West Irondequoit Central School District Seneca School Newsletter March 2015 Dear Seneca Families, Inside this issue: Wow, it is March already and with March, I hope we see the return of warmer weather! There is always a lot of buzz around math instruction and why we have students show their mathematical thinking in multiple ways. To help answer this question, this month and in April I will highlight for you our work in the area of mathematics. Mark Your Calendar, 2 Safety Scout News Art, Phys. Ed. News 3 When teaching mathematics our curriculum includes the Standards for Mathematical Practice. The eight practices include what, how and why mathematicians think deeply to achieve. These practices are: Health News 4 Music and Library News 5 Curriculum Corner 6, 7 Make sense of a problem and persevere in solving it; Reason abstractly and quantitatively; Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; Model with mathematics; Use appropriate tools strategically; Attend to precision; Look for and make use of structure; And, look for and express regularity and repeated reasoning. In the early grades, this might be as simple as writing an addition equation to describe a situation, in the middle grades, a student may apply proportional reasoning to plan a school event or analyze a problem, and a high school student might use geometry to solve a design problem. Mathematically proficient students can apply mathematics they know to solve problems arising in everyday life, society and the workplace. Community Forum, 7 Transportation Dept. District Vote 8 Transportation From 9, 10 Drowsy Chaperone 11 Seneca Calendar 12 The mathematical practice number 4, Model with Mathematics, engages children thinking about math from the concrete to the abstract. Mathematically proficient students are metacognitive (reflect on their thinking). They are able to identify quantities in a contextual situation and use mathematical modeling to show relationships of those quantities. Students use their models to think about what they are analyzing, how they are determining relationships, and drawing conclusions. Students interpret their mathematical results in the context of the situation, then reflect and communicate whether the results make sense, possibly improving the model if has not served its purpose. Math modeling is part of how mathematicians problem solve and how they analyze situations and variables, interpret, and draw conclusions. The math modeling cycle requires mathematicians to redefine, reshape, and reorder information in order to make decisions, problem solve, and reflect. When a student is in the formulating step, he/she may be using manipulatives, creating and/or selecting a picture, geometric, graphical, tabular algebraic or statistical representations that describe relationships. This diagram represents the Model with mathematics and the modeling cycle: (continued on page 3) www.westirondequoit.org Equal Opportunity Employer Page 2 Mark Your Calendar Seneca School……………………………..….336-1620 Mrs. Michelle Cramer - Principal Mrs. Gagarinas - Secretary Wednesday, March 11th Thursday, March 26 Mon., March 30– Fri., April 3 Grades 1-3 Half-Day Release at 11:30 a.m. for Conferences Mrs. Sementelli - Nurse Open House/ PTSA Ice Cream Social- 6:30 p.m. Transportation Office…………….……..336-2992 Spring Recess—No school . Superintendent’s Office………………..336-2983 Web Site: www.westirondequoit.org PTSA Building Reps. Jeanine Connor………………………….319-4604 Anne Flanigen………………..…………..330-0852 Christine Penner……………………….266-4385 Seneca School Message & Attendance Line 336-1620 Safety Scout News A safety scout’s job is to assist in ensuring the safety of students during morning arrival time. The scouts are assigned classes to support. Their role is to assist in the safety of our students by making sure their classmates are acting in a responsible and respectful way as they enter the building. Each month six of our third grade students are selected to serve as safety scouts. The following third graders have been selected as our March safety scouts because they consistently demonstrate the characteristics of a Seneca Star. Please join us in congratulating: Christian Zeitvogel Ayden Mullen Riley Francione Dominic Ventura Sam Hittepole Nicholas Conine To all of our Seneca friends, please remember to be respectful and follow directions provided by our safety scouts. You will know that they are a safety scout because they will be wearing yellow safety scout pinnies. Page 3 Art News Phys. Ed. News Megan Landt, ArtTeacher Ann Martin, Physical Ed. Specialist It is hard to believe that the month of March is already here! Our young artists are looking forward to showing off what they have been creating in the art room as the winds have been howling outside! We have been having a lot of fun learning about the idea of balance in our last unit of study in physical education. The most important balance concepts have led to the exploration of gravity, how gravity works to pull us toward the earth, how our center of weight (in the hip area) is the point at which gravity's force is the strongest, and how our center of gravity must be held directly over the base or between the base to maintain strong balance. We experimented extensively with various bases of support. We asked ourselves the question of why do humans walk on their feet not their hands (bigger base of support, stronger leg muscles support the body weight)? We used many types of equipment to explore these balance ideas. Balance beams, mats, and stepping stones helped to challenge our own body's balance. We then explored balancing objects on ourselves and upon other objects, always considering this idea of weight over base. I felt triumphant when one of my student's came in on a Monday morning and said," Mrs. Martin, I was skiing and I remembered to keep my weight over my base!" First graders have recently finished X-Ray Style Animals inspired by the Aboriginal bark paintings of Australia. It is important for art students to be exposed to artwork from varied historical periods, cultures, and aspects of humanity. This project is a great opportunity to appreciate a diverse form of artwork from another culture. Colorful cut paper, stylized animal details in crayon, and a rainbow of paint dots make these eye-catching masterpieces something to be proud of! Second and third graders have recently been working with clay. Second grade made birds and third grade made frogs. Both grades continue to learn about the unique process of working with clay, building upon what they had learned in the previous year. The techniques of scoring, adding slip and blending were used to attach pieces of clay together. Both projects will be fired in the kiln and then painted with tempera paint. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you have about our art curriculum. Think spring! 15th Annual West Irondequoit Foundation Benefit Golf Tournament Friday, June 26, 2015 From there we could experiment with yoga poses which require balance and work in games like lesson where the object would be to knock an object "off balance." This led to conversations about the weight of an object, the placement of force to knock the object over and the most efficient means to accomplish this goal. We then branched off into what this might look like in the sport world (bowling, wrestling, judo, football, etc…) and how moving the object or person off its base might be beneficial. As always, it is a privilege to work with your children as they truly learn "through the physical" in physical education class! Rhythm and Dance unit will be coming up! We will explore folk dances from many lands! 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Webster Golf Club Scramble Format Registration fee includes a round of golf and lunch. We also offer a “lunch only” option. Visit www.westirondequoitfoundation.org or call 336-3067 for a registration form. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Call 3363067 for details. (continued from page 1) Developing the depth of students’ thinking builds in mathematics beyond proficient; teaching them to be metacognitive of their learning is a basis for transfer (application to novel contexts). I encourage you to learn more about the mathematical practices through the EngageNY.com Website. Sincerely, Plan your foursome today! Follow the Foundation on: Mrs. Michelle A. Cramer Principal From the Health Office: March is National Nutrition Month 25 Healthy Snacks for Kids From the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics When a snack attack strikes, refuel with these nutrition-packed snacks: 1. Parfait: Layer vanilla yogurt and mandarin oranges or blueberries in a tall glass. Top with a sprinkle of granola. 2. Inside-Out Sandwich: Spread mustard on a slice of deli turkey. Wrap around a sesame breadstick. 3. Rocky Road: Break a graham cracker into bite-size pieces. Add to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows. 4. Mini Pizza: Toast a whole-wheat English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with lowfat mozzarella cheese. 5. Spread mustard on a flour tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, low-fat cheese and lettuce. Then roll it up. 6. Sandwich Cut-Outs: Make a sandwich on whole grain bread. Cut out your favorite shape using a big cookie cutter. Eat the fun shape and the edges, too! 7. Banana Split: Top a banana with low-fat vanilla and strawberry frozen yogurt. Sprinkle with your favorite whole-grain cereal. 8. Apple Pie Oatmeal: Make one packet of microwave oatmeal with low-fat milk. Mix in 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce. Sprinkle with apple pie spice or cinnamon. 9. Mix together peanut butter and cornflakes in a bowl. Shape into balls and roll in crushed graham crackers. 10. Microwave a cup of tomato or vegetable soup and enjoy with whole-grain crackers. Page 4 11. Fill a waffle cone with cut-up fruit and top with low-fat vanilla yogurt. 12. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on hot popcorn. 13. Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed cereal and freeze. 14. Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese. Top with raisins. 15. Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon. 16. Mix together ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts in a sandwich bag for an on-the-go snack. 17. Smear a scoop of frozen yogurt on two graham crackers and add sliced banana to make a yummy sandwich. 18. Microwave a small baked potato. Top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa. 19. Make snack kabobs. Put cubes of low-fat cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks. 20. Toast a whole-grain waffle and top with low-fat yogurt and peaches. 21. Mix together low-fat cream cheese, mixed dried fruit bits and shelled sunflower seeds. Spread on a toasted English muffin. 22. Blend low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana for thirty seconds for a delicious smoothie. 23. Make a mini-sandwich with tuna or egg salad on a whole-grain dinner roll. 24. Sprinkle grated Monterey Jack cheese over a corn tortilla; fold in half and microwave for twenty seconds. Top with salsa. 25. Spread peanut butter on apple slices. Contact our school nurse, Mary Jane Sementelli at 336-1628 with any questions or concerns. Music News Page 5 Rob Line, Music Teacher We are continuing to have fun and expand upon our learning in music class during March! Here are some musical highlights from this month: 1st Grade: One of my favorite activities with the first graders in music during the month of March is reading the book Drummer Hoff. We read this book with a message of teamwork (and, of course, as the title suggests, we add some drums!) Then, several students help to act as the different characters in the story! It’s a jam-packed music class, but we finish by acting out this fun story complete with a drumming accompaniment! Be sure to ask your first grader what their special job was during this performance! 2nd Grade: Second graders will perform a dance to the Irish song “Rakes of Mallow” to continue our work on musical form and distinguishing between two different sections of music. This is a partner dance where we will be pretending to cook some “Irish Stew.” I sure wish I had a class set of wooden spoons for them to click together and stir, but our rhythm sticks that we often use in class do the trick as well! 3rd Grade: The third graders have a very important month in music! We are spending a lot of time talking about different instruments and which families they belong to. This serves as preparation for a few weeks from now when all third graders will get a chance to choose an instrument for fourth grade instrumental music! Talk as a family and figure out which instruments might be best suited for your child. We hope that each student finds an instrument that they really enjoy and will continue playing for many years to come! Keep an eye out for more information on this coming soon from the fourth grade music teachers! Library Media News Mrs. Forties First graders will be comparing and contrasting different versions of the folktale, Rumpelstiltskin. These retellings of the traditional tale will include Rumpelstiltskin a German folktale, Tom Tit Tot an old English tale, The Three Spinning Fairies: a Tale from the Brothers Grimm, and The Girl Who Spun Gold a tale from the West Indies. The students will discuss the setting, characters, elements of magic and make-believe, patterns of three, and the problem and the solution in each story. Second graders will be learning how to use the text features in informational books. These features help students better comprehend information presented on a topic in a nonfiction book and in the World Book Encyclopedia Online. The text features they will be utilizing include the Table of Contents, photographs, picture captions, chapter headings, bold print, diagrams, maps, glossary, bibliography, and the index. Third graders will be studying Legends from around the world. They will begin with the Greek Myth, King Midas and the Golden Touch. Next, they will learn about the legends dealing with dragons and unicorns. We will discuss how myths about dragons and unicorns developed, what the different types of dragons and unicorns were in these legends, and how different cultures portray both dragons and unicorns. We will conclude with the legends, Saint George and the Dragon and The Unicorn and the Lake. Irish folktales will also be shared at all grade levels. Page 6 Page 7 continued from page 6 One area where your child is probably doing a lot of writing these days is in response to a text they have read. There are a few very important things to consider when reviewing a child’s response to text. First, you should check to see if your child has truly answered the question or prompt. Have the child re-read the question and their answer to see if what was asked has been answered. This will also help you understand if your child really understood what they just read. If they’ve answered the question, then next you will want to see if they supported their answer with text details. When writing in response to a text, a student should always use multiple details right from that text to prove their answer. If your child answers the question, but does not offer proof, ask them how they knew the answer. You can have them locate directly in the text the evidence for their answer. Your child can then use this part of the text as the written evidence for their response. One last way to support your child’s writing is to immerse them in published work. Yes, it’s important to have your child read books to build their reading skills, develop comprehension, and strengthen their vocabulary knowledge, but you can also use books to help build your child’s understanding of the choices authors make as writers and specific writing styles. For example, Patricia Polacco’s books often use examples of author’s craft like personification or onomatopoeia. By immersing your child in her books and talking about the specific way Patricia Polacco writes, then your child will begin to use those traits in their own writing. Plus you have fun reading together for a different purpose! Supporting your child in becoming a more successful writer can be beneficial to both you and your child. You will spend time together while developing important lifelong skills! Reminder: Annual Community Forum Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. IHS Auditorium Issues Facing Teens: Alcohol and Other Drugs Social Media Learn from a panel of local experts. Questions? Contact Rita Dulaney @ 336-2921 rita_dulaney@westiron.monroe.edu A Note from our Transportation Dept. Students may not alternate afternoon stops. Students must get off the same bus, in the same location, every day. Students who ride the bus home or to a daycare provider must ride the same bus each day and must exit at the same stop each day. For your child’s safety we cannot honor requests, (even those in writing) for alternate drop locations. Page 8 Board of Education Election and District Budget Vote May 19, 2015 Board of Education The Board of Education is made up of seven district residents, who serve as volunteers. The board sets policy for the school district; policy which is put into action by the superintendent and his staff. Members are elected to office at the District Vote in May and serve three-year terms. Terms are staggered so that two or three seats are open each year. There are three seats open for election in May 2015. The Monroe County School Boards Association offers a session for those who are thinking about running for a school board position. Prospective School Board Candidate Seminar Saturday, April 11 8:00-11:30 a.m. Budget Preparation The Board of Education will discuss the following 2015-16 budget topics at their upcoming meetings: March 5 - Iroquois School @ 7:00 p.m. 2015-16 Expenditures - Non-personnel March 19 - District Office @ 7:00 p.m. 2015-16 Expenditures - Personnel Agendas and supplementary materials are always posted on the District Web site: www.westirondequoit.org. The Board of Education will adopt a proposed 2015-16 budget at the April 23 Business Meeting District Office 7 p.m. Airport Holiday Inn Please contact the association at 328-1972 or visit www.mcsba.org to register. Candidate petitions are available from the District Office on weekdays from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Closed April 3rd) Completed petitions must be filed with District Clerk Patricia Kelly by Monday, April 20th at 5 p.m., call 336-2983 with questions. Vote Day Volunteers Needed If you are a qualified voter of the West Irondequoit School District and would like to help out at this year’s vote by working at a registration table or a voting booth, please contact Patricia Kelly at patricia_kelly@westiron.monroe.edu or 336-2983. Volunteers work three-hour shifts. No prior experience required! Specific information regarding the vote, the budget and the Board of Education election will be printed in the district newsletter The Quote, to be mailed in early May. Information is also available at www.westirondequoit.org and on ICAT 15. We also invite you to follow us on Facebook & Twitter. We’re West Irondequoit CSD. WEST IRONDEQUOIT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT 2015-16 SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION APPLICATION FOR TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM A CHILDCARE PROVIDER 2015-16 school transportation is scheduled to be provided for eligible district pupils as follows: Distance between home and school legally attended; as measured by the nearest available route (public highway) must meet these minimums: ..... .... All Students ..... .... More than 1 1/2 Miles Applications for 2015-16 school transportation MUST be submitted no later than April 1, 2015. In the case of persons who move into the district after April 1, 2015, residence in the district must be proven with the district registrar (336-3090). After proving residence with the district registrar, and within 30 days of moving into the district, application must be completed and submitted for transportation. Pupils applying for transportation to and/or from a childcare provider must meet eligibility as stated above. The childcare provider must be located within West Irondequoit School District boundaries. The District reserves the right to require proof of New York State Certification of the childcare provider. Requests for transportation to a place of parental employment will not be honored, unless the employer maintains a registered childcare provider service and is located within the West Irondequoit School District boundaries. Children must ride the same bus every day and be dropped at the same bus stop every day; requests for transportation to alternate addresses on alternate days will not be honored. TO APPLY FOR 2015-16 SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION TO AND/OR FROM A CHILDCARE PROVIDER, PLEASE COMPLETE FORM BELOW ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------2015-16 SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION APPLICATION FOR TRANSPORTATION TO AND /OR FROM A CHILDCARE PROVIDER Please complete both sides of application. To Board of Education, West Irondequoit Central School District: I request that school transportation be provided for my child to and/or from a childcare provider in West Irondequoit during the 2015-16 school year. Child’s Name: __________________________________ Birth Date: _____________________ Home/Cell Phone #: ________________ Home Address: _________________________________ Parent Work #: _________________ Childcare Provider's: Please CIRCLE home or sitter Address:______________________________________ AM Pickup: Home Sitter Phone #:______________________________________ PM Drop: Sitter Home Start date:_____________________________________ School child is attending: Grade child is enrolled in as of September 2015: ______________________________________________ _________ If Kindergarten (circle) AM Signature of parent or guardian: _____________________________________________ PM Date of Application: ___________ SUBMIT APPLICATION FORM NO LATER THAN APRIL 1, 2015 TO: WICSD Board of Education 321 List Ave., Rochester, NY 14617 ATTN.: TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT OR FAX TO: 585-336-3023 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ------------------------------------CERTIFICATION We _____________________________________ certify that_____________________________________ (Name of parent/legal guardian) (Name of childcare provider) assumes full legal responsibility for the care, custody and protection of the before named child from the time of drop off by the child’s parent until picked up by the school bus and/or from the time the child is dropped off by the school bus at the above childcare provider’s address, until the parent picks the child up. The childcare provider and the parent each individually agree that if the childcare arrangements described herein are terminated or altered, each will assume responsibility to notify the West Irondequoit Central School District Transportation Department at 336-2992. This certification applies to: Before school pick-up _______________ After school drop off _______________ Both before and after school _________ Signature of Parent ____________________________________________ Date _____________________ Signature of Childcare Provider __________________________________ Date _____________________ West Irondequoit Performing Arts Presents March 26 at 7:30 p.m. March 27 at 7:30 p.m. March 28 at 7:30 p.m. March 29 at 2:00 p.m. Irondequoit High School Auditorium Tickets Available: IHS Box Office 585-336-2903 March 2015 Seneca School Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 1 2 S 3 A 4 B 8 9 E 10 S 11 5 Fri Sat C 6 D 7 A 12 B 13 C 14 Grades 1-3 Release Day 11:30 a.m. 15 16 D 17 E 18 S 19 A 20 B 21 22 23 C 24 D 25 E 26 S 27 A 28 Open House/Ice Cream Social 6:30 p.m. 29 30 31 Spring Recess—No School A Day - Art (1-3) PE (3) B Day - Music (1-3) C Day - PE (1-3) D Day - Music (1-3) E Day - PE (1-3) S Day - Library (1-3) PE (1-2) Kindergarten Library A, C, E