Cortland Schools
District Newsletter, April 2024
Celebrating Spring!
From Superintendent Edwards
Dear Students, Parents, Staff and our greater community,
Our theme for April is Spring and Renewal. As the month unfolds all of us are familiar with nature's path - some rain, some snow, some sunshine, some blossoms, some maple syrup, some buds, and hope for the renewal that indicates the summer to come. At school, all of this energy serves as a reminder that our work is unique at this time of year. In parallel fashion, much of our work is toward the completion of this school year - our continuing focus on collaboration, learning, and results - while at the same time we begin planning for the next school year. It is an exhilarating and busy time of year and I welcome you to embrace it and enjoy the colors that emerge in our ever-changing landscape.
In addition to enjoying the sights and sounds of changes in our natural world, please also know that April, May, and June are wonderful months to stay engaged in your child's school world. Parents and caregivers often do this through the most essential communication with your student's teachers and Principals. There are also scores of opportunities to come up and see an athletic event, an art show, a concert, or take part in a Parent Teacher Organization or Booster meeting. Our school community is enhanced by parent and community engagement so please consider participating in any way that you can.
Throughout this month I wish you all the best. Happy April!
Sincerely,
Bob Edwards
Weekly Blast
News from the District Nurses
Parents: start looking ahead to the next school year. Every preK, K, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th grader will need a current physical on file. If your child is scheduled to get their physical before the end of this school year, please make sure a copy is sent to the appropriate school. Many immunizations are also due prior to the start of a school year. Reach out to your school nurse to see what specific ones your child may need. Don’t wait till the last minute as summer doctor office visits fill up quickly.
As always, please keep your child home if they are sick and at the elementary level send in extra clothes with your child.
Spring sports have already started up at the high school and modified sports will be starting on April 8th. The summer physical schedule will soon be posted on the Athletic website in case your child will need a physical prior to starting sports in the fall.
News from the Junior High
Vitamin Z in Print
Spring is here! It is time for new growth and new beginnings. It is the season of Hope and Optimism. Here is your quote for the April newsletter:
“Don’t confuse your path with your destination. Just because it is stormy now doesn’t mean that you are not headed for sunshine.”
Keep your head up, Tigers… good things are on the way.
News from Randall Middle School
From Principal Quinn
Here at Randall Middle School, we are excited for the opportunities that Spring brings. We look forward to being outside, seeing the green grass and trees and colorful flowers. Even though we see these changes in nature during the spring, what doesn't change is what happens inside Randall Middle School. We remain laser-focused on ensuring high levels of learning for all students and adults. Each student continues to track their own academic progress in their Evidence of Learning portfolio. Ask your student how they are performing with their learning goals.
Do you follow Randall Middle School on Facebook? If not, start following our Facebook page! We feature pictures, videos, and updates about all of the great things happening at Randall. If you already follow Randall on Facebook, invite friends, coworkers, community members, and other parents and caregivers to follow. Share our posts!
Happy Spring!
With Purple Tiger Pride,
~Juli Quinn, Randall Middle School Principal
News from Smith Intermediate School
From Principal Block
This month at Smith Intermediate our students have been dedicated to artwork! We have students whose art was selected for the Imagination Celebration! Congrats!
We have also partnered with Molly Reagan to create a ROAR Mural Team who will be designing a mural for our basketball court! Not only will they design it, but they will also paint it with Molly. Our mural will reflect social emotional learning and our slogan of ROAR.
Our students are also working hard to complete their work that will be displayed in our Smith Art Show on April 18th. More information will be coming home about our art show.
News from Barry Primary School
From Principal Klumpp
Spring is a time of renewal, and nowhere is this more evident than at Barry Primary School. As the flowers bloom and the days grow longer, the school comes alive with the vibrant energy of its students and staff. The halls are filled with the sounds of laughter and learning, as new ideas take root and old ones are revisited with fresh perspective. It's a time for growth and transformation, both academically and personally, for students and teachers. Spring at Barry Primary School is a reminder that with each new season comes the opportunity for renewal and growth, both in the classroom and beyond. Spring is a reminder that students are not just finishing this academic year but also preparing for the next step in their educational journey, whether that's moving up to a new grade or transitioning to a new school.
With Tiger Pride,
Phyllis Klumpp
Allons en viaje!
This month the World Language Department is taking 20 students to Québec and Costa Rica to celebrate language learning and culture. We will be gone for 10 days in the middle of April on the trip of a lifetime.
We will visit Montmorency Falls in Québec City - taller than Niagara Falls! See St. Anne de Beaupré Basilica, visit the Plains of Abraham and learn about the battle of Québec between the British and French (Wolfe and Montcalm). We visit the Copper Museum to learn about copper relief in the area and make our own work of art, join locals at a “Cabane à Sucre” for a traditional lumberjack dinner before we head to Trois-Rivières on our way to visit Old Montréal. From there we fly to San Jose, Costa Rica to explore this beautiful country. We will visit Tortuguero, the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum at the second largest sea turtle nesting site in the world, Arenal, an active volcano and Poas, the largest active crater in the world. We will visit Baldi Hot Springs to relax in naturally heated pools, then take a hanging bridge tour through the rainforest, while learning how chocolate is made from plant to the sweet treat we know so well. Most importantly, we will be participating in a reforestation program to help be a part of planting 1 billion trees in 2024.
This program is such a valuable part of our school community providing students with the opportunity to see the world outside of Cortland with their friends and language teachers. If that idea sounds exciting to you, make sure that you keep up with your language studies to have the chance to come with us in the future as a junior or senior!
Internships
Internships are the perfect way to learn more about a career you’re interested in and get the attention of colleges and employers after high school. CHS juniors and seniors who are considering an internship next year need to fill out and submit an application (available on the CHS website) to Mrs. Norman or their counselor.
Romeo, oh Romeo…
Romeo, oh Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? In Mrs. Murphy and Miss Newcomb’s ELA classes of course! Students will be diving into the world of William Shakespeare, specifically through his tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Although we will not read the entire play, as they will accomplish that feat in 9th grade, students will become exposed to Shakespearean language, sonnets, and iambic pentameter.
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the NYSSMA Solo Festival
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the NYSSMA Solo Festival on March 23rd! It was wonderful to see all your hard work pay off.
Thank you to everyone who came out for the Music Booster’s Arts and Talent Showcase! All the participants did a great job.
On March 28 the Senior high band performed for Smith 4th grade band students and all junior high music students. There was a reception to follow with cinnamon buns and juice. Thanks to our senior high band students for inspiring our younger musicians!
Mark your calendars for the Senior High Instrumental Concert on Thursday, May 16th, and the Senior High Choirs Concert on Tuesday, May 21st. Both concerts are at 7:00 in the high school auditorium. These are our seniors' last concerts so please come out and support them as they finish their high school musical careers!
On May 10 all senior high band students will be competing at Hershey Park for the “Music in the Parks” festival. Good luck and have fun!
Live Virtual Field Trip
Holocaust class was recently able to attend a live virtual tour of Auschwitz and hear from an expert on the largest concentration/extermination camp. This was an incredibly educational and disturbing two hours for the class.
Self Portraits
Art students all across the district are working hard on their self-portraits. This project gives students a chance to express themselves through art and learn about their own unique features. Students are using a variety of materials to create their self-portraits, including paint, charcoal, and pencil. They are also experimenting with different techniques, such as realism and abstraction.
Randall Math Gymnasium
Randall students have been learning about division concepts in mathematics class. Students are using an innovative method involving circles and stars to grasp the concept of dividing numbers. Students use a whiteboard to draw circles and stars to represent the dividend, divisor, and quotient. Each circle represents a number in the division problem, while stars are used to count the number of times the divisor goes into the dividend. This method makes it easier for Randall students to visualize the division process and understand how the numbers relate to each other.
CHS Prom Closet
Cortland High School has been collecting dresses for our Prom Bound students through March. More than 60 beautiful dresses have been collected. Dresses are new or gently used, both are professionally cleaned and pressed, and they include both boutique-style dresses and stunning simple gowns. Sizes range from 0 to 26. Cortland Seniors and Prom bound Juniors can sign up for our free dress giveaway on April 5th and 12th from 2:30-4:30 with our Junior High Nurse. Please sign up in advance for our planning purposes.
Forensic Investigator Visits The High School Science Honor Society
The High School Science Honor Society welcomed a forensic investigator, Gordon Ivory of GEI Professional Investigations, to speak about what he does as an investigator and how students could enter the profession. He shared his experiences as a fire investigator and how he uses body language to identify the truthfulness of someone he is interrogating. He read the body language of the students and gave them tips on reading others. They had the opportunity to identify a device that started a fire and evaluate the pictures of the scene to look at burn patterns. It was a wonderful opportunity for the students and one they enjoyed.
Students Against Destructive Decisions
Students Against Destructive Decisions is doing a bottle and can fundraiser to purchase paint for a wings (butterfly) mural filled with uplifting messages for our school. They are also working on planning a pollinator flower garden near our high school entrance for earth day. Bottles and cans can be brought to Superior Redemption at 3554 West Rd. (Rear building) please specify when dropping off recyclables they are donations for Cortland (SADD) Students Against Destructive Decisions. Donations accepted through April 20. They are requesting that glass bottles are separated from cans and plastic (plastic and cans together OK). Thank you so much for your support!
Tiger Paw Awards
The Unified Bowling Team Received Tiger Paw Awards at the 4/2/24 BOE Meeting