Mathewson Elementary School
PAWprint September 8, 2023
Hello Bulldog Families,
Well we made it through some hot days this week. But the heat didn't stop us from learning lots and having fun! Please remember to bring in water bottles. We look forward to another PAWmazing week ahead. Our first PTA meeting is next Tuesday at 7 pm in the Media Center. We hope to see you there!
With Love,
Melissa Currier, Principal
Upcoming Information to Know:
We are pleased to announce that we opened up our small playscape last week. Our large playscape is still under construction; however, we have made adjustments to our recess play areas outside so that we still have plenty of room to play and enjoy our outside time. (Of course with the heat advisories this week we were not outside on some days anyways.)
Due to our hot weather this week we delayed our drills until next week and the week after. Conducting emergency drills (fire, crisis, lockdown, etc.) is one of the most important ways we enhance our preparedness for students and staff during an emergency. Drills allow us to practice what we need to do when an emergency arises in our school.
We will be conducting a fire drill next week and a lockdown drill the week after. This will only be a drill and will be conducted in accordance with the School Incident Management Protocols established by the district, and in collaboration with our local first responders. Please discuss the importance of our emergency drills with your children. If you have any feedback please reach out to Ms. Currier. We thank you for your cooperation and partnership with making our schools a safer place for learning.
Mathewson Spirit Week is the week of September 18th!
Mathewson Open House is Tuesday, September 19th! See the times and set up for the evening here.
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Mathewson PTA News
Mums Sale
Check out our Mum Sale. All Orders are due by September 29th.
Pick up will be during the school day on 10/6 between 10-2pm
You can order right on our PTA Store Link which is included on the flyer.
Our first meeting is next week!
Tuesday, September 12 at 7:00
IN PERSON at the Library
We will be offering child care (Foran, Law and Harborside Key Club Members)
If parents would like to request child care, please complete this form!
Our first PTA in-school event is on Thursday, September 28th! Mathewson Bulldog Run 2023
The Bulldog Fun Run is back! Save the date: Thursday, September 28th in the morning. Students may begin fundraising on Givebacks (formerly MemberHub). Click this link to check out the fundraiser. You can choose to donate to the general Mathewson page or you can create an individual fundraising page! Students can earn individual, class, or grade level prizes for their fundraising efforts.
We're also looking for Company Sponsors. $50 per course marker! (Company logos will be printed in color on the course marker!)
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News Already Shared But Still Important….
We love to celebrate your child’s birthday and make holidays throughout the year special, however, we do not allow goodie bags of any kind to come into school. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you wish to come in and be a guest reader for the class or hand out a pencil, crayons or bookmark instead. To ensure all items are safe for all children we just ask that a gift bag of any kind not come in for birthdays or holidays. Thank you.
Family Arrival and Dismissal Reminders (sent out in opening letter)
Grade 4 & 5 Music Instrument Selection: It's that time of year where our 4th & 5th grade students may choose to play an instrument at school. We have many opportunities available -- woodwinds, brass, percussion and strings. To get started, click on THIS LINK to see the many choices -- then click on the REGISTRATION form to let us know what you would like to try! (And, for families, there's lots of other great information on the website, too - check it out!). If you have already signed up for an instrument - thank you. Scheduling is underway and more information will follow soon. Any questions, feel free to reach out to Mr. Boots at bboots@milforded.org. Happy New School Year!
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District News….
Friendly Reminder: No Food or Drink on School Buses: Just a friendly reminder this year. Food and drinks are not allowed on our school buses when students are being transported to or from school. Consuming these items while in transit can cause a safety concern; your bus driver will be reminding you as the school year gets underway.
Breakfast: Breakfast meals will be FREE OF CHARGE for ALL students in the Milford Public Schools. Lunch: For students who QUALIFY for free or reduced-price meals, (determined by the completion of the Free/Reduced Price Meals Application or via Direct Certification), lunch meals will continue to be offered FREE OF CHARGE. We strongly encourage everyone to click on the appropriate link below to complete the form; many of the income benchmarks have changed over the past 2 years – and you may now qualify even if you haven’t in the past.
Free/Reduced-Price Meals Application Online
Chromebook Insurance: You Can Renew Right on the Parent Portal: Our low-cost Chromebook Insurance program is WELL worth the annual renewal fee ($25 per year). If you’ve got kids, then you already know there’s always the potential for something to happen to the Chromebook during the year: lost (~$230 replacement cost), replacement mainboard (~$90), cracked screen (~$40), broken hinges (~$15), or broken keyboard (~$60), just to name a few. For $25, you can have peace of mind and save a lot of aggravation when something goes wrong. You can reserve your Chromebook insurance right on your Parent Portal account. If you have any questions, please contact our BIDS dept. at (203) 783-3446.
Please read the letter information below that was sent by Dr. Cutaia, Supt. of MPS, on 8/28 to families:
Dear Parents/Guardians,
I hope this letter finds you and your families enjoying a wonderful summer so far.
Today, I am writing to address recent legislation that was approved at the Connecticut General Assembly regarding the age of entrance for incoming public school students throughout Connecticut. On June 29, 2023, Public Act 23-208 was approved which, among other topics, states, “public schools shall be open to all children five years of age and over who reach age five on or before the first day of September of any school year.” This requirement will go into effect next year on July 1, 2024 (for the 2024-25 school year).
Currently in Connecticut, children must reach the age of five or older on or before December 31st of any school year to attend public school in Connecticut.
Public Act 23-208 also includes the following provision: “a child who has not reached the age of five on or before the first day of September of the school year may be admitted (1) upon a written request by the parent or guardian of such child to the principal of the school in which such child would be enrolled, and (2) following an assessment of such child, conducted by such principal and an appropriate certified staff member of the school, to ensure that admitting such child is developmentally appropriate.”
While we wait for state guidance on the implementation of the new requirements, we have begun to have some initial dialogue within the Milford Public Schools as we prepare for this shift. Please know we will keep you informed as we learn more.
Thank you, as always, for your support as we work together for the betterment of the Milford Public Schools.
Sincerely,
Anna Cutaia, Ed. D.
Superintendent
Click here for a printable copy.
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Community Connections Center News
Milford’s Community providers information & updates can be found on our NEW CCC district website along with the CCC’s programs! To locate the CCC’s web page go to Milford’s main page and click on the Menu tab & scroll down under district Information to find the Community Connections Centers!
This week's CCC News contains links to TEAM for energy assistance, CT Foodshare Mobile and information for Milford's Porchfest.
Remember that the CCC Website is updated with links to community resources.
Have a Great Weekend!
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Mary-Kathryn Williams, Coordinator
Milford Community Connection Centers
203-882-6094
Mwilliams@milforded.org
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@ BePAWsitiveMPS
