STRATFORD SCHOOL NEWS

It’s hard to believe we are heading into the month of November already! So much has happened at Stratford this past month.  October started out with the Board of Ed work session that was held at the High School. Mrs. Vota, Mr. Hartigan, Mrs. Werner and Mrs. Bowler shared the work the school is doing in Reading Workshop and with 2nd grade Fundations. If you missed that presentation, don’t worry; Garden City Schools is hosting their Knowledge Café on November 18th in the Stewart School Cafeteria. Also, Teachers College is providing an informative day of workshops for parents. The event takes place at Columbia University on November 26th. A Sign Up Genius went out to reserve a spot, but if you missed it, here it is for your convenience: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c48a5aa2aa2fe3-teachers1. You can sign up until November 15th.

Various class trips have taken place in October including the 2nd graders visit to Garden City’s very own Bird Sanctuary and the 5th Grade PTA sponsored trip to the Metropolitan Opera House. The students saw the opera La Boheme and had a great time. 

The Stratford PTA meeting took place on the 18th. There were updates from the various committees and a special presentation from some of Mrs. Bowler’s 4th grade students. Check out our website for the minutes to see what was discussed. The students have been diligently handing in their Box Top forms to earn that grade level free homework pass prize! We can never have enough though, so thank you for your submissions and for helping your child hand them in. The winning grade level will be announced after December 15th. Also, the Curriculum Committee is always available to hear from you. The members this year are Krista Irwin, Karen Butt (SEPTA rep), and Emily Mohsenian. They meet as a district-wide committee and also with Mrs. Vota and staff members to share any topics related to curriculum such as learning standards, assessments and grading, and co-curricular activities throughout the district. The committee members provide a conduit for the school community to express concerns related to instruction. You can reach out to the committee with any questions or concerns at curriculum@gardencitypta.org.

District Wide Unity Day was a nice reminder to all about working together and being kind. The students each decorated a feather that contributed to a beautiful exhibit of a “Unity Bird”, now located in the display case next to the office. Check it out on your way through the hall—it’s truly magnificent.

Stratford also held their first Halloween Spooktacular sponsored by Stratford School and the PTA. This was a “Teal Pumpkin” event to spread allergy awareness. Children rotated through different stations where they played games such as “Jack Stack”, “Witch Hat Ring Toss”, and “Horse Race”, made slime, and also received their own pumpkin they painted teal. It was a hit! Everyone had fun collecting prizes and stamps at a chance to win a free homework pass. Even Mrs. Hegmann, third grade teacher, joined in the fun with her daughter. A big thank you goes out to the committee for their dedication and time to making this a success! Be on the lookout for the next Family Fun vent, “Bingo Night”, scheduled for November 15th.

We have a lot to look forward to in November, including the launch of PARP (Pick a Reading Partner). The committee has created an amazing theme for kids to get excited about; Reading Takes You Places will get underway on November 11th. Students have off from school that day for Veteran’s Day, but they will have an opportunity to attend PARP’s Elementary Movie Day at Bowtie Cinemas from 9am-12pm. Be on the lookout for details on how to sign up your child. 

November is also a time to be thankful. Please remember to have your child contribute to the Toys for Tots bin in the entryway of the school. Collections are accepted now until November 14th.

Feel free to contact me at stratford@gardencitypta.org with any questions or for more information on how you can participate in your child's school. 

Amy Mueller

Stratford PTA Director