February Parent Newsletter
Principal, Dr. DiTullio
The month of January is a busy one for us. We take this time at the halfway mark of the school year to evaluate the students and see how they are progressing toward grade level standards. Our goal is to have every student meeting or exceeding grade level standards by the end of the school year, so this data is helpful in allowing us to adjust our small group instruction and interventions, as well as continue to raise the bar for all students. We utilize iReady data, common formative assessments, and classroom assignments/student work samples to determine how students are progressing toward meeting grade level standards. We have seen some really nice growth in reading and math in all grade levels. Our sixth grade students demonstrated the 3rd highest reading growth in the district! Our whole school data showed that our students had the fifth highest reading growth in the district and the 3rd highest math growth in the district! Please take a moment to encourage your child to keep up the great work. Learning can be slow, so it's nice to see such wonderful progress. Make sure to celebrate your child's successes!
Recently, we were visited by author and illustrator Daniel Jude Miller. He did a wonderful job speaking to the students about his journey as an illustrator, and later, as a children's book author/illustrator. He talked a lot about "leveling up" in his work as he continued to practice. I thought that this was a really nice message. We have been encouraging students to "level up" in their learning, always striving to improve. We would love for you to use that language with students at home too. How can they level up at home?
Black History Month Events
February is Black History Month, and we have events planned all month long. Each classroom will participate in a door decorating contest where they are asked to choose a prominent African-American figure in history to spotlight. Our BHM whole-school celebration will be on February 29th at our parliament meeting. The BHM Theme this year is Black Americans and the Arts. Students will enjoy a performance from Rochester's very own Grammy nominated jazz artist, Jimmie Highsmith Jr. as well as enjoy a drumming performance by Mrs. Santucci and some of their peers. We are really looking forward to celebrating the many wonderful contributions of African-Americans during the month of February!
Breakfast with Books PTA Event
The Breakfast and Books event was a success! Thank you to our PTA for organizing this special day for our families. The kids really enjoyed hearing from the author, and the magician. The read-a-thon fundraiser is going to be wrapping up soon, so keep reading, and collecting those donations! All of the money will be used to support students, families, and allow us to continue to provide fun family events.
Global Day of Play
February 7 is the Global Day of Play. Mayor Malik Evans has issued an official proclamation that the City of Rochester will acknowledge the day. We will be engaging in some fun activities with students throughout the day. Each teacher is encouraged to organize an activity centered around play. Make sure you ask your child about what they did!
Winter Recess
Don't forget that we have a week off this month. School is closed the week of February 19th.
Winter Clothing
It has been a rather mild winter, but we have had some cold days. Please let us know if your child is in need of a winter coat. We do have some donations available at school. If you need anything, please contact the main office and ask for Mr. McCloud.
Real Talk, Real Change
Please make sure to scroll down to the bottom and take the survey below. This is an opportunity for you to give feedback to the district. Please be sure to make your voice heard. The survey is open through February 16th.
As always, thank you for your continued support and partnership. We couldn't do this without you!
February 1: First day of Black History Month
February 3: PTA Breakfast with Books event 10:00AM - Noon
February 5: Report cards mailed out this week
February 7: Global Day of Play/ SBPT meeting 8:00 AM
February 10: Lunar New Year
February 14: Happy Valentine's Day
February 19: President's Day/ NO SCHOOL
February 20-23: Winter Recess/ NO SCHOOL
Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Christian Robinson
Summary: In Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, CJ's nana teaches him to appreciate his surroundings and what he has rather than wanting what others have. Its themes include:
– Find the beauty in everything and everyone.
– The difference between wants and needs.
Resources: https://childrenslibrarylady.com/last-stop-market-street/
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:last+stop+on+market+street/Order:Price-Asc
Real Talk, Real Change!
Rochester City School District believes with Real Talk we can make Real Change in our schools. We are asking students, families, and staff to participate in a quick anonymous survey by February 16. RCSD students in grades 5-12 will also take this survey at school in January. Real Talk, Real Change! is open Monday, January 22, 2024 through Friday, February 16, 2024 to gather your honest opinions and experiences in our schools. Results from this survey will help provide the District with a basis for understanding and improving the educational climate for all. This survey is completely anonymous and can be accessed from any device. Students, parents, and staff* can choose from one of the following links to begin:
आरसिएसडि विद्यालय जलवायु सर्वेक्षण: जाडो महिना २०२४ (नेपाली)أستبيان المناخ المدرسي في مديرية التعليم في روتشستر: شتاء 2024 (عربي)
If you have any questions about the survey, please reach out to realtalk@rcsdk12.org.
Thank you for your time!