September 10, 2014

Curriculum Night- Please Attend 

We highly recommend that you plan to attend this week’s Middle School Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 18th at 6:00. We will be in Swift House for the first hour, and our emphasis will be on explaining changes to our program that have come about as a result of our Chromebook Pilot Project. Therefore, the evening will be valuable to returning parents as well as new ones. You will be able to see some of the things that your children are already doing in class with this new technology, and ask questions about how it is being used with our students. We look forward to seeing you in the Swift House kiva this Thursday, the 18th at 6:00!

Picture Day

Picture Day forms were handed out this past Friday.  If you wish to purchase pictures of your child please send the forms before picture day. Picture day takes place on Wednesday, September 24th.

1:World Chromebooks 

Part of our contract in providing Chromebooks for each student in Swift House has been educating ourselves about the safe handling and use of this technology.  Currently all students are taking part in the "Digital Passport" program which reviews communicating, privacy, standing up for others, safe searches and creative credit on-line.  We will continue our work on Digital Citizenship throughout the school year.

Click on the image below to view the slide show presented to students the second week of school:

The CSSU Technology Use Guidelines will continue to focus our work with students throughout the school year:

Science Update

Swift House students are currently studying ecology in science classes, looking specifically at how energy enters and is transformed throughout an ecosystem.  5th and 6th graders are testing bean seeds to determine which variables affect the rate of growth. 7th and 8th graders are looking for evidence of the production of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis by using an acid indicator.  Both groups will continue on this subject by looking at the importance of balance in these ecosystems.

5th Grade Math Class at Work

Calculating volume

Comparing models

Three dimensional drawings

Middle School Ultimate Frisbee Club

Dear Williston Central School ​5th through 8th Grade​ Students, Faculty, and Parents,

My name is Jack Carnahan and I am currently a senior at CVU. As most of you might know, every senior must complete what is known as a Gradation Challenge where the senior must demonstrate new learning. I decided, because I love the sport so much and have played it for four years, that I wanted to start and Ultimate Frisbee Club at WCS and learn how to coach. With the help of my Ultimate coach, Syrus Amedore, I am hoping to teach WCS students everything from how to throw and catch, set up a workable offense and defense for a game or two, and, most importantly, how to have a good time.

 I plan on having practices every Friday starting on September 19th until October 24th, with no practice on October 17th. I plan to meet in the Swift House kiva at 3:00 right as school gets out and practice until 4:30. We will work on the fundamentals such as throwing and catching and then work our way to applying that knowledge to a game scenario. I have also set up a few games for the fall season so the kids can test their new skills on another team.

Any ​5th-8th graders​ are ​welcome to come to practice regardless of athleticism or knowledge of the sport. Simply bring the sign-up form below to our first practice on Friday, September 19th. If you would like to contact me about anything related to Ultimate you can reach me at jackcarnahan@cvuhs.org or my faculty advisor at Williston Central School, Amy Skapof, at askapof@cssu.org or 871-6127.

Ultimate Frisbee Sign-Up Form

I give my son or daughter permission to stay after school Fridays for Ultimate Frisbee from 3:00 to 4:30 on the Williston Recreation Fields, starting Friday, September 19th.

Student’s name: __________________________

Parent or Guardian name: __________________________

Parent or Guardian signature: __________________________

Parent E-mail: ______________________________________

Health and or Allergy Concerns: __________________________

Emergency contact number: __________________________