Family Newsletter - 11-9-26

• We recognized the hard work and dedication of Ms. Kirshner last week, as we celebrated National School Psychologists Week. Nobody realizes all the behind-the-scenes work she does to ensure that our school remains compliant. Thank you “Ms. Tracey”, for your dedication to the students and families of our school who are most in need of the support. Monday evening, Cavallaro staff “showed up” for former D21 Superintendent Isabel DiMola’s retirement party. I was very proud to see we had such a nice representation of IS 281, all there to celebrate her many accomplishments. Her impact was felt across the city, as Ms. DiMola endearingly dedicated her life to ensure that every child received an equitable and rigorous education, while supporting so many families along the way.  She will be dearly missed.
   
• I would like to commend EVERYONE on an extremely successful remote school day on Election Day. Our students were surprisingly present, with a very high attendance rate for the day. A special thank you to our Science Dept. for prepping the kids the prior week with a Google Classroom homework assignment. In visiting Google classrooms, it was clear that our teachers took the day seriously, presenting students with valuable instruction, as well as preparing and facilitating engaging and interesting activities for them. Thank you to all of our families for ensuring your kids had an adequate place to take part in their remote instructional day. 
   
• As you know, the Portrait of a Graduate framework is being incorporated in all NYS schools. Attached is our IS281 Portrait of a Graduate implementation plan. It details the vision and purpose, the Talent Department's specific implementation timelines and expectations for students, grade-level progress monitoring through the generation of digital portfolios, and desired graduate outcomes. Please familiarize yourself with this work, as our Talent Department Teachers take on this task to build our students’ habits, creativity, confidence and practical skills for high school and future pathways.
   
• Classroom Spelling Bee contests were completed on Friday. Congratulations to the winners of the Classroom Spelling Bee contests, who will be participating in our School-Wide Spelling Bee on November 20th.
   
• Thursday, November 12th, is a half day. Student dismissal will be at 11:10am. Student Progress Reports will be sent home tomorrow with your child, detailing their current grades reflected in Practice Gradebooks. Parent Teacher Conferences will be held virtually from 12:10-2:10pm & 4:30-7:30pm. Please ensure that you log in to your child's Google classrooms from home for each of their subject teachers; there will be a link posted there for you to take part in conferences with each of your child's teachers.

• Sharing and Understanding Academic Screener Data with families: To support families in understanding academic screener information, you are encouraged to review academic screener outcomes in your NYC School Account (NYCSA) in the Reading and Math Progress tile. Note that the outcomes displayed in NYCSA relay information about student performance in general terms, indicating whether students are on grade-level with reading and math skills, or require additional support to reach grade-level skill development. 
   
• Please see the attached November PTA meeting agenda and the zoom link below.  Please let me know if there's anything else you want me to add. 
  D21 21K281PA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
  Topic: IS 281 PTA Meeting
  Time: Nov 10, 2026 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
  Join Zoom Meeting
  https://nycdoe.zoom.us/j/97663292023?pwd=KdhQgV3OydNcgqZOS02QAsXYQ48LVh.1
  Meeting ID: 976 6329 2023
  Passcode: 237857

Academic Vocabulary Word of the Week: 

11/9/2026 – Influence, Outcome

Spanish: Influencia, Resultado

Chinese: 影響, 結果

Russian: влияние, исход

Urdu: ٹیلی , ویژن تشدد کا اثر, نتیجہ

Influence (v.): to have an impact on; change; affect

• Synonyms: impact, change

Outcome (n.): the way a situation turns out

• Synonyms: result, aftermath