PTO Meeting
Our next PTO Meeting will be on January 11, 2017 at 6:00 pm and will be held in the LGIR at West Genesee High School. Mrs. Lozier will be giving us an update on three programs that have been in progress this school year: The Positivity Project, Enterprise America and Pay It Forward. The meeting will immediately be followed at 7:00 pm by Dialogue with the Superintendent at 7:00 pm where Dr. Brown will answer questions from the community. Please mark your calendar now for the remainder of our PTO meetings: March 1st and April 25th. The 15 week progress report is now available to view through Schooltool. Follow these steps:
• Click on “GRADES” tab
• On “View” box- drop down to Progress Report Grades
• On “FOR” box -drop down to Marking Period 2
Look here for all progress report and marking period grades for the 2016-17 school year. If you experience any difficulty please contact Nancy Boise at nboise@westgenesee.org or call 672-8183.
Principal’s Message
It really is hard to believe that December is rushing to a close. As much as we all enjoy our school breaks, we sure are looking forward to the New Year when we continue our commitment to providing enriching and meaningful experiences for all of our students. You might remember reading in an earlier blog that all middle level staff members read a great book over the summer break; Mindset by Carol Dweck, Ph.D. During our monthly faculty meetings we have been digging in to sections of the book that deal with the school setting. We have learned so much about the science of motivation, the value of feedback and the power of our words when we speak to our children. We have learned the difference between a growth and fixed mindset and how to support children in developing positive self-talk. I can sum up the whole purpose of the book in one sentence: Productive and focused work beats innate ability every day. We were thinking that the New Year might be the perfect time to share with families some of the power behaviors and thinking we have discovered, and so we are going to be having a workshop for that purpose. Please mark your calendar for the Got Growth Mindset! Presentation on January 31st at 6:30 pm at West Genesee Middle School. In one hour we will share with you strategies, tips and examples of how to help build a growth mindset with your child at home.
Life in Motion by Misty Copeland –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. Copeland’s 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.
Zoom: How Everything Moves: From Atoms and Galaxies to Blizzards and Bees by Bob Berman When you think about it, our world is full of natural motion. Berman examines the “how” of motion starting with the earth’s rotation, to the trajectory of a baseball and everything in between. The Amazon review of this book says the author writes “with an entertaining style and a gift for distilling the wondrous.
Brilliant Blunders by Mario Livio – The author is an astrophysicist who dispels the notion that some of our most esteemed scientists like Einstein and Darwin never made mistakes in their pursuit of knowledge. You can't put this book down.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck – Dr. Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and is the leader in the field of social psychology. Her groundbreaking work, told in easy to read language, proves that our mindset is the most critical factor in accomplishing any goal. A great family read!
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’s all-time favorite. (I love the version illustrated by Roberto Innocencti.)
On behalf of everyone here at CMS, I wish you a wonderful holiday season!
We Celebrate Learning!
Beth
Follow us on Twitter @camillusmiddle
January 3, 2017 – First day back at school after Holiday Recess
January 11, 2017 – PTO Meeting at WGHS in the LGIR – 6:00 pm
January 16, 2017 – No School – Martin Luther King Day
January 30, 2017 – No School – Professional Development Day
January 31, 2017 – First day of the Second Semester (A Day)
January 31, 2017 – Got Growth Mindset Presentation at WGMS at 6:30 pm
