October Newsletter
“The
world’s most precious treasures are in the mind of a child.”
PARKING
On February 5, 2003 the Utica Common Council passed a code of ordinances
with respect to stopping, standing and parking on Elmwood Place and Elm Street.
The following is in effect:
ELMWOOD PLACE: Northside (school side)- NO STOPPING, STANDING or PARKING
Southside (Across from school) –
NO PARKING, STANDING ONLY
DRIVER MUST STAY IN CAR
ELM STREET:
Eastside (school side) – NO PARKING, OR STOPPING, STANDING ONLY
DRIVER MUST STAY IN CAR
Westside (Across from school) – NO PARKING,
STANDING or PARKING
Illegally parked or stopped cars will be
ticketed. The fine is $20.00.
*PLEASE NOTE: WHEN DROPPING YOUR CHILDREN OFF
FOR SCHOOL REMEMBER TO REINFORCE SAFETY RULES.
PLEASE MAKE SURE THE CHILDREN LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING!! ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS NO PARKING
OR STANDING IN THE DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE OFF OF ELM STREET.
HALF - DAY
There will be a District Wide half- day of school on Wednesday, October
3, 2007. All students will be dismissed
at 12:05 p.m. Classes will resume on
Thursday, October 4, 2007.
UTICA NATIONAL TUTORING
The Utica National Tutoring program begins October 10th for involved
students. The program continues on
October 17th and 24th.
FERPA
In accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA), parents are to be notified of their educational and privacy
rights. Please see attached.
NEW SCHOOL YEAR
The school year is off to a good start!
The teachers and I hope your children are excited about the new
curriculum they are learning.
Please help us at school by extending the educational process at
home. Read to your children nightly,
ensure their homework is completed, and send them to school happy and prepared
to learn. Working together, your children
will receive a quality education.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION NEWS
Parents, please encourage your child to participate to the best of
his/her ability, wear appropriate clothing, and sneakers, exemplify good
sportsmanship, and follow the safety rules during physical education
activities.
Mr. Strife
P. E. Teacher
BREAKFAST/LUNCH REMINDERS
Each child who eats at school is expected to follow the cafeteria
expectations, remain on school grounds and obey personnel. Children who fail to do so will not be
allowed to eat in our cafeteria.
KINDERGARTEN SCREENING
Kindergarten students will be screened in accordance with Chapter 53
Laws beginning the week of October 1st.
Your child’s teacher will notify you of the date and results.
SCHOOL NOT IN SESSION: OCTOBER 8, 2007
School will not be in session on Monday, October 8, 2007 in observance
of Columbus Day. Classes will resume on
Tuesday, October 9, 2007.
FIRE PREVENTION ASSEMBLY :
A Fire Prevention Assembly will be conducted in the gymnasium on
Thursday, October 11, 2007 at 2:00 p.m.
Students will participate in a fire prevention contest and the winners
will be announced at the assembly.
Watson Williams thanks Ms. Schulze and Ms. Weller for coordinating our
school’s fire safety program.
SHARED DECISION MAKING MEETINGS:
Watson Williams’ Shared Decision Making Team Meetings are scheduled on
October 4th and October 18th at 8:00 a.m. in the Library.
The team has parent member vacancies.
Please become involved and join our team. We need your input and support to ensure optimal student
achievement and a positive school climate.
STUDENT CONDUCT POLICY
A
copy of the Utica City School District’s Student Conduct Policy citing
behavioral expectations and consequences is available in the principal’s office
for parent or guardian’s review.
MAGNET NEWS
The Magnet meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 8:35
a.m. in the Dance Studio.
DANCE CLUB NEWS
Dance Club sign-ups took place last month and many students signed
up. Please note that all dancers need
to have the appropriate shoes for class.
Girls DO NOT need leotards and tights.
On the Road Dancer tryouts will be held the first week of October.
SCHOOL PICTURES
School Picture Day will be conducted on Monday, October 22, 2007.
Students are to bring their ORDER FORMS AND MONEY with them on this date. The re-take day is scheduled for Wednesday,
November 28, 2007. We hope your
children “smile pretty for the camera!”
GOOD AND PERFECT ATTENDANCE
In an effort to encourage positive attendance at school, good and
perfect attendance awards will be distributed each month to deserving students.
MESSAGE FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
I
am so happy to see everyone back this fall.
I hope every one had a great summer.
The Kindergarteners, 2nd and 4th graders are required by New York State
to have a physical. As long as it is
dated for 2007, just send it to me. I
try to make this fun for the students by having a contest to see which class
can get them ALL into me first. I give
that class a prize; the prize will be appropriate for the age group of the
class and fun. So get those physicals
in to me as soon as possible. If I get
more than one class I will give a second place prize as well. Thank you to all the parents who have
already gotten them done.
Please remember that no child can carry ANY medications. If your child needs medication at school
there is a special form to be filled out so that I may give the
medication. The form must be filled out
by the parent or guardian and the child’s doctor as well. The parent or guardian must bring the
medication in to me. DO NOT send it in
with your child. These rules are in
place to keep every child safe. Thank
you!!
If your child tends to have accidents (wets their pants), please send in
a change of clothes that can be kept in their book bag. I have some clothes but not enough for every
child. I will make every effort to
contact you so that you can bring in clothes, but the weather is not going to
stay nice for much longer. Winter will
come.
If you do not have any insurance for your child, please give me a call
at 368-6782. I have information from
Excellus as well as Fidelis about free or low cost insurance. The contact people will help you with the
forms and get you into the proper plan for you and your family. Help and health is only a phone call away. I want to help you keep your children
healthy.
Mrs. Ventura, RN
School Nurse
MESSAGE FROM THE SCHOOL CROSSING
GUARD
Parents/Guardians please remind your children to cross at the
stoplight where the crossing guard is located and not in the middle of the
road!!
WATSON WILLIAMS SCHOOL STORE
GRAND RE-OPENING
Our school store is located in
Mod 1. It is open Monday through Friday
mornings from 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM. We
have some new items…come and check them out!!!
See the attached price list…
PEACEFUL SCHOOLS
Peaceful People is back at Watson Williams again this
year!! Donna Felt and Nancy Huckaby
will present 12 sessions of our Peaceful People program to each classroom in
the building. The focus of our
curriculum this year will be “GETTING ALONG.”
Peaceful People classes will begin in 12 classrooms in early
October. The remaining 12 classrooms will have Peaceful People beginning in
February. We are really excited to be
back at Watson! We look forward to
being in your classrooms.
MESSAGE FROM THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT
The Music Department is having a great year so far!! Instrumental lessons with Mr. Smith and Mrs.
Tillotson are underway, as well as choir and steel drums with Mrs.
Tallman. Family and friends of our
student musicians: open your
calendars!! Our Winter Concert will
take place Monday, December 10th. We
will have a day concert for our school and an evening concert for our family
and friends. We hope you will attend,
you won’t want to miss our beautiful music-making!!
AIS
Watson Williams is a school wide Academic Intervention
Services program. All identified
students receive approximately 30 minutes per day of small group instruction in
English Language Arts. Further, they
receive approximately 15 minutes each day of computer assisted instruction in
both English Language Arts and Mathematics.
Students working at or above grade level are presented with challenging
material. Students experiencing
academic difficulty are provided with differentiated instruction. In addition, students in greater need are
tutored at lunchtime, during other available time within the school day and
after school.
Student achievement is evaluated periodically and services
adjusted. Academic Intervention
Services help ensure that all students receive the support necessary for success
in school. Identification letters will
be prepared for parents shortly.
F.R.O.G.S…..F.R.O.G.S….EVERYWHERE!!!!
Watson Williams’ students are learning what is right and wrong
to do in the cafeteria, arrival/dismissal and walking in the hallway. They receive F.R.O.G.S. to use as money to
buy into cool activities. In addition,
your son or daughter may be chosen for the Wall of Fame. A picture wall, each month, will showcase
students who comply with the rules and procedures here at Watson. What does F.R.O.G.S. stand for: Fabulous Recognition Of Good Students, of
course!!
GO F.R.O.G.S.!!!!
|
Congratulations
to our September Students of the Month… |
||
|
Kindergarten |
Mrs.Rotkiewicz |
Patricia Seward |
|
Mrs. Komacek |
Michele Williams |
|
|
Miss Mundo |
Yanaila Rodriguez |
|
|
Ms. Weller |
Jesse Bush |
|
|
First Grade |
Miss Green |
Matthew Davis |
|
Mrs. Kohlbrenner |
Julia Hapanowicz |
|
|
Mrs. Grube |
Wayne Davis |
|
|
Miss Townsend |
Cheyanne Mazzaferro |
|
|
Second Grade |
Mrs. Mastroianni |
Maksida Ferizovic |
|
Miss Rizzo |
Miriam Gomez |
|
|
Miss McCoy |
Destiny Hernandez |
|
|
Mrs. Heenan |
Rany Seng |
|
|
Third Grade |
Miss Gillmett |
Jordan Davis |
|
Mr. Colucci |
Brett Weiler |
|
|
Mrs. Griffith |
Siul Rodriguez |
|
|
Fourth Grade |
Miss Murphy |
Javon Cubbage |
|
Miss Holehan |
Ruby Silvagnoli |
|
|
Miss Malek |
Jaia Boyd |
|
|
Fifth Grade |
Miss Kim |
Sandra Pineda |
|
Ms. Drescher |
Somneang Sou |
|
|
Ms. Dow |
Emily Montes |
|
|
Miss Klodnicki |
Deiondre Henry |
|
|
MUSIC |
Mrs. Tallman |
Hydia Holmes |
|
ART |
Miss Swalgin |
Te’a Russell |
|
DANCE |
Miss Sitera |
William White |