Emily Howland Elementary
Contact
Ms. Caitlin Wasielewski
315.364.7098
315.364.7590
2384 Route 34B
Aurora, NY 13026
January 22, 2026
Hello Families,
Happy 2026 to you all. We hope you are staying safe and warm with all the snow and cold we are getting!
A few items to note:
- The end of the second marking period is approaching. The marking period ends on January 30. Report cards for marking period 2 will go home around Friday, February 13.
- Students in grades 3-6 will complete the NYS Computer Based Testing Simulation on January 28. Students will complete a very short sample to understand what the NYS Computer Based Test for ELA and math will look like in April and May. This test will not be graded, but rather used to ensure students understand what to do during the NYS assessments.
- Now that winter is in full swing, we highly encourage students to have winter gear including winter coats, hats, gloves, snow pants, and boots. On days when it is warm enough to go outside, this allows students to play in the snow while keeping their clothes dry and bodies warm. There are days when it is too cold to go outside for recess. However, we still encourage students to wear at least their winter coats and hats or hoods on these days, as they will be outside when waiting for the bus in the morning and walking into or out of the building.
- If we have a school delay on a day when there are before school activities such as recorder band, the before school activities would be canceled for the day.
- I am excited to let you know Ms. Jeannette Lutkins, who is a longtime Emily Howland teacher, is completing her school administrator degree and will be working with me this spring as an administrative intern. She will assist with some student support and discipline for the remainder of the school year. Please help me welcome her in this role.
Important Upcoming Dates
January 28 - NYS CBT Simulation for Grades 3-6 during the school day
January 30 - End of Marking Period 2
February 9-13 - Book Fair
February 13 - Report Cards Sent Home
February 16-20 - Winter Recess, No School
Take Care,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
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December 19, 2025
Dear Families,
Seasons greetings to all of you. It was a great last week before break here at Emily Howland. We appreciate all the spirit we saw during our spirit week from our students and staff! During school breaks, when students often have more free time and fewer structured routines, we want to remind families of the importance of online safety and awareness. This is particularly important for students with access to cell phones and computers.
Online Safety & Awareness Information
As students gain greater independence, especially online, family guidance remains essential. We encourage families to:
*Talk openly about gaming, group chats, and social media platforms students are using
*Review privacy and security settings on devices, apps, and gaming systems
*Monitor online communication, particularly within games and group chats
*Discuss digital boundaries, including not sharing personal information
*Encourage students to report concerns to a trusted adult
*Discuss healthy screen habits and balance during extended free time
When students are online, they may not always recognize the risks immediately. Ongoing family involvement is an important safeguard.
At Southern Cayuga students are exposed to internet and online safety through our digital literacy curriculum at age-appropriate times. Please see the attached newsletter from our Cayuga County Sherriff for additional information regarding internet safety.
In addition, in a recent communication from the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, the following information was shared with us…
If you see something that concerns you, please say something. Reporting a concern is not about getting someone in trouble; it is about getting people help and preventing harm. Your willingness to speak up may allow for intervention before a situation becomes a crisis.
Concerning behavior can be reported in the following ways:
*Contact your local law enforcement agency
*Submit information through the Sheriff’s Office “Send a Tip” page at: https://www.cayugacounty.
*Use the SaferWatch mobile application. To access or download the free app, visit https://www.
*Call 911 in an emergency
By working together—families, schools, mental health professionals, law enforcement, and community members—we can strengthen prevention efforts, reduce risk, and continue to make Cayuga County a safe place to live, learn, and work.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
In Partnership,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
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December 5, 2025
Hello Families,
Seasons greetings to you and your family. I hope you are enjoying the snow as much as our students are at recess! A few reminders as we head into December:
- Please remind your students to bring full snow gear for outdoor recess and active morning when it is snowy outside, this includes boots, snow pants, hats, mittens, and winter coats.
- We will have our annual NYS required early release drill on Friday, December 19. UPK will dismiss at 1:20 pm, while grades K-6 will dismiss at 2:45 pm.
- We will have a spirit week December 15-19. Our grades 5 and 6 students came up with some great ideas. The spirit days are as follows, and listed on the attached flyer:
- Monday - Sports Day - Wear your favorite sports wear!
- Tuesday - Color War Day - Wear something with the color for your grade level:
- UPK - Yellow
- Kindergarten - Red
- Grade 1 - Black
- Grade 2 - Purple
- Grade 3 - Orange
- Grade 4 - Green
- Grade 5 - Blue
- Grade 6 - Grey
- Wednesday - Character/Costume Day - Dress as your favorite winter or holiday character. Will you be a snowman, an elf, the Grinch?
- Thursday - Headwear Day - Wear your favorite winter hat, festive headband, or anything else on your head!
- Friday - Pajama Day - Wear your favorite pair of pajamas!
- Our grade 6 students are hosting a Holiday Activity Night fundraiser for grades 3 - 5 on Thursday December 11. Information and permission slips were sent home prior to Thanksgiving break. Permission slips and money are due on Monday December 8. If there are any questions, please email Julia Dunsmoor, grade 6 teacher, at dunsmoorj@southerncayuga.
org - The 7-12 Leadership Club is sponsoring showings of the Polar Express for Emily Howland students on December 11 and 15. Flyers were sent home earlier this week. Please use this link for more information and to RSVP.
- Southern Cayuga is looking to hire School Bus Drivers, Cleaners, Substitute School Bus Drivers, and Substitute Teachers. For more information, please see our website.
Important Upcoming Dates
December 9 - EH Winter Concert at 6:15 pm in the HS Auditorium (Grade 4 and chorus)
December 10 - PTO Meeting at 6:00 pm in the EH Library
December 11 - Grades 3-5 Holiday Activity Night from 3:45-6:00 pm
December 11 and 15 - Polar Express Showings at 5:30 pm in the Planetarium
December 17 - Jr High Winter Concert at 6:00 pm in the HS Auditorium (Grades 6-8 Choir and Band)
December 15-19 - Spirit Week (Monday - Sports Day, Tuesday - Color Wars Day, Wednesday - Character Day, Thursday - Headwear Day, Friday - Pajama Day)
December 19 - Early Release Drill at 1:20 for UPK and 2:45 for K-6
In Partnership,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
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November 7, 2025
Hello Families,
Happy fall! We completed our first marking period! It is hard to believe how fast time flies. Our students are working hard and learning so much! A few announcements and reminders for the upcoming weeks:
- We will have our annual Veterans Day assembly on Monday, November 10. We encourage all students and staff to wear red, white, and blue on Monday.
- We completed the first marking period. We anticipate sending home report cards for students on November 17. Please be on the lookout for these.
- Conferences will be held on November 24 from 12:00-7:30 pm. If you have not signed up for a time yet, please contact the main office at 315-364-7098 as soon as possible.
- Each year NYS requires we have four practice lockdown drills. Two will occur in the fall, and two in the spring. Our first fall lockdown drill will be on November 13. We will have our second drill the week of November 17.
- A reminder from the PTO the Turkey Trot will be this Saturday, November 8 from 10-12 at the track.
Important Dates:
November 10 - Veterans Day Ceremony at 9:45 am
November 11 - Veterans Day No School
November 17 - Report Cards Go Home
November 21 - Half Day for UPK-6, Dismissal at 11:00 am
November 24 - Conferences from 12:00-7:30 pm
In Partnership,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
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October 24, 2025
Hello Families,
Happy fall! We are getting close to the end of the marking period, and we are so excited for the growth our students made so far. We cannot wait to see what the remainder of the year brings!
- The end of marking period 1 is October 31. If your child has any outstanding assignments, please encourage them to get them into their teacher. Report cards will go home around November 17.
- Fall conferences will be held on November 24 from 12:00-7:30 pm. If you have not scheduled a conference yet, please call the office at 315-364-7098 to schedule one. We look forward to seeing all our families and sharing student progress.
- Our Halloween Fun with Friends event will be Friday October 31 in the high school gymnasium. If you are attending the event, please remember to enter the high school side after 2:25 to allow a safe and orderly dismissal for our high school students. Our students will have a fun Halloween dance to share with all our attendees. If you are planning to pick your student up after the event, please ensure you filled out and returned the form sent home last week. The only students who will be picked up at the high school end are students who returned these forms.
- Cayuga County sponsors an Elf Program each year during the holiday season for families who need additional assistance. Please see the attachment for more information.
- Picture day was yesterday, Thursday, October 23. If you did not order pictures yet you still have through Saturday to order via their website, https://inter-state.
com/ using the code 0213EG. - Friday, November 21 will be a half day for students in grades UPK-6 for professional development. Dismissal will be at 11:00 am.
- Many of our Southern Cayuga Varsity teams are heading to post-season play. Be sure to check out the online schedules for updates and game information. Post-season games are added as available. Go Falcons!
Upcoming Important Dates
October 31 - Halloween Fun with Friends at 2:40 pm in the high school gym
October 31 - End of Marking Period 1
November 5 - PTO Meeting at 6:00 pm in the EH library
November 10 - Veterans Day Ceremony at 9:45 am in the high school auditorium
November 11 - Veterans Day No School
November 17 - Report Cards Go Home
November 21 - Half Day for UPK-6 Dismissal at 11:00 am
November 24 - Conferences from 12:00-7:30 pm
Take Care,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
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October 8, 2025
Hello Families,
We hope you are having a great October so far. Our students are really beginning to get into their routines, and it is wonderful to see all the learning occurring in classrooms!
A few items to note:
- This Friday we are going to have a Falcon Friday! We encourage all students to wear their Falcons gear, red, and/or white to show their school pride!
- Picture day is October 23. Inter State Studio will again handle Emily Howland school pictures. Paper order forms will go home with your child by the end of the week. You may also choose to order online using this link. The order code is 0213EGF
- Our Halloween Fun with Friends event will be October 31 from 2:40-3:10 pm. Final event details are pending due to construction in the gymnasium. More information will be provided as soon as possible.
- We invite students who would like to to wear costumes on October 31 for the Fun with Friends event to do so. We do ask students, and anyone else planning to wear a costume, to double check these costumes do not have masks, blood, or weapons when worn at school.
- Conferences with teachers will be on November 24. If you are still looking to schedule a conference with your child's teacher, please call the main office at 315-364-7098 and we will assist you.
- Please note there will be a half day on November 21 for Emily Howland students - UPK-6 for staff development. Dismissal will be at 11:00 am.
Upcoming Events
October 10 - Fire Prevention Day during the school day
October 10 - Falcon Friday
October 13 - Indigenous Peoples Day - No School
October 23 - EH School Picture Day during the school day
October 31 - Halloween Fun with Friends from 2:40-3:10
November 21 - Half Day, dismissal at 11:00 am
November 24 - Conferences 12:00-7:30 pm
Take Care,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
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September 17, 2025
Hello Families,
Just a quick update for you.
- We had our first fire drills today. Our students did an excellent job listening to instructions and following directions. We are very proud of them.
- Please join us for Open House tomorrow, Thursday, September 18 from 5:30-7:30 pm. We are looking forward to meeting all our families!
- We will have fall conferences on Monday, November 24 from 12:00-7:30 pm. We will have sign ups for conferences available at open house. If you are unable to attend open house, please call the office at 315-364-7098 to schedule a conference time beginning on Monday, September 22.
- We recognize when we originally sent out the link to purchase Falcons gear from The Printery, youth sizes were inadvertently left off. This is now fixed, and youth items are available. Please use the same link, and scroll down to the bottom for youth sizes. The store will be open through September 21.
- The weather may be nice, but we are beginning to see an increase in sicknesses. Please use this guide put together by our school nurse, Ms. Hurd, to determine when to keep your student home. Thank you!
Important Upcoming Dates
September 18 - Open House from 5:30-7:30 pm
October 1 - PTO Meeting in the Library from 6-7 pm
October 10 - Fire Prevention Day during the school day
October 14 - Columbus Day, No School
October 23 - Picture Day during the school day
In Partnership,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
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September 5, 2025
Hello Families,
Happy start of the school year! We had an amazing start to the school year, and we hope your students feel the same way. It was great to see everyone back this week, and we are looking forward to many more exciting and fun-filled days with our students!
A few items to note:
- Students in grades K-6 came home with a Chromebook and Handbook agreement form today. The handbook outlines our expectations for students. If students demonstrate our core values of being respectful, responsible, safe, and kind, they will always be doing the right thing. The Chromebook sign off allows students to access our computer network and technology.
- Students who are rising K-6 students were provided with a summer reading log from the Aurora and Hazard Libraries in June 2025. If students read over the summer, please return the reading logs with them by Monday, September 8. The Aurora and Hazard Libraries will sponsor a special treat the following week for students who returned their logs. Many thanks to our community libraries for their partnership and support.
- Our open house will be on Thursday, September 18 from 5:30-7:30. Teachers will be in their classrooms and ready to share information regarding their classroom and curriculum. We will also have community agencies here to share the services they offer. We hope you and your students will join us for this exciting night!
- We will begin our safety drills required by NYS the week of September 15. These will include fire drills to start, and lockdown drills in later months. Families will receive a message letting them know about our first lockdown drill when the date gets closer so everyone is aware. Teachers will review expectations and procedures with students prior to conducting our drills.
- The Printery set up a shop with Falcons gear for the community to purchase! The shop will be open for ordering through September 22. Delivery should take place the week of October 14.
- The Southern Cayuga Booster Club kindly purchased a complimentary Falcons shirt for students! These will be handed out early next week. Thank you to the Boosters for this!
Please take a look at our 2025-2026 Emily Howland building goals below:
Goal #1: Using data to inform instruction and the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) process.
- Teachers will provide students with research based curriculum and instruction in all academic areas.
- Teachers will collect data on student performance.
- Students will receive interventions or enrichment based on data collected.
- Progress will be reported to families every 10 weeks.
Goal #2: Implementing a Character Education curriculum.
- Teachers will provide students with a research based character education curriculum around the principles of being respectful, responsible, safe, and kind.
- Teachers will build community in their classrooms using community building practices and circles.
- Students will engage in restorative practices as needed.
September Important Events
September 18 - Open House 5:30-7:30
Wishing everyone a great weekend, and a fabulous rest of September!
In Partnership,
Caitlin Wasielewski
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August 18, 2025
Hello Families,
We hope you are enjoying summer! It is hard to believe it is already August. Our team at Southern Cayuga is hard at work preparing for students to return in September. A huge thank you to all our staff who helped prepare for the 2025-2026 school year over the summer, and will continue to do so over the next few weeks.
A few important items as we head towards the end of summer:
- Student classroom placements were mailed home on August 15. Please be on the lookout for these.
- Student information and contact forms were also mailed home on August 15. We ask families to update these and return them with their student during the first week of school.
- Emily Howland hours will remain the same this year as last year, school will begin at 9:00 am and end at 3:30 pm.
- Students who are dropped off in the morning can be dropped off anytime between 8:40-9:00. Busses will arrive during this same time frame.
- We are excited the Southern Cayuga School District will again be able to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students.
- The 2025-2026 one page district calendar is attached to this email.
- The September breakfast and lunch menu is attached to this email.
- If your student participated in the Aurora and Hazard libraries summer reading this year, please remember to send their log to school by September 5 so we can reward them with a treat!
- Students are still able to bring their reading logs to the Aurora or Hazard libraries to receive a free ice cream coupon.
Construction Update
- The summer months were busy at SCCS with many improvements to our learning spaces and safety upgrades! This includes improvements to many classrooms, the planetarium, auditorium, and both gyms.
- Our new Emily Howland playground is also part of this construction project. Our old playground was removed this summer and we are ready for the new one to be installed. Our new playground will be complete around mid to late September. We will have several options to ensure our students still have fun at recess and active morning the first few weeks, including basketball, soccer, kickball, four square, sidewalk chalk, tag, coloring, and more!
September dates to remember:
September 2 - First day of school for grades 1-6 and UPK and K orientation
September 3 - First day of school for UPK and K
September 18 - UPK-12 Open House from 5:30-7:30
We look forward to seeing you in September.
In Partnership,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
SCCS One Page Calendar
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July 15, 2025
Hello Families,
We hope your summer is going well. It is great to hear from our students and families about the fun activities they are doing this summer.
Just a few quick items as you enjoy your summer:
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We would like to congratulate all our students on a successful 2024-2025 school year! A special congratulations to all our grade 6 students for completing their time at Emily Howland and moving up to the Jr/Sr High School!
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We would like to give a warm welcome to our newest Falcons! We look forward to working with each of you throughout these next several years.
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We are excited Southern Cayuga is again able to provide most school supplies for our students. Auburn Staples is graciously donating some supplies as well, making supply lists minimal again. Please see the attachment for the supply list by grade level.
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The Emily Howland staff is working hard on class lists for the 2025-2026 school year. Class placements will be mailed home to families around mid-August.
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Returning students received a transportation request form with their report cards. If your family requires transportation for the 2025-2026 school year, please fill this out and return one per household by July 31 to the address listed on the form. New students filled this out as part of their enrollment packet.
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The first day of school for grades 1-6 will be on Tuesday, September 2. Orientation for students in grades UPK and K will be on Tuesday, September 2, with the first day of school on Wednesday, September 3.
In Partnership,
Caitlin Wasielewski
Emily Howland Principal
