The Buzz
School Community Newsletter
Issue #28
Friday, December 25, 2020
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Merry Christmas from The Gilbert School!!!
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Important Information from the Head of School |
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December 23, 2020
Dear Gilbert School Community, Faculty and Staff,
I am writing to you at this time to inform you that The Gilbert School will return to hybrid learning on Monday, January 11, 2021. We will continue in remote learning January 4, 2021 through January 8, 2021. I have been following the new quarantine guidance and observed what occurred after the Thanksgiving holiday. It is clear cases spiked considerably reaching new infection rates in Winsted. Everything went as predicted by the experts and I cannot ignore recent history. We ended up with fourteen cases in The Gilbert School in a very short period of time. I believe the prudent action is to use the ten days following New Year's Eve and Day as a time to stay remote. The ten days are in line with the reported new quarantine guidelines from the CDC and CT DPH. This is my third letter in eight days reporting on another positive case.
Yesterday we learned of another positive COVID case in our Gilbert Community. The last time the individual was in the building was November 17, 2020. No direct contact occurred in the building from this positive case. We will continue to monitor all cases and any other potential cases as they arise and will inform you in a letter similar to this one of test results and pending action. This reporting through a letter to our Gilbert School Community is a State requirement that we will continue to fulfill.
Our concern for our community's safety and health will always drive our decision making. You can assist us by discussing with your family the following items to keep everyone safe. We realize that it is the holidays, but social gatherings have proven to contribute to the spread of COVID- 19. We know that the virus does travel through the air in moisture particles from one person to another. Try to stay with the family that you live with as much as possible. The Thanksgiving spike as predicted was real and numbers in Winchester reached high new infection rates.
Remember to use good hand hygiene, wash your hands frequently for twenty seconds at a time and be sure to also wash under your fingertips. Wash your hands before eating and when soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer. Always wash your hands after using the bathroom.
Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue away. If you don't have a tissue, cough/sneeze inside the elbow of your arm.
• As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
• Wear a face covering (mask) whenever there is a likelihood that you or your family members will be in the presence of others.
• Maintain social distancing (at least 6 feet) between yourself and others when outside of your home.
Below is the list of COVID-19 symptoms for which everyone should monitor in their family members:
• Fever (100.4° Fahrenheit or higher)
• Chills or shaking chills
• Uncontrolled new cough (not due to other known cause, such as a chronic cough)
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• New loss of taste or smell
• COVID can present as subtle cold-like symptoms such as congestion, runny nose and cough
For additional information on COVID-19 symptoms, please see:
Staff and students exhibiting any of the above symptoms, or feeling ill, should call their medical provider to report their symptoms and ask about testing prior to seeking in-person care at a clinic, physician's office, or hospital. Staff and students experiencing any symptoms should not come to school and should notify the school of their symptoms.
We are closely monitoring this situation and working with Torrington Area Health District and will provide you with updates if they arise. If any student experiences new infection over the holiday vacation, please email Kelli Gilbert at gilbertk@gilbertschool.org
We wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.
Anthony Serio, Ed.D.
Head of School/Superintendent
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COVID cases are increasing in the community. Symptoms can start out as being more subtle and can include: congestion, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, and headache. If your child is experiencing ANY symptom, even if it is mild, they should stay home, do remote learning, and contact the school nurses so they are aware. Additionally, if your child has been exposed to someone with COVID they should not come to school. School nurses are available by calling 860 379-8521, gilbertk@gilbertschool.org, or webbd@gilbertschool.org.
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TGS COVID Assessment Guide |
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Travel Advisory
The travel advisory for the State of Connecticut has changed. If you are traveling, please consult the State of Connecticut Travel Advisory. You must complete an online travel form and submit testing results. TGS will also require a copy of your child’s testing results prior to a return to in person learning. Students who are traveling over the holiday break must quarantine for 10 days upon return to Connecticut or have a test three days prior to their return to Connecticut or after their return. A PCR COVID test is more accurate than a rapid test.
Diagnosed with COVID over the holiday vacation?
Please email Kelli Gilbert, school nurse to advise her of any student newly diagnosed with COVID over vacation. She can be reached at gilbertk@gilbertschool.org.
Top 5 things parents can do to help reduce the spread of COVID
- Talk to your child about personal responsibility including limiting gatherings with friends and wearing a mask.
- Provide masks and hand sanitizer at home.
- Have family members take their temperature daily and ask about any symptoms they may be experiencing.
- Don’t assume it is “just a cold.” Symptoms can be subtle at first. If anyone is feeling ill, stay home, and consult your physician.
- Assess your holiday plans. Limit your in person group. Protect elderly and those with other medical conditions from exposure. Try including those on zoom Christmas!
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Questions About Holiday Gatherings |
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Why is it important to be cautious over the holidays? I’ll only be around my family members who I trust.
Connecticut has been a national leader in our COVID-19 response efforts. However, as the country heads into winter, flu season, and into holiday gatherings – the risk of spreading COVID-19 has become higher, and even Connecticut is seeing a spike in cases.
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The Gilbert School Celebrates its 125th Anniversary |
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The Gilbert School was founded "for the improvement of mankind by affording such assistance and means of educating the young as will help them to become good citizens."
–William L. Gilbert, Founder
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A Legacy of Christmas Joy |
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Scenes from The Gilbert School's Christmas play in 1950 |
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Whether it was Christmas plays or Christmas dances, the holidays were always a special and festive time of the year for Gilbert. |
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The Christmas Ball in 1973 |
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You can find many more photos of these groups at The Gilbert School's Facebook page! Go to facebook.com/TheGilbertSchool |
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Season's Greetings From Faculty and Staff!
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"En el año nuevo: valora lo que tienes,
supera lo que te duele
y lucha por lo que quieres.
Feliz Navidad y Año 2021"
Sra. Knipper, Spanish Teacher
"I want to wish our Gilbert students, friends and families near and far a safe and happy holiday season, and a new year filled with health, joy and gratitude."
Susan Sojka, Principal
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Happy Holidays From The Middle School Student Council!
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Holiday Cheer From The TV and Broadcasting Classes!
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Click on this link for a video from The TV and Broadcasting Class |
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Merry Christmas From The High School Student Council And Yearbook Group!
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Alumnus of the Week
Dan Borgman
Class of 2008
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Dr. Jordan (Albano) Borgman and Dan Borgman |
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What have you done since you graduated?: "After I graduated, I went to a trade school to study residential, commercial, and industrial electrical at Porter and Chester Institute of Technology. The industrial automation course, in particular, piqued my interest, as it was constantly solving puzzles. I knew I wanted to concentrate in this particular aspect of electrical, because it meant that I could build impressive machines."
"Even though the country was in the midst of a recession, I was eventually able to find a job in the maintenance department at Electric Motion Company. Over the course of my 10 years, I have met great people and learned many valuable lessons. During this time, I met my lovely wife, Dr. Jordan Borgman, and we got married in 2018."
What do you remember from your time at Gilbert?: “My fondest memories of Gilbert were in the Music Department. My favorite activity was, and still is, marching band. I am lucky enough to be able to continue to work with the marching band as the assistant director, drill writer, brass tech, and visual tech. It’s crazy to think that when I heard that I was required to join the marching band as a freshman, I had scoffed at the idea!”
What lessons from Gilbert have you applied to the real world?: “I learned how to be patient and how to put forth my best effort thanks to some long and challenging marching band seasons. Much like in marching band, when you begin your career path, you must work with your colleagues in order to overcome obstacles that may be between you and your goal.”
What advice would you give to current students at Gilbert?: “My advice is to remember that it’s okay to make mistakes, because nobody’s perfect, but always hold yourself accountable for your own actions. ”
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Staff Member of the Week
Darlene Webb
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Gilbert School Nurse Since 2017
Work background: "I've worked in school nursing for ten years. Prior to Gilbert, I worked at a private school and I worked at a residential psychiatric school. Initially, working at schools was to take a break from working at long term care. Eventually, I discovered that I liked working at schools a little bit more."
What do you like about Gilbert?: "It's a community. Kids care and the adults care. I have never seen another school give back as much as they do."
How would you describe Gilbert to a stranger?: "A community. It's more than just a school, it's a community. It's people who care. They are our family."
What would you like to say to students and faculty in order for them to be safe during the COVID pandemic?: "Always remember to wear a mask when you are out. Make sure you keep your hands away from your eyes, your nose, and wash your hands."
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Student of the Week
Dylan Crowley
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Age: 17
Parents: Kevin and Christina Crowley
Favorite Classes: "Yearbook and English are my favorite classes because I learn a lot of life lessons from my teachers."
Favorite Extracurricular Activities: "Basketball is my favorite activity because I’ve been playing for a long time and it’s my favorite sport.
What I’ve learned at Gilbert: "I’ve learned that no matter what happens in life, there will always be some good that comes your way. I’ve also learned that if you work hard then you will see positive results."
Future plans: "I am committed to play college basketball at Western New England University for the next 4 years. I will be majoring in Business Management."
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Farewell Friends
By Debra LaRoche Walls, Dean of Admissions
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This fall, The Gilbert School welcomed two outstanding sibling students from Mexico City, Ana Karen and her brother Sebastian. The Ahumada Villa family originally had plans to move from Mexico City, Mexico to Vancouver Island, Canada, however, due to the pandemic, they had to quickly alter their plans.
Canada's loss was the gain of The Gilbert School community. Ana Karen began 11th grade and her brother, Sebastian, began 8th grade with Gilbert. Their father, Mr. Bogart Ahumada Balmori and mother, Mrs. Laura Villa were in contact with Dean of Admissions, Debra LaRoche Walls, through a Skype interview several weeks prior so their children could start with online courses until they flew to Connecticut.
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Arriving in Connecticut in mid-September, Director, Tim Cronin, of the International program and Debra, shared a short warm welcome with the parents and gave them Chromebook laptops and first semester books for their children so they could continue their studies while the family quarantined at a hotel in Hartford. Before their arrival to Connecticut, Mr. Balmori found a home to rent on Highland Lake and he and his wife were going to share the home life and school experience with their children. Winsted became their home for the semester.
After their two-week quarantine, Ana Karen and Sebastian began their Cohort A schedule and had a chance to meet in person the fellow classmates that they had shared virtual classes with for the past several weeks. Both Ana Karen and Sebastian were so excited and anxious to meet their teachers in person and their teachers in turn, were anxious to meet them. Ana Karen is a straight A student and Sebastian is not far behind following his sisters’ footsteps also with amazing grades. Both Ana Karen and Sebastian joined Gilberts soccer teams and felt very welcomed by both their Coaches and fellow teammates.
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Ana Karen, Mr. Bogart Ahumada Balmori, Sebastian on Highland Lake |
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With the amazing professional help, guidance and care of the student’s counselors, Mrs. Amie Kutz and Mrs. Casey Pescitelli, Ana Karen and Sebastian were well on their way to American classroom experiences of hands-on learning classes and making new friendships.
Mr. Bogart Ahumada Balmori has the highest of accolades for The Gilbert School community. He shared in a farewell email, “Our overall experience at The Gilbert School for our family has been extraordinary. You are operating a great learning institution with the best professional staff. We will stay in touch and look forward to a return trip back to see everyone someday.”
The family will leave for Canada on December 23rd. Ana Karen and Sebastian will begin classes in Canada on January 11th while finishing their required schoolwork with Gilbert virtually until January 8th. The students have left their warm mark in our classrooms, with amazing school accomplishments, their appreciation of our school community and the friendships we have made with them. We will always be grateful that they chose The Gilbert School for their school semester. We are richer for them passing through our Gilbert halls.
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Coach's Corner
By Buckley Morgan, Athletic Director
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More Than Just a Game
After school sports are an integral part of the learning process that happens every day at The Gilbert school. Sports are also an important part of many Americans' daily life. Sure we all have our favorite sports and our favorite teams but the impact of sports is embedded in all our lives. For many American families, Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without a football game playing on the television. Here at Gilbert many of us had an incomplete Thanksgiving because we did not have our Gilbert Thanksgiving game this year. We all look forward to the first week in February because the Super Bowl will be on. Then there is also March Madness in the early spring. Just like the holidays bringing in a new season, for many of us, sports also express the beginning of fall, winter, spring, or summer based on what sport is starting its play. We each have our memories to share about a specific sporting event. Whether it’s our children’s involvement in sports or our high school success or a unique game we watched.
On Christmas day in 1914 somewhere along the trench lines of WW I, the British and German troops held an impromptu truce and came out of their trenches to celebrate together. They sang together and enjoyed peace for one day in the middle of the war. Part of their celebration included a game of European Football (Soccer). In sports, there are no language barriers. In 1990 the Los Angeles Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs came to Berlin Germany to play an exhibition game at the Olympic stadium. My wife and I watched that game and seated next to us was a German couple who were struggling to understand the referees' calls. Although they did not fully understand the specifics of the game they still had a great time watching it and experienced the highs and lows of competitive play.
The modern Olympic games began in 1896 in Greece and today more than two hundred countries participate in the games according to the IOC (International Olympic Committee). There is no better example of games that bring the world together in a fun and exciting competition. The Olympic games have been impacted in many ways over the years. The Olympics have been used as a means to protest, argue, boycott, kidnap, and even to kill. The 1936 Olympics, held in Berlin Germany are commonly referred to as the Nazi Olympics. The 1936 Olympics were viewed by Hitler as his opportunity to demonstrate the superiority of the Aryan race. It was quite an upset for Hitler when Jesse Owens (a black athlete) won four Gold Medals and broke or tied nine Olympic records. During the cold war, the Olympic games were viewed by many as a competition of Capitalism versus Communism. Despite so many issues or negative events, the games still go on today.
Every sport has had its problems or conflicts but they almost always come out of that problem better managed or played than they did before. The Christmas Truce of 1914, was not a real truce between the powers but a local truce between the German soldiers and the British soldiers in the trenches. They played sports as a means of competition and celebration in the time of war. Perhaps the commanders should have consulted their troops and maybe that war would have ended much sooner. We here at Gilbert will come out of this current pandemic and we will have newfound study skills and a new appreciation for our teachers and coaches. We will play sports better than before. We will have a newfound appreciation for things that we used to take for granted. Our sports program will be stronger, our relationships will improve and our lives will be enriched by the experience this pandemic has given us. Not to say that I am glad to have had a pandemic, but to say we learn from challenges or setbacks.
In the meantime, put your worries behind you, have a joy-filled Christmas, and look forward to a new year with new found opportunities for all of us. We may be apart now but I believe after this holiday season we will be on the downhill side of this pandemic and will soon be back together again. Merry Christmas to everyone and a happy and much improved New Year as well.
ABDOMINAL WORKOUT
Last week we focused on the upper body. This week we will focus on the middle body or abdominal and hip flexors. Ab workouts were always my biggest challenge. But as long as I kept working out I managed to learn to appreciate them even if they never really seemed to be my favorite area of focus. As always before starting your Ab workout makes sure you do your warm-up exercises.
The Crunch: This exercise may seem a lot like a balancing exercise but you will feel the burn fairly quickly. I suggest you just do as many repetitions as you can and then monitor your reps over time, they will increase, I guarantee it. For this exercise, you will lay on your back and lift your legs about two feet off the ground as you raise your upper body and touch your shin. As you watch the video you will see an alternate version if you have to.
The Pulsing Plank: With this exercise, you will get into the modified pushup position. Hands clasped and you will be on your forearms. You will then raise and lower your buttocks. It is the second exercise in the video below.
Thread the Needle: With this exercise, you will start on your right side laying on your side but holding your body up by placing your forearm on the ground and rising your body up. The exercise is done by taking your left hand and reaching straight up then bring it down and under your chest. As if you were trying to touch your back. After 5 repetitions you will switch sides and exercise the other side. The accompanying video will give you a visual much better than my description.
The video below goes through a ten-minute workout that will challenge any of you. He does show you an easier version for some of the more challenging ones. Pick out the exercises that you are most comfortable with and create your workout. You can also just use this video and follow along as best you can. I will tell you Flutter Kicks and Crunches were my go-to ab exercises.
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Food Service Schedule Update |
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Pick up is between 11:00 am - 12:00 noon.
Pick up will be at the door entrance to the Cafeteria Kitchen. The door is by the dumpsters in the lower parking lot.
If for any reason you are unable to pick up during this time frame, please call the Food Service Director, Ms. Lynn Metcalf, directly at 860-738-9304. We will be happy set up a time or day that is more convenient for you.
All children ages 18 or younger are eligible for one free breakfast and one free lunch.
Children do not need to be attending this school. This is a food pick up site. We are located at:
The Gilbert School
200 Williams Avenue
Winsted, CT 06098
This program will end on June 30, 2021.
Meals are served Monday – Friday in school.
Pick up days are Monday and Wednesday between the hours of 11:00 am -12:00 pm.
Meals served are breakfast and lunch.
Monday meal pick up will consist of five breakfasts and five lunches for each child. Being Cohort C or all student distance learning. Pick up for three days will consist of 3 breakfasts and 3 lunches for each child. Being Cohorts A and B.
Please take advantage of this program while we have it. Whether your child is in school or at home, they are entitled to a breakfast and lunch for the days they are learning at home. If you have any questions about the program please call the above phone number.
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Google Classroom Cheat Sheet |
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Attention Gilbert Alumni
We Want to Stay in Contact With You!
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The Gilbert School
200 WIlliams Avenue
Winsted, CT 06098
860-379-8521
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