CCS Newsletter
September 20, 2019
ADMINISTRATION UPDATE
Dear CCS Families,
This beautiful day makes it hard to believe that it is the last day of summer! However, the beginning of some traditional Back to School activities in our classrooms certainly makes it feel like Fall has arrived. School Picture Day was on Tuesday and our students were freshly dressed, ready, and smiling! Next week will mark our first author visit, as CCS will host Ann Braden, author of The Benefits of Being an Octopus. Ann is coming to visit students in 5th and 6th grade as well as some 7/8 students. The Benefits of Being an Octopus has racked up many accolades:
- Named an NPR Best Book of 2018
- Named to the Bank Street List for Best Children's Books of 2019
- Named to the Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher List
- Named to the Maine's Student Book Award List
- Named to the Rhode Island Middle School Book Award 2020 List
- 2020 Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award Nominee
This story was a whole team read-aloud to kick off the discussions of equity through a lens of poverty. It demonstrates the power of kindness and empathy through the eyes of a young adolescent juggling lots of life’s challenges. For more information visit Ann Braden.
Another sign of the changing seasons comes from an exploration of life cycles and the natural world in our first and second-grade classes. On Thursday, Mrs. Spellman’s class noticed that one of our chrysalises had turned black - a sign that we were going to have a butterfly soon. Later that morning, our butterfly shed its chrysalis! Students dropped everything and silently watched as it began to pump its wings. The class released the butterfly this morning. What an incredible experience!
Our 7th and 8th graders have started a Friday “Town Meeting” for their advisory groups. The whole team gathered to share team updates, advisory projects, and to have some fun. Today’s team quote from Helen Keller, captured the energy of the time; “Alone we can do so little, Together we can do so much.”
Celebrations are in the air as our “Be the Change at CCS” program is in full swing!
We pride ourselves on creating a positive learning environment that promotes the academic and social-emotional, and behavioral growth of all. Charlotte Central School is proud to be a Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) school.
PBIS is a framework for preventing and responding to problem behavior within a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). A key component of PBIS is establishing a school-wide acknowledgment system that recognizes the positive contributions of every student.
CCS’s “Be the Change” acknowledgment program is about recognizing that our positive behavior not only impacts us as individuals but has a positive impact on our school and our greater community.
When students demonstrate our school-wide expectations of “taking care of ourselves, others and our school” they earn pennies that are then added to a classroom collection jar.
Congratulations to the many classes that have met their first “penny jar goal” as a key component of our PBIS system at CCS. Examples of celebrations have included:
- “Apple Day” in Kindergarten - special seasonal snacks and activities
- Pajama Day in Mrs. Filardi’s 1-2 class
- Chip Celebration in 8th Grade Humanities Class
- Extra Recess in grades 1-2
- 6th Grade celebrated with an extra 25 minutes of outside play
- Mrs. B’s Art students earned the following celebrations: 5/6 earned their art reward and picked a choice day in art; 7/8 earned their art reward and picked time outside.
Interested in implementing “Be the Change” at home? Check out this “Take Care” Activity that you can do at home with your child(ren)!
We wish you all a wonderful weekend!
Kind Regards,
Stephanie, Jen and Cassandra
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday, September 23rd
Author Ann Braden Visit, CCS Library during class sign up time
Tuesday, September 24th
Early Release, 1:55pm
Tuesday, October 1st
Early Release, 1:55pm
Wednesday, October 2nd
Volunteer Information Session, CCS Library, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Friday, October 4th
Principal Q&A, CCS Library, 7:45am - 8:30am
Dance! Grades 6-8, MPR, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Monday, October 7th
Options-Based Safety & Security Protocol Parent Information Meeting, CVU Rm 160, 6:00pm
CVSD Community Budget Forum, CVU Rm 160, 7:00-8:30pm
Tuesday, October 8th
Field Trip - Omega to Flynn Theatre
Early Release, 1:55pm
Thursday, October 10th
CVSD Spelling Bee, WCS Auditorium, 8:45am
Tuesday, October 15th
Early Release, 1:55pm
Tuesday, October 22nd
Early Release, 1:55pm
Tuesday, October 29th
Early Release, 1:55pm
SCHOOL LIBRARY NEWS
Remembering Library Day! What goes out must come back eventually! Here is a reminder of our K-4 Library Days.
Mondays
Spellman
3B
3C
Tuesdays
3A
Wednesdays
Filardi
Lubic
Thursdays
Lara
Fridays
Cota
Thayer
Save the Date!
The Scholastic Book Fair will be here October 15-18.
PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT: OPTIONS-BASED SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOL
Presenting an overview of the new protocol and time for dialogue.
Monday, October 7, 2019, 6:00 pm, CVU room 160
CVSD COMMUNITY BUDGET FORUM
Come and share what's on your mind.
Monday, October 7, 2019, 7:00-8:30 pm, CVU room 160
If you can't attend this forum, please share your thoughts on this budget input form:
PTO STUDENT DIRECTORY - AVAILABLE MID TO LATE OCTOBER
This information is gathered from the SIS Form that was sent to families via the Informed K12 platform. Also - the Blanket Permissions form provides families with an opportunity to OPT OUT or LIMIT your information in this directory. Please review and update as necessary so that providing the directories to families can stay on schedule. Should you need a hard copy of any of these forms, please contact Naomi Strada at 425-6600.
Health Office Questionnaire was also distributed via this platform and is required annually.
SEPTEMBER FOOD SERVICE INFORMATION
CHARLOTTE PARK AND WILDLIFE REFUGE DISCOVERY DAY!
September 28th from 9:30 - Noon - rain date September 29th. Click here for more information.