March Happenings at OR…

A Bit O’ Green in the Air!

This Friday, March 10, we’ll be wearing traditional St. Patrick’s green and welcoming a performance by the Irish step dancers from Francis Academy of Irish Dance.  Thanks to our Onondaga Road PTA for supporting the traditional assembly this week, as our students will not have school on March 17.

 Trip to Hospital Land

Our first graders will be visiting Hospital Land on March 13, 14, 15.  This gives our little ones the opportunity to see what it is like at the hospital, learn about who works at the hospital and what they do, and gain an understanding of the purpose for the hospital in the greater community.

 Fourth Annual Science Fair

Hopefully students from grades 3, 4, 5 have their science projects and experiments well under way!  Our Science Fair is just around the corner, Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 6:00-8:00.  Come one, come all to experience the wonders of science!

March 17 Staff Development Day

Students will not have school on Friday, March 17, since this is full day of professional development for staff.  All staff will be engaged in professional learning.  Please remember to make your child care arrangements for that day if you have not already done so.

 Music in Our Schools Month

This month our third graders, our youngest chorus members, will perform their first ever concert!  The third grade concert will take place in our Onondaga Road School gym at 7:00 on Thursday, March 23.  They will perform a preview of that concert for their school friends that afternoon.

Looking Ahead…
Onondaga Road student art work, from grades K-5, will be displayed at Maxwell Memorial Library from April 11 through April 22.  Please visit the library to see our display!

A Note about Educating for Character

Many of you have been school guests as your children perform concerts or teach lessons about universal, enduring character traits during our monthly schoolwide assemblies.  Our assemblies are always well attended, but I wonder if we are truly engaged in understanding the meaning behind these monthly gatherings.  Let me explain a little…

As part of the greater West Genesee Central School District community, Onondaga Road students partake in learning, practicing and applying what it means to be of strong character. 
We focus upon a different theme each month, like this:
September – Responsibility
October – Respect
November – Thankfulness and Being Grateful
December – Caring and Compassion
January – Perseverance
February – Honesty and Trust
March – Patience and Acceptance
April – Citizenship
May – Kindness and Courtesy
June – Cooperation

I am confident that our children can explain the meaning of these character traits and can give you many examples of each.  As a parent, a teacher, and an administrator, I am also confident that you would expect that your child demonstrate such characteristics, and continue to grow and learn about what it means to be of strong character. 

At school, we take our roles in educating your children very seriously; we try to model and mold positive character traits and to hold your children to high expectations, as you do.  We learn from our mistakes, and most importantly, we take care of one another, even when mistakes are made.

 

In sharing this with you, it is my hope that you will take the time at home to discuss regularly with your child the importance of being respectful and responsible, and being kind and compassionate toward one another.  Focus this month on patience and acceptance, and what those words really mean and look like in action.  Please continue to help us help your children understand the true meaning behind our monthly character assemblies, and then hold high expectations for great citizenship.  Together, we really can make a difference!