Back in the Swing of Things

Back In the Swing of Things:

What a great first full week of school! There is a certain buzz in the air when you step foot in the building and it's what makes "The Rock," what it is. The students have done a fantastic job of getting adjusted to their daily routines quite quickly! Below are several pictures showcasing the beautiful things that are being done daily.

Positivity Kickoff:

A HUGE thanks to our varsity cheerleading squad and Coach Duschen for helping us kick off the Positivity Project in a big way! The students had a blast watching and seeing the critical role TEAMWORK plays when a group of individuals must work together toward a common goal. It's our hope this has built some CURIOSITY in some, to have the OPEN-MINDEDNESS to look into extracurricular activities outside of school to broaden their horizons and reach their full potential.  

PTO Family Movie Night:

A job well done by the Split Rock PTO! We had a fabulous turnout for our Family Movie Night, as the wind and weather did not stop us from having a great time! All families enjoyed the night in the gym with a bag of popcorn and the movie, "Honey I Shrunk The Kids." 

Lost and Found:

Let's stay ahead of this! Please have your child check the lost and found if they happen to be missing anything. We are already starting to collect items! 

MySchoolBucks:

Please check out the link below regarding the new feature available on MySchoolBucks. 

 OnePay Membership Feature on MySchoolBucks

Upcoming Dates:

• Tuesday, September 17 
• Picture Day
• Wednesday, September 18
• 7:00pm BOE Meeting 
• Tuesday, September 24
• Merry-Go-Round Playhouse (Grade 2)
• CODE Grade K-5

Getting Ready To "ROCK"!

                                     Ready To Go!

I hope this blog finds you all well and enjoying what is now the last week of summer vacation. It is my hope you all were able to spend time with family and friends while enjoying the great weather and hopefully reading some great books! With that being said Split Rock Elementary and the staff are ready to go and we look forward to welcoming back our Wildcats on Wednesday, September 4. Our summer crew worked feverishly to make sure the building was in tip-top shape so the staff and students can hit the ground running day one. I thank the team for their efforts and dedication!

By now all students should have received their informational packet for the 2019-2020 school year. Included in the packet:
Class assignment
Open House (Title 1 Night) information and agenda
School Meal Programs information
WG Communication information (Blackboard)

In addition, you should have also received bus information from the Transportation Department, regarding bus number, as well as, pickup and drop off times.

Please contact the office at 315 487-4656 ASAP if you have not received your informational packet!

The first day of school is Wednesday, September 4 is a HALF -DAY for students!
EARLY DISMISSAL is at 11:30am.

Please be sure to send in a note if your child's drop off location will change for that day. 

What's New At "The Rock"?

Staff:

I would like to formally introduce the new staff members for the 2019-2020 school year.

Mary Bergan- Instructional Specialist

Christine Rivers- Instructional Specialist

Melissa Dougher- Art Teacher on Tuesdays

Kyle Prenoveau- Physical Education Teacher on Thursdays

Kyle Muldoon- Band Director

Mike Stachnik- Monday afternoon band lessons

Stacy Bishop- Teaching Assistant

Welcome to "The Rock"! We are very excited to have you all a part of the team!

New Main Entrance:

It won't take long to recognize the most significant change. The main entrance, office, and hallway have gone through a major remodeling process to ensure the safety of both staff and students and is projected to be completed within the next day or two. We are very excited for the students to see the new look!

Raptor System:

This is a friendly reminder that Split Rock Elementary has begun to implement the Raptor Visiting Management System.  All visitors will be expected to submit their driver’s license to be scanned before receiving an identification sticker to wear while if they plan to go beyond the main office in the school. Parents will be able to leave items for their child without entering the school.  We appreciate your cooperation and willingness to help us continually improve our safety procedures as we are working to ensure the safety of all students and staff during school hours. 

Positivity Wall: 

We have dedicated an entire wall to the Positivity Project! The students will see a bulletin board that showcases the Other People Matter Mindset and the character strengths that will be introduced throughout the month. Showcased around the bulletin board will be each student's top character strength, displaying the fact that other people matter and allowing students to recognize the positive qualities of their peers. This will serve as a constant reminder of the desire to build a positive culture linked to the Other People Matter Mindset throughout the entire building!

IMPORTANT DATES:

Kindergarten Orientation: Tuesday, August 27 @ 9am

Student/Family Walk Through: Friday, August 30 @ 9am-2:30pm

You may visit the building and take a "self-guided" tour in order to get your child more acquainted and comfortable with the start of school and the building. Please note that these will be "self-guided" tours, meaning teachers may or may not be in the building during this time.

Open House (Title 1 Night): Thursday, September 5 @ 6pm-7:30pm 

Presentation times:

K-1 - 6:15-6:35

2-3 - 6:40-7:00

4-5 - 7:05-7:25

*Our IS team will be available in the library and throughout the night to discuss our RTI Plan, Collective Responsibility process and programming information. Please be sure to stop by to ask questions, gain insight and pick up the informational flyer! 

** This night will be very informative and is for the parents and guardians. Students should not be in attendance.

PTO Back to School Outdoor Movie Night: Friday, September 13 @ 7:30pm-9:00pm

"Honey I Shrunk The Kids" 

Save the Date: Please mark your calendars to come out to meet and welcome our new Superintendent Mr. David Bills.

Tuesday, September 24 @ 7pm

Midsummer Check-in

Enjoy AND don't forget to READ!

Being midsummer, I wanted to take this time to check-in, making sure we are staying connected. I hope this finds all of our Split Rockers enjoying their summer, filled with family, friends and memorable times! With that, it is essential to make sure all our students are finding time to read consistently over the next month. Students do experience the "summer slide" or academic loss if they are not reading daily. We want to prevent this from happening, making the start of the year that much more comfortable and enjoyable. So be sure to enjoy some books in August!

2019-2020 Split Rock Family Handbook 

Please be sure to take some time to visit Split Rock's webpage to view the updated Split Rock Family Handbook. Here you will be able to find all procedures, protocols, expectations and any other pertinent information regarding Split Rock Elementary. 

 Visit Split Rock on August 30th 

For those looking to get your child more acquainted or comfortable with the start of the year, you may visit the building on August 30th between 9:00am- 2:30pm. These will be "self-guided" tours, meaning teachers may or may not be in the building during this time. By this time all students should have their placements and all other information necessary for the start of the school year. 

Building Updates

The Renovation

There are significant renovations taking place within the main office and entrance. The crew is making considerable progress and seems to be on track for the start of the school year. This process is to ensure the safety of both students and staff during school hours! Please be reminded if for any reason you need to enter the building we are utilizing the back/lower parking lot and entrance near the cafeteria. You will need to ring the bell and be identified before entering the building. This process will continue throughout August.

Split Rock's Summer Crew

A huge thanks go out to the custodial staff at Split Rock. They have done an outstanding job and have worked extremely hard to make sure the building is in tiptop shape come September 4 when the students return. 85% of the rooms have been completed and are ready for teachers to move back in. The entire building will be ready in just a few weeks and it would not be possible without the hard work and dedication this crew has demonstrated throughout the summer!

Book It Now!

Friday, August 30

  Self-guided tours (9:00am-2:30pm)

Wednesday, September 4

   First Day Of School (Early Dismissal 11:30 am)

Thursday, September 5
  Fall Open House (6:00pm-7:00pm Parent's Only)

I will check back in a few weeks! Until then, I hope everyone continues to have a terrific summer!

End of Year Approaching

Exciting Days Ahead:

We are heading into the last full week of school and look forward to finishing with a bang! The students are looking forward to a lot of different events and field trips that will be taking place over the next week and a half as we close down the 2018-2019 school year. With that, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the staff, students, families, as well as, the Split Rock community. It is not easy to go through the transitions this building has experienced this year and will be experiencing throughout the summer in regards to some extensive renovations. Everyone has met the challenges and experiences head-on with an open mind and never missed a beat and to that, I applaud all of you!

Senior Walk:

We were lucky enough to have our 2019 Split Rock graduates visit and participate in their senior walk. The students at The Rock celebrated their achievement as we lined the halls to congratulate their accomplishments! We will be sharing a video of the day shortly, so be on the lookout for that. A special congratulations to some of our Split Rock graduates, Lindsay Chamberlain and Emma Lounsbery for being awarded the Shirley Gurney PTO Scholarship for the essays they submitted. We look forward to you sharing your message with our students next week at our Grade 5 Recognition Ceremony. We also would like to congratulate former Split-Rocker Philip Martin in being recognized as the 2019 Valedictorian! You make us all so proud. Great things await each one of you!

Split Rock Field Days (Tuesday, June 18, 2019)

A letter was sent home last week with the pertinent information in regards to this exciting event. We look forward to allowing the students to enjoy some time outside and activities with their classmates.

AM Session (Grades 3-5)- 9:30-11:45

PM Session (Grades k-2)- 12:45-2:45

Here are a couple of quick reminders:

• Students in the morning session should wear their swimsuits to school and bring a change of clothes for the afternoon. AM session students should apply sunscreen at home.

• Boys must wear their swim trunks and a t-shirt during all activities. Girls must wear shorts and a t-shirt over their swimsuits.

• ALL students must wear closed toe shoes such as sneakers or water shoes.

• Students should bring a towel and a water bottle labeled with their name.

*Please note parents/guardians will not be allowed in the building prior to, during and/or after the event. Staff and student safety is our number one priority and we want to make sure we do our best to ensure this. **Rain Date: Wednesday, June 19

Split Rock's Summer Renovations

Split Rock will be going through some renovations beginning Thursday, June 27 and will continue through August. This is being done in coordination with the implementation of the Raptor Visiting Management System, to support the safety of our students and staff better. The focus of this renovation will occur at the Main Entrance and go through the Main Office and Principal's office. With that, we ask that any visitors during July and August utilize the back and lower parking lot and enter the building at the doors near the cafeteria. This includes Kindergarten Screening days June 27 and June 28. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we improve our school's safety procedures.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE 

Monday, June 17

  Grade 3 picnic

Tuesday, June 18 

  Split Rock Field Days

Wednesday, June 19

  Grade 4 picnic 

  Rain Date (Split Rock Field Days)

Thursday, June 20 

  Grade 5 Field Trip (Ultimate Goal)

Friday, June 21

   Grade 1 picnic

  Grade 2 Field Trip (The Wild)

Monday, June 24 (1/2 day for students) 11:30 Dismissal 

  9:45am- GRADE 5 RECOGNITION CEREMONY- Split Rock Gymnasium 

Tuesday, June 25 (Last day and 1/2 for students) 11:30 Dismissal 

Thursday, June 27

  Kindergarten Screening

Friday, June 28

  Kindergarten Screening

  

Already June!

Finishing Strong!

It is hard to believe we are heading into the last month of school with just a few weeks left! We continue to stay focused as we make the final push to the end, making sure we get the most out of each day. Please continue to stress the importance of attending school each day as there is still plenty of opportunities to grow and learn. We also wouldn't want them to miss out on the many exciting events and field trips many of the classes have on their schedules moving forward!

Special  Olympics: 

What a fantastic event that was held on May 24th at West Genesee High School. Many thanks to the excellent staff and high school students who volunteered their time to create a pleasant atmosphere for the students. Our students at Split Rock did a phenomenal job, and we are so proud of them! Split Rock had over 20 participants throughout the day and they were terrific.

Budget Has Passed!

The 2019-2020 budget and bus propositions were passed with 84.8% yes votes! We appreciate and thank the community for all the support! 

State Testing Comes To an End:

Our Grade 4 team has finished up the last set of state tests for the 2018-2019 school year as they have completed both the Grade 4 Science Assessment and the Grade 4 ELA Short Response Field Test over the last three weeks! They did a terrific job and showed a great deal of endurance and fortitude as they gave it their best and worked extremely hard!

Split Rock Field Days:

This year, the Split Rock Field Days will be held on Tuesday, June 18 (Rain date of Wednesday, June 19). The AM session will run from 9:30-11:45 (Grades 3-5) and the PM session will run from 12:45-2:45 (Grades K-2). If you are interested in volunteering this year, please contact Greg Gangemi at ggangemi@westgenesee.org. Please include which session you would like to help out with and if you have a preferred event/station that you would like to be at! This is an exciting event for our students at "The Rock" and we hope you can enjoy the day with us!

Lost and Found:

Just a friendly reminder that our lost and found continues to grow! If your son or daughter is missing anything, from articles of clothing to water bottles, please have them visit Split Rock's lost and found. Anything that is not claimed by the end of the year will be donated.

C.O.D.E.

We held our 2019 C.O.D.E Graduation Ceremony on June 4th! We want to thank Officer Diane Brand for all that she has done and time spent with our students throughout the year. We also had honorary guest Chief of Police Mr. Thomas Winn attend the event as well and we thank him for taking time out of his schedule to join us for the ceremony!

Congratulations to both the poster and essay award winners for this year!

Grade 4 Poster Winners:

Deigan Vine

Keira McGlaughlin

Tyler Arndt

Grade 5 Essay Winners:

Chelsea Donaldson

Cameron Arlukiewicz

Jami Tessier

Looking Ahead:

June 6

Grade 4 Field Trip (Fort Stanwix)

June 14

Senior Walk

Kindergarten Picnic

June 17

Grade 3 Picnic

June 18

Field Days

9:30-11:45- AM Session (Grades 3-5)

12:45-2:45- PM Session (Grades k-2)

June 19

Grade 4 Picnic

June 20

Grade 5 Field Trip (Ultimate Goal)

June 21

Grade 2 Field Trip (The Wild)

June 24 (1/2 day for students 11:30 Dismissal)

Grade 5 Recognition- 9:45am Split Rock Gymnasium

June 25 (1/2 day for students 11:30 Dismissal)
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Budget Vote Day and More!

Budget Vote: 

Reminder: Our Annual Budget Vote is being held TODAY at West Genesee High School. Polls are open for voting until 9pm tonight.

Spring Open House:

It was lovely to see all the families and friends that showed up to last week's Spring Open House. The students were extremely excited to share all their hard work and enjoy the night with their family and friends. What a fantastic job our Grade 5 team did with this year's Wax Museum Projects! It was great to see so many different people of history represented and the students really showcased how amazing they really are!

Spring Concert:

Let's not forget about the Grade 4 and Grade 5 band, chorus and orchestra concert held this past week as well! The night was filled with many great musicians and singers as our students at The Rock showcased their incredible talents. A true testament of how hard work and commitment can do, when students put their minds to it. A job was well done by all and a big thanks to all the Fine Arts staff members that played a role in this beautiful event.

Positivity Project:

Although we have finished our weekly lessons on the character traits for this school year, we will still continue to focus on the Other People Matter mindset! Our positivity committee will be meeting several times over the next month and a half to be sure we continue to build on this wonderful program and concept.

Emergency Drills:

With springtime in full effect, we will make sure that we have met all our requirements in regards to our safety procedures with all our emergency drills. This could include but not limited to, practice fire drills and lockdowns. It is imperative that all staff and students stay up to date, and understand our protocols for all situations. With that being said, please help reinforce from home the importance of taking these drills seriously, at the same time that they are drills and are in place to keep everyone safe. 

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures: 

Please be reminded that you are prohibited by law to cross paths with any portion of the bus when the red lights are flashing and/or the stop sign is out. We greatly appreciate your attention to this matter and understand that this might mean extra time and/or planning during pickups and drop-offs. Buses arrive in the morning at approximately 8:50 am and exit at 9:00 am. In the afternoon, they come back at approximately 3:10 pm and depart at 3:30 pm. 

**Staff and student safety is our number one priority during school hours, and these two issues help ensure this.** 

Lost and Found: 

Our lost and found has certainly grown over the last couple of months. If your son or daughter is missing anything, from articles of clothing to water bottles, please have them visit Split Rock's lost and found. Anything that is not claimed by the end of the year will be donated.

Upcoming Dates:

May 21 
WGCSD Budget Vote @ WGHS Auditorium 6am -9pm 
May 22
 PTO Meeting (SR Library) 6:00 pm
 BOE Meeting (HS Library) 7:00 pm
May 23
NYS Grade 4 Science Performance Test
Special Olympics @ CNS
May 24
WG Special Olympics (West Genesee High School) 10:00 am 
May 27
Memorial Day (no school)
May 29
Grade 4 ELA Field Test
Hospital Land (Reynolds) 12:00 pm 
May 30
Hospital Land (Lockwood) 12:00 pm 
May 31
Hospital Land (Forsyth) 12:00 pm

Hello May!

We welcomed the month of May by completing the New York State Math Assessment! Congratulations and job well done to grades 3-5, as the students worked extremely hard and demonstrated a great deal of endurance over the two days. Once again our attendance was amazing, which helped the process and limited the number of make ups we had to administer. A big thanks to all parents, students and staff! The busy end of the year schedule continues over the next several weeks with many events, field trips and celebrations occurring! We look forward to the experiences the students at Split Rock will be participating in as we move through the months of May and June!

Student Attendance 

Our student attendance at The Rock over the last few weeks has been outstanding. We all know that attending is the first step in student growth and success. If we are not in school we are not learning. As we approach the last couple of months of school it is imperative that we all understand the importance of attending school and taking full advantage of each and every day.  As stated in the website below, "Student success goes hand in hand with good attendance," let's keep this focus throughout the rest of the year!
Click here for a great read on the importance of attendance!

Positivity Project

This week's character trait is Leadership! The students at Split Rock will be learning about the personal qualities of leaders. Click here to visit the website to view the "Leadership Character Card," for more information and insight.

Open House (Wednesday, May 8)

This amazing event is right around the corner! We look forward to seeing all of our families and friends from 7-8pm. As you can imagine this is a very well attended event and therefore parking will be limited. We ask that you do not park on Split Rock Road. If you find that both parking lots are full, please utilize our free shuttle and park at the Slavic Baptist Church, just down the hill from the school!

Wax Museum

Our Grade 5 students and staff have worked extremely hard on these research projects. We ask that you give them a great deal of respect and courtesy as you make your way through the museum. We encourage you to take the time needed, but please keep voice level and distractions to a minimum. The hallways tend to become a bit congested so please do your best to utilize the library to congregate and socialize. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.

All School Spirit Day (Friday, May 10) 

This month's spirit day will be honoring our wonderful kindergarten classes! We encourage both staff
and students to wear their Split Rock and/or West Genesee attire (Blue and Gold), to show our Split Rock pride!

A visit from the BOCES Planetarium (May 14)  

The students in grades 1, 2 and 4  will have the opportunity to view a program that is tailored to their unit of study. Below are the programs each grade level will be participating in. 

Grade 1: Day/Night

Grade 2: Seasons

Grade 4: Circumpolar Constellations

Grade 4 & 5 Spring Concert (May 15)

Our grade 4 and 5 Spring Concert on Wednesday evening on the big stage at the high school, beginning at 7:00 pm. The band, orchestra, and chorus love to perform and I am looking forward to the show.

Scholastic Book Fair (May 15-17)

Be looking for more information in regards to this year's Scholastic Book Fair. We will be showing "book talks," on our morning announcements over the next two weeks, in order to showcase some of the options and books that will be available to the students. "Family Night" will be held on Thursday, May 16 from 7-8 pm. Families are welcome to shop with their students.

Shoe Donation Drive (Koman More Than Pink Walk)

We have already received a great number of contributions to this cause! Keep them coming! Once again Split Rock is showcasing their kindness and giving to others in need! The drive will continue until Friday, May 17.

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, May 20:
  Grade 5 Orientation @ CMS- Students Visit
  Grade 5 Parent Night @ CMS 6:00pm-Parent Night

Tuesday, May 21:
  WGCSD Budget Vote-  6am-9pm @ WGHS Auditorium

Wednesday, May 22:
  PTO Meeting (Split Rock Library) 6:00pm
  BOE Meeting WGHS Library 7:00pm

Thursday, May 23:
  Grade 4 Science Performance Test

Friday, May 24:
  West Genesee Special Olympics @ WGHS