Morton Magic!
Shout out to all of the families who joined us for Morton Mix and Mingle!
Shout out to all of the families who helped to decorate and chaperone the 6th grade Fright Night!
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!
Student Life at Morton
Every day is full of learning and fun! Check out some of the things happening at Morton this week.
Each advisory decorated their doors for our Halloween Door Decorating Competition! Check out the entries here - password is
BOO!Dressing up on Halloween was fun for everyone!
Dear Families,
As a community, we had a lot of fun this week: Halloween door decorating, 6th grade Fright Night, and Halloween costumes galore!
Despite these shining moments, many of our students are still struggling. Two important articles to read are below, and both of them reflect the experiences here at Morton and around the city.
https://gothamist.com/news/signs-struggle-and-conflict-more-month-nycs-new-school-year
The DESSA screener (see email from Friday) is an important step by the DOE that recognizes that students' social and emotional well-being is as important as their academic scores.
As we work together, please remember that empathy, trust, and patience are crucial as we rebuild our community after the intense traumas of the past year and a half. There is no "magic wand" we can wave to address and support all of the students' needs at once, but every staff member is dedicated to helping all of our students feel safe, supported, and cared for in our building.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." --African Proverb
Warmly,
Valerie
PS - Apologies for the late newsletter - I spent the day with the creepy, kooky family below. ;)
And Also:
- DESSA Screener: If you would like to opt-out, you must email Valerie by Monday, November 1st.
- Election Day: On November 2nd, students will learn from home. All assignments will be posted on google classroom.
- Jumprope Information Session for Families: November 3rd at 9:30am. Zoom link to come.
- Parent-Teacher Conferences (zoom): November 17th (evening) and 18th (afternoon). Early dismissal for students on the 18th. Sign-ups coming soon.
- 8th Grade Families:
November 3, 3:00 - 4:00 PM and November 4, 6:00 - 7:00 PM - NYC DOE Virtual Information Sessions.
This session will walk you through creating your MySchools account, using MySchools to explore high school options, and register for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT). If you are unable to attend, recordings of the event will be posted two weeks following the event. Note that the high school application is not yet open but your child should have received a personalized welcome letter with a creation code. If you have not yet received the letter with your creation code, please let me know as soon as possible.
November 5 - deadline to register for TACHS exam (Admissions Test for Parochial Schools)
November 15 - deadline for registering for the SHSAT (Specialized High School Admissions Test)
From Previous Newsletters:
- MAP assessment data will be shared soon with families.
- 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!
Important Dates:
Tuesday, 11/2 - Election Day - No students in the building - Async Google Classroom Work
Wednesday, 11/3 - 3:30 - 4:00 Zoom Office Hours with Valerie (6th grade families)
Thursday, 11/11 - Veteran's Day - No School
Wednesday, 11/17 - Evening Parent-Teacher Conferences on zoom
Thursday, 11/18 - Afternoon Parent-Teacher Conferences on zoom. Student have early release
Wednesday, 11/24 - Pep Rally
Thursday and Friday, 11/25 - 11/26 - No School - Thanksgiving
“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.”