Character Events
Sixth Grade Girls Attend Alpha NU Conference
Front Row right to left: Jaina Wollowitz, Ani Adamsti, Jessica Madsen, and Emily Ooms
Back Row right to left: Jackie Hoffman (School Counselor), Megan Sweet, Cassie Pearson, Katie Kraham, Marti Paolucci, Alyssa Sirani, Ana Verma, and Shante Campbell
In May, eleven sixth grade girls from Chatham Middle School were invited to attend the annual Women Helping Girls with Choices Conference sponsored by the Alpha Nu Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. The conference, for area fifth and sixth grade girls, is designed to connect students with community women and help guide the girls in making life choices. The students learned about prominent and influential women in history, and discussed the importance of setting goals for their future. Each girl was also given a copy of a novel about a famous woman in history at the end of the day.
NCBI Certificates Awarded
Front Row right to left: San Engel, Maxwell Lagonia, Kody Skype, Dawson Devito, Casey Wheeler, Dom Shelow, James Stinson, and Grant Horn.
Back Row, right to left: School Counselor Cyndi Herron, Nikki Favre, Kaitlin Pearson, Olivia Klinger, Assistant Principal Larry Burud, Jaina Wollowitz, Cassie Pearson, Destynie Summers, Adie Kratt, Principal Gordon Fitting, Kayla Taranto, Teaching Assistant Camille Freedner, and School Counselor and Program Coordinator Jackie Hoffman.
Student and staff leaders from Chatham Middle School's National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) program were presented with award certificates from the NCBI Capitol District Chapter. The award ceremony showcased Chatham’s commitment to the program, and our school was one of only a few in the region to receive this honor. During the award ceremony Middle School students prepared a song and talked about how trust plays a major role in becoming a student ally.
The NCBI program at CMS focuses on welcoming diversity and breaking down stereotypes. Trained students and staff work in classrooms teaching other students prevention-oriented strategies and programs to deal with discrimination, intolerance, bullying, and other inter-group tensions.
NCBI is a nonprofit leadership training organization founded in 1984 in Washington, D.C.
Middle School Administrators, staff and students would like to thank all the members of the PTSA for sponsoring Spirit Week and celebrating the student's accomplishments.
CMS Spirit Week
Chatham Middle School celebrated winning the NYS School of Character Award with a PTSA sponsored Spirit Week. The Character P.E.A.C.E. Club presented a slide show of all the projects, activities, community services and service learning projects students had completed throughout the year.
Programs and assemblies highlighted tolerance and acceptance of others, and to celebrate Earth Day, Character P.E.A.C.E. Club members invited other students to clean up the school yard. The PTSA also organized games each day of the week for the students. On Friday each student and staff member was given a red shirt designed by 7th grade Peer Mediator Jordan Thomas. An aerial photo was taken of all the students and staff wearing these shirts and forming a peace sign on the playfield.
Middle School Administrators, staff and students would like to thank all the members of the PTSA for sponsoring Spirit Week and celebrating the student's accomplishments
Seventh Grade Students Attend Student Leadership Conference
Chatham Middle School seventh graders attended a Student Leadership Conference called STOP (Students Together Opposing Prejudice) at Siena College, January 15th, as a part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series.
Students participated in breakout sessions with students from other schools in the Albany area grades seven through twelve. In small and large groups students explored the concerns of their peers and discussed leadership skills needed to address these concerns. Adult advisors participated in special session to focus on how to implement strategies that address inclusion and respect for diversity.
Attending the conference were: Middle School Counselors, Mrs. Jackie Hoffman and Mrs. Cyndi Herron, Teaching Assistant, Camille Freedner and seventh graders: Samantha Barnes, Abby Dunkin, Sam Engel, Nikki Favre, Cassidy Flanagan, Olivia Klingler, Samantha Oram, Carly Rippel, James Stinson, and Jordan Thomas.
Middle-Schoolers Grasp 6 Pillars of Character
Chatham Middle School celebrated Character Counts Week, October 19th through October 23rd. Character Counts Week is celebrated by 4 million youth in more than 50 countries. It is a week of learning and using the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness (Blue), Respect (Yellow), Responsibility (Green), Fairness (Orange), Caring (Red), and Citizenship (Purple).
On Friday morning, October 16th, The Show of Love presented a kick off assembly with ‘Put Yourself In Another Person’s Shoes’.
Students used classroom meeting time after viewing the assembly to make a list of what defines them (right). They used the information about themselves to think about “Push Buttons” that cause them to get angry and had discussions about the different things that might spark our anger toward one another.
On Monday, day one of Character Counts Week, students were given paper shoes in the colors of the Six Pillars (left) and were asked to write about a time they used one of the pillars to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and how it helped them become more tolerant of that person’s differences.
On day two students were given the opportunity in lunch to take an Anti-Bullying Pledge. (below)
Students wrote their names on paper saying they pledged not to bully and were given a card to sign and carry with them that stated they would do their part to put an end to bullying.
On day three, in the cafeteria, members of the P.E.A.C.E. Club went around the lunch room asking students to name the Six Pillars. If they could name all six their name was entered in a random drawing to win Six Pillar rubber bracelets presented by Mr. Fitting, Middle School Principal. (left)
On day four, in the cafeteria, students filled out “Wings of Hope” messages for Mrs. Hess, CMS Guidance Secretary and 10-year survivor of breast cancer. (Right)
Mrs. Hess was about to participate in a 60-mile walk for the cause in Florida and brought with her each message the students and staff wrote. 
Messages were made into booklets for her. On the last day of Character Counts Week students purchased pink ribbons and memory hearts for cancer sufferers, victims and survivors. All donations were given to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
The week-long projects were presented to the students by members of the Character P.E.A.C.E. Club (Promoters, Educators and Advocates for Character Education) and by volunteer seventh and eighth grade students supporting breast cancer awareness. A bulletin board outside the office was created as each project took place. (right)
These Pink Slips Seek to Boot Breast Cancer
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, eighth grader, Kaitlin Pearson had an idea she wanted to create awareness and collect money to support the fight against breast cancer. Both Kaitlin’s mother and grandmother have breast cancer and Kaitlin has always involved herself in doing what she can to support the fight against breast cancer. Working with her friend Carolyn Beer posters were created and posted around the school and every day an announcement was made. Soon the support group grew and became seven girls writing and making announcements each morning. They were in the cafeteria every day at lunch time handing out pink slips to each student announcing ‘Pink Day’, Friday, October 23rd and encouraging their peers to wear pink to support breast cancer awareness. They collected donations and created a huge pink ribbon in the cafeteria (seen in photo) made of the pink slips they have been passing out.
LEFT: Hannah Gregg, Erin Verenazi, Caitlin Doyle, Mrs. Linda Hess, Carolyn Beer, Allison Mesick, Kaitlin Pearson, and Maura McKeon (kneeling in front)
During the Middle School's celebration of Character Counts Week, every day Character P.E.A.C.E. Club members were in the cafeteria to help students participate in activities that teach the Character Counts Six Pillars (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship). On Wednesday, October 21st students honored Mrs. Linda Hess, CMS Guidance Secretary. Mrs. Hess will be participating in a three-day walk for breast cancer in Florida to benefit the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Mrs. Hess is a ten year survivor of breast cancer. To encourage and support Mrs. Hess on her three-day endeavor, students will be writing inspirational messages to her and a book will be created for her to take to Florida. Working alongside Character P.E.A.C.E Club members on this project will be Kaitlin, Carolyn, Allison, Hannah, Erin, Caitlin and Maura. These seven girls have embraced the Character Counts Six Pillars and put them to good use.
Chatham Middle Staff and Students are proud of their excellent role modeling.