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 families who joined us for Meet the Teacher Night!
Student Life at Morton
Every day is full of learning and fun! Check out some of the things happening at Morton this week.
7th- and 8th-grade students got active in PE class!
8th graders worked together in advisory to build towers!
6th graders made connections to one another based on their summer reading!
All grades participated in town halls to learn about Restorative Justice!
Dear Families,
When reflecting with teachers this week, a couple of points stood out to us: 1) overall, students are thrilled to be back in school. 2) Some students are overwhelmed with the return to full-time, in-person learning with a school full of students. We anticipated that our students would need more social-emotional support than ever this year, and we were right. This is one reason we chose to have advisory 3 days a week (and 5 days a week in September).
We are also focusing on restorative practices to build community, create a sense of connection, and help students build skills to resolve conflicts and repair harm. Students participated in town halls last week where they learned about restorative justice and fairness circles. If you were unable to attend the Restorative Justice workshop on Thursday, I highly recommend you read through the slide presentation. The power of restorative practices is clear. In one fairness circle this week a 6th-grade student said, "I wish my elementary school had circles when things went wrong, instead of just being sent to the office."
One of my favorite quotes is "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." As a staff, we are working together to incorporate restorative practices into all we do. We invite you, our families, to join us on this path that we know will provide students the support they need.
Best,
Valerie
And Also:
- Be sure you have completed the blue card, out lunch consent form (optional), and comfort dog consent forms. They are VERY important!
From Previous Newsletters:
- 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
You will need to use your student’s NYC DOE email account. If you need help accessing that information, please email jill@75morton.org or visit the DOE Student Account page for help setting up or accessing your child’s account.
It is important to upload your child’s vaccination status so that in the event of a COVID exposure, your child can still attend school (as long as no symptoms are present).
New DOE Visitor Policy: In order to protect staff and students in DOE buildings, all visitors wishing to enter DOE buildings must show proof of having at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. Acceptable proof of vaccination is one of the following:
A CDC Vaccination Card - a photo or photocopy is also acceptable.
A NYC Vaccination Record or other official immunization record from within or outside the US, including from a health care provider. A photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable.
Important Dates:
Wednesday, 09/29 - PTA meeting - 9:30am
Wednesday, 09/29 - SLT - 5pm
Monday, 10/11 - No School