December 2024

Dear Families,

On November 20, 2024, our school proudly hosted a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate our recognition as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School. This prestigious honor highlights our commitment to fostering leadership, collaboration, and personal growth in our students. The event was a joyous occasion, featuring speeches from student leaders, staff, and community members who have been instrumental in our journey. During the assembly, our students showcased their leadership skills and celebrated the achievement with enthusiasm and pride. This milestone not only honors the hard work of our entire school community but also inspires us to continue building a culture where every student is empowered to lead. We are so proud of our school and community.

As the holiday season approaches, our school is bustling with excitement and activities to celebrate this special time of year. Here’s what’s happening this month at our school:

PTSA Merry Moose Holiday Shop

From December 3–5, our PTSA will host the Merry Moose Holiday Shop. This event is a wonderful opportunity for students to pick out gifts for their loved ones in a fun and festive atmosphere. Thank you to our PTSA for making this event possible!

No School on December 6

A reminder that there will be no school for students on Wednesday, December 6, as teachers will be participating in a professional conference day.

PTSA School Book Fair

We're thrilled to announce that our school will be hosting a Book Fair from Monday, December 6 through Friday, December 13th. This is a fantastic opportunity to promote literacy, discover new books, and support our school library. Keep an eye out for more information on specific times and activities related to the Book Fair.

Parent-Teacher Conferences – December 13

Parent-teacher conferences are a key opportunity to strengthen the partnership between home and school. These meetings allow us to celebrate student successes and collaborate on ways to support their growth. If you have not yet scheduled a conference, please contact your child’s teacher as soon as possible. We look forward to connecting with you!

Holiday Spirit Week

Let’s spread some holiday cheer! During the week of December 16–20, we’ll have a special spirit week filled with festive themes and fun activities. Stay tuned for details on each day’s theme so your student can join in on the holiday excitement.

Annual Jingle Bell Run

Our beloved Jingle Bell Run will take place on December 20. Students and staff will come together for a fun, active celebration to close out the calendar year. It’s always a highlight of the season!

Holiday Break

School will be closed for holiday break from December 21 through January 6. Classes will resume on Monday, January 8.

Celebrating the Winter Holidays

As a school community, we embrace and celebrate the many winter holidays observed around the world. Whether your family observes Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, or other traditions, we wish you warmth, joy, and time together with loved ones.

Looking Ahead to the New Year

As we ring in 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on our goals and dreams. A new year brings new opportunities, and we encourage our students to aim high, believe in themselves, and strive for success.

Thank you for your continued support in making our school a wonderful place for learning and growth. Wishing you a happy holiday season and a joyful New Year!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Rodriguez

Sunday 12/1- Rosa Parks Day

Monday 12/2- Special Education Day

12/3-12/5- IEC Merry Moose Shop

Friday 12/6- Superintendent Conference Day- NO student attendance

Saturday 12/7- Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Monday 12/9 -Friday 12/13- Book Fair

Friday 12/13- Parent Teacher Conferences- NO student attendance

Monday 12/16- IEC Winter Concert 6:30pm HS Auditorium

Monday 12/16- Spirit Week- Wear Holiday PJs!

Tuesday 12/17- Spirit Week- wear your Festive Flair or Ugly Sweaters

Wednesday 12/18- Spirit Week- wear your Holiday colors!

Thursday 12/19- Spirit Week- Holiday Hat day

Friday 12/20- Spirit Week- wear Winter Workout clothes for the Jingle Bell Run!

Friday 12/20- IEC Jingle Bell Run

Saturday 12/21- Winter Solstice

December 23-31- Winter Recess

Please join us for the IEC Winter Concert on December 16, in the High School Auditorium starting at 6:30 pm. This concert celebrates the talent of our 4th and 5th Grade Choruses, 5th Grade Orchestra and 5th Grade Band under the direction of Mrs. Zachary, Mrs. Spinnegan and Mrs. Carere.

Miss Doescher, the student teacher in the 3rd grade class of Miss Mona & Mrs. Behm,

worked with students to create a beautiful, meaningful, grateful display by the gymnasium!

What are YOU grateful for?

On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks sat so that this nation could stand up for the values that our democracy holds so dear. Her quiet, dignified courage helped inspire the Civil Rights Movement and changed this country for the better.

Rosa Parks changed the course of history when she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama – sparking a revolution that ignited the Civil Rights movement. She epitomized the Power of One. Her life and actions on that historic December day many years ago have inspired people across the country and around the world to stand up against discrimination and work peacefully to create a more just and fair society.

Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. Her arrest helped spark the Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the most consequential events of the Civil Rights Movement. While several states have adopted their own holiday honoring Mrs. Parks, there is currently no federal holiday recognizing her contribution to the Civil Rights Movement and to our nation.

The IEC Lost & Found is overflowing with clothing items that need to be claimed!

Please have students check the Lost & Found regularly

(located in the back of the cafeteria)

National Special Education Day is celebrated on December 2nd each year to commemorate the signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975. IDEA established the right of students with disabilities to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).

IDEA also sought to provide equal educational opportunities for all by:

• Championing individualized education plans (IEPs)
• Encouraging the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms

  
  

National Special Education Day is a day to celebrate the hard work and dedication of special educators, who face unique challenges in their classrooms every day. It's also an opportunity to recognize the important role that special education plays in the community

5th graders in STEAM took part in a BOCES pilot program where they used Lego Spike Essentials robotic building kits to explore STEAM concepts through hands-on activities. They learned computer science and design engineering skills like coding, problem-solving, and engineering, by building and programming robots to complete tasks. Working with a partner, the students tested and improved their creations, enhancing their creativity and critical thinking abilities. The program's interactive nature sparked enthusiasm among the students, providing them with a valuable opportunity to delve into the world of STEAM in a fun and engaging way.

Dena Peterson

Technology, STEAM and Enrichment Teacher

In steam my class and I used a new material called spike legos. Me and my classmates really enjoyed using a new type of legos. I thought it was really cool that we could conduct the legos to spin. The class worked on making a spinning ferris wheel,my partner and I used teamwork to make it. You could code it to go as fast as you want, and also can have little lego people. I think my class and I had a very fun time learning how to create different types of ferris wheels. I'm glad that I got to experience that great steam class.

By: Elle Leardini

Hello! My name is Lily Wager, but I’m mostly known as Wags. Today in my Steam class, we built Legos to build a Ferris Wheel. We used different types of motors and a light piece to even make it spin! Sounds crazy right? We made these with a kit called Spike. There had been instructions to follow on an app that went with this kit, that we used on our school IPads. Once our motor piece was connected to the wheel, we turned it on and connected it to this app. It made these builds spin! With this coding tool, we could make the Wheel spin fast or slow, and with the light block, we could change the color or even add some cool sound, to add some decoration to add a finishing touch to our builds. If we were finished with the standard Ferris Wheel, we got to make other different types as well! Overall, this experiment building project was a very exciting project, I hope we can make builds like this in the future!

By: Lily Wager

In my steam class we made a ferris wheel out of legos. I know people in my class definitely liked using spike legos. You can code it to move fast or to move slow. My partner and I used teamwork to make it. And you can change the light and make music almost like you are really on a ferris wheel. It was definitely a fun experience. I would like to use spike legos again. I am definitely happy that I got to use spike legos.

By: Piper Boddecker

Each year on December 7, we come together to honor and remember the 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

A further 1,178 people were injured in the attack, which permanently sank two U.S. Navy battleships (the USS Arizona and the USS Utah) and destroyed 188 aircraft.

This led to the United States declaring war on Japan the next day and thus entering World War II.

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 November, the following students were chosen by Mrs. Spinnegan, Mrs. Zachary and Mrs.Carere:

Band - Ashtyn Abraham

Orchestra - Claire Fetzner

General Music - Emma Goldman

Chorus- Morgan Pierce

Congratulations! Keep up the great work!

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is the Jewish eight-day “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting. The Hebrew word Chanukah or Hanukkah (variations of the spelling) means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple. The menorah holds nine flames, one of which is the shamash (“attendant”), which is used to kindle the other eight lights. On the first night of Hanukkah, we light just one flame. On the second night, an additional flame is lit. By the eighth night of Chanukah, all eight lights are kindled.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday that celebrates African heritage and identity. The name, Kwanzaa, comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which translates to “first fruits,” and the holiday is based on traditional African harvest festivals. Kwanzaa is usually celebrated during Dec 26th to Jan 1st. During this holiday, seven candles are lighted and people place seven symbols around their home: umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).

Christmas

Many people in the United States celebrate Christmas Day on December 25, the day celebrates Jesus Christ’s birth. The United States is a multi-cultural nation so it has many different traditions and ways that people celebrate Christmas.

As a reward for the most funds raised for the APEX Remix event, Mr. Siuta's 3rd grade class was permitted to Silly String Principal Rodriguez!

On November 20, 2024 the IEC had their first leadership assembly to recognize the students who received a Lancer Gram and proudly announced its certification as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School by FranklinCovey Education. This recognition highlights the school’s exceptional success in promoting leadership and positive outcomes for students, staff, parents, and the broader community.

The Leader in Me model, a research-based PK-12 framework, empowers students with essential life skills and leadership abilities, preparing them for future success. At Lewiston Porter IEC, students engage in goal setting, effective communication, and time management, fostering a culture of resilience and achievement in a rapidly changing world.

What does being a Leader in Me Lighthouse School mean? It means that our students are leaders for others and that we are a model school for other Leader in Me Schools. It means that we have implemented the Leader in Me Program to its fullest potential. We embrace student talents and their genius. We provide opportunities for students to be leaders and develop their strengths.

We are so proud of this amazing accomplishment and thank all of our teachers, staff, and students for all of their hard work.

Congratulations to the exceptional students from Miss Daly's class for their outstanding leadership skills and dedication! Your hard work and commitment to excellence have truly paid off—keep shining bright! (Pictured from left to right, Anthony Pucillo, Nikko Bush, Laynie Trunzo, Annabelle Engh, and Cuyler McFadden)

The District Food Drive to support the Care n Share Food Pantry from November 4th-15th

A big IEC Thank you for your donations!

As a culminating activity for our Native American unit, as part of our 4th Grade Social Studies curriculum, our students created projects to demonstrate their learning! Our 4th graders worked in teams or individually to create our mini museum of projects. Some created longhouses of the Haundenosaunee with a water source, palisade for protection, a farm including important crops, animals that were hunted, and accurate depiction of the men, women, and children in the village. Other students created organized posters, informative Google Slideshows, and beautiful wampum belts! We are very proud of our hard-working and creative students and how they showed their learning of the Haudenosaunee, the People of the Longhouse.

4th Grade Teachers

Mrs. Danahy, Mrs. DuMoulin, Mr. Frederick, Mrs. Niccola, Miss Yager