coming-up-in-january in-this-issue - clinton elementary · pdf filems. o’neill and the...
TRANSCRIPT
A Publication of the Clinton Parent Teacher Association www.clintonelementary.org
From The PrinciPal
Autumn/Winter Greetings Clinton Community!
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,
but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy
I want to express my gratitude to all in this community who make Clinton School such a special place for our Clinton kids and each other. Our teachers, staff, students, families, alumni, and friends are models for dedication and commitment to a community. For us as educators this ensures that the greatest efforts are put forth for the academic, creative, emotional, and social success of every Clinton student. I couldn’t be more grateful to all of you for the roles you play in this community.
As we continue our commitment to the success of our students, we thank you for your participation in our parent/teacher conferences. We also thank those who brought your thoughts, concerns, and ideas to the Superintendent’s Education Summit at Columbia High School on November 10. The outcome of such an amazing gathering is sure to be a catalyst for the necessary changes needed to ensure equity and excellence for all while guiding all our students into an incredibly exciting future.
In November we celebrated Native American Heritage Month. I would like to share with you the following words of wisdom:
The Indian Ten Commandments:
Treat the Earth and all that dwell therein with respect.Remain close to the Great Spirit.Show great respect for your fellow beings.
5Th WinTer craFT Fair, 11am To 2Pm
8Th ParenTing cenTer adoPTive ParenTs grouP, 7:30-9Pm, 525 academy sTreeT, maPleWood
11Th lasT day oF ParenTing cenTer Toy drive
15Th resToraTive PracTices WorkshoP, 7:30Pm, JeFFerson elemenTary school, 518 ridgeWood road, maPleWood
21sT Board oF educaTion meeTing, 7:30Pm, 525 academy sTreeT, maPleWood
23rd halF day
24Th holiday recess
4Th schools reoPen
18Th schools closed,
marTin luTher king day
Pg 5 BmX Team easT visiTs clinTon!
Pg 7 helP WanTed For s.T.e.a.m. disPlay
Pg 8 Tell us WhaT you love aBouT clinTon
Pg 8 learn aBouT resToraTive PracTices
In-This-Issue
Coming-up-in-January
From The PrinciPal Continued on page 6
Clinton Courier Issue 3, November/December 2015
A Publication of the Clinton Parent Teacher Association www.clintonelementary.org 2
From The PTa PresidenTPTa Board 2015-2016
Dear Clinton Families,
I hope that everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving, and was able to relax and enjoy time with family and friends. The past couple of months at Clinton School have been busy, and provided many reasons to give thanks.
Pumpkin Patch was again a big hit, thanks to the hard work of Leah Gomberg, Renata O’Beirne, Eileen Campos, and all the volunteers. Special thanks to Vanessa Pollock for donating the apple and cider snack! It takes an organized and patient person to pull off successful school photos for nearly 600 kids. Thank you to Donna Herley and all the parent volunteers who helped photo day run smoothly.
Candice Davenport brought BMX Team East to Clinton School to thrill our students and staff. Ms. O’Neill and the many teachers who risked life and limb to be a part of the BMX show deserve a huge round of applause as well! Later that day, students from all grades came together to walk, skip, and dance their way to fitness at Locomania, all while raising funds for Clinton’s physical education program. Thank you to Ms. Freede, Mr. Lehman, Leah Gomberg and all the volunteers who made this community fundraiser a success.
WBGO Jazz for Kids had us dancing in the aisles during their Clinton concert. Thank you Jennifer Spiegler for encouraging WBGO to bring this show to our school for the fourth year! Liz Gordon did a “spooktacular” job organizing Trunk-or-Treat. The creativity of the Clinton community was on display in the cars, costumes and decorations – thank you to all the parents and teachers who helped out.
Thank you to Holly Pappas for running our Third Annual Thanksgiving Pie Sale, to all the volunteers who donated delicious baked goods, and to all of you who supported Clinton School through your purchases.
The generosity of the Clinton community continues to amaze and inspire me. Just this past month, thanks to your support, we were able to install the new “ladybug” playground, provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need through the Clinton Food Pantry, and are collecting fun games for our students to play during indoor recess. Through December 11th, Clinton School is also participating in the Parenting Center Toy Drive. New, unwrapped toys, books, games and gifts, for children from infancy through age 17, can be sent into Clinton School. All donations are given to children in need in Maplewood and South Orange.
As we enter the rush of the holiday season, please mark your calendar for these fun December events: December 4th: Clinton School Pride Day December 5th: Winter Craft Fair, 11:00am – 2:00pm December 14th: Cafeteria Staff Breakfast December 18th: Teacher Holiday Luncheon and Cookie Distribution
On behalf of the Clinton PTA, I would like to express our immense gratitude to Principal O’Neill for her years of service to Clinton School. Her dedication to our students and families is beyond measure, and her leadership has shaped our community. Ms. O’Neill’s last day is this month, and to say she will be missed is an understatement. We wish her all the best in her retirement, and can’t wait to hear about her adventures.
Ms. O’Neill leaves us in the incredibly caring and capable hands of Ann Bodnar. We couldn’t be more excited about this choice for our new principal, and cannot wait to see what she has planned for Clinton School. Please join me in congratulating Ms. Bodnar on her new position!
Thank you again for your support of Clinton this year. Wishing you and your families peace, joy and love this holiday season.
All the best, Andrea [email protected]
PresidentAndrea [email protected]
First Vice PresidentElizabeth Potts [email protected]
Vice PresidentsFundraising Eileen [email protected], FundraisingAnn [email protected] ArtsCandice Davenport [email protected] RelationsNeena Kumar [email protected] Gaykowski [email protected], MembershipVerna Jackson [email protected]
TreasurerJonelle Delk [email protected]
Recording SecretaryKimmberly Bulkley [email protected]
Corresponding SecretarySharon Geraghty [email protected]
Clinton CourierEditor, Anne [email protected] Editor, Kathleen [email protected]
Webmaster Norman Villatoro [email protected]
Cultural Heritage Month CoordinatorTBD
ELL LiaisonElla Davidson [email protected]
SPED-PTO LiaisonKatie Rumley
Members-at-LargeLeah Gomberg Maureen Jones Renata O’Beirne Monica Ross
President EmeritusHolly Pappas [email protected]
Teacher RepresentativesRobin Ross [email protected] Wrembel [email protected]
PrincipalPatricia O’Neill973-378-7686 [email protected]
Assistant PrincipalAnn Bodnar973-378-7686 [email protected]
Clinton Courier Issue 3, November/December 2015
KindergartenKindergarten is “fall”ing into place. We are writing like scientists, exploring, observing, sketching, and labeling things in nature. We continue to approximate reading through old favorites and shared reading experiences. In Math, we have been comparing numbers to 10.
First GradeFirst grade has been filled with learning throughout October. We have been immersed in nonfiction during Reading Workshop. This carries over into our Writing Workshop time, where we are learning and experimenting with writing How-to books. During Math, we have finished addition and subtraction to 10 and are looking forward to moving on to shapes. Also, thanks to all who helped out during the Halloween festivities!
Second GradeIn second grade we are immersed in our nonfiction unit and we are close-reading for details. We are writing nonfiction All About Books, which we really enjoy. In Social Studies we are continuing to look at communities (suburban, rural, and urban) and in Science we are examining the water cycle!
Third GradeThird grade has become an even busier place to be! Our reading unit has taken us to Reading to Learn– we are learning to read, respond and question what we learn in the genre of nonfiction. We are practicing our own teaching skills, as we have become experts on our book’s topic, and are eagerly teaching others! In writing, we are learning how to write an expository essay: developing thesis statements, supporting our thesis with important points, and even tucking in our own mini stories and experiences! In Math we continue to practice multiplication facts, and we are learning about arrays and area models. After a
wonderful trip to Sterling Mine (thank you for your support, PTA!) where we were able to explore a mine and imagine working in one (most of us would not want to), we are entering the subject of Social Studies, where we are learning about maps and communities.
Fourth GradeThe avid learners in fourth grade are working on interpreting a story by using all of the story elements to grow a bigger idea (theme). We are also just beginning our writing unit on persuasive essay, thinking about our audience (who we will write our letter to), and researching evidence to back up our reasons. Math time focuses on two-digit multiplication – keep practicing those multiplication facts! We are working on a New Jersey Research Project in Social Studies. Each student selected one of three items for his/her project: 1.) Eye on our regions of New Jersey; 2.) Symbols of New Jersey (state bird, flag, etc) or 3.) Travel Brochure of New Jersey.
Everyone is engaged and enjoying learning about their home state.
Fourth grade enjoyed the PTA Trunk-or-Treat and the BMX assembly! We shared a Thanksgiving feast before the break.
Fifth GradeIn Language Arts, the fifth grade has started essay writing with a Personal Essay. We are also starting our non-fiction reading unit. We will be using NewsELA.com, Scholastic News and several other resources to read and analyze current articles. In Math, we’re beginning our unit on fractions. We will continue to review and practice skills in long division and multiplication of multi-digit numbers as well. Our Explorer Projects are on display in our hallways and they look and smell awesome!!! Great work students!! Now that we’ve learned about their voyages, we’ll begin to zoom in to our new unit on the 13 colonies. Our Science unit on energy allowed us to experiment with potential and kinetic energy. Thanks to Mrs. Latimer, we used the scientific method when exploring the TinkerBall website.
Fifth grade ended the month November with a fabulous feast!!
Grade News
A Publication of the Clinton Parent Teacher Association www.clintonelementary.org 3
(NOVEMBER)
Clinton Courier Issue 3, November/December 2015
KindergartenIn kindergarten, we are writing to make our stories stronger and clearer for readers. We are using our super powers (pointer power, picture power, sound power and persistence power) to strengthen our reading skills. In Math, we completed our unit on comparing sizes and are currently composing and decomposing numbers to 10. After we completed our Writing like Scientists unit, we have become observing experts and have been using our Five Senses to do so. Looking forward to 2016!
First GradeNovember was chock-full of activities for first grade. We were so involved with writing How-To books during Writing Workshop. We may be young, but we sure do know how to do a lot of stuff! During Math, we have studied 2D and 3D shapes and are now into the next unit where we will learn about ordinal numbers and then counting to 20. Reading has us challenging our stamina and reading nonfiction books. We are slowly building up our stamina for uninterrupted reading time by setting goals for ourselves each day. While we do this, we are really enjoying our nonfiction books and learning new facts daily! Also, all of first grade would like to thank everyone who helped to make our feasts a great success! And now, onto planning our New Year’s Eve festivities!!!
Second GradeWe are focused on non-fiction reading and writing in Language Arts. We are enjoying using different types of bar models to add and subtract three-digit numbers in Math. In Social Studies we are learning about maps and globes and finding it fascinating. We are also really having fun experimenting and learning about circuits and electricity during Science. Thank you our families for the wonderful Thanksgiving Feasts!
Third GradeOur third-graders have been hard at work in all subjects! In Reading Workshop, we continue in our non-fiction unit, reading narrative non-fiction where we are identifying and sifting the important information from what’s less important. In Writing Workshop, we have been working on our expository essays. We have each developed a thesis,
thought of three pieces of evidence that support the thesis, and we are writing mini-stories that support each piece of evidence. We are moving toward crafting a conclusion for our pieces and are nearing the revising and editing stages. In Math, we have been hard at work learning our multiplication and division facts for 6, 7, 8 and 9. We have been solving word problems in both multiplication and division and have begun working on balancing equations. In Social Studies, we have been applying our knowledge of communities, geography, landforms, and natural resources into our states project. We each have been assigned a state and we are researching our specific state via provided resources. We record the information on a graphic organizer and will then transfer the information onto a state brochure (the brochure is accessed via Google Classroom). Keep up the hard work third graders!
Fourth GradeWe are beginning our non-fiction Reading unit. We will be researching severe weather in small teams. We will present our findings to our peers. In Writing, we will begin putting together our Nonfiction Feature Articles. We are exploring fractions in our Math unit.
In Social Studies we will present our projects and are beginning a study of the early settlers in New Jersey. We will also begin studying the solar system in Science!
Fifth GradeIn Language Arts, we are starting our research-based essay, where will be focusing on history. We are also starting our historical fiction reading unit. For our book clubs we are taking a deep look into some historical fiction books on time periods including the Revolutionary War, WWII, and the Salem witch trials. We are engaging in deep discussions looking at the characters and themes of the books. We are also building background knowledge on all the time periods that the books are set in.
In Math, we are getting up close and personal with FRACTIONS. We’ve created Fraction Flags showing our diverse cultural backgrounds and we even “Factored” in Turkeys, using their feathers to help display factors of various 2-digit numbers. In Science we’ve begun our unit on Simple Machines and with the help of Ms. Latimer and her “K’nex” kits, groups showed off their inventions and it was so much fun!! In Social Studies, we are learning about the 13 colonies and what life was like for the colonists as they began their first settlements.
Grade News
A Publication of the Clinton Parent Teacher Association www.clintonelementary.org 4
(DECEMBER)
Clinton Courier Issue 3, November/December 2015
5A Publication of the Clinton Parent Teacher Association www.clintonelementary.org
BmX Team easT Thrills clinTon communiTy On October 23rd the air was crisp for another outdoor Cultural Arts Assembly. Kids and parents were buzzing as ramps, quarter-pipes and bikes were tuned, attached and warmed up on the playground.
What is BMX? BMX stands for “Bicycle Motocross.” BMX refers to organized bicycle racing on a dirt track, especially for youngsters. Young men and women race BMX bikes for sport or professionally, but this morning’s show was performed by three male athletes, doing stunts on BMX-fitted bicycles.
BMX Team East from Easthampton, Massachusetts (http://www.bookteameast.com/) had the boys and girls screaming with thrilling jumps and high flying stunts! They spoke to the kids about the importance of bike safety and wearing helmets, how to do a quick check of your bike to make sure everything works properly before you ride, the importance of eating nutritious meals and how important that is, as athletes, especially when they get injured and they are able to heal faster because of their healthy living and diet practices. In between these positive messages, they performed daredevil stunts like jumping over five or six beloved teachers (who found it just as exciting!).
But the best one of all was the three-man bicycle stunt jumping, flying and spinning over Principal O’Neill! And while there was the rare occasion that the performer fell short of a stunt, he demonstrated that with perseverance you just get back up and try again!
The students learned a lot that morning! Ask your kids the following: “What is a ‘Tailwhip’?”, “Did the biker fly on his bike like ‘Peter Pan’?”, and “What is an ‘icepick stunt’?”
One student said, “I now know what I want to be when I grow up!”
If you would like to see more, watch the following BMX Team East videos: https://vimeo.com/teameastbmxTo see live action still shots from the day’s events, visit (and Like!) the Clinton Elementary School Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/clintonelementary?fref=ts&ref=br_tf
If you just can’t get enough BMX, our PTA won a BMX bike from Team East at a statewide Expo last year. We will be raffling the BMX bike off as part of our Clinton Tricky Tray/ Fundraiser this February!
Thank you to all the volunteers and staff for the set up, the tarps, and the easy transitions between classes! This program was brought to you by the letters “B, M and X” and your Clinton PTA!
Clinton Courier Issue 3, November/December 2015
6A Publication of the Clinton Parent Teacher Association www.clintonelementary.org
The Indian Ten Commandments (continued):
Work together for the benefit of all Mankind.Give assistance and kindness wherever needed.Do what you know to be right.Look after the well-being of Mind and Body.Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater Good.Be truthful and honest at all times.Take full responsibility for your actions.
I wish all of you a joyous peaceful Holiday Season filled with love and gratitude.
Patty
From The PrinciPal Continued on page 1
liBrary neWs
November was a month full of research in the library. Third grade is investigating the United States of America and using PebbleGo Next for non-fiction reading. The fourth graders have started their New Jersey projects and are learning different ways to present knowledge. Fifth grade is working on science lessons involving inertia, motion and Newton’s laws as well as getting ready for simple machines.
Our youngest users of the library are continuing to tell stories and write the next page of books such as The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat and What Pet Should I Get?, a new book from Dr. Seuss’s archives. Our makerspace continues to thrive as students have started making Lego stop motion animated films using the free app Lego Movie Maker.
“Kids can code!” is my theme for December and I am so excited that we are participating in the international event, Hour of Code, for the 3rd year. Every student will be participating in computer science lessons the week of December 7th – 13th. The lessons will be diverse and show students ways that they can understand computer science. While not every student will grow up to be a programmer, we all use technology in some form. Skills will include sequencing, if/then statements, loops and more.
I also want to take this time to thank our students for their natural curiosity. We have been working on developing good questions, exploring just right resources and discovering our passions. If you haven’t asked your student lately, make time to find out what they love.
Enjoy the cool weather and happy reading!
Jennifer Latimer, Clinton Elementary School [email protected] Twitter @jenlatimerwww.AnywhereLibrarian.com www.donorschoose.org/jlatimer 973-378-7686 x 5004
It has certainly been a busy fall season in the nurse’s office. We continue to have cases of pediculosis popping up. Please check your child’s hair frequently for nits or live lice. If you find either, please be sure to thoroughly treat the hair and remove all nits. This is the only way to contain this problem and prevent re-infestation. Please let me know if you discover that your child has lice. It is also helpful for students with long hair to wear their hair pulled back. Please remind your children not to share hats, brushes, combs, etc.
We have also had several cases of respiratory illnesses, coughs, colds, bronchitis and pneumonia. Please continue to monitor your child for signs and symptoms of these issues. If your child presents with these symptoms check with your child’s physician. In situations like this, it is always best to be proactive. Extra rest allows the body to conserve energy to fight these germs. A day at home to rest will often prevent illnesses from getting worse. Please remember to practice good hand washing and cover up those coughs and sneezes.
Finally and perhaps most importantly, take time during this holiday season to spend time with family and friends. Have fun with your children and make memories to last a lifetime; bake, play games, watch a favorite movie, and as Ms. O’Neill would say, “get outside and play,” but please bundle up.
Have a wonderful, peaceful and healthy holiday season!
Your Nurse,Joann Harrigan973-378-7686 ext. 5003
noTes From The nurse
Clinton Courier Issue 3, November/December 2015
7A Publication of the Clinton Parent Teacher Association www.clintonelementary.org
clinTon’s WinTer craFT Fair is decemBer 5
Come get crafty at the Clinton School Winter Craft Fair on Saturday, December 5, in the cafeteria from 11am to 2pm.
Design your own one-of-a-kind cards, pom pom animals, mason jar fairy lights, sock snowmen, dazzling snowflakes, and that’s just the beginning. Lots of great crafts for all ages!
Advance payment is appreciated since supplies may be limited. You can pay $15 for a family in advance, or $20 at the door. There will be food available for purchase during the event (soup, cheese, fruit and more). Your craft creations will make wonderful holiday gifts, so don’t miss this fun event—hope to see you there!
For more information or if you’d like to volunteer at the event please contact Leah Gomberg at [email protected] or 973-275-0927.
indoor recess suPPlies needed
Ms. Liz, who oversees our lunch and recess staff, has been hard at work planning for the cold weather and indoor recess. Each classroom has a bin of games, with multiple copies of each, so students have lots of options of games to play during bad weather. As you can imagine, the current stock needs to be replenished each year.
As you shop this holiday weekend, please consider purchasing a game to donate to Clinton School for indoor recess. You can sign up to donate a game via this Sign Up Genius link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4aafaf2ca13-indoor. We will also accept donations of gently used games, provided all the pieces are included. Please leave your donations in the box in the main foyer, and we will sort and distribute the games as needed to classrooms.
Please also feel free to send any other games you think your children might enjoy into their classrooms, but make sure they don’t include a lot of pieces and don’t take too long to play (games like Monopoly and Life can’t be completed during the allotted time).
seeking volunTeers For hallWay disPlay!
Parents and teachers! Principal O’Neill and soon-to-be Principal Bodnar have a vision for the hallway display case: to focus on S.T.E.A.M projects so that students can learn about current advances in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.
The display can be updated every other month so commitment is minimal. Think: Visual, Innovative and FUN!
If you have an idea you would like to put into the display case and advance exploration into any of these areas, please contact Candice Davenport, VP Cultural Arts ([email protected]).
http://is.gd/clintonamazon
Clinton PTA gets 4% of every purchase you make on Amazon if you use this link. Just click to go to the page and bookmark it!
Clinton Courier Issue 3, November/December 2015
8A Publication of the Clinton Parent Teacher Association www.clintonelementary.org
resToraTive PracTices WorkshoP decemBer 15
On Tuesday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m. at Jefferson Elementary at 518 Ridgewood Road in Maplewood, Tanya Lewis will lead a workshop on Restorative Practices. This is a new approach to community building and discipline that emphasizes building supportive school communities, increasing communication skills, and helping students understand the repercussions of their actions and take responsibility for their behavior.
Come learn practical and effective strategies you can use at home, and hear about how Restorative Practices are being used in your child’s school. Restorative Practices has the potential to deepen all of our “tool kits” and help parents, teachers and other adults in authority build relationships and connections with students which will positively impact school performance and home interactions.
Tell us WhaT you love aBouT clinTon!
About seven years ago I began thinking about leaving New York City. I was mainly leaving to find an easier educational experience for myself and my kids (read: I couldn’t stomach the idea of stressing about where my kids went to preschool). Upon arriving in Maplewood, I looked forward to sending our kids to the neighborhood school. However, I feared that being safely ensconced in the suburbs meant losing the diverse ideas I found in my city neighborhood. What I found at Clinton was unexpected — the cultural diversity of a city school right in my suburban neighborhood! I was thrilled and eventually became the public relations representative for the PTA. I wanted to let everyone know about our gem of a school!
What is it you love about Clinton? There are so many interesting events, ideas and moments in any given month that its sometimes hard to keep track of them all. Therefore, we are asking the Clinton community to send us ideas, thoughts and perhaps articles about Clinton. Would you like to write about an event or share a thought? If so, contact me at [email protected].
— Neena Kumar, Clinton School PTA, Public Relations