December Message

Dear CMS Families~

Despite the warm winds and verdant lawns the calendar tells us that we are officially in the winter season. I’ll look forward to welcoming all our students back to school, perhaps with their down coats and gloves, on January 4, 2016. The holiday break is always a welcome one; it is a time to recharge and rest. And what better way to rest than with a good book! With an 11 day vacation almost every student should be able to read one book toward our 10 Book Challenge. We appreciate your support at home of our commitment to developing strong, independent and engaged young readers.

The start of the New Year always brings our very popular Battle of the Books competition. Students form four-person teams and then read a variety of books. Teams compete in Jeopardy! style preliminary rounds which lead to our Final Four extravaganza. Our theme this year is “Read

Around the World.” Registration for the Battle will close on January 6^th. Let us know if your child wants to participate and can’t find enough friends to join in. Just contact our super coordinator, Mrs. Ellen Miller at emiller@westgenesee.org. The titles this year can be found here.

Why is reading so important? Frank Bruni, a regular contributor to the New York Times, wrote most eloquently about what our children need most in life. On his very short list he included, “Words. A child needs a forest of words to wander through, a sea of words to splash in. A child needs to be read to, and a child needs to read.” You can read the entire article here.

So how is your child doing with our 10 Book Challenge? If you are looking for some suggestions my annual recommendations for school break reading can be found below…there is something for everyone and all are available on Amazon or at your local library.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown-This New York Times best seller is set in the Depression Era American West where nine working class boys inexplicably beat the elite East Coast rowing teams. The crew then goes on to the 1936 Olympics where they challenge the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The book has recently been adapted for young adult readers and includes archival photographs. USA Today called it “a suspenseful tale of triumph.”

Life in Motion by Misty Copeland – Another bestseller, this beautiful memoir tells the story of an unlikely ballerina who rises from an impoverished family to become the only African American soloist dancing with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. Ms. Copelands progression from the barre of a local Boys and Girls Club, to a summer scholarship to study in New York City and finally to the corps of ABT will leave you breathless. Her “life in motion” will inspire you to live your own dream with grit and determination.

Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz – The Peanuts cartoon strip just celebrated its 60^th anniversary. It is hard to believe that it originally ran in only 7 newspapers.  So many of our current cartoonists have been influenced by Charlie Brown and the gang. This book gathers many of their pieces along with classic strips from Schulz.

Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts – Another great read about this iconic cartoon, but here we get to see Schulz’s early drawings  and discarded strips.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – I always include this classic story on my annual list. The true meaning of Christmas is well-known to all of us through the many movie versions. The book, however, is so much more poignant and moving with scenes that just can’t be captured on film. Think your children are too old to be read a story aloud? Try this one…the Lozier children all-time favorite. (I love the version illustrated by Roberto Innocencti.)

Wishing you all good things in 2016!

We Celebrate Learning!

Beth

Beth Lozier - Principal

@camillusmiddle

IMPORTANT JANUARY DATES

January 8, 2016 – Wildcat Friday – wear your blue and gold!

January 11, 2016 – PTO Meeting at Easthill Elementary – 6:00 p.m.

January 18, 2016 – No School – Martin Luther King Day

January 22, 2016 – 6^th Grade Dance/Open Gym – 2:15-4:15 p.m.

January 29, 2016 – Report Card for 2^nd marking period available on Schooltool

November Message from CMS

 CMS Spirit Wear: Our annual spirit wear sale is in progress. Order forms are available by clicking here. Please make checks payable to CMS PTO. Students should return the order form to their homeroom teacher by Monday, November 30. Orders will be delivered to school prior to the December break. 

Yearbook Orders: The Yearbook Club is working hard on creating the 2016 edition of the  Camillus Middle Yearbook. You may order your copy by clicking here. 

Should you have any further questions or have trouble ordering please contact Dale Keida at dkeida@westgenesee.org or by calling the main office at (315) 672-3159. Yearbooks are $28. They can also be personalized with your child’s name for $33. The deadline for ordering is March 15, 2016.

Principal’s Message:  You’ve seen this number in several of my blog posts over the last year. TEN! The number of books each student should read (at a minimum) outside of school each year. When you think of the number 10 over the course of the school year the math breaks down to a nice and neat 1 book per month.

It is not unusual for teachers to hear the following comment from parents, “But my child just doesn’t like to read.” Of course, this is distressing to teachers and parents alike. Building thoughtful and independent readers is one of the most important partnerships between home and school. I think there is a good solution for reluctant readers, and it is grounded in strong research: self-selection of books. When students decide for themselves what books to read, motivation and engagement increases, providing fertile ground for independent reading.

We live in a time when the number of books, on any conceivable topic, is readily available. E-readers, books on tape, lending library programs and Amazon Prime make it convenient to always have a book in your child’s hand. The International Literacy Association provides extensive book lists with suggestions for readers at all levels and ages. Their lists are compiled from recommendations submitted by students themselves! You can find the 2015 list here.

All of us at CMS wish you and your children a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Five days off from school…plenty of time to read a good book!

We Celebrate Learning! 

Beth

Follow us on Twitter: @camillusmiddle

Halloween and a Guest Speaker

Our Halloween Dance-Open Gym will be this Friday, October 30, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5. Students may wear a costume or not. Treats will be available for purchase. Only CMS students may attend our dances.

Halloween fun will take place during the school day with a costume contest sponsored by our Student Council. Judging will take place during lunch periods, and winners will be announced at the end of the school day. We are looking forward to seeing all the clever and imaginative costumes tomorrow! Please remember that all costumes should be school appropriate. Students may stop in to the main office to check if they are in doubt.

Guest Speaker: We are excited to let you know that students in grades 6-8 will have a guest speaker on Thursday, November 5. Matt Bellace, Ph.D., Psychologist and Comedian will present to students on Natural Highs: Making Healthy Choices. If you are interested in hearing more about what Matt presents, please visit his website at www.mattbellace.com , or visit YouTube, search for Matt Bellace and view his work. We recommend the short clip titled "Natural Highs.” 

Beth Lozier

blozier@westgenesee.org

Follow us on Twitter @camillusmiddle

October Message

PTO Meeting: Our first PTO meeting of the year will take place tomorrow (Wednesday), October 7, at 6:00 p.m. in our library. We thank everyone who has already joined the PTO and contributed to the No Show Fundraiser. The effects of having such a supportive PTO are felt daily here at school. From the Scholastic Book Fair that was held last week to the Staff Appreciation Luncheon in May, we can always count on our families to volunteer and make these events happen! 

Progress Reports: The first progress report of the year will be available for viewing on Schooltool, tomorrow (Oct. 7), after 3:00 p.m. This is the perfect time to log on with your child so that they can monitor their academic progress, set goals and adjust any study habits early in the school year. Progress reports and report cards will no longer be printed. We will send an email notification that grades have been finalized for viewing every five weeks. The dates for viewing progress reports and report cards can be seen here. If you need a Schooltool password please contact Patty Davern at 315-672-3159 or pdavern@westgenesee.org. You may also contact our Guidance Department secretary Nancy Boise at 315-672-8381 or nboise@westgenesee.org. 

Question: What Does the Number Ten Mean You?: 

Answer: 10 means the number of books every student should read outside of school.  Why 10? Well, the generally accepted rule of thumb is 20 books per year – for every student – every year. And that’s the minimum. If we read the equivalent of 10 books per year in school then that leaves the other 10 books for reading outside of school.  

A great way to help our children is to create a literature rich household. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to this is just finding some book titles that interest the young adult reader. Look here for some really good suggestions on books to include in your home library. Ten books in a school year…let’s do it!

We Celebrate Learning!

Beth

blozier@westgenesee.org

Follow us on Twitter @camillusmiddle

Welcome Back!

The opening of the 2015-16 school year is right around the corner, and our students are returning to a more beautiful and efficient school due to the completion of the Capital Improvement Project. The shovels were in the ground (literally) as the busses were leaving the loop on the last day of school in June. I can’t wait for you to see the culmination of the project. On behalf of all of us here at CMS I want to thank the community for your support.

Please welcome the newest members of the CMS faculty: 
Kelly Boswell – Home and Careers
Corrine Costello – Art
Linda Crossett – Teaching Assistant
Amanda Cizenski – Physical Education
Molly Eide – Grade 8 Mathematics
Bill Hanning – Art
Jeanette Lannie – Teaching Assistant/Technology
Mike McCarthy – Grade 8 Social Studies
Kate Perkins – Teaching Assistant
Katie Riley – English
Diane Zarzecki – French

With the smaller student enrollment this year we have one teaching team at each grade level. Students will bring their daily schedules home on the first day of school.

CMS PTO

The reach of our PTO is felt each and every day here at CMS due to their strong support of so many vital programs. From the Book Fair in September to the scholarships for two seniors awarded each June (and the many activities during the months in between) our building is always bustling with something fun for our students. 

We would greatly appreciate your support by becoming a member for $10 per family and/or providing additional support through our No Show Fundraiser. Just click here for the CMS PTO web page where we will be putting the link to print the No  Show Fundraiser forms for you to send in with your child or mail them directly to school at 5525 Ike Dixon Road, Camillus, NY 13031. Mark your calendars now for the first meeting on October 7 at 6:00 pm in the CMS Library. 

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION

With the back-to-school season in full swing you might be purchasing items that have the Box Top seals. Look here for the list of participating products. We benefit greatly each year from the redemption of these seals. Just clip them and send them to school with your child.

Beth

Summer Reading?

I am sure by now all our students have completed reading one book from the summer reading list. But what would really make me happy is if all our students read every book on the list and then some! I honestly don’t think it is too much to ask; daily reading of all kinds of literature should be the norm.

The most important skill that students can acquire is the ability to read critically and for meaning. If we (school and home) want to develop students who are truly college, career and civic ready, then daily reading MUST become a habit; it isn’t an option and schools can’t do it alone!

Fifteen years into the 21st century has produced the first generation of children who are Digital Natives. Our students have more information at the swipe of a finger or the click of the mouse – a positive change – but only if they can navigate through all that text and use it to become more engaged in the world around them. Critical and meaningful reading skills matters more today than they ever have in the past.

Summer reading? It’s just not enough. Here at school we are making some changes to our expectations to create the space for more reading each day. At every grade level the homework in the English department will consist of 20 minutes of reading. The book should be selected by each student – anything they find of interest.

It needs to be scheduled much like dance class, football practice, piano and everything else our active kids are involved with! At the middle level we are challenging each student to read 10 books over the course of the school year. There are no prizes or ribbons. The reward is being a more informed and literate citizen. Students who have a daily study hall will be asked to read if they have finished their homework. We will have classroom libraries available and are working on getting e-readers for access to national magazines and newspapers.

Parents and guardians often ask how they can help at home. Here are some suggestions:

Let your child know what you are reading. It could be something work related or for pleasure. Discuss the main idea or something interesting related to the text. The Common Core Learning Standards even suggests texts such as manuals, legal documents and financial information.

Get a daily newspaper. It is sad fact that our local paper is no longer available on our doorsteps each morning – a fate that has plagued many small town papers. The New York Times is available for daily delivery and a subscription includes digital access as well. Most of the articles are well within the reading level of middle level students. And talk about high interest…just last week there was a big article on the video game industry and a synopsis of the new fall television season.

Is your child interested in sports? The human interest articles in the Sunday edition are excellent. Have a budding scientist? The Science Times section on Tuesdays includes both long and short articles on a whole variety of topics. Pick up a copy the next time you are grocery shopping…you won’t be disappointed.

Get a library card and head on down to one of our local branches. Talk to one of the librarians who are simply the best resources for what book is hot in the young adult genre. They can also make suggestions for book titles that pique your child’s interests. Look here for some excellent resources from Maxwell Library.

Ask questions about what your child is reading. Open ended prompts like: What did that remind you of? Or What was the best part so far? can help get the discussion started.

All of us here at CMS look forward to seeing your children back here next week. And you can be sure we’ll be asking about their summer reading!

We Celebrate Learning!
Beth

June Principal's Message

Dear CMS Families, 

This beautiful heart formation was taken on the back field at CMS two weeks ago. With nothing more than a chalk outline sketched on the grass, our students filled in the shape in less than 3 minutes. It sure was a sight to see and will serve as a reminder of our new school moto; “True blue Wildcats have a heart of gold!” 

Before we know it the last day of school will be upon us, but we aren’t winding down at all! We still have a whole host of activities planned before we say good bye to the 2014-15 school year. Please note the important dates below:

• June 3rd  - 7th/8th grade Band, Orchestra, Chorus Concert 7:00 p.m. @ CMS
• June 16th – Check Point A Examination for grade 8 students taking      French/Spanish  Exam begins at 7:45 a.m. – please arrive to school on time
• June 16th  - 6th grade Brand, Orchestra, Chorus Concert – 7:00 p.m. @ CMS
• June 17th – Common Core Algebra Regents – Grade 8 Algebra students only
• June 17th-18th – Grade 7 French/Spanish Final Examination
• June 22nd – Social Studies Final – Grades 6-8-10:10 a.m. dismissal 
• June 23rd – Science Final – Grade 6 Only – Grade 7/8 attend for science workshop - 10:10 a.m. dismissal
• June 24th – Last day of school for all students – 10:10 a.m. dismissal 
• June 24th – Celebration Dance for Grade 8 students only- 6:00-8:00 p.m.@ CMS

Final report cards will be mailed home on July 3rd.  Our annual Locker Day will be on August 19th from 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions. I wish you all a wonderful summer! 

We Celebrate Learning!

Beth

Mark Your Calendars

Spirit Week Returns at CMS – March 23rd-27th

Our favorite week of the year is finally here! CMS Spirit Week is sponsored by our Student Council who determine our theme and prizes. This year students will have an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for 50 cents each during all lunch periods. On Thursday, March 26^th, one lucky ticket will be drawn and the winner will get to be Principal For The Day! All money collected will be donated to a local charity. Teachers will also be nominating students who they think best exemplify the theme of each day. Those students can win either an iTunes or Destiny gift card. Don’t miss out on the fun! Our theme for each day will be:

                Monday – Twin Day

                Tuesday – Character Day

                Wednesday – Pajama Day

                Thursday – Sports Day

                Friday – Blue and Gold Day

 Our annual spring Scholastic Book Fair will take place on March 24-26^th. Students will attend during their English class and be able to revisit during their lunch period. We have many high-interest, young adult titles, including Insurgent, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, old classics like The Guinness Book of World Records. The books are very reasonably priced with no book marked more than $14.00. This is a great opportunity to buy a book to help your child make progress on our 10 Book Challenge. Research suggests that children should read 20 books as a minimum each school year. Click here for more resources to use at home.

Olweus Class Meeting

Tomorrow, March 20^th, will be a 10:10 a.m. release day for all middle level students so that teachers may engage in professional development. We will use our time that we have students to have our Olweus class meetings to focus on the topic of humanity and community. Thank you to everyone who has donated toiletry items for us to donate to the Samaritan Center. Students will watch a short clip about the center that you can view here. Our class meetings are planned by our teachers with a focus on helping students see the world through another’s eyes and to help build a compassionate and kind character. Please help us to extend this conversation at home by asking your child about the class meeting.

We celebrate learning!

Beth