Dates to Remember
Mon-Thurs 1/30-2/2 Jump Rope for Heart
Tuesday 2/7 @ 1:40 EARLY DISMISSAL ALL GRADES (Prof. Dev.)
Wednesday 2/8 @ 7:00 Grade 4 Orchestra Concert (APR)
Thursday 2/9 @ 7:00 PTA Meeting (APR)
Mon-Fri 2/20-24 NO SCHOOL (Winter Recess)
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Wednesday 3/7 @ 7:00 Fall 2012 Kindergarten Parent Orientation (APR)
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten Registration for Fall 2012 is coming up soon. If you have an incoming kindergartner, please be sure to notify the office and/or update the information in the K12 Alerts (www.k12alerts.com/emergencycards/login/fairfield/) as soon as possible. While in the K12 Alert program, please be sure to select North Stratfield School and enter the grade as P1.
Notes from the Nurse
Please remember to call your child out absent on our school absentee line (203-255-8416) this will avoid any unnecessary calls home. If you email the teacher it might not get to the nurse or the main office.
News from the Art Room
Ms. Ciecierski will be collecting 2 liter or larger plastic soda bottles (or any other kind of plastic bottle) and any size coffee cans for an upcoming 3rd grade Art project. All donations to the Art room are appreciated! Thank You
JRFH update
Thank you for turning in your collection envelopes and dedication hearts. You may continue to turn them in next week.
Rope turners
There will be a sign in sheet outside the office for rope turners. Please sign in and take a sticker. There may be a session prior to your child’s so you may have to wait outside the gym until the previous session is over.
Students
Please remember to wear your sneakers next week. Thank you and we look forward to a fun event!
JRFH
All volunteers must have a Vounteer/Resource Person Registration Form and Waiver of Liability on file. If you have not completed one please do so prior to the event. The forms are in the office.
Please remember to wear a red, pink, or white or a shirt that has hearts on it on your Jump day. PLEASE DO NOT GO OUT AND BUY A NEW SHIRT. WEAR WHAT YOU HAVE!
PTA Reflections
Congratulations and thank you to all of the students who participated in PTA Reflections this year, especially: Caroline Buck, Drew Buck, Megan Buck, Marissa Coletti, Ava Cusano, Gian Lorenzo Dupitas, Blake Epstein, Griffin Gallati, Adam Giglietti, Noah Giglietti, Abby Hart, Tyler Hart, Rebecca Newman, Kayla Shay, Rachel Shepherd, Ava Spartachino, Maximillian Spies, Zach Sudikoff, Lauren Voytek, Nirvan Vyas and Isabella Young. The competition was fierce but the winners have been selected.
The following NSS students came in 1st place for their category and age division: Noah Giglietti – Literature, Adam Giglietti and Lauren Voytek – Photography, Maximillian Spies and Griffin Gallati – Visual Arts. Their work will go on to the state level for continued judging.
We will celebrate all participants in the spring at a morning breakfast and award ceremony. Check the Friday Flash for future details! Your PTA Reflections co-chairs Stacy Giglietti and Leigh Hart
NSS Auction 2012
Auction 2012 is quickly approaching. We’ll be having a blast at the ECC on March 24th before you know it. There’s still plenty of time to donate an auction item or purchase a sponsorship. All information can be found at www.nsspta.org/auction. Since we’re looking for 100% participation, expect a personal call in the next week or two to solidify how you can help. If you have any questions contact Pamela Fink pamelafink@yahoo.com or Mark Sudikoff mark.sudikoff@yahoo.com.
Be part of the Barrage experience!
The Fairfield Music Department is very excited to host Barrage. This magnificent educational outreach hands-on performance will take place on Saturday, January 28 at 7 pm at Fairfield Warde High School Auditorium. You will be amazed with this touring ensemble’s high energy, talent and inspiration. The workshop will give all students a vision of what is musically possible and you won’t want to miss our Fairfield’s 5th grade, middle and high school orchestras share the stage with Barrage. Don’t wait-tickets are selling fast. To reserve your Barrage Workshop Performance tickets, email barragetickets@gmail.com. Adults-$15/students $10
To learn more, visit www.barrage.org
School Lunches Feature The Following Fresh Fruits And Vegetables
Strawberries, oranges, apples, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, lettuces, and broccoli
Encourage your students to take them! A serving each of fruit and vegetable comes with every meal but the students must choose to put them on their trays.
NSS Readers are Leaders
Out of this World! Take-off for RAL 2012 is Monday, January 23, 2012; the count-down is on. Readers are Leaders is a 6-week reading incentive program. The program is designed to promote the importance of reading as a means for developing lifelong learning and to see that individual efforts contribute toward a school goal of number of days read. Children in Grades K-2 read (or are read to) for 10 min/day above and beyond their school day. Children in Grades 3-5 read 20 min/day. Incentives are given throughout the 6 weeks as individual goals are met and the program’s success is celebrated school-wide. See this flyer for more information and a reading log template. Questions, contact the NSS Readers are Leaders team at NSSreadersareleaders@gmail.com Susanna Clavelli – Jackie Gallagher – Reini Knorr
Sweetheart Dance
Sponsored by NSS Girl Scout Troops 33014 & 33410 Friday, February 3rd from 6:30 – 8:30 in the APR. It’s a great opportunity for girls to put on their favorite dress and dance with friends. ALL NSS GIRLS are invited – you do NOT have to be a girl scout! See this flyer for details, print this ticket order form, and don’t miss out!
SEPTA
Please join SEPTA on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 pm in the McKinley School Library for a presentation of “Strategies to Help your Anxious Child” by Janneta K. Bohlander, licensed marriage and family therapist. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental, emotional and behavioral issue found in childhood and adolescence. Research shows that children with learning disabilities, ADHD and autism spectrum disorders may be at increased risk for these disorders. This workshop will discuss: the 6 most common forms of anxiety disorders in children; the latest research on causes and interventions; at least 10 concrete strategies to help your child reduce anxiety; the pitfalls to avoid when helping your child and more! Janneta K. Bohlander is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has worked with individuals, couples, and families for more than 15 years. Her specialty is working with children and adult with generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and school and social anxiety. In addition, Ms. Bohlander also treats children and adults with attention and learning difficulties, such as ADHS, Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities (NLD) and Asperger’s syndrome. For her adult clients, she has provided therapy for issues ranging from anxiety, depression and relationship issues as well as the the challenges of building a family through adoption.
Summer Camp Open House
Please join us for a unique opportunity to meet and explore many of the finest summer camp and activity opportunities in the area – all conveniently located under one roof inside the Fairfield Woods Gym! To assist you with your summer plans for the kids, we have invited a variety of camp providers, from sports to theater and everything in between, to come and share their offerings. This PTA sponsored event is in conjunction with many other school PTA’s and will take place on Tues, Mar 6th from 7-9 PM at the Fairfield Woods Middle School Gym. Any questions, please contact Terri Epstein (ctergo@gmail.com) or Anthony Calabrese (acalabrese@town.fairfield.ct.us).
Here is the Summer Camp Open House flier for more info.
2012-2013 Education Budget Passed by Board of Education
On Jan 24th the Board of Education Unanimously passed the School budget for next year of $149,464,94. This is an increase of approximately 2.6% over the previous years budget. The increase is mostly due to the 2.19% salary increases plus 4.7% benefits adjustments negotiated by the BOE and the teachers and administrators unions and approved by the RTM. The previous 2011-2012 budget originally had a proposed increase of 4.9% before the various town bodies reduced that amount by 2.8 million.
Changes continue to be made to the education staffing model begun last year, adding additional teachers in Math, while the Special Education dept. added more certified teachers and decreased the number of paraprofessionals in the upper elementary levels (however due to attrition, there should be no paras laid off, just moved to other areas).
Overall, this budget streamlined many areas and has more accurately budgeted number for things like special education, custodian overtime, and capital improvement and building maintenance projects that were previously underestimated. The Education Budget will now go to the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance before coming to the RTM for final approval in April. Any questions can be addressed to Marc Patten marcpatten@att.net, Eric Newman ericnewmancpa@yahoo.com, or Neal Fink neal@nrfmedia.com.
Celebration Books!
The following Celebration Books were donated to our Library Media Center from November to December 2011. Thank you to all who participated!
| Charlie Anderson | Happy 6thBirthday,Love, Mom, Dad, & HenryThe Story of Robin Hood– Usborne |
| Mrs. Banner | Thanks for being the best teacher!From: Ava SpartachinoJingle Bells – Harris |
| William Burnham | For the best kid in the whole world!Love, Mom & DadBear Snores On – Wilson |
| Ms. Conlan | A great student teacher!From: Isabel BrennerFly Guy vs. the Fly Swatter! – Arnold |
| Mrs. Cooper | I love you Mrs. Cooper!From: Molly & The Bluestein FamilyPomelo Begins to Grow- Bagescu |
| Mrs. Cooper | For a special teacher. Thank you!From: Zachary Brown Chicken Little– Emberley |
| Mrs. Cooper& Mrs. Kelly | Thank You!!!!!From: Johan MoskowitzFrank and Ernest Play Ball - Day |
| Mrs. Cooper | Thank you for ALL you do!From: Frank Sabados & familySplat the Cat – Scotton |
| Miss DelMedico | Thanks for going the extra mile and making first grade so much fun!From: Timmy FoxThe Dragon in the Sock Drawer- Klimo |
| Mrs. Dushok | Happy Holidays! Thank you for everything you do for me everyday!From: Alan MorgenszternMilkweed – Spinelli |
| Blake Epstein | Happy 10thBirthday!Love, Mom, Dad & CassiMiss Child Has Gone Wild – Gutman |
| Tommy Farrell | Happy 5thBirthday!From: Mom, Dad & RileyInterrupting Chicken – Stein |
| Mrs. Healey | We love you Ms. Healey!!From: The Callanan FamilyThe Jewel Fish of Karnak – Base |
| Mrs. Josovitz | To a wonderful librarian for teaching me a lot about librarys!From: Meredith WargoTrouble at the Treasury- Roy |
| Mrs. Karas | Mrs. Karas is a wonderful teacher!From: Rhiannon SizerSquish Rabbit – Batterby |
| Mrs. Loh | Thank you Mrs. Loh for helping me read!From, Ross VineDogs in Dead of the Night- Osborne |
| Mrs. Noonan | Happy Holidays!From: Blake EpsteinCity of Orphans- Avi |
| Mrs. Noonan | Thank you for teaching me so much!!From: Peter FoxEverything On it- Silverstein |
| Trey Paraska | Happy 7thBirthday!Love, Mom and DadBiscuit and the Last Teddy Bear – Capucilli |
| Michael Pisseri | What a great start to first grade. Happy Holidays! We are so proud, Mom, Dad and AndrewThe Three Little Aliens and The Big Bad Robot- McNamara |
| David Joseph Rollinson | In honor of Mrs. Rollinson’s new baby boy, David Joseph!From: Nathaniel Kwait & familyTweak Tweak – Bunting |
| Miss Shoop | Thank you Miss Shoop!Love, Ryan GilmanFancy Nancy: Splendid Speller – O’Connor |
| Miss Shoop& Mrs. Kalfus | Happy Holidays! Thank you for everything you do for me everyday!From: David MorgenszternPoindexter Makes a Friend – Twohy |
| Miss Shoop | Thank you for making kindergarten so much fun!From: AJ TennaroThe Lonely Beast – Judge |
| Rhiannon Sizer | Happy 7thBirthdayFrom: Mom & DadT is for Tutu - Rodriguez |
Friday Flash Info
If you have a message that you want to go into the Friday Flash, you may send it to NSSFridayflash@Fairfieldschools.org no later than 11:00 AM on Thursdays. When we have a short week, the Flash will go out on the last school day of that week. The deadline for submissions will then be 11:00 AM on the day before that. Also, when sending an email for the Flash, please type with no extra decorations i.e., bold, caps, shaded, etc. that will help us with typing. For any flyers to be attached to the Flash, please email your approved flyer to Tiger.Talk.NSS@gmail.com. If you’d like any hard copies to be available in the office, please bring them in to the main office. Thanks, in advance for your help.