting beginning, adding details to the middle, and character traits and motivations using text evidence. ending their story with a concluding sentence. We are learning to identify how and why characters behave certain ways and how they change throughout a story. We have finished our addition and subtraction fact strategies unit, but that doesn’t mean students This month we will also begin our Nonfiction should stop practicing their facts. They can practice and Research unit. In this unit readers will gather at home with flashcards, writing out facts and trying information from informational texts by analyzing to solve them quickly, or even going on various text structures, looking at sentence clues, and Xtramath.org. Our current unit focuses on using nonfiction features. We will also be using understanding place value with three-digit sentence context and the author’s use of words to numbers. They will draw models of numbers and figure out the meaning of a word or phrase. show numbers in two ways. They will use skip counting by 100s, 10s, and 1s to help identify Our third graders have been learning about numbers. Students will be able to read and write how scientists ask good questions that can be numbers in standard, expanded, and word investigated. They have made and recorded their form. They will also compare numbers to show observations about organisms from long ago and greater than, less than, and equal to. In the third organisms that are with us today. We will continue on unit we will work on two digit addition and our paleontology journey. subtraction. The third grader teachers would like to thank all of the parents of our students for all their hard work and time you put in each evening giving guidance on their Seesaw, Savvas Realize, and RazKids assignments. Please keep encouraging them to do their independent reading at home. During these difficult times, we’re all in this together!

Take care of yourselves The Grade 3 Teachers

6 FOURTH GRADE NEWS MUSIC NEWS It has been a very rhythmic month in the music room. Fourth grade students have done a fantastic

job starting this unique school year! Kudos to Kindergarten students are learning how to read rhythms by our students for doing a great job social using TA and TITI notes. They have also play some distancing, wearing masks, and keeping their instruments using these notes and created their own rhythms hands clean. We are really proud of them! with flash cards they made. Fourth grade started our second unit which is based in the understanding of nonfiction text. Our mentor text, First grade has been also doing rhythms using TA, TITI’s and Marshfield Dreams, is a memoir by Ralph Fletcher. It rest . They used their rhythmic name patterns to create a tells about his childhood while growing up in song in class. We also discussed how a rest is a silent beat and Marshfield, MA. We have been analyzing different text the real name of ta which is a quarter note. structures (sequence, chronological order, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution, and description). Our Second grade has been learning the parts of a note, creating class discussions have focused on how good readers rhythms playing rhythms from patterns created and learning notice the structure of a text in order to fully about the difference between steady beat and rhythm. They comprehend it. We are also beginning to work on are listening to songs on these topics and following the written reading nonfiction articles closely in order to determine music . Two songs we have listened to are the parts of a note the main idea and identify supporting details. We will and Feel the Beat. use this information to work on the important strategy of summarizing. Third grade has been learning all the notes and beat counts

from the whole note to the sixteenth note. They have also

started learning the names and symbols for all the rests that We completed our first unit, match with the notes. We have used printed music to listen to Understanding and Using Place Value. songs about the notes and rests. We have listened to a song Students explored and compared called The Rest is Up to Us, and Take Note. numbers up to the millions period and represented them in a variety of ways (base ten, standard, Fourth grade has been reviewing the lines and spaces of the expanded, and word form). We also estimated sums treble clef. They have just started the lines and spaces of the and differences, added and subtracted numbers up to 6 bass clef and how to figure out notes that extent above and digits. Students continued the process of problem- below the staff. They have also analyzed printed music and solving using Polya's strategy, STAR (Study the problem, have been discussing what time signatures are, repeat signs, Think of a plan, Act on the plan, and Reflect). Our next 1st and 2nd endings and double bar lines. Three songs we unit is Multiplication and Division of Whole Numbers. listened to are Bassment Boogie, Clef Hangers and Musical Multiplication facts fluency (knowing the facts quickly Alphabet. and correctly) will really help the students meet with success. This can be practiced with www.xtramath.org (let your child's teacher know if you need his/her code), flashcards, math apps, and math websites (www.multiplication.com has many fun practice games).

In Science, we are working on our unit of study on weathering, erosion, and force. Students are investigating how the topography changes across the United States. We have looked at various national parks and the rock landforms found in them. Students have become scientists who predict, observe, question and research to explain how and why landforms change over time.

7 ART NEWS GYM NEWS PEACEFUL ACTIVITES FROM YOUR PE TEACHER We are doing well in PE classes at BBS! Our last Name theme of learning was all about staying in mega- personal spaces and moving safely. We have an all new protocol for how to conduct ourselves in PE and Monsters all children have been doing an OUTSTANDING job! Grades 1-4 Everyone is eager and happy to move and learn within our new ways and I am proud. Below is a relaxation We always start off the year thinking about our activity you can with your family for helping our minds hope and dream/goal for art. This year we created and bodies to relax is key to being able to learn and monsters out of our names to proudly display our grow! goal. First, students folded a piece of 6X9 water color paper in half. Along the fold we wrote our “Shake it Up” name and cut around the top of each letter. Once PARENTS: In this activity you may read the prompt finished we opened the cut paper revealing the your child/ren will gently shake and bring their shape of our name. This shape was soon awareness to that body part as a meditation. When a transformed into a monster as students started to body is shaken it is difficult to tense the muscle at the add eyes, mouth, teeth, claws etc… Next, we made same time. Shake it Up! small details stand out by outlining in black sharpie Start and added texture and patterns using crayons. Mindful sitting or standing inside or outside, Water color paint was used to add color. Each somewhere you feel safe and comfortable! student created a heart that their monster would Prompt hold that had their goal for art written on it. All Take a really deep, relaxing breath, in and out. Gently monsters will be posted to our class bulletin board start to shake your wrists and hands. And now REALLY to enjoy throughout the year. shake it! Let go and shake the finger or leg or elbow or hair. Shake slow, shake medium, shake strong, shake light. See the stress flow, see the energy fly. Begin to slow down your shake as if the hot chocolate was boiling and now it is simmering, slow and easy. Shake out any tension you might have in your wrists, palms, and fingers. Now bring your awareness to your right pinkie. Use laser-like focus and look right at your pinkie. (From here use similar prompts to help your child to focus on other body parts, thumb, back of hand, palm and so on.) As you finish the activity, take a few deep breaths and with each breath allow your body to feel calm and relaxed. Question How did shaking out different body parts help you to shake out any tension or energy that was energy? I hope you enjoy this activity at some moment when time allows. Keep breathing boys and girls and moms and dads and families. We are in this together, and we are all doing the best we can! Thank you so much!

Ms. Daniele

8 LIBRARY NEWS READING CENTER

Students in grades 2-4 have learned how to search for NEWS good books to read using Destiny Discover, our library catalog. Just click on a topic, by picture: Mystery, Fantasy, Humor, Historical Fiction, Graphic Novel, and more. Students also learned how to use our ebook collections*. These electronic books cannot be lost, torn, or damaged. Isn’t that great? But they require power, the internet, and a computer device. So print September and October have flown by this year. There is so books come in handy too. much that is different, so much to think about, yet so much that is the same. Reading remains a key to all other * JLG Digital ebooks (user name: BBeread, password: disciplines, a source of information and one of enjoyment. In BBlibrary. This is a streaming collection of 56 books, the Reading Center we offer support for students to some of which change each month) and Capstone increase their reading power. We have begun that work ebooks (choose BBS, and type “ebooks” into the search with students when they are in school and remotely. The box to find our 41 permanent ebooks). schedules are more complicated than ever and we need to

rely on parents and caregivers to be sure that students All students may borrow books, with this one catch: you have to bring back your library book in order to borrow attend these at home sessions. They are crucial to students’ a new one! Some students still owe books from last reading development. spring, so please find and return those. Of course, the Parents also ask what they can do at home beyond what we ebooks are available all the time to everyone, even if do in our intervention sessions. Reading aloud daily…even to you lost your print book. older children, who read on their own, is the best way to support your child. When we read aloud we choose complex We have a curbside pickup process for students at texts and do the “heavy lifting” of intricate vocabulary, so home, so they can borrow library books as well. Simply that kids can engage in thinking about the sophisticated browse Destiny, the library catalog, and then complete ideas set forth. Studies show that a child’s reading level the Online order form doesn’t catch up to his or her listening level until 8th grade! The library webpage has all the details. So when we can immerse students in reading and language in school and at home, we build students understanding of Grade 1 students are learning that the complex ideas, their vocabulary, and their knowledge of the library books are arranged in alphabetical world. order, by the author’s last name. We read a fun book about the alphabet: Max’s ABC Below are a few places to find great books in addition to our by Rosemary Wells. library are Broad Brook School and our Warehouse Point Library. Kindergarteners are enjoying wonderful stories like The New York Times- https://www.nytimes.com/column/ Beverly Billingsley Borrows a Book. childrens-books Try saying that 3 times fast!

A very fun book we read in PreK is Children’s Book Review- https:// Move! I invited students to get up www.thechildrensbookreview.com/ and move like the animals in the book. Good Reads- https://www.goodreads.com/genres/childrens

On Seesaw, distance learners are We also have Bookflix and Trueflix offered at Broad Brook also reading and responding to literature as well as School. https://bookflix.digital.scholastic.com using the library catalog to find books and ebooks. Username: bbrook, Password: flix You will automatically be logged into trueflix as well. You can If you missed Open House, you can still take the Virtual also find the link on our Broad Brook library page. Library Tour

9 RESPONSIVE FRC NEWS CLASSROOM CORNER

What is a Take–a- Break chair? What is the North Pole? What does Re-set mean? What is a Relaxation Station? These all names for the same purpose – a time out. The Responsive Classroom use of this strategy is used to help children learn and practice self-control. It is used in a non- punitive way allowing students to make mistakes within adult controls while preserving the child’s dignity. We all make mistakes, but we try to catch children before they really lose control and give them the opportunity to regain their self-control. The goal is always to get our students back to learning! Each classroom has a spot within the classroom for children to “take a break”. It might have a different name from room to room; but the purpose and intention are all the same. At the beginning of the year, when we are building and practicing routines and Welcome Back! The East Windsor Family Resource Center expectations, students have the opportunity to practice Play and Learn Playgroups have gone virtual! Virtual going to the time out spot so they know how it feels before playgroup meets Monday mornings via zoom with Mrs. it might actually be used for re-setting. This also helps -de M. In the month of October, playgroup will meet in mystify the process and help it not feel punitive. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at person at various parks in surrounding towns. Attend the [email protected] or call me at Broad Brook. Monday zoom and receive a make and take craft bag on Wednesdays! For more information, please call 860-623- Christine Casella 2433 x 5104. Responsive Classroom Teacher Consultant Before and After School are currently open and providing MATH CENTER NEWS care for kids on their in person school days! We look forward to having all students back 4 days a week. We welcome Ms. Miranda Welch and Mrs. Sophia Sundar Programs offered provide enriching child care in a safe Raj to the Math Center this year! They are our two new math tutors and they are enjoying working with our students environment with consistent caregivers. We promote supporting their math growth! We are very happy to security and reassurance for parents and promote welcome them. A primary focus in the Math Center is trusting relationships with staff. If you are interested in Number Sense. Number sense is the foundation for all enrolling your child, please call 860-627-9741. mathematical development and understanding. The understanding of numbers, what they mean, and how they Health, respect and positive expectations are all goals at relate to each other, including place value, are all part of the East Windsor Family Resource Center. Children are Number Sense. Math literacy involves being able to use math in real life and to think of numbers in flexible ways. offered a variety of activities which will enhance gross Our students are always heavily involved in Number Sense motor and fine motor muscles, cognitively stimulating concepts and activities for this very reason. As students games, computer lab opportunities, creative art projects develop at differing rates with their fluent understanding of and a variety of play opportunities in a safe and numbers and operations, we spend time, at the beginning of stimulating environment. We strive to provide a warm each year, learning and reviewing the previous grade level and welcoming atmosphere and a place parents can rely understandings and concepts. By now, students are building on for quality childcare. on those more solid understandings, and moving forward with deeper and more flexible expressions and operations within Number Sense. This month you will see more of this more challenging math work as we move into grade level concepts and skills. Christine Casella Numeracy Coach

10 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

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Remote Learning End of First Day Marking Period NO SCHOOL ELECTION DAY Parent Technology Night, 6:00PM

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Remote Learning EWPTO Meeting Day via Zoom at 7PM

Veteran’s Day Wear Military Colors and send photos to [email protected]

BOE Meeting and Outstanding Student presentation, 7:30PM via Zoom

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Report Cards Remote Learning Posted to the Day

Parent Portal

SPIRIT DAY 1:20 Early Release 1:20 Early Release 1:20 Early Release WEAR SCHOOL Parent/Teacher Parent/Teacher Parent/Teacher Conferences Conferences COLORS Conferences 4:30— 4:30—7PM 2 -3PM (Remote) (BLACK AND GOLD) 7PM (Remote) (Remote)

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BOE Meeting 7:30PM via Zoom NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL THANKSGIVING THANKSGIVING THANKSGIVING BREAK BREAK BREAK

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