Embedded Files
Family Newsletter
March 2026
Schoolwide Expectations:
Schoolwide Expectations:
R: Respect Others
O: Own Your Actions
A: Act Safely
R: Rise to Challenges
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Important Links:
Stamford School Important Dates and Events
2025-2026 School Year Calendar
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Hello Stamford Families: 💚
I can’t believe we are already welcoming March. This school year truly seems to be flying by! While our days are still cold and the ground remains covered in snow, we are hopeful that signs of spring are just around the corner. Even on these chilly days, there is warmth and energy inside our classrooms as students continue to grow and learn.
March is an exciting month at Stamford. It is Literacy Month, and we will be celebrating in ways that spark curiosity, creativity, and a deeper love of reading. Our goal is to continue strengthening literacy skills while making reading joyful and engaging.
We will also celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, host parent-teacher conferences, and begin state testing. As we prepare for testing, please know that our focus remains on strong instruction, consistent routines, and helping students feel confident and prepared. These assessments are one measure of progress, and we are proud of the growth our students continue to demonstrate.
As always, we will keep you informed throughout the month about what’s happening inside our classrooms and across the school. Thank you for your continued partnership, as it truly makes a difference in your child’s success.
Here’s to a productive and positive March at Stamford!
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🏫 Town Meeting Night: Your Presence Matters
On Monday night, our school budget will be voted on from the floor at Town Meeting. This means the decision is made by those who are physically present in the room. I am asking, sincerely, for as many families as possible to attend.
The Town will present first at 7:00 PM, and the school will present second. I understand that this is a late evening for families. However, there is no school on Tuesday, and we have worked as a staff to make attendance as manageable as possible. Our teachers have generously volunteered to provide free babysitting at the school during the meeting. Students will be grouped by age, supervised by trusted staff members, and are welcome to come in pajamas and bring a favorite stuffed animal. They will be safe, comfortable, and cared for while you attend the meeting.
Your presence is powerful. It demonstrates that families support the strong instruction, structured literacy, math intervention, and social-emotional supports that are helping our students grow. The progress we are seeing in reading, in math, and in overall student confidence is the result of intentional systems that require continued support.
When families show up, it sends a clear message: our children matter, and their education is a priority. I hope you will consider joining us. Your voice truly makes a difference.
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📊 State Report Card & Upcoming State Testing
We are proud to share that Stamford School’s recent State Report Card reflects continued growth and progress. Stamford was recognized as Excelling in Growth, highlighting the meaningful academic gains our students have made over the past year. While we continue striving toward meeting and exceeding all state benchmarks, our upward trajectory demonstrates that the instructional systems and supports in place are making a real difference for students.
State testing will begin the week of March 30th, starting with English Language Arts (ELA) for students in grades 3-8. These assessments provide one measure of student progress and help guide our ongoing instructional planning. As the testing window approaches, we will share more detailed information, including specific dates and ways families can support students during this time.
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📚 Parent–Teacher Conferences
Parent–Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday evening, March 25th. This date is already a scheduled half-day for students, with Pre-K dismissing at 11:00 AM and Grades K–8 dismissing at 11:30 AM.
To make scheduling as convenient as possible, electronic sign-up links will be sent out on Thursday, March 12th. Please keep an eye out for that email and select a time that works best for your family.
We truly value this time to connect with you, celebrate your child’s growth, and discuss next steps together. We look forward to partnering with you to support your child’s continued success.
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After-School WINGs Program
We hope many of you are excited to sign your children up for our upcoming after-school WINGs program, scheduled to begin on March 9th. WINGs will run for six weeks, meeting on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week.
A flyer will be sent home on Wednesday, and you may return the paper copy to me by Friday morning. Confirmation of placement will be sent home on Friday afternoon. Please note that space is limited for each session, so we encourage you to respond as soon as possible to secure your child’s spot.
We’re looking forward to another engaging and fun WINGs session!
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🏃♀️ Physical Education Expectations:
Students have Physical Education on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If the weather permits, classes may participate in outdoor activities, so it is important that students are dressed appropriately for both indoor and outdoor movement.
Please ensure your child wears appropriate footwear, such as sneakers with secure soles. Crocs, sandals, boots, or slip-on shoes are not safe for physical activity and may prevent full participation.
Physical Education is part of our academic program and supports students’ physical health, teamwork, and overall well-being. Unless a student has a documented medical reason, they are expected to participate and are not able to opt out.
Thank you for helping your child come prepared and ready to move!
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Earn Cash For Schools With Box Tops: Together, We Can Make a BIG Difference!
For over 25 years, Box Tops for Education has given families an easy way to earn for schools with products they already buy. Today, you can find hundreds of participating products throughout the store - and all you need is the Box Tops app.
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Attendance Reminder:
To best support our students as learners, they must attend school regularly. While missing a day here or there might seem insignificant, school absences can add up quickly. Missing just two days each month, excused or unexcused, can significantly impact a child’s academic achievement.
Some reasons for missed school days are unavoidable, but if your child is missing multiple days, especially a few days every month, it’s important to consider how this adds up in lost instruction time and its long-term effects on their education.
In addition to attending school every day, students must arrive on time. Our school doors open promptly at 8:00 am each morning, and our daily announcements are made at 8:25. When students arrive late, they miss these important announcements. They may also miss academic activities that are key to starting the day in their classrooms. Being late also means missing out on opportunities to connect with their peers at the beginning of the school day.
However, with that being said, we also recognize that this is the time of year when illnesses are circulating in the community, including strep throat, influenza, viral colds, COVID-19, and stomach viruses. Even though school attendance is extremely important, we ask that students and staff stay home if they are showing any symptoms of a potentially contagious illness, including:
Vomiting or diarrhea – must be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school.
Fever of 100.4°F or higher – stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without medication
Any infection requiring antibiotics – keep your child home until they have been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours
Persistent cough that disrupts normal activities
Influenza or COVID – stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without medication
Any other symptoms that make it difficult for your child to learn or for staff to work
Students can return to school once they feel well enough to participate and are fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications.
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Winter Weather:
As the weather gets colder, please remember that children will go outside for recess each day unless the temperature, including windchill, drops below 20 degrees. Students must wear the appropriate outerwear and footwear to stay warm and healthy. T-shirts, shorts, Crocs, or sandals are unsuitable for winter weather.
Please ensure your child has a warm jacket, hat, gloves, and sturdy shoes for outdoor play. We have extra coats and mittens for children to use during outdoor play if needed. Students should also bring a pair of indoor shoes to change into if they wear winter boots to school. It might be wise for younger students to have extra pants in their backpacks if they get wet during recess.
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PTG News:
We need your partnership and involvement to ensure our students' success. This year, we are working to rebuild participation with our Parent-Teacher Group (PTG) to support our school community. We warmly invite all parents to be active members of our PTG. Every parent is already a valued member, and we encourage you to participate in whatever suits you and your family best. We'll hold monthly meetings to collaborate and support our students and school community. Our meetings will occur on the first Thursday of every month from 5:30-7:00 PM in the School Library. Please join us for an evening of discussion, connection, and community-building! We'll provide pizza, and you can bring your children along. Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 5th. I hope to see many of you there!
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Important Safety Reminder: Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
For the safety and efficiency of our drop-off and pick-up process, please remain in your vehicle at arrival and dismissal times, regardless of your child's grade level. Students riding the school bus are dismissed first, and carline dismissal begins once the bus departs.
Key Reminders:
Stay in your car to keep the carline moving and prevent congestion.
Allow staff members on duty to assist students in safely entering and exiting vehicles.
Safety First: The well-being of our students is our top priority. Your cooperation helps ensure a smooth and secure process for everyone. Thank you for your support.
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CORE Values: Windham Southwest Supervisory Union Mission and Vision Statement: Windham Southwest Supervisory Union creates pathways for our students to become powerful communicators, critical thinkers, and collaborators who use empathy and take responsibility for relationships, lifelong learning, and adaptability in our changing world. Stamford School prepares students with the essential competencies identified by our Portrait of Student Success Design Team. Our core values guide us as we ensure our students’ success.
The Stamford School prioritizes the following competencies:
ADAPTABILITY: Demonstrate agility, creativity, and flexibility in thoughts and actions to negotiate a range of different views, roles, and situations
COMMUNICATION: Articulate thoughts and ideas, listen and respond effectively, decipher meaning, and build on others’ ideas for a range of purposes and audiences
COLLABORATION: Build collective commitment and action to achieve group goals by leveraging strengths, defining roles, sharing feedback, seeking diverse perspectives, and debating respectfully
CRITICAL THINKING: Analyze and evaluate meaning, significance, and impacts using evidence and inference while considering multiple perspectives
EMPATHY: Listen to, engage with, and care for the feelings, emotions, and experiences of others by practicing awareness, consideration, validation, respect, and sensitivity
RESPONSIBILITY: Act honestly, demonstrate care, honor commitments, seek help, repair harm, resolve conflicts, and consider consequences for risks while contributing to the community and the greater good.
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