Weekly Update

Principal’s update 10/7/22   Good evening Eli family,

• Wednesday, 10/26/22, students do not have school.  It is a full day Professional development day for teachers.
   
• Friday, 10/28/22, is an early dismissal day for students, dismissal at 11:55.  
    
• Mr. Bracale’ s senior Plumbing students were trained in Rheem tankless water heaters.   Another example of preparing our students
•  with the latest technology to meet industry needs!

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• Juniors participated in Empower training. The goal of the Empower training is to build experiences inspiring group cohesion and personal development.
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• The girls’ volleyball team continues its competitive season last week with two losses.  A five-set match to Career and Bullard Havens Friday night. The last regular season home game will be 10/28, against Hillhouse, and will be Senior night.  Students will be welcome but will require ID’s.  
• The tri-op Eli Whitney football team and Soccer team have been competitive all season.  Boys soccer has its final game of the season away at Bullard Havens on Monday.  Below is the schedule and records.  Go OWLS! 

• 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.  Also, students should not carry knives, pepper spray or any facsimile weapons. Communicate with the school counselors, teachers, administration, or SRO if aware of a potential issue or if a student needs to talk to someone.  If you see something, say something.  A physical altercation or possession of the aforementioned 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 for October.
                 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 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 week,

Mr. DiNatale

Principal