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  • Naugy District News: Paraeducator Appreciation Day, ...

    Paraeducator Appreciation Day Please join us in celebrating Paraeducator Appreciation Day today by taking a moment to thank the paraeducators in your life. This last year has been unlike any other year, but our paraeducators have gone above and beyond in so many ways to support our students, families, and staff. Many of them were the first among us to return to classrooms last summer. They have become skilled at all things virtual learning and have embraced every learning opportunity along the way. We truly could not do it without them. So today (and every day), please tell a paraeducator why you appreciate them. SPARK Summer Program Spark Summer Adventure Program Registration Swimming, arts & crafts, sports, special events, field trips and more! Registration Dates: Wednesday, April 28 - Friday, April 30 Registration Time : 3:30-6 pm Registration Location : Spark Little Learners, 202 Water St. (across from the train station) Info : If you are unable to register on these dates, call 203-729-2980. Program location : Maple Hill Elementary School Program dates : June 14 - Aug. 20 (10 weeks total) Program times : 7 am - 6 pm Ages : 5-12 years Grades : K-6 Cost :  $240/week full-time $88/week Monday & Wednesday $182/week Tuesday, Thursday & Friday No field trip pre-payment required. Field trips/activity fees now included in weekly tuition Part-time options available! Full-time spots are filled first and part-time spots are based on availability. Completed paperwork, registration fee ($25/child or $50/family), a one-week security deposit and a copy of your child's current health form (including immunizations) are due at time of sign-up in order to secure your child's spot. 👑 Go Gold for Sophie! 👑 ➡️ Buy your gala tickets here . Southern Connecticut State University's Pediatric Cancer Awareness Organization has adopted Sophie Tzunum as their child of the year. Sophie, and her older sister Scarlet, also a cancer survivor, both attend Maple Hill Elementary. They will be hosting their Annual Gala on April 30, 2021 at 7pm as a way to raise money for her family to assist with the medical costs that come alongside treating a child with cancer. Grade K-6 students : Bring in $1  to wear your pajamas to school on Monday, April 30 to show support for Maple Hill Elementary School student Sophie Tzunum as she battles childhood cancer! Join us later for an at home gala with over $1000 worth of prizes! At Home Fundraising Gala: Community tickets - $15 Bronze honorary sponsor- $50 Silver honorary sponsor-$75 Gold honorary sponsor-$100 Donations will be directed to Sophie's family through Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer. Sophie is worth #MoreThan4 👜   B.I.B. (BINGO is back), Zoom Bingo Fundraiser   👜  United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls is sponsoring 2 nights of virtual bingo. 5 games each night (100 player maximum) Night 1 - Designer Handbags: April 21st - deadline to purchase tickets: April 16th Night 2 - Bags or Bling: April 28th - deadline to purchase ticket is April 23 To attend both nights, tickets must be purchased by April 16. Time : Zoom opens at 6 p.m. Game 1 begins at 6:30 p.m. Donation : $20 per night or two nights for $30. All games are prepay only. Mail check to United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls, PO Box 209, Naugatuck CT 06770 Raffle tickets : 25 tickets for $20 Prizes : All prizes have a value of at least $100 Register here . Questions? Contact United Way at info@unitedway.org  or 203-729-1564.  💡 Spotlight on Social-Emotional Learning  💡    Each week we will highlight an important skill, activity, or interesting fact about the social and emotional learning (SEL) that is happening in our district.  The Mood Meter helps build awareness of emotions in ourselves and others, expands our emotion vocabulary, and helps us manage our emotions. It shows how emotions have two dimensions, the degree of pleasantness of our thoughts and the energy in our bodies. Students in Ms. Nolan’s class created a giant mood meter in the hallway at City Hill Middle School that included words in quadrant to boost emotional vocabulary. If you have questions about the RULER program, please contact our SEL Coach: denise.tafuto@naugatuck.k12.ct.us   Donors Choose Apple iPad and Pen Help Ms. Johnson's students the technology they need to be successful while learning through a pandemic. Donate to Ms. Johnson's Class .  🌸 🌼 Spring Events from Park & Recreation 🌼🌸  Naugatuck Park & Recreation Spring 2021 Events Naugatuck Park & Recreation Spring Events Flyer is available Online! Please call the office at 203-720-7043 to Register for programs or for more information! NHS GSA Fundraiser The NHS GSA students are thankful for the support of our club's mission of inclusion and respect for all.  We appreciate your interest in and support of our past merchandise sale.Students were able to use the revenue created to purchase and gift each NHS student and adult with a small Valentine's gift celebrating love. Students have selected and designed many new options for the   NHS GSA Spring Merch Sale .  Please check it out!  We hope you find these additions as exciting as we do!  Remember, Signs and Shirts offers delivery to your home or local pick up at their shop. As always, it brings our kiddos such joy in seeing the adults and students district-wide confirming and affirming all identities! Thank you for your continued support. School-Based Food Pantry The Connecticut Partnership For Children, Inc. School-Based Food Pantries offer free, weekly food assistance to Naugatuck families. Locations : Naugatuck High School Hop Brook Elementary School The Naugatuck YMCA The Early Childhood Center.  Contact : Tara Mahoney at ctpfcschoolbasedfoodpantry@gmail.com or 203.806.0556 (text only). Donations : If you would like to donate to the program, a donation bin is located at Retail 101 at The Naugatuck Event Center (6 Rubber Ave.) or contact The School-Based Food Pantry Coordinator to arrange a contactless porch pick-up. Thank you.  Naugatuck Free Online Nutrition Education Join us on Zoom for free nutrition workshops and culinary demonstrations! You will receive a free gift for each lesson you join. All classes start at 6:30 p.m.   Register here !  Questions?  Contact: Kate Murphy, Food Service Director at 203-720-5279. Class Schedule Date Topic Recipe 4/15 Build Strong Bones Healthy Skillet Mac and Cheese with Broccoli 5/6 Make A Change Fruity Mango Salsa 5/20 Celebrate Crowd Pleaser Skillet Lasagna This material is funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP. SNAP helps low-income people buy nutritious food for a better diet. To get more information, contact the CT Department of Social Services at 1-855-626-6632 or www.ct.gov/dss . USDA does not endorse any products, services, or organizations. This project is sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Public Health SNAP-Ed Program. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Newsletter Submissions Do you have information you'd like to see included in next week's newsletter?  📰 Please Fill out this submission form .   Please send your information in plain text and keep it as short as possible. You may attach a photograph or logo as long as it has no more than 5 words in it. Fliers that include words & images won't be accepted . All messages must be approved by administrators prior to publication. Upcoming Events April 12-16 : Spring Recess - no school / Board of Educations offices open 🎥   All NHS Spring Sports will be livestreamed for free on Naugatuck High School's Facebook page and Naugatuck Public Schools on YouTube and on NFHS Network for a small fee. 📅 2020-21 School Year Calendar 📅 2021-22 School Year Calendar 📅 2022-23 School Year Calendar Distance Learner Meal Pickup Times  NHS Auditorium:  6-7:30 am & 10 am-12 pm City Hill lower parking lot:  8-9 am & 12-1 pm 🍔 Lunch Menus  Elementary Schools Intermediate & Middle Schools Naugatuck High School Distance Learners

    Wednesday, Apr 07 2021

  • Planning for Winter Weather

    Dear Naugatuck Public School Community, Although we have a few weeks before the official start of winter, the winter season is now upon us. While we are hopeful that we will not have to cancel school for inclement weather, with our hills and the New England weather, it is likely. NPS will continue with our current process of notification where we communicate changes in our school schedule as early as possible (typically around 5:30 a.m. for a delay or closure) using the following media: Radio WATR 1320 AM Television WTNH, Channel 8 WTIC, FOX 61 WFSB, Channel 3 WVIT, Channel 30 An email, text, or phone call to the NPS community via Parent Square In cases of early dismissal due to inclement weather, we will notify families and staff as soon as possible using Parent Square. Like many other things, “snow days” will likely look different this year. On October 7, 2020, the Connecticut State Board of Education allowed local districts to treat “snow days” as remote (virtual) learning days. Naugatuck’s plan is to use snow days as remote learning days for all students in all programs, PK-12 and Adult Education. This will allow for the continuity of instruction when learning time is more optimal than mid to late June when days are typically made-up and temperatures within our schools are warm. Our plan is to use the Remote Learning Day (RLD) as much as possible during bad weather unless other factors, such as power outages throughout the community, prevent us from using our Chromebooks and online platforms. If this is the case, we will close schools and have a traditional “snow day” that will be made up at the end of the school year. Therefore, depending on the circumstances, the following information will be communicated via Parent Square, radio or television:     1. Remote Learning Day :  We will communicate using the media listed above and will specify Remote Learning Day . OR     2. Schools are closed : We will communicate using the media above and specify that schools are closed . Remote learning will not take place and the day will be made up at the end of the school year. NPS Teachers will continue to use our digital technology platforms including Google Classroom to assign academic work and provide live instruction during the remote learning day for all students. More specific information regarding the remote learning day schedule will come from your child's school. Students will continue to bring their Chromebook to and from school each day so they are prepared for remote learning. Thank you for your time and consideration. Let’s hope for good weather this season.                                                                                                                   Sincerely, Christopher Montini Superintendent

    Thursday, Dec 03 2020

  • expanded distance learner meal pick up times

    Good afternoon, Beginning Wednesday December 2nd through December 23rd we will be expanding our meal pick up times. Meals can be picked up at either of the two locations. Naugatuck High School from 6am - 7:30am, 9:30am -12:30pm City Hill Middle School 8am - 9am, 12pm - 1pm These meals are available to all children 18 years of age and under, even if they are not registered in Naugatuck schools. There is no pre registration required. Each child may receive 1 meal bag per day that contains a breakfast and lunch. The child does not need to be present to get the meal, it can be picked up by a parent or guardian. thank you, Kate Murphy Food Service Director

    Tuesday, Dec 01 2020

  • Important COVID-19 Announcement

    Dear Members of the Naugatuck High School Community, Naugatuck Public Schools was notified today that five (5) members of the Naugatuck High School Community have tested positive for COVID-19. (The positive case notification message will be sent later this afternoon). As you are aware, the lack of cohorting at NHS impacts the approach we take in regards to the learning model. In addition, as was communicated in the Nov. 23 communication , the uptick in COVID-19 cases in the community is impacting human resources and our ability to appropriately staff our schools.   Based on this information, Naugatuck High School will continue with 100% distance learning through the Christmas / Winter Break.  All classes will continue to take place online through Wednesday, December 23, 2020.  As of now, in-person classes at Naugatuck High School will resume on Monday, January 4, 2021. Students in the Skills for Life and the Community Program will attend in-person learning Monday through Thursday, with virtual learning Friday.  If your child participates in these programs and you prefer for them to remain a remote learner, please contact the school.   (Please note: All other schools will continue with their current learning model). During the remote learning period, meals will continue to be available every school day for pick-up from: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at City Middle School and  9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Naugatuck High School.  The safety of our community is our priority.  We continue to monitor the situation closely and will continue to keep you informed of any changes or additional information.  We appreciate your support and understanding in these challenging times. In partnership, Chris Montini Superintendent Naugatuck Public Schools Jessica Kristy, MPH Director of Health Naugatuck Valley Health District Deborah Sauers Nursing Supervisor Naugatuck Public Schools

    Monday, Nov 30 2020

  • November 29 COVID-19 Letter

    November 29, 2020 Dear Naugatuck Public School Community, As we head back to school after what I hope was a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving break for all of you, I write to remind the NPS Community of a few important guidelines related to maintaining the well-being of our community.   If your child was in direct contact with a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19, please keep your child home and contact the school to make them aware.   If your child is not feeling well, please keep your child home and call the school to make them aware.  If someone in your house suspects they may have COVID-19 and is in the process of testing, please keep your child home until you receive the results and contact the school to make them aware.   If you traveled to any of the states listed in the  CT Travel Advisory you must follow the mandatory quarantine requirements of the State of Connecticut. Please keep your child home and contact the school to make them aware.  In each of these scenarios, the school will assist you with remote learning during the quarantine period.   In addition, we’ve launched our NPS COVID-19 Dashboard on our website.  The dashboard can be accessed by clicking on the Return to School tab on the district’s main page.  As you will see, the dashboard provides the number of current COVID-19 cases and the number of individuals in quarantine by building and the total number of COVID-19 cases for the school year.   Thank you for following the guidelines so that we all do our part for the well-being of our community. In partnership, Christopher Montini Superintendent of Schools

    Sunday, Nov 29 2020

  • November Learning Model Update

    November 23, 2020 Dear Naugatuck Public School Community,  First, and most importantly, I hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and well.  I write to you today with gratitude for each and every day that NPS has been able to provide in-person learning to our students.  Despite two short closures at our high school, we have consistently been able to provide our students with in-person learning every day in Pre-K-grade 6 and through our hybrid model in grades 7-12.   It is through the collective efforts of this community, our parents, students, faculty, and staff, that we’ve been able to continue with in-person learning.    I realize that this message finds many anxious and wondering what lies ahead for NPS given the increase in positive COVID-19 cases throughout the state and borough and the fact that a small percentage of other districts have shifted to remote learning through mid-January.  The Naugatuck Board of Education met this evening to discuss the approach we will take in the coming weeks and months to react and adapt to the ever-evolving COVID-19 data.  NPS continues to collaborate with the Naugatuck Valley Health District and our medical director, Dr. Rovetto, to closely monitor COVID-19 data and its impact on our operations.  What follows is a review of the factors we consider when choosing the best learning model, an update regarding our current status, and the approach we will take moving forward. As I reviewed in my letter from October 30, 2020, the data and associated color-codes provided by DPH are important metrics in the consideration of in-person vs. remote learning but they do not signal an automatic shift from one learning model to another.  (Please see the CSDE’s updated  Addendum 4 for more information.)  Rather, the data is used in conjunction with other local factors to determine the best model for learning given the circumstances.  These factors, which include mask wearing, cohorting, the physical learning environment, ventilation, cleaning and disinfecting, and person-density/distancing are key considerations in determining which model to implement. While both our community and state have seen an increase in positive COVID-19 cases, the cases continue to be related to community transmission outside of school, most often through exposure to family and friends who have tested positive.  The mitigation strategies that we are implementing including mask-wearing, cleaning protocols, and physically distancing are working to prevent spread in our schools.  Because of this, we are able to continue with in-person learning for the time being. Even though we are currently able to remain open for in-person learning, we have been significantly impacted by the increase in positive cases.  The impact has been greatest in the area of human resources.  There has been an increase in the amount of staff members required, as a public health measure, to quarantine or isolate to ensure the well-being of the school and greater community.  This has significantly reduced the adults available in our schools.  Schools have been doing an amazing job shifting people around to cover for the short-term vacancies, however, if the trend continues we may not have enough staff to continue in-person learning safely at all schools. Our plan to address the potential lack of adequate human resources is to prioritize and maximize in-person learning for our youngest students and those with specialized learning needs.  As of the writing of this letter, we will continue with our current learning models: in-person everyday for pk-6 and hybrid for 7-12 (NHS returns December 1).  In the event that we do not have sufficient human resources to operate in-person learning, we will shift to remote learning beginning with our high school.  This will allow us to redeploy approximately 15 staff members from the high school to the PK-8 schools to support their ability to remain open for in-person learning.  If the need for additional staffing persists, we will then shift to remote learning in our middle school and redeploy approximately 10 staff members from the middle school to the PK-6 schools to support in-person learning.    If either of these scenarios is necessary, middle and high school students in TEAMS, Skills for Life, the Community Program, and those who, through the IEP process deemed it necessary, may attend in-person learning Monday through Thursday, with virtual learning Friday.    If we are unable to safely staff our PK-6 schools, we will shift to remote learning for all grade levels. Unfortunately, we may not be able to provide much notice to families regarding the shift to distance learning should we need to take this approach.    I encourage all families to prepare for a shift to remote learning so that you are prepared if we must make the transition quickly.  It is also important to remember that all plans remain fluid and can change at any time.  While our goal is to continue to provide in-person learning, the safety of our students and staff is the priority.  We continue to see COVID-19 data rise in Naugatuck and throughout the state.  As a community, it is more important than ever that we continue our strong effort to slow the spread by avoiding unnecessary social events, physically distancing ourselves from those outside our immediate family, and wearing masks.   Finally, while not recommended, if you plan to travel out of state during the Thanksgiving break, please be sure to refer to the  CT Travel Advisory to ensure compliance with the  mandatory quarantine requirements. Thank you for your understanding, patience, and support during these unprecedented times.  In partnership, Christopher Montini Superintendent of Schools

    Tuesday, Nov 24 2020

  • Important COVID-19 Announcement

    Dear Parents and Guardians, We are writing to inform you that today, November 5, 2020 we learned that an individual who was last physically present at Western Elementary School on Monday, November 2, 2020 tested positive for COVID-19. The affected individual has been instructed to remain home in self-isolation for 10 days and has been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school. The Naugatuck Valley Health District and Naugatuck Public Schools completed the contact tracing investigation related to our school community. Anyone who was considered a “close contact” with the individual has been contacted and provided with instructions on the appropriate steps to take. The Naugatuck Public School and Naugatuck Valley Health Districts are committed to maintaining a safe environment for students and staff.  We continue to proactively monitor the illness of students and staff and implement strategies to safeguard the health of our students and staff.    The safety or our school community remains our priority.  We appreciate your support and understanding in these challenging times.      In partnership,   Chris Montini Superintendent Naugatuck Public Schools   Jessica Stelmaszek, MPH Director of Health Naugatuck Valley Health District   Deborah Sauers Nursing Supervisor Naugatuck Public Schools

    Thursday, Nov 05 2020

  • Important COVID-19 Announcement

    Dear Parents and Guardians, We are writing to inform you that today, November 5, 2020 we learned that an individual who was last physically present at Naugatuck High School on Friday, October 30, 2020 tested positive for COVID-19. The affected individual has been instructed to remain home in self-isolation for 10 days and has been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school. The Naugatuck Valley Health District and Naugatuck Public Schools completed the contact tracing investigation related to our school community. Anyone who was considered a “close contact” with the individual has been contacted and provided with instructions on the appropriate steps to take. The Naugatuck Public School and Naugatuck Valley Health Districts are committed to maintaining a safe environment for students and staff. We continue to proactively monitor the illness of students and staff and implement strategies to safeguard the health of our students and staff.   The safety or our school community remains our priority.  We appreciate your support and understanding in these challenging times.      In partnership,   Chris Montini Superintendent Naugatuck Public Schools   Jessica Stelmaszek, MPH Director of Health Naugatuck Valley Health District   Deborah Sauers Nursing Supervisor Naugatuck Public Schools

    Thursday, Nov 05 2020

  • Important COVID-19 Announcement

    Dear Parents and Guardians, We are writing to inform you that today, November 4, 2020 we learned that an individual who was last physically present at City Hill Middle School on Monday, November 2, 2020 tested positive for COVID-19. The affected individual has been instructed to remain home in self-isolation for 10 days and has been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school. The Naugatuck Valley Health District and Naugatuck Public Schools completed the contact tracing investigation related to our school community. Anyone who was considered a “close contact” with the individual has been contacted and provided with instructions on the appropriate steps to take. The Naugatuck Public School and Naugatuck Valley Health Districts are committed to maintaining a safe environment for students and staff. We continue to proactively monitor the illness of students and staff and implement strategies to safeguard the health of our students and staff. The safety or our school community remains our priority. We appreciate your support and understanding in these challenging times. In partnership, Chris Montini Superintendent Naugatuck Public Schools Jessica Stelmaszek, MPH Director of Health Naugatuck Valley Health District Deborah Sauers Nursing Supervisor Naugatuck Public Schools

    Wednesday, Nov 04 2020

  • Important COVID-19 Announcement

    Dear Parents and Guardians, We are writing to inform you that yesterday, November 3, 2020 we learned that an individual who was last physically present at Naugatuck High School on Friday, October 30, 2020 tested positive for COVID-19. The affected individual has been instructed to remain home in self-isolation for 10 days and has been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school. The Naugatuck Valley Health District and Naugatuck Public Schools completed the contact tracing investigation related to our school community. Anyone who was considered a “close contact” with the individual has been contacted and provided with instructions on the appropriate steps to take. Although this message is being sent to you today, the contract tracing and communication with "close contacts" was conducted and completed yesterday. The Naugatuck Public School and Naugatuck Valley Health Districts are committed to maintaining a safe environment for students and staff. We continue to proactively monitor the illness of students and staff and implement strategies to safeguard the health of our students and staff. The safety or our school community remains our priority. We appreciate your support and understanding in these challenging times. In partnership, Chris Montini Superintendent Naugatuck Public Schools Jessica Stelmaszek, MPH Director of Health Naugatuck Valley Health District Deborah Sauers Nursing Supervisor Naugatuck Public Schools

    Wednesday, Nov 04 2020