UNES REDHAWK REVIEW
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER - January 22, 2024
2 Hour Delay Procedure for Elementary
The district has started messaging this out to families on days when we have 2 hour delays, but please note the following information:
During a 2 hour delay, elementary schools will start at 10:50 a.m. Students should not be dropped off any sooner than 10:15 a.m. for all elementary schools.
Please be aware that while we will provide supervision from 10:15-10:50am, there will be no breakfast since lunch is served starting at 11:20am. Whenever possible, please have your child eat at home on 2 hour delay days. However, if that's not possible, we will always figure something out to ensure all of our children are fed.
Computer Based State Testing 2024
Last week, our third grade students took a computer based simulation test to give them practice with the new style of taking the NY State Exams on the computer. The simulation went well! It is a NO STAKES PRACTICE just to accustom our students to Computer Based Testing and is meant to test our bandwidth and systems for the state tests that are fast approaching. The simulation is only 10 questions and designed to be accomplished in one period.
We believe that there is great value in having all of our grade 3-5 students experience this simulation in a LOW STAKES, non stressful environment. To that end, in the coming days, we'll be providing our grades 4 & 5 students with the opportunity to take the simulation and see what it's all about. Students need not be stressed as this simulation does not count in any way, but we did find that it was valuable to expose them to the tools and structure of the computer based testing.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING DATES FOR STATE TESTING FOR UNES
(EACH BUILDING IS ADMINISTERING ON DIFFERENT DATES)
CLICK HERE FOR THE TESTING CALENDAR
ELA EXAM
UNES - April 15 & 16
MATH EXAM
UNES - May 2&3
SCIENCE EXAM
Grade 5 (Elementary) - May 14
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO JAN. 30
Clarkstown Police Department Cyber Safety and Awareness Presentation
On Tuesday, January 30th, 2024 @ 6:00 pm (rescheduled due to a snow day) in the Liberty Elementary School Library, our partners at the Clarkstown Police will be speaking to PARENTS about cyber bullying and awareness. It's mostly geared to grades 3-5 but anyone is welcome and it is FOR ALL SCHOOLS.
CLICK HERE FOR THE UPDATED FLYER
UNES VALENTINE DANCE - FEBRUARY 2
The PTA is sponsoring a Valentine Dance on Friday, February 2 in our All Purpose Room. Students are invited to bring an adult who is special to them to join them at the dance. There will be two sessions of the dance (K-2 from 6-7pm) and (3-5 from 7:15-8:15pm).
CLICK HERE for the flyer. We'll be putting this in mailboxes for distribution in red folders this week. All are welcome!!
PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CHANGE TO FEBRUARY 12
Grades K-2 Art Exhibition at the Hilltop Gallery (District Office) - February 12
Please mark your calendars to go and see some wonderful art created by our K-2 students under the guidance of Ms. Semidey. The exhibition is on Monday, February 12 at 5pm in the district offices.
WORLD READ ALOUD DAY (WRAD) - February 7
World Read Aloud Day is WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024. On this day, authors from around the country make VIRTUAL VISITS to classrooms and read an excerpt from their children's books, as well as answer questions about becoming an author. UNES will be celebrating this day with our students on that day.
I know that some of our local families include published CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHORS. If this includes you, or your family, please be in touch with your child's classroom teacher and we'd love to highlight your journey to becoming an author with our students.
Chinese Lunar New Year! - Celebrate on February 9
This year Chinese Lunar New Year falls on a Saturday, so at UNES, we will plan to take some time out of our day to do some teaching around the Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations on Friday, February 9. We will be planning to do some activities to celebrate the Lunar New Year in classes on that day. If we have any family members or community members that are of Chinese descent and/or have an interest/ability to help us deepen our learning, I'd love to hear from you!! At the end of the day, I'll be inviting some students down to conduct a DRAGON PARADE through the building with our very own UNES dragon.
SPIRIT WEEK - FEBRUARY 12-16
PLEASE CLICK HERE for our Spread the Love and Show Our Unity Spirit Week. Lots going on this week so let's have some fun!
UNES 100 Days of School - February 12
IF there are no snow days in the coming weeks, then our 100th day is fast approaching on Monday, February 12. The 100th day of learning is a fun way to celebrate all of the incredible hard work that our students do each and every day as they learn and grow in school. It is typically tradition to celebrate in the early grades, but all are welcome to find fun ways to CELEBRATE 100 days of learning!
I invite all students and families to find fun ways to mark the 100th day, even in the older grades. This could include dressing up as a 100 year old, wearing a 100 day T-shirt, bringing in 100 items, or other creative ideas. Feel free to be in touch with your teacher if you have questions, but I do welcome our entire school community to have some fun celebrating being 100 days smarter!
Talent Show Deadline Extended to Sign up!! Due Wed. 1/24. Turn in to teacher.
UNES TALENT SHOW - FEBRUARY 15
THIS FLYER was distributed in all classrooms last week to provide info about our upcoming UNES Talent Show on February 15.
Important to note, in order to participate in the Upper Nyack Talent Show, students were required to:
• Have an ADULT complete/sign a form and return to the parent coordinator EXTENDED TO 1/24.
• Participant/Group must attend the After School Preview Thursday, January 25th 3:30 - 5:30PM with music and complete routine.
• Participants must attend the Mandatory Tech Rehearsal on Tuesday, February 13th 3:30 - 5:30PM.
• Participants will perform a Full Dress Rehearsal on Thursday, February 15th during school hours. Students in the relevant grades will be invited to attend as audience members.
The in school schedule of rehearsals on February 15 is as follows:
Grades K-2 - 10:15-11:15am
Grades 3-5 - 2-3pm
• Students must arrive by 5:30PM on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15th for a 6PM UNES Talent Show 2023!
If you have any questions, please email Denise Charles at uppernyacktalentshow@gmail.com
Social Emotional Learning Update from our Guidance Counselor, Ms. Perez
Managing and being able to express emotions is extremely important for individuals of all ages. Mrs. Perez has introduced the mood meter to students and taught them how to label their emotions with the mood meter.
“The mood meter is a tool that helps build awareness in ourselves and others. It helps us understand how our emotions influence our thinking and behavior, empowers us to recognize and label our full range of emotions, and use our emotions wisely. These skills help us get along better with others and make better choices in our lives. Part of working with the mood meter involves developing strategies to help us work skillfully with those emotions, and to cultivate more of the feelings we want to have in order to achieve our goals.”
See the photo below for more information.
OUTDOOR RECESS IN WINTER
Research shows that recess and exercise are incredibly important to children's well being. We will be working hard to give our students a taste of fresh air and exercise every day possible. To that end, we will be going outside for recess whenever the REAL FEEL temperature is above 25 degrees and it's deemed safe
.
As the weather gets colder, please send your child with a warm jacket, winter hat and gloves so that they are prepared for the weather. Also, please discuss your expectations that they are properly dressed for the weather. They are only outside for 20-25 minutes but that short time can be incredibly important for their well being.
Little Free Library at UNES
Thanks to our 5th grade class from last year, we have a wonderful LITTLE FREE LIBRARY in front of UNES now! It needs our help to stay stocked.
A Little Free Library is a free book-sharing box where anyone may take a book or share a book. They function on the honor system. You do not need to share a book in order to take one. If you take a book or two from our little free library, try to bring some to share when you can. Please be sure to keep the books being placed in the library age appropriate for children.
UPCOMING PTA MEETINGS
Please mark your calendars for these upcoming meetings of our PTA:
THE PTA ZOOM LINK CAN BE ACCESSED AT THIS WEBSITE - CLICK HERE
Monday, February 12
Monday, March 11
Monday, April 8
Monday, May, 13
Monday, June 10
Curriculum Updates - January
PLEASE CLICK THE LINKS BELOW FOR THE GRADE LEVEL CURRICULUM UPDATES FOR THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER/JANUARY
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
- Monday, January 22 - Veolia Water Program Assembly (Grade 4 Only)
- Thursday, February 1 - Black History Month Laser Light Assembly
- Friday, February 2 - 9 - Black History Month Door Decorating
Friday, February 2 - Sweetheart Dance (In the evening)
Monday, February 5 - Art Exhibition for Grades K-2 at the District Offices @ 5pm
Wednesday, February 7 - World Read Aloud Day
Friday, February 9 - Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration
- Monday, February 12 - 100th Day of School!
- Monday, February 12 - PTA Meeting @ 6:30pm in Global Learning Commons
- Thursday, February 15 - UNES Talent Show (6-8pm)
- Friday, February 16 - Rockland Read In
- Feb 17-Feb 25 - Winter Vacation (No School)
ARCHIVES ON OUR WEBSITE
Upper Nyack Elementary
Email: cdreves@nyackschools.org
Website: https://un.nyackschools.org/
Location: 336 North Broadway, Upper Nyack, NY, USA
Phone: 845-353-7260
Twitter: @NyackPrincipal