March Newsletter

March 1, 2019 Dear Parents / Guardians / Friends of GF / JWL, I hope that everyone is well as we progress through Winter. Hopefully, when I post the next newsletter in early April, we will enjoy warmer weather and much more sunlight following the beginning of Daylight Savings Time! Technology can be a blessing and a curse. I enjoy the conveniences of my i-Phone as much as anyone. But I am disgusted by the garbage that is spread through the Internet and, specifically, social media at times. Scarring and instigating people is disgraceful. Per the Superintendent’s previous correspondence with families, please refer to professional sites to deal with concerns about information and threats passed through the Internet and social media. Working together, we will keep everyone as safe and secure as best as possible. Please continue to dress your children in appropriate clothing. We try to have outdoor recess as much as possible. Unless the temperatures are severely frigid, it’s important for the students to have the opportunity to get some fresh air during the school day. We are very excited that our PBIS program is progressing well - behaviors have improved and referrals have decreased. As always, I want to thank our PBIS leadership team for their diligence and collaboration: Ms. Turetsky, Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Miner, Mrs. MacCall, Mrs. Longino, Mrs. Hansen, Mrs. Malone and Mrs. Shaughnessy. As a reminder, the following is our PBIS celebration policy: Students who receive three minor office referrals and / or one major office referral in a particular month will participate in an alternate activity which will be supervised by staff members. The alternate activity is not a further punishment, but rather an opportunity to participate in a reflective program ultimately designed to allow students to make improved behavior choices moving forward. The next PBIS celebration will be in late March - we will inform students and their families and will upload an announcement on the homepage when the date is finalized. Please make sure to check the school calendar regularly. Here are a few highlights for the month of March: Upcoming Events: March: 3/7 - Grades Close 3/8 - No school for students / PD for staff 3/11 - Invention Convention and Science Fair 3/11 - PTO Meeting, 3:30, GFS Media Center 3/14 - Harlem Wizards vs. Ledyard Colonels Superstars Faculty and Staff game, LHS, 5:30 3/15 - Colonel Rally, 2:10 3/18 - Grade 2 field trip to the Garde Arts Center 3/19 - Report cards sent home 3/20 - 3/21 - Parent Conferences I hope all is well with everyone! Sincerely, Andrew R. Tripaldi Principal