Auer Time @ LPMS

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: It is the time for home.” —Edith Sitwell

We will support each learner in defining success in their own way.

• Core Classes (ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science) will have midterms starting the week of January 20th. Students will be taking the midterm exams during their regularly scheduled classes.
• Midterms are Common Formative Assessments(CFAs). Some of the advantages of CFAs are:
1. Team-developed common assessments are more efficient
2. Team-developed common assessments are more equitable.
3. Team-developed common formative assessments are more effective in monitoring and improving student learning.
   
4. Team-developed common formative assessments can inform and improve the practice of both individual teachers and teams of teachers.

It's hard to believe but we are approaching the halfway mark of the school year! The first semester/ end of marking period 2 will end on January 23rd. Midterms may be included in marking period 2 or marking period 3.

Quarter 2 (20 Weeks): November 3rd - January 23rd

Quarter 3 (30 Weeks): January 26th - March 27th

Quarter 4 (40 Weeks): April 13th - June 26th

What is ASAP?

The purpose of the program is to provide a structured time and location for students to get academic assistance in areas of need with classroom teachers. This time can be used for students to study, review the day’s lessons, work on homework, or receive additional instruction.

Where does it take place?

ASAP takes place after school from 2:40-3:40 pm, Monday through Thursday in the Middle School Cafeteria. Students can take the late bus home.

Who is ASAP for?

Any student is welcome to stay for ASAP but the primary focus is on students who are struggling or are failing one or more classes. If students are missing work or projects teachers may recommend students for ASAP as well.

On January 6th and 9th students will be taking their second AimswebPlus benchmark screening in Reading and Math. Our Data Analysis Team (DAT) will review the data to determine individual student needs for Response to Intervention (RtI).

The data is also used to determine placement in advance courses in Math and Science. In a continued effort to reduce the reliance on paper and traditional mail distribution, Lewiston-Porter will be utilizing Portfolio+ to deliver important documents and reports directly to your Parent and Student Portal.

Parents and Students now have access to view completed AIMSWeb+ benchmark assessments as well as previous years' state assessments. Individual benchmark reports can be accessed by logging into the parent/student portal.

Click the link below for instructions on accessing the reports. You must log in through a browser and NOT the app in order to view. If you're using your phone, use Safari or Chrome to get there.

This year all state tests will be Computer Based Tests (CBT), which means students will take their NYS ELA, Math and Science 8 exams entirely on their Chromebooks in the Spring. This January/February students will partake in a CBT simulation, to prepare for the real exams this Spring. The responses will not be scored and the simulation will take place in classes.

We will design innovative learning environments that support learners in achieving their personalized goals.

December means Winter Concerts for the Music Department! On December 2nd, Grades 7 and 8 Band, Orchestra, and Chorus performed under the expertise of Ms. Burdick, Mr. Duncan and Mr. Marinaccio. The groups performed a variety of styles including popular selections and seasonal selections. It was a very enjoyable evening, and all our 7/8 music students all had a fantastic musical performance!

On December 9th, the 6th Grade Band, Orchestra and Chorus performed under the leadership of Mrs. Carrere, Mrs. Spinnegan, and Mr. Marinaccio respectively.

A special thank you to all of the music parents for your support and encouragement of your young musicians! We are so very proud of their efforts!

Please check out the Music Departments Facebook page for more information and to watch the Winter Concerts!

15 students in grades 7, 8, and 9 were selected to perform with the Junior High Area All-State orchestra and chorus In November. These students were selected after a rigorous audition process back in April. Area All-State is the second competitive level for music students and brings together the top-scoring musicians from Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus counties. We are very proud of the following students for their hard work!

For chorus - Dylan Bielec, Maxim Ebos, Grace Pacillo, Noah Rookey, Liam Woods, Layla Anthony, Juliet Dimieri, Charlotte Draper, Marlowe McCarley, Colette Ruest, and Emily Scibilia

For orchestra - Waylon Fallesen, Lola Schimmelpenninck van der Oye, James Donnelley, Liam Scully

We are so proud of our students who have to perform alone in front of a judge; this is no easy feat!

We will build a culture and climate that supports the needs of all Lewiston-Porter community members.

For the third year in a row, our Crew classes participated in the Lunches for Love community service event. As you recall, we set aside time each November to focus on Gratitude and Purpose by supporting Heart and Soul food pantry with Lunches for Love. Our student work together to prepare over 500 lunches for those in need. We’re specifically looking for Tops, Wegmans, or Walmart gift cards. As with all Crew Service Projects, Lunches of Love takes place at the end of the day for approximately ninety minutes. Students follow a modified schedule and will attend all of their classes prior to the event. This year, Lunches for Love took place on November 25, which was the last day before our Thanksgiving break. The making of the bagged lunches created a hands on activity for students to practice the November monthly CREW theme of Gratitude and Purpose.

These service projects allow us to meet the New York State Social and Emotional Learning benchmarks. For example, this project addresses the following benchmark: 3C.3b. Participate in civic experiences such as community service to address identified needs in their community, including those rooted in bias and injustice, and reflect on their efforts.

Consider these facts:

• Did you know that participating in community service can boost a student’s academic performance? “We find that students who engage in their communities as volunteers early on in their education are far ahead of their peers with respect to skills in problem solving, collaboration, time management, communication and leadership.” (Centenary University, 2024).

• According to a special health report published by Harvard Health Publications, helping others kindles happiness, as many studies have demonstrated. When researchers at the London School of Economics examined the relationship between volunteering and measures of happiness in a large group of American adults, they found the more people volunteered, the happier they were, according to a study in Social Science and Medicine. Compared with people who never volunteered, the odds of being “very happy” rose 7% among those who volunteer monthly and 12% for people who volunteer every two to four weeks. Among weekly volunteers, 16% felt very happy—a hike in happiness comparable to having an income of $75,000–$100,000 versus $20,000, say the researchers.

  Adapted with permission from Simple Changes, Big Rewards: A Practical, Easy Guide for Healthy, Happy Living, .

We were so proud of our students' efforts and are so very grateful for the outstanding support we received from the following local businesses:

• Gloria Baker and Baker farms for supplying the apples - The students donated their time to pick the apples that were then donated!

• DiCamillo's Bakery donated all of the loaves of bread

• DiMino's Tops in Lewiston donated all of the meats and cheese for the sandwiches.

On Saturday, October 18th, the Lew-Port Rocketry Teams won 3 awards at the Regional Moog Challenge in Geneseo. Moog gave out 2 monetary awards and 3 special awards. Lew-Port won Best Team Spirit, Best Rocket Craftsmanship, and monetary award $250 (gift card for rocketry parts and motors).
The girls’ team (Lew-Port Launching Ladies) earned a score of 1 on their second flight. The flight was 751ft (Target height 750ft, and fell within the target flight duration of 36-39 seconds. A perfect flight is a 0. In the history of the Moog Challenge that has never happened before! The boys’ team (Lew-Port Launchers) did really well too. It flew beautifully, but we need to switch our motor for some more power to reach the target of 750ft. We were a bit short. There were 20 teams from 8 schools at the challenge.

High School Students who participated:

William Pawlak(team captain), Samantha Draper (team captain), Leah Connelly, Evan Connelly and Evan Golden.

Middle School Students who participated:

Lauren Leven, Riley McMahon, Violet Donnelley, Luke Suitor, Noah Gannon, Finn Gannon, Benny Costantino, and Arthur Stefanik.

The Moog Engineers stated that flights with height numbers like ours we have a good chance to make it to the National Competition in Washington DC, May 2026!

We will be launching at Lew-Port for those qualifying flights in the spring. (Top 100 schools get to go).

Want to save money? Order your yearbook before January 1, 2026 and save $15 on your student's yearbook. After January 1st, the price of yearbooks are $55. The final deadline for yearbooks is Friday, March 20th, 2026. To order your yearbook visit the link below and use code 0293XB.

Builders Club has had an incredibly busy and impactful start to the school year!

In September, members volunteered at the Peach Festival Kiwanis Food Tent, ran a water station at the Mighty Niagara Half-Marathon, and participated in the Fort Niagara Beach Sweep.

October was equally active as Builders Club organized the annual district wide Coat Drive and assisted Youngstown Recreation to help run games at their community Halloween party.

In November, Builders Club members led a schoolwide food drive to benefit the Ransomville Care-n-Share Food Pantry and worked with the Kiwanis Club to fill Thanksgiving food baskets for families in need. December brought holiday cheer as members created ornaments for residents at Our Lady of Peace, coordinated the middle school “Box of Caring” toy collection for the Town of Porter, and helped Santa at the Youngstown Children’s Christmas Party. They will also once again assist Kiwanis in filling Christmas food baskets. Throughout the year, Builders Club continues to support our school by running the weekly recycling program and helping the PTSA with the school store. We are so proud of the students' hard work and dedication. There are many more volunteer opportunities planned for the new year, and we look forward to seeing all the difference they will continue to make!

Want to know what clubs and activities LPMS has to offer? Click on the buttons below to check out the Lewiston-Porter Clubs & Activities Handbook and our LPMS calendar. Bookmark it so you can check back monthly.

Teenagers are not immune to the stress of the holidays, especially for at-risk youth. According to the article "Parents Worry More About Teen Mental Health During the Holidays" (see link below), "the combinations of holiday stress, extra free time, and lack of structure often leads to teens spiraling out of control." Realize that you are not alone and be aware of resources that are available to you such as school counseling services, pediatricians, mental health specialists, or community advisors.

What is test anxiety?

Test anxiety is a nervous feeling a student might experience when taking a test. It is normal for students, and adults, to feel some level of stress when taking an exam, but when those worries are over and above normal reactions, it is referred to as test anxiety. Avoiding the problem is not the best approach to the issue, as testing will continue throughout high school and beyond.

How to deal with test anxiety?

Below are some tips on how to deal with test anxiety. Ignoring the issue often leads to greater anxiety and feelings of being unprepared. Talk to you student about the following strategies from Nemours Teen Health:

• Start studying the day the teacher first says there will be an exam. That way you won’t be cramming at the last minute.
• Schedule study time. Put it in your calendar or set an alarm on your phone to remind you.
• Focus on smaller chunks of material during study sessions so they’re easier to handle.
• Ask someone in the class if you can study together to keep you on track.
• Try breathing exercises to relax.
• Remind yourself that you don’t have to get a perfect score on every test. Everyone slips up, so keep mistakes in perspective. Think of them as chances to learn for the next time.

What Do I Do if these Strategies Still Aren't Working?

Encourage your student to talk to you, their teacher, or school counselor. They may suggest an outside therapist or modifications to help alleviate test anxiety.

December 2 - 7th/8th Grade Ensembles - 7pm High School Auditorium
December 5 - No Students - Superintendent Conference Day
December 9 - 6th Grade Ensembles - 7pm High School Auditorium
December 11: Winter Carnival & Bazaar, 6-7:30

December 12 - Parent Teacher Conference Day - No Students

December 12: 15 Week Marking Period

December 22 - January 4: Winter Break - No School

January 6 & 8: AimsWeb Plus Winter Benchmark

January 19 - Martin Luther King Jr Day - No School

January 20-23: Middle School Midterms

January 23: End of Semester 1/ End of Marking Period 2

February 16 - President's Day - No School

February 17 - Lunar New Year - No School

Email: aauer@lew-port.com
Website: www.lew-port.com
Location: 4061 Creek Road, Youngstown, NY, USA
Phone: 716-286-7201
Twitter: @LewPortMS

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! @LewPortMS and if you see something great with our students or staff, share it with us using #lewport!