Center School Times 

  

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words   

Students and staff signed beams that will be used to top off Marathon Elementary School. These

will be the final two steel beams installed on the project. One of the beams made it’s way to

preschool for our youngest learners to sign along with preschool staff. Preschoolers with Sharpies,

surely a special occasion! Our names will forever be a part of this project: priceless.

  

 

  

                                                          I’ve got this!     

             First names only!    

                  

 Preschoolers making their mark                               Taking time with letter formation  First graders sang, danced, signed, and read their way through First Grade Night delighting families each night. As a school we’ve focused on being brave and students were certainly brave, performing in front of a packed house. Adding to this fabulous night of performances were jokes read by students. First graders showcasing a variety of talents: priceless.

 

 

     

                                    Mr. Boisvert and Mrs. Fiorentino’s class sing “One Small Voice.”     

                                          Mrs. Denault’s class singing “Thank you for being my Friend!”  

 Ms. Cooke’s class singing “Get Back up Again” from the movie Trolls. 

 

 

 

                               Mrs. Cullen’s class dancing to “The Gummy Bear Song.”   

Kindergarten has a number of upcoming special activities. These include a walking field trip to the police station, a visit from the Hopkinton Library, and an introduction to Fire S.A.F.E. (student awareness of fire education). All of these events contribute to a well-rounded school experience. This is priceless.

  

            Mrs. Volent’s kindergartners leaving for their trip to the police station!  

 

 

  

  

  

                  What’s happening in June? Thursday, June 1  Kindergarten Field Day 

Friday, June 2   Kindergarten Rain Date 

Friday, June 2   First Grade Step-up Day 

Monday, June 5  First Grade Field Day 

Book Fair in the Gym - Everyone’s Invited! 

Art Show in the Gym - Everyone’s Invited! 

Wednesday, June 7  First Grade Field Day Rain Date 

Wednesday, June 14 Flag Day - students wear red, white and blue! 

Thursday, June 15            Kindergarten Brown Bag Picnic 

Friday, June 16 Kindergarten Brown Bag Rain Date 

Friday, June 16 Last Day of Kindergarten - Full Day of School 

Wednesday, June 21 Last Day of First Grade - 12:10 Dismissal 

Field Day Colors   Each class has a designated color t-shirt.  Please wear your color on Field Day. 

Kindergarten        First Grade Mrs. Volent - Red Mrs. Farrell - Red Mrs. Ferguson - Yellow Mrs. Denault - Yellow Ms. Barry - Blue Mrs. Jacob - Blue Mrs. Robinson - White Mrs. Allen  Green Mrs. Homan - Green Mr. Sanford - Orange Mrs. Constantino - White Ms. Cooke - White Ms. Leary - Blue   Mrs. Kane/Mrs. Farquharson-Green Mrs. Chagnon-Red Mrs. Cullen - Yellow Mrs. Fernandez/Mrs. Kahn - Green Mrs. Davis - Red  Ms. Beauregard - Orange Mrs.Williamson/Ms. Peloquin - White

Mr. Boisvert/Mrs. Fiorentino-Blue 

 

 

  

Musical Notes By Wendy Moran

May has been a busy month in music class, with songs about flowers and birds and baseball. Some songs are in English and others are in languages from other cultures. We have also been learning about composers while enjoying creative movement activities and songs related to the music of these composers. First Grade musicians love learning songs in many languages, such as ‘Alle Meine Entchen’ and ‘I Khanda Mahlombe’. They also learned ‘Ha Ru Ga Kita’, a Japanese song about springtime. Your children recently completed the study of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and were delighted to learn about his interesting childhood. They learned to dance the minuet, a popular dance from this time period. They know that Mozart was famous for his beautiful melodies. ‘Sir Caterpillar’ is a song based on one of these melodies. Many children enjoyed coming up in front of the class to perform this song, which tells about the life cycle of the butterfly. First Grade musicians colored portraits of Mozart, based upon a famous portrait by the artist, Lorenzoni. They concentrated as they worked with a partner, playing the ‘mirror game’ while listening to a piano sonata. Joining together, they created a statue of children as they listened to a Mozart concerto.. We are now beginning the story, Babar, with delightful music by French composer, Francis Poulenc (1899–1963). A favorite Kindergarten song, ‘Spring has Sprung’ has words describing blooming flowers, playing in the park, and the sound of bird trills. We added an accompaniment to parts of the song using the bell-like sound of the tone bars. This made the song sound extra special! In May they learned a singing game from France by which the children were ‘elephants’, joining ‘trunks’ with ‘tails’ as they continued singing and connecting more ‘elephants’ with each repetition. We reviewed some of our favorite games such as the ‘Bow-Wow -Wow’, ‘Bluebird, Through My Window’ and ‘Sally, Go -Round the Sun’. These are interactive games and all the children participate with delight! Kindergarten musicians look forward to the last ten minutes of each class. At this time they quietly listen to the story of a young girl, Katarina, who plays the violin at the orphanage in Venice where

 

 

the Italian Baroque composer, Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741), is the music director. Your children are becoming very familiar with Vivaldi, also known as ‘The Red Priest’. They love hearing about his life and listening to his cheerful, exuberant and descriptive musical stories! During the remaining weeks of our time together, we will review our favorite activities and songs while also learning and enjoying new musical experiences. In music classes we have been working hard, throughout the year, to learn Patriotic songs in anticipation of our annual Flag Day assembly. Ask your child if he or she can name all six (6) songs : You’re a Grand Old Flag, The Star-Spangled Banner, God Bless America, Fifty Stars, America, the Beautiful , This Land is Your Land. They might enjoy singing them for you at home! Musically Yours, Wendy Moran 

 

 

 

News from our Nurse 

By Maureen Burns 

May 14- 20th is Food Allergy Awareness Week in the U.S. Did you know that in the United States, 1 in 13

children have a food allergy- that is about 2 in every classroom! The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

reports that the prevalence of food allergy in children increased by 50 percent between 1997 and 2011 and

between 1997 and 2008, the prevalence of peanut or tree nut allergy appears to have more than tripled in

U.S. children. Scientists are still figuring out the how and why of this, but here at school we focus on

awareness and prevention!

The eight major food allergens in the U.S. are:

● Milk

● Eggs

● Peanuts

● Tree nuts ( ex: walnut, cashew, almonds)

● Soybeans

● Wheat

● Fish (ex: cod)

● Crustacean shellfish (crab, shrimp, lobster.)

However, allergy to sesame is also fairly common and people can be allergic to almost any food substance:

even certain spices or food colorings. Those listed above are just the 8 major items that food labels must

identify and specify according to FDA regulations.

Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially fatal allergic reaction. It can happen immediately after exposure to

the allergen or can take hours to happen. Epi-pens are automatic injection devices that deliver a dose of

 

 

epinephrine (also called adrenaline). It increases the heart rate, constricts blood vessels to increase blood

pressure, relaxes smooth muscles in the lungs to reduce wheezing and improve breathing, and works to

reduce hives and swelling that might be around the mouth, lips and eyes.

For more information on food allergies, anaphylaxis or epi-pens, you can check out these resources:

● www.foodallergy.org

● www.allergyhome.org

● www.aafa.org (Allergy and Asthma Foundation)

●

Here at Center, we have allergy aware classrooms for specific allergens such as peanuts, an allergy-aware

lunch area in the cafeteria, and a great staff who are proactive and anxious to learn more about food allergies

and anaphylaxis. Many staff members are trained in anaphylaxis and epi- pen administration. We also

encourage all students to speak up and tell an adult right away if one of their friends or classmates is having

any kind of problem or doesn’t look okay, especially after snack or lunch or at recess. Please feel free to

contact the school nurse if you have any questions or concerns.

If you happen to be in Boston May 19 and 20 this year, take a look at the Zakim Bridge. As part of the “turnitteal” for food allergy awareness month the Zakim will be lit up in teal colored lights! You can go to: www.turnitteal.org for more sites and information.

Kindergarten

The children will visit some classics children’s book authors throughout May: Jan Brett, Leo Lionni, Tomie DePaola, Kevin Henkes, and Eric Carle. They will hear about their work and their lives.

For example:

● Did you know that Mr. Carle paints sheets of tissue paper (sometimes using the artistic technique called… finger-painting) and then creates his characters and scenery as a collage?

● While reading Jan Brett’s book “Hedgie’s Surprise” the students learn that hedgehogs live only in Europe, Africa, Asia, and New Zealand. No hedgehogs live naturally in the Americas (only as pets). The students loved meeting the character of Hedgie. The students also learned that Jan Brett runs the Boston Marathon every year.

● Leo Lionni, prolific children’s book writer did not start writing until the age of 50. He worked instead in advertizing with clients like Ford and Chrysler. Even though he started writing later in life he wrote more than 40 books and won 4 Caldecott medals. The students hear “An Extraordinary Egg” by Leo Lionni.

If possible, we tried to show the students videos of these authors creating art. This helps the students to see authors and illustrators as real people and artists.

 

 

First Grade

The students have been using the library catalog to locate books all year. They participated in a scavenger hunt assessment to show their knowledge of the catalog and the library. This was a challenging activity that the students completed very well.

The students will be thinking about the writing process of children’s picture books. We will read “Library Mouse” by Daniel Kirk to inspire students into thinking about themselves as writers. Then students will brainstorm (aka storyboard like the professionals) and write a book in library. We will also start planning summer reading by hearing about many new book series.

Just a FYI for parents, the students will stop checking out books on May 26th We will attempt to collect all checked out books and inventory our collection of books for next year. Any student with a library book checked out after this time will received a notice with the title, and replacement cost listed. If it absolutely cannot be found please send in money to replace the book for next year’s students. Thank you in advance for helping us make this process go smoothly.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have had this opportunity with your children. I hope we have planted a seed that will blossom into a healthy voracious love of reading.

Susan Mello, Center School Librarian

Art Studio News by Karen Lucy

We have been having fun with Gyotaku (fish) printing. Gyotaku is a traditional Japanese method of printing fish dating back to the mid 1800s. It was a way for fishermen to record their catch. We used rubber fish models instead of real fish. (Although many students enjoyed pretending they were real.) In addition, we have created birdhouse collage pictures adding lots of texture. Most recently, we have been working on our weaving skills as we completed paper weavings. This week we are completing our large collaborative weaving project using upcycled plastic tablecloths. Much of the students’ recent artwork has been collected and will be saved at school until after the art show. It will be sent home after that.

 

 

First Grade Parent Volunteers Needed The Center School Art Show will be held on June 5,2017. We could use many parent volunteers before then who would be willing to help mount artwork to prepare for the show. Volunteers could come in at any time during the school day. Must be CORI cleared. Please contact Mrs. Lucy as soon as possible if you are willing to help. klucy@hopkinton.k12.ma.us Thank you!

Health News By Kathy Lewinsky

In First Grade Health classes, students have been learning how to be safe                         

around medicines and poisons. Students learned that medicines can be helpful                     

or harmful depending on how they are used. Students learned the Medicine                       

Safety Rule: Only take medicine if it is given to you by a doctor, parent, or other                                 

trusted adult. In small groups, students differentiated between over-the-counter medicines and prescription                       

medicines. In a recent lesson, students successfully applied and practiced the medicine safety rule in role-play                               

situations. 

  

We have also been learning about poison safety in Health classes. First graders have learned how to recognize                                   

and avoid common household poisons, along with learning the Poison Safety Rule: If you aren’t sure something is                                   safe, don’t sniff, taste, swallow, or play with it. Students also learned to look for warning labels and to ask an adult                                           

for information if they are unsure about a product. Ask your child if she or he can tell you the Poison Safety                                           

Rule! 

  

Family Tips: Medicine Safety: As you give medicines to your child, talk about the amount of medicine the doctor                                     

has prescribed or the amount that is printed on the bottle. Poison Safety: Help your child by playing “detective”                                     

with him or her. Search for poisonous products in your home, then put them out of reach of young children and                                         

pets. 

  

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you post the Poison Help number 1-800-222-1222 on the                               

emergency list next to every phone in your home and in your cell phone. For more information, go to the                                       

American Academy of Pediatrics: www.healthychildren.org or the National Capital Poison Center:                     

www.poison.org. 

STEAM Museum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math)  

On behalf of all first grade teachers and students, we                   wish to thank the HPTA for bringing the STEAM                 museum to Center School. This travelling museum             set up 10 innovative hands-on stations in the Center                 gym with all first grade students having 50 minutes                 to explore the interactive stations. 

 

 

                                        Build-an-Arch Humanoid Robot

FRICTION RACEWAY