Auer Time @ LPMS
January/February, 2022
One Purpose. Your Pathway. Our Promise.
Happy New Year! Welcome 2021!
Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'
Pillar 1 - Teaching and Learning
Covid- 19 Procedures and Protocols
COVID-19 Contact Tracing
- As we move through the winter months, we will continue to be diligent with our protocols for social distancing and mask wearing. Please continue to encourage your child to maintain social distancing and keeping the mask on and above the nose when moving throughout the school.
- As we are made aware of positive cases, we continue to find it necessary for contact tracing within our school. When we are made aware of a positive case, we contact trace any individual that had direct contact for a cumulative amount of time of 15 minutes or more. In most cases, this translates to students that are in direct proximity to the affected student in the lunchroom during lunchtime. as this is where students are not wearing masks consistently.
- Once the day of contact and affected individuals are identified, we then contact families that are affected with the necessary information regarding school attendance and when students might be able to return to in person instruction. This notification is done via a phone call and email ONLY to families affected.
- The District has been working in conjunction with the Niagara County Department of Health (“NCDOH”) regarding close contact situations, and the District provides the NCDOH with the names of all potentially affected individuals. You may hear directly from the NCDOH if you or your child(ren) are determined to be at potential risk, and you will be advised at that time if any particular steps or precautions need to be taken.
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and Niagara County Department of Health (NCDOH) have authorized a shortened COVID-19 isolation period for COVID-19 positive individuals. These individuals may now return on day six (6) from the first day of symptoms if symptoms are resolving or the individual is symptom-free.
Also, the NCDOH has also authorized Niagara County school districts to institute Test To Stay (TTS) protocols for unvaccinated students and staff considered close contacts of a COVID-19 positive individual. Please look for communication detailing these changes and outlining the test to stay protocols on the Lewiston Porter web site.
- It is important that we all continue to implement established health and safety protocols like social distancing, face coverings, good hygiene practices, and monitoring for symptoms, among other equally important preventative techniques.
- We ask that if you or your child(ren) do experience any symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home and contact your physician. We ask that you please respect and honor the privacy of any individual in our school community who has tested positive and, instead, focus on the measures that we know to be effective in stopping the spread of the virus.
Emergency Day/Shift to Remote Learning
In years past, weather related events would cause a school district to close for all staff and students without providing academic programming. This loss of instructional time has a negative effect on a child’s academic growth and success.
This school year, the District has opted to participate in a statewide pilot program through the New York State Department of Education that allows school districts to offer virtual academic programs in lieu of weather/emergency related school closures.
- Superintendent Casseri would communicate the closing of the district and/or building, due to a weather/emergency event.
- We will communicate with the middle school community that the virtual academic model would go into effect immediately.
- All students would follow their “normal” academic schedule from 7:48 AM - 2:38 PM during this virtual academic program including what day of the 6 Day rotation to follow.
- Teachers will meet virtually with their students for at-least 20 minutes each class period through Google Meet and Google Classroom.
- Following the virtual meeting, students would be assigned asynchronous tasks (tasks to be done on their own) for the remainder of the individual class period.
- The district’s emergency closure plan is posted on both the district website and our building website. Below is a link to the emergency closure plan:
21-22 Emergency Closing Schedules.
Please remember that this plan will only go into effect due to a weather/emergency closure when identified by the District.
Assessment & Evidence of Learning
- The 20 week marking will be coming to a close on January 28 (2nd Quarter and First Semester) and we will be moving into the 3rd Quarter and the Second Semester.
- All 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.
- If you would like to see what is owed or what assignments make up the grade, just log into PowerSchool and click on the number grade for the subject. This will give you a listing of assignments, quizzes, and tests that make up that grade. If you see an exclamation point next to an assignment, that means it is late or missing. Please encourage your child to get this missing work in as soon as possible for some credit.
- 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.
- PAPER REPORT CARDS WILL NOT BE MAILED HOME UNLESS REQUESTED. ALL GRADES CAN BE ACCESSED BY LOGGING INTO POWERSCHOOL.
- If you need assistance in setting up this account or have questions regarding access, please contact the Guidance office at ekarp@lew-port.com or (716) 286-7208.
- Just a reminder that all 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.
- After School Assistance Program (A.S.A.P.) will be assigned as necessary, and based upon student progress.
- As a reminder, each teacher is available for office hours Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2:45 - 3:10, or on any previously mutually agreed upon day for any extra help or assistance.
- Please reach out to individual teachers to set up a day and time for a conference as necessary. Virtual meetings or phone conferences are preferred. 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.
2021-2022 Marking periods
Quarter 1 (10 Weeks): September 7th - November 10th
Quarter 2 (20 Weeks): November 15th - January 28th
Quarter 3 (30 Weeks): January 31st - April 8th
Quarter 4 (40 Weeks): April 11th - June 24th
AIMS Web+ Benchmark Data
Winter Benchmark Screening called AIMSWeb+ will be administered to all students during the week of January 24 - January 28.
Screening is scheduled for January 25 and 26. We will use these two data points as a comparison tool to the Fall Benchmark for student progress and to identify any gaps to address in Math and ELA.
As you may recall, this universal screening is given 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, and will be repeated again in May.
Students are reminded to please come to school the week of January 24th every day with:
Their charged Chromebook
Earbuds or headphones that work with their Chromebook
Other than that, no special preparation for aimswebPlus testing is required.
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.
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 continue to use 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.
We will be running a modified schedule on each of these days so that students will be able to attend each of their scheduled classes and will not miss meeting with each teacher as normal. Periods will be shorter to accommodate the screening at the beginning of each day..
Fall Universal Screening Reports for both Reading/ELA and Math were mailed to parents describing the results. We will be sending the results to parents again after this Winter Benchmark.
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 ekarp@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.
PowerSchool Tutorials
Attendance Reminder
- As we return to 5 day in person attendance, it is important to remember that attendance codes will be adjusted to reflect the following:
Attendance codes for all in-person instruction should a student be absent will be:
Absence Unexcused
Absence Excused
Present
Remote Present for quarantine students- Students that are absent due to a quarantine or other Covid Related issue will be marked as Other Present and students are still required to complete the work provided by teachers using Google Classroom.
- If your child is absent, please make sure to remind them to log into the appropriate google classroom for any class to see all assignments for their grade level or class.
- An automated phone call will go out to parents/guardians of any student that is marked Absence Unexcused through the first 4 periods of the school day. Please make sure to contact the attendance office via email or phone call if your child is absent.
PLEASE USE CAUTION!
Parent Pick up/drop off
There continues to be a significant amount of parents dropping students off in the morning and picking up in the afternoon. We ask that when you pull up to the school for drop off or pick up, please use the designated drop off area identified by the cones and please move your vehicle as far up as possible toward the IEC before letting your child out or while waiting to pick them up so that parents behind you can pull up in an effort to eliminate traffic backup.
Please make every effort to keep traffic flowing and to move up to the car ahead of you when dropping off or picking up. Thank you.
Pillar 2 - Leadership
Student Leadership
Builder's Club
City of Buffalo Animal Shelter Fundraiser
Builders Club will be sponsoring a Faculty/Staff Dress Down Day Wednesday, January 19. This will kick off the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter Fundraiser event.
Builders Club volunteers will be selling Bandanas with an Animal Lollipop for $3 in the cafeteria during lunches January 19-21.
There will also be collection boxes set up across from the main office and on the stage in the cafeteria. Please consider bringing in something to donate such as kitty litter, laundry detergent, cans of wet cat or dog food, towels, blankets, and pet toys.
Upcoming Builder's Club Activities
- Jan 18 - 21: Buffalo Animal Shelter - Selling bandanas with animal suckers $3, collecting pet items for the shelter
- Week of Jan24: Teacher/Staff Appreciation - Builders Club delivering token of appreciation
- Jan 31 - Feb 2: Roswell - Selling Candy Bars $2 and Ribbons $1
- Feb 7 - Mar 25: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (with Key Club) - Niagara Chocolate Candy Bars $2
- Feb 28 - Mar 4 : DBA (Diamond Blackfan Anemia) - Selling Bracelets and Suckers
Be a Builder's Club Member!
Student Council Student Survey
LPMS Student Council sent out a survey to our Student Body asking for everyone's input and suggestions about what WE WANT OUR school to LOOK like, FEEL like and BE like. This is part of the school's mission: One Purpose. Your Pathway. Our Promise.
Honest results were anonymous and screen shots from our survey results will be printed, laminated and mounted and displayed in the cafeteria and bathrooms around the building as appropriate.
- Do you think that people that create a mess should have to clean up the mess?
- What are some ways that these people should have to address their mistake?
- What are two things you could do everyday to keep the cafeteria clean?
- If your grandma or grandpa or other family member drove a school bus or served children lunch, would you want students to be respectful to them?
- Could you help the cleaning staff by picking up your messes in the classrooms, hallways and bathrooms?
- Do you appreciate that our community provides inexpensive and free places for teens to hang out?
98.6% of our students feel that they can play a role in being clean, being kind and being considerate!
Pillar 3 - Community and Culture
One District One Book
Our buildings have been abuzz with the launch of our sixth One District, One Book reading adventure! Families PK-6th and staff have been voting...and it is a tight race! We wanted to cordially invite you to our Virtual One District, One Book Community Reveal on Wednesday, January 19th at 5pm. Please join us and be sure to partake in our dinner specials with our Community Business Partners. See invitation below for details.
For those of you who are new to One District, One Book:
Our One District, One Book MISSION:
“When you read a children’s novel - or more than one novel - across an entire district, you spark a community-wide conversation. That conversation takes place on playgrounds and parking lots, in grocery stores and churches, across your district. A conversation that is rich, involving hundreds and thousands of students and families, inspires a rich appreciation of literature and lifelong readers. It establishes a culture of family literacy.” ~Read To Them
Our goal is to create a rich, engaging and immersive shared reading experience which takes place within our families homes and community. Our initiative is supported in the classroom and our elementary buildings PK-6 and encourages partnership with our three local libraries and local businesses. Simply, we create excitement, momentum, and a buzz around a piece of literature while supporting family literacy!
Highlights of our program:
1. Families and staff vote between 2 books, building excitement and investment in the reading adventure. We provide both a Community Reveal for families as well as In School Reveals at the PEC, IEC, MS 6th grade.
2. Each student receives a copy of the winning book to keep.
3. Families are provided with a parent packet which includes questions to deepen the reading experience at home, a 6 week reading schedule, and local business specials from our Community Business Partners. We have weekly trivia and prizes, scavenger hunts around town, and provide weekly surprise chapter readers, accessed through their official One District, One Book bookmark.
4. Students and families have an opportunity to give back to the community with several businesses and in school promotions.
5. Our reading adventure concludes with a Family Reading Celebration Night on Friday, March 4th (which we are hopeful to have in person this year!)
And for your viewing pleasure, check out our lead up videos!
Addressing Building issues
As per the letter sent to parents 12/3/21, there has been a increase in some specific issues that we have noticed in recent weeks since we have returned to 5 days of in person instruction. The attached letter was to inform families of some issues that you should be aware of. As in most issues, you may already know and are working with your child to address and discuss these things as a family, but it is appropriate to bring them to light as a school community so that we can address them as a team.
We understand that the demands and pressures that the return to daily attendance and increased academic accountability may be a struggle for some students. We have support for students who need it. If you think your child is someone who would benefit from school-based support like counseling, please contact your child’s school counselor to arrange a meeting to discuss options. In addition to support, we also have expectations. It is important to reiterate student expectations and to address specific action steps that will be implemented immediately. These will help us to reset the stage for teaching and learning moving forward.
We know your time is valuable and you may not have a chance to carefully read this letter in one sitting. Here are the highlights that you should be aware of:
- Tik Tok Challenges: We ask that you please speak with your child and remind them that this “challenge” is criminal behavior, not an innocent prank. Please dissuade your child from participating in Tik Tok Challenges and be aware that children who do will face disciplinary consequences.
- Dress Code: Please review the Student Code of Conduct with your child. Students should dress appropriately for school; appropriate dress does NOT include hats and hoods in school.
- Backpack Use: Please prepare your child to use their assigned lockers since backpacks will no longer be allowed to be in the classroom starting on January 3, 2022.
- Cell Phone Use: Cell phones will not be permitted for use in any classroom during school hours unless specifically allowed by the classroom teacher. CELL PHONES ARE NEVER ALLOWED IN THE BATHROOMS! Use will be limited to before or after school, during passing time or during lunch. All cell phones must be kept out of sight or in lockers during school hours or they will be confiscated.
- Vaping: Lew-Port has a zero tolerance approach for the possession and use of vaping devices at school. Students found in possession of these devices or using these devices at school will receive a school suspension for the first offense with subsequent suspensions if violations persist.
Coping with Stress
What is Stress? "Stress can be defined as the degree to which you feel overwhelmed or unable to cope as a result of pressures that are unmanageable."
Do your students really understand stress? This 5 minutes video explains and normalizes stress and teaches breathing strategies to help students with stress.
Parent resources
Welcome to the team!
Upcoming Dates/Events (Subject to change. Please use other sources to confirm/verify)
January 17 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School
January 25 - AimsWeb+ Winter Benchmark - ELA
January 26 - AimsWeb+ Winter Benchmark - Math
January 28 - 20 Week Mark Ends
February 15 - Early Release Day - Students dismissed at 1:14pm
February 21 - President's Day - No School
March 4 - 25 Week Mark Ends
March 11 - Parent Teacher Conference Day - No Student Attendance
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!