A huge shout-out- to all the students who helped to organize and host a very successful, scary Creepytown celebration this year, and the seniors who led this amazing Common Ground tradition!

Dear Common Ground Students & Families,

Here’s what you need to know for the week ahead: 

• Families: Please sign up for mid-term conferences if you haven’t already!  This is one of the most important parent involvement opportunities of the year – a chance to pick up your child’s mid-term progress report, and meet with their teachers about how they are doing. Sign up here for in-person conferences on Tuesday (4-7pm) and virtual conferences on Wednesday (1:30-3:30pm). 
• Because of mid-term conferences, we will dismiss at 12:40 on both Tuesday and Wednesday. All classes will meet for shortened periods on Tuesday. 
• On Thursday, there is no school for students, so our high school teachers and staff can get a full day of professional development and planning, focused on what matters most: rigor, relevance, and relationships! 
• No school Friday, in honor of Veteran’s Day. We want to express our gratitude and respect for all the veterans in our Common Ground community, including Common Ground math and computer science teacher Mr. Morales!
• This Saturday, Common Ground is holding our fall farm & garden conference – a full day of hands on workshops, from campfire cooking, to herbal wellness, to vertical gardening. Open to all, including families & participants who need Spanish translation! Register here. 

This week, we want to shout out our POWERful student leaders, and the staff and families who support them!

• Patience and Deja, who presented to 9th graders about the e-porfolio process on Wednesday!
• The Student Leadership Team members who organized an AWESOME school spirit week – and ALL the students and staff who participated! We love your spirit, Common Ground community!
• A shout out to all students working hard to improve their grades and build important skills during academic support sessions on Wednesday.
• Ms. Burke, English & Reading Teacher, who rejoined out Common Ground family this all and is such a great addition to our team -- read an interview with her on our blog!

We are heading into the second half of the semester, Common Ground students. Show up to class on time. Put aside distractions. Take full advantage of Wednesday & After-School Academic Support. Do your best work. Set the tone for other students, and be kind to each other. That’s what will put you on the path to college success, meaningful careers, powerful leadership, and happy, healthy, sustainable lives. You can do it.

Sincererely,

Cherry Pacquette-Emmanuel

School Director

What's In This Newsletter

1. Get Involved Now! Common Ground's Winter Festival is Dec 10!
2. Job Opportunity: City of New Haven Hiring Junior Rangers!
3. Volunteers Needed: Loaves & Fishes - Food, Clothing & Community
4. Last Chance To Sign Up: Farm & Garden Conference This Sat, Nov 12!
5. This Sat, Nov 12: Malcolm Bernard HBCU College Fair Trip
6. SENIORS - Nov 15, 5-7pm Apply to Central, Eastern, Southern, Western, UConn FOR FREE
7. Fri Nov 18: Fall Farmstand!
8. Flu Clinic: Wed Nov 16, 2-3pm @ Common Ground
9. Welcome Back to Ms. Burke, English Teacher!
10. Help Create New Haven's First Urban Agriculture Master Plan 
11. Portfolio & College Prep Support - Every Thurs after School
12. After-School Programs Have Begun! YOU can still join!
13. Seniors & Families: FAFSA Applications Now Open! Join College Readiness Workshops! 
14. New Haven Residents: Take The New Haven Promise Pledge, and Track Your Service Hours
15. Join Free Open Farm Days @ CG Every Saturday 10-2
16. Service Opportunity: Community Greenspace Volunteer Days

1. Common Ground's Winter Festival is BACK!

The Common Ground Winter Festival is back! After a two year hiatus, we're so excited to be with you again in a community setting.

This year it will take place on Saturday, December 10th from 10am-2pm at Common Ground High School. The Winter Festival is a community event that hosts annual wreath making (CG's 23rd year!), local artisans/craft vendors, kids activities, food and a bake sale.

This event couldn't happen without the help from our student families and community. Here are 4 ways you can interact with this years Winter Festival:

1) Come and enjoy! Do some holiday shopping, make a wreath, have some lunch and take a treat home for dessert. ;)

2) If you or someone you know is an artisan or crafter, be a craft vendor and reserve a spot! All goods must be handmade. Spots are $25 for 4' x 6' space. Vendors bring their own table. Tables can be rented for an additional $10. Vendor applications and details can be found HERE!

3) Donate baked goods or raffle prizes. Any baked goods should be individually wrapped and include an ingredient list for allergies. Baked goods should be dropped off in the main office on Friday, Dec. 9th only. And raffle items can be dropped off in the main office at any time.

4) Volunteer! We could use help on the day of the event. Setting up, running the bake sale, working with the kids activities. Please contact Carla at clia@nhep.com if interested.

2. City of New Haven Hiring Junior Rangers!

The City of New Haven Youth and Recreation Department is hiring Junior Rangers!

CGHS Alum Jesus Reyes is leading this year-round opportunity. PDF Applications available here. Paper copies available in the main office. 

Completed applications, including all required documents and signatures, must be submitted directly to:

Youth and Recreation Department- City of New Haven

165 Church Street 1st Floor

New Haven, CT 06510

Attn: Applications

Please note, this is not a position with Green Jobs Corps. For additional information, please contact Mr. Jesus Reyes by email at jreyes@newhavenct.gov. For application support, talk to Ms. Fernandez.

3. Volunteers Needed: Loaves & Fishes - Food, Clothing & Community

STUDENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Help get food and clothing to people who need it! Volunteer at Loaves & Fishes Food Bank & Clothing Closet in New Haven. This service qualifies for New Haven Promise & Common Ground's Community Service Requirement.

Interested in helping out? Email Ms. Cox, CG's past school director, at coxlizanne2@gmail.com.

4. Last Chance to Register - Common Ground Farm & Garden Conference - THIS SAT, NOV 12!

Students and families, join us for a Full Day of HANDS ON workshops on urban growing, cooking, animal care, family workshops and more. Open TO ALL! *The conference is PAY WHAT YOU CAN.// Conferencia de Granja y Jardín de CG. Un día completo de talleres prácticos sobre cultivo urbano, cocina, cuidado de animales, talleres familiares y más. ¡Abierto a todos! REGISTER HERE! 

5. Malcolm Bernard HBCU College Fair Trip - Nov 12th!

Students will be taking a trip to New York for the Malcolm Bernard HBCU College Fair on November 12th.This event will provide students with the opportunity to learn about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

This event will provide seniors with the opportunity to apply for on the spot admissions. To be eligible for on the spot admission, students need to come prepared with the following:

SAT/ACT Scores

Letter of recommendation

Resume

Personal Essay

After the Fair Students will go to Lunch at Jacob restaurant. The cost of the trip is $20.00. The cost covers the student’s bus ticket and lunch. Please have students return signed permission slips by Nov 11, 2022 Students Must Be Fully Vaccinated and must Wear a Mask in Order to attend the trip.

Have questions? Interested in participating? Talk to Ms. Jacobs or email her at tashida.jacobs@commongroundct.org!

6. SENIORS - Nov 15: Apply to Central, Eastern, Southern, Western, UConn FOR FREE

8. Flu Clinic: Wed Nov 16, 2-3pm @ Common Ground

Common Ground will be hosting a Flu clinic Wednesday Nov 16th from 2-3pm for any adult in the community. They will not have pediatric doses on site, just adult ones. All other ages 18+ or if under 18 parents must sign a HIPPA consent form and be present. Need a consent form? Email Nurse Keith at Keith.Riley@nhep.com

If you can’t make it to this clinic, they have them regularly at 54 Meadow Street, 1st floor, Monday-Wednesday from 9a-5p and Thursdays and Fridays from 9a-5:30p. I recommend everyone get a flu shot this year as they are forecasting an above average flu season. - Nurse Keith.

7. Fall Farmstand Fri Nov 18, 3-5:30pm!

9. Welcome Back to Ms. Burke, English & Reading Teacher!

Continuing our series of new staff profiles ... This fall, we welcomed Jennifer Burke to Common Ground – for a second time! Ms. Burke was a reading and English teacher at Common Ground from 2007 to 2013, and also played an important role in curriculum development. We are excited to have her on our team again! Read more about her journey and approach to teaching, and hear why Common Ground is such a good match for Ms. Burke.

10. Help Create New Haven's Urban Agriculture Master Plan

Be part of the City of New Haven's first-ever Urban Agriculture Master Plan - a community-rooted, actionable vision for the growth of food and farming in New Haven!



The only requirement for participation in this process to co-create this shared vision is interest in the topics of food and farming. Check out a session in your neighborhood. More info HERE

11. Every Thurs After School: Portfolio & College Prep Support

Seniors & ALL students ... portfolio & college prep support is available every Thursdays 3:10-4:15 in Springside 208! Students can receive support with guidance assignments, portfolio materials, and post-secondary planning. If you are not available on Thursdays contact Ms. Candi to schedule an appointment for support: candi.fulcher@commongroundct.org

12. After-School Programs Have Begun! YOU Can Still Sign Up!

Students, you can join in ... Gaming | Soundlab | Geek Squad | Cosplay | Creative Writing | Drawing | Pickleball Basketball | Homework Center | Lit Lab | Math Lab | Student Leadership Team Investment/Trading | Skills to Pay the Bills | Debate | Cooking | Animal Club

After-school programs take place Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 3:15-5:05 -- See The Schedule & Sign Up!

13. Are you a New Haven Resident? Pledge for New Haven Promise Scholarship, and Track Your Service Hours!

Step one is to make the New Haven Promise pledge! Sign up using your preferred, current (personal) email address and your SASID number (this can be found on your transcript). You will also need at least one parent/guardian's email address. Please do not use your own email.

Click here to start your application!

Once you've made the pledge, remember to track you hours in Servo.City! Hours must be reported directly — BY THE STUDENT — to servo.city and documentation (signed by the supervisor at the nonprofit) must be emailed to service@newhavenpromise.org.

Click here to record your service hours on Servo.City!

14. Seniors & Families: FAFSA Applications Now Open! Get Support at These Workshop!

The FAFSA application just opened on October 1! FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation dispersing more than $120 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds annually to more than 13 million students paying for college or career school. 

Connecticut College Bound (#CTCollegeBound) is offering FREE FAFSA workshops for students and their families, along with workshops on a bunch of other college readiness topics:

How to make a college list

How to look at college websites

How to do the Common App

How to prep for the SAT

How to write a college essay

How to apply for financial aid

How to find scholarships

Click here to register!

15. Families: CG Open Farm Days, Saturdays 10-2!

Common Ground is open every Saturday for families to enjoy FREE Open Farm Day! Join us any Saturday between 10 AM - 2 PM. Open Farm Day is for everyone (bring your friends!). Staff hosts are outside and you can visit the farm animals, explore the gardens, walk the trails, and enjoy our nature play spaces. You can also book a Birthday Party for Saturdays or Sundays!

16. Service Opportunity: Community Greenspace Volunteer Workdays

Remember, all CG students need to earn 15 hours of service per year! If you did service over the summer, make sure it gets submitted THIS WEEK! Here's one great service opportunities!

We need volunteers to help maintain our community greenspaces across New Haven! No experience necessary. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get dirty. Bring drinking water and work gloves, if you have them. Thank you for supporting New Haven's Greenspaces!

Click here to register!

Common Ground High School | (203) 389-4333 | https://commongroundct.org/

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