Family Newsletter - 9-22-26

• Our Grade assemblies were a success last week, a special thank you to our APs, Deans and Guidance Counselors. Academic and behavioral expectations were discussed, with an emphasis on respect for all, school building etiquette, as well as a reminder of our cell phone policy using Yondr pouches. Moving forward, please make every effort to support your children in following proper school rules and regs by enforcing them from home.
   
• I want to provide you with the link to the Respect for All webpage. The family-facing information explains NYCPS policies and procedures for preventing and addressing student-to-student sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, bullying, intimidation, and/or discrimination.  Our school's Respect For All Liaison is Mr. Salem at [email protected].
   
• Tomorrow evening, September 23rd, the first parent meetings for the 2026-2027 school year are scheduled to take place virtually from 4:30pm - 7:30pm.  All teachers, will post a Zoom OR Google Meets link in their Google classroom AND on Practice Gradebook. The link will remain open during the entire meeting time, allowing families the chance to visit as their schedule allows. They will be providing information and answering questions pertaining to curriculum pacing, Practice Gradebook, classroom/instructional/behavioral expectations, school year events, etc. The purpose of this meeting is a general meet n greet.  If you wish to speak with your child's teachers privately, you can schedule a time to meet with them at a later date during their 55-min weekly parent communication time. 
   
• Tomorrow, all of our students will receive an important notice to bring home, providing you with information to access PRACTICE (see attached). PRACTICE is our online grading and family communication system. Once you log in using the email address you have on file with the school, you will have access to all of your child's teachers, their homework assignments, attendance, projects, tests and grades. You will be able to communicate with teachers, and your child's teachers will be able to communicate with you. This valuable resource bridges the home and school environment for our students, bringing us together as one school community. Please follow the instructions in that letter carefully. If you have any questions regarding access or registration, please reach out to Ms. DiMatteo, our parent coordinator. 
   
• Our school will continue using i-Ready as our Mathematics and Reading Diagnostic platform.  Three diagnostics are given throughout the year, measuring your child's proficiency in Reading and Math grade level skills. This information is used in MTSS placement and progress monitoring. We administered the i-Ready Reading Diagnostic today, and will administer i-Ready Math on Thursday. It’s critical that our students try their best so we can obtain accurate data that will help inform the individualized instruction they will receive.  To help prepare your child for the i-Ready Diagnostic, encourage them to try their best on each question, try not to rush, and understand that they will not know the answer to every question. Thank you for your continued support and for being a partner in your child’s learning!
• Families, if you have not done so yet, please complete the school foods lunch forms using the following link:  form online, .  Just a note, the family income inquiry forms are ONLY used to provide schools with their Title I funding, which is used to support after school programs for our students.
• IMPT>>>You must have a current email address, phone number and home address listed in your child's NYCSA account to be linked to my Parent distribution list.
  Update or register following this link: https://www.schoolsaccount.nyc/
   
• This week, Student Government Organization elections will be in two phases. The first phase we will elect our new class representatives in each grade while phase 2 will elect our new student leadership cabinet of 6th grade Treasurer, 7th grade Vice President, and 8th grade Student Body President. If your child is interested in running, please have them speak with their Social Studies teacher. (see attached for more info)
   
• Our Cavallaro Honey Badger Sports season is set to begin. If your child is interested in trying out for Soccer, Boys/Girls Basketball, Boys/Girls Volleyball or Early Morning Fitness, please see the attached permission slips and information.

Academic Vocabulary Word of the Week: 

9/21/2026 – Suggest,  Reveal

Spanish: Sugerir, Revelar

Chinese:  建議, 揭示

Russian: Предложить, Раскрыть

Urdu: تجویز کریں, افشا

Suggest (v.): cause one to think that (something) exists or is the case.

• Synonyms: indicate, argue, demonstrate, propose, recommend

Reveal (v.): make previously unknown or secret information known to others.

• Synonyms: disclose, divulge, release

Ms. Bender’s Quote of the Week:

“Treat everyone with politeness and kindness, not because they are nice, but because you are.”-  Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart