Principal Message - Middle School

January 2013

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I want start by welcoming everyone back from the holiday break. The holidays give all of us a chance to spend time with our family and friends. This year that time was even more important after the couple of months leading up to the holidays that were extremely hard on so many.  Let us all hope that 2013 is a better year.

As of January 25th half of this school year is over and before you know it the end of the year will be upon us.  With that in mind, let me assure you that our faculty is working hard to prepare our students for all the state assessments.

What’s happening at the Middle School:

• Each year we run several drills to practice the procedures put in place in case of an emergency.  Prior to the holiday vacation we were planning for a lock-out/lock-down drill. However, after the tragedy that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut we decided to review and revise all of our emergency plans. We have rescheduled the lock-out/lock-down drill to practice these new procedures and get feedback from our staff and students on how to improve the process.  The drill will take place on the morning of Thursday, January 17, 2013.
  
  During the drill members of the Suffolk County Police Department, Central Office, and additional school personnel will be present to share support, considerations and feedback. All staff members have been and will continue to be involved in the Emergency Response Plan. These drills are specifically designed to deal with an intruder in the building or a situation outside the building that we do not want to gain access to the building. We have thoroughly mapped out the safest areas within the classrooms, cafeteria, special area classrooms, and other areas of the building for all of our students.
  
  Our teachers have been and will continue to meet with each class as a way to provide purpose, reassurance and answer questions prior to and after the drills. This drill is being addressed similarly to the importance of conducting fire drills throughout the year. We will reassure the students that this drill is one way of keeping us safe in the building. We will also stress the importance of following the directions of the classroom teacher and maintaining silence.
  
  I would like to encourage you to have a conversation with your child/children both before and after the drill. This conversation should be a reassurance of practicing safety at school.  Additional parent resources and information to assist in these discussions can be found on the Middle School web page. The students will become familiar with the term “Lock-out/lock-down” and it’s procedures that have been put in place to keep us safe inside the building. Certainly this drill is not meant to worry or scare anyone. Rather, it is an opportunity to feel secure about our school environment. Please know that we will not be sharing any details or events of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. However, any specific inquiries from students will be addressed with respect, compassion and reassurance.
• Another change you will encounter when you enter the Middle School will be at the security desk. From now on when you sign in you will be asked to show and leave your drivers license. I understand that this may be inconvenient nevertheless, it is important that we know and keep track of who is in the building at all times. When you are finished with your business you will need to sign out and retrieve your license. We are looking into purchasing a system that will scan your license so that you will not have to leave it at the security desk. However, until that system can be purchased and set up we will be following the above procedure.  Thank you in advance for your understanding in helping us secure our building.
• This year we will be changing the format of our Mid-term exam schedule. Due to Super-storm Sandy and the lost time we will not be having half days. Mid-terms will run January 22nd thru the 25th and we will follow a normal school day schedule with all nine periods. Students should still prepare for the Mid-terms as they have done for all of their assessments throughout the year. We have created a schedule to limit the number of exams that each student will take on a daily basis. Please review the attached schedule with your child/children so that they are aware of which test they have to take each day. The same rules apply as when preparing for a test; students should get a good night’s sleep and eat a well balanced breakfast. They should come to school prepared with all the materials they need to succeed. These tests are a great way for our teachers to find out how each student comprehends the specified materials and where they may need additional assistance.
• The Middle School PTA will be hosting the Winter Dance on February 1st at 7:30 to 10:00 pm in the Middle School gymnasium. Students who would like to attend the dance are required to have a signed contract and a clean discipline record for the month of January.  Students can bring the signed contract to their lunch period to purchase a ticket on January 29th, 30th, or 31st. The tickets are on a first come first served based.
  
  We will be following the Middle School dress code for the dance; if you should not be wearing the outfit to school it will not be permitted at the dance.
  
  We do ask that parents volunteer to chaperone. With approximately 600 students in attendance we can use all the help we can get.
  
  We will continue our drop off and pick up procedures to ensure all of our students safety. We require that you park your car during pick up and come into the dance so we ensure that everyone is going home with the right person.
  
  The dances are part of a wonderful program that has been sponsored by the Middle School PTA for years. I would like to thank our PTA for making sure that our students have programs like this so they may enjoy themselves in a fun and safe environment.  Everyone should always show their support for our Middle School PTA.

As always, I appreciate all of our parents, staff and students as they demonstrate their LINDY PRIDE each and everyday.  If there is any way we can be of assistance or if you have any questions or concerns, please contact the main office.  Together we will continue our students’ success and keep our school safe. Here is to 2013, may it be a great year for all!

Sincerely,


Frank D. Naccarato, Jr.
Principal