Important Dates

May 4 - PTA Dance Party, 6:30 pm

May 10 - 4th Grade "Broadway Kids" Parent Performance, 7:00 pm

May 14-16 - CET Incoming Kindergarten Screening by appointment only

May 18 - Around the World w/CET Cultural Night, 6:30 pm

May 24 - CET Field Day, raindate May 25th

*****

CET Newsletter May 4, 2018

https://www.chufsd.org/Domain/10 

Message from the Principal, Mrs. Kelly Maloney

Dear CET Families,

If you did not have the chance to visit Experience Science 2018 last night at the high school, you should be sure to get there next year! I was so impressed with the variety of projects and experiments that were done by students throughout the district! CET was well-represented with about fifty students participating!  

The science project that caught my attention was the 3D simulation model of the traffic congestion that occurs when students are dropped off in the morning at CET. The simulation model was an accurate visual of the traffic flow through our back parking lot, and demonstrated the amount of time it takes to unload each vehicle.  The researcher, a 2nd grader, collected data on the number of cars that drop off during the peak time of 8:00-8:15 am, and estimated the amount of car exhaust during that time. This project supports the changes we want to communicate to those parents who drop their child off in the morning. Upon entering the “driveway” section where the sidewalk begins, parents should begin the unloading process.   Drivers should not be waiting until they reach the multipurpose room doors to unload their passenger(s). Additionally, students should be exiting from the passenger side of the vehicle.  Students should not be crossing in front of cars. Your child should also be prepared to disembark.  In the next few weeks, we will be putting up new signage to indicate how to drop off students. Your cooperation in following these procedures is necessary to ensure the safety of everyone.   

If your child did not mention yesterday’s assembly, please be sure to ask them about the Chinese acrobats who performed for us!  The “ooooos” and “ahhhhhhs” were successive throughout the entire performance! The acrobats performed some amazing feats including including one who juggled a wooden table with her feet!  All students left the assembly enthusiastically with many of them attempting their own tricks! Ms. Peters arranged this assembly as a way to continue the emphasis on cultural awareness. Thank you to the PTA for paying for this.   Speaking of cultural awareness, I hope that you attend “Around the World with CET: Cultural Night” on May 18.

Our district-wide art show is coming up. All CET students will have a piece of their artwork exhibited. During art class, students have been busy selecting the one piece that they would like to display. After the art show is over, your child will be bringing home all of their art projects. Please consider attending the district-wide art show; I assure you will be impressed with the artistic abilities of our K-12 students!  

Our third and fourth grade students took the New York State Mathematics test this week. This test was administered over the course of two days and required students to demonstrate their mathematical skills and thinking.  Students in these grades enjoyed ice pops courtesy of the PTA in recognition of their hard work and efforts during the testing period. Fourth graders still have the NYS Science test to take later this month. 

I hope to see you at tonight’s Dance and Crafts Party. May the Fourth Be With You!

Best,

Kelly

News from the Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kerri Bianchi

We have arrived at the time of year when our students are growing excited for summer and, believe it or not, are getting ready to move on to the next grade. They are feeling very comfortable with their teachers and their peers.  Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when some of our students need to be reminded about our CET expectations.   We would like to spend some time reviewing appropriate recess behavior to help ensure safety and fun for everyone. I would like to share the expectations with you in the same language we use here at CET so that you can feel comfortable reinforcing these expectations at home.  Students show respect at recess by listening and following the directions of the lunch monitors, using kind words, using equipment and materials correctly and asking permission to use the bathroom or go to the nurse.  Students show effort by, responding quickly to the whistle and doing their best to follow the recess rules.  They demonstrate acceptance by taking responsibility for themselves and their actions.  They can’t say “You can’t play”, which means including everyone.  Our students show cooperation by taking turns, being a team player, putting away the recess equipment, lining up safely and quietly at the end of recess and working with others to follow the recess rules. Finally, CET students demonstrate honesty by being truthful, playing by the rules and showing good sportsmanship.  We have been encouraging activities such as wall-ball, dodge ball, kickball and 4-square as opposed to unorganized games of tag that can sometimes lead to accidents.  Your support in reinforcing these ideas and expectations is always appreciated.  We believe that recess should serve as an important and beneficial part of the school day at CET. 

Message from Robin Woolley, School Counselor

It’s Important!  Spending Quality Time with Your Children

Get out there and play!  Yes, parents, you need to do this too!  With the onset of warmer weather, it’s easy to send our kids outside to play while we “get things done” around the house.  I find that I am often overwhelmed between work, home “stuff”, supervising homework and transporting my kids to dance and soccer.  It’s easy to leave them to their own devices (pun intended!) and get MY stuff done.  I need to remind myself, though, that laundry, dishes,  vacuuming, candy crush and my own social life come second to my children’s social-emotional development.  I also want to make sure I’m  developing a healthy relationship with them now so that the lines of communication remain open as they journey into adolescence and those dreaded teenage years when we must openly talk with them about heavier issues such as drugs, sex and violence. 

Here are a few things to try - I think you’ll be amazed how much better you feel when you spend even 15 minutes of quality time with your child.   

• Resist saying “in a minute…” if your child asks you to play with them or says they want to tell you something.  I know all too well that a “minute” can quickly turn into 30 or more!
• Be mindful of your ratio of positive to negative interactions with your kids (and others):  It’s recommended that for every negative interaction, you have at least 5 positive ones.
• Turn off the phones/TVs/tablets and talk to your children with no distractions.  Listen to what they say.
• Have breakfast and dinner together.
• The website www.firefliesandmudpies.com recommends the following 10 ways to spend quality time with your kids: 

1. Play a game
2. Do chores together
3. Make a craft
4. Go for a walk (your dog will like this, too!)
5. Cook together
6. Free play
7. Go on a scavenger hunt
8. Pretend play
9. Splash in puddles on rainy days
10. Sensory play (playdoh, sand box, rice box, make mud pies, etc.) 

 Have fun and enjoy your kids!

AROUND THE WORLD WITH CET: 

CULTURAL NIGHT!

We will be hosting our first Cultural Night at CET on Friday, May 18 from 6:30-8:00PM.  

Parents have volunteered to create booths featuring the countries listed below (25 countries!!).  Each booth will consist of visuals of the country, an activity/craft, dance, and food tastings.  We will have passports for all the kids and each country will have a spot to stamp their passports.  

Families will visit booths from 6:30-7:30PM, then we will have a fashion show from 7:30-8:00PM.  We will set up on the CET field but if it rains we will have it inside the school.  

We invite you to bring the whole family and travel the world with us.  

Greece, India, Czech Republic, Bangladesh, United States, Cajun-South Louisiana, Pakistan, Philippines, Caribbean Island of Grenada, Ireland, Columbia, Portugal, Italian American, Guyana, England, Ukraine/Russia, China, France, Mexico, Chile, Israel, Gambia, Sweden, Honduras, and Ecuador.

*************************************************************************

CET PTA

  Get your groove on at our Dance Party. We hope to see you there on  Friday the 4th of May.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Students who reside in Croton and will be 5 years old before December 1, 2018 are eligible to attend kindergarten, If you are in need of a kindergarten registration packet and/or an appointment, please contact:

Gail Anzovino, Secretary to the Principal

914-271-5184 ext.3212

*************************************************************************

UPDATING YOU AND YOUR CHILD'S INFORMATION IN THE K-12 SYSTEM

Change your phone number recently? Have a new emergency contact?

To be sure we have the most up-to-date information for you and your child, you may access K-12 Alerts by either logging on to the CET Homepage where you will find "Parent Portal/K-12 Alerts" or by accessing the Croton-Harmon School District's Homepage and clicking on "Parent and Resident Portal/K-12 Alerts". Once you log in to the K-12 Alert System, you will be able to make any necessary changes to your or your child's information.

If you have any questions, please contact Denise Cuomo, 914-271-4793, ext. 4200.