Dear Secondary School Families:
Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a relaxing and rejuvenating break. The Secondary building is closing out the third quarter and gearing up for a busy stretch run. We are excited to have so many students returning to hybrid/in-person for the spring; hearing from students that they are excited to be back brings me great confidence that we will finish the year out strong. An important reminder that quarter 3 grades will be available on the parent portal around noon today. Please review the report with your child and do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. The 4th quarter will be the most crucial for some students as the finish line starts to come into view. I want to conclude by sharing that our faculty has been doing a commendable job of collaborating to provide targeted support to students who are most at-risk. I am proud of our students for never giving up - “there is no success without failure.” The end of the year will be an tremendous opportunity for our students to work with teachers and put themselves in a position for sustained academic success. Did I mention the end of the year will be a busy time of year? With the release of new prom and graduation guidance, we have many exciting events in the works. Stay tuned for more information about prom, Next Step Day, senior picnic, graduation, etc....
Caps and Gowns: This week we received final guidance from New York State for what our high school graduation ceremony can look like. This information allows us to move forward with planning. At the present time we know that graduation will be held on June 25 at 10:00am outside on the football field. Please continue to be patient with us as we work on constructing a memorable and safe ceremony for our students and their families. While we are busy preparing,, please get your cap and gown orders in! Here is the information you need:
Orders due by April 26: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ga4QAf8RRC_NFRlQA00MS-uYDrTeQY2g/view?usp=sharing
Call or email Sarah Brekke (Herff Rep) if you have any questions Sarah Brekke 518-683-1137 sebrekke@herffjones.com
Classroom Spotlight: This week Mrs. Bishop’s Global 9 students had a little fun learning about the Dark- Ages! Students researched a topic of choice and constructed artifacts to demonstrate their knowledge. This crew visited the main office ready to throw down the gauntlet!
ELA Testing: A reminder to families that we will be administering Part I only of the English Language Arts Exam (ELA) to grades 6-8 this Wednesday. After homeroom check in, there will be no remote instruction (for middle school only) on Wednesday until 10:30 (period 5). Please contact us by Tuesday if you are a parent or guardian of a fully remote student and wish to have your child come into the building to take the exam.
Scholastic Book Fair: The Secondary School Library is having a book fair. Here are two ways to shop:
Online: Support our school by shopping at The Scholastic Store Online. All orders ship home and book-only orders over $25 ship free. Every purchase benefits our school and helps develop a love of reading! Visit https://www.scholastic.com/bf/tamaracmiddleschool.
In-person: The Book Fair will be in the middle school library from April 14th - April 28th. The In person visit schedule is below. The book fair will also be open during lunch and study hall for browsing.
April 16th - 7th grade visit
April 23rd - 6th grade visit
April 27th - 8th grade visit
April 12-30 - Online shopping available for remote students and community (bring cash or check made out to Brittonkill PTSA)
We’re now offering a new, cash-free payment option called eWallet, making it easier for kids to buy books! This is a secure, cash-free way to shop the fair. Simply create a free account, pre-authorize a spending limit, and have funds immediately available.
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/parent-how-it-works.html?fairID=4715262
Free Tutoring (Ends Soon)!: A reminder that RPI students are offering free “virtual” tutoring every Saturday until May 1 for all Brunswick students.. This is a tremendous opportunity to consider if your child is behind and needs additional support.
Spring Assessment Calendar Reminder:
Health/Wellness: **IMPORTANT** Please be sure to complete the daily screening survey before sending your child to school each morning. Your child should be kept home if they are experiencing any symptoms consistent with COVID. If your child’s symptoms are improving AND they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicine, they may return to school with a note from their doctor with an alternate diagnosis clearing them to return to school OR a copy of their negative COVID test result. We appreciate your help in keeping our school safe for everyone!
Weekly Calendar:
Monday 4/19: WHITE COHORT Tuesday 4/20: BLUE COHORT Wednesday 4/21: RED COHORT Thursday 4/22: WHITE COHORT Friday 4/23: 7-12 Virtual
Hopefully we can get some more of the 75 degree sunshine we had over the break back soon! Enjoy your Saturday and Sunday! #TamaracStrong
Sincerely,
Ken Rizzo
Principal, Tamarac Secondary School