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The District 21 Community is excited to welcome everyone to the 2026-2027 school year and to share the September 2026 District 21 Newsletter! This edition highlights important updates, upcoming events, student and family opportunities, and celebrations from across our district.
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We are kicking off our Cavallaro kindness shout outs today. Our SGO will have their own bulletin boards on the 1st floor, where they will post SGO info, as well as create a Cavallaro Kindness tree to display all of the shout outs submitted.
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Our Student of the Month awards will be revised to represent students who exemplify the 6 competencies in the Portrait of a Graduate framework (see attached). Our talent teachers will be reviewing the NYS “The Portrait of a Graduate” framework with their students next week, and incorporating it into their PBL units, which will result in our students creating their own "Portrait of a Graduate" portfolios.
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Phase 1 of our Student Government Organization elections have concluded. Congratulations to all of our newly elected Class Representatives, may you be the voice for your peers as we move into the school year. Next, we will be electing our SGO cabinet, 6th grade treasurer, 7th grade Vice President, and 8th grade Student Body President. The due date for teacher recommendations/signed student contracts is Wednesday, September 30th. Students are responsible for obtaining those contracts/teacher recommendations on their own, as well as writing a paragraph of intent. 5 candidates from each grade will be selected to compete in the annual elections after being reviewed by the SGO Advisors. If selected, students will need to prepare for grade assemblies and voting on October 13th.
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Our Cavallaro before and after school sports programs will begin in October. If your child is interested in trying out for Soccer, Basketball or Volleyball, please see the tryout dates below. They must have a permission slip to attend, which can be picked up from their PE teachers during gym.
Academic Vocabulary Word of the Week:
9/28/2026 – Determine, Conclude
Spanish: Determinar, Concluir
Chinese: 確定, 結束
Russian: Определить, Заключить
Urdu: اس بات کا تعین, نتیجہ اخذ
Determine (verb): to establish an idea
Synonyms: establish, decide
Conclude (verb): to arrive at an idea, a judgment or opinion
Synonyms: infer, gather
Ms. Bender’s Quote of the Week:
"Peace begins with a smile." - Mother Teresa
Upcoming Events:
9/30 School Spirit Day - Celebrate September: Dress Down
SGO Cabinet applications due
10/2 National Custodial Appreciation Day
2:15 - 4:15pm 6th grade Volleyball tryouts
10/3 10:00am - 12:00pm Girls Basketball tryouts
10/5 6:45 - 7:45am Soccer tryouts
2:30 School Safety meeting
3:55 - 6:55pm Boys Basketball tryouts
5:30 - 7:30pm Middle School Fair @Boody
10/6 6:45 - 7:45am Early Morning Fitness starts
High School application and SHSAT registration opens
2:15 - 4:15pm 7th grade Volleyball tryouts
6:00 - 7:00pm High School Information Night
10/7 6:45 - 7:45am Soccer tryouts
2:15 - 4:15pm Girls Basketball tryouts
10/8 Blake Leaper Assemblies 6th grade pd. 3, 7th grade pd. 4
2:15-3:15pm 7th and 8th grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
6:00pm President's Council meeting
10/9 SGO notifications out
6:45 - 7:45am Soccer tryouts
School Spirit Day: Italian American Heritage Day-wear red, white, green
2:15 - 4:15pm 8th grade Volleyball tryouts
10/12 NO SCHOOL - Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day
10/13 SGO assemblies and voting Pds. 3, 4, 5
3:00pm School Leadership Team Meeting
3:30pm Girls Varsity Volleyball home game
4:00pm Virtual PTA meeting and Town Hall Safety Meeting
10/14 School Spirit Day: National Anti-Bullying Day - wear blue for kindness or orange for unity
6:00pm CEC meeting HOST @ IS 281
10/16 Senior Day
4:00pm Girls volleyball home game
10/19 Food Drive Begins
Digital Citizenship Week - lesson in Science
10/20 5:30 - 7:30pm Open House
10/22 10:00 - 12:00pm Open House
10/23 School Spirit Day: National Wear It Pink Day Breast Cancer Awareness
4:00pm Girls Varsity Volleyball home game
10/27 4:00pm Girls Varsity Volleyball home game
10/29 3:30 - 5:30 Fall Festival
10/30 SHSAT registration closes
School Spirit Day: Celebrate October
Have a wonderful week as the Fall weather greets us!
Sincerely,
Ms. Bender
