Good Evening Meadowside Families -
Reminder there is no school tomorrow for the observance of Good Friday and School will be closed next week April 1-April 5 for Spring Recess.
Thank you to the PTA for sponsoring STEAM night alongside our Meadowside Staff! Our families really enjoyed the diverse activities across all five areas -- Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math -- had lots of fun and learned a lot too ! Thank you to Mrs. Guarino, Mrs. Jacques, Mrs. D’Amico, Mr. Hidalgo and Ms. Aliberti for everything you did to make the night a huge success!
Thanks also to our fifth grade committee for hosting our raffle and snack tables! Look out for more opportunities to help support our fifth graders including our upcoming IT event next week! Read on for more information.
Our Fifth Grade Committee has organized a fun opportunity for families over the Spring Break on April 1st at the IT Ropes Course in New Haven from 12:00 - 5:00. All families are welcome to attend -- 20% of proceeds will go to the fifth grade committee. Tickets can be bought online or families can print this flyer and bring it with them to the event. Our code MEADOWSIDE24. Please click here for more information.
More Important Information for Fifth Grade Families Regarding Middle School Course Selection: Today you should have received an email regarding music and language selection for next year. Please take some time to review the information and click on the links to select the appropriate music and world language programming for your child.
Solar Eclipse Important Update: Solar Eclipse - although our STEM department originally believed that we would be able to safely view the eclipse, the Connecticut State Department of Education recently issued the following guidance: "Since there will not be a total solar eclipse occurring in Connecticut, there is no safe time to view the event without specialized glasses or filters. Viewing any part of the bright Sun, even through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics, will instantly cause severe eye injury." Even with the purchase of the eclipse glasses from online websites, it is difficult to ascertain whether the glasses have been verified to meet ISO-2312-2 regulations. As mentioned in the FAQ document, even with the availability of the glasses, it is still not advised to look toward the sun even donning this eyewear. During the totality of an eclipse, when the sky becomes the darkest, damage can still result to the eyes. Oversight of the proper wearing of these glasses with a large crowd of students is difficult, even with clear instructions provided prior to viewing. While we will still take the opportunity to talk to students about the eclipse, unfortunately, the potential risk of severe eye injury from viewing the eclipse, even inadvertently, causes us to cancel our planned viewing of the solar eclipse for Monday, April 8. Please know that our commitment to the safety and well-being of our students and staff drives our decision.
Our second annual Career Day is scheduled for May 15th. Click here for the flyer and here to sign up to be a guest speaker!
Important Reminder: Kindergarten Registration: Our online Kindergarten registration for incoming Kindergarteners is still open. If you have not had the opportunity to register, please do so as soon as possible so that you will receive pertinent information and invitations to Kindergarten Kick Off Events this spring. If you have a child who will be starting Kindergarten in the fall, registration information is posted to the district website www.milforded.org. You must register your child for Kindergarten at the school determined by your street address, unless placed by Pupil Personnel Services. School/Street Assignments are available on the district website under “District Information.”
Children born on or before September 1, 2019 are eligible to register for Kindergarten. If your child is not age eligible (but is born September 2, 2019 through December 31, 2019), please use the online registration form if you wish to request a waiver. If you need assistance with the registration portal, please contact the main office of your district assigned school. School contact information can be found on the district website under “ Schools.”
We are excited for your children to join us! Fully registered families, please be on the lookout for more information from your school’s Principal about an in person kindergarten event in the spring. In the meantime, click here for a sneak peek of what to expect in Kindergarten!
We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2037!
Current RTL and Preschool Families - Students attending either Ready to Learn or a Preschool Program within our district must complete the kindergarten notification form in PowerSchool. If your child is not age eligible (born September 2, 2019 through December 31, 2019,) please indicate on the kindergarten notification form in PowerSchool to request a waiver. If you have already set up a PowerSchool Parent Portal account, you can log in at any time to review/update your contact and emergency contact information. If you do not have a PowerSchool account, please contact the main office. If you are having trouble logging in, please email computerhelpdesk@milforded.org for assistance. PowerSchool Parent Portal link: https://gradebook.milforded.org/public/
Community Connection Center News: This week's CCC News contains information and links for a mix of resources & fun activities. Among the community services you will find links for "Foodshare Mobile Pantry dates, and a new CT Transit Program. For Family fun you'll find information about several programs & activities to take advantage of over Spring Break. There is also information about two fun summer camps. Remember that the CCC Website is updated with links to community resources. 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!
Have a great week and we’ll see you in April!
Important Dates:
Friday March 29th- No School in observance of Good Friday
Friday, April 1st- PTA sponsored IT Adventure Ropes Course
Monday, April 1st-Friday, April 5th- School closed for Spring Recess
Friday, April 19th- Fancy Friday-Dress your best
Wednesday, April 24- Early Dismissal at 1:25 for Students
Attendance and Dismissal Reminders: If your child is absent, please log in and report their absence through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. For directions of how to fill out the student attendance form please click HERE. As a reminder each student is allowed 9 parent excused absences in the school year any further absences can only be excused with a doctor’s note. If you have a change in dismissal, please remember to send in a note, or email your child’s teacher and our secretary Miss Jones (jjones@milforded.org) and our greeter Mrs. Megan Ansaldo (mansaldo@milforded.org). It is important to email all three in the case that one or more of our staff is absent that day.