Hello, IEC Families!

I love this time of year… One District One Book (ODOB) and warmer weather ahead!!! February is a month filled with love, learning, football, and other exciting events at the IEC. As always, we are committed to keeping you informed about the happenings within our school community.

I am very excited about – the learning taking place at the IEC. We just completed our Aimsweb testing and our CBT simulation in preparation for state testing in the springtime. We are embarking on our ninth year of One District One Book.

Every child will receive a copy of the winning book and will be asked to read it at home over the coming months. Each week, new questions will be sent home for the corresponding chapters to stimulate conversation about the book with your family. I am personally asking you to make the time so your family can participate in this special school-wide, community-wide activity. We have selected a title that can be followed, understood, and enjoyed by all our students. We are very excited! The winning book announcement will take place on February 12 at the Lewiston library.

Reading aloud at home is valuable because it better prepares your child to be an effective reader. It is also a fun, worthwhile family activity. Through our One District One Book program, we are aiming to build a community of readers. Everyone - students, parents, teachers, administrators, even community businesses - will be participating. The benefits of reading aloud are remarkable. Studies have shown that reading to children helps them listen better and longer, build bigger vocabularies, understand concepts better, feel positive about both books and learning, and more. When an entire school reads the same book, the buzz and excitement around the book being read increases these benefits, and there is the added joy of building community in the school family.

In school, your child will be invited to answer trivia questions to encourage and reward attentive, careful listening. You will soon find that your child will take pride in knowing and anticipating the details of the story. In class, there may be various activities that discuss or explore the book. You will want to make sure your family keeps up so your child can be included. Throughout the coming months, everyone will be talking about it. I personally invite your family to READ WITH US at the Lewiston Porter Intermediate Education Center.

Inspiring Quotes About Reading Together:

• "There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island." – Walt Disney

• "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go." – Dr. Seuss

• "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader." – Margaret Fuller

• "Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary." – Jim Rohn

Upcoming Events in February:

Valentine's Day Celebration (February 14): Love is in the air! Our school will be decked out in red and pink as we celebrate Valentine's Day. Students should follow their teachers’ directions regarding bringing in valentines to share with their classmates, as well as other planned special activities to spread love and joy throughout the day.

Black History Month: February is a time to honor and celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout history. Our teachers will incorporate special lessons and activities to highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion.

Presidents’ Day Break (February 17 & 18): In observance of Presidents' Day, there will be no school on February 17 & 18. This is a perfect time for families to relax, enjoy each other’s company, and perhaps engage in some educational activities related to U.S. history.

We look forward to a month filled with warmth, learning, and community engagement. Thank you for your continued support, and we can't wait to see you at our upcoming events!

Wishing you a fantastic February!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Rodriguez

Sunday 2/2- Groundhog Day

Thursday 2/6- Picture Day Groups & Classes

Sunday 2/9- Super Bowl Sunday!

Tuesday 2/11- Early Release Day- Dismissal 2:35pm

Friday 2/14- Valentine's Day

Monday 2/17- President's Day No School

Tuesday 2/18- No school- recess day due to remote days in lieu of emergency closures

Lancer Leadership Spirit Week 2/24-2/28! (see below)

Our school has collected and donated various personal items and handmade cards from students, faculty, and families! The Valentines for Veterans collection center will be able to pack and ship personal care items to active personnel overseas as well as hand delivering items and cards vets in the Buffalo and Batavia VA hospitals.

You can still donate until February 5th!

Wonderful work, IEC Family!

Black History Month got its start in 1926 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an African American, promoted Negro History Week in February.

The time was selected because it included the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln which had been notable dates for the black community since the start of the twentieth century.

Also known as African-American History Month, it was first observed by students and faculty at Kent State University in 1970.

In 1976 it evolved into a month-long celebration and became a national holiday when President Gerald Ford recognized “the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history” in a speech to mark the United States Bicentennial.

Since then, U.S. presidents have proclaimed February as National Black History Month.

It is a time for all Americans to reflect on both the history and teachings of African Americans and to focus on the progress, richness, and diversity of African American achievements.

Today Black History Month is celebrated not only in the US but around the globe by five different countries.

Information from

https://www.thereisadayforthat.com/holidays/usa/black-history-month-us

Each month, one student from Band, Orchestra, Chorus and General Music will be chosen as a Music Leader of the Month. These students demonstrate the 3 R’s (Responsibility, Respect and Resourcefulness) in these classes.

For the month of January, the following students were chosen by Mrs. Spinnegan, Mrs. Zachary and Mrs.Carere:

Band - Matt Drumsta

Orchestra - Lily Fallesen

General Music - Vincent Henderson

Chorus- Nola Wolf

Congratulations! Keep up the great work!

K Kids created kindness rocks to spread happiness through the IEC 😄

Congrats to all the students participating in the (NCMEA) Niagara County Music Educators Association All County Intermediate Orchestra! These students prepared solos and performed in front of adjudicators and based on their scores, were selected to perform in this auditioned ensemble. They will be working with other top musicians in Niagara County to perform in a concert at North Tonawanda High School on Saturday, February 1st. Congrats again!

Amelia Greene- 5th Grade

Lilith Fallesen- 5th Grade

Armen Hurtgam- 5th Grade

Violet Donnelley- 5th Grade

Lily Wager- 5th grade

The IEC Lost & Found is VERY full of stuff missing their owners!

Please have your child check the lost & found- often

Parents are welcome to check as well- please avoid coming 11am-1:30pm

(just bring your ID for the Raptor security system)

We are tallying the votes for our One District, One Book reading adventure...which book will win? Find out at our Community Reveal on Wednesday, February 12th at the Lewiston Library. See the flyer below for details. But the excitement doesn't stop there! Come along on our reading adventure for 5 weeks from February 12th-March 21st...with weekly trivia questions, mystery readers, community business specials & scavenger hunts, family packet of activities & questions, and an opportunity to enjoy a book together as a family! And SAVE THE DATE: Friday, March 21st for our Family Night Reading Celebration!

Back in December, Mrs. Peterson and I were approached by members of a research project team from Harvard seeking to collect data on how students respond to STEM education/ invention projects. We felt that this experience would fit nicely into what we are already doing here at the IEC. The lessons provided to us were designed to encourage our students to become confident creators by fostering their curiosity and creativity through invention education. This innovative approach is currently being studied to see if this type of education will help to reduce absenteeism, which has been on the rise nationally since COVID.

Here is a detailed explanation about our journey:

The requirements:

- Offer at least 2 classes in the same grade (3 rd , 4 th , and/or 5 th grade) with two different instructors (Mrs. Peterson and Myself)

- This would allow for a business-as-usual and a pilot group to be run within the same school and grade.

- Open to the number of students, subject, or other identifiers (e.g., Gifted and Talented) as long

as the two groups are consistent

-We each ran two 1-hour experiences at least one week apart

- NIHF (National Inventors Hall of Fame) provided the curriculum, activity materials, and other required resources

- We administered a pre-test before the experience and a post-test after the experience both of which were sent back to NIHF. (All students were kept anonymous )

- NIHF provided paper pre- and post-tests.

- Mrs. Peterson and I participated in a 20-minute introductory call one week before the program started.

- Mrs. Peterson and I will participate in a 20-minute debrief call following the completion of the lessons.

Written by Mrs. H. Kazulak NBCT

4th grade band and orchestra students performed in their first concert on Thursday, January 30th.

Both groups played wonderfully!

On Friday January 31, students and staff were able to watch a variety of performances in celebration of the Chinese New Year. The performances included Alfred University students and staff, Binghamton University students and staff as well as Lewiston-Porter students and staff.

There is a video posted on the district Facebook page due to the size of the video.

https://www.facebook.com/LewistonPorterCentralSchools

Third grade students, Anna Green, Ainsley Burnett, Harper Hoadley and Isabelle Webb are studying area and making connections with Pixel Art projects!