School

Annual Report

2007-2008

Principal

Kathleen M. Scully

Assistant Principal

Laura A. Meka

A Message from the Principal

Section 10-220 (c) of the Connecticut General Statutes requires all local and regional Boards of Education to submit a Strategic School Profile Report annually to the Commissioner of Education. The State Department of Education has developed a set of profile requirements which report on numerous indicators of student need, school resources, and performance.

This booklet, which contains data submitted to the State of Connecticut on October 1, 2007, summarizes this information for you and highlights our accomplishments and plans for continued improvement. The complete Strategic School Profile is available upon request in our school office. I welcome the opportunity to talk with you about our plans as well as to receive your comments and suggestions.

About Our School

The 2007-2008 school year was John Trumbull Primary School’s eighth year of operation. The school opened its doors to students for the first time on August 29, 2000. This building houses the entire district’s preschool through grade two students. The school consists of four sections. There is a preschool section, which services approximately 100 typical and special education children. This section has its own entrance, a separate playground and an inside motor room for play and therapy services. The rest of the student population is divided into three sections or pods (yellow, blue and green), each of which contains approximately 240 students, kindergarten through grade two.

Our teaching staff consists of 45.3 certified teachers, two administrators, two psychologists, and 27.3 non-certified staff members. Our professional staff averages 16 years of experience in Connecticut. A Master’s Degree is held by 78.8 percent of the certified staff.

All students have access to a well-equipped media center/library, three computer labs on a network system, a cafeteria, a gymnasium/auditorium, two music rooms and two art rooms. The school is wired for audio, visual, and data technology. All classrooms have TV monitors and Internet access.

Developing and maintaining the home- school connection is a priority at John Trumbull Primary School. The school’s website offers information to parents about upcoming events and news. Each teacher has a webpage that is updated regularly and includes important classroom information. Teacher’s email addresses are shared with parents as a means to increase communication. Teachers encourage the partnership between home and school. The newsletter, Parents Make the Difference, is copied and distributed to all students. This project is supported by the PTO.

The administration and staff of John Trumbull Primary School works collaboratively with the Parent Teacher Organization. This year the PTO initiated the Two Hour Power program. Parents were asked to make a promise where they would volunteer at least two hours of time in support of their child’s education. Many parents accepted the challenge and became valuable volunteers in our school. The PTO has allowed our school community to thrive in so many

ways. They plan enriching cultural programs, support our field trips, and host numerous fun activities in order to bring all of the John Trumbull Primary families together!

Social skills training continues to be part of the curriculum for all students, preschool through grade two. All students receive classroom instruction in The Second Step Program and take part in Character Counts activities. All students are taught to manage anger, cope with problems and resolve conflicts. The staff enthusiastically embraces the teaching of character education. We strive to succeed in creating future citizens and caretakers of our community, country, and planet who will live by the code of good character.

Some of Our Accomplishments

At John Trumbull Primary School, we are proud to celebrate our accomplishments! John Trumbull Primary School was recognized by the Connecticut Association of Schools as a finalist for Outstanding School of the Year! The Kindergarten through grade two students read over 7,000 books as part of the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge. Family fun nights with a concentration on literacy were well attended by students and their families. Two students were recognized for their artistic/musical talents at a ceremony sponsored by the Connecticut Association of Schools. Two students received the Superintendent’s Award for academic performance and good citizenship. Activities to promote community service were conducted throughout the year. Nearly 2,000 canned goods were collected during a food drive. Students also provided gifts during the holiday season for families in the community as part of an event sponsored by the PTO called The Giving Tree. A Jump-Rope for Heart event raised nearly $12 000.00 for the American Heart Association.

The John Trumbull Primary PTO once again offered diverse programs for the students. Family Fun Nights were held in order to bring the entire school community together for some fun! Numerous parents, staff and community members assisted the “Primary Players” with their production of Cinderella. Other enrichment opportunities included winter and spring concerts/art shows, a Whether the Weather, We All Read Together event and a Second Grade Celebration. The John Trumbull staff is committed to working in partnership with the home and the community in order to enrich the lives of our students.

The Family Literacy Team planned events throughout the year to support the family’s role in developing early literacy skills. A workshop for parents was held to better acquaint them with the school’s new reading program. Parents were presented with important information regarding the program and were offered useful strategies in order to best support their child’s education. Members of the local Rotary Club also volunteered their time to read during the events.

The Family Resource Center, which is housed at John Trumbull Primary School, also provided literacy nights for the town’s preschool and Kindergarten aged children. Another activity is to encourage and maintain open communication with the area preschool directors and private day care providers.