News from Student Council:

Thank you to our students and staff for their generosity in participating in our first annual “Soup”er Bowl Challenge. Students and staff were able to bring in canned food items and put them in the donation box of the Super Bowl team they wanted to win. After a week of collecting over 250 cans, the San Francisco 49ers received more donations and won our school's “Soup”er Bowl. Despite our inaccurate prediction, the donations will benefit the Avon Food Pantry.

Kids Heart Challenge:

On Friday, February 16th students participated in the American Heart Association Kid’s Heart Challenge Glow Assembly to kick off our Kids Heart Challenge. We are excited to help kids with special hearts and learn how to take care of our own hearts. If you haven’t already, JOIN OUR TEAM at heart.org/schools or download the AHA Schools app. Once you’re on the team, be sure to complete Finn’s mission. That is where you will learn the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR, which when given immediately can double (even triple) a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest. Other missions will help you raise funds for kids with special hearts and learn the warning signs of a stroke. Students will have the opportunity to earn thank-you gifts along the way. Students who complete the Finn’s Mission learning module will earn an entry for two tickets to Super Bowl LIX in 2025 and our school will be entered to receive a $10,000 fitness equipment makeover for every 18 completed Finn’s Mission. Participation in this school event is optional

Artist of the Month: The Artist of the Month is an award given by Ms. Howard (Middle School Art Teacher) that is earned by showing good character throughout the school year. It is also earned by showing great effort and skill. One student from each art class is chosen each month based on the month’s character traits. February’s trait was respect. The following students were recipients of this art award:

• Grade 5: Noah Wheeler and Hayden Kraft
• Grade 6: Montana Beach and Falene Harrington
• Grade 7: Grace Crandall, Andrew Krasinski, Owen Hitchcock, and Ryan Koncilja

Congratulations everyone and keep up the positive work!

Erin’s Law Presentations: In August of 2019, New York State signed Erin’s Law into legislation. This law requires public schools to teach students about child sexual abuse and exploitation. It might be hard to believe, but approximately 20% of children will be a victim of sexual abuse before they turn 18, and 90% of abuse happens by someone the child knows. Because of these alarming statistics, we all need to do our part to protect children and create a safe community. On March 12th and 13th, RESTORE Sexual Assault Services will provide educational programming about body safety for our students in grades 5 through 8. The following concepts will be taught in the body safety presentation:

• Everyone’s body is their own special property
• Safe touches are touches that can make children feel happy, safe and comfortable
• Not safe touches are touches that make children feel sad, mad, scared or confused, or are on the private parts of the body

• It is never the child’s fault

• Someone you know and love can give a not safe touch

• Not safe touches can happen to girls and boys

• You can always tell a trusted adult about any touch that makes you feel not safe

• You don’t have to keep secrets that make you feel scared, confused or strange

• It is never too late to tell a trusted adult about a not safe touch

If you have any questions about the topic or the concepts being taught to your child, please contact your child’s school counselor. Heather Grasso provides counseling for students in grades 5 and 6 and Melanie Resch provides counseling for students in grades 7 and 8. Heather Grasso and Melanie Resch will be attending all of their grade level presentations.

2024 Sixth Grade Science Fair: The Sixth Grade Science Fair is scheduled for March 27th from 1:45 until 2:25 pm and 5:30 until 7:00 pm in the sixth grade classrooms. Please stop by and check out the wide variety of science projects completed by our sixth grade students. They have been working since early January on their topics and are excited to present the results of their hard work.

NYS Grades 5-8 ELA Test Administration (April 2023): The New York State Grades 5-8 English Language Arts Tests will be administered to students. On Monday, April 15th (Session1) and Tuesday, April 16th (Session 2), the assessment will be administered to fifth and sixth grade students. On Wednesday, April 17th (Session 1) and Thursday, April 18th (Session 2), the assessment will be administered to seventh and eighth grade students. These state tests will be administered utilizing student Chromebooks. The state refers to this as Computer Based Testing (CBT). The day before each session of the ELA assessment, students will be reminded to have a fully charged chromebook before they come to school. Chargers will be available at each testing site as well. Students should bring their Chromebook charger with them to school just in case it is needed throughout the school day. When the student results are shared with the district, the middle school staff will use this assessment data to identify areas of strength and areas that need more attention or targeted instruction.