MS Newsletter 10/9/2026

Upcoming Events:

October 9 / October 12:  No school - Columbus Day weekend.

October 16:  5 week progress reports go out.

October 30:  Half day for students - dismissal at 11:30am.

October 30:  Halloween dance and party for grades 5-8 (REMINDER:  There are criteria for kids to attend based on behavior, academics and attendance)

Athletics:

Tuesday October 13: Modified Girls Soccer at Franklin at 4:30

Tuesday October 13: Modified Boys Soccer Home Vs. Unatego at 4:30

Thursday October 15: Modified Girls Soccer at Greene at 4:30

Thursday October 15: Modified Boys Soccer Home Vs. Greene at 4:30

Thursday October 15: Modified Football at Sidney at 4:30

Guidance:

This school year we continue to implement our character development program PurposeFull People.  Our character trait for October is Responsibility.  Please see the attached parent information sheet to kick-off our October trait.

~ Over the summer we had several generous donations to both our clothes closet, the Hawks Hanger, and our school supply closet.  Please encourage your child to see me or the school nurse, Mrs. Barber, for any supply needs they may have. 

~  Please feel free to reach out to me with any student questions or concerns- KStarkSp@oxac.org- (607)843-7185 ext. 2518

5th Grade:

5th Grade ELA:  Our 5th graders had a productive and engaging week! We began by exploring the history of Mexico in the mid-1800s while practicing strategies for extracting effective notes from informational text. This historical background provides essential context as we begin reading our core novel, Esperanza Rising.

• Independent Novel Project: Most students have successfully submitted their novel outlines. Any students who have not yet turned in their work should submit it as soon as possible for credit. Using these outlines, students will construct a three-paragraph letter. While dedicated class time will be provided, students are strongly encouraged to utilize study hall to complete this task. Due Date: Friday, November 13th.

• Special Event: On Monday, October 5th, 5th graders attended an exciting performance about Amelia Earhart presented by actors from Rev Theatre.

Please review your child’s ELA Policy and monthly calendar for all upcoming deadlines. We wipe down our desks daily to keep our space clean. Any donations of Clorox wipes would be greatly appreciated! 

 September Readers of the Month

Congratulations to our outstanding readers for September!

• 5th Grade: Jaxon Shackleton

5th grade math we divided two-digit and three-digit numbers by two-digit numbers. We went through the steps of dividing, multiplying, subtracting and bringing down (DMSB) to find out the answer. We then checked our work with multiplication and added back a remainder if we had one. We will continue the work next week and apply long division to word problems. Have a wonderful weekend!  

5th Grade Social Studies- 5th graders worked super hard this week! We wrapped up our maps unit, and students took both their unit assessment and their second vocabulary quiz. Next week, we will be diving into our brand-new unit. Great job to all of our students for their hard work and focus! As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns. Have a wonderful weekend! 

5th Grade Science is working on moving towards their first NYS embedded lab.  It will not be graded, but it does need to be complete and understood.  The lab will take place in a couple of weeks.  We have been focusing on water in class and will continue to do so as we prepare.  The next vocabulary quiz is scheduled for October 14th.  Please reach out with any questions or concerns.   

6th Grade:

6th Grade ELA:  We have officially launched our novel unit on Bud, Not Buddy, and students are already enthusiastic about the story. We are currently focusing on reading visualization strategies, recording our insights on charts, and sharing reflections with peers. To ensure ongoing comprehension, students will complete a brief quiz every two chapters.

• Independent Novel Project: Most students have turned in their novel outlines. Missing submissions should be turned in promptly to receive credit. The next stage of this project involves drafting a four-paragraph letter based on the outline. Class time will be allocated for this project, but students are encouraged to work during study hall as well. Due Date: Friday, November 13th.

Please review your child’s ELA Policy and monthly calendar for all upcoming deadlines.  We wipe down our desks daily to keep our space clean. Any donations of Clorox wipes would be greatly appreciated! 

                    September Readers of the Month

Congratulations to our outstanding readers for September!

• 6th Grade: Ryann Walling

6th Grade Math: The students are solving ratio and rate problems independently.  They are using fractions, ratio tables, double number lines, tape diagrams and graphs to show their work. Next week, we will begin comparing rates and starting to learn about percentages.  Have a great weekend!  

6th Grade Social Studies- 6th graders have been working hard to master our new information! This week, students learned about the seven continents and applied their comparison skills to closely examine two continents. They also completed a vocabulary quiz. Please note that our unit test is scheduled for Thursday, October 22nd. As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns. Have a wonderful weekend! 

6th Grade Science is working on The Weather and Climate Unit.  This unit will take some time.  It is preparation for the NYS embedded lab and also covers important 6th grade science standards.  The lab will not be graded but will need to be completed and understood.  The next vocabulary quiz is scheduled for October 14th.  Please reach out with any questions or concerns.  

7th and 8th Grade:

​​ ELA 8 Readers of the Month for September

Our Phenomenal Readers of the Month for September are Wesley Gould, Mason Buckley, and Jacob Mataev. These young people have gone above and beyond in demonstrating their commitment to Independent Reading by reading every day, always having their books with them, and enthusiastically sharing their books with others.

Congratulations to the September Readers of the Month! Keep up the outstanding work!

 ELA 8:

✏️ Bell Ringers
This week, students practiced grammar, mechanics and usage skills by editing quotes by Lionel Messi. We are also continuing to work on the importance of using our best handwriting and taking pride in the work we put on paper.

📚 Independent Reading
Students also completed their third Independent Reading Page Check this week. Students shared information about the books they have chosen and had the opportunity to tell the class a little about what they are reading.

A reminder that students should be reading for at least 30 minutes each day. Reading progress will be checked weekly through our page checks. Our next page check will be Thursday, October 15th.

Thank you for encouraging your student to read at home and for supporting their learning! Your partnership makes a difference.

✏️ Writing
This week, students began writing letters to residents of the Oxford Veterans Home. This experience is in conjunction with Kaitlyn Fortin, a Binghamton University Occupational Therapy student who is completing her fieldwork placement at the New York State Veterans Home in Oxford. As part of her fieldwork, Ms. Fortin has developed a mail program for residents in the dementia care unit, as the act of receiving mail can provide residents with a meaningful experience and create a sense of excitement and purpose in their daily routines.The goal is to provide residents with meaningful mail to look forward to while creating a simple opportunity for connection between generations. Not only are our students honing their writing skills, but they are also helping to bring joy to the residents. We are all very excited to be involved in this worthy program!

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns at ncrandall@oxac.org. I look forward to another great week of learning with your students!

7th grade Social Studies students are starting their unit on the 13 colonies.

8th grade Social Studies are beginning their first essay of the year.  They will be completing it during class time.

7th Grade Math:  This week, we continued adding and subtracting negative rational numbers.  We also explored how adding and subtracting negative numbers move on the number line. Next week, we will begin multiplying and dividing negative numbers.  

ELA 7:  This week ELA students completed our writing unit.  Students were assessed on their ability to use the four types of sentences in language (declarative, imperative, interrogative and exclamatory), in which situations to use the conjunctions because, but and so and how to use appositives and subordinate conjunctions to enhance the complexity of sentences in which they write.

Students were assigned their first independent reading assignment of the school year.  The book chosen must be a minimum of 200 pages. The in-class assessment is scheduled for 10/30.  Please encourage your student to read daily.     

8th grade math class, we will be having our first test on Friday, October 16th on exponents.       

News / Programs / Clubs / Related Arts:

College and Careers:

5th Grade – Kitchen Safety: Students have been learning the essentials of food preparation- safety and hygiene. Key topics include proper handwashing techniques, how to safely handle knives, avoiding cross-contamination and understanding basic stove/oven safety rules to keep things safe when cooking at home.

6th Grade – Soft Skills: We’ve focused on building essential interpersonal tools for school and beyond. Students explored the fundamentals of active listening, effective verbal and non-verbal communication, teamwork and adaptability.

7th Grade – Personal Finance: Lessons covered the basics of creating a simple budget, distinguishing between financial "wants" vs. "needs," and the core principles of smart spending.

8th Grade – Entrepreneurship: Students are gaining hands-on experience learning what it takes to run a cafe! They  have been planning a customer-friendly menu, applying for different team roles and preparing for job interviews to learn real-world workplace and management skills 

PRINCIPALS MESSAGE:

• We are quickly approaching 5 weeks.  Please check SchoolTool and ParentSquare for updates on your child's progress.

• Reminder:  If your child is playing a modified sport, they have to maintain passing grades to continue to be eligible to play.

• Thank you for sharing your children with us.

• Be great everyone.