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Mrs. Elizabeth Carpanzano » Biography

Biography

Elizabeth Carpanzano

Grade 1 Teacher

Email: [email protected]

  

Teaching at The Catholic Academy of Stamford is an opportunity for me to share the blessings of the Catholic faith with my students, their families, and my colleagues. I am grateful that my two daughters were educated in Catholic schools from Pre-Kindergarten through college and are now serving the Stamford community, one as a kindergarten teacher at Mater Salvatoris Catholic School and the other as a registered nurse at Stamford Hospital.

 

I have lived in Stamford with my husband and have been an active parishioner of the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist for the majority of my life. The former St. Cecilia School became the primary avenue for me to volunteer my time as a parent for many years before spending more than a decade in kindergarten, first as a teacher assistant and then as the teacher.

 

Three years ago, I was given the opportunity to expand my current teaching experience from first grade teacher assistant and resource teacher to first grade teacher. I recognize the richness of the gift of Catholic education that makes all students lifelong learners.

 

It has always been a privilege to educate these young students, especially in the Catholic faith. In fact, teaching has never felt like a “job” but rather a vocation, a passion for serving God by sharing his love with my students and their families. What a blessing it is for me to teach where I can infuse God’s message of peace, hope, and joy into my students’ educational experience each day! My approach with students is simple: good choices make God smile so we shine with the light of Jesus.

 

 Education/Certification:

  • B.S., Summa Cum Laude, State University of New York at Geneseo
  • M.A., University of Massachusetts-Amherst
  • Certificate, IMSE Comprehensive Orton-Gillingham Training
 

Posts

Important Info. and Reminders Week of 4/17- 4/21/23

*Please see Homework Cover Sheet for Spelling word list and Math Test concepts to review for tests this week, as well as other helpful hints and suggestions to improve homework sentences.
 
*At this point in the year, all students need to be "stretching" their written sentences by adding details: adjectives, where, when, why, how, etc. to describe their ideas. Many students are already doing this, but I would like to see several others join in with more effort to lengthen sentences and use periods, capital letters and good descriptions. Thank you for your support to encourage your child to work neatly and with best effort! 
 
*Thursday 4/20 is Casual Day for a Cause! Please bring in at least $2 to benefit Foundations in Faith -Diocese of Bridgeport.
 
*Wear gym uniforms and sneakers on Friday 4/21 for Mass.
 
*Lettuce Challenge: Our class is participating in a Stamford Garden Club contest by growing lettuce in our classroom. Each child planted a small lettuce plug in individual pots with the help of our "Garden Lady" Mrs. Jahn this past week! In mid-May, three plants will be chosen to submit for the contest. Hopefully the lettuce will grow as well as our Resurrection Gardens! (Please see CAS Photo Site for new pictures in several categories!)
 
*Religion Ch 22 Test Review sheet will come home Monday 4/17 in folders
 
*Spirit Week begins 4/24: see details on sheet coming home in folders 4/17
 
*Students may wear warm weather uniforms if appropriate for weather conditions. Please see handbook for details.
 
*There are 40 days of school left in first grade, so let's finish strong! 
Healthy breakfast, lots of sleep, practicing math facts, and reading for improved fluency and comprehension skills as well as remembering to make God smile every day with good choices are the keys to success!

Please Read ALL Important Reminders: 3/27-3/31/23

  1. Beyond the Bell Session #3 begins Monday 3/27
  2. Tuesday 3/28: Field Trip to the Palace Theater! We leave school at 9:30 and return by Noon. Students wear regular uniforms and will eat snack as usual at school before we leave. Pack a regular lunch for your child to eat at school for when we return to school. Email me if you are able to chaperone--there has been no response to my email request.
  3. Religion Chapter 9 Test Thursday 3/30: Review sheet coming home in folders on Monday
  4. Spelling Test Friday 3/31: see word list on Homework Cover Sheet
  5. Friday 3/31 Mass: Wear GYM uniforms and sneakers
  6. Friday 3/31 EARLY DISMISSAL 11:15am 
  7. Practice Math Facts (Addition and Subtraction to 20) EVERY DAY to become automatic!!!  Use flashcards and Clever Mathseeds online- your child has the sign-in badge at home!
  8. Quarter 3 ends Friday 3/31: parent portal closes at 3pm
  9. May your Spring Break and Easter bring many blessings to all students and families! Rest and have fun!
 

Lent information

During the Season of Lent we focus on more Prayer, Fasting and Giving to others in preparation for Easter. 
Students will be writing their Lent promises this week in school for our Amazing Work Wall.  We have been discussing as a class how we can pray more, what we can fast from (or "give up") and how we can give of our time, talent and money to others.
Please see my letter that was sent home in folders last week as well as an additional sheet that will be sent home Monday in folders that offers specific ways to grow closer to Jesus this Lent in the areas of Prayer, Fasting and Giving.
Thank you for your support! Have a Blessed Lent!

CAS Photo Site-Dental Health Activities

Check out all the newest pictures on the CAS Photo Site from our Dental Health Month/Career Day Activity thanks to Danny's Mom, Dr. Susie Shim! It was an exciting afternoon of hands-on fun learning how to properly brush and floss as well as seeing firsthand what sugar does to your teeth with a science experiment!
A BIG thank you to Danny's Mom who did an amazing job engaging all students (and Teacher!) with exciting activities! We appreciate your time and generosity! The students LOVED the huge tooth boxes and brushing timers that you gave them. Thank you so much!!!

Thank you!

A big "Thank you!" for the water bottles, Lysol spray and baby wipes that have been donated to our classroom! Many thanks to the families of Harper, Samantha, Cole, Ameris, James, Danny, Alex, Tommy and Nicolas for your quick response to the needs of our class. (Sorry if I failed to mention someone!)
Thanks to everyone for supporting our classroom needs! 

Awesome Week of 100th Day Activities

Congratulations to all students for creating and presenting such beautiful 100th Day Projects! We spent a wonderful week doing activities related to our favorite number 100! From predicting how long it would take to hop 100 times on one foot to how high of a tower would 100 pennies make, students (and teacher!) enjoyed the change of routine and new challenges. Be on the lookout for a special folder coming home this week with all the fun stuff we did to celebrate this special day! Thank you again for your support to make this a great week!

NO Movie or Craft Needed-WE ARE ALL SET!

THANK YOU, MRS. GHANDOUR FOR OFFERING TO COME IN FOR THE CRAFT AFTERNOON ON THURSDAY!!!! I am very grateful!
(And also thankful for Eloise's mom who had offered to do a craft if no one could do it! Many thanks for always being there to support our students...and me!)
 
 
If you have a G-rated movie on DVD that you could send in for us to watch and return to you, please let me know.
 
OR
 
If you have a simple craft that you would like to donate/send in for us to do OR if you are Virtus Trained and want to come in to do a simple craft on Thursday 2/2, please let me know ASAP.
 
(We just did 3 beautiful snowflake crafts thanks to the creativity and leadership of Eloise's mom and help from Alex's, Noah's, Hudson's and James's moms last week. Thank you so very much!!!! You need a break!)

Catholic Schools Week Activities/Info

Monday: 1/30: Career Day-Mr. Cingari to visit our classroom!
 
Tuesday 1/31: Wear your favorite sports jersey and bring 1 can of soup
 
Wednesday 2/1: EARLY DISMISSAL- NO aftercare or beyond the bell
                           Pajama Day!
 
Thursday 2/2: Student Appreciation Day-NO HOMEWORK!!!
                        Dress Down Day for Malta House-donate at least $2
                        (To support homeless mothers and babies)
                        Afternoon Movie or Craft 
 
Friday 2/3:  Mass and Spirit Wear Day (with sneakers-we have Gym)
                    5th Grade Mass Buddy Afternoon                                                    
 

NEW Photos on CAS Photo Site!

See what 1C has been up to lately....Go to the CAS website and click on CAS Photo Site under "About". Look for my teacher photos and ENJOY!
See our Baptism, Snowflake and Catholic Schools Week Projects!

LAST CALL TO SIGN UP: Career/Vocations Day

Dear Parents,

This year CAS will be holding another career/vocation day during Catholic Schools Week. To honor this theme, we are asking 3-5 willing parents to come in at different times to discuss their occupation/vocation. We want the students to see that there are a variety of jobs within our community!

Last year the first graders enjoyed "hands-on experiences" when the parents who participated in Career Day made it kid-friendly. They had fun learning about different professions by participating in a tangible activity, interactive presentation, simple worksheet, and other creative ways that engaged these young students to help them understand the job tasks!

Career Day will be held on Monday, January 30th. 

IF THE DAY DOES NOT WORK FOR YOU, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE CAN SCHEDULE ANOTHER TIME THROUGHOUT THE WEEK OF JAN 30TH-FEB 3RD OR THE FOLLOWING WEEK AS WELL!

If you would like to participate you must be Virtus trained to come in to speak with our class. Please let me know by Monday, January 23rd if you would like to join us. 


I look forward to hearing from you!

Mrs. Carpanzano

Prayers Test

Last quarter I individually tested the students on their ability to make the Sign of the Cross and say the prayer. I also tested them on the Hail Mary prayer.
 
This week I will individually test them on the Our Father prayer for 2nd Quarter. They should all know it as we say it everyday, but please review with your child if needed. Thank you!

Bathroom Use Going Well So Far!

As per Miss Brady, classes in the 100 Wing will need to use the bathroom as a class at scheduled times throughout the day. Therefore, please be sure that your child uses the bathroom at home right before coming to school, even if it was used upon awakening in the morning. Also, if your child attends the Before Care Program or arrives early on their bus, please remind them to use the bathroom upon arrival/before coming down to our classroom. Since I need to watch the parking lot door, and because we need to use the bathroom as a class, students will not be able to leave the classroom to use the bathroom at arrival time.
 
The exact times have not been scheduled yet; however, I wanted you to be aware so that you could speak with your child about the situation. Most likely we will be scheduled 3 times per day. The first time we go as a class may be after snack (9:30ish), then before lunch (11:30ish) and lastly after recess near the end of the school day after 1:00.
 
I will keep you posted. Thank you for your support and for explaining this new policy to your child prior to Tuesday 1/17 when we return to school so that everyone understands.

Water Fountain Fixed/Still Need Water Bottle Donation

NEW FOUNTAIN IS FIXED AND UP AND RUNNING!
Your child may refill their REUSEABLE water bottles in the hallway!
 
NOTE: This is not a drinking fountain! Their mouths do not go on it!
 
Our class has a limited number of disposable water bottles available for those who do not use reuseable bottles from home and/or until we adjust to using this new fountain as a class and as a wing. (If it is too crowded after recess, for example, or if the fountain is out of order at some point, we will still need disposable water bottles available in our room.)

Advent Acts of Kindness

1. Make cards for a senior home (made in class)
2. Help a classmate get packed up, help clean up, etc
3. Play with someone new during recess that you have never played with before.
4. Clean up someone else's mess just because
5. Let someone (mom, dad, grandparent, etc)  know you appreciate them 
6. Hold the door for someone
7. Help make dinner
8. Let someone else go first in line
9. Donate to the toy drive
10. Help clean your house
11. Mail a handmade Christmas card to someone
12. Do something special for your mom
13. Allow someone to help you 
14. Read a book to someone
15. Put your laundry at home or help with a chore at home
16. Set the dinner table 
17. Lead your family in prayer at dinner
18. Make cookies for your local firefighter, police officer, or teacher
19. Do a secret act of kindness for someone
20. Make a thank you care for someone that works at the school
21. Be extra kind to your sibling or parent today
22. Pick up any garbage around your school 
23. Clean your room without being asked
24. Give your allowance at the offering at church 
25. Sing happy birthday to Jesus

Advent House Info.

Thank you to Eloise and Danny's moms who helped us create Advent Houses! The students also colored beautiful ornaments and put Bible verses on them. They are now hung by our classroom windows.
Each day one house is opened, the Bible scripture on the ornament and an Advent Act of Kindness are read, discussed, and (hopefully!) performed either in school or at home! Then the Advent House goes home with the child who made it for that day so that the ornament can be hung on your tree!
Please ask your child what the Bible Verse and Act of Kindness are for the day! Thanks for your support! During Advent we are trying to grow closer to our Lord Jesus, and a perfect way to do this is more prayer and by showing more kindness to others.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO OUR AMAZINGLY TALENTED HOMEROOM MOMS for sharing your talents and also the gift of your love for Jesus with all of us!