We’re back! The first month back has been an exciting one. Many of our students are very excited for the return to a normal school year. They have settled into their classes and are getting busy with work. The first few weeks the students learned the school safety procedures. We have been doing many fire drills and will begin practicing our lockdown drills.

As we begin the 2022-23 school year at the Intermediate Education Center, we are committed to our new mission, One Purpose. Your Pathway. Our Promise. It will be an exciting and rewarding year for you. As a new school year begins, it allows us to work hand in hand with all families to ensure the very best for all children, in order to achieve our vision. Our purpose is to ensure that when students leave Lewiston-Porter, they will be ready to face the world with confidence in themselves and what they can accomplish. While students are here, they will be challenged to grow along their pathway and discover their personal best because we promise to give them our best.

This year our school theme is Great Habits, Make Great Leaders! As an IEC student, we recognize that all our students have special gifts and talents and are ALL leaders. This year, we will grow, learn and challenge ourselves academically, behaviorally, and socially, as we get stronger and smarter each day.

Our building has five reminders of how to be a great IEC Leader. As an IEC leader, I will:

1. Follow adult directions

2. Communicate with respect

3. Keep hands, feet and objects to myself.

4. Bring all my materials to class, including my homework.

5. Raise my hand and wait to be called on.

I am honored to serve the Lewiston-Porter family. I am humbled and proud to welcome our LANCER Family back to campus. We are looking forward to a special year at the IEC. It is truly a privilege to be a part of a community where parents, teachers, and students care for each other, and strive to build positive relationships that support academic and social growth. It takes a whole village to raise a child.

On October 11th, our school will be kicking off an exciting school fundraiser through APEX. We will ask students to get pledges or sponsors and at the end of it walk over to the High School track and run. We call this a FUN RUN! More information will be coming in the next couple weeks.

Educationally Yours,

Tina Rodriguez, Principal, IEC

With the start of the new school year, there are always changes.

Let’s review some changes about dismissal plans

• Default plans must be entered into Pickup Patrol by the school office

• Parents are sent an email with a Google form to fill out their preferred dismissal default plan prior to the beginning of the school year (please make sure your email on file with the school is correct)

• Pick up/ Drop off locations other than home address require a form to be filled out and submitted to the bus garage. The form is located on the www.lew-port.com website, IEC main page, scroll down and look on the left hand side. Alternate pick up/ drop off locations must be for a set schedule, for example every Tuesday/Thursday student goes to an after school program.

• TWO pickup authorization cards with student’s name on them are mailed home in the start of school mailing. If you have the card, staff knows you are parent/ guardian/ authorized to pick up that student. If adult picking up student does not have the card, parent/ guardian must enter into pickup patrol (prior to 11am day of the pickup) the full name of person who is authorized and will pick up student (make sure they bring ID- it will be checked) The school no longer keeps a list of who is authorized to pick up each student.

• Entering into Pickup patrol for a student to take a bus to a different address is NOT valid, and can not be performed. For example, a parent will be working late- student needs to take a bus to Grandma’s address. All bus assignments are made by the bus garage in advance, occasional bussing to non- home addresses is not available. In this instance you would enter into Pickup Patrol (prior to 11 am that day) that Grandma/ Aunt/ another adult (full name so we can check ID) will pick up the student at dismissal. Additionally, you can give Grandma the pickup card that was sent home with the start of school mailing, in which case we will not need her ID (because she has the card).

• If a student will be absent or a late arrival to school, please enter that information, as well as the reason into Pickup patrol. By doing so the teacher and school office will be informed, and you will not need to call. If you do not enter the reason for absence, the school office will call to follow up, and you will need to notify the office of the reason prior to the student returning to school.

• Please call the school office at 716-286-7253 with any questions

Monday, October 10th- Columbus Day/ Indigenous Peoples Day- No school

Tuesday, October 11th- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to show solidarity with Indigenous People regarding the historic treatment of children- wear Orange!

Tuesday October 11th- Early Release day- school ends at 2:25pm instead of 3:25pm &

PEP Rally to kick off 6 days of activities leading up to the FUN RUN

Wednesday October 12th- National Stop Bullying Day- wear ORANGE in support

Friday October 14th- Wear PINK for Breast Cancer Awareness Day

Thursday, October 20th the FUN RUN. The days leading up to it will be filled with some activities for our students. We are excited to have APEX this year as they will be handling all activities.

Friday, October 28th Superintendent Conference Day- No student attendance

Monday, October 31st- Halloween

National Stop Bullying Day on the second Wednesday in October brings together students, faculty, and parents to end bullying.

This annual designation promotes standing up against and put an end to bullying. No child should be afraid to ride a bus or go to school because a classmate threatens them. Children who have been bullied should also feel they can report the incident without repercussions.

Types of Bullying

Bullying comes in many forms. It occurs repeatedly and is a way for the perpetrator to show their power. Whether the bullying is verbal, physical, relational, or cyberbullying, the results are detrimental.

• Verbal bullying involves spoken words. The person may threaten or call names. They may use disrespectful language toward family, friends, or specifically aimed at their target.
• Physical bullying is aggression in the form of hitting, kicking, pushing, or any unwanted touch.
• Relational bullying involves purposely excluding someone from activities, groups, or events through social tactics.
• Cyberbullying includes using social media, texts, and the internet to spread rumors, lies, or mean messages about a person.

Each type of bullying may have similar effects on the targeted person. They may withdraw even from their family or become mysteriously ill often. It’s essential to keep an open line of communication with children and students. Encourage students to participate in activities outside the home, too. Teach children the appropriate use of the internet, social media, and text. While having daily discussions with family members about their day, share information on setting boundaries. Teach them the behavior you expect them to display, how to treat others, and provide a role model of the same.

NATIONAL STOP BULLYING DAY HISTORY

In 2009, eighteen sixth grade students from St. Stanislaus Kostka declared October National Stop Bullying Month, the second week of October National Stop Bullying Week, and Stop Bullying Day on the second Wednesday of October.

National Make a Difference Day began in 1992. This is a national day is for devoted to helping others by doing volunteer work in the community. The activity can be almost anything. On this day, millions of Americans participate in community improvement projects. Activities can take almost any form: cleanup, fix-up, painting, and repair in poorer neighborhoods, parks, and municipal facilities. It doesn’t matter what project you take on. Nor, does it matter whether you help a non-profit organization, the community, your town, a nursing home, a church, a food kitchen, or any other group in need. What matters is that you participate.

This is celebrated on the fourth Saturday of October

Commit to helping others for just one day. Make a difference on Make a Difference Day!

October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month- the tagline for this is

"On Wednesdays We Wear Pink"

If you'd like to wear PINK on Wednesdays to show your support

of the fight to cure Breast Cancer, join in! Also note-

Friday October 14th is Lewiston Porter Wear Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Day

School-based occupational therapy practitioners are occupational therapists (OTs) who use meaningful activities to help children participate in what they need and/or want to do in order to promote physical and mental health and well-being. Occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive, psychosocial and sensory components of performance. In schools, occupational therapy practitioners focus on academics, play and leisure, social participation, self-care skills , and transition/ work skills. Occupational therapy’s expertise includes activity and environmental analysis and modification with a goal of reducing the barriers to participation.

Here at the Lewiston Porter IEC we are VERY lucky to have (in our modest opinion) the VERY BEST Principal- Mrs. Rodriguez! Be sure to say Hello, Thank you for all that you do, or Happy Principals Month! to Mrs. Rodriguez when you see her :)

…as they supported Hospice at the Mighty Niagara Half Marathon! It was a glorious fall morning on Saturday, October 1st when Multi-Age students from Mrs. Danahy, Mrs. Dougherty, Mrs. Khatib, and Mrs. Marchetti’s classes volunteered for the Niagara Hospice’s “Mighty Niagara Half Marathon”. Students and families prepared for over 2,000 runners by setting up tables with water. When the 1st runner came by their water station it was a magnificent sight! Students rang bells, yelled welcoming cheers of support and held out drinks to the athletes. After the last runners passed by, the young volunteers cleaned the road of litter and straightened up the grounds. “It was so wonderful to see so many families coming together on such a lovely day; everyone really had a great time working together! We have an amazing group of children who are realizing the power they possess to make a difference in our community and world. We are so proud of them,” commented Mrs. Khatib.

Did you know that poor posture can impact a student’s attention? Distractibility and difficulty sequencing motor commands, not only limits their physical participation but impacts learning and math skills? Poor ability to cross midline (reaching to the right with your left hand for example) impacts the ability to read?

Collaboration is nothing new Amy Ferrari, PT, DPT. You will often see her joining in a Physical Education class to ensure carry over of that curriculum and or out on the playground to be certain her students are using the skills they practice with her.

Here at Lewiston Porter, Amy services students K-12 here on campus as well as in our local private schools. She received her Doctorate in 2015, focusing on the correlation between Gross Motor Function and Academic Success. Amy sees students that have developmental disabilities / delays that may impact such things as their ability to keep pace with their peers during classroom as well as recreational time.

Let us introduce the soul of the Intermediate Education Center- the staff that turns it from a building into an exceptional educational experience!

Each month, in this very newsletter, we will feature a portion of the people who make this building into the happy haven for learning that it is- this month let me tell you about our.....

TERIFFIC THIRD GRADE!

Pictured left to right

Mr. Siuta, Mrs. DeFranco, Mrs. Kimoto, Mrs. Zito, Mrs. Baio (Special education, co-teacher with Mr. Siuta) & Mrs. Topolski

Back Row: Eli Birmingham, Raegan Stuckey, Ember Collins, Tanner Denitto, Annabelle Alfiere, and Anthony Penzotti

Front Row: Rosalie Howard, Marlee Herman, Charlie Streb, and Oliver O’Keefe

The Third Grade teachers would like to welcome all third graders to the Intermediate Education Center. We look forward to an exciting year of learning, leading, and appreciating the talents we each bring to the classroom.

As a building, the IEC embraces the 7 Habits of Happy Kids (by: Sean Covey) plus 1 extra habit to make 8. Third graders have been introduced to a new habit each day and given opportunities to recognize ways to improve organizational strategies and build relationships. Students created a minibook for each of the 8 habits that highlights the key points for each habit. Third graders are able to recognize these 8 habits:

Habit 1: Be Proactive

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Habit 3: Put First Things First

Habit 4: Think Win Win

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand Then to Be Understood

Habit 6: Synergize

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

Habit 8: Find Your Voice

As the school year progresses, students will apply the above 8 Habits as they discover new and interesting ways to become a leader at the Intermediate Education Center, at home, and in their local communities.

Part two of our spotlight series in this issue of the newsletter introduces our

Amazing Administrators- perfect timing for Principal's Month!

Please meet our Principal

and Elementary Program Coordinator for the IEC & PEC (we think of her as our Vice Principal)

Mrs. Rodriguez- Mrs. Rodriguez loves being a Principal. She has been in education for half her life and would not change a thing. She started at the PEC as a kindergarten teacher. She also likes to spend time with her family and cat. She has three children and a grandson. Her family and job keep her busy. Mrs. Rodriguez likes to paint and coach softball. In her down time she reads.

Mrs. Krecisz-Loves her faith, her family & learning. She states that her favorite hobby is reading! Through reading we are entertained, educated and able to have amazing experiences! Mrs. Krecisz feels the BEST thing about the IEC is the people that are in it, and wants you to consider the question "What are you doing to be the best version of yourself?"

Part three of this issue of the newsletter introduces...

the Outstanding Office Staff ...

that do so very much behind the scenes (& on the phones) to ensure every day that so very many daily details are done efficiently and with smiles:)

Ms. Ruero- I grew up in Youngstown & graduated from Lew-Port...Once a Lancer, Always a Lancer! After college I lived in the Elmwood Village/Allentown area of Buffalo for many years, and then I drove cross-country to live in San Francisco for 15 years...and that's where my son was born. I have a 14 yr old chiweenie named Rodney. I love to go see live music. I've worked in all the buildings at Lew-Port, and the IEC is my favorite!

Mrs. Silvaggi- Lives in Youngstown with her husband and three dogs, a super sweet yellow lab, a very smart Australian cattle dog (aka a Blue Heeler) & a cute, cuddly Rottweiler that sits on my lap (or all across it) at every opportunity. Prior to working at the IEC I worked in heath care as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Favorite saying comes from my Dad, who taught my siblings and I that "if you see something wrong, make it right." My hobbies include bike riding, hiking and all kinds of crafting.

Mrs. Krieger- I grew up in Lewiston and graduated from Lewiston Porter. I have worked for the Lew-Port School District for 17 years. Working in the office at the IEC and getting to know the students and their families has been a wonderful experience. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, taking walks, reading, shopping, gardening and crocheting.