Franklin Elementary School

We had a fantastic assembly today for our K-3 students! Local author Lou Spetrino visited Franklin and read aloud his book, Finley the Goblin and His First Adventure. Our children loved learning about Finley and how he found the courage to embark on his first adventure. For families who ordered the book, please note that the publisher made a printing error. To ensure every student receives the correct version, Mr. Spetrino will return to Franklin next week to personally deliver the books, meet with students, and sign all copies.

Check out these great programs happening during the spring and summer.

This week, I had the opportunity to attend the Board of Education meeting, and I am so proud to share that our school’s chronic absenteeism rate has decreased from 26% to 19%! This improvement is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our entire school community — thank you for your continued support. As a reminder, we sent home attendance letters this week. Some families are required to complete the attached form to inform us about student absences. Please also be mindful of tardies, as arriving late disrupts classroom routines and causes students to miss valuable learning time. Research continues to show a strong connection between attendance and academic performance. National data from the 2024 NAEP math assessment found that students who missed fewer days of school performed significantly better, while students who missed three or more days per month scored much lower. As we work together to support student success, we encourage all families to make regular attendance a priority — being in school every day helps children build the skills and knowledge they need to thrive.

Good afternoon, Franklin! Next week is Read Across America Week, and we are excited to celebrate the joy of reading! This special event is a wonderful tradition that encourages students to embark on great learning adventures through books. Each day of the week ( March 3rd- March 7th) will have a fun reading theme—please check the flyer for more details. I’ve also set up ClassDojo reminders to keep everyone informed. As a reminder, every student should be reading at least 20 minutes daily. Just like any skill, reading improves with practice! Please encourage your child to read regularly at home to help build their vocabulary, strengthen their comprehension, and develop a lifelong love of reading. Thank you for your support in making reading a fun and meaningful part of our students’ lives!

Parent Workshop: Guiding Greatness: Parenting Strategies for Everyday Success Join us for a delightful conversation on family routines, positive discipline, and building stronger connections. Together, we’ll share strategies and support one another to make our kids and community healthier and stronger. Enjoy an interactive activity, Family Mosaic of Greatness, celebrating the love and resilience within our families. —light snacks will be served! 💙 Limited spots available, please complete the form below to confirm your participation. We can’t wait to see you there! 💙 📅 Date: March 18, 2025 ⏰ Time: 5:30 – 6:30 PM 📍 Location: Franklin Elementary School - Gym Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUlDtg9gddhUg2HwNytsyGQZAeudvKgOYE6HlcNlF7Lh5b_g/viewform?usp=sharing

Looking for something fun to do? The Stratford High School is hosting "A Wicked Experience"! It will be filled with activities and enrichment such as creating their own Glinda wand, Elphaba broomstick, decorating cookies, making bracelets, coloring and creating written pieces and more. All proceeds will be donated to involved clubs and the Senior Class to help decrease costs for end of the year events. All support and attendance is appreciated. The link to purchase a ticket is: https://gofan.co/event/2945333?schoolId=CT20042_1

🚨SAVE THE DATE & REGISTER🚨 Franklin's Sunday Skate Funday is scheduled for Sunday, February 16th from 12:00 - 1:20pm at THE SPORTS CENTER OF CT! Address: 784 River Rd Route 110, Shelton, CT 06484 Share with all of your families and friends to join the fun! All you have to do is pre-register online using the below link by 10am, 2/16/24! Cannot wait to see you all there! https://sportscenterct.formstack.com/forms/franklinelementaryskateday

The Stratford Board of Education wants to hear from you as they search for a new Superintendent of Schools. Your input is essential in helping them find the right leader for our schools. Here’s how you can participate: 1. Survey Share your thoughts in an anonymous survey open until January 31st. Click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/StratfordSuptSearch?scrlybrkr=62ce767c 2. Focus Groups Join a virtual focus group via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4381110381#success Your feedback will help create a leadership profile to guide the Board in finding the best candidate for Stratford Public Schools. Let’s make our voices heard! Thank you for your time and participation. 😊

It is with mixed emotions that I share the news that the queen of our school, Mrs. Maureen Strazzeri, our beloved head secretary, is retiring. While her dynamic energy and warm presence will be deeply missed at Franklin, we are thrilled for the new adventures she’ll enjoy with her family and adorable grandchildren. On behalf of our entire Franklin Family, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her nearly two decades of unwavering dedication and the remarkable impact she has made on our community. We are forever thankful for her contributions and wish her all the best as she begins this exciting new chapter of her life! *Our hiring committee is in the final stages of selecting a new head secretary. As soon as the process is complete, I will share the news with our community.

Mark your calendars! Next Thursday, January 23rd at 8:00, we’re hosting a virtual get-together to chat about all the exciting things happening at our school. This is your chance to share ideas, hear about upcoming events, and connect with our wonderful community. We’d love to see you there! Here are the meeting details: Meeting Link: meet.google.com/rth-sgag-ext Phone Number (US): +1 575-414-0336 PIN: 250 563 544# We can’t wait to see you there and hear your amazing ideas!

📢 We Are Hiring! Franklin Elementary is seeking passionate and dedicated paraprofessionals to join our amazing team! If you’re ready to make a difference in the lives of our students and be part of a supportive school community, we’d love to hear from you. 👉 Click the link to apply: https://www.applitrack.com/stratfordk12/onlineapp/ Join us in creating a positive impact—one student at a time! 💙📚

We are thrilled to share some exciting news about a Sneaker Drive happening on Saturday, December 14, at the Raphola Taylor Center in Bridgeport. This amazing event is being organized by a community member who has received generous donations of new and lightly used sneakers from NYC sneaker stores, eBay, Nike, and more! This is a wonderful opportunity for children in our community to pick up some sneakers.

As winter weather approaches, please stay informed about any potential school closures, delays, or cancellations.

What a wonderful night we had at Trunk or Treat! The joy on the kids’ faces and the amazing costumes made it such a fun event. We couldn’t have asked for a better evening! A big thank you to all the staff and parents who helped make this night a success. Your support and participation mean so much to our Franklin Family!

A special thanks to our local Target store for donating hundreds of notebooks to Franklin, which were distributed during our open house. We encourage students to practice their spelling word lists daily at home. Classroom teachers will be sending out the word lists, and consistent practice will help build both competence and confidence. Consistency is key to improving academic vocabulary and spelling. Thank you, parents, for your continued support!

Please encourage your child to read daily for 20 minutes. Please connect with Mrs. Johnson if you need books . Thank you

Open House is next Tuesday!! Join us IN PERSON for Open House on Tuesday, October 8th. There will be 2 sessions that you can attend: Session 1- 6:00 PM- 6:40 PM Session 2- 6:50 PM-7:30 PM The book fair will also be open for you to shop that night! We can't wait to meet all of you!

TRUNK OR TREAT! To make this a fun evening for everyone, we are looking for at least 25 families/staff members to sign up and decorate a parking spot. You can decorate your car's trunk or set up a table in your spot—let's get creative! We are also asking for candy donations from all families. The collected candy will be distributed to our decorated cars and tables. During the event, all candy collected will be given to the children. You can drop off your candy donations at the Candy Monster Box located near the main office entrance. Event Details: Decorating Time: Starts at 4:30 PM Party Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Don't forget to wear your costumes and get ready for a great time! We can't wait to see all the spooky and fun decorations!

Our MUM Fundraiser has always been a huge success, and this year will be no different! The mums are absolutely beautiful, and everyone loves them. We would greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word about this fundraiser. Each mum costs $10. Our PTO has already sent a flyer home this week. If you would like to purchase mums, please complete the form and attach cash in a labeled envelope. Be sure to include the total amount on the envelope as well. ORDERS DUE by NEXT WEDNESDAY 09/18 DELIVERY & PICK UP DAY : WEDNESDAY 09/25

Attention Franklin Families: Monday, October 7th is our Picture Day! Students do not need to wear their uniform. See your child's folder for more information.