Principal's Update 8/30

Posted Date: 08/30/26 (09:00 AM)

Principal's Updates

Ruth L. Chaffee

Around the School:

Welcome Back

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! We have had a wonderful first two days and are thrilled to welcome our new and returning students back to the hallways and classrooms.

Our main focus this year is building a supportive, collaborative learning environment where every student feels confident and empowered. To help foster strong connections and positive conflict-resolution skills, we are continuing our focus on community-building practices across all grade levels. This work directly aligns with our mission and motto: Every Child, Every Day, Whatever It Takes!

We are also reinforcing our Cardinal Rules:

Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be Safe

Students who model these traits will earn SOAR cards and recognition at our Student Celebration Assemblies.

We believe a strong, collaborative partnership between families and educators is key to every student’s success. To build mutual trust and open communication, we ask that any concerns regarding classroom interactions or experiences be addressed directly with your child’s teacher first. As dedicated professionals, our teachers deserve the opportunity to hear your perspective, understand the situation, and work together with you to find a resolution. This process also serves as a model for how we ask our students to address conflicts in their own lives.

If a concern remains unresolved after speaking with the teacher, please feel free to reach out to me so we can discuss the next steps together.

We look forward to partnering with you for a successful, engaging school year!

Two of our 4th graders enjoy a book while at recess!

Two young girls read books while sitting on swings at a playground.

A red apple with a white checkmark is next to the words 'Attendance Matters' in green and blue.

Attendance Awareness Month

Attendance Awareness Month: September is Attendance Awareness Month, a perfect time to highlight just how important showing up for school is every day. At Ruth Chaffee, we know that consistent attendance is the foundation for student success. When students are in class, they not only gain the academic skills they need to succeed in reading, math, and beyond, but they also build strong social connections with their peers and teachers. These relationships are vital to our mission of creating a loving, supportive rigorous learning environment. Missing even just a couple of days a month can add up quickly, leading to students falling behind and missing out on key learning opportunities and daily routines. We encourage all families to make regular attendance a priority all year long. Our attendance policy is linked below. Let’s work together to make sure every Chaffee Cardinal is in the nest and ready to soar.

Reminders

Students should NOT be dropped off in the front of the school prior to 8:30. Please make sure that if you arrive early, that you remain with your child.
All students who are dropped off and walk to school enter through the front doors by the flag pole.
All drop offs are done in the circle. Please stay in line remain in your car and make sure your child exits from the curbside of the car.
Remember all traffic must stop when bus stop signgs are out even in the parking lots. No one wants any of our students or staff to be hit by a car.

Important Kindergarten Message

Kindergarten students will begin walking directly to their class Monday, August 31 upon arrival. Our staff will ensure they find their way to their classroom. All dropoffs are in the front.

Breakfast service for kindergarten starts on Monday, August 31. It is important you speak to your child about your expectations regarding breakfast. Breakfast is free for all students. If you choose, you can notify the teacher that your child will not be participating in the breakfast program. Menus are on our website.

Some of our Pre-K and K Arrive on the First Day

Perfect Lines and Proud Teachers on Day 2

A cheerful teacher waves to a group of elementary school students gathered outside a brick school building.

Family Handbook

Please be sure to review our Family Handbook. The handbook is your go to guide for expectations, annual notifications, legal requirements, policies and procedures. It is always available on our website. I strongly encourage every family to read this Notice Concerning School Climate and contact me with any questions.

Early Dismissal & Dismissal Change Information

This is just a friendly reminder that if you plan to dismiss your student early we need it in writing. It can either be a written note in your students backpack or sent to rcoffice@npsct.org. If it is someone other than the parent picking up please clearly state the persons full name.

All daily dismissal changes need to be in writing also! This can be done the same way either via a written note in your students backpack or an email to rcoffice@npsct.org no later than 3:00pm each day! If we have nothing in writing your student will be dismissed their regular way!

Emergency contacts are not used for dismissal purposes. They are used for the nurse and emergency purposes only.

Open House: Thursday, September 3rd

August 30, 2026

Dear Families,

We are excited to invite you to our Open House on Thursday, September 3, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM! This is a wonderful opportunity to explore your child’s classroom, meet our dedicated teachers and staff, and see what your student will be learning this year.

Grade Level Schedule

To keep crowd sizes comfortable and make your visit enjoyable, we have staggered arrival times. If you have children in multiple grades, feel free to pick the time slot that works best for your family to visit both classrooms:

6:00 PM – 6:20 PM: Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade
6:20 PM – 6:40 PM: Grade 2
6:40 PM – 7:00 PM: Grade 3
7:00 PM – 7:20 PM: Grade 4

Key Reminders

Family Scavenger Hunt: Pick up your scavenger hunt passport when you arrive and complete the stations in order—your child will love guiding you through their school!
Supervision: Children must stay with their families at all times during the event.
Teacher Greetings: This evening is designed to welcome you to the building and introduce you to our team. Individual student progress can be discussed in detail during parent-teacher conferences later in the term.
Curriculum: Here you will find links to the Curriculum Overviews for each grade.

We look forward to seeing you there and building a strong partnership for the school year ahead!

Sincerely,

James Marciano

Principal