Auer Time @ LPMS
November, 2020
One Purpose. Your Pathway. Our Promise.
Pillar 1 - Teaching and Learning
Assessment & Evidence of Learning
- The 10 week marking period came to a close on October 9 and the 10 week mark (1st Quarter) will close on November 13. This is a reminder that grades and attendance can be accessed through the Powerschool Parent Portal at any time. A link to the portal can be accessed from our District web-page at www.lew-port.com and by logging into your Powerschool account.
- These grades are based upon work that the students have been asked to complete and turn in. If there is a failing grade, it is most likely due to missing assignments. Please encourage your child to get this missing work in as soon as possible for some credit.
- We hope that students have been transitioning between in person learning and remote learning as best as possible, and we hope that routines for both learning models have been established. Please look carefully at the grades for these first weeks and develop a plan of action for those courses that have a failing grade or are borderline.
- Report cards are electronic and are NOT printed (unless requested from guidance). Report cards can be accessed by using your parent created Powerschool account. If you need assistance in setting up this account or have questions regarding access, please contact the Guidance office at bvandeusen@lew-port.com or (716) 286-7208.
- After School Assistance Program (A.S.A.P.) can still be implemented through remote methods such as Zoom or Google Meet, as necessary, and based upon student availability. As a reminder, each teacher is available for office hours on Remote Mondays from 1:00- 3:10, or on Tuesday - Thursday from 2:45 - 3:10, for any extra help or assistance.
- Please reach out to individual teachers to set up a day and time for a conference as necessary. We are making every effort to maintain a process of normality during these abnormal times, and we want to make sure students have support as necessary.
Benchmark Data
The New York State Education Department requires that teachers provide clear evidence that students are acquiring the necessary skills to perform assessments at various times during their educational years. New York State also requires that teachers identify students who may require additional support in developing academic skills. Lewiston-Porter also recognizes that there are some students who may benefit from advancement in certain instances.
To this end, we use a screening assessment called AIMSWeb+ as a universal screening tool. This screening tool is administered to all students three (3) times per year to identify those students who either need additional academic support or who might qualify for advanced enrichment. This screening was given to all students in September, 2020, and will be given again in January and May of 2021.
Fall Universal Screening Reports for both Reading/ELA and Math were mailed to parents describing the results. Parent letter link
A percentile rank on the report indicates the student’s standing relative to other students in the same grade level. For example, if a student earned a percentile rank of 50, that student’s score is the same as or higher than 50 percent of the students in the norm group. The percentile rank listed on your child’s report is based on a nation-wide norm group.
Parents are encouraged to review individual reports and contact the guidance office or individual teachers for further assistance in understanding how scores compare to national scores. Teachers are using multiple tools to determine individual students' need for Academic Intervention Support in the specific subject areas of Math or Reading.
If a student needs any level of AIS, they will be placed in a WINN (What I Need Now) period to work on specific skill deficits for a period of time.
Technology Update
- NOTE Please make sure to set up your Parent Portal Account. It is your way of easily viewing your child’s progress reports, as report cards are electronically viewed and not mailed, unless specifically requested. If you need assistance with setting up an account, please contact the Guidance office.
- Don’t forget to accept invitations you receive via email to join Google Classroom! If you have a registered email address with Lewiston Porter, you should have received an automated invitation email to join Google Classroom. Please accept this invitation so your email address can be populated with your child’s Google Classroom account. This will allow you to receive notifications from your student’s teachers. This also will allow you to receive important information regarding other District wide initiatives as well.
- If you are not connected to your child’s Google Classroom already, and you did not get an automated invitation, please contact the middle school guidance office at bvandeusen@lew-port.com or (716) 286-7208. We will need to obtain your current email information so you can be registered to Google Classroom. Thank you and we look forward to working together with you using Google Classroom.
Learning Model Transition Process
- As you know we have discussed with families a specific timeline for transition from remote learning to hybrid learning and hybrid learning to remote learning.
- That timeline was based on the end of marking periods at both the elementary and secondary levels which are at the 10th and 13th week, respectively.
- Based on remote teacher caseloads and number of parent/family requests to move in either direction for learning, we have developed a rolling transition process. Dr. Heather Lyon, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Technology and Building Principals have devised a plan and process for this transition.
- If you would like to change the model your child(ren) are currently in, the “Learning Model Change Form” can be accessed through this link directly and is also posted on the homepage of our LP website under the title, “Quick Links” along the left hand side of the page.
Attendance Reminder
- We have streamlined the attendance component for students on their asynchronous remote days.
- A grade level Google Classroom has been created, and each student has been invited to join a based upon their grade level and Green/White grouping. The classroom that has contains an assignment containing a Google Form that is sent to them each day that they are not physically in school.
- The students are expected to complete this Google Form each asynchronous day by 11:59 PM. If a student fails to complete this Google Form, they will be marked Remote Unexcused Absent.
- Please make sure to remind your child to log into the appropriate google classroom for their grade and complete the assigned attendance form.
Pillar 2 - Leadership
Teacher Leadership
Front Entrance Addition
Virtual Open House
Below are links to our first ever Virtual Open House! Please click the links below to see what great things are happening and to meet our faculty and staff.
Welcome to our 2020 Virtual Open House!
Helpful Parent Tools
National Junior Honor Society Applications
- Information and applications for the National Junior Honor Society were sent out to qualifying 8th grade students on Friday, November 13. Due to COVID-19 and the grading procedures for last spring semester, we have modified the criteria for this year.
- To qualify, students must have had a GPA of 85% or above during the fall semester of their 7th grade year. This will be considered along with their application, essay/video and three LPMS Employee recommendation forms.
- Qualifying students have been instructed to ask (via email) three adults in the building (teacher, guidance, administrator, teacher aide, club advisor, coach, etc.) to complete the recommendation form.
- All completed documents and the application packet should be emailed to Ms. Wright at cwright@lew-port.com by Friday, December 4th at 3pm in order to be further considered for membership. Please email or see Ms. Wright in the Guidance Office if you have any questions.
Student Leadership
WEB Update
- Our WEB teacher liaisons have been working with our 8th WEB student leaders to prepare them for pushing into classrooms to work with students in Connecting Circles.
- WEB leaders will be leading these circles as part of our Social/Emotional focus during NEST periods (Necessary Emotional Support Time) on in person learning days.
Pillar 3 - Community and Culture
Calendar Updates
- Currently, the State Education Department is allowing all synchronous and asynchronous days to be counted toward the 180 days of required school. This gives us many days available beyond the required 180 days of instruction.
- In terms of the school calendar, we have three (3) weeks where there would be a change in the schedule; please make note of these changes.
Week of November 23rd (Thanksgiving Week):
Monday, 11/23 - Green Group Attends
Tuesday, 11/24 - White Group Attends
Wednesday, 11/25 - Thanksgiving Break Non-Instructional Days - No Student Attendance
Thursday, 11/26 - Thanksgiving Break Non-Instructional Days - No Student Attendance
Friday , 11/27 - Thanksgiving Break Non-Instructional Days - No Student Attendance
Week of December 21st (Winter - Holiday Break):
Monday, 12/21 - Virtual Learning (Remote Monday Schedule)Tuesday, 12/22 - Green Group Attends
Wednesday, 12/23 - White Group Attends
Thursday, 12/24 - Winter/Holiday Recess Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
Friday, 12/25 - Winter/Holiday Recess Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
- To even out the number of instructional days for Green and White Group students, two (2) non-instructional days have been added to the calendar in lieu of using weather days.
- Here are the calendar changes that will develop in lieu of the use of snow/cold days. Parents and families can now plan their schedules around these days.
Week of February 15th (President’s Day Week):
Monday, 2/15 - President’s Day Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
Tuesday, 2/16 - President’s Day Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
Wednesday, 2/17 - Virtual Learning (Remote Monday Schedule)
Thursday, 2/18 - Green Group Attends
Friday, 2/19 - White Group Attends
Week of May 24th (Memorial Day Holiday Break):
Monday, 5/24 - Virtual Learning (Remote Monday Schedule)
Tuesday, 5/25 - Green Group Attends
Wednesday, 5/26 - White Group Attends
Thursday, 5/27 - Memorial Day Holiday Recess Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
Friday, 5/28 - Memorial Day Holiday Recess Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
*Memorial Day Federal Holiday is Monday - 5/31
Remote Monday Schedule
- Students are asked to log in and meet with their teachers on Remote Mondays based upon the schedule below. Teachers will be using this time to meet with classes and to set the change for the week.
- Students in grades 6-12 students (Green Group, White Group, and Daily Lancers) will engage in synchronous learning with teachers following a modified daily schedule:
Period 1 - 8:30-8:55
Period 2 - 9:00-9:25 (Grade 7 Exploratory)
Period 3 - 9:30-9:55 (Grade 8 Exploratory)
Period 4 - 10:00-10:25 (Grade 6 Exploratory)
Period 5 - 10:30-10:55
Period 6 - 11:00-11:25 (Grade 6 Exploratory)
Period 7 - 11:30-11:55 (Grade 7 Exploratory)
Period 8 - 12:00-12:25 (Grade 8 Exploratory)
Period 9 - 12:30-12:55
Teacher Office Hours by Appointment - 1:00-3:00
Upcoming Dates/Events (Subject to change. Please use other sources to confirm/verify)
November 11 - No School - Veteran’s Day
November 13 - 10 Week Mark Ends
November 25 - Thanksgiving Break - No Student Attendance
November 26 - Thanksgiving Break - No Student Attendance
November 27 - Thanksgiving Break - No Student Attendance
December 18 - 15 Week Mark Ends
December 24 - January 3 - Christmas/Winter Break
Lewiston-Porter Middle School
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!