February Happenings!



100's crown and number projects
at work in Kindergarten



It’s been a fun February so far with Enrichment Day, our 100 Day celebrations, ELA Extravaganza, and Valentine’s Day. I will always marvel at elementary students’ joy at giving and receiving these “Be Mine” and “U R Special” messages. Being able to collect and distribute Valentines in class is right up there with birthday recognitions and Halloween- the joy is contagious! 

Enjoy the pictures  in this blog highlighting these three wonderful events!



100's Fruit Loops necklaces in colors by 10!!



  



Concepts with the number 100





Mrs. D-L and R demonstrate an "I Read, You Read" read-aloud
to kids and parents


 

Reading with moms and dads



  

                                     

                                              Spelling Basketball

    



Reading Comprehension
"Make and Take"



Exploring Library Resources





Letter Games




Helping children build reading fluency



Valentine Projects





Filling Valentine bags with their special messages!

In Other News...

 

Strategic Planning

Our Strategic Planning Committee just completed its annual meeting. As facilitator for this event, I feel honored to have worked with such dedicated District and WG Community members. They worked tirelessly to refine this important plan, which serves to guide initiatives over the course of the coming school year.

  

Lexile Levels

If you have a student in grades 2-5, you recently received a letter that contains your child’s current Lexile Reading Level. If you access the website using the directions in the letter, you can enter this number (based on recent screening results) along with your child’s age.  You may also select topics of interests and “voila” - up will pop a list of book titles at just the right reading and interest level for your child. Please don’t hesitate to call the office if you need some help with this.

  

What is going on with this “New Math”?

Recently Mrs. Kupiec met with 5^th grade parents to help increase their understanding of the concepts being stressed in the new Math Common Core Learning Standards. Fourth grade teachers (Mrs. Chomyszak, Mrs. Gauthier, and Mrs. Gipe) will also present on this topic on Monday, March 4^th at 6:00 pm in the Library. This session will focus on concepts at grade 4.  However, parents from other grades are welcome to attend also (For example, parents of 3^rd graders may find this session informative regarding what is ahead!)  We are hoping for a great turn-out so we can help ease some of the "angst" associated with the recent changes in math instruction.

  

It’s hard to believe the Winter Recess is already upon us.  Here’s hoping you can fit in some fun family moments this coming week!



Happy Valentine's Day from Onondaga Road!



Happy January!

I hope your 2013 is off to a great start and that you are enjoying this mix of winter / spring weather.  We picked up right where we left off upon our return from the holiday recess and are in “full swing” here at Onondaga Road!

Check it Out...

If you have not yet had a chance, be sure to check out the Animoto videos at the Onondaga Road home page from our recent events, Math Mania and Reindeer Games. These video clips are a fun way to see highlights from these events.  MEGA KUDOS to our Publications Director, Bonnie Russell, for putting these together.  Here is a link to the page – just scroll down and click on the videos and ENJOY!

http://www.westgenesee.org/OnondagaRoadES/onondagaroad_home.cfm

Dancing up a Storm

Through our PEP Grant, we have acquired an interactive dance pad system for Mr. Lane to use in his classes.  The kids are very motivated to complete the steps and they don’t even know they are exercising!

PTA Grants

Many thanks to the PTA for purchasing a communication subscription for kindergarten to use with parents AND fraction tiles for our fifth graders.  Your generosity in enhancing our classroom practices is greatly appreciated!

Coming Events

Just a few reminders on some items on our January newsletter calendar…

• There is no school on Monday, January 21^st due to Martin Luther King Day.
• PTA Enrichment Day is coming- Saturday, February 2^nd from 9:30-11:00.  A sign-up sheet has been sent home.  Please return it with your child’s choices. 
 


• ELA Extravaganza- Information will be sent home soon about  this event to be held on Monday February 11^th from 6:00-7:30

To our “Soon-To-Be Onondaga Road Families” now attending other schools in the district…Don’t forget that we would love to have you join us for the two events listed above.  Just call the office and leave your name, address and phone number and we will be sure you get the information!

Now, for a Personal Message

It is with very mixed emotions, that I inform you that last night, the Board of Education accepted my letter of retirement to be effective on July 1, 2013.  After what will total 29 years as an educator in a variety of roles at West Genesee, I have a lifetime of fond memories and have been inspired by a multitude of colleagues, students and families.  As a West Genny graduate and a parent to two graduates, I feel blessed to have been part of a school district that is also HOME to my family. 

My decision was a difficult one after all these years.  But life is short and my “bucket list” is quite long, so it is time to get moving onto the next phase.  I will be pursuing interests that have been neglected due to a lack of time and I also will stay involved in the field of education in ways yet to be determined.

Regardless of my pursuits, the people that make West Genesee so unique and successful will continue as a source of pride and affection to me.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to serve the families in this wonderful community that is the West Genesee Central School District.  I look forward to enjoying the remainder of this school year with all of you.

Sincerely,

Debbie Geiss

Message from Principal Geiss

It is difficult to feel the joy of this season as we ponder the unthinkable grief that the Sandy Hook community in Connecticut is experiencing.   No doubt you are sending your thoughts and prayers their way. 

As you can imagine, many children had heard varying bits of information about this tragedy upon their arrival to school this morning.  Because of this, our teachers took a few minutes with their classes to explain in an age appropriate manner that they are safe and that we follow procedures all the time to keep them safe.  We also had our counselors on hand to meet individually with students who showed any sign of being upset.  Our students have moved on to their typical day now and seem to be doing well.  We will be in touch with parents if their children are expressing fear or anxiety and we encourage you to let us know that as well.

In regard to building safety, please be assured that we have many practices in place to address potential safety issues.  Our doors are kept locked throughout the day and anyone we do not know is asked to provide picture identification.  We do not release students to anyone unless you provide us with a note in writing.  Even with a note, we require picture identification if the person you designate is not familiar to us before we will release your child.  Staff members are stationed at the entrance at both the beginning and the end of the school day and students are not allowed to meet any adult (even parents) at their vehicle – the adult must meet them in the lobby instead after signing them out.  During the day, students are not allowed to sit in the lobby unsupervised.  Throughout the year, we practice many drills, including lock-down, stay-in place, and bomb threat drills.  Administrators meet regularly to brainstorm and discuss what we would do to keep students safe in a variety of situations.  Our students’ safety is of the utmost importance to us and we will continue to be diligent in our practices and in our discussions about safety.  Please do not hesitate to call me at 487-4653 should you wish to discuss this further.

While our hearts remain heavy, my fervent hope is that you will enjoy the upcoming holiday recess with your families.  We need to continue celebrating the amazing children we call sons, daughters and students.  Here are some pictures from a few events to help remind us of some wonderful moments this past month.  In addition, my deepest gratitude for your caring and compassion in helping some local soldiers’ families who are in need this season.



4th / 5th Grade Chorus take the stage at WGHS.



5th Grade Orchestra students showcase their talents.

  



Kindergartners create gingerbread houses with their families.



5th graders listen to a classmate's presentation on his cultural heritage.

As you celebrate this holiday season, may you experience peace and joy.

~Deborah Geiss, Principal

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we wrap up Parent Conference time, I am hoping you have all been able to schedule a time to meet with your children’s teachers. These meetings are a crucial part of the teacher-parent partnership to ensure your child’s success in school.  If you were unable to attend during one of the times offered, please contact your child(ren)’s teacher(s) and they will find a time that works for you. Thank you for making every effort to meet!

Spelling Bee Finalists

Congratulations to our five spelling bee finalists: Joseph McLaughlin, Maggie Pallett, Meredith James, Carlin Barry, and Mike Miccio!. These expert spellers represented us well in the recent District Bee where they competed with 37 other top spellers in grades 4 through 8 from across the District.  Well done finalists!

 

Vitamin L – Thanks to our PTA for sponsoring Vitamin L, a talented and highly entertaining group who recently performed for our students. Their interactive songs focused on anti-bullying and friendship messages in a meaningful, engaging way. This was definitely one of our favorite assemblies!

 Parent Portal – I hope you have had a chance to check out our Parent Portal on Schooltool. While day-to-day grades are not posted, report card grades will be posted each quarter along with other information. Be sure to contact the office if you need help accessing the portal.

Walkers – If your children walk to school or if you drop them off, please have your them arrive at school as close to 9:00 a.m. as possible- especially with the approaching cold weather. If students arrive too early, they have quite a long wait outdoors. In addition, there is no supervision available outdoors or inside before school begins (unless your child is registered for the YMCA Before School Program). All other students, besides those attending the Y Program, cannot be allowed into the building until the bell rings at 9:00.

From all of us at Onondaga Road….

As Thanksgiving approaches we would like to offer thanks for the many ways you support the academic, social and emotional growth of your children at home. We at Onondaga Road wish all our families a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with many reasons to celebrate!