Principal Update

QUEST Families,

Happy February! I hope you and your family are healthy, happy, and enjoying a productive month. More than that, I hope you were able to enjoy a little time together during the snow day. 

Parent Drop-off Procedure Change 

Beginning on February 28th, which is the Monday after we return from February break, any parent dropping their child off will need to have their child walk through the security doors each morning versus the door at the front of the school. This will be a shorter walk for students getting dropped off by a parent, and the goal is that it will also help in that it is closer to the breakfast line for those needing to grab their breakfast. The one thing we ask is that you do not allow your child to enter until 8:40 am. 

Portfolio Share at QUEST

QUEST aims to have students be agents of their own learning. One way we accomplish this is through a portfolio share. In late February, or early March, teachers have students share a portfolio with their parents. This is accomplished in many ways: the child may bring home the portfolio to share and work with you on reflecting; the teacher may request a Zoom or a conference with the home where the child will share; in some cases a child may make something digital. 

Regardless of the shared method, the goal stays the same: the students reflect on their learning, their goals, and show evidence of growth toward their goals. This ownership is part of how we foster agency. Please join me in celebrating growth this month as your child shares their portfolio with you. 

Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework

Schools across New York are anchored in with the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework. According to the framework, each stakeholder (students, staff, building leaders, district leaders, parents, community members) has a role in ensuring that school is a great place for all kids. Below you can find the link to the framework if you would like to give it a look, but below you will also find an overarching image that also captures a summary of the framework. Click here to view the framework!

This month, the blog contains a plethora of information, which includes updates from each level. Please take a cruise through the blog and, as always, do not hesitate to reach out should you have any questions. Please know we appreciate and value your partnership. 

Respectfully, 

Derek Warren

QUEST Principal 

Level Updates

 Kindergarten

Our Kindergarten students have been working hard and growing SO much!   Can you believe we’re halfway through the year already?!  We are excited to celebrate the 100^th Day of School AND Valentines Day this upcoming Monday, February 14^th and look forward to seeing a glimpse of the future as our students dress like 100 year olds! 
This month, we also begin to explore needs and wants for our newest IB planner.  We will be inquiring into needs and wants of people and animals around the world and comparing them to our own.  What are your family’s needs and wants?  Consider having this discussion at home. 
We hope everyone has an amazing February break.  Stay safe and have fun!  

Primary

Have you ever been lost? Have you ever had to read directions or ask Google or Siri for directions?  After our Inquiry unit, "Location, Location, Location," hopefully your primary student could help you.  We have been learning how to read maps, about cardinal directions and land features. We also inquired into how our Earth changes quickly and slowly. Our next inquiry we will be looking into Matter.  We will be learning about how to make observations, asking more questions and on different states of matter.  Wait until you see what can be made out of garbage.  The students are loving the science! 

The students are also spending a lot of our time learning about nonfiction materials.  We are reading nonfiction books.  We are writing them and we are even learning how to write them on the computer.  The kids are loving reading books about topics they are interested in.  

Thank you for all of your support during this crazy time.  Please keep having your child read at home. 

Elementary

The Elementary Level has been busy working on our IB Planner Revolutions & Government.  In this planner, students learn about the Thirteen Colonies, reasons for the American Revolution, and how our government works.  Students learn that people can generate change in their lives in many ways.   We read biographies of "change-makers", those people from many walks of life who recognize problem situations and set about to make changes that affect themselves and others.  In writing, students are working on informational text features and writing for information.  Everyone enjoyed the annual QUEST Sled Race and students at the Elementary Level were especially excited for the opportunity to work in their own teams to design and build their own sleds.  

Intermediate

The Intermediate Team is beyond excited to start exploring our newest inquiry unit- Life is influenced by spatial relationships. Our exploration will be driven by the following lines of inquiry:

• The spatial relationships of earth, the sun and the moon.
• How we organize time in connection to the earth, the sun and the moon.
• Cycles and patterns in connection to time.

We will culminate this unit with a special  SPACE DAY, which will include hands-on activities related to space.

Intermediate students are working on collecting evidence to demonstrate growth in the goals that we set at the beginning of the year. We are excited to show our families our learning and what we are proud of while working at school during our PORTFOLIO SHARES.

Save the Date: Unless something changes, our 6^th grade graduation will be held on Tuesday, June 21^st at the Hilton High School.

-The Intermediate Team

In addition to our planners, QUEST is also finding many ways to celebrate Black History Month! 

QUEST Chorus Update

Congratulations to All County Chorus participants Lillian Sciarratta, Brody Tydings, & Audrey White.  They will represent QUEST by learning music that will be performed with other outstanding choristers from other elementary music programs in Monroe County.  The festival will take place in March!

Library News

Suzanne Selfors is the author of our Three Schools One Book title Wedgie and Gizmo!  We hope you enjoyed reading as family! Suzanne is traveling from the Pacific Northwest to be our visiting author this year.  She will be visiting QUEST on Wednesday, March 2nd.  Intermediate students have been engaged in a Book Club reading one of her many titles.  We thank our PTSO for funding our Three Schools One Book and also our visiting author program!   Here is some info about the author!  https://www.suzanneselfors.com/ 

Yearbook Update

Don't forget to order your QUEST Elementary 2021-2022 yearbook and customize your free pages!  Please contact the yearbook editors with any questions.

Jessica Schuler jschuler@hilton.k12.ny.us

Jessica Gaspar  jessicagaspar@icloud.com

PTSO Update

 Hello Quest!

Quest PTSO wants to invite you to our next meeting! The meeting will be Tuesday February 15th at 7:00pm over Zoom. We will be discussing open positions, family fun night, budget, and upcoming events. We look forward to seeing you there!  

 

https://zoom.us/j/95205636091?pwd=NDNDVWFnc0lwZTdiRnhpVS90eDlnQT09

Password: ptso

 

Please mark your calendars for all of the PTSO meetings for this school year:

February 15th 7pm Zoom

March 10th 7pm Zoom

April 4th 7pm Zoom

May 2nd 7pm Zoom

June 2nd 5pm in person

 

Thank you for all your support to help make Quest awesome for every student!

 

Quest PTSO co-chairs,

Mindy and Amanda

 

5 Buy Five

The 5 Buy Five Charity Art Show returns… in person once again! Wednesday February 16, 2022, from 5:00-6:30 at Merton Williams Middle School! Come see the work of each of our 8^th grade art-students, as well as work from other artists! All work is available for purchase for $5.00, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the Hilton Cadet Cupboard, and the Ugandan Water Project!

Our Corner of the World