Strawtown Family Newsletter

Dear Strawtown Families,

Spring has sprung here at Strawtown! March was a very busy month, and April is short but mighty! April has a bit of everything for everyone and taps into many people's talents! We, of course, start our month with the Talent Show, where I know many students are eager to perform for their peers and families.

The following week, we will have our Spring Concert on April 10th, where our young musicians will showcase all their efforts this year under the direction of Ms. Pierce. Please read this letter for more information about the event! A hard copy was also sent home with your child if they play an instrument.

Later this month, after our Spring Break, we begin New York State Testing season for Grades 3-5. Here is one way our students will have the opportunity to showcase their academic strengths, as I know the students have been working incredibly hard throughout the year in the classroom. Please don't let these tests be a source of anxiety, as they help us gather performance data for the school. As a reminder, all tests this year will once again be computer-based and untimed, allowing students to complete the exams at their own pace. I will send out reminders to each grade level the week before the testing begins. Students must become accustomed to charging their Chromebooks nightly and remember to bring their devices to school each day. Please refer to the schedule for the testing days.

Finally, you should have had the opportunity to review your child's report card on the parent portal and meet with your child's teacher on one of the scheduled parent-teacher conference days. If you had any difficulty setting up an appointment or retrieving the report card, please don't hesitate to contact the main office for assistance.

In Partnership,

Colin Andersen

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Assemblies & Workshops:

We have another busy month of assemblies and workshops scheduled for this month as well! On April 7th, Veolia Water will visit the school and work with each grade level on a different water-themed Earth Day-inspired workshop. On April 11th, our 4th graders will have the opportunity to travel back in time to the colonial era and participate in a workshop called "Living in Colonial America." Then, on April 23rd and 24th, Wendy Baker will return to work with Grade 2 on their rescheduled workshop on Helen Keller. Finally, on April 25th, Grade 3 will take an Origami workshop!

Class Placement:

In May, we will begin our placement process for the next school year. Right before Spring Break, I will send out a letter outlining the placement process here at Strawtown. Please be on the lookout for that communication on April 11th.

Field Trips:

Kindergarten will take their field trip to the Museum of the Hudson Highlands on April 8th, and then Grade 5 will head to Powerhouse Studies on April 30th. Please ensure that you return all permission slips as soon as possible.

Student-Assistance Counselor:

Beginning April 7th, we will have a temporary Student Assistance Counselor, as Ms. Dowd will be out on a personal leave for the next few weeks. We expect her to return this year, and we will have a qualified and certified replacement, Sonia Phillips, who will join us next week. She will assume responsibility for all of Ms. Dowd's groups and roles here in the building.

Six-Day Schedule:

If you would like to learn more about the six-day schedule, a presentation will be held at this month's Board of Education Meeting on April 10th at 7:30 at South High School.

Resources Survey:

I want to ensure that the resources and articles we send out are helpful to you as families. I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to complete this brief survey on the topic using the following link.

Rockland Boulders Reading Challenge:

I am very proud of all of the readers this month during the Rockland Boulders Challenge. As a school, we read over 60,000 minutes during the three-week challenge! Congratulations to all participants!

STEM Activities for Home:

Here is a link to several easy activities you can do at home on a rainy spring day! I have done the footprint one, and it's a lot of fun for the younger students.

Policy Reminders:

Food and Drinks:

As a reminder, please send only water in students' water bottles each day. Energy Drinks, as well as other sugary beverages, are not permitted during the school day. Additionally, please remind your children that sharing food is not allowed in the cafeteria. In addition, food cannot be delivered to the school for your child.

Toys and Sports Equipment:

I know a number of our younger students bring in toys to use during recess; please limit the size and the toys that are sent in each day. They should also be left in the backpack until the appropriate time of the day. Additionally, baseball bats or hard baseballs are not permitted to be brought into school for use during the school day. Students may bring in basketballs, soccer balls, or tennis balls to use during their recess period.

Arrival and Dismissal:

Please strive to maintain consistency in your child's arrival and dismissal routines. Frequent changes can be complex for kids to navigate and may cause confusion for us 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 do not call after 12:30 on a school day unless it is an emergency. This communication is essential for accuracy when there are changes to dismissals. Also, for car pickups and drop-offs, please refrain from passing anyone in the parking lot, even if you can offload your child more quickly 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 be placed at the bottom of the backpack, rather than being carried in any cross-body bags. 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; failure to do so may result in further consequences under the code of conduct for cell phone misuse. Additionally, as a reminder, gum is not permitted during the school day. I appreciate your cooperation with this guideline.

April Closings:

School will be closed from April 14th through the 21st for Spring Recess.

April Calendars:

Principal

Strawtown Elementary

Email: candersen@ccsd.edu
Website: https://www.ccsd.edu/Page/21
Location: Strawtown Elementary School, Strawtown Road, West Nyack, NY, USA
Phone: 845-624-3473