Staff Update Week of May 18,  2026

Important Dates

5/19-                        8th Grade- Niagara Falls

5/21-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom)

5/21-                        Music Assembly 2nd period (Gym)

5/22-                        Fire Drill (7th Period)

5/25-                        No School

5/28-                        Student Last Day

5/29-                        Staff Last Day

Important Information

School Day Changes 2026-27

Student school day:  7:40-2:20pm

Staff work day:  7:30-2:30pm

Tentative Dates for 2026-27

Monday, August 17th        9:00-11:00am      6th Grade Orientation

Monday, August 17th        5:30-7:00pm        6th Grade Supply Drop-Off

Tuesday, August 18th        5:30-7:00pm        7th/8th Grade Supply Drop-Off

Thursday, August 20th        First Day of School

MAP Testing

7th Grade will be testing this week

Learning Walks

I still need to complete 6th Grade Learning Walks

Nerdy Derby

Please be sure you are supervising students while they are working in groups.  

Supervision

Just a friendly reminder....

Students must be supervised at all times.  Make sure you are enforcing the rules.  Issue consequences.  Do not be the weak link that allows students to create problems for everyone else.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Looking Ahead to the Last Weeks of School

 

Staff Update Week of May 11,  2026

Another great performance from Northern Lights.

Important Dates

5/11-                        Smiles Dental Program

5/12-                        5th Graders visit EMS

5/12-                        Flip 2nd and 3rd period (entire school)

5/12-                        5th Grade Parent Night 6pm

5/12-                        Spring Band Concert 7pm

5/13-                        Assembly (7th and 8th Grade) 9:15-10:15 gym

5/13-                        Spring Choir Concert 7pm

5/13-                        6th Grade Field Trip- Progressive Field

5/14-                        8th Grade Field Trip-  West Side Market

5/19-                        8th Grade- Niagara Falls

5/21-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom)

5/21-                        Music Assembly 2nd period (Gym)

5/22-                        Fire Drill (7th Period)

5/25-                        No School

5/28-                        Student Last Day

5/29-                        Staff Last Day

Important Information

Think Interactive Assembly

7th and 8th graders will be called down to the gym at 9:15 on May 13th.

Staff, please be in the gym to help make sure students are behaving appropriately.  This will last until 10:15

5th Graders at EMS

On May 12th, Thomas Jefferson Elementary 5th graders will be touring and eating lunch at EMS.  Reminder, we will be switching 2nd and 3rd period for the entire building that day.

MAP Testing

6th Grade 5/11 (Reading) and 5/12 (Math)

7th Grade  5/19 (Reading) and 5/20 (Math

8th Grade (Tests already completed)

Learning Walks

I will be stopping by classrooms for Literacy Learning Walks this week.  I will be in rooms for about 15 minutes.

Nerdy Derby

Thank you Mr. Dressel for your hard work with the entire school with Nerdy Derby.  This year, the track will be set up in the cafteria.

Supervision

Just a friendly reminder....

Students must be supervised at all times.  Make sure you are enforcing the rules.  Issue consequences.  Do not be the weak link that allows students to create problems for everyone else.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Gemini for Education

 

Staff Update Week of May 4, 2026

Important Dates

5/8-                            Niagara Falls Parent Meeting 7:30am  Cafeteria

5/8-                            Northern Lights 2nd period in Gym (confirmed)

5/11-                        Smiles Dental Program

5/12-                        5th Graders visit EMS

5/12-                        Flip 2nd and 3rd period (entire school)

5/12-                        5th Grade Parent Night 6pm

5/12-                        Spring Band Concert 7pm

5/13-                        Spring Choir Concert 7pm

5/13-                        6th Grade Field Trip- Progressive Field

5/14-                        8th Grade Field Trip-  West Side Market

5/19-                        8th Grade- Niagara Falls

5/21-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom)

5/21-                        Music Assembly 2nd period (Gym)

5/22-                        Fire Drill (7th Period)

5/25-                        No School

5/28-                        Student Last Day

5/29-                        Staff Last Day

Important Information

Teacher Appreciation Week

Thank you for your unwavering dedication, compassion, and commitment to our students every single day.  Your hard work, creativity, and resilience make a lasting impact in and beyond the classroom.  We are truly grateful for all that you do.  Happy Teacher Appreciation Week.

AIR Tests

Congratulations to all of our tested area teachers.  Testing is done!  

(we have a few make-ups to complete).  Thank you Mackenzie, Tracey, and Michelle for helping out with the make-up tests.

Northern Lights Assembly (May 8th, 2nd period)

Our annual Northern Lights Assembly will be in the gym on Friday.  Please make sure you sit in the bleachers and keep the student quiet.  I will call students down to the gym at the beginning of 2nd period.

MAP Testing

Each grade level needs to complete Math and Reading MAP testing in May.  I will provide a schedule for this once it is finalized.

May- Reminders

Please limit students leaving your classroom.  Make sure you are using SmartPass.  Plan engaging lessons to keep kids from misbehaving.  Do not send students to the gym.

Outside

Now that we have hit May, feel free to take your students outside.  Please make sure you take a radio with you so the office can contact you if needed.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

19 Highly Engaging End-of-Year Activities

Congrats to Angela and Ellen.  A new record.....over 20K

Thank you for all your hard work with NESS

 

Staff Update Week of April 27, 2026

Important Dates

4/27-                        Fire Drill 1:35

4/28-                        Track Conference Meet (students will leave school early)

4/28-                        Band at Captains Game

5/8-                            Northern Lights 2nd period in Gym (confirmed)

5/11-                        Smiles Dental Program

5/12-                        5th Graders visit EMS

5/12-                        Flip 2nd and 3rd period (entire school)

5/12-                        5th Grade Parent Night 6pm

5/12-                        Spring Band Concert 7pm

5/13-                        Spring Choir Concert 7pm

5/13-                        6th Grade Field Trip- Progressive Field

5/19-                        8th Grade- Niagara Falls

5/21-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom)

5/21-                        Music Assembly 2nd period (Gym)

5/22-                        Fire Drill (7th Period)

5/25-                        No School

5/28-                        Student Last Day

5/29-                        Staff Last Day

Important Information

AIR Tests

This is our final week of state testing.  Everyone has been doing a great job.  Please continue to keep the hallways quiet.

 Spring Testing Calendar.

Testing Groups

Food and Drinks in Hallways

Please make sure students are not eating or drinking in the hallways.  They are permitted to have water.  Students should not have Starbucks, Dunkin, McDonalds,  Energy Drinks, etc in the hallways.  

If you see it, please enforce the rules.  

Roster Verification

Roster Verification is due Friday.  Please see me if you have questions.  The majority of you have already completed it.

Student Behavior

Please enforce all the rules.  Dont be the person that allows students to roam hallways or be late to class.  We still have a month of school.

Outside

Do not take students outside unless you talk to me.

I will ease up on this once we get done with testing.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

 

Staff Update Week of April 20, 2026

Thank you to our guest Cosmetology Speakers!

Important Dates

4/24-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom)

4/25-                        NESS

4/27-                        Fire Drill 1:35

4/28-                        Track Conference Meet (students will leave school early)

4/28-                        Band at Captains Game

5/8-                            Northern Lights 2nd period in Gym (confirmed)

5/11-                        Smiles Dental Program

5/12-                        5th Graders visit EMS

5/12-                        Flip 2nd and 3rd period (entire school)

5/12-                        5th Grade Parent Night 6pm

5/12-                        Spring Band Concert 7pm

5/13-                        Spring Choir Concert 7pm

5/13-                        6th Grade Field Trip- Progressive Field

5/19-                        8th Grade- Niagara Falls

5/21-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom)

5/22-                        Fire Drill (7th Period)

5/25-                        No School

5/28-                        Student Last Day

5/29-                        Staff Last Day

Important Information

AIR Tests

ELA testing has been completed.  Congrats to our ELA teachers.  Thank you for your hard work preparing our students.  

This week begins Math testing.

 Spring Testing Calendar.

Testing Groups

Supplemental Contracts

Reminder:  Supplemental Contracts are approved year to year.

No one is guaranteed to have a supplemental each year.  You must apply.

If you are interested in a supplemental, apply.  

Roster Verification

Tested area teachers, Roster Verification opens up on 4/8.

Please complete this for each of your classes.

We will discuss in PLCs

PLC Schedule Change 

For this week, I need to make some changes to the PLC schedule

6th Grade-  Thursday 2nd period

7th Grade-  Tuesday 8th period

8th Grade- Monday 8th period

*  CTE team, please cover 7th grade classes on Tuesday instead of 8th grade

**  CTE team, please cover 8th Grade classes on Monday 8th period so the 8th grade team can meet with me.

Outside

Do not take students outside unless you talk to me.

I will ease up on this once we get done with testing.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Managing Teacher Stress:  Useful Tips and Guidance

 

Staff Update Week of April 13, 2026

Important Dates

4/17-                        Academic Awards

4/24-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom

4/25-                        NESS

4/27-                        Fire Drill 1:35

5/7-                            5th Graders visit EMS

5/7                            5th Grade Parent Night 6pm

5/8-                            Northern Lights ?

5/11-                        Smiles Dental Program

5/12-                        Spring Band Concert 7pm

5/13-                        Spring Choir Concert 7pm

5/13-                        6th Grade Field Trip- Progressive Field

5/19-                        8th Grade- Niagara Falls

5/21-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom)

5/22-                        Fire Drill (7th Period)

5/25-                        No School

5/28-                        Student Last Day

5/29-                        Staff Last Day

Important Information

AIR Tests

Testing Season is off to a great start.

Thank you for helping keep the hallways quiet and motivating our students to try their best on each test.

 Spring Testing Calendar.

Testing Groups

3rd Quarter Awards

We will be having our 3rd Quarter Awards on Friday, April 17th

1st period-  7th Grade

2nd period- 8th Grade

3rd period-  6th Grade

Roster Verification

Tested area teachers, Roster Verification opens up on 4/8.

Please complete this for each of your classes.

We will discuss in PLCs

PLCs

During the month of April in PLCs, I will be asking each of you to reflect upon the following:

-  What is something that you are proud of at EMS?

-  What is something new you tried in the past 2 weeks in your classroom?

-  What is something new you plan to try?

-  How have you use The Writing Revolution in your classroom?

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Interesting ways to keep students engaged

 

Staff Update Week of April 6, 2026

Important Dates

4/6-                          No School

4/17-                        Academic Awards

4/24-                        Tornado Drill (Homeroom

4/25-                        NESS

4/27-                        Fire Drill 1:35

Important Information

AIR Tests

ELA AIR Tests begin on Tuesday, April 7th.  Here is a link to the Spring Testing Calendar.

If you are not administering tests, I need you to help keep hallways quiet.  

Students are being assigned to rooms for testing.  I will put a link to the testing groups in next week's bulletin

PLCs

During the month of April in PLCs, I will be asking each of you to reflect upon the following:

-  What is something that you are proud of at EMS?

-  What is something new you tried in the past 2 weeks in your classroom?

-  What is something new you plan to try?

-  How have you use The Writing Revolution in your classroom?

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

60-Second Strategy: The Last Question