Happy New Year!
January 7, 2022
The start to the New Year!
This is a picture of us trying to get through the week! It has been a wild ride and I couldn’t resist the picture of the Wonder Wheel from Coney Island being from Brooklyn myself. There were just a few health alerts, freezing rain and a snowstorm to welcome us back to school in 2022!
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate challenging times.
Trying to understand how best to keep our students and staff safe with conditions ever-changing has been a roller coaster ride in itself. I want to thank Julian Curtiss' families and staff who have gone above and beyond in erring on the side of caution and working to maximize the mitigation strategies at our disposal to keep everyone safe.
We will continue to do our best to stay healthy by:
Maintaining and enforcing social distancing
Washing and sanitizing hands frequently
Reinforcing proper mask-wearing (ie. reminding kids to cover their noses)
Encouraging outdoor snack-time / staggered indoor snack time with trifold shields on desks
Keeping students in their grade level cohorts
We need your help too. Please...
Continue to complete the COVID Symptoms Checklist each morning to determine if your child is well enough to attend school. It notes: "If you reply YES to any of the questions below STAY HOME." The symptoms include the expected loss of taste/smell and cough, but also include more innocuous symptoms like runny nose, congestion, and fatigue. So we ask that when in doubt, keep your child home - for his/her sake and for the sake of our other students and staff.
Refrain from sending your child to school if someone in your household is symptomatic, and is awaiting results of a COVID test.
Share your child's vaccination status with our nurse, Theresa McIntosh to assist her in determining quarantine requirements for children who have been directly exposed to a positive Covid case. You may email Nurse Theresa this information at Theresa_McItosh@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Email Nurse Theresa (and CC Trish McGuire right away If your child has tested positive. Please let her know the date that your child developed symptoms, the date and nature of the test (ie. 12/27 - PCR), and the date your child was last on school grounds. Nurse Theresa will then reach out to you to follow up and confirm your child's quarantine requirements.
Some of you have asked if we have changed the quarantine requirements to align with the new CDC recommendations. The CDC and Connecticut Department of Health now support five-day isolation after a person tests positive, with a return to school on Day 6. On the advice of our health professionals, GPS will implement this new five-day rule for students and staff. Please continue to check your email for updates.
Lastly, I know that some of you have expressed concerns about the automatic letter that the district emails to parents of students who have reached or exceeded 9 absences during the school year. Please know that if you are following our quarantine requirements there is no need for concern.
We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday, January 10th.
Enjoy your weekend and Be safe!
Trish McGuire, Matt Hartigan and Theresa McIntosh
JC PTA
The JC PTA is committed to having after-school enrichment for all!
The PTA membership dues and donations help pay for one student per grade to attend our After-School enrichment, but we have many more in need that would greatly benefit from these amazing after-school programs. Please consider donating to sponsor a child to attend.
Donate Here (button): https://juliancurtisspta.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/962
Fifth to Sixth Grade Transition
Earlier this week, virtual meetings were held to discuss the Fifth to Sixth Grade Transition Process. Middle school counselors, curriculum coordinators, and middle school principals talked about what goes on in the spring and summer to help prepare students for the next school level. During this session, coordinators presented information regarding the placement process for Advanced Studies in Grades 6-8. Recordings of session 1 and session 2, including question and answer segments, and the slide presentation can be viewed online.
District News
The new Greenwich Adult and Continuing Education Spring Catalog is available online. Classes, which will be held in-person and online, begin on Monday, January 10. Visit their website or call Kathy Post at the Adult Education Office at (203) 625-7474, Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM-12:00 PM While registration is currently open, please register now because classes fill up quickly!
GPS District Digest
We invite you to read the newest issue of the GPS District Digest that was released earlier today. It is full of great stories from around the District. Subscribe to get it directly sent to your inbox.
UPCOMING DATES
JANUARY, 2022
1/14 Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL
1/17 Martin Luther King Day - NO SCHOOL
1/18 Grade 2 ALP Program Begins
1/20 Board Of Education Budget Meeting at 7pm
1/21 School Spirit Fridays! Wear your school spirit wear of school colors (green and white)
1/25 BET meeting - Public Comment on Town and BOE budget
1/28 School Spirit Fridays! Wear your school spirit wear of school colors (green and white)
FEBRUARY
2/3 Board Of Education Budget Meeting at 7pm
2/4 School Spirit Fridays - Wear your Julian Curtiss gear or our school colors - green and white
2/11School Spirit Fridays - Wear your Julian Curtiss gear or our school colors - green and white
2/14 - 2/21 Winter Break - NO SCHOOL
2/24 Board Of Education Budget Meeting at 7pm
Please follow Mrs. McGuire and Mr. Hartigan on Twitter
Email: trish_mcguire@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: greenwichschools.org/jcs
Location: 180 East Elm Street, Greenwich, CT, USA
Phone: 2038691896
Twitter: @JCSPrincipal