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