Franklin Elementary School

Attention Stratford Public Schools families! Is your child's physical and immunization record up to date? All missing health documents are due by August 22nd. Watch our video to learn more about the requirements and where to get help if you need it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr6PmIItL3s

#StratfordPublicSchools #StudentHealth #SchoolYearReady

Dear Franklin Families, You’re invited to a fun and informative Family Night hosted by Stratford PAL and Community Services on: 📅 Monday, August 26 🕔 5:00–8:00 PM 📍 900 Longbrook Avenue, Stratford Enjoy a free pasta dinner, games for kids, a tour of the police station, and a helpful parent workshop on internet safety, bullying, and social media. It’s a great way to connect with the community and start the school year strong! All families are welcome. Registration : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexzMQw8GGF9QR-0dC2WvcNEvJoCclQll_2JktCxaUYVaYPPg/viewform

Dear Franklin Families,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all of our new families joining the Franklin community, and a big welcome back to our returning families. I miss our brilliant Falcons so much and am getting very excited for the 2025–2026 school year. It’s going to be a terrific year to learn, grow, and lead together!

📅 Important Dates to Remember
Thursday, August 28 – First day of school for Grades 1–6. Arrival time is 8:30 AM.
Kindergarten students arrive at 9:00 AM for a special orientation with parents. The day will conclude at 10:00 AM.
Monday, September 1 – No School (Labor Day)
September 2–5 – Scholastic Book Fair in the STEAM Room
Wednesday, September 3 – Franklin’s Open House, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Come meet teachers, visit classrooms, and learn more about the year ahead!

📚 School Hours Update
This year, the district has added 15 minutes to the school day. Our new dismissal time is 3:30 PM.

👕 School Attire
Last year, families voted on our attire policy. As a result, school uniforms are recommended but not required.
Our suggested uniform includes:
A white, blue, or red polo shirt
Khaki pants or shorts
Stay tuned for a link to our online spirit wear store, which will be shared next week!

✏️ Supply Lists ( PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK TO ACCESS HYPERLINKS!)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qdW0yn7PLHdWt12w6SJi3V6wIb1DSGLlh6gaW1rFIDk/edit?usp=sharing
Click below to access your grade-level Suggested Supply List:
ABA
GRADE 1
GRADE 2
GRADE 3
GRADE 4
GRADE 5

GRADE 6
🧸 Before & After School Care
( PLEASE CLICK ON THE ATTACHMENT TO ACCESS HYPERLINKS!)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qdW0yn7PLHdWt12w6SJi3V6wIb1DSGLlh6gaW1rFIDk/edit?usp=sharing

Need before or after-school care for your child? There are several local programs available to support our families. Please check community listings or reach out to the school for more information.
Sterling House
South End Community Center Phone: (203) 377-0689 Email:secc@townofstratford.com
YMCA Stratford
🏥 School-Based Health Center
( PLEASE CLICK ON THE ATTACHMENT TO ACCESS HYPERLINKS!)
Are you interested in having your child receive in-school social work or mental health services?
Click the link below to learn more about our School-Based Health Services and complete the registration form: REGISTER HERE !

We can’t wait to welcome our Falcons back soon—it’s going to be a year full of joy, learning, and connection. Stay tuned for more news and updates as we get closer to the first day of school!

Mrs. Johnson

Franklin’s Spring Concert Was a Huge Hit! 🎶 On May 22, we enjoyed a truly terrific Spring Concert here at Franklin Elementary! The gym was packed with families, and the energy in the room was full of pride, joy, and celebration. Our students wowed the audience with their beautiful singing and instrumental performances. It was especially impressive to hear how much they’ve grown musically—many of our students are now confidently playing more sophisticated songs, a testament to their hard work and practice throughout the year. A heartfelt thank you goes to our dedicated music teacher, Mrs. Coletti, whose passion, patience, and commitment to music education continues to inspire our young performers. Her efforts make all the difference, and we are so grateful for the musical experiences she brings to our school. Thank you to all the families who joined us for this special event and for always supporting the arts at Franklin. Bravo to our amazing students—we are so proud of you! 💙

Our Field Day was SO MUCH FUN!!! It was wonderful to walk around and see all of our students smiling, laughing, running around, and enjoying each other’s company. The weather was perfect—it didn’t rain, and the clouds kept everyone cool and comfortable. A huge thank you goes to our amazing PE teacher, Mr. Zappone, who pulled off a very successful first Field Day in his teaching career! Planning for this day started at the beginning of the school year. From organizing logistics with the bus company, cafeteria, and staff, to communicating with families, teaching the games to students, and gathering volunteers—Mr. Zappone handled it all. He brought so much energy and care into making today a joyful and special experience for everyone. Our brilliant Falcons were awesome too! Everyone took turns, played safely, and made sure the field was clean before we left. When we returned to Franklin, all of the children enjoyed a popsicle sponsored by our amazing PTO. Thank you for supporting our school fundraisers, which make special whole-school treats like this possible for all of our students.

Good afternoon, Franklin families! Your voice matters! Please take a moment to complete our family survey. https://surveys.panoramaed.com/stratford/5885613742/surveys/v2/354949987?language=en Thank you so much

We had a fantastic assembly today for our K-3 students! Local author Lou Spetrino visited Franklin and read aloud his book, Finley the Goblin and His First Adventure. Our children loved learning about Finley and how he found the courage to embark on his first adventure. For families who ordered the book, please note that the publisher made a printing error. To ensure every student receives the correct version, Mr. Spetrino will return to Franklin next week to personally deliver the books, meet with students, and sign all copies.

Check out these great programs happening during the spring and summer.

This week, I had the opportunity to attend the Board of Education meeting, and I am so proud to share that our school’s chronic absenteeism rate has decreased from 26% to 19%! This improvement is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our entire school community — thank you for your continued support. As a reminder, we sent home attendance letters this week. Some families are required to complete the attached form to inform us about student absences. Please also be mindful of tardies, as arriving late disrupts classroom routines and causes students to miss valuable learning time. Research continues to show a strong connection between attendance and academic performance. National data from the 2024 NAEP math assessment found that students who missed fewer days of school performed significantly better, while students who missed three or more days per month scored much lower. As we work together to support student success, we encourage all families to make regular attendance a priority — being in school every day helps children build the skills and knowledge they need to thrive.

Good afternoon, Franklin! Next week is Read Across America Week, and we are excited to celebrate the joy of reading! This special event is a wonderful tradition that encourages students to embark on great learning adventures through books. Each day of the week ( March 3rd- March 7th) will have a fun reading theme—please check the flyer for more details. I’ve also set up ClassDojo reminders to keep everyone informed. As a reminder, every student should be reading at least 20 minutes daily. Just like any skill, reading improves with practice! Please encourage your child to read regularly at home to help build their vocabulary, strengthen their comprehension, and develop a lifelong love of reading. Thank you for your support in making reading a fun and meaningful part of our students’ lives!

Parent Workshop: Guiding Greatness: Parenting Strategies for Everyday Success Join us for a delightful conversation on family routines, positive discipline, and building stronger connections. Together, we’ll share strategies and support one another to make our kids and community healthier and stronger. Enjoy an interactive activity, Family Mosaic of Greatness, celebrating the love and resilience within our families. —light snacks will be served! 💙 Limited spots available, please complete the form below to confirm your participation. We can’t wait to see you there! 💙 📅 Date: March 18, 2025 ⏰ Time: 5:30 – 6:30 PM 📍 Location: Franklin Elementary School - Gym Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUlDtg9gddhUg2HwNytsyGQZAeudvKgOYE6HlcNlF7Lh5b_g/viewform?usp=sharing

Looking for something fun to do? The Stratford High School is hosting "A Wicked Experience"! It will be filled with activities and enrichment such as creating their own Glinda wand, Elphaba broomstick, decorating cookies, making bracelets, coloring and creating written pieces and more. All proceeds will be donated to involved clubs and the Senior Class to help decrease costs for end of the year events. All support and attendance is appreciated. The link to purchase a ticket is: https://gofan.co/event/2945333?schoolId=CT20042_1

🚨SAVE THE DATE & REGISTER🚨 Franklin's Sunday Skate Funday is scheduled for Sunday, February 16th from 12:00 - 1:20pm at THE SPORTS CENTER OF CT! Address: 784 River Rd Route 110, Shelton, CT 06484 Share with all of your families and friends to join the fun! All you have to do is pre-register online using the below link by 10am, 2/16/24! Cannot wait to see you all there! https://sportscenterct.formstack.com/forms/franklinelementaryskateday

The Stratford Board of Education wants to hear from you as they search for a new Superintendent of Schools. Your input is essential in helping them find the right leader for our schools. Here’s how you can participate: 1. Survey Share your thoughts in an anonymous survey open until January 31st. Click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/StratfordSuptSearch?scrlybrkr=62ce767c 2. Focus Groups Join a virtual focus group via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4381110381#success Your feedback will help create a leadership profile to guide the Board in finding the best candidate for Stratford Public Schools. Let’s make our voices heard! Thank you for your time and participation. 😊

It is with mixed emotions that I share the news that the queen of our school, Mrs. Maureen Strazzeri, our beloved head secretary, is retiring. While her dynamic energy and warm presence will be deeply missed at Franklin, we are thrilled for the new adventures she’ll enjoy with her family and adorable grandchildren. On behalf of our entire Franklin Family, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her nearly two decades of unwavering dedication and the remarkable impact she has made on our community. We are forever thankful for her contributions and wish her all the best as she begins this exciting new chapter of her life! *Our hiring committee is in the final stages of selecting a new head secretary. As soon as the process is complete, I will share the news with our community.

Mark your calendars! Next Thursday, January 23rd at 8:00, we’re hosting a virtual get-together to chat about all the exciting things happening at our school. This is your chance to share ideas, hear about upcoming events, and connect with our wonderful community. We’d love to see you there! Here are the meeting details: Meeting Link: meet.google.com/rth-sgag-ext Phone Number (US): +1 575-414-0336 PIN: 250 563 544# We can’t wait to see you there and hear your amazing ideas!

📢 We Are Hiring! Franklin Elementary is seeking passionate and dedicated paraprofessionals to join our amazing team! If you’re ready to make a difference in the lives of our students and be part of a supportive school community, we’d love to hear from you. 👉 Click the link to apply: https://www.applitrack.com/stratfordk12/onlineapp/ Join us in creating a positive impact—one student at a time! 💙📚

We are thrilled to share some exciting news about a Sneaker Drive happening on Saturday, December 14, at the Raphola Taylor Center in Bridgeport. This amazing event is being organized by a community member who has received generous donations of new and lightly used sneakers from NYC sneaker stores, eBay, Nike, and more! This is a wonderful opportunity for children in our community to pick up some sneakers.

As winter weather approaches, please stay informed about any potential school closures, delays, or cancellations.

What a wonderful night we had at Trunk or Treat! The joy on the kids’ faces and the amazing costumes made it such a fun event. We couldn’t have asked for a better evening! A big thank you to all the staff and parents who helped make this night a success. Your support and participation mean so much to our Franklin Family!