Dear Strawtown Families,
Happy New Year! I hope that your holiday break was filled with both joy and rest! As we embark on 2025, it is the time of year to set goals, reflect on our progress, and acknowledge opportunities to grow. Our students have made much progress this year, and yet this is always a good time to have them think about setting goals. Encourage your child to set achievable goals by breaking down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps. For example, instead of aiming to "read more books," they can set a goal to read one chapter a night. Visual aids like charts or calendars can help them track their progress and stay motivated. Getting 1% better each day at something, equates to long term success in an area of focus! One model of goal setting is using the S.M.A.R.T. model which helps to set parameters for finding success. What is nice about this model is that is can be applied to a wide variety of goals, not just academic ones!
We have a busy and exciting month ahead at Strawtown, so read on to learn more about the happenings this month!
In Partnership,
Colin Andersen
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Cultural Arts Assembly:
This month, we welcome Dance China of New York who will be sharing a presentation called Lion Dance Plus. This is an exciting program that our students will surely enjoy as we prepare for the Lunar New Year.
Computer-Based Testing Simulation:
On January 22nd, our students in Grades 3, 4,and 5 will taking part in the Computer Based Testing simulation for the New York State exams. Please remind your children to fully charge their Chromebooks the night before and bring them in on that day. This is a short but important protocol because it allows us to assess how the real event will flow when we take the actual exams in late April.
Portrait of a Learner:
As shared a few weeks ago, our district is engaging in a strategic process called "Portrait of a Learner." This is a conceptual framework will help us outline the critical hard and soft skills students need to be successful in the 21st century. If you have not done so already, you are invited to complete the parent survey. If you are a K-2 parent, please use this link and if you are a 3-5 parent, please use this link.
Blood Drive:
We will be hosting a Blood Drive here at Strawtown on Thursday, January 16th. This is a great opportunity to come together as a community to make an important difference in many people's lives! Please see this flyer with times of the Blood Drive. You can use the QR code on the flyer to sign up.
Screenagers Documentary:
We will be hosting a viewing of Screenagers: Elementary Edition on January 30th at South High School at 7:00 p.m. We are partnering with the other elementary schools in the district for this event. I encourage you to attend the viewing because it provides important information about the effects of technology on the developing adolescent brain. I will send out a Google Form next week to register for the event.
Reading Comprehension Strategies:
Understanding what we are reading is such a critical element to growing as a learner. Please see this pamphlet created by Ms. Nicks, one our reading specialists, for strategies you can you do at home with your child to promote reading comprehension.
Arrival and Dismissal:
Please try to build consistency with your child's arrival and dismissal routines. Frequent changes are complex for the kids to navigate and may cause confusion for us here at the building level or on buses. We want to ensure a safe arrival and dismissal at all times. At the same time, I understand life happens, so if a necessary change occurs, please make sure to email your child's teacher and the main office at strawtownoffice@ccsd.edu no more than 24 hours before the dismissal change and please not after 12:30 on a school day unless it is an emergency. This communication is essential to accuracy when there are dismissal changes. In addition, for car pickups/drop-offs, please ensure not to pass anyone in the parking lot, even if you offload your child faster than the person in front of you.
Cellphones, SMART Watches, Gum:
As a reminder, students should not have cellphones or Smartwatches on during the day. They should remain off and placed in the bottom of the backpack. If a device goes off during the day, the teachers will remind each student to turn it off. If a student misuses the device repeatedly, it may be taken away and must be picked up by an adult. In addition, as a reminder, gum is not allowed during the school day. I appreciate your cooperation with this guideline.
Winter Illnesses:
While the winter brings many joys, it is also the time of year when sickness does increase. If your child is sick, please keep them home. As a reminder, children need to be fever free, without medication, for a full 24 hour period before returning to school. If your child has severe stomach issues, please be mindful that stomach bugs are incredibly contagious, so it is best to error on the side of caution and keep that child home. While I know it is an inconvenience, it is compassionate and a responsible thing to do.
January Closings:
School will be closed on Monday, January 20th for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and then on Wednesday, January 29th for Lunar New Year.
January Calendars:
Please use this link to access the January calendar for the events happening at Strawtown this month. You can also use this link to see the January school lunch menu.
