January 6, 2025

Dear ITMMS Families,

As we welcome the new year, we want to extend our best wishes to each of you for a wonderful journey ahead. New beginnings bring fresh opportunities for growth, learning, and strengthening friendships. Let's strive to be our best selves this year—great classmates, teammates, friends, and active members of our school community. A fantastic way to embrace this goal is by understanding and embodying the concept of the “glue guy” or “glue girl.”

Glue guys and girls are individuals who may not always stand in the spotlight, but they play pivotal roles in uniting their teams, groups, or organizations. They foster connections, create positive atmospheres, and support those around them. One exemplary figure is Fred Rogers, beloved host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He was a glue figure in the lives of countless children, teaching them about empathy, kindness, and emotional intelligence. Through his gentle guidance and unwavering support, he created a safe space where children could learn and grow. His impact transcended television, building a legacy of compassion that continues to touch lives today.

Another remarkable example is Steve Nash, a former NBA player. While more famous stars received most of the attention, Nash was the glue that held his teams together. He led by example, regularly assisting his teammates and ensuring they felt valued and motivated. His impact was felt both on and off the court, where his leadership inspired a culture of teamwork and collaboration.

As we embark on this new year, let us take inspiration from these glue individuals and remember the power of our roles in creating a positive school environment. Being a glue guy or girl means lifting one another up, celebrating our differences, and making sure everyone feels included and valued. It’s about showing kindness, being a dependable friend, and stepping in to help when someone is feeling down or overwhelmed.

Together, let’s continue to build a school community that thrives on friendship, respect, and support. May this new year be filled with countless opportunities for you to shine as glue guys and girls in your everyday interactions.

Here’s to a fantastic 2025 at Island Trees Memorial Middle School, where we work together to achieve our dreams and create lasting memories!

As always, thank you for your support.

Mr. Keegan & Ms. Steele

Please join us in congratulating the 5th & 6th Grade winners of the 12 Days of Math Challenges Competition at ITMMS. Awesome work!!! Special thanks to Mrs. Clarke and our math teachers for leading this fun and impactful learning experience.

Dear Island Trees Families,

It is that time of year again for the National History Bee! This year's competition will be conducted completely digitally as we did last year. All students will take an online qualifying exam directly through the International Academic Competition's website to see if they qualify among others in the region for the next round of competition.

We will be conducting these online qualifying exams in social studies classes on Monday, 1/6 and Tuesday, 1/7. These scores will not count towards your child's social studies grade, but rather determine if they move on to the next round of the competition which is the Regional Competition to be held on March 22nd at ITTMMS. Qualifying scores will be based on the scores received in each grade level within each region. Once we receive scores back from IAC, we will communicate to students and families who have qualified for the next round along with information on how to register for the regional competition.

Below are links for practice questions and study guides if your child would like to prepare.

Please reach out with any questions you may have. Good luck to all!

Mrs. Azar

Social Studies Department Chairperson

Students in Mrs. Benjamin's 8th grade enrichment classes participated in a nationwide Fright Club writing competition. Each student had to create a horror story with a limit of no more than 100-words. This was no easy feat! Sixteen of the stories were selected by the organizers to be published. They are also going on to a final selection competition where three overall winners will be selected in April.

Congratulations go out to Mrs. Benjamin and her talented students:

Kyler Alfredsson

Vardah Ali Isabelle Bag

Seerat Bhatti

Evan Browne

Mary Carrieri

Matthew Chan

Grace Dromm

Brielle Jackson

Mackenzie O'Connor

Jacob Oliva

Alexis Rivinius

Ellie Schmidt

Ella Shaw

Chantel Wassef

Madison White

Do You Know

Do you know that we have a homework club that meets 4x/week?

Do you know that all teachers provide extra help during the week?

Do you know that we have morning library starts on Monday, Tuesday, Thurs. & Fri. at 7:15?

Do you know that we have an Academic Study Center for our students on Tues. and Fri. mornings?

Do you know our morning breakfast program starts each day at 7:30 AM.

If you have any additional ideas on how we might best support your child's progress, please do not hesitate to reach out to school leadership or your child's teachers.

It is as obvious to me today as it was in my first year of teaching that a dominant trait of adolescents is their desire to belong to peer group as a means to gain social stature. To this end, young adolescents often experiment with new behaviors and activities as they seek social position and personal identity. AT ITMMS, we see this each day in our classrooms, on our playing fields, and on stages and rehearsal rooms. Our children are trying new musical instruments, challenging themselves with advanced academic programs, joining new clubs with classmates who have like interests, trying out for sports, and signing up to perform in school plays and talent shows. This level of "experimentation" is what middle school is all about, and we are so proud that we are able to offer such a robust and well-rounded school program.

Our adolescent students are also experimenting in other ways--trying out new behaviors, mannerisms, fashions, and expressions to see how this new version of self is received by the world. In so many ways, our kids are seeking the approval of others and feedback on the new version of self. During this time, many of our adolescent students will make both small and very serious mistakes in their attempt to fit in, grow their popularity, or seek a connection with someone else. These mistakes, if addressed properly, can become learning experiences that will help a child to grow and mature.

Like most schools, we are called upon to address language and behavior in our school that have been deemed to be disrespectful and unkind in nature. And while our school's response to these behaviors recognizes the age and maturity of our students, it is disappointing to find that some of our students use excuses like "I was only joking" or "But he is my friend" as a means to justify the actions. These excuses are not acceptable, and we do ask that our students take ownership for the impact of their words and actions.

As your child's principal, I will continue to work with our school's staff to further develop specific lessons to be integrated in our classrooms on ways to promote empathy for others; respect for each student’s diverse qualities and characteristics; and protocols for reporting incidents of bullying and harassment. In doing so, we will seek to ensure that the experiences of all students are valued and recognized. After the break, we will begin a school-wide campaign titled We Don't Talk Like That, which will allow our students to grow as upstanders—those willing to stand up to language and behaviors that are hurtful to others.

Please note that the behaviors referenced above are not only concerns at ITMMS. I belong to professional organizations that are centered in middle-level education. When I speak to other teachers and administrators—both locally and throughout the state, they are also seeking ways to address the impact that negative and harmful words and behaviors have on their schools. And while some schools may simply write it off to the age group, I know our school community is always ready and willing to do the heavy lifting to help our kids grow into respectful and responsible citizens. I will lean on all of you for support, and I will continue to seek your consistent follow-up at home.

As always, thank you for your support!

Dignity Act at ITMMS

Dear ITMMS Families,

We are appreciative of the support our students provide their classmates during inter-scholastic events. However, there have been recent reports of students being dropped off at Stokes for sporting events and not being picked up until long after the competition. Additionally, there have been reports of student behaviors, while attending events away from the middle school, that do not live up to the Bulldog Way. As a result, ITMMS students wishing to attend sporting events this winter at Stokes must be accompanied by a parent/guardian or they will not be permitted to stay.

Thank you for your support.

Mr. Keegan

From the Mid-Island Times (10/24/24)

Sana Gupta is active volunteer with Hope for Triumph and participated in Hope for Triumph's breast cancer awareness annual event- Pink Stride Fashion Show which was a beautiful tribute to the strength of cancer survivors, promoting awareness and hope for breast cancer and were also awarded Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her hard work with Hope for Triumph.

Around 25 student volunteers from 18 different Long Island schools participated, all dressed in pink, walking the runway in solidarity. We were honored to have Senator Martins as one of our dignitaries to award the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

Hope for Triumph marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month with its Annual Pink Stride Fashion Show, a powerful and moving tribute to breast cancer survivors and a resounding call to action. Held at 80 E Barclay St, the event gathered a community united in honoring survivors, raising awareness, and celebrating hope for a cancer-free future.

The event featured 25 student volunteers from 18 Long Island schools who took to the runway dressed in pink, standing in solidarity with survivors. Their presence highlighted the importance of youth involvement in this crucial cause. Senator Jack Martins attended as a distinguished guest, presenting the prestigious Presidential Volunteer Service Awards (PVSA) to several dedicated volunteers. He also honored them with certificates of recognition from his office.

In addition to the fashion show, 14 students were recognized with PVSA awards for their exceptional contributions to the cause. The honorees included Ananya Kavi, Angel Shah, Nimisha Devjani, Saanvi Mehta, Tanush Devjani, Himani Patel, Himani Pandey, Saanvi Gawde, Neal Patel, Shivani Pandey, Yashshwini Malhotra, Sia Gupta, and Sana Gupta.

Dear 5th & 6th Grade Families,

Our 5th and 6th grade math series (EnVision/Savvas) has recently come out with a new resource, Family Engagement. This gives parents the ability to see an overview of all lessons, ideas for math help at home, and offers a home activity suggestion. Parents can easily access the Visual Learning Videos and Take Another Look videos for each lesson.

Use the links below to access this great resource:

5th Grade

https://media.pk12ls.com/curriculum/math/family_engage/g05_welcome_en.html

6th Grade

https://media.pk12ls.com/curriculum/math/family_engage/g06_welcome_en.html

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or could use additional support.

Best,

Mr. Keegan

How Do We Define Success?

Is a 98 average the clearest indicator of a student's success?

Is it success when a student earns an 84 Q2 average after finishing with a 77 in Q1?

Is it success when a students takes a chance and tries out for the school’s Talent Show?

Is it success when a student gets charged up about science due to his work in the lab even though he still might struggle on exams?

Is it success when an 8th grader develops stronger time management and organizational skills to meet the challenges of an advanced program?

Is it success when a child gets a 94% in English 7A even though she decided not to try out for basketball due to concerns about the academic workload?

Is it success when a family finds 30 minutes at night to sit together at the table to review homework, study, and talk through the family schedule?

I pose these questions as an exercise to help us all remember the many factors that go into our understanding and discussions around the word success. These questions also provide a reminder that success for each of us is defined differently.

Our adolescent learners are provided with so many different experiences during their middle school years. Whether it is studying a second language, participating in a school musical, playing lacrosse for the first time, participating in a community service initiative, joining our Robotics Club, or deeply diving into family and community-based activities outside of ITMMS, our children are presented with such a great variety of experiences and opportunities during this stage of their lives. It is my hope that our children will use these many experiences to grow, to discover what makes them tick, and to see pathways by which they can positively impact the world.

May we move through the school year committed to helping our students find great success—however it may be defined. May we work together to help our students reach for stars, while knowing that the process is often slow and incremental. And may we keep the lines of communication open so that our children know that we are all on the same team with only one goal—to help our kids become the best versions of themselves.

We had a great time meeting Raphael and his service dog Ben during today's K9s for Warriors assembly. Thank you for your service--both in Iraq and at home. Special thanks to the Elie family for keeping our warriors front and center! ⁦

A big shoutout to Owen on being honored by the Courage and Sacrifice organization for his great volunteerism and community service. Owen raised over $200 dollars this summer in support of K9s for Warriors! Awesome work, Owen!

Beginning in just a few short weeks, our students will have access to our morning library program on Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays, and Fridays. Morning library begins at 7:20 AM, providing a relaxing and enjoyable start to the school day. Our start date for our morning library program will be shared during the first weeks of September.

It is the mission of the School Library Media Center to ensure that students develop the skills necessary to become independent, capable, competent information users and lifelong learners. These skills include the ability to locate, access, evaluate, organize, integrate, use and communicate information and ideas from a wide variety of sources and formats. Instruction, therefore, integrates information skills into curriculum units rather than teaching them in isolation. Student-centered research projects are developed and coordinated through a cooperative effort with classroom teachers.

I am also pleased to announce our 2024-2025 Annual Student Safety Contest. This year we challenge students to submit a safety message/slogan or drawing for customized socks. Winning entries at the Elementary, Middle, and High School level will be used to design S.O.C.K.S. for distribution.

Learn more about the School Safety S.O.C.K.S. contest!

In August 2019, New York State became the 37th state to sign Erin’s Law into legislation. Erin's Law requires public schools to teach child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention classes to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Erin's Law is named for Erin Merryn, an abuse survivor and activist against child sexual abuse who has advocated for similar laws nationwide for over a decade. Erin’s Law is intended to help children, teachers, and parents in New York State schools identify sexual abuse, and to provide awareness, assistance, referral, or resource information for children and families who are victims of child sexual abuse.

In Summer 2020, work was completed with organizations that researched, developed age-appropriate grade bands, and found multiple resources to help school districts develop curriculum and useful lesson plans to implement Erin’s Law.

At island Trees Memorial Middle School, our SEL teachers in grades 5 & 6 support our Erin's Law initiatives, and in grades 7 & 8 our health teachers lead our efforts.

Please be sure to reach out to our staff or me if you have any questions.

Please be sure to review the notes below as they relate to drop off and pick up at Island Trees Memorial Middle School in 2024-2025.

Bus Transportation

The Transportation Office will send home information regarding your child's bus stops and times. Typically, our buses arrive to our school between 7:55-8:05. This allows students to get to their lockers and then to their morning Advisory.

Walkers & Family Drop Off

• Students who walk to school and students who are dropped off at our school are expected to arrive between 7:50-8:05.
• Because the back of our school building is the location for bus drop offs, we encourage parents and guardians to use our school's front circle for drop off.
• If you are dropping off at our school's back door, please be advised that this door is not open for student drop-off before 7:50.
• When dropping off at our school's front circle, please be sure to move as far into the circle as possible so as to avoid a backup on Wantagh Avenue.
• When your child exits your car, please make sure that he/she exits on the sidewalk side of your car, and please ensure that doors on the driver's side do not open.
• To ensure the safety of our students, a crossing guard will be stationed at Straight Lane and Wantagh Avenue during arrival and dismissal times. All students who walk to and from school are expected to cross at this location. Please remind your child(ren) of this important responsibility.
  

Dismissal

Our last class ends at 2:34. Students are dismissed at this time for family pick up, to walk home, and to get to a bus. Because our buses receive students in the back of our school, families are strongly encouraged to pick up their children in the front of our school.

We hope you are all having a nice summer. We have spent considerable time over the past several years studying the issues that are associated with children carrying heavy backpacks. We have spoken with many of our students and families to learn about these concerns while exploring ways to best support our students.

With the ongoing success of our 1:1 Chromebook model, our teachers have collaborated to create supply lists that will limit the amount of binders and paper being carried by students this school year. By making this conscientious change in our supply lists, we believe the weight carried by our students throughout the school day will be significantly reduced.

Please note that lockers will be assigned in the first weeks of school. Our teachers and staff will work with your children to ensure that they are supported and guided throughout this process.

Additionally, we ask that you remind your child(ren) that Chromebooks must be kept in the school-issued case when not in the classroom. This requirement will help to prevent damage to this learning device and promote hallway safety and efficient hallway movement.

We are asking parents/guardians to join in our efforts to ensure that student backpacks remain light, manageable, and safe. As always, we continue to encourage our students to use their lockers to help decrease the amount of items they carry during the school day. Additionally, we will have routine notebook and locker inventories, which will allow students the opportunity to clean out binders and backpacks.

Please feel free to contact the Main Office if you have any questions. We hope you all continue to have a great summer.

Sincerely,

Mr. Daniel Keegan

Principal

Please be reminded that our school's daily announcements are posted on our website. These announcements come from teachers, coaches, and club advisors. Please be sure to review these announcements by selecting the "Daily Bulletin" link on our school's website.

Did you know that our Daily Bulletin is also posted within the Parent Portal. Please take a look at this helpful resource.

Our teachers work hard to keep families connected to their classroom by posting homework to our website. These teacher websites and links will be updated in early September. Please be sure that your children are making the review of these sites a regular part of their day.

If you do not want your child's photo used on social media, school publications, and our school's website, please send an e-mail to dkeegan@islandtrees.org expressing this wish. Thank you.

We cannot wait to get our young musicians back to school next week. I will communicate dates, time, and performance groups during the first two weeks of September. We are looking forward to a great year!

Our after-school Homework Club is offered to students in need of a quiet environment and organized scheduling. A certified middle school teacher on our staff will supervise and assist the students during this period under the following guidelines:

1. The Homework Club will take place Monday-Thursday after school from dismissal until 3:20.

2. Students must sign in and out each day they attend.

3. Parents/teachers may request students to attend on a daily, weekly, or full-time basis.

4. Students may attend on their own initiative.

5. Students must come with their work and all necessary supplies.

Homework Club will likely begin during the third week of September. Please stay tuned for an announcement.

In addition to the special area classes of physical education, music, art, and library, 5th and 6th graders at ITMMS participate in a wide-array of classes that tap into their curiosity, support hands-on learning experiences, promote their social growth, and allow them to pursue areas that are of high interest.

Please see the brief descriptions included below.

Our SEL program makes it possible for each of our 5th grade students to meet with a school counselor in a small-class setting every week. In 6th grade, our students continue the program with Ms. Roche, one our school's health teachers. Goals of this program include helping our students feel a stronger connection to our school, the exploration of topics most relevant to young adolescents, and the review of study skills, communication, and self-advocacy strategies which promote student success.

While we cannot firmly predict the future of jobs—nationally or globally, statistical projections and trends indicate that technical skills will be in high demand, with coding talents especially relevant and sought after. Island Trees Memorial Middle School now integrates a weekly Coding class for each of our 5th and 6th grade students. This Coding class engages our young learners and provides a practical and exciting addition to our school’s programs.

This course allows students to build the foundation which will support more intensive and rigorous language instruction in the coming years. As much research highlights the many benefits of early foreign language instruction, it is our goal to build mental flexibility, superiority in concept formation, and diversification of cognitive abilities.

Though we consistently make efforts to promote student connectedness to our school, we continue to design structures to meet this important need. At Island Trees Memorial Middle School, it is our goal to balance student health and wellness with academic and social and emotional growth. Our Advisory program is committed to improving interpersonal relationships and promoting cooperation in achieving student and school goals.

We are excited that all 5th and 6th grade students now have a Science Exploration class built into their schedule each week. Our Science Exploration class has been designed to promote scientific inquiry and laboratory investigations. This program promises to build upon student interest and topics that promote engagement.

In addition to our Science Lab, all students in grades 5 & 6 participate in a Math Workshop class each week. This Math Workshop class builds upon classroom instruction and goals while reinforcing and clarifying challenging concepts and procedures. This weekly course focuses on math skills that require additional attention and practice.

A strong focus during Core Extension is the use of small-groups to promote peer-to-peer feedback. Additionally, with much research highlighting the importance of specific feedback, our teachers are committed to using the Core Extension period to conference with students and student groups and to provide feedback that supports student growth.

GETTING A GOOD START

Organize

Getting a good start at the beginning of the school year is important. Start good habits right away. Before you go to bed, organize your books and supplies and get your clothes ready for the next day so that you are not rushed in the morning.

Your Locker

At school your locker is your home away from home. It is provided for your books and clothing. You should keep your locker uncluttered and locked and keep your combination a secret. Lockers are not to be exchanged or shared with other students.

Be Friendly

Come to school each day with a positive attitude. Talk to people about their interests and they will ask you about yours. Make an effort to make new friends and work with a variety of classmates when you can.

Make Connections

Take advantage of the social activities that the middle school provides. Join clubs that are organized along the lines of your interests. Participate in school dances, field trips, Sports Night, and many other activities.

Each student’s appearance should reflect a positive image of our school and uphold the spirit of “Bulldog Pride”. Our school welcomes and appreciates the support of parents in upholding these guidelines.

In order to maintain a safe, orderly, and respectful learning environment all students are expected to adhere to the following dress code guidelines:

• Students should NOT wear clothing which is unsafe, dangerous or a health hazard.

• No outerwear of any kind shall be worn during the school day.

• No clothing may contain offensive or obscene language, symbols, signs, or slogans.

• No clothing may endorse violence, sex, gangs or illegal substances.

• Attire may not be disruptive to the educational process.

If a student is in violation of the aforementioned guidelines he or she will be offered the opportunity to change clothing immediately or be referred to the Student Support Center. Parents/Guardians may be contacted to bring alternative attire to the school should it be required.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

On behalf of the National Forum, I would like to offer you our heartfelt congratulations on being re-designated as a School to Watch school! What an exciting thing you have embarked upon and your recognition shows the world that your school is indeed advancing excellence in the middle-grades. We truly cannot thank you enough for your dedication to young adolescent students and strong programs, practices, and cultures that enable you to meet their needs and propel them further. You are making an impactful difference in their lives and we are grateful beyond words.

Again, we are so proud of you and your accomplishments on becoming a Schools to Watch school! Your students are so very fortunate to be part of your school and we are anxious to learn from you at the conference and through other interactions with your team. Thank you for being a leader in middle-grades education and for your strong dedication to young adolescents.

With admiration, appreciation, and respect,

Important School Phone Numbers

Main Office: 520-2157

Student Support Center: 520-2169

Health Office: 520-2164

Special Education: 520-2175

Curriculum: 520-2185

Health & Athletics: 520-2173

Attendance Office: 520-2166

We are a Nut Aware School

Please refrain from sending your child to school with snacks containing nuts. Peanut butter and other nut-related items are not sold in our cafeteria. If you have concerns about your child’s allergies, please contact our nurse at 520-2164.

Nutrition

To foster good health amongst our students, the following guidelines have been established:

• Energy drinks and coffee drinks are not permitted
• Other than water, no food or drinks in the hallways or classrooms
• No use of snack machines until lunch periods
• Delivery of fast food/take out is not allowed during the school day

Hallway Passing

Your children are reminded that they are expected to move between classes efficiently and to be safe, respectful, and responsible. All students are expected to walk on the right-side of the hallway and to walk in a manner that is respectful of others. There is no acceptable excuse for pushing or making physical contact with another student. With many students moving through our hallways during passing, pushing, running, and other similar behaviors can create a health and safety concern.

Lockers

Lockers will be assigned during the first weeks of school. Please be sure to encourage your child to routinely use his/her locker during the school day. There is time between classes for students to get to lockers, and I believe with greater practice and consistency, our students will see that more routine use of the locker will lessen the weight of a backpack. Those with gym lockers (student-athletes included) must lock belongings in our school-issued lockers.

Headphones & Phones

This note speaks to the power of one voice. I ask that you join me in reminding your children to remove headphones/Airpods when arriving to school in the morning. Additionally, please be sure to remind your children that phones must be fully powered down while in school. We have had great success with our "Powered Down & Put Away" policy, and we ask for your support in this area.

Smart Watches

As we continue to strengthen our Powered Down & Put Away program, we share with you that smart watches are not permitted to be worn during the school day. Any watch, whether enabled or in disabled mode, that allows for photography, texting, internet searches, and/or e-mail must be placed in a locker or backpack during the school day.

Social Media

How familiar are you with TikTok, Instagram, and SnapChat? Do you know who your children communicate with on these open social media platforms? Do your children go to YouTube the way you as a child may have gone to Nickelodeon, ESPN, or some other afternoon tv show?

As a father of twin fifteen year-olds, I have been forced to confront the powerful force that is social media. I would strongly encourage each of you to review the resources found under the following headings:

• Screenagers
• Social Media & Adolescents

I do believe these resources will help you (us) better understand the powerful pull of social media and technology while also providing ideas for families and parents to help children navigate the digital world.

Personal Items

Please do not bring personal items, money or jewelry of value to school. It is important for you to remember that the school cannot assume responsibility for the safekeeping of your personal items should they become lost or stolen. Cell phones are not necessary during the school day, and ITMMS is not responsible for loss or theft of phones, Airpods, watches, and other valuable personal belongings. No electronic equipment, aside from school-provided devices, are to be used during school. Recording and/or photographing staff and other students is strictly prohibited in school, on the bus, and at any school sponsored events.

Communication between home and school is crucial to so many areas, including attendance. I am writing to remind you that it is a parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to notify the school whenever your child is absent. Please call the Attendance Office (520-2166) each day that your child will not be attending school. Please also be reminded to send in notes from your doctor or dentist to confirm visits. Strong communication allows us to keep updated and timely records, and it also helps our teachers best assist students who will be missing classes.

Thank you for your support.

Though decisions regarding the use of social media should be made by families, it is important to know that adolescents are increasingly drawn to this medium. The Island Trees Memorial Middle School will make every effort to model the appropriate use of social media and support your children as they navigate the digital age. Though e-mail and phone calls are still welcome and useful, we will seek to leverage the power of technology to provide school-based updates in multiple formats. To this end and to keep the lines of communication open between home and school, we ask that you consider following ITMMS on the platforms below.

While social media streams and incessant texting and digital communications play an increasingly large role in the lives of our students, I ask for your support as we speak with one voice regarding phones in our school. From the moment a student enters our school building until the moment they exit our school, we will expect that all phones are "Powered Down and Put Away."

Please join us as we make this expectation clear to your children from Day 1. As with other policies, it is important when working with adolescents to explain the "why" behind the policy. Please join me in clearly articulating our belief that our kids deserve it; that 6 1/2 hours of a day without a text tone, vibration, or push notification is healthy and will promote focus and their full presence. Our office phones will always welcome students needing to contact home, and if there is anything essential that must be communicated to our students, we will be sure to relay messages from home to our students.

Let's do this together!

This section has been created to help parents and families better understand the needs and characteristics of young adolescents. The research and briefs shared below highlight the significant changes that our students are going through and the ways in which families and schools can best support our children.

The Dignity Act was signed into law on September 13, 2010 and took effect on July 1, 2012. "New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act seeks to provide the State’s public elementary and secondary school students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment, and bullying on school property, a school bus and/or at a school function.

The Dignity Act also amended Section 801-a of New York State Education Law regarding instruction in civility, citizenship, and character education by expanding the concepts of tolerance, respect for others and dignity to include: an awareness and sensitivity in the relations of people, including but not limited to, different races, weights, national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abilities, sexual orientations, gender identity, and sexes." (NYSED.gov)

In each school, a Dignity For All Students (DASA) Coordinator is trained to handle human relations in the areas of race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender (identity or expression) and sex. The DASA coordinators are available to assist families with any concerns.

The reality is that most kids start developing online relationships around the age of 8, usually through virtual worlds such as Club Penguin. By age 10, they've progressed to multiplayer games and sharing their digital creations and homemade videos on sites such as YouTube. By age 13, millions of kids have created accounts on social-networking sites such as Facebook. Here are the essential safety and responsibility guidelines for middle schoolers:

• Follow the rules. Many social sites have an age minimum of 13 for both legal and safety/privacy reasons. Encourage kids to stick with age-appropriate sites.

• Tell your kids to think before they post. Remind them that everything can be seen by a vast, invisible audience (otherwise known as friends-of-friends-of-friends). Each family will have different rules, but, for middle school kids, it's a good idea for parents to have access to what their kids are doing online, at least at first, to be sure that what's being posted is appropriate. Parents can help keep kids from doing something they'll regret later.

• Make sure kids set their privacy settings. Privacy settings aren't foolproof, but they can be helpful. Take the time to learn about default settings and how to change privacy settings on your kids' favorite sites, and teach your kids how to control their privacy.

• Kindness counts. Lots of sites have anonymous applications such as "bathroom walls" or "honesty boxes" that allow users to tell their friends what they think of them. Rule of thumb: If your kids wouldn't say it to someone's face, they shouldn't post it

Contests and competitions will be shared with your children throughout the school-year as a means to challenge and extend learning. During the 2024-2025 school-year, our students participated in a great number of contests and competitions, including national competitions such as U.S. Army Education Fund's e-Cybermission Competition, National History Bee, and the Scripps Spelling Bee. Please keep your eyes out for contests and competitions which may suit your child.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA) are sponsoring a poster contest that is open to all middle school students (grades 6th,7th, and 8th). The theme of the contest is “Create a Watershed Super Hero.” This poster contest is an excellent tool for teaching about various water issues and environmental issues.

Each contest participant will receive a certificate of recognition. Fourteen winners have the honor of having their artwork in a calendar which will be distributed across New York State. The winners will also receive their framed poster and an invitation to their local NYWEA chapter event.

Please see the attached Poster Contest Announcement for instructional resources on these topics. You can find additional information on NYSDEC’s website at Create A Watershed Super Hero Calendar Contest - NYSDEC or NYWEA’s website at www.nywea.org.

The deadline for submitting posters is Friday, January 3, 2025.

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