Dear IEY Families,

We hope that you are well and that you are enjoying the cooling temperatures. Fall in New York State is such a remarkable sight. Be sure to take time to enjoy the natural beauty of the season as the leaves begin to change colors. We hope you enjoy this week's edition of Castle News and find the information useful.

Last week, Isaac adopted Pink as the school color in support of breast cancer awareness month. Our behalf of IEYMS, we encourage the New Rochelle community to schedule and keep their screening appointments. Early detection is KEY! Click the links for more resources.

https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/cancer/services/community_resources/?county=westchester

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

The first progress report is now available in the Home Access Center. We encourage all families to sign up for Home Access. It is quick, free, and easy. Home Access allows you to view your child’s progress and report cards quickly and easily, progress reports, schedules, attendance, and other important student information. Sign-up instructions can be found by clicking the link. https://www.nred.org/page/home-access

Please review the progress report with your child. After-school help is available during the week. Children should see their teachers for the exact days and times. Students also have access to free tutorial services through Tutor.com. Please see the October 5 newsletter for more information also found on the IEY website under the Family and Community Link.

Finally, we ask that you support our efforts to build confident students who are resourceful and who can advocate for themselves. Each day, we remind students of our expectations around seeking help to address minor or major concerns that arise while at school. Students have access to a team of supportive individuals including counselors, administrators, social workers, and school psychologists. We ask that you encourage your child to use these resources as needed. At the beginning of the year, each student was given a directory of whom to go to for help. We will continue to reinforce the message of using school-based resources every day.

Writing or verbally presenting an argument to support an evidence-based claim while analyzing a topic or text and providing a valid reason is a skill that all students must master to be successful at all levels of education including college. The NYS Standards refer to this skill as a writing anchor standard. At IEYMS, we use a strategy named C-E-R to help students organize their thinking when presenting an argument or position. C-E-R is also referred to as a writing framework and consists of three parts, Claim-Evidence- Reasoning.

At IEYMS, this writing-thinking strategy is used in all classes including physical education.

C-E-R supports the development of argumentative thinking and can be used as the foundation for different forms of academic writing including argumentative and persuasive essays or research-based papers. Here is how it works. It all starts with a question or statement posed by the teacher.

This question can be based on a lab experience in science, a character analysis in ELA, or a social studies event. The student's answer will consist of three parts. A claim, the evidence, and the reasoning. The learner must make a statement or claim that speaks to their position or conclusion, then provide evidence to support the claim. The last step is to provide a detailed explanation for why the evidence led the student to make the claim. This is also where the student explains why the concepts are relevant to the claim or why the evidence is important. In other words, why does this evidence support my claim?

Parents can support the development of argumentative and critical thinking by implementing the following steps.

1. Practice critical thinking skills at home in children's natural environment with a variety of topics and people.

2. Debate everything! Make a statement such as we should not use plastic bottles for water. Ask your child to share their beliefs and then encourage them to support their thinking with evidence.

3. Provide children with access to diverse and rich reading materials. Ask students to make claims about their reading and include the evidence. Evidence might include a quote, research facts, a statement from the author, descriptions of characters, or a visual such as a chart, graph, or other data. Evidence can be from other sources as well.

4. Practice C-E-R. When students make a claim, ask them to provide evidence and reasoning to build thinking habits.

Parent tips modified from Teach Thought.

IEYMS Afterschool clubs, activities and extended learning programs will begin on November 2, 2022. Please click here for more information. The club list was shared with parents and students via email accounts. The information is also posted in the grade-level Google classroom and on the IEYMS website. On Monday, October 24, administrators hosted a grade 6 club information session. Students may register for after-school activities during their lunch period. Registration forms must be submitted by Friday, October 28. While we encourage students to participate in after-school activities, we recognized that students are involved in out-of-school activities and have other responsibilities. Club participation is not mandatory.

The Isaac E. Young Middle School Counselors visited all 6th grade classes. The students participated in a self-discovery and self-reflection activity and learned about the role of the school counselor. They completed a questionnaire and were able to share a little bit about themselves on topics such as their favorite movies, activities, and future college and career aspirations. Through this activity, students were able to explore what they had in common with their peers and were able to get to know each other as a class. Students were also introduced to the topics that will be discussed throughout the year. The school counselors will continue to visit classes to deliver lessons on topics such as goal setting, report card review, self-awareness, conflict resolution, and college & career readiness.

As part of our continued effort to create an inviting, affirming, and inclusive school community free of bullying and harassment, the Isaac Support Services Team delivered powerful lessons on harassment and intimidation. Students in grades 6-8 are learning about the different types of harassment, the impact of these actions on others, and what to do if they feel they are being harassed. Throughout the year, students will continue to explore important topics impacting middle school life.

Did you know that 13 is the average age when kids try alcohol and drugs for the first time? Armed with the right information and concrete strategies, we can support our children in making good choices. Research shows that children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don't. Yet only a quarter of students report having these conversations.

Each year, National Red Ribbon Week is celebrated from October 23-31 with the theme for this year being "Celebrate Life, Live Drug-Free". Schools across the country use this time to engage kids in dialogues about the importance of making positive life choices and avoiding the temptation to use drugs and alcohol.

This week, students at IEYMS will participate in a SPIRIT week to celebrate Red Ribbon Week. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities educating them about the risks of substance use as well as strategies to help refuse situations while maintaining friendships.

For more information, please contact Nicolette Loaiza, Student Assistance Counselor at IEYMS.

A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR IEYMS PTA. On October 17, our PTA hosted its first PTA meeting of the 2022-2023 school year. President Susan Masi and team hosted a webinar that featured the IEYMS psychologists and social workers. Parents learned more about how school psychologists and school social workers support students and provide valuable services and resources to the school community. We

encourage all families to join future PTA meetings and become a member. Future PTA meetings and guest presenters include:

School Counselors: November 14

Student Assistance Counselor: December 12

Special Education Services: January 9

Curriculum Night: ELA and Social Studies: February 13

Curriculum Night: Science and Math: March 13

To learn more about the IEYMS PTA: https://isaacyoung.nred.org/o/ieyms/page/ieyms-pta

To learn more about the PTA and how they support children visit the National PTA website at:

https://www.pta.org/home/About-National-Parent-Teacher-Association/why-join-pta

New Rochelle SEPTA membership includes interested parents with children receiving special services as well as special education faculty and administration who are dedicated to helping all our children reach their fullest potential. Families whose children receive related services through our city schools would benefit from joining us. Click the links below to learn more.

-New Rochelle SEPTA (English Version)

-New Rochelle SEPTA (Spanish Version)

• Daylight Savings Time Ends (set clocks back 1 hour!): November 6

• Election Day (Half Day for Students): November 8

• End of Marking Period 1: November 10

• Veterans Day Schools Closed: November 11

• IEYMS PTA Meeting: November 14

• 7th Grade Luau Dance: November 18

• Half Day: November 23

• Thanksgiving Recess Schools Closed: November 24-25

• SEPTA Meeting: November 30

The IEYMS Lost and Found is overrun with coats, jackets, sweaters, lunch bags, shirts, and other items. We even have a pair of white sneakers! We are unable to store these items long-term as the Lost and Found has been growing since September. Items not collected by November 11 will be donated to a local New Rochelle agency. Please encourage your child to stop by the Lost and Found located in front of the IEYMS auditorium.