“October's poplars are flaming torches

lighting the way to winter."

Watkins Glen

Middle School

October 2011

School Tool Sign up Today!

PARENT PORTAL

The Watkins Glen School District is pleased to offer “SchoolTool™

Parent Portal”, a program specifically designed to enhance the involvement

of parent/guardian’s in their child's education. The Parent Portal provides

password protected online access in a secure - timely manner allowing you

the ability to monitor your child's grades and other data. This is made

available to you in our ongoing efforts to improve communications to you,

as well as to save the taxpayer money on paper and postage.

Examples of Available Information:

Progress Report grades Attendance

Report Card Student Schedule

Grades by Assignment/Homework Discipline

To register, contact Rosanne Doane at the district office at

535-3219 or by email at rdoane@wgcsd.org.

Wally, do you have

homework tonight? Golly Gee Dad, You can

look that all up on the

Parent Portal!

There Was Something Neat And Clean About September-

Like Starting All Over Again.

Even though we are well into our 2nd month of the school year and some of

the shine has worn off, we still want to tip our hats to our in-house cleaning

crew! Our building was sparkling and it's all because of a hardworking group

of people intent on creating a clean and safe environment for the occupants

of the middle school. The floors were so shiny and mirror polished you could

almost see your reflection! Evidence of quality work from a staff that is

invested in their work is everywhere.

Our cleaning staff worked tirelessly all summer. They are the unsung heros

that work behind the scenes when teachers and students leave for summer

break and are the same good folks that keep our building in working order day

in and day out. It is obvious they take pride in their job and are a true asset

to the Custodial Services Department.

Should you see Mrs. Grady, Mr. Smith, Mr. Rumsey, or Mrs. Soper be sure to

compliment them on the cleanliness and freshness of our school.

KUDOS to our outstanding maintenance

and custodial crew!

Modified Girls Volleyball

Modified Boys Basketball

Practice begins

10/24/11

Energy-Caffeinated Drinks—Too Risky for Kids The latest dangerous trend affecting children is energy drinks. There are no age restrictions, so

young children are routinely purchasing energy drinks at grocery and convenience stores.

What Are Energy Drinks? ⇒ Carbonated beverages claiming to increase alertness and endurance ⇒ Contain up to 3000 mg of stimulants per serving, compared w/34.5 mg in Coca-Cola

⇒ Common brands include Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar

What Are the Risks? Energy drink companies are marketing these drinks to children through TV shows and sports

advertisements. Adolescent males are quickly becoming the top consumers of energy drinks in the $10 billion industry. A recent study titled “Epidemic: Teen Perceptions and Consumption” indicates that by age 12, one in three students had tried these drinks. By age 14, 80 percent had tried an

energy drink and nearly 50 percent consumed the drinks on a routine basis.

Energy drinks have large amounts of stimulants, including guarana (one of the most potent sources

of caffeine). While companies are required to state caffeine as an ingredient, they are not required to list other stimulants or to include the amounts. Companies are not required to list

the potential risks of the beverages. Known side effects of consuming excessive stimulants in energy drinks include:

* Heart palpitations * Jolt and crash episodes * Severe headaches

* Caffeine addiction * Jitteriness and nausea * Insomnia

* Rapid heartbeat * Increased risk for strokes

The long term effects of children using energy drinks are unknown. Research indicates that childhood energy drink consumption might be linked to future illicit drug use.

What Can We Do?

Talk to your kids about the risks of energy drinks to prevent first trial. “Our children don’t need more drugs (or more stimulants) like the caffeine these drinks contain, not to mention the

empty calories provided by these drinks”, says Denise Koo of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Speak to your pediatrician if you suspect that your child may have these symptoms.

Prevent energy drink consumption at schools. Talk to your child's school about your concerns. Limiting students’ access to unhealthy foods and beverages is important to their health.

Restricting the use of energy drinks, particularly for elementary and middle schools, can send a strong message about the potential harms of these beverages., The Los Angeles school district took the step to eliminate energy drinks from vending machines and school stores as part of its ban on

sale of sugar sweetened drinks.

We want to wish Colin Pritchard,

Middle School Library Media Specialist,

safe passage on his assignment in

Afganistan for the next nine months.

We are asking families to donate bags of

individually wrapped candies, stickers, or small

tokens to give away as trick or treats.

Please send items to the main office.

Come dressed in a Halloween costume.

(no violence themed costumes or costumes

with weapons permitted)

We will be distributing candy to all students and give

prizes for the best costumes.

For more information, please contact the

main office staff at 535-3230.

HALLOWEEN FUN DAY MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

Ghoulish Good Time on Halloween Night at the Middle School!

The Watkins Glen Faculty Association will sponsor a “trick or treat” night at the Watkins Glen Middle School, Monday, October 31.

Stop by and get a trick or a treat from the teachers and staff members.

Home and Careers Guest Chef Day

Friday, October 14 Good smells filled the hallways when parents and grandparents of 8th grade students

came in to the Home and Careers classes, hosted by Mrs. Bristow, and demonstrated

how they make a family favorite traditional dish.

What a great way for relatives to share with their loved ones and friends their own

unique recipes, techniques, and cultural traditions.

Adventure

Based

Learning This year the 8th grade team of teachers will again

offer our students a program of Adventure Based

Learning (ABL) that is woven into the total 8th

grade curriculum. This program includes a focus on

each student treating each other with respect.

They learn how to work together in a team through problem solving challenges and

sometimes frustrating situations. The adventures are out of the ordinary classroom

routine and involve physical challenges that can only be solved when all members of the

team work cooperatively together. We start at the beginning of the year with simpler

challenges and gradually increase the difficulty and levels of mutual trust throughout

the program. We make three visits to the Ropes Course at BOCES in Elmira and by

the end of the year, students can successfully enjoy a thrilling experience, soaring 50

feet above the ground supported and encouraged by their team.

Grade 7 Science—Mr. Pettet Students have been working all month on their cell projects. On Tuesday

the 11th, the parade of models began entering the building in all kinds of

different shapes and sizes. Cakes, cookies, jello molds, and literal

interpretation were presented. WOW!

The kids really used their imaginations to understand just exactly what a

“cell” is and what is does. GREAT JOB KIDS!

Computer Skills—Mrs. Wood

Type to Learn

This course if required for ALL 5th and 6th graders.

20 lessons are to be completed by 10 weeks (2 a week). This software is

installed on their netbooks and can also be downloaded from the internet on

home computers. Practice Makes Perfect!

TYPING IS FUN!

5th Grade Now that we are well into the school year, our 5th graders have

made the huge leap into the middle school environment and have

transitioned beautifully! They have memorized their locker combi-

nations, figured out the time schedule passing from class to class,

become familiar with new teachers and subjects, and adjusted to

the rules and guidelines specific to middle school.

Parent Reminder! Always check your child’s planner for homework, and review any or

all work on netbook. Make sure your child has all their

school supplies and to keep their netbook charged

overnight for the next day.

Grade 7 ELA—Mrs. Bubb

Mrs. Bubb’s classes visited the racing museum in Watkins Glen this

month to coincide with their studies of the Grand Prix racing history

in our community.

ALSO Middle School favorite artist in residence, Candace Wolf, a profes-

sional storyteller, spent one week in grade 7 ELA classes. The kids

all raved about how awesome Ms. Wolf is, spinning stories to fire up

their imaginations! Thank you Ms. Wolf for another exciting week!

MLD’S AND NETBOOKS

HELPFUL REMINDERS

• DO NOT WALK AROUND WITH YOUR NETBOOK OPEN. CLOSE THE COVER

WHEN GOING FROM CLASS TO CLASS.

• DO NOT PUT NETBOOK INTO YOUR CASE WHILE IT IS POWERED ON. THIS

WILL CAUSE DEVICE TO OVERHEAT AND COULD DAMAGE DEVICE.

• BE MINDFUL OF WHERE YOU LEAVE YOUR DEVICE EITHER AT HOME OR IN

CLASS TO AVOID LOSS/MISPLACEMENT.

• KEEP DEVICE CLEAN—DO NOT USE PRODUCTS WITH AMMONIA TO WIPE

OFF SCREEN, ETC. - AVOID TOUCHING THE SCREEN LEAVING FINGER-

PRINTS.

• DO NOT EAT OR DRINK WHILE USING DEVICE(S).

• PLUG YOUR DEVICE INTO A POWER SURGE STRIP (if available) AT HOME TO

PREVENT SHORTING OUT OR ARCING.

• DO NOT REMOVE BATTERY PAK FROM NETBOOK. BRING TO MRS. MALINA

FOR REPAIR OR QUESTIONS ABOUT POWER SOURCE.

• DO NOT LET OTHERS FORMAT OR DOWNLOAD ANY UNAPPROVED SOFT-

WARE TO YOUR DEVICE!

• DO NOT ENTER SPECIAL PASSCODES THAT LOCK YOUR DEVICE.

• REMEMBER OF CLOSE OUT OF ALL WINDOWS BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN

YOUR NETBOOK. THIS WILL HELP TO AVOID DAMAGING DRIVERS.

• REPORT DAMAGE OR LOSS TO MRS. MALINA OR MRS. WOOD.

• PUT YOUR NAME ON NETBOOK AND CORD FOR EASY IDENTIFICATION!

Tools of the Trade!

C y b e r b u l l y Students use technology more than ever for school work as well as personal

use. Some have internet access creating blogs, sharing photos and keeping

personal profiles on social networking websites. Due to this increase in technology use we are seeing more cyberbullying.

Some postings may just seem to be typical kids gossiping while other times

it can escalate into very hurtful comments, taunting, photos and threats

that can flood a school quickly. An overwhelming majority of students be-

lieve that other kids cyberbully because they think it’s a joke, not realizing

the negative impact it can have on the victim. Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an

imbalance of power or strength. Typically, it is repeated over time. A child

who is being bullied has a hard time defending themselves. Kids say things in

cyber space that they would not say face to face. Stresses of being bullied

can interfere with a student’s engagement and learning in school. Kids who

are bullied may fear going to school, using the bathroom, and riding on the

school bus. Students who are bullied are more likely than others to be lonely, anxious,

and/or have low self esteem. Bullying creates a climate of fear and disre-

spect in schools and has a negative impact on student learning. What can a parent do? Stay tuned in and look for changes. Does your child

seem deflated while they are online or suddenly do not want to go to

school?” Above all, listen. You never know when your child may need to talk. Keeping our students safe in cyberspace becomes even more important as

new technology develops. Cyberbullying can be prevented so talk to your

children about how to recognize and prevent it by not becoming involved,

supporting students that have been bullied, and by reporting bullying to an

adult.

ATTENTION PARENTS

WEB ACCESS for HOMEWORK

All homework for grades 5, 7, and 8 is posted online every

day. To access it you can go to the district website

(www.wgcsd.org) and then do the following:

⇒ Click on Classroom Pages,

⇒ Click on Watkins Glen Middle School,

⇒ Click on 5th and 8th grade homework (then click on

5th grade or 8th grade),

⇒ Click on 7th grade homework.

Homework will be listed daily for each subject. There will

also be other information and/or upcoming event dates.

LOST AND FOUND

With the holiday and cold weather upon us, student’s outerwear does not always find it’s

way home. It is easy for your children's winter clothing to get lost -- mittens, gloves,

hats, and scarves are especially at risk for sprouting legs and wondering off on their

own when no one is looking.!

Label each piece of clothing clearly. This can be done by finding a tag on the

clothing (collar, seam, or inside pocket) and writing the child's name on it

using a black permanent marker or laundry pen. We can then easily

identify who things belong to and return to their owner.

This will help to eliminate the PILES of

homeless clothing that gets left behind

daily, weekly, yearly.

Pick up and Drop Off

In an effort to alleviate the congestion in the front of the building we would like to ask parents to start using Porter Street for dropping students off in the morning and picking

students up in the afternoon.

Thanks for making this happen!

SIGN OUT PROCEDURE REVIEW

Please remember to send a signed note with your student if you

plan to take them out of the building during the school day.

• Students need to turn notes in to the Main Office preferably BEFORE first period.

• They will then be given a blue pass with the time they are to be excused.

Office staff will issue pass for 5 minutes before time requested by the parent .

• The student shows the pass to the teacher. They will excuse them at assigned time.

• The student is to wait in main lobby. Parents must come into the building to sign out

their student.

• If the student returns the same day, please sign in at the Main Office to be issued

a pass to return to class. Parents do not need to escort them back into the building.

DRESS CODE

The changing of the seasons often brings a change of wardrobe

and now would be an excellent time to remind our students and

parents of the dress code policy.

Short skirts, short shorts, hip-huggers, spaghetti strap

tops, low-cut tops, tank tops, and sagging pants have the

potential to be our biggest distractions and also goes against

safe legislation policies .

If a student is in violation of the dress code, they will be sent to the nurse or princi-

pal where they will be given something else to wear or parents will be called to bring in

different clothing. The dress code policy can be viewed in its entirety in the student

handbook.