December Message

Our next PTO meeting will take place on January 10th at 6:00 PM. It will take place at the West Genesee High School LGIR. Dr. Brown will hold his annual Dialogue with the Superintendent presentation immediately after the meeting at 7:00 PM. District residents are encouraged to come and ask any questions related to our schools. We look forward to seeing you then!

Message from the Principal

Last night we had our final concert of the winter series. It was the first time our 6th graders got to perform for their families in a large ensemble. There sure was excitement in the air! We are always amazed at the growth our students make from their first rehearsal in September to their first concert in black and white dress attire. Thank you for your support of music in our school; it makes CMS a more beautiful place to be.

Last month in this space, I wrote about some concerns we all share regarding cyber safety and apps that are detrimental to our children. But I think it is important to remember that technology can largely be a positive force especially as it puts information immediately into their hands (and minds). Educational apps help answer those questions that stem from natural curiosity; the who, what, where and why about the world our children live in. It is still a tall order for parents and guardians to sift through these apps…just because the word “educational” precedes “app” doesn’t make any one of them particularly valuable. According to this recent article in the New York Times, entitled How to Choose the Best Apps for Your Kids, there is help out there as you evaluate what to buy. The article suggested these “pillars” as a guide:

A good educational app actively engages the child; doesn’t have distractions that interrupt the learning experience (that includes ads); bridges new learning to existing knowledge; has clearly defined, measurable learning objectives that build on existing skills; and includes social interactivity or feedback.

The article also made good suggestions for audiobook streaming, coding tutorials and journaling platforms. There truly was something for everyone from pre-school through 12th grade.

I hope the holiday break gives you and your family a chance to celebrate, to rest and to learn something new…from an app or just a good book.

We Celebrate Learning!
Beth
Beth Lozier – Principal
Follow us on Twitter @camillusmiddle

January 2 – 1st day back from Holiday Recess
January 5 – Wildcat Friday – Wear your school spirit colors
January 8 – 8th grade parent night at CMS LGIR- 7:00 pm
January 10 – PTO Meeting-6:00 pm at WGHS followed by Dialogue with the Superintendent at 7:00 pm
January 15 – Martin Luther King Day Observance – No School
January 26 - Staff Professional Development Day - No School for Students
January 29 - Second Semester begins

November Message

First 10 week Report Card

The first 10 week report card will be hand carried home by students on Friday, November 17th. Please take a moment to review it with your child. This is a perfect time to set new academic goals and notice what study habits are successful. Please contact our Guidance Department at 315-672-8381 if you wish to meet with your child’s teaching team.

Principal's Message

At our November PTO meeting last week, School Resource Officer Anthony Gucciardi gave a very informative presentation about cyber safety. He encouraged parents and guardians to take control of their children’s devices by monitoring everything from daily text messages to their ability to download and delete apps independently. We sometimes forget that students in middle school range in ages from 11 – 14; maturity levels vary widely. When we consider the sheer breadth and variety of content on the World Wide Web, everything from the informative and uplifting to the harmful and illegal, we know that we need to monitor and engage in conversations about what our young people are viewing.

This week our faculty had a presentation by Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Abdo who shared information about media literacy from a workshop they recently attended. They opened the presentation with this statistic: recent surveys say children spend an average of 9 hours per day viewing a digital device. To many of us that number seemed almost impossible given a 24 hour day, but deep down we had the feeling that 9 hours might just be accurate for many of our students. It is not unusual for us to hear from parents that their children are up late at night on their phones. Officer Gucciardi made the suggestion that all devices be turned over to parents before their children go to bed. It’s a very practical strategy that not only helps parents limit and monitor screen time, but also supports more restful sleep. (By now we all know the benefit of a good night’s sleep…better memory, health and overall well-being.)

That 9 hour statistic was the entry point for a lesson on misleading news and strategies to help students critically evaluate the legitimacy of on-line and print resources. A recent article in Educational Leadership summed it up this way:

The public is gaining awareness of our vulnerability to media manipulation. Researchers have found that most adults can't accurately judge the truth or falsity of an online news story because they assume that content that aligns with their existing beliefs is automatically true (Goodfellow, 2017).

Media literacy really is an instructional imperative for us as we help develop an informed and engaged citizenry. This chart entitled Beyond Fake News, will help you assist your child in identifying “truth or falsity” as they come into contact with all types of media content. The terms used in this chart are the same terms we use here in the classroom. This link, Online Safety Guide was shared at the PTO meeting by Officer Gucciardi which includes several resources and excellent suggestions relating to online safety.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if we can help you with more information or suggestions.
All of us at CMS wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

We Celebrate Learning!
Beth
blozier@westgenesee.org
Follow us on Twitter @camillusmiddle

November 9 - End of 10 Weeks
November 10  - Veterans Day - No School
November 15 - Board of Education Meeting - 7:00 pm
November 17 - Report Cards Available
November 17 - 3:3 Basketball Tournament - 2:15-4:00 pm
November 22-24 - Thanksgiving Recess - No School
November 30 - Group Yearbook Photos

October Message

TOMORROW is picture retake day! If you missed picture day back in September or if you were unhappy with your first photo shoot, our photographer will be back in the building tomorrow Wednesday, October 25th. Please bring your old photos to exchange at the retake session. 

Our Halloween Dance and Open Gym will be this Friday, October 27th, from 6:00-8:00 PM. Tickets are $5 at the door and all proceeds benefit our PTO. Students may wear a costume (school appropriate) if they choose. Come celebrate the holiday with your favorite friends and ghouls!!

The ordering link for our yearbook is currently open. Online ordering is preferred. If you need to pay by check please make it out to WGSCDSAF in the amount of $30. The deadline for ordering is February 1, 2018. Please contact Mr. Keida at dkeida@westgenesee.org or Mrs. Clift at kclift@westgenesee.org if you have any questions.

Our next PTO Meeting will be on Wednesday, November 1st at 6:00 pm in the CMS Library. Our

guest speaker will be School Resource Officer Anthony Gucciardi from the Camillus Police Department. He will be sharing resources and tips for parents on how to monitor and support our students as they interact with others on social media. You won’t want to miss his very informative presentation.

Our school musical this year is a special one…Damn Yankees. Come hear everyone’s favorite number, Heart, and cheer on the Senators during our two performances, November 3rd at 7:00 pm and November 4th matinee at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available at the door for $8.00.

Principal’s Message

In all my years here at CMS, I don’t think I have seen such a sustained streak of outside recess as we have had this year. Our students are enjoying their time outside the school building as much as inside!

Speaking of inside the building, you might remember hearing from our ELA teachers on Curriculum Night that we have adopted the use of what is known as the Modules as our core curricula to support the Next Generation ELA Standards. This is a pivotal and critical change for us at West Genesee because the new Standards are a clear call for us to prepare students with advanced mastery of reading, writing, speaking, listening and presenting skills. After a careful analysis of the Standards, we came to the conclusion that the Modules provided the rigor, relevance and breadth necessary to provide students with lifelong literacy habits. You can read more about the Next Generation Standards here.

One of the practices highlighted in the reading standards is the ability for students to read often and widely from a range of global and diverse text. One of the shifts you will notice at home is the amount of independent reading students will have to complete at home to be prepared for each day’s lesson. You can help us by monitoring nightly the completion of assigned reading from the class novels and supporting activities. Please reach out to your child’s ELA teacher if you ever have any questions.

I hope to see you at the PTO Meeting on November 1st.
We Celebrate Learning!

Beth
Follow us on Twitter @camillusmiddle

November 1st – PTO Meeting in Library at 6:00 PM
November 3rd - Wildcat Friday
November 3rd – Damn Yankees – 7:00 PM
November 4th – Damn Yankees – 2:00 PM
November 7th – Early Dismissal (10:10 AM)

Thought Exchange

October 3, 2017

Dear CMS Community,

Every year, the West Genesee Strategic Planning Team asks all stakeholders (students, staff, parents, and the community at-large) to provide feedback on areas of strength and areas for potential growth.  This year, Dr. Brown has partnered with Thought Exchange - a web-based organization that will help us reach more of the community to maximize your direct input.

Using the email you have shared with us already for SchoolTool, you will be given a link to take part in the first stage of this survey, the Share Stage. You can tell us what we are doing well and what can we improve. This step will take approximately 5 - 10 minutes. A few weeks after that, you will be asked to take part in the Star phase where you will see others’ responses.  You have the opportunity to “rate” the comments that resonate with you. The final stage, Discover, is where you will have a chance to see what concepts are most important to all participants.

Please know that your submissions are confidential, but not anonymous to Thought Exchange. Thought Exchange will not share the authors of comments with the District. Your name will not appear on your submissions. This allows you to answer fairly and honestly. However, responses that are demeaning to any individuals will be removed by Thought Exchange.  

The members of the Strategic Planning Team will use this information in evaluating our successes as well as our areas in need of improvement when we begin planning for 2018 - 2019 school year.

Please take the time to complete the survey when it is sent to you. Although the link can not be forwarded, there are directions on how to get other community members on the list if they don’t receive an invitation. We truly want to hear from as many people connected to West Genesee as possible.

Sincerely,

Beth Lozier

Building Principal

Dear CMS Families!

It’s a little hard to believe that our first full week of school is now in the history books. We’ve already had our 6th Grade Getting Acquainted Dance, school pictures, musical rehearsals and modified games. We are off to a great start of the 2017-18 school year!

I’d like to introduce the newest members of the CMS faculty and staff:

New Staff
Steven Berkey – Tech
Deb Beyer – Sp. Ed. T.A.
James Cicarelli – Math
Sarah DeCapio – LOTE
Mary Ann Didio - Nurse
Nicole Franke – LPN
Marybeth Gaffney – Food Service
Gigina Long – Art
Carolyn Quinn – Sp. Ed. T.A.
                             
Returning Staff
Kelly Boswell – Home & Careers
Nicole LeVea – LOTE
Steph Murphy – English
Danielle Tamulevich – Sp. Ed. T.A.
Courtney Updegraff – IS

We are very excited to be introducing a new program this year called The Positivity Project (P2). CMS will be joining with all our elementary schools and many other local districts, as we seek to build an understanding of the research findings in the field of positive psychology amongst our students. P2 is rooted in the motto #otherpeoplematter and focuses on strengthening 24 character traits throughout the school year. Please read the introductory letter and keep the character definition summary handy. We will begin P2 this Monday with the character trait of curiosity. We will post each week’s character trait on Twitter (@camillusmiddle) and on our announcement page.

Our first meeting will be on September 25th at 6:00 p.m. in the CMS Library. WE NEED YOU! Right now we have open officer positions of co-president and secretary. If you are interested please contact our President, Pearlene Amica at pearlene.amica@gmail.com. We also need volunteers for our Scholastic Book Fair which is held during the school day on September 26th, 27th and 28th. If you are able to lend a hand please contact Michele Hess at moonstars0427@gmail.com. If you haven’t already joined our PTO please stop by the registration table in the library during Curriculum Night. Your $10 dues support so many important programs; we thank you in advance! Mark your calendar now for our remaining meetings:

November 1, 2017 – 6:00 p.m. at CMS Library

January 10, 2018 – 6:00 p.m. at WGHS LGIR

April 17, 2018 – 6:00 p.m. at WGHS LGIR

Curriculum Night will take place on September 28th from 6:30-8:00 pm. You will receive a mailing next week with each grade level’s schedule. Our Scholastic Book Fair will be open in the library. Please stop by to browse the terrific selection. Students were given a flyer of available titles today. All proceeds benefit our PTO. Thank you for your support!

As you can see, our middle school is one busy place! To help you keep track of everything going on, we put all of our daily announcements on the CMS web page for your access. Just click on the announcement tab.

If your child is going to be late or absent you may call the Health Office line at 315.672.3426. There is an answering machine that will take your message during non-school hours.

Please feel free to call or stop by if I can ever be of assistance to you. On behalf of everyone here at CMS…We Celebrate Learning!

Beth
Beth Anne Lozier
Principal – blozier@westgenesee.org
Follow us on Twitter @camillusmiddle

September 25 - PTO Meeting - 6:00 p.m. CMS Library

September 26-28 - Book Fair

September 28 - Curriculum Night - 6:30-8:00 pm

October 6 - Wildcat Friday

October 6 - End of 5 Weeks

October 9 - Columbus Day - No School 

Summer Reading

Summer. Reading.

Those two words can sometimes provoke a feeling of dread in our students. They somehow get translated to mean a task that needs to be completed, in as little time as possible, just prior to the buses pulling up to the stop in September. We SO want to change that feeling! We want those two words to conjure the sense of an opportunity to read in a way that might be a little more relaxed, and a little more extended, than during the regular school year.

By now you have received our Summer Reading Lists. Families often ask us how many of the books a child should read. One? Two?  Our answer is simple; all of them and then some! Becoming an independent and engaged reader is one of the single largest influences impacting a child’s academic growth. There just isn’t any substitute for it. Vocabulary, new knowledge, points of view, and ideas are presented in books in a manner that can’t be replicated any other way. There are 3 key ideas to keep in mind in supporting students who read:

1. Variety: The Narnia Chronicles and Harry Potter series are often the hook in getting students engaged and motivated to read. We love a good series! It is important to remember that a broad exposure to different genres helps to build an open mind. It is true what they say: You can’t judge a book by its cover. Pick up a book of poems, or a non-fiction title over fiction. And if your child gets one or two chapters in and doesn’t like the book…close it and try another. 
2. Rigor:  Don’t be intimidated by a book that might seem to present a little challenge. Reading ability gets stronger when books cause a student to focus, re-read and maybe even have to look up a word now and then. Experts recommend looking at 5 random pages in a book to test out the readability. It won’t be long before students find that sweet spot. 
3. Amount: A little bit of reading, every day, goes a long way. The daily habit of reading can be instilled at any age – it’s not too late! Newspapers and magazines are a great source for short bursts of reading. We always recommend a hard copy of the New York Times because of its high-interest articles. Each day of the week has a unique section, but students might have particular interest in these: Monday (Sports), Tuesday (Science), Wednesday (Food) and Thursday (Arts). Grab a copy next time you are out and just take a look. We get ten copies a day delivered here at school so that your child can always get their hands on a newspaper.

In Daniel Willingham’s new book, Raising Kids Who Read, the University of Virginia psychology professor writes, “To engender positive reading attitudes, students need to have positive reading experiences. They need to see themselves as readers. And they need to have books that they enjoy readily available.”

To help you keep a steady supply of books readily available, check out one of our terrific local libraries-there’s one near YOU!:

Maxwell Memorial Library   
Onondaga Free Library

School will begin again before we know it. In the meanwhile, we wish you a summer full of good books!
We Celebrate Learning!
Beth 

Follow us on Twitter@camillusmiddle

May Message from Principal Lozier

Budget Vote Tomorrow

The West Genesee School Budget for the 2017-18 school year will be held tomorrow, May 16th. Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. in the High School Auditorium lobby. Thank you for taking the time to vote!


Progress Reports Available

The final progress report of the school year will be available on SchoolTool on Friday, May 19th. Click on the 'Grades' tab, select 'Progress Report Grades' in the 'view' drop-down and make sure you have 'Marking Period 4' selected.

Important Dates

May 23 - 8th Grade Parent Night @ WGHS Auditorium- 6:30 pm
May 24 – Grade 8 only – NYS Science Assessment (performance)
May 29 – School Closed in observance of Memorial Day
June 5 – Grade 8 only – NYS Science Assessment (written)
June 12 – Grades 7/8 Chorus, Band, Orchestra & Select Chorus Concert @ CMS - 7:00 pm
June 14 – Grade 6 Chorus, Band & Orchestra Concert @ CMS - 7:00 pm

March Message from Principal Lozier

Our 25-week progress reports will be available for viewing on SchoolTool tomorrow, Friday, March 10th. If you have trouble logging on to view, please call or email Nancy Boise at nboise@westgenesee.org or 315-672-8381.




Our favorite week of the year is almost here…Spirit Week! Our Student Council has voted on the theme for each day:

Monday (March 13) – Pajama Day
Tuesday (March 14) –Character Day
Wednesday (March 15) – Sports Day
Thursday (March 16) – Twin or Wear Green Day
Friday (March 17) – No School for students

We will culminate Spirit Week with a St. Patrick’s Day Dance on Thursday, March 16th from 6:00-8:00 pm. Tickets are $5 each and are available by the door. All proceeds benefit our PTO.


The last day to order yearbooks will be March 28th, follow the link to www.balfour.com order online.

The West Genesee PTA/PTO District Council is taking part in a fundraiser for the McMahon Ryan Advocacy Center. Students can purchase pinwheels for $1 each in homeroom and lunch periods through March 15th.  Camillus Middle will plant a pinwheel garden in April as a way to raise awareness about child abuse. Thank you for your support of this very important cause!  

Many of you may have read that New York State has made some positive changes to the assessments in ELA and mathematics that will be administered in March and May. Of note, the tests will now be untimed. This means that any student who is working productively to complete any portion of the test may have all the time they need to finish. There will also be fewer questions and reading passages. Students with a reading disability may also have the assessments read to them by a teacher.  

I want all families to know that we believe all students are prepared to take these assessments. Our daily instruction and units of study are aligned to the NYS Learning Standards and thus we have no need for “test prep” or additional work to ready our students. We rely on the excellent teaching and learning that we commit ourselves to each and every day. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions at 672-3159.

Grades 3-8 ELA - March 28, 29, 30
Grades 3-8 Mathematics - May 2, 3, 4

Important Dates

• March 10 – 3:3 Basketball Tournament – grades 6-7-8 - 2:15-4:00 pm
• March 15 - 6th Gr. Band, Orchestra & Chorus Concert - 7:00 pm at CMS
• March 16 – St. Patrick’s Day Dance – 6:00-8:00 pm
• March 17 – No School for students due to staff Workshop Day
• March 21 - CMS/WGMS Jazz Bands & Chamber Strings Concert - 7:00 pm at CMS
• March 23 - 7/8 Gr Band, Orchestra & Select Chorus - 7:00 pm at WGHS
• March 28, 29, 30 – Grades 6-7-8 New York State Assessment/English (2 hr delay schedule)

Social Media: Time For Adults to Get in the Game

Dear CMS Families: 

With the school year quickly passing by I have noticed a concerning pattern of events taking place on Monday mornings that I want to share with you. Almost without fail, I receive a call from a parent informing me about an incident over the previous weekend involving their child on social media. Often, at the start of the week, one or more of our students will go directly to our school counselors to report a distressing exchange of words or pictures between groups of students. These reports seem to involve an ever increasing number of students, and the language used is hurtful and just plain mean at times. We respond to these reports in a variety of ways and spend a great deal of time investigating and reaching out to parents who are often unaware of the extent of their child’s cyber presence. This issue requires home and school to come together to deliver a consistent message.

We are attentive to both the dangers and benefits of social media APPs, and our teachers cover cyber safety in a variety of settings in elementary school and several times during middle school in Health, Digital Literacy and regular class meetings where we cover character education. We use direct instruction about how students can use social media appropriately, and how to be aware of situations that can be harmful to them. There seems to be a growing gap between what we are teaching and what we personally see on the posts students and parents show us.

We would be naïve to suggest that we should ban students in this age range from the use of social media, although that might be appropriate for some who demonstrate that they are not ready. Even with all of the potential negatives, social media has the ability to connect people in real time…sharing important events, allowing for collaboration and strengthening relationships.  We want this for our students. But if there isn’t sufficient monitoring of a child’s digital life they may land in a dark place. 

Below we have gathered a list of tips from a variety of sources that you might want to review with your child: 

• Don’t allow kids to use devices in their rooms or in other private areas of the house.
• Don’t connect with or 'friend' people that you don’t know.
• Don’t use your full name for any accounts or in posts
• Don’t give personal information to people such as phone number, address or the school you attend
• Don’t meet anyone in person that you connect with online
• Don’t reply to messages that harass you or make you feel uncomfortable 
• Don’t share passwords with anyone but your parents
• Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your parents, grandparents, teachers or a coach to see
• Do block bullies or inappropriate people
• Do report people that harass or bully others to your parents and/or school
• Do use privacy settings that different APPs offer – keep your accounts private, not public
• Do tell your children that you will monitor their posts and activity on social media
• Do limit technology use = set a specific time limit for kids
• Do put devices away at 9 PM and go to bed
• Do charge devices in a common area of the house (not in the bedroom!)
• Do have ‘device-free’ times such as during meals or right before bed
• Do take the device away from your child if they are engaged in inappropriate behavior
• Do keep an open dialogue with your kids about social media – you’re not harassing them, you’re being a parent!  

In addition, the links below provide two very good articles that parents and guardians of middle school students should absolutely take the time to read:

How to Prepare Your Child for Online Networking
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/your-child-technology/how-to-prepare-your-child-online-networking?eml=PCM/smd/20170206/Twitter/OnlineNetworking&linkId=34191775

Social Media 101: Five Things Parents Need To Do Right Now
http://roadkillgoldfish.com/social-media-101/

Both middle schools are currently working on putting together an informational presentation for parents and guardians of our middle school students to help provide you with tools and strategies to help you at home. As soon as we get the logistics worked out we will get the date and time out to everyone. 
We Celebrate Learning! 

Beth
Follow us on Twitter @camillusmiddle