What a year – we are approaching the end of the first semester in just a few days! The second quarter report card will be hand-carried home by your child on February 3. Parents often ask about how to assist their children in developing strong study and organizational habits. This short article contains five quick suggestions that will be of help.
I am sure many of you have been following the news regarding the many changes that are occurring in the world of education both nationally and right here in New York. One of the most exciting developments has been the adoption of the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) in ELA and mathematics for grades pre-K-12. Educators across the state are spending this school year learning about the standards and how to incorporate some instructional shifts into our daily practice. Our teachers have spent many hours examining about how these standards will bring about the need to make changes in our curricula, particularly in the area of mathematics. Here at CMS, teachers devote their team time period every Wednesday to develop units that better align with the new standards. I thought it might be helpful to share the link to this video which does a terrific job explaining the standards movement and the major components of the CCLS in English Language Arts. It is only 14 minutes long – just enough time to enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee. Please feel free to call me or any of our teachers should you have any questions about the Common Core.
We make our way through the winter months with some engaging academic opportunities. Our very popular Battle of the Books competition is underway. You can access the reading list and competition schedule here. Please contact Mrs. Ellen Miller at emiller@westgenesee.org should you have any questions.
Our Science Fair will take place during first and second periods on February 2 and the evening award ceremony will start at 6:30 pm. I want to thank Mrs. Jackie Mills for all her hard work in coordinating this event for our budding scientists. You can contact her at jmills@westgenesee.org
if you have any questions. We are very proud to have had three champion spellers from CMS compete in the regional round of the CNY Scripps Spelling Bee, Amelia Ryan, Amanda Lowther and John Sullivan. Amanda has advanced to the next round!
Please mark your calendars for our Teacher Workshop Day on Jan. 30 when school will be closed. February break is Feb. 20-24. Our next PTO meeting will be on March 20 at 7:00 pm.
