PKMS Update 4.27.2020
A Close Look At How We Did & Will Do Our Work
HELLO, PKMS FAMILY
Together We Are Stronger!
Can you believe it is Quarter 4? Time certainly does fly - I want to thank all our students, families, schools, and community partnerships who have been a major support system/team for the Peekskill Community - We are so fortunate to have one another
Please click onto the Peekskill Middle School's website for Digital Learning information and Mr. Lewis' Weekly Message and Newsletters https://www.peekskillcsd.org/Domain/11
April's SEL theme is Courage and Perseverance and now more than ever we need this - We cannot give up - we must keep going - To support this work, our weekly quote is:
"It is not how you start but rather how you finish!"
Let's continue to take safety precautions in these challenging times.
Our appreciation continues for your engaging learning environments, dedication, planning, collaboration, assessment of students, focus, and hard work.
Remember, to SMILE (Show My Infectious Lovable Energy) as it is the first thing students, families, and colleagues see.
Let's Keep These Thoughts in Mind:
- Laugh a little. Laugh a little more.
- Gladden the heart of a child.
- Always operate from a honest place.
- Give a soft answer
Notes of Gratitude
Thank you to the entire PKMS Family for always doing your best work and caring for our students and family - it has been 30 weeks of true PEEKSKILL PRIDE and especially the past 6 weeks
Thank you to Maria Olivier Flores who maintains Peekskill's professional and supportive partnership with Feeding Westchester and United Way - Thank you to those who have donated to these organizations to help our students and families - If you care to donate, please go to https://feedingwestchester.org/ and https://www.unitedway.org/ - We thank these organizations for always putting Peekskill in the forefront and being amazingly supportive
Thank you to this fantastic and caring PKMS staff for submitting your most kinds words for our students - Jonathan (thank you) Harrison will be posting it soon
Thank you to Jonathan Harrison for creating a user-friendly PKMS Digital Learning Portal for our families on our PKMS Website
Thank you for this week's Team Meetings and our School Leadership Team meeting - Great conversations, leadership, and work
We continue to be appreciative to Janice Reid, her team, Jonathan Harrison, and Joe Peri
Thank to the staff for continuing to support students, creating engaging lessons, and collaborating with one another
Thank you to our clinical team for their consistent family outreach, staff support, and collaboration
Thank you to our secretaries who are doing their work behind the scenes
Thank you to Dr. Campolongo and Ms. Simon for continuing to support staff and families
Thank you Carmine, Tim, Mike, Mark, Kristen, Keith, and Manny for sanitizing our buildings
Thank you Andrew Weismann and his team for providing food to our families
Thank you to David Santiago and his team for securing our buildings during this season of challenge
Learning in The Digital Age
STEM
Students learning about digital citizenship, privacy, ethics, and how to use and maintain software and hardware - using knowledge of coding strategies to create their own coding project - using Lego and Sphero robotics to build and code their robot to complete several challenges using different sensors - exploring genetics and heredity - discovering energy transformations and exploring simple machines - examining earthquakes & volcanoes - implementing geometric formulas to calculate the perimeter and area of polygons when given the lengths of all sides - reading, writing,and evaluating algebraic expressions involving exponents - using the Distributive Property to form equivalent expressions - solving equations of parallel and perpendicular lines - solving one-step equations - proving that linear functions grow by equal differences over equal intervals, and that exponential functions grow by equal factors over equal intervals - recognizing situations in which one quantity changes at a constant rate per unit interval relative to another - recognizing situations in which a quantity grows or decays by a constant percent rate per unit interval relative to another - using informal arguments to establish facts about the angle sum and exterior angle of triangles, about the angles created when parallel lines are cut by a transversal, and the angle-angle criterion for similarity of triangles.
HUMANITIES
Students accessing prior knowledge about the American Revolution and slavery during the time period, as well as understand that characters change based upon their experiences and challenges they face - reading assigned chapters, answering reading comprehension questions on google form, and discussing important events - Essential Question: What characterizes someone as a hero - identifying examples of inference so you can later apply them to the story - continuing to read the next section of the class text and respond to “modified” text-dependent questions (adding to notes that will lead to their next portfolio addition) - discussing whether President Hoover's response was adequate given the needs of the American people during The Great Depression - detailing the impact The Great Depression has on society - understanding how westward movement began and how that impact America forever - understanding the Age of Jackson - exploring the causes and major effects of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta - discussing Alexander the Great and how his great military leadership transformed Greece into a huge empire
ENCORE
Identifying the type of workout selected through the Darebee workout - increasing their understanding of diseases which will include communicable (can be spread) and non-communicable (cannot be spread) - using skills learned in class to participate in various workouts at home - does my composition convey the meaning of the word - did I effectively use elements and principles of design - did I use blending techniques and show awareness of color planning - creating a color wheel and color combination robot - learning about mask making using a mold - learning about the artist Marcos Roman - designing their own mask inspired by the artist Marcos Roman - recording themselves singing the warm-ups provided by the teacher - identifying emotions expressed through music, both with and without lyrics - learning who Jack Foley was and what Foley sounds are - continuing to explore sheet music -recalling mnemonic devices used to remember the musical staff - playing their instruments and applying learning strategies and movements - writing a short reaction to a performance
Collaborative & Department Work
- April 28th & May 12th - Full Department Meeting - See Department Leaders for Agenda and Calendar Invitation
- 9AM - ELA
- 9:45AM - Math
- 9:30AM - LOTE
- 10AM - Social Studies
- 10:30AM - Special Education
- 11AM - ENL
- 11AM - Science
Faculty Meeting - May 4th at 3PM
Team / Grade-Level Work
- May 6th & May 20th - Check and Connect as Teams - Please consult your calendar for an Invitation through Google Hangouts Meet
Team 6N 10AM - Team 6S 10:45AM - Team 7N 11:30AM - Team 7S 12:30PM - Team 8N 1:15PM - Team 8S 2:00PM - Encore 10AM
May 7th - Self Contained - 10AM
STUDENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES
April is Alcohol Awareness Month!
The 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) revealed that 51% of the population aged 12 and older reported binge drinking (5 or more drinks in about 2 hours) in the past month. Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more than tobacco and illicit drugs, and is responsible for more than 4,300 annual deaths among underage youth. During this month we want to increase support and decrease stigma about alcohol addiction!
Let's start the conversation!
According to SAMHSA research, parents are the #1 reason young people decide not to drink. So, start talking to your children about alcohol before they start drinking—as early as 9 years old. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, they really do hear you. Below are 5 tips to help start this talk:
http://www.cabellfrn.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/uad_conversation_goals_letter_0.pdf
Do you or a family member live with addiction? Are you worried your child or student has begun using alcohol?
Contact your Student Assistance Counselors for resources and support!
Katherine Geider, LMSW : Kgeider@peekskillschools.org
Casandra Lewis, LMSW : C.lewis@sascorp.org
Important Dates
- SLO Post Exam - TBD
- Rising Grade 6 Math & Science Honors Entrance Exam - TBD
- Rising Grade 6 Jumpstart - TBD
- Algebra & Earth Science Regents - TBD
- Graduation, Grade 8 Lawn Carnival, Grade 7 and Grade 6 trips, and others are on hold right now
Some Reminders
- Take attendance for each of your instructional periods
- Ensure 504 and IEP Plans are being supported
- Ensure grade content colleague planning - reflecting Rubicon Atlas
- Ensure Gradebook and Teacher Webpage/Google Classroom reflect current information and assignments
- Communicate with families and maintain that communication in PLP
- Data Driven Instruction Model
- Always Ask: Have They Learned? How Do You Know?
- Training One Another
- Discussing Student Performance Information
- Designing Tiered Instruction
- Reflecting on Daily Practice
- Reviewing Assessments from All Content Areas (Formative, Summative, Interim)
- Discussing Progress Monitoring Efforts
- Pacing through Rubicon Atlas
- Lesson Plans Should Be Designed with the following in Mind
- Questions Posed - What is the level
- Tiered Instruction
- Guided Instruction
- Driven By Data
- Clear and Articulated Assessment Throughout (assessments must contain spiraling back questions)
- Groupings (Fluid)