DAISY DAILY FOR WEEK OF MARCH 27

Daisy Staff,

Wow; have our students been busy this weekend!
(And I bet you have been, too!)

On Friday evening, about 50 students participated in the Mother/Son PTO Event at City Climb in New Haven.  This was the first time that an event of this type has been made available for families and it was met with rave reviews by students and parents alike.

On Saturday, four of our fourth-graders participated in the Regional Invention Convention at Quinnipiac University, and as a result of this competition, three of the four students will go on to the finals, to held at UCONN. Additionally, the artwork of five of our third- and fourth-graders was featured at the CAEA Youth Art Celebration in Farmington on the same day.  We will highlight our students' successes on Kids News as well as a Good News Assembly this week.

There were hundreds of student inventors at Quinnipiac on Saturday,

including four students from Daisy.

Joe Biegaj selected artwork from five of our students to display at the annual CT Art Educators Youth Art Exhibit in Farmington.

All of this followed a very successful Family Math Night on Thursday evening at Daisy.  Many thanks to Lesley Harrington for facilitating such a wonderful event for our families with sincere appreciation to staff members who also contributed to the wide success of this evening's event.

Our families so enjoyed learning new Math games from their children at Family Math Night!

Thanks to Lesley Harrington for creating this fabulous event and to Lori Blair from the PTO who helped supply pizza that evening.

So, ready for the week ahead?

As always, please consult the link to our Daisy Staff Calendar, but here are a few highlights:

• "Tech Tuesday" will be held after school on Tuesday.
• We're inviting our parents, as well as interested staff members, to the WMS PTO Meeting at 7 pm on Tuesday evening at WMS.  Pat Ciccone will present highlights of our District Budget at that meeting and all are welcome to attend.
• We will have a "Good News" Assembly this Wed., March 29, at 2 pm in the Gym.  We will recognize our students (as mentioned above), as well as Daisy's recognition as being named a School of Distinction by the State of Connecticut.
• This is NO Wednesday Staff Meeting after school this week, as per our schedule set at the beginning of the year.
• Our visitors from China will arrive on Saturday, April 1, and will stay with host families in Westbrook until Tuesday, April 4.  We will hold a school-wide assembly to greet them on Monday, April 3, at 9 am in the gym.  Eleven students and five teachers from China will be visiting our schools on Monday and Tuesday of next week and we can plan on seeing them here at Daisy on Monday morning and Tuesday morning.
• As you know, April vacation will be from April 10 through April 14.  Our school offices will be open April 10-13, with April 14 being a holiday (Good Friday).

Please consult the link below for important events for the weeks ahead:

DAISY STAFF CALENDAR LINK

As always, please let me know anything that needs to be added to our calendar for the good of all.

Let's make it a great week!

Ruth

Daisy Daily for Week of March 20, 2017

March 20, 2017

Happy First Day of Spring....even if it doesn't feel like it!

Third-Graders in Jess Brown's class shared some very persuasive writing re: how our school needs more playground equipment.  Very persuasive, indeed!

Daisy Staff,

A few notes as we start a new week:

• What an exciting event for our entire Westbrook community to have our WHS Boys Basketball Team play in the final state tournament at Mohegan Sun on Saturday.  What fun to see so many of our students, families and staff support our team throughout the season.  Even though the outcome wasn't what many had hoped for on Saturday, our boys play hard and brought so many people in the community together along the way.  Earning the right to play in a final state game is incredible!
• Thanks to all who came out to support "Light on Westbrook" on Saturday evening; it was a fabulous event.
• Tonight (Monday., March 20) is the Budget Presentation to the Board of Finance at 6 pm at the Town Hall.
• As you finalize Report Cards, please let me know about any concerns you have or any specific reports that you'd like me to review.  As you know, Report Cards go home with students on Wednesday.
• We will hold our rescheduled Breakfast for EL Families ("Coffee and Chat") this Wed., March 22, from 7:45-8:30 am in Room 20 (Joanna's room).  Families have been notified of the rescheduled date and we will send a reminder.
• Wednesday is a School-Based PLC, but most have waived out of this due to the extended work session on March 8.  Details to follow.
• Math Night is scheduled for this Thursday, March 23.  Let's see how we can all assist Lesley in the running of this very important event!
• Some of our students will be going on to the next level of the Invention Convention this Saturday, March 25, at Quinipiac University.
• SBAC practice/training has begun in 3rd and 4th grades and the schedule has been finalized for SBAC Testing during the weeks of May 8 and May 15, with make-ups on May 22-23. Schedules will be distributed to all those involved.
• We will have visitors from China with us from April 1 through April 4.  We will plan a school-wide assembly to introduce them to our students and staff on Monday, April 3.  Ginny is still seeking a few host families for students, so if you're at all interested, please contact her.

As always, please consult our Daisy Staff Calendar for updates as they happen by clicking on the link below:

DAISY STAFF CALENDAR LINK

Pat Ciccone and Phil Cocchiola thank all for attending "Light on Westbrook" and explain about the very worthwhile outcome of this charitable event---seed money for a summer feeding program 

for Westbrook children.

Below, staff member Gerald Hughes and his granddaughter, Brianna, who both won awards in the photographic art show at "Light on Westbrook."

Let's make it a great week, all!

With appreciation for all you do,
Ruth

DAISY DAILY FOR WEEK OF MARCH 13, 2017

Our Daisy students have displayed their incredible school spirit at recent high school basketball State Tournament games at Westbrook High School.

Daisy Staff,

We may have quite a week ahead, if the reports of a Nor'easter/Blizzard hits us as predicted.  I will continue to update our Staff Calendar (with rotating specials, scheduled events, last day of school, etc.) as necessary.

Please continue to consult our Daisy Staff Google Calendar at:

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/render?cid=westbrookctschools.org_fdrqpeap0vmoia01dloi5b5qmc@group.calendar.google.com#main_7

Last week, we accomplished a lot during our Wednesday PLCs and Thursday PD.  I will let you know the plan to complete the work we had planned to do in our Friday PD as soon as that is finalized.

As you plan for the week ahead:

• I'm delighted to inform you that our new school nurse, Mary Fleming, RN, will join us on Monday, March 13, as outlined in my previous e-mail.  She'll come by classrooms on Monday morning so that our students and staff can meet her.  I will also send home an announcement to families.
• Our Breakfast for EL families, "Coffee & Chat" is scheduled for this Wednesday, 7:45-8:30 am in Room 20 with a rain/snow date for the following Wednesday, March 22, same time, same place.
• We will host the "Harlem Rockets" for a brief assembly this Thursday, from 1:00-1:30 pm in the gym.  They will share a positive message re: friendship and anti-bullying.  They will be featured in a game vs. the WMS 8th Grade Boys/Girls Basketball Teams on Thursday evening as a benefit for the WMS PTO.
• Don't forget that "Light on Westbrook," the photographic art show will take place at Oxford Academy on Saturday, March 18, from 6:30-8:30 PM.  This fundraiser benefits WPS Summer Meals Program for Children and tickets are available in the Daisy office.  Please join us if at all possible : )

As always, please keep in close touch and let me know your concerns.

Warmly,

Ruth

DAISY DAILY FOR WEEK OF MARCH 6, 2017

Thanks so much to Helen Sweet for putting on another incredible Book Fair event!!!  Every child went home with at least one new book during the week and our Family Night on Wednesday was extremely well-attended.  Everyone loved the "Happy Camper" theme and thanks to all who carried this theme into Friday with your fashionable attire!

Our "Read Across America" Week was also a fabulous event, thanks to Diane Lewis!  Much appreciation goes to Diane for creating a themed week, culminating into our "Camp Read S'more," which totally transformed our pit on Friday to an adventuresome, fun spot to read!

We are so very fortunate to have such outstanding, dedicated educators who collaborate so impressively to engage our students' love of reading.

Many, many thanks to both Helen and Diane for a FABULOUS week of reading last week!!!!!

And how about a superintendent who gets into the act as well?

Thanks to our distinguished guest readers:

Pat Ciccone and State Representatives Jesse Maclachlan 
and Devin Carney.

Our Daisy Staff Google Calendar has been updated for the weeks ahead.  Please access it by clicking here:


https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=westbrookctschools.org_fdrqpeap0vmoia01dloi5b5qmc@group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York&pli=1

A few notes about this week:

• Please welcome Lani Langlois who has signed on as a Daisy staff member after substituting in various positions throughout the building.  We are delighted to announce that Lani is now officially with us in Jenn Pernal's Pre-School AM and PM Classes as a paraprofessional,  Monday through Thursday.
• During 4th Grade Team Meeting this week (and 3rd Grade Team Meeting next week), we will explore the best use of SBAC Interim Assessments with Lesley Harrington and Diane Lewis.  Meetings will be in my office as usual.
• Tickets for "Light on Westbrook" are available for sale in our office.  Please plan to join this important, fun event to benefit Westbrook Public Schools Summer Feeding Program for Children.
• We have received tentative news that we can expect a delegation of visitors from China on April 1 through 4.  Please contact Ginny White if you might be interested in hosting one or more of our guests.  We expect to have them visiting with us at Daisy on Monday, April 3. 
• On Wednesday of this week, we will have Department-Based PLC Meetings.  All of our classroom teachers will be involved in Math PLCs this week.
• On Thursday, our students will be dismissed at 1 pm as certified staff will be involved in afternoon Professional Development.
• On Friday, this is NO SCHOOL for students.  Certified Staff Members will be working in Professional Development, as outlined at last Wednesday's Staff Meeting.  I will also send out an e-mail with explicit plans for both days of PD.

Let's hope for a return of the warmer weather that teased us a week ago.  As usual, please let me know your concerns and any additions to our staff calendar.

Thanks so much,

Ruth

Our "Father/Daughter" Dance, recently renamed "Guys and Dolls" was well-attended on Friday evening.
All who attended seemed to enjoy this tradition at Daisy, especially our young girls!!!  : )