Week 0f March 8
Dear Families and Staff,
Last week we celebrated the joy of reading through Read Across America week at Hurlbutt Elementary School. Our K-2 students worked with Mrs. Rodko in the LRC on a special project to promote literacy. Our goal was to increase access to books for everyone, and to help other children in our wider community experience the joy of reading. Students wrote a letter about a gently used book they are donating stating why they loved the book and why they hope someone else will enjoy reading it.
The books with the letter inside, will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Bridgeport. Thank you to our families for supporting this amazing project that blended writing, reading and community service.
Lunar New Year Event: A Huge Success!
Our PTO continues to support our goal of valuing the diversity of our students and families backgrounds while also providing opportunities to learn about different cultures and traditions. A big shout out to our PTO for planning and leading the Lunar New Year Celebration last weekend. Shirley Atienza, the PTO community engagement lead continues to bring people together in the most thoughtful and impactful ways. Her team included Ruo, Tammy, and Heather, and Yassie, Ana, Courtney, and Julia, who sourced the delicious food, organized the entertainment, thoughtfully curated the crafts and transformed the space! The festive decorations created such a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere from the moment guests walked in. Kellie James, our PTO president, is always supporting her team every step of the way. Our thanks also to the Asian Cultural Society at WHS for supporting this event and volunteering for the entire time from set up, station management and clean up.
Family Conferences
Family conferences are scheduled for March 18, 19 and 20. March 18 and 19 will be delayed openings and March 20 will be an early dismissal day to accommodate these important meetings. Our teachers will be sharing information with parents/guardians about student progress as well as areas of growth for the remainder of the year. Our goal is for every family to participate so that we have 100% of our families meeting with their child’s teacher. You received a link from your child’s teacher to sign up for a conference.
Mid-Year Assessment Reports Now Available in PowerSchool
Mid-year student assessment reports are now available for families to view in Portfolio+ within the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Reports for Hurlbutt students include results from the NWEA MAP Growth assessment in Math (grades K–2) and the DIBELS8 literacy assessment (grades K–2). These reports provide a snapshot of your child’s learning progress at this point in the school year and are one of several measures our teachers use to inform instruction and support continued growth.
To access your child’s reports, please follow this link to the Portfolio Plus Parent Instructions. Please note that this feature is available only in a web browser and cannot be accessed in the PowerSchool mobile app. While reports can be viewed in a smartphone browser, we recommend using a desktop or laptop for the best experience.
If you have any questions or need assistance with PowerSchool access, please contact our helpdesk at helpdesk@westonps.org.
Voluntary Family Reading Survey
Learning to read is a key foundation for success in school, and families play an important role in that journey. This year the state of Connecticut requires districts to start administering the Voluntary Family Reading History Questionnaire. It is recommended that districts distribute it to families as part of the winter universal screening process for students in grades K–3 or to families during conferences. It is important to remember that the questionnaire is voluntary; families are not required to complete it if they choose not to.
To help us better understand how to support each child’s reading development, we invite families of K–3 students to consider completing a Voluntary Family Reading History Questionnaire. Research shows that a family history of reading challenges can be helpful background information when paired with classroom assessments, allowing schools to provide the right support at the right time. Completing the questionnaire is completely optional, confidential, and does not diagnose any reading difficulty. The survey results will be kept in the student’s confidential file. Your participation can help us strengthen early literacy support for all students. The below FAQ document details important information about the survey. A link to the voluntary questionnaire is also included below.
Voluntary Family Reading Questionnaire
Health Information and Resources
Winter germs continue to be prevalent in the community and Hurlbutt is no exception. We encourage handwashing and have hand sanitizer available throughout the school. You can visit the district health services webpage for important information about guidelines for staying home from school when ill. Health Services Webpage
Poster Contest
Kindergarten through second grade students have the opportunity to enter the annual eesmarts student contest which raises awareness among Connecticut school children about the importance of making smart energy choices and their lasting effect on our environment.
Registration to enter the contest is open to all K-12 students starting Friday, March 20, 2026. Submissions are due Friday, March 27, 2026. Each grade level has a different prompt. The K-2 prompt is: Create a poster that shows how you can help save energy around your house (for instance, turning off a light or TV when you’re not using it). Use your imagination and show what you’ve learned about saving energy!
Posters must be between 11″ x 17″ and 18″ x 24″ in size and there is no restriction on tools used (crayons, watercolor, markers, pastels, etc.)
All entries require a completed consent form.
eesmarts Student Contest Consent & Entry Form – English
eesmarts Student Contest Consent & Entry Form – Spanish
For more information call 1-800-674-8243 X5, or email eesmarts-studentcontest@
Parent Cover Letter for Consent Form – English
Parent Cover Letter for Consent Form – Spanish
An awards ceremony will be held in May, where grade-level finalists receive prizes of $400, $250, or $100.
Second Grade Testing Reminder
Our second grade students completed the NNAT3 this winter and we are preparing for the administration of the OLSAT. The practice tests and assessment will be completed by the end of March. You will recall that on January 12, all second (and fifth grade) families received an email from Dr. Tina Henckel, Assistant Superintendent. Here are some highlights from that email. As part of Weston’s commitment to meeting the needs of all learners, students in Grades 2 and 5, as well as new students to the district in Grades 3 through 8, will participate in the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) and the NNAT3 (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, Third Edition) this winter. These assessments serve as Weston’s universal screening tools to help identify gifted and talented learners and to better understand each student’s learning profile and strengths. Once testing is complete, results will be shared with families through Portfolio+, located in PowerSchool and my weekly email will highlight when those results are available to families. We anticipate results later this spring.
Kindergarten Registration for 26-27 School Year Now Open!
We opened Kindergarten registration the first week of January 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
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 March 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:
March 18: Delayed Opening for Conferences: 10:30am
March 19: Delayed Opening for Conferences: 10:30am
March 20: Early Dismissal for Conferences: 12:35pm
March 26: Progress Reports for Trimester 2 released
March 27: No School: Professional Development for teachers