Dear Families and Staff,

Happy New Year! Our students have settled back into the school routine very quickly.  It was so rewarding to see them reconnecting with their classmates and teachers throughout the week. 

Mid Year Progress Monitoring

Next week we start our winter progress monitoring of student learning.  In addition to ongoing classroom assessment of progress, our district administers universal screener assessments throughout the year. The NWEA Measure of Academic Progress assessment in math, which provides our staff with valuable information regarding your child’s academic progress, will be administered this month. First and second graders take this NWEA assessment three times a year in the fall, winter and spring. Kindergarteners are taking this assessment for the first time this month and then again in the spring. The universal screener of literacy skills using the DIBELS8 for students in kindergarten, first and second grade will also be completed this month. Weston uses multiple forms of assessment (e.g., formative, summative) to monitor student growth, understanding that no single measure provides the complete picture of a child’s progress. We are committed to ensuring that each child continues to grow academically. Once these assessments are completed the reports will be uploaded to the portfolio plus section in the powerschool parent portal. We will send out notification to families once this process is complete. 

Kindergarten Registration for 26-27 School Year Now Open!

The new calendar year brings a new round of registration to Hurbutt.  We opened Kindergarten registration today and families can now register.  We encourage families to register early so that we can plan for the needs of the incoming class.  Children who are 5 years old on or before September 1, 2025 are eligible to begin kindergarten in the fall. You can register an incoming kindergarten student through this link: Registration   Be sure to select the registration for the 26-27 school year.  Questions about registration or required documents can be directed to our registrar, Nicole DiPierro at nicoledipierro@westonps.org

Attendance/Tardy Information

At this time of year, some families are beginning to reach the attendance threshold for needing documentation for student absences. Once a child has 9 absences from school, a letter from the school detailing documentation requirements will be sent. This letter is intended to inform families of state law and district policy for student attendance. Detailed information can also be found on the Board of Education policy section of the website by following this link:  Student Attendance

This year, we are striving to improve students 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. 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

Health Information and Resources

Before winter break we saw a surge of illnesses as we started 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

Lunch Menus/A La Carte Items

If you have not checked your child’s lunch balance, please take a moment to check your My School Bucks account.  You can find the full January 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.  

Sincerely,

Laura Kaddis

Principal

Important Dates: 

January 19: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - School Closed

February 6: 12:35pm early dismissal for Professional Development

February 13: School closed for Professional Development

February 16: Presidents Day - School Closed

February 17-20: February Recess.  School Closed