Auer Time @ LPMS
April, 2021
One Purpose. Your Pathway. Our Promise.
Happy Spring!
Pillar 1 - Teaching and Learning
Learning Model Transition Process
- 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 will be paused in order to maintain student continuity.
As of Monday, April 26, 2021, we will no longer allow for the transfer of students between our hybrid and remote academic models. This decision was not taken lightly and will allow for the completion of consistent program expectations for both the hybrid and remote academic models during the 4th and final marking period of the school year.
Please contact the High School Main Office at (716) 286-7263 or Middle School Main Office at (716) 286-7201 with any questions or concerns.
NYS Testing - 2020/2021
In past years, the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Tests have been administered to students across New York State. This year, the New York State Education Department has determined that it will not be possible to administer any of this year’s State assessments remotely and assessments will be “school-based” and “in-person.” The New York State Education Department (NYSED) and the Board of Regents submitted a formal request to the United States Department of Education (USDE) to waive state testing requirements at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Though NYSED is still waiting to hear from the USDE about Regents exams, we know that school districts must offer the Spring 2021 test administrations at the 3-8 grade levels..
Schools are required to administer ONLY Session 1 of the ELA and Mathematics Tests to students; usually there are two sessions. Session 1 will be shorter in length and only contains multiple choice questions. All other testing protocols will be in effect for each day of the Assessments for those taking the tests.
Lewiston-Porter will be administering the 3-8 ELA and Math tests ONLY to students whose parents specifically want them to participate.
Please contact your child’s principal via email or check your email with this form identifying your child’s participation in the New York State English Language Arts and Math 3-8 Tests by Monday, April 19th.
Please note that we will assume that your child WILL NOT take the tests if we do not hear from you otherwise or if you do not fill out the form.
The 3-8 testing schedule is based on a hybrid learning model since we are not able to predict if all students will be back on campus at the time of the administration. If we are back with all students on campus, an updated administration calendar will be shared. Either way, the schedule is the same for all schools and is as follows:
NYS ELA
White Group Students (Last names M-Z)
- Thursday, April 22 - Scheduled Administration
- Friday, April 23 - Make-Up Day for Student Who Need It
Green Group Students (Last names A-L)
- Tuesday, April 27 - Scheduled Administration
- Wednesday, April 28 - Make-Up Day for Students Who Need It
NYS Math
Green Group Students (Last names A-L)
- Tuesday, May 11 - Scheduled Administration
- Wednesday, May 12 - Make-Up Day for Students Who Need It
White Group Students (Last names M-Z)
- Thursday, May 13 - Scheduled Administration
- Friday, May 14 - Make-Up Day for Student Who Need It
Should you choose to have your child participate, we will make arrangements for the test administration. For those students not taking the test, they will receive regularly scheduled instruction during this time.
We recognize that teachers in each class have prepared their students as best as possible to perform at a proficient level or higher on assessed learning standards, and we will make sure that they have an opportunity to show that level. We appreciate your support during this unprecedented time and would be happy to answer any questions you might have regarding the State Assessments and your child’s participation.
Survey Opportunity
As Mr. Casseri stated in his last community message, the push for a fuller classroom learning experience is gaining momentum here in WNY and across the state. Lewiston-Porter is making plans if and when NYS guidance changes.
We have a parent survey out seeking feedback on our current learning models and on a fuller and frequent on-campus learning experience. This will help us significantly as we move our plans forward. We encourage all families to take the survey.
Assessment & Evidence of Learning
- The 30 Week marking period is coming to a close on April 23 and we moving into the 4th Quarter!
- Just a reminder that 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.
Year End Grading Procedure
As we return from Spring Recess, we would like to draw your attention to the updated end-of-the-year grading policy for students in grades 6-12. This has been a unique and unorthodox year for our students and their families throughout this global pandemic and our goal throughout has been to provide an academic program that meets the needs of our students while also allowing for a COVID-safe environment.
As you are aware, we are nearing the start of the 4th Quarter. We are providing this important information regarding necessary changes to our end-of-the-year grading policy. Informing you of these end of year changes now will allow for the necessary time for our students and their families to be prepared and understand the options and expectations outlined in the grading policy as listed below as we close out the school year.
In order for a student to earn course credit for the 2020-2021 school year, students will receive a final grade for the course/subject based upon one of the three options listed below (whichever is highest):
Three Pathways to Passing
- Option 1: Cumulative Average - Cumulative average of 65% or higher for a given course over four quarters. (2020-2021 school year)
- Option 2: Local Final - The student earns a 65% or higher on the local final exam for a given course.
- Option 3: Regents Exam - The student earns a 65% or higher on a Regents Exam being administered for a Regents level course.
These three options are only for students that are participating in the hybrid academic model. Due to the self guided pacing of the 100% Remote/Apex model, all grades will be determined by the APEX program.
We are hopeful that this end of the year grading policy will allow for us to accurately measure academic proficiency, while also setting that stage for program development for the 2021-2022 school year.
If a students’ cumulative average is 64% or lower on all three options listed above, for course credit, students must follow one of the options below:
Two Options For Students who Fail
- Option 1: Lew-Port APEX Summer School - Participate in our District’s APEX Summer School Program being offered at our High School and Middle School campuses.
- Option 2: 21/22 APEX Credit Recovery - The student will be scheduled for the credit recovery program next school year, being offered by the high school.
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 and complete the form for their grade level.
Spring AIMS Web+ Benchmark Data
Spring Benchmark Screening called AIMSWeb+ will be administered for the third and final time to all students during in person instruction during the week of May 18 - 21.
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.
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.
PowerSchool Tutorials
Covid- 19 Procedures and Protocols
COVID-19 Contact Tracing
- The New York State Department of Health issued updated school reopening guidance based on the information provided by the CDC almost 3 weeks ago. The new guidance allows for schools to reduce social distancing in classrooms to 3 feet without barriers.
- The guidance maintains 6 feet of social distancing in most other areas of school buildings, including cafeterias. For transportation and bussing, the new guidance talks about appropriate social distancing and mandatory mask wearing.
- Mask wearing is mandated at all times in all buildings throughout the new guidance. The new guidance also requires that 6 feet of social distancing be maintained at the Middle and High School levels if student cohorting is not an option and community transmission rates at the county level are at the High level, according to the CDC website.
- Student cohorting is not an option at our Middle and High School. That shift would require a completely new master schedule at both levels and that would be impossible this late in the school year. The new guidance will also requires full classroom quarantines if a Covid positive case is discovered in a particular student within any given class.
The Superintendent and the Board of Education are using Monday, April 26th as the target date for K-5 students only.
At this time we are not considering any change in the schedule for Middle and High School students given the current CDC transmission rates. That decision is 100% based on the current guidance. If this transmission rate data changes in the next days or weeks we will then move to bring back Middle and High School students.
- 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.
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.
Pillar 2 - Leadership
Teacher Leadership
Parent resources
Virtual Kaleidoscope Concert Videos!
We are so pleased to be able to share with you our virtual rendition of the Band and Orchestra Kaleidoscope concert for Music in Our Schools Month!
With the wild year so far for music and bands in schools, these students really came through!
It was wonderful to be able to give them a performing experience, even while distanced. This was a large undertaking for all involved, and we are proud of your kids for working hard to bring all the parts of this piece together!
Please enjoy! Thank you for your continued support of music in our schools!
Band
Orchestra
1) Tune-a-Rumble- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-C8aelvG3Q2) First Finger Rock- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-C8aelvG3Q
3) Canon Power- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqcJCg-Hbu0
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
Builder's Club
- As Earth Day approaches, the Builder's Club is sponsoring an Earth Day Campus Clean-Up from April 19-23.
- All NEST classes are invited to participate in the clean up of our campus that week.
- There will be a virtual clean up on Monday, April 19 and students are encouraged to work with their families to clean up an area around their neighborhood or town to clean up.
- Pictures of participation can be submitted to Mrs. Oddy at toddy@lew-port.com to be posted on the Lew-port Builders Club website.
- Builder's Club will also be holding a book drive to support the Lewiston and Youngstown Public libraries.
- Please donate your gently used books to the donation box located by the main office in the Middle School. Donations will be collected through the month of April.
8th Graders Making Music
WEB Leaders begin to recruit for next year's leaders.
Lewiston-Porter Middle School 8th grade WEB Leaders are beginning the recruitment process for the 2021-22 school year. Coordinators and Leaders met with the entire 7th grade in a large (socially distanced) group to provide a brief introduction to the program. The WEB Leaders then pushed into 7th grade NEST to promote the program and answer questions. They had students join our WEB Google Classroom, which contains all of the information that they will need to apply to be a WEB leader for next year. WEB looked a little different this year, but we are looking forward to getting back to more “normal” activities next year!
Check out this article that talks about the project!
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*
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
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 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)
April 23 - 30 Week Marking Period Ends/ End of 3rd Quarter
April 22 - NYS Testing - ELA - White Group Students (Last names M-Z)
April 27 - NYS Testing - ELA - Green Group Students (Last names A-L)
May 11 - NYS Testing - Math - Green Group Students (Last names A-L)
May 13 - NYS Testing - Math - White Group Students (Last names M-Z)
May 18 - AIMS Web Spring Benchmark - ELA (Green Group)
May 19 - AIMS Web Spring Benchmark - Math (Green Group)
May 20 - AIMS Web Spring Benchmark - ELA (White Group)
May 21 - AIMS Web Spring Benchmark - Math (White Group)
May 24 - Virtual Learning (Remote Monday Schedule)
May 25 - Green Group (Last names A-L)/All Daily Lancers
May 26 - White Group (Last names M-Z)/All Daily Lancers
May 27 - Memorial Day Holiday Recess Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
May 28 - Memorial Day Holiday Recess Non-Instructional Day - No Student Attendance
May 31 - Memorial Day - No Student Attendance No Virtual Monday
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!