Report Card and Parent-Teacher Conference Information

Report Card and Parent-Teacher Conference Information

Report Cards will be sent home Friday, Dec. 8.

Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled for the afternoons of
Thursday, December 14 and Friday, December 15.

Dismissal for all children will be 11:30 am on both days.  

A conference form reminder including date and time information will be sent home by the end of this week.

More on Standards-Based Grading

We have changed how we grade and report on student progress for this school year. The new standards-based approach will give you more accurate, detailed information about your child’s performance in relation to State and District Standards. It will allow teachers to better meet the needs of individual students and will give students a clearer picture of their strengths and areas in need of growth.

Report Cards:

Our report cards are aligned to the Common Core Learning Standards. You will find:

1. Category titles and descriptions reflecting the NYS Common Core Learning Standards.

2. Grading keys reflecting student progress toward State and District Standards.

3. Behaviors of the learner that reflect student skill necessary to be a successful learner (Behaviors that Support Learning).

Standards-Based Report Cards:

1. Describe what a student should know and be able to do at an identified point in time.

2. Reflect grade-level standards and expectations, so families gain a clearer understanding of student progress.

3. Provide consistent evaluations throughout the year based on individualized instruction information.

Academic Achievement Key:

Key	Grading Guidelines
3	Meeting New York State and District Standards
2	Working toward New York State and District Standards
1	Not meeting New York State and District Standards
NA	Standard not assessed at this time

Behaviors that Support Learning Key:

C	Consistently Meeting Expectations
W	Working Toward Expectations
D	Experiencing Difficulty with Expectations

Special Area teachers in Art, Music, Library and Physical Education will also use this same rating scale when reporting on student progress.

  

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your parent-teacher conference, please do not hesitate to contact the classroom teacher.

~Lori

Feeling Grateful All Around Stonehedge

One thing becomes pretty clear this time of year...we have some amazing students and we are so grateful for each and every one of them.

As our students have been studying the character trait Gratitude this week as part of the Positivity Project, they have demonstrated some ways they can be thankful and express gratitude in their lives.

You are aware of and thankful for good things that happen.

Many classes read "My Gratitude Jar", by Kristin Wiens. After reading the story, Mrs. Malbone's kindergarten class made a gratitude jar and each student wrote something they were thankful for on a slip of paper. When the class is having a rough day in the future, they will turn to their gratitude jar and remind them of all the wonderful things they are thankful for.

Brightening a Meal

Students in grades k-2 took time last week to color paper placemats with a "Happy Thanksgiving" message on them. The placemats will be delivered to both the Rescue Mission and Meals on Wheels to help brighten the table on Thanksgiving Day. 

These second graders did a wonderful job coloring!

Hard at work! Second graders put the finishing touches on their placemats.

It's Cheetah Time!

Students in Miss Kolis and Mrs. Colburn's first grade class roared into Cheetah Central recently in celebration of earning 25 compliments. Students got to choose what they would like to learn about for a day and they chose the cheetah! They made cheetah masks and played cheetah-themed games throughout the day all while learning all about their favorite large cat. Among other facts, they learned that the cheetah is the world's fastest land animal, it is an endangered species, and it is a mammal. 

Positivity Project to Focus on Gratitude, Humility/Modesty, and Kindness

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is fitting to study the character traits of Gratitude, Humility/Modesty, and Kindness as we approach the holiday season. 

Throughout the last week of November and into December, students will be exploring what each of these traits mean:

WHAT DOES HUMILITY/MODESTY MEAN?

You do not seek the spotlight. You let your actions speak for themselves.

WHAT DOES KINDNESS MEAN?

You are generous to others and you are never too busy to help out. You enjoy doing good deeds for other people. 

Attention Kindergarten Parents:

You are invited to join your friends and classmates for a fun
Kindergarten Get-Together
Thursday, December 7, 6:30 – 7:30 pm.

Let’s play games, listen to a story in the library, make a craft, and enjoy a snack together.  Kindergarten children and their family members will have the opportunity to mingle with other families and get to know one another. 

Hope to see you on December 7 in the Blue Cafeteria!

Snow Days May Be Coming Soon

Though we were fortunate to have had a mild November so far, snow is just around the corner. When winter weather is predicted, stay tuned to Dr. Brown's twitter feed, the website, district Facebook page, the West Genesee app, and the local radio and television stations for information on delays and cancellations. In addition, please make sure that your child has appropriate clothing. Students not only walk to and from the bus, but also play outside for recess. We want to make sure they stay warm!

Blackboard communications software allows us to send emails, texts, phone app notifications, and make phone calls. (Phone calls will be used for emergency situations only) Parent/Guardians and Staff will NOT need to sign-up to receive information from schools that you are registered for in Schooltool. (You will have the option to opt-out if you choose not to receive emails, texts, and/or phone calls.)

For more information and/or to sign-up (if you are not a parent/guardian or staff in the Schooltool system) go to the website and click on the WG Communications logo from the home page, or logo above. For more information about the new system click here. 

Important Dates:

Wednesday, Nov. 22-24--No School, Thanksgiving Break

Enjoy this special time with your family and friends,
Lori

This Week was Filled with Fall Fun

This week's soggy weather tried its hardest to dampen our spirits, but we wouldn't let it!! Our quick-thinking and flexible physical education staff worked together with other special area teachers and pulled off a fabulous Turkey Trot. Walking outside while weather permitted, then indoors when the rain began, collectively students walked 800 miles. Or, the equivalent of walking from Stonehedge to sunny Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!

We were once again humbled by the generosity of our Stonehedge family. Boxes and boxes were filled with donated food items which will go to families in need right in our own community. 

These kindergarten students walked in their first Turkey Trot!

First graders trotted inside once the rain started.

Second graders made the most of the day, walking and laughing the whole time.

Carving in Time for Some Special Learning

Porter, like many other kindergarten students, helped carve a pumpkin this week. Teachers tied the fun activity into learning about the five senses. "What does the pumpkin smell like inside? What do the seeds feel like?"

Stop, Drop, and Roll

"Get Out! Stay Out!' was just one piece of life-saving advice our students in grades K-2 received when firefighters from the Fairmount Fire Department came to school. Firefighters discussed what to do should there be a fire at home. Students learned:

• To get out and stay out!  
• To stop, drop, and roll if their clothing catches on fire, 
• To stay low and crawl to avoid smoke and heat, 
• And the importance of establishing a meeting place so all members of a family can be accounted for.  

Austin and Alyssa in Mrs. Donahue's kindergarten class helped Firefighter Mazzoni demonstrate how to Stop, Drop, and Roll.

Thank you to all the Firefighter Mazzoni and all the firefighters from Fairmount Fire Department who came out to the school and led our assemblies as well as tours of the firetruck! Special thanks to Mrs. Barbuto for organizing the visit and supplemental materials for teachers. 

Stonehedge's annual Veterans Appreciation Day  event will be on Thursday, November 9. As a reminder to families of veterans and active duty servicemen and women who will be joining us, your student is welcome to join their family in the library as early as 8:30 a.m. However, they must report to their homeroom teacher before moving on to the gym after the bell rings (or else they may be marked absent). If your child will ride the bus and then meet family in the gym, please ensure they report to their homeroom first, and then go to the gym. 

Positivity Project to Focus on Bravery, Gratitude, and Humility/Modesty

At this time of year, it is fitting to study the character traits of Bravery (Veterans Day), Gratitude (Thanksgiving), and Humility/Modesty as we approach the holiday season. 

Throughout November, students will be exploring what each of these traits mean:

WHAT DOES BRAVERY MEAN?

You act with mental, moral, or physical

strength even when you know things are

difficult or scary.

WHAT DOES GRATITUDE MEAN?

You are aware of and thankful for good things

that happen.

WHAT DOES HUMILITY MEAN?

You do not seek the spotlight. You let your

actions speak for themselves.

Upcoming Dates:

Sunday, November 5 -- Daylight Savings Time Ends, Set clocks back 1 hour

Tuesday, November 7 --Early Dismissal at 11:30 a.m. (Professional Development half-day)

Thursday, November 9-- Veterans Appreciation Day 

Thursday, November 9 -- PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m., library

Friday, November 10 -- No School, Veterans Day

~Lori