Auer Time @ LPMS
February, 2021
One Purpose. Your Pathway. Our Promise.
Welcome to Second Semester of 2021!
"Oh, We're halfway there!
Oh Oh Livin' on a prayer!
Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear!
Oh Oh Livin' on a prayer!"
Jon Bon Jovi
Pillar 1 - Teaching and Learning
AIMS Web+ Benchmark Data
Winter Benchmark Screening called AIMSWeb+ was administered to all students during in person instruction the week of January 26 - January 29.
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, January and will be given again in May.
Winter Universal Screening Reports for both Reading/ELA and Math will be mailed to parents describing the results as was done after the Fall Benchmark. Below is a link to the letter that will accompany the results.
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.
Assessment & Evidence of Learning
- The 20 week marking period came to a close on January 29 (2nd Quarter and First Semester) and we are now 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.
- Report cards are electronic and are NOT printed (unless requested from guidance). Report cards can be accessed by using your parent created Powerschool account. If you need assistance in setting up this account or have questions regarding access, please contact the Guidance office at bvandeusen@lew-port.com or (716) 286-7208.
- After School Assistance Program (A.S.A.P.) can still be implemented through remote methods such as Zoom or Google Meet, as necessary, and based upon student availability. As a reminder, each teacher is available for office hours on Remote Mondays from 1:00- 3:10, or on Tuesday - Thursday from 2:45 - 3:10, for any extra help or assistance.
- Please reach out to individual teachers to set up a day and time for a conference as necessary. 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.
PowerSchool Tutorials
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.
- Niagara County Department of Health (DOH) has recently announced that it will no longer quarantine individuals on the basis that they were in “proximal contact” (in the same room for at least 60 minutes in a day cumulative) with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Therefore, Niagara County DOH will quarantine only individuals who were in “close contact” (within six (6) feet for at least ten (10) minutes and/or without a mask in the same room and greater than 6 feet for at least ten (10) minutes) with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- This change in protocol mirrors the protocol that has been in place in Erie County since late November. There has been little to no Covid-19 spread evidenced from a school quarantine and that is consistent with our monitoring of positive cases at Lewiston-Porter.
- Based on the 2% or less spread evidenced in schools statewide it appears that schools, with current protocols in place, are one of the safest places you can be.
- As we are made aware of any positive cases, we continue to find it necessary for contact tracing within our school.
- 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.
- 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.
Learning Model Transition Process
- As you know we have discussed with families a specific timeline for transition from remote learning to hybrid learning and hybrid learning to remote learning.
- That timeline was based on the end of marking periods at both the elementary and secondary levels which are at the 10th and 13th week, respectively.
- Based on remote teacher caseloads and number of parent/family requests to move in either direction for learning, we have developed a rolling transition process. Dr. Heather Lyon, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Technology and Building Principals have devised a plan and process for this transition.
- If you would like to change the model your child or children are currently in, the “Learning Model Change Form” can be accessed through this Learning Model Change Form directly and is also posted on the homepage of our LP website under the title, “Quick Links” along the left hand side of the page.
- As we move further along in the school year, please keep in mind that any change in the instructional model for students can be very disruptive and sometimes detrimental to student progress.
- While we understand that each situation is different for each family, please be aware that movement may to and from the Hybrid model or to and from the 100% Remote model may be paused as we move closer to the end of the 2020-2021 school year in order to maintain student continuity.
2020-2021 Marking periods
Quarter 1 (10 Weeks): September 7th - November 13th
Quarter 2 (20 Weeks): November 16th - January 29th
Quarter 3 (30 Weeks): February 1st - April 23rd
Quarter 4 (40 Weeks): April 26th - June 25th
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 bvandeusen@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.
Attendance Reminder
- We have streamlined the attendance component for students on their asynchronous remote days.
- A grade level Google Classroom has been created, and each student has been invited to join a based upon their grade level and Green/White grouping. The classroom that has contains an assignment containing a Google Form that is sent to them each day that they are not physically in school.
- The students are expected to complete this Google Form each asynchronous day by 11:59 PM. If a student fails to complete this Google Form, they will be marked Remote Unexcused Absent.
- Please make sure to remind your child to log into the appropriate google classroom for their grade and complete the assigned attendance form.
Pillar 2 - Leadership
Teacher Leadership
Parent resources
Art projects
- The sixth graders learned about the African Bobofing tribe and their traditions. Traditionally they honored their creator and thanked him for all he gives them through the land with these masks.
- They created owl masks in their likeness using papier-mâché.
- The eighth graders researched a creature form folklore or mythology and then recreated the creature in clay using the coil technique.
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.
Student Leadership
Welcome to the 2021 National Junior Honor Society Inductees!
Attached is our first ever Virtual Induction Ceremony for the Lewiston-Porter Middle School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society! Congratulations to all inductees! Enjoy!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QGifg7gmQLL8wahTid8pnzKQgKyXxD8miWKydXcK7D8/edit?usp=sharing
Student Highlight
- Check out this performance from one of our talented 6th grade Students. Sonatina by Beethoven
In Case you Missed it.........Happy Holidays from our Music Department!
Don't forget about the Yearbook!
Want to help make this year's yearbook memorable??
Submit your own remote/hybrid at home learning photos with us! Learning spaces, projects, anything at all! We’d love to use them in our book in a unique spread!
Visit this link to share your photos with us!
https://images.jostens.com/415573939
*If asked the school ID is 415573939*
Pillar 3 - Community and Culture
Redefining Student Success Team
- As part of the District wide Strategic plan implementation, the Lew-Port Redefining Student Success team is currently looking for stakeholder response to this question, “What’s the single most important student trait that leads to individual student success?”
- The team is hoping that sometime over the next week you take just one minute or less to respond by visiting this link where you will share your one word or phrase answer. (Please note, the first prompt you will receive will ask you for your name. Please feel free to use an alias if you prefer not to include your real name.)
- After the responses have been collected, “word clouds” will be created from each stakeholder group to show the responses. That information will also be used by the Student Success Team for their next-steps in our Strategic plan process. We thank you in advance for taking the time to help us reflect and grow.
Birthday Treats and Celebrations!
- Looking to do something special for a birthday or special treat for a student? Our cafeteria staff can help.
- Orders for birthday treats and special occasions can be placed for students through our kitchen liaison, Anna Thomas. As you are aware, students aren't able to bring in treats or food items due to Covid - 19.
- If you would like to place an order, there is an updated birthday and celebration menu on the website. Anna would like you to know that they are also happy to work with parents if you would like to order something different or special for their child as well.
- If you have any questions, please feel free to contact athomas@lew-port.com or call the high school and ask for extension 7288 and she will be more than happy to help.
Calendar Updates
- Currently, the State Education Department is allowing all synchronous and asynchronous days to be counted toward the 180 days of required school. This gives us many days available beyond the required 180 days of instruction.
- In terms of the school calendar, we have three (3) weeks where there would be a change in the schedule; please make note of these changes.
Week of February 15th (President’s Day Week):
Monday, 2/15 - President’s Day Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
Tuesday, 2/16 - President’s Day Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
Wednesday, 2/17 - Virtual Learning (Remote Monday Schedule)
Thursday, 2/18 - Green Group Attends
Friday, 2/19 - White Group Attends
March 29 - April 9 (Spring Break/Easter Break)
NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Week of May 24th (Memorial Day Holiday Break):
Monday, 5/24 - Virtual Learning (Remote Monday Schedule)
Tuesday, 5/25 - Green Group Attends
Wednesday, 5/26 - White Group Attends
Thursday, 5/27 - Memorial Day Holiday Recess Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
Friday, 5/28 - Memorial Day Holiday Recess Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
*Memorial Day Federal Holiday is Monday - 5/31
Remote Monday Schedule
- Students are asked to log in and meet with their teachers on Remote Mondays based upon the schedule below. Teachers will be using this time to meet with classes and to set the change for the week.
- Students in grades 6-12 students (Green Group, White Group, and Daily Lancers) will engage in synchronous learning with teachers following a modified daily schedule:
Period 2 - 9:00-9:25 (Grade 7 Exploratory)
Period 3 - 9:30-9:55 (Grade 8 Exploratory)
Period 4 - 10:00-10:25 (Grade 6 Exploratory)
Period 5 - 10:30-10:55
Period 6 - 11:00-11:25 (Grade 6 Exploratory)
Period 7 - 11:30-11:55 (Grade 7 Exploratory)
Period 8 - 12:00-12:25 (Grade 8 Exploratory)
Period 9 - 12:30-12:55
Teacher Office Hours by Appointment - 1:00-3:00
Upcoming Dates/Events (Subject to change. Please use other sources to confirm/verify)
February 15 - President's Day - No School
February 16 - President's Day Extended - No School
February 17 - Virtual Monday Schedule
February 18 - Green Group Attends
February 19 - White Group Attends
March 5 - 25 Week Marking Period Ends
March 29 - April 9 - Spring Break - No School
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!