Spry Newsletter
November 30th
Spry Events
Dec. 4 - Spry Band Concert @ WSHS
7th Grade Day 2 Band and 8th Grade band
Dec. 6 - Spry Band Concert @ WSHS
All Band 6 and 7th Grade Day 1 Band
Dec. 11 - WCSD Capital Project Vote
Dec. 11 - Digital Citizenship Teen Summitt
Dec. 12 - Fundraiser Pickups @ Spry (7th Grade DC Trip and Niagara Chocolate) 3-6pm
Dec. 12 - PTSA Spry Apparel Sale @Spry Outside Cafeterias (3-6pm)
Dec. 21 - Last day of classes for 2018! Spry PTSA Popcorn and Movies during lunches
Dec. 24-Jan. 1- Winter Recess NO School
Upcoming Student Club/Info
Attention any girls in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade: There is an Essay Contest sponsored by St. John Fisher College. It is based around celebrating, encouraging, and supporting females in sport and physical activity. It is open to female students. It is not mandatory but a great opportunity! Essay deadline is January 31st, 2019. Please see Coach Farrell or Coach Walzer in the girls PE office for more information. Thank you!
Newspaper club will meet again Thursday, December 6th to plan our next paper.
Principals List is scheduled to go out this week
Student Reminders Review
Attendance - I will mention this more in a section below. For students, we are reminding them to check in with their assigned teacher before a music lesson, or before going to another teacher's room with a pass. This helps avoid them being marked absent for a class and a notice going out through the portal (which then can create additional confusion and concern). We are also continuing to remind our staff the importance of taking attendance at the beginning of class and then trying to adjust any late arriving students in a timely manner (which as a classroom teacher for almost 20 years, can also be challenging). We will keep working together in this!
Birthdays - Lockers are ok for students to decorate if they have an adults permission to stay after school. Random signs throughout the building are not allowed.
Dress Code - Yes, it is winter, but we are noticing a new (but actually an old throwback) trend for some shirts. Half shirts, or shirts that expose the midsection, are not school appropriate. They can actually cause a distraction or put a child in an uncomfortable situation with the wide range of development we have at the middle school level.
Cell phones - Overall, our kids have been doing a really good job with keeping this away for the day. We really appreciate this. We know they are still there and the urge to use them during the school day, but we are continuing to keep an eye on this. This helps us decrease the distractions that students can face each day.
Backpacks - Again, this has been going well overall. We still have some students trying to carry around each day's materials on their backs. We are continuing to try to be consistent with this and encourage students to use their lockers. I have appreciated the great questions that parents have asked. I also have really appreciated the support as we work together to promote organization, healthy habits, and time management as out students work towards young adulthood.
Coffee House (Dunkin) Drinks - just a reminder, and this is in each students agenda, that coffee house drinks are not allowed in the building during the school day and up through athletic practices. I know kids love them (mine do to), but they are not healthy for kids and also leave a really huge mess for our custodians if they get spilled, left behind, etc..
Athletic Study Hall - we are reminding students that we are responsible for them if they are remaining at school for practices and events. Students cannot leave the building and then come back for an afterschool practice. This is centered around student safety and providing consistency after school. If students have a late event or practice, they should take the bus or other transportation home and then have a ride back for their event. Students are expected to be with a teacher, in the library, or in athletic study hall after school with supervision.
Student Walkers - as the winter months are upon us and the dark mornings are here, it is really important for our student walkers to make sure they are using the sidewalks and crossing at the crosswalk on Rte 250.
Parent Drop Off - this area will be under construction this spring, but until then we have been repairing the pot holes and muddy areas to keep this usable. Please use the parent drop off area of Rte 250 for before and after school student drop off/pickup. Please do not use the District Lot off Sanford Street before/after school (unless your child has limited mobility, or an injury needing crutches/wheelchair). We have a couple buses, mail runs, staff arrival, and parent meeting arrivals in that area ealy in the morning. For the safety of all of our students in keeping this area as free as possible from further congestion, please use the parent drop off (also please don't drop of on Sanford St as this can be very dangerous).
The Importance of Attendance at School
7th Grade ELA Class Based Project
Spry 7th grade is raising money for Water for South Sudan's "Iron Giraffe" challenge. We are trying to raise at least $1,000 to enter a contest to have Salva Dut visit Spry. (Salva Dut is a "Lost boy" of Sudan,MCC graduate, the founder of WFSS, and the main character of a book we read each year.) We are selling water bottles as a fundraiser.
Water bottles will be on sale next Mon.-Wed. during lunches for $5 each.
The bottles turn dark blue when cold or filled with cold liquid! We only have 250 and will not order more when we sell out.
7th Grade 2019 Washington DC Trip Information
Spry Spirit Wear Sale
Looking for a great gift for the holidays? Spry PTSA will have Spirit Wear for Sale on Wednesday, December 12th from 3-6 PM. This is during the Student Council Niagara Chocolate and Washington DC Fundraiser Pickup. The location will be outside the Spry Cafeterias. You can also shop online at https://www.spryspiritwear.com/
If you are able to volunteer, the sign-up genius is at the link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E084AACAF22A1F94-december
From the Board
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8
Tammy Gurowski, President tgurowski@webstercsd.org
Linda Dioguardi, Vice President ldioguardi@webstercsd.org
Sue Casey scasey@webstercsd.org
Dave Metzger dmetzger@webstercsd.org
Maria Rigillo mrigillo@webstercsd.org
Jan Strege jstrege@webstercsd.org
Mike Suffoletto msuffoletto@webstercsd.org
Follow us on Twitter: @WCSDProud
@superwebstercsd (Superintendent Carmen Gumina)
“LIKE” us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WebsterCentralSchools
Visit us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/WebsterSchoolsProud
Webster CSD’s Proposed Capital Improvement Project - Upcoming COMMUNITY VOTE on DECEMBER 11!
The One Webster community will head to the polls on Tuesday, December 11, to vote on a proposed capital improvement project that will touch all 11 school buildings and the transportation department’s headquarters. The $69.5 million capital project is focused on community wellness, safety and security, and infrastructure integrity. We invite you to learn more and make an informed vote by visiting websterschools.org, and clicking on the “District” tab, where you will find a capital project webpage under the “Board of Education” dropdown menu.
It’s important to note that the project would be bonded over a 15-year timeframe with 70-75 percent of the cost delivered through New York State aid. The impact on the average homeowner ($191,700 home value in Webster) is expected to be $25 per year over the 15 years of the bond.
We hope to see many of you exercise your right to vote on Tuesday, December 11, from 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. at the Webster Schroeder High School gym, 875 Ridge Road.
‘Tis the Season for Concerts!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for so many reasons --particularly for winter music concerts! You can choose to enjoy concerts presented by Webster CSD’s talented student musicians all winter long. Concerts are open to the public and free to all audiences. Be sure to check the district’s website, websterschools.org, and click on the “Calendar” tab in the middle of the landing page to view the musical offerings by elementary, middle, and high school students.
You won’t want to miss one festive beat this holiday season! Our entire board wishes you and your families a joyous holiday season.
Stay Informed With Your Board of Education
Please stay informed on your board’s activities by visiting http://www.websterschools.org/board. You may review board agendas, minutes, and even the latest meetings, which run live (and taped) on WETV, Spectrum Cable Channel 1301 via the board’s dedicated web page.
As always, the One Webster community is welcomed and encouraged to attend upcoming board meetings and these district-wide events:
Thursday, December 6 - BOE Regular Meeting: Start Time Check-In/Review of Capital Project (6:30 p.m., Spry Middle School auditorium, 2nd floor)
Monday, December 10 - Digital Citizenship Teen Summit presented by WCSD Digital Citizenship Committee, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Willink MS cafetorium, WCSD parents and teens welcome!
Tuesday, December 11 - Proposed Capital Project Vote, 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Webster Schroeder HS gym
REMINDER: School Start Time Change BEGINS IN FALL 2019
Remember, all 11 WCSD school start times will change BEGINNING IN FALL 2019 to approximately 8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m. for middle and high schools and 7:45 a.m.-2:10 p.m. for elementary schools with all times plus or minus five minutes. For more information and the opportunity to provide feedback on this important change, please visit http://www.websterschools.org/StartTimeInitiative.