calendar pta attention principal`s corner

The BOYNTON CONNECTION
CALENDAR
ICE SKATING
8th Grade at Cass Park, Friday Dec 19 9:30-12:30
7th Grade Gold at The Rink, Friday Dec 19 12:00-3:15
ICE SCREAM Friday December 12 during Lunch
BMS MUSICAL PRODUCTION
Performances: Thurs-Sat, Dec 11-13 at 7:30 and
Sun, Dec 14 at 2:00 in McCalmon Theatre
DANCES December 5, 7-9 pm and January 16, 7-9 pm
BOOK FAIR December 8-15, see Article below
NO SCHOOL
Monday December 22 thru Friday Jan 2—Winter Recess
Monday January 19 MLK Day
MUSIC
BMS Winter Orchestra Concert Thursday, Jan 8, 7:00 Kulp
BMS Winter Band Concert Thursday, Jan 15, 7:00 Kulp
SATURDAY STUDY SESSION January 10, 10-12
SKI CLUB Fridays, January 9, 16, 23, 30 3:30-9:30
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE January 7 for publication January 9
PTA
PTA: CONNECTING THE BOYNTON COMMUNITY
As you will notice, the Boynton News has been renamed “The
Boynton Connection.” The PTA felt that this title better reflects
what this newsletter is all about. Our goal this year is to help
parents feel more connected to what is happening within the
school community every day. To that end, you may have noticed
several new regular features: The PTA President’s Message, The
Principal’s Corner, and the Meet the Staff section. We would love
to hear your feedback and any other suggestions. Of course, with
the new title, we had to have a new look. Special thanks go to
Sue Brower who applied her wonderful graphics skills to work with
our newsletter editor, Carol Bayles, for this redesign.
Looking back to November, International Night was again a
wonderful success; several hundred people attended, dining on a
variety of different cultural foods and taking in 11 different
performances representing all parts of the world. A special
recognition and thank you goes to Diane Dunham and her
numerous dedicated volunteers for making this event possible.
Another special thanks to Julie Umbach for again organizing the
Silent Auction and Ally Rooks for running it throughout the
evening. This auction brings in well-needed funds to support
various school activities for our kids.
Looking ahead, we want to remind you of our next official PTA
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meeting on January 12 featuring Cornell Professors Sahara
Byrne and Tarleton Gillespie who will speak on Youth Technology,
including such topics as Facebook and Myspace. If your child
uses the internet socially, this is a “can’t miss” opportunity.
Wendy Bakal,
Boynton PTA Co-President
JOIN THE BOYNTON PTA!
The membership form is online at www.boyntonpta.org. The PTA
recognizes the following staff who are members: Vito Brancato,
Chris Carey, Anne Carignani, Tom Farrell, Roslyn Guterman,
Steve Kirsch, John McNally, Sonnary Phongsawatu, Jeremy
Taylor, Jason Trumble, and Teresa Vossen.
ATTENTION
BOOK FAIR
Coming up on December 8-15 there will be a Scholastic Book Fair
at Boynton. Come see the amazing titles while you are waiting for
the musical to start, or ask your students to make up a list of what
books look interesting to them. We accept cash, check and major
credit cards. The Book fair will run during each school day and
also the evenings of the musical. If you are not able to come to
the school check out our awesome Bookfair Homepage:
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/boyntonbobcats
The money raised at this book fair will help promote literacy in our
school. Hope to see you there!
ICE CREAM SOCIAL -- Friday, Dec.12, during the three lunch
periods (8th grade: 11:23-11:53, 6th grade: 12:05-12:35, and 7th
grade: 12:47-1:17). We need 3 parent volunteers for each period.
Please contact Robin Robert at rrobert@icsd.k12.ny.us
HELP THE BOYNTON CAFETERIA GO GREEN
As part of a district-wide Go Green initiative, many efforts are
underway at Boynton to keep the waste we generate out of the
landfill through recycling and composting. Family members can get
involved in this effort is by providing support during the lunch
periods. Volunteers are needed to guide students as they sort
their discards after lunch into the appropriate containers. This
support is especially important as students are developing new,
greener habits. Please consider volunteering for as little as one
lunch period each week for as many weeks as you can. We need
volunteers now, but we welcome your help at any time.
Please join us in creating a more sustainable future. Contact Cindy
Kramer at ckramer@icsd.k12.ny.us or 277-8605 in the evening.
Thank you
SATURDAY STUDY SESSION – JANUARY 10
Please send your child if he/she needs help. And please consider
volunteering - you CAN make a difference!
Keith Harrington at kharring@icsd.k12.ny.us
PRINCIPAL’S CORNER
Food Drive,
Food Drive , Food Drive
We are happy to announce that our Annual Food Drive, supporting
the local Tompkins County Chapter of the American Red Cross, is
once again underway. Every year the students and staff at
Boynton collect and donate thousands of food and health care
items to help feed and support needy families and individuals right
here in Ithaca. As able, students are encouraged to bring in a few
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December 5, 2008
The BOYNTON CONNECTION
items from home, collect items in their neighborhood by dropping a
bag with a note, or collecting items with their homebase teacher at
a local store for an hour or two. The need is greater than ever!
We are hoping to have another very successful food drive. Your
support and encouragement is greatly appreciated. This year's
winning homebases get to color Mr. Trumble's hair in our school
colors of blue and gold! The drive ends Dec17 so don’t wait. If
you have questions or would like to help out, please call Steve
Kirsch at 273-6651.
Jason M. Trumble
Principal
Linda A. Myers
Associate Principal
MEET THE STAFF
We are continuing our series "Meet the Staff" and this month our
guests are: one of our Math teachers, Kathleen Cole, and the
Head Custodian, Scott Taylor. They have graciously accepted our
request for an interview and photo. See our PTA website
www.boyntonpta.org for better quality photos, Enjoy! Olus Boratav,
boratav@mac.com PTA co- president.
Kathleen Cole teaches math at Boynton. She is from Upstate
New York. After graduating from SUNY Postdam, she immediately
started teaching at Boynton.
How long have you been at Boynton?
17 years.
How did you decide to become a teacher? A Math teacher?
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I always enjoyed math. In 9 grade, I had a wonderful teacher
who made an impression on me and I looked up to her.
What is the best advice you would give to a student if he/she
has fear of math?
Fear comes from not being familiar, so it would help to commit to
after-school, get interested in math and then become comfortable
with it using and applying it.
What do you think is the most difficult concept to teach in
math?
The understanding of a variable. Students struggle with it because
they want answers and a variable can vary.
What is the best way to learn math, you think?
By doing it. By practicing it. Not by memorizing it but by
understanding and using it all the time.
Your name (with Stephanie Neagle) appears on our math
textbooks under New York Advisory Board. What exactly is this
and what did you do?
When NY State changed standards a couple of years ago,
textbook companies wanted feedback from math teachers. So, I
sat in a panel of about 20-25 NY State math teachers and gave my
feedback.
What are some of the things you would like to do when you
are not working?
Traveling with my two children and watching them play sports.
What would you want to do if you were not an educator?
I would say art, Graphics art.
How were you when you were a middle-schooler?
I was a good kid. I enjoyed my teachers. Played sports: Field
hockey, volleyball, and softball.
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Can you tell us about the 8 grade trip and your role in it?
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I co-coordinate the trip. We include all the 8 graders and staff.
We have about 200 students and 5 buses. This is a day trip. We
have lunch in the bus and stop by for dinner. We call the trip a
“culminating experience”. We have been to NYC and Darien Lake
in the past. We are looking into new options this year (surprise).
Scott Taylor is the Head Custodian at Boynton. Scot moved to
Ithaca from San Francisco in 1971. He worked for Cornell and
Northeast before Boynton.
How long have you worked for Boynton?
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Eight years. Actually, it is my 2 time at Boynton. After getting a
promotion as a building custodian at Northeast and working there
for five years, I returned to Boynton two years ago.
What is a typical day like for you?
I start the day around 6.30-7 am. I receive teachers’ requests. I am
in charge of the building maintenance, scheduling the events,
planning the events, cleaning the lunchroom; clean up the
cafeteria after lunch.
How many people are you in charge of?
5 (full crew).
What could the students to do to make your job easier?
If they could put their chairs back at their table after lunch.
What is the toughest thing in your job?
Clean up after lunch.
What are some of the things you would like to do when you
are not working?
I have a woodworking shop at home with lots of equipment. I am
learning how to use them.
How do you like living in this area? Are you from this area?
I moved here in 1971 from San Francisco and went through ICSD.
I like it very much.
How were you when you were a kid, say 10 years old?
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The BOYNTON CONNECTION
I grew up in Northeast area. I loved building forts in the woods in
summer and building forts and tunnels with snow in winter. I was
very busy.
Anything else that you would like to communicate to the
Boynton community?
It’s been my pleasure to work for the last 8 years here at
Boynton. It is a wonderful community.
CLASS NOTES
French 7th grade - Miss Morse
We've recently covered how to order snacks and
beverages in a café and how to ask about prices. We've
also discussed how to pay for food and drinks with French
money. Students should be able to ask and answer these
questions and statements:
Qu'est-ce que tu veux?
Tu as faim?
Vous désirez?
Tu as soif?
S'il te plaît, donne-moi...
S'il vous plaît, donnez-moi...
C'est combien?
Ça fait combien?
Find related vocabulary on pages 44 - 54 in our text.
French 8th grade - Miss Morse
8th graders are now able to name and describe clothing
and style, and where to shop for clothing and accessories.
We've covered the following questions:
Est-ce que vous aimez faire du shopping?
Quel est le prix (du pantalon)?
Combien coûte (le pantalon)?
Qu'est-ce que tu penses (du pantalon)?
Comment trouves-tu (le pantalon)?
Qu'est-ce que tu cherches?
Où vas-tu pour trouver ....?
Answers to these questions and related vocabulary can be found
in the text on pgs. 258 - 263
German 7th grade – Frau Jenny Smith
We are at the end of chapter 2 in our Komm Mit curriculum and
the students are doing excellent work.
We have finished
introductions and leisure activities. To get us into the “eating
season” we are working on a restaurant scene where food, drink
and dinner-time chit-chat are practiced. Please check your child’s
binder for lots of useful expressions and try to engage in a simple
conversation.
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I start my morning with two wonderful 7 grade German classes.
Enjoy the “eating season.”
German 8th grade - Frau Jenny Smith
Like the Spanish students we have also worked on chores. We
are practicing the “modal” verbs such as sollen (should), wollen
(want to) and müssen (must, have to) so that we can complete all
of our chores. Here are a few phrases you might want to practice:
1. Du sollst den Tisch decken!
2. Du musst die Katze jeden Tag füttern!
3. Warum willst du nicht dein Bett jeden Tag machen?
My 8th grade classes are full of energy and enthusiasm and they
are a pleasure to teach.
Spanish 7th grade - Tom Farrell
We've recently learned to talk about what we like to do and what
others like to do. Maybe ask your student these questions:
¿Qué te gusta hacer?
What do you like to do?
¿Cómo eres, según tu familia/tus amigos/tus profesores?
What are you like, according to your family/friends/teachers?
Or, ask your student about a friend or a teacher using these
questions:
¿Cómo se llama? What is his/her name?
¿Qué le gusta hacer?
What does he/she like to do?
¿Cómo es? What is he/she like?
See pages 46 and 70 in our text book Realidades to understand
some of the answers you hear!
Spanish 8th grade - Tom Farrell
We're just learning how to talk about household chores. Maybe
use these phrases to tell your student what chores to do:
¡Arregla tu cuarto! Clean up your room!
¡Ayúdame en la cocina! Help me in the kitchen!
¡Da de comer al perro/al gato! Feed the dog/cat!
¡Haz la cama! Make your bed!
¡Lava los platos/la ropa! Wash the dishes/clothing!
¡Pasa la aspiradora en la sala! Vacuum the living room
¡Pon la mesa! Set the table!
¡Quita el polvo del comedor! Dust the dining room!
MUSICAL NOTES
Seneca-Tompkins Music Educators Association (STMEA)
Middle School Honor Band
A total of 37 BMS Band Members earned spots in the 2008
STMEA Middle School Honor Band. The participants include;
Eleanor Bayles, Isabel Boratav, Gwendolyn Umbach, Katherine
Tashman (flute), Emily Long, Tracy Lai (Oboe), Alma Mohlke
(Bassoon), Ian Thompson, Amita Datta, Caioly Andrews, Elliana
Salustri, Samantha Brown (Clarinet), Ethan Skutt, Tenzin
Kikyikhangsar (Bass Clarinet), Katherine Adams, Julian Eng, Ilana
Sawyer, Charles Edwards (Alto Saxophone), Jackie Cornell,
Georgenia Slattery (Tenor Saxophone), Andrew Newman
(Baritone Saxophone), Natalia McClellan (French Horn), Elizabeth
Karpinski, Michael Stern, John Peterson, Duncan Scott-Martinson
(Trumpet), Ofer Grossman, Jeremy Poe, Tanya van Renesse,
Daniel Erickson, Rishi Verma, Carrie D’Aprix (Trombone), Emily
Ulmer, Joshua Tokman, Cristina Dougherty (Tuba), Siena
Schickel, Zachary Dorn (Percussion). The STMEA Fall Festival
Concert was held on Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 at Trumansburg High
School.
NYS Zone 3 Area All-State Band
The Boynton Middle School Concert Band was well represented
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with 16 participants (including 9 grade alumni) in this Band.
Participants included; Kengo Onishi (9), Lucy Lagoze (9), Eleanor
Bayles, Gwendolyn Umbach, Katherine Tashman, Isabel Boratav
(Flute), Emily Long (Oboe), Gabriel Nussbaum (9) (Clarinet), Tracy
Keilbach (9) (Bass Clarinet), Katherine Adams (Alto Saxophone),
Caleb Harned (9), Samuel Cherney (9) (Trumpet), Ofer Grossman,
Jeremy Poe, Calvin Zehnder (9) (Trombone), Siena Schickel
(Timpani). The Area All-State Concert was held on Saturday, Nov
8, 2008, at Cortland High School.
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The BOYNTON CONNECTION
NYS Band Directors Association State-wide Honor Band
A total of 9 Boynton Middle School Band Members have been
selected to participate in the New York State Band Directors
Association 2009 Statewide Middle School Honor Band. The
students include; Eleanor Bayles, Isabel Boratav (Flute), Emily
Long (Oboe), Alma Mohlke (Bassoon), Ian Thompson (Clarinet),
Katherine Adams (Alto Saxophone), Ofer Grossman, Jeremy Poe
(Trombone), Gwendoyn Umbach (Flute, alternate). The ensemble
will perform during the NYSBDA Conference at the Windham Hotel
in North Syracuse on March 6-7, 2009.
Air Force Band of Liberty
The Air Force Band of Liberty performed master classes,
participated in a side-by-side rehearsal and gave a stirring
performance in the BMS gymnasium for the entire student body on
Friday, October 17. The students experienced an emotional
concert full of outstanding vocals, patriotic selections, featured
soloists and exceptional musicianship. Special thanks to USAF
Captain C. Phillip Ulmer, and to First Lieutenant David A. Alpar for
working out the many details associated with bringing this
wonderful group to our school. Additional thanks go to Rita
Boratav and Robert van Renesse for their tireless effort organizing
the luncheon and to all the parents and teachers who made the
luncheon a smashing success.
Citizenship Ceremony
The Boynton band played pre-ceremony music including The Star
Spangled Banner for this important event, which took place at
Boynton on November 13.
LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
Most Prolific Mathematician: The most prolific mathematician
was the Swiss mathematician Leonard Euler (1707-1783) who
published over 8000 books and papers almost all in Latin on every
aspect of pure and applied mathematics, physics and astronomy.
When he became blind, he still made great contributions to
modern analytic geometry, trigonometry, calculus and number
theory. (reference: A Passion for Mathematics)
Palindromes--are positive numbers that read the same backward
and forward, for example 11, 232, 2882. The following give the
total number of 1-digit, 2-digit, 3-digit, etc. palindromes and their
form. The left-most digit is not allowed to be zero. Note that once
you determine the form, the number of palindromes can be
calculated rather easily:
Digit
Form
Total Number of Palindromes
1
a
9
2
aa
9
3
aba
9 x 10
4
abba
9 x 10
5
abcba
9 x10 x 10
6
abccba
9 x 10 x 10
We will leave the formula to the reader.
Triangles:
How many outlines of triangles of all sizes and shapes can you
trace in the figure? 37.
HELP RAISE $ FOR BOYNTON
Office Depot pays 5% back to PTA’s. Just tell them you want
your purchase credited to Boynton Middle School at checkout.
Box Tops for Education Program (General Mills): Please clip
and save the "Box Tops for Education" from participating brands
including General Mills cereals and products from Pillsbury, Betty
Crocker, Yoplait, Old El Paso, Nature Valley, Ziploc, Cottonnelle,
Scott, Kleenex, and Hefty. Send in your Box Tops to the school
office, marked "PTA Box Tops."
Enjoy the City coupon books are here. The cost per book is $20.
Cash or personal checks will be accepted. Contact Lisa Wesche at
law4@cornell.edu to obtain a booklet. All proceeds go to benefit
PTA-sponsored educational enrichment programs at Boynton
Middle School. Thank you.
PUZZLE PLACE
You can e-mail your solutions to the puzzles to PTA co-president
Olus boratav@mac.com. We will post the correct solutions. Any
student, teacher or parent can submit a puzzle.
(1) Mystery sequences, what comes next:
1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, ?
1, 2, 9, 64, 625, ?
3, 8, 15, 24, 35, 48, 55, 63, ?
(2) Hourglasses
You need to boil eggs for exactly 9 minutes, or else the Duchess
will complain and you will lose your job as head chef. But you only
have 2 Hourglasses, one measures 7-minutes and the other
measures 4-minutes. How can you correctly measure 9 minutes?
COMMUNITY
BOYNTON AND THE ARTS
Boynton families and staff, thank you for the ways in which you
support your children's participation in the arts. Last month's
sumptuous lunch for the visiting band, parent organization of
drama support, and arts at International Night, are just a few things
the Fine Arts Booster Group applauds. Thank you.
Martha Frommelt, President
Skate Camp
Our newly open local indoor East Shore Skate Park is offering a
skateboard and bike camp over winter break. Run by Ben Jones
and Tyler Smith, the camp will offer group and individual
instruction as well as free time on the ramps. Dec 29-31, 9 am-3
pm. The park is located at 2073 East Shore Drive, Lansing, NY
(behind Rogues Harbor Inn). For more info 533-0055 or see
www.eastshoreskatepark.com. Dial it in!
ATTENTION, S'IL VOUS PLAÎT
TAKE THIS NEWSLETTER HOME TO YOUR FOLKS
And see if they can solve the puzzles.
Volume 4 Number 4
December 5, 2008
The BOYNTON CONNECTION
Volume 4 Number 4
December 5, 2008