Greetings from all of us at Moriah Elementary!
It has been a busy time!

During their recess, our elementary students are truly enjoying their new Playground! It looks great and provides lots of opportunities for fun and exploration. It is even handicap accessible! We can never say “Thank you!” enough to all those who made the new playground a reality! Raising the funds to purchase the equipment was truly a community event as businesses, organizations, families, individuals, students, and alumni donated. We are so fortunate to be part of such a wonderful and supportive community!

We have begun utilizing a new approach to behavior management. The PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) program is a systematic approach for teaching behavioral expectations throughout the school. Our behavioral expectations are clearly defined and taught for all areas of the school, from the classroom to the playground and the buses. The 3 expectations we have of all students at all times are to be safe, be responsible, and be respectful. Our expectations are summarized on a matrix, or poster, and are displayed in all classrooms and student areas. The philosophy of PBIS is teaching, promoting and rewarding positive behaviors rather than reacting to negative behaviors.

We have added a new resource just for elementary parents! It is called “Parents Make the Difference” and it is a monthly newsletter filled with short articles and tips that are interesting for parents. We have included two additions, one for early childhood (Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten) and one for elementary (grades 1-6). We are interested in your feedback! Let us know what you think of the online newsletter! You can send me an email at any time.

It is time to start thinking about Pre-Kindergarten for the 2010-2011 school year! We will definitely have two Pre-Kindergarten classrooms next year, with 20 students in each room. Having a third classroom is not a guarantee and is dependent upon the number of students who sign up and the availability of funding. Our sign-up period to be included in the random selection process (lottery) begins January 11th and runs through February 1st. Signing up your child during this period does not mean your child is automatically enrolled in the Pre-Kindergarten program. It only means that you wish for your child to be included in the random lottery that will determine the students who will be enrolled. The lottery will be conducted at a Board of Education meeting in March or April. If we have more students than available spots, we will continue the lottery to establish a waiting list, should openings occur. Those who call after the sign-up period ends will automatically be placed at the bottom of the waiting list. This process is in accordance with New York State Department of Education protocol for Pre-Kindergarten programs.

Report cards are our primary tool for communicating with parents regarding the academic progress of their children. The elementary staff will be reviewing the format of and the information appearing on our report cards throughout this school year. We are hoping to have new and improved report cards next year. If you have suggestions for our report cards, contact us! We are interested in your opinion.

On behalf of all the faculty and staff, we hope you are enjoying health and happiness! We truly appreciate your support!

Valerie Stahl, Principal
Moriah Elementary School