The Covid-19 pandemic has brought many changes to our school district and here is another one. The district will be publishing a digital newsletter on a regular basis. Our school families will receive the newsletter in their email through our mass notification system.

The community will find the digital newsletter on our school website www.cal-mum.org and on our social medias, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We can provide a printed copy for those who cannot access the digital newsletter.

Please contact Sarah Santora if you would like a hard copy for yourself or someone you know at ssantora@cal-mum.org or call 585-538-3449.

The district will continue to publish a paper copy of the May Budget Newsletter and the June commemorative issue of The Cal-Mum Chronicle highlighting the graduating class.

Please enjoy the first issue of the Cal-Mum newsletter! We need your help in naming our newest publication. If you have an idea for a name, fill out this Google form.
Start thinking - we look forward to hearing from you.

Student's in Miss Amorese's 8th grade Spanish class showed their vocabulary and speaking skills by writing descriptions of their outfits and introducing each other in a fashion show. They rocked the runway!

Starting Monday, February 1, 2021, which is the start of the second semester, middle school students will be able to return to in-person classes five full days a week, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parents may choose a full-time remote option for their child(ren). The addition of full week, in-person classes may increase traffic in and around the campus during arrival and dismissal times.

Please be patient as we welcome our middle school students back to in-person instruction in a safe and orderly manner.

The elementary and middle/high school yearbooks are on sale now. Order yours soon so you can see all of the highlights of the 2020-2021 school year.

Elementary School Yearbook

Elementary 20-21 Yearbooks are still available to purchase online! Order yours today at ybpay.lifetouch.com using our school's Yearbook ID code: 10535921. Yearbooks are $20 each (credit or debit accepted online). You also have the option to pay an additional $5 for a personalized cover with your child's school photo and name on the front! Yearbooks are anticipated to arrive in June. Order your copy today!

Middle/High School Yearbook

Don't forget to order your 2021 Middle School/High School Yearbook if you haven't already. Cost is $54 including tax. You may charge your order at jostensyearbooks.com, with the option of dividing it into three payments. Or you may send in cash or check with your student to turn in at the high school or middle school office.

Order forms are available in the offices if you would like to personalize your book with options such as your name and icons

Congratulations to Seniors Isabella Simon and Hannah Foote, whose artwork was selected for the START HERE art exhibit at Rochester Institute of Technology.

The exhibit is typically held at the Bevier Gallery on the RIT campus, however this year it will be a virtual exhibit.

The START HERE exhibit will launch February 12, 2021, and will include an awards ceremony. A link to the exhibition will be available at rit.edu/artdesign/bevier-gallery on the opening day.

Isabella and Hannah are both students in Mrs. Vicki McArdle’s senior high art classes.

Mrs. Flint’s fourth grade students learned many principles of engineering and structural design while also having fun.

The students designed a structure of their choice, built out of toothpicks and mini marshmallows.

Then the structures were put to the test by a simulated earthquake- a shifting table that tested each structure’s strength and durability.

The students took away many valuable concepts from this project.

Click on the student photos below to watch the videos.

EXPRESSIVE SELF-PORTRAITS

Sixth grade artists learned about the art and life of Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. Ms. Kahlo often painted her self-portraits including friends, family members, pets, and objects that had sentimental value. After learning how to correctly grid a self-portrait and draw facial features in proportion, sixth grade artists began working on their own expressive self-portraits. They were encouraged to include objects, animals, people, and hobbies that were important to them with their portraits.

Below are examples of the project created by Carly Rodas, Selah Ader, Mark Loomis.

CLAY SLAB MUGS

For their clay project in fifth grade, student artists learned how to create a ceramic mug using a clay slab. Students rolled out their own slabs and molded them around soda cans to get the correct size and shape. Then, they created a unique handle and designed the mug using texture rollers, stamps, and drawing tools. Since we were not able to glaze these mugs before transitioning to remote learning last March, students are finishing them up in Art 6 this year. They will be perfect for hot cocoa during the snowy weather!

Below the self portraits are examples of the clay project created by Ezekiel Bulkley, Nolan Comstock, Veronica Maine.

They are all students in Mrs. Cassidy-Schaffer's elementary and middle school art classes.

The high school introduced a new Advanced Placement course called Computer Science Principles. It is an introductory college-level computing course where students will cultivate an understanding of computer science through working with data, collaborating to solve problems and developing computer programs.

Junior Jesse Churchill is a student in the class. He wrote a program that creates two squares, the player and the target. Jesse created a function that allows the player to move their square up, down, right or left by pressing buttons on the keyboard. The goal of his game is to line the player up with the target so that their pixel locations are the same. If that happened, the player receives the message, target found, and the user has won!

Students who take this course will explore concepts like creativity, abstraction, data and information, algorithms, programming, the internet and the global impact of computing. The course concludes with students taking the AP Computer Science written exam in May.

Below is a part of Jesse's code.

After reading a book titled, The Sweet History of Cake by Carmen Morais, the students in one of Mrs. Hatch’s middle school classes were given the task to make a cake using at least some of each of the supplied ingredients - cake, frosting, zucchini, carrots, Chinese noodles, and a chocolate bar. One secret ingredient could be added. Families were encouraged to participate - and judge the results. Students had one week to plan, bake, create, and share their results in a presentation.

From the responses, the families and students had a lot of fun. Generally, the cakes tasted pretty good and most received a rating of 4 or 5 by family members.

One student (who wouldn’t even try his own cake) stated, “My parents probably rated it that high just to be nice.”

Overall, the challenge was an enjoyable break from the limitations of school during Covid-19.

Eighth graders are working hard this week completing their mid-year assessments in math and English Language Arts. Students are also completing their IReady diagnostic tests in both subjects.

Middle School teachers are excited to welcome all students back to in-person classes five days a week next semester, beginning February 1, 2021.

Students in Mrs. Cornwell and Mrs. Santiago’s third grade class explored the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Students used multiple sources (videos and texts) to learn about Dr. King.

They answered questions about his life using evidence from their resources to support their answers and had discussions about Dr. King as well. Students also completed their own “I have a Dream” writing piece and collaborative poster piece.

Each student created one piece of the collaborative poster. Then the pieces were put together to form the collaboration below!

Do you know the words?

Alma Mater
Written By Margaret McCabe 1927

Caledonia, hear us praise thee

All hail to thy dear name

Oh may we ne’er disgrace thee

Or cause thee any shame.

We will honor thee and love thee

Obey thy law and rule

Oh none can rank above thee

Caledonia, our dear school.

You have taught us to be steadfast

To be faithful, good, and true;

To be honest in our dealings

And always loyal, too.

These are all the priceless lessons

We’ve learned at thy footstool

And for all of them we thank thee

Caledonia, our dear school.

When we have left the classrooms,

When we are far away

Fond memories will linger

To cheer us every day.

Tho’ we roam in foreign countries

Our love will ne’er grow cold

But we will still adore thee

Caledonia, our dear school.

Click below to listen to the Cal-Mum Senior High Chorus Perform the Alma Mater