Principal's Corner with
Mr. Clayton
Scofield Parent News
11/17/23
Early Dismissal on Wednesday. We begin dismissal at 12:20.
No newsletter next week.
MLK Essay Contest: This link has all the information for an upcoming essay contest sponsored by Senator Chris Murphy. The information was also shared with teachers.
Honor Roll Ice Cream Party: The PTP will be hosting an ice cream party to congratulate students who made the First Marking Period Honor Roll on Friday, December 8th from 1:00 – 2:30 pm in the Cafeteria. We are looking for Parent/Guardian Volunteers and donations. Students will be required to show their Honor Roll Certificate in order to attend. This event is for students only. Please sign-up here if you are interested in volunteering or donating: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0D4CA4A92AAAF49-46172786-scofield
Basketball: Rest assured that there is a plan to have interscholastic basketball. There is still a bus driver shortage. We are working on a plan. However, unlike Cross Country, not all students make the team. In all likelihood, very few 6th graders make the team.
Check out highlights of how our school communities commemorated Veterans Day. Honoring our veterans is an important tradition that is part of our commitment to service learning.
Fall After School Clubs: The last day for fall clubs will be on December 22nd.
School Attendance is Critical for Success: With the first quarter marking period behind us, this is a good time to remind everyone about the importance of regular school attendance, which is critical for student academic success and sense of belonging. The Connecticut State Department of Education defines chronic absence as missing 10 percent or more of the days in a school year, whether absences are excused or not. Missing only two days of school each month can put students at risk of chronic absenteeism. To help address this issue, each of our schools has an attendance team of teachers, administrators, social workers, and other staff who monitor absences and work with students at risk of becoming chronically absent. For more information about the importance of attending school every day, check out this infographic in English and Spanish from AttendanceWorks.org.
High School Information Night for 8th Graders: In case you missed it, Stamford Public Schools hosted High School Information Night for Grade 8 Students and Families on Wednesday night. Stamford High and Westhill High offer many rigorous, specialized programs that are open to students regardless of their zoned high school, including several that require students to apply for admission during eighth grade. If you missed this informative event, you can watch the webinar and view the PowerPoint online.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Scofield Parent News
11/4/23
Veterans Day Recognition: For several years in a row Scofield has displayed images and brief bios of Veterans who are family members of staff and students. This letter summarizes how we honor members of our community. Please print this handout if you would like to honor a family member who has served in the United States Military, past or present. Please have your child bring the completed form to their Advisory teacher.
Red, White and Blue Day: Similar to the “Pink Out” on 10/27, our student government would like to have a “Red, White and Blue” day on November 9th in recognition of Veterans Day, which is November 11th.
Thanksgiving Food Drive: Our Student Government Council will be collecting perishable food items for the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. Items such as pastas, soups, jelly, canned vegetables, and peanut butter are requested. Drop off Boxes will be located in the main office and Ms. Rosano’s room (Room 125). The drive will run from Monday, 11/06 to Monday 11/20.
Important November Dates:
November 5: 2023 Veterans Day Parade (12:00 p.m.)
November 7: Election Day, no school students, staff professional development
November 10: Veterans Day, no school
November 15: K-5 and K-8 Magnet School Lottery application deadline (4:00 p.m.)
November 19: 2023 Stamford Downtown Parade Spectacular (12:00 p.m.)
November 22: Early Release
November 23-24: Thanksgiving recess, no school
Lunch Menu: Click Here
Middle School Debate Team Winners: Amelia Nandikesan was teamed up Leia Potenza (TOR ) and Hillary Ho (Rippowam) in the open division and they won the November 4th CTMSDL tournament in Seymour, CT.
ATTENTION 8TH GRADE FAMILIES: Mark your calendars for the 2024-2025 High School Options Night on November 15th from 6-7:30 PM via zoom. Click here for the flier with the Zoom link. Also, please note the following Open House dates:
AITE Open House: November 4th from 9:30-11 AM and December 7th from 6-7 PM
Center for Global Studies Open House: December 9th from 8:30-10:30 AM and January 7th from 1-3 PM
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Virtual Open House: November 16th or November 29th from 6-7 PM. Zoom link: 836 1258 9088; code: 483068
JM Wright Technical High School Open House: November 9th from 6-8 PM
Cross Country: Many thanks to Mr. Neufeld, Mrs. Fox and Mrs. Segatti for making the cross country season a great success. Special thanks to all of the students for persevering during the races. Check the website for pictures.
Previous Newsletters: This link has all of the previous parent newsletters.
Scofield Parent News
10/27/23
Halloween Dance Recap: Many thanks to all of the parents who helped with the Halloween Dance. The event was a smashing success.
Veterans Day Recognition: For several years in a row Scofield has displayed images and brief bios of Veterans who are family members of staff and students. Please print this handout if you would like to honor a family member who has served in the United States Military, past or present. We have tentative plans for an assembly for students on 11/9. Please have your child bring the completed form to their Advisory teacher.
Picture Retake Day: November 14th. All Day.
Attention 8th Grade Families: Our annual High School Information Night for Eighth Grade Students and Families is Wednesday, November 15 from 6 to 7:30 pm via zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82193174660). This session will provide an overview of the specialized high school programs to which eighth grade students can apply for Fall 2024 admission regardless of their zoned high school. Representatives from the following programs will participate:
Academy of Finance at Westhill
Stamford Regional Agriscience Program at Westhill
J.R.O.T.C. at Westhill
Early College Studies Program at Stamford High
High School of Business at Stamford High
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme at Stamford High
AITE High School
J.M. Wright Technical High School
Fall After School Clubs: One safety note: If you are picking your child up at 5:00, please park within the larger lot, not in the bus lane.
Student Support: The Den for Grieving Kids is coming to Scofield. This is a weekly 45 minute support group for students who are grieving the death of a loved one. It is free and will take place at Scofield for easy accessibility.. Please contact Dr. Federici if you are interested.
Lunch Menu: Click Here
Scofield Parent News
10/20/23
Fall Clubs: Clubs begin on Monday. Students were notified by their advisory teachers as to which clubs they are enrolled in. There will be a snack provided, however, students are free to bring in their own also. If you have indicated that your child will be picked up, please make sure that you are on time. Repeated tardiness will result in the student being removed from a club.
Previous Newsletters: Found here
Wednesday 10/25: Early Release Day. Dismissal begins at 12:20
Halloween Dance: Please check here for details regarding the upcoming dance. A few reminders as follows:
Students must be in school to attend the dance.
No weapons or anything that looks like a weapon can be part of a costume.
All Board of Education and School Policies are in effect for the dance .
The dance is for Scofield students only. No outside guests are allowed.
If you buy a ticket the night of the dance, a parent MUST be present to sign the permission slip. Parents: Please do not drop your child off and leave.
The dance ends at 8:30pm. Please pick up your child promptly at that time.
Police and School Security
Cross Country: On Thursday October 26th at 3:15pm, the Scofield Cross Country team will run a 1.2 mile race and compete in a color wars based on their academic team color. All cross country runners are encouraged to wear their academic team color that day and for the race. On Thursday November 2nd at 3:15pm, the Scofield Cross Country team will be racing against staff members and parents on the Scofield 1.6 mile course. Any adult interested in running can compete as an individual or on a relay team of up to 4 people total. To run in this race, complete the Google Form below. Any questions, please reach out to James Neufeld (jneufeld@stamfordct.gov), Je-nean Fox(jfox@stamfordct.gov) or Dana Segatti(dsegatti@stamfordct.gov). https://forms.gle/rxnVL1cxJzRp2bzM7
Lunch Menu: https://stamfordpublicschools.nutrislice.com/menu/scofield-middle
Long Term Facilities Update: Please join SPS on Tuesday, October 24 at 8:30 a.m. via zoom for a Community Conversation about the Long Term Facilities Plan. During this meeting, Dr. Lori Rhodes, Associate Superintendent for Access and Opportunity, will share a proposal to accelerate the establishment of a middle school program at Westover Magnet Elementary School and realign the middle school feeder pattern for students at Hart, Roxbury, Stillmeadow and Westover. Another session will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Reimagining Media Centers Focus Group: Earlier this year, SPS hosted staff and community conversations about the future of our media centers. As a result of those conversations, SPS created a focus group to develop recommendations for how our media centers can be reimagined to ensure they once again become vibrant and engaging places to learn, collaborate, and create. If you would like to join the Media Center focus group, please reach out to Kathleen Steinberg of our Public Affairs Office.
2023-24 Stakeholder Feedback Goal: Based on our review of the annual climate survey, the following shall serve as our annual 23-24 Stakeholder Feedback Goal:
Scofield will increase connectedness and a sense of belonging between students and adults with a focus on positive communication.
A Fascinating Article: “Who Runs the Best U.S. Schools? It May Be the Defense Department” by Sarah Mervosh in The New York Times, October 12, 2023
Student Behavior: Please help us maintain high expectations for all learners at Scofield. A few short reminders that
It should come as no surprise that middle school students like to put their hands on each other for numerous reasons. Bottom line is that the building needs to be safe for learning. Things like “play-fighting” and/or “horseplay” never end well. Someone always gets hurt. Hand-holding, hugging, kissing are totally inappropriate for this age.
Use of Anti-Semetic, racial, or homophobic language will be met with consequences that could include suspension from school and/or referral to law enforcement.
Have a great week!
Scofield Parent News
10/13/23
There is so much going on in the world. Today's final announcement, "Just be nice. It's all that really matters" is from my deceased former colleague, Dawn Hochsprung, Principal at Sandy Hook Elementary. Please be mindful of what your children are watching/viewing on Social Media. Here are some resources:
●American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists: Terrorism and War: How to Talk to Children
●Child Mind Institute: Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News (Spanish and English resources available)
●Common Sense Media: How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War
●Mayo Clinic: Helping Children Cope with Tragedy
●National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Terrorism and Violence
●National Public Radio: How to Talk to Children about the Violence in Israel and Gaza
●UNICEF: How to Talk to Your Children about Conflict and War
Halloween Dance: Save the date, 10/27 from 6:30-8:30 for Scofield’s annual Halloween Dance.
Registration: Halloween Dance 2023 Signup (google.com)
Sign up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A45AAAB23AAFA7-45035120-scofield
Lunch Menu: Next week
Attention 8th grade families: There are many high school options for SPS students. There will be upcoming open houses and virtual meets to learn more. Please check your child’s school counselor’s google classroom periodically for additional information and program offerings.
AITE: Applications for next year are open online using this link (choose the 9-12 grade tab).
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (MYP): offered at Stamford High School and is open to all SPS students; information sessions 11/16 and 11/29 see attached flyers in English and Spanish for more information
JM Wright Technical High School: Open house on 11/9 see flyer for details. Online applications open 11/1 with a priority deadline of 12/15.
Scoutsgiving: Please join Troop 15 for the 4th Annual “Scoutsgiving” at Hoyt Campground in Redding, CT. The event is Saturday, November 11 from 1:00-9:00. They will be cooking a traditional Thanksgiving feast over a fire and putting on a program for the boys. The program will cover the Arrow of Light requirements. Food will be served at 2:00, so please be there by 1:30. Boys 5th grade and older are welcome to spend the night. Please bring your own necessary sleeping gear. There will be breakfast in the morning. Please email Lee Bowbeer at bowbeer@gmail.com or call/text 203-918-2821.
Cross Country: Due to the ongoing bus driver shortage, the district transportation office has informed us that First Student does not have enough drivers to staff regularly scheduled afternoon bus routes at our elementary schools and simultaneously transport hundreds of middle school students to cross country meets. This is a disappointing development for all of us. I’ve been a competitive runner and triathlete my entire adult life and value this sport as one of many experiences we offer to middle school students. To keep the heart of the experience, and to respond to the participation of all interested students, my fellow middle school principals and along with the cross country coaches will create opportunities for meets at Scofield.
Care Closet: Experience teaches us that meeting our students’ social/emotional needs will increase school participation and the ability to learn. In an effort to meet some of the needs of our students, Scofield’s Support Staff has launched the Scofield Care Closet. This initiative is designed to create a consistent, safe place where our students know they can have access to free personal care items on a daily basis.
Please support this effort by donating items that are listed on our Scofield Care Closet Wishlist on Amazon. Any items purchased from our Wishlist will be delivered directly to our school for our students. We appreciate the continued support of our parent community. Please contact Theresa Federici, School Social Worker 203 977-2761 or email tfederici@stamfordct.gov with any questions or concerns.
Information on the Solar Eclipse This Saturday – This link has information, graphics, and a video of the solar eclipse happening on October 14, 2023.
Scofield Parent News
10/6/23
From our support staff: In response to parent concerns on the topic of phones and social media, our neighbors at Bi-cultural Hebrew Academy are holding a panel discussion with mental health professionals on Sunday, October 22 at 3pm. Please see the attached flyer for further details about the performance and how to buy tickets. Any questions? Please call Nofie Rosovsky at 917-880-5984. Click Flyer Here
Halloween Dance: Mark your calendars for 10/27. The PTP is organizing a Halloween themed school dance. Final details are TBD. Stay tuned for specifics.
Pumpkin Carving: Details here
After School Clubs: Will be starting the week of October 23.
Cross Country meet postponed. Due to bus shortages, we have to postpone the upcoming middle school cross country meet. The schools and coaches will be meeting next week to discuss a plan and will send more information as soon as we have it. There will continue to be practice next week.
From the Nurse: If your child has life-threatening allergies, please make sure that you have provided the nurse with current medication orders and the prescribed medications. The nurse reports a significant number of student emergency medications and/or orders have not been submitted.
Intramurals begin on October 16th!: Intramurals are an afterschool program intended to offer students additional opportunities to be physically active. Intramurals are inclusive of all students and are not a "team" activity and require no prior experience to participate. Further, if a student is misbehaving, bullying, endangering the safety of themselves or others, or in need of academic improvement they will not be unable to stay for intramurals. Finally, if students are unable to participate in physical education for medical or behavioral reasons, they will not be permitted to stay for intramural activities.Enrollment is on a first come, first served basis. Once maximum is reached, students will be placed on a waiting list. Intramurals are open to all grades and are a separate program from school clubs. Use the link to sign up your student today. Sign up here!
Lunch Menu: National School Lunch Week and we will be kicking off our award winning Chartwells Global Eats Program. Global Eats will bring your students on a flavor adventure to different regions across the globe and is starting in Mexico to celebrate the final week of Hispanic Heritage Month. Starting Wednesday, October 11th, students will have the opportunity to make “stops” at four different countries, traveling first through Mexico, Italy, India, and China. Every month, new menu items will be introduced featuring the unique ingredients and authentic recipes from each featured country that were created in partnership with a series of celebrity chefs who specialize in global cuisines. Check out these links for more information: Global Eats October 11 October 18
Open House Review: In case you missed it
Staff Vacancies: All staff vacancies have been filled. There is a very real shortage in the teacher candidate pool.
Early Dismissals: please, please, please…if you need to pick your child up early send in a note. Your child should bring the note to the main office so that he or she can get a pass for dismissal
Daily Attendance: Students who arrive after 8:30 MUST sign into the main office. Students are being marked absent for not checking in. Daily attendance phone calls go home based on morning Advisory attendance.
Curriculum Portal: The family and community Curriculum Portal is open. Please take some time to review the site for up-to-date information about what students are learning at each grade level and content area.
Columbus Day: Reminder no school on Monday.
Scofield Parent News
9/29/23
6th Grade Families: The Scofield PTP will be hosting a welcoming Dessert Social on Thursday, October 5th from 5-6:30pm. Parents and students are invited to gather in the Courtyard to meet other 6th Grade parents, students, teachers and staff. We are looking for donations of desserts and snacks for everyone to enjoy. If you are able to donate, please use the Sign Up Genius link below. Scofield 6th Grade Parents/Guardians: Scofield 6th Grade Social (signupgenius.com)
Picture Day: October 6th. Order forms were sent home with students last week.
Open House Re-Cap: A total of 359 families participated, which is 60% of the school
Ending the Silence: On Monday all students will here a presentation on the importance of mental health awareness. We partner with an organization called the National Alliance on Mental Illness
Cell Phone Policy: We understand the importance of communication. However, it should come as no surprise that electronic devices can be a distraction and disruption to the learning environment. Please know that Stamford Board of Education Policy 5131.8 has clearly defined expectations for students. We ask that parents partner with the school in a manner that supports non-distracted learning by not calling, texting, or messaging children during the school day.
Next Week’s Menu: Could be a good advisory activity for students to read on Monday or even daly. https://stamfordpublicschools.nutrislice.com/menu/scofield-middle
Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA). All Stamford Public Schools are participating in a statewide Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Assessment initiative in partnership with Aperture Education. Please read the attached letter to learn about the program. English Spanish
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
9/22/23
Open House Review: Based on the parking lot, I’d say we had a packed house. I guess we could have charged admission and started a fund for an auditorium. I am eager to hear any feedback you have to offer. Personally, this year was my 10th middle school open house as a parent. My 4th child entered 6th grade and I made sure to take detailed notes on what I liked and didn’t like.
Book Fair Thank You: Many thanks to all of the parents who helped to either volunteer at the book fair or contributed to the teacher E-Wallet. Special shout out to Stephanie Zelazny for putting the whole thing together. We haven’t had a book fair since the fall of 2019. Thank you to our volunteers: Sara Meiri, Al Tornatore, Aru Nandikesan, Emina Pelinkovic, Tracey Downey, Janice Schneekloth, Brett Wiltsek, Reischa Kapasouris, Margarita Porras, Kelly Combest, Mary Luz Ospina, Diana Kintzi, Durga Jai, Shivali Gupta, Amy Notter, Kerry O’Malley, Renee Vetter, Laura Martino, Jackie Leung, Allison Rodney, Jennifer Wu and Andrea Nawabi. Also a round of thanks to Megan Case Loop, Tracey Downey, Janine Schneekloth, Emina Pelinkovic, Sara Sherlock, Tamar Chantadze, Evena Williams, Stephanie Zelazny, Karen Anderson and Andrea Nawabi for your generous contributions.
Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA). All Stamford Public Schools are participating in a statewide Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Assessment initiative in partnership with Aperture Education. Please read the attached letter to learn about the program. English Spanish
Cell Phone Policy: We understand the importance of communication. However, it should come as no surprise that electronic devices can be a distraction and disruption to the learning environment. Please know that Stamford Board of Education Policy 5131.8 has clearly defined expectations for students. We ask that parents partner with the school in a manner that supports non-distracted learning by not calling, texting, or messaging children during the school day.
Integrated Math One (Formerly known as Algebra): Letters going home to parents next week.
Student Support: All schools provide mental health support and we are available to speak with parents about concerns. Please reach out to your child’s school counselor with any questions or concerns. Mrs. Fox is the counselor for the white, black and gold team. Mrs. Benenson is the counselor for the turquoise, silver and purple team. They can be reached at jfox@stamfordct.gov and benenson@stamfordct.gov. Mr Valdez is our school psychologist and Dr. Federici is our social worker. Emails are lvaldez@stamforct.gov and tfederici@stamfordct.gov.
School Supplies: As kind and generous as it may seem, we can’t accept donations of paper towels, tissues, snacks etc. State law actually prevents us from accepting these items.
Fall clubs: Will begin October 23rd. Information will be sent to parents as soon as it is available. Our plan is to offer a full range of programs which will include a snack or light meal and a second tier of late buses at 5:00PM.
Public Displays of Affection (PDA): We are seeing an increase in PDA amongst the students such as handholding. Please remind your children to keep their hands to themselves.
Student Voice: Next Tuesday, September 26, the Office of Family and Community Engagement will host a Student Voice session. We will take the time to get feedback on policies and regulations that have been, or are currently being, updated including open campus, replacement of books and technology, attendance, loss of credit, and cell phones. Please encourage students to join us.
Policy Update: Please mark your calendar for the Tuesday, October 10 Policy Committee Meeting where we will discuss the 6000 series policies that our Board of Education Ad-Hoc committee has been working on. Please note that all of our policies are now translatable on our website for our multilingual families.
Next Week’s Menu: https://stamfordpublicschools.nutrislice.com/menu/scofield-middle
A quick reminder that there is no school on Monday, September 25 and an early release is scheduled for Wednesday, September 27.
Scofield Parent News
9/15/23
Hello Parents. Lots to share:
Open House: Tuesday, 9/19 from 6:30-8:15. Come meet your child’s teachers and learn the exciting educational opportunities available here at Scofield. Parents should report directly to their child’s Advisory classroom. We start at 6:30, SHARP. Parking is tight. Get here early.
The Scofield Book fair begins Monday, September 18th and runs through Friday, September 22nd. Students will have a chance to visit the fair with their teachers during the day. Scholastic accepts cash, credit card, Apple Pay, and e-Wallet as forms of payment. You can set up and put money into an e-Wallet for your child through our Scofield Book Fair page https://www.scholastic.com/bf/scofieldmagnet. The PTO has also created e-Wallet links for the Language Arts classes in each grade level. If you would like to contribute, the money you put into these e-Wallets will be used to purchase books for our Language Arts classrooms. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. Your donation also raises more money for Scofield during the book fair. AFamilies are welcome to shop the fair at the conclusion of Open School Night. You’ll find the book fair in the main lobby atrium.
Spiritwear will also be on sale.
Cross Country: Student's interested in participating in cross country received information Thursday morning. In order for your child to participate the Permission Slip link below must be completed. The link is also found on the school website. Practices are on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays and will begin on Monday September 18th. Practice ends at 4pm. Students can either take the late bus or be picked up by a parent. Students should wear running shoes and appropriate clothing, as well as bring a water bottle with their name on it. Any other questions please reach out to James Neufeld @jneufeld@stamfordct.gov.
Permission Slip
From Chartwells: Beginning Monday any student who wants a vegetarian meal can order it at one of the breakfast stations. The options available will be reflected on the menu by the end of the week, there will be one of these three options weekly on a rotating basis: Veggie burger, Black bean burger, Meatless veggie nuggets. Weekly Lunch Menu
Magnet School Lottery Open: The 2024-25 SPS Magnet School Lottery application is now available online. Families are encouraged to attend in-person information sessions at the magnet schools of interest to them. Refer to the magnet school section of the SPS website or the SPS district calendar for information session dates and times. Scofield dates and times are TBD. The lottery application deadline for K-5 and K-8 magnet schools is 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. Please visit our website for more information, including details about the Scofield Middle School and AITE magnet school lotteries.
Picture Day @ Scofield: October 6th. Flyers will be distributed in Advisory.
Bus Behavior: Talk to your children about bus behavior. All buses have cameras and the video does not lie.
Interesting Article for Parents: “To Help Anxious Kids, Give Them More Freedom” by Camilo Ortiz and Lenore Shenazy in The New York Times, September 6, 2023.
SPEF 5K: Join SPEF for our annual 5K Run. Gather friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors at Mill River Park on Sunday, October 1 (rain or shine!). For those under 12, this year we are adding the Fun Run, a mile-long course that includes fun activities along the way. Afterward, join in the fun at SPEF’s family-friendly FallFest, featuring interactive, hands-on activities for kids (presented by Kids Helping Kids and other community partners), SPEF’s Books Across Stamford book giveaway, tasty fall treats — and more! Flyer here
Pinwheel Project: Scofield students participated in this event. Saturday, Sept 16th, and Sunday, Sept 17th, 2023 Location: Mill River Park, Stamford, CT Viewing Time: The Pinwheel Installation can be viewed from Saturday at 9 am through Sunday evening outside The Carousel Pavilion. Free Workshops by My Architecture Workshops: 12 pm to 4 pm on Saturday, September 16th, inside The Carousel Pavilion.
Regards,
Mr. Clayton
Scofield Parent News
9/8/23
9-11 Commemoration: Scofield will have a short 9-11 commemoration on Monday morning. We will make specific reference to a Dogwood tree planted in the front of the school to honor the brother in law of a former Scofield teacher who was a member of the FDNY and was killed when the towers fell.
Legal: This is a summary of how recent legislation will impact education in CT. Happy reading!
Primary Election Voting: Voting will be here at Scofield all day on Tuesday. All Physical Education classes will be going outside. Please be sure students dress accordingly. Should you need to visit the school, we have been asked to leave parking spaces available for voters in the front lot. No voters will be permitted into the building. Voters will enter and exit using the gym doors.
Pinwheel Project: Scofield will be participating in the “PinWheel Challenge.” This is a science project in collaboration with My Architecture Workshops Inc. The plan is to have over 9,000 Pinwheels to Transform Mill River Park in a Celebration of Creativity and Sustainability. Students in science classes will be constructing pinwheels during class next week. The event details are as follows:
● Dates: Saturday, Sept 16th, and Sunday, Sept 17th, 2023
● Location: Mill River Park, Stamford, CT
● Time: The Pinwheel Installation can be viewed from Saturday at 9 am through Sunday evening outside The Carousel Pavilion.
● Free Workshops 12 pm to 4 pm on Saturday, September 16th, inside The Carousel Pavilion.
Open House: September 19th. 6:30-8:15. Schedule templates will be provided. Students will complete the template on Tuesday morning and leave it for parents to use at night. The template includes a building map.
Scofield Book Fair: Our annual Scholastic Book Fair will take place during the week of September 18 - 22nd. The fair will be open during Open House on the 19th. Students will be visiting during their Language Arts classes during the week. Special thanks to Scofield parent, Stephanie Zelazny for arranging all the details.
Upcoming Important Dates in September:
● September 19 – Middle School Open House
● September 25 – Yom Kippur – NO SCHOOL
● September 27 – Early Release
Scheduling balancing: Due to shifting enrollment, some student schedules may be shifted in the coming days. Class sizes are capped at 30 and adjustments need to be made, student schedules may be subject to change. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause, but this is the nature of education and the challenges of increase in enrollment.
Health Compliance: Under CT State Law, students must be compliant with various health requirements. Students who are not compliant may be excluded from school. Targeted letters and communications have been sent. Please be sure that information is updated with the nurse to avoid your child being excluded from school.
Emergency Drills: The following was sent in a separate message on Friday morning.
Earlier this morning Scofield conducted its first emergency evacuation drill of the school year. These drills are mandated under CT Law with two drills required in the first month of school. Additional drills of a varying nature occur throughout the school year. These drills are not announced in advance. We do not announce drills simply because we never know when an emergency could arise and it’s important to set a precedent for expectations during an evacuation or other emergency.
As a parent, should you be in the building during a drill or an actual emergency, we ask that you please abide by the same protocols and procedures as staff and students. Your children's safety is our most important priority. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
Regards,
Mr. Clayton
Scofield Parent News
9/4/23
Hello Scofield Parents,
We made it through the first few days of school relatively unscathed. First off, a warm welcome to the 24 new 7th and 8th grade families who joined Scofield last week from the waiting list. Everything in our control at the school level went as well as it could have. Unfortunately, issues related to transportation provided some unexpected challenges. A few points regarding buses:
Students need to know their bus number.
Buses are called over the school PA system at least three times before they depart.
There are a few buses that change numbers in the morning and afternoon. No, I don’t know why. The buses that change numbers from morning to afternoon are:
159 in the morning is 126 in the afternoon;
199 in the morning is 136 in the afternoon;
209 in the morning is 209 in the afternoon;
426 in the morning is 426 in the afternoon;
Students have limited options if and when they miss their buses. Late buses will begin in a few weeks and arrive at approximately 4:00. Late buses stop in general neighborhood locations throughout the city. Students can’t be left unattended at the schools beyond normal hours of operation.
Breakfast: Free for all students. Breakfast can be picked up when students enter the building every morning.
Lunch: Free for all students. The district food service provider, Chartwells made an error in the daily menu that will be changed effective Wednesday, September 5th. On Wednesday, cheeseburgers, chicken patties, French fries and veggie burgers will be added to the daily selection. Next week’s menu can be found here.
Snack: While it might be nice to nosh on some treats while working in class, there is no snack time in the classroom.
AUP Directions: In order to distribute chrome books, all students must have the “Acceptable Use Policy” signed in the parent portal. Parents of students who do not “sign off” on the AUP will not be issued devices.
Computer Monitoring: SPS uses a “Securely” to monitor student internet searches. Searches related to self-harm, suicide, drug/alchol use or may be reported to school administration during school hours. Depending on the severity, searches deemed to be unsafe may be referred to central office administrators and/or law enforcement.
Parent Pick Up: Please do not arrive before 2:15. Dismissal begins at 2:40. Please do not try to jump the line by parking in a parking space and then calling your child across the lot. Please SLOW DOWN in the pick up line. Patience is a virtue.
Agenda Books: We have a limited quantity of student agenda books for sale in the office. Cost is $10.
Integrated Math One (Formerly known as Algebra 1): This is a high school level course and moves at the high school “Honors” level pace. As the primary authors of the curriculum, Scofield teachers are well versed in the scope and sequence and pacing guide. Although students are rotating through their schedules, course work in most academic areas will not begin until next week. Also, not all placements are final. Students may be added to removed based on teacher recommendations. A letter will be sent home to parents of students enrolled explaining the expectations for the course. For students meeting eligibility, the course is an “opt-in” and not required.
Free Weekend Food for your child delivered directly to the school. Follow the link to register your child. If you have questions please contact Liam Bogart- lbogart@fillingintheblanks.org or Luca Palombo- lpalombo@fillingintheblanks.org
Registration link
https://www.fillingintheblanks.org/register-for-meals
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Night Before School Update
8/29/23
-Tomorrow is the first day of the 2023-2024 school year. A few important items to address as follows:
-Wednesday is a FULL DAY of school. School begins at 7:55 and ends at 2:40.
-Bus information can be found in the parent portal.
-Car rider drop and pick up is in the front of the building. Drop off in the morning begins at 7:30AM. Please do not drop your child and drive away prior to that time. Once students enter the building, they will wait in the lobby until 7:45 to which they will then proceed directly to their Advisory classroom. See the attached image for a diagram. Please enter the lot and drive all the way around the parking lot loop. Please also pull your car all the way to the end of the concrete sidewalk or as far as you can to drop off. Most importantly, please be patient with your fellow parents. The drop lane is not a passing zone. Parents are not permitted into the building. Drop_off_Pick_Up.docx
-Schedules will be issued to students during Advisory.
-Schedule changes require Principal approval. Please understand that we can’t just change teachers. The building master schedule is a puzzle and it is a complex process where all pieces must fit. While we may be able to honor requests, it is unlikely that we can honor all.
-Students should have a good backpack for carrying their materials. Please do not purchase backpacks with wheels. Students do not need to bring laptops or chromebooks tomorrow.
Students do not need large metal water bottles. A 12 ounce plastic bottle is more than enough. We have refilling stations at each water fountain. Please do not send students with “squirt” bottles. This is middle school and kids will squirt each other.
-Dismissal begins at 2:40. Line up for afternoon pick-up begins no later than 2:15. Our security staff will direct cars to move forward to the designated pick up area. If you arrive before 2:15, you will be asked to leave and return. We need to do our best and not block traffic out onto Scofieldtown Rd and the only way to do that is to carefully stagger dismissal.
-Breakfast is “grab and go” and free to all students. Lunch is also free to all students.
-All visitors must enter through the main doors. Please push the door buzzer once and wait for a security guard to respond. Be prepared to give your name and reason for visit. If you need to enter the building, you must have photo identification. Please be respectful to our security staff. Student safety must come first.
-We are looking forward to teaching your children,
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Portal Update
8/10/23
By now most of you know that the parent portal in power school has been opened to view forms and student Advisory homerooms. In the last 24 hours we have received a fair number of calls and emails asking that students be placed with certain teachers and in some cases be paired with different groups of students. It is important for everyone to know that we still have teacher vacancies to fill and scheduling adjustments to make. This is why complete schedules will not be available until later this month.
At Scofield, we employ a unique method of scheduling in that our groups are heterogeneously arranged and rearranged at various times throughout the school year. Asking to group your son or daughter with more students from their previous elementary school or their Advisory from last year is counter to the extensive amount of work that our teachers and school counselors do every spring and summer when building Advisory groupings. While we understand the anticipation that comes with the start of every school year, please trust the professionals within the building.
Barring some extenuating and/or extraordinary circumstances, student Advisory sections will remain intact. Thank you for your understanding. Please contact me with any questions.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent Summer Update #3
8/18/23
Student Schedules/Bus Information: Will be available in the parent portal on August 25th. The portal is currently closed.
Supply Lists:
Exploratory teachers will be posting additional items to their google classroom pages on the teacher website link posted here
Summer Reading: Don’t forget… https://www.magnetmiddle.org/
6th Grade Orientation: August 28th. 8-10. Parents are welcome to attend. Transportation will be provided. The day will begin with all students in the gym.
Water Bottles: All water fountains are working in the building. There is no need for students to carry anything larger than a standard 12-16 ounce water bottle, if at all. The very large quart or even half gallon metal and even the large plastic water bottles are HEAVY and unnecessary. When student’s drop these water bottles (and they drop them often),they spill everywhere! The Gatorade “Squirt” bottles are also problematic. Students love to “squirt” each other (Welcome to Middle School). The large metal bottles also damage the floor and in a few cases have damaged little pinky toes.
Air Conditioning: Scofield is air conditioned. Students should dress accordingly.
Lockers: None of the middle schools are using lockers. We see this as a positive change. Scofield has been able to increase instructional time 15 minutes per day by eliminating lockers. Our daily student behavior challenges have also been reduced by eliminating locker time.
Backpacks: Advisory teachers actively work with students on the unnecessary contents of student bags. It has been our experience that students choose to carry more than they need on a daily basis. Please don’t purchase backpacks with wheels.
PE Class: Important for 6th parents to know that students do not change clothes for PE classes. Students are asked to dress accordingly for PE class, which is twice a week.
Curriculum Updates: Middle School Math, ELA, Science and Social Studies are NEW and will be implemented this fall. Middle School science is still finalizing units and will continue to enhance throughout the year. Social Studies is a pilot in preparation for the more formal roll out across the state in 2024-2025.
Lunch: Students have a 30 minute lunch. No lunch is served on an early dismissal day. Times are as follows:
Grade 6- 12:15-12:45
Grade 7- 11:00-11:30
Grade 8- 11:35-12:05
All Advisory classes participate in rotating community service throughout the school year in the cafeteria.
Chromebooks/Laptops: There is no need to bring these devices the first day of school, or even the first week of school.
Morning Breakfast for Students: Scofield has a “grab and go” style breakfast as students enter the building. Students may take a breakfast as they enter and eat in their Advisory classroom.
2:30-2:40: The official school day concludes at 2:40. Based on feedback from the spring team leader discussions, all students will return to Advisory at 2:30. Dismissal will begin at 2:40 with car riders.
Stay tuned for additional information…See you all soon.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
2023 Scofield Summer Update #2
8/8/23
Hope you are continuing to enjoy the summer months. My family (all six of us) spent a little more than a week in hot and sunny St. Augustine, FL. We did some sightseeing, lounged by the pool, went to the beach, rode every roller coaster at Universal Studios and I even managed to find a local triathlon to compete in. I am happy to say that I won my age group! Summer is by no means over and I plan to enjoy as much of it as possible. I hope you do as well. I have a busy few weeks ahead of me. My oldest will be starting his junior year at the University of New Hampshire and my second child will be starting her first year at Roger Williams in RI. The younger ones are in high school and middle school.
Here are some important updates for the upcoming school year:
Supply Lists:
Exploratory teachers will be posting additional items to their google classroom pages on the teacher website link posted here
Advisory Placement will be available in the Parent Portal. I am told that information should be available at the end of the week.
August 29- 6th grade orientation 8:00-10:00. Transportation will be provided. There will be a short session in the gym for all students and parents. Students will then be dismissed to their Advisory classrooms.
August 30- First day of school. Bus information will be communicated in the Power School Parent Portal.
Check out this news article from WFSB regarding school meals
Open School night is September 19th. Details TBD
School office hours are 7:00-3:00. Best to call before you make the drive. Sorry, no building tours.
See you all soon.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
6/3/23
Congratulations to the Scofield Girls Softball team on winning the city championship!
8th Grade Moving Up: June 14th at 9:00AM in the Scofield Gym. Students receive 2 tickets each. We have limited seating. Overflow seating will be in the library. Depending on available space, we may be able to accommodate additional people. We kindly ask that parents not bring any noisemakers, bullhorns etc. during the ceremony. This is a dignified event and we’d like to keep it that way. A police officer will be in attendance to assist with crowd control. The ceremony is about an hour long. There will be a short reception following in the courtyard. Students are dismissed following the ceremony. Tickets will be sent home later in the week. Tickets will only be given to students who have returned or paid for items such as textbooks, computers, chargers, calculators or any other school property.
Chromebook Collection: June 9th. Damaged or lost devices will be assessed a fine.
Field Day will take place on Thursday! Students will be participating in a variety of stations during their scheduled time slot. Parents are encouraged to come and volunteer! 8th Grade 9-10:30, 6th Grade 11-12:30, 7th Grade 12:45-2:15. There will be an opportunity to DUNK some Scofield teachers in the We are looking for volunteers to help at a Scofield Field Day on JUNE 8th. We have Jerry the gym guy coming to run games for the kids to have a little time outside in June! We need parents to come help make it special! Each grade will have an hour and a half outside. You can help for your student's grade, or come for more time! Anytime you can give is greatly appreciated!
All school: Field Day (signupgenius.com)
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080a45aaab23aafa7-field1#/
The last three days of school are early release. There is no lunch on the last three days of school. Breakfast will be available.
After school activities have ended. There are no more late buses.
The 8th grade will be attending Holiday Hill resort on Tuesday, June 8th. Return time is approximately 4:00. We will communicate through Remind and School Messenger with a more exact arrival time on Tuesday.
Scofield Parent News
5/26/23
8th Grade Moving Up: June 14th at 9:00AM in the Scofield gymnasium. Each student participating will receive two tickets each. There will be overflow seating in the media center for a small number of additional attendees. We just don’t have the room for large groups to attend for students.
Collection of Materials: Teachers have already started to collect various materials. Lost or damaged materials must be replaced or paid for.
After School Activities - there are no more for the year. There are no more late buses. Students should take their regular buses home.
8th Graders Attending Westhill High School: Meet the Coaches event on will be Thursday, June 8th at 6:00 p.m. in the Main Gymnasium. This is an opportunity for students to learn about our program and facilities, meet our head coaches, and ask general questions of me or specific questions of the head coaches when they meet in small groups.
8th Graders Attending Stamford High School: Below is the website containing the required summer work for each class. The work is expected to be completed and turned in by Tuesday September 5, 2023. This will count as a double homework grade. https://www.stamfordhigh.org/academics/summer-2023-assignments.
Learn About Vaping: Parents are invited to an information session sponsored by Liberation Programs on the dangers of vaping. The event is Monday, June 5th from 6:00pm-7:00pm at Rippowam Middle School located at 381 High Ridge Rd. Presenters include Assistant Police Chief, Rich Conkiln. Parents will learn about the dangers of vaping along with marijuana and fentanyl. See the attached flyer.
Check out the May edition of the Scofield Scoop here! Our final edition will be shared next week.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parents News
5/23/23
Exhibition: This week is the highlight of the magnet middle school program. Student Exhibitions run all week. Students have been working on these projects since January. Teachers spend a great deal of time working with the students on putting together a high quality research presentation. Parents attending should plan to arrive at least 15-20 minutes early. All visitors are required to sign in at the security desk and receive a visitor badge. Read more about it here
School messenger: Central Office IT department is aware of the problems with mass/group email messages coming from our School Messenger system going directly to spam folders primarily for gmail users. They are working with School Messenger to fix the problem.
Progress Reports: Check the parent portal for finalized 4th quarter progress reports.
After School Clubs: This is the last week for clubs. Thank you for the robust participation. We are looking forward to adding new and old offerings in the fall.
5/24 Early Dismissal: Wednesday is an early dismissal for staff development. School is dismissed early at 12:15.
Concert: Many thanks for the “sell out” crowd at our Spring Concert. The parent rendition of “I Want it That Way” was certainly a highlight. Job well done to Mrs. Talmage and Mrs. Ceretta.
Student Early Dismissals: Please, please, please…send your child to school with a note. Your child brings the note to the main office as soon as he or she arrives. The office staff will write your child a pass for the time of dismissal. Your child will be waiting for you in the office when you arrive. This is especially important this week for the 8th grade Exhibition presentations. Barring some outrageous emergency, we will not call and interrupt student presentations. We understand that emergencies come up and we can certainly work with parents in these situations. Just call the office in advance and we will have your child waiting.
Late Arrivals: Students who arrive late to school must sign in at the main office.
Incoming Parent Orientation: Wednesday night at 6:30PM here at Scofield. This session is for any parent who has not attended any of our other sessions earlier in the year. During the presentation parents will learn about the basic philosophy of the school, hear from a student panel and take a short tour of the building. The entire program should be about one hour. Sorry, we are unable to offer private tours. I am more than happy to speak with any parent that has questions about the school.
Regards,
Mr. Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
5/12/23
Sorry for the delay…this weekend was dorm room clean out for my oldest child who just completed his sophomore year in college and yesterday was Mother’s Day.
CT Middle School of the Year: Many thanks to all the parents who took part in the focus group with the visiting team of four middle school administrators from around CT. The committee of visiting administrators came from Torrington, Bridgeport, Canterbury and Old Saybrook were beyond complimentary of Scofield. They couldn’t believe how quiet the building was. They had such incredible things to say about the students, the parents and most importantly, the teachers. Given the time they had, they visited about half a dozen classrooms in 6th and 8th grade and even spent a few minutes in the cafeteria. After a very rigorous process, which included a detailed application, review of data and a site visit, we were awarded “Runner Up” status for “CT Middle School of the Year” awarded by The CT Association of Schools. The winner this year was Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School.
School Climate Survey: Scofield’s results are in and I have already spent a great deal of time reviewing parent, student and teacher feedback. Thank you to all the parents who completed the survey. Your feedback helps us better design how we communicate and collaborate with families.
Spring Concert: May 18th at 7:00PM here at Scofield. There is also a day concert beginning at 1:00. Please let us know if you would like to attend the day program.
Exhibition: 8th Grade Exhibition starts May 22nd. Eighth grade parents have been invited to attend their child’s presentation. This project is the culmination of the magnet program and represents the interdisciplinary model of education. Please contact your child’s Advisory teacher if you have any questions.
After School Clubs: Two weeks to go! The last day is Thursday, May 25th. Thank you for the continued support at getting kids to the right rooms and helping them navigate some logistics when an unexpected cancellation happens.
Incoming Student Orientation: Incoming 6th graders will visit Scofield this coming Friday, May 19th for about one hour.
Incoming Parent Orientation: Wednesday, May 24th at 6:30. Parents who previously attended an earlier session this year do not need to attend.
Scofield Parent News
5/7/23
Robot invasion!-Eighth graders are learning how to create a smartphone app to control a robot, called a Hexabot (it has six legs and looks like a futuristic spider...pictures to come in the near future). In accordance with the District's bring your own device (BYOD) policy, I am allowing students to use their smartphones to control the robots during some of their STEM tech exploratory classes. Students need to download a free app called, StemiLab, to connect to the robot via Blue Tooth. I would appreciate it if you could allow your child to download this app for use in class. It's not a requirement, so if you prefer they not have the app, I respect your choice as a parent. And, as always, I appreciate your support at home! Best, Keely Norton
SBAC Testing: We are switching testing from Wednesday to Friday. No testing Wednesday. Regular/Normal schedule on Wednesday. Testing will be Friday.
Damaged/Broken Chromebooks: The last few weeks we have seen an increase in broken and damaged devices. Nearly all damage has been the result of reckless or careless action. Chromebooks run approximately $200. Please discuss proper care of school property with your children.
Teacher Appreciation Week: Help is still needed for Thursday’s lunch. Please contact the PTP if you can help out. https://sites.google.com/view/scofieldptp?pli=1
Spring Concert: May 18th at 7:00. There is limited seating from the 1:00 concert. Please call the main office if you would like to reserve a spot for the daytime concert.
Stamford High School New Student Knight: Click here for details
Integrated Math: Use this link to learn more about the district’s shift in math instruction.
8th Grade Families: Please read the letter sent home with students on Friday regarding end of the year activities. We appreciate your continued partnership.
Incoming Student Visit: Students entering 6th grade will be visiting Scofield on May 19th from 9:30-10:30. There will be a parent orientation on May 24th at 6:30. Parents who previously attended one of our orientation sessions earlier in the year do not need to attend. Sorry, we can’t accommodate private tours.
Scofield Parent News
4/30/23
Band/Chorus/Strings Concert: Thursday, May 18th at 7:00PM. Please read this letter
Thank you to all the parents who participated in the district's climate survey. This year SPS collected over 5,000 family survey responses- over 1,200 more than last year. At Scofield we are proud to report that we contributed to this growth by collecting 268 surveys from families, which is a little less than 100 more than we did last year.
SBAC Testing is just a reminder that May is a very busy month. This week all students will be doing the Language Arts portion of the SBAC. 8th is scheduled for Monday, 7th Wednesday and 6th Thursday. Getting a good night's sleep every night is important but the night before this exam is even more important. Your support would greatly be appreciated.
SMMS SPIRIT WEEK-05/01-05/05:
Monday 5/1- Career Day (Dress as your dream job, or your favorite Scofield member)
Tuesday 5/2- Twin Day (Pick someone to twin with)
Wednesday 5/3- Decades Day (Dress from any previous decade)
Thursday 5/4- May the "4th" be with you (Star wars Day)
Friday 5/5- Disney Day/Character Day (Dress up in any Disney/TV/Movie Character)
Incoming 6th Grade Visit: We will welcome incoming 6th grade students on Friday, May 19th from 9:30-10:30. A night orientation for parents will be May 24 at 7:00. Parents who attended one of our two previous orientations this year do not need to attend on the 24th.
After School Clubs: The last day for clubs is May 25th.
Lunch Menu: https://stamfordpublicschools.nutrislice.com/menu/scofield-middle/lunch/2023-05-03
From Dr. Lucero: https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/
Scofield Update
4/21/23
April 26: Early dismissal at 12:15.
Bus Stop Behavior: The administration became aware of two serious incidents that took place bus stops. This is a reminder that BOE policies apply to buses and bus stops. Students may be suspended from buses for poor behavior, including blocking or tampering with cameras. Both incidents were referred to the Stamford Police. Also, students may only ride another bus with signed permission form a parent.
New Office Assistant: A warm welcome to Sharay Coley, who has joined us in the main office.
The PTP has a few end of year events, such as Teacher appreciation, field day, etc.
Check out :
The PTP website (https://sites.google.com/view/scofieldptp)
Social media(FB - SMMSPTP, insta - scofieldmmsptp)
and email newsletter (from hubspot) to stay informed and see how you can participate.
SBAC Testing: Begins the first week of May.
Summer School Invitations: Parents are asked to check the parent portal for invitations. Registration closes May 5th.
Honor Roll Parties: Scofield Magnet Middle School believes in the recognition of student achievement. Criteria is explained in the student handbook. Times as follows:
1:15-1:30- Grade 6
1:35-1:50 - Grade 7
1:55-2:10- Grade 8
Report Card Survey: Many thanks to everyone who completed the survey. Unfortunately there was a “double-secret” setting hidden in the google form. Here is it again: https://forms.gle/gMtsSsEHVfg26YQc9. The survey is being used to determine the need for hard copies of report cards.
SMMS SPIRIT WEEK-05/01-05/05
Monday 5/1- Career Day (Dress as your dream job, or your favorite Scofield member)
Tuesday 5/2- Twin Day (Pick someone to twin with)
Wednesday 5/3- Decades Day (Dress from any previous decade)
Thursday 5/4- May the "4th" be with you (Star wars Day)
Friday 5/5- Disney Day/Character Day (Dress up in any Disney/TV/Movie Character)
After School Clubs: Last day is May 26th.
Lt. Governor's Computing Challenge submissions due by Friday, April 28th: Students in Mrs. Norton's 7th grade Tech Exploratory worked with partners to identify a need in our community. Once identified, students used the steps in the Design Thinking process (Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test) to develop a solution which uses computing technology. Mrs. Norton has encouraged students to submit their work to the contest. This must be done with a parent by going to the website: https://www.ltgovcc.org/ , then selecting the "Participate" tab and scrolling down to the "The Concept Challenge" where you can select, "Start Your Submission!" and complete the online form. You will need to enter the following teacher information: Name-Keely Norton. Email- knorton@stamfordct.gov.
Moving Up Ceremony: June 14th at 9:00AM. Due to limited seating, students are issued two tickets. There will be overflow seating and a live broadcast in the media center. In order to participate in the ceremony, students must have returned or paid for any and all school property, including computers, chargers, calculators, books, textbooks and any other materials. More importantly, students will not be permitted to participate in the ceremony if they have failed for the school year two or more core content classes (math, science, social studies, language arts). Students are dismissed following the ceremony. There will be a short reception in the courtyard following the ceremony sponsored by the PTP. Volunteers will be solicited at a later date.
From the Cafeteria: April 26th is Stop Food Waste Day. Tables will be set up in the cafeteria and will receive baskets with labels for students to place the items they do not want to consume. Chartwells is doing this to avoid the enormous amount of food waste that happens every day at school.
Lunch Menu: https://stamfordpublicschools.nutrislice.com/menu/scofield-middle/lunch/2023-04-26
From Dr. Lucero: https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/about-us/superintendent-leadership-team/weekly-message-from-the-superintendent
Regards,
Mr. Clayton-Principal
Scofield News
4/14/23
Spirit Wear Pop-Up Shop: Friday, April 21 during all lunch waves. Cash, check, venmo, card all accepted.
Honor Roll Party: Friday, April 28th.
Report Cards: Will be available electronically in power school on April 21. Would you like to receive a hard copy of your child’s report card? I am asking parents to complete this short survey. https://forms.gle/vqAwDgmvczVAVVS2A
April 26th: Early release day.
8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony: Wednesday, June 14th. Time is TBD. We have limited seating for this event. Therefore, students will be issued two tickets each. Please don’t ask for more tickets. Trust me, everyone has a special circumstance and we’ve literally heard every single special circumstance there is. There will be overflow seating in the media center where the ceremony can be watched live. The event will not be streamed online.
State Testing (SBAC): All students will be taking part in annual state assessments for math and language arts. Students in 8th grade will also be tested in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which starts on Friday, April 21st. Please be sure students get a good night's sleep the night before and as always, eat a good breakfast in the morning.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the School Climate Survey your opinion matters and we are grateful you took time to share. We expect to receive data from the survey in the next few weeks. We use the survey to plan our annual stakeholder feedback goal, which drives our Advisory planning.
From the Cafeteria: April 26th is Stop Food Waste Day. Tables will be set up in the cafeteria and will receive baskets with labels for students to place the items they do not want to consume. Chartwells is doing this to avoid the enormous amount of food waste that happens every day at school.
From Dr. Lucero: https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/about-us/superintendent-leadership-team/weekly-message-from-the-superintendent\
Lunch Menu: https://stamfordpublicschools.nutrislice.com/menu/scofield-middle/lunch/2023-04-17
Scofield Parent News
3/31/23
Marking Period End: 3/31 ends the third quarter.
Report Cards: Available in the portal on 4/21
Ramadan Observance: In the event that a student or family is fasting in observance of Ramadan that student may be given modified activities or participate as tolerated in Physical Education. Please encourage your student to inform their PE teacher if they are fasting when they arrive for class.
Fitness Testing: Students in Physical Education classes will begin practicing the mile run for the Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment following April Break. The CT State Department of Education uses performance on the assessment as one of the benchmarks in the "Accountability Index." It's important for students to take this seriously. Official timing and testing of the mile run will begin on Monday, May 1st. On the days your student has Physical Education it is required that students:
-Wear or bring a gently used pair of sneakers to class
-Pack an extra bottle of water or refillable bottle
-Dress in light clothing or layers to run(t-shirt, shorts,etc.)
-Do not run with heavy coats or sweatshirts
-Have an inhaler with the nurse if asthmatic
Free Summer Exploratory Program: The Justice Education Center, Inc., & JM Wright Technical High School will be offering a 2-week exploratory program to current 6th and 7th graders from June 22nd-July 1st, 8 AM to 12:00 PM. Students will have the opportunity to explore four trade programs: Automotive, Digital Media, Information Technology and Plumbing. Click here for further details and registration information. Limited to 40 students.
After School Clubs: We had a great start to our spring clubs (over 200 students registered). Please remind your child to check with your advisory teacher if they are not sure which club they should be attending. For clubs with wait lists, spots may be offered due to non-attendance.
Scofield Lottery: Please share with your friends whose children will be entering 6th grade. We are unable to accommodate private or individual tours. An evening orientation session will be scheduled later in the spring. We had two open house sessions in January and February.
From Dr. Lucero: https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/about-us/superintendent-leadership-team/weekly-message-from-the-superintendent
Lunch Menu: https://stamfordpublicschools.nutrislice.com/menu/scofield-middle/breakfast/2023-04-03
Scofield Parent News
3/19/23
Climate Survey: Please complete the following survey regarding Scofield Magnet Middle School The survey opens March 20th and will close on March 31st. Please follow the following links to reach your survey. We appreciate your participation.
English survey link: surveys.panoramaed.com/stamfordps/FamilySpring2023/surveys
Spanish survey link: surveys.panoramaed.com/stamfordps/FamilySpring2023/surveys?language=es
Haitian Creole survey link: surveys.panoramaed.com/stamfordps/FamilySpring2023/surveys?language=ht
Ukrainian survey link: surveys.panoramaed.com/stamfordps/FamilySpring2023/surveys?language=uk
Early Dismissal Days: March 22nd, 23rd and 24th are early release days. If you were invited to a meeting with staff please be sure to respond.
Silver Team Language Arts: Unfortunately Ms. Bates has accepted a job with Westport Public Schools for the remainder of the school year. Her last day at Scofield will be 3/22/23. This information was shared with our Human Resource office the moment we learned of the resignation. Although HR attempted to retain Ms. Bates, the opportunity in Westport was too good for her to pass up. I had a phone interview with a potential candidate last week. We have also been in contact with Mr. Solitto about his return.
Pi Day/BBall game: Take a look at some of the photos from our annual Pi-Day and Students vs. Teachers basketball game. Students pulled it off this year. We raised over $1,700 for charity. https://photos.app.goo.gl/pp2VsU5bQsfHK3Zg9
The Harlem Magic Masters VS Scofield's very own City Championship Teams!
Join us for a family evening of fun, entertainment and comedy! Our own City Championship Girls and Boys Basketball teams will take on the Harlem Magic Masters on Wednesday March 29th. Doors open at 5:30pm. This event is not limited to Scofield families, please bring your friends and neighbors!
Advanced tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. Magic Masters 3/29/2023 (pabbly.com)
Westhill High School: Incoming student and parent orientation March 29th from 6:15-8:30
Form the School Nurse: Connecticut state law (C.G.S. 10-204a and 10-206) requires students entering the 7th grade to have an updated physical by the first day of school. Parents of 6th graders should start making appointments now. CT law requires schools to exclude students from school who do not have an updated physical.
Scofield Parent News
3/10/23
Form the School Nurse: Connecticut state law (C.G.S. 10-204a and 10-206) requires students entering the 7th grade to have an updated physical by the first day of school. Parents of 6th graders should start making appointments now. CT law requires schools to exclude students from school who do not have an updated physical.
Parent Conferences: March 22, 23, and 24 by invitation only. Given the time allotted, it's not possible to meet with every parent who would like a conference. Please contact your child's teacher's if you have specific concerns.
Water Fountains: All water fountains have been turned back on. I renew my request to not send students to school with the larger size water bottle. A small 12oz bottle should more than suffice. The amount of water spills on a daily basis that require custodial cleanup has reached a critical mass
Westhill High School: Incoming student and parent orientation March 29th from 6:15-8:30
Annual Climate Survey: The annual SPS climate survey will open on March 20th. The link to complete the survey will be sent out next week. Additional information can be found here.
Spring After School Clubs: Clubs begin this Monday, March 13th. We had an overwhelming response to our offers and limited spots went very quickly. Some within the first day even. Over 200 students are registered. All were able to register for at least one class, and many for multiple classes. Please make sure that your child attends the clubs that they are enrolled in as there were long wait lists.
The Harlem Magic Masters VS Scofield's very own City Championship Teams! Wednesday, March 29th, 6-8pm. Doors open at 5:30pm. General Admission - $20. Front Row/Courtside- $40 (limited space available). Click HERE for tickets. This is not limited to Scofield students. Bring your friends, siblings, neighbors, etc. It will be the talk of the town!
Scofield at the Bridgeport Islanders GAME! Friday, March 17th - 7:00 pm @ Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport. Scofield and the Bridgeport Islanders will team up Friday, March 17th for the Chuck-A-Puck fundraiser. You and your family can snag center ice tickets for this hockey game - plus a free hat - at the discounted price of $25 per ticket. But what's Chuck-A-Puck? Scofield gets to sell fake "hockey pucks" during the game. At the end of the game, the crowd gets to throw their pucks onto the ice for a chance to win fun prizes! Scofield keeps ALL the money earned through pucks sales and a portion of ticket sales. Click HERE for tickets.
Students vs. Teachers Basketball Game: On March 17th, Scofield will host their second Pie a Teacher fundraiser, in honor of Pi Day (3/14). All students will attend the Teacher vs. Student basketball game and at the end of the game, each teacher participating will be pied by a student. Tickets to be entered into the drawing will be sold during lunch from March 13th - March 17th. $1 will get you 2 tickets. All money raised will be donated to Autism Speaks.
March 29th is an early release day
Scofield Parent News-3/3/23
Progress Reports: Please check power school for a mid-quarter progress report. I can’t believe it’s the middle of the third quarter. Please direct your questions to the classroom teacher.
Water Bottles: On behalf of the entire school, please stop sending students to school with gigantic water bottles that can weigh up to five pounds or more. Very few children drink this much water on a daily basis. Additionally, I would respectfully request that students stop bringing water bottles (click the link) with a spray top. If you know anything about middle school students, you know that many of them spray each other (and the floor) all throughout the day. The amount of water spills the custodians are called has reached the double digits on a daily basis. I have inquired with our Facilities depart about turning the water fountains back on.
From the PTP Executive Board: Join us for a fun family evening of basketball with
The Harlem Magic Masters VS Scofield's very own City Championship Teams!
Wednesday, March 29th, 6-8pm. Doors open at 5:30pm. General Admission - $20. Front Row/Courtside- $40 (limited space available). Click HERE for tickets. This is not limited to Scofield students. Bring your friends, siblings, neighbors, etc. It will be the talk of the town!
Scofield at the Bridgeport Islanders GAME! Friday, March 17th - 7:00 pm @ Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport. Scofield and the Bridgeport Islanders will team up Friday, March 17th for the Chuck-A-Puck fundraiser. You and your family can snag center ice tickets for this hockey game - plus a free hat - at the discounted price of $25 per ticket. But what's Chuck-A-Puck? Scofield gets to sell fake "hockey pucks" during the game. At the end of the game, the crowd gets to throw their pucks onto the ice for a chance to win fun prizes! Scofield keeps ALL the money earned through pucks sales and a portion of ticket sales. Click HERE for tickets
Algebra Readiness Test: Next week all 6th grade students will take the Orleans Hanna assessment for high school algebra readiness. All 7th grade students will take the assessment the week of 3/13.
Replacement Social Worker: After many months without a social worker, I am excited to introduce Mr. Bryan Garcia. Mr. Garcia has a background in trauma social work and has previously worked with “The Child Guidance Center.” He has already been incredibly helpful to our school. He can be reached by email at bgarcia@stamfordct.gov. Mr. Garcia is also fluent in Spanish.
8th Grade Families with Students Attending Stamford or Westhill High Schools: It is time to start planning for the next phase of your child’s education as she/he prepares for high school. The school counselors will be hosting a google meet Thursday, 3/9, at 6:00 PM to discuss the transition to high school and they will be meeting with students Friday, 3/10. Stay tuned for more information.
Students vs. Teachers Basketball Game: On March 17th, Scofield will host their second Pie a Teacher fundraiser, in honor of Pi Day (3/14). All students will attend the Teacher vs. Student basketball game and at the end of the game, each teacher participating will be pied by a student. Tickets to be entered into the drawing will be sold during lunch from March 13th - March 17th. $1 will get you 2 tickets. All money raised will be donated to Autism Speaks.
Parent Conferences: March 22, 23, and 24 are early release days for parent conferences. Just like December, conferences are by invite only. Given the time allotted, it's not possible to meet with every parent who would like a conference. Please contact your child's teacher's if you have specific concerns.
March 29th is an early release day
Scofield Parent News
2/24/23
After School Clubs: Sign ups for our spring session of afterschool clubs will be sent in a separate email early next week.
Scofield PD Session Summary: On February 22, Scofield teachers spent the day engaged in a variety of activities. We heard a presentation from the Rowan Center on the dangerous reality of child sex trafficking and recognizing the signs of children who might be involved in this activity against their will. We spent the afternoon reading and debriefing several professional journal articles on reimagining our library-media center. Scofield does not have a library-media specialist and as a school we’ve decided to explore as many options as we can on how we can best utilize the space in our school in a manner that supports and benefits student achievement. The following are four of the seven articles and one video:
· Next Century Learning-Reimagining the Library
· Tech Notes-Reimagine Your Library Space
· Six Must Haves in a Modern Media Center
· Design for Learning-Media Center
Change to Breakfast and Lunch Process: Beginning Monday, March 13, students will have to enter their student ID code at cafeteria registers before getting school breakfast and lunch. All meals will continue to be FREE for all students. This change is being implemented so Stamford Public Schools can provide an accurate count of meals served to comply with state and federal program requirements.
Integrated Math Information Session for Middle and High School: It was announced last week that Stamford Public Schools is adopting Integrated Mathematics to teach the material currently presented in Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2. This change will take place over a three-year period, with Integrated Math 1 replacing Algebra 1 during the 2023-24 school year. Click here to read more. This change will impact students in students entering grades 7, 8 and 9 in the Fall 2023. Associate Superintendent Amy Beldotti will host a Parent Pop-Up on Wednesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. to review this change with families. I encourage families to join this information session via zoom.
Stamford Cradle to Career Teen Fair: Our community partner, Stamford Cradle to Career, is hosting a Teen Fair on Friday, March 10 at 4:30 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club. This event will feature games, raffles, food, community resources, learning from peers, and networking. Learn more and register here.
Parents of Students with an IEP: Consent forms were sent home earlier this week. Please contact your child’s special education teacher with any questions.
Book Giveaway: We are excited that our community partner, Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF) was awarded a grant by Reading is Fundamental (RIF) to provide free books to all of our students across the district in Pre-k through 8th grade. Next Friday, March 3rd every student at Scofield will receive three free books to bring home. We are thankful to have such wonderful community partners here in Stamford.
Volleyball Tryouts: Tryouts for the girls volleyball team will take place during the week of March 6th from 3-4 in the gym. Monday, March 6th will be tryouts for 6th & 7th grade girls. Thursday, March 9th will be tryouts for 8th grade girls. Once the team is selected, team practice will begin on Monday, March 13th from 3-4 in the gym. Any student interested in trying out should sign up to stay with their advisory teacher by Monday, March 6th. Students trying out should have sneakers and water for participating. Practices and matches moving forward will take place on Monday and Thursday afternoons. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Lamb or Mr. Brienza.
Scofield Parent News
2/18/23
From the PTP: Scofield's has set up our Spring Fundraiser through http://www.shopfund.com until March 15th. Scofield PTP will get a portion of all sales on the many items to choose from on their website. Here's how you can get online and start shopping:
Go to:
Click Shop
Click No student code
Select Connecticut
Start typing sco and Scofield will come up for you to select
Enter Student First and Last name and click get started. Questions? Email: Scofieldmagnetptp@gmail.com
Cafeteria Update: Starting in March, students eating school lunch will be required to enter their personal pin number into the cafeteria registers. There is no charge for lunch. Lunch will remain free through the end of the school year. The Federal government is asking states to better track the amount of lunches eaten by students. In case you didn't know, school districts receive reimbursement from the Federal government for each meal served. In Stamford, this money is funneled right back to our PTP. We use this money for field trips, guest speakers, and a variety of other purposes to benefit students here at Scofield.
School Dance: February 24th. 6:30-8:30. Parents are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. A signed permission slip is required for any student who purchases tickets at the door.
Bus Behavior: Bus #138 has been assigned a bus monitor due to continued and ongoing poor student behavior. I have requested another bus video to see who ripped a seat and began throwing the stuffing around the bus. The responsible student(s) may be financially responsible for the repair. There was another incident on Thursday where a small group of students were very poorly behaved. We've tried assigned seats and other consequences. The next step is bus removal.
Honor Roll Party: Thursday, February 24. Many thanks to Christina Acocella for planning and organizing time after time for the last several years.
High School Algebra/Geometry Students: In accordance with Board of Education Policy #6146, students taking high school level courses will earn graduation credit and meet course requirements for graduation. In order to receive credit, students must earn a “C” or better in the course. The final grade does not transfer to the high school and is not calculated into a student’s Grade Point Average (GPA). Only the graduation credit is reflected on a student’s official high school transcript.
Lottery Applications: Parents with current 6th and 7th grade students wishing their 5th grader to attend Scofield MUST complete a lottery application. Admission is automatic ONLY if the application is submitted. The sibling does not apply to outgoing 8th graders (sorry, this is Board Policy).
Parent Orientation: Thursday, February 23 at 7:00PM. There will be a presentation, Q and A and brief tour.
The Harlem Magic Masters Basketball Team: Save the date for March 29th for a night of basketball entertainment. Details TBD.
Regards,
Mr. Clayton
Scofield Parent News Update:
2/10/23
Cafeteria Changes: Starting March 1, all students will be required to enter their student ID pin number in the cafeteria. Principals have asked Chartwells to invest in barcode readers or scanners of some type so that students can scan a card and not have to type in a number. Breakfast and lunch will continue to be FREE for all students. The federal government is looking for more specific accountability for lunch numbers for reimbursement.
In Case You Missed It: Please see the attached image from this week’s New York Times article on additional federal funding for internet bullying. The assembly in the photo was from October. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ntx2qCb6igzpJgSDFjeSMKzGV0fjFfrC/view?usp=sharing
Math Team Update: I am happy to share that 12 students from Scofield participated in the MathCounts Competition on Feb 4th held at Fairfield University. MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide middle school mathematics competition. Topics covered include geometry, counting, probability, number theory, and algebra. Sixteen schools from Fairfield Country participated in a day-long event. It was a good learning and fun experience for the students where they got the opportunity to represent Scoffield School, and meet with other middle school students in the area. Taking an exam in a university lecture hall, and walking through campus with college students to the awards ceremony are experiences that plant seeds for the future and be aware of the world around them. I would like to recognize the following students from our school. Total student participation in competition 154
The top 3 students from our school were
Kartik Nayyar: Rank 39
Vihaan Goyal: Rank 69
Arsenii Gudenko: Rank 82
We hope to provide this opportunity again in the future.
City Middle School Basketball Champions: Congratulations to the Boy’s and Girl’s basketball teams for winning the city championship. The girl’s defeated Strawberry Hill and the boy’s defeated Rippowam. Many thanks to Coach Lamb (girls) and Coach Paris (boys) for all their hard work.
School Climate Survey: Be on the lookout for the annual Stamford Public Schools Climate Survey. The survey will be set via email. The window for completion is March 20-March 31.
Looking for Board Games: One of the upcoming after school clubs will involve students learning to play different strategy based board games. Some of the games that students will be playing are Chess, Checkers, Risk, Blockus, and Settlers of Catan. The club will cover all of these different strategy based board games but the main focus will be Chess. If you have any old board games of any kind that you are willing to donate to the club, that would be greatly appreciated.
Band Presentation: The band director from Stamford High School has been given permission to visit all of the middle schools for a short presentation/performance. This presentation is for all middle school band students. They will be coming to Scofield on Wednesday February 15 from 10:15 - 10:45 in the gym. Please allow band students to attend. A list of students will be available as we get closer to the date.
Winter Dance: The PTP is planning a dance for Friday, February 24th from 6:30-8:30. Additional details will be forthcoming. This dance is for Scofield students only. Students must be in school on Friday to attend. Parent volunteers will be needed.
Lottery Applications: Parents with current 6th and 7th grade students wishing their 5th grader to attend Scofield MUST complete a lottery application. Admission is automatic ONLY if the application is submitted. The sibling does not apply to outgoing 8th graders (sorry, this is Board Policy).
Parent Orientation: Thursday, February 23 at 7:00PM. There will be a presentation, Q and A and brief tour.
Regards,
Mr. Clayton (Go Eagles!)
Scofield Parent News
2/3/23
Black History Month: In honor of Black History Month, quotes from various leaders in the Black community have been read following the Pledge of Allegiance.
This week’s were:
· The time is always right to do what is right. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
· Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations. Dr. Mae Jemison, first African-American female astronaut.
· If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Frederick Douglass
Lunch Menu: Week of Feb 6
Second quarter report cards will be available in PowerSchool Parent Portal on Friday, February 3rd. If you need assistance with accessing the Parent Portal please contact the main office at 203-977-2750, or you may email Mrs. Burkhardt at sburkhardt@stamfordct.gov.
Soup-er Bowl Friday: February 10th we are asking all students to wear their favorite sports “jersey” and bring in canned food. All donations will go to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. Donations can be brought to the main office or Ms. Rosano’s room in 125.
Looking for Board Games: One of the upcoming after school clubs will involve students learning to play different strategy based board games. Some of the games that students will be playing are Chess, Checkers, Risk, Blockus, and Settlers of Catan. The club will cover all of these different strategy based board games but the main focus will be Chess. If you have any old board games of any kind that you are willing to donate to the club, that would be greatly appreciated.
Say Something Campaign: In the fall 2019 Scofield had a school assembly for the “Start With Hello” program created by Sandy Hook Promise. This whole program was provided to all Stamford middle and high schools through a grant. Unfortunately COVID curtailed the implementation of that program. The directors of Sandy Hook Promise contacted me this week to schedule part two of the program. Instead of an assembly, this is a 60-minute virtual/interactive presentation for the Say Something Campaign.
Winter Dance: The PTP is planning a dance for Friday, February 24th from 6:30-8:30. Additional details will be forthcoming. This dance is for Scofield students only. Students must be in school on Friday to attend. Parent volunteers will be needed.
Bus Behavior: The bus is an extension of school. Board of Education Policies and school rules are in effect while students ride the bus to and from school. Please remind your children that there are cameras on the bus watching everything they do, AND everything they say.
New Afterschool Program: Great news! Scofield has secured Connecticut ARP ESSER funding for a comprehensive after school program for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. The Scofield Explorers Academy is scheduled to start at the beginning of March and will run from 3:00-5:00 PM Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, providing academic support, STEM enrichment and recreational activities in partnership with ROSCCO. Transportation home will be provided. We are looking for interested parents to join the Scofield Explorers Academy Advisory Council to advise on program offerings and parent engagement activities.. Please reach out to Doug Fetchin at dfetchin@stamfordct.gov if you are interested.
Lottery Applications: Parents with current 6th and 7th grade students wishing their 5th grader to attend Scofield MUST complete a lottery application. Admission is automatic ONLY if the application is submitted. The sibling does not apply to outgoing 8th graders (sorry, this is Board Policy).
Parent Orientation: Thursday, February 23 at 7:00PM. There will be a presentation, Q and A and brief tour.
Regards,
Mr. Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
1/27/23
Holocaust Remembrance Day: In recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the following announcement was read by students on Friday following the Pledge of Allegiance
“Today, January 27th is Holocaust remembrance day. January 27th marks 78 years since the Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz was liberated. The day remembers the killing of six million Jews, two-thirds of Europe's Jewish population, and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. This day reminds us that anti-Semetism is not just a Jewish problem, but a problem for all of us.”
Soup-er Bowl Friday: February 10th we are asking all students to wear their favorite sports “jersey” and bring in canned food. All donations will go to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County.
Second quarter report cards will be available in PowerSchool Parent Portal on Friday, February 3rd. If you need assistance with accessing the Parent Portal please contact the main office at 203-977-2750, or you may email Mrs. Burkhardt at sburkhardt@stamfordct.gov.
Winter Dance: The PTP is planning a dance for Friday, February 24th. Specific details like cost and start and end times will be forthcoming. Parent volunteers will be needed.
New Afterschool Program: Great news! Scofield has secured Connecticut ARP ESSER funding for a comprehensive after school program for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. The Scofield Explorers Academy is scheduled to start at the beginning of March and will run from 3:00-5:00 PM Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, providing academic support, STEM enrichment and recreational activities in partnership with ROSCCO. Transportation home will be provided. We are looking for interested parents to join the Scofield Explorers Academy Advisory Council to advise on program offerings and parent engagement activities.. Please reach out to Doug Fetchin at dfetchin@stamfordct.gov if you are interested.
For all the parents out there who can use support with your middle school daughter. This article is chock full of advice for navigating the emotional rollercoaster of having a tween/teen girl.
Lottery Applications: Parents will current 6th and 7th grade students wishing their 5th grader to attend Scofield MUST complete a lottery application. Admission is automatic ONLY if the application is submitted. The sibling does not apply to outgoing 8th graders (sorry, this is Board Policy).
Parent Orientation: Thursday, February 2 at 10:00. There will be a presentation, Q and A and brief tour. A night orientation is planned for February 23 at 7:00PM.
Scofield Parent News Update
1/20/23
Many thanks to all of the parents, Scofield alumni and student participants who made the dodgeball tournament a success. The team outfits were so creative. What I enjoyed seeing most were all of the students cheering each other on and having a good time at school. Too often school is about work and these last few years the fun of school was stripped away. I think the winning team should play the teachers!
New Schedules: The third quarter starts on Monday. Student exploratory technology classes switch and so will math and reading for a small number of students. We are NOT printing schedules. All students have access to their schedule in power school.
January 25 Early Release Day: Reminder that next Wednesday is early dismissal. Scofield dismisses at 12:20 pm.
Exhibition 2023: We have reached the halfway mark of the school year, and 8th grade has begun the process of Exhibition. This week in advisory, 8th grade students began looking at different topic choices available to them. Students have identified some topics of interest from the list, and they will complete a Topic Proposal due to their advisors on Friday, January 27th. After team review of student proposals, students will be notified of which of their topic choices has been approved. The best way to support your student this upcoming week is to encourage them to choose a topic that they feel will keep them interested and engaged through the second half of the school year. Exhibition is a culminating "capstone" experience of the magnet program and a defining feature of Scofield. More information on what to expect in Exhibition including an overview of the components and supports available can be found here in our 2023 Exhibition Overview Video for Parents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVH81RRSjIo . If you have any questions following this overview, please reach out to your child's advisor.
End of Q2: January 20th marked the official end of the second quarter. Unless there is an extenuating circumstance, grades are closed.
Report Cards: Available in the power school portal on February 3rd.
This is a new app that is becoming popular among tweens and teens. Thought this Common Sense Media review
Scofield Orientation: February 2 at 10:00 here at Scofield. This is for anyone interested in applying to the lottery for next year.
Check out this opportunity to support a local fundraiser started by a Scofield parent: https://gofund.me/5742ea0d
Link to previous newsletters: https://sites.google.com/view/scofieldprincipalscorner?pli=1
From Dr. Lucero: Weekly Messag
Scofield Parent News
1/13/23
Dodgeball: The annual dodgeball tournament is BACK! It will be held on January 20th after school at 3pm. Please register here. Each team MUST have a parent / adult chaperone. Chaperones must attend the entire event, stay with the team and ensure the team follows the rules, stays safe and has fun (don’t worry it's gonna be GREAT!) Admission is $15 per student. Students will not be allowed to register or pay the day of the event SO SIGN UP TODAY!
MLK Day March: Scofield’s Angela Edwards, known as “Ms. E” has been honored as the Co-Marshall for the annual upcoming MLK Day March. Congrats on this honor! The Rally begins at 10:00AM at Bethel AME Church located at 150 Fairfield Ave, Stamford. Immediately following the rally, the march will begin at 11:00AM from the same location. Directly after the march, lunch will be provided at the Boys & Girls Club / Yerwood Center located at 90 Fairfield Ave., Stamford. This event is hosted by the Stamford MLK Committee.
After School Activities: This week was the last week for fall clubs Registration for spring clubs will go out around the end of February. Stay tuned.
End of 2nd Quarter: January 20
Report Cards will be available in the parent portal on February 3
Spectator policy for MS Athletic Competitions: Student spectators are only allowed at an after school athletic event at Scofield if they are accompanied by an adult for the duration of the game. No child will be allowed to enter without an adult. If students from Scofield would like to stay after for an athletic event, he/she should be picked up from his/her regular dismissal area and re-enter with an adult through the gym entrance. Spectators at away games will be limited ONLY to parents and siblings of team members.
Recommendation Letters: Parents are reminded that teachers need timely notification of at least two weeks if a student is in need of a reference letter for high school. Teachers will respond to student requests for letters. It’s important we teach our children how to interact with adults. As much as I understand a parent’s desire to make the request for a child, it’s better in the long run that we teach them the skills necessary for these conversations. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
From Dr. Lucero: Weekly Message
Scofield Parent News Update
1/9/23
NELMS Accreditation Visit: We are excited to announce our accreditation visit with the New England League of Middle Schools is Friday, January 13th. Three middle school principals from Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire will spend the day in classrooms and will also meet with students, teachers and our PTP Executive Board. Scofield is one of only 12 middle schools in CT to be designated a Spotlight School.
Dodgeball: The annual dodgeball tournament is BACK! It will be held on January 20th after school at 3pm. Please register here. Each team MUST have a parent / adult chaperone. Chaperones must attend the entire event, stay with the team and ensure the team follows the rules, stays safe and has fun (don’t worry it's gonna be GREAT!) Admission is $15 per student. Students will not be allowed to register or pay the day of the event SO SIGN UP TODAY!
After School Clubs: Last day for fall clubs is Thursday, January 12. We will be taking a short break and picking back up again in the early spring. We are looking to send registration forms for spring clubs around February break.
Basketball Games: All middle schools have agreed to rules for student fans at basketball games. Any student who wishes to attend a game must be accompanied by an adult for the entire game. Students will not be permitted to enter games without an adult.
Reading and Math Inventory: All students will be taking two district assessments in the coming days. These assessments measure grade level progress in reading comprehension and math and are done three times per year. These assessments are benchmarks and are not counted for a grade. The results are used to help teachers plan instruction.
Scofield New Student Orientation: We will have an orientation session at 10:00AM on February 2nd here at Scofield for potential families to learn about our program.
Marking Period End: Friday, January 20th
No School: Schools are closed on Monday, January 16th in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day.
Early Dismissal: All SPS schools have early dismissal on January 25th.
From Dr. Lucero: https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/about-us/superintendent-leadership-team/weekly-message-from-the-superintendent
Scofield Update- 12/22/2022
Good Afternoon Scofield Parents,
This afternoon shortly before dismissal staff members reported an odor of gas in the building. Emergency procedures call for an immediate evacuation of the building. Since we were moments away from dismissal, the decision was made to carry on with normal dismissal procedures. We simply did not know how long it would take Eversource and the Fire Department to clear the building. The building will remain open this evening until 7:00PM for students to obtain anything they may have left in their classrooms.
Thank you everyone for your cooperation and understanding this afternoon. Your children's safety is our first priority each and every day.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
12/18/22
Anti-Semetic Language: Over the last few weeks the Administration has investigated student use of Anti-Semetic words and phrases in school and on social media. While I shouldn’t have to remind anyone, this language and associated rhetoric has no place in our society, or in a school. Use of this type of language may come with serious consequences to include, but not limited to suspension, expulsion and/or referral to law enforcement. This is especially the case if and when this language is directed at any individual student, group of students or a teacher.
Message for Turquoise Team Parents: Please allow me to introduce you to Dr. Defrietas, who will be taking over teaching duties for Mr. Talboys. Mrs. Adolfi has not left us. Unfortunately, Scofield has had another unexpected medically related absence and we needed to move staff members. Dr. Defrietas is a highly experienced teacher with a Bachelor’s Degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a Master’s Degree from Mercy College, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville College. She can be reached at TDefrietas@StamfordCT.gov.
From the PTP:
· To follow the Scofield PTP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMMSPTP (like our page!)
· To follow the Scofield PTP on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scofieldmmsptp/ (follow us!)
· To order Spirit Wear: https://forms.pabbly.com/form/share/dTuS-722586067
· To Order a Yearbook by December 31 at our Early Bird Special of $25 (prices go up on January 1): https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectJob?jobNumber=12894423&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PN_YB_F22_DEC&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=PN_YB_F22_DEC
Scofield’s Holiday Hearts Raffle Program is back for the 17th year brightening the season for many Scofield students! The lucky recipients of the raffle will participate in a grab bag activity just before the December vacation. The Elf Team asks that those interested in contributing please donate a gift card(small denomination) or a new, unwrapped family board game. Gift cards can be from local merchants such as Walmart, Target, Gap, McDonald’s, Dunkin etc… New family board games could include Scrabble, Sudoku, Phase 10, Slapzy, Uno… (no video games, please). If you are interested in donating please have your child deliver the gift card/board game to the main office by Monday, December 19th. Your kindness and support are always appreciated. If you have any questions please contact our Elf Team at jfox@stamfordct.gov (203)977-2767
Winter Concert: Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00PM at Scofield.
Essay Contest: Senator Murphy invites students to participate in his the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest. We ask students from elementary, middle, and high schools from across Connecticut to participate in honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by submitting essays that reflect on Dr. King’s dream, their own aspirations, and the importance of what Dr. King means to them. Submissions are now open and must be received by Saturday, January 7th at 11:59pm. Essays can be submitted online or mailed to our Hartford Office. Essay instructions can be found via this link. Once you click the link, you will need to download the files. We look forward to reading and reviewing your student’s work! If you have any further questions, please contact Erin McBride at 860-549-8463 or email at MLK_Essay@murphy.senate.gov.
From The Nurse’s Office: With the high prevalence of respiratory illnesses and expected spike after the holidays, nurse's office follows the protocols in the links below. All protocols can be found on the SPS website under COVID 19 information. Daily Checklist Return to Learn Guidance
Scofield Spirit Week:
· 12/19-Menorah Monday. Wear Blue, White, Gold or Silver as we celebrate Hanukkah
· 12/20-Tacky Tuesday. Holiday Mishmash dress in wacky holiday gear, crazy hair, mismatching socks etc.
· 12/21- Elf Day. Dress as an Elf or any Holiday Character (Clark W Griswold is my personal favorite)
· 12/22- Winter Sweater Day. Wear your most festive, coziest, brightest or ugliest weather
· 12/23- Winter Pajama Day. Wear cozy or festive pajamas to school.
Dr. Lucero's Weekly Message
Scofield Parent News
12/11/22
Scofield In the News: Click here to see!
Scofield’s Holiday Hearts Raffle is back for the 17th year brightening the season for many Scofield students! The lucky recipients of the raffle will participate in a grab bag activity just before the December vacation. The Elf Team asks that those interested in contributing please donate a gift card(small denomination) or a new, unwrapped family board game. Gift cards can be from local merchants such as Walmart, Target, Gap, McDonald’s, Dunkin etc… New family board games could include Scrabble, Sudoku, Phase 10, Slapzy, Uno… (no video games, please). If you are interested in donating please have your child deliver the gift card/board game to the main office by Monday, December 19th. Your kindness and support are always appreciated. If you have any questions please contact our Elf Team at jfox@stamfordct.gov (203)977-2767
Winter Concert: Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00PM at Scofield. The daytime performance is for students. Due to limited seating, we can only accommodate a small number of parents during our daytime performance. Please let us know if you would like to attend the daytime performance only, all parents/family members can attend the evening performance.
Early Dismissal Days: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week are early dismissal for parent conferences. Conferences are by invitation only based on academics, behavior and attendance. As much as we would like to meet with every parent, it’s just not possible with approximately 100 students per team.
Essay Contest: Senator Christopher Murphy invites students to participate in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest. We ask students from elementary, middle, and high schools from across Connecticut to participate in honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by submitting essays that reflect on Dr. King’s dream, their own aspirations, and the importance of what Dr. King means to them. Submissions are now open and must be received by Saturday, January 7th at 11:59pm. Essays can be submitted online or mailed to our Hartford Office. Essay instructions can be found via this link. Once you click the link, you will need to download the files. Any further questions, please contact Erin McBride at 860-549-8463 or email at MLK_Essay@murphy.senate.gov.
High School Updates:
Early College Studies: lottery application due 1/17
Agriscience: second/final Open House/Holiday Plant Sale, Sat 12/10 from 9-1; rolling admissions however the first round of interviews is usually in January and by then there will likely be a wait list, so don’t delay if interested
AITE: online lottery applications are open until 1/17 at 4PM
JM Wright Tech: Priority application due date is 12/15
Staffing Updates: Please welcome Mrs. Kathy Shannonhouse back to Scofield. Mrs. Shannonhouse has rejoined Scofield as a long term substitute. She will be taking over our specialized reading program and Dr. Butler will return to her role as a co-teacher assisting on the grade level teams. We have also hired two additional long term substitutes to take over for Mr. Talboys and Mr. Sollitto, both out for surgery. Names and contact information will be shared with individual teams. We continue to work with the district Department Chair for Social Workers for a temporary replacement for Dr. Federici.
Math Team: Additional information on how to be part of the competitive math team will be shared later in the week. There is a math comprehension test along with a fee to participate. Financial assistance may be available based on need. Thank you for your patience.
Check your child’s school counselor’s google classroom for HS info/deadlines/links and updates. Also a reminder that students need to ask staff members directly to complete any recommendation letters/forms (this includes private applications as well as Agriscience and Wright Tech).
Internet Safety: The district uses “Securly” to monitor student internet usage for suicide, self-harm, weapons and substance abuse.During school hours, these alerts are sent to school administration and to SPS associate superintendents. After school hours, the alerts are sent to school personnel along and the Stamford Police. These alerts trigger an immediate response for the safety of your children.
Scofield Swag has changed and the new updated version of sweatshirts, sweatpants and a blanket are now available. The PTP will be selling and taking orders this Monday and they have many new social media links up so you can preview the new look.
From Dr. Lucero: Weekly Message
Scofield Parent News
12/4/22
Don’t Miss “Something Rotten!”: The Stamford All-School Musical’s production of “Something Rotten!” opens this weekend. “Something Rotten!” is a hilariously outrageous musical comedy set in the ‘90’s – the 1590’s! Now in its 15th year, The Stamford All-School Musical is an afterschool program sponsored by Stamford Public Schools. This year’s cast and crew features students from 12 area schools including AITE, Cloonan, Dolan, Rippowam, Stamford High, Turn of River, and Westhill. Performances take place at Westhill High School on December 2, 3, 9 and 10 at 7:30 pm and December 11 at 3 pm. To order tickets online, visit www.stamfordallschoolmusical.org. Tickets also may be purchased at the school box office one hour prior to curtain. Details here!
Parent Conferences: Middle school conferences are by invitation only based on academics, attendance and behavior. Teachers and counselors have already started contacting parents. December 14, 15 and 16 are early dismissal days.
202-2023 Yearbook: Order your yearbook here.
JM Wright Technical High School: Reminder that the application priority deadline is December 15th. Submit your application by this date for the best chance to attend.
Stamford Agriscience Open Houses (and Holiday Shop): Dec 3rd and 10th from 9AM-1PM at Westhill HS. Tour the building and experience what the Agriscience program is all about! Admissions are on a rolling basis (no hard due date) however the first round of interviews is typically held in January and by that time there is usually a wait list, so if your child is interested in applying, don’t delay. See your school counselor with any questions.
Any questions about HS options? First stop, please check your child’s school counselor’s google classroom for a wealth of information, helpful links and updates.
The Teenage Brain Post Covid: Study by Stanford University
Student Government Council- The Giving Elf Project- We are starting to collect items for our local homeless shelters. We are collecting Hygiene items such as toothpaste/toothbrushes, shampoo/conditioner, body wash, lotions, deodorant, men’s winter hats/gloves, men’s socks, women/children’s winter hats/gloves. The drive will run from December 1st to December 21st, which happens to be National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day. All donations can be brought to Ms.Rosano’s room, (Room 125).
We’re Hiring: Want to make some extra money? Scofield needs substitute teachers. Apply here- https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/departments/human-resources/we-are-hiring
12/23: The day before break is an early release day.
From the Superintendent: Weekly Message
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
11/23/22
Happy Thanksgiving: On behalf of the entire staff at Scofield Magnet Middle School, I’d like to wish everyone in the Scofield family a happy and bountiful Thanksgiving.
Scofield Scoop! - The Scofield Scoop Newspaper Club has published this year's first newspaper, attached to this email. Special thanks to everyone who participated in student interviews! If you have any topics or news you'd like to suggest to the school newspaper, please email Julie Moyer at jmoyer@stamfordct.gov. We plan to have the second paper out before the winter recess. The Scofield Scoop
Scofield’s Holiday Hearts Raffle Program is back for the 17th year brightening the season for many Scofield students! The lucky recipients of the raffle will participate in a grab bag activity just before the December vacation. The Elf Team asks that those interested in contributing please donate a gift card(small denomination) or a new, unwrapped family board game. Gift cards can be from local merchants such as Walmart, Target, Gap, McDonald’s, Dunkin etc… New family board games could include Scrabble, Sudoku, Phase 10, Slapzy, Uno… (no video games, please). If you are interested in donating please have your child deliver the gift card/board game to the main office by Monday, December 19th. Your kindness and support are always appreciated. If you have any questions please contact our Elf Team at jfox@stamfordct.gov (203)977-2767
Honor Roll Celebration: 11/30 beginning at 1:00.
· 1:15-1:30- grade 6
· 1:35-1:50- grade 7
· 1:55-2:10- grade 8
Winter Concert: Our annual winter concert returns. Band, Chorus and Strings will perform 12/21 beginning at 7:00. Although the daytime performance is for students, any parent who would like to attend should contact their child’s Advisory teacher. Sorry, there is limited seating during the day.
Military Holiday Card Challenge: Many thanks to all who participated in this opportunity. More than 250 cards were sent. Read more about it here.
Late Bus Change: Students riding bus 131 for after school activities will begin riding bus 106 starting on Monday, November 28th. There is no change to the route, just a change to the bus number. It will be announced in morning and afternoon advisory, but please let your children know about the change.
Basketball Tryouts will take place following the Thanksgiving break. Students trying out for the team should have sneakers and water for tryouts. Girls tryouts will be on Monday, November 28th from 3-4 in the gym. Boys tryouts will be on Tuesday, November 29th from 3-4 in the gym. Callbacks for boys and girls will take place on Thursday, December 1st from 3-4 in the gym. Callbacks are only for those students selected from the first tryout session. All students staying for tryouts should make arrangements to be picked up or take the late bus home.
From the desk of Dr. Lucero: Superintendent's Weekly Message
Scofield Parent News
11/20/22
Thanksgiving Food Drive: Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far. The drive will end on Tuesday, November 22nd. Please donate non-perishable items or canned goods. Boxes are located in the Main Atrium, Main Office and Ms.Rosano’s room (room 125).
First Quarter Report Cards: Are now available to view in the Parent Portal.
High School Options: Program coordinators from the International Baccalaureate Middle Years and Early College Studies at Stamford High School presented to 8th graders this past Wednesday and representatives from JM Wright Technical High School and the Agricultural Science program at Westhill High School were at school today. There are many high school options available to our 8th graders. Please check out Mrs. Benenson’s and Mrs. Fox’s google classrooms for additional information. Here is a brief overview of application information and due dates.
Honor Roll Party: Wednesday, 11/30 starting at 1:00 in the cafeteria. From the handbook:
Scofield Magnet Middle School believes in the recognition of student achievement. The honor roll is divided into two categories: High Honors and General Honors. In order to make high honors students must have all A’s and no 3’s for effort or behavior, including Advisory. In order to make general honors students must have A’s and B’s and no 3’s for effort or behavior, including Advisory.
Scofield Basketball Tryouts: Tryouts will be held after Thanksgiving break. Announcements will be made during morning announcements.
Save the Date: Thursday, December 8th will be a parent presentation for parents by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). We have been working in partnership with NAMI this year on a program called Ending the Silence. Representatives from NAMI worked with Scofield teachers earlier this year. The next phase is to present to parents and then ultimately work with students. Click here to learn more.
8th Grade Group Photo: Will take place on Wednesday, November 30th. Order forms were distributed to 8th grade students.
Acceleration Academy: Students can attend Acceleration Academy if they need help in math or language arts. The Academy takes place Wednesday and Friday mornings from 6:45-745 AM. Please contact Mr. Fetchin for more information at dfetchin@stamfordct.gov
Parent Conferences: December 14,15,16(early dismissal). Conferences are by invitation and will focus on any student who is struggling (academically, behaviorally, attendance). Conferences are IN-PERSON. Parents may ask for a virtual conference.
Cell Phone Policy Update: Stamford Board of Education Policy 5131.8 passed last summer required schools to convene a committee of teachers and students to develop regulations regarding student cell phones. Unless under specific circumstances, Board Policy 5131.8 prohibits middle school students from using cell phones or other electronic devices during the school day. Scofield’s committee developed the following:
· Scofield Administrative Regulations: For the purposes of this policy, “devices” shall include cell phones, smart watches, earbuds and any other electronic communication device or gaming system.
· First offense: The teacher will issue the student a warning and reminder of the district cell phone policy. It is recommended that the teacher share the warning with the Advisory teacher.
· Second offense: The teacher will ask the student to hand over the device for the remainder of the school day. The teacher can either maintain possession of the device or turn it over to the administration.
· Third offense: The device will be confiscated by the administration and the parents will be connected to retrieve the device. The device will be stored in a secure area in the main office. Barring an extenuating circumstance, the device will not be returned to the student. The student may be subject to additional disciplinary action to include, but not limited to suspension, detention, or community service.
From the Superintendent: https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/about-us/superintendent-leadership-team/weekly-message-from-the-superintendent/~board/superintendent-weekly/post/superintendents-weekly-message-november-18-2022
The following is a good article on teenage Social Media use: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/11/16/connection-creativity-and-drama-teen-life-on-social-media-in-2022/
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
11/13/22
Photo Retake day: November 15th. Main lobby. Order at mylifetouch.com. Picture ID is EVT4J7J4
Red, White and Blue day: More than $700 was raised in our Veteran’s Day activity. Proceeds will be donated to “The Wounded Warrior project.” I am very familiar with this organization and the work that they do. Many thanks to all the students who dressed up for the day and to everyone who contributed to the donation bin.
After School Clubs: Started this past week. Every student registered was enrolled in at least one club. Please have your child check with their advisory teacher for room locations. Fall clubs will run through January 12th. Please contact Tracy Vodola tvodola@stamfordct.gov with any questions.
Report cards will be available in the portal on 11/18. It takes a few days to finalize grades and get everything uploaded.
Honor Roll: Scofield Magnet Middle School believes in the recognition of student achievement. The honor roll is divided into two categories: High Honors and General Honors. In order to make high honors students must have all A’s and no 3’s for effort or behavior, including Advisory. In order to make general honors students must have A’s and B’s and no 3’s for effort or behavior, including Advisory.
Spiritwear Survey: Click here to complete a survey from the PTP about Scofield spirit wear clothing.
Save the Date: Thursday, December 8th will be a parent presentation for parents by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). We have been working in partnership with NAMI this year on a program called Ending the Silence. Representatives from NAMI worked with Scofield teachers earlier this year. The next phase is to present to parents and then ultimately work with students. Click here to learn more.
From the School Nurse: Dental and Scoliosis screenings for 7th grade students will be on November 28 and 29. Parent opt-out letters will be sent home by mail next week.
Thanksgiving Food Drive- The drive will begin on Wednesday, November 2nd and end on Tuesday, November 22nd. Please donate non-perishable items or canned goods. Boxes will be placed in the Main Atrium, Main Office and Ms.Rosano’s room (room 125). More details will be forthcoming with particular needed items.
From the Superintendent: Weekly News Letter
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
11/4/22
Save the Date: Thursday, December 8th will be a parent presentation for parents by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). We have been working in partnership with NAMI this year on a program called Ending the Silence. Representatives from NAMI worked with Scofield teachers earlier this year. The next phase is to present to parents and then ultimately work with students. Click here to learn more.
No School 11/8(Election Day) and 11/11 (Veterans Day).
J.M. Wright Technical High School: Reminder that Open House is in person Thursday, November 10th, from 6-8 PM at 120 Bridge Street. Come and learn about the nine career technologies, work-based learning opportunities, athletics, college-credit opportunities and more. Applications are now available and are submitted electronically: Click here.
Join us for High School Options Night on Wednesday, November 9 at 6 p.m. via Zoom (passcode 305445). All Scofield families – especially our eighth-grade families – are invited to learn about the many specialized high school programs available to students entering high school next year. Students may apply to these programs regardless of their district high school. This event will be presented with simultaneous Spanish interpretation. Click here to learn more. Flyers for the event are below in both English and Spanish:
High School Options Night - english High School Options Night - spanish
Academy of Information Technology and Engineering (AITE) is an inter-district, public, magnet high school in Stamford. The application to apply to is now available. The deadline to apply is January 17, 2023 at 4:00 PM. There are also two Open House events: November 5, 2022 @ 9:30-11:00 AM and December 8, 2022 @ 6:00-7:30 PM.
From the School Nurse: Dental and Scoliosis screenings for 7th grade students will be on November 28 and 29. Parent opt-out letters will be sent home by mail next week.
Veterans Day: Please read this letter about Veterans Day at Scofield. Please use this attachment to send in photographs for our wall. Students will be watching this video during Advisory this week.
Congratulations to Scofield’s Cross Country team on bringing home another City Championship at Tuesday’s meet held at Rippowam. We won first place for girls, boys and overall…10 of the top 15 girl runners were from Scofield and 6 of the top 15 boy runners were from Scofield as well, walking away with medals. Thank you to our runners, coaches and families for making this a great season! If your child participated, please have them return their (washed) Cross Country shirts to either Mr. Neufeld, Mrs. Fox or Ms. Annattone.
New IEP/504 Database: All documents that are emailed home for IEP’s and 504’s will come from “No-Reply@mail.ctseds.ct.gov”. Please reach out to your child’s special education teacher for IEP questions or the School Counselor for 504 questions.
Picture Retake Day: November 15 8:30-10:30. Main lobby.
Thanksgiving Food Drive- The drive will begin on Wednesday, November 2nd and end on Tuesday, November 22nd. Please donate non-perishable items or canned goods. Boxes will be placed in the Main Atrium, Main Office and Ms.Rosano’s room (room 125). More details will be forthcoming with particular needed items.
Staffing: Scofield’s Social Worker, Dr. Theresa Federici will be out for an extended period of time for a personal matter. I am working with our central office administration to find a replacement.
From the Superintendent: https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/about-us/superintendent-leadership-team/weekly-message-from-the-superintendent
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
10/28/22
Trunk ‘n Treat: Many thanks to everyone who attended and helped plan the Halloween Trunk ‘n Treat. It’s so fun to see kids being kids…again! As much as we tell them to “stop running”, “be careful”, “don’t eat too much candy” etc. Let them run, let them play and let them embrace every moment! There’s plenty of time to worry about tests, adverbs, y=mx+b and the power and duties of Congress
Student Government News: Pink Out Day will be held this Monday, October 31st. Students are encouraged to donate $1.00 to Breast Cancer Awareness and dress in Pink. A donation box is set up in the main office.
8th Grade Parents: Please see this attachment regarding J.M. Wright Tech. Open House
Stamford High School Fall Festival: See this flyer for details.
Veterans Day: Please read this letter about Veterans Day at Scofield. Please use this attachment to send in photographs for our wall.
Coat Racks: We are in need of coat racks for our classrooms. If anyone is interested in donating a gently used coat rack, we would greatly appreciate it. Most of our classrooms have rolling coat racks and we could use a few more.
Pumpkin Carving Contest: Use this link to see images of some of the pumpkin designs in the Advisory contest. Many thanks to the PTP for providing the pumpkins and to the teachers for facilitating the process. This is a complete student driven project that isn’t just about fun. The work represents communication, collaboration, creativity and teamwork. Winners were announced on Friday.
After School Clubs: registration ends October 27th. Students will be notified by their advisory teachers on Thursday, November 3rd which club(s) they have been enrolled in. Clubs start on Monday, November 7th. Late buses are not the same as regular day buses. Please make sure that your child knows how they are getting home. Late bus schedules are posted under the Scofield News portion of our website. If you have any questions, please email Tracy Vodola at tvodola@stamfordct.gov.
Picture Retake Day: November 15 8:30-10:30. Main lobby.
Thanksgiving Food Drive: The drive will begin on Wednesday, November 2nd and end on Tuesday, November 22nd. Please donate non-perishable items or canned goods. Boxes will be placed in the Main Atrium, Main Office and Ms.Rosano’s room (room 125). More details will be forthcoming with particular needed items.
Cross Country championship meet is Tuesday at Rippowam at 3:30. Come cheer on our Scofield runners! Please note any students who plan to attend need to be accompanied by an adult.
From the Cafeteria: Check out this program that features local farmers.
Guest Speaker Survey: Please check out this survey for potential interest in guest speakers for PTP events in the future.
Regards,
Mr. Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent Update
10/21/22
Early Release 10/26: Dismissal begins at 12:15. No lunch will be served.
Trunk and Treat: Click here for details
PTP Update: Many thanks to everyone who attended Wednesday’s fall meeting of the Parent-Teacher-Partnership. Our School Improvement Plan will be posted in the coming days. This website is a great resource for reviewing data across CT. It was great meeting everyone. Thank you Rebecca Wood and Dory Hayes for organizing.
6th Grade PE Classes Announcement: All 6th grade Physical Education classes will be going outside on Monday. Be sure students dress appropriately.
Anti-Bullying Assembly: All students will attend an anti-bullying assembly on Monday sponsored by the Stamford Police.
Intramural Next Week: Flag Football
· Monday-6th Grade
· Tuesday-7th Grade
· Thursday-8th Grade
Make sure students sign up during morning advisory. We need an accurate attendance count for safety reasons.
Congrats to both the boys and girls Cross Country Team on their win at the home meet last week. Special thanks to coaches Mr. Neufeld, Ms. Annatone and Mrs. Fox. The new shirt should be delivered by the next meet.
REMINDER: MarcUS for Change 5K is this Sunday at Mill River Park – FREE for Students. The 10th Annual MarcUS for Change 5K Run/Walk is this Sunday, October 23 at 8 am at Mill River Park. Proceeds from the 5K will support the Stamford Public Education Foundation, which provides kindergarten readiness, college and career readiness, and family engagement programs for SPS students and families. There is no charge for students to participate in the 5K.
Free Movie Tonight at Mill River Park: Stamford Cradle to Career is hosting a free screening of Ghostbusters Afterlife tonight at Mill River Park. The movie will start at sunset. Bring your chairs, blankets, and snacks. Refreshments also will be available for purchase.
After School Clubs - Registration is now open for clubs and will continue until next Friday, October 28th . Clubs will begin on Monday, November 7th and run through January 13th. Please make sure that your child does not have other obligations and will be able to attend. Click here for the registration form. It is also located on the school website.
Bus Update: Due to a shortage of bus drivers, bus #153 has been changed to 206 in the morning and 147 in the afternoon. Please inform your children.
The Superintendent's Weekly Message: Click here to read.
Regards,
Mr. Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
10/16/22
Fall PTP Meeting: Join the PTP executive board for an informational meeting and presentation from Mr. Clayton on Wednesday at 7:00 in the Scofield media center.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest: Click here for information on the upcoming Advisory activity.
Trunk and Treat: Click here for information on this upcoming Halloween event at Scofield.
October 26th: Early Release Day.
The Superintendent's Weekly Message: Click here to read
Student Cell Phone Use: Board of Education Policy clearly prohibits student use of cell phones during the school day for middle school students. As per Board Policy, Scofield convened a committee of students and teachers to determine a defined set of regulations. The meeting, held last week included a review of cell phone policies from many surrounding communities. The committee will meet again to finalize the regulations, which will be published in our student handbook posted on the website and reviewed during a Town Meeting with the students.
Cross Country: On Tuesday October 18th, the girls and boys cross country teams will be running a meet against all other Stamford middle schools. The girls race will be starting at approximately 3:30pm with the boys race to start around 4pm. All staff and parents are welcome to watch the girls and boys race against the six other middle schools. The girls are currently undefeated against all the other middle schools, while boys have placed 2nd in the first meet at Dolan and won the last meet at Turn of River. This will be the last meet before the city championship race at Rippowam on November 1st.
High School Recommendations: If your 8thh grader is considering attending a private school for high school, most schools require a recommendation from their English and math teachers. While schools might require a recommendation, teachers are not required to complete recommendations, so please be aware that it is the teacher’s discretion as to whether or not they complete a recommendation. In order to promote your child’s self-advocacy skills, we ask that students, not parents, take initiative and ask teachers directly for recommendations. Please assist your child in developing advocacy skills by helping them understand that they should politely ask teachers if they would be willing to complete a recommendation on their behalf. If your child is applying to a private school, your child must have a conversation with their teacher to ask if they would be willing to complete a recommendation on their behalf. We ask that communication begin at least 2 weeks in advance of the deadline.
Photo Make Up Day: November 15th
Acceleration Academy: Invitations just went out to selected families. Please fill out registration by Friday, Oct 21, 2022 to register. Questions should be directed to Mr. Fetchin dfetchin@stamfordct.gov
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent Update
10/7/22
Morning Calls to the Office: As I have stated several times before, in addition to being a principal, I am also a father of four. Important for everyone to know that the main office of every school is the central hub of operations. The office support staff juggle multiple responsibilities throughout the course of every school day. The doorbell, the phone, fax machine, calls for a custodian and a host of other tasks. May I please suggest parents use the bus tracker app or look to download a cell phone tracker app. My wife and I happen to use “Life 360”. It is an easier way to see your child’s location..
In The News: I strongly recommend that all parents watch this news story that aired last week. In CT students may, and in some cases “shall” receive school related consequences for conduct deemed to be seriously disruptive to the educational process that occurs off school grounds.
Parent Portal: Please note that teacher comments for 1st quarter are available to view. A reminder that grades and missing assignments are available in the Parent Portal at any time for parents to view. I recommend that parents check the portal once per week. Checking every minute of every day only does not improve student achievement. Reminder that we can see how many times parents check the portal, how long they stay signed in and the time of day/night/morning the log in occurs. ;)
Intramurals: Very important for students to listen to the morning announcements for information about after school activities. Sometimes activities might be canceled due to extenuating circumstances. There are never after school activities on Wednesday’s or Friday’s. If your children tell you that they are staying after school on those days, I would encourage you to call and ask.
October 19 PTP Meeting: Join us at 7:00 in the Scofield media for our fall PTP meeting.
PTP Trunk or Treat: Please see the attachment for information on the Halloween Trunk or Treat on October 28th here at Scofield.
Here’s an interesting article on sleep: “Parents Are So Wrong About Teenage Sleep and Health” by Brigham and Women’s Communications in Harvard Gazette, September 28, 2022. In this Harvard Gazette article, the Brigham and Women’s Communications Team reports that as a result of misinformation on social media and the Internet, many parents and caregivers have these misconceptions about their teens’ sleep habits:
· Myth #1: Going to bed later and sleeping in on weekends is not a problem (74 percent of parents and caregivers in a recent study believed this to be true). In fact, varying sleep schedules on weekends (known as social jetlag) can have a negative impact on sleep, doesn’t make up for a during-the-week deficit, and has been linked to lower academic performance, risky behaviors, and increased mental health symptoms.
· Myth #2: If school starts later, adolescents will stay up later (69 percent agree with this). In fact, when middle and high schools start later, teens get significantly more sleep, with minimal impact on when they go to bed.
· Myth #3: Melatonin is natural and therefore safe for adolescents to take for sleep problems (two-thirds believe this). “While melatonin has become a common supplement for adults and adolescents,” say the authors, “longer-term studies on its use are lacking, particularly when it comes to melatonin’s effects on puberty and development.” For this reason, and because the quality of these supplements varies greatly, it’s wise for teens to have a medical consultation before taking melatonin.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
9/30/22
Picture Day ID: EVTNGVTDP. Order Form Here. Friday, October 7th. Students will have pictures taken with their Advisory class.
Intramurals: After school intramurals are an opportunity for students in all grades to participate in additional physical and sport activity. Intramurals will begin on October 3rd from 3-4. Prior to attending, parents/guardians must submit a permission slip using the link(s) below for their student's grade level. Once a permission slip is completed students will sign up each week during Monday morning advisory for the activities they plan to stay for. These are NOT teams and there is no commitment for students to attend each week. If you have any questions about student participation in intramurals please email Mr. Brienza at sbrienza@stamfordct.gov or call 203 977 2756.
Intramural Permission Slip 8th Grade Intramural Permission Slip 7th Grade Intramural Permission Slip 6th Grade Intramural Calendar
Pumpkin Decorating Contest: Details here.
Trunk and Treat: Friday, October 28th form 6:00-8:00 here at Scofield. Additional details will be forthcoming.
No School Wednesday for Yom Kippur.
Tik-Tik “Potato Chip Challenge”: This is the latest ridiculous and absurd internet challenge. At least two students did this in another Stamford middle school, to be nameless. This so-called “challenge” was done in a classroom during instruction. The ensuing chaos resulted in a serious disruption of the education process.
Chromebook Update: We have made several requests with our central office IT department regarding the need for additional devices for students. Thanks for your patience.
COVID-19 Tests: All students were given COVID-19 test kits. Please check your child’s backpack for the white and orange box.
A Good Article for Parents: “First, Know Thyself. Then, Pick a Career Path” by Michael Petrilli in Education Next, Fall 2022 (Vol. 22, #4, pp. 84-87); Petrilli can be reached at mpetrilli@fordhaminstitute.org.
Scofield Parent News
9/23/22
No School Monday and Tuesday: All the best in the New Year for all of those celebrating Rosh Hashanah.
Ironman 70.3 Update: Not my best day, but also not my worst day. In the water at 6:59AM and crossed the finish line exactly 5:42.38 later. I placed 352 out of 1,009. Roughly 1,100 people registered. I was a little dehydrated at the end, but nothing a few warm cups of chicken broth couldn’t cure from the medical tent. My wife says I need a new hobby.
Early Dismissal: Remember that 9/28/22 is an early dismissal. Scofield dismisses at 12:15. The Scofield staff will be partnering with a local mental health agency on how to best work with students suffering from a variety of serious mental health issues. The primary focus of the training is on ending the silence on how mental health is often viewed in society.
Late Buses: There are four buses. Please note that these are abbreviated runs, and stops may be farther away than your regular bus. Routes are posted in the handbook, which is on the website.
Use of Outdoor Area for Activities: We are lucky to have such a nice piece of property here at Scofield. On occasion, teachers may take students outside for classroom extensions, Advisory programs or for a variety of supervised activities that resemble a type of recess “brain break” or “fun Friday”. Any concerns you may have should be discussed with your child’s Advisory teacher.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest: Thanks to our PTP, pumpkins will be available on 10/3. A flier will be distributed with contest guidelines.
Halloween Trunk ‘n Treat: Friday, October 28 from 6:00-8:00 here at Scofield. A great and safe way to celebrate Halloween with your classmates. Admission will be charged to help the PTP raise funds to support Scofield’s programs. Details are forthcoming.
Picture Day: October 7th. Information was sent home with students earlier this week. A link will soon be posted to order/purchase pictures.
PTP Fall Meeting: Mark your calendars from Wednesday, October 19 from 7-8 for a PTP meeting here at Scofield. A livestream will be provided. Mr. Clayton will provide some brief remarks before the business meeting begins. Some items on the agenda are as follows:
· Media Center Parent Volunteers
· School Dance Committee
· Internet Safety Workshop
Bus Behavior: In case you missed it. We have seen an increase in poor behavior on a few buses. A reminder that Board of Education behavior policies are in effect while students ride the bus. Cameras with sound are on every bus. Students who attempt to block cameras or are caught tampering with cameras may face disciplinary actions.
Second Floor Bathrooms (7th grade area): In case your children have not told you, two bathrooms have been closed on the second floor due to a flood and the ensuing repairs needed. Someone stuffed a cardboard juice box along with a significant amount of paper towels into a toilet, which caused a leak from the second floor into a classroom below. We had to call an outside agency to snake the pipe which is how I know what was in the pipe. Please, please, please….discuss respect for property with your children. Although we have a video surveillance system in the hallway outside the restroom, it is almost impossible to determine who did it. Serious consequences can be issued for anyone caught vandalizing school property, including financial restitution and referral to law enforcement.
From the Nurse's Office: COVID protocols are still in place, which include monitoring your child every day for symptoms of illness. If your child has MILD symptoms of illness they can attend school with a mask, however they need to be tested for COVID at home prior to attending school each day they have symptoms. If they attend school with symptoms and no confirmation that they have been seen by a doctor or have tested negative, they will most likely be sent home for testing before they can return to school. Please call the nurse if your child or anyone in your household has tested positive for COVID-19. If the student has symptoms and the student lives with a person who recently tested positive for COVID-19 within the past two weeks should stay home from school until the symptoms resolve and test for COVID-19. Please re-familiarize yourself with the following protocols from the Department of Health Daily Check List Services Plan Return to Learn
Picture Day: Friday, October 7th. Forms have been distributed in advisory, please ask your child for the form.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Next Friday, September 30th our cafeteria has planned a “fiesta” in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Cafeteria Menu: https://stamfordpublicschools.nutrislice.com/menu/scofield-middle
Information Session – School Lunch: Thank you to our partners at Stamford Cradle-to-Career for hosting the upcoming Information Session on school food in Stamford. SPS has been approved to provide FREE healthy breakfasts and lunches to all students during the 2022-23 school year by choosing to participate in the Community Eligibility Program. The meeting is informational in nature and will share how, when we work together as a Stamford community, we can continue to make sure all SPS scholars who need them have access to free meals! INFORMATION SESSION – Join SC2C on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 11 a.m. to learn more about:
● How school meals in Stamford Public Schools are changing
● Why SNAP & HUSKY enrollment are important
● How you can get involved in upcoming events
Zoom Meeting Registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUuf-mpqT8qHdL3-hpiXQJ7arxHqMUIJgeA
Have a nice weekend,
Scott Clayton-Principal
September 22, 2022
Hello parents,
I am writing today regarding a pattern of incidents that have occured on a few of our school buses. Fortunately, this behavior has been confined to a small group of students. Based on my review of various videos students are fighting, screaming, throwing objects, destroying property and overall unsafe behavior. In one instance, Police Officers boarded a school bus and students continued to demonstrate a total lack of respect for the bus driver and the responding Police Officers.
Every parent and student should know that the bus ride to and from school is an extension of the school day. Board of Education behavior policies are in effect while students ride the school bus. It is my obligation as the Principal to enforce these policies so that students can ride the bus safely to and from school. Students who continue to demonstrate unsafe or unruly behavior may be removed from the bus, assigned to a seat and may also be issued disciplinary action to include but not limited to suspension, referral to law enforcement or even possible expulsion. Parents and students should also know that every bus has cameras that include sound. Any student who attempts to intentionally block or tamper with a camera may also be subject to disciplinary action.
Please talk with your children about the importance of safe behavior on the bus. Please contact me with any questions.
Regards,
Scott Clayton
Principal
September 20, 2022
Hello Scofield Parents,
We are looking forward to seeing you all tonight at Open School Night. Student schedules will be available in their Advisory teacher's classroom beginning promptly at 6:30. A reminder that tonight's event is for parents only. I understand that childcare issues do come up for younger siblings unable to be home alone. As a father of four, I can appreciate the juggling act that we all do as parents. However, to the best extent possible, please leave your students at home. Students who do attend will be asked to remain outside of classrooms during presentations so not to take up seats for parents in attendance.
Please also remember that tonight is about a general overview of the curriculum and expectations of each class. Teachers have a great deal of information to share in just a short period of time. Individual items of concern should be brought up at a later time with individual teachers or the school counselor.
Finally, unfortunately there will be a few teachers absent. My staff and I are doing our very best to fill in for teachers unable to attend due to quarantine or other unavoidable circumstances. Any teacher unable to attend will leave information for parents.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
9/16/22
Open House: Tuesday, September 20 from 6:30-8:30. Parents will receive their child’s schedule during Advisory class, which will begin promptly at 6:30. Remember, Open House is a time for parents to learn about the curriculum and class expectations. It is not a time for individual questions or concerns. Teachers have a short time to get through a great deal of information. Team meetings can be arranged for personal issues.
Vaccination Clinic: This clinic is from 9:00-12:00 and is sponsored by the City of Stamford and not by Scofield Magnet Middle School. Please see the attached flyer for information. Schofield COVID Vaccine Flyer.pdf
Welcome to Scofield Picnic: Many thanks to all of the parents who contributed and volunteered to make the night a success. It was great to meet and interact with so many families. Scofield is a unique environment with families from all over Stamford coming together for the purpose of providing children with an exceptional education. Next event will be a Trunk and Treat for Halloween. Details to follow. I am also working on a second internet safety forum. Stay tuned!
Photo Day: October 7th. Information for picture day will be sent home in the coming days.
Orientation Session for 2023-24: February 2, 2023 @ 10:00AM and February 26, 2023 at 7:00PM. No building tour on February 2.
This is a Great Article on Cell Phones: “Take Away Their Cellphones” by Doug Lemov in Education Next, Fall 2022 (Vol. 22, #4, pp. 8-16)
Parent Portal Forms: If you have not already done so, please log into Parent Portal and fill out (check) the forms for the 2022-2023 school year. Click here for instructions.
6th Grade Families: The school counselors recently delivered a lesson on “Settling into Middle School” and students filled out a transition survey in Naviance. Over the next few months, the counselors will be setting up Individual Planning meetings with each student to review the results of the survey and to review academic performance to date.
Intramurals: After school intramurals are an opportunity for students in all grades to participate in additional physical and sport activity. Intramurals will begin on October 3rd from 3-4. Prior to attending, parents/guardians must submit a permission slip using the link(s) below for their student's grade level. Once a permission slip is completed students will sign up each week during Monday morning advisory for the activities they plan to stay for. These are NOT teams and there is no commitment for students to attend each week. If you have any questions about student participation in intramurals please email Mr. Brienza at sbrienza@stamfordct.gov or call 203 977 2756.
Intramural Permission Slip 8th Grade
Intramural Permission Slip 7th Grade
Intramural Permission Slip 6th Grade
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
9/9/22
PTP Fundraiser: Please see the attachment regarding the upcoming fundraiser. Without your support, the PTP isn’t able to provide extra financial support that our teachers utilize. Fall_2022_Fundraiser
9/11 Remembrance: Scofield will observe a moment of silence at 8:45 AM on Monday followed by a short reading. Although it’s the day after the 11th, we have an obligation to take time out of the school day to honor the fallen and commemorate the Police Officers, Firefighters and other first responders who lost their lives that day. The following link is helpful in talking with kids about September 11th. What happened that day has changed the world in many ways and it’s important to talk about it.
https://www.911memorial.org/learn/youth-and-families/talking-children-about-terrorism
In case you didn't know, a Dogwood tree along the main driveway was planted shortly after 9/11 to honor the 343 FDNY Firefighters who died on that day. At the time, the brother in law of a former Scofield teacher was one of the 343 killed.
All School Musical: Announcements have been made for students to audition for the all-school musical. For more information, please visit www.stamfordallachoolmusical.org
6th Grade Welcome to Scofield BBQ: All 6th grade families are invited to this event. Please this link to RSVP
9/20: Open School Night. More specific details will be out at the end of this week.
Vax Clinic: 9/22. Information will be shared as the date approaches.
9/28: Early release day. Scofield dismisses at 12:15. No lunch is served on early release days.
Picture Day: 10/7. Information will be shared as the date approaches.
Chromebook Distribution/Acceptable Use Policy (AUP): All parents must “check” the box in power school that they are aware of the AUP. Students can’t use technology unless the box is checked. We hope to start issuing chromebooks to students next week.
Computer Monitoring: Stamford Public Schools uses a program called “Securley” to monitor internet traffic deemed to be dangerous for self-harm, suicide, drug/alcohol use etc. The system tracks key words based on internet searches and website access. This system has successfully prevented tragedies here in Stamford.
High School Recommendations: If your child is considering attending a private school for high school, most schools require a recommendation from their English and Math teachers. While schools might require a recommendation, teachers are not required to complete recommendations, so please be aware that it is the teacher’s discretion as to whether or not they complete a recommendation. In order to promote your child’s self-advocacy skills, we ask that students, not parents, take initiative and ask teachers directly for recommendations. Please assist your child in developing advocacy skills by helping them understand that they should politely ask teachers if they would be willing to complete a recommendation on their behalf. If your child is applying to a private school, your child must have a conversation with their teacher to ask if they would be willing to complete a recommendation on their behalf. We ask that communication begin at least 2 weeks in advance of the deadline.
Late Buses: Routes are posted in the student handbook and will begin on September 19th. There are four bus routes that depart from Scofield approximately at 4:00PM. Buses do not stop at individual locations. Depending on the circumstances, we may be able to arrange different stops.
Intramural Sports: Beginning September 19th and running Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Activities include flag football, basketball, ultimate frisbee, etc. Students must have a sign permission slip to participate. Daily sign up must be done during morning Advisory. Students who do not participate in PE class, are not permitted to participate in intramural sports.
First View Bus Tracking App: We are excited to continue to provide the ability for parents to track students' buses via the First View app! Please note that tracking may be unavailable or unreliable during the first few weeks of school due to changes to bus routes that occur during that time.
For information on how to access and use the app, please visit the SPS Transportation page: Transportation - Stamford Public Schools.
Early Dismissal: Send your child in with a signed note. Have your child bring the note to the main office. We will issue a dismissal pass for 5-10 minutes before your arrival time. Your child will be waiting in the office for you. Please, please, please….we can’t do early dismissal after 2:15. There is too much traffic lining up for parent pick-up. Obviously, emergencies do come up and we can certainly do our very best to accommodate. Thanks for understanding.
Visitor Badge System: The “Raptor” system should be up and running by next week. If you need access to the building, be prepared to show a photo ID. No ID, no entry.
AUP Forms: Please sign the Acceptable Use Policy, SPS Technology Device Agreement and Media Consent forms on PowerSchool’s Parent Portal. Students cannot borrow a Chromebook or use online educational applications at school unless these forms are signed. Instructions on how to access these forms can be found on the school website or by clicking on this link.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
9/9/22
Recaudación de fondos PTP: consulte el archivo adjunto sobre la próxima recaudación de fondos. Sin su apoyo, el PTP no puede brindar el apoyo financiero adicional que utilizan nuestros maestros. Fall_2022_Fundraiser
9/11 Recordatorio: Scofield guardará un momento de silencio a las 8:45 a. m. del lunes, seguido de una breve lectura. Aunque es el día después del 11, tenemos la obligación de tomarnos un tiempo del día escolar para honrar a los caídos y conmemorar a los oficiales de policía, bomberos y otros socorristas que perdieron la vida ese día. El siguiente enlace es útil para hablar con los niños sobre el 11 de septiembre. Lo que sucedió ese día ha cambiado el mundo de muchas maneras y es importante hablar de ello.
https://www.911memorial.org/learn/youth-and-families/talking-children-about-terrorism
En caso de que no lo supiera, poco después del 11 de septiembre se plantó un árbol Cornejo a lo largo de la entrada principal para honrar el 343 Bomberos del FDNY que murieron ese día. En ese momento, el cuñado de un ex maestro de Scofield fue uno de los 343 asesinados.
All School Musical: Se han hecho anuncios para que los estudiantes hagan una audición para el musical de toda la escuela. Para mayor información por favor visite www.stamfordallachoolmusical.org
6to Grado Bienvenidos a Scofield BBQ: Todas las familias de 6to grado están invitadas a este evento. Por favor , este enlace para RSVP
9/20: Noche de Escuela Abierta. Más detalles específicos estarán disponibles al final de esta semana.
Clínica Vax: 22/9. La información se compartirá a medida que se acerque la fecha.
28/9: Día de salida temprano. Scofield se despide a las 12:15. No se sirve almuerzo en los días de salida temprana.
Día de la foto: 10/7. La información se compartirá a medida que se acerque la fecha.
Distribución de Chromebook/Política de Uso Aceptable (AUP): Todos los padres deben "marcar" la casilla en Power School para indicar que conocen la AUP. Los estudiantes no pueden usar la tecnología a menos que la casilla esté marcada. Esperamos comenzar a entregar Chromebooks a los estudiantes la próxima semana.
Monitoreo por computadora: Las Escuelas Públicas de Stamford utilizan un programa llamado "Securley" para monitorear el tráfico de Internet que se considera peligroso para las autolesiones, el suicidio, el uso de drogas/alcohol, etc. El sistema rastrea las palabras clave en función de las búsquedas en Internet y el acceso al sitio web. Este sistema ha evitado con éxito tragedias aquí en Stamford.
Recomendaciones de la escuela secundaria: si su hijo está considerando asistir a una escuela privada para la escuela secundaria, la mayoría de las escuelas requieren una recomendación de sus maestros de inglés y matemáticas. Si bien las escuelas pueden requerir una recomendación, los maestros no están obligados a completar las recomendaciones, así que tenga en cuenta que es discreción del maestro si completa o no una recomendación. Para promover las habilidades de autodefensa de su hijo, les pedimos a los estudiantes, no a los padres, que tomen la iniciativa y pidan recomendaciones directamente a los maestros. Ayude a su hijo a desarrollar habilidades de defensa ayudándolo a comprender que debe preguntar cortésmente a los maestros si estaría dispuesto a completar una recomendación en su nombre. Si su hijo está solicitando ingreso a una escuela privada, su hijo debe tener una conversación con su maestro para preguntarle si estaría dispuesto a completar una recomendación en su nombre. Pedimos que la comunicación comience al menos 2 semanas antes de la fecha límite.
Autobuses Tardíos: Las rutas se publican en el manual del estudiante y comenzarán el 19 de septiembre. Hay cuatro rutas de autobús que salen de Scofield aproximadamente a las 4:00 p. m. Los autobuses no se detienen en ubicaciones individuales. Dependiendo de las circunstancias, podemos organizar diferentes paradas.
Deportes Intramuros: A partir del 19 de septiembre y corriéndose los lunes, martes y jueves. Las actividades incluyen fútbol de bandera, baloncesto, frisbee definitivo, etc. Los estudiantes deben tener una hoja de permiso firmada para participar. La inscripción diaria se debe realizar durante el asesoramiento de la mañana. Los estudiantes que no participan en la clase de educación física no pueden participar en deportes intramuros.
Aplicación First View Bus Tracking: ¡Nos complace continuar brindando a los padres la capacidad de rastrear los autobuses de los estudiantes a través de la aplicación First View! Tenga en cuenta que el seguimiento puede no estar disponible o no ser confiable durante las primeras semanas de clases debido a los cambios en las rutas de autobús que ocurren durante ese tiempo.
Para obtener información sobre cómo acceder y utilizar la aplicación, visite la página de Transporte de SPS: Transporte - Escuelas Públicas de Stamford.
Salida Temprana: Envíe a su hijo con una nota firmada. Haga que su hijo traiga la nota a la oficina principal. Emitiremos un pase de salida de 5 a 10 minutos antes de su hora de llegada. Su hijo lo estará esperando en la oficina. Por favor, por favor, por favor... no podemos salir temprano después de las 2:15. Hay demasiado tráfico haciendo fila para que los padres los recojan. Obviamente, surgen emergencias y ciertamente podemos hacer todo lo posible para acomodarnos. Gracias por entender.
Sistema de credencial de visitante: el sistema "Raptor" debería estar listo y funcionando la próxima semana. Si necesita acceder al edificio, prepárese para mostrar una identificación con foto. Sin identificación, sin entrada.
Formularios AUP: firme la Política de uso aceptable, el Acuerdo de dispositivo de tecnología SPS y los formularios de Consentimiento de medios en el Portal para padres de PowerSchool. Los estudiantes no pueden tomar prestada una Chromebook o usar aplicaciones educativas en línea en la escuela a menos que estos formularios estén firmados. Las instrucciones sobre cómo acceder a estos formularios se pueden encontrar en el sitio web de la escuela o haciendo clic en este enlace.
Scofield Parent News
9/2/22
First Week Summary: So far, so good. A few hiccups outside of our control that we ask parents to please bear with us as we report challenges with transportation. One bus broke down and only one student was dropped off from another middle school.
Visitor Badge System: The “Raptor” system should be up and running by next week. If you need access to the building, be prepared to show a photo ID. No ID, no entry.
Emergency Drills: We had our first fire drill last week. Your children behaved wonderfully. In case you didn't know, state law requires that schools conduct various emergency drills every month. Since we never know when an emergency will take place, these drills do not get announced in advance to the staff. If you, as a parent happen to be in the building, you are subject to all policies and procedures related to that drill. Safety is our most important priority.
Early Dismissal: Send your child in with a signed note. Have your child bring the note to the main office. We will issue a dismissal pass for 5-10 minutes before your arrival time. Your child will be waiting in the office for you. Please, please, please….we can’t do early dismissal after 2:15. There is too much traffic lining up for parent pick-up. Obviously, emergencies do come up and we can certainly do our very best to accommodate. Thanks for understanding.
Welcome to Scofield BBQ: September 15th. 6-8. Please this link to RSVP
Open House: September 20. Time and format is TBD.
Late Buses: Let’s get the regular bus schedules set before we add additional routes. Appreciate your patience.
First View Bus Tracking App: We are excited to continue to provide the ability for parents to track students' buses via the First View app! Please note that tracking may be unavailable or unreliable during the first few weeks of school due to changes to bus routes that occur during that time.
For information on how to access and use the app, please visit the SPS Transportation page: Transportation - Stamford Public Schools.
Safe School Reopening Plan: Please click here to review the safe school reopening plan that provides health and safety measures in place and other pertinent information for teachers, staff, and families. Please contact your building administrator to answer and clarify any questions you may have.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Magnet Middle School
8/28/2022
Good Evening Parents,
Tomorrow is the first day of school. We are all looking forward to seeing your children and their smiling faces. A few reminders:
1. Drop off and pick up are in the front of the building. Please see the attached map if you need a reminder Drop_Off_Pick_Up.png
2. There is no need to send your child with a laptop or chrome book tomorrow. The teachers will let students know and I will send a reminder in my newsletter
3. School begins at 7:55 and ends at 2:40. Car rider dismissal at 2:30. Students may enter cars once they are along the sidewalk. Students will not be permitted to run through the parking lot or along the grass. It's too dangerous. From time to time a Stamford Police Officer will be on scene to monitor traffic and speed in the parking lot.
4. Don't forget that breakfast and lunch are free for the year.
5. A special message was sent to a limited number of families regarding health records. Please be sure to send in information by September 30.
6. Scofield is air conditioned. Students should dress appropriately and in accordance with Board of Education Policy.
7. Use the following link to purchase Scofield Spirit Wear. https://scofieldswagshop.itemorder.com/shop/sale/
8. Bus information was sent last week. Sorry, the bus company did not provide us with estimated time for afternoon drop off.
That's all for now.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Magnet Middle School
8/19/2022
Hello Parents,
We are gearing up for the start of the school year. My sincere apologies for the frequency of my emails. Like probably most of you, I am thoroughly enjoying all of this great hot and sunny weather! From my standpoint, it makes for great triathlon training. I am four weeks away from a half ironman (70.3 miles) in New Hampshire. And honestly, growing up I hated all of the hyped up anticipation and anxiety of a new school year. I can still hear my mother’s voice saying, “Time to start going to bed early.” Ugh! My children are already involved in high school sports practices and my oldest returns to college next weekend. All of this means one thing…it’s getting real! A few updates that I wanted to get out before the weekend:
1. The parent portal will be open for full access on Wednesday, August 24th. Sorry, we don’t control the portal at the school level and I was informed this morning that bus information will not be available until next Wednesday. At this point everyone should be able to see a homeroom number in the yellow bar at the top of the home screen in the portal. Attached is a copy of our grade level team roster for teacher names. Team_Teacher_List.pdf
2. The school nurse will be available starting Friday, August 26th to receive medical information. Please be sure that your children’s immunizations and physicals are up to date. Students who do not have updated and current medical information can be excluded from school. You can also fax information to 203-977-2766.
3. Parent Pick up/Drop Off is in the main/front parking lot. Trees and brush were removed along Scofieldtown road to provide for better line of sight as you exit the parking lot. Please drive all the way around the lot so that we can maximize the amount of cars. Please also pull your car up to the end of the sidewalk when dropping off or picking up so that we can maximize the amount of students being dropped off and picked up.
4. Supply lists are available under the “Latest News” tab on the new website. I’ve asked several times for the banner “School is Closed Today Due to Weather” to be removed. https://www.magnetmiddle.org/about-our-school/administration/school-news-and-announcements
5. Stamford Public Schools has been approved to provide free healthy breakfast and lunch at school to all students during the 2022-23 school year!
6. Sixth grade orientation is Friday, August 26 from 8-10. Parents are invited to a short session in the gym before students go off with their teachers. Bus transportation will be provided.
Happy to answer any questions.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Magnet Middle School
Summer 2022 Parent News Update #1
7/19/2022
Summer Work Update: Lots of work going on around here. Jack hammering, drilling, and digging. A large crane lifted two pieces of heavy equipment over the building into the courtyard that will be used to dig up the concrete to repair some underground steam pipes. We are also getting a fiber optic cable upgrade and new servers all over the building. Other work includes some painting and the removal of the wall separating room #262/263.
Building Tours: Sorry everyone, we don’t offer personalized tours over the summer. Incoming orientation is scheduled for August 26th. Buses will be available.
New Website: The new district website went live on July 18. We anticipate that there will be glitches, broken links, or edits that need to be made. The site will be a work in progress through mid-August as we ramp up for the start of school.
SPS: https://www.stamfordpublicschools.org/
Scofield: https://www.magnetmiddle.org/
Summer Reading: Here is the link to our 2022 summer reading links.pdf - Google Drive. This was one of those links that disappeared on the new website.
Advisory Placement/Bus Information: Information regarding your child’s Advisory placement will be available in the parent portal the third week of August. Bus information will also be available in the portal. Please disregard any bus information currently posted on the new website.
Legal Tidbit: 30-minute lunch. You’ll see the change reflected in the daily schedule.
Reading Inventory: 9% increase in proficiency from beginning of the year for a total of 61% Proficiency.
- Advanced 214 36%
- Proficient 149 25%
- Basic 151 26%
- Below Basic 73 12%
Math Inventory: 37% increase in proficiency from Beginning of the year for a total of 55% Proficiency
- Advanced: 132 22%
- Proficient: 133 23%
- Basic: 178 30%
- Below Basic: 144 25%
Vacancies: We still need an 8th grade special education teacher and a 7th grade technology teacher. Know anyone? We also have been approved for two building subs.
Supply Lists: Please continue checking the website for updates. We hope to have everything up by the beginning of August.
Agenda Books: We have made plans to purchase 100, which will be on sale for $10. It is strongly recommended that all students have some form of an assignment pad.
Lockers: No decision has been made regarding the use of lockers this fall. There are certainly pros and cons to having lockers. One important item to consider is that locker time in middle school in 2022 looks nothing like locker time did in middle school in 1987. Although lockers can help with organization, they can also be an added distraction
Music/Band 4th Quarter Grades: Some irregularities were discovered in Ms. Cerreta’s fourth quarter grades for band and general music. It is my expectation that grading corrections will be made and report cards will be updated.
Stay tuned for future updates.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News Wrap Up
6/24/22
Welcome and Farewell: This is the last newsletter for our 8th grade families and first for the incoming batch of new 6th and 7th graders. Best of luck to our newly established high schoolers and a warm welcome to new middle school families.
Lost and Found: Anything left behind will be donated. If you think it might be here, please call the office for a time to come pick it up or look through the bin. Office number is 203-977-2750. The office is closed on Monday, June 27th and Monday, July 4th. Summer hours are 7:30-3:30. Best to call in advance before you make the drive.
For those of you who may have missed it, here is a link to the 8th grade moving up ceremony. We place a high degree of emphasis on making this event dignified and professional. https://youtu.be/yCbAFPPPrXQ
Life-Long Learner Award: Every year the Scofield staff select one member of the school community to receive the “Karley Meltzer Life-Long Learner” Award. Dr. Meltzer was the founding Principal of the Magnet Middle Program and believed that a school where adults learn is also a school where children learn. This year’s recipient is Ms. Gardner.
Report Cards are available in the parent portal in power school. There are no honor roll certificates for the 4th quarter.
Yearbooks are sold out.
Advisory placement and bus information will be posted in the parent portal the third week of August.
Summer reading assignments have been posted on the website.
Agenda/Assignment Books: It is highly recommended that all students have some type of agenda/assignment pad. We will have a limited number of books to sell at $5 each. Supply lists will be posted on the website in August.
Lockers and Backpacks: Many parents have asked. There are pros and cons to both. In several instances this year students were lugging unnecessary items back and forth to school each day making their backpacks heavier than they should have been. That’s an obvious area for improvement. I would bet that some of those same students would have lockers filled with crumpled up papers, missing notebooks, unopened boxes of pencils and stale lunches. Students also don’t travel very far in the building during the school day so there might be some potential to utilize the Advisory classroom as more of a homebase. We either bought or had donated several coat racks for classrooms that were frequently used. The basis of our decision will come down to what is in the best interest of students and their learning needs.
Cell Phones: For better or worse, the district is working on a new cell phone policy. We understand that cell phones are important. They are also very disruptive in schools.
A revised 22-23 School Calendar can be found here. 6th grade orientation is on August 26th.
Sign up for district email updates here
Want to be a substitute teacher? Click here.
High School Algebra: Stamford Public Schools offers this course for both 7th and 8th grade students. Students in 7th grade must perform at an advanced level in math in order to be eligible for placement into high school algebra. The course moves at the rate of a high school honors level course and follows the identical high school curriculum. It is important for parents of 7th graders to know that placement into high school algebra will result in students missing various 7th grade math units of study. Under the current math curricular track, these units are not taught again until 10th grade. However, these units of study appear on both the SBAC and the PSAT. Given the rigorous pace of the algebra course, the teachers are unable to pause to conduct isolated units of study. Placement will be determined over the summer based on a variety of criteria including performance in class, teacher recommendation, and results of the Orleans Hanna algebra readiness assessment and the Math Inventory assessment. In order to remain in algebra for the year, students must maintain a “B” average by the end of the first quarter. Although students can pass a high school course with a “D”, SPS has ample research indicating that middle school students who lack a strong understanding of Algebra I will struggle in Algebra II as freshman. This is important because progression after Algebra I is for students to enroll in Honors level Geometry in 8th grade. Teachers will review performance data all year.
From Dr. Lucero:
Safety and Security: This week we had the opportunity to continue our conversation on Safety and Security with members of the Board of Education. We also appreciated the invitation from the Board of Representatives Public Safety Committee to discuss school safety. During the summer break, we will continue to update and establish safety and mental health plans, professional development and training for staff, students, and families, and policies.
Westover COVID-19 Clinic: The COVID-19 vaccination is now available for students under the age of 5. I know some of our APPLES families have waited a long time for this opportunity. The City of Stamford will continue to host COVID-19 vaccine clinics on Saturdays at Westover.
Mental Health: I am excited to share a summer opportunity for families to fight the isolation of summer and the impact that this may have on mental health. Join us for mental health walks beginning Wednesday, July 6, 2022. “MILES MAKE SMILES” will be held at Cove Island Park every Monday and Wednesday 5-6 p.m. until the end of August. Event and Parking is free. Everyone is welcome to walk together, meet new friends, exercise, talk, and have fun!
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
noticias para padres de Scofield
24/6/22
Bienvenida y despedida: Este es el último boletín para nuestras familias de 8º grado y el primero para el grupo entrante de nuevos alumnos de 6º y 7º grado. La mejor de las suertes para nuestros estudiantes de secundaria recién establecidos y una cálida bienvenida a las nuevas familias de la escuela intermedia.
Objetos perdidos y encontrados: Todo lo que se deje atrás será donado. Si cree que podría estar aquí, llame a la oficina para programar un horario para recogerlo o mirar en el contenedor. El número de la oficina es 203-977-2750. La oficina está cerrada el lunes 27 de junio y el lunes 4 de julio. El horario de verano es de 7:30 a 3:30. Es mejor llamar con anticipación antes de conducir.
Para aquellos de ustedes que se lo hayan perdido, aquí hay un enlace a la ceremonia de ascenso de octavo grado. Ponemos un alto grado de énfasis en hacer que este evento sea digno y profesional. https://youtu.be/yCbAFPPPrXQ
Premio Life-Long Learner: Cada año, el personal de Scofield selecciona a un miembro de la comunidad escolar para recibir el premio "Karley Meltzer Life-Long Learner". El Dr. Meltzer fue el director fundador del Programa Magnet Middle y creía que una escuela donde los adultos aprenden también es una escuela donde los niños aprenden. La ganadora de este año es la Sra. Gardner.
Las boletas de calificaciones están disponibles en el portal para padres en power school. No hay certificados de cuadro de honor para el cuarto trimestre.
Los anuarios están agotados.
La ubicación de asesoramiento y la información del autobús se publicarán en el portal para padres la tercera semana de agosto.
Las asignaciones de lectura de verano se han publicado en el sitio web.
Agenda/Libros de Tareas: Se recomienda enfáticamente que todos los estudiantes tengan algún tipo de agenda/cuaderno de tareas. Tendremos un número limitado de libros para vender a $5 cada uno. Las listas de suministros se publicarán en el sitio web en agosto.
Casilleros y Mochilas: Muchos padres han preguntado. Hay pros y contras para ambos. En varios casos este año, los estudiantes cargaron artículos innecesarios de ida y vuelta a la escuela todos los días, lo que hizo que sus mochilas pesaran más de lo que deberían haber sido. Esa es un área obvia para mejorar. Apuesto a que algunos de esos mismos estudiantes tendrían casilleros llenos de papeles arrugados, cuadernos perdidos, cajas de lápices sin abrir y almuerzos rancios. Los estudiantes tampoco viajan muy lejos en el edificio durante el día escolar, por lo que podría haber algún potencial para utilizar el aula de asesoramiento como una base más. Compramos o donamos varios percheros para las aulas que se usaban con frecuencia. La base de nuestra decisión se reducirá a lo que sea mejor para los estudiantes y sus necesidades de aprendizaje.
Teléfonos Celulares: Para bien o para mal, el distrito está trabajando en una nueva política de teléfonos celulares. Entendemos que los teléfonos celulares son importantes. También son muy perjudiciales en las escuelas.
calendario escolar 22-23 revisado aquí. La orientación de sexto grado es el 26 de agosto.
Regístrese para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico del distrito aquí
¿Quiere ser un maestro sustituto? Haga clic aquí.
Álgebra de secundaria: Las Escuelas Públicas de Stamford ofrecen este curso para estudiantes de 7.° y 8.° grado. Los estudiantes de 7º grado deben desempeñarse a un nivel avanzado en matemáticas para ser elegibles para la colocación en álgebra de la escuela secundaria. El curso avanza al ritmo de un curso de nivel de honores de la escuela secundaria y sigue el mismo plan de estudios de la escuela secundaria. Es importante que los padres de los estudiantes de 7º grado sepan que la colocación en álgebra de la escuela secundaria resultará en que los estudiantes pierdan varias unidades de estudio de matemáticas de 7º grado. Según el plan de estudios de matemáticas actual, estas unidades no se vuelven a enseñar hasta el décimo grado. Sin embargo, estas unidades de estudio aparecen tanto en el SBAC como en el PSAT. Dado el ritmo riguroso del curso de álgebra, los maestros no pueden hacer una pausa para realizar unidades de estudio aisladas. La ubicación se determinará durante el verano en base a una variedad de criterios que incluyen el desempeño en clase, la recomendación del maestro y los resultados de la evaluación de preparación para el álgebra de Orleans Hanna y la evaluación del Inventario de Matemáticas. Para permanecer en álgebra durante el año, los estudiantes deben mantener un promedio de "B" al final del primer trimestre. Aunque los estudiantes pueden aprobar un curso de secundaria con una "D", SPS tiene una amplia investigación que indica que los estudiantes de secundaria que carecen de una comprensión sólida de Álgebra I tendrán dificultades en Álgebra II en su primer año. Esto es importante porque la progresión después de Álgebra I es para que los estudiantes se inscriban en Geometría de nivel de honores en 8ºgrado . Los maestros revisarán los datos de rendimiento durante todo el año.
De la Dra. Lucero:
Seguridad y Protección: Esta semana tuvimos la oportunidad de continuar nuestra conversación sobre Seguridad y Protección con miembros de la Junta de Educación. También apreciamos la invitación del Comité de Seguridad Pública de la Junta de Representantes para hablar sobre la seguridad escolar. Durante las vacaciones de verano, continuaremos actualizando y estableciendo planes de seguridad y salud mental, desarrollo profesional y capacitación para el personal, los estudiantes y las familias, y políticas.
Clínica Westover COVID-19: La vacuna COVID-19 ahora está disponible para estudiantes menores de 5 años. Sé que algunas de nuestras familias de APPLES han esperado mucho tiempo por esta oportunidad. La ciudad de Stamford seguirá organizando clínicas de vacunación contra el COVID-19 los sábados en Westover.
Salud mental: Estoy emocionado de compartir una oportunidad de verano para que las familias luchen contra el aislamiento del verano y el impacto que esto puede tener en la salud mental. Únase a nosotros para las caminatas de salud mental a partir del miércoles 6 de julio de 2022. "MILES HACE SONRISAS" se llevará a cabo en Cove Island Park todos los lunes y miércoles de 5 a 6 p. m. hasta finales de agosto. El evento y el estacionamiento son gratuitos. ¡Todos son bienvenidos a caminar juntos, conocer nuevos amigos, hacer ejercicio, hablar y divertirse!
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
6/17/22
8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony: Monday, June 20 with a hard start time of 9:00 am. Get here early so you can find a place to park. Students were issued TWO tickets each. Tickets were not given to students who have not returned school property such computers, textbooks or other materials. Tickets must be presented at the door. Sorry, there is no auditorium at Scofield and we just don’t have the space for everyone to bring children, grandparents, or any extended family members. We will have an overflow seating area in the media center where the ceremony will be livestreamed. We may be able to admit additional people if space is available. We ask that you please be respectful of each other during the event. Please refrain from bringing noise makers of any kind. Large balloons also block the view of others. Please leave the balloons in your car until after the ceremony. Light refreshments will be provided in the courtyard following the ceremony. The ceremony will last approximately one hour. Students may be dismissed following the ceremony.
Monday and Tuesday Next Week: Both are half days. Dismissal begins at 12:15
Summer Reading: There will be a summer reading assignment. The assignment will be sent out in the final newsletter.
Yearbooks: There are a limited number of extra yearbooks for sale. Hard cover is $35 and soft cover is $25. Cash or check can be brought to the main office.
Student Medications: All student medications must be picked up by the last day of school or they will be discarded per CT State Law. Call the nurse to make an appointment at 203-977-2758.
Cell Phone Policy Update: The Superintendent is in the process of officially forming a committee to develop a new cell phone policy. Thank you to all that joined the first meeting held this week. Also, thank you to John Corcoran, a Turn of River teacher and our new SEA president, who has agreed to lead our cell phone policy discussion. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 5 p.m. Please click here for a link to the meeting.
Diverse School Calendar: During the June 14, 2022 Board of Education Labor Committee meeting, two members of our school community represented a larger group that have been discussing the need to consider a more diverse religious representation on our school calendar specifically related to Muslim holidays. If you missed this initial discussion, please click on the following link.
School Safety Conversation: A quick reminder to join us for our safety and mental health discussion that is on the agenda of the BOE Operations Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 21. The Mayor, the Police Chief, as well as other members of the safety and mental health panel, will join us to continue this important school safety conversation with the Board of Education.
Lost and Found: There are several articles of clothing, numerous water bottles, a few cell phones, air pods, watches, rings, and necklaces all waiting for their owners to pick them up. Anything not collected will be donated. The lost and found box is in the main lobby.
Summer Hours: Office is open 7:30-3:30 Monday-Friday. Best to call before you make the drive.
A Fond Farewell: Mrs. Beutler, Mrs. Summa, Mrs. Moriarty and Ms. Gardner will all be retiring at the end of the school year. Each of these fine educators has dedicated a significant portion of their lives to helping kids achieve their dreams. The Scofield community shines brightly from the legacy each will leave. We wish them all the best in the years to come.
There will be one more parent newsletter on the last day of school.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
6/10/22
8th Grade Moving Up: Students will be issued two tickets this coming week. Students who owe materials such as chrome books, chargers, textbooks, or other materials will not be given tickets. The ceremony will be Monday, June 20th at 9:00. There will be an overflow area in the media center and the ceremony will be livestreamed into the media center. We will have a police officer present to assist with crowd control.
Collection of Materials: All chrome books, chargers, textbooks, and other materials must be turned in. Missing or damaged items must be replaced or paid for. Students who don’t replace or pay for damaged items may be prohibited from participating in end of the year activities and have access to power school frozen to view report cards.
Many thanks to all of the parents who help plan, organize and supervise Friday’s field day. “Jerry the Gym Guy” was a huge hit with all the various activities, as was the DJ, who provided the music, some of which even the adults could enjoy.
Two Scofield students placed in the top five of the Lt. Governors Computing Challenge. Many thanks to Mr. Forde for entering the students.
Yearbooks will be distributed this week. As is tradition, eighth graders will get yearbooks first.
Reminder that Scofield uses a program called “Securly” that monitors internet student searches and all internet activity. Internet activity that is deemed a violation of the Board of Education “Acceptable Use Policy” may result in account suspension, or disciplinary consequences.
COVID Update: Three new cases last week. Two students and one staff member.
Long-Term Facilities Update: On Wednesday, the Long-term Facilities committee met and we updated the team on the Master Facilities Plan. We provided an update on the next steps for moving forward with the plan. If you missed the meeting, please click the following link.
Planning the Future of Our Schools: It is critically important to hear from you on the future of our schools and our strategic planning process is the way to do it. Click here to learn more or come to an in-person session at the Government Center at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 16.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News
5/27/22
Memorial Day: Don’t forget that schools are closed on Monday in honor of Memorial Day. In case you didn’t know, Veterans Day (November 11th) is for the living Veterans who have served and Memorial is for those who have fallen while in harm’s way. This video always chokes me up a little when considering the impact of the day..
Exhibition Wrap Up: Congratulations to all of our 8th graders for completing their 8th grade Capstone projects. This experience is the culmination of three years in the magnet program. The formal research paper, creative interpretation and multimedia presentation will set our students up for tremendous success in high school and in life. Over the years we’ve received several letters from former students letting us know that their chosen career and/or college major all started from their 8th grade Exhibition. Special thanks to the 8th grade teachers. Exhibition is more than just another school project and their dedication to the concept is very much a part of the process.
In Case You Missed It: Scofield has been Recognized as a "Spotlight School" by New England League of Middle Schools. Scofield Magnet Middle School is one of 12 schools in CT to be recognized as a “Spotlight School” by the New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS). Scofield received this highly coveted status for continued implementation of effective and innovative middle level educational practices. The Spotlight program identifies schools that have a record of powerful and research-based learning for young adolescents and consistently observe middle level best practices. A NELMS Spotlight School is a center of learning and strong effective programs that reflect concepts contained in The Successful Middle School: This We Believe.
Collection of District Chromebooks: Please ensure your child brings his/her Chromebook AND power cord to school on Tuesday, May 31st. Students whose borrowed items are not returned will be receiving an overdue notice, including the fine amount for replacement of missing items, on Friday, June 3rd. [Library books should be returned by June 1st as well.] Students with outstanding accounts may be withheld from non-academic year-end activities.
Incoming Student Orientation: June 1st at 6:30pm here at Scofield for students with last name A-L. June 8th at 6:30 for students with last names M-Z. There will be a short presentation, question/answer from a student panel and a tour. Please be on time. This event is for parents and students.
PTP Carnival: Friday, June 8th the PTP will be sponsoring a day outside when students can have some lighthearted fun. The PTP hired “Jerry the Gym Guy” and he is going to run four stations of competitive games for each grade level. Each group will rotate through all four stations during their time. We will also have popcorn and popsicles for the kids.
School Safety: It is my hope that we will begin using our “Raptor” point of entry system before the end of the school year. The Raptor system requires all visitors to show and scan a valid driver’s license which runs a background check. Once the scan is complete, a visitor badge is printed with the visitor’s name and image from the driver’s license. All visitors who wish to enter the building will be required to go through this process.
Mental Health Awareness: Please use this link for mental health resources. The following are some useful resources to use as you see fit.
· National Association of School Psychologists, Talking to Children About Violence
· Sesame Street, Talking to Young People About Violence in the Community
· Common Sense Media, How to Talk to Your Children About School Shootings
Summer Family Fun Pack: https://issuu.com/geniusofplay/docs/040222-gop-brc-playbook_4_
Ferguson Library family discounts: Museum & Park passes with free or discounted admission to dozens of local attractions. Plan your family outing without breaking the budget. https://www.fergusonlibrary.org/services/museum-park-passes
FREE Public Transit: And when you plan that family outing, consider using public transit to get to your destination for free! The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced that all public transit buses will be fare-free across Connecticut until December 1, 2022. Free services include all CTtransit local buses statewide, CTtransit Express and CTfastrak services. ADA Paratransit is also fare free statewide until December 1, 2022.
COVID Update: 9 new cases last week. Eight students and one staff
Regards,
Mr. Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News Update
5/19/22
Exhibition: Next week is the culmination of three years worth of the unique magnet middle school program that has been in existence since 1994. The first “Exhibition” was in 1996, the year of the first 8th grade class. THIS presentation elevates the expectations placed on your children here at Scofield. Children will be dressed professionally and are expected to act accordingly. We expect several parents in the building. This is an exciting week for all Scofield students. We are all proud of their accomplishments.
End of year activities: The grade level teams and the PTP have a variety of fun events planned for the end of the school year. These events are a privilege. Students who have displayed a pattern of poor behavior may be excluded.
Parent Presentation Follow Up: Many thanks to everyone who came out on a stormy night for an outstanding presentation by Scott Nichols. I think it’s safe to say that everyone learned something new about how best to protect our children when using social media and when online in general. The “family share” setting in Tik-Tok was certainly something I didn’t know.
Incoming Student Orientation: June 1 and 8: A-L June 1, M-Z June 2. Agenda will be a short presentation from Mr. Clayton followed by a Q and A from student ambassadors and a building tour.
Collection of School Materials: Stay tuned for an email explaining the process we will be using to collect materials such as chrome books, chargers, textbooks, and other materials that have been loaned out this school year. Students who have lost or return damaged items may be financially responsible for replacement.
Stamford Police Association: Timothy Coppola-Bicycle Helmet Giveaway: The Stamford Police Association Bicycle Helmet Giveaway will be on Saturday, June 4, 9:00am to 1:00pm at Fairway Market Parking Lot, 699 Canal St., Stamford, CT. See attached flier in English and Spanish for more fun and safety tips.
Physical Education during Exhibition: All 8th grade students will be excused from participating in physical education ONLY on the day of their presentation. Students should come to class with a pair of sneakers to change into in order to participate in class.
Covid Update: 16 new positive student cases last week.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
May 15, 2022
Dear Parents,
As the saying goes, “spring is in the air.” I am writing to you with the expectation that you, as partners in your child’s education, can help the Scofield staff address some student behavioral issues.
Over the last few weeks the administration and support staff have had the displeasure of investigating incidents, both on and off school grounds involving a variety of issues, some of which have been accusations of racism, anti-semitism, fighting and inappropriate use of social media. Throughout this time I have had some very difficult conversations with parents about their children’s behavior. As the Principal and as a parent, I am asking for your support that if your children share stories about use of racial slurs or any derogatory and inhumane language or actions, please alert me or the teachers so we can address it on the spot.
I am also asking that you understand and support the administration in our obligation to enforce board of education policy. We take the investigation process very seriously and if students are suspended or receive any type of consequence, it is the result of several hours of investigation, including student interviews and/or video review. As Principal, I reserve the right to contact the Stamford Police regarding these matters and I will always rely on their expertise if I suspect a matter might be of a criminal nature. I urge you to please be aware of what your children are doing on social media and the language they are using.
Furthermore, Board of Education Policy #5131 defines behavioral expectations in any setting related to school. “School” includes hallways, bathrooms, classrooms, cafeteria, school buses, or any school sponsored activity on or off school grounds. Board Policy #5005 addresses bullying. Students can be issued school related consequences for bullying behaviors that happen off school grounds.
Finally, I am working with the teachers to prepare a school-wide Advisory activity on racism, anti-Semitism and bullying. It’s very important that we address these issues in a manner that is focused on maintianing an environment that is focused on learning. Scofield is a great school and we need to work together to keep it that way. I am happy to talk with any parent who has concerns or questions.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent Update
5/13/22
Message from the Principal: Stay tuned for a special message from Mr. Clayton regarding some recent student issues.
Progress Reports: Available in the parent portal.
Peace Works- This week all physical education classes will see presentations from Peace Works. The presentation for 6th & 7th grade will be on the topic of bullying. The 8th grade will receive a presentation on healthy and unhealthy romantic relationships. If you have any questions please email your student’s physical education teacher.
Internet Safety Presentation: Due to limited space, this event was RSVP only. The presentation will begin promptly at 6:15. For those interested, we will do a building tour at 5:30.
For 8th Graders Attending Stamford High School: THURSDAY MAY 26. 6:30 – 8:30. SHS AUDITORIUM. BREAKOUT SESSIONS TO INCLUDE: SPED, ELL, IB Diploma Programme / AP / ECE, MYP (Accepted Students Only), SHS Technology, SHS Music, Early College Studies @ SHS (Accepted Students Only)
8th Grade Exhibition: Invitations were sent home on Friday that include the time, day, and room location for your child’s presentation. Please ask your child to see it so that you can plan accordingly.
Summer School: The planning for summer school continues. We appreciate all the work of our coordinator, head teachers and staff as we prepare exciting opportunities for our invited K-8 students. If you have received an invitation, please make sure you confirm attendance as soon as possible. For more information, please go to this link.
For an update of next steps, please join us at our Long-term Facilities meeting on Thursday, June 2 to discuss how this change in funding will impact the Master Facilities Plan.
May 25: Early dismissal. Be sure to plan accordingly.
Covid Update: two new positive cases last week.
Scofield Parent Update
5/6/22
Happy Mothers Day to all of the Scofield Mothers!
Annual Climate Survey: Your feedback is important to us. Please consider completing the climate survey by midnight on Sunday, May8th. Click here for the survey links
May is Mental Health Awareness Month: May is National Mental Health Awareness Month so we take a pause to recognize that mental health is an important part of our overall mind, body, and heart. During the month of May, Scofield's Support Services Staff will be engaging students in activities and presentations around this topic. Meet Scofield's Staff by clicking here and stay tuned for more updates on this important topic this month.
Teacher Appreciation Week: On behalf of the whole staff, I’d like to thank the PTP for all of the treats (especially the massages) that were provided to the staff throughout the week.
Student Government: Spirit Week May 16-20
Monday- Sports Day
Tuesday- Twin Tuesday
Wednesday- Disney day
Thursday- Throwback Thursday
Friday- Teams’ Day (wear your team colors)
*Prizes awarded for students who display the most spirit
“8 Principles for Supporting Students with ADHD” by Jennifer Gonzalez in Cult of Pedagogy, April 20, 2022
COVID-19 Update: 4 new cases last week (3 student and 1 staff)
Long-term Facilities Committee: The Long-term Facilities Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m. During this meeting, we will provide an update on the master facilities plan, funding, and family engagement.
Student Behavior: Board of Education Policy #5131 defines behavioral expectations in any setting related to school. “School” includes hallways, bathrooms, classrooms, cafeteria, school buses, or any school sponsored activity on or off school grounds. Board Policy #5005 addresses bullying. Students can be issued school related consequences for bullying behaviors that happen off school grounds. Many recent issues involve inappropriate social media videos and pictures off school grounds. I have been in contact with the Stamford Police regarding a variety of these matters. Please be aware of what your children are doing online.
Scofield Parent Update
4/29/22
School Climate Surveys: The annual school climate surveys are now available for students in grades 3-12, staff, and families to complete. We are off to a strong start with over 1,000 families, 25% of our staff and over 10% of our students responding in just the first 2 days! We want to keep this momentum going so please continue to spread the word. Staff members should have received an invitation via their school emails to complete the survey this week but if you did not receive it for some reason please email ofce@stamfordct.gov. Students will be provided time during the school day to complete the survey. SPS families may find the link to the family survey on our Office of Family and Community Engagement (OFCE) website. We encourage everyone to complete the survey and provide feedback to SPS and your individual schools by the deadline of May 8. If you have questions regarding the survey, you can call your child’s school or email ofce@stamfordct.gov. Thanks in advance for your time and for sharing your voice!
After School and Intramurals: Our after school and intramurals programs have ended for the year. We will make an announcement on Monday, but please make sure that your children do not stay for these activities.
Operating Budget Update: As you may have heard, the Board of Finance cut the Stamford Public Schools budget to an increase of 3.49%, a slight decline from the requested 4.57% request. Last week Ryan Fealey and I presented the BOE budget to the Board of Representatives (BOR) Fiscal Committee and on Monday, the BOR fiscal committee recommended no further cuts to the budget. The official vote of the 40 member BOR is scheduled for Tuesday, May 3 at 7:00 p.m. Please stay tuned for more information. If you would like more information about the operating budget request or ESSER/ARP funding, please click here. Also, do not hesitate to reach out to Ryan Fealey or Dr. Lucero with any questions or concerns.
Support for Ukraine: We will be organizing another fundraiser to help those who have been affected by war in Ukraine. We will be selling sunflower seeds to plant in time for Mother’s Day. An envelope with sunflower seeds to plant is available for purchase in room 105, Mrs. Mroz’s room. Cost is $1 per envelope. All proceeds will go to UNICEF. Sunflower seeds are historically a sign of resilience and resistance in Ukrainian culture.
Internet Safety Presentation: May 16th at 6:15 here at Scofield will be an exciting opportunity to learn important tips for internet safety. This is our guest speaker. Space is limited and will be capped at 100 people. Space is limited. RSVP is required: Respond here if you plan on attending.
Incoming 6th Grade Orientation: Several current families have inquired about orientation for next year’s incoming 6th grade. Unfortunately, we do not have a roster of admitted students yet. Communication will go out to all families as soon as we get a roster. Scofield administration has nothing to do with the lottery process at all. Thank you for your patience. Spread the word to anyone you may know in 5th grade who has a child who has been admitted.
Next Friday, May 6th is School Lunch Hero Day! This is a national celebration in honor of the hard working individuals responsible for preparing healthy meals daily for America’s students. These professionals are heroes and a critical part of every school community, and this day is dedicated to showing them the appreciation they deserve! “Turkey & Cheese Hero” sandwiches will be served on this day across all SPS schools.
COVID-19 Update: Four student positive cases last week.
Regards,
Scott Clayton-Principal
Scofield Parent News Update
April 22, 2022
Friday Building Evacuation: Many thanks to everyone (parents, staff and students) for their cooperation during Friday’s emergency evacuation. Although we did learn a few things about our emergency procedures, for the most we executed a textbook like evacuation.
Dodgeball Tournament: Many thanks to everyone, especially Rebecca Wood for orchestrating a great event. Although I was unable to stay until the end because of my older daughter’s Junior Prom, I did see lots of smiling faces on the faces of our students. Any parent who had so much fun supervising is welcome to volunteer for cafeteria duty whenever you want!!!
8th Grade Moving Up: Monday, June 20th. We are planning on a 9:00 AM start. Current plans are for an indoor ceremony. Seating is limited and two tickets per student will be given. The ceremony will be livestreamed and overflow seating will be available in the media center.
What is Scofield and Why Are We Different? Scofield teachers will be working on this very question in the coming weeks. Over the last few months teachers have been asked to engage in deliberate planning of activities that represent our magnet philosophy. Want to know more? Read here about eh Coalition of Essential Schools.
Incoming 6th Grade Orientation: Several current families have inquired about orientation for next year’s incoming 6th grade. Unfortunately, we do not have a roster of admitted students yet. Communication will go out to all families as soon as we get a roster. Scofield administration has nothing to do with the lottery process at all. Thank you for your patience. Spread the word to anyone you may know in 5th grade who has a child who has been admitted.
SBAC testing: Mandatory state testing will begin next week here at Scofield. Sixth and Seventh grade students will take the English Language Arts Computer Adaptive Test (CAT), the Math CAT and the Math Performance Task assessments. Eighth grade students will the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) assessment in addition to the other three assessments. With the exception of students with specific testing accommodations, all students will be testing in their Advisory classrooms on District Chromebooks (extras will be available for BYOD students). Eighth grade will be tested the week of 4/25/22, seventh grade the week of 5/2 and sixth grade the week of 5/9. The CT Department of Education has a tremendous amount of information and resources for families: SBAC information NGSS information
Internet Safety Presentation: May 16th at 6:15 here at Scofield will be an exciting opportunity to learn important tips for internet safety. Please see the attachment with information about our upcoming internet safety workshop. This is our guest speaker. Space is limited and will be capped at 100 people. Space is limited. RSVP is required:
Respond here if you plan on attending.
Chartwells Update: “Chartwells will be hosting a pop-up tasting event during lunch at Scofield on April 28th featuring recipes from our new menu concept “Mac and Cheesyology.” In order to keep the school lunch interesting for students, Chartwells culinarians follow food trends and are continuously adding new recipes and developing exciting new menu concepts! We know your students will enjoy the made from scratch mac n’ cheese and buffalo mac n’ cheese they will be tasting next week. This concept will be a specialty Wednesday menu item starting in May and running through the remainder of the school year. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out.”
Annual Climate Survey: The school climate survey is a way for us to measure how well we are communicating, listening, and interacting among students, staff, and the community at large. This encompasses the services we are providing, the relationships we are building, and the expectations we have for one another. Simply put it is a way for us to see how we are doing in practicing the rules, values, and expectations we set for ourselves.
Why is this important? An honest assessment of the relationships between individuals, in classrooms, and in a school community, allows us to understand what is working well and what needs modification. When we do this assessment across the district, we can identify best practices and share them between schools. Our school principals and district leadership take the results very seriously and prioritize the feedback we receive in improving our school culture.
How will this impact my child? When we measure school climate, we can see where schools are creating opportunities for supportive and meaningful relationships, how we are guiding students toward their goals, and where we need to improve. These improvements directly enhance each child’s educational experience. A supportive school environment, research shows, has a direct positive impact on a student’s learning and future success.
How long will this take? The survey takes less than 15 minutes to complete. You can do it while having a cup of coffee, in between work meetings, or in the evening while watching a show on TV. The survey will be available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
Ok, so when can I take the survey? We will be sending out a link to the survey via email, through the superintendent’s weekly message, sending it out through apps such as school messenger and remind, posting the link on our website, and making the link available through our community partners. The survey opens on April 25 and will close on May 8. Families are asked to take the survey for each child attending Stamford Public Schools.
Will anyone be able to see my answers? No. The family survey is completely anonymous. No personal details are being collected, all questions are optional, and no one will be able to trace responses back to a device or location.
Honor Roll Party: Congratulations to our 3rd Quarter Honor Roll students. An Ice cream party will be held in their honor on Friday, April 29th, courtesy of our PTP. A big thank you to our parents who give their time and support throughout the year!
Everfi Financial Literacy Month Calendar: This calendar has links to activities that both teachers and parents can use with their students/children. Everfi is a free educational service which provides resources on various topics such as health & wellness, social emotional issues, financial literacy and more. You will need to register to access its materials on their website, but there is no cost to do so.
COVID-19 Update. Six new positive student cases last week.
Regards
Scott Clayton-Principal
Actualización de noticias para padres de Scofield
22 de abril de 2022
Evacuación del edificio del viernes: Muchas gracias a todos (padres, personal y estudiantes) por su cooperación durante la evacuación de emergencia del viernes. Aunque aprendimos algunas cosas sobre nuestros procedimientos de emergencia, en su mayoría ejecutamos un libro de texto como evacuación.
Torneo de Dodgeball: Muchas gracias a todos, especialmente a Rebecca Wood por organizar un gran evento. Aunque no pude quedarme hasta el final debido al baile de graduación de mi hija mayor, vi muchas caras sonrientes en los rostros de nuestros estudiantes. ¡Cualquier padre que se haya divertido tanto supervisando es bienvenido a ser voluntario en la cafetería cuando lo desee!
Ascenso de 8.° grado: lunes 20 de junio. Estamos planeando un comienzo a las 9:00 AM. Los planes actuales son para una ceremonia en el interior. El aforo es limitado y se entregarán dos entradas por alumno. La ceremonia se transmitirá en vivo y habrá asientos adicionales disponibles en el centro de medios.
¿Qué es Scofield y por qué somos diferentes? Los maestros de Scofield trabajarán en esta misma pregunta en las próximas semanas. En los últimos meses se les ha pedido a los maestros que participen en la planificación deliberada de actividades que representen nuestra filosofía magnet. ¿Quiere saber más? Lea aquí sobre la Coalición de Escuelas Esenciales.
Orientación para el próximo sexto grado: Varias familias actuales han preguntado acerca de la orientación para el próximo sexto grado del próximo año. Desafortunadamente, todavía no tenemos una lista de estudiantes admitidos. La comunicación se enviará a todas las familias tan pronto como tengamos una lista. La administración de Scofield no tiene nada que ver con el proceso de lotería. Gracias por su paciencia. Corra la voz a cualquier persona que conozca en 5.º grado que tenga un hijo que haya sido admitido.
Pruebas SBAC: Las pruebas estatales obligatorias comenzarán la próxima semana aquí en Scofield. Los estudiantes de sexto y séptimo grado tomarán la Prueba Adaptativa por Computadora (CAT) de Artes del Lenguaje Inglés, el CAT de Matemáticas y las evaluaciones de Tareas de Rendimiento de Matemáticas. Los estudiantes de octavo grado realizarán la evaluación de los Estándares de Ciencias de la Próxima Generación (NGSS) además de las otras tres evaluaciones. Con la excepción de los estudiantes con adaptaciones específicas para las pruebas, todos los estudiantes realizarán las pruebas en sus aulas de asesoramiento en Chromebooks del distrito (habrá extras disponibles para los estudiantes BYOD). El octavo grado será evaluado la semana del 25/04/22, el séptimo grado la semana del 02/05 y el sexto grado la semana del 09/05. El Departamento de Educación de CT tiene una gran cantidad de información y recursos para las familias: Información NGSS
Presentación de seguridad en Internet: el 16 de mayo a las 6:15 aquí en Scofield será una oportunidad emocionante para aprender consejos importantes para la seguridad en Internet. Consulte el archivo adjunto con información sobre nuestro próximo taller de seguridad en Internet. Este es nuestro orador invitado. El espacio es limitado y tendrá un límite de 100 personas. El espacio es limitado. Se requiere RSVP:
Responda aquí si planea asistir.
Actualización de Chartwells: “Chartwells organizará un evento de degustación emergente durante el almuerzo en Scofield el 28 de abril. con recetas de nuestro nuevo concepto de menú “Mac and Cheesyology”Con el fin de mantener el almuerzo escolar interesante para los estudiantes, los culinarios de Chartwells siguen las tendencias alimentarias y continuamente agregan nuevas recetas y desarrollan nuevos y emocionantes conceptos de menú. Sabemos que sus estudiantes disfrutarán los macarrones con queso y los macarrones con queso de búfalo que probarán la próxima semana. Este concepto será una especialidad del menú de los miércoles a partir de mayo y durante el resto del año escolar. Si tiene alguna pregunta, no dude en comunicarse”.
Encuesta Anual de Clima: La encuesta de clima escolar es una forma de medir qué tan bien nos comunicamos, escuchamos e interactuamos entre los estudiantes, el personal y el comunidad en general. Esto abarca los servicios que brindamos, las relaciones que construimos y las expectativas que tenemos unos de otros. En pocas palabras, es una forma de ver cómo nos va en la práctica de las reglas, los valores y las expectativas que nos fijamos.
¿Por qué es esto importante? Una evaluación honesta de las relaciones entre los individuos, en las aulas y en una comunidad escolar, nos permite comprender qué está funcionando bien y qué necesita modificación. Cuando hacemos esta evaluación en todo el distrito, podemos identificar las mejores prácticas y compartirlas entre las escuelas. Nuestros directores escolares y el liderazgo del distrito toman los resultados muy en serio y priorizan los comentarios que recibimos para mejorar nuestra cultura escolar.
¿Cómo afectará esto a mi hijo? Cuando medimos el ambiente escolar, podemos ver dónde las escuelas están creando oportunidades para relaciones significativas y de apoyo, cómo estamos guiando a los estudiantes hacia sus metas y dónde debemos mejorar. Estas mejoras mejoran directamente la experiencia educativa de cada niño. Un entorno escolar de apoyo, según muestra la investigación, tiene un impacto positivo directo en el aprendizaje y el éxito futuro de un estudiante.
¿Cuánto tiempo llevará esto? La encuesta tarda menos de 15 minutos en completarse. Puedes hacerlo mientras tomas una taza de café, entre reuniones de trabajo, o por la noche mientras ve un programa en la televisión. La encuesta estará disponible en inglés, español y criollo haitiano.
Ok, entonces, ¿cuándo puedo tomar la encuesta? Enviaremos un enlace a la encuesta por correo electrónico, a través del mensaje semanal del superintendente, lo enviaremos a través de aplicaciones como school messenger y Remember, publicaremos el enlace en nuestro sitio web y lo pondremos a disposición a través de nuestros socios comunitarios. La encuesta se abre el 25 de abril y se cerrará el 8 de mayo. Se les pide a las familias que respondan la encuesta para cada niño que asiste a las Escuelas Públicas de Stamford.
¿Alguien podrá ver mis respuestas? No. La encuesta familiar es completamente anónima. No se recopilan datos personales, todas las preguntas son opcionales y nadie podrá rastrear las respuestas hasta un dispositivo o ubicación.
Fiesta del Cuadro de Honor: Felicitaciones a nuestros estudiantes del Cuadro de Honor del tercer trimestre. Una fiesta de helados se llevará a cabo en su honor el viernes 29 de abril, cortesía de nuestro PTP. ¡Muchas gracias a nuestros padres que dan su tiempo y apoyo durante todo el año!
Calendario del mes de la educación financiera de Everfi: este calendario tiene enlaces a actividades que tanto los maestros como los padres pueden usar con sus estudiantes/hijos. Everfi es un servicio educativo gratuito que brinda recursos sobre diversos temas, como salud y bienestar, problemas socioemocionales, educación financiera y más. Deberá registrarse para acceder a sus materiales en su sitio web, pero no hay costo para hacerlo.
Actualización de COVID-19. Seis nuevos casos positivos de estudiantes la semana pasada.
Scofield Parent News
4/8/22
School Vacation: Reminder that school is closed April 11-15.
Dodgeball: Dodgeball: April 22nd is not far off. The PTP dodgeball tournament will be held from 3:00-6:00ish. Students should start forming teams and Sign up here: