4/21/17

Hello Doolittle Families,

We have had a busy week back from vacation. SBAC testing has started for students in grades 5 and 6. The SBAC test replaced the CMT a few years ago. The SBAC test is done on-line and is shorter than the old CMT test as well. Students have about three hours of English Language Arts testing spread over two days and about four hours of Math testing spread out over 4 days. Results of the testing will be available in the Fall.

The Connecticut Commissioner of Education is sponsoring an essay contest for students in grades 5-8. Parents are welcome to have their child participate and send in an entry.   My Teacher Has Inspired Me...

The “Buy One Get One Free” Book Fair this week was great! Many thanks to the PTA and volunteers who helped make it a success.

Beautiful Signs of Spring at Doolittle!

3/24/17

Hello Doolittle Families,

Today teachers had Professional Development. Most teachers attended sessions to learn about the new Math program that will be used in grades Kindergarten through 5. It is called Eureka! https://greatminds.org/math

In the afternoon Teachers in Grades Kindergarten through 3 took a state mandated survey about teaching reading.

Doolittle Teachers Nancy Veronneau and Kristine Lucker lead a Professional Development Session.

Budget News:

The Cheshire Town Council will have a meeting on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. At this meeting the Town Council will be discussing the 17-18 Town Budget. Obviously this is an important budget for our school. We would appreciate parents who can attend to encourage them to support Superintendent Solan’s Proposed School Budget!

3/20/17

Hello Doolittle Families,

Happy Spring! As Spring begins, it is time for  Doolittle School staff to begin making preliminary classroom lists for the 2017-2018 school year.  

The Doolittle staff works together to group students into new classes at each grade level.  Our primary goals are to create classrooms that are heterogeneous in composition, reflecting the variety of students in our school, as well as place each child in an environment where s/he will learn best.  We accomplish these goals by balancing classes with regard to gender, academic performance, special learning needs, independent work habits, and social-emotional development.  Teachers try to ensure that a few classmates move together to new classes and that known peer conflicts are separated.

If you have additional information that you would like taken into account when assignments are made, please write me a letter by Monday, April 3, 2017.

* Requests for specific teachers cannot be honored.

* Requests NOT to have a specific teacher MAY be honored only if your family has had a previous child placed with that teacher and it would not be appropriate to place a sibling with that teacher.

The preliminary class lists that we develop by the end of this school year are subject to change over the summer as new students enroll, current students move or if teachers move or leave. Therefore, teacher/classroom assignments for the next school year will not be finalized until the end of the summer and will be available on PowerSchool in Mid August.  Assignments will not be given out before that time.

Parent Conferences begin this week. We have early dismissals on 3/22, 3/28 and 3/30.

There is NO SCHOOL this Friday 3/24 as it is a professional Development day for Teachers.

Making Equivalent Fractions using a Number Line

3/10/17

Hello Doolittle Families,

The Doolittle Gratitude Project has been amazing this year. Each morning for the last two weeks students have written something they are grateful for on a stickie note. All these notes were hung on the cafeteria wall.

This project began last year when Anne Kubitsky presented her program Look for the Good. Students were encouraged to think about the things in their lives for which they were grateful. I’m very grateful that we have continued the project again this year!

Many thanks to the Student Council and their advisors: Mrs. Schult, Mrs. Charbonneau and especially Mrs. Guerin, who have facilitated this project.

I encourage parents to speak to their children about the project and talk about the good things in their lives for which they are grateful.

Parent Conferences are coming up.

3/22, 3/28 and 3/30 are early dismissal days for Parent Conferences.

Good communication between teachers and parents is vital for students’ academic and social success in school.

If you do not have a parent conference scheduled for your child - please email your child’s teacher or call the Doolittle School office to set one up!

Doolittle School: 203-272-3549

Doolittle Staff Directory

Pictures of the week:

The Wall of Gratitude!

Ride on a Hover Craft

Science Center Program sponsored by the PTA

2/17/17

Hello Doolittle Families,

Emotional Health and Well Being:

At Doolittle School we work hard to build students’ knowledge and academic skills. However we believe that social skills and emotional intelligence are just as important.

Feelings and emotions impact actions both positively and negatively.

The first step to appropriately regulating emotions, and therefore actions, begins with identifying how you are feeling and the Mood Meter is the perfect tool.

A few teachers and I have been fortunate to participate in workshops through the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to learn about the RULER program. Most classrooms have begun to discuss the Mood Meter with students. The Mood Meter is a simple way to help students identify how they are feeling and to help them identify feelings in others.  

High energy and strong feelings of pleasantness would put one in the Yellow Quadrant. The Yellow Quadrant is associated with feelings of happiness and exuberance depending on how much energy and how pleasant the feeling is.

More information about the Mood Meter and the RULER program can be found at: http://ei.yale.edu/

Enjoy your long weekend!

1/20/17

Hello Doolittle Families,

Science Quest:

Each year 6th grade students are offered the opportunity to participate in Science Quest. Doolittle Teachers with help from a few Cheshire High School students, engage 6th graders in hands-on science experiments and activities. The groups meet for about 6 weeks. Science Quest culminates with a demonstration for parents.

Arrival:

I know arrival can be a slow and frustrating process. I appreciate everyone’s help in making sure that students get into our school every day in a safe and orderly manner.

Please refrain from dropping students off in the Cornwall Side Parking lot. This interferes with buses. Parents who choose to drive their children to school, are asked to drop them off at the Oak Avenue entrance drop-off area only. Please pull all the way up before letting your child exit your vehicle. Please do not drive past cars that are letting children out.

Students are permitted to enter the building at 8:00.  All students should enter through the front doors.

Picture of the Week:

Geography Bee

1/13/17

Hello Doolittle Families,

Happy Friday the 13th!

This week and next, teachers and I hold discussions with students about Martin Luther King Jr. and his important contributions to our nation and the world. Students are always eager to learn about his legacy and messages of racial equality, non-violence and character.  

Budget:

At meetings on Tuesday and Thursday this week, Mr. Solan and Mr. Masciana went through the Superintendent’s  budget proposal in depth. Their presentations are at this link: Budget Information

The next budget meeting is Tuesday, January 17th at 7pm at Dodd Middle School. At that meeting the Board of Education will be commenting on the budget and will invite comments and questions from the public.

Picture of the week:

We had a very cold start to the week.