FIRST MARKING PERIOD REPORT CARDS AVAILABLE SATURDAY
First marking period report cards will be available for families to view starting on Saturday, November 14th.
Click here to log-in to SchoolTool: https://schooltool8.neric.org/SchoolTool_AVER/
Thank you.
TUESDAY 11/17 – AMS STUDENT HALF DAY
Tuesday, November 17th will be a half day for Algonquin students due to parent-teacher conferences.
Below is a link to a two minute video that explains the half day schedule:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_WkQlJx5YMY__HmqVkfJQzxwc5QzL4MB/view?usp=sharing
The slides narrated for this video are available to view by clicking on this link:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/11ARNQPKuDAmktzEUo6hT4dkZBVa2hJf1Cijm1GO7ojg/edit?usp=sharing
The slides include important class period start and end times that our virtual and at-home Cohort 1 (Last Names A-K) hybrid students will need to know to report to classes on time.
Students will receive information about the half day on Friday during our morning announcements and through a special email from Mr. Messia.
LIFETOUCH SCHOOL PICTURES
Picture day is coming! Picture day dates: Thurs, Nov. 19, 2020; Fri, Nov. 20, 2020; Mon, Nov. 23, 2020; Tues, Nov. 24, 2020.
Hybrid/In Person students will have their pictures taken on their in-person day during their PE class.
Virtual students can have their pictures taken here at AMS anytime between 2:30pm and 4:30pm on Thurs, Nov. 19, 2020 or Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Virtual students should enter from outside at the Blue Gym entrance to get their picture taken in the Blue Gym.
All AMS students need to have their school photo taken for our school records and to be included in the school yearbook.
Order forms will be sent home with students shortly. Families can order online by visiting: https://lifetouch.com/order-pictures/ and using the Picture Day ID: EVTPHXDTX
APO “WARRIORS” GEAR – WINTER SALE
Looking for “Warrior” Gear for the holidays? Check out the APO apparel sale. Orders are due by December 6th by 11:59pm. Check out our special 2020 Shirt, Quarantine edition. Click on the following link for more information. Thank you for supporting the APO with this apparel sale. You will be contacted for order pick up when they arrive. Any questions please contact Lexi Lane at lexi.lane@gmail.com or call/text at 518-859-6878.
Click here for the online store:
https://algonquinmiddleschool2020.itemorder.com/sale
Click here to see the flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nHz_8N79HzIcHC6GDRKL–32qXBJgMo6/view?usp=sharing
APO MEETING REMINDER
The Algonquin Parent Organization will hold it’s 2nd virtual meeting of the school year Monday, November 16th at 7pm. We hope to see you there. Email Cat Headley (headley70@gmail.com)
STUDENT ATTENDANCE WHEN IMPACTED BY COVID REQUIREMENTS
Dr. Rhode recently put together a document that outlines current attendance practices and requirements when students are impacted by Covid symptoms, waiting for Covid test results or are quarantined by the County Department of Health. This document can serve as a reference for families with questions about this topic:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QGVRteqFYlkDgDKAyfp3PzuuctqPkiTlqur5ohJnHak/edit?usp=sharing
FROM THE LIBRARY
An important Chromebook reminder: Please help your child be ready for school by reminding them to charge their Chromebook each night and to be sure to pack it in their backpack for the next school day. This should ensure that their school day and learning is not interrupted. Thank you!
Coding Club will be on Thursday from 3:30-4:15. If your child would like to come, they need to email Mrs. Ekstrom for the Meet code. Students can see Mrs. Ekstrom or email her if they have any questions. ekstromr@apcsd.org
Special Contest!
The New York State Office of Information Technology Services’ is once again hosting the “NYS K-12 Kids Safe Online Poster Contest.” The contest is open to all students in New York State public, private and home-schools. As students learn to navigate the classroom in a more virtual setting during the COVID-19 pandemic, they need a strong cyber education to accompany it. Learning to be a good digital citizen has become a skill that even our youngest students must develop to get the most out of their online education.
This is a great opportunity for teachers to talk to students about being safe while on the Internet and while using computers and mobile devices. The contest has five entry categories: Kindergarten–Grade 2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 and Special Education. New York State winners will be displayed in the 2022 NYS Kids Safe Online Calendar and entered into the MS-ISAC National Computer Security Poster Contest.
More information on the “NYS K-12 Kids Safe Online Poster Contest” can be found on the contest web page at https://its.ny.gov/ciso/2020-2021-kids-safe-online-poster-contest
Questions regarding the contest may be submitted to cyber.outreach@its.ny.gov.
Don’t miss out! The contest entry deadline is December 18, 2020.
We have parenting books that you are free to borrow. Two of our latest books are listed below. If you’d like to borrow a book or have any library questions, please email Mrs. Ekstrom at ekstromr@apcsd.org
Nature Play at Home: Creating Outdoor Spaces That Connect Children With the Natural World by Nancy Striniste ; illustrations by Jen Ren
“Gives you the tools you need to make outdoor adventures possible in your own backyard. With hundreds of inspiring ideas and illustrated, step-by-step projects, this hardworking book details how to create playspaces that use natural materials–like logs, boulders, sand, water, and plants of all kinds. Projects include hillside slides, seating circles, sand pits, and more”–Publisher.
Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
“A guide to the increase in anxiety and stress experienced by girls of all ages. Damour addresses the facts about psychological pressure and explains the underappreciated value of stress and anxiety–that stress can stretch us beyond our comfort zones and anxiety can play a key role in keeping us safe. Damour discusses where tension takes hold–interactions at home, pressures at school, social anxiety among other girls and among boys, and on social media–and provides steps to take to shield girls from the toxic pressures to which our culture–including we, as parents–subjects them.” –Publisher.