Morton Magic!
Have a shout out to a parent or member of our community? Please share at info@75morton.org and we will be sure to include in the weekly newsletter!
Shout out to all of the family members who joined our first field trip! Aimee Savage, Zoe Portnov, Regina Brandao-Haynes, Danielle Strain, Lawrence Dowd, Suzanne Garfinkle, Sarah O'Brien, Kim Rose, Hing Chan, Amanda Gelber, Dacia, Kaori Cipriano, Laura Castagna, Nancy Hay, Elizabeth Smith- Isaac, Martha Riveria, Maricel, Naz Ahmed Georgas, Renee, Evelyn Polesny, Andrey Aleksandrov, Regina Potts, Joey Hazard, Deborah Posternak Assayag,Tanya Duprey, Jen Wanner, Rebecca Lupardo, Kristen West-Jordan, Joann Santos, Alexis Raskin, Peter Leonardi and Sarah Ireland, Lydia Maldonado, Melinda Gallagher, BIni Mustafa, Jacci Abreu, Jolene Kennedy, Nakeithia Coles, Rebeca Primero, Sumathi Sivapalasingam, Janet Li, Anjali Augusting. Apologies if I missed someone!
Student Life at Morton
Every day is full of learning and fun! Check out some of the things happening at Morton this week.
Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade had a blast on advisory field trips! A few photos are below. Be on the lookout for a slideshow of all the photos from that day!
6th-grader work on poetry in English class!
Bea, our comfort dog, enjoys spending time in the classroom!
6th-graders work on science assignments together!
HALLOWEEN COSTUMES
All students are allowed to dress up for Halloween on Friday, October 29th. Costumes must follow the guidelines below:
1) no weapons of any sort
2) no fake blood (it's messy)
3) costume must appropriately cover the body
4) Regular face masks must be worn - no Halloween masks that fully cover the face (we must be able to tell who the child is)
Any costume item that does not follow these rules will be taken and returned at the end of the day. If students have questions, they can ask their advisor.
Dear Families,
As a parent, it can be difficult to get a handle on what school is like, especially with a middle school student who may only give you one-word answers to your questions. In an attempt to pull back the curtain a bit, I want to share some of the things happening at Morton:
Academics:
WIN periods ("What I Need") began last week on Tuesday and Thursday for all students. During that time this week, students will be logging into Jumprope and setting academic goals.
Teachers are learning how to analyze MAP assessment data during weekly morning professional developments.
The science department is participating in hydroponics training and will roll this out to students soon.
Restorative Practices:
Advisory meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to provide a space for students to tackle important issues and build community.
Restorative Fairness Circles happen throughout the day, with Nicki, Kate, or Theresa facilitating these discussions.
Staff is focusing on the power of praise in the classroom and recently read this article.
Clubs:
GSA meets every Wednesday at 8:10 am with facilitators Sarah F and Hana.
Student Council (7th and 8th grade) voting happens this week, and Fred and Hannah will facilitate Student Council meetings.
Black Student Alliance begins soon with facilitators Sasha and Melicca.
Arts/STEM:
The Arts Department is currently planning our Winter Showcase.
7th grade Drama students will be working with Theater for a New Audience to do a Shakespeare residency.
STEM students will begin an animal behavior field study using crickets.
Teacher Teams:
All teachers meet as Bungalow teams and Department teams every week to plan together.
The Equity Team meets Friday mornings.
The Instructional Leadership Team meets every other Tuesday afternoon.
PROSE Committee meets once a month to discuss structures and policies in the school.
There are a lot of moving parts, but we are finding our groove! If you have additional questions about any of these items, please email your student's advisor.
Best,
Valerie
And Also:
- 6th-Grade Out Lunch Starts Tuesday! Students MUST have their ID (no exceptions) to attend out lunch.
- 8th-Graders interested in creating an Art Portfolio for high school applications and want support can sign up here for afterschool with Lauren A. Deadline is Friday, 10/29.
- MAP assessment data will be shared soon with families.
From Previous Newsletters:
- Parent University is an online education portal from the NYC Dept. of Education which offers free, pre-recorded and live, online courses in adult education, arts, early childhood education, enrollment, health and fitness, multilingual learners, parent leadership, remote learning and technology, school buildings and operations, and special education. This short video tutorial explains how to create an account.
- Registration is open for grades 2–12 virtual reading and math tutoring from Hearts of Gold and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. Students will receive free 40-minute tutoring sessions at least two times a week from 10/4/21–5/20/22. Register here.
- Question? Check the family handbook first!
- COVID Testing Consent
If your child is not vaccinated, please complete the COVID Testing Consent Form.
It is located in your NYC Schools Account (NYCSA), or you can complete it by submitting a signed paper consent form. We will send these home with students as well.
- Vaccination
Students who have been vaccinated need to upload proof in the portal: COVID-19 Vaccination Portal
Important Dates:
Wednesday, 10/27 - 3:30 - 4:00 Zoom Office Hours with Valerie (7th and 8th-grade families)
Wednesday, 10/27 - 5 - 7pm - Morton Mix and Mingle
Friday, 10/29 - 4:30 - 6:00pm - 6th grade Halloween Dance (special afterschool activities until 4:30. Email Cynthia for more information)
Tuesday, 11/2 - Election Day - No students in the building - Async Google Classroom Work
Thursday, 11/11 - Veteran's Day - No School
Wednesday, 11/24 - Pep Rally
“Looking for a way to support our teachers and show them some love? Teachers love snacks! You can have them sent to the main office. Email jill@75morton.org or PTA@75morton.org if you have questions.”