Cortland Senior High School Community Newsletter
11/30/2017
Upcoming Events
  • 12/02: SAT Exam, 8 a.m.
  • 12/09: ACT Exam, 8 a.m.
  • 12/13: District Band Concert, 7 p.m.
  • 12/13: K-12 Art Show at Senior High School, 6 p.m.
  • 12/13: Auditorium Vote, Noon-9 p.m
  • 12/20: Select Choir Concert, 7 p.m.
  • 12/25-1/01: No School for Students, Holiday Recess
From the Principal
As you know, student engagement has been the major focus in our classrooms over the last two years. We are continuously working towards improving our instruction in order to meet all of our students’ needs. Our teachers are working on improving their instructional practices by doing the following: Creating “I Can” statements for each class, taking data on each lesson to better improve their teaching from one day to the next, and asking questions at various degrees of difficulty in order help students remember and learn material better.
Staff are also reviewing their curriculum (what they teach) by identifying essential standards. They are creating common assessments and looking at student work together in order to meet each student’s specific need.

Why does engagement matter and why do we work so hard to keep our student’s in school? Because of these statistics:
  • Students who fail school are three times more likely to be unemployed (Breslow, 2012).
  • High school dropouts in the United States earn thirty- five cents for every dollar a college graduate earns and sixty cents for every dollar a high school graduate earns (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2014).
  • Female dropouts will live an average of ten and a half fewer years than females who graduate from college (Tavernise, 2012).
  • In 2008, more than 1.2 million students dropped out of school.
  • Dropouts on average earn nearly 50% less than a student with a High School Diploma.
  • Dropouts are less likely to have a job with a pension plan and health insurance.
  • 4. 85% of the juvenile delinquents are functionally illiterate.
School Wide Behavior Expectations
The Cortland JSHS will again be communicating the “Behavior Expectations Grid” to students during daily announcements. This behavior grid was created by the Student Advisory Council last year and covers behavior expectations for all areas of the school including; Classrooms, Hallways, Bus/Transportation, Cafeteria/Outdoors, and Bathrooms/Locker-rooms. For each area of the school there are six messages that fall under the headings, T eamwork, I ntegrity, G oals, E mpathy, R esponsibility, and S afety. (notice the first letter of each word spells TIGERS ) Each student was given a copy of the grid and all classrooms have a copy posted. Please join us in our efforts to teach our students beyond the classroom content. If you would like a copy for home use, it is available on our school website under the heading “ Helpful Links ”.
Instructional Highlights: Social Studies
  • Check out our new homework website for the Social Studies Department by clicking here.
  • Holocaust Field Trip is April 6th for all students enrolled in the Holocaust and Human Rights Elective and 11th/12th graders. See Ms. Caselle for details or email her at [email protected]
  • In Mrs. George's class, students have completed the first part of their final exam. Please make sure you are attending study sessions after school to review for the 2nd part of the exam at the end of January
  • Psychology students, in Mr. Milligan’s class, recently completed their midterm Dream Project. Students researched multiple personal dreams in an attempt to unlock what dreams may be telling us about our own lives.
  • Topics currently being taught to our students are the following:
  • Global History II: Imperialism and World War I
  • Holocaust: Liberation of Camps and Nuremberg Trials
  • Participation in Government: We are working at tying privacy to its historical roots, to understanding the changeable nature of privacy and security, and looking at how modern communications have disrupted traditional balances
  • US History: The Constitution Tested through Jacksonian Democracy
  • AP Government: Political Campaigns and Campaign Finance
  • Global I: Ancient India’s Civilization (society, culture, geography, and religion)
  • Psychology: Human Motivation

Every Student, Every Day: Inspire, Respect, Engage 
Celebrations
  • The music department will be hosting 9 concerts throughout the district. Keep your eyes open for concert dates and times.
  • Congratulations to the cast and crew of the Secret Garden. It was a wonderful production.
  • Jen Rafferty will be presenting at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) winter conference on teaching 7th grade general music on December 2 in Rochester.
  • The Tech club took another field trip, this time to Pall Co. to see the high end manufacturing process of making filtration systems that are distributed worldwide. The Tech Club students are getting a chance to see many of the industries that are successfully operating in Cortland.
  • December 13th there will be a District wide art show, K-12, in conjunction with the music concert and Auditorium vote.

Oh, the places you'll go … Student College and Career Update:
  • Michaela Bidwell: Hilbert College
  • Sarah Bowker: Wells College and Keuka College
  • Connor Canfield: Geneseo
  • Jon Gesin: SUNY Potsdam
  • Taylor Hart: SUNY Delhi and SUNY Canton
  • Sophia Reyngoudt: Keuka College
  • Leah Romer: MCC
ALL rise ….
  • Merit List and Honor Roll Numbers:
  • Grade 9: 63.8% of the class made the Merit List or Honor Roll
  • Merit: 40 Students
  • Honor: 75 Students
  • Grade 10: 45.8% of the class made the Merit List or Honor Roll
  • Merit: 44 Students
  • Honor: 39 Students
  • Grade 11: 48.9% of the class made the Merit List or Honor Roll
  • Merit: 50 Students
  • Honor: 43 Students
  • Grade 12: 52.4% of the class made the Merit List or Honor Roll
  • Merit: 45 Students
  • Honor: 41 Students
High School News & Notes
  • Parent Portal/Student:
  • The Cortland Junior Senior High School continues to offer a program that allows the parents/guardians of our students to have access to essential information about their child’s work at school. Cortland families will continue to be able to access academic information regarding student progress through the Internet. We have switched to a new student management program called SchoolTool that includes a Parent and Student Portal. We have been “live” since October 2nd. Please call the main office for more information (607-758-4110).
  • Activity Period:
  • Teachers are available every day Monday through Thursday each week after school from 2:30 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. During this time, students can see teachers for extra help, study, or make-up class work.
  • Extended Learning Time: 
  • The Cortland Enlarged City School District will again provide separate Academic Tables for the High School. This program is designed to provide a place for your child to get a start on, and help with, their daily homework assignments. Although Extended Learning Time is a scheduled extra-help/tutor time that is available to all students, schools will encourage the participation of students who would benefit for the extra time and support. While homework will sometimes be addressed, that is not the focus of the sessions. The program is designed to help students be successful in their learning. It will run Monday through Thursday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bus passes will be given to all students who wish to take the late bus home. Academic Tables (Extended Learning Time) began on September 25th. The schedule is available online in the Senior High Section under the “Helpful Links” tab and will be titled Academic Tables. 
  • Math Help in the Morning! 
  • Every day, from 7:15 a.m. until 7:45 a.m., we have a certified math teacher in the Academic Center available for all of your Math needs. The help is offered for any student that may be stuck on a homework problem or has a need to review a concept, or study for a test. Please feel free to stop in the Academic Center before school for any Math questions.
  • Need a Late Bus?
  • Again this year, there will be a 3:15 p.m.. bus and two 4:30 p.m. late bus run buses (Monday through Thursday). Bus routes and stop times for the High School have been posted on the District website under transportation. 
  • Athletics:
  • E-Mail Notification of Game Changes - You can "Subscribe to team updates" in Schedule Galaxy and receive an email every time there is a game change whether due to inclement weather or the need to reschedule a game for any reason. Sign up today for this great feature and be notified of all changes to a team’s schedule. You can also sign up on the district's home page under the "District News - ED Emailer" for email notifications from the Athletic Department or any school events, happenings, etc. What better way to stay informed and up to date with news from your child's school. Click here to access the athletics website for updated practice and game information.


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