Spry Newsletter
April 17th, 2020
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Hello from Spry
Hi Spry Families,
We all hope you are continuing to stay healthy and safe during this time.
The Phase II Learning Plan Grading Information was sent out today to Secondary Buildings. There may have been some confusion in the wording of the subject line. This does include both Middle Schools as well. I included Mr. Gumina’s letter below. The links in the letter contain the Grading Plan and Grading Rubric. I also pulled those out and highlighted them below.
I know the many challenges each of your households face during this time. First, making sure your family stays healthy. Second, how to manage the daily routine of work, life, and keeping your child engaged in school work. Third, doing your best to stay connected and balanced during this time.
With the Phase II learning plan being rolled out, there are a few highlights that I would like to point out.
Work will come out for each week on Thursday or Friday of the week before.
It will be important to establish a schedule for completing work and staying engaged week to week. Maybe have a designated work area at home.
Being engaged and responding to feedback during this time is really critical as course credit for the year depends on engagement/work completion during this Quarter 4 time frame.
Check Student email and Google classroom (if applicable) each day.
With the Regents exams and 8th Grade Language Proficiency exams being cancelled, students are guaranteed credit if they stay up on their work without having to worry about passing an exam at the end of the school year. That is a high school credit!
Office hours (chart below) are times students can connect with their teachers for extra help during the week. The teacher should be communicating out how their office hours will run. You can also email a teacher at any point during the week. The same is true for counselors, mental health, and administration.
We know life is unpredictable, especially during this time. We are partners in this together. It is our job to make sure we are offering a continuing education to your child during this time. We look forward to continuing that partnership.
We also continued our Spry CARE Students of the month in this week's newsletter. I want to highlight the WEB Leader information below for 7th grade students as well. Finally, check out the Washington DC Trip information update below.
In caring,
Jim
Message from Mr. Gumina
April 17, 2020
2:00 p.m.
Dear Webster CSD Titans and Warriors,
I’m hoping that this note finds your family healthy, safe, and adapting as best you can to working and learning together from home. For our students, that may mean figuring out how to write essays and calculate math equations from a bedroom or kitchen table “classroom”. And for parents, you’re helping your pre-teens and teens manage their health, well-being, and academics in ways that none of us ever anticipated during this school closure. I want to thank you for that. I also know that we’re all doing the best that we can. I mentioned this earlier in the week, but your best (and your children’s) may change from hour to hour and day to day. Please hear me again when I stress that this is okay. I am thankful for your continued support of your children and our district.
I’m reaching out this afternoon regarding the district’s grading plan and grading rubric for staff and families as we navigate our newest phase of learning. Please understand that it is important that we journey through these uncharted territories together and with our students’ learning, growth, and well-being in mind. As you are aware, Regents Exams have been cancelled for the year and it is now each district's responsibility to devise a plan to award credit for courses. To that end, it is imperative that we implement phase II in such a way that is fair, opens up new learning to students, gives them opportunities to demonstrate their learning, and allows them to earn credit for the courses in which they are enrolled. Our district’s instructional team has collaboratively worked to develop the following for your children as new material is introduced in their classes:
Webster CSD Secondary Schools’ Grading Plan
Webster CSD Secondary Schools’ Grading Rubric for Staff and Families
In an effort to make it easier for students and families to manage their work, our staff, to the best of their abilities, will be sending out the majority of the week’s lessons and assignments on the Thursday or Friday before (with the exception of next week when it may come out Monday or Tuesday). We strongly encourage students to make a schedule in order to accomplish their assignments. In addition, staff office hours for students to get additional support will be sent to you (and to our students) from your school’s principal.
Should you have additional questions regarding the grading plan, the grading rubric, or earning course credit, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child(ren)’s principal or assistant principal (email addresses available on Parent Portal). They are more than happy to guide you and your children through the “learn from home” process and the new grading plan and rubric.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to partner with us in your child’s education. That partnership is of critical importance at all times and even more so now. I continue to hear from so many of you (and your children!) who model what true resilience looks like when faced with difficult life circumstances. I’m learning from all of you, too, and am grateful for those lessons. #WeWillGetThroughThisTogether
Sincerely,
Carmen Gumina
WCSD Superintendent of Schools
* PLEASE NOTE: You have received a message from the Webster Central School District. Due to the time sensitive nature of the information, the message has been sent in English. Should you need assistance translating the message into your preferred language, please email your child's principal and he/she will arrange for an interpreter to call you back. Please include the best phone number at which you may be reached.
Secondary Grading COVID19 Plan Spring 2020
Remote Learning Secondary Grading Rubric
Spry Middle School Subject Office Hours
WEB - Attention 7th Graders
CARE Students of the Month
Savanna Launer - White 6
White 6 would like to recognize Savanna Launer as Spry’s C.A.R.E. student of the month. During this time of uncertainty, Savanna has successfully navigated her way through Distance Learning by communicating with her teachers and diligently completing class assignments. In addition, Savanna brings positivity and engagement into every Zoom Meeting that she attends. Keep up the great work Savanna!
You Make Us Warrior Proud!
AShley Tebo - White 7
You are an incredibly polite, sweet young lady whose positive attitude and smile makes our day as teachers truly worthwhile. We enjoy having you in our classes and love the way you inspire others to do well in all areas as well as doing your best. Your focus and drive to excel are traits that your teachers and peers truly admire about you. We’ve watched you help out and support your classmates when they struggle and recognize that you consistently seek clarification to improve your own work and strive to do your best. We especially love your willingness to consistently work hard both in class and study hall. You exhibit effort beyond the expectation and are always striving to do better. You demonstrate persistence in the classroom and also with your extracurricular participation…really! Anyone who plays golf needs to have persistence! Your sweet smile and daily greeting always brings a smile to our faces. You consistently demonstrate cooperation, accountability, responsibility and excellence. You are a wonderful, mature, sweet young lady, and we appreciate all you do to make our classrooms great.
Thank you for being you.
Your Teachers,
Mrs. Bowen, Ms. Livorsi, Ms. Murray, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Wyant
Harrison Allen - White 8
Maya Pascuzzi - Red 6
Maya is a wonderful role model for others in each and every CARE attribute. In her classes, as well as in Student Council, she takes a leadership role in groups, both large and small, bringing out the best in others. She is a hard worker and is diligent in her work ethic, asking excellent and thoughtful questions, and trying to do her best at all times. She always strives for total understanding of concepts and, in doing so, she helps others to understand as well. Last, but certainly not least, Maya is such a positive person -- always smiling, willing to help, and looking for the best in others.
Even when we moved from the classroom to remote learning, Maya has never taken a break from being the fine example of CARE that she has always been, continuing to strive for learning and excellence and offering suggestions about how to help others! Thank you, Maya, for being who you are! We are lucky to have you on our Red 6 team!
Your Red 6 Teachers,
Mrs. Curry, Mrs. Gallton, Mrs. Getman, Mrs. Gillen, Mrs. McGuigan, and Mrs. BarclayJayden Concordia - Red 7
McKenzie Brockman - Red 8
We recognize McKenzie Brockman as C.A.R.E. student of the month. McKenzie is an exceptional young lady. She consistently demonstrates all the CARE attributes. McKenzie is always willing to help, whether it’s a peer or a teacher. She is always one of the first people to greet me in the hall with a warm smile and a friendly “Good Morning!”. She participates in group activities and without judgement, encourages everyone to be their best-self. McKenzie is a conscientious student who always completes her work. She does this while participating as a WEB leader and problem solving to overcome any obstacles that may stand in her way. McKenzie shows integrity in everything she does! WAY TO GO McKenzie!!!!
Your Teachers,
Mr. Anderson, Mr. Armstrong, Mrs. Dobbins, Mrs. Herrmann,
Mrs. Simons, Mrs. Swinson, and Mr. Turner
Jasmine Rosella - Blue 6
As a Blue 6 team, we all agree that you exemplify the CARE qualities at Spry Middle School. You are kind, sincere and helpful to all of your peers and teachers. You are a responsible and reliable student. You have the ability to self initiate tasks and offer help to others. Your communication skills with peers and teachers are impeccable. What truly stands out, however, is your quality of work and your attention to detail that you put into every assignment that you submit. Your assignments are AMAZING, especially any task that allows you to showcase your drawing abilities. You go above and beyond to provide exemplary work, and you are truly a role model to your peers.
As you can see, all of these qualities highlight the fact that you are a truly amazing young lady. We are blessed to have you in our classrooms. Finally, we must mention that you are extremely thoughtful. This was shown when your teachers received handwritten thank you notes for inviting you to our team CARE luncheon. It was an honor to celebrate you, and you took the time to thank each of us for inviting you.
Jasmine, thank you for brightening our days with your infectious smile. It is an honor to recognize you as our Blue 6 CARE Student of the Month. Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Spry Blue 6 Teachers
Mrs. Canny Mrs. Cheslek Mrs. Gaczynski Mr. Mason Mrs. Salina Mrs. Tara Mr. Uetz
Rebecca Kniess - Blue 7
We recognize Rebecca Kneiss as C.A.R.E. student of the month. You continually exemplify the qualities represented by C.A.R.E. You do this in the following ways:
Rebecca has a kind, gentle, and friendly disposition. She is a pleasure to have in class because she is cooperative, responsible and a hard worker. Rebecca welcomes teacher feedback and uses it to improve the quality of her work.
She is always positive and is willing to try new things! This year she joined the computer science club! We are lucky to have her in Blue 7 this year! Stay fabulous!!
Your Teachers,Mrs. Henry
Mr. Rapone
Mrs. Reitano
Mrs. Chatfield
Mrs. Blum
Mrs. Gulino
Mrs. Hughes
Vitaliy Tymkiv - Blue 8
We recognizeVitaliy Tymkiv as C.A.R.E. student of the month.
Vitaliy, you continually exemplify the qualities represented by C.A.R.E. You do this in the following way:
Vitaliy, you are always actively involved in learning and positively encouraging those around you to do the same. You are a leader in class, consistently respectful to teachers and students alike. When you are challenged with a problem you take it on and come up with creative ways to solve it. Even when your Ideas are outside the norm and may not work, you will not take no for an answer. This drive continues with your commitment to the Science Olympiad as well. It is this commitment to school and peers that will make you successful in the future.! Thanks for being you Vitaliy!
Your teachers,
Ms. VerHow
Mrs. Falbo
Mr. Spadoni
Mr. Wilson
Mrs. Spath
Mrs Zenkel
Caelyn Frantzen - World Language
Lucas Da Silva - Physical Education
I am nominating Lucas D. for the Spry student of the month. Lucas has been
diligent in tracking his activity for his at home Physical Education work. He sends his log to me each
Friday and details what he has been doing. We all can attest to the fact that staying physically active has
been extremely important during this time and Lucas has clearly taken advantage of this. I applaud
Lucas for staying engaged and getting outside with family as much as possible. Lucas is an exceptional
student and has been a great role model. He has been an absolute pleasure to have in class throughout
the year. Well done Lucas, I look forward to hearing from you as we continue to power through this
new way of learning and staying active and engaged. Mrs. Walzer Spry PE teacher.
From the Spry Library
Webster Public Library Newsletter at the link below.
Washington DC Timeline Update:
Attention 7th Grade Families:
We are currently working on scheduling a third fundraiser for the Washington DC Trip that can be done completely online. Please check next week's newsletter for more detailed information, and we hope to begin the fundraiser within the next couple of weeks.
Due to the school closure, we are adjusting the payment timeline for the 2020 Washington DC Trip. The second deposit of $100 is now pushed back to May 11. There will be no third deposit, and the final balance is due on June 15. We may continue to update this timeline as we learn more information regarding school closure. Please continue to check the website and the newsletter for updated information.
Attached you will find the updated timeline document.
Student Created Heart Maps
State of Mind
A NY state of mind, Headspace has partnered with our state to offer free activities to help you find time and space as we cope with this stressful time. There are free meditations, sleep experiences and mindful living activities https://www.headspace.com/ny
-New York State emotional support helpline 1-844-863-9314 7 days a week, 8am -10pm
Spry’s April 2019 Yoga Challenge is NOW Spry’s 2020 Challenge!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qxd7M8Wfw8HS0WXE4Ua3jzZe5Zx9iRGucHDU49L39UM/edit?usp=sharing
2019-20 Yearbook Sales
Yearbook Sales
Don't miss out - purchase your Spry 2019-2020 Yearbook online. Go to www.jostensyearbooks.com to order yours today!
Webster Schools Website Information
Important Information Regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19)