The Penguin Post

• March 20 - BINGO for Books (6:00-7:00pm in the Phelps cafeteria)
• March 21 - PTO Meeting
• March 22 - Title 1 Night (5:30-6:30 at the Junior High)
• March 29 - School Council meeting - 4:00 p.m. in the Phelps conference room
• March 31 - PBIS Color Contest - wear your grade level color!
• April 11 & 13 - 3rd and 4th grade ELA MCAS
• April 12 - Half day of school - Parent/teacher conferences

You’re Invited!

Title 1 Family Night

Wednesday, March 22, 2022

~ 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM ~

Agawam Junior High School

Please join us for our district-wide elementary family night! All family members welcome.

Learn how to choose good-fit books with your child (and take one home!), build a bead rack together, discover great math and literacy games you can play at home, explore social-emotional supports you can access at home, gather resources to help you help your child, and more!

The staff Crystal Apple Award for the month of February went to our Occupational Therapist, Mrs. Crowther! Mrs. Crowther is a go-to staff member who is ALWAYS available to meets the needs of students. Whether it is through engaging, hands-on, or movement-based activities; or simply providing a space for children to calm down, settle their bodies, or engage in a fun physical activity to distract from something upsetting, Mrs. Crowther is the calm to a child's storm. She has a way of talking to children on their level, and makes sure they feel heard and seen. Her fun, caring, nurturing demeanor puts children at ease so that they know they can trust her to help them work through an issue, or to successfully work through the day's lesson with her. Mrs. Crowther is always willing to offer advice and suggestions when a staff member asks for some suggestions on how to help a student. She always has a smile and an encouraging word for others. It is always a pleasure to work with her!

THANK YOU so much to everyone that donated to our One School, One Book activity!

It is hard to believe, but the second trimester of school is complete! There are only 60 days of school left in the 2022-2023 school year!

2nd trimester report cards will be posted to the PowerSchool portal on Friday, March 31.

On March 29 and 30, Phelps will welcome incoming Kindergarten students for their fall screenings. As a reminder - children who attend the ECC will have their screenings completed with their current teacher at the ECC. This year students from the ECC will come for a tour of Phelps on March 30.

If you did not have all of the necessary paperwork to enroll your child in Agawam schools, please make sure to bring any missing documents to Phelps. If you have any enrollment questions, please reach out to Mrs. DiLullo at mdilullo@agawamed.org.

National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) celebrates the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success. This special observance during the first week of March celebrates the national School Breakfast Program and the many ways it gives kids a great start every day. The theme for #NSBW23 was “Dig Into School Breakfast.”

Phelps had a number of guests serve our student's breakfast each morning.

MCAS testing is right around the corner. Students in grades three and four are required to take this state test in the areas of English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. All students will be taking a computer based test.

It is important that all students are present and on time for these tests. Additionally, they should try to get a good night’s sleep and have a good breakfast the day of testing. Students and teachers have worked very hard to prepare for the MCAS tests. We are confident that all our students will try their best and do well!

For additional information, please see the link to the MCAS Resources for Parents/Guardians.

ELA Session 1: April 11, 2023

ELA Session 2: April 13, 2023

Math Session 1: May 16, 2023

Math Session 2: May 17, 2023

Phelps yearbooks are on sale until April 24, 2023. Yearbooks are only sold online and cost $20 plus tax. Here is the link to order your 2022-2023 Phelps Yearbook today!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce, warmed, for dipping
• Grated Parmesan, optional
• Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for oiling the grill grates
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1/2 pound pizza dough, cool to the touch
• 1 pint grape tomatoes (24 to 30)

• 12 ounces cooked sweet Italian chicken sausage links (about 4 links), sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Soak eight 12-inch wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Prepare a grill for medium heat. Cut a 12-inch-square piece of aluminum foil.
2. Stir together the oil, Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
3. Dust a work surface with flour. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 11 by 6 by 1/4 inches. Using a pizza wheel or a knife, cut the dough into 1-inch strips, then into 1-inch squares. Add the dough squares, tomatoes and sausage to the seasoned oil, and toss gently to coat.
4. Working quickly to keep the dough from getting warm, thread the skewers, alternating sausage pieces (skewer them through the casings), tomatoes and dough squares (skewer them through opposite sides of each square, keeping them as flat as possible so they cook through). Leave 1/2 inch of the skewer at both ends empty. Each skewer should have 4 pieces each of sausage and dough and about 3 tomatoes.
5. Grill the skewers, covered, until the tomatoes have dark grill lines and the dough squares have started to puff, 2 to 3 minutes. Put the prepared foil square on the grill, and transfer the skewers onto the foil cooked-side up, so that they are almost touching. Top with the mozzarella, and grill, covered, until the tomatoes are soft, the dough squares have doubled in size and the mozzarella has melted, 3 minutes more.
6. Divide the skewers among 4 plates. Tear the basil leaves over the tops. Serve with the marinara sauce, for dipping, and pass the Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

Join us on Monday night (March 20) for our now ANNUAL BINGO For Books event! We will be in the Phelps cafeteria from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Get a BINGO and win a book! All Phelps families and sibling are invited. Please bring your coins to use as BINGO markers. PTO will be providing popcorn, water and juice for all!

The PTO is looking for volunteers to help with Teacher Appreciation Week (May 8 - May 12).

Please contact phelpspto@gmail.com or join us at our PTO meeting on 3/21/23 if you are interested!

Think about the sun and purchase your tickets for your chance to win 4 admission tickets to Lake Compounce!!!

Send in form with cash/check or use venmo!

Phelps is looking to bring back its TALENT SHOW!!! Keep and eye out for information soon!

Mr. Villamaino & Mrs. Domina

Email: avillamaino@agawamed.org
Website: https://www.agawamed.org/o/bjp
Location: 689 Main Street, Agawam, MA, USA
Phone: 413-821-0586