Union Vale Middle School

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM

Mr. Stephen Kerins - Principal
Mr. John Healy
Associate Principal
Ms. Christine Jamin
Assistant Principal

Message from the Administrative Team

We are pleased to provide this website for everyone's use. We hope it will help our school's communication to you in a quick and up-to-date manner. Please bookmark this website so it becomes an easy page to access on your computer. We also suggest you sign in for the "schoolmessenger" notification system for important school and/or district reminders, early dismissals, delays, and school closings.

CHECK HERE FOR LATEST NEWS....

UVMS MUSIC GROUPS PERFORM WELL AT MUSIC-IN-THE-PARKS NEW ENGLAND - MAY 17TH - WAY TO GO RAYS!

Congratulations to the Union Vale Middle School 8th Grade Band, Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Chorus on their wonderful performances at the Music in the Parks Festival held on May 17, 2013 in New England! The Band, under the direction of Ms. Gina Gaspary, achieved 1st place, a rating of Superior, and the all- rround best band award. The Orchestra, under the direction of Mrs. Kristina Rizzo, achieve 1st place, a rating of superior, and the all- around best orchestra award. The Jazz Band, under the direction of Mr. William Stevens, achieved 2nd place and a rating of excelllent, and the Chorus, under the direction of Mr. Brett Fleury, achieved 1st place with a rating of excellent.

AN IMPORTANT & CONSTANT REMINDER...HAVE YOU MADE YOUR EMERGENCY DISMISSAL PLANS WITH YOUR FAMILY?

PARENTS ARE REMINDED TO MAKE AND REVIEW EMERGENCY DISMISSAL PLANS WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL ANNOUNCE OVER THE NEW "SCHOOLMESSENGER" SYSTEM ALL EMERGENCY CLOSINGS, CANCELLATIONS, OR EARLY DISMISSALS VIA SCHOOLMESSENGER PROGRAM. LOCAL RADIO STATIONS WILL ALSO BE CALLED. FOR EARLY DISMISSALS IT IS IMPORTANT A FAMILY PLAN IS IN PLACE KNOWING YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE ARRIVING HOME EARLIER THAN USUAL. PLEASE MAKE AND REVIEW PLANS WITH YOUR CHILDREN PERIODICALLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND COOPERATION REGARDING THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY CONCERN.

SCHOOLMESSENGER INFORMATION

"SCHOOLMESSENGER" PHONE AND TEXT COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USED BY DISTRICT TO INFORM PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY AND/OR IMPORTANT NOTIFICATIONS REGARDING STUDENT ABSENCE, EARLY DISMISSAL, DELAY OPENING, SCHOOL CLOSURE, AND ALL PERTINENT SCHOOL RELATED INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATED IN A TIMELY FASHION.

Since December 2010, the Arlington Central School District has been using the SchoolMessenger Notification System. We use SchoolMessenger to phone you about student absences, school closings, delays and early dismissals, and to remind you about school activities and important dates. This communication tool will also be used in the event of an emergency. A message describing the event or providing specific instructions can be created and sent within minutes of its occurrence.

Contact Manager Expands Flexibility and Accessibility
SchoolMessenger has replaced Newsflash! In order to receive messages via email or text messaging, sign up for a Contact Manager account! In addition to receiving phone calls, through SchoolMessenger’s Contact Manager you can also choose to get your messages via email and/or text messaging. Contact Manager allows you to select which types of messages you would like to receive and at which phone number or email address. If you choose not to set up a Contact Manager account, you will only receive messages on your home phone number. You will not receive emails or text messages until you activate Contact Manager.

How do I sign up?
If you have already set up a Contact Manager account, congratulations! It will remain active for as long as you have a child in an Arlington school. For Arlington employees, your account will remain active for as long as you are employed by the district. If your child is new to Arlington schools or if you have not already set up a Contact Manager Account, you will receive instructions and personalized activation codes by the end of September. We will also be contacting staff with information to set up an account. Once you receive this letter, please sign up without delay!

For more information visit the district website at www.arlingtonschools.org

COMMON CORE INFO FROM NY STATE ED. DEPT.
EngageNY.org
News and Notes
April 2013
New York State Education Department
News and Notes
Common Core Assessment Video Series

Dear Colleagues,

When I communicated with you last week, I introduced a new series of videos on the new Common Core state assessments. The video below is for parents about the Common Core Standards and the upcoming Grade 3-8 state assessments in English language arts and math. Please forward this email or share the link to this video with the parents and family members of your students.

There's much more information about the Common Core and the new assessments below and on EngageNY.org. Take a moment to check out what's posted there.

Also, two other videos in the Common Core Assessment Video Series have been posted on EngageNY on what parents should know about the upcoming tests and how those tests fit into their children's education. Those videos are available at the links below:

What Should Parents Know About the New Common Core Assessments?
How Do the Common Core Assessments Fit into our Children's Education?

Thank you for all you do every day to help our students learn.

Dr. John B. King, Jr.
Commissioner
Follow me on Twitter @JohnKingNYSED

STAY CONNECTED
IN THIS ISSUE:
Message from Commissioner King

Transition to Common Core Regents Exams

Common Core Resources

Transition to Common Core Regents Examinations in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics

In order to ensure adequate notice and time for students to be prepared to take the new Regents Exams measuring the Common Core, and based on feedback from the field, the Department plans to provide an overlap in the administration of the current Regents Exams measuring the 2005 Learning Standards with the new Regents Exams measuring the New York State Common Core Learning Standards and to provide a phased-in sequence for math. As a result, adjustments have been made to the June 2014 Regents Exam schedule and the Common Core exam implementation timeline.

To assist schools in the transition, test specifications and sample questions will be available in the late spring 2013 for the Common Core Regents Exams in ELA and Algebra I that will be administered for the first time in June 2014.

Read the memorandum providing additional information on the transition to Common Core Regents Exams in ELA and in mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II).

Common Core Resources

Below is a list of key resources on EngageNY.org designed to assist educators with the implementation of the Common Core.

The New York State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards in ELA and Mathematics
Read the standards organized by grade level in both English language arts and math.

The Common Core Shifts
These resources explain the six instructional shifts in ELA and math needed to effectively implement the Common Core.

Memo regarding the Implementation of the Common Core
The State Education Department sent this memo to school administrators providing an update on Common Core implementation.

Common Core Curriculum Materials in ELA and Math
Access free Common Core-aligned curriculum materials, including lesson plans and performance tasks, in ELA and math.

Common Core Assessment Design
View Item Review Criteria and additional guidance resources designed to guide test question development on the Grades 3-8 ELA and math assessments.

Test Guides and Sample Questions for Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Assessments
The test guides and sample questions demonstrate how the Common Core will be measured on the 2013 assessments.

Text List for P-12 ELA
The Text List for P-12 ELA contains all the full-length books, articles, excerpts and other texts to be used in the ELA curriculum modules on EngageNY.

Tri-State Quality Review Rubric and Rating Process
The Tri-State Collaborative (composed of educational leaders from Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island and facilitated by Achieve) has developed criterion-based rubrics and review processes to evaluate the quality of lessons and units intended to address the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and ELA/Literacy.

Workbook for Network Team Implementation of Common Core, Data Driven Instruction, and APPR
This workbook is designed to assist Network Teams, District Superintendents and superintendents in their ongoing Common Core, Data Driven Instruction, and APPR implementation efforts.

Evidence Collection Tools for Classroom Use
The purpose of these tools is to capture evidence of the shifts in practice in each of our classrooms. The results of this collection can play a key role in providing evidence-based feedback in general and as it relates to APPR specifically.

Common Core Video Library
Watch how educators are bringing the Common Core to life in their classrooms.

Toolkit for Parents and Families
A collection of materials and resources that will help parents and families understand the Common Core and how to help their child learn, including an FAQ, Parent's Backpack Guide to the Common Core, and What Parents Can Do to Help Their Children Learn.

ARLINGTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT http://www.arlingtonschools.org/

Visit #: 154,391