October 2020
Intermediate Education Center Newsletter
From the Principal's Office
Dear Lewiston-Porter Intermediate Education Center Families,
Welcome back! It is my pleasure to welcome everyone back for another year at the Intermediate Education Center. I hope you and your families are healthy and doing well during these unprecedented times. It’s great to be back celebrating another school year. I am ecstatic for the opportunity to serve as the IEC principal for my 4th year.
The first month back has been an exciting one. Many of our students have been very eager to return to school, and have been ready for the first month. Whether you are in the hybrid, 2-days in-person learning, or fully remote, our Lancer Family has had the opportunity to READ, WRITE, THINK, and SPEAK on a daily basis.
The new school year presents new beginnings—while I have been patiently waiting for all to return for the new year, I understand many, including myself, were concerned and anxious about what this year may bring with the many changes that are happening due to COVID-19. Our first few days in September the students learned the safety and health procedures that will help them maintain a healthy body and proper hygiene. I have included the videos for you and your family to review.
Proper hand washing (Hand washing video, 1:26)
Use of face coverings including donning/doffing and cloth vs.surgical (Face coverings don/doff video, 2:38 and Demonstrating doffing, 3:26)
Social distancing (Social Distancing, 0:10)
Respiratory hygiene (Coughing and sneezing, 0:08)
As we approach this new normal, there will be new schedules, new classes, new faces, new materials, new grade levels, and our new theme. However, along with all the exciting new experiences, there will also be new challenges. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work out any challenges that our school encounters along the way. This start of the new year was unique, but we are committed to ensuring a great year at Lewiston-Porter. Your child is our #1 priority and we want it to be a successful year.
As we begin the 2020-21 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 #STRONGERTOGETHER! Together we will grow, learn and challenge ourselves academically, behaviorally, and socially, as we get stronger and smarter each day. We will be offering a Lew-Port tee-shirt through our PTSA that prompts this year's theme STRONGER TOGETHER. If you are interested in purchasing one, the information can be found on our twitter page @LewPortIEC. Please join our school Twitter account @LewPortIEC for updates prior to school and throughout the school year. Our monthly newsletters, celebrations and calendar will be on there, along with other fun school events.
Once again, 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.
Educationally yours,
Tina Rodriguez
Principal, IEC
Parent Drop Off/Pick-Up
We are off to a great start at our drop off and pick up times.
Please note the pick up changes starting October 5th.
STUDENT DISMISSAL: PARENT PICK-UP PROCEDURE
There will be three pickup times per building:
3:15 changed from 3:05 - IEC Release 5th Grade (Green Card/with Family Name)
3:20 - IEC Release 4th Grade (Red Card/with Family Name)
3:30 changed from 3:35 - IEC Release 3rd Grade (Blue Card/with Family Name)
Siblings/households will be released together at the earliest pickup time. However, some accommodations have been made and will continue to be adjusted due to conflicts at the end of the day.
Students will be dismissed from their classrooms to a holding area in stages. Therefore, if you arrive before your child(ren)’s group is dismissed from the classroom, you will be asked to loop around again so that we may continue to move the pick up lines. This may also occur if you are occasionally picking up more than one group. While this may seem inconvenient for you, due to the many varied scenarios, it is necessary to ensure a consistent dismissal procedure for the children.
If you will be picking up children from different grade levels, please contact the school to make arrangements to place them all in the same pickup group.
All drivers must show their authorization sign (provided by the school) and photo identification.
For safety reasons, do not attempt to go around the car in front of you. This will be strictly enforced.
Busing and Early Dismissal
BUSING (***NEW***)
Before entering the bus, please ensure that you have checked for any COVID-19 symptoms, completed the COVID-19 Family Health Check Questionnaire, checked for fever, and washed/sanitized their hands.
Students will be asked to use hand sanitizer when released from the bus. Students will be scanned for body temperature as they enter the building. Protocols are in place for students who arrive with a fever.
DAILY BUS PASSES (***NEW***)
Due to the amount of passengers allowed on the bus for social distancing, there will be no more daily bus passes. If you need to make a change for any reason, please fill out this form and send it to the bus garage at aculverwell@ridesta.com. This form can also be found on the main page of the IEC website.
EARLY DISMISSAL (***NEW***)
Parents/guardians who wish to pick up students early from school must enter this information into PICKUP PATROL, stating the reason for the early release, the time the child will be picked up, and the name of the person picking up.
When you arrive for an early pick up, call the office @ 286-7254 to alert the school that you are here. A staff member will escort the child to your car. The driver will no longer enter the building and must have identification.
Please be aware of the staggered pick-up dismissal that starts at 3:15pm. It is recommended that early pick-ups arrive before this time to avoid traffic.
IEC Open House
You are cordially invited to attend our Virtual Parent Night on Monday, October 5, 2020. This program will be a general informational meeting with the classroom teachers and support staff in our school. It is a wonderful opportunity for you to build positive school and family connections.
LEWISTON-PORTER INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION CENTER VIRTUAL PARENT NIGHT MONDAY, October 5, 2020
5:00 - 5:10 p.m.
Principal Message from MRS. RODRIGUEZ
………………………………………………………………………………………………
5:15 - 5:40 p.m.
SPECIAL AREAS PRESENTATION
Mr. Lesh and Ms. Singleton– PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS
Mrs. Gorney – ART TEACHER
Mrs. Zachary – VOCAL MUSIC TEACHER
Mrs. Carere-Fetterman - BAND
Mrs. Spinnegan - ORCHESTRA
Mrs. Cummiskey – LIBRARY/MEDIA TEACHER
Mrs. Peterson – TECHNOLOGY
………………………………………………………………………………………………
5:45 - 6:10 p.m.
SUPPORT SERVICES PRESENTATION
Mrs. Hauck and Mrs. Broughman – READING
Mrs. Cardwell – SPEECH/LANGUAGE
Mrs. McLaughlin – OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Dr. Ferrari – PHYSICAL THERAPY
Mrs. Brook – SOCIAL WORKER
Mrs. McClemont – PSYCHOLOGIST
Miss Diez and Ms. Leven – ENL (English as a New Language)
Ms. May – CHINESE
………………………………………………………………………………………………
6:15 - 6:40 p.m.
3rd Grade (Mrs. Boss, Mrs. DeFranco, Miss Scalfani, Mr. Siuta, Mrs. Topolski, Mrs. Zito,
Mrs. Baio & Mrs. Behm)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
6:45 - 7:10 p.m.
4th Grade (Mrs. Black, Mrs. DuMoulin, Mrs. Khatib, Mrs. Lombardo, Mrs. Niccola,
Mrs. Stafford, Mrs. Ando, Mrs. Behm, Miss Khatib & Ms. Smith)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:15 - 7:40 p.m.
5th Grade (Mrs. Danahy, Mr. DiCamillo, Mr. Frederick, Mrs. Jaruszewski,
Mrs. Sandonato-Siuta, Miss Yager, Mrs. Ando & Mrs. Block)
Virtual Learning : Some Tips for Success!
- Create a quiet workspace
- Limit distractions (like tv, games, pets & siblings) as much as possible
- Make sure you have all the needed materials close at hand
- Follow the teacher's rules
- Headphones or earbuds for listening will help minimize noise distractions
MRA - Measurable Results Assessment
REMINDER!!! Please complete the survey. The survey is completely voluntary, but we do hope to get feedback from one member of every household. The parent/guardian survey takes about 12 minutes to complete and will ask questions about your child and about his or her experience in our school.
Click on this Parent/Guardian survey link to participate : https://www.leaderinme.com/s/lewiston-porter-intermediate/parent
Our school is implementing a whole-school transformation process called the Leader in Me, which teaches 21st-century leadership and life skills to students and creates a culture of student empowerment based on the idea that every child can be a leader. Starting October 1st, our school will be conducting surveys to learn more about key areas of strength and opportunities for growth in our school. The data from these surveys will also help us track the impacts of the Leader In Me process and implement key practices more fully. In order for us to have a holistic picture of what's going on in our school, we are asking all full-time staff members, parents/guardians, and students in Grade 4 & 5 to participate. Below, please review additional information about the process and content of the surveys.
What is the Measurable Results Assessment?
The MRA is a rigorously developed tool used to annually collect, analyze, and report student, staff, and school-level outcomes related to the Leader in Me’s focus on leadership, culture, and academics. It can be used to help a school identify their strengths and weaknesses, develop goal-centered improvement plans, and monitor progress toward school improvement.
Who takes it?
Staff, parents, and students (in Grades 4 & 5) each have the opportunity to answer a set of questions that assess their unique perspective and contribute to a holistic understanding of the school.
When is it given?
Students and families will be given the survey the first week of October (1-6)
Teachers will be given the survey on October 19th
Who administers it?
The classroom teacher. It will take about 10-15 minutes to complete
How is it administered?
Mrs. Rodriguez will provide each survey group (Student, Staff, and Parents) their respective links to the online survey.
From the IEC Health Office
Physical Exams
Physical exam reports are due for all 3rd and 5th graders, dated after September 8, 2019. This rule applies to all hybrid and remote learners. Please send these physical exams to school with your child, by mail, fax to 286-7854 or email to gklettke@lew-port.com
Medication in School
Please be reminded of the medication in school rules which include all prescription and all over the counter medications such as Tylenol, Anbesol, medicated creams, eye drops etc. Children are not allowed to carry these items to and from school. The medication should be dropped off by an adult to the school office staff or nurse. A doctor’s order and parent signature are required. Orders can be faxed to 286-7854.
Each morning please check your child’s temperature at home and fill out the Family Health Questionnaire before your child comes to school. The document can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfU12cI2K2cmT_A683yHDcr0SKFwYWN1YPr_mi7d-2eZvuYZw/viewform
If your child has any complaint of illness as listed in the symptoms below, they should not come to school. Please call your child’s doctor for guidance. A negative Covid test and MD return to school note is required. New Rules for Any Complaints of Illness While in School or While Ill at Home and Absent from School
Any child or staff member with a complaint of illness, that could be related to Covid19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome, must be isolated from all others while at school and sent home. They will need to submit an MD note returning them to school and a negative Covid test result. This rule also applies to children who are ill at home and called in ill by their parents.
Please see the Lewiston Porter Covid19 Flowsheet on the Lew-Port website. The nurses are using this flowsheet for all illness related decisions and dismissals from school.
The symptoms include any of the following:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Asthma
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
Migraine
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Allergies
Nausea or vomiting
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Neck pain
Rash on body
Bloodshot eyes
When NYS changes these strict rules of school attendance, the flowsheet will be modified and posted on www.lew-port.com
IEC Fall Bus Drill 2020
The IEC students completed the first mandatory Fall Bus Drill this past week during P.E. classes. Students learned about procedures and rules to keep them safe and comfortable when riding a school bus. The students did a great job entering and exiting the bus. Our “bonus” challenge included having students identify “all” 9 emergency exits.
Per NYS, a minimum of 3 such drills must be held during the school year, the first to be conducted during the first seven days of school, the second between November 1st and December 31st and the third between March 1st and April 30th.
Updated Safety Drill Rules This Year:
USUALLY : 12 drills each year = 8 Fire drills and 4 Lock-down drills
(8 of these drills must be completed by December 31st)
THIS YEAR : 24 DRILLS = 16 Fire drills and 8 Lock-down drills
Free Lunch!
Lewiston-Porter Central School District will be providing free meals to all students on days when they are attending school in person. Breakfast and Lunch will also be available for free to our remote students, hybrid students, and any children under the age of 18 not on campus. Grab and go lunches will be available for pick up on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 am to 10:30 am at the High School main entrance. This service will continue through the end of December.
Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF
This year our school is taking part in the “Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF” campaign. Each student will receive a UNICEF box in which they can collect donations. UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
This is a Halloween activity that students can do in conjunction with collecting their Halloween candy. Students should go to homes in their neighborhoods and ones with which they are familiar. Additionally, they may collect donations from family and friends. This is not a mandatory activity.
Students who collect for UNICEF should return their boxes to their teacher the first week in November. Thank you for supporting this worthwhile cause. Please feel free to contact us if
you have any questions or concerns at 754-8281 ext. 3104.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Khatib and Mrs. Stevener
Lighthouse Coordinators
Upcoming Events:
- Tuesday, Nov. 10 - Green Team
- Thursday, Nov. 12 - White Team
- Remote Lancers can come on either day, 9:00am-2:00pm. Be advised that ONLY the student is allowed in the building for picture re-takes. Parents must wait in their vehicles.
- The link for parents to order child's photos is: www.inter-state.com/order
- The IEC unique code is: 52445D
Intermediate Education Center
Grades 3-5
Email: trodriguez@lew-port.com
Website: lew-port.com
Location: 4061 Creek Road, Youngstown, NY, USA
Phone: 716-286-7252
Twitter: @LewPortIEC