November/December Principal's Message

The local news media has recently been bringing to the forefront some of the changes happening in public education today. But for those of us who work in schools, these changes, including the Common Core Learning Standards, new teacher and principal evaluation practices (APPR) and mandated testing are almost old news – especially here at WG.

We have spent the last four years engaged in the work necessary to understand these changes and what they mean for educators and students alike. The work has included multiple professional development opportunities, too many to count, including collegial circles, action research, summer workshops, professional development days and presentations at faculty meetings. We are constantly reading, discussing, revising, and creating units and lessons that align with the standards and include 21st Century skills. Simultaneously we have a clearer understanding of how children learn, the importance of relevancy and what the research says makes a teacher highly effective. We know more today about how to engage and challenge students than ever before and have more resources at our fingertips. Despite what you may have heard, it is an exhilarating time to work in public education.   

Even during times of sea change, there are things that remain constant. The role of parents as their child's first teacher, the importance of fine arts and physical education in developing the whole child, the imperative to model good character traits…these will always be part of our mission. The daily practice of reading is another constant that contributes most directly to a rigorous and meaningful education.

Reading across all genres broadens a child’s experience with ideas, vocabulary and the world outside of Camillus. Extended school breaks, like the one we are about to begin, provide the time and quiet to read books outside of the daily assignments from teachers. I know, it can be a challenge to get our children to read; there are so many other activities (digital and otherwise) competing for their attention. But if we select the right book, provide a place and model how to revel in a good story, our children will receive one of the most important gifts we can give them. Even our 8th graders are not too old to enjoy a story read aloud by an adult. Want some suggestions…here are a few books I have read lately, and they are perfect for middle school students (and make a great gift).

Toughness by Jay Bilas – Any ESPN fan will recognize the author on the front cover. Jay recounts his personal story as a student, collegiate and pro athlete and coach along with his wise words about perseverance and character.

The Reason I Jump by David Mitchell – Translated from Japanese to English, this memoir is in a question and answer format and explores the life of the original author as a 13 year old with Autism.

Strength of a Champion by OJ Brigance – I just bought this book after learning of the author's story from watching my favorite television show, CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood, (9:00 a.m. every Sunday – you won’t be disappointed if you watch). His story is riveting and heartbreaking yet is true to its subtitle of "finding fortitude through adversity."

Brilliant Blunders by Mario Livio – The author is an astrophysicist who dispels the notion that some of our most esteemed scientists like Enstein and Darwin never made mistakes in their pursuit of knowledge. You can't put this book down.

Petey by Ben Mikaelsen – If you haven't heard, the author is coming to visit WG on Feb. 7th to mark our first One Book, One Town, Everyone Reads event. This piece of realistic fiction reminds us all that one person can make a difference.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – My family's all-time favorite read aloud. Even if you have seen one of the many movie versions, you’ll still want to read the book. The imagery and suspense are brought to life in a way that is missing from film. The pages where Marley reminds Scrooge that we "are all fellow travelers to the grave" are particularly poignant. Note to parents who want to read this aloud…take a few minutes to pre-read the pages you are going to cover each day, some of the syntax can be tricky in places.

All of us here at CMS wish you and your children a peaceful and beautiful holiday season. We look forward to welcoming our students back on January 2, 2014!

We Celebrate Learning!

Beth

Principal's Message

Yesterday at Wegmans I noticed that stock workers were breaking down the Halloween candy display to make more room for…you guessed it…Christmas decorations. The passing of the fall season was confirmed this morning with the first frost which means we have reached the end of our first quarter. Report cards will go home with students on November 8. This is a perfect time to set goals, adjust study habits and find ways to extend learning at home. When my own children were in middle school I happened upon a Word-A-Day calendar at a book store. Each morning “E” and Nate would take turns peeling back the calendar to find the next day’s word before heading out to the bus. (They still remember their all-time favorite word – bathetic.) Eventually they devised a game where points would be awarded if one of us could use a word in conversation over the course of the week. Nate still claims that he is the reigning champion (don’t tell his older sister). It was a simple thing but it really took on a life of its own. I still see those calendars in stores, but I’ve found a terrific online source for your daily dose of vocabulary at www.wordsmith.org. All you need to do is log on and enter your email address. Each morning you will get an email with a word, pronunciation, definition, etymology and usage. The best thing is that each week the words are arranged in a theme – so clever.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of a robust vocabulary for our students. Education theorist E.D. Hirsch recently wrote that, “There is strong evidence that increasing the general knowledge and vocabulary of a child before age 6 is the single highest correlate with later success.” We know that 11, 12 and 13 year olds also need to acquire as many words as possible and be able to use them orally and in writing. Another helpful strategy is for adults to read aloud to their children, especially text that they wouldn’t normally read independently. Almost every grade level uses current event articles for weekly assignments. Read the article aloud and ask your child to identify words that are new. Ask them to define the word if they can. You can also read aloud from the opinion page where many national columnists have articles. The vocabulary usage here is usually at a higher level.

Pulchritudinous…did that word get your attention? It did mine a few weeks ago when I saw it in the headline of an article on the OP-ED page of the newspaper. I got the meaning of that gorgeous word by reading the article and confirmed my definition with a quick look at Google. I suppose you can guess what I did next. I waited for just the right moment to use it in conversation with my children. Guess who the reigning champ is now?

We Celebrate Learning!

Beth

Welome Back

It hardly seems possible, but here is the short list of what has already happened at CMS in the month of September:

• Earlier start time to allow for Interaction Time
•  School pictures completed
• First Dance/Open Gym with 320 students in attendance
• First Olweus Class Meeting and ice breaker (special welcome to our new and redistricted students)
• Race For Respect
• 4,253 lunches served – they are new and improved! Check out the menu.
• AIMS WEB screening in math and ELA for all students

By the time you read this we will have had Open House and are quickly approaching the 5 week mark. If you do not have your password for SchoolTool allowing you and your child access to the open grade book, please call (672-8381) or email Nancy Boise at nboise@westgenesee.org. The power of the open grade book really should be in the hands of our students so that they take personal responsibility (and pride) in their academic achievement.

Please mark your calendars for our first PTO meeting which will be held on October 30 at 6:00 p.m. in our library. If you are unable to attend and are able to volunteer for one of our committees please email our president, Barbara Soper at bsoper@twcny.rr.com. Every great program here at CMS (dances, Book Fair, Science Fair, Battle of the Books, to name a few) simply would not happen without our PTO.

Here at WG we pride ourselves on having excellent facilities; we take great pride in how our buildings look inside and out and how efficiently they operate. In an effort to further enhance the safety and welfare of our buildings we will be holding a Capital Project Referendum Vote on November 12. You can learn more about the particulars of this very important development viewing Dr. Brown’s presentation. He will also give a brief presentation at the Stonehedge library on October 10. Mark your calendars now for this very important vote!

Finally, I would like to formally welcome the following faculty members to the CMS community: Monica Canterino-School Counselor (last names: L-Z); Kathy Dugan-SYSOP (tech support); Sean Fahey-Assistant Principal/District Data Coordinator; Nancy Kastic- Teaching Assistant; Danielle Miranda-7th grade Special Education; Mark Osborn-Teaching Assistant; Lauri Poppe-Food Service; Melissa Rachfal-Speech Therapist; Jennifer Vinci-Math Interventionist; and Jessica Volz- part-time PE teacher.  

We are off to a great school year! My door is always open to you - feel free to call, email or stop by at any time.

Take care,

Beth Lozier, Principal

The Official Homestretch

This is the official homestretch…the last 5 weeks of school are upon us! Your child’s 35-week progress report will be hand-carried home on May 24. I want to thank you for your help during the NYS Common Core Assessments. During the week of the ELA tests we had almost perfect attendance. We still have two more tests to administer for 8^th grade students only: 

NYS Science –May 22 and June 3 

NYS Field Test – Math – June 4

The Annual School District Board of Education Election and Budget Vote will take place from 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in the West Genesee High School Auditorium Lobby. If you would like to review Dr. Brown’s presentation you can see it here or stop in to the Main Office at CMS to look at a hard copy. 

Our students are enjoying the last few weeks of school; we’ve shared a laugh at the Student Council’s annual talent show and our Battle of the Books competition (see the pictures of our teams at the bottom of the blog, in no particular order). Our students in the SKATE program brought back many ribbons from the Special Olympics event – they had a picture perfect day. As I am out and about each day I see students working hard in their classrooms, athletic fields and in preparation for their last concert of the year.  On Friday we had our final Olweus class meeting of the year where we reviewed our student survey data and gathered feedback about what our students think helps them get the message about bullying. In the past month we have had PSA announcements each morning written by small groups of students – we’ve heard raps, poems and songs – each bringing home the message that we must stand up for each other. They are the high-point of our day!

Finally, mark your calendars for Sunday, June 2, 2013 for the Save Modified Sports Run/Walk. The route begins and ends at WGHS. The race will culminate with a tug of war between CMS students and our friendly rivals over at WGMS.  You can register on-line. Thank you for your support of this fun event. 

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or just stop by – my door is always open!

We Celebrate Learning!

Beth

Interaction Time at the Middle Schools

In an effort to constantly improve the educational program that we offer our students, we have been exploring different ways to provide more support for all of our students. Our high school has used the practice of Interaction Time (IT) for many years now, and it has proven itself to be an effective way to give our students more time with teachers.

Essentially, IT is a 30 minute period at the end of the day where students can meet with teachers for a variety of purposes.  This time could be used for students to connect with a teacher for a class that they missed due to an absence or music lesson, to make up a quiz or test, to complete a lab, or for an extension of the classroom experience. In addition, it would provide an opportunity for our students to access our computer labs and library. This is much more than working on homework, this is about improving how we support all of our students in a time of tremendous change in education. After working closely with the Director of Transportation on the logistics and presenting this information to the Board of Education last week, we are happy to tell you that we are ready to implement IT at the start of the 2013-14 school year.  

We have created a series of FAQs at the bottom of this blog post that will help you understand IT. Please keep in mind that the times are approximate until will solidify transportation schedules.  Please feel free to call or email us should you have any questions. 

We Celebrate Learning!

  

Beth Lozier

Principal, CMS                  

blozier@westgenesee.org

Phone: 672-3159     

What will the middle school hours be next year?

The day will begin at 7:35 a.m. and end at 2:10 p.m. Interaction Time will occur from 2:10-2:50 p.m. There will be two bus runs, at 2:10 and 2:50 p.m.

Will my children have to get up much earlier with the new start time?

Most students will have to be out and ready for the bus approximately 5-13 minutes earlier than this year.

Will some middle school students be riding buses with high school students?

Yes, depending on the bus route some Middle School students will be riding with High School students on both bus runs. There is often a perception that the behavior of older students will have a negative influence on the younger students on the bus and some parents have expressed an initial concern with having them ride together. First and foremost we have terrific high school students and generally have few issues on our High School bus runs. In addition, we currently have our parochial students (over 300) in grades K-12 ride the buses with High School students each day and we have not had any behavior or other problems with younger students riding with older students since combining those bus runs in 2008. The other piece to this that Elementary and Middle School parents are typically not aware of is how few High School students actually ride our buses.  On average we have 17 or fewer students riding any of our High School buses to or from school and our buses hold at least 55 students. The majority of our bus runs for next school year will be primarily Middle School students.

Will Interaction Time occur Monday-Friday?

Students will have IT on Tuesday-Friday.  On Mondays, IT will be used for staff development and faculty meeting purposes. Students who participate in modified sports, clubs, school musical, etc. will stay on Mondays and attend a supervised study hall until 2:50 p.m. at which time their practice or club will start.

How much instructional time was lost as a result of creating Interaction Time at the end of the day?

None. With careful planning and looking at scheduling and transportation in a different way we were able to maintain the current amount of teacher-student instructional time and make better use of some dead time that existed on the front end and during the school day.

                   

Testing This Week

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This week your child will take the Common Core Assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Our faculty and students have been preparing for these tests all year by focusing on the instructional shifts and standards, day in and day out. With that in mind, we approach these tests with a positive attitude. 

The best way for you to help your child is to simply encourage them to do their best. A good night’s rest and some breakfast each morning will allow them to remain focused and attentive. It is critically important that all students be in school and on time during testing days. Students perform better if they take these assessments in the regular setting rather than on make-up days. We are not certain when the scores for this year’s assessments will be available, but you will sent an individual report by mail when they arrive. You can learn more about the assessments by visiting this web site:

  

http://www.ocmboces.org/tfiles/folder874/ParentExplanationAssessmentChanges.pdf

We are also encouraging parents to have their child leave all electronics (cell phones, iPods, MP3 players, e-readers, etc.) at home during testing days. If your child does bring one of these devices to school they must be in the off position and stored in their locker as they are normally required to do. Students may not bring these devices into the classroom during testing sessions. Test administration rules require that any such device must be turned over to school staff and cannot remain in a student’s pocket or desk during the exams.

Our testing schedule is as follows:

Grades 6-8  ELA                   April 16-18     8:00-10:00 a.m.

Grades 6-8  Mathematics     April 24-26     8:00-10:00 a.m.

I am always available should you have any questions regarding the assessments. Please feel free to call me at 672-3159.

We Celebrate Learning!

Beth Lozier

Principal

Call Me and Optimist

Call me an optimist, but I really think spring has arrived in CNY. Just yesterday I heard birds chirping as I got in my car to come to school. These last few months of school are known to pass in a blink of an eye. In the midst of your busy days I know you continue to prioritize the academic journey of your children. We live in a time, thanks to technology, where we have more resources than ever before to keep us informed about the changes in education as well as ideas for helping our students become career and college ready. 

In this blog I have written about www.engageny.org, a Web site organized by New York State that is a depository for everything you might need to know. Last week I gave a workshop for parents entitled “Math In The Middle” where I shared information about the Common Core Learning Standards and helpful hints including the connection between literacy and math. If you missed it, I would be happy to give you the information personally or in another small group…perhaps a group of neighbors. Just give me a call to schedule another showing! Many of the resources I shared are available here. 

  

At CMS we pride ourselves on being a learning organization. Improvements only come through a process of feedback and reflection. I would very much appreciate your thoughts about our school. Please take this brief, anonymous survey. It shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes and the information will help us look at our strengths and weaknesses. I’ll share the results in my June blog. The survey will remain open until April 19.

Wishing everyone a relaxing April break…keep your ears open – our bird friends are the harbingers of spring.

We Celebrate Learning – together!

Beth