MaryP.HinsdaleElementary School
15 Hinsdale Avenue
Winsted, Connecticut06098
Debra C. Grainsky, Principal Telephone: 860-379-5956
Fax: 860-379-3840
August, 2014
Dear Hinsdale Families:
I am hopeful that you are enjoying a wonderful summer. This letter indicates that the beginning of the school year is right around the corner. I hope that all children have read books, studied their math facts, and have visited the library, museums or had other educational experiences this summer in addition to enjoying some sun and fun. The school feels empty without the students, so I eagerly await their arrival!! It is with great pride that I welcome returning and new families to the Hinsdale School Grand Opening on August 27, 2014.
Registration Form:Included with this letter you should receive a registration form. Please fill out this form and return it to the school in person, by email () or by fax, 860-379-3840. Children can also return this form to their classroom teacher on the first day of school.
First Day of School: The first day of school, Wednesday, August 27th, is a full day sessionfor students from 8:45 AM to 3:10 PM. All students arriving to school, by bus, walking or via parent drop-off, should enter the building immediately upon their arrival. The doors to the school will be open at 8:25 AM, and the expectation is that all students are in their seats in their classrooms by 8:45 AM. Therefore, any students who plan to eat breakfast prior to beginning their dayshould arrive at 8:25 AM. I will deliver an all school opening message once all students have arrived.
Summer Reading:All children should be reading over the summer. When children have completed books, they should write them into the Governor’s Challenge Log that was sent home at the end of the last school year. If you have lost the log book, please write the name of books read on a regular piece of paper. This document must be turned into your child’s classroom teacher during the first week of school. Additionally, children are encouraged to color and fill out a leaf template, which was also sent home at the end of last year, to be put up on our Giving Tree, located at the main entrance in the building. Second graders will be able to color a leaf template upon their arrival to Hinsdale because the leaf templates were not in their summer packets.
School Families 2014-2015:
Our new “school family” initiative organizes all students in grades two through four and all staff members into “school family” units. Each “family unit” is composed of approximately ten through twelve students, and a staff member, or “Leader,” to facilitate the family meetings. The meetings will take place four times a year for thirty minutes. Pre-written curriculum focused on the theme of The Habits of Mind (Costa) and being a Bucket Filler, ( will be the focus for each “family” meeting. It is our goal, by connecting students with other students from different grades in meaningful activities, to create a school environment that fosters individual differences and celebrates each learner as unique. Our school family initiative is aligned with the responsive classroom, which was created to foster a caring and cooperative school environment, focusing on strategies to decrease bullying and teasing and promote personal responsibility. Our lessons for the year have been designed to raise awareness, explore feelings, connect children to one another, provide activities and tools for children, and empower them to become catalysts for tolerance and change. Our school implements these lessons and activities to support our responsive classroom philosophy, to make meaningful connections, and to strengthen our resolve in fostering an anti-bullying and anti-teasing school climate.
Transportation: Please return your transportation form if you have not yet done so. At the beginning of each school year, all eligible students will be assigned to a bus run by the Transportation Supervisor. Unless an exception is granted, all bus run assignments will be on a five-day per week basis. Changes in transportation are made for daycare purposes only. All students will have one designated pick-up point in the morning and one designated drop-off location in the afternoon. Parents who wish to request a permanent change in bus transportation, for day care purposes, must contact the school office in advance of that change so that arrangements can be made in a timely fashion. Under no circumstances are students allowed to take a different bus than they have been assigned. Questions about bus transportation can be answered by Jody Audia at Worhunsky Transportation at 860-379-0020.
Walkers: For Hinsdale School, you must be in grade 3 or 4 to be permitted to walk without parental supervision.
Drop Off/Pick up Information: Students may be dropped off in the morning picked-up at the end of the school day on a regular basis. These children should enter the school from the door closest to Williams Street. Parents are asked not to park in the handicapped accessible spots during drop off and pick up. Please note that the doors will no longer be open after 8:45 AM, because they will be considered tardy. In those circumstances, parents will need to park their cars and walk their children to the main office to sign them in. I strongly encourage those families who do qualify for bus transportation to choose to use the transportation services and not provide personal transportation on a daily basis to and from school. This recommendation is in an effort to enhance student safety, reduce traffic congestion and support efforts to improve our environment.
Parent Pick Up For a Typically Bused Student: Students who are going home in a different manner than they usually do must bring a note to school and give it to their teacher. Students who do not bring a note to school indicating a change in arrangement for getting home will take their typical mode of transportation home. If you wish to change the manner in which your child will get home, and you have forgotten to send a note, you must call into the school during the day by 2:30 PM to let the school know about the change. Additionally, parents who wish to sign out their children at the end of the day must be at the school by 2:45 to sign them out. We are extremely cautious about each child’s well being. At the end of the day it may difficult to get a message to an individual teacher, so we need to know this information before dismissal begins.
Supplies: If you did not receive a supply list from your child’s teacher, then please note the recommended list of supplies: 1 pack pencils (age appropriate), 2 hand held erasers or some pencils with top erasers, 1 pencil box or zippered pouch, 1 pack of waterproof markers, 3 pocket folders, 1 box of crayons and 1 backpack (without wheels). Please do not send in scissors or staplers.
Back to School Information: On the first day of school we will send home back-to-school information. This will include student handbooks and the school calendar. Please review the handbook with your children and sign and return the first page after you have reviewed the contents. Please keep us updated with your most current phone numbers, etc., in the event of an emergency.
Cafeteria: Enclosed with this letter is the free and reducedprice lunch form. If you believe you qualify for this service, please send it in as soon as possible. Processing of the form may take up to 5 business days. When children qualify for free or reduced lunch, they may also qualify for reduced or free breakfast. Full price lunch charges are as follows: Lunch-$2.50, Milk $.55, Ice Cream (Thursdays only) $.55.
Children must bring money to purchase their food. If children have no money, they will be able to charge the food, but they will receive a notice indicating the amount of money they owe the cafeteria services.
Footwear: If you are shopping for school shoes and/or sneakers, please do not purchase ones with black soles, as they leave black marks on our floors. Most importantly, first consider safety when purchasing shoes, as those with open-toes and/or without backs are very dangerous during physical education and recess play. Students are not allowed to wear flip-flops, loose fitting/limited support shoes, and shoes without backs. Sneakers are always a great choice for school activities.
Staffing Updates: Some staffing changes have occurred this year at Hinsdale School. They are as follows:
Retirements/Resignations:
Mrs. Terry Echentile, Gr. 2
Mrs. Ruth Rosenstein, Gr. 2, special education
Mr. Jim Talbot, Gr. 4
Mrs. Pam Colavecchio, Library/Media, Grades K-3
Mr. Adam Nanavety, Music, Grades 4-6
Ms. Marianne Weber, Speech
New Transfers:
Kim Brooks will be teaching grade 1 at Batcheller School
Shannon Ball will be teaching grade 3 at Batcheller School
Sabrina Alderidge will teach special education at Hinsdale School in Grade 2
New Hires:
Mrs. Heather Riera, Gr. 2
Mrs. Kerry Charpinsky, Gr. 2
Ms. Beth Duquette, Gr. 4
Mrs. Erin Baynes, Library/Media, Grades K-2
Mr. John Delvento,Music Grades 3-6
Mrs. Julie Vold, Math Interventionist
Miss Caitlin Miller, Speech
Name change:
Miss Melissa Russell is now Mrs.Melissa Colman –CONGRATULATIONS
Intern :
Mrs. Alisha Nadeau will serve as a school intern this school year. She is in a teacher education program at St. Joseph College.
Delayed Opening Schedule: In the event of inclement weather, all Winchester Public Schools will have a ninety minute delayed opening. When you learn from the Local News, a Rapid Notification phone message, or from the radio that there is a delayed opening to school, please note that it will always be ninety minutes. Therefore, school will begin at 10:15 a.m. on delayed opening days, with an arrival time beginning at 9:55 AM. There is no breakfast on days with late openings.
Open House: Our Open House will be held onThursday, September 11th, from 6:30-7:30 PM. Students and parents are invited to attend this evening to meet and greet teachers and other Hinsdale Staff. This is not an opportunity when teachers can hold individual teacher-parent conferences, but we look forward to you attending those conferences on November 24-26th.
I hope you find this newsletter helpful. Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely,
Debbie Grainsky
Principal