3-19-10 Newsletter - Hillside Elementary School
Transcription
3-19-10 Newsletter - Hillside Elementary School
News from HILLSIDE Michael_Kascak@Needham.k12.ma.us Jeanne_Goodwin@Needham.k12.ma.us 781-455-0461 March 1 - 31 20, Saturday 22-29 24, Wednesday 26, Friday 30, Tuesday March 19, 2010 Important Dates Needham Unplugged (See details and calendar below) PTC sponsored Winter Social (tickets are available at the door) Water Week - (See details below) Parent Meeting for Grade Five Parents @ Newman School auditorium (Note change in location) PTC Meeting (9:00am) March March - Walk to School Day Delayed Opening - School begins at 10:35am Note: MCAS testing begins next week for grades 3 - 5. Please be sure students arrive on time, with a good nightʼs sleep and having had breakfast. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Science Teachers Association based on their qualifications, dedication to inspiring students at an early age and overall commitment to enhancing the teaching profession. Notes from Mr. K This week we registered sixty children for kindergarten next year. They will be the class of 2023! Weʼd like to thank the In 2005, Exxon Mobil partnered with professional golfer following fifth grade students who acted as tour guides for Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy, the teachers association, and Math Solutions to launch the program, which has parents and children during registration: hosted more than 2,000 teachers nationwide. Olivia Connelly Jonathan Gould Meredith Mahoney Isabelle McDonald Jessica Mahoney Nick McGuane Morgan Sammut Kathryn Palmatier Maggie Curran Erika Ogbebor Matthew Evans Mae Davies Samantha McAward William Welch Kaela Goss Gwen Lavalla Ty Sheppard Ryan Cohen Karli LeFort Rachel Zaff We had many wonderful comments from parents about how polite and informative the tour guides were. Kudos! ........And speaking of Kudos, please see the following blurb about fourth grade teacher, Amy Cicala. Enjoy the beautiful spring weekend and the end of the rains. Kudos to Fourth Grade Teacher Amy Cicala The Mickelson Exxon Mobil Teachers Academy recently selected 200 elementary school teachers from across the country to learn new math and science teaching skills at three academies to be held this summer. Amy Cicala, fourth grade teacher at Hillside, has been selected from a pool of 1,200 applicants, and will be going to New Jersey this summer. Teachers from all fifty states will be attending one of the three national programs. The academy is an intensive one-week, all-expense paid professional development program designed to provide teachers with innovative math and science teaching skills. The participants were selected by a panel of educators from the PTC News As we head into the first weekend of spring, weʼd like to remind you of some upcoming PTC events: March Madness Parent Social and Auction: Itʼs tomorrow night, March 20 at the Village Club! If you havenʼt purchased tickets, no worries; theyʼre available at the door for $25. So make that last-minute call to your babysitter and join your fellow Hillside parents for a night of music, fun and lots of great bidding opportunities. See enclosed flyer for details. Step on out. Youʼre sure to come away with some great auction finds while supporting our kids! PTC Meeting, March 24: Join us in the cafeteria at 9am to hear Mr. Kascakʼs “State of the School” address. Weʼll also begin collecting names for next yearʼs committee heads, including co-president. We have one great candidate. Now is the time to raise your hand if you want to be considered. March March-to-School Day, March 26. Lace up those sneakers and get ready to enjoy fresh air and exercise while walking to and from school next Friday. Used Book Sa le Colle ction: Weʼre collecting gentlyused adult and childrenʼs books now for our annual used book sale on April 12 and 13. Just drop off your donations in the labeled boxes in the front office. All proceeds will benefit literacy at Hillside School. Staff Appreciation Luncheon, April 29: Look inside for ways to contribute. We need volunteers to prepare menu items, set up, serve and clean up, and man the front office and classrooms while teachers and staff members enjoy lunch. Hope to see you tomorrow night at the Village Club! Heather Goss Karen Dunne Dasey hdgoss@verizon.net kdasey@comcast.net PTC Cultural Arts Programs Last Friday, the First Grade and Kindergarten classes experienced a humorous and educational presentation by Mr. and Mrs. Fish that was made possible by the PTC. Mr. and Mrs. Fish, husband and wife educators from Portland, ME, presented an hour-long performance on ocean life that included many creative costumes. The children assisted in solving "The Mystery of the Clam", determining which of four sea creatures on a MA beach ate a clam and left behind an empty shell. The students learned about clams, crabs, starfish, snails, and seagulls in a most entertaining and dynamic fashion. In the second half of the morning performance, the children learned how four different fish protect themselves from larger, predator fish, while in the afternoon performance, the children learned how four tidal pool creatures survive through a storm. Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Fish for a wonderfully educational and fun program! ********************************* This past week all Needham elementary school students had the opportunity to enjoy a unique creative arts presentation by Bash the Trash made possible by an NEF grant. This energetic trio of performers visited the students at Hillside on Tuesday, March 16th and presented two 45 minutes assemblies. Bash the Trash is a group of artist/educators dedicated to raising environmental awareness through the arts while making connections to science, math, literacy, humanities and social issues. Their program introduced students to the concepts of reduce/reuse/recycle and the science of sound with instruments built from previously used items. During their presentation, the group demonstrated and played their collection of handmade percussion, string and wind instruments. They ended their program by encouraging and inspiring the students to make their own instruments not just because it is fun but because it makes good environmental sense. For more information on Bash the Trash visit their website at www.bashthetrash.com. Cafeteria Volunteers Week of 3/22/10 M T W N.Stroup Y.Sonkin T.Belval J.Maitre L.Wollins Th F K.Hayden J.Richmond Used Book Sale Clean Out Your Bookshelves April 12th and 13th will be our annual Used Book Sale. Collections of used books starts this Monday, March 8th. A collection box will be in the lobby. Donated books will either be put into circulation in our Media Center and classrooms or sold at our book sale. We sell books for all ages including adults. We also sell videos, CD's and DVD's. No software please. All proceeds from the sale will be used to promote literacy at Hillside School. If you have any questions please email Rochelle Goldin at rochellegoldin@rcn.com or call her at 781-449-2388. PTC STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON The PTC will be hosting our annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon on Thursday, April 29th. This is a much anticipated (and fun!) event that gives each of us the opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at Hillside for all that they do on behalf of our children. Our “Disco” theme will be brought to life with delicious foods that were reminiscent during the Disco era- and of course, we need your help! Please find the flyer attached to this bulletin and sign up to: prepare a menu item, set up, clean up, serve food, or supervise a classroom during the luncheon. Please contact Jen Resnick (781-433-9940, resnick13@comcast.net) or Jen Ziskin (617-416-5184, jen@lamorra.com) with questions, or to volunteer UNICEF World Water Week March 21st thru March 27th Stop by participating Needham restaurants during Water Week and donate 1.00 in the designated canisters. Your $1.00 can provide safe drinking water to an impoverished child for 40 days! To learn more about the Hillside School Unicef Project visit http://www2.needham.k12.ma.us/hillside/cyberventues/wat er2010/main.htm Your friends and classmates from Mr. Goneconto's and Mrs. Cicala's classes have been working tirelessly to promote the UNICEF tap project. Next week you can help them to improve water sources in Central African Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Tongo and Vietnam by visiting one of the local establishments and making a donation. For just $1, you can bring safe drinking water to an impoverished child for 40 days. Follow the list at the end of the newsletter to your favorite local business. You might even hear the song in your head as you finish your sandwich or dinner... Water, clean drinking water, it is really everywhere? No, no, no, no unfortunately. Needham Community Council Food Pantry The next trip to the Food Pantry is fast approaching and we especially need the following items. When shopping, please add an item or two to your cart and help those in Needham who depend on the Food Pantry. Spaghetti Sauce Bottled Juice Mayonnaise Ketchup Pudding/Jello (Regular and Sugar-free) Salad Dressing (Italian, Ranch, any Creamy, Fat-free/Light/or Regular) Small liquid laundry detergent, Dish soap Toothpaste March March Safe Routes to School reminder: Now that the sun has finally come out, get out your sneakers and walk to school! One week from today... Friday March 26, join us for the March March. Hop on your bike or gather some friends and walk or bike to school. Don't forget about the remote drop & walk spots at the end of Booth Street or Tillotson Rd. Happy walking! So You Think You Can Spell? The Needham Education Foundation (NEF) would like to invite the community to match wits with friends, neighbors, students, teachers, and local businesses at the 19th Annual Spelling Bee. The Bee will take place on Thursday, April 8, at the Newman Elementary School Gymnasium beginning at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free. Ride for the Cure Bike Ride for the Cure on SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010 at 180 Wells Office Park, Newton from 12-4 including a Post-Ride Celebration. Form a team at school, get classmates together, gather your friends and join the cause where KIDS Can Make The Difference in helping to find a cure for cancer! If you have any questions or are interested in forming a school team, please contact Jill Weiner at pjcdweiner@gmail.com or REGISTER at http://kids.pmc.org/nnb YMCA Summer Day Camps Ponkapoag Outdoor Center Ages 6 - 12 Our day camp features a variety of activities in a beautiful wilderness setting minutes from Boston. Program Areas include: Aquatics, Sports & Games, Environmental Science, Parent Orientation Meeting Creative Arts, and Ropes and Outdoor Challenges for Kids Parents of Fifth Graders (ROCK). Our camp is ACA accredited, and all of our staff A parent orientation meeting will be held on Wednesday, members are extensively trained. All of our camping March 24, at 6:30 p.m., in the Newman School programs comply with the regulations of the Massachusetts auditorium for parents of Grade 5 students. Parents will Department of Public Health (105 cmr430.000). have the opportunity to hear from Jessica Downey, High Rock principal, district instructional leaders and student A link to our Ponkapaog Outdoor Center 2010 Summer services personnel about many aspects of transitioning to Camp Brochure can be found here: middle school, including: http://ymcaboston.org/uploads/sites/charlesriver/Files/ponk - how clusters work apoag_camp_guide_2010_web.pdf - the role of a guidance counselor - a typical day in grade 6 Scamper Camp - Ages 3 - 5 1/2 - methods of communication Camp on the Go - Ages 5 1/2 - 11 - Thompson Island Sports Clinics - Ages 7 – 12 - the exploratory programs The Charles River YMCA Day Camps are designed to help your child grow, learn, play, meet new friends and have fun! There will be an opportunity for questions and answers Campers are placed into smaller age-appropriate groups so following the presentation. The program should last about they can receive the extra attention, care and one hour. We look forward to seeing you on March 24. encouragement they need to feel at home at camp. All of our camping programs comply with the regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (105 cmr430.000). "Girls Will Be Girls Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters" A link to our Summer Camp guide can be found here: Dr. JoAnn Deak Dr. Deak will describe the emotional and physical challenges http://ymcaboston.org/uploads/sites/charlesriver/Files/charle faced by girls, share the latest male/female brain research, s_river_camp_guide_2010.pdf and offer new ways that we can help our girls learn and thrive, starting from an early age. Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at Newman Elementary School, 7:00 PM. Pre-registration strongly encouraged; information and ticket purchase at www.parenttalk.info (click on “Register for An Event”). Hillside School Staff Appreciation Luncheon Volunteer Form The Hillside PTC will sponsor the annual STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON on Thursday, April 29th. We need your help to make it happen! Outlined below are some volunteer opportunities. This year’s theme is “Disco” and the menu has been selected to bring the theme alive. Thank you in advance for helping us to show our appreciation for the wonderful staff at Hillside! Event Co-Chairs: Jen Ziskin (617-416-5184, jen@lamorra.com) Jen Resnick (781-433-9940 resnick13@comcast.net) Please return to school by Thursday, April 1st Name:_______________________Child’s Teacher:______________________ Phone #:______________________ Email:________________________________ I would like to volunteer for: 1. COVERING FOR STAFF (please indicate preference): Plan to arrive by 11:45 and stay until 1:15PM _____Front Desk _____Classroom Teacher: _______Recess/Lunchroom supervision ______________(indicate classroom requested) 2 . SET UP ________9:45-10:45AM 3. CLEAN UP _______1:00-2:00PM _______10:45-11:45AM 4. PREPARE A LUNCH ITEM (recipe will be provided, to serve 10-12) ____Onion dip _____ Crudite (vegetables) ____Cheese fondue in fondue pot ____French bread _____Quiche _____Baked Lays _____Caesar Salad ______Chicken Kebobs 5. PREPARE OR PURCHASE A DESSERT ITEM (serve 10-12) _____Frozen Yogurt & Ice cream _____sundae toppings _____Chocolate, caramel, strawberry sauce _____Fruit on long wooden skewers ____Large marshmallows _____Pound cake 6. SERVERS _____11:45-1:00 7. BORROW _____Lava Lamps 8. ________BEVERAGES 9. DONATIONS _____I would prefer to make a donation to purchase “goodies” for the teachers. Please place your donation in an envelope addressed to Jen Resnick/Jen Ziskin and return to the office. In order to serve our menu and have the correct amount of food, we request that you only prepare/purchase the items we confirm with you in advance. All prepared items should be brought to the gym on the 29th in serving bowls that are labeled for safe return. All volunteer assignments will be confirmed by phone or email. We look forward to working with everyone to make this a successful event. MARCH MADNESS WINTER FUNDRAISER 2010 PLEASE JOIN US! WHERE: The Village Club, 83 Morton Street (so close, you could walk!) WHEN: Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. DOORS OPEN EARLY SO YOU CAN PREVIEW ITEMS AT 7:30 p.m.!!! WHY: For Our KIDS!! SILENT and LIVE AUCTION BUY TICKETS AT THE DOOR _TONS OF GREAT ITEMS _ CASH BAR _ _DJ _ BALLOON POP_ Your $1 can bring safe drinking water to a needy child for 40 days Visit Local Eateries and Cinema Supporting UNICEF Tap Project During World Water Week March 21-27, 2010 Abbott’s Frozen Custard Acorn’s Bakery & Cafe Bagel’s Best Bellini Baby and Teen Furniture Cafe Fresh Bagel Cowlicks Deli Dunn Gaherin (Newton Upper Falls) Fresco Fuji Steak House Kids U Kostas Pizza & Seafood La Morra (Brookline) Needham House of Pizza Needham Street Cleaners (Newton) Nicholas Pizzeria Pacini’s Italian Eatery Petit Robert Bistro Rice Barn Stone Hearth Pizza Sweet Corner Town House Pizza West Newton Cinemas World Water Week was brought to Needham by the Hillside School 2nd- and 4th-grade classes of Mr. Goneconto and Mrs. Cicala. “There is no Planet B” – unknown HILLSIDE goes GREEN The Green Team is very proud to have their latest project on display in the parking lot of the Hillside school. The NO IDLING SIGNS! The 4th and 5th grade Green Team has worked very hard designing the signs. They have researched the effects of gas emissions. Idling wastes resources and damages the environment. Burning fuel needlessly costs money and contributes to air pollution problems that harm plants, animals and people. As our team motto states, “Little changes make a big difference” So we would appreciate every persons cooperation in turning off your car while waiting to pick up your children. The students, teachers, other parents and the earth thank you for your help!