Principal’s Update

Good afternoon Eli family,

• The freshman will be entering exploratory once again this week. Be sure to have your boots, exploratory shirt, and goggles.
• Students actively engaged in Mrs. Cavallo’s Chemistry class.
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• Students in Mr. Martinchek’s and Mr. Hodgkins’ graphics classes used drone photography to complete a project.
   
• The girls’ volleyball team remains undefeated, defeating Cheney Tech, and Platt Tech this week.  Outstanding!!!
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• The tri-op Eli Whitney football team has been competitive all season as this is our first consortium in football in many years.   We are playing with Vinal and Goodwin TECH.  Below is the schedule. 
• DateOpponentH/A-FacilityTime/ResultFri., 9/9 Northwest United Away – Nonnewaug HS-Turf Field
   [Directions] L 16-52 Fri., 9/16 Cheney Tech Home – Pat Kidney Field-Football Field
   [Directions] L 8-49 Sat., 9/24 Platt Tech Away – Foran Turf Field
   [Directions] L 25-55 Fri., 10/7 Thames River Home – Pat Kidney Field-Football Field
   [Directions] 6:00 p.m. Fri., 10/14 Bullard/Kolbe Home – Pat Kidney Field-Football Field
   [Directions] 6:00 p.m. Fri., 10/21 Quinebaug Valley Home – Pat Kidney Field-Football Field
   [Directions] 6:00 p.m. Fri., 10/28 ATI Away – Immaculate HS-Mustang Valley
   [Directions] 6:30 p.m. Sat., 11/12 O’Brien Tech Away – Emmett O’ Brien Reg Voc Tech School-O’Brien Tech Athletic Complex
   [Directions] 10:30 a.m. Fri., 11/18 Prince Tech Home – Pat Kidney Field-Football Field
   [Directions] 6:00 p.m. Wed., 11/23 Wilcox/Kaynor Away – Falcon Field Meriden-falcon field
  
   
• The boys’ soccer schedule is below.  The soccer team is also very competitive as this is the first year in many years of fielding a team.  

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• Thank you to Mr. McGuire and Mr. Walker, social media advisor for the pictures and video.
• Here is a link to the Eli Whitney Tech Instagram page.  https://www.instagram.com/eli_whitney_tech/
• Here is a link to the Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/WhitneyTech 

• Daily attendance is important as it prepares you for professionalism in the workplace or college. Chronic attendance occurs when you have 2 or more absences in a month. Achieving ten unexcused absences places you in the chronic absentee category and may lead to credit denial.   Communication is important for all absences, notes should be submitted as well.
   
   
• As the Eli Whitney students have been extremely cooperative in the educational process, we have had numerous situations with student disagreements.  As mentioned before and in the handbook, fighting is not an acceptable form of disagreement.  Communicate with the school counselors, teachers, administration, or SRO if aware of a potential issue or if a student needs to talk to someone.  A physical altercation can lead to out-of-school suspension, expulsion, and/or arrest.
   
   
• While attending sporting events, FANS must be respectful to all.  No inappropriate comments should be made.  FANS are not FANATICS. As we have encountered some students making inappropriate comments, we may reach a point where students aren’t able to attend our home games.  Be respectful and make Eli proud!
    
• Dress code remains the same, no crocs, midriffs, or pants with holes.   The attire must be appropriate.   Once again, IDs must be worn at all times.
   Cell phones may be used at the discretion of the teachers in class. Recording of other students and adults is not permitted. We will be reviewing the policy to reduce the interruption of learning time.
    
• As we have transitioned into the Fall season, if we need to cancel school we will announce school closures in ParentSquare, and post on the following TV stations, CH3-WFSB, CH 61 Fox, CH8 WTNH, and CH30 WNBC.
   
   

• The following message is from Mia Blue-Becton, LMSW, our School Social Worker.
                   Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is an important aspect of human development.   SEL is a process where youth learn how to synthesize thinking, feeling, and behaving to have successful experiences.   SEL enables youth to recognize and manage emotions effectively, set and achieve goals, show empathy for others, and make responsible decisions.
                   Kids are not born with social-emotional skills, but skills are developed and nurtured by caring adults through their developmental years.  Thus, SEL is most effective when we can infuse SEL not only at home but in the school environment.
                   Let’s continue having fun and engaging in our home and school challenge with learning SEL vocabulary words because EMOTIONS MATTER.   Each month we will learn SEL vocabulary words and model those words in our interactions with each other at home and school.  
                   Since October is Bullying Prevention Month, our SEL words will connect to bullying prevention.  This month’s SEL vocabulary words are kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.
                   Kindness is a natural quality of the heart, expressed through an act of goodwill and reflecting care for self and others. How to Demonstrate Kindness:  say please and thank you more, praise someone, speak gently, say something positive, encourage someone, be patient, smile and send good wishes.
                   Acceptance is an act of being seen as adequate or suitable or willing to endure a difficult situation by allowing unwanted experiences (thoughts, feelings, and urges) to come and go without struggling with them.
                   How to Demonstrate Acceptance:  show others a positive welcome, accept others, accept reality even if it is not in your favor, shift your focus from what you cannot change to what you can change, and practice letting go.
                   Inclusion is the act of being included within a group or structure. How to Demonstrate Inclusion:   build community and relationships, work together as a team (school staff, parents, and students), invite others into your group, focus on the needs of each individual and ensure support is in place so each person can reach their full potential at home and in school.
   
• The 10th and 11th graders will be participating in the PSAT testing on Wednesday, October 12th.  
• Monday, October 10th is a holiday, so NO SCHOOL. 
• The following is our first edition for the school year of the outstanding OWL Gazette. Thank you to the OWL Gazette team: Karla Reynoso, Kilee Kunz, Alexander Hernandez, Celia Perez, Lead Reporter-John’ae Hart, Assistant Supervisor- Princess Twasam, and Supervisor Mrs. Sumowski.
• https://www.canva.com/design/DAFK6iAnwS0/f5RkBTqqzSJjkampF7i9Sw/view?utm_content=DAFK6iAnwS0&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton 
   

• Let’s work together to make Eli Whitney the best and safest school for trade and college preparation!  

Have a wonderful weekend,

Mr. DiNatale

Principal