Sunday, November 22, 2020 |
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Excerpts from Mr. Duarte's 11/19 Letter to Students & Families
With Thanksgiving approaching I, along with the rest of the Conard faculty and staff, would like to take this opportunity to wish you a safe start to the holiday season. Celebrations will (and should) look differently this year, but we encourage you to find time to rest, recharge, and connect with family safely.
Many of you know that I love quotes. Recently, I came across this one and wanted to share it with you as I think it sums up the holiday season well: “This is not the year to get everything you want. This is the year to appreciate everything you have.”
As we approach the holiday season I wanted to provide you with two reminders:
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If you are looking for a great way to thank a teacher this holiday season, please consider making a donation in a teacher's name to The Foundation for WHPS. Click here for more information.
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If you are traveling to a state identified by the State of Connecticut’s travel advisory, you must quarantine for fourteen days. This list changes frequently and can be accessed at https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel. In addition, the CDC recommends against international travel to high risk destinations, which includes most countries and can be accessed here: https://www.cdc.gov. Anyone returning from a COVID-19 High Risk destination must quarantine for 14 days before engaging in in-person classes at our school. Executive Order 9C provides the ability to shorten the quarantine period by demonstrating a negative COVID-19 test. If a parent or student wishes to submit a negative test in lieu of quarantine per CT domestic/international travel guidelines, they should contact our school nurses, Beth Vossler and Carrie Anderson, at (860) 929-5016. The nurses and West Hartford's Nursing Supervisor will consult with the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District to evaluate the test results and determine any change to a student's status.
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Monday, November 23, 2020
First Safe Grad Zoom Meeting (details below)
8:00PM
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Friday, November 27, 2020
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Friday, December 4, 2020
VIRTUAL PARENT - TEACHER CONFERENCES
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Parent / Principal Forum (virtual)
7:00PM
Thursday, December 10, 2020
PJ Day for RED COHORT - Donate to CCMC below
Thursday, December 17, 2020
PJ Day for BLUE COHORT - Donate to CCMC below
Thursday, December 24, 2020 -
Sunday, January 3, 2021
HOLIDAY RECESS
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ATTENTION FAMILIES WITH SENIORS
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Our First Safe Grad (Zoom) Meeting Will Be:
Monday, November 23rd at 8pm
As you know, we are getting a late start this year and we aren't sure what Safe Grad will look like, however, we want to do as much as we can to ensure that our seniors have some really special memories of their Graduation night.
We need chairs and volunteers for the following committees:
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Fundraising
- Publicity
- Decorating: Chairs are Josie Dumond and Heather Gallinoto, (we will need a ton of volunteers for this committee)
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Prizes
- Flocking: Chairs are Nancy Sohn and Molly Kristofak, (We'll need several "sneaky" volunteers to join this committee).
- Lawn Signs
- Security
- Arts and Crafts
- Memory Lane
- Junior Parent Coordinator
Please reply to Conardsafegrad2021@gmail.com so we'll have your email for the Zoom meeting. If you are unable to join our meeting, please reach out to that email and let us know which committee you would like to work on, (even if you're not sure the details and have limited time).
Safe Grad is an alcohol and drug free party for our seniors the night of graduation. It is planned, created, and run by the families and friends of the senior class. This annual party has been a West Hartford tradition for over 30 years!
Our mission is to provide a safe and fun environment where the graduates can celebrate their big night with all of their classmates. In previous years, the school was completely transformed with incredible decorations, food, games, raffle prizes, and entertainment.
There are approximately 300 students in this year's graduating class and over 95% of them are expected to attend the Safe Grad party. The event is free for all graduates.
Jane Yousman & Krista Paparazzo
Safe Grad 2021 Co-Chairs
Join our Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88068501246
Meeting ID: 880 6850 1246
or dial in +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Meeting ID: 880 6850 1246
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With the holidays just around the corner, the Chieftain Locker (school store) has transitioned online using MySchoolBucks. Start your holiday shopping early by exploring our online school store.
A new feature of the school store is being able to use the Mobile App to shop, have orders shipped to your home, and pay for your orders using debit/credit cards or an eCheck. To find West Hartford and the store using the Mobile App search WHPS, and create an account.
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Conard PJ Day is Just Around the Corner!
On December 10th and 17th, students at Conard will be wearing their PJs and raising money to honor the brave kids fighting cancer at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. All proceeds will go directly to the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.
Consider pitching in with a donation.
Together, we can make a big difference!
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As we all try to adjust to life during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important for us to be mindful of mental health. This is especially true when considering our teens, who may be experiencing the impact of the pandemic in ways we may not realize and who may not always be able to articulate what they are feeling or why.
Since the brain isn't fully developed until well into a person's twenties, a teen’s coping skills and impulse control may be challenged by current circumstances. They may have feelings of isolation, loneliness, anger, frustration or feel a lack of focus due to the many changes that have taken place in their lives.
Now more than ever, it’s important that we encourage and model open communication and work together to nurture a compassionate environment that provides a sense of safety and belonging for our teens.
As a parent or care-giver, if you sense something is "off" with your teen, follow up and talk to them about it right away. Don’t wait. Trust your gut and know that the following resources are here to help:
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Mark Your Calendar:
The Next Parent/Principal Forum is December 3rd at 7:00PM
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WEEKLY UPDATE FOR SENIORS
First Quarter Grade Requests: Most colleges that offer Early Action and Early Decision options will require that you send your 1st Quarter grades before they will review your application.. Grades were made available on Monday, November 16th. You MUST review your grades before submitting this form.
Scholarship Information: For more information about scholarships click on the following links:
PLEASE ALSO TAKE NOTE OF THESE
IMPORTANT COUNSELOR REQUEST FORM DEADLINES:
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Upcoming Virtual Presentation from Wheeler:
Mindful Eating:
Nutrition for Stress, COVID, and the Holidays
with Jessica Masterson, RDN, CDN, CDCES
December 10, 2020 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Join the PTO Board
As students graduate, so do their parents! The PTO will have several vacant Board positions going into the 2021-2022 school year. No prior experience is needed, just a desire to work together in support of the students and staff at Conard.
Questions? Need more information?
Contact Carol Lorenzo and Rick Araya, PTO Co-Presidents at
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Whether you participate in one of our ongoing activities or a one-time event, we invite and encourage you to lend your support to our wonderful Conard community!
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Have you registered your Stop & Shop store card yet? |
The Stop and Shop A+ School Rewards program is an easy way to earn significant funds for Conard.
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PTO DUES
We ask that you please consider supporting our Conard community by paying the requested annual PTO dues of $20 or whatever amount makes sense for your family.
click the yellow "donate" button
A BIG THANK YOU to those families that have already contributed!
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The USDA has authorized that all school meals are free. ALL STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH. For students who are remote learning there are three locations where free meals may be picker up:
Charter Oak, Hall & Conard: 10:00AM - 11:00AM & 12:15PM - 1:15PM.
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DAILY STUDENT SCREENING
Remember to Ask Each Morning Before Sending Your Student to School:
- Does the student have a fever over 100 degrees OR not feel well?
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Does the student show signs of illness? click here for symptoms list
- Does someone in the household have a fever or signs of illness?
- Has the student been in close contact (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with anyone who is confirmed to have COVID-19 within the last two weeks?
If the answer is YES to any of these questions, DO NOT send the student to school. Instead, follow quarantine protocols for your child and contact your health provider as well as Conard. Strongly consider COVID-19 testing per West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District Guidance.
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Mark your calendars and plan to join us!
Please note that, in an effort to allow more of our Conard community to attend, some forums take place in the morning while others are in the evening.
Thursday, December 3rd, 7:00 pm
Thursday, January 7th, 8:30 am
Thursday, February 4th, 8:30 am
Thursday, March 4th, 7:00 pm
Thursday, April 1st, 8:30 am
Thursday, May 6th, 8:30 am
Thursday, June 3rd, 7:00 pm
Don't have access to Google Meet?
You can also join the forum by phone. Look for details in the coming weeks' e-news.
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E-NEWS SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE
To Unsubscribe: If you no longer wish to receive to the e-news, please scroll down to the bottom of page and click on 'unsubscribe' to automatically discontinue your subscription.
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CONARD PTO E-NEWS SUBMISSIONS
We are glad to help spread the word about events and happenings in our Conard Community. If you would like to add a flyer or information to the PTO E-News, be sure to submit your information to conardpto@gmail.com by the Friday before the week you would like your submission to appear.
The PTO E-News is generally sent out on Mondays.
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