1 of 26

Upcoming Events

January 13 - January 17, 2025

Poquonock School

E-News

Stay in touch with Poquonock

“The Backpack”

Virtual Backpack

POQ News

POQ School Events Calendar

Note From Poquonock Principals Mr. Mihalko and Mrs. Romero

Poquonock students started the week with our First SEL-ebration and ended with our Monthly Assembly- what an incredible first full week back in the new year. Congratulations to the Colon Family for being recognized Thank you West Hartford Children’s Museum for providing our students with STEM workshops this week. Do not forget to submit your essay for Senator Murphy's Annual Martin Luther King Jr Essay Contest Submissions must be received by Wednesday, January 15th at 11:59pm. https://tinyurl.com/MurphyMLK2025. Students that submit essays will participate in Extra Fun Gym Time with Mr. Mihalko and Ms. Mic.- Mr. Mihalko and Mrs. Romero

Date

Event

Time/Notes

December 6 - January 15

Submissions must be received by Saturday, January 15th at 11:59pm. https://tinyurl.com/MurphyMLK2025

January SEL Theme

PERSEVERANCE

T 1/14

Early Dismissal 1:30

F 1/17

School Store (3rd Fridays)

During Morning Arrival- items at $1 increments- Two Item Max

January 17 (F)

Little Light of Mine Assembly

1:15-1:45

January 20(M)

MLK, Jr. Day

No School

2 of 26

Pre-Kindergarten

Preschool has been working hard on their C4L curriculum. We have recently began Unit 3: How Structures Are Built.

Unit 3 focuses on how structures and tools work and how to make or do things. The students explore the form and function of objects through observations, simple experiments, games, and activities. They imagine, design, and create. We are also working on sequencing events (first, next, last) in different activities such as how to make a snowman, or what was the order of events in the story.

The students have been creating different art utilizing shapes, building letters with a variety of materials, and becoming architects to learn to design and plan before building.

The students also explore different books to inspire their creativity and to help them understand the concept of how to plan, steps to build, and find solutions if things aren't working.

Making Letters with Working with shapes:

various materials:

A few of our new vocabulary words:

-horizontal, diagonal, straight, curved

-materials

-first, second, then, next, last

-build, design, structure

-construct

-cooperation

3 of 26

Library

Your children are doing an amazing job checking out books!

Because of this…

All K-2 classes will now be checking out books EVERY WEEK.

It was always my hope that we could do book check out each week, but book check out procedures are a process that takes much of a 45 minute block. I did not want to take away from the wonderful storytelling and companion activities being done in the library.

All of the students have worked hard to learn our book check out procedures and I am confident we can now complete our lessons AND book check out every week.

I hope this makes it easier for students, teachers, and families to return their books on their library day each week.

Mr. McGee

4 of 26

Poquonock Family Game Night

With

The House of Books and Games

and

Make and Take Mancala

Date: Friday, February 7�Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

RSVP by January 31, 2025

RSVP for POQ Family Game Night

Pizza: 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Game Time: 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM�Bring your family and join in on the fun! We'll have a variety of games to play.

Make & Take Mancala�Get creative and make your own Mancala game to take home! All materials provided.

5 of 26

6 of 26

Poquonock Winter Giving Tree

Poquonock is collecting hats, mittens, and socks

January 6 - January 31, 2025

Located in the main office

Please contact Beth Abbot with any questions.

eabbot@windsorct.org

7 of 26

8 of 26

Senator Murphy's Annual Martin Luther King Jr Essay Contest

Senator Murphy is inviting elementary, middle, and high school students from across Connecticut to help honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by submitting essays that reflect on Dr. King's dream, their own aspirations, and the importance of what Dr. King means to them.

Submissions must be received by Wednesday, January 15th at 11:59pm. Essays can be submitted online or mailed to our Hartford Office: https://tinyurl.com/MurphyMLK2025

Essay instructions and FAQs can be found here: https://www.murphy.senate.gov/services/mlk-essay-contest

9 of 26

Kindergarten Math in Action

Unit 4: Operations & Algebraic Thinking

Students work toward the year-end goal of fluency with facts in the range of 0-5. Students use a variety of strategies to solve addition and subtraction word problems within 10 (ie. using objects, five frames, or drawings, or by acting out situations, or with verbal explanations). Students also take apart numbers (0-5) into pairs in more than one way, (ie. 5 = 2+3 and 5 = 4+1).

Home Connections:

Draw a picture of some water and some ice. Pretend that 0-10 pennies are penguins in the picture. How many are in the water? How many are on the ice? How many altogether? Show all the different ways.

Draw another picture and make up adding and subtracting story problems to go with it. Use 0-10 pennies (altogether) for the characters (ie. children on a playground or birds in a tree).

Addition and Subtraction Video: Guide for Parents

10 of 26

Poquonock PTO News

Email poqctpto@gmail.com if you’d like information on getting involved or read our newsletter here

TO

2024

2025

September 16

January 6

October 7

February 3

November 4

March 3

December 2

April 7

May 5

June 2

  • Thanks to all the families who came out for Disney on Ice! The Monster Jam signup for the end of March will be coming soon!
  • The school is looking for a room parent for every classroom. Families report feeling much more connected when their child’s class has a room parent. Sign up here (teachers still needing parents listed below)

Meetings run 6-7, in the library and online

  • Volunteers needed for upcoming PTO events! See the list and sign up here

Knowles, Brown, Scerra, Mccann, Achim, Harrison

11 of 26

Family Resources

12 of 26

13 of 26

Parents | Guardians | Family

Mr. Batchelder

Every month as a school we will be focusing each month on different character traits we want the students to practice here at Poquonock and at home. Be on the lookout at home for your child practicing these monthly character traits, initial this form and send it back to school! It will be displayed on our bulletin board.

The monthly focus for January is:

Perseverance

Some examples of Perseverance include:

  • Working hard
  • Not giving up
  • Trying their very best
  • Asking for help

January’s Character Trait: Perseverance

Catch your child persevering through tasks, initial this shape, and put your child’s name on it!

Send it back to school for our Perseverance wall and a star ticket!

14 of 26

Change of Clothing

Many times students have spills from food/drink, get wet on the playground and may have an accident even though they are potty trained. Please be sure your child has an extra set of clothes (shirt, pants, underwear and socks, and a sweatshirt for the classroom)

Please remember to label your child’s clothing with their name incase the item gets lost

S

Fever: 100.5F , children should stay home during the course of a fever and may return to school when they have been fever free for 24 hours without any medication to reduce fever.

Reminder: Medications may not be sent in with the students. A parent/ guardian must deliver the medication to the nurse.

All medications need to have an authorization administration form from your doctor .

Now that it is getting colder please remember to bundle up (hats, mittens, scarves and a warm coat and if it is snowy outside snow boots too (please pack sneakers in backpack for indoors)

Nurse’s Corner

15 of 26

Come join the fun!

Interested in volunteering?

Please contact Beth Abbot at

eabbot@windsorct.org

Volunteering begins October 1st!

16 of 26

17 of 26

Parents | Guardians | Family

Videos | Articles | Resources

Mr. Batchelder

SEL at Home

Resource

Description

Grade Level

This site describes five social-emotional learning games to play with your children to help them learn to manage their emotions and work on social skills

(K-5)

Conversation Starters for Families- Family conversations are a great way to make connections and check in with each other. It allows family members to develop perspectives, family culture, respect for each other and problem-solving skills. Conversation Starters for Families list questions to help get you and your family started on this activity.

(K-12)

SEL Lesson

Being a Good Friend

18 of 26

1760 Poquonock Ave.

Windsor, CT 06095 860-687-2080

19 of 26

20 of 26

21 of 26

Please contact Beth Abbot, the FRC Coordinator at eabbot@windsorct.org to sign up

22 of 26

If the temperature or the wind chill factor is at least 20 degrees all students will participate in outdoor recess. If below 20 degrees outdoor recess is cancelled.

If snow is on the ground, the items below are required for your child to leave the blacktop.

Poquonock School

Winter Reminder

All Students

Items needed

  • Snow pants
  • Boots
  • Mittens/Gloves
  • Hat

Reminders:

*Bring in an extra set of clothes just in case their clothes get wet.

*Please put names on all items brought into school.

23 of 26

24 of 26

WPS- Healthy Food Certified District

This is a reminder that we are a Healthy Food Certified District.

Please see the links below for the updated lists of foods & beverages that comply with the Connecticut Nutrition Standards (CNS)

Connecticut State Department of Education’s (CSDE).

This includes bringing in outside food for the students to have (i.e. for birthdays, extra snacks or rewards).

List of Acceptable Foods & Beverages

Suggestions for Healthy Rewards:

https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/TS_Rewards_v2.pdf

25 of 26

For information about product recalls from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, including recalls for children's products, go to Recalls | CPSC.gov.

Recall Information for Poquonock Families

26 of 26