Dear Families,

We have been so fortunate to have enjoyed a mild fall.  With the first week of November coming to an end, it is just a matter of time before the weather remains cooler and turns cold. Temperatures vary throughout the day and around the building so students who are ready to adjust will be most comfortable.  Please remember to label each item of clothing so that if they misplace it we can return lost items.  Our lost and found has many pieces of clothing and items without names. Thank you for sending your child to school in sneakers!  Wearing sneakers makes PE class and recess safer and more enjoyable. 

We enjoyed seeing so many families in the building this week for conferences!  Communication with your child’s teacher is an important part of our home school communication and student success plans.  We look forward to continuing this partnership with our families throughout the year.  Our next formally scheduled meetings will be in March and teachers will continue to share email updates between now and early spring. 

Veterans Day

Next week we honor and celebrate Veterans Day. We invite everyone to wear red, white and blue on Tuesday. Last week you received an informational sheet about some of the schoolwide ways we recognize this important day.  It is not too late to honor a veteran in your life by returning the card naming a veteran in your life. You may have seen the stunning display outside our main office created by our talented paraeducator, June Smith.  This display will remain in our main entrance all year.  We believe veterans should be remembered and honored throughout the year. 

Health Information and Resources

The change in seasons often brings a return of illnesses as we start spending more time indoors.  We encourage handwashing and have hand sanitizer available throughout the school.  We are fortunate to have a full time nurse, nurse Suzy, at our school to support students throughout the day.   You can visit the district health services webpage for important information about guidelines for staying home from school when ill.  Health Services Webpage

Attendance/Tardy Information

We recognize that sometimes students have to miss school for illness.  This year, we are striving to improve our on time arrival to school.  Students who are tardy to school miss out on the opportunity to have a consistent routine which fosters a sense of security and readiness to learn. Each day at Hurlbutt starts with a class morning meeting. During this time, children connect with their peers, review the day's schedule, and participate in activities that promote social and emotional growth.  During the months of August and September we had 181 tardies recorded.  In October that number climbed to 236 tardies.  We know that mornings can be hectic at home.  If you find that you are consistently struggling with getting everyone out the door, you can reach out to us for support.  Our school social worker, Jillian Desiderio is a wealth of information and can help support the development of routines that make busy mornings more manageable.  Creating systems now will pay dividends down the road as children move through their school years.  Please refer to the attached tip sheet from Ms. Desiderio for more information. Help For Getting To School On Time

Preschool Lottery Information

Hurlbutt Elementary School’s Early Learning Center (ELC) offers services for Weston’s preschool students with special education needs. Since there are no general education preschool classes in the school district, we have developed an integrated program to include peer models. The ELC is open to Weston Families only. The program runs five days a week, 8:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m., with parents expected to provide transportation. To participate in the ELC, children must be 3 or 4 years old on or before September 1, 2026, and toilet-trained. The anticipated cost for the program is at least $8,277 and the final amount will be shared with families in the Spring of 2026.      

Applications for Hurlbutt Elementary School’s Early Learning Center (ELC) are now available on the Hurlbutt Elementary School website. To locate the application, click on the “Academics” tab, then “Preschool,” where you will find the link to the Preschool Application. You can also access the application directly at this link: ELC Application

We are accepting applications from October 21, 2025 through November 14, 2025.  If we receive more applications than available slots, a lottery will be conducted on November 18, 2025. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis after the lottery if additional spots remain open in the program.  Students who are currently enrolled in the 3’s class do not need to reapply for the 4’s class. Students currently in the 4’s class who are not age eligible for kindergarten next year do not need to reapply.  Students who are already in the program remain in the program until they are age eligible for kindergarten.  

An in-person informational Open House will be held on November 11 at 2:00 p.m. Please RSVP to alisonbrett@westonps.org if you are interested in attending.

Student Spotlight

One of our first graders, Brady Russo came in 1st place in his age group on Saturday, November 1 at the National Geography Bee in West Hartford, the regional finals!  Brady was the youngest one and was competing with students up to the fifth grade. He has been invited to Florida in the spring to compete at the next level. His curiosity about the world and his knowledge about geography paid off! Congratulations, Brady!

Parent Informational Session for Literacy

We are pleased to invite you to a parent & guardian literacy workshop, My Child is in Kindergarten, now what? Strategies to Support Literacy Growth Across Settings. The workshop will be held on November 12 from 9:15-10:30 a.m. in the South House Cafeteria. Reservations are needed and space is limited. Please note this session is specific to kindergarten.    Kindergarten Literacy workshop sign up link

We are pleased to invite our first and second grade parents & guardians to a literacy workshop, Hands-On Strategies for Supporting Your Child's Literacy Development at Home. In this hands-on workshop, parents and guardians will learn strategies for supporting the pillars of the Science of Reading at home. Research shows that when families partner with their schools, student growth accelerates. The workshop will be held on November 17th from 9:15-10:30 a.m. in the South House Cafeteria. Reservations are needed and space is limited. Please note this session is specific to first and second grades.  1st and 2nd Grade Parent & Guardian Reading Workshop

Lunch Menus/A La Carte Items

You can find the November lunch menus by following this link:  Lunch Menus  It will take you to the culinary services section of the website and the school lunch menus. Please note there is a lunch menu and a separate a la carte, beverage and snack menu so be sure to check out both.  It is our recommendation that you review these items with your child and set some clear expectations about what you want them to purchase. If you are interested in placing any restrictions on your child’s account, please email foodservices@westonps.org. 

PTO meeting Speaker

The PTO is having their November meeting in the evening on November 19 at 7:00 p.m.  In cooperation with the district, the guest speaker for this meeting is Suzanne Clement. Suzanne Clement is a passionate advocate for high quality early childhood education experiences for children and families. She serves as the Early Childhood Coordinator for Cooperative Educational Services, one of the six Regional Education Service Centers in Connecticut. In this role, she leads early childhood professional development initiatives across Fairfield County and statewide. In the past two years, Suzanne has engaged Weston teachers in training focused on play-based learning in response to recent CT state legislation regarding play-based learning in public schools. Her career as an educator of children and adults has included roles as a classroom teacher, program administrator, adjunct professor and family specialist. Suzanne’s practice is informed by her educational background including a B.A. in Child Development, an M.S. in Family Support and Parenting Education, and an M.S. Ed. in Early Childhood Leadership.  Suzanne will be speaking about the importance of play in childhood.  

Supporting Play: Setting Children Up for Lifelong Success

• Discuss the value of play in brain development 

• Learn about executive function skills and their critical role in lifelong success

• Reflect on children’s experiences in school and outside of school and the development of skills across domains of development

Weston Education Foundation

The Weston Education Foundation is hosting a Carnival Fundraiser on November 15.  Please see the attached link for more information. Carnival 2025   The Hurlbutt and WIS PTO hosted this event several years ago and it was an amazing success.  Definitely try to attend if you are able.  

Sincerely,

Laura Kaddis

Principal

Important Dates:

November 12: Kindergarten Reading Workshop 9:15-10:30 a.m.

November 14: Grade 1 Field Trip

November 14: Deadline for HRRA Billboard Contest (see Week of October 19 Newsletter for details)

November 17: Grade 1 and 2 Reading Workshop 9:15-10:30 a.m.

November 19: HES/WIS PTO General Meeting 7:00 p.m. at Weston Public Library

November 26-28: School closed for Thanksgiving break