Back to School
Dear Parents:
I hope this letter finds you well and that you are enjoying the remaining days of summer! I wish to extend a warm welcome to all of our new students and families and a great “welcome back” to all of our returning families. It has been a rather busy summer here at Paterson and we are looking forward to a great and exciting school year! Below is some information intended to help with a smooth start to the school year. More information will be sent home during the first few days of school.
✨ New Faces in New Places: This year brings some wonderful changes and additions to our family. We are delighted to warmly welcome Sue D’Alessandro back home to John Paterson. It’s fantastic to have her returning to our community after a long time. We’re excited to share that, due to some enrollment shifts, we’re adding a new Pre-K classroom led by the wonderful Mrs. Klimas, who previously taught Kindergarten. There are also a few staffing changes to share: Mrs. Dube will now be joining our amazing Kindergarten team, and Mrs. Chevron will join the wonderful 4th-grade team.
With these wonderful additions and changes, our community is growing stronger and more vibrant than ever. I’m truly excited about the fresh energy and new ideas everyone brings!
🎈 Kindergarten and Preschool Meet and Greet: On Tuesday, August 26th, our incoming kindergarten and preschool students will have an exciting opportunity to meet their teacher and explore their new classroom. Kindergarten families should arrive at the main entrance by 2:45 PM. and will be directed to your child’s classroom to meet your teacher and see the classroom. Preschool families should arrive at the PreK Entrance, under the overhang by the playscape, at 3:00 and will be directed to your classrooms. It is important that you know your child’s teacher’s name so we can assist you to the right location.
🐾 School Families 2025-2026 – Panther Pride:
At John Paterson Elementary, the school-wide expectations “be safe, be respectful, and be responsible” are emphasized throughout the school, including through the school's "school family" initiative. This program organizes all students in grades kindergarten through fourth, as well as all staff members, into "school family" units of about 10 students with a staff “Leader." These family units, whether whole or small group, meet once a month for 30 minutes, using a pre-written curriculum focused on the theme of Paterson expectations. By connecting students of different grade levels in these meaningful activities, the school aims to foster a caring, cooperative environment that celebrates each learner's unique differences. This "school family" initiative aligns with the school's use of the Responsive Classroom approach, which is designed to cultivate a supportive school community. Through both the school-wide "be safe, be respectful, be responsible" expectations and the "school family" program, John Paterson Elementary is creating a positive, inclusive learning environment for all.
We are excited to start the new school year and are committed to ensuring a successful beginning for everyone. Please review the important information below to help us kick off a successful year!
📅 First Day of School: The first day of school, Thursday, August 28th is a full day session for students from 8:40 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. All students arriving at school by bus, walking or via parent drop-off, will be directed to our blacktop area to meet their teacher and classmates. I will deliver an all school opening message once all students have arrived. Teachers will then lead students into the building and into their respective classrooms. In the event of rain, the preschool students will line up under the overhang closest to the playground and students in grades Kindergarten through 4th grade will enter the second set of doors in the front and will be assisted by staff members to their classrooms. It will be important for all adults to say their “goodbyes” at the door so staff can ensure safety in the schools. There will be extra staff members available to help students get to their classrooms.
🕒 Attendance: For the 2025–2026 school year, we want to remind families how important it is for children to come to school every day. Every day matters and every minute counts! In the classroom, your child will learn new things, work with friends, and share ideas with their teachers. These special moments help them grow and succeed. When students miss more than two days each month, it can add up and make it harder to keep up with learning. By coming to school regularly, your child will have many opportunities to learn, make friends, and enjoy a successful school year!
🚌 Transportation: At the beginning of each school year, all eligible students will be assigned to a bus run by the Transportation Supervisor. Unless an exception is granted, all bus run assignments will be on a five-day per week basis. All students will have one designated pick-up point in the morning and one designated drop-off location in the afternoon. Parents who wish to request a permanent change in bus transportation, for day care purposes, must submit a written request in advance to the Transportation
Supervisor. Bus runs have been finalized for the start of school; any new requests will be considered after September 15th. During the year, parents requesting a temporary change in their child’s transportation arrangements must do so in writing at least five days in advance of the effective change. Changes will only be granted for emergency circumstances.
🚗 Pick-up Information: Only students who have notified the office of parent transport or students who qualify for bus transportation may be picked-up at the end of the school day on a regular basis. A note must be sent to the school office regarding this change in transportation. However, we strongly encourage those families who do qualify for bus transportation to choose to use the transportation services and not provide personal transportation on a daily basis to and from school. This recommendation is in an effort to enhance student safety, reduce traffic congestion and support efforts to improve our environment. Preschool parents will pick up students at the end of the day at the kindergarten overhang. Grades Kindergarten through 4th grade will be dismissed at the first set of double doors, by the main office. All students who are considered walkers will exit the walker door in the back of the school with the doors closest to the swings.
Please note: A new procedure will be implemented this year to help streamline our dismissal process and further ensure safety. As part of this procedure, early pick-ups must be completed no later than 3:15 PM. Early dismissals after this time will not be permitted, as they interfere with end-of-day routines. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
🍎 Cafeteria: Cafeteria lunch prices are $3.25 per day and breakfast is $2.00 per day. Parents and guardians are encouraged to either send in a check, payable to Newington School Cafeterias, or use EZSchoolPay to pay for their child’s lunch. If you send payment in, please print your child’s first and last name on an envelope, as well as his/her five-digit I.D. number and teacher’s name. This money is placed in your child’s account to buy lunch each day. Parents need to register with EZSchoolPay to view the balances. Any questions regarding EZSchoolPay can be answered by our Food and Nutrition Services at 860-665-8635 or foodservices@npsct.org. Please note that there are no longer automatic low balance notifications. However families can set up those notifications themselves free of charge through EZSchoolPay. Please be sure to keep money in your child’s account at all times, as a deficit in each student’s lunch account is directly withdrawn from our student activity funds, and compromises our ability to support field trips and other student resources. Families are encouraged to complete an application to determine eligibility for Free and/or Reduced Lunch. Applications can be completed on-line here.
👟 Footwear: If you are shopping for school shoes and/or sneakers, please do not purchase ones with black soles, as they leave black marks on our floors. Most importantly, first consider safety when purchasing shoes, as those with open-toes and/or without backs are very dangerous during wellness education and recess play. We discourage flip-flops, loose fitting/limited support shoes, and shoes without backs. Sneakers are always a great choice for school activities.
🌧 Delayed Opening Schedule: In the event of inclement weather, Newington Public Schools will have a two hour delayed opening. The Rapid Notification system is used to communicate delayed openings. School will begin at 10:40 a.m. on delayed opening days, with an arrival time beginning at 10:30 a.m. Please see the district calendar for more information.
🏫 Open House: Our Open House/Curriculum Night will be held on Tuesday, September 9th. It will be an informational evening for parents and guardians regarding pertinent school and classroom information, such as student expectations, grade level curricula, school-wide procedures, and ways to support your child at home.
📸 Picture Day: Our School Picture Day will be held on Wednesday, September 24th. Picture Retake Day will be held on Wednesday, November 5th.
📸Photo & Video Permission Notice: Here at JP, we have lots of events that we photograph and videotape to highlight our school and showcase the growth and fun our kids experience. To ensure we have your permission for school photos and videos please complete our JP form. If you have multiple students, please fill out and submit a separate form for each child. When you finish one form, you will see an option to “Submit another response”, please use this to complete the form for each of your children. The deadline to submit the form for EACH student is Friday, September 12th. If you do not complete the form by this date, you are giving the school permission to photograph or videotape your student. As always if you have any questions, please feel free to call the office and we will help you.
Use the QR code below or the link HERE to submit your questionnaire. Thank you for taking the time to complete this important information, and thank you for your continued support!
I hope you find this newsletter helpful. Enjoy the remaining days of summer and I look forward to seeing you soon. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Sincerely,
Arleen Torres Ruiz
Principal