Dear Students & Families, 

Here are critical dates and updates, Common Ground community: 

• There is no school this Wed (10/5) in honor of Yom Kippur, and next Mon (10/10) in celebration of Indigenous People's Day. 
• After-school programs launch this week -- including Sound Lab, Cooking, Drawing, Academic Labs, Animal Club & More. See the schedule and sign up NOW if you haven't already!
• On Tuesday, 10th graders will explore our city's neighborhoods with local leaders as part of their Core 10 study of New Haven's stories.  
• Our Family Farm Share starts this week, and Monday is the last day to join! Learn more & sign up! 
• Families, please join us Tuesday 6-7pm at Common Ground for our second Family Leadership Team meeting of the school year. RSVP here -- we'll be sharing food in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month! 
• This Friday, 2-5pm, Common Ground will host a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic for anyone age 5 and over -- including first, second, and booster shots. See details below -- vaccination is a critical best defenses against COVID! 

This week, we want to celebrate (through the photos that start this newsletter):

• Another beautiful sunrise over Common Ground, photographed by math & computer science teacher/senior guide/early riser/CG hero Mr. Mel Morales!
• 9th graders including Jennifer, Miliangelis, Layla, Kishara, already stepping up & getting notices for their leadership for a just & sustainable world (See this New Haven Arts Paper article)
• This past week's senior college visit to University of New Haven -- Class of 2023, you are ALL bound for college success, meaningful careers, powerful leadership, and healthy, whole, sustainable lives, and we are here to help you blaze your path (Photo Credit: Senior Environmental Justice Capstone Teacher & Senior Team Lead Ms. Samantha Townsend).    
• The families, staff and students who turned out for Back to School Night (and Ms. Brown for decorating the building in advance!) Relationships matter, and we are so much more POWERful together!

Sincerely,

Cherry Pacquette-Emmanuel

School Director

What's In This Newsletter

1. Meet Ms. Jacobs, Common Ground's New School Conselor!
2. Fri 2-5pm: COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic 
3. After-Schol Programs Start Monday! Sign Up Today!
4. Families, Do Not Use the Springside Dropoff Area 2:45-3pm
5. This Mon: Last Chance to Sign Up for the CGHS Family Farm Share
6. Sign Up Now: CT Manufacturing Day Field Trip This Friday!
7. Tues @ Westville Theater: Audition for Heathers The Musical 
8. Thur @ Canal Dock Boathouse: Crew Haven Kick Back!
9. Seniors & Families: FAFSA Applications Now Open! Join College Readiness Workshops! 
10. Aspirations Computing Award for High School Women!
11. New Haven Residents: Take The New Haven Promise Pledge, and Track Your Service Hours
12. Service Opportunity: Community Greenspace Volunteer Days
13. CG Farm & Garden Conference - Nov 12 - Registration Open!
14. Join Free Open Farm Days @ CG Every Saturday 10-2
15. Reminder: Get Access to Your Students Grades & Classwork

1. Meet Ms. Jacobs, Our New School Counselor!

We are excited to welcome Ms. Jacobs, who is bringing new expertise to our work to make sure ALL students are on paths to college success, meaningful careers, powerful leadership, and happy, healthy, sustainable lives!

"For me, the young people always come first. You are going to shape how everything moves forward. I want to make sure you have the tools to make this world a better place. Look at what you are doing in this school already." 

Read an interview of Ms. Jacobs.

2. COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic This Fri 2-5pm @ Common Ground

On Friday October 7th from 2-5pm we will be holding a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic for anyone age 5 and over. The clinic will have first and second doses as well as the new Bivalent boosters. Anyone under the age of 18 is required to either be accompanied by a parent, or have a signed consent form available in the nurse's office. Any questions please contact Keith Riley the school nurse at nurse@nhep.com or call 203-389-4333-ext 1205

3. After-School Programs Start Monday! Sign Up Now!

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!

4. Families: Please Do Not Use Springside Drive-Through From 2:45-3pm

Parents and Students, please remember that we share our campus with a larger community and the the drive through lane outside of the Springside building is reserved for dismissing programs for young children from 2:45 - 3:00 each day. Please DO NOT PARK OR WAIT in the drive through lane between 2:45 - 3 PM, for any reason. You may use that lane to wait for your student starting at 3 PM, but no earlier - we need every minute from 2:45 - 3 PM to dismiss the children. Thanks for supporting safe dismissal for our youngest learners.

5. Last Chance To Sign Up: Family Farm Share Starts Thurs!

WHAT: 4 weeks of Fresh Fall Veggies (greens, eggs, watermelon + more!!)

WHEN: 4 afterschool pickups: Thursdays 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27

HOW MUCH?: PAY WHAT YOU CAN $0-$25 per week *everyone gets $25 worth of produce each week. 

HOW DO I APPLY? By this Google form OR fill out a paper form + return to your GUIDANCE TEACHER or the SCHOOL OFFICE by Monday October 5 to be one of 25 CGHS families to receive a weekly share of veggies. We will follow up with confirmations before the start of the Farm Share. 

¿QUIERES PRODUCTOS FRESCOS DE LA Escuela Common Ground?

QUÉ: Verduras frescas de finales de verano + huevos

CUÁNDO: Estudiantes / familias recogen productos después de la escuela (3:05 PM): JUEVES 10/13, 10/20, 10/27 

¿CUÁNTO ?: ¡PAGA LO QUE PUEDES! $ 0- $ 25 por semana * todos obtienen $25 + en productos agrícolas cada semana. Cuando te registras, te comprometes a registrarte durante las 6 semanas.

¿CÓMO ME INSCRIBO? Complete este formulario y devuélvalo a su MAESTRO DE ORIENTACIÓN oa la OFICINA DE LA ESCUELA antes del lunes 2 de octubrepara ser una de las 25 familias de CGHS que recibirá una porción semanal de vegetales. Confirmaremos su orden antes del inicio de Farm Share. 

6. Sign Up Now: CT Manufacturing Day Field Trip This Friday

Interested in a career in advanced manufacturing? Travel to Housatonic Community College With Ms. Fernandez (crystal.fernandez@commongroundct.org) this Friday 10/7 10am-1:30pm

Sign ups and permission slips must be in by Thursday 10/6.

Sign up here.

7. Auditions This Tues: Heathers The Musical, Westville Performing Arts Center

If you are at all interested in musical theater, consider auditioning! Auditions will be on October 4, 2022, at 5 PM to 7 PM, Westville Performing Arts Center, 351 McKinley Ave, New Haven, CT 06515

More information HERE! Or contact info@artsinct.org, (203)936-8567, www.artsinct.org

8. Thur 5-7:30 @ Canal Dock Boathouse: Crew Haven Kick Back

Come down to The Canal Dock Boathouse to have some pizza and meet Aquil Abdullah. Aquil is a world champion rower, Olympian, author and pioneer in the sport of rowing. His dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion in the sport of rowing has impacted the lives of many young rowers and has changed the face of the sport.

We welcome all middle and high school students and their families to be a part of this event and to learn about Crew Haven's junior rowing program at the Canal Dock Boathouse. Canal Dock Staff and the Crew Haven Board will host a tour of the boat bay, have rowing shells and ergs on display, and there will be a free pizza truck.

We ask that all students are accompanied by a parent or guardian. This event is most appropriate for middle and high school aged students. If you are the parent of a 6th - 12th grade student AND a younger child, we invite the entire family to attend!

Click here to RSVP!

9. 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!

10. Aspirations in Computing Award For High School Women

Are you looking for a way to help students develop their confidence and receive recognition for their computing achievements and aspirations? 

Here is a short video about the Aspirations in Computing Award, which is available to high school women: https://vimeo.com/359893851.

The Aspirations in Computing Award honors high school women for their computing related achievements and interests and encourages them to pursue their passion and young women in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to apply. Award recipients are selected based on their interest in and passion for technology and computing, leadership ability, and plans for the future. Applications can be submitted anytime between now and October 20th, but students are encouraged to apply sooner rather than later.

Students can apply here (Deadline Oct 20!): https://www.aspirations.org/award-programs/apply-for-the-award-for-aic

11. 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!

12. 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!

13. Registration Open: Common Ground Farm & Garden Conference - 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! 

14. 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!

15. Reminder: Family Access to PowerSchool & Buzz

Families, did you know you can follow your students' academic progress in PowerSchool and in Buzz, our course management system? A mailing with your family’s PowerSchool login information went out Friday. For new families, this mailing also included information on how to log into Buzz, Common Ground’s course management system, where you can check your students’ assignments and grades day to day.

Questions? Call the main office at 203.389.4333 x1200.

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

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