Clark Lane Connects
Clark Lane Middle School
GLOW:
Thank you to the many staff members for working together to plan and present in the upcoming Veterans’ Day Assembly. We appreciate all of your efforts!
GROW:
Continue to do your best work and choose kindness, daily!
GOAL:
End the trimester on a good note! Trimester One ends on November 25th. Make the last couple weeks of the trimester count!
Hello CLMS Parents and Guardians!
November 2025
We have many reasons to be thankful this month. Let’s start with each of you! We are thankful for each and every one of you! Thank you for doing your part to make Clark Lane Middle School a great place to teach, learn and grow with PRIDE in our BEHAVIOR, LEARNING and COMMUNITY. There are many ways to show our gratitude for each other and for our community.
Wishing all of you who celebrate a Happy Thanksgiving season!
Please enjoy this newsletter!
CLMS Admin and Staff
REMINDER for ALL STUDENTS!
Bring your school-issued device with you to school EVERY DAY. Be sure to charge your device or bring your charger with you!
Also, don’t forget to bring a refillable water bottle with you to school daily!
Thank you for your attention!
Clark Lane Middle School 860-443-2837
Main Office, Press 1
Report Absence, Press 2
Or email:
CLMS-Attend@waterfordschools.org
Nurse (Health Office), Press 3
School Counseling Office, Press 4
Assistant Principal, Press 5
To reach teachers by email: first initial, followed by last name @waterfordschools.org
For example: jsachs@waterfordschools.org
To view Clark Lane’s staff directory:
UPCOMING EVENTS!
Mark your calendars!
Tues., November 4 – Prof. Dev. - No School Mon., November 10 – Veterans Day
Assembly (Veterans, please arrive by 1:30 pm)
Tues., November 11 – Parent Conferences - No School (info included)
Tues., November 18 – CLMS PTO meeting! Wed., Nov. 26 - Fri., Nov 28 – School Holiday, No School
Clark Lane Middle School…
Connecting with Parents
Parent Conferences…What You Need to Know!
Clark Lane Middle School will be hosting parent-teacher conferences on Tuesday, November 11th throughout the day from 7:45 – 2:30 pm. This is not a school day for students.
These conferences are one way in which you have the opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and to learn about his/her progress to date. Generally, conferences can be scheduled with any individual teacher with whom you would like to meet. In addition, if you would like a conference with more than one teacher, a team conference (or partial team conference) is sometimes available on these days, time permitting. We are asking parents who would like a conference to please email your conference request. If you are interested in a short conference (approximately 10-15 minutes) with an individual teacher, please email that teacher directly to schedule a time. If you are interested in meeting with one or more of your child’s teachers, please email your child’s homeroom teacher indicating with whom you would like to meet. In your email, please identify a range of time that you are available. Teachers can be emailed by using first initial + last name@waterfordschools.org (e.g. James Sachs: jsachs@waterfordschools.org). If you do not have access to email, you may call the school at 860-443-2837 to leave a message for the teacher with whom you would like to meet. We hope to see you on November 11th!
Drop off Procedures/Times
Parents may drop off students no sooner than 7:15am. Students wait in the cafeteria before proceeding to Homeroom.
Students who arrive after 8 am MUST be signed in at the Main Office (in the back of the building) by a parent/guardian. Please accompany your student into the building.
Early Dismissal Procedure
We ask that you make every attempt to NOT dismiss your student after 2:15 pm, unless a note was given in the morning. It is a disruption to the end of the school day and traffic management.
Thank you for your attention to this!
REMINDER
Trimester One ends on Tuesday, November 25th!
Interested in viewing our morning announcements? Check them out here:
Reminder to Parents & Students:
After-school academic support is available for students on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Please note that this time is intended specifically for students who need extra academic help. We kindly ask families to keep in mind that these sessions are not intended as after-school supervision. To ensure the best use of time, students should attend with specific questions, assignments, or areas where they need help. Students must be working with a teacher or staff member while they are on campus after school.
Thank you for your cooperation and support!
Does anything here belong to you?
Thank you, Mrs. Livingston, for the suggestion to post these photos (and for the photos)! See something that belongs to you? Be sure to go collect it!
Clark Lane Middle School…
Connecting with Parents
Your Attendance Matters!
Parents: Be sure to report student absences. *PowerSchool - Attendance Monitor* Check your email for details! or Email: CLMS-Attend@waterfordschools.org
Students: When you return to school, be sure to check in with your teachers to get missing work or stay after school for additional support.
LATE BUS INFO
Late buses typically run Monday through Wednesday, with the exception of the first Monday of the month due to faculty meetings. Students are encouraged to check with their teachers before staying after.
Did you know…many teachers use PowerSchool as a means to communicate important messages with students, as well as parents?? If you go to our School Counseling resource page on Clark Lane Middle School website (https://clms.waterfordschools.org/), you can watch a slideshow that explains how you can access PowerSchool! Here is the link to this page: https://clms.waterfordschools.org/cms/o ne.aspx?portalId=315642&pageId=32949 672
Checking PowerSchool regularly will help you, and your student, to stay on top of their progress and grades in each of their classes! This is a very important way for you to help your student be successful in middle school!
We appreciate your support!
If your child would like to take a different bus with a friend or get off at a different stop on their regular bus, you can email: clms-attend@waterfordschools.org
All bus requests must be in writing.
Thank you for your attention to this!
Clark Lane Middle School…
Connecting with Parents
November 2025
The winning cover of the 2025-2026 Yearbook Cover Design Contest, featured below, is a collaboration among the following: Alexis U. Gabi E. and Tanya O. Congratulations, all! Thank you to all the other student artists who participated. Thank you to all our students and teachers for voting on your favorite!
Did you know…National
Native American Heritage Month is celebrated in November? It is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages and stories of Native American and Alaska Native communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation.
Connecting Community
Thank you to everyone who attended Clark Lane’s Second Annual Fall Festival on Saturday, October 4! The event was a great success! Thank you to Clark Lane’s PTO for organizing pumpkin painting again this year! We had many talented, young artists throughout the day! Thank you to our vendors for participating! Thank you to our student volunteers! And special thank you to our custodial team! We appreciate you! What a wonderful, fall day!
Be sure to mark your calendars for our Third Annual Fall Festival, October 3, 2026!
Photos courtesy of CLMS staff
Connecting
Help Clark Lane Middle School …
Stuff the Bus!
Student Council is sponsoring Stuff the Bus, which will take place on Friday, November 7th. All donations can be brought into school (into student homerooms) by Wednesday, November 5th, and will be counted after school that day. The homeroom that collects the most items (with packaging intact) will also win a pizza lunch or donut breakfast!
Connecting Community
Connections…on & off the field
@ Clark Lane Middle School
Greetings Parents and Guardians of CLMS Students,
November 2025
Registration for CLMS winter sports is now open. Middle school winter sports includes boys and girls basketball for 7th and 8th grade students and wrestling and swimming for grades 6-8.
In order to participate, you MUST register and be cleared prior to first tryout dates for basketball and first practice date for wrestling and swimming. In order to be cleared for participation, there must be a current physical examination form signed by a physician on file in the nurse’s office. Physical exams are valid for 13 months from the date of the physical. If the student’s physical expires during the season, the student will not be allowed to participate in sports until an updated physical exam form is submitted directly to the nurse’s office. Questions regarding your child’s medical concerns should be directed to the CLMS nurse Erica McCaffrey at emccaffrey@waterfordschools.org or Rosita Corum-Giles at rcorumgiles@waterfordschools.org.
Please take the time to read our CLMS Athletics Registration & Information Newsletter. The newsletter contains information on how to register students for CLMS sports, how to make changes to your existing registration in ArbiterSports, coaches name and contact information, handy links for game schedules, information regarding the winter sports season at CLMS, as well as other helpful information. I hope that you take the time to read the CLMS Newsletter which should help answer most questions parents have regarding athletics at Clark Lane.
CLMS sports registration can only be done online through our partner company, ArbiterSports. CLMS Winter Sports Registration Link. ArbiterSports is a secure online registration platform that provides you with an easy, user-friendly way to register for our athletic programs, and helps us to be administratively efficient and environmentally responsible. When you register through ArbiterSports, the system keeps track of your information in your ArbiterSports profile so you enter your information only once for multiple student athletes and multiple sports programs. Please note that there may be offers presented within your ArbiterSports registration (NCSA College Recruiting and/or purchasing athlete insurance). Any offers are completely OPTIONAL and not endorsed in any way by Waterford Athletics.
I look forward to an exciting winter sports season at Clark Lane!
Sincerely,
Chris Landry - Director of Athletics & Student Activities
Lions Club is offering free vision screenings for Clark Lane Middle School students. Please email emccaffrey@waterfordsc hools.org and rcorumgiles@waterfordsc hools.org if you would like to have your child's vision screened. Thank you for your attention to this!
To directly contact the School Health Office, call: 860-437-6977 or email:
emccaffrey@waterfordschools.org & rcorumgiles@waterfordschools.org
Be sure to email BOTH nurses when emailing information about your student!
Confidential faxes may be sent directly to the School Health Office 860-437-2179
REMINDER
In an effort to help keep our school healthy, please…
● Stay home when you are sick.
● Cover your mouth and nose when coughing/sneezing.
● Wash hands frequently.
● Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Reminder from the Health Office
Attention Parents
Scoliosis
Screenings for 7th grade girls & 8th grade boys will begin in November.
Please call the Health Office with any questions.
If your child has any limitations or needs accommodations, please inform the School Health Office as soon as possible. This will help us ensure that your child receives the necessary support and care during their recovery. Thank you for your cooperation!
Connecting with Clark Lane Middle School’s
Health Office
MakingHealthyConnectionsbetweenHomeandSchool November 2025
Reminder from the Health
Office
Connecticut state laws and regulations permit boards of education and schools to accept requests from parents/guardians to give permission for school nurses and authorized personnel to administer Over the Counter (OTC) medicine in health situations. The OTC medications include Petroleum Jelly, Calamine Lotion, Hydrocortisone Cream, Bacitracin, Sterile eye wash and Aloe Vera Gel. Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are also available to CLMS and WHS students.
Parents/guardians are asked to complete the OTC Authorization Form to consent to the school nurse/authorized school personnel to administer OTC medicine in health/emergency situations.
● OTC Authorization Form
Please call the School Health Office with questions.
Helping each child reach their greatest potential November 2025
Effective School Solutions Connecting with World Kindness Day
is November 13th !!
How
do you teach your kids kindness?
This may sound daunting, but it can be done in simple ways that will last kids a lifetime. The more we teach kindness, the more ingrained it becomes throughout childhood and adulthood.
Here are some strategies you can try at home:
● Brainstorm ideas on how to be kind as a family. Kids are more likely to engage in activities that they helped create. So, by brainstorming ideas as a family, kids get to take ownership and feel excited about their ideas, rather than be told how to be kind.
● Model random acts of kindness. This can help kids identify ways they can show kindness to friends and family in unexpected ways. It can be as simple as writing a compliment on a sticky note and leaving it for someone when they’re not looking or writing a thank you note to show someone appreciation for something nice they did for them.
● Challenge your kids to an Acts of Kindness Challenge. Creating a competition can be a good motivator for increasing kindness. Set a goal for performing 3-5 acts of kindness a week and provide a place to keep track of what they did so they can reflect on their good deeds.
● Role model kindness. One of the best indicators of raising kind children is when we model kindness for others. It becomes a norm rather than an external effort.
There will be a Kindness Club that will meet on Mondays after school from 2:35-3:35 on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month. Our next meeting will be on Monday, November 10th in the E.S.S. office in Room C202A. Students may take the late bus home or can be picked up at 3:35. There is a sign up in the hallway outside the AP office.
News from IT
November 2025 especially for Clark Lane Middle School
Having trouble with your Chromebook?
Clark Lane Middle School students should ask the classroom teacher first to see if they can assist. Students who have a broken device will bring the device to the school library where they will be assigned a loaner device for the day. Staff will enter a ticket in Incident IQ for the broken device on behalf of the student. The IT Department will pick up broken devices at the end of the day and assess any damages, apply any fees and make repairs. Depending on the severity of the damage, students may be assigned a different device. Students will be called down to the library to pick up the replacement device as soon as possible.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION:
Is there a fee to replace a lost or damaged charger?
The Student Device Protection Program does not cover lost chargers, so YES, there is a fee. With or without Device Protection, the current replacement cost is $20. Replacement chargers must be supplied by the school system to ensure proper fit and correct wattage for the device. If your child loses a charger and needs to purchase a replacement, visit the Technology Store in MySchoolBucks to purchase one online. Once payment has processed, the charger will be delivered to your student's school. Please allow for processing and delivery time.
Students are REMINDED to bring their devices to school every day, preferably charged and ready to go! There is a limited number of Chromebooks for students to borrow from the library throughout the day on a first come, first serve basis.
Did
you know… families can only purchase coverage once per year per child? It’s true! After the two claims, or if the damage is determined to be intentional, families are responsible for full cost of repair or replacement of device.
Connecting with Clark Lane Middle School’s
Art Department
Wanted!
The Art Department is in need of interesting items for students to draw. Items such as old tools, bottles, toys, etc are needed. If you are doing fall cleaning, please consider donating your unwanted items to the CLMS Art Room. Items may be dropped off in Room M117, or contact Ms. Bonillo to make arrangements for pick up. Thank you!
Students in Sculpture Take Vocabulary Words to a Whole New Level
Students in Ms. Bonillo’s Sculpture class are in agreement! Not all words “look” the same! At least that’s what they found out when they started building words. One student shared, “My word is a bold word. The letters get bigger to represent raising your voice.” Another student shared, “You picked a word and had to find a font that looked like what the word means.”
Check out the projects below!
Photo courtesy of Ms. Bonillo
Connecting with
Family & Consumer Science
@ Clark Lane Middle School November 2025
Culinary News
Mrs. Loguidice asks, “Have you ever watched a cooking show where the chef seems calm?!” She continues, “The chef is likely using a technique called Mise-En-Place (pronounced meez ahn plahs). It's a French phrase that means "everything in its place." It works because when you're ready to cook, you won't be scrambling to chop an onion while something else is burning. You can focus only on the cooking steps and timing, which leads to better results and less stress!”
Clark Lane Middle School Culinary students have been busy having fun while practicing the mise-en-place technique. Great job, everyone!
Culinary Students Bake, Broil & Shine
Culinary Skills students have been busy practicing their baking and broiling skills in class. Mrs. Loguidice reports, “They’ve done fabulous job putting into practice important kitchen safety & sanitation standards while preparing some tasty treats!”
Photos courtesy of Mrs. Loguidice
Photos courtesy of Mrs. Loguidice
Sending a huge THANK YOU to all who supported the Clark Lane Middle School Fall Festival Pampered Chef fundraiser. New kitchen utensils were purchased to be used during cooperative cooking labs in our Culinary Skills classes!
We appreciate you all very much!
Music Department
Clark Lane Middle School
Musicians Shine at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA)
Honors Orchestra Festival
Ms. Masciarelli shares, “Paige Freeto, Angela Ournac-Vilca, Danica Taylor, Cecilia Balarezo, Lydia Wilson and Allyson Pina-Rodriguez participated in a day-long orchestra festival on Thursday, October 9, 2025, held on the campus of the University of Hartford.”
She continues, “The festival brought together outstanding young musicians from across the region for a full day of rehearsals and ensemble preparation under the guidance of professional conductors and educators. The event concluded with a special performance for family and friends, showcasing the students' hard work and musical growth.”
Clark Lane Middle School is proud of its students' dedication and achievements, and thanks ASTA and the University of Hartford for hosting such a valuable educational experience.
Photo courtesy of Ms. Masciarelli
Connecting with Clark Lane Middle School’s
Physical Education Department
November 2025
A message from the PE Team at Clark Lane
We are excited to share that next week we will be traveling to Stenger Farm as part of our Physical Education curriculum! This special experience allows students to move their bodies outdoors and connect with nature in a fun and meaningful way. Each class will visit Stenger Farm during their regularly scheduled PE period, and we will return before the end of the class. Students do not need to change for class on hiking days; however, please check the weather and wear appropriate clothing and footwear! Sneakers, boots, jackets, hats etc.
If you do not wish for your child to participate in our hiking unit during PE, please contact your child’s PE teacher to notify them. We look forward to a wonderful outdoor experience!
-PE Team
Mr. Cardoza, Mrs. Livingston & Mr. Lloyd
Did you know…hiking provides a host of mental and physical health advantages including improved cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health, better balance and coordination? That’s right!
ClarkLane MiddleSchool’s
WORLD LANGUAGE NEWS
Connecting our corner of the globe to yours November 2025
Dans la classe de français
6th graders have just learned numbers, up to #31, so we can start our calendar unit very soon, where they’ll be learning days of the week and months of the year, as well as holidays celebrated in France! This is always a fun unit! They’ll learn about La Toussaint, a holiday celebrated on Nov. 1st in France and Saint Nicholas, to name a few. They’ve also just completed reciting two tongue twisters in French! Please ask them to share with you!
7th graders have just started Unit 2 and are learning adjectives to describe one’s personality traits.
8th graders have just finished Unit 6. To end this unit, they’ve all just created their own Picasso painting! Our next unit Allons Manger, focuses on foods. Students are looking forward to this unit, where they’ll learn vocabulary for various foods, and we’ll focus on reading French menus and discussing foods they like or don’t like.
A classe linguae latinae
6th graders are just completing a project for a story they read in class. They are now diving back into the text to create a comic strip slideshow for the events that took place, all in Latin! In the process they have learned about Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Mt. Vesuvius, and the importance of these towns for archaeologists today.
7th graders have just finished learning about subjects, direct objects and verbs, and the role they all play in sentences. They have also learned about the typical Roman house – the layout and uses and names for the various rooms. They will now begin discussing Roman meal-time norms and foods. They will be creating their own villas at home using the medium of their choice!
8th graders have completed learning about the perfect and imperfect tenses and their uses in Latin. They have learned about the beginnings of the Trojan War, and are now beginning our Iliad unit where students will read a modified version of the ancient story and learn about the various characters involved.
En la clase de español
6th graders have been making great progress in their Spanish language learning! They have been working with numbers and learning how to talk about ages. As we move forward, our next unit will focus on the calendar. Students will be introduced to the months of the year and the days of the week in Spanish to talk about dates, holidays and birthdays.
7th graders are wrapping up their unit on friends and the activities they like and dislike. In our next unit, students will learn to describe what people do using -ar verbs and will begin exploring verb conjugations.
Additionally, students will explore various celebrations taking place in Mexico and some Central American countries during this time of year. This is a great opportunity to connect language learning with cultural experiences.
8th graders are currently exploring the migration of Monarch butterflies to Michoacán, Mexico, and its significance in the celebration of the Day of the Dead. In our next unit, students will learn to express their opinions about food choices and activities, while continuing to use regular and some irregular verbs in the present tense.
Wed., Nov. 19th - Fri., Nov. 21st
National
Wednesday, Nov. 19th
Mustache Day
Thursday, Nov. 20th
Dress Like a French mime!
Friday, Nov. 21st
Find a trio and Dress Like a French Flag! (Or dress in Blue, white and red on your own!)
CONNECTIONS CLUBS
After School Clubs
@ Clark Lane Middle School
The Connections Program offers a variety of afterschool clubs for students here at Clark Lane Middle School. These clubs offer students the ability to get involved in activities they enjoy after school and to meet new people and connect with the school. Clubs are generally offered for twelve weeks, so in the spring, there may also be new club offerings, while some clubs run the entire school year. Generally, club meeting days & times are announced over the morning announcements; however, there is also a bulletin board outside of the Assistant Principal’s office where staff members post club flyers! Students: be sure to check this out! Get involved!
French Club will be meeting again on Wednesday, November 5th in L200 to finish planning for National French Week! See Mme. Deojay for more information!
Join Perler Bead Club!
The Perler Bead Club meets on most Wednesdays after school in the library! Be sure to sign up on the list outside the AP Office. Space is limited!
LATE BUS INFORMATION
Late buses run Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays unless there is a faculty meeting, which is typically the first Monday of the month. If late buses are not running on a particular day, it will be announced. Students take the late bus that goes to their area of town. Students will be issued a bus pass from the adult they are staying after school with, or they can get picked up in lieu of taking a bus. Late buses arrive at school at 3:40 pm.
CONNECTIONS CLUBS
After School Clubs @ Clark Lane
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sponsored by CLMS
STUFF the BUS will be Friday November 7th. Mark your calendars, CLMS students, and staff! Be sure to bring in your donations to your homerooms by Wednesday, November 5th. Student Council will meet after school that day to count all donations!
The homeroom that collects the most items (with packaging intact) will also win a pizza lunch or donut breakfast!
Be listening to the morning announcements for more information!
Math Counts meets after school with Mrs. Joyner on most Tuesdays in S105! Come join us!
Have an Idea for a New Club?
Anyone can start a new club at Clark Lane! You just need a school sponsor (teacher, building sub or paraprofessional) and an idea!
Write up a proposal, work with an adult in the building and see if you can make it happen! For more information, stop by and see Mr. Sachs and find out how your idea can be set into motion for a new club at Clark Lane!
Learn how to solve the cube. Come join us! See Mrs. Joyner if you have questions! We meet most Mondays after school in S105
Come join The Craft Club
Looking for a fun way to spend your Wednesday afternoons? This club meets on Wednesdays in the atrium with Nurses Erica and Rosita. Get ready to be creative! Hope to see you there!
CONNECTIONS CLUBS
After School Clubs @ Clark Lane
Come join Latin Club!
Latin Club meets on Wednesdays in L202. See Magistra Garrison for more details!
El Club de Español meets periodically throughout the school year! Listen for announcements for or see Señora Dearborn to join!
Kindness & Care Club
This club meets Mondays in C202A (the ESS Office).
Come be part of the Kindness Revolution!
CONNECTIONS CLUBS After School Clubs
The Spanish Club offered a variety of activities to celebrate Hispanic Heritage at Clark Lane
Photos courtesy of Sra. Dearborn
November 2025
Students had the opportunity to play games that kids their age play in Spanish speaking countries. Other students explored the meaning behind calaverasde azúcar (sugar skulls) and had fun making their own! The Spanish Club also enjoyed watching Coco together while sampling some of the traditional foods shown in the movie.
What’s Cooking?
in Clark Lane Middle School’s cafeteria
REMINDER
Students riding the bus who want breakfast in the morning should report to the cafeteria after checking in to Homeroom for attendance.
If your student is a parent drop-off in the morning, those students wait in the cafeteria until the bell and can get breakfast there as they come in before Homeroom.
Join the CLMS PTO
We’d love the support!
PTO News
Clark Lane PTO had a busy month. We were happy to run a pumpkin painting station at the Fall Festival with help from Ukleja's Tree Farm for the second year in a row. We were also able to treat staff with a visit from Wicked Southern Coffee on their professional development day! They were very grateful.
Our next meeting date is: Tuesday, November 18 5:30 pm CLMS Library or on Zoom (link to be shared) Come join us!
A big thank you to everyone who bought tickets for the Rib Rally which helps us fundraise to provide these kinds of events. The board is working hard to build an active PTO and needs your help! Please consider attending our next meeting Tuesday, November 18th at 5:30pm. We especially need 8th grade parents to get involved. The PTO is responsible for fundraising and planning 8th grade end of year events such as the dance and beach day. We can't do it alone and value your input and assistance. Questions, please reach out to clarklanepto@gmail.com and follow our Facebook page: Clark Lane PTO. Spirit Wear is coming soon! Watch for info in next month’s Clark Lane Connects!
Get all the updates by following our FB page! See what’s happening! Get meeting reminders!
Photo courtesy of CLMS PTO
Here’s a simple way to
Just download the app and you can support Clark Lane Middle School with purchases made in person or online. Visit https://www.boxtops4education.com/ to learn more and see a list of participating products. Thank you!
