Trumbull High School - Trumbull Public Schools
Transcription
Trumbull High School - Trumbull Public Schools
TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s), I am excited to share with you the Principal’s Newsletter! Through these pages, you will get a glimpse into the wonderful things happening at Trumbull High School. We pride ourselves on sustaining a learning community focused on the success of all students. You will read about the commitment and dedication of our students and teachers as they work and learn together. It is my sincere hope that you feel the same sense of pride I feel as you read how these opportunities prepare our students for both college and career success. I am proud of our students and their teachers as they extend learning outside the walls of our school. Sincerely, Marc Guarino Principal, Trumbull High School TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 Students Explore Local Waterways Teacher Kathleen Gibson’s AP Environmental Science and Marine Science classes visited Indian Ledge Park in Trumbull. Students were grouped into two sections. One group was responsible for testing the water in the stream and the other was collecting samples of specimens to examine in class. The class found a freshwater mussel in their sample. Connecticut DEEP encourages citizens to report findings of freshwater mussels. Students in Marine Science courses have had the opportunity to visit local waterways as part of their field studies. Students Prepare For CT Science and Engineering Fair Julie Hyland and Miriam Marino have begun independent research projects that they will be presenting at the 2016 Connecticut State Science & Engineering Fair. The fair takes place at Quinnipiac University in March. The students have completed background research on topics of their own interest and are in the beginning phases of designing and conducting their experiments. Julie’s interest is in the use of natural acids to help reduce Styrofoam waste. Miriam will be studying the effects of food products on short and long term memory. The Robotics Team, led by teacher, Hans Drenkard, prepares afterschool for next spring’s tournament. (L to R: James Seuch, Nathalia Hernandez , and Francesca Esposito) TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Math Department Offers New Course In Mobile Computing Winter 2015-2016 Mobile Computing Class Hosts Mobile Computing, a pilot course for AP Computer App Showcase Science Principles, is a new course at THS this year. The This semester, students worked in pairs to create socially course introduces students to the foundational concepts useful apps using the MIT App Inventor that run on of computer science and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can impact the world. Students in this course design and develop apps for Android devices. In preparation for this course, math teacher, Scott Android devices. This is the first time that they are free to create whatever app they would like, using the skills that they have learned up to this point. It has been amazing to see them brainstorm ideas, work to overcome problems along the way, and audibly rejoice when they figure out how to make it work properly. Kaminski, attended a 6-week Professional Development with Trinity College. Throughout the year, a professor from Trinity College visits the mobile computing course providing guidance and support. This fall, Mr. Kaminski was selected as one of 100 computer science teachers to attend the 100 Teacher Summit in Boston, sponsored by the College Board and the National Science Foundation. Congratulations to Mr. Kaminski on this honor recognizing his dedication in bringing AP Computer Science Principles to THS! Computer Science Courses at THS Computer Science With Java AP Computer Science Principles Dr. Cialfi tries out the language translator app created by Harrison Klas and Nick St. John The culmination to this project was an App Showcase hosted with guest judges that included staff from THS and District staff and administration. During the A sampling of the apps created in the App Showcase Book Search Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator Fitness Instructional app American Sign Language A children’s spelling/writing app Math games Calculator Language Translator IQ test Political Affiliation Determiner Children’s Coloring State facts showcase, judges tested the apps, scoring them based on criteria such as visual appeal, creativity, functionality, usefulness and originality. Best in Show Period 1: Translate U Steven Baumann and Matthew Bedoya Period 2: Agenda Pad Nicholas D’Agosto and Brian DiNicola http://ths-csp.yolasite.com/ Students who won the showcase will receive gift cards to Android or iTunes App stores TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 Science Academy Update Science Academy, teacher Linda plants, blood typing, and exploring the microscopic independent study world. The program culminates in a field trip to Dr. endeavor that meets after school. The students carry Robert Langer’s lab at MIT. Dr. Langer is an out a variety of laboratory investigations including internationally renowned scientist who graciously several biotechnology procedures such as DNA welcomes us to visit his research laboratory in which electrophoresis, polymerase chain reactions, and numerous basic scientists, with a range of expertise, chromatography. The procedures are used to solve work with clinical physicians and engineers to fictional mapping, advance high technology therapies for a variety of criminal human disorders. The visit allows students to see Goodman, questions is a problems of headed structured such paternity, as and by plasmid forensic evidence. Other lab investigations are incorporated what a research career in medical science is like. for enrichment and include food chemistry, culturing Students Compete In Yale Physics Olympics For each of the last nine years, Trumbull High School has sent a team to compete in the Yale Physics Olympics (YPO). The YPO is a Saturday-long series of events where students are expected to measure, calculate, predict, build and estimate solutions to problems posed by the Yale Physics Department staff. Fifty teams from the region participate in the challenges. The YPO is in October, giving the THS students a particular challenge as they have only been studying physics for six weeks. Adith Velavan and Sarah Dawson, two students in Science Academy, are preparing the electrophoresis apparatus in our biotechnology center. We congratulate the 2015 THS YPO team on their efforts! Science Academy students are preparing their experiments (L to R):Shrishti Pithadia, James Dubreuil, Adith Velavan, Arnav Srivastava, Eric Sorge, Students prepare a volume displacement experiment. (L to R Joe Vellardito, James Seuch, Anuj Sisodiya, Rishav Jauhri) TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 TRUMBULL HIGH ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS Students enrolled in the REACH and Trumbull Alternate School Programs are using the award-winning podcast, th SERIAL, to learn about storytelling, vocabulary, and our criminal justice system. On December 8 , Connecticut Superior Court Senior Judge, Susan Handy, visited the students to discuss the Serial Podcast and our criminal justice system. Judge Handy, a former English teacher, has been a judge for over 20 years, presiding over criminal court cases. Students summarize and trace the relationships between characters Students created an evidence board with timelines, maps, evidence Superior Court Judge Visits Students Superior Court Judge, Susan B. Handy, spoke with help people," the judge said. "Those are the days Alternate and REACH students regarding her 25-year that are the most rewarding." career as a judge, students' rights, the difference between juvenile and adult court, and the popular Judge Handy also explained that when she was in Serial podcast. high school, she had had an English teacher who had not been very encouraging. "As a matter of fact," the Judge Handy, who began her career as a high school judge said, "she told me not to set my hopes for English teacher, explained that one of her happiest myself too high." Eventually, Judge Handy became days as a judge was when a girl she had sentenced the head of the criminal court system for the state of as a juvenile came back to Connecticut. Judge Handy her court years later to urged the students not to show the judge her college let anyone else's opinion degree. The young woman deter them if explained willing to work that she had they're hard. been able to turn her life "You're the one who must around, in part, due to decide support been dream," she said, "and you mandated by the court. don't need to come from a "Sometimes, we're able to privileged background to that had to follow be successful." your TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Mock Trial 5th Places at Winter 2015-2016 International Conference In September, the Trumbull High School Mock Trial Club placed 5 th out of 28 teams at the International Empire Competition in Atlanta, Georgia. This is the best showing the mock trial program has ever finished at a national/international competition. Senior Class President, Astonique Robinson, was selected as one of the top three attorneys in the whole competition, scoring 24 out of a possible 25 points on the judging scale. “The kids were amazing and I am so proud to be a part of this program. They represented the district with dignity and respect,” shared Social Studies teacher, Eric August. We commend them on their hard work, performance and dedication. Model UN Club Shines at CT Conference The THS Model UN Club participated in the 2015 University of Connecticut Model UN Conference. The team, led by social studies teacher, Jack LaBarca, took home the most awards and acknowledgements, with 9 overall. KiKi Yalamanchili was honored with the Betty Hanson Award, distinguishing her as the best delegate overall in the conference. Congratulations to the team! The awardees were: Betty Hanson Award KiKi Yalamanchili Best Delegate Taylor Berlin Best Delegate (Honorable Mention) Victoria Estacio Manya Kidambi Stefano Mancini Kiki Yalamanchili Most Improved Delegate Dario Arganese Nick Montimurro Most Improved Delegate (Honorable Mention) Briana Costantini TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 Model Congress Wins Honors Model Congress, led by teacher, Katie Boland, had a great weekend at Yale University on December 3 th 6 . rd – Model Congress provides high school students with an opportunity to learn about and experience the American legislative system first hand. Over the course of four days, more than 500 students come to Yale’s campus to participate in Congressional committees, focusing on topics that range from national security to the environment. The THS Model Congress team submitted bill and 11 out of 14 of their bills passed through committee. Freshman, Adith Velavan, had his bill against the use of fracking pass through full Senate (of about 100 students). Nicholas Marchenko won Best Delegate and David Marchenko won Honorable Mention. We the People Defend Championship Trumbull High's We the People team, led by teacher, Katie Boland, swept the state championship title on Friday, th December 11 , at Central Connecticut State University. The team excelled with six first-place wins. The students began their preparation at the start of the school year, as they became experts testifying on constitutional issues in a simulated congressional hearing. As part of the preparation for the competition, they held a Night with the Experts on December 2nd at the AgriScience Center and a practice on th December 7 in New York City at Shulte, Roth and Zabel LLC with THS alumni, Andrew Gladstein. This win moves the team onto the National Competition in Best of luck to all members! April. Winter 2015-2016 TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Poetry Outreach Project Connects Students Karlan Shupp and Emma Balter’s semester one poetry classes have been working Poetry Project. on a Outreach To work on poetry with students in our special education program, poetry students visited the classes of special education teachers, Nancy Conroy and Mimi Seperack, over three days. The goal of the Poetry Outreach Project is to show that poetry is for everyone and to use poetry as a vehicle to unify students. Students created working drafts of poems that they shared in an open mic event. Regular education students will work with students from special education classes in groups or in one-on-one pairings. On Monday, December 21, during period 2, poetry classes hosted a breakfast for their partnered classes in the Senior Lounge. Students were invited to become "lost in the verse" as they find and share their poetic voices. English Teachers Present at National Conference English teachers, James McCaffrey, Karlen Shupp, and Stephanie Jalowiec, presented at the National Council of Teachers of English conference in Minneapolis, MN. The team presented Reading their session entitled: (R)evolution: Creating Learners Through Independent Assessments that Encourage a Love of Reading. The session presented the initiative by the teachers to combat nonreading by engaging students individually to create independent learners. Accompanied by Department Chairperson, Mr. McCaffrey, Author Andrew Smith, Ms. Shupp, and Ms. Jalowiec at NCTE Jessica Spillane, the team also met YA author, Andrew Smith (author of Winger, Stand-Off, and Grasshopper Jungle), who will be Skyping with the THS Reading (R)evolution in December. Students Meet Authors via Skype November: Kimberly McCreight, Reconstructing Amelia December: Andrew Smith , Winger Later this year: Cori McCarthy and more ! On Twitter: @THSReadRev & #ireadTHS TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 World Language International Dinner Celebration st On December 1 , the World Language clubs and World Language honor societies sponsored the annual International Dinner in the senior lounge from 4-7 p.m. All language students and World Language club members were invited to attend the event. Approximately 100 World Language students and/or club members attended the event. Each student was asked to prepare a dish of food to share as their “entrance ticket”. The students danced all night to international music played by an amazing DJ, as well as participated in line dancing, a coloring contest, musical chairs and a dancing contest. Some very talented THS students sang songs in Italian, Spanish & Russian. The Recker brothers from THS performed various musical pieces while students arrived at the celebration. The talent and festivities were endless! The Recker Brothers Performed at the Dinner TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 French News The day before Thanksgiving break, all of Polly Currie’s French students wrote thank you cards to veterans, in light of recent terrorist attacks and as it is a time of giving thanks. The students have written beautiful, heartfelt cards thanking those who protect our freedom. They are also bringing in tangible items such as soaps, towels, socks etc., and French club is adding a gift card to Walmart. These will all be sent to Homes For The Brave. Laura Santelli’s French 3H had fun with the website Storybird.com that uses collaborative storytelling. It develops narrative art for content and ends with a beautiful storybook. It’s simple. Students can start a Storybird by finding an artist and then writing a story based on their art work. A student can create individual stories or work together in small groups, or as a class, to create a story by writing their own text and inserting pictures that support their chosen theme. They then have the option of sharing their Storybird with a teacher or class. What are the benefits of Storybird? It promotes a student’s creativity, imagination, and literacy. Italian News Susanna LaVorgna Lye’s Level 3 Italian classes all participated in a “Restaurant Wars” project. Each student was responsible to design their own Italian restaurant and prepare food that was culturally relevant to the region in Italy where the restaurant is located. In addition, the Italian students had to create an authentic menu, design and explain their restaurant’s floor plan, create an advertisement of their restaurant, prepare one dish that was listed on their menu, write the recipe and list the ingredients of the food prepared, and bring in the food to share with the class. A panel of judges sampled the food & voted on the best overall restaurant created. It was a very creative and interactive project that involved reading, writing, speaking and listening in Italian. The best part by far was the eating the final product! Molto Bene Ragazzi! Italian 4 seniors in Jennifer Conti’s class, participated in an in-class rally. The students studied the effect consumerism of regional festivals and national holidays has on family life and national culture. The students prepared speeches and rally signs with messages important topic. about this TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 Latin News Students in Benjamin Brust’s Latin 1 class learned Have your frescos and eat them too! The Latin Club about Roman Theater. They wrote short Latin plays to act held a fresco making session at its November out and constructed masks in traditional Roman style to meeting. Students learned about the ancient painting wear during their plays. technique in which the paint applied to fresh plaster dries and becomes a part of the wall. This method has preserved the beauty of some of the finest works of Roman and Renaissance art for us to enjoy, even today! The students applied this technique to cookies, using frosting as "plaster" and food coloring as "paint" to both make and eat their creations! Well done! Spanish The Spanish Club has been meeting monthly since September and focuses on Spanish language and culture. The club officers create and run meetings that highlight a variety of Hispanic events throughout the year. They recently celebrated El Día de Los Muertos! They talked about its history and significance and created "calaveras" (sugar skulls) to celebrate! The Spanish Honor Society has “adopted” 2 girls from Mexico for Christmas. They are working with The Center For Family Justice in Bridgeport to buy presents for these 2 girls (9 and 6 years old) who will be spending their first Christmas in the U.S.A. The girls have never in their life received new presents. The students are very happy to welcome them to their new home. TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 Students Interview Screenwriter, Mikko Alanne Students in Laura McNaughton’s AP Spanish Global Challenges and Science and Technology. The classes had the unique opportunity to meet and film exemplifies the real-world situations that AP interview via Skype the screenwriter Spanish students study and discuss in of the film, The 33, Mikko Alanne, on the target language. The chance to Friday, November 20, 2015. The interview the writer was thrilling. movie premiered just one week prior Mikko Alanne, a native of Finland and and all students, as part of the based in Los Angeles, is a screenwriter curriculum, were required to see the and documentary filmmaker. He spoke film. The movie, starring Antonio with the AP Spanish students for about Banderas, tells the incredible true an hour, giving insight into the writing story of the thirty-three Chilean process and details about the mine miners trapped in, and ultimately collapse and the miners themselves. We rescued from, the San José mine. are very grateful for his willingness to They survived sixty-nine days 200 speak with us, as it provided an stories below the earth, back in authentic experience for students that 2010. Students in AP Spanish study they will carry with them in the future. six themes, two of which include Trumbull High’s THeSpians Produced Two Fall Plays The student run production of Charley’s Aunt premiered in November. This Victorian-Era comedy was fun for the whole family, as it follows two Oxford students, Jack Chesney (Jack Leonard ‘16) and Charley Wykeham (Colin McLevy ‘17), in their attempts to woo Kitty Verdun (Cristina Catana ‘17) and Amy Spettigue (Martha Hegley ‘16). Charley’s Coming soon! Aunt is visiting from Brazil and is meant to be a chaperone at a lunch with the two couples, but when March 17-20 she can’t make it, fellow Oxford student, Lord Fancourt Babberly (Rob Long ‘16), is forced to assume her role as Aunt and chaperone. For more info: THSmusicals.com James and the Giant Peach, the story of Roald Dahl’s classic tale is faithfully told by James himself and the insect characters: Miss Spider, Old-Green-Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybird and Earthworm. James and the Giant Peach is a great introduction for first-timers to the work of the masterful Dahl. A student run theatrical treat for children and adults performed in each of the Trumbull elementary schools. The cast of James and the Giant Peach at Booth Hill School TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 Peer Leaders Attend Summit with Lady Gaga Eleven Peer Leaders, intervention specialist Bill Mecca, and parent-chaperone, Marjorie Nusom, were invited to attend the Emotion Revolution Summit at Yale on th Saturday, October 24 . Hosted at Yale University, the Summit featured youth participants from around the country as well as special guests, including Yale President, Peter Salovey, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Director, Marc Brackett, and Born This Way Foundation Co-Founders, Cynthia Germanotta and Lady Gaga. The summit provided a platform to unveil the findings of a research study, as well as offering youth the opportunity to share their ideas for creating improved learning environments with key educators, academics, and policy makers. A major goal of the summit is to create momentum around the national social and emotional learning (SEL) movement and to provide youth and educators with the resources they need to accelerate positive changes in their schools and communities. http://ei.yale.edu/what-we-do/emotion-revolution/ More Than Sad Presentation at THS As part of the Health Education curriculum, Trumbull High School’s counseling and support staff delivered the More Than Sad: Teen Depression program to sophomores via their Physical Education (PE) classes on th th November 17 and 18 . More Than Sad was designed to be used as an educational tool to achieve several specific goals: To educate high school students and other teens to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression in themselves and others; To convey the de-stigmatizing notion that depression is an illness that, just like any other medical illness, responds to specific treatments; To promote the importance and acceptability of seeking help for oneself or a friend; and To demystify the treatment process by showing how teens can get help for depression, what treatment involves and what it can achieve. Should you have any concerns, additional resources are online: www.trumbullps.org/ths/resources-for-parents TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 Student Entrepreneurs Learn From Local Businesses Students in teacher, Alana Tartaglia’s, Entrepreneurship Class went on a field trip to Bright Ideas!, a market research firm located in Trumbull. Leslie Pickup, the Market Research Manager at Bright Ideas, planned a comprehensive day of qualitative research where students participated in a taste test as well as conducted focus groups. Students were assigned roles such as "Moderator", "Market Researcher", "Recruiter", "Videographer", "Client", and "Participant" and discussed each class' semester product. Each focus group was recorded for the students to watch at a later date. Afterwards, the classes took a trip to Monroe McDonald's for lunch where they identified some characteristics of a franchise business. It was an engaging, authentic learning experience for all! Taste Testing . Watching focus groups through 2 way mirror TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 THS School Counseling Department School Counselors were excited to welcome all freshmen in the first few weeks of the school year. During these meetings, freshmen were oriented to the overall academic expectations, familiarized with how a high school transcript works, and were shown how to log into their Campus Portal and Naviance accounts. Students were also given the opportunity to set goals for the year. School Counselors will also be helping students assess their Learning Styles throughout the year, when students have Health. During the month of January, sophomores will have the opportunity to start thinking more deeply about possible career paths as they participate in the Do What You Are assessment. Counselors help students interpret their results and encourage them to utilize these results when thinking about selecting courses for junior year. Junior year is the official kick off to planning for life after THS! On December 1, the School Counseling Department held an evening program for students and parents to get the process underway. Information about the college search and how to effectively manage it were presented. All juniors will be receiving an orientation to the College and Career Center throughout the month of Southern Connecticut College Fair December to further break down information in a smaller setting. We encourage all parents to set up an individual Post High March 31, 4pm -8pm School Planning Meeting with their child’s counselor to further Webster Bank Arena discuss next steps. Mark your calendar for the Southern Connecticut College Fair to be held on Thursday, March 31 at the Webster Bank Arena from 4-8 p.m. ACT SAT Thanksgiving, over 60% of the Test Dates Test Dates seniors had already applied to February 6th January 23rd April 9th March 2nd June 11th May 7th Seniors are well on their way! By college! Counselors have been available throughout the fall to meet with students in senior seminars and individually to ensure that all students have a plan for June 4th their future. Counselors continue to meet with seniors to ensure that all students have goals beyond graduation. A college planning workshop was held in September for parents, and a Financial Aid Night was held in October. If you missed either of these events, they are available for viewing via the Trumbull Community Television website. In early February, we will have Teacher Recommendation Day. On this day, teachers will recommend courses for next year for students in grades 9-11. Following Teacher Recommendation Day, counselors will be meeting with students, individually, throughout February and March, during their homeroom period, to further discuss the recommendations and plan electives for next year. All students will receive a Program of Studies in January and should familiarize themselves with courses available prior to Teacher Recommendation Day. More detailed information about the scheduling process will be emailed to parents in the spring. TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 College and Career Center News We are very fortunate to have a new position within with local organizations and companies, including at the counseling department this year. Lisa Bevacqua our local elementary schools, the Department of has come on board in the position of College and Energy and Environmental Protection, and Columbia Career Counselor, enthusiastically working with students in a new capacity! After presenting during planning, Marketing Professional at Alcone Marketing in Darien she Marketing and Technology at Gartner, Inc. in Stamford was able to meet with several help students them Chief Financial Officer at Norwalk Water and with all Engineers at Hampford Research in Stratford aspects of their college applications. also from Sacred Heart University to meet with students, read college essays and provide our seniors with feedback before students sent them out their schools. This new program was very well received by our students and we look forward to doing it again next year! Through our Job Shadowing program, we’ve had students shadow in their career area of interest, including marketing firms, occupational therapists, chemical engineers, early elementary teachers and an array of medical occupations at St. Vincent’s Medical Center. Job Shadow opportunities will continue to be made available to students throughout the year. In addition to Job Shadowing, we have several students who are completing Career Internships invited several guest speakers to our classes, delivering presentations on Interview Skills, emerging careers in Digital Media and Design, Sports Marketing, and the value education. Admissions to We’ve of continuing with higher St. Vincent’s Medical Center We also invited the Director of Undergraduate few. Special Education Teacher at Frenchtown Elementary Senior Seminars about college University, to name a JOB SHADOWING THIS SEMESTER Occupational Therapist at Daniels Farm School These speakers are bringing real work perspectives to the classroom. Starting in the second semester, we will be hosting College and Career Readiness Workshops to assist students with their college planning and career interests. We kicked off the workshops on th January 6 , when some recent alumni came back and spoke to our students about their college experience and reflected on their admissions experience. We’ll also offer sessions on Exploring Majors & Careers, Searching for Scholarships, Resume Building, Time Management, Entering into the World of Work and Starting College Applications. As we enter into the second half of year, we’re looking forward to offering more programming and opportunities for our students! TRUMBULL HIGH SCHOOL Winter 2015-2016 AP and College Credit STEM Offerings Mathematics Science Agriscience and Biotechnology AP Calculus AB AP Biology ECE Agri Biotechnology AP Calculus BC AP Chemistry ECE Plant Science AP Statistics AP Physics 1 (New!) ECE Animal Science H ECE Elementary Discrete Mathematics ECE Physics 1 ECE Equine Science AP Computer Science A AP Physics C AP Computer Science Principles AP ECE Environmental Science AP and College Credit Humanities Offerings English Social Studies AP English Language AP English Literature & Composition AP ECE American Government/Constitutional Topics AP ECE Economics AP ECE European History World Language and Cultures AP French Language & Culture AP Spanish Language & Culture AP Psychology AP ECE U.S. History AP U.S. Government & Politics (New!) AP Comparative Government & Politics (New!) ECE Introduction to Philosophy (New!) AP and College Credit Elective Offerings Music Art AP Music Theory (New!) AP Studio Art (New!) Business Family and Consumer Sciences H CCP Accounting II H ECE Individual & Family Development H CCP Marketing