Zombies, Zoinks...

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As our iconic friend Scooby-Doo and his buddy Shaggy would often say, "Zoinks!! Zombies Scoobs!!" I feel like sometimes that's what we all think when we ourselves do not get enough sleep and/or our students come to school without getting enough sleep. As adults, we are able to know what our deficiencies are and what the negative outcomes may be of not getting enough sleep. Sure we can still function and most times our demeanor isn't affected, but a lack of sleep can still have a negative effect on our performance. More importantly, students who are not able to get the necessary amounts of rest each day generally present challenges in school. For some students, this can lead to discipline problems, while others it leads to academic deficiencies. Regardless, having enough rest is crucial for the success of everyone. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that school age children (ages 6-13) get anywhere between 9 and 11 hours of rest each night. Teenagers (ages 14-17) should be getting between 8 and 10 hours of sleep a night. For adults (ages 26-64) they recommend between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night. At this point, the majority of readers are most likely trying to figure out the last time they got enough sleep to fall within those boundaries. I know I may have been in elementary school the last time that I slept for 9 hours straight, without being sick. Either way, the research over the years has presented a powerful argument that connects a rested student to a successful student. As the fall and winter weather settles in and opportunities for outdoor activities decreases, many children turn to electronics to fill their free time indoors. Keeping tabs on the amount of usage and the access to devices throughout the evening hours is critical to ensuring that children get enough rest. For more information about the importance of sleep and/or strategies to help yourself or your children get more sleep, please visit the National Sleep Foundation website. With a renewed focus on rest, we can ensure that the only zombies we are seeing are the costumes on Halloween!

Strough Dinner


 Strough Middle School students (7th and 8th graders) and their families are invited to a Free Spaghetti Dinner on Wednesday, November 1 at the Strough Cypress Street campus cafeteria from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. The purpose of the event is to come together enjoy some delicious food and enjoy a night of fun learning. Jodi Warren and Betsy Hull from the Center for Family Life and Recovery, in partnership with the Rome City School District, is presenting “Concealing Secrets,” focusing on ways to combat teen substance use. All students, families and staff are welcome to attend the dinner. Please note during the presentation, only adults are allowed. Strough will have entertainment for students and children during the presentation! Enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner with salad, bread, drinks and dessert! The event is free to Strough families. Reservations are required by Monday, October 30, so food service will have a count on how many guests they will be serving. For more information contact Strough Middle School Main office at Cypress Street: 315-338- 5202. Don't miss this excellent event!!


RTA Children's Fund


 The Rome Teacher's Association (RTA), in conjunction with Loaves and Fishes (a local community center) are currently conducting a raffle for a chance to win tickets to attend the upcoming Lion King the musical in Syracuse, NY. The money raised as a result of this fundraiser will be directly benefiting the children's fund, which is a long established effort of the RTA in Rome. Both organizations work throughout the year to provide clothing, food, and other items for students and families throughout Rome that are in need. The prize drawing will occur on Friday, November 3. If you are interested in participating and/or supporting the children's fund, you can either speak to a teacher to get the contact information for an RTA representative or call your child's school directly. 


Ridge Mills Craft Fair


 On Saturday, November 11, from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., the Ridge Mills PTG will be hosting a craft fair at Ridge Mills Elementary. Catch some holiday spirit and do some holiday shopping at the one and only Ridge Mills Craft Fair! There will be over seventy crafters and vendors, plenty of parking and refreshments for sale in the cafeteria! For more information, please contact the school.







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