Week of November 24, 2008

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
 
 
Haddam-Killingworth High School will be hosting its twentieth annual Holiday Show telethon December 23.  The live student-produced program hosts a "Shoreline Idol" competition which raises money for a different charity each year.  The charity to which this years' Holiday Show is benefiting is the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a group dedicated to finding a cure to one of childhood's most debilitating diseases.  HKTV was inspired to choose to JDRF as its charity, because of a letter written by local Haddam resident Kim Alonzo.  Kim's son Ben copes with type I diabetes on a daily basis.  Her son's school recently held a "Caps for a Cure" JDRF fundraising event with much success. The 2008 Holiday Show which will air from 8:00 to noon on December 23rd, will raise money for the Connecticut Chapter of JDRF. Shoreline residents can turn to Comcast channel air 18, and view the "Shoreline Idol" finalists performing live. The ten Idol finalists have been selected from auditions held by shoreline-area high schools.  Students and members of the community can vote for their favorite Idol singer by donating a dollar or more to the Holiday Show.  An Idol winner will be chosen on January 23, 2009, where the student with the most votes will be named the 2008 Shoreline Idol winner.  Television students at Haddam-Killingworth are proud to benefit such a worthy cause as JDRF.  This will bring children like Ben hope that Juvenile Diabetes is just one step closer to a cure.
 
Holiday Show Telephone #:  (860) 345-0690
 
 
 
There have been 18 burglaries in Haddam/Killingworth/Chester since November 1st.  They are happening between 10 am - 2 pm, and the thieves are taking cash, jewelry, electronics, laptops, etc.  The burglary average has been 2 per day Monday thru Friday. 
 
 
The Central Administration of the school district is in the process of assembling a proposed 2009-2010 budget for the Board of Education to consider.  This process will take until late February 2009.  If you have ideas regarding cost containment measures, ways you think the district can be more economically efficient and other similar thoughts, please forward them to Gary S. Mala, Superintendent of Schools at gmala@rsd17.org.
 
At the next Board of Education Meeting scheduled for December 2, 2008, the Board will be considering revisions to / establishment of the following policies.

A.     Policy 5114 (a):  Suspension and Expulsion Due Process
B.      4000 Series Policy:  Restraint and Seclusion of Persons at Risk
C.      Policy 5131.911 (a):  Bullying
D.      Policy 4131:  Staff Development
E.      Policy 6140:  Instruction (Curriculum)
F.      Policy 3513.1 (a):  Energy Conservation
G.     Policy 5131.913 (a):  Cyberbullying
 
 
The Board of Education Subcommittee listings have been updated and are available on the district website at www.rsd17.org.
 
 
Please visit the District Calendar located on the district's homepage (www.rsd17.org) to see when the Open House programs are scheduled to be held.  We look forward to seeing you at them.
 
 
 
A reminder that the district utilizes the Honeywell Instant Alert system to communicate with parents during times of emergency or to deliver messages of high importance.  Please be sure that you are registered with Honeywell (link available at www.rsd17.org) and have indicated how you wish to have messages received.  If you have questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact the Principal of any one of our schools for assistance.  
 
 
 
If you wish to have an announcement included in any Weekly Message or if you have any suggestions regarding the Weekly Message, please contact Gary S. Mala, Superintendent of Schools at gmala@rsd17.org.
 
 
 
Enjoy your week and thank you for your continued support.
 
 
 
Gary
Gary S. Mala
Superintendent of Schools
Regional School District 17
(860) 345-4534
http://www.rsd17.org
"Believing is Achieving"