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This year, Hamden Pubic Schools remained open on Veteran's Day for the first time that anyone can remember. Why? So that we could provide meaningful programs in every school about the importance of observing this day in the US.

Although programs differed, students in all schools had the opportunity to hear stories from veterans in our area, and learn from fellow students who had researched Veteran's Day. Students also had the opportunity to speak with veterans and ask them questions.

NBC Connecticut highlighted Hamden's Veteran's Day Observance. View the story by NBC Connecticut.

Hamden Public Schools is proud to recognize all in our community who have served our country.

Sixth-grade students from Ms. Nelson's writing class at Spring Glen School will be performing powerful "slam poetry" at Best Video on Wednesday, November 20, and Thursday, November 21. 

Students will be using spoken word poetry to speak out about problems they would like to fix in the world.  Topics include immigration, environmental issues, racism, gun violence, LGBTQ discrimination and bullying. The events will be held at 4:30-5:30 pm at Best Video Film & Cultural Center on Whitney Avenue.  (Note that some content may not be appropriate for young children.)

Good attendance is an essential part of a successful school experience. In order to achieve good attendance from our students, we need our families to be involved and do their best to help children attend school every day.

With this in mind, Hamden Public Schools has a new campaign to improve attendance. The campaign involves notifying parents periodically throughout the school year if their children have been absent more than 10% of school days. (10% is that State's definition of "chronically absent.")  Research tells us that students who are chronically absent have significantly less success in school and in life after finishing school.  

At this point in the year, there have been about 40 days of school - so if your child has missed four or more days of school, he/she is considered chronically absent. Although four days doesn't sound like much, the pattern of reduced attendance often continues throughout the year, and can add up to 18-20 or more days missed in the entire school year - which at the high school level, means a loss of credit.

In early November, letters will be sent to parents of all children who have exceeded the 10% absence threshold. The letters are being sent to increase family awareness of a possible attendance issue, and the importance to work as a family to ensure students attend school regularly.

We recognize that there are legitimate reasons students miss school: For example, if your child has the flu, home is the place to be - so if that is why your child missed multiple days so far this year, you don't need to be concerned with an absence letter. However, if the reasons for the absences were not as critical, please consider ways to improve your child's attendance.

We thank you for your collaboration in this and all other Hamden Public School efforts aimed to increase the success of our children.