A. Ward Spaulding School
Dec. 2014 / Jan. 2015
945 Mountain Road | West Suffield, CT 06093 | 860-668-3826 | https://www.suffield.org
Upcoming Events:
BOE Meeting
Tuesday, December 2nd
6:30 p.m.
SHS Media Center
Early Release
Wednesday, December 3rd
Thursday, December 4th
Friday, December 5th
1:00 p.m.
Parent / Teacher Conferences
Sped PAC
Tuesday, December 9th
9:00 a.m.
SHS Commons
BOE Meeting
Tuesday, December 16th
6:30 p.m.
SHS Media Center
First Grade Gingerbread Play
Friday, December 19th
Early Release
Tuesday, December 23rd
1:00 p.m.
Winter Vacation
No School
Wednesday, December 24th -
Friday, January 2nd
Winter Vacation
BOE Meeting
Tuesday, January 6th
6:30 p.m.
SHS Media Center
Sped PAC
Tuesday, January 13th
9:00 a.m.
AWS Café A
No School
Monday, January 19th
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
BOE Meeting
Tuesday, January 20th
6:30 p.m.
SHS Media Center
The secret of education lies in respecting the student. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Virtual Backpack:
2014 - 2015 Special Services Tri-fold Flyer
2014 - 2015 Weather Related Closing, Delayed Opening, and Early Dismissal Protocol
2014-2015 Suffield Elementary PTO Information
AWS Parent Teacher Conferences - Dec. 3rd - 5th
2014 - 2015 Weather Related Closing, Delayed Opening, and Early Dismissal Protocol
Free Learn-to-Skate – Ice Hockey Program Just for Girls
NCCC - Parent and Sibling Support Groups
NCCC - Recreational Family Activity Group Calendar
School Lunch and Breakfast Payment Information
Wildcat Playschool at Suffield High School Begins Dec. 3rd
A Message From The Principal
Happy Holidays to you and your families. This time of year always brings about a reminder of the good fortune that we have in our lives, and I hope that the upcoming vacation provides you with health, happiness, and family time.
At Spaulding School, we continue to recognize our good fortune to be a part of this vibrant and inclusive school community. The student learning that occurs in classrooms is due in part to the purposeful professional 
development that we engage in as a faculty and staff. One of the four priority strategic goals in the district is the design and implementation of a systematic plan for professional learning. What do we want our students to learn? How will we know if they have learned it? What resources do we need to achieve this goal? What professional learning do we provide our faculty and staff? These are questions that drive the work of Spaulding School.
This year we continue our focus on curricula that aligns with the Common Core State Standards to ensure that all students will be successful and achieve at high levels. Teachers continue to engage in unit development in English and Language Arts and Mathematics. Additional focus is on the alignment of written and delivered curriculum in the classroom. Teachers revise units and assessments based on this implementation, working collaboratively to use feedback and student performance data to inform the work.
Additionally this year we have engaged in the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports framework (PBIS). Our STAR program continues to impact our school culture in positive ways by teaching, modeling, and celebrating students being respectful, responsible, and kind.
Our entire faculty and staff have engaged in professional development on PBIS, identifying what the expected students behaviors should be in all areas of Spaulding School. Our faculty meeting meets monthly to engage in professional development as does our non-certified staff of para-professionals and duty clerks who supervise our young friends in the cafeteria and on the playground. Academic support staff continue to offer quality interventions to students in need and they receive professional development that guides their work towards improved student performance. Our school community is stronger and more effective due to this impactful work.
If you have any questions about the professional learning that we engage in, please contact me or any member of our staff. We welcome the opportunity to share about our professional learning. Please enjoy a vacation filled with family, memories, and relaxation. See you in 2015!
Scott P Dunn
Breakfast Program Growing at Spaulding
Breakfast continues to be served from 8:10-8:25 a.m. in cafeteria A every morning. This program is open to all students at Spaulding. Rotating menu items vary, which include pancakes, cereal, and breakfast burritos. Students are supervised by adults. Parents and guardians are not contacted relative to student attendance at breakfast, so please speak with your child about their possible participation.
Spaulding Traditions - Save the Date
| Preschool: | Kindergarten: | Grade 1: | Grade 2: |
| Bounce Town | Bradley Bowl | PJ & Movie Night | Pizza & Bingo Night |
| South Windsor | Windsor Locks | A. Ward Spaulding | A. Ward Spaulding |
| Saturday, March 28th | Saturday, February 28th | Friday, January 30th | Friday, March 27th |
 |  |  |  |
Trick or Treat for Pets
Trick or Treat Suffield! During the month of October, A. Ward Spaulding and McAlister Intermediate Schools trick or treated for cats and dogs. Students and staff collected canned and bagged food, treats, toys, and various supplies for the pet food pantry at the Newington Humane 
Society. Amber Lonardo, a second grade teacher at Spaulding, initiated the drive at McAlister Intermediate School in 2011, a year after the Humane Society's pet food pantry first opened. After two successful years at McAlister School, Mrs. Lonardo brought Trick or Treat for Pets to Spaulding School. The pet food drive committee consisted of Lucy Shepard, Lauren Perleoni, Carmel Godfrey, Abby Wolcott, Suzanne Wosko, Kelly Colangelo, as well as Kara Forrest from McAlister School. This year, students at Spaulding decorated posters and boxes and displayed them around the school. Second graders read announcements over the school intercom each morning, informing the school community about the pet drive. Students were enthusiastic about collecting pet food, not just candy, on Halloween.
Happenings in our Library Media Center
Why is information literacy important?
Information literacy is the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information.
The beginning of the 21st century has been called the Information Age because of the explosion of information output and information sources. Information literacy equips students with the critical skills necessary to become independent lifelong learners.
Being information literate ultimately improves our quality of life as we make informed decisions when buying a house, choosing a school, hiring staff, making an investment, voting for our representatives, and so much more. Information literacy is, in fact, the basis of a sound democracy.
(American Library Association)
The library media center is the hub of the school, where students engage in reading, listening, searching, analyzing, and writing to help them become information literate for a 21st century world. They utilize technology and text to ask and answer questions, research, and solve problems. Students learn to find accurate and reliable information through the appropriate use of a variety of technology. When students come to our media center, they come for a direct lesson, guided practice, and independent learning of specific skills directly related to the Common Core State Standards and the AASL Standards. Their lessons most often correlate to classroom curriculum to provide students with authentic learning experiences on which they can build connections that support further learning.
Part of helping our students become information literate is exposing them to quality literature and providing them opportunities to select reading materials of their choice. Part of the weekly lesson in the library is looking at quality literature and using it to support learning objectives. Students in turn learn to select their own reading material. Best practices reinforce that leveling books and limiting their reading choices takes away from student learning. Students are encouraged to come to the library at any time to exchange reading materials and expand their love for reading!
Check out these great books:
I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff - A little boy works to persuade his parents to give him a new bedroom!
Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curado –A great story about friendship and accomplishing tasks by working together!
Costume Day a Spirited Success
Honoring our Veterans
On November 10th, the Spaulding community gathered for their annual Veterans Day assembly. Students and adults wore red, white, and blue as they honored the nearly two dozen veterans who attended this poignant 
ceremony. Dr. Karen Baldwin, Superintendent of Suffield Schools, provided introductory remarks followed by several student-centered contributions. Musical selections under the direction of Wyn Jespersen, music specialist, included the National Anthem and America. Additionally, students in Leslie Pickman's second grade class performed This Land Is Your Land with bells. Jack Carey, a student in second grade, informed the audience of the importance of Veterans Day and the difference between this day and Memorial Day. Sabriyya Robinson, a student in first grade, read a poem entitled Our Veterans while Kerri Buckland's kindergarten students displayed the American flag. Karen Boscarino, preschool teacher, read one of the many What is a hero? letters that Spaulding students submitted. The assembly concluded with Joellen Woodworth, grade two teacher, reading the names and branch of service of the all of the veterans who attended while students gifted them with flowers and a poem. The Spaulding School community recognizes that the freedom that they enjoy is due to the heroic actions of our brave soldiers.
Spaulding Stars: PBIS in Action
The Journey of a Shining Star
Each day our students are acknowledged for demonstrating the Spaulding character tenets of respect, responsibility, and kindness. All teachers and staff members look for instances of 
positive behavior that exemplify these traits and then award the student with a Spaulding Star. The Stars are displayed on classroom doors until students are called down to sign the Book of Fame in the auditorium. Once their act is included in the Book of Fame, the stars are posted on the Wall of Fame for all to see. The vibrant bulletin board showcases all the Stars awarded in various settings throughout the school. The stars are color-coded to denote a particular part of the school (i.e. the bus, the cafeteria, the playground, the classroom, etc.). The Wall of Fame contains treasured spots that offer additional awards for the Stars that land on them. For example, a Star may earn a trip to the treasure chest or an honorary lunch at a local restaurant with Mr. Dunn. Once the Wall of Fame is complete, the Stars travel home to be shared with family members. Please check out the Wall of Fame and support our Shining Stars!
The Nurse's Corner
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On November 24th, the Spaulding School community welcomed our new nurse, Michelle Salva. Mrs. Salva has been a nurse educator and pediatric nurse for several years, having graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts. In 2012, she was the recipient of the DAISY Award for Excellence in Nursing. During the interview process, Mrs. Salva distinguished herself as a professional engaged in partnering with families and staff in the promotion of health and wellness. She is excited to be at Spaulding and connect with our school community. Mrs. Salva welcomes families to stop by to introduce themselves to her.
Did you know that our Spaulding community speaks many languages?
Check out our language board near the main foyer that displays the many ones that Spaulding families speak, including French, Swedish, Polish, Mandarin, and Arabic!
Mrs. B's Mathematics Minute
As a K-2 parent or caregiver, you are your child's very first math teacher. In fact, you have most likely been doing math together since your child was very young. Counting fingers, eyes and ears, and singing songs help your child learn about numbers and counting. Building with objects such as blocks and cardboard boxes exposes your child to geometric ideas such as shape, size, and symmetry. Chores such as putting away the dishes and sorting laundry engage your child in sorting and categorizing, which are important features of data analysis. You have really been and continue to be an important part of your child's mathematical experience!
Now that your child is (back) in school, you are still an integral part of your child's mathematical experience. It is important to continue to lend a hand in his or her growing the understanding and love of mathematics. There are many different ways that you can continue to support your child with learning and appreciating mathematics, even if math was not your favorite subject in school.
Here are some ways that you can continue to foster your child in his/her mathematical learning:
- Be positive when sharing your feelings about mathematics.
- Believe that your child can successfully learn mathematics.
- Encourage your child to persevere and work hard to understand mathematics.
- Share how you personally use mathematics in everyday life.
- Support your child as s/he completes homework or assignments.
- Listen to his/her mathematical ideas and be open-minded to his/her strategies. They may be different than yours!
- Explore and encourage multiple strategies and pathways for solving problems.
- Ask your child questions that encourage deep thinking as s/he solves problems.
- Play games that make learning fun and important.
Stay tuned for future A. Ward Spaulding School newsletter articles that can support you in your understanding of how your child is learning and doing mathematics!
Successful Book Fair
We thank everyone who participated in our successful Book Fair during the Show and Tell Open House event in November. Over $6,000.00 of books and other materials were sold. We thank Amy Hall and Stephanie LePage, our co-chairpersons of the event, for their leadership and impressive work ethic. Also we remain grateful to the volunteers whose efforts made the successful event possible: Marcy Beach, Joe Gnatek, Amy Haines, Mark Hall, Karen Harned, Ellen Walton, and Kendra Wiesel.
Friendly Reminders
With the cold weather upon us, please remember to label your student's outerwear (hats, gloves and mittens, boots, snow pants, etc.). Thank you for partnering with us as we keep our Spaulding Stars safe and warm during the winter months!
Suffield Public Schools
350 Mountain Road, Suffield, CT 06078
Phone: 860-668-3800 (Central Office)
