Superintendent's Students of the Month-November 2020

Bear Path School- Logan Vanacore
Bear Path School has selected Logan Vanacore as our 5th grade Superintendent Student of the Month for his positivity, his grit and his dedication to learning. 
Logan is a distance learner who logs on to Zoom every morning with a smile on his face and a friendly good morning for his teacher.  He is an engaged and inquisitive learner. That's really noteworthy this year, when school feels so much different for all of us.  His energy on Zoom is contagious.  He consistently shares his ideas and is not afraid to let his teacher know when he doesn’t understand something.  He brings a positive energy through the computer and his confidence is inspiring to the other students.

We are proud to recognize Logan and congratulate him for this award.

Church Street School- Tianna-Marie Franklin
Our team chose Tianna-Marie Franklin as the student of the month. Tianna is new to Church Street this year, but you wouldn’t know it by the way that she carries herself and interacts with her peers. In class, Tianna is always willing to help a friend and finds ways to bring a smile to others. When it comes to learning, she is extremely responsible and proactive. Tianna approaches learning with confidence and curiosity. She has a thirst for knowledge and looks to make improvements in all academic areas. She remains positive throughout the day and is always willing to try her best. Tianna embodies so much of what a lifelong learner is. We are honored to recognize her as 5th Grade’s Student of the Month.

We would like to nominate John Estrada because he represents everything that our Dunbar Hill PRIDE motto stands for. Johnny maintains a Positive attitude in everything that he does. He is excited about school and likes to share his ideas with the class appropriately. Johnny is always Respectful of his peers and classmates. He has a kind word for everyone and never forgets to say please and thank you. Johnny is In Control of himself so that he can complete his daily assignments and often he continues working at home! Johnny is Dedicated to being the best that he can be in all subject areas. He gets his work done and always checks in to make sure he is on the right track. Finally, Johnny is one of the most Empathetic kids ever! He makes sure that he is respecting the feelings of his classmates and is there to lend a helping hand whenever he needs to. Johnny makes his peers and teachers want to be better people every day. He is the PRIDE of the Dunbar Hill Fifth Grade!

Helen Street School- Alessandra Flores Ruiz
Alessandra Flores-Ruiz is a well-rounded student and handles all aspects of school life with grace and excellence.

She shows exceptional respect for all, contributes to discussions in a meaningful way, and truly enjoys leaning.

Dannaliz Serrano Cote is a ray of sunshine in a dark and challenging time. Since the beginning of the school year, she has given a consistent effort to master language, to learn new concepts, and to grow as a learner. She asks questions and seeks help when needed. This demonstrates an increase in confidence and effort from her fourth grade year. Most importantly, Dannaliz is a caring and supportive friend to others and a respectful school citizen in the Ridge Hill Community.
In our school, we pledge to have a positive attitude and to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. Whether in the classroom or outside for play breaks, Dannaliz has taken that pledge to heart and is an example of those tenets each day.

Shepherd Glen School-Kaleigha Strickland-Ortiz
Kaleigha is an amazing student who makes her presence known to staff, classmates, friends and whomever she meets with her warm smile and sweet disposition. Each day she is full of enthusiasm and positivity towards school. Whether it be remote or in person learning, Kaleigha readily participates in class, encourages all of her classmates, asks thought provoking questions and challenges herself to be her best self, taking advantage of supplemental activities and experiments. 

Kaleigha knows the meaning of true effort, responsibility, and integrity. When I asked her mom to describe Kaleigha’s likes and dislikes, her mom responded, “Kaleigha loves singing, dancing, riding her bike or her hoverboard and nail polish but she really doesn’t have any dislikes. This statement does not surprise me at all.  Kaleigha’s positivity is contagious and reminds all around her to be grateful for what you have and focus on the positive in life.

Spring Glen School-  Laila Clark
Laila is the kind of kid whose mask doesn’t hide her smile. She is always upbeat, always respectful, and always has a great attitude. She is organized and invested in her own success. Laila is a conscientious student. She is a student who puts 100% into everything she does in science and social studies. She is organized, polite, and seeks help when needed. She is a model student and is a friend to everyone. Laila is a kind and caring student who brings a smile that lights up our classroom each day to school. Laila is well-liked by her peers, and she sets a wonderful example for them by how hard she works. Her amazing attitude and love of school makes her a dream student for all teachers. Laila is a joy to teach! She always has a positive attitude for learning and shows enthusiasm each and every day!! She eagerly contributes to group discussions and shows a keen sense of understanding and respect for her classmates and teachers. Laila often asks how she can help others and shows kindness throughout each day. She exemplifies strong/positive character traits and is a valued member of her 5th grade class.

West Woods School- Giuliana Longo
Giuliana exemplifies our WWS PACK expectations by being positive and respectful, acting responsibly, caring for others, and always keeping safe.  She is always positive and focused.  She is a helpful, hard worker who never gives up.  She always has a kind word for her classmates and teachers alike!  She is a breath of fresh air every day and always makes WWS a better place!  

Shakira has not only been working hard and earning very high grades, but she takes pride in her work and always completes it to the best of her ability.  She is a wonderfully kind, pleasant, and outgoing young lady, who always greets her teachers whether it's in person or on Zoom, and she brightens her classes, as she's always willing to participate.  And she's been very understanding with her teachers and is very mature and kind when they've made mistakes.  Overall, she's an absolute pleasure to have in class.

In a time of teachers bending over backward to engage their students, Zamir always goes the extra effort to participate in every lesson. He knows how to take space and make space for others. It is common for Zamir to say "to add to what so and so was saying.." Knowing his kind, effortless, gregarious nature, I paired him with a shy student as his book club partner. Zamir worked tirelessly each day to better engage this young man and helped to bring him more out of his shell.  His written work is always sophisticated and detailed. I am so grateful to have this wonderful young man in my class. 

Hamden Middle School- 8th Grade- Aaron Lakin
Aaron is a student who consistently leads by example. He is admired by his teachers and peers. Aaron is always prepared, respectful, and engaged during lessons. He is friendly and ensures that all of his peers are included during activities. Aaron understands the importance of making the best of every situation. Thanks for always going above and beyond, Aaron!

Hamden Middle School- 8th Grade-Alexa Leibowitz
Alexa has proven since the start of school that she is a hard worker. She completes all of her assignments, and her efforts always exceeds expectations. Alexa's class participation is stellar even when she is at home doing Distance Learning. In addition to her academic achievements, her teachers state Alexa to be a pleasure to teach. She always has a kind word for her teachers and classmates, and shows the utmost respect for her HMS community. Alexa is very deserving of this award.