For daily announcements and homework, please view my SchoolNotes Page. However, if we continue to use the Google Classroom for the 2021 - 2022 school year, all important information will be posted there. I shall continue to save school paper by posting many of my handouts online at this site. Whenever a parent response form is required to be returned, the parents may simply print out that page. Since the documents will remain on this site as reference for the entire year, there is no need to print out the whole document unless the parent desires to do so.

                                                                   May 27, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     It is hard to believe that that the school year is coming to an end so quickly. Once again I want to update you with respect to the schedule for the upcoming week. On Tuesday, I shall be returning the second of the two tests this short marking period. Since the final exam covers the same material as the May 2, 2022 "Cumulative Test," I waited until just this week to collect these signed tests. Even after two weeks, some students still did not have the test signed. This is never a good sign. Students do not withhold returned tests if they have performed well on them. In addition, I included the "Math Check Quiz Average," "Homework Average," and "Dreambox and MobyMax online weekly grade summaries at the bottom of the page. All of my policies have been outlined in the documents at the bottom of this Class Page all year.

     To assist the students who have exam questions, I have decided to revise my "after school" help sessions this week. Slips obviously cannot be brought in until Tuesday due to the long holiday weekend. On Tuesday, I shall give preference to the eighth graders whose exam will be on Wednesday. I shall move Thursday's session to Wednesday since the seventh and sixth grade exams will be on Thursday. Students should only come if they have questions for me to answer. Too often I am just watching some students working on their computers. Time is short, and I am willing to review whatever topics on which clarity is lacking. On the Google Classroom, I did suggest that the students review each of the sets of directions that have been covered since the end of January.

     On the Google Classroom, I have also told the eighth graders that I have cancelled the Church History test on Thursday. I did two "spot checks" of the required chapter outlines and textbook assignments. Since many of the students chose to ignore these "independent" assignments, it doesn't make sense for me to take my time grading extra tests for which the same "few" students will spend hours studying. I will just go with the grades I have, and the students can focus their study effort on math and the other subject areas.

     Once again, I appreciate your continued support as the year draws to a close.

                                                                                Respectfully yours,

                                                                                Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

      

                                      May 21, 2022 - Revised for a Second Time on May 25, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     It has been a very busy few weeks with MAP testing, sacramental celebrations, the final eighth grade car wash, and the special "Food Alergy Awareness" fundraiser this past Friday. Needless to say, I wish to congratulate our second graders and seventh graders on their reception of the sacraments of First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. This past Wednesday, the second graders helped lead us in our first schoolwide May Crowning in two years. It was great to once again see an eighth grader, Gabriella Castillo-Lopez, place the crown on the head of the ststue of our Blessed Mother. The two fundraisers also were very successful. Our eighth grade car wash raised a little over $1,300, and the last count I heard from Mrs. Ness was over $700 and still counting for "Food Alergy Awareness." As Mr. Naccari frequently says, "This is what we are called to do as followers of Jesus."

     There was a little delay in returning the "Math Cumulative" tests since I had to wait for a large number of absent students to take a revised version since this short marking period will not allow for many tests. The only other tests will be given this Monday and Tuesday because final exams will begin right after the Memorial Day holiday. Since the final exams will cover the same topics as the "Cumulative Tests," I was hoping that the students would use those tests as a guide in preparation for the final exams. I am pleased that some students have been taking advantage of the "After School Extra Help" sessions to clarify their understanding.

     I was asked to give a schedule for my final exams since the eighth grade graduation day is set for Friday, May 10, 2022. This is what I told the students this week:

                                           Tuesday, May 31, 2022 - Reading/Writing 8
                                           Wednesday, June 1, 2022 - Math 8 and Math 9
                                           Thursday, June 2, 2022 - Religion Test on Church History
                                                                                      Math7/8, Math 7, and Math 6 
                                           Tuesday, June 7, 2022 - Archdiocesan Religion Test
                                          

Obviously, I have extra time to grade the seventh and sixth grade tests because they will not need to be corrected before eighth grade graduation. Since the filming of the Spring Musical is scheduled for June 8, 2022, I had to move both lower grade finals to Thursday, June 2, 2022. I was under the impression that would be the date of the Graduation Mass; however, it was brought to my attention today that I had it backwards. The Graduation Mass will be on Thursday, June 9, 2022. My understanding is that it will be followed by a breakfast in Walsh Hall. Afterwards there will be a brief graduation practice that will be followed by my traditional "Graduation Prayer Service." The students were informed about the change from June 8, 2022  on Tuesday, May- 24, 2022; however the reason for the change was my misconception. i have requested that the Spring Musical filming for the middle school be done in the afternoon to allow my fellow teachers the opportunity to administer their exams in the morning should either of them choose to do so. I apologize for any confusion the previous message may have caused, and I appreciate your understanding in this matter.

                                                                               Respectfully yours,

                                                                               Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

P.S. Since the students have had the "Cumulative Tests" for over a week, I will be collecting them to check for parent's signatures. No tests are eligible to be dropped at the time of report cards if the students have not returned them signed when they are collected.



                                                                         May 7, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     First of all, I wish to express my sincere gratitude for the Class and other side personal gifts for "Teacher Appreciation Week." Whether it was a gift certificate, chocolate candy, and chocolate covered fruit, lemon cookies or mint tea bags, I know that I will enjoy them all. I also wish to take this opportunity to wish all of our mothers a very "Happy Mother's Day." I shall attempt to attach a digital card to the end of this letter.

     It has been a hectic two weeks since we returned from the Easter break. On the first Thursday back, our eighth graders celebrated a "Easter Egg Hunt" afternoon with their first grade buddies. We completed the New York State Math tests, and I collected the "Math Cumulative Test Projects" the next day after a two week extension. Last Monday, the students took the first test of this very short marking period. Unfortunately, a number of stdents were absent for this important test. Since there will be fewer grades during this final quarter with the upcoming MAP tests and the long Memorial Day holiday weekend, I informed the "absent" students that I would use my after school "extra help" session after school this Tuesday, May 10th, to give a "Cumulative Test" to those students. With the tight schedule we have during the week, there is not enough time to schedule a test of this nature during class time. Math class requires more active participation and board presentations, not an easy atmosphere for students to be working on tests at the same time. Once again the students have been given advanced warning about my intentions. The other tests will be returned once these tests have been taken and graded.

     This upcoming week also provides a numberr of challenges as we have four days of MAP testing. The eighth graders have been reminded of their responsibility to complete "independent" assignments that will definitely be subject to "spot checks" this week. We shall also continue our eighth grade "Church History" term paper presentations this week. We are off to a good start with the ones that were presented this last week. On Wednesday afternoon, the school will gather together for our first group "May Crowning" in two years. Needless to say, I am looking forward to resuming this annual tradition. 

     In closing, I once again wish to thank you for your continued cooperation as the year quickly draws to a close.

                                                                                          Respectfully yours,

                                                                                          Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy


Happy Mother's Day Wishes   

                                                                       April 27, 2022

Dear Parents,

     We have been informed that the report cards will be distributed electronically again on Friday between 12:00 and 12:45 PM. As with the first two report cards, I am asking that you mail a report card request to me at my school email account [GMcCarthy@saintgabrielschoolbronx.org] with simply your childs name and report card in the subject line [e.g. John Smith - Report Card]. There is no need for anything else written. I shall simply respond by merely attaching the report card to your request. I shall also not write any additional comments. For those parents who need to speak with me, the following Zoom Meeting has been set up between 1:00 and 3:00 PM as requested by our principal Mr. Naccari. I appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

                                                                                     Respectfully yours,

                                                                                     Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy


Glenn McCarthy is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

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Time: Apr 29, 2022 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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                                                                                April 22, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     If you didn't see the card I posted in the Google Classroom, I hope that you have been enjoying a blessed Easter and the corresponding vacation period. Needless to say, we are now in the final marking period of the school year. Since I always have more than enough grades, I have also begun to enter some grades for this final marking period. Due to the extension given for the "Church History" term paper, I agreed to put off the "Cumulative Math Project" until the Friday after we return from the Easter recess. Therefore, the first major test of the final quarter will be given on Mond with esent schedule, it is one of the two days that I can insure the best possible amount of time for all of the students to successfully complete the test. This coming week, we will continue to move on with our fourth quarter work, as well as spend two days taking the New York State tests.

     Besides the state tests, the eighth grade will also be involved in a few other activities this week. On Monday we will have my annual Easter Prayer Service. I usually ask the students to dress up in their "Easter Finest" for the first day back. Students who prefer not to dress up may wear their school uniforms. Later in the week, the eighth grade may have a "special activity" with their first grade buddies; however, I am still waiting for word from the class officers. I am also hoping that we may be able to rehearse the short plays on which the students were working before the break.

      i also wish to thank the seventh and eighth grade students and all of the adult chaperones for their great work during our resurrected annual basketball marathon this past April 1st. On Wednesday of this week, I was able to send checks in the sum of three thousand, forty-six dollars to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, this year's chosen cause. It was great to see the students having a great time once again for such a worthy cause. At the same time, I would like to congratulate the players on our parish CYO basketball teams for representing us so well during this past short season. Hopefully we will be able to return soon to many of our pre-pandemic activities.

     As the students are also aware, report cards will be distributed in class on Friday, April 29, 2022. Early this coming week, I shall post a Zoom link on this page for those parents for whom conferences are suggested. I do not really schedule appointments; therefore, parents will be admitted from the waiting room in the order they arrive. I shall limit the conferences to a maximum of ten minutes to keep parents from having to wait too long. I certainly appreciate your continued cooperation in this area.
                                                                                         
                                                                                Respectfully yours,

                                                                                Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                                                March 29, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     I have two very important messages to communicate in this latest of my periodic letters: the basketball marathon and the recently sent home "Progress Reports." As we quickly approach the conclusion of the school year, it is very important that we are all on the same page.

     First of all, I am very pleased to announce that we shall once again stage our annual "basketball marathon" fundraiser this Friday, April 1, 2022. It will begin after the 9:00 AM Mass and continue until 10:00 PM Friday night. Obviously, there is limited room in the gym for seating; therefore, we are hoping to keep our guests comfortably sitting in the stands while they support the efforts of our students. As anyone who has ever attended this event knows, I try to take "family" pictures for the eighth grade graduation video that is finalized over the summer after whatever graduation activities we are able to celebrate together. After a brief layoff due to the pandemic, I am looking forward to this event which is raising funds for The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Unlike past years, I am requesting that all checks be made out directly to the aforementioned cause with Saint Gabriel Basketball Marathon written in the memo section. In order for me to send the money as quickly as possible to our cause, I am requesting that all "sponsor money" be turned in no later than Monday, April 11, 2022. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

     My second concern revolves around the "Deficiency Reports" that were distributed in school on Friday. Mr. Naccari has asked that they be returned signed by tomorrow, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. Even if the State Tests prevent me from having class, I shall return last week's math tests with a summary cover sheet. Although my comments on the second report card indicated that a strong third and fourth quarter performance was necessary to avoid the possibility of summer school, some students still need an additional reminder. The summary report will include the homework average, the "check quiz" average, the Dreambox and MobyMax performance report, and a third quarter report card grade before I apply my dropping and doubling grading policy; however, the grade also does not include the Dreambox and MobyMax weekly assignments. Please review my comments so that you may get a true picture of your child's performance. 

     The "extra help" sessions are continuing on Tuesday and Thursday of each week. While some students are asking excellent questions, some students only appear to be doing homework. I am hoping that these students are listening to the modeled answers I am giving to their classmates. As always, I appreciate any support you are able to give.

                                                                                          Respectfully yours,

                                                                                          Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                                                           March 23, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     Only the eighth grade students received a "test package" today because I wanted the Math 8 group to see the results of last week's test before the Chapter Test this Friday. I did include a cover sheet with an update of the third quarter work. I may also add a similar type of cover sheet with the tests that the remaining math groups took today. Deficiency reports are scheduled to be distributed on Friday, but a careful review of the math assignments that are returned daily and the student's carefully organized workbook are always the best way to know just how seriously your child is taking his or her academic responsibilities.

      I have also been posting a summary of the Dreambox and MobyMax online performance of the students in all three grades. Since these are the more individualized programs designed to fill in the "gaps," it is important that you review my summary concepts in your child's Google Classreoom. The third quarter ends just before Easter; therefore, the students need to focus their energy on those areas with which they struggle.The "after school" extra help sessions have been running well with many of the students asking excellent questions. Some students, however, just sit and do homework. I basically hope that they are benefitting from the excellent questions asked by their classmates.

     I have also been collecting the permission slips for our charity "basketball marathon," an event that dates back to October of 1976. I have always been proud of the efforts our students have made to reach oiut and support others in need. While I doi not have all of the permission slips at this time, I shall type out a schedule for the teams to distribute on Monday, March 28, 2022. As those of you who have followed our progress over the years know, our last full marathon had been scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2020, the last day all oof our students were together in school before the pandemic. It will be nice to hear the sound of the bouncing ball in our gym once again for the purpose of helping others in need. As always, I truly appreciate your support!

                                                                               Respectfully yours,

                                                                               Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

                                                                                           March 12, 2022   

Dear Parents and Students,

     This is just a reminder that the second math tests of the very short third quarter were returned to the seventh and eighth grade students on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Since the sixth graders just took the test this week, it will be returned this Monday since there are only four days of class. As always, the "Cumulative 'Check Quiz' Average" and the "Cumulative Homework Average" are included at the bottom of the test page. While I never worry about any one grade, I am concerned when students fail to improve their performance on successive tests that cover the same material. I am also concerned when students fail to return their tests signed by the parent. Very often when I speak with the other middle school teachers, the story is the same. All three teachers post the required work in the Google Classroom. Even students who are absent have access to the class work and homework assignments that have been given. It is important that the students realize that they are responsible for all work, even when they are absent. The teachers do not mind giving a little "extra" time for the students to catch up, but some students never complete the work that they have missed. With the high school years ahead, it is important that all students begin to take more responsibility for their academic progress.

     Before moving to my next order of business, I have a brief announcement for the eighth graders. Although none of them has asked, I am extending the due date of the religion term paper and poster project from Monday, March 21, 2022 until Thursday, April 7, 2022. The original guidelines were given to the students on the very first day of school, are posted below among my documents, and were provided again with the topics on November 8, 2021. While I hope most students are moving along at a good pace, I know that some students need an extra spark to shift into a more productive gear.

     I want to congratulate the students who are once again able to represent Saint Gabriel School on the basketball court after the long pandemic layoff. As always, I am proud of the way they give their very best regardless of the final score. I know it hasn't been easy to get back on track again, and I thank the coaches who volunteer their time to provide these eager players with the opportunity to improve their skills. From years of experience, I know the tremendous sacrifices these coaches make, and I know the players appreciate the "difference" each of them make in their lives. 

     Finally, I am pleased to announce that the "Annual Saint Gabriel Charity Basketball Marathon" will once again take place on Friday, April 1, 2022. The eighth grade has chosen the "Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance" as the cause for this year's event. This organization is committed to providing support groups for individuals struggling with depression or bipolar conditions. The students in the seventh and eighth grades will attend the 9:00 AM Mass before the scheduled starting time of 10:00 AM on this day. The seventh grade boys traditionally begin the marathon, and the eighth grade girls traditionally play the last hour from 9:00 PM until 10:00 PM. For donations being made by check, I am asking that the checks be made out to the cause cited above with the Memo reading "Saint Gabriel Basketball Marathon. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to make this announcement. As many of you may know, March 13, 2020 was the date that the last regular marathon was scheduled to be played. Before leaving school that day, I took a picture of the Class of 2020 in the gym with the marathon decorations behind them. I told them that I would tell the custodians to leave up the decorations so we could reschedule the event after we returned on March 23rd. We all know what happened after that.

     As always, I thank you for your continued support as we move forward in a positive direction. May God continue to bless you and your families.

                                                                                         Respectfully yours,

                                                                                         Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy 

                                                                                           February 23, 2022 


Dear Parents and Students,

     This is just a reminder that the first tests of the third quarter were returned today to the students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. As always, I remind you that I never worry about any one grade, but I look for the consistent effort that I must see evident every day in class. At the bottom of the test were the Math "Check Quiz" averages and the Math "Homework" averages. These represent the work of the students during the last three weeks. I usually allow two days before I collect the "signed" tests. I do this to allow the student to complete the corrections in their notebooks. In this way, the students will have a record of the types of questions they do not want to get wrong on the cumulative tests. This will also help them to choose reasonable questions for their "Cumulative Test Projects." Unfortunately, math is not a subject where anyone can afford to "test and forget." Each of the skills presented will serve as a foundation for the more advanced math they will encounter in high school. 

     As you know by now, I have begun to hold "after school extra help" sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Together with the individualized "fill in the gaps" programs provided by ther online sites [Dreambox, MobyMax, and Khan Academy], I am hoping these sessions will help those students who require extra attention. However, the student must also do his or her part to follow the step-by-step notes carefully when completing assigned work. Those students who still struggle with the multiplication tables , computation with fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals, and related word problems must recognize that those problems will not disappear overnight unless they persevere to overcome topics that they may have avoided in the past. For almost five decades, I am pleased to say that even struggling students have found that the high school years were much easier because they were willing to give me their best efforts. As the second semester moves along, I am looking for that extra "push" that makes a lasting difference. I appreciate any encouragement you may be able to give your children. Their future begins now!

                                                                                             Respectfully yours,

                                                                                             Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy                                                                  








                                                                                 February 17, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     As you are aware, the students will have a half-day tomorrow because second quarter report cards will be distributed to the parents in the afternoon. At the present time i have nineteen report card requests from the twenty-six eighth grade families, following the directions given below in my February 14th letter. I also had the Class Parents forward a reminder to all parents. I do have two requests from two of the families; however, I am not counting those among the nineteen that I have mentioned earlier in this letter. If you have not sent the email request, I would appreciate this being done before I begin distribution after the students have been dismissed tomorrow. I thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

                                                                                        Respectfully yours,

                                                                                       Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

                                                                               
                                                                                 February 14, 2022     

Dear Parents and Students,

     First of all, I wish to express my gratitude to all those who helped to make my birthday today a "special' celebration. The gifts, although not necessary, are always appreciated. I try to say "thank you" when packages are handed to me, but without cards, I do not always remember who handed me the "special sweet treats" that are my weakness. A extra shout goes out to all those who worked behind the scenes on the afternoon "surprise" party.

     Besides the reminder about Wednesday's "day off" for the teacher "professional development' sessions and the half-day on Friday to provide the teachers with time to send out the report cards, I have two other important reminders for both the parents and the students: extra help notices and report card requests.

     This morning I collected eleven "extra help" slips for tomorrow's session. One student brought me a slip at the end of the day with a request for both Tuesday and Thursday. Since I can only have twelve students at a session at the present time, I must request separate signed slips for each day. Because there is no school on Wednesday, I shall collect the "Thursday slips" first thing tomorrow morning. I am trying to make myself available to those students who require a little "extra attention." I expect that the students will have questions that they want me to answer. This is not simply a place where the students can do homework. Those who are capable should not be taking seats away from those students who have serious "gaps' in their math learning. In order for this program to continue, I need full cooperation in this area. Mr. Naccari does not want calls or emails being sent to the school. During the school day, I am very involved with my teaching and can seldom look to see who is contacting me online. I truly appreciate all efforts to cooperate with this program.

     With respect to report cards, I shall follow the same procedure that I have used since the pandemic began. Before Friday, I would like to have an "email request" for each eighth grader's report card. No written request needs to be made. Just send an email to my school email address [GMcCarthy@saintgabrielschoolbronx.org] and include the child's name, a dash, and the word "report card." My response will simply be an "attached report card." Any comments I need to make will be contained on the report card. Since all students know exactly what work they have or haven't done, no grade should come as a surprise to anyone. I have given frequent reminders in my letters below about the type of work that each student is expected to complete.I shall also be asking each student to complete an "honest" self-evaluation of their efforts to complete all written and online "independent' work. As we continue into the third quarter, I encourage all students to focus their full attention in all subject areas.

     As always, I truly appreciate everyone's cooperation in our attempts to provide a solid foundation upon which the students can build their high school years. Please stay healthy and safe.

                                                                                            Respectfully yours,

                                                                                            Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy                                                                             
       


                                                                                  February 5, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     With all the special activities of "Catholic Schools Week," we had a very light beginning to the third quarter. In addition to decorating the door and windows with hearts, creating posters and letter writing, I was able to conduct my first "after school help sessions" since March 12, 2020. Although I am limited to twelve students in each session, it is at least a start to head in the right direction. The eighth graders were able to get some research done on their term papers, and the sixth graders who came were able to ask questions about our introduction to the world of algebra. I was very pleased with the questions I was able to address during these sessions.

     Although the sessions are scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have a teacher's conference this Tuesday after school. Because I really want to get this program started "full speed ahead," I shall make myself available on Wednesday and Thursday for this week only. I am fortunate that the choir director at my church has cancelled this week's Wednesday night practice, so I won't be under any extra pressure to get my work done. As you should know from my letter below, the forms are located at the very top of my document section below. I shall collect them on Monday this week for Wednesday's session and on Wednesday this week for Thursday's session. Since I am limited to twelve students for each session, I am hoping that the most needy students will take advantage of this program. Once I have reach the twelve person limit, I shall inform the "extra students' about being moved to the next session. They will be given "first preference" in that instance.

     I do want to stress, however, that I expect the students who attend to have questions they wish me to address. Due to the twelve person limit, I really hope that no one would be taking up a seat for any other purpose. Term paper research and math questions are the areas I am hoping to address. If the virus situation dies down, I may even be able to have my old "Saturday Research Days," but I must wait for directions as everyone else must.

     Enjoy a safe and warm weekend with your families.

                                                                                                          Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                          Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

P.S. "Extra Help Slips" must be turned into the homeroom teacher as early as possible. It does not take that long to fill up twelve seats with more than sixty students in the middle school grades. I already have one sixth grader for Wednesday if he chooses to come at that time. 






                                                                                   January 30, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     With the few exceptions of "absent" students, we concluded our midterm exams last Friday. For the eighth grade, I also conduct "spot checks" on the assigned "independent work" about which they have known since the very first day of school. Needless to say, some students still need to improve their "time management" skills. Fortunately, we have the whole second semester before us in which such "improved effort" can be shown.

     On a more positive note, it does appear that most of the students were accepted to the Catholic high schools of their choice. As I constantly remind them, the most important aspect of high school admissions is registering at a school that can best meet their individual academic needs. I am pleased to say that two of our eighth graders, Thomas Adamson and Alejandro Ahmo, have been accepted to Regis High School in Manhattan. I congratulate them and all of our eighth grade students who have received the good news they were longing to hear.

     Last Wednesday, our eighth graders were treated to a special "well post-Christmas" presentation of the Nativity Play by their first grade buddies. I did my best to record the production, and I sent a link to Mrs. Seminario. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to see that play once again! I am hoping that it is a foreshadowing of good things to come as the year proceeds.

     I also met with Mr. Naccari on Friday to see about the possibility of some "extra help" and "research day" sessions as we had prior to the pandemic. Since the time was short, I decided to begin with the eighth grade this Tuesday, hoping that some of them can make use of the reference sources I have in the classroom for their religion term papers. At the beginning, I have been asked to limit the number of students to twelve for each Tuesday or Thursday session. In that way we will be able to maintain safe distancing during these sessions. Permission slips will either be sent home or posted in the Google Classroom. I must have a signed slip, which includes the parent's dismissal instructions, in order for a student to stay. They will be due on Mondays and Wednesdays so I can be adequately prepared. Under no circumstances should any calls be made to the school, in accordance with my understanding with the school administration. I shall try to iron out the "kinks" in the program as quickly as possible. I truly appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

     Before closing, I wish to remind you that we are celebrating "Catholic Schools Week" beginning tomorrow. Mr. Naccari has sent you the information with respect to the various "special activities" each day. I am looking forward to getting a few more pictures for my school collection throughout the week. Please keep safe and warm.

                                                                                                           Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                           Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

P.S. I have attached a sample copy of the "After School Extra Help" permission slip below in my documents section.

        First Grade Nativity Play - Wednesday, January 26, 2022   - This is a link to the First Grade Nativity Play that I mentioned in the letter above! You will have to follow the directions on the screen to download the video. It takes about fifteen minutes. I used this procedure to send the last two Grade 8 Graduation packages; therefore, I do know it works.


                                                                                         January 23, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     The following schedule has been on the board in the classroom and is posted in the Google Classroom:
Friday, January 21, 2022 - ELA Test on Pronouns
Monday, January 24, 2022 - Vocabulary Test
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 - ELA Test on Verbals: Participles, Gerunds, and Infinitives
Wednesday, January 26, 2022 - Religion Exam on Unit I - Chapters 1-6 - Notebooks were returned this week, and some students have not been pacing the "independent" religion work.
Thursday, January 27, 2022 - Math Midterm Exams - Part I. Ten Questions [7 points each] - Answers without required work receive only 1 point! Part II - Choose two of four word problems [15 points each] - Answers without required work receive only 3 points.
Friday, January 28, 2022 - Social Studies Exam - Science Paper is due!
The students are constantly reminded that "spot checks" of :"independent work" can occur at any time!


     Needless to say, the only part of this schedule that concerns the sixth and seventh grades is the Thursday Math Midterm. The "Cumulative Test Projects" will be collected on Wednesday after we conclude our review. The students have been told to especially review the types of questions they have not done correctly on previous tests. 

                                                                                                               Respectfully yours,
                                                                                                               Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

                                                                         
                                                                                         January 16, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     I hope that you are enjoying the long holiday weekend on which we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Friday's graduation pictures prevented me from having my customary reflection on the occasion, but I shall make that up briefly on Tuesday. Otherwise, it was a week that was primarily dedicated to the "Winter MAP Testing Program," and this limited the amount of actual class time the teachers were able to have. Nevertheless, there were some activities worthy of mention.

     On Monday afternoon, the eighth graders finally enjoyed their "Post-Christmas Celebration" with their first grade buddies. Although there were some issues beyond our control, a fun afternoon of activities "safely" took place. I certainly want to thank our eighth grade class officers for their roles in setting up and cleaning up after the event. I know that Mrs. Seminario may have posted some pictures for the first graders, and I have forwarded all the pictures I have taken the first semester to the Class Parents who are getting ready to work on the Graduation Journal. I am sure that you will be contacted by them with more details as the process moves along. I know that I will work on certain aspects of the journal with the students in class.

     Since I have introduced the topic of the Graduation Journal, I will take this opportunity to bring to your attention another project on which I usually work in preparation for graduation. Those who have been involved with the school for any length of time know that I put up a display of "baby pictures" and "graduation pictures" in the gym for the week that we celebrate the end of the school year. Needless to say, I have not been able to do this for the last two years, but it would be nice to once again return to that annual tradition. Therefore, I would like the students to bring in a baby picture for this purpose. The parents may also send a picture to my school email address. As the semester continues, I shall post an occasional reminder on this page.

     This coming week will be the final week before the midterm exams. For some of the middle school students, their last experience of this form of test was January 2020 when they were in the fourth through sixth grades. In math, these exams will include the objectives covered during the first semester, the same ones the students have been completing in their cumulative test projects. Although the exams begin on January 24, 2022, the schedule for the administration of them has not been determined at the time of this writing. I am hoping to have them towards the end of the week to allow a little more time for review questions. Unfortunately, math is a subject that requires the knowledge of all topics presented to build a foundation on which the high school programs will continue to build. 

     That being said, the most recent math tests and eighth grade test packages will be returned this week. The sixth grade will have the long overdue test on Pearson Topic 3 on Tuesday. I gave plenty of hints with respect to the questions during my review on Friday, including a review of some of the types of questions with which some students struggled on the last test. To accommodate the eighth grade social studies test on Tuesday, I am moving the long, overdue religion test on Chapter 4 to Wednesday. The students are aware that they should be ready for notebook "spot checks" at any time to make certain that all required "independent" work has been completed.

     I believe that Mr. Naccari has also indicated that "Progress Rports" will be distributed on Friday for any students who are in danger of failing for the second quarter. Since the quarter has been extended to February 11th, there is still a little time to improve one's grades. As the parents should be aware, I do not use my very generous "drop and double" grades process until final grades for the quarter are being calculated. That is why it is important for all students to make certain that all work has been complete. The more grades I have, the easier it is for me to apply my grading policy.

     Finally, I would like to echo Mr. Naccari's appreciation for your very generous response to Friday's "Dress Down" fundraiser for the victims of the tragic fire in the Bronx last week. It is always wonderful what can be accomplished when we all work together.

                                                                                                                              Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                                              Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

P.S. I know the Catholic high school results will be coming in over the next two weeks. I shall continue to pray that all members of the Class of 2022 will be accepted into a school that can best meet their academic needs to prepare them for a successful future.







                                                                                           January 1, 2022

Dear Saint Gabriel Students and their Families,

     Although I intend to post my "New Year's" greeting card on the Google Classroom, I felt that it was important to also post it on my Class Page for those parents who may not always have easy access to my posts on that site. Needless to say, I continue to pray that our world situation will be better in the year ahead. I hope that our scientists are successful in resolving the COVID crisis, and that our children may once again rejoin their childhood after school activities.

                                                                                                               Sincerely,
                                                                                                               Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

New Year's Wishes for 2022


                                                         
                                                           December 30, 2021

Dear Class of 2022 and Saint Gabriel Families,

      It has been a very challenging first four months of the present school year for personal reasons of which you are aware. Finally, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I just wanted to take a few moments to that everyone for their prayerful support, as well as for the generous variety of gifts that were given during the last week of December. 


     If you click on the link below, it will take you to an e-card that I have prepared by the same company that helps me with other cards throughout the year. Despite the use of technology, please know that my sentiments are sincere. 

An Expression of Appreciation
                                                                                                            Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                                          December 18, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     Needless to say, the last three months have been quite exhausting. I do appreciate your prayerful support during this time. Although I will post my Christmas greetings in the Google Classroom, I shall also post the link here on my Class Page where the parents may also be able to easily see them.

                                                                                                       Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                       Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy
Christmas Greetings to the Saint Gabriel Families


                                                                           December 14, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     It has been a long, exhausting day, and I would have preferred to be in school. Habitat for Humanity changed the scheduled time of my pickup twice, and then their truck broke down, leaving me with a house full of furniture donations that still need to be picked up.

     I shall be in school tomorrow, and I will return the last math tests that had previously been scheduled to be returned today. For the eighth grade, there will also be the personal narrative and a summary coversheet to bring the parents up-to-date. Obviously, the earliest it can be signed is Wednesday, December 15, 2021. Since some students still have not returned the last test, I remind the parents that missing tests are seldom a good sign. As always, I do not worry about any one grade, it is the consistency of effort that matters the most. In a good number of cases, the students will need to perform well on the "Cumulative Test," a grade that can be doubled to eliminate a previously poor grade if the student is cooperating with the program. In addition, checking some of the important guidelines I mentioned in previous letters below will enable you to know exactly how your child is performing.

     As always, I try to keep the lines of communication open by not eliminating past suggestions I have made in my previous messages. I appreciate all efforts to work together for the common purpose of providing a solid educational foundation on which to build in the years to come.

                                                                                 Respectfully yours,

                                                                                 Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy







                                                                              December 3, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     It was certainly nice to speak with those parents who joined me for today's report card conferences. While I knew that I would not be able to speak with all 69 families, I did hope to speak with those families for whom I checked "Report Card Conference Requested." I did mention that the twenty-six eighth grade students had to be lined up and ready to enter the building at 7:45 AM. Too much math time is spent changing the attendance for students who arrive late. I have informed the class that individual "eighth grade privileges" depend upon their prompt arrival at the beginning of the day! In addition, some students have not returned the most recent test signed. If you haven't seen a test, that is seldom a good sign. The students have known since last weekend about the next test during the coming week. 

     Since it is essential to keep the lines of communication open, I do hope that some contact will be made by the parents for whom I suggested a conference on the first quarter report card. I do hope that everyone will have a pleasant weekend.

                                                                                                               Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                               Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

                                                                                                
                                                                                      
                                                                             November 28, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     I hope that everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving. It was a little different, but I did spend some time with my sister and my twin grand-nephews. I must say the Eveready Bunny has nothing on the two of them. 

     The first math tests of the second quarter will be returned on Tuesday. As always, I ask that they be returned with a parent signature by Thursday. This should give the students a little time to do their corrections in the notebooks. Since I have a tendency of repeating certain types of questions on the "Cumulative Tests" and Mid-Term Exams," it is wise for the students to avoid repeated mistakes by studying the corrections. Needless to say, there will not be any math tests this week, but the students should expect them the following week. I once again remind the students of the importance of completing all online assignments, in addition to the written ones that are completed on loose leaf. Very often the "Math Check Quiz" average reflects missing or incomplete Khan Academy, MobyMax, or Dreambox assignments. Since I have not had the opportunity of checking the religion textbook work recently, there is no grade recorded on the Summary Sheet that accompanies the math test!

     On Friday of this week, there will be parent conferences for the most recent report cards. Needless to say, it is not really possible for all three middle school teachers to meet with all 69 families. While I have always enjoyed the opportunity to speak with as many parents as possible when we met in person, the online Zoom meetings will require better preparation. I know that I checked the "conference requested" box for thirteen students. Therefore, I will certainly be giving preference to the parents of those students. Once I have checked out the Zoom Meeting link with a more experienced member of the staff, I will add the link at the bottom of this letter. Some of you may recall that there were some uninvited guests during our September "Back-To- School" night. Thus, only one family, whose name I recognize, will be admitted from the "Waiting Area." In this way I hope to insure a more pleasant experience for us all.

The Zoom link will be posted below after I have had the time to speak with Mr. Naccari today, Tuesday, November 30, 2021:

Glenn McCarthy is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Mr. McCarthy's Report Card Conferences
Time: Dec 3, 2021 12:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98895979857?pwd=L04xalRsbDhYb3luNEdEMlZZVWFOQT09

Meeting ID: 988 9597 9857
Passcode: 273923


     I thank you for your understanding and continued cooperation as the year continues. By the end of the day tomorrow, the Zoom link will be posted below.

                                                                                       Respectfully yours,

                                                                                       Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy




                                                                                         November 21, 2021

Greetings to the Saint Gabriel Family




                                                                                     
                                                                                        November 22, 2021 (Revised}

Dear Grade 8 Parents,

     As of today, the following parents have sent the request for today's report card as outlined in the letter of November 14, 2021: Barbuti, Nieves, Daiga, Ness, M. Perez, Kakavas, Verlezza, Castillo-Lopez, Khan, Guerrero, Suarez, Pinter, DeLa Cruz,
 Saljanin, Adamson, Rodriguez, A. Perez, Ford, Norris, Ahmo, Aldebot., Walther, and Andrade. There are still parents who need to send me their email requests! Thank you for your continued cooperation.

                                                                                                           Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                           Mr. Glenn A. Mc Carthy




                                                                                        November 17, 2021

Dear Eighth Grade Parents,

     Mr. Naccari has asked the teachers to remind the parents that Friday, November 19, 2021 is a half-day of school. The eighth grade will be dismissed at 11:20 AM, and the other classes will follow at five minute intervals. As of this writing, I have only received fourteen requests for report cards from the eighth grade parents. Three were found in my SPAM folder; therefore, some parents may need to check their SPAM folders when the report cards are returned on Friday. Hopefully, I will have all twenty-six requests by the end of the day tomorrow. I know the Class Parents also sent a reminder about the requests and guidelines stated in my letter directly below. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.

                                                                                                            Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                            Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                                                         November 14, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     As you are well aware, we are presently beginning the second quarter of the school year. The first quarter grades have been tabulated using my customary "generous" grading system that permits me to drop and double grades based on the effort I have seen from the student. In addition, the new sixth graders were also able to take advantage of what I call the "new student discount." Now, however, all students should have made the transition to the middle school level, and the "new student discount" no longer applies. Whatever grades appear on the report card are given after I have applied my "generous" grading system.

     The report cards will be distributed this Friday, November 19, 2021, in the afternoon. I ask that the eighth grade parents send me an email message requesting the report card. There is no need to write anything in the email message. Simply write "Report Card - Your Child's Name" in the subject space. I shall simply attach the report card to your request and return it to you. I will not write anything in the message section. I have placed a check on those report cards where a parent-teacher conference may be advisable on the first Friday of December. A "Zoom" link will be provided, and the parents will be admitted one at a time. While it might be nice to speak with all sixty-eight families, it would be easier if the conferences were limited to those students whose report cards indicated that a conference would be advisable.

     Before closing, I do want to once again express my appreciation for your prayers and cards for my mother. I doubt that I will have time for any written notes until Christmas vacation. 

                                                                                                       Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                       Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy                                                           



                                                                                         November 4, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     I collected the signed "Cumulative Math Tests" and the signed "Eighth Grade Test Package" that included the Math Cumulative Test, the religion test on Chapter 1, an "open notebook test" on Across Five Aprils, and a spot check quiz on Comma Rules from an online assignment that the students had a week to complete. In some cases, that assignment was missing or incomplete. I included a very precise "summary report" on the cover sheet or the eighth grade test package, including each student's performance on the online "independent" assignments in Dreambox, MobyMax, and Readworks. A few students at each grade level failed to return the test with a parent's signature. In order to participate in my "more than fair" grading policy, I must have the complete cooperation of the students. Any parent who has ot seen these reports should request that their child show them these papers immediately. When work is not being shown, it generally means that the student is not performing well.

      As I have said many times in the past, I do not really worry about any one grade. It is an overall consistent pattern of hard work that I value the most. If a student has been turning in all assigned loose leaf and online assignments on time, I have plenty of grades from which to make a fair assessment. However, those students with erratic attendance and consistent late arrivals for class usually do not demonstrate responsibility in the completion of assignments. All work requirements in the various subject areas I teach are found in the documents at the bottom of this class page. For a small minority of students, it may be time to look very closely at their returned assignments and "carefully organized" notebooks. In this way, you will have a better understanding of what to expect on the upcoming report cards.

     Once again, I thank you for your continued support throughout the year ahead.

                                                                                                          Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                          Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy




                                                                                    October 29, 2021

Dear Students and Parents,

     Today I received a message about next Friday's TACHS Test that will be administered at Saint Gabriel School with details to be forwarded as soon as I receive them. It is suggested at the beginning of the "Tips for Testing" pdf posted at the top of my Documents section that this information be reviewed by the parents and students prior to Friday's test. Since more details are sure to follow, I would suggest using this weekend to familiarize yourselves with the important details about this high school entrance test.

     Earlier this week, the students took a "shorter version" of my "Cumulative Test." Many of the directions on this test were similar to those on the previous two major tests taken this marking period. At the time of this writing, I only had time to grade these tests and to review the eighth grade "Cumulative Test Projects." I have also begun the process of doing "spot checks" on the required "independent" work. What really amazed me today was the fact that too many eighth graders still did not have their names on their religion books after two months. The religion guidelines can also be found in the documents below. The eighth graders have known for a week now that the test on the "Significant Persons in Church History" will be given on Monday. While I do not place too much importance on any one grade, the students have to understand that I can only drop a "reasonable" number of "bad day" situations.

     Our Class Parents delivered the eighth grade "sweatshirts" today, and they were distributed after the conclusion of the Halloween movie. The students have been reminded that the "privilege" of wearing them in school does depend upon their cooperation with school and classroom policies. In a letter below, I commented on the "late arrival" of students during my first period math class. Constantly having to revise the attendance takes away from my class instruction time. I have told the eighth graders that all twenty-six students should be lined up at the door and ready to "move up" to the classroom at the scheduled 7:45 AM time. Privileges will be lost by students who continue to ignore our class starting time. I have also reminded them about the importance of cooperating with all of their teachers. Full attention must be given to the lessons at hand, and the computers may not be used for anything other than instructional purposes. While the majority of the students are following these guidelines, I feel it is necessary to put my concerns in print to avoid any questions at the time of report cards.

     In addition to the TACHS Test, the special "Trunk or Treat" and special eighth grade Halloween gathering will be rescheduled for next Friday since this week's advanced weather report was not promising. Mr. Naccari has sent the parents information with respect to this special event. Needless to say, your cooperation is always greatly appreciated.

     May you and your families continue to share in God's richest blessings in the days ahead.

                                                                                              Respectfully yours,

                                                                                              Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                                                    October 17, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

          Although Progress Reports were distributed on Friday, a number of situations are making it very difficult to give an exact idea of the progress of some students. As I mentioned at the beginning of the school year, I have a very generous “new student discount” policy that permits me to drop more than the customary number of “poorer grades” at the time of the first report card due to the need for the students to make the transition to the middle school level. However, a number of students have not been consistently in class during the first four weeks of the school year. While I may be able to drop those “missed grading opportunities,’ it seriously limits the number of other grades that I may be able to drop.

     On Tuesday, I shall be returning the second major test of the first quarter. At the bottom of each test, I have written the "Weekly Homework Average" and the "Weekly 'Check Quiz' Average. As mentioned above, no grades are dropped until the first report card. Loose leaf homework is returned the following day and online assignment grades are posted on the respective websites. All parents should be able to have their children show them these results. If a student is unable to do so, it probably means that the grade was not good. Absent students should be looking at the Google Classroom for the posted class work and homework assignments so they do not fall behind. Within a reasonable amount of time upon a student's return to class, they should be able to show me the completed class work in the notebook and the completed homework assignments on loose leaf. In addition, the weekly individualized programs on Dreambox and MobyMax need to be addressed consistently. While I never worry about any one grade, it is hoped that the students will use their past mistakes to prevent a repeat situation on the next test. a cumulative test for which the grade can be doubled to replace a previously lower grade entirely.

     Before closing, there are a few items that I need to mention to the eighth grade parents. First, Mr. Naccari has informed me that the public school portal has finally been opened. He has requested that the parents contact him if they wish for him to set up an account for their child. Needless to say, the child must be a resident of New York City to apply for these schools. Second, I really must remind the eighth grade students that they should be lined up by the door and ready to move in by 7:45 AM. I spend too much of my first period math time changing the attendance information. Not only do late students miss part of my math presentations, but they also interfere with the amount of time I can give to answering possible questions. I have been placing almost daily reminders in the Google Classroom, but some students continue to come late almost every day. I would certainly appreciate any help you may be able to give in this matter. Finally, the students will all be wearing the regular "winter" uniform beginning tomorrow. With the new schedule, gym classes for the middle school are now conducted on Tuesdays. Mr. Naccari gave all the students a reminder on Friday at the end of the day. Except on gym day, only all black footwear (shoes or sneakers) may be worn.

     I thank you for your attention to the above matters, and I certainly look forward to working together with you as the school year continues.

                                                                                                              Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                              Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                                                    October 4, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     As you know by now, we began the MAP testing program this past Thursday, and the remaining tests are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday of this week. The first Math 8 tests will be returned on Tuesday, and the second Math 7 test on Pearson Lessons 1-6 to 1-8 will take place at the end of the week. Once again, I remind you that I do not necessarily worry about any one grade; however, it is important that all corrections be completed in the student's notebook so they can avoid a similar error on a future cumulative test. Please review the whole picture for consistency of performance.

     The eighth grade successfully sponsored two major events this past week. After a year's absence, the class was able to organize what had been out traditional "First Grade Buddy Welcoming Party." I know it took much work "behind the scenes" to conduct this event, but both classes enjoyed a wonderful Friday afternoon, and it was a joy to watch. On Saturday, we held our first car wash since October 2019, and it was a big success. I cannot thank the parents enough for taking charge and keeping everyone focused on the task at hand. Since we had to work in shifts to insure safety, it was even more challenging than it has ever been in the past; but inspired by the parents, the students rose to the occasion to do all that was required to get the job done. I certainly look forward to whatever other ideas the Class of 2022 and their parents can make work. 

                                                                                                                Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                                Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy


 
                                                               September 16, 2021

Dear Middle School Parents,

     I am very sorry that the "Back to School" nights with the seventh and sixth grade parents didn't go as well as planned. Since I am just getting used to the names of the students in both of those classes, I did not really always know who was making some of the disrespectful comments. I certainly know that it wasn't any of the parents of our students because I know that you treasure the same Christian values that I strive to model for your children each day.

     To summarize the most important points, I shall make a few brief statements:

      Grade 6: Do not stress over any one grade. I always have plenty of grades to allow for a fair assessment. It is the
                     consistency of the performance that is important.

                     Check your child's homework when it is returned each day. Help them to improve by following the
                      constructive written comments. 

                     Check your child's notebook. You should see the date and the objective [written in red] at the top of the page.
                     If notes were given in class, they should be written before any class work is done. Each set of directions, the
                     original example, and all computation work steps should be neatly organized. For word problems, a full
                     sentence answer statement is required.

                     In a separate folder, the student should keep loose leaf pages on which one example of each set of
                     directions is written. If they take a few extra moments to do this each day, it will not become a major chore
                     just before the Cumulative Test.
 
     Grade 7: In addition to some of the ideas expressed above, it is important that the students in the two math groups
                    [Math 7 and Math 8] be properly completing all assigned work while I am working with the other group. This
                    includes any online assignments in Dreambox, MobyMax, and Khan Academy,

                    I also suggest that the seventh grade families begin the process of looking at some possible high school
                    choices for their children. You really do not want to wait until eighth grade!

     Grade 8: Needless to say, this was the most successful meeting of the night. I ask both the parents and the students to
                    work together for a memorable final year under our present challenging circumstances.

                    With respect to recommendations, I will handle the math ones, but I ask that the English ones be given to a
                     person who has taught the subject to your child more that a few months.

                    Once again, I thank you for your feedback, and I really do apologize for the very rude behavior to which our
                    seventh and six grade parents were subjected. At times, I wasn't even sure which person was speaking.

                                                                           Respectfully yours,

                                                                           Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

 P.S. The parent response form is found in the documents below: Introductory Letter with Response Sheet for Grade 8
         Parents 2021 - 2022,



   


                                                              September 14, 2021

Dear Middle School Parents,

        On Thursday, September 16, from 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM, we will have a vitual "Back to School night. The teachers agreed on the following schedule that will enable us to speak with our homerooms last:

                      Mr. McCarthy:     7:00 PM - Grade 7
                                                 7:15 PM - Grade 6
                                                 7:30 PM - Grade 8

                      Ms. O"Beirne -   7:00 PM - Grade 6
                                                7:15 PM - Grade 8
                                                7:30 PM - Grade 7

                      Mrs. Ness -       7:00 PM - Grade 8
                                               7:15 PM - Grade 7
                                               7:30 PM - Grade 6

          The invitation to my Zoom meetings is as follows:

                Hi there, 

You are invited to a Zoom meeting. 
When: Sep 16, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIvdOmtqDoqG9Rohbn4rf5nxlsosCG0mDul 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  



                                                                 September 9, 2021

Dear Students and Parents,   

         Below you will find a link for information about Xavier High School in Manhattan:


https://www.xavierhs.org/controls/email_marketing/view_in_browser.aspx?sid=81&gid=1&sendId=2757657&ecatid=13&puid=b1b0b75d-b2c7-4f1f-82c8-1d3dfd8a627d#:~:text=View%20in%20browser,10011%20United%20States

                                                                                      Respectfully yours,

                                                                   Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy


 
                                                                                        September 7, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     It has not been the easiest of summers for me, and I certainly appreciate the prayerful support from the Saint Gabriel Family. School is set to begin tomorrow morning, and very few middle school students have signed into the new Google Classrooms that have been posted on my Class Page below since August 28th. Just as the 2021 Google Classes were different from the 2020 ones, the same hold true for the upcoming school year. While reminders will definitely be given by the homeroom teachers tomorrow, there is no time like the present to get started. 

     With respect to the eighth grade, no book report was required on the summer reading assignment. The students were just required to take notes according to the directions given in the letter that still appears below in the "\Document" section. I will not be collecting the notebook the first day as my "opening prayer service" and the beginning of a general review of class policies will probably take up a majority of the morning. I am looking forward to welcoming the Saint Gabriel Class of 2022 to what I believe will be an interesting and challenging year.

                                                                               Respectfully yours,

                                                                               Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                                                          August 24, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

      I am getting ready to archived last year's Google Classrooms and set up the ones for the coming year. In the days ahead, I shall also be setting up my new classes in the other online sites that were used last year. Below I am providing you with the Google Classroom Codes for the 2021-2022 school year:

Morning Prayer for Grade 8 [if we return to remote learning]:  z2nmrkv

Math 9:  vx6q3uy

Math 8:  dilhcpu

Math 7-8:  xwxgr3d

Math 7:  tql4nyc

Math 6:  lqmepii

Religion 8:  57c6pii

English Language Arts 8:    5i4bfnt

     As I indicated below, I am assuming that you will follow the same procedure to join the classes as was followed last year when we went to hybrid learning.
For students new to the school, I will provide instructions once you have been assigned student school email addresses. I shall also be replacing the documents below with the new ones for 2020-2021 a little at a time. I really need to know my eighth grade class roster for some of the items. For now, however, I will do my major posting on this Class Page.

     Please keep well and safe in the remaining summer days ahead.

                                                  Respectfully yours,

                                                  Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                        August 18, 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

     I have just been informed that Dreambox has promoted all students to their new grades for the 2021-2022 school year. This does not affect my students from last year. Your progress will continue to be reported to me. Now, however, I can view the progress of my new sixth graders. I really wish they had done this in June so I could get some indication of what is ahead. Nevertheless, I will at least see your progress in the few remaining weeks. Although a few more documents need to be added, many of the important ones are already there.

                                                                   Respectfully yours,
                                                                   Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy

                                                    August 14, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     Unfortunately, it has been a very challenging summer for me with personal family issues with which some of you are familiar. I have been reviewing the Dreambox performance weekly on Saturdays, and I sent messages to the students last Saturday after reviewing each student's "Standards Mastery Profile." I am slowly updating the documents at the bottom of my Class Page as much as I am able until I have a full understanding of how we are going to proceed. Yesterday's message from the Archdiocese did indicate that we would be returning to full "in person" instruction; however, we will still be enforcing the suggested CDC protocols. I certainly appreciate all prayers that have been sent my way, and I hope that you safely enjoy the remaining time of the vacation period.

                                                             Respectfully yours,

                                                             Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy 

                                                    July 14, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     I want to thank the parents and students who brought to my attention the problem with logging in to the Dreambox program last week. I am happy to announce that the Archdiocese and Dreambox have worked to resolve the problem. Dreambox is now up and running again; therefore, the students may continue to work on the five lessons per week that the Archdiocese requested the teachers to assign. I shall continue to check the Archdiocesan reports on Saturdays as I did throughout the school year. Please continue to be well and to enjoy a safe summer.

                                                                    Respectfully yours,

                                                                    Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy


 
                                                     June 28, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     Please be advised that I have posted a video in the Google Classroom. It is based on the limited photos I was able to take this year. It was posted in the Math classes for Math 7-8, Math 7, and Math 6, and the Religion class for the graduating Class of 2021. I hope you enjoy the effort!

                                                                     Respectfully yours,

                                                                      Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy



                                                        June 22, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     Following the instructions below, I have sent the final report cards to the requested email addresses: Katherine Barrio, Daniela Hernandez, Mia Sanchez, Nyla Anderson, Elisavet Mitskaris, DucAn Le, Clevisa Bujaj, Brianna Eugenio, Avery Garcia, Liam Rausch, Matthew Reyes, Vincent Humphreys, Adrian Betances, Francis O'Rourke, Alana Rivera, Liani Bueso, Jaidaly Cruz, Tylan Mercado, Keira Reddington, Haralamby Mila-Rus, Ian Gatmaitan, and Spencer Synek Diluzio.

     For the other classes, I have posted the important documents at the top of my Documents Section below.

     Have a great summer, and thank you for the end of the year gifts. Please remember, however, that the greatest gift is your hardworking child.

                                                                 Respectfully yours,

                                                                 Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy


                                                       June 20, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     First of all, I would like to wish all of the fathers a "Happy Father's Day." As the students know there are two more "dress down" half-days remaining in the present school year. We had a number of surprise interruptions on the last two days of last week; therefore, anything I say is tentative since this is our first hybrid ending to a school year.

      I wish to express my appreciation to the eighth grade parents who pulled off a great "Eighth Grade Graduation Picnic" last Thursday afternoon. I regret that all members of the class were not able to attend that special occasion. I know that I certainly ate enough food to qualify for another diet, and I brought home enough food for two more days of meals. My mother really enjoyed the container of cookies that I brought to her at the end of the day. She has always been a big fan of desserts. I also wish to express my sincere appreciation for the very generous "Class Gift," as well as the other variety of gifts that were recently given to me. I always say that gifts are nice and apprecited, but the greatest gift you can ever give me is a student who works hard to meet the high standards I require.

     I really have no idea what this week's schedule will allow. Unfortunately, math is a subject that builds upon the foundation established in the previous grades. Therefore, I shall be providing notes, materials, and suggested assignments. It is always interesting to see which students continue to respond when the year is just about over. As always, the objectives are posted in the Google Classroom.

     With respect to "Move Up Day," I shall be providing the students with handouts that will subsequently be posted in the "Documents Section" below. As a matter of fact, anything any parent needs to know is permanently posted in that section. For the eighth grade I will be providing a supply list, the summer reading assignment, and some suggestions for Class Activities in the year ahead. Unfortunately, everything is tentative, depending on how quickly we are able to return to the normal class experience. The students in the sixth and seventh grades are asked to review both my supply list and the Jr. High Math Grading Policy I use under normal circumstances.

     Whether you agree or not, the Archdiocese will be monitoring the weekly use of the Dreambox program in which they have invested a serious amount of money. Although the teachers are not required to monitor the students, the weekly reports are sent to us. I usually do check the weekly reports and send comments through the Google Classroom. I shall also supply the parents with information about the "Legends of Learning" Math Program, one that I have used during the school year because the students seem to like the "game format." I am pleased with the quality of the math practice and problems that are found in the program, and I have played several of the games myself. At 70, I am not really a "video game" person, as I grew up in the "Age of Board Game." Even in my thirties, my five year old cousins could beat me easily in the early age of video games. Nevertheless, if it keeps the students interested in learning math, I say, "Go for it!" The program also has games in science; however, I have never investigated that area. All of the necessary information will be posted on the top of my Documents Section before the end of the week.

     Awards will also be presented this week. I believe I was told that there would be a presentation on both Monday and Tuesday. The homeroom teachers will be making the decisions there. With respect to report cards, I am following the same procedure as for the previous three. The parent sends me a request with the child's name and report card. I shall simply attach the report card and hit the "send' button. All of my comments are on the report cards for all three classes. As of Monday afternoon, June 21, 2021, I have only received ten parent requests for the report card.

     On Wednesday, I am scheduled to be at Sacred Heart High School to help with the administration of the Algebra 1 Regents. Only a few students sent a response to my inquiry about attendance at this exam. I am hoping that Mr. Naccari has had a beeter response since Sacred Heart has been so gracious to accommodate our students over the years. I shall check with Mr. Naccari in the morning. Students should arrive no later than 8:45 AM with sharpened pencils, black ink pens for recording their final answers, a small ruler, and the graphic calculator. Students will not be allowed to use their cell phones. The exam is three hours long, and students must sit for at least two hours. If you have been checking the scoring scales in the Barron's Regents book, you will see that a good performance on the "multiple choice" section helps to set you up for a passing grade. However, the top scores also require a good performance on the "show your work" sections of the test. I shall be there to help with the proctoring of the test; however, I am not permitted to supervise my own students. I am hoping that this will answer any questions you may have. All students know that I can only respond to them through the Google Classroom.

     Before closing, I wish to thank you for your understanding and cooperation throughout this very challenging year, especially during the last few months when I had to turn my attention to my aging mother. May you have an enjoyable summer vacation period.

                                                                  Respectfully yours,

                                                                  Mr. Glenn A. McCarthy                  



                                                        June 13, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,

     I am sorry to write so late, but it has been an exhausting weekend. I was very pleased with the Graduation Ceremony on Friday night. With no opportunities for an actual rehearsal, I think the class did a great job. Once I have a little time to breathe, I shall organize the pictures I was able to take so you will all get copies. I want to thank the Class Parents, Mrs. Barrio and Mrs. Rausch for being able to decorate the gym on very short notice. I was very impressed that they were able to get both sets of pictures for the two displays. Their efforts certainly added to the atmosphere of this very special event.

     I know that report cards will not be given out until the actual end of the school year. Before then, possibly on the day of the Class Picnic, the textbooks need to be returned to my classroom. I ask that the students return the books in a bag on which they should write their names. Mr. Naccari also needs a response to my inquiry about the June 23, 2021 Regents exam at Sacred Heart High School. I had heard some talk that students were not going to be present. If that be the case, Mr. Naccari needs to inform Sacred Heart since they have always been so generous to host our students.

     As some of the students found out, I have been sending the "private messages" to those students who feel that they are no longer responsible for doing assigned work. A few weeks ago, Mr. Naccari sent out the progress reports. I did advise the parents that any child who failed, or just managed to pass with several grades dropped, should take advantage of the free program sponsored by the Archdiocese. I have a feeling that it is going to be very interesting once the students are all back in the classroom where it will be much easier to monitor their work habits. Everything you need to know about my grading system is permanently found in the documents at the bottom of my page. Before the end of this year, the students will know what is expected of them in September.

     Before closing, I wish to thank all those who supported out "Modified Basketball Marathon" last month. On Wednesday we were able to make a brief presentation to the Husk Family, and Mr. Husk was very appreciative of your efforts to be there when needed. Over the last forty-plus years, the Saint Gabriel Family has always risen to the occasion in support of our charitable efforts. For that, I will always be grateful!

                                                       Respectfully yours,

                                                       Mr. Glenn A. Mc Carthy


                                                     



                                             
                                                      

To view to Mr. McCarthy's School Notes page click here!

This link will lead to my homework page, study flashcards, and my Photo Gallery.