Pelican June 2016 - Levittown Public Schools

JUNE, 2016
The Pelican
PTA Newsletter
A Message from our
Principal..
Dear Northside Families,
It is so hard to imagine that we are near the end of
the 2015-16 school year. What a year it has been! We
have been witness to the dedication and perseverance
of our students in their academics which has resulted in
many new and fulfilling achievements. All of the
achievements gained this year could not have been
possible without the support they received from all the
members of the school community. I would like to personally thank the teachers,
educational assistants, and all support staff who work tirelessly to make learning
at our school possible. Thank you also to all our parents and guardians who
support our students in so many ways. Whether you attend meetings and/or
school functions, help and encourage with homework, provide a morning wakeup and breakfast, or serve as a daily taxi service, we know that your efforts and
support have contributed to their school success.
I would like to extend a very special thank you to Mrs. Hill and Mrs.
Sampugnaro for their tireless efforts as our PTA Co-Presidents. In my opinion,
Northside’s PTA is the best in Levittown. We as a school, appreciate the
tremendous amount of time and dedication the entire PTA has given to our
school. Thank you for the continued excellence known as the “Northside PTA”!
As we draw the curtains on another school year, let us not forget that learning
is an every moment of the day experience. School may be over on June 24th but
each of us, young and old, continue to learn on a daily basis. I wish you all a very
happy and safe summer holiday. I hope you and your children spend endless
hours together being creative and having fun!
Next PTA
Meeting..
Meetings have
concluded for this
year. Our next
meeting will be in
September. Hope to
see you there!
In this issue:
PTA Co Presidents’
Message
2
Notes from the
School Nurse
3
Music/NPMC
4
Music News
5
PTA Bits & Pieces 6
“Spotlight on…”
7
Character counts at
Northside
8
Pelican Staff written
articles:
Northside News
9
World News
11
Entertainment
13
With Warm Regards,
Sports
15
Frank Mortillaro, Principal
“Spotlight”, cont. 18
It is my hope that everyone can take some time this summer to relax,
rejuvenate, and reflect on our many achievements over the course of the year. I
look forward to seeing you in September; and wish our graduating students and
families the best of luck as they begin their new journey into middle school!
1
A message from the PTA
the staff of Northside for all they do for our
children.
Co Presidents…
Box Tops and Labels for Education are in and
being counted. The top 3 classes will win an ice
cream party. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for
the announcement of the winning classes. We had
another tremendous year. Please keep it going next
year. It is amazing how much money we can receive
from clipping those little 10 cent labels!
Hello Families,
As we wrap up another school year, we would
like to take a moment to thank all of those that have
helped the PTA thrive this year. Thank you to all of
you that became members, to everyone that made
purchases from any of our fundraisers, to those of
you that gave your time and helped out with any of
the committees, and a special thank you to all on
the executive board for the countless hours you
have put in for the children and families of
Northside.
Our new slate was installed on June 2nd at our
annual Installation Dinner. Northside will be in very
good hands next school year. The new Executive
Committee will begin their positions July 1st.
Spring photos were taken at the end of April and
the orders have now been completed and returned
to the students. We hope you were happy with your
photos and placed an order. We were very pleased
with the company; Sand Castle.
We wish you all a relaxing and fun summer
vacation. Congratulations to the Class of 2016! Best
of luck in middle school! As always, if you have any
questions, comments or suggestions, email the copresidents at northsidepta11756@gmail.com
May 5th and 6th was our Spring Boutique. It was
a pleasure watching and helping the children shop
for the special people in their lives. We hope all
enjoyed their purchases. We look forward to
shopping with the children again next year.
Be Well,
Krista Hill & Jen Sampugnaro
2015-2016 PTA Co Presidents
Staff recognition day was May 20th and was a
huge success! Congratulations to Mrs. Heaney- the
winner of the fire pit! A very special thank you to
the Pinner family for the amazing donation. Thank
you to all of the families that donated food, prizes
and their time to make the day as successful as it
was. It was really great to be able to give back to
2
Tips for Staying Cool This
Summer:
8 Signs of Heat Overexposure:
• Heavy sweating. But if heat stroke sets in, the
body can no longer compensate and stops
sweating.
• Be aware of the heat. Pay attention to it and
modify your activities appropriately.
• Pale skin.
• Pay attention to your hydration status, and be
sure to drink plenty of fluids.
• Muscle cramps.
• Try to stay in relatively cool areas, even when
outside. Many public places such as libraries,
shopping malls and movie theaters are air
conditioned.
• Feeling tired and weak.
• Altered mental status (confusion or
disorientation)
• Avoid hot enclosed places, such as cars. Never
leave children unattended in a car parked in the
sun.
• Headache
• Becoming semi-conscious, or passing out.
• Use a fan, if available.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Stay on the lowest floor of your building.
6 First Steps to Take After
Recognizing Heat-Induced Illness:
• Eat well-balanced, light and regular meals.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored
• Call 911.
clothing.
• Get the person out of the sun and into a cool area.
• Cover windows that receive a significant amount
of sun with drapes or shades to help keep your
house cool.
• Apply water to help the person cool off.
• Apply ice to the neck or armpits, where large
• Weather stripping and proper insulation will keep
blood vessels are close to the surface
cool air inside your home.
• Remove any heavy clothing
• Cool beverages are good for cooling down the
body.
• Immerse the body in cool water, either at a
swimming pool or in a bathtub.
3
Sadly, we were rained out for our Memorial Day
Parade on Monday, May 30th. The marching band
was to perform "You're a Grand Old Flag", as the
flag bearers, twirlers, pom pom girls, streamer girls
and banner holders marched proudly along. However, we continued our musical journey on
Tuesday, with our Spring Concerts performed in the
morning and afternoon in the gymnasium for the
students and staff at Northside. Our evening
concert was held at Wisdom Lane Middle School
Auditorium on June 1st with much success. The
NYSSMA students proudly wore their medals that
they earned at the NYSSMA festival in April for their
musical achievement. We are so proud of all of
them. Our finale is always something that the
students look forward to each year. It rounds out the
end of a great concert and a great musical year but
it also means that we have to say goodbye to our
fifth grade musicians. Many of these students have
been with Mrs. McClancy since Kindergarten
Kapers. Northside will miss our many talented 5th
grade musicians as they move on to Wisdom Lane
Middle School, but I do hope that they will stay in
touch and let us know how they are doing. Families
of students in grades 2-4 had the opportunity to
register their child for an instrument for the fall on
the www.levittownschools.com
website with a deadline of 5/31. Also, Summer
music forms went out to families with students in
grade 2-5 with a due date of 6/10. On June 10th
was Kindergarten Kapers and then we celebrated
Moving Up for Fifth Grade on 6/16. Have a great summer! Regards,
Mrs. McClancy and Mrs. Castillo Northside. With this goal in mind, we happily
announce that the NPMC will be taken over by two
wonderful people, who are equally invested in the
idea that music is an important part of our
children's development. Krista Hill and Mari Ganga
have volunteered to assume the Co-President roles
and to continue the fundraising efforts that
supplement the music department at Northside
(general music, choral and instrumental). We would
like to sincerely thank Mrs. Castillo, Mrs. McClancy,
and of course Mr. Mortillaro for so many wonderful
years of working together towards a common goal.
But before we go... The NPMC hosted a breakfast
for all of the Northside students who participated in
NYSSMA. On May 24th the students were
recognized for their extensive preparation of either
instrumental or vocal pieces, demonstrating their
commitment to music excellence. In addition, If you
have a fifth grader who participated in chorus, band
or orchestra, they received a pin from the Music
Department and the NPMC. Please encourage the
students to wear those pins proudly at moving up...
they have surely earned it!
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into
words and that which cannot remain silent.”
Victor Hugo
Marie Reid & Susan Massoni
Northside Parents Music Club
After 6 years of being the Co-Presidents of the
Northside Parents Music Club, Susan Massoni and
Marie Reid are leaving Northside School along with
our 5th grade children. It has been our joy to
contribute to the betterment of music education at
4
Northside Students Prepare For Memorial
Day Parade
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Northside
Parents Music Club Co-Presidents
Northside School students love to parade! They
are preparing for the Memorial Day parade on
May 30th which starts at 10:00am and goes
from Island Trees Middle School and ends at
the Levittown Library.
Third graders, pictured (L to R) playing
clarinet: Alexander Hager, Alexis Garcia and
Ashley Anderson, playing saxophone: Daniel
Quiroz and Robert Orlando, playing trombone:
Christopher Miller, Dylan Koch and Colin Finn
are practicing at lessons. They are excited to
join the Northside Marching Band and will
perform with them on Memorial Day.
The Northside Community would like to extend
its heartfelt thanks to Mrs. Marie Reid and Mrs.
Susan Massoni for all of their hard work and
dedication as Co-Presidents of the NPMC for the
last 6 years.
Through their tireless efforts, they have kept
the children’s instruments in working order,
obtained and maintained uniforms, purchased
music books, hosted an annual end of year
breakfast, as well as many other events for the
Music Department. While, at the same time,
been very active in the PTA. They will be sorely
missed when their children head off to Wisdom
Lane Middle School next Fall.
We wish them, and their girls the best of luck
on the next chapter of their lives!
“You
give but little when you give of your
possessions. It is when you give of yourself
that you truly give.” ~Kahlil Gibran
5
The Northside PTA would like to thank
Mrs. Krista Hill for her hard work and
dedication as Co-President for the last
Thanks to your generous box top
donations Northside PTA has
earned over $1500.00!
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two years! We are very grateful that we
get to keep her on board! She is an
invaluable asset to the Northside
Community! Thank you for all you do!!
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The Northside PTA would like to
congratulate the Class of 2016 and
wish them luck as they head into
Middle School! You will be
missed!
6
Spotlight on…
We asked our 5th
Graders what they would
miss most about Northside.
Here’s what they said..
All of my great teachers like Mr.
Miller. Kelsey C.
Staying in the same class every
day. Peyton S.
The greatest teacher of all time,
Mr. Miller. Ryan Y.
Mr. Miller’s Class:
My amazing teachers, like Mr.
Miller. Kaitlyn T.
The teachers and my friends
who aren’t going to Wisdom next
year. Liliana B.
I will miss everything! Henzer S.
My friends and teachers and
Northside School. Allyson S.
My friends and my teacher, Mr.
Miller. Princess P.
The faculty and staff, especially
Mr. Mortillaro. Sofia G.
All of my nice teachers and
friends. Brennan M.
I will miss my teachers. Haley P.
My favorite teacher, Mr Miller
and Ms. Isha because they are
awesome. Hailey I.
The Halloween party which
happens every year. Victoria A.
The teachers I had. Caitlin P.
The staff, teachers and amazing
principal. Joseph Y.
My amazingness teacher, Mr
Awesome Miller. Zahra H.
My 5th Grade teacher, Mr. Miller
Anthony P.
Field days and fun games and
my awesome teachers! Ryan D.
My favorite teacher, Mr. Miller
Kameron P.
The fun we had and the
teachers. Saija W.
My teacher. Anthony A.
My teachers and my principal,
Mr. Mortillaro. Sumreet B.
All the teachers I had for the last
2 years. Adrian R.
My really funny teacher, Mr.
Miller Daniel A.
All of my wonderful teachers.
Anna L.
My teachers and the fun spirit
days. Also, Mr Mortillaro is the
best! Olivia A.
Celebrating birthdays and
bringing in cupcakes. Abigail M.
All my teachers, especially Mr.
Miller. Daniel C.
All of my teachers, especially
Mrs. Crayon. Sofia F.
All the caring teachers that
surround us, trying to make our
years at Northside great.
Caleigh B.
The teachers. Max M.
Ms. Richiusa’s Class:
Art class, where I’ve learned so
much and improved so much.
Nabiha K.
Amazing teachers, staff, my
friends and the fun activities.
Daniela B.
My teachers and Mr. Mortillaro.
Alyssa B.
My teachers. They were very
nice. Matthew S.
My classes. All of my friends
might not be in my class next
year. Gavin A.
My teachers and my friends.
Colin L.
7
My teachers. Justin C.
I will miss my teachers I had for
the last 6 years of my life.
Erin A.
All the great teachers helping me
through problems! Sydney G.
The nice teachers who taught me
and the principal who stayed
with me for a long time.
Jason K.
The great environment and
teachers that help you through
problems. Maxavator B.
Field day, when we go outside
and play games on teams.
Nicoletta E.
All the friends and teachers I
have. Marcus K.
The nice staff, and what they do
for us. And the teachers that
cared so much about us.
Cristiana M.
Continued on page 18…
Character counts at Northside…
“My mom is honest with her
students.” Abigail
***************************
“I’m honest because when my
mom asked me where the money
is, I told her the truth.” Chris
***************************
“The person that I know is honest
is my gymnastics teacher named
Ms. Kerry. She found money in
the gym and made sure she
returned it.” Mia M.
“My friend Leila shows over the
daily amount of respect. She is
kind no matter what race you are
or what holiday you celebrate. She
does not even notice if you are
smart or not. She does not care
how pretty you are one bit. She
will always play with you and
make a joke when you don’t feel
happy. She will always try her
hardest effort to include everyone
possible. That is why Leila shows
respect for everyone.”
Kimberly E.
***************************
“Once my mom and I went to the
mall to get my summer clothes.
We went to Children’s Place to
shop. I saw a lady drop her wallet.
I quickly told my mom about that.
My mom picked it up and called
the lady. She was so happy that we
returned her wallet. I feel that my
mom and I showed honesty by
returning the wallet.” Krisha
“My friend Tara C. shows respect
to me. Tara lets everyone be her
friend. Tara never judges someone
by the way they look, dress or by
their personalities. Most
importantly, she is never mean to
anyone. She is intelligent and
always wishes good luck to
anyone in a tough position. Tara is
intelligent, and a good friend to
have. She will never betray you
and if she has something to say
she’ll say it to you or keep it to
herself. She respects other
people’s privacy and never asks
them to say something they don’t
want to talk about. This is why I
think Tara C. shows respect to
me!” Leila B.
***************************
***************************
“I am always honest with my
mom and dad because I do not lie.
Caitlin P.
***************************
“I respect my mom and dad by not
saying bad words to them and not
screaming at them. I also respect
other people that are older than me
and I also respect my teachers. I
always will respect my parents,
my friends, my teachers, my
***************************
“I show honesty when I tell the
truth to my mom. “ Antonio M.
***************************
“I am very honest because I tell
the truth.” Dylan T.
8
aunts, my uncles, my grandparents
and other people that I talk to.”
Nelson
***************************
“Mrs. Butler shows respect by
being nice to everyone.”
Alexa B.
***************************
“Someone I know who shows
respect is Mr. Mortillaro. He
stands outside in the morning and
greets you. Then later on in the
day he greets you again. He also
does stuff like Field Day. He is
always there when you need him.
He is the best principal ever!”
Gabby
***************************
“I show respect by being quiet in
the library. I also make sure to
take care of the book I borrowed.”
Reana S.
***************************
“I respect my country by singing
the Pledge of Allegiance.” Lily
***************************
“I helped mom get her splinter
out. I cared for her.” Chris
***************************
“I care when my brother is sick or
stuck and hurt.” Natalie
***************************
“I show tolerance when my
neighbor Sal, who is handicapped
comes over to my house. He
speaks with a voice box and I am
very patient because it is difficult
to hear or understand him when he
speaks. Tyler S.
Northside News
Spring is in the Air for the
1st Grade!
By Karolina N., Staff Writer
First graders are writing
poems about Spring. They are
drawing and writing about
Spring and what they do in the
Spring. The drawings are so
beautiful and very colorful and
creative!
Gym Fun for Everyone!
By Cody M., Staff Writer
Now in gym people are cup
stacking. Cup stacking is fun. I
think it’s a contest. Before
people did cup stacking, people
did Jump Rope for Heart. Jump
Rope for Heart was fun. People
got necklaces. Field day is fun.
Students get to do obstacles
and lots of other events. Some
events are bucket knockdown,
basketball and kick ball. There’s
also lacrosse, crab soccer and
football.
June!
By Miranda H., Staff Writer
In June, most classes don’t
have homework! We also only
have one hour on the last day
of school! Enjoy June!
played an obstacle relay and
Kindergarten played obstacle
relay. Field day ended in a tie.
It was really fun.
Memorial Day Parade
Cancelled
By Anna L., Sr. Staff Writer
The school band and the
marchers for the Memorial Day
parade practiced hard.
Unfortunately, the parade was
cancelled due to bad weather.
The band was supposed to play
“You’re a Grand Old Flag”. The
marchers, specifically the
streamers, flag raisers, and the
banner holders were ready for
the parade. On the bright side,
a mini version of the parade
was held before the Juvenile
Diabetes Walk on June 13th.
Field Day
By Melissa K., Staff Writer
Field day was a fantastic
day. The weather was beautiful
outside and the sun was
shining! The Fifth Graders
played soccer and kickball on
Friday. Fourth grade played
football. Third Grade played
basketball. Second grade
played potato toss. First grade
9
Beary Cuddly Parade at
Northside School
Soft, cuddly teddy bears
positioned in handmade floats
were pulled through the halls of
Northside School during the
kindergarten students' bear
parade. The activity marked the
culmination of a unit on bears
and their habitats.
Since February, students have
been studying the polar, grizzly
and brown bear, their natural
habitats and the process of
hibernation. On Feb. 1, the
students made caves for their
teddy bears' hibernation. To
celebrate the end of hibernation,
they made floats for their bears
to ride on and paraded the
beloved stuffed animals through
the halls to the cheers of
students and staff.
Northside
News, cont.
2nd Grade is Focusing on
History
By Alexander H., Staff Writer
The first class focused on
Levittown and learned how Mr.
Levitt built all of the houses in
the 1950’s. All of the students
had to write a sentence about
their own homes and explain if
they live in a Cape Cod or a
Ranch style home. The students
had to also draw pictures of the
front of their houses. It was
exciting to see all of the different
pictures.
Beach Day and American Day
By Heather W., Staff Writer
Beach day is a day you can
wear beach clothes. American day
is a day you can wear red,
white, and blue. It is such a fun
day!
and the National Anthem. On
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 when
he noticed the flag being carried
out by the 5th grade flag raisers,
Cian stood at attention and
saluted until the flag was raised
completely to the top of the flag
pole. He then went inside the
school when the National
Anthem started playing. He
snapped to attention again until
it was over. For this show of
respect and pride, he earned
Patriot of the Year for 2016.
Students Learn How A Bill
Becomes A Law
The second class focused on
their ancestors. The classes had
to conduct interviews with their
parents and grandparents to find
out about their family history.
They had to make a family tree
and had it hung up in the
hallway. They all looked terrific
and unique!
Northside Patriot of the Year
Cian G., a 4th grade student
in Mr. Vilbig’s class, was
awarded the Northside Patriot of
the Year award for his personal,
public and proud display of
respect for the American flag
10
Northside fifth-grade students
learned what it entails to pass a
bill into law during a visit with
New York State Assemblyman
Tom McKevitt. Mr. McKevitt
explained that a bill is an idea
that someone wants to make
into a law and that there are
approximately 11,000 pending
in Albany today. He also
described the process by which a
bill is passed into law, including
sponsorship, debate and voting.
"When I vote for a bill, I vote for
you," Mr. McKevitt told the
students.
World News
Journey to Egypt
By Noreen H., Staff Writer
popular, and in the film industry. It
is also used in songs and folk
literature and popular poetry.
Not only do people speak
Arabic, but they can also speak
English!
Egyptians are descended from
Arab settlers who followed the
Muslim conquest in 640. The
typical Egyptian reflects a mixture
of two heritages.
The Nile River is the longest
river in the world. It’s 3000 miles
across Africa. Egypt is generally a
warm, dry climate. Summers are
hot and days can get up to 107
degrees Fahrenheit, but nights are
cool. These are facts about Egypt.
If we do not get enough sleep,
we cannot grow tall, we cannot
remember what we study, and we
can get weak and sick. So, let’s
sleep well!
Why Kids Need Sleep
By Alice S., Staff Writer
The Egyptian sizable
minority dates back to pre-Islamic
times. They are members of one of
the earliest Christian churches.
There are also some people of
Armenian, French, Greek and
Italian ancestry, but Arabic is the
main language of Egypt.
Sleep is a little rest our body
needs to refresh for the next day.
Every day we wake up, go to
school, study, play with friends, do
homework, and even do some
house chores! Therefore, we
definitely need to give our body a
break.
Classical Arabic is the written
language. It is used for conducting
official business. Colloquial Arabic
is the spoken language of the
street. Both forms are used by the
media, for business transactions,
and in schools.
On average, kids from ages 5 to
12 sleep about 9.5 hours, but
some scientists think that we need
10 to 11 hours of sleep! This is
because sleep helps kids with
many different matters.
Colloquial Arabic is widely
used on television, which is very
believe that when we are sleeping,
the brain reorganizes the
information and refills chemicals.
Lastly, if we sleep well, our
immune system is going to be
stronger. The immune system
helps us not to get sick and fight
against germs such as bacteria and
cold viruses.
First, during sleep, our body
releases chemicals called the
human growth hormones which
help us grow. Second, scientists
11
Smoking is Harmful
By Aaria M., Staff Writer
Smoking is bad for your health
and it’s also very hard to quit. The
chemicals in cigarettes are very
addicting so most people smoke
for life. Cigarettes contain tar,
nicotine, ammonia, carbon
monoxide, hydrogen, cyanide and
400 other chemicals which are
harmful. When you smoke, these
chemicals mostly destroy your
lungs and heart.
World News
cont.
Smoking.. cont.
Smoking causes cancer and other
diseases. The most common disease
is lung cancer. Smoking is
responsible for 87 percent of lung
cancer deaths. Another common
disease is COPD (Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
This disease makes it hard to
breathe. It causes long term
disability and could cause early
death. Also, smoking can cause
blockages and narrowing in your
arteries, which means less blood
and oxygen flow to your heart.
Smoking causes a lot of deaths
because of the different diseases.
Secondhand smoking is also
caused by smoking and there is no
way to stop it. About 41,280 people
die from secondhand smoke each
year. If you are exposed to
secondhand smoke every day, your
body will absorb all the chemicals in
the cigarette. There is no risk-free
level of exposure to secondhand
smoke and it increases the risk of a
heart attack. Secondhand smoke
even makes you more likely to get
lung cancer and many other types of
cancer. Secondhand smoke kills a
lot of innocent children and adults.
In conclusion, smoking is not
only bad for you but also the people
around you. A lot of people get
cancer from smoking because
smoking destroys the lungs and
heart. Thousands of people die each
year because of smoking and more
are dying to this day.
delicious food and a wonderful
staff.
Top Vacation Spots
By Sofia F. and Nabiha K.,
Sr. Staff Writers
4. Edinburgh, Scotland. This place is
just beautiful. The castles are so
detailed and touring them is
magnificent. A hotel that is
awesome to go to is the Chester
Resistance. It has won the 2016 Trip
Advisor’s Choice Award. A go-to
restaurant is Ada Restaurant.
There’s great food at a reasonable
price.
There are so many places to go
on vacation this summer..but where
SHOULD you go? We have made a
top list to show YOU where to go.
1. Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand on
its own is a spectacular, spiritual
place to be, but Bangkok is the
place to go. The food is
magnificent, the hotels are
wonderful, there is nothing not
to love about it. I would suggest
going to Ariyasmoville Hotel.
There’s free breakfast, the staff
is pleasant and (the most
important) affordable. Great
restaurants to go to are Jin
Cheing Seng. The food is
delicious, and are you ready?
Prices are from $2-$5. You’re
probably wondering why it’s so
cheap. Well one American
dollar is 35.6464 of their
currency called Baht.
2. Paris, France. Paris is a culture
experience that young and old
can enjoy. The people are
amazing and the land in itself is
just wow. A hotel that I’d
suggest you stay at is Hotel La
Tamise. Also, for a
restaurant..any! All the
restaurants offer great food and
atmosphere.
3. Cape Town, South Africa. Going
here will help you and your
family experience how beautiful
a town may be. A good hotel to
go to is Hotel Golden Gate
Deluxe. The hotel in itself is just
gorgeous. A restaurant that I
suggest is Mzansi. It has
12
5. Sydney, Australia. This place is
beautiful with coral reefs. It’s
definitely a place that anyone must
go to. A hotel that I suggest is Park
Hyatt Sydney. The view is exquisite.
You could probably spend the
vacation looking out the window. A
restaurant that I personally think
you should go to is Pendolino. This
place will give you a memorable
dinner that cannot be forgotten.
Entertainment
Hover Boards
By Armaan S., Staff Writer
Last Winter hover boards hit
the market. The stores were
overflowing with holiday
shoppers. They were rushing to
get their children or
grandchildren the hover board.
The hover board was so popular
they were soaring off the
shelves. The newest sensation
was the self-balancing, portable,
rechargeable, battery powered,
electric scooter. The hover board
consists of two wheels arranged
side by side, with two small
platforms between the wheels
where the rider stands. The rider
controls the hover board using
his or her own feet, standing on
futuristic built-in gyroscopic,
censored pads. Sounds pretty
cool right? Or so you think…
First, we’re going to
focus on the pros of the hover
board. The audience absolutely
adores the hover board. They
think it’s a cool new way to get
around or a nice plan for the
weekend. Kids love the fresh
new idea and think it’s one of
the greatest things since the
skateboard. It is indeed very
popular and seems like great
fun. But then, think again…
While the hover board
may seem great, don’t be so
hasty and try to buy it now. The
hover board still has some major
safety hazards. First of all, the
hover board has faulty wiring.
This means you could possibly
get electrocuted and can steer
out of control. For example, a
kid in London was struck then
fatally injured by a bus after his
hover board went haywire.
There have also been reports of
defective batteries, short
circuited, overheated, causing
devices to self-ignite. Also many
kids have been injured because
hover boards can reach the
speed of 12 miles per hour. Since
there’s no handlebars kids can
easily lose their balance at these
speeds. Without handlebars you
cannot regain your balance. It’s
also been banned in Magic
Kingdom, Universal Studios, and
much more. Back to self-ignition,
many kids have been burned and
hover boards have blown up in
houses resulting in fires. Last,
but certainly not least, hover
boards have been banned in
cargo storages in travel
transportation such as common
airlines and cruises. Before you
buy a hover board, think about
the pros and cons before you
hop on and decide if you’re
willing to take the risk.
Splish Splash
By Eryn S.,Staff Writer
Looking for something fun to
do this summer to stay cool?
Then go to Splish Splash! It’s not
a far trip. They have awesome
rides there such as Dr. Von Dark’s
Tower of Terror, Abyss, Alien
Invasion, Dragon’s Den, Giant
Twister, Dinosaur Falls, Barrier
Reef, Cliff Diver, Mammoth
River, Max Trax, and Shotgun
Falls. They also have wave pools
and rivers such as Kahuna Bay
Wavepool, Lazy River, Soak City,
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and Surf City.
They even have
kiddie rides such as
Yellow Submarine,
Monsoon Lagoon, Octopus Pool,
and Pirate Cove. I hope you have
a fun time at Splish Splash.
The Jungle Book
By Avisa T., Sr. Staff Writer
Have you ever heard of The
Jungle Book? Well, it’s a brand
new movie, and there is also
another Jungle Book that was
created in the 1900’s. Today, I
am going to be giving a
summary about the new movie
made in 2016.
The movie starts off with a
little boy named Mowgli who
was raised in the jungle with
some wild animals. He has some
friends such as Bagharre, the
panther and Baloo, the bear. But
he also has some rivals or
enemies such as Tiger Shere
Khan.
As the story goes on, Mowgli
has to deal with Khan the tiger,
and go through some threats and
negative hate, but his friends
always had his back. And those
were some difficult things to go
through, so Mowgli sure was a
brave and strong boy!
Overall, I think The Jungle
Book was a great movie. Even if
you haven’t seen the movie, I
think it is a good life lesson that
you learn through Mowgli which
is to never give up and you CAN
get through it.
Entertainment
cont.
Six Flags Great Adventure
By Dominic M., Staff Writer
Did you know that Six Flags
Great Adventure is located in
Jackson, New Jersey and that it
is the world’s largest amusement
park in the U.S.? The park
opened in 1974 under
Restauranteur Warner Leeroy.
Six Flags took the ownership of
the park in 1977. There are
many thrill rides at Six Flags.
Some of which include the Joker,
Kingda Ka, and El Toro.
The Joker (formally known as
Total Mayhem) is a 4D free spin
which is currently under
construction at Six Flags. The
rollercoaster is expected to open
Summer of 2016. The Joker 4D
free spin rollercoaster allows
riders to zig zag along the track.
This ride will give you a head
over heels thrill.
El Toro has been ranked
number 3 in the Golden Ticket
Awards for the best steel
rollercoaster every year from
2007 to 2012. It was ranked
number 4 in 2013. El Toro is a
Spanish term meaning “the
bull”. El Toro is a wooden
coaster with a steep drop. El
Toro opened in 2006 where it
replaced the Viper rollercoaster.
Did you know it cost 12 million
dollars to build El Toro?
Kingda Ka is the tallest and
fastest rollercoaster in North
America. This rollercoaster goes
from 0 to 128 miles per hour,
and drops you at a 270 degree
spiral making it a super thrill
ride.
Six Flags is a family fun
amusement park because it has
rides suited for everyone and a
safari. The Joker, Kingda Ka, and
El Toro are fast, thrill
rollercoasters but there are other
rides that you can try that are
more family friendly.
Bloons TD Battles
By Michael G., Staff Writer
Bloons TD Battles is a game
you play against real people in
assault or defense mode. You can
also play solo or play with your
friends. This game is FREE.
Income is one of the most
important things in the game. In
assault mode, you increase your
income by sending bloons to
your opponent. Defensive mode,
however, you have to use your
money to increase your income.
In defensive mode, you want
to stay alive as long as possible
against the other person. You
can’t send bloons to your
opponent to increase your
income, however, you need to
use money to increase your
income.
Energy is one of the most
important things in the game.
You use it to spy on your
opponents, set it to a different
map, get a bonus tower, re-roll
the bonus tower and more!
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In the tutorial, you play
against computer controlled
Sergeant Monkey. The tutorial
shows you how to play the
game. You have the Dart
Monkey, Tack Shooter, and the
Bomb Tower. You learn why you
send bloons for income.
This game is a fun game on
tablet or computer. So this is
what this game is about. You can
play this game at
www.ninjakiwi.com or play it
on a tablet. Have fun playing!
Bloons TD5
By Carl G., Staff Writer
Bloons TD5 is a fun game for
everyone to play. You can
download it for $2.99. It’s best
to start with Monkey Lane. You
place a dart monkey and hit start
and red bloons come out! The
monkey will pop all the bloons.
When you level up you unlock a
new tower, the tack shooter. You
should place it in small circles
because it fires in all directions.
There are new towers like the
ninja monkey and monkey sub.
The map difficulties range from
beginner to extreme. There are
special missions like moab
madness. There are special
buildings where you can power
certain towers. The game modes
are easy, normal, hard and
impossible. The game is super
fun, yet challenging.
Sports
The Islander Who Leads It All
By James G., Staff Writer
John Tavares, the Captain of
the New York Islanders has been
playing for 6 seasons. He was
born September 29, 1990 in
Ontario, Canada. He plays center
ice on the Islanders and he
shoots left. His home team on
the World Hockey League is
Canada. he is representing Team
Ontario. I think he is the best
player on the Islanders because
he scores a lot of goals for his
team. John Tavares is an
Islander legend!
meet the Pacific Coast Hockey
Association Champion in the
best-of-five Stanley Cup Finals.
Same as 1917-18 except that the
NHL Finals were extended to a
best of seven series. Same as
1917-18, except that the Ottawa
Senators won both halves of the
split regular season schedule to
earn an automatic berth into the
best of five Stanley Cup Finals
against the PCHA Champions.
The top two teams at the
conclusion of the regular season
faced each other in a two game,
total goals series for the NHL
Champion then moved on to
play the winner of the PCHAWestern Canada Hockey League
playoff series in the best of five
Stanley Cup Finals.
There are many types of
swimming strokes. One VERY
important stroke is the back
float. It’s very easy to do.
1. Spread out your legs.
2. Spread out your arms
like a T.
3. Make your stomach face to
face with the sun.
4. Lift up your stomach.
Treading is another VERY
important stroke to learn. Here
are the steps:
1. Keep your arms and legs in
motion at all times.
About the Hockey Playoffs
By Jack S. & Anthony S., Sr.
Staff Writers
The playoffs first started in
1917-1918. The Commissioner
was Gary Bettman. The number
of teams is 30. Seven teams in
Canada, and 23 teams in the
United States. The regularseason was split into two halves.
The winners of both halves faced
each other in a two-game, total
goals series for the NHL
Championship and the right to
2. Keep your legs in motion by
pretending to pedal a
bicycle.
Swimmingly Good Time
By Samantha R., Staff Writer
3. Wave your arms in the water
(in, out, in and out)
Swimming is a great summer
activity! This sport also makes
your arms and legs stronger. It’s
a really good exercise any time
of the year. You are also keeping
cool in the summer. Not only is it
a fun thing to do, it is really
important to know how to swim
for safety reasons.
The back float and treading are
survival strokes. Other strokes
are the breast stroke, butterfly
stroke, back stroke, and side
stroke. Places that we can go to
swim locally are Saf-T-Swim,
Nassau County Aquatic Center
and any of our 9 Levittown
Pools. I like to swim at beaches
and pools.
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Sports,
cont.
Swimmingly…cont.
Tips for swimming:
1. Use goggles so you can see
underwater.
2. No running on pool
property.
3. If you have an ear
infection, do not go into
the water unless you use
earplugs.
4. Do not open your mouth
underwater.
Have a great summer, stay
safe and go swimming!
The Big Game
By Joey Toscano, Staff
Writer
Football is a great sport
that some people really enjoy.
I am going to tell you
something that is going to
blow your mind. Northside
School had the biggest
football game in school
history. Fourth graders versus
Fifth graders. I am not going
to list last names because I
don’t know everyone’s last
names. On the 4th graders
side we have Tyler, Jack, Me,
Ryan, Dylan, Jake, Melvin,
Santiago, Caiden, and a few
other people I can’t
remember. Sorry. Now for the
5th graders. Dylan, Bradley,
Joey and other fifth graders.
(I can’t remember people’s
names that well.) Now we are
under way and Grade 4 is
receiving and Jake picks up
the ball and starts running but
Joey stops him in his tracks.
(We play 2-hand touch.) Then
Tyler is QB (Quarterback) and
throws a Hail Mary to Jake
who catches the ball and
scores a touchdown! 7-0 4th
graders. Now grade 5 is
receiving the ball kicked off
by Ryan and Joey catches the
ball but is stopped by Tyler.
Now Bradley is QB and flips
the ball to one of their
teammates and I came
running in to slap the ball out
of their hands to make it a
fourth down. By that time, the
score was 21-14, 4th grade.
Ryan was QB and passed it to
Jake who scored again!
28-14, 4th grade. Now I am
skipping to the play that
decided it all.
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The score was 28-28. Tie
game, seconds remaining.
Joey is running with the ball,
trips, drops it and Dylan is
going for it. He grabs the ball,
passes it to Ryan who runs
past the crowd of 5th graders
down to the touchdown zone
but there were still some 5th
graders defending the zone
but he juked them out to
score the winning touchdown!
35-28! 4th graders win and
that is a memory that will
stay. Want any more details?
Ask me, Tyler, Jack or anyone
else that played in the game.
Let the Good Times Roll..
By Vasiliki M., Staff Writer
Roller skates are devices
worn on the feet to enable the
wearer to roll along on
Sports,
cont.
Let the Good Times Roll..cont.
wheels, consisting of a boot with
four wheels with ball bearings,
arranged in the same way as
those of a car.
The first patented roller skate
was introduced in the year 1760.
The inventor was a Belgian
named John Joseph Merlin. His
invention did not become very
popular. The initial “test pilot” of
the first prototype of the skate
was his 13 year old grandson
Bernard Tyers.
Commission has found roller
skating twice as safe as the local
playground and three times safer
than a game of basketball or
football.
Track and Field
By Hassan, Zohaib & Maria E.,
Staff Writers
Track and field is a sport
which includes running, jumping
In 1863, James Plimpton
from Massachusetts invented the
“rocking” skate. This was an
improvement on the roller skate
that allowed skaters to turn
easily around corners. The
invention opened the door for
many to enjoy roller skating.
Soon after roller skating
evolved from just a pastime to a
competitive sport, beginning
with roller hockey. This sport
became so popular that it even
made an appearance in the
Olympics in 1992.
One of the safest sports and
recreation activities for kids of
all ages is indoor roller skating.
The Consumer Product Safety
and throwing. Track and Field is
one of the oldest sports.
Track and Field events are
generally individual sports
where athletes challenge each
other to decide a single victor.
The racing events are won by the
athletes with the fastest time,
while the jumping and throwing
events are won by the athletes
who have achieved the greatest
distance or height in the contest.
Records are kept of the best
performances in specific events,
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at World and National levels,
right down to personal levels.
Do you have what it takes to
be a Track and Field star?
Capital Soccer Classic
By Zachary K., Staff Writer
Soccer is the game that
brings the Washington, D.C.
community and the world
together. Each year, the U.S.
Soccer Foundation hosts the
Capital Soccer Classic, a familyfriendly charity event, featuring
members of Congress and former
professional soccer players. It
supports soccer-based programs
that get children in underserved
communities off of the streets
and into safe environments that
encourage physical activity and
promote positive life skills.
Spotlight on..
Ms. Richiusa’s Class: (cont.)
Fourth grade when we went to
the Bronx Zoo. Nicolas L.
My teachers. Zoe B.
The fun, the great field trips and
most of all my friends and great
teachers. Grace M.
All the teachers that I had and
getting one teacher 2 years in a
row. Anthony A.
All of the amazing teachers here!
Sophia N.
My teacher Mrs. Nizinski. She
was awesome. Dylan O.
All the teachers, but I will miss
Mrs. Nizinski the most. Diana B.
My wonderful teachers and the
fun things we did. Grace D.
My wonderful teachers and all of
my memories. Carlos P.
My teachers, especially Mrs.
Nizinski, my friends, and recess.
Kyra B.
Mrs. Nizinski’s Class:
Recess, easy homework and my
awesome teacher, Mrs. Nizinski.
Natalia S.
My friends because they’re nice
and I’m going to a different
school. Amelia J.
The one thing I will miss most
about Northside is recess.
Dylan L.
All of my awesome teachers,
Mrs. Ramirez, friends, recess,
Pelican bucks and my principal,
Mr. M. Emma L.
My best teacher ever, Mrs.
Nizinski. She eats chocolate all
the time and is very nice.
Jacob L.
All my great teachers, friends,
and everyone who has helped
me and the best ever, Mrs.
Nizinski! Caitlyn M.
The great teachers I had, friends
who won’t be going to Wisdom
but mostly, everything from the
school. Jake S.
Mrs. Nizinski and all the fun
activities we did these past 2
years. Katelyn T.
All of my friends, my teachers
and especially, the principal.
Brian T.
My great teachers, especially
Mrs. Nizinski. Bradley W.
My teachers and my principal.
Logan Z.
All of my inspirations, a.k.a., my
teachers and my principal.
Avisa T.
My awesome principal, my
terrific teachers and all the
friends I’ve met! Stephan M.
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My teacher, Mrs. Nizinski and
my principal Mr. M. I will also
miss not having to change
classes. Olivia B.
My friends, going on fun field
trips and Mrs. Nizinski.
Kirstin C.
All my teachers, friends and
amazing field trips.
Giavonna D.
All of my teachers, especially
Mrs. Nizinski, field trips and
memories with friends.
Anna E.
I will never forget the teachers I
have had, especially Mrs.
Nizinski! Sophia M.
My wonderful, amazing
teachers, my friends who are
leaving, Mr M. and all the
memories that were made.
Keira H.
Spotlight On…
Mrs. Wanukovich’s Class:
All the teachers that taught
me. Yahir R.
My great friends and my
teachers. Krista B.
The Pelican buck store.
Heather W.
My teachers, the principal and
the school. Jack S.
The Pelican stuff because I
love getting prizes at the
Pelican Store. Daisy L.
I will miss the teachers and
the principal. Madison T.
The one thing I will miss most
about Northside is Chess
Club. Logan B.
My teacher, Mrs. Wanukovich.
Cara S.
My teachers, my younger
friends and Mr. Mortillaro.
Jacob M.
The welcoming teachers, my
friends and all the fun
activities. Gianna C.
The playground but mostly
the big slide because they
took it away. Juliet F.
Everything. Victor C.
My teachers because they
taught us everything we need
to know and Mr. Mortillaro.
Melanie S.
All the trips because we got to
learn a lot of things.
Andrei C.
The easy work and lunch.
Clarissa R.
All of my friends and great
teachers. Marisa S.
Mr. Mortillaro and all of the
teachers that I had. John T.
All my wonderful teachers.
Kimberly E.
My great teachers and all of
the field trips. Kelly Z.
Mrs. Cosgrove Rajdeep S.
All the fun things.
Anthony S.
The secretary, Mrs. Papa.
Giovanni M.
The awesome teachers here
and Mrs. Anspach and Mr.
Mortillaro. Alexandria S.
My teachers because they are
kind, caring and treat you like
family. Lauren M.
The Science we’re doing in
5th grade. Leila B.
I will miss the teachers and
the staff. Joseph G.
I will miss my teachers the
most. Karla M.
Mrs. Cosgrove’s Class:
I will miss all the teachers and
all the fun we do here.
Bryan B.
All of my teachers and our
principal, Mr. Mortillaro.
Tara C.
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Congratulations
Class of 2016!
Frank Mortillaro, Principal
fmortillaro@levittownschools.com
Jami Anspach,
Asst. Principal
PTA Executive Board:
janspach@levittownschools.com
Krista Hill
Jen Sampugnaro
Co-Presidents
Jennifer Lambert
1st VP
Susan Massoni
2nd VP
Elaine DeBono
3rd VP
Pelican Newsletter Staff:
Advisors: Mrs. Kushner
Miss Tintle
Sr. Staff Writers:
Sofia F.
Anna L.
Nabiha K.
Sophia M.
Anna E.
Jack S.
Anthony S.
Avisa T.
Staff Writers:
Izabella A.
Alice S.
Olivia B.
Noreen H.
Eryn S.
Joey T.
Dominic M.
Aaria M.
Carlos U.
Tara O.
Mrs. Meehan
Mrs. Butler
4th VPs
Zohaib E.
James G.
Armaan S.
Hassan E.
Samantha R.
Vasiliki M.
Ania M.
Melissa K.
Kaylee C.
Zachary K.
Ryan M.
Heather W.
Miranda H.
Alexander H.
Cody M.
Michael G.
Carl G.
Karolina N.
Maria E.
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Jeanette Badger
Recording Secretary
Shari Nocera
Corresponding
Secretary
Mari Ganga
Treasurer
Delegates:
Lin Testamark
Heidi Finn
Carla England
Vivienne McCarthy
Linda Lajara
Krista Taormina
Faith Dermody
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