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 Helena and Vanessa for your hard work on the yearbook! It is amazing!
Shout out to Yesenia De Avila for all of her work with Little Island logistics and graduation!
Shout out to Bella Sirugo for all of the gorgeous paper flowers and coming into Art class to teach students how to make them! The 7th grade dance is going to look great!
Shout out to Maya Brewster-Dorian and Eve Smith for their work organizing the 8th-grade trip!
Student Life at Morton
Check out what's happening at 75 Morton! It's been a busy week!
7th-grade STEM students design a rollercoaster!
7th-grade Visual Arts students create prints!
8th-grade Vocal Musicians perform for their Teaching Artist funded by the Paul Simon Foundation and City Lore!
6th-and 7th-grade Drama students wrote scripts that were then performed by professional actors through our Theater for a New Audience collaboration!
7th-graders work together to create an analogy of a cell! This group chose to compare a cell to social media. What IS the nucleus? Facebook or TikTok?
6th-graders created the GEM museum of Egyptian artifacts. They were great tour guides!
Students and families joined the NYC Parks Department to clean out the tree beds and plant hearty plants!
7th-graders make paper flowers for their Spring Fling!
End of Year Survey
PLEASE take the time to complete the SLT End of the Year Survey! The 75 Morton SLT has developed this survey for families to provide more specific feedback We would appreciate it if you took 10 minutes to complete it. Thank you in advance! Survey Link - complete by June 8th, 2022.
This week's letter is a special message from our Assistant Principal, Ilene.
Dear 75 Morton Community,
I am having a hard time starting this letter to you all, so I am just going to come out with it - at the end of this school year, I will be leaving the amazing community at 75 Morton. Those are words I never imagined I’d utter, but after 5 amazing years, it is my time to move on as I have taken a position as the Assistant Principal in an elementary school in the Mamaroneck School District in Westchester.
It is an understatement to say this move is bittersweet. As a founding staff member of this school, I will cherish this once-in-a-lifetime experience forever. Recently our staff was participating in a River of Life activity where we shared the life experiences that brought us to where we are today. When I created my river it reinforced how big of a place this school and community has in my heart. Morton is the place where I became an administrator. It is the place where I became a wife and a mother. It is the place where I learned about what makes middle schoolers tick (hint - it’s EVERYTHING) and where I formed some of the most meaningful relationships with staff, students and families.
When Jacqui, Katie and I decided to venture on this journey together 6 years ago, I couldn’t imagine what we would partake in building. I look at our school today in awe of what we have created as a community. 75 Morton is filled with brilliant, humorous, hardworking staff members who always say YES- where students are valued and seen and listened to. 75 Morton is just one of those places that grasps onto you tightly and never lets go - how lucky was I to be a part of it all?
I will miss so much about this school - the Morton days, the quick chats in the hallways, the belly laughs, the tears, and the seemingly never-ending stream of students wandering in and out of my office to write their names on my bulletin board and to teach me all of the latest slang.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child’s educational journey. PLEASE keep in touch.
With love,
Ilene
8th Grade Corner
ACTIVITIES
- Senior Trip - Governor's Island - Wednesday, June 1st
- 8th Grade Dance @ Bounce - Tuesday, June 21st
For students to be able to participate in the Senior Dance and the 8th-grade trip, they must meet the following guidelines:
Attendance needs to be higher than 80% (ATS) beginning Monday, May 16th (exceptions will be made based on student sickness, COVID, and admin approval)
Attend classes as required
Receive no more than 2 strikes from May 16th - May 31st
Receive no more than 2 strikes from June 2 - June 21st
No suspensions or removal
You are meeting Thunderbolt Thinking expectations as they relate to class participation and engagement
REGENTS INFORMATION
Dear Families,
A few weeks ago, 8th-grade students took Mock Regents exams for both Living Environment and Algebra I. Your student's scores have been recorded in their Google Classroom Gradebooks for both subjects. Please take a look at these scores to see where your student currently stands. The grades posted for both tests are your student’s scale scores, which are the official ones that will appear on their transcript once they take the actual Regents. The number of correctly answered questions needed to earn a passing score changes every year. Last year, a student needed to answer 41 questions out of 85 correctly for the Living Environment exam. For the Algebra I exam, students needed to get 27 points out of a possible 86 points in order to pass.
A passing score for both the Living Environment and Algebra I Regents is a 65. However, 65 does not guarantee that a student will move on from Algebra or Living Environment next year as acceptable passing scores vary by high school.
Your student can find many resources, including prior Regents exams for Living Environment, posted on Google Classroom to help them prepare for the actual tests in June. The Living Environment Regents exam will take place on Wednesday, June 15th and the Algebra I test will be on Thursday, June 16th. Barron’s also publishes review guides for both subjects that your student may find helpful.
Please reach out to your student's teachers with any questions or concerns.
Best,
8th Grade Science and Math teams
GRADUATION
Graduation will be held Friday, June 17th at 11:00am at Little Island Amphitheater. Tickets (2 per student) and additional information will be coming soon!
2022 High School Summer Design Institute (SDI):
NYC public middle school and high school students are invited to join the 2022 Summer Design Institute (SDI), a five to six week-long Career and Technical Education (CTE) summer program.
Students will learn valuable career skills and connect with industry professionals while building their portfolios. Summer Design Institute’s program area will vary by location and will be hosted at one of three high schools: High School of Art and Design in Manhattan (Advertising, Visual Art and Digital Design); Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School in Queens (Graphic Arts, Computer Science/Coding, and Electrical Installation); and Staten Island Technical High School in Staten Island (Computer Science, Engineering, and Media Arts).
This program is open to both CTE and non-CTE students. Successful completion of the program qualifies for a stipend. The deadline for students to apply is June 1. Please share the program flyer with students and their families. For questions, email Corrine Doron.
And Also
Did you know 75 Morton is an Urban Advantage School?
Urban Advantage is hosting Family Science Festivals on June 4, 5, 11, and 12. Seven UA partner institutions will welcome UA families to explore and engage in science-rich activities.
Families should bring EITHER email/digital OR paper copy of this flier to ANY UA institution for FREE admission on these dates. The Bronx Zoo and New York Hall of Science require pre-registration.
Students will be receiving a paper copy of the flier above on Tuesday.
WEEKEND OF JUNE 4/5:
WCS/ Bronx Zoo & NY Aquarium (at Bronx Zoo only)
Saturday, June 4
10:30 AM -1:30 PM
Pre-registration Required
New York Hall of Science
Sunday, June 5
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Pre-registration Required
WEEKEND OF JUNE 11/12:
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Saturday, June 11
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
American Museum of Natural History
Saturday, June 11
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Queens Botanical Garden
Sunday, June 12
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Staten Island Zoo
Sunday, June 12
12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
New York Botanical Garden
Sunday, June 12
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Summer Rising Enrollment Update: Elementary seats are now full, but middle school seats are still available in the Enrollment Portal. For families who enrolled in Summer Rising and have since requested changes, please note that we are not able to accommodate requests at this time, but we will notify families if there are any changes to seat availability in You can apply at nyc.gov/SummerRising.
At-Home COVID Testing - Students will be given four tests a week to take home. They can be used for family members as well!
Starting Monday, April 25th, any student who swipes in after 8:50am will NOT be able to attend outlunch. Exceptions will be made for excused lateness on a case-by-case basis. Please remind your child. School lunch is available for ALL students if your child arrives late and can not attend outlunch.
TEEN ARTS CONNECTION - https://teens.artsconnection.org/
As an Arts Connection Teen, you will have access to some of the most exciting and engaging arts experiences in NYC!
This include High 5 Tickets to the Arts! This is ArtsConnection Teen Program’s affordable access to the City’s professional dance, music, theater, film, and visual arts for only $5 a ticket. Best deal in NYC!
Access report cards for Marking Period 2 at https://mystudent.nyc/
COVID cases are on the rise - Consent for in-school testing through the NYCSchools Account or return a signed paper form HEREto the school
Important Dates:
June 1st - 8th Grade Trip to Governor's Island
June 2nd - 7th-Grade Spring Fling Dance
June 7th - No School for Students (date corrected)
June 9th - No School for Students
June 13th - Ballroom Basix Performance - 6th grade
June 15th - Living Environment Regents - 12:00pm (note time change)
June 16th - Algebra Regents - 9:15 am
June 17th - 8th-Grade Ceremony
June 21st - 8th-Grade Dance
June 27th - Last Day of School for Students
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.