Important Dates 

March 11 - Principal's Coffee, 9:30 am, Projects Room, Social Emotional Learning

March 24 - Parent University Meeting, 7:00-8:30 pm, CHHS Community Room

March 24-31 -  NYS ELA Testing, Grades 3 & 4

March 27 & 31-  Parent/Teacher Conferences, Early dismissal, 10:45 am

March 31 - Parent/Teacher Evening Conferences, 5-8 pm

April 6-13 - Spring Recess,  school closed

April 17 - Cultural Night, 6:00 pm, Multipurpose Room

April 20-27 - NYS Math Testing, Grades 3 & 4

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  Newsletter March 6, 2020

http://www.chufsd.org/schools/carrie_e_tompkins_es

Message from the Principal, Mrs. Kelly Maloney

Dear CET Families,

I want to begin this newsletter by assuring you that the faculty, staff, and administration throughout the district are taking the concerns related to Coronavirus very seriously.  The health and wellness of your child is our top priority. As Dr. O’Connell outlined in her K12 message today, we have taken a number of steps to prevent the spread of germs including scheduled handwashing for all students and implementing a cleaning regime which will include closing all schools over the weekend in order to clean and disinfect high-contact surfaces.  The K12 message that we sent this morning on handwashing included a link on how to talk to your child about the Coronavirus. I’ve included it again here: Talking to Your Children About Covid-19: Parent Resource  

In addition to educating students on proper handwashing and hygiene protocols, our teachers have been busy preparing online learning resources (and paper/pencil resources) in the event that there is an extended school closure. In fact, first grade students will be coming home today with a packet of learning materials just in case!  Just to reiterate Dr. O’Connell’s message, if there was an extended school closure, students and families would be directed to the district website for information on how to retrieve learning materials and resources. 

Since returning from the Winter Break (what winter?), there has been a lot of learning going on in addition to hand washing protocols.  Our second grade students all participated in the Biography Museum. Each student researched an important individual that made a difference or a contribution to society in some way. Students highlighted important information and displayed their learning on a posterboard.  They dressed as the character! Parents and first grade students had the chance to visit the Biography Museum. I am always so impressed with the effort and creativity that goes into this project. It is a learning experience that many children remember for a long time!

Our kindergarten students spent the week celebrating Dr. Seuss! Each day their teachers read aloud a specific Dr. Seuss book; today it was The Sleep Book . Students also spent time reading Dr. Seuss books as well as engaging in various “Seuss” activities such as identifying rhyming words or making silly hats. I have fond memories of reading Dr. Seuss books when I was a child.  Of course, The Cat in the Hat book was my favorite.

One of my favorite PE units took place these past two weeks-Drumming for Fitness! All students in K-4 had the chance to experience this unit of study. Using inflatable workout balls, 10 gallon buckets, and drumsticks, students drummed to a variety of songs. Sometimes the PE teachers choreographed the routine and other times students had the chance to be the leader. Our fourth graders all worked in groups to create a routine to the song “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” 

Don’t forget to check us out on Twitter at #CETelementary. You can get a better picture of all the great learning taking place at CET!

Best,

Kelly

News from the Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kerri Bianchi

A Close look at the NYS ELA Exam

This year the 3 ^rd and 4 ^th grade NYS ELA (English Language Arts) tests will be administered at the end of March.  3 ^rd grade will test on Tuesday, March 24 ^th and Wednesday, March 25 ^th .  4 ^th grade will test on Thursday, March 26 ^th and Monday, March 30 ^th .  The tests will take place each morning over the 2 days for each grade.  Day 1 is comprised of 24 multiple-choice questions based on 4 reading passages, Day 2 consists of 6 short response questions and 1 extended response question based on 3 passages. This year 3 ^rd and 4 ^th grade will be participating in Computer Based Testing (CBT).  The 2019-2020 ELA test is untimed again this year.  Below are some of the skills that students have acquired in order to successfully answer questions.

In answering short responses, students need to…

• Read the question carefully and in their minds, rephrase the question and put it in their own words what the question is asking them.
• Know how to give specific and relevant examples and a lot of details from text.
• Identify the genre and think about possible questions. For example if the text is informational, look for the main idea, argument and supporting details. If the text is narrative, pay attention to characters, setting and plot.
• Make sure their response matches the question. Look for clues to help answer the question, if the question is inferential.
• Identify the question and determine what they need to do to answer it. Students should restate the prompt and need to answer the question with text based details.

In answering extended responses, students need to…

• Clearly introduce a topic
• Develop the topic with relevant details throughout the essay
• Group related information together
• Connect ideas with linking words and phrases
• Make inferences based on evidence from the text
• Provide concluding statements
• Demonstrate grade appropriate command of conventions

Students have prepared for the CBT testing at school by participating in simulation questions.  These sample questions have provided opportunities for students to work with and practice using the tools and familiarize themselves with the format of the computer based test.  Parents can help their child succeed by providing time for your child to read every day (increase the volume of their reading), reading Storyworks or any other age appropriate articles.  Give your child time to think out loud about these articles. Provide discussion time and encourage your child to read all different types of genres. Read aloud short stories, letters, interviews non-fiction articles. The reading strategies your child is learning can be applied to most genres.

Actual sample questions from last year’s test can be found on www.EngageNY.org  

News from Lauren Fitzgerald,   School Psychologist    

Assertiveness Skills for Children

It’s important to teach kids assertive communication skills when interacting with adults and peers. The term assertive is usually understood by children as early as 3 ^rd or 4 ^th grade. However, skills such as saying no in a meaningful manner and fairness can and should be taught at an even earlier age. Assertive communication involves recognizing and standing up for one’s own rights, while at the same time recognizing and respecting the rights of others. It is viewed as the healthiest form of communication when compared to acting either passive or aggressive.

There are effective ways to teach your children how to be assertive. These include:

• Modeling assertive behavior
• Using real life situations to teach children how to interact in an assertive manner
• Role-play real and fictional situations with your children to display the difference between assertive, aggressive, and passive responses

Assertive communication helps your children to better deal with conflict situations. Teaching these communication techniques now will better prepare your child for adulthood.

News from Christine Martins, School Nurse

Staying Healthy... and Keeping the Coronavirus Away!

That is the thought in everybody’s mind, especially now that we have confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Westchester County.  Preventing COVID-19 is much the same as preventing any other virus (i.e., the flu).

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC):

“There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.”

Here at CET, we are stressing the importance of hand-washing and good respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette:  Hand-washing reminders are given during morning announcements.  Hand-washing signs (both reminders and instructions) and cough etiquette signs are posted on the hallway walls throughout the schools.  Reminders are given to students throughout the day.  Students are washing hands before recess/lunch.  Instructional hand-washing videos and cough etiquette videos are played during lunch.  Videos on hand-washing and cough etiquette have been emailed to all CET staff, for them to watch on their own as well as for them to play for their students.

In the Nurse’s Office, we are continuing to follow standard precautions for infection control:  We are washing our hands in between each student that comes in.  I am reviewing and demonstrating proper hand washing with students that come in.  We are cleaning all surfaces (cots, counters, desks, thermometers, stethoscopes, computer keyboards, phones…) with germicidal sprays and wipes.  Students that are being sent home with cold symptoms (fever, cough, congestion…) are to wear facemasks while awaiting parent pickup.  

As always, your child’s health and safety is our priority!

Please help us enforce hand-washing and cough etiquette skills by watching these videos at home with your children:

Proper hand-washing:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IisgnbMfKvI
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d914EnpU4Fo
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxlQn7KaCNU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJG72sycQB8

Proper use of hand sanitizer:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnSjFr6J9HI

Respiratory hygiene/Cough etiquette:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b09luE7z2qY
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG4n0r8-UPA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR_QiBBjzG4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt0WkwjPeus

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CET PTA   

The PTA has heard from several parents saying they’d be interested in a Reusable Utensil Set for their kids to bring with their lunch.  We heard you and we now have them in!  You can order them from the cetpta.com site. 

You should have heard from your class parent regarding our biggest fundraiser, the Basket Raffle.  Thank you to everyone who has donated towards their class basket and if you haven’t, you still have time.  Baskets will be revealed on March 20 ^th at our Zumba Dance Party from 6-8pm.  You can buy tickets for the basket at the Dance Party, at your Parent/Teacher Conferences, or at Cultural Night.

The next Principal’s Coffee will be on Wednesday, March 11 ^th .  Join us for a discussion with Robin Wooley and Kerri Bianchi on Social Emotional Learning.  Find out how CET is meeting the emotional needs of its students, including teaching the ever increasingly important topic of consent as it is appropriately geared at elementary aged children.

We are starting to organize our first ever Wellness Day scheduled for June 5 ^th .  We will have guest speakers and activities planned for each grade as well as a Fun Run in order to encourage a better understanding of emotional and physical wellness.  If you are interested in helping out by speaking about your job in the Wellness industry, if you could lead an activity that could get our kids moving, if you could speak about nutrition or if you have a good idea about how our children could learn to be emotionally or physically healthier, please reach out to us at cetpta@gmail.com.

Experience Science 2020 Fair

Sign up NOW for the  2020 Experience Science Technology and Innovation Fair! There is an Experience Science tab with a link to our sign up form on the CET homepage.

This event takes place on Thursday, May 7th from 5:30-7:30 pm in the Croton-Harmon High School Auxiliary Gym. All K-12 students are eligible to participate.

For more info, visit our Experience Science website 

CHANGE IN CALENDAR EVENT

Please note that March 13, 2020 is now a regular school day at Carrie E Tompkins Elementary School.

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  LETTER DAY WHEN A SNOW DAY(S) HAS OCCURRED

When school is closed due to inclement weather, the letter day is rolled over to the next school day.

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EARLY MORNING DROP-OFFS

Just a reminder to use the traffic loop in the back of the building for early morning drop-offs. The loop in the front of the building is for buses ONLY until 8:15 AM.

Your cooperation is appreciated.

Updating You and Your Child’s Information in the K12 Alerts System 

To be sure we have the most up-to-date information for you and your child, you may access K12 Alerts by either logging on to the CET Homepage where you will find “Parent Portal/K12Alerts” or by accessing the Croton-Harmon School District’s Homepage and clicking on “Parent and Resident Portal/K12Alerts”. 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.