#3 December Jottings€¦ · While there are a number of reasons why students may need to be absent from school, regular school attendance is critically important for student success.

The Jottings

Algonquin Middle School December 8, 2017

By Ashlee Bayer

- Principal’s Update - WINTER CONCERT SERIES

The Algonquin Winter Concert Series is about to kick off and we are very proud to highlight our outstanding Band, Orchestra and Chorus programs! Our Grades 7 & 8 Concert was held on Wednesday, December 6th at 7:00pm. The Grades 6 Concert will take place on Thursday, December 14th at 7:00pm. Our snow date, should it be necessary for either of these concerts is set for December 20th. For those that have never attended an AMS concert before expect a full house and a

wonderful evening of great music. Having heard the students rehearse over the past several months, I am certain you will be impressed with the quality of our performance groups! Attendance Matters! Algonquin, like all of the schools in the Averill Park Central School District, consistently has a high, regular attendance rate. The families in our district consistently support our instructional program by working to make sure their child is present for school on a regular basis. Truly, one of the most important things families do each day is ensure that their child is present for school. While there are a number of reasons why students may need to be absent from school, regular school attendance is critically important for student success. Aside from the benefit of receiving instruction on that day, students also experience the benefit of not falling behind with their work. Often times, students who are absent feel stress from having to make up work, which creates negative feelings about school. AMS ROBOTICS TEAMS TO COMPETE AT RPI On Saturday, December 16th, Algonquin’s Grade 8 Robotics students will participate in the First Lego League’s regional robotics competition. This year’s theme is “Hydro Dynamics

This event is open to the public and if you’re free, we encourage you to show your support for our Robotics program by stopping by the competition on December 16th!

ALGONQUIN MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL

HONOR ROLL MEMBERSHIP FOR THE FIRST MARKING PERIOD

It is a pleasure to list the 411 students who qualified for the Algonquin Honor Roll by attaining one of the following standards of scholastic achievement.

Merit Roll -- Average of 88-91, with no grade below 70 and no incompletes

Honor Roll -- Average of 92-95, with no grade below 70 and no incompletes

High Honor Roll-- Average of 96 to 100, with no grade below 70 and no incompletes

Grade 6: High Honor Roll: Cristian Abate, David Allegretta, Brady Battista, Jack Behan,

Paige Bidwell, Rocky Bressette, Laney Brown, Kevin Clark, Shannon Colwill,

Edwin Corbin IV, John Culliton, Leo Curley IV, Aiden Dahl, Julia Davies, Paula

DeAndres, Connor Dee, Mary DeMerchant, Violet Dupuis, Jack Evans, Ian Ferlito,

Ava Ferriero, Caitlyn French, Eleanor Garrison, Lila Gazoorian, Grace Hanlon,

Samuel Hart, Cavan Hicks, Hailey Hoen, Clara LaRose, Madisyn Locci, Andrew

Loucks, Olivia Maddalone, Mikayla Malenfant, Kyla Martin, Christopher McLaren,

Sophia Meissner, Merrik Nalewjka, Caroline Nero, Peter Nizinkirck, Raegan

O’Brien, Jessica Olson, Nathan Ortega, Delaney Padelsky, Alexander Phelan, Julia

Pollock, Chloe Rockenstire, Carson Roenfeldt, Megan Rounds, Ethan Ruppe,

Margaret Scannell, Polina Shabashova, Kay Tichy, Anna Wicks, Delphine

Williams-Mitchell and Gianna Zatorsky.

Grade 6: Honor Roll: Vivian Ackerman, Spencer Agan, Sydney Ainsworth, Sophia Bendetti,

Thomas Biette, August Boughton, Nicholas Bult, Nicholas Buono, Connor Byers,

Sophia Carey, Christopher Chenette, Cecelia Colton, Kevin Cooper, Tyler Cordero,

Morgan Cross, Jace Cusson, Hannah Daly, Eamon DeLair, Kayla Dette, Emma

Doyle, Christian Ducharme, Grace Faragon, Joseph Finelli, John Galvin, Mackenzie

Goyer, John Grimmick III, Katie Guyer, Tessa Hemmerle, Taylor Holohan, Michael

Houser, Mariah Hughes, Jack Hyde, Jonah Jones, Anthony Jubrey, Benjamin Keens,

Taylor Lake, Michelina Lopez, Leah Lovell, Ava McCoy, Quinn Medina, Tessa

Milks, Romeyn Murray, Angela Nailor, Anna Nichols, Jack Nolan, Evan O’Connor,

Christina Patanian, John Pember, Charles Ratigan, Liam Rogers, Sequoyah Rogers,

Zachary Rogers, Simone Schwarz-Eise, Thomas Shanahan, Griffin Sleicher,

Hannah Stewart, Tatiana Tune and Bailey Waters.

Grade 6: Merit Roll: Zareena Ansari, Aiden Bailey, Isabella Bernstein, Jason Bonner, Leah

Browe, Marlee Cooke, Ava Coonradt, Sarah Crosby, Thomas DeCrescenzo, Gianni

Elliott, Sarah Film, Michael Fluty, Travis Fontenot, Elliot Gandarillas, Kaylin

Granger, Eron Hozanovic, Grace Hulihan, Stephanie Lau, Lily Madison, Gianna

McCafferty, Maddison Mohamed, Andrea Porter, Avery Reynolds, Anikka

Ruschmeyer, Takiyah Ryan, Benjamin Stewart, Drake Teal-Gamble, Johnathan

Wagner, Paige Weidman and Abigail Woods.

Grade 7: High Honor Roll: Tessa Adamo, Elizabeth Aoissa, Caroline Antolick, Logan

Barsalow, Alexandra Bendett, Cameran Bennett, Nathan Bergmann, Samuel

Bonesteel, Mary Bryant, Grace Bursey, Hannah Colwill, Jacob Crupi, Mairi

Cumming, Cole Davidson, Bridget Denley, Emma Deo, Liam Despart, Samantha

Evanchick, Aiden Fedorowicz, Lucas Ferguson, Matthew Frost, Curtis Gorman,

Ava Graziano, Julie Hale, Emma Hanlon, Alec Hansen, Rory Iwaneczko,

Gwendolyn Jamison, Brendan Kasuba, Hayden Kiehl, Grace LaLiberte, Bailee

Lange, Bailey Leone-Levine, Payton McCue, Ashlyn McGarry, Tyler Michaels,

Julia Miorin, Clotilde Mussett, Riley O’Brien, Nathan O’Connor, Owen Perala,

Emily Prest, Louis Reale, Isabelle Relyea, Ryan Richter, Christian Romer, Saeryn

Sawyer, Semen Shabashov, Cooper Smith, Jason Strickland, Dylan Sutton, Nicole

Tilley, Dane Wiedman and Nicole Wing.

Grade 7: Honor Roll: Abigail Alberino, Olivia Apfel, Sydney Bloomfield, Harrison

Bourgault, Isabel Brady, Madison Bulan, Luke Cellucci, Hayley Clark, Brenden

Crotty, Maisie Dawson, Matthew Decker, Matthew DeJulio, Kathleen Doran, Olivia

Dugan, Joshua Durocher, Gregory Effman, Peter Floge, Nicholas Galuski, Kaiden

Goddard-Hathaway, Samuel Griswold, Mary Harmer, Daniel Hunter, Carynne

Jewell, Tyler Kalinowski, Andrew Keens, Jacob Kellar, Jacob Kelley, Natalea

LeFrancois, Shaun Lucier, Isabella Mancino, Kimberly Mazzacco, Marisa

Mazzacco, Ava Mieczkowski, Daniel Milanese, Maxwell Miller, Katherine

Momrow, David Mooradian, Evan Moore, Isla Multunas, Kadi Palmer, Olivia

Pascarell, Colten Peeters, Kasie Phillips, Faith Rescott, Benjamin Riston, Ella

Roenfeldt, Erick Rudin, Karissa Scheeren, Lydia Schlossberg, Annika Silver, Lillian

Slavin, Taylor South, Payton Stelling, Tyler Strock, Ashley Svensson, Kara Teal,

Thurston Thomas, Wyatt Thorsen, Bailey Vooris and Kaitlyn Willsie.

Grade 7: Merit Roll: Aaron Beebe, Joseph Blizinski, Emily Bradley, Mason Brown,

Makenna Carter, Gavin Corry, Kyra Cropsey, Grace Droney, Campbell Federico,

Madison Filarecki, George Fudge III, Elias Goosmann, Maya Gramley, Savannah

Hansen, Ella Hinman, Megan Hubbard, Dylan Juneau, Lillian Kelly, Kaelin Kocsis,

Jeffrey Lane, Chloe Lombardi, Vincent Maggio, Colin Miller, Tylor Mooney,

Anthony O’Sullivan, Cooper Qua, Jake Rizzo, Jesse Sherman, Nathan Stay, Mia

Suscietto, Emily Warner and Victoria Whitney.

Grade 8: High Honor Roll: Ashlee Bayer, Libby Bulmer, Mason Buttaci, Elizabeth Daly,

Dayna Densmore, Ava Faragon, Sydney Ferguson, Alexandra Gaboury, Isaac

Joseph, Avery Kittleson, Belle Klimek, Stephen Koval IV, Danielle LaPier, Mara

Little, Michelina Lombardi, Joshua Matthews, Sophia Mazzariello, Abigail

McMeel, Carli McShane, Sophia Minich, Francesca Morone, Abigayle Nagel,

Thomas Nero, John O’Neill-Knasick, Bailey Ouimet, Liam Rounds, Erin Schulz,

Julia Skiba, Macenzie Slattery, Nickolas Tempel, Payton Van Aken, Emily Walsh,

Rebecca Ware, Jenyka White, Amelia Wood and Anna Zusy.

Grade 8: Honor Roll: Jack Adams, Emma Alberino, Wolfgang Balga, Avery Barber,

Alexander Bipat, Isabella Cardillo, Colin Catlin, Shawn Catlin, Daniel Coiteux, Zara

Cole, Grant Conlee, Alysha Costa, Lauren Cox, Hannah Crupi, Molly Eaton,

Meredith Gaylord, Chloe Grimm, Ryan Heffner, Hannah Henry, Jillian Hogle, Ethan

Jamison, Larissa Karatnycky, Justin Kendall, Makayla Kieley, Amira Kouidri, Oliva

Kronau, Christopher Leon, Avery Leveroni, Ella Lindheimer, Sophia Maddalone,

Machara Malone, Terry Meissner Jr., Jeana Monaco, Lauren Nolan, Jessica Ody,

Kayley Orologio, Nadia Pascucci, Alyssa Pickard, Madison Rose, Zachary Ryan,

Camden Schlederer, Tyler Spink, Evan Sweet, Alicia Trotter, Lillian Vrsalovic,

Kylie Weaver and Lauren Wicks.

Grade 8: Merit Roll: Gabriella Adamo, Tristen Alderman, Joel Bieg, Cole Boughton,

Nathaniel Bourgault, Lauren Bradley, Austin Brundige, Kayleigh Charron, Kayla

Cushing, Brier Cylkoff, Tucker Cylkoff, Riley DeCamp, Sean Fagan, Margaret

Finnerty, Abbigail Fluty, Nicholas Foster, Jacob Halpin, Rachel Karhan, Isabella

Mahar, Madison Matice, Adrianna Maxfield, Andrew McCart, Ashleigh Mein,

Joseph Minehan, McKenzie Miner, Miranda Minkler, Michael O’Connor, Haleigh

Parker, Kaelin Pogue, Savannah Rodriguez, Breonna Schreiner, Emily Shanahan,

Alexander Trahan, Lilli VanDerKar, Aniyah Williams and Haley Wright.

6th Grade

WARRIOR WALL

Congratulations to our October and November Wall of Fame recipients. Students In 6th grade are

chosen by teachers for evidence of excellent character, including citizenship, trustworthiness,

respect for others, responsibility, fairness, caring, and, in particular, an outstanding contribution

to our community.

Our 6th grade October AMS Warriors are:

Spencer Agan Aiden Bailey

Jack Culliton Violet Dupius

Virgil Hayes Hailey Hoen

Anna Nichols Raegan O’Brien

Tatiana Tune Johnathan Wagner

Our 6th grade November AMS Warriors are:

Sophia Bendetti Laney Brown

Kevin Clark Marlee Cooke

Paula DeAndres Ava Ferriero

Joey Finelli Caroline Nero

Carson Roenfeldt Ethan Ruppe

STUDENT GOVERNMENT NEWS Dear Parents and Guardians,

Algonquin Student Government is teaming up with Toys for Tots this Holiday Season. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program collects new, unwrapped toys to be distributed as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the communities in which the campaign is conducted.

Algonquin will be collecting new, unwrapped toys from Monday, November 27th to Friday, December 15th. Our goal this year is to fill six boxes. Please feel free to send in a gift with your child or drop it off in the box near the main office. Thank you for helping us support Toys for Tots this Holiday Season. Sincerely, AMS Student Government

FROM THE NURSE A few reminders to keep your student healthy during the winter months include washing hands often, especially when they have been out in public areas, after restroom use and definitely before eating or drinking anything, avoid touching the T zone, which includes the eyes, nose and mouth,

and do not share any personal items, this includes drinks and food. Students should get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. They should eat healthy, this includes limiting

the amount of sugary and salty treats and they should drink plenty of water. Water bottles are allowed in Algonquin, please be sure your students name is on the bottle to avoid someone else accidently drinking from it. A Reminder: To all 7th grade parents, a physical examination is needed for 7th grade students. If your child has had an examination, as of 9/1/16 or later, please send in the physicians report. If your child is in need of one, Averill Park can provide this service via our Nurse Practitioner. I will need all physicals that are done by a private physician by December 1, 2017. If the private physician form is not in, the Nurse Practitioner will perform the exam in January 2018. Please call me at 674-7103 if you are in need of any help. New immunization guidelines for meningococcal meningitis: As of September 1, 2016 all students entering seventh and twelfth grades need to receive an adequate dose or doses of vaccine against meningococcal disease. A single dose of meningococcal should be administered to all adolescents at age 11 or 12 years. A second booster dose of MenACWY vaccine should be administered at age 16 years old. Flu and Colds in Children Children on average get six to eight colds per year. The symptoms that are usually present in a child with a cold are; runny nose, congestion, sneezing, reduced sense of smell and taste, scratchy throat and cough. Colds are hard to prevent but here are a few top tips from experts: avoid contact with people who have a cold, wash hands frequently especially after touching someone with a cold, keep your child home when they are sick to help prevent the spread, encourage your child to cough or sneeze into a tissue or the crux of their elbow, and discourage your child from touching their eyes or nose or mouth. Also keep your child well hydrated. Hydration is important in order for mucous membranes to remain intact, which reduces the risk of germs getting into your child and compromising their immune system. It is recommended that you treat a cold by, resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and please talk with your doctor if you provide Tylenol or Ibuprofen to your child.

Flu symptoms are more severe and come on abruptly, the symptoms may include sudden fever, chills and shakes with a fever, extreme tiredness, headache and body ache, dry hacking cough, sore throat, vomiting or belly pain, and stuffy nose. Your child will feel worse during the first few days. Call your doctor if the fever lasts more than three days, or if your child complains of

difficulty breathing, ear pain, congestion in the face or head or has a persistent cough. The number one way to prevent the flu is by getting an annual flu shot. Some home treatments

include, rest, drink plenty of fluids, keeping your child home to prevent the spread of the flu and please consult your doctor before you provide your child with Tylenol or Ibuprofen. There are medications available by prescription called antiviral medications which may shorten the duration of the flu.

CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

What’s the Problem? Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. Carbon

monoxide is found in combustion fumes, such as those produced by cars and trucks, small gasoline engines,

stoves, lanterns, burning charcoal and wood, and gas ranges and heating systems. Carbon monoxide from these sources can build up in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces. People and animals in these spaces can be poisoned by breathing it. The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. High levels of carbon monoxide ingestion can cause loss of consciousness and death. Unless suspected, carbon monoxide poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic other illnesses. People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from carbon monoxide poisoning before ever experiencing symptoms. Who’s at Risk? All people and animals are at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. Certain groups – unborn babies, infants, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems – are more susceptible to its effects. Each year, more than 500 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, and more than 2,000 commit suicide by intentionally poisoning themselves. Can It Be Prevented? Yes, you can prevent carbon monoxide poisoning by taking simple precautions to make sure that:

• All fuel-burning appliances are properly installed, maintained, and operated;

• Furnaces, water heaters, and gas dryers are inspected annually by a qualified service technician;

• Fireplace chimneys and flues are checked and cleaned every year;

• Unvented fuel-burning space heaters are used only while someone is awake to monitor them and doors or windows in the room are open to provide fresh air;

• Automobile exhaust systems are routinely inspected for defects; and

• Automobile tailpipes are routinely inspected for blockage by snow during the winter months. Remember:

1. never use a gas range or oven to heat a home; 2. never use a charcoal grill, hibachi, lantern, or portable camping stove inside a home, tent, or

camper; 3. never run a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside a basement, garage,

or other enclosed structure, even if the doors or windows are open, unless the equipment is professionally installed and vented;

4. never run a motor vehicle, generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline powered engine outside of an open window or door where exhaust can vent into an enclosed area;

5. never leave the motor running in a vehicle parked in an enclosed or semi-enclosed space, such as a closed garage.

Knowledge is the key to preventing carbon monoxide poisoning. In most cases of unintentional poisonings, victims did not realize that carbon monoxide was being produced or building up in the air they were breathing. Carbon monoxide can be easily and cheaply detected in the home; several relatively inexpensive carbon monoxide alarms are available. Consider placing a carbon monoxide alarm on each level of your home and in your bedrooms. July 2004 http://www.cdc.gov/co

APO-ALGONQUIN PARENT ORGANIZATION Holiday Happenings is scheduled for Friday, December 8th from 7:00pm-8:30pm. We will be decorating the cafeteria, making crafts, and eating snacks. The cost will be $12 and students need to pre pay for this event . Students will make 2-3 crafts to take home with them. Please contact Wendy Durocher at [email protected] with any questions. Congratulations to the Mussett family!! They are the winners of the Yankee Trails trip for two to either Boston or NYC. The tickets for this round trip event were sold at open house and online with proceeds going to our APO. We would also like to thank Yankee Trails for their donation! A big thank you to all the families at Algonquin that donated cookies, punch, and paper products for the 50th Anniversary Celebration! They were much appreciated and every last cookie was gone when the celebration ended. Thank you for your support! Thank you to all the families who supported APO by purchasing items from our apparel sale. The sale was very successful and $482 was raised for APO. This money will help us support many activities for the students and staff at Algonquin. Do you use Amazon to shop? Help us raise some money! What is Amazon Smile? It’s your Amazon account, except Amazon donates proceeds from your purchases to our school. Amazon Smile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. How do I shop at AmazonSmile?To shop at Amazon Smile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at Amazon Smile. Can I use my existing account on Amazon Smile? Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and Amazon Smile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same. How do I select a charity to support when shopping on Amazon Smile? On your first visit to Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com), you need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. We will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation. Choose- Algonquin Parent Organization That’s it! Now you are supporting our Algonquin family. UPCOMING APO EVENTS: Next APO Meeting: Keep an eye out on our website for the date for our next meeting We hope to see you there!!!! 2015-16 APO Officers: President: Jackie Geraci, [email protected] Vice President: Melissa Sutton, [email protected] Treasurer: Cathy Wood, [email protected] Secretary: Melissa Romer, [email protected]

GET THE FACTS ON FACS!

Our Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum brings classes to each grade in Algonquin! All students have FACS for 13 weeks (one trimester), for 40 minutes every other day. Sixth graders start off with the basics in FACS. The course begins with a Goal Setting and Decision-Making Unit. Students learn the importance of setting appropriate goals, how to deal with failure as well as success, and create bucket lists of experiences they would like to have throughout their lives. We then move on to our Fun in the Kitchen Unit, where students learn about recipe reading, equipment names and uses, nutrition, and measuring. We form groups and the students make apple hand pies, tortilla pizzas, and pancakes in teams of 4 or 5. Many of the students are so excited about cooking that they go home and made their own families delicious snacks! Lastly, students receive a short Puberty Unit, focusing on body changes, terminology, and menstruation. Boys and girls are taught in separate classrooms to allow for a more open discussion. Seventh graders begin their year with a Child Development and Care Unit, where we discuss the major

milestones infants reach, how discipline and punishment differ, what “play is the work of children” means, and the importance of reading with children. These skills should be very helpful to new babysitters, as well as students with young siblings, relatives, and friends, as almost everyone spends time around youngsters at one point or another. We then move into our Money Management Unit. Students learn how banks use our money, how to write a

check, credit card pros and cons, and the importance of budgeting. We discuss the need to have savings built into our budgets as well. We learn how advertisers work very hard to convince us that we need to spend our hard-earned money on their product. We finish the unit off with a self-paced financial literacy online program where students use their new skills in running a town. Hopefully your child now has a better understanding of money management and has the ability to make wise consumer choices. Eighth graders are exposed to Career and College Pathways, or CCP. The driving force behind this course is the need for students to begin the thought process of career exploration earlier than in the past. Averill Park High School students have the opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school, so the need to have some idea of personal career interests is greater than ever before. CCP students learn how to find job openings, how to complete an application, how to interview, how to keep a job, and how to work towards a promotion. They take an interest inventory to open their minds to career options, and have create Google Slides presentations to share a career with their classmates. The students discuss the different ways they can proceed after high school, including the various types of colleges, certificate programs, apprenticeships, internships, and the military. They learn about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the importance of a good college application essay. They come up with some great criteria for choosing the right post-secondary education path and placement for themselves. This knowledge will help each student as he or she navigates through high school and beyond. Students are truly receiving real life skills here!

DECEMBER CALENDAR

December 8 Holiday Happenings (pre-registration required)

7:00pm-8:30pm

December 11 Board of Education Meeting at High School LGI

6:30pm

December 14

Grade Winter 6 Concert 7:00pm

December 18 Picture Re-Take Day

December 20

SNOW DATE Grade 6, 7, 8 Concert 7:00pm

December 25-January 1 No School (Winter Recess)

JANUARY CALENDAR

January 1 No School (New Year’s Day)

January 2 Classes Resume

January 8 Board of Education Meeting at High School LGI

6:30pm

January 15 No School (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

January 19

Library Event Night 2:30pm-4:30pm

January 22

Board of Education Meeting at High School Library 6:30pm

January 26 2nd Marking Period Ends

January 25 & 27

All County-Troy 4:00pm-7:40pm

9:00am-2:00 Concert 2:00pm

FEBRUARY CALENDAR

February 1

9th Grade Parent Information Night at the APHS-Auditorium 6:30pm-7:30pm

February 3

AMS Report Cards Posted On Line

February 12 Board of Education Meeting at High School LGI

6:30pm

February 13 SNOW DATE 9th Grade Parent Information Night at the

APHS-Auditorium 6:30pm-7:30pm

February 19-23

No School (Presidents’ Day Winter Recess)

February 26 Board of Education Meeting at High School LGI

6:30pm

Watch for These Dates:

The Jottings will be Available On-Line Report Cards to be On-Line February 3, 2018 February 19, 2018 April 21, 2018 May 11, 2018 June 27, 2018 *Tentative

By Frankie Morone