March 10, 2017 | Volume 1, Issue 18

UPCOMING EVENTS For a list of home and away match-ups for our spring athletic teams, please scroll to the back cover of the publication.

March 14 - 6:30 - 8:30 PM Leonardo da Vinci Bowl - Grades 4 and 5 March 15 Early Dismissal - Professional Development March 15 - 5:00 PM Dr. Seuss Night at Vance Elementary School March 15 - 6:00 PM NBHS School Governance Council Meeting March 15 - 6:30 - 8:30 PM Leonardo da Vinci Bowl - Grades 6, 7 and 8 March 16 - 3:00 PM DiLoreto PTA Movie Night (Grades 1-5) March 16 - 6:00 PM Holmes School Family Game Night DiLoreto School PTA Meeting Smith School PTA Meeting March 16 - 6:30 PM New Britain High School PTA Meeting March 17 - 9:00 AM NB Transitional Center Family Fun Day March 17 - 1:30 PM Chamberlain Student of Month Ceremony March 17 - 7:00 PM NBHS Presents The Little Mermaid March 18 - 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM NBHS Presents The Little Mermaid

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD BY TAKING PART IN OUR ANNUAL PARENT SATISFACTION SURVEY!

The Consolidated School District of New Britain is committed to pursuing excellence one student at a time. We would like to ask you, an important stakeholder in this process, about the areas where we are performing to your expectations and the areas where more focus is needed. Please take a few minutes and complete this Parent Satisfaction Survey to help provide this feedback. If you completed the parent survey at conference time, you do not need to do it again. If you did not complete the survey at conference time, please take an opportunity to complete it and offer your feedback.

The Parent Satisfaction Survey will be open from March 9 - April 14, 2017 and can be completed by visiting www.csdnb.org. Once the survey is complete, the results will be analyzed by an outside organization. The data from the survey will be sent to each school and the Superintendent. Then, the results of the survey will be shared with parents and the community through the Superintendent’s office. I will also share school data with our staff and parent organizations.

Thank you for your interest in and support of the Consolidated School District New Britain. If you have any questions regarding the survey, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

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NBHS PRESENTS THE LITTLE MERMAID ON MARCH 17 AND 18 Jasmine Colapietro, a senior at New Britain High School, has the lead role of Ariel in the school production of The Little Mermaid. Jasmine has always been involved in the arts and loves dancing, singing and playing the trumpet.

She auditioned for a role in the play “Shrek” during her freshman year, but played trumpet in the music pit instead. Although she did not get a role at first, she was determined to try again the following year. Since then, Jasmine has participated in the school play every year. She has had the opportunity to be an assistant director for two years, a position she holds in this year’s production of The Little Mermaid, as well.

Jasmine has had an amazing experience playing Ariel. She found it an exciting and new challenge to perform this character, since she does not speak for the majority of the musical. A lot of attention was put on refining her nonverbal skills to express her character’s feelings. Jasmine said her favorite scene is when she dances with Prince Eric because she loves the embracing looks they exchange. Her two favorite songs from the musical are “Kiss the Girl” when Prince Eric and Ariel are on a boat and “Sweet Child” in which the eels sing to her.

Similar to her character Ariel, Jasmine also has a bubbly personality and considers herself to be brave and outgoing. However, if Jasmine were to have one wish granted like Ariel did, she would wish to have more confidence in herself. She admires that Ariel has the confidence to leave her home to venture out to a world she has never been to.

Celeste Gigliotti will play Ursula, the wicked sea witch, in the upcoming production. Celeste loves to sing, dance, read, write and play tennis. Ever since she was little watching her older sister act in plays, Celeste had an interest in theatre. From a young age, she used to follow her sister backstage and she knew that she would always want to do the same. At age 7, she started acting in school plays. She continued her passion for the theatre when she started high school at New Britain High.

Celeste feels very empowered being able to play such a unique character that is so different from herself. One of her favorite scenes is when her character turns Ariel from a mermaid to human. Her favorite song from the musical is when Ursula sings “I Want the Good Times Back.” Another song that she enjoys from the play is a song that the Murr Sisters sing called, “She’s in Love.” One of her favorite lines from the play is “I’m like an oyster darling, mama knows when she’s been shocked.”

Celeste feels that she is like Ursula in the sense that she has a successful sibling. However, Celeste considers herself to have a much better relationship with her sister than Ursula has with King Triton. Celeste also has a warm personality and does not consider herself to be as hostile as Ursula is. If she had one wish, like Ariel, it would to be famous and perform on Broadway.

Jason Ferrandino, the director of The Little Mermaid, graduated from New Britain High School and participated in the Music Department when he was in high school. He has worked as a Music Director for Phoenix, Cheshire Community Theatre, and East Haven Arts Commission. Jason loves that he gets an opportunity to be on the other side of things as a stage director for NBHS. For 13 years, he has participated both on and off stage at NBHS. He also has had seven years worth of experience as a stage director. Directing The Little Mermaid has been the most special and rewarding experience Jason has had so far throughout his career because the film was so near and dear to his heart growing up.

Jason shares some of his favorite moments throughout the production, including when Ariel sings the classic “Part of Your New World.” Another song he enjoys is when Chef Louis sings “Les Poisson.” This is when Chef Louis is chasing Sebastian to try and make him part of the food.

If he were to have one wish like Ariel, Jason would love to have the opportunity to act and direct plays as his main career. Although he enjoys his job as a teacher, his passion lies in the hands on work of performance. This year is very special to him because some of his students in the cast, who are graduating this year have been doing theatre with him since they were in sixth grade. Seeing how much they have grown makes him very proud of them.

You can see Jasmine in the lead role, Celeste in the role of Ursula and all the other hard-working students and staff bring it all together on March 17 and/or 18 at NBHS. On March 17, the performance will begin at 7 PM and on March 18, performances will be held at 2 PM and 7 PM. To purchase tickets, please visit our Facebook page and search: NBHS Little Mermaid.

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CSDNB REALIZES SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS THROUGH RE-VAMPED TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT To date, the Transportation Department has saved nearly $1.3 million in vehicle costs during the 2016-17 school year. “Please know that this is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Transportation Manager Tom Halleck. “Our transportation team is made up of dedicated professionals who are committed to the very best in our field. Our motto is that we make every decision with in-tegrity and with the best interest of the kids and community in mind. We will settle for nothing less.” One of the biggest savings stems from switching to six-hour buses. Prior to the current school year, the district was paying for eight-hour bussing, many hours of which went unused. This saves $502,720. Another large cost-saving measure was the elimination of “sick buses” via DATTCO. Two Type I buses were on hand daily from 9 AM to 12 PM to bring home under-the-weather students whose parents were unable to drive them. Town & Country has agreed to take over the service utilizing existing buses – saving the district $68,745.60 annually. Various other fleet adjustments, along with maximized routing efficiency, have allowed the district to remove a number of buses, saving $658,068.55 in the form of checks, credit and/or eliminated buses. Other noteworthy cost savings include a $32,866.16 credit for fuel, two credits of $1,920 each for two-hour delays which resulted in no morning preschool, and a $3,246.32 for an early dismissal where there was no afternoon preschool or afterschool activities. The Transportation Department is in the process of purchasing its own routing software, which will allow for even greater economy in upcoming school years. It is also hoped that preschool students can be assigned to their neighborhood schools in 2017-2018. This move would eliminate three Type 2 buses – or $189,000. Eliminating the mid-day preschool runs by switching to one full day session in-stead of the current two half day sessions would save the district an annual $429,660.

CSDNB CELEBRATES NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY On March 2, schools throughout CSDNB and the United States celebrated National Read Across America Day, also known as Dr. Seuss Day. This year was the 19th annual celebration of this day, which is a celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday! The National Education Association (NEA) expected more than 45 million readers, both young and old, to pick up a book and read on March 2. The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, school administrators,

education support professionals, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers. Some of our many featured speakers included the following: Nancy Sarra, Superintendent; Erin Stewart, Mayor of New Britain; Paul Salina, Chief Operations Officer; Bobby Sanchez, CT State Representative; Dr. William Petit, CT State Repre-sentative; New Britain Police Department; New Britain Fire Department; and so many more! Our students had a great time seeing all the guest readers come through the schools and reading their favorite books. For more photos, please visit our Facebook page and search: CSDNB Read Across America.

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ALEX SILVA, SENIOR AT NBHS, SIGNS LETTER OF INTENT TO PLAY FOOTBALL AT AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

Alex Silva, senior at New Britain High School, has been awarded a scholarship from American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. On February 23, Silva was surrounded by Joseph Pinchera (Principal of NBHS), Leonard Corto (NBHS Athletic Director), his family and teammates as he signed his letter of intent to play football at AIC this upcoming fall. When asked about how he feels about being given the scholarship and representing New Britain High School with this honor, Silva said, “It feels great looking back at all the hard work I put into this and all

the support I’ve received from my family and coaches. The hard work pays off with this scholarship to play at AIC. I am happy to be in this moment. I realize how blessed I am to have this opportunity to play football and do what I love to do. Plus, I love New Britain, its my hometown, so being able to represent my school is great.” Pinchera said he was proud that Silva was being awarded with this full scholarship to play at American International College, a four-year university. “Any time our student athletes go to any university, we are very proud. However, this particular athlete has put a lot of time in, not only in the classroom but on the field and in the weight room. He really has excelled in every phase of his sport. What I am most proud of is that he is a good person and will be successful no matter what he does.” Corto, who was the head coach of NBHS football from 1988-2000 and now athletic director for the past 17 years, has seen many athletes during his tenure. He said that Silva was one of the hardest workers he has seen come through New Britain High School and hopes that other students will see how that can pay off. “Alex is a great kid. He is a hard working student athlete who is reaping the benefits of his hard work. I think that is something we want to show and have all our other students in the school see. If they work hard, great things like this can happen.”

STUDENTS FROM DILORETO ATTEND ATHLETIC EVENT AT CCSU On February 28, several students from DiLoreto were invited to attend an athletic event hosted by Central Connecticut State University. The CCSU athletic department recognized "National Girls and Women in Sports Day" by hosting a sports clinic to encourage girls to participate in sports and make the connection with college-level opportunities. Representatives from the girls volleyball, soccer, golf, softball, lacrosse, cheer and dance teams provided instructional clinics for the K-8 students along with interactive play sessions. CCSU also provided lunch where the participants had more opportunity to interact with the college athletes. All participants then got to watch the Girls CCSU basketball team defeat the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers 71-44. It was a great day for our students and one they’re still talking about today! Special thanks to Mr. Joe Body, Dean of Students at DiLoreto, for sending this story our way.

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NEW BRITAIN HIGH SCHOOL AFRICAN AMERICAN CLUB HOSTS BLACK HISTORY MONTH ASSEMBLY In February, the New Britain High School African American Club (AAC) hosted an assembly for all students to celebrate Black History Month. Mr. Kevin Williams, AAC Advisor, opened the program by talking about the diverse culture of the student body at the school, saying it was one of its strongest assets. Members of the AAC, both as individuals and in groups, spoke in various ways about how much progress has been made over the past several decades but also, how much more progress needs to be made moving forward. It was an assembly filled with poetry, spoken word and reminders to all in attendance of how much work still needs to be done. The students in the AAC have been working hard for the past several months to put this assembly together, and they should be proud of the great job they did. This annual assembly has evolved over the years and will continue to evolve in the future as we work through the current events in the world.

ANNIE THE THERAPY DOG VISITS KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS AT CHAMBERLAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Annie, an American Pit Bull Terrier, was recently found abandoned in a dumpster. Annie now has a job as a Pet Partner who visits with children in hospitals and schools. In early March, Annie visited with the kindergartners at Chamberlain School. The students were excited to have a real dog visit them because they have created a pet store that has stuffed animals, groomers, veterinarians, adoption specialists and loving pet owners. They are learning all about how to take care of animals. Most of the students agreed that Annie was cute and had very soft fur. To view more photos from the visit,

please visit our Facebook page and search: Annie the Therapy Dog

LATEST NEWS FROM THE NBHS SCHOOL GOVERNANCE COUNCIL During the last School Governance Council meeting held on February 15, members discussed plans for the new Mindset Academy, which will replace the Freshman Academy. Staff who are currently teaching in the Freshman Academy will be relocated in the main building. Additionally, a hallway that connects the main building to the Mindset Academy will be named “Hurricane Way.” The council also reviewed data that shows a decrease in chronic absenteeism and total number of suspensions among students. The SGC hopes that with improved efforts, attendance will continue to improve. The next council meeting will be on Wednesday, March 15 at 6 PM in the school media center. If you have any concerns regarding the school community, please contact council chair Rita Zapor at ritazapor@yahoo.com. Note: CSDNB will be releasing more details in the coming weeks regarding the Mindset Academy. Both the New Britain Herald and New Britain City Journal wrote previews on it this past week. To view those stories, please visit www.csdnb.org and check the news bar on the right side of the page.

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CALENDAR FOR 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR APPROVED BY BOE

Our calendar for the 2017-2018 school year has been finalized and was approved by the Board of Education at their regular meeting on March 6. The calendar is similar to 2016-2017, with only one additional early dismissal day due to professional development. The first day of school will be Monday, August 28 and the last day of school, which of course is tentative, will be Wednesday, June 6. Winter break will begin on December 22 and will run through January 1. April break will run from April 9 through April 13. The calendar is always available on our website, www.csdnb.org, under the Calendars tab.

SCENES AROUND CSDNB

Gaffney Elementary School holds McTeacher Night Gaffney Elementary School recently held McTeacher Night at the McDonald’s on West Main Street in New Britain. Thanks to the support of all those in the community, Gaffney made a profit of over $500, which will be put towards their student activity fund.

Student Council at Slade collects items for Prudence Crandall Center The Student Council at Slade collected items to help the Prudence Crandall Center in New Britain. They collected more than five boxes of items, which included diapers, socks and baby wipes. Gabriel Nadeau from the Prudence Crandall Center recently picked up the items and was very appreciative. The Slade Student Council will do this annually to help the community.

Science Club at Pulaski having fun with experiments Members of the Pulaski Science Club have been busy conducting experiments and putting their ideas into action. Under the direction of Mrs. Sudha Sikka, they meet after-school on a regular basis to get an in-depth look at how science works.

New Britain High School hosts Unified Sports Tournament New Britain High School hosted a Unified Sports Soccer Tournament, which saw dozens of teams around the region compete throughout the afternoon. These tournaments are always a lot of fun and we thank everyone who came out to support our students!

Lincoln Elementary School to participate in CT Race in the Park Lincoln Elementary School will be participating in the 14th anniversary run of the CT Breast Health Initiative’s 2017 CT Race in the Park. This year, the race will take place on May 13. To view more information about the Lincoln team, please visit http://goo.gl/3EOPsY

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CSDNB TIPS: GETTING INVOLVED IN YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION The CSDNB Office of Family Education Services says that getting involved in your child’s education can pay huge dividends. Research shows that when families get involved, their children get better grades, are better behaved, have more positive attitudes, graduate at higher rates (and earn $200,000 more in their lifetime than those who drop out), and are more likely to go on to higher education. Family involvement is one of the best investments you can make. Most importantly, all families can benefit no matter how much money or formal education you have. Here are ways to play a role in your child’s education: Read a bedtime story to your young child Check homework every night Get involved in PTA,PTO, or SGC or volunteer in the classroom. Discuss your children's progress with teachers Attend a Board of Education (BOE) Meeting. For the schedule, visit www.csdnb.org Vote in Board of Education elections Help your school to set challenging academic standards Limit screen time to two hours or less Become an advocate for better education in your community and state Set rules Insist on high standards of behavior for children Discuss future planning with your child and the importance of decision-making Engage in enrichment or leisure activities together Monitor your child’s activities outside home and school Simply ask "How was school today?" every day. That will send your children the clear message that their schoolwork is

important to you and you expect them to learn. Source: "Get Involved! How Parents and Families Can Help Their Children Do Better in School." US Department of Education (ED), n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2017. Source: "Academic Success Begins at Home: How Children Can Succeed in School." The Heritage Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR ROBERT T. KENNEY SCHOLARSHIP AT AMERICAN SAVINGS FOUNDATION The Robert T. Kenney Scholarship Program at the American Savings Foundation is now accepting applications from high school seniors, current college students, and nontraditional adult students who will be enrolled in college for the 2017-2018 academic year. In 2017, the Foundation expects to award over $750,000 to 400 new and renewing scholars who will be studying at a wide range of four year colleges and universities, two year colleges, and accredited technical/vocational programs. The application deadline is March 31, 2017 and you can apply online at www.asfdn.org. For more information, please visit that website or call 860-827-2556.

CONTACT OUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS! Our Student Ambassadors help play a big part in bringing the CSDNB message throughout all of our schools. If you want to reach out to them with any questions, comments or concerns, you can send an email to studentambassadors@csdnb.org. The e-mail account is monitored by Leona Clerkin, our District Coordinator of Fine Arts, but all e-mails are given to our Student Ambassadors to review.

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SPECIAL TO THE HIVE: STAFF MEMBERS RECOGNIZED AT DILORETO ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL The following was sent to us by Mr. Kit Moya, teacher at DiLoreto One of the main goals at DiLoreto Elementary & Middle School is to recognize their staff members for their invaluable support to the school and to the students through the Shining Star Award. This year, DiLoreto has created a new initiative to spotlight these employees by formally recognizing them with the title of Educator of the Month and Support Staff of the Month. The nominations are done by teachers and staff, and winners are announced during the regular staff meeting on the third Wednesday of each month. For the month of January the winners were Margaret (Peg) Murray for Educator of the Month and Sonia Herrera for Support Staff of the Month. Congratulations to Peg and Sonia for their efforts and for going above and beyond for the students of New Britain!

Educator of the Month - Margaret Murray - “Mrs. Murray always goes above and beyond.” - “Mrs. Murray runs the PTA and put together all great things that are happening.” - “She manages all of our field trips.” - “She is always flexible with everyone’s needs.” - “Besides raising two beautiful daughters, she also hosts an exchange student.” - “She attends graduate school.” - “Mrs. Murray works tirelessly to ensure that movies go smoothly.” - “She works on many events for families to enjoy.” - “She is one of the main reasons why our school store is a success.” - “She is very dedicated to her students.

Support Staff of the Month - Sonia Herrera “She is a Jack(ie) of all trades.” “She is the go-to person to for any tech concerns.” “Do you have any questions about NWEA? Ask Mrs. Herrera.” “Always willing to go above and beyond.” “She is an invaluable member of our school community.” “I am fortunate enough to say that I’ve known and worked with Sonia for most of my career since Smalley 20 years ago.” “She is a team player.” “She knows the answers 99% of the time, and the 1% she doesn’t, she goes out of her way to find it.”

DILORETO ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR LOTTERY The only intra-district magnet school in New Britain, DiLoreto has an excellent school climate and strong academic push. On a daily basis, it offers a Spanish Language Development Program to students in grades 2-8, which helps build and enhance their Spanish language acquisition. Based on this program implementation, 85% or more of their students entering high school are admitted into level 2 and 3 Spanish courses making them eligible for advance placement and college credited courses. The number of seats available fluctuate on a yearly basis because of varying enrollment numbers. The number for this year’s lottery is not yet known, but will be determined prior to the lottery on May 4. On that day, families will be notified in regards to how many students applied and how many seats are available. Those who aren’t selected via the lottery will be placed on a waiting list until October 1. For more information on the lottery and directions on how and where to apply, please visit www.csdnb.org and scroll to the bottom of the page to click the lottery banner.

NBHS ATHLETICS Below is a list of home and away games for New Britain High School sports. Unless otherwise noted, here are the locations for the games: Baseball - Beehive Stadium Softball - Martha Hart Park Golf - Stanley Golf Course Track - Willow Brook Park Tennis - New Britain High School

March 25 - 11 AM Varsity Baseball at Simsbury (Scrimmage)

March 27 - 3:45 PM Varsity Baseball vs. Windsor (Scrimmage)

March 29 - 3:45 PM Varsity Softball vs. Goodwin Tech (Scrimmage)

March 29 - 3:45 PM Varsity Baseball vs. Manchester (Scrimmage)

April 1 - 10 AM Varsity Softball vs. Rockville

April 3 - 3:45 PM Varsity Baseball vs. Bristol Central

April 3 - 3:45 PM Varsity Softball at Bristol Central

April 4 - 3:45 PM Varsity Track at Wethersfield

April 5 - 3:45 PM Varsity Baseball at Platt

April 6 - 3 PM Varsity Golf at Bristol Central (Chippanee)

April 6 - 3:45 PM Varsity Girls Tennis at Rockville April 7 - 3:45 PM Varsity Baseball vs. Goodwin Tech April 10 - 3:00 PM Varsity Golf vs. Bristol Central

Consolidated School District of New Britain | www.csdnb.org Find us on Social Media: @CSDNBCT (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube)

2017 Intellectual Property | Copyright in this publication is owned by the Consolidated School District of New Britain and no part of it may be reproduced without the permission of the District. For further information, please refer to www.csdnb.org. If you would like to submit a news story, please e-mail Matthew Cannata at cannatam@csdnb.org. Stories are written by Matthew Cannata, Rebecca Henn, Joanna Mechlinski and Abby Richardson. Newsletter designed by Pawel Figat.

SLADE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAPTURES BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP IN BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS DIVISIONS

On March 7, the Middle School Basketball Championships were held in a packed gym at New Britain High School. On the girls side, Slade defeated HALS in overtime, 29-26. In the boys division, Slade defeated Pulaski, 44-26. Congratulations to Slade for winning both divisions! It was a great season for all of our teams and we look forward to another successful season in 2018.

NBHS WRESTLER JORDYN ROWE NAMED NEW BRITAIN HERALD’S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK The New Britain Herald recently featured NBHS Wrestler Jordyn Rowe as their Athlete of the Week. The following is an excerpt from their article:

Rowe entered the Class LL tournament seeded seventh and went on to finish fifth and qualify for the upcoming State Open. The junior hoped he would be at the tournament, but the realist in him didn’t think it would really be possible in his first full season. Now though, he is looking for more. “I’m going to go in there confident, do what I came to do and just wrestle,” Rowe said. “I want to make a mark and I want to make sure that I am remembered. My next goal is to make it to New England’s and if not, I want all of the other wrestlers to think about it when I get there next year.”