QUEST PTSO Updates

 

Hello QUEST Family!

 We cannot believe it has officially been a whole year since our schedules, learning, and sense of normalcy have been turned upside down with this pandemic.  We wanted to take a moment and say “Congratulations”.  Yes, you read that right.  We wanted to congratulate you on a job (very difficulty and maybe even sometimes stressfully) well done.  Our Administration, Staff, Teachers, Students and Parents have risen to each challenge and made the best of an uncomfortable and scary situation.  This is what community is all about.  The PTSO is glad that we have had the support of the community to lean into through this difficult season.

With that said, we know there have also been many sad and challenging times and the kids have missed out on a lot.  We are hopeful that a new normal and a return of our beloved school-wide events may be on the horizon!

We will NOT have a March meeting but will return to our virtual zoom in April to discuss the remainder of the school year and the budget for next year.

Thank you for your commitment to the QUEST community.

Be well and care for one another,

PTSO

Library News

 QUEST Author Visit March 24th:

Kate Messner will be our visiting author this year and joining each level on Zoom Wednesday, March 24th.  Kate is an award winning author whose titles include both fiction and nonfiction, award winning picture books, easy readers, chapter book series and novels for young readers.  We have waited several years to get on her calendar, so we are very excited! The top 15 readers and fundraisers from the Read A Thon will join a Q and A  Zoom session with Kate and have won a free signed book! 

Wishtree Flipgrid:

Make sure your QUEST students are logging in and flipgridding every day!  It is easy and fun! 

Login: https://flipgrid.com/fdc2d61e

 

QUEST Spirit Week

 

Health Office Updates

 

Student Council News

 

Calling all Creative QUESTIES!

 

Student Council is holding a coloring contest based on our OSOB “Wishtree” by Katherine Applegate. If you would like to participate, please draw and color an animal that could live in the wishtree from the book. You could also print out a picture of an animal and color it in. Be Creative!

 

Hand in your drawing to be displayed starting March 8-March 26th to Ms. McCormick or Mrs. Tracey!

 

 

Principal's Update

QUEST Families,

I hope the month of February is finding you healthy, happy, and full of optimism. We continue to work hard here at QUEST, and I could not be more appreciative of the collective efforts that the entire learning community has put forth this year as we serve our awesome kids. I have said this before and I will say it again: we get through the hard stuff together. Thank you for your partnership! 

Some highlights of this month's blog: 

• This month our school community is celebrating Black History Month! Included is a walking tour link (brought to us by Hilton Stand Up). Check it out! 
• We are still allowing for families to opt-in to having their child tested for COVID through our surveillance process. So far, it has gone great. My own daughter took the test recently and described it as a piece of cake! Don't hesitate to reach out to the school nurse if you are on the fence and want to learn more. 
•  Level updates! Who doesn't love hearing what each level is up to? Check it out!

It is my sincere hope that the February break leaves you plenty of family time. Read a good book together, play a game, laugh, sit and be bored...whatever you do, enjoy your break! Thanks for sending us such incredible kids. 

With respect,

Derek Warren

Principal 

Level Updates

Kindergarten: Our Kindergarten students have been working hard and growing SO much!  The K teachers have been impressed by our students’ and families’ commitment to school work on both in-school and remote learning days.  THANK YOU!  Keep up the good work!

The Kindergarten team is also excited to explore needs and wants during our newest 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: The primary students have become Sky watchers this month.  They have inquiring into "Why does the sun set?"  "Why are some days longer than others?" and "Where does the sun go at night?"  Please encourage your child to explore the sky safely.  

We also have been reading and writing nonfiction books.  The students are enjoying learning about nonfiction text features.  The kids love being experts and sharing everything they know about topics.  At home consider brainstorming what your child knows a lot about! 

Elementary: The Elementary Team continues to work hard and have fun learning about people, cultures, and countries around the world.  Many classrooms are working on our IB Planners Meeting Our Needs and Cultures.  In Meeting Our Needs, students are learning about how people meet their needs and wants in different ways.  Students learn how where we live effects how we live.  In Cultures, students learn about how people around the world celebrate and share their culture in unique ways.  Students learn that different cultures also share their beliefs, values, foods, and way of life with other cultures and that we are all interdependent.    In our upcoming planner, Earth Processes in New York State students explore the geology of New York State.  

Intermediate: The Intermediate Team would like to thank our parents and guardians for continuing to give tremendous support from home. We are grateful for you.

We recently wrapped up our Location Planner. During this unit, we investigated ways in which location impacts the growth and development of societies. Students researched and learned about ways of life in ancient civilizations. They considered the impact of geography on those civilizations, identified commonalities among civilizations, and looked for ways in which humans modified their environment to meet their needs. Through looking back into the past and looking to the present, students explored ways in which people who live together share a common identity. 

During the month of February, the Intermediate Team will continue to celebrate Black History Month. We are reading and writing about some of the many influential African Americans in our nation’s present and past. Your student will be coming home with some important new learning to share!

We are looking forward to the start of our upcoming planner, Decisions We Make. This is an inquiry into our rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and living things. Students will investigate impacts of human decisions on physical and living environments. In this unit of study, students will explore matter and energy in organisms and ecosystems. They will investigate the causes and effects of deer overpopulation and will consider possible solutions to the issue. Students will also be building, maintaining, and observing terrariums in the classroom. Terrariums will be stocked with live plants, fish, and insects to model a mini ecosystem. Throughout their learning, students will explore ways in which the decisions that we all make impact the world around us. This unit is always a favorite of students and teachers alike. You are sure to hear about this one at home!

COVID Testing

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Starting the week of February 1,the District will begin voluntary COVID-19 testing. The goal is to test approximately 5% of in-person students and staff each week. This testing is being completed at the recommendation of the Monroe County Health Department to assist in identifying asymptomatic cases or local clusters. 

 Please read the following information:

• All testing is voluntary. Only students whose parents/guardians provide consent for testing will be tested. 

• The District will be administering the Abbott BinaxNOW rapid test. The test involves a shallow nasal swab. Many students can self-administer this swab under the supervision of the school nurse. 
• This testing is for surveillance purposes only. If your child is experiencing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, please do not send them to school. Contact your healthcare provider for further instructions.
• All testing will take place during school hours. Students will be called to the nurse’s office for the testing. For secondary students, testing will occur during study hall periods whenever possible. Due to current visitor restrictions, parents will not be able to be present for this testing. 
• Testing should take less than 10 minutes. Students will not have to wait to return to class while the test is processing. 
• School nurses will contact parents/guardians of any student whose test is positive. If a student tests positive, they will have to be picked up from school as soon as possible. 

• Parents/guardians of students who were tested and had a negative result will receive an email at the end of the day indicating that their child was tested and the results were negative. 
• Students that have recovered from COVID-19 cannot participate in this testing until 90 days have passed, due to the possibility of a false positive result.
• The results of all tests, as well as the demographic information of those being tested are required to be reported to the New York State Department of Health and the Monroe County Department of Public Health within 24 hours of the test being administered.

 

Parents/guardians that would like to opt their child in to the voluntary testing should visit the Infinite Campus School Store to complete the required consent. For support with Infinite Campus visit this link . Participation is opt in only; parents/guardians that do not want their child to participate do not need to do anything. Participation can be discontinued at any time by contacting the school nurse.

 

General results of the voluntary testing, including number of individuals tested and positivity rate, will be shared as a part of the District’s weekly COVID-19 Communication. Thank you for your continued partnership and trust as we navigate this pandemic. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Liz Thornton

Director of Student Services

Black History Month Walking Tour

 

Learn more by clicking here!

This month for student council we voted on a spirit week and planned a family craft night zoom. Stay tuned for a coloring contest next month :)