I would like to wish everyone a wonderful April vacation. I hope you have time to relax and recharge over the break. Please enjoy another edition of our District's monthly newsletter.

Ken

Kenneth G. Craw, Ed. D.

Superintendent

Ninety students from the Class of 2024 recently visited Washington D.C. Students visited several museums at the National Mall, toured the memorial monuments and even took in a show at the Kennedy Center. Two Civil Air Patrol cadets had the honor of laying a wreath during the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

With the arrival of the Spring Equinox on March 20th, the timing was perfect . Amy Twitchell's sixth grade students began researching why we have seasons on Earth. The anchoring phenomenon asked students to observe the position of the Earth as it revolved around the sun. To help students make in-depth, qualitative observations about how sunlight reaches the Earth at different angles, students used a model that included a light bulb and a small, Styrofoam ball as the Earth. The ball was measured to be on a 23.5 degree tilt, allowing the students to see how light can be direct and/or indirect, depending on which hemisphere was tilted toward the sun.

First grade is beginning a unit in Geometry! Mrs. Duffy’s class is learning a new work station game. The children are fully engaged in tasks that require them to put together and break apart shapes while they learn about the attributes of specific shapes and the vocabulary words that build their understanding, such as “symmetrical” and “ congruent” shapes.

On March 30th, the kindergarten classes visited the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. This trip was graciously gifted by the Consolidated School PTO. The students and staff had a wonderful time. This hands-on experience enhanced our nonfiction reading and writing units of study. Our bravest learners touched the stingrays and jellyfish, and we all learned a lot about seals. We saw them do some adorable tricks, too!

The New Fairfield High School World Language Department would like to recognize the following students who have received the Seal of Biliteracy based on advanced testing in Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. The Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy was established to recognize public high school graduates who have attained a level of proficiency in English and one or more other languages. Please join us in congratulating the following students:

Our candidate in Italian is:

Claire Enerson

Our candidates in French are:

Phoebe Opdahl, Lisa Marie Preci

Our candidates in Portuguese are:

Tali Mompean, Melanie Soares

Our Candidates in Spanish are:

Kelly Carroll, Arlette Avalos, Michelle Antman, Katherine Contreras, Adalia Fernandez, Claire Enerson, Brady Cheneski, Gavin Mone, Ryan Rodriguez, Robert Tenesaca, Julissa Tomaino, Erick Alarcon, Evelyn Bacumlina, Holger Leon

The following NFMS students participated in the Western Region Music Festival hosted by the Connecticut Music Educators Association on March 17 and 18. These students were selected following an audition where they had to perform a solo on December 3. They met, rehearsed and then performed a concert over the course of the two day festival with other selected middle school students from the western part of the state.

Chorus Students: Madison Johnson, grade 6; Apollonia Sbano, grade 6, Augustina Sbano, grade 8, Katherine Pankiv, grade 8, Sophia Pankiv, grade 8, Ammarah Basha, grade 8

Band Students: Frank Pintauro, grade 6

On Monday, February 6th, two of Meeting House Hill School’s learners were recognized for their outstanding citizenship, cooperative skills and artistic ability in the performing and visual arts. Caitlin Gaska received the award for visual arts and Emma Busnel received the award for performing arts. Students from elementary schools across the state were honored and celebrated at the event for their achievements in the arts. CT Kid Governor Ellie Mendez gave a speech. Everyone was treated to a presentation by New London’s Flock Theater presenting six types of puppets. Art-centered activities such as balloon sculptures, face painting, and caricaturists were available throughout the banquet room. Congratulations again to Emma Busnel and Caitlin Gaska for an excellent job!

The New Fairfield High School Rebel Players put their all into preparing for the spring musical, Urinetown. The play was performed the weekend of March 24 - 26, and the cast received rave reviews.