On the third Wednesday of each month, the fourth graders at CLS visit the Evergreen Nursing Home at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford Springs.  The PTO has graciously been funding these trips for the past three years.  During these forty-five minute visits, the children work on a variety of projects

with the residents, with a focus on writing.  Due to the physical restrictions of the people they work with, the students act as leaders by directing the residents on the work that is to be completed.. 

Over the past several months, the students, along with their Evergreen buddies, have made Thanksgiving

wreaths, poetry scarecrows, and most recently a snowman decoration which included what the students’ buddies like about winter.  These projects remain with the buddies to hang in their rooms, or even to display on their wheelchair or walker. 

 

I hope to have met you all by now, but if not, I’m Michael Larkin and am delighted and honored to have been appointed the new principal at Crystal Lake Elementary School.  My first month has been spent getting to know the staff and students and spending as much time as possible in classrooms.  The entire Crystal Lake community has been extremely welcoming and I would like to thank everyone for such a wonderful greeting.  Crystal Lake is a special community and it is a privilege to be a part of it.

 

It was wonderful to be able to celebrate with so many readers at the thirty hour Read At Home

celebration.  Thank you to all the parent volunteers who baked cupcakes (they really did look like bowling balls!), served cupcakes and organized this special day.  The children were very excited to be able to choose a book as a gift from the PTO.  Thank you for your support of this wonderful program and keep reading!

 

Next month students in grades 3-4 will be participating in the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT).  The CMT assesses students in reading, writing and math.  The first day of testing will be Monday, March 3 and we will conclude on Wednesday, March 12.  It is very

important that students arrive to school on time on these days as late students will not be able to join their classes while testing is in progress.  As always, it is our hope that students will arrive at school well rested and ready to demonstrate what they know on these important tests.  If you have any questions about these tests please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.

 

I hope everyone has a safe, relaxing and enjoyable upcoming February break. 

Michael Larkin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Message From the Principal