arts a la carte · pillows inspired by a choice culture, homemade paper with chinese characters,...

Arts a la Carte Department of Fine Arts April 2013—May 2013

Westfield Public Schools Westfield New Jersey

www.westfieldnjk12.org/finearts

05/03/13 District Jazz Night – WHS Cafeteria B – 7:30pm 05/08/13 WHS Choral – 7:30pm

05/15/13 WHS Bands – 7:30pm 05/17/13 WHS May-Hem - 7:00pm

05/18/13 WHS May-Hem - 7:00pm

05/20/13 Franklin Chorus – 7:00pm 05/20/13 Washington Chorus - 7:00pm

05/20/13 Wilson & McKinley Strings @ Wilson – 7:30pm 05/21/12 Franklin & Washington Strings @ EIS – 7:30pm

05/21/13 Jefferson Band & Chorus – 7:00pm 05/21/13 Tamaques Band – 7:00pm

05/21/13 Tamaques 5th Grade Band & Chorus – 8:00pm

05/22/13 WHS Orchestra – WHS Auditorium – 7:00pm 05/22/13 McKinley Band & Chorus – 7:00pm

05/23/13 Franklin Band – 7:00pm 05/23/13 Wilson Band – 7:30pm

05/23/13 Jefferson & Tamaques Strings @ EIS – 7:30pm

05/23/13 Washington 4th & 5th Grade Band – 7:00pm 05/29/13 WHS Jazz Night – WHS Auditorium - 7:30pm

05/30/13 W & A Sounds & Sights Concert 05/30/13 Wilson Chorus – 7:30pm

06/03/13 EIS 6th grade Strings & 7th grade Chorus A – 7:00pm

06/03/13 RIS 6th & 8th grade Chorus – 7:00pm 06/03/13 RIS 6th & 8th grade Orchestra – 8:00pm

06/04/13 EIS 6th grade Band & Chorus & 7th grade Chorus B – 7:00pm 06/04/13 RIS 7th grade Sharps & Flats - 7:00pm

06/04/13 RIS 7th grade Orchestra & Early Morning Orchestra – 8:00pm 06/05/13 All City Music Festival @ WHS Auditorium - 7:30pm

06/10/13 EIS Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Orchestra – 7:00pm

06/10/13 RIS All Bands, The Accidentals & Morning Jazz – 7:00pm 06/11/13 EIS Symphonic Band, 8th grade Chorus, Broadway Singers & Jazz Band – 7:00pm

District Art Show Opens May 14! When school budgets get tight, arts programs are typically among the first areas to feel the pinch. It has been

proven many times in many different ways that the arts are an essential educational component. The arts help children better comprehend the basic studies of language, math and science. Annually, district art educators convert

the Westfield High School gymnasium into an art gallery of work created by K-12 students. Visitors are always amazed by the quality of work our art teachers encourage the students to create. You will find graphic art pieces,

sculptures (both large and small) ceramics, charcoal and pencil drawings, watercolors, fabric arts, painted furniture

and so much more.

Beginning May 14 we invite you to come see how our programs potentially make a big difference in so many

students’ lives. These beautiful student creations are worthy of your time. The show is open to the public on May

14 and 15 from 9:00AM - 4:00PM and 7:30PM – 9:00PM; and on May 16 from 9:00AM – 2:00PM.

In coordination with Youth Art Month,

RMC Studios in Garwood is hosting an Open House for the general public to view student artwork in unique

gallery settings. The evening of Art and Music at

RMC, 27 Center Street in Garwood will be held on

Friday, April 5 From 7PM to 9PM

Arts a la Carte April 2013-May 2013

Westfield

High School Art

Mr. Chambers’ Foundations of art

classes worked on abstract paintings based on the artwork of

Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron

Douglas. Douglas depicted images of his African and African American

cultural heritage. Students created images based on their family

history, and like Douglas will

abstract the images with overlapping shapes which create

value and color changes.

Graphic Design I classes

researched, and created eastern and western forms of calligraphy.

Their western calligraphy examples will include an illuminated letter

and were manipulated on the

computer using Adobe Photoshop.

Graphic Design II classes created ―teaser‖ pages for a graphic novel.

Each student came up with an original concept, illustrations, and

story, and created one complete page to grab the attention of the

viewer. Students also collaborated

with each other on one aspect of the project (i.e., story, character

development, page layout, etc.). The final versions will be created

digitally and will be shown

together as a multi-media display.

Mrs. Hatzikyriakou's Foundations of Art students have recently

concluded a human figure unit where they learned all about the

Renaissance and Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical findings.

Through practice doing gesture

drawing and short and long studies, students have become

well-versed in proper proportion and placement. They have also

been delving into the principles of

design, emphasis and unity, by creating their own original

mandala.

World Crafts Sampler students in Mrs. Hatzikyriakou’s class have

completed several projects from around the globe - hand sewn

pillows inspired by a choice

culture, homemade paper with Chinese characters, and

Indonesian batik designs to name a few.

Please note …March was Youth Art Month in Downtown Westfield. The Foundations of Art students

completed assignments reflecting

Matisse’s style and techniques of paper cut. The students composed

a still life which was executed using various paper stock. Color

theory paintings as well as

landscape canvas paintings were displayed in local businesses. A

variety of projects from both Foundations of Art and World

Crafts Sampler courses were represented and proudly hung.

The art work was well received.

Congratulations!

Foundations of Art students in Mrs. Jarvis’ class have completed

―Landscape Painting: The Place I Have Been‖; the paintings were

done with acrylics and water mixable oil paints on canvas. The

student artists will begin to critique

the paintings following a guideline which enhances the students’

ability to review and discuss artworks. The next endeavor for

the Foundations of Art students is

to focus on one-point perspective drawings of W.H.S. hallways.

After completion of the inked and washed perspective drawings; the

student artists will study the human figure, printing and

illustrate visual puns.

Crafts Exploration Classes at Westfield High School are working

on creating outdoor sculptures.

Mrs. Lauren Schwarzenbek showed them a video on artist and sculptor

Alberto Giacometti for inspiration and is guiding students in the

sculpture making process. The students are using wire, aluminum

foil, and styrofoam for the base.

All of these materials are being

April 2013-May 2013 Arts a la Carte

covered with a product called Paverpol along with newspaper,

which will harden and make the sculpture solid. The last step will

be to paint and varnish the sculpture. When completed, these

sculptures will be able to withstand

weather conditions and be placed outside. Below are some

photographs of the unfinished sculptures. Be sure to stop by the

District Art Show in May to see

some of the final sculptures.

Mrs. Schwarzenbek’s World Crafts

Sampler classes have been

working on the ever popular

sewing project. Students are

designing a pillow that will be

sewn by hand using various

stitching techniques. Here are two

samples of pillows in the early

stages. Make sure you go to the

District Art Show to see some

completed pillows!

DRAWING students continue to develop their skills and experiment

with media.

COMPOSITION classes are working on acrylic painting techniques,

value dominance and learning

about historical armatures to organize their works.

Works from both courses are being matted for the district art show as

well as high school hall displays. The PTSO Fine Arts tray sale was a

huge success. All 21 trays of famous reproductions sold. The

department will use the funds to

transfer our slide collection to an updated digital version.

High School Junior, Jared Ellner, was awarded the Scholastic Gold Key Award for his fashion portfolio.

Congratulations! Don 'Nose' Thieberger, master

potter from Platypus Pottery

School in Livingston NJ, spent a day in January demonstrating

wheel throwing with ceramics students at WHS. All participants

were able to watch the demos and

throw a pot or two on the potter's wheel! There was clay everywhere!

Mr. Thieberger will be spending another day with the ceramics

students in June.

WHS Ceramics students would like to give a special thanks to the

Westfield Coalition for the Arts for

making Mr. Thieberger’s visit possible.


Music

WHS Band News! We are currently beginning the recruiting process for the 2013/14

school year. Be sure to sign up for ―Concert Band‖ with your guidance

counselor if you currently play an instrument in 8th grade at either

middle school.

The Marching Blue Devils are proud to present their 2013

production entitled ―DREAM.‖ The show will commemorate the 50th

year anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther Kings’ speech ―I Have A Dream.‖ Those interested in joining the Marching Blue Devils should

sign up for Marching Band (as a class) and attend our first spring

rehearsal being held in the WHS

Auditorium on Tuesday April 23rd at 7:00 pm. This meeting is for all

interested students that will be in 9th through 12th grade next year

AND their parents. Check the Band website for all of the opportunities

available for rising 9th grade Band

students!

www.westfieldhsbands.org

The WHS Choral Department is busy preparing for the spring

choral concert that will take place on May 8th. The students will be

performing traditional and

contemporary choral literature that will be sure to please. One of the

highlights of the concert will certainly be the collaboration

between the WHS Jazz Band and

the WHS Choraleers who will be performing selections from Cy

Coleman's film noir musical, City of Angels. The entire choral

department will sing together in the stunning concert finale, The Awakening by Joseph M.

Martin, an ode to music and its part in fulfilling our lives.

Be sure to visit the new choral department website for more

information pertaining to choir happenings. whschoir.weebly.com

On February 27th, the Chamber

Orchestra under the direction of

Mr. Raymond Wojcik performed at the Congregational Church's

concert series "Mid-Day Musicales" in a program that consisted of

Torelli's Concerto Grosso No. 8 in g

minor, Dvorak's "Serenade in E", Dello Joio's "Arietta" and "Waltz‖

No. 2 by Shostakovich. The Chamber Orchestra is now

preparing for their spring concert on May 22nd celebrating the 100th

anniversary of the birth of

Benjamin Britten with a performance of his "Simple

Symphony". The concert will also feature seniors Alexandra Tinfow,

violin and Edmund Han, viola as

soloists in the first movement of Mozart's "Sinfonia Concertante".

On May 22nd, the WHS Symphony

Orchestra will perform Mozart's overture to "The Marriage of

Figaro", Richard Meyer's "Bailes para Orquesta" featuring violin

soloists Marissa Alvarez and

Isabelle Ick, music from "The Phantom of the Opera", and

"Dance of the Tumblers" by Rimsky-Korsakov.

The students in the "Writing and

Arranging" classes have been completing their learning of such

music fundamentals as intervals,

rhythmic notation, keys and scales, triads, seventh chords and four-

part harmony. The current creative project involves

composing, orchestrating and

recording theme music for a fictitious children's cartoon.

The WHS Concert Ensembles will

perform at the Central Jersey Music Educators Concert Band

Festival at South Brunswick High School on March 19th and 20th.

Dr. Thomas McCauley, Director of Bands at Montclair State University

came to work with the WHS Wind Ensemble for a day to assist in

their festival preparations. The

Wind Ensemble is very grateful to the Westfield Coalition for the Arts

for making Dr. McCauley’s visit possible. All three Concert Bands

will then begin preparing additional

music for their Spring Concert, which will take place on

Wednesday May 15th at 7:30 pm in the Westfield High School

Auditorium.

The WHS Jazz Bands have begun

their festival season and will be performing at the Scotch Plains-

Fanwood High School Jazz Festival

in April as well as the Phillipsburg High School Jazz Festival in May.

The Jazz Ensemble performed at the Westfield Senior Home on

Thursday February 28th and both bands performed at the Annual

Rotary Club Pancake Day on March

2nd.

On March 7th Mr. Joe Bongiovi, Band Director at Princeton High

School, came to do a clinic with the Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Bongiovi is

a well-known jazz musicianan and

educator throughout New Jersey and the north east region. He also

serves as the director of the Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra.

WHS Jazz would like to thank the Westfield Coalition for the Arts for

making Mr. Bongiovi’s visit

possible. A group of WHS Jazz students will travel to New York

City on April 27th to see Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln

Center Orchestra perform an

afternoon concert at the Lincoln Center. WHS Jazz will be hosting

its 2nd Annual Jazz Night in the WHS Cafeteria B at 7:00 pm on

Friday May 3rd. This event will

http://www.westfieldhsbands.org/

http://whschoir.weebly.com/


feature various High School Jazz Ensembles, the High School Jazz

Combos, and Jazz Bands from both Edison and Roosevelt Intermediate

Schools. Tickets are $5 in advance and $6 at the door.

Please contact Director of Bands,

Chris Vitale, for ticket information ([email protected]).

Finally, you can see all of the High School Jazz Ensembles and

Combos in concert on Wednesday

May 29th in the WHS Auditorium at 7:30 pm. Also performing at the

WHS Spring Jazz Concert will be the High School Percussion

Ensemble and Indoor Guard.

2013 WHS Jazz Ensemble

2013 WHS Stage Band

Updates to performance schedules can be found on our website at

www.westfieldhsbands.org.

The Westfield High School Indoor Color Guard program is now in its

second year of existence. The

group has been practicing weekly at Franklin Elementary School

preparing their 2013 production. The guard traveled to Matawan

High School on March 16th to

attend a competition and will be performing at the WHS Spring Jazz

Concert on Wednesday May 29th at

7:30 pm in the WHS Auditorium. The WHS Winter Guard would like

to thank the Westfield Coalition for the Arts for their generous

contribution to help fund this ensemble for the 2013 season.

Drama

The Westfield High School Theatre

Department presented Bat Boy, the Musical, story and book by

Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming, music and lyrics by Laurence

O’Keefe, as their Spring Musical production this March.

Inspired by an infamous 1992 article in the Weekly World News tabloid, the show tells the story of Edgar, a fanged, pointy-eared ―Bat

Boy‖ discovered living in a cave by

some local teenagers. The story chronicles Edgar's attempts to

renounce his bloodthirsty nature and find acceptance and love

within the community. Although on the surface, the plot seemed to be

rather silly and outlandish, it was

really more about societal acceptance and inclusion – a

message that is extremely

contemporary and important in today’s world.

The show was an extremely

successful production which played to packed houses for all

performances and ended each with

robust approval and standing ovations. Featuring over 100

student actors, technicians and

musicians, the production clearly

demonstrated the myriad talents of the WHS fine arts students and

their various disciplines. Bat Boy continued the outstanding theatre

that Westfield High School has become known for and rivaled

recent Paper Mill Playhouse ―Rising

Star‖ Award winning productions such as Pippin and Sweeney Todd.

Although Bat Boy was a very different style of musical, it most

certainly fulfilled everyone’s

expectations of excellence in high school theatre.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.westfieldhsbands.org/


The Westfield High School drama students are once again engaged

in furthering their studies of the world of theatre. In Drama 1, the

students have just completed an investigation of Roman Theatre

and its contributions to world

theatre. In addition to the historical aspects of the period, the

students also examined the specific elements from the time

period still seen in contemporary

theatre via the performance of scenes from Rumors, a comedy by

Neil Simon. The Drama 2 students are also exploring the world of

comedy, focusing on physical comedy and the Commedia

dell’Arte. This study will include a

performance of scenes from Lend Me a Tenor, by Ken Ludwig. In

Drama 3, the students are preparing for the annual Bucks

County Student One Act Play

Festival, where they will perform three one act plays on Wednesday,

May 1, 2013.

WHS students are also continuing

their exploration of the world of theatre behind the scenes in the

newly developed Stagecraft course. The students are engaged

in learning the various jobs that exist in the technical theatre and

the numerous employment

opportunities they present. Currently, the students are

learning the fundamentals of lighting design and its various

applications within the theatrical

production process. This unit will conclude with student pairs

reading a play and then designing a lighting plan for the show.

Roosevelt

Intermediate

Art

Mrs. Cohen’s 6th graders have been working so diligently on their

hat projects. This project was inspired by New Era's 59FIFTY

caps. This project evolved from

New Era inviting artists from the US and Europe to customize a

blank 59FIFTY in their own unique style. The project was then

expanded in both geography and

scope. It was opened up to young artists, designers and thinkers and

doers - both traditionally educated and self-taught. Then each artist

was invited to capture their creative process as well. In the

6th grade period 9 art class, each

student was given a blank white cap. They then went on to express

themselves using a variety of materials- paint, fabric, ballet

slippers, felt, wire, wood, soccer

ball and the list goes on and on!!!! When their masterpiece was

finished, they wrote a paragraph expressing what their creation

represents to them. These totally awesome hats are on display in

the gallery in the front hall!!!!!

The 7th graders have just completed their 2 point perspective

city-scapes and are busy working on their clay creations!!! They are

making something utilitarian for

their first project and then something small of their own

choosing for their second project.

The 8th grade arts and crafts classes are busy working on their

painted furniture projects. They sand, prime, transfer their images

and then paint with acrylic paints

onto their wood furniture.

In Mr. Greenwood’s 6th grade classes they started the 3rd quarter

looking at artwork from the Late 1950s and early 1960s, the Pop Art

era. Students created color drawings of popular foods using an

artistic interpretation manipulating

color and scale. Taking a turn into Architectural design students

created fantasy house designs. Students were permitted and

encouraged to push the limits of

creativity in design and location. Finally for the first half of the 3rd

quarter students were introduced to the scientific concepts of Natural


Order for S.T.E.M. Day. For this Science and Technology day,

students were introduced to how wild animals adapt to their

environment and physically change over time to become more stealth

for survival. Students created

animal drawings and paintings with an emphasis on their natural

surroundings and camouflage. The current project the 6th grade

students are working on is

designing and creating replica Faberge Eggs in clay. Students

were introduced to Artist and Jeweler Karl Faberge and are

making their own 3 dimensional interpretation.

In Mr. Greenwood’s 8th grade

classes the semester started with a

new group of students. These students kicked off the year with

an introduction to Brazilian / American artist Romero Britto.

Britto, a contemporary artist who

works out of Miami Florida has a style and flair reminiscent of the

artwork of the 1960s. With a concern for human rights and

positive uplifting motivation, many of his works can be seen in

commercial art applications today.

Next the 8th grade students were introduced to some art history.

The students were required to research artists and select several

famous artworks and recreate

them in a drawing or painting. This is done in a collage style where

parts of great works of art come together to create an entire new

art image. Upon completing the Art History project, students

entered a discussion about what is

one of the motivations of the artist? Focusing on how the artist

wants their work to be seen, led to a discussion of how artists

accomplish this by manipulating

the Art Elements to attract viewer interest. The final conclusions were

Size and Scale are very important tools the artist controls to gain

interest. The students were then required to complete and artwork

2‖x2‖ incorporating as much detail as possible in a miniature space.

Currently Mr. Greenwood’s 8th grade students are working on a

multilayered construction paper

cut out exploring the development of color and patterns.

Mr. Thompson’s 6th grade classes

have just completed an interdisciplinary project with the

science teachers for STEM day (science, technology, engineering,

and math). The concept of the

STEM unit was natural selection, so we decided it would be fun and

exciting to invent our own camouflaged insects. Students

chose a real insect and a

manmade object to draw. Then they morphed the two together for

a final drawing in color. Finally they named and wrote about their

creation, describing its habitat and

behavior.

The 7th grade classes have just

completed a graffiti lesson with Mr. Thompson. Following a very

interesting discussion on street art,

students were challenged to design their own ―tag‖: a highly

stylized and colorful name design. After viewing many different styles

of tags, we noted the many differences and the similar

elements. Students were able to

base their tag on their own name, a nickname, or another word of

their choice. The results were dramatic and colorful!

Mr. Thompson’s 8th grade arts and crafts students are working on a

crayon scratchboard project. The subject is animals or sea creatures.

Students drew, carefully and

realistically, the animal of their choice in its native habitat. They

then applied layers of heavy crayon in bright, fantastical colors.

Finally a layer of black was added on top, and carefully scratched off

to create various textures. The

finished compositions are very dramatic and colorful!

Music

The 6th grade chorus is busy

preparing for their spring concert scheduled for June 3, 2013. Our

wonderful 6th graders are working

on some challenging music, singing in three part harmony,


different languages, as well as contemporary favorites. They

have been presenting skits and profiles on composers of the

Baroque and Classical period. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and

Handel have appeared on talk

shows, stayed for coffee at our homes, and appeared on our

email.

On Friday, March 22nd RIS held our

annual Fine Arts Day performances. This is always a great day which

the students really enjoy. The audience was treated to vocal,

instrumental, dance and comedy

acts. We are very proud of all our performers! On February 22nd our

Sharps and Flats had the great thrill of performing with the

Newark Boys Chorus at the annual Black History Month Celebration.

The group performed one piece

with the Chorus and it was a positive experience for all of our

young musicians. The Sharps and Flats are now preparing for our

May 17th Festival at Hershey Park.

The vocal music department has been very busy the past months

and will continue our great work for our students and the

community!

Mr. Doyle and the RIS bands are

very excited about the upcoming spring concert, taking place on

Monday June 10 at 7PM. This concert will feature a mix of

classical and contemporary

literature, with a variety of styles and genres. The 6th grade band

will perform a march by John

Edmondson, a wonderful setting of a Scottish folk song by Randall

Standridge, and highlights from the ―Harry Potter‖ movie series,

composed by John Williams. The 6th grade is also excited to have

Mr. Stier make his RIS conducting

debut! He will be conducting the Randall Standridge piece, ―The

Rowan Tree‖.

The 7th grade band will also feature the talents of the RIS band

staff. Mr. Brice Freeman will be conducting an arrangement of

melodies from the Georges Bizet

opera ―Carmen‖. Mr. Jeffrey Stier will be leading the band in a

fantastic tune called ―Highland Legend‖ by John Moss, which

features an exciting section in 6/8

time. Mr. Doyle will also be conducting the band on the John

Edmondson march ―Rio Bravo‖. That’s right folks- three pieces,

three conductors!

The 8th grade band will be performing their last concert here

at RIS. It will be a bittersweet performance for Mr. Doyle and the

students, and we hope it will be

one you enjoy. One highlight of the concert will be a piece

composed by Patrick Burns, entitled ―Count Not the Hours‖.

Mr. Burns will visit RIS in April, and

the 8th graders will have the rare opportunity to work with the

composer of a piece. They will also be performing a challenging but

exciting piece called ―Anthem for Winds and Percussion‖ and a John

Edmonson march titled ―The Invincibles‖.

As mentioned above, composer

and conductor Patrick Burns will visit RIS on April 11 to work with

all three concert bands. We are

very excited to have a world renowned composer, conductor,

and guest clinician work with our students. In addition to

composing, Mr. Burns is also the founder and conductor of the

Bloomfield Youth Band, as well as

the director of the NJCU Symphony of Winds and Percussion. It is sure

to be a fun day and a wonderful learning experience. The RIS

Concert Bands would like to thank

the Westfield Coalition for the Arts for making Mr. Burns’ visit

possible.

On March 20, the Accidentals and Morning Jazz performed at the first

―Terrill in Tempo‖ Jazz Festival at Terrill Middle School in Scotch

Plains. Both groups were fantastic,

and they had a chance to watch bands from other schools in the

area. The whole evening was a success and we hope to be a part

of the festival again next year.

May 3rd will be our second annual

district Jazz Night. Jazz ensembles from RIS, EIS, and WHS will play

together in a jazz club-style setting in the WHS cafeteria. Last year’s

event was a huge success, and we

think this year will be even better. Mark your calendars and come

support ALL of our Westfield students!

The Accidentals and Morning Jazz

will perform their final concert of

the year on Monday June 10, along with the RIS Concert Bands.

Morning Jazz will feature works from Victor Lopez and Duke

Ellington. The Accidentals will


perform music made popular by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brazilian

composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Hoagy Carmichael. This show

will be a great way to wrap another school year, so don’t miss

out!

The RIS Musical ―Seussical‖

finished its run on Sunday March

10th to rave reviews. We had a

great crowd for every performance.

Congratulations to the cast and

crew - they did a great job!

Drama

The 7th Grade Public Speaking

students had the opportunity to use the iPad! They used iPads to

research and collect evidence. The students were able to navigate

using eBooks on the RIS library

website. Then they followed the pathfinder link to gather and cite

different sources. This is the eighth 7th Grade Oratory Speech Contest

at RIS. Having the iPads in the classroom made it possible for

students to do online research

right in class!

Edison

Intermediate

Art Mrs. Frees 6th grade students are working on Andy Warhol inspired

ice cream drawings/paintings that include the use of shape and color

mixing. Sixth grade students also

finished an animal painting, drawing and oil pastel.

Students are also studying the use

of shape and color through a project on Mola’s of Panama.

Students are working on their still

life drawing to show 3-D using hatching and crosshatching. They

also worked in three dimensional form to create a clay mug. The

students learned the slab, coil and

pinch pot technique during their clay projects. They learned about

creating the proper proportion of

the facial features to create a face on their mug.

The 7th grade students in Mrs. Frees

class studied Medieval Art through the use of clay to create Gargoyles

and Grotesques. They learned about architecture of both the

Romanesque and Gothic Styles.

The students also studied the Bayeux tapestry and learned about

stitching on fabric. The students learned various stitches to create a

complete and composition that included the use of line, color and

texture.

Crafts 8th grade students worked

with a Fibers unit learning about the history of Tye Dye and Batik

and the regions of the world that use this art form.

The students also learned sewing techniques to create a pillow from

the tye dyed fabric. They also worked with paper and crayon to

create a paper batik to simulate

the fabric work done in Indonesia. Students are now working with coil

and yarn to create a woven basket that is both functional and

beautiful. Students have also begun work with clay and did

research on masks from around

the world. They then chose a style and worked with clay molds using

the slab, coil and score, slip and smooth techniques to make their

masks.

Fine Arts 8th graders are beginning

a unit on Surrealism. They are reviewing their understanding of

perspective that so many of the


Surrealists made use of in their paintings. The students are

viewing films that will inspire their creativity and comprehension of

the movement of Surrealism both in the past and the present. The

students also explored Surrealism

in using life drawing of their own hand to then create a Surrealistic

themed hand. The students gained skills in shading and blending with

pencil to create the look of

Realism.

Music The bands at Edison are in

preparation for the upcoming Spring concert season. The first

appearance for the bands was on March 2nd when the EIS Award

winning Jazz Ensemble performed

at the Rotary Pancake Breakfast. They are presently adding to their

repertoire for performances at the WHS Jazz night in May and their

concert performance in June when

all of the performing groups will be on display; Jazz Ensemble, 6th

Grade Band, and Symphonic Band.

The EIS Symphonic Band is in preparation for their Spring

performances rehearsing the ―Finale‖ from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony as well as Pirates of the Caribbean and a medley of James Bond tunes celebrating ―his‖ 50th

anniversary.

The 6th Grade Band is learning about different styles of music

while preparing Swahili Folk Hymn

and The Greatest Generation March.

The 8th Grade String Orchestra has

achieved a high level of performance this year in

challenging music of a variety of styles and eras. For their Spring

concert on June 10th, the

orchestra will be performing Meyer's "Geometric Dances",

Grainger's "Mock Morris", Jenkin's "Palladio", and Mozart's "Eine

Kleine Nachtmusic" in its original version. The students have also

been engaged in an in-depth study

of reading, writing and playing all the major and minor keys,

including the natural, melodic and harmonic versions of the minor

scales.

East – West Connections. The EIS

Sinfonia will be performing an unusual work with special solo

instrument. The Erhu ("Chinese violin") is a traditional instrument

played by 8th grade cellist Amy Liang. Amy will be the soloist in a

medley of Chinese folk songs

arranged by Mr. Wojcik for her and the Sinfonia. The particular cultural

and musical learning experience is the style of playing in traditional

Chinese music that students will

learn by hearing Amy play the melodies on the Erhu.

EIS Orchestra students have been

invited to contribute their original artwork inspired by the music they

are preparing for the Spring ―Sights & Sounds‖ concert. The

plan is for the student artwork to

be displayed in the lobby the night of the concert and also projected

while the music is being performed at the concert.

The 7th Grade Orchestra is

preparing Newbold's "Country Hoedown", "Appalachian Sunrise"

and "Four Royal Dances" by Eric

Ewazen. Like the 8th grade

orchestra, the students have been studying reading major key

signatures, as well as learning to identify intervals.

The 6th Grade Orchestra students

are very excited for their Spring Concert on June 3rd. They will be

performing some well-known

pieces such as "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay and "Theme from Mission

Impossible." It's sure to be an exciting performance!

Roosevelt &

Edison Intermediate

Orchestra All-State Orchestra results are in;

At EIS Soo Min Chung (8th grade)

auditioned against 70 violinists

from all over the state, and

placed 16th and Amy Liang (8th

grade) placed 10th out of 26

cellists that auditioned. At RIS

Mira Yang (7th grade) violist

auditioned and placed 10th.

The students came from those who made Region 1, 2 or 3 Intermediate Orchestra.

Congratulations!


Hello everyone! Welcome to the Land of Oz! The Edison Intermediate School is proud to

present that perennial children’s classic, The Wizard of Oz.

Little Dorothy Gale of Kansas, like so many girls her age, dreams of

what lies over the rainbow. One day a twister hits her home and

carries her away—over the rainbow. Come join Dorothy, the

Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the

Cowardly Lion and Toto as they travel the universe of Dorothy’s

imagination.

Students at EIS are excited about the upcoming production, The Wizard of Oz. The script has been edited to incorporate much of the

well-known movie as well as the

not so familiar stage play. There will be over 65 students

performing on stage and in the crew to present this musical

spectacular.

The show will be presented on

Thursday, April 11th at 4:00 as an elementary student matinee and

on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 for the general public.

Advanced sale tickets will begin on Tuesday, April 2nd in the EIS

auditorium lobby. Ticket prices are

$5.00 all seats for the Thursday performance (non-reserved) and

$8.00 for Friday and Saturday (reserved). Ticket price at the

door will be $10.00 (if available).

Franklin

Elementary

Art

The Art students of Franklin School were working with Model Magic.

This versatile compound assisted in the development of the

student’s imagination and their

tactile sense.

The 1st grade students under the direction of Mrs. Coveney, used

Model Magic and penguins were created. This project was linked to

their study of the seabird. Demonstration of the medium and

a discussion of what is a 3-D

object could have been seen and heard in the classroom with all

eyes in wonder. Wings, feet, head, beak and body were pulled and

stretched till the bird received

his/her shape. Pearlized paint gave the sleek skin a wet like tone and

color was used for the eyes, beak and feet. All enjoyed this new

experience.

Mrs. Coveney’s 2nd grade students continued further into their study

of the dinosaur. A 3-D model of a

dinosaur/dragon were shown and discussed. The understanding of

where 3 dimensions could be seen was apparent in the examples.

Shapes were manipulated, twisted

and attached to create these ―fierce‖ creatures. Fluorescent

paint was used to complete the color and texture. A black light was

used to show the fluorescence of the color and the oohs and aahs

were heard throughout the

classroom.

Third grade students in Mrs. Coveney’s class brought their knowledge of

texture and imagination into the creation of a domestic animal. The

use of Model Magic proved to be

successful in the production of a 4-legged cat/dog striking a pose.

Examples of these sculptures were discussed and viewed. Thumbnail

sketches were drawn and the markings were applied with crayon

on their plans. Paint was used on

the Model Magic and their pieces were seen and appreciated.

Mrs. Coveney’s 4th grade students

created invitations for their ―Then and Now‖ art exhibit using Model

Magic, paint and sharpies. These 3-D invitations were an extension

of their self-portrait project and a

different medium was used. Texture was explored and could be

seen in these creations. The development of their invitations

was definitely challenging and a

new experience. Creativity was present and enjoyed!

Students drew a zebra, but forget

about boring black and white! Mrs. Massenzio’s 5th grade students

used watercolor paints to incorporate the color wheel when

adding colorful stripes to their

zebra. The children learned that zebra stripes are as unique as

fingerprints- no two are exactly alike, although each of the 3

species has its own general

pattern. Students enjoyed experimenting with mixing colors

to create secondary and tertiary colors.

Music

Our students celebrated ―Music In Our Schools Month‖ during March

with two great performances for grades 1-4 for their parents. The

students sang, played instruments,

danced, and for an added bonus, parents were encouraged to

participate in a musical activity to show them how much fun we have

in music class.

Finally shaking off the cold and the snow, we’re springing into action


during music! The 1st graders enjoyed the wonderful selections

at the ―Music In Our Schools Month‖ Assembly, celebrating

music education, and singing. Our talented 1st graders have been

studying music reading skills,

music vocabulary and instruments of the orchestra, through fun

games and songs.

The 2nd graders are focusing on rhythms again as they continue to

progress with their note reading skills. We’ll also get to learn more

about tempo as we clap our way

through some exciting clapping games.

The momentum continues to build as our 3rd graders learn more

about the orchestra and its instruments.

As they listen to the different timbres of each instrument, they’ll

discover which ones they enjoy as the time to view and choose an

instrument for 4th grade draws

closer.

Every April is Jazz Appreciation

Month a.k.a. JAM and our 4th graders will definitely be jamming

as they learn about the history of jazz music and its role in American

music. Activities will include

improvising on instruments, scat singing and viewing some of

Mr. Geyer’s old childhood records since one of Thomas Edison’s

inventions played an important

role in the history of Jazz music. Ask your child what that invention

was and why it was important later on in April.

The 5th graders at Franklin are

rehearsing for their spring musical Harmony High which will focus on

three siblings who discover that

there’s something slightly different at their new school. Let’s just say

that life is more beautiful when you experience it through a song.

The spring vocal concert will be held on Monday, May 20 at 7:00

p.m. and will feature both the 5th

grade chorus and the Glee Club.

Finally, many of our 5th graders at

Franklin have been chosen for the

All City ensembles and are working hard to put together this year’s All

City concert which will be held Wednesday, June 5 at WHS. Mr. Geyer is excited to be directing the All City Chorus again with Wilson School’s

vocal teacher, Mr. Hendricks. This

will be Mr. Geyer’s third year directing the All City Chorus after

three years of directing the All City Orchestra.

Jefferson

Elementary Art

The first graders in Jefferson have

just wrapped up their African unit on masks and are now jumping

into Springtime with art! They will

be starting with a caterpillar project where they create

secondary colors by mixing the primaries in a colorful collaged

painting. Then they will begin their

wonderfully whimsical abstract trees.

Second grade is just finishing up their big unit on facial proportion.

Soon, their life-sized alter egos will be lining the hallways of Jefferson

School. Did your child make him/herself into a cheeseburger or

a fire-breathing dragon? Maybe a

fairy princess? There were no limits to the imagination during

this project. Tour the halls of Jefferson to find out how your

child transformed themselves!

Third graders are in the middle of their mandalas, where they learn

about radial symmetry and

meditation through art. After those are finished, they will be

entering their weaving unit where they will be competing against the

fourth graders in "Battle of the

Grades". The grade with the longest qualified weaving will be

having a party for their last art class of the year.

Fourth grade students are just beginning to learn about one-point

perspective. They are designing their own city street in one-point

perspective, and will be using professional watercolors from the

tubes, not the semi-moist stuff in

the crayola cases... very fancy!

Fifth grade is almost done with their super-dooper-paper-mache-cloth-mache-metal-wire-glass-eyed-painted

FISH! It's taken awhile, but these

creations are FANTASTIC! They

will be displayed in Jefferson School, The Elm Street Gallery, the

Spring Concert and maybe in the Jefferson Jubilee... The whole

town needs to see how wonderful

our fifth grade artists are!

Music

First and second graders in Mr.

Hendricks’ music class have explored

the American Spiritual in the context of American history.

We’ve discussed its origins,

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characteristics and importance of the text (especially when used as

code), and the variations in musical mood. We have listened

to professional performances and have also sung spirituals.

Improvised movement arrived at,

through listening to musical style, is an ongoing part of our music

sessions. We enjoyed this activity when listening to music from

China, as part of our observation

of Chinese New Year. While more structured, the Chinese ribbon

dance also affords room for individuality. We continue to pay

attention to music signs and symbols, especially as they appear

in our repertoire.

March was ―Music In Our Schools

Month‖ at Jefferson Elementary School, where each class had fun participating in a month-long Morning Music Trivia Madness game. Ms.

Woodfield’s class learned what famous pop star has Aaron as his

middle name. We figured out the

name of the note on the 4th line of the Treble staff. We discovered

which instrument represented the bird in "Peter and the Wolf", and

we now know how many total

beats you would have if you added two Whole notes, four Half notes,

and eight Eighth notes. Learning

music is fun!!

Ahoy, ye mateys....The Jefferson Elementary School Band and Chorus'

Spring Concert will be performed

on Tuesday, May 21st, 2013 at

7:00pm in the Jefferson Auditorium. The chorus is

preparing a special mini-musical entitled "Pirates" which you will

surely not want to miss!! Arrrrgh!!

Congratulations to all Jefferson Band, Chorus and Orchestra members

selected for the All-City groups.

We are proud of you and your fine musical accomplishments!! We

look forward to hearing you in

June.

McKinley

Elementary Art

First grade students learned that texture refers to the surface

quality, both actual and simulated

in artwork. Mrs. Massenzio’s students enjoyed exploring various

textures throughout the classroom. They created large sized paper

hands, gluing on using various textures and materials. Textures

abound in nature and our

environment, and when used in a picture, create interest.

Second grade students learned all

about the beloved Giant Panda from China. Its distinctive coloring

makes it easily recognizable. The children were amazed when

Mrs. Massenzio told them that

baby Pandas are the size of a stick of butter when born! They created

hand puppets, along with a puppet theater to perform a play written

by the students. Art and creative

writing were integrated in this lesson.

McKinley’s artists have been

proudly displaying their work all

over the school with so many new spaces open for exhibition.

First grade students are quickly

moving through many projects and experiments this spring. Painting

with various mediums, Mr. Roig’s 1st grade students are introduced

to watercolors, tempera paint,

wash, and paint mixed with

different textural additives. The cherry blossoms around McKinley

School will be the muses for a mixed media painting where paint

is applied with q-tips and the sky is blended with oil pastels. This

exposure to many techniques in

painting will build upon the year’s knowledge of our elements and

principles of design like shape and color.

Understanding artistic vocabulary

is key to expressing the concepts of art. Mr. Roig’s 2nd grade

students continue to add to their

word wall of art terms and review them each class to ensure their

significance. Contour lines were investigated with a yarn portrait

where students’ silhouettes were

traced and then details and glue were added over their pencil lines.

A limited palette of colored yarn was carefully placed down to

ensure the students understanding

that contour lines separate negative and positive space.

Finally, oil pastel to finish off the piece and give artists an

opportunity to make their creative mark. Mosaics were also artworks

recently made by 2nd grade artists

in order to better understand patterns as well as unity in making

a work of art whole. Students will soon experiment with printmaking

by using the bottoms of plastic

bottles as flower petals and repurposing other found objects.

Very interested in the biographies

of many great artists, 3rd grade students in Mr. Roig’s art class will

be introduced to Gustav Klimt whose infamous decorative

landscapes stylize an art all of its

own aesthetic. Through these works students are encouraged to

find the natural patterns within landscapes and pair sharpie

stylistic line drawings with layered

watercolor washes.


3rd Grade "Doodle for Google" submission. What a wonderful time spring is to

create works in the realm of the

Impressionists. The spring light will focus the students on understanding color in a new way. Growing from our prior knowledge of value and contrast

Mr. Roig’s 4th grade students will use their understanding of color

theory to apply vibrantly colored brushstrokes. Using their own imagery and formulating new ideas towards composition from our winter

collage work, these small paintings are bringing new light into the

classroom.

4th Grade "Textured scratchboard animal"

Fifth grade students in Mr. Roig’s

class have just completed a unit on Divisionism, commonly known as

Pointillism, with their study of the art of Georges Seurat and Paul

Signac. With his extremely detailed

art process Seurat had only created 7 large masterworks in his

short life. Seurat is not celebrated because he was the only one to

use this dot technique but because his craftsmanship was exemplary covering every centimeter of his canvases. After their projects were complete, the students understood how time consuming and dedicated his process was. ―Divisionism is not a way of making art, it is a way to see the

world.‖ Hopefully the students will now view art making a little

differently and understand the complexity behind perceived color.

The 5th grade students will now move more recently into a study of

art history to a unit on pop art. To

bring some attention to their works students will mix colors with yellow

to make them more intense. An understanding of tertiary colors will

also help students find the colors in the neon colored pop art

spectrum. Our previously

mentioned Pointillism unit will help in building an understanding of the

correct amount of each color’s mixture.

5th Grade "Myself in Shapes,

Cubist Still Life Oil Pastel Drawing"

McKinley Student Art Work Chosen for State Display!

McKinley student, Alexandra

Brennan, holds her art work titled "Abstraction" which was selected

to be displayed at the Department of Education building in Trenton.

Alexandra is the youngest of 13

artists chosen from over 50 candidates throughout the state.

Alexandra is pictured with Art Teacher, Alison Hooper-Korkuch.

Music

For ―Music in Our Schools Month‖,

Mrs. Krihak's and Mrs. McGarry's 1st graders read "Giraffe's Can't

Dance" a story about a giraffe who

thought he couldn't dance until he found the right song that made

him move. Students wrote and drew about the song that makes

them want to dance. Students

have also been working on singing rounds using student leaders to

help keep them on track. The first graders have also played a pitch

matching game on the iPads called Pitch Invasion matching do mi and

sol to blast the alien space ships!

The 2nd graders in Mrs. Spier's and

Mrs. Tierney's classes celebrated by making a bulletin board display,

writing what they loved about music on eighth notes.


In class they have been busy playing xylophones and singing

rounds independently.

The 5th graders talked about the importance of music and created a

large piano by writing "Music is the

key to…" on each white key. The teachers at Mckinley did the same

thing on the black keys of the keyboard, joining together to

create a beautiful piece of art for

our hallway.

Students these past few months have also been using a new iPad

app called Zondle, which incorporates quizzes with games to

make for some very exciting music

classes! They have also been watching brain pop videos on the

iPads learning all about various musical genres. The 5th graders

have also been working hard to

prepare for their spring concert on May 22nd.

Tamaques

Elementary Art

Tamaques Elementary School is all about working together! This

year, every class created one piece

of art to be auctioned off at the Spring Social on May 17th. Every

grade was given a theme, and along with the art teachers,

created a group project for the

auction. Themes range from birds, butterflies, and fish to hot air

balloons hearts and flowers. Below are some before pictures of

the first grade birds. Stop by the Tamaques Spring Social and get

your bid ready for some beautiful

and creative works of art!

Music

To coincide with the Read Across America week, the Tamaques 1st

and 2nd graders in Ms. Woodfield’s

class were treated to the timeless storybook "Beethoven Lives

Upstairs". This book highlighted the

life of Ludwig van Beethoven as he

lived in the home of a little boy (Christoph), and how difficult it was for

everyone as Beethoven struggles to

compose his Ninth Symphony (the "Ode to Joy") without being able

to hear a note. We have also had a great time learning the lines and

spaces of the Treble cleff,

reinforcing our learning through the use of our new iPads.

Washington

Elementary Art

Art at Washington School is in full

bloom this spring.

Inspiration is being found from many

different sources as the students in

each grade level are studying the aesthetics of

different times, places, and people.

Mrs. D’Amico’s 1st grade students

have concluded their extensive African studies and have begun to

explore the art of South America. This has included making colorful

paper molas and masks. Everyone

has enjoyed working with colors and patterns in new and creative

ways.

Second grade artists in Mrs. D’Amico’s class have launched into outer

space by connecting their classroom science studies to artistic

masterpieces. They learned how

to use shading techniques to give the illusion of spherical paper


planets and designed imaginary aliens to inhabit these distant,

undiscovered places. Third grade students in Mrs. D’Amico’s class have taken their inspiration

from nature in a recent study of

flowers. They began this unit by learning about the life and work of

Georgia O’Keeffe—designing flower enlargements similar to hers.

They then began a collage bouquet that is expected to

blossom into something beautiful.

Fourth grade students learned

about medieval history, and explored how and why castles

were built. Mrs. Massenzio’s classes worked diligently to create

beautiful castle drawings, complete

with towers, turrets, and moats! This is a follow up of the knights in

shining armor.

In the 5th grade, artists are exploring Pop Art. Mrs. D’Amico’s

classes have drawn and painted pieces about their shoes, a la Andy

Warhol; created a personal logo;

and collaged a graphic work symbolizing love. All of these

colorful creations have served to increase our enthusiasm for art at

Washington School!

Music

This year is flying by so quickly!

Washington School students have

learned so much and it hasn’t stopped yet. The 1st-5th grade

general music classes have been learning about form and style.

They have been listening to music of yesterday and today, figuring

out the form and describing the

music that they hear.

The 1st grade has learned about the verse and chorus of songs.

They have played games to better understand the concepts and have

had a lot of fun doing it!

The 2nd and 3rd grade are also learning about verse/chorus form

but are getting even more into the

music by recognizing different symbols that affect the form of a piece. The students are also beginning to be exposed to the African-American

spiritual; an important musical style.

The 4th and 5th grade students are being introduced to the musical

West Side Story and exploring the

musical forms and styles of both

past and present.

The Valentine’s Day sing along was a great success. All of the students

had a great time performing but are sad that it was their last

performance of the year. That is,

except for the 5th grade.

The 5th graders are working extremely hard to prepare for their

spring concert on May 20, 2013. The music incorporates a variety of

different styles and will feature both vocal and instrumental

soloists. At the same time they are

preparing for that, they are continuing to rehearse ―The Star

Spangled Banner‖ for the opening game of the Somerset Patriots at

TD Bank Park on April 18, 2013.

The final performance of this

school year will be the 5th Grade Talent Show. Preparations for that

will be beginning shortly and I,

along with all of the students, am very excited for that!

Tamaques & Washington Bands

The Tamaques and Washington 4th grade bands are busy preparing for their

Spring Concerts. In addition to their weekly lessons, the students are

participating in the weekly before school band rehearsals. Selections for the

spring concerts include favorites: ―Theme and Variations on Hot Cross

Buns‖, ―Old MacDonald had a Band‖, ―Hard Rock Blues‖, ―When the Saints

Go Marching In‖, Power Rock and many others!

The Washington and Tamaques 5th Grade bands are also preparing for their

Spring Concert. The 5th grade band will perform ―Carnival in Rio‖, a fun

piece which uses several Latin percussion instruments such as claves,

maracas and cowbell, other selections include ―Dr. Rock‖, and ―Wolfgang in

the Percussion Box‖, and this piece is adapted from Mozart’s Magic Flute.

The band is also enjoying playing ―The Banana Boat Song‖ and ―Midnight

Mission‖ a powerful work with driving rhythms and a haunting melody.

The concerts are free and open to the public. Come hear our exciting

progress!

Congratulations to all of the Washington and Tamaques Band students who

were accepted in the 2013 All City Band!


The 5th grade auditions for All-City Chorus have already been

completed and the 13 participants have been selected, but all of the

students that auditioned deserve recognition. They did a wonderful

job during the audition, making it extremely difficult to decide who

would be invited into All-City. The

concert will be on June 5, 2013. Congratulations to all those who

made it into the chorus!

As the year approaches its end, I can’t help but think how much the

students have grown both personally and musically. It is a joy to work

with them every day, and I am

already looking forward to next year and the great things that will

be in store for all of us here at Washington Elementary School!

Wilson

Elementary Art

First grade students learned that

texture refers to the surface quality, both actual and simulated

in artwork. Mrs. Massenzio’s students enjoyed exploring various textures

throughout the classroom. They

created large sized paper hands, gluing on using various textures

and materials. Textures abound in nature and our environment, and

when used in a picture, create interest.

Second grade students learned all about the beloved Giant Panda from

China. Its distinctive coloring makes it easily recognizable. The children were amazed when Mrs. Massenzio told

them that baby Pandas are the size

of a stick of butter when born!

They created hand puppets, along with a puppet theater to perform a play written by the students. Art and

creative writing were integrated in this lesson.

Mrs. Massenzio’s 3rd grade section

learned how artists use color to create mood in their paintings

through the use of texture, color and patterns. Laurel Burch was a

contemporary folk artist that is

well known for her whimsical pictures of colorful, patterned cats.

Students enjoyed creating their own fantastic felines in the styles

of Laurel Burch.

Once again the art department has teamed up with the PTO to

participate in a fundraising project.

Different themes were chosen for each grade level. The work was

then scanned and printed on assorted items for purchase. The

third grade painted flowers, the

fourth grade created zebras, and the fifth grade created mixed

media fish scenes.

Music

Spring is certainly on its way!

The 1st graders at Wilson School

welcomed the beginning of this beautiful season with "Peter and

the Wolf," a piece by Sergei

Prokofiev. The piece tells an adventurous story, which takes

place just after the final snow is melting, about a young boy

capturing a terrifying wolf to save his animal friends. Each of the

characters in this piece (Peter, the

Bird, the Duck, the Cat, Grandfather, the Hunters, and the

Wolf) are all represented by different instruments.

The 1st graders are able to identify all of the instruments by sight and

sound. They have also learned the musical themes that represent

each character. In addition, they made little books to share with

their families which correlated

beautifully with the school-wide celebration of "Read Across

America Week."

The 2nd graders at Wilson were busy learning about Musical Form.

They began by following a listening map along with the

famous piece "Ballet of the

Unhatched Chicks" by Modest Mussorgsky. They discussed the

different ways we could show musical form: using letters,

pictures, and even dances. The

2nd graders finished up this lesson by making their own listening

maps to a wonderful piece "Aquarium" by Camille Saint-

Saëns; however they were not

given the title of the piece until the end of the assignment. Each

student came up with their own ideas as to what was happening in

the music and created their listening map accordingly. When

everyone was done, the real name

of the piece was shared with the class. It was amazing to see the

imagination in each and every student.

Both 1st and 2nd graders at Wilson

have also celebrated "Music In Our Schools Month" in March and

learned fantastic upbeat songs

about how music is important to each of us. These songs included

"Everybody Has Music Inside" and "We Believe In Music." Both

grades also discussed why they

love music and made little posters to share with the school.

The 3rd and 4th graders were hard

at work in Mr. Hendricks’ class for the annual ―Music in Our Schools

Month‖ Assembly. While each of


the grade levels presented individually, we teamed up for a

mass choir performance of Jambo, Karibu Kwa Africa!

(Hello, Welcome to Africa!)

During weekly music sessions, solo singing continues to be encouraged as

a way of increasing our confidence

level when singing in the presence of others. Many have enjoyed

providing an ―ostinato‖ on the djembe drum while our music teacher accommodates the students’

names to the drummer’s rhythmic choice. It is yet another way to

have a solo!

Fifth graders are preparing for the Spring Concert! The repertoire is

demanding, but the 5th graders are

working hard. This year the audience will be treated to songs

in French and Japanese, as well as English. Two songs will be

accompanied by 5th grade flutists! In addition, a vocal ensemble drawn

from the chorus will perform. Other

activities involve listening to works in the Sonata-Allegro form and

performing rhythmic drills on percussion instruments!

The McKinley and Wilson Orchestra students are getting ready for the Spring concerts with some exciting

pieces! Some of these include "Cripple Creek," "Tinga Layo," and

"Colors of the Wind."

The All City Results are also in and

the students are excited to be learning challenging pieces such as

"Brandenburg Concerto" by Johann Sebastian Bach and "Telemann

Sinfonia" by Georg Telemann.

Lincoln

School Art

"A special thank you to the Westfield Coalition for the Arts!

Lincoln School has been awarded a

grant to help acquire new visuals and resources for their Arts

Appreciation Program. This community program supports the

regular elementary art curriculum with a series of parent-led lessons.

Students are given additional

opportunities to learn about the lives and work of famous artists

through a variety of activities. We are very grateful for the coalition's

gift in continuing to enrich the arts

education of our youngest artists."

Lincoln’s little lions have completed

their neighborhood unit with Mr. Roig. They have constructed their own

houses as well as characters of

themselves in the roles of their desired future occupations. It is great

to find that many kindergarteners want to be teachers. Many of

these mixed media works will be showcased in this year’s yearbook

along with a new artwork made by

all of the cubs in this school’s pride. This new spring season will

bring much color and inspiration for our students in guiding their

artworks. From themes of

ladybugs made of tissue paper and symmetrical butterflies made with

folded paper, paint and wire, Lincoln students are always

transforming materials in new ways while discovering their own

personalities and aesthetic. A

sampling from this year’s artwork will be well represented in the

upcoming spectacular District Art Show!

Music

At Lincoln the preschoolers have been working on keeping a steady

beat, through playing instruments

and singing spring songs.

The kindergarteners have been preparing for their Sing-a-Long

which was on March 21st. Kindergarteners also celebrated

―Music in Our Schools Month‖ by "Dancing Through the Decades" on

Fridays before school. The next

few months the kindergarteners will prepare songs for graduation

in addition to working on singing in rounds, playing instruments and

reading music.

Westfield Coalition for the Arts

We are so fortunate to live in a

community that reveres the arts and

believes strongly in nourishing the

diverse talents of our youth.

Demonstrate YOUR commitment to

the arts by making a donation to

Westfield Coalition for the Arts. Last

year, the Coalition received donations

of nearly $10,000. With your

donations we were able to assist the

music, art, and theatre programs at

the elementary, intermediate and high

school levels.

We are an independent, not-for-profit

organization, and we depend solely on

the generosity of parents and

supporters. Please join us in fulfilling

our mission as an advocate for the

arts by making a tax-deductible

contribution to The Westfield Coalition

for the Arts. In addition, the Coalition

is interested in your ideas,

suggestions, and comments and hope

that you will take the time to email us

at [email protected]. We

look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for your support.

Margaret Smith

President

mailto:[email protected]

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