News from April 2018

Dear Parents, Guardians and Community Members,

Arlington Public Schools strives "...to educate students by promoting academic excellence, by empowering students to achieve their maximum potential, and by preparing students for responsible participation in an ever-changing world." The district is "...committed to helping every student achieve emotional, social, vocational, and academic success." APS must continually review curriculum and associated activities to be certain that we are doing all we can to fulfill this mission. If we uncover areas where this is not the case, steps must be taken to make the necessary improvements.

Many of you are aware that the district undertook a review of Colonial Day, an observance that has taken place at some, but not all, of our elementary schools for many years. It is not a formal part of the Social Studies curriculum. The events are largely parent-driven, and over time, they have become important to many individuals in the community. Many others, however, have been expressing concerns, particularly about the expectation that students dress in colonial attire. Questions have arisen as to whether this supports our vision of creating an environment in which all students feel honored and welcomed. Over this year, I have reported on the work we have been doing to improve our district's cultural competency, and we felt the need to consider the expectation for colonial costumes within this context. Dressing up as colonists emphasizes a single perspective that was not shared by everyone present at that time in history. Our third-grade teachers will be updating the curriculum over the summer with the goal of ensuring that their instruction of colonial times is comprehensive and representative of all cultures.

To gather as many perspectives as possible, we asked parent representatives from all our elementary schools to gather input from their communities and share the feedback at a forum. We solicited feedback from teachers and principals during the process. The emphasis of the evaluation was to examine how Colonial Day activities fit into the Social Studies curriculum and whether it aligns with our goal of becoming a culturally competent district. The expectation of students dressing in colonial attire to accentuate their experience was part of the discussion. After considering all the input, the administration decided that students will no longer wear costumes during Colonial Day activities. Colonial Day has not been canceled, but this summer's update of the third grade Social Studies curriculum will include further evaluation of the event and more changes may be expected. Our overall goal is to ensure that all perspectives are considered when we teach history. Thank you to all community members and district staff who participated in the discussion of this issue.

I am glad to report that the Hardy Elementary School addition of six classrooms, two on each of three floors, is now underway. The project also includes the installation of a Lake Street playground focused on grades K-1 and a newly designed outdoor space on Chandler Street. The current plan is for the Lake Street playground to be ready for use on the first day of school in September 2018. The classrooms are expected to be finished in mid December 2018. Construction of the Chandler Street outdoor space is planned to begin in January 2019. The small size of the Hardy site has presented several challenges, particularly around playground and outdoor space. It is wonderful to see that plans are in place and the project is moving forward. Please see the Hardy Facility Expansion website for more information. Navigating around the construction area in the mornings and afternoons has presented some challenges, and I want to thank everyone for their cooperation and flexibility.

I am always happy to share some examples of the ways our students and community members remember the needs of others. Several efforts took place at Ottoson this spring. The OMS Peer Leaders, a group dedicated to building an accepting and respectful school community, raised $331 for the Anti-Defamation League during their social justice work. The Pennies for Patients collection organized by History & Social Sciences teacher Andrew Garrity brought in $623 for leukemia and lymphoma research. Ottoson also hosted a two-week clothing drive for Cradles to Crayons, collecting new and gently used clothing for both children and adults.

Bishop second grade students contributed food and gift cards to the Arlington Food Pantry this month, during that school's ongoing campaign to battle food insecurity among local families. April was also the month for a very special event that raised money to purchase books for the library in the new Gibbs Sixth Grade School. For several years, Arlington resident and award-winning journalist David Whitford has been holding conversations with accomplished and distinguished individuals, hosted by Arlington Community Education (ACE). This month, Mr. Whitford's special guest was his brother--stage, film and television actor Bradley Whitford--who generously shared insights and answered questions from the audience in the AHS Lowe Auditorium. It was a pleasure to attend, and I am grateful to David and Bradley Whitford and the ACE staff for helping the Gibbs library get off to a good start.

I want to alert you to the upcoming K-12 Town Hall Arlington Public School Art Exhibit that begins on May 3. The creative efforts of over 200 students from all nine schools will be on display on the second floor ofTown Hall through May 24. You may view the exhibit during regular Town Hall hours: Monday-Wednesday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday from 8:00-7:00pm on Friday from 8:00 am to noon. Youmay want to attend the closing reception on May 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm to congratulate the studentartists and their art teachers. This beautiful exhibit is a wonderful way to see what our young people havebeen working on throughout the year and I hope you will be able to attend.

Best regards,

Kathleen Bodie, Ed.D Superintendent of Schools

Headline View

Safe & Supportive Schools

AYHSC Survey Respondents Understand that Parents Can Influence Substance Use Decisions Ninety-six percent of respondents to the spring 2016 Arlington Youth Health & Safety Coalition (AYHSC) Parent Norm Survey know that they have the greatest influence on their child's decision on whether or not to use alcohol and other drugs. Read more>

Botvin LifeSkills Training Parent Group Focuses on Supporting Healthy Decision Making Discussions on the challenges of parenting and how to set healthy foundations that enable children to make safe decision was the focus of the group that came together under the Botvin LifeSkills® Training parent curriculum. Learn more>

Department News

Gibbs Parent Forum Shares Plans to Prioritize Academic Social, Emotional Learning Families learned about the policies and programs that will be employed at the Gibbs Sixth Grade School to create the foundation students need to be successful during their middle school years at a Forum hosted by incoming Principal Kristin DeFrancisco and incoming Vice Principal Wendy Salvatore this month. Learn more>

Progress on AHS Building Project Includes Preliminary Design Concepts, Educational Program The submission of four preliminary design concepts to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, is

one of several requirements that have been completed during the Feasibility Phase of the Arlington High School renovation/rebuild project.. Read more>

SEPAC Supports, Informs and Connects Arlington Special Needs Families and Caregivers Through monthly meetings and workshops held across the school year, the Arlington Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) gathers information, shares resources and helps local families and other interested individuals become informed consumers of special education programs and services so that they can be effective advocates for their children. Learn more>

Find What You Need on the New Arlington High School Website The new AHS Google Sites website located at http://spyponders.com uses a simple menu structure and responds automatically to display correctly on both phones and computers. Read more>

Professional Development

Educational Trip Includes Visits to Five Finnish Schools for OMS World Language Teacher OMS French and Spanish teacher Anne Zachary's trip took her to Helsinki and Lapland where she learned about the Finnish educational system, rode in a reindeer-driven sleigh and stood on the Arctic Circle. Read more>

Grants

Arlington Education Foundation Announces Four Development and Expansion Grants The new AEF grants awarded to the Arlington Public Schools by support four key academic and social, emotional areas: trauma sensitive environments, thematic world language units, a pathway of formal computer science courses throughout grades six through 12, and the establishment of mindfulness from the administrative level down into the classrooms. Read more>

Reception Celebrates the Beginning of "Colors of STEM" A poster profiling Neil deGrasse Tyson was celebrated at an evening reception at Brackett, kicking-off the rotating exhibit of posters that profile prominent American STEM professionals of color made possible by a grant from the Arlington Education Foundation. Learn more>

Awards & Distinctions

All Ottoson Grades Place Well in the New England Math League Competition The official results of the New England Math League Competition test are in, and all grades did very well, with sixth grade scoring in the top 22%, seventh in the top 18% and eighth in the top 5% of all schools taking the exam at each level. Learn more>

Insights Shared with Authors Earn OMS Students Honors in "Letters About Literature" Contest Four students in the 620 cluster have been recognized at the state level for the thoughtful and meaningful letters they wrote to the authors of books or poems that have impacted their lives as part of the annual Library of Congress Letters About Literature contest. Read more>

OMS National History Day Projects Receive Awards at State Competition Congratulations to the students whose projects were recognized at the State level National History Day competition held this month. Learn more>

AHS Runner Named "Boys' Track Athlete of the Year" Congratulations to Ryan Oosting on being named the Boys' Track Athlete of the Year in the Boston Globe All-Scholastics, Winter 2017-18. Learn more>

AHS Science Olympiad Team Meets the Challenges of State Competition Four AHS students placed among the top 10 competitors in their events and took first place in Circuit Lab

during the State Science Olympiad held at Framingham State University last month, a contest that is a great way for students to test themselves and have fun with science at the same time. Read more> AHS Tenacity Challenge Team Meets the Demands of Academic Competition One senior and two ninth grade students created a powerful mural, researched and presented a strong historical argument, filmed an additional chapter to a book and competed in a Science and Math Quiz Bowl as they tackled this year's theme of Hate Speech vs. Free Speech at the 2018 Tenacity Challenge. Learn more> AHS Instrumental Director Honored by Arlington Rotary Club Congratulations to Sabato D'Agostino on being named as the recipient of the 2018 Rotary Club Community Person of the Year in recognition for his contributions to improving the lives of citizens of Arlington. Read more> Visual Arts Director Joins Panel of Judges for AIFF Poster Contest I am glad that our K-12 Director of Visual Arts David Ardito participated in the panel that chose the design to represent the 2018 Arlington International Film Festival (AIFF). Learn more>

Academics & Enrichment

Elementary Science Nights Encourage Experimentation and Discovery The Brackett STEM Night/Science Fair and the Stratton Science and Engineering Night, two such events that took place this spring, got attendees excited about discovery with hands-on demonstrations and challenges that captured the imagination. Read more> AHS Launches Innovation and Design Thinking Certificate Program The AHS Innovation and Design Thinking Certificate, the second interdisciplinary program offered at Arlington High School, asks students to apply what they learn in their STEAM courses by working collaboratively across disciplines to find the best possible solutions to problems. Learn more> AHS Spring College Fair Provides Choices and Interactions to Help Determine "Best Fit" This month's AHS Spring College Fair, that included over 120 schools from across the country, is one of the ways the Guidance Department works to help students and families explore their options for further education. Learn more> Creative Highlights

Talent and Beauty Abound at Elementary Music Concerts and Art Shows Songs and artworks that represented themes such as A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing: Music and Art in Celebration of the Sea and I See the Rhythm, African drumming, ukuleles and artworks created within the new Teaching for Artistic Behavior curriculum were shared with the community in this year's concerts and art shows. Learn more>

"The Lion King Jr." Roars at Bishop It was off to the jungle when over 165 young actors came together as two casts to present The Lion King Jr., this year's production offered by the Bishop Players. Read more> Annual Festival of Bands Featured Instrumentalists in Grades Four through Eight Over 200 instrumentalists were on hand to share what they have learned and illustrate how their skills develop over time as they delivered a wonderful evening of music this month. Learn more>

Challenging Music and Exciting Choreography Dazzle in AHS Production of "Wonderful Town" If he had been in the audience, composer Leonard Bernstein would have been thrilled with the AHS Gilbert and Sullivan Club's excellent performances of Wonderful Town last month, the 81st production in the Club's long history of sharing musical theater with the community. Read more>

Spring Art Exhibit Illustrates the Depth and Breadth of AHS Visual Arts Department Curriculum From sculptural masks to large-scale puppet heads, stick drawings, remarkable digital photography and much, much more, the artworks on display illustrated the talent of our students and the creative directions they follow with guidance from their Visual Arts teachers. Learn more> Continue to read the full News from April 2018 Newsletter Safe & Supportive Schools

AYHSC Survey Respondents Understand that Parents Can Influence Substance Use Decisions This month I am sharing the news that the vast majority of parents responding to the spring 2016 Arlington Youth Health & Safety Coalition (AYHSC) Parent Norm Survey understand that they have an important role to play in keeping their children safe from alcohol and other drugs. Ninety-six percent of respondents know that in spite of the fact that popular culture often portrays drugs and alcohol favorably, parents can influence their child's decisions on whether or not to use these substances. Arlington Public Schools is happy to partner with AYHSC and Arlington parents to help our young people understand the dangers of substance abuse, and make healthy decisions. Botvin LifeSkills Training Parent Group Focuses on Supporting Healthy Decision Making In my September newsletter, I reported on the Botvin LifeSkills® Training (LST) curriculum introduced at Ottoson this year thanks to a grant from the Symmes Medical Use Nonprofit Corporation. Research shows that implementing an evidence-based substance use prevention curriculum in middle school can give young people the knowledge they need to avoid the early onset of substance abuse disorder. LST is designed to build personal self-management and general social and drug resistance skills through activities that help young people resist peer pressures and cope with anxiety. It also increases their knowledge around the consequences associated with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or prescription drug abuse. It is taught in OMS Family and Consumer Science (FACS) classes. FACS lead teacher Tricia Bellahrossi believed that there was an opportunity to bring interested parents together to learn how to support what their children are learning through LST. She contacted Social Worker Magali Olander, and this led to the creation of a conversation group designed to help grow parenting skills and strategies for developing strong family communications and positive outcomes. She

facilitated four 2-hour sessions using a structured Botvin LST parent curriculum. Ms. Olander reports that there was a lot of positive discussion around the challenges of parenting and setting healthy foundations for positive decision-making. The group of parents who attended were particularly interested in the tools they could use to approach and talk to their children about difficult or challenging subjects. Ms. Olander found that the discussions centering on specific scenarios were especially appreciated. These sessions are a wonderful example of how our district strives to engage parents and families to create a community of adults who care about and support children making healthy and safe decisions. I want to thank Ms. Olander for leading the group. Department News

Gibbs Parent Forum Shares Plans to Prioritize Academic Social, Emotional Learning On April 2, incoming Gibbs Sixth Grade School Principal Kristin DeFrancisco and incoming Assistant Principal Wendy Salvatore hosted a parent forum to talk about progress and priorities for the Gibbs Sixth Grade School opening in September. One of the exciting opportunities that creating a new school presents is the chance to implement programs and philosophies from the beginning. Ms. DeFrancisco talked at length about the steps being taken to develop Gibbs as a school that prioritizes academic, social, emotional learning. I would like to share some of the key visions with you here. Ms. DeFrancisco indicated that the Gibbs Vision calls for "...an environment where students and adults work cooperatively to strive for academic achievement and social, emotional growth." The Mission lists the six things that will be valued every day:

Academic rigor, which calls for a challenging, standards-based curriculum

Social, emotional learning, where students will demonstrate resilience and persistence and develop self-management, social awareness, decision making and relationship building skills

Project based learning, calling for the acquisition of knowledge and skills through projects

Resourcefulness, leading to self-directed and independent learners who can identify and pursue goals that are important to them

Community, where students feel supported and safe and collaborate with staff to create a cohesive sense of significance

Creativity, where risks are encouraged and academic choice to explore personal interests is provided

Responsive Classroom, a research and evidence based approach to education that stresses engaging academics, positive community, effective management and developmental awareness, is being implemented to help achieve the Vision and Mission. All staff members will be trained on the Responsive Classroom approach prior to school opening. Classroom practices and strategies have been identified that build academic and social, emotional competencies. and these will be at the heart of the Gibbs teaching practice. Responsive Advisory will provide a predictable, supportive routine for the students as

they work to develop a sense of self and identity within the community. In addition, a resource document and family workshop series is planned to help parents understand how Gibbs will create the foundation that students need to succeed during their middle school years. Courses, schedules, the Project Block Philosophy, and the technology, transportation, library, and PTO plans were also reviewed at the Forum. A new landing page, Gibbs Sixth Grade School, is up and running where you can sign-up to receive school announcements and news. I invite you to view the entire April 2 Parent Forum presentation for more information. Progress on AHS Building Project Includes Preliminary Design Concepts, Educational Program We have made a lot of progress toward the renovation/rebuild of Arlington High School during the current Feasibility Phase of the project. At this point, four preliminary design concepts have been chosen, and submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). These choices followed the presentation of eight preliminary concepts at a public Forum earlier this month. About 100 attendees provided feedback that evening, and input from an additional 500 respondents was collected via a SurveyMonkey questionnaire. HMFH Architects is now refining the four preliminary concepts, and the new information will be presented to residents at a Town Hall Forum at 7:00 pm on June 4. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about each option and provide feedback that will inform the decision of the AHS Building Committee’s on the final preferred option. The preferred option will be submitted to the MSBA in July. The concepts sent to the MSBA include two that retain some of the historic structures (where renovation is possible) and two others that are totally new construction. Complete renovation of the existing structure with no new construction was considered and rejected, since a renovated building would not address the space needs of a growing enrollment. The AHS Educational Program, summarizing the district's educational objectives and needs, has been completed and submitted to the MSBA as well. This comprehensive document, which includes guiding principles, teaching philosophy, curriculum overview and goals, and objectives of the program elements, is a key driver in the final design. The Educational Plan helps the architects understand what it is we want to be able to do in the school, now and in the future. Another required piece of work that has been completed is the assessment of alternative sites. The MSBA recommends that high schools be constructed on at least 20 acres of land. The current AHS site is 22 acres, so it is within the guidelines. Four alternative sites were evaluated, some of which are currently open space and others that have recreational or commercial buildings on them and may not be owned by the Town. The size of these locations ranged from 11 acres to 16.1 acres. They are, thus, too small to be used for a new high school. The analysis has been submitted to the MSBA as required. I want to thank everyone who has been working diligently to gather the required information and create the necessary documentation to move forward. And, thank you to members of the community who have been willing to provide their input. I want to refer you to the Arlington High School Building Project website, which contains comprehensive information about the project, as well as a way to submit questions and register to receive regular updates.

SEPAC Supports, Informs and Connects Arlington Special Needs Families and Caregivers Every month, a dedicated group of parents and caregivers come together to plan information sessions, hear from school representatives, share knowledge, and gather input from APS Special Education staff members and the public on the issues and concerns faced by special needs families and students. This is the Arlington Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), a group of volunteers dedicated to support and guide local special needs parents and guardians. Members of the SEPAC School Representatives Subcommittee work with the individual PTOs and communications people across town to spread the word about meetings and upcoming workshops. They also reach out to parents to make sure

that they understand their rights and have a strong knowledge of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process. Chapter 71B of the Massachusetts General Laws requires that school districts establish a SEPAC to ensure that parents and other interested individuals have a voice in the education and safety of their special needs students. Using Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education guidance, each group provides a way for parents to connect with each other, learn about resources, and communicate with members of their district Special Education Department. The Arlington SEPAC helps our parents become informed consumers of special education programs and services so they can be effective advocates for their children. Several workshops are held every year to bring people together and share new developments. Earlier this year, the SEPAC Meet and Greet gave parents the opportunity to meet members of the APS Special Education Department, and the Basic Rights Workshop presented information about the Special Education referral process and the rights every family has pertaining to the development and implementation of their child's IEP. In February, Demystifying Your Neuropsychological Report gave parents an overview of the types and purposes of the testing their child might undergo as part of a neuropsychological evaluation. The final workshop of this school year happens on May 16 at 6:30 pm in the Ottoson Media Center. Mindfulness in Parenting will teach parents how practicing meditation and mindfulness can help them stay present and build stronger bonds with their children. The group is already working on a Recreation Fair to be held in October. This event informs parents and caregivers about the adaptive recreation opportunities available to their children and puts them in contact with local vendors who offer such programs. It has been well attended by families and vendors in previous years. SEPAC meetings, held from 8:30 to 10:00 am on the second Tuesday of every month at the Jefferson Cutter House, are open to all interested parties. Evening meetings are also scheduled a few times every year to assist those with early morning commitments. Meetings are posted on the SEPAC website and announced through individual school newsletters and e-mailings. The members welcome questions, input and suggestions from parents and caregivers, and many of the ideas for workshops come from the open discussion held at every meeting. I want to thank the officers and members of SEPAC for their hard work to support our special needs students and families. Please see the SEPAC website for more information. Find What You Need on the New Arlington High School Website Please update your links and bookmarks to http://spyponders.com, the URL of the new AHS website. After doing trial development on a variety of platforms, it was decided that Google Sites was chosen for the new website because it offered many advantages:

The development interface is simple

Documents, sheets, calendars, and maps all embed easily

It does not require web training to maintain

It uses a responsive design, meaning that the site automatically "responds" correctly on different screen sizes and shows well on phones as well as computers

The old site has not been retired as of this writing, and Digital Learning Specialist Jeffrey Snyder is still accepting feedback. If you find usability mistakes, typos, misspellings, bad links, or find it difficult to navigate or locate things, please let Mr. Snyder know at jsnyder@arlington.k12.ma.us. Google Sites is part of the G Suite for Education, used throughout Arlington Public Schools. It is our goal to have the new AHS site serve as a model for students and staff members who wish to create websites of their own.

Professional Development

Educational Trip Includes Visits to Five Finnish Schools for OMS World Language Teacher Ottoson French and Spanish teacher Anne Zachary is an avid learner who believes that travel is a wonderful opportunity to see other cultures, understand our similarities, appreciate our differences and help drive away the fear of the "other". She also understands the importance of travel to her role as a teacher, and she has enjoyed educational trips to China, Peru, Spain and Morocco. One of her travel companions suggested that she look into Dr. U's Educational Consulting Tours to Finland. Dr. Marja Ingrid Urponen is a Finnish native who has retired from teaching in Lowell. Her tours combine school visits, lectures and workshops on the Finnish education system with a tourist program of sightseeing in the afternoons and evenings. Ms. Zachary's February trip took her to Helsinki and Lapland where she visited five schools, including a day care/preschool, two elementary schools, an International Baccalaureate high school and a college that also had younger students on campus. Worldwide evaluations of educational systems generally place Finland's school system at or near the top, and the trip was a wonderful opportunity to understand some of the elements that may contribute to this. In Finland, teaching is a highly competitive and respected profession, and only 10% of applicants are accepted into teacher training. The process includes meeting with other applicants and being observed in conversation with them. Each individual is evaluated for conversational style and body language. While the Finnish Department of Education establishes guidelines, municipalities, schools and teachers have a great deal of autonomy to determine what is appropriate for their communities. Teachers are expected to be innovative, and to consider teaching a lifelong career. The process is designed, therefore, to determine whether each applicant has what it takes to teach. Formal English instruction is required beginning at age nine, but is allowed to begin earlier. At age 11, students begin their "second native language", which is often Swedish. Playing outside is extremely important, even in Lapland, and the general rule is 45 minutes of class and 15 minutes of play. No one brings lunch from home. Instead, everyone eats the lunches prepared by chefs in individual school kitchens. Another interesting fact is that all public school children take a course on the history and doctrines of eight major religions. In addition, If there are more than three or more students of a certain faith in a class, they will take a course that is specific to their religion. Non-believers take a course in ethics. There was also time to see the country. Ms. Zachary visited the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, rode in a sleigh pulled by reindeer at a reindeer farm, got a faint glimpse of the Aurora Borealis and stood on the Arctic Circle. A trip to the zoo allowed her to understand more about Arctic animals such as polar bears, wolves, wolverines, arctic foxes and lynx that were housed in large outdoor spaces, and she was able to ride on a sleigh pulled by huskies. "Of course!" was the enthusiastic answer Ms. Zachary gave when asked if she would recommend Dr. U's tours to other teachers. Educational trips are wonderful ways for our teachers to grown personally and professionally, and to develop knowledge and insights they can share with their students and colleagues.

Grants Arlington Education Foundation Announces Four Development and Expansion Grants Once again, Arlington Public Schools has been awarded generous grants from the Arlington Education Foundation (AEF) that support our teachers in the development of new educational strategies. The latest Development and Expansion Grants, totaling over $34,000, are:

Trauma Sensitive Teaching Practice--As reported in my December newsletter, Arlington Public

Schools offers courses from the Lesley Institute for Trauma Sensitivity. The goal is to establish a cohort of certified teachers who have taken all four courses so that we can create trauma sensitive environments that will benefit all children. This grant provides funding that pays for half of the tuition on the final course of this important program, helping teachers handle the cost of the full 12-credit certification program.

Thematic Units in World Languages--Over the past decade, world language teaching and learning has shifted from an achievement-based approach to a proficiency-based, or standards-based, approach. Thematic units that are created independently of textbooks and incorporate materials from different genres and media are recommended by the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages as a way for students to focus on fewer topics more deeply. This grant supports all of the teachers in our World Language Department to work closely with a national consultant to develop a shared understanding of the rationale, definition, and approach to thematic unit design. This is part of a multi-year process of developing and revising curriculum in grades six through 12 across five languages.

Computer Science, Maker Space and Robotics across Grades 6-8--Thanks to this award, the middle school curriculum will be revised to include robotics and 3-D printing in the mandatory sixth grade Digital Media and Literacy course as well as the Computer Science Explorations courses offered as electives to seventh and eighth grade students. This creates a pathway of formal computer science courses throughout grades six through 12.

Social Emotional Learning Through Mindfulness--Research has shown that teachers who possess social and emotional competencies themselves are more likely to create the type of environment that engages students in their learning. Mindfulness is one of these competencies. The APS goal is to establish awareness of mindfulness from the administrative level down into the classrooms. This grant enables us to train an additional 41 staff members, so that a few key personnel in each building possess this skill.

I am grateful to AEF for recognizing the value in each of these grant proposals, and providing the support that enables us to fulfill important academic and social emotional learning goals.

Reception Celebrates the Beginning of "Colors of STEM" Last January, I reported on the awarding of an Arlington Education Foundation (AEF) Innovations in Education grant called Colors of STEM. The grant proposal was spearheaded by Brackett parents

Atwood Cheung and Nancy Chew and fourth grade teacher Nicole Schwartz. The project calls for a rotating poster exhibit at Brackett that profiles prominent American STEM professionals of color. The goals are to help promote diversity, inclusion, and tolerance among K-5 students and provide them with role models of color who are generally underrepresented. Last month, I was fortunate to be able to attend the special reception at Brackett that celebrated the installation of the first poster. In addition to the beautiful poster of Astrophysicist and Director of the Hayden Planetarium Neil deGrasse Tyson that was on display, our students will soon have access to books about people of color who make STEM contributions. This is a wonderful example of parents, teachers and library paraprofessionals coming together to illustrate that great ideas and contributions to society come from all groups of people in our country. In the future, the posters will rotate through all our elementary schools. Colors of STEM provides another avenue for children to see successful professionals who look like themselves and get a deeper understanding of what they may be able to achieve, and the careers they can pursue. I am grateful to AEF for their support, and thank all the individuals who worked together to make Colors of STEM a reality. Awards & Distinctions

All Ottoson Grades Place Well in the New England Math League Competition On February 27, all Ottoson students participated in the New England Math League Competition, a 30-minute test designed to demonstrate that academic competition and problem solving can be fun. The test questions emphasize "outside of the box" thinking. This is not a graded or required exam, but rather a way to illustrate that it can be fun to think through challenging brainteasers. The five high scorers in each grade receive certificates of merit as qualifying to be part of Ottoson's New England Math League Team. The official results are posted, and I am delighted to report that our young people scored very well. The sixth grade ranked 17th out of 75 schools taking the exam. The seventh grade ranked 15th out of 80 schools and fourth among the schools in the Middlesex Region. The eighth grade ranked fourth out of 85 schools and second in the Middlesex Region. We also had two students whose individual performance was particularly notable. Seventh grade student Rafi Nelson ranked 20th and eighth grade student Graham Vinson ranked fourth among all those taking the test in their grades. Congratulations to all of the students who participated and to our mathematics teachers who contributed to these excellent results. I want to thank ACE teacher Amy Duke for coordinating the administration of the exam. The Math League is dedicated to bringing challenging materials to students through contests, books and computer software. Two acclaimed high school mathematics teachers started it in 1977. Today approximately one million students participate in the math contests each year, which are a wonderful way for young people to explore their problem-solving abilities. Insights Shared with Authors Earn OMS Students Honors in "Letters About Literature" Contest The Library of Congress's annual Letters About Literature contest encourages young people to think deeply about a book or poem and tell the author how it has impacted their view of the world or themselves. The Massachusetts Center for the Book sponsors the state program. The Ottoson 620 cluster participated last December, and I am pleased to tell you that four students have been recognized for their very special letters. Maureen Thompson wrote to Sharon Draper, author of Out of My Mind. In her letter, she told Ms. Draper that the main character's experience inspired her to empathize with the people around her, and to give others a chance. Because of this book, Maureen is going to presume good intentions and let the world surprise her positively. Ellie Ng wrote her letter to Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, author of the novel The War that Saved My Life. She shared how the main character's story helped her to become a more compassionate person towards others and herself. Reading the book has helped Ellie to be proud as an individual and as a member of her family, instead of being embarrassed or ashamed of the way she is

different. Both girls were named State Semi-finalists, and each will receive a certificate that recognizes this accomplishment. Zoe Blankespoor also chose author Sharon Draper and Out of My Mind. When Zoe read the book, she felt great empathy for the main character because she had also been feeling isolated and lonely. She told Ms. Draper, "Everyone feels alone sometimes, and that’s just part of life. So from now on, I’m going to make it my job to be there for the people that need help because they feel alone. After all, you’re only truly alone if you believe that you are." Zoe was named a State Finalist and she has been selected for an Honorable Mention. Amrit Chadha wrote to author Rupi Kaur about a particular poem from the book The Sun and Her Flowers. In his letter, Amrit shared that he is usually the only dark-skinned person in the class. He not only sees few role models who look like him on TV, but he has experienced racism in the form of cruel and ignorant comments from some classmates. Amrit's mother read Kaur's poem to him, and the imagery of dark skin as a "home for flowers" changed his view of himself, "from disgraceful and isolated to unique and one of a kind." Amrit was also named a State Finalist, and he was invited to attend a ceremony at the State House this month to receive his award. English teacher Heather Mahoney reports that this is the fourth year in a row that 620's students have received awards in the Letters About Literature contest, and that five students have been invited to the State House ceremonies over the last four years. I want to thank Ms. Mahoney for giving her students the opportunity to enter this contest. Congratulations to Maureen, Ellie, Zoe and Amrit whose thoughtful and moving letters earned special recognition. OMS National History Day Projects Receive Awards at State Competition Last month I reported that four projects entered in the district National History Day (NHD) competition received sufficient recognition to move on to the State contest. I am happy to report that three of these also received state-level recognition.

Category Placement Project Students

Group Website Honorable Mention The Treaty of Versailles: A Compromise that Led to a Worldwide War

Jiya Iyer and Brynn Elverson

Group Exhibit Honorable Mention & Best Project in Art and Culture

A Doer and a Dreamer: The Conflicting Visions that Evolved into the Appalachian Trail

Vivian Kalik and Hannah Roznitsky

Junior Group Documentary

Best Project in Maritime Military History & Other Military History

The Arauco War: Three Hundred Years of War

Maya Krishnan, Juliette Ortiz

The USS Constitution Museum sponsored the Best Project in Maritime Military History & Other Military History award. The Best Project in Art and Culture award was sponsored by the Museum of Fine Arts. Congratulations to the award winners, and to all of the young people who entered NHD competition this year. The projects submitted by OMS students are the culmination of six months of work, include an Annotated Bibliography that is divided between Primary and Secondary Sources, and must be defended in front of 2-3 judges for 10 minutes. I thank OMS History and Social Science teachers Jason Levy and Thomas Bushell for their leadership of National History Day. AHS Runner Named "Boys' Track Athlete of the Year" I am proud to share the news that Ryan Oosting was named the Boys' Track Athlete of the Year in the Boston Globe All-Scholastics, Winter 2017-18. Ryan was recognized for his two wins at the MIAA All-State meet and the Division 2 Championship, and for setting a New England meet record in the 2-mile. Ryan's New England performances qualified him for National competition, where he finished second in

the 2-mile. Ryan is known as a supportive teammate and gracious athlete, always displaying sportsmanship and appreciation for his competitors. I am delighted to see him receive this well-deserved recognition. AHS Science Olympiad Team Meets the Challenges of State Competition Congratulations to the four AHS students who placed among the top 10 competitors in their events and took first place in Circuit Lab during the State Science Olympiad held at Framingham State University last month. Science Olympiad contests, which test students' knowledge and abilities in all science disciplines and engineering, are held all over the country, with the top scoring team from each state going on to Nationals. AHS Science Olympiad Club advisor John Macuk, who teaches Physics and Engineering, believes that the competition is a great way for students to test themselves and have fun with science at the same time.

At the state event, 50 teams of no more than 15 students each were able to participate in up to 25 events that included Anatomy & Physiology, Astronomy, Chemistry Lab ,Disease Detectives, Dynamic Planet, Ecology, Experimental Design, Fermi Questions, Forensics, Game On, Helicopters, Herpetology, Hovercraft, Materials Science, Microbe Mission, Mission Possible, Mousetrap Vehicle, Optics, Rocks and Minerals, Thermodynamics, Towers and the trial events of Chem Clue, Circuit Lab, Mystery Invention and Write It Do It. The more events a team participates in, the more points they earn. The events differ in terms of type, so preparation also differs. A participant may have to construct an engineering solution over many weeks, study for an exam, or prepare for a lab. Those taking part in the Mystery Invention had no preparation other than getting ready to walk in and discover what the challenge was. The AHS team typically competes in around half of the events.

Participating in the Harvard Invitational Olympiad Competition in the winter gave the AHS team a chance to practice and learn before the State contest. At each event, our students competed against teams who take Science Olympiad as a regular course and others who receive extensive community sponsorship. Mr. Macuk helps the team members with anything related to Physics or Engineering, and calls on additional science teachers to answer questions on other topics. He reports that our students always enjoy their experience, and generally come away feeling they did better than they expected, especially if they beat one of the traditional top scoring teams such as Newton North and South or Acton-Boxborough.

Volunteers run Science Olympiad competitions, and everyone is expected to pitch in and help. This year Mr. Macuk ran the Helicopter event. Parent assistance is always welcome, both at competitions and with the Club. There are currently 29 Club members, and Mr. Macuk would love to see the group grow with more community involvement and participation. You can reach him at jmacuk@arlington.k12.ma.us for more information. Kudos to everyone who took part in the State competition.

AHS Tenacity Challenge Team Meets the Demands of Academic Competition There aren't many academic competitions that require students to take part in a Science and Math Quiz Bowl, present a filmed literary performance, research, and then argue a historical position and create a

mural that is ready for display the day of the event. This is exactly what is expected of the teams that take part in the Tenacity Challenge. The Challenge is an annual, statewide event in Bedford open to Latino and African-American students. The goal is to provide an opportunity for the young people to engage in academic pursuits, meet others who share their interests, gain confidence and inspire each other to excel and reach their potential. I want to congratulate the team of Adrianna Sutton (Grade 12), Njuere Ewah (Grade 9) and Anyeliz Germosen (Grade 9) for representing Arlington High School so well at this year's event. The 2018 theme was Hate Speech vs. Free Speech. To prepare their historical argument, the students conducted extensive research into Constitutional law and the history of free speech conflicts in the US. They started with the student anti-war protests of the 1960s and moved forward through time up to the 2017 neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville. They gathered evidence from books and articles, and had the opportunity to interview Dr. Lori Bihler, Associate Professor of History at Framingham State University. Their work led the young women to argue that the First Amendment only protects Americans' right to protest peacefully. In contrast, inflammatory hate speech promotes violence, and this, they concluded, is not protected under the Constitution. This conclusion led Adrianna, Njuere and Anyeliz to create a mural that highlighted the difference between peaceable protest and inflammatory hate speech. In the picture above you can see that they chose the symbol of the Black raised fist to represent the former and the Confederate flag to represent the latter. The young women chose these symbols because of they are easily recognized, have a high level of visual impact, and resonate with emotional power. Since one of the team members is from the Dominican Republic, the students chose to read The Brief

Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao that takes place there. As luck would have it, they were able to attend a lecture by the author, Junot Diaz, at Porter Square Books back in February. It was a fascinating talk, and it led the young women to add an additional scene to the novel. Their literary performance features Oscar's mother Beli giving her final words of love and advice from her deathbed to her two children and her mother. The students strove to capture the tone of the novel, the feelings and motivations of Beli's character, and the essence of Dominican culture as represented in the book. AHS History and Social Sciences teacher Sarah Stoe served as the overall coach, and helped the team prepare their historical argument and their literature piece. She also helped AHS Visual Arts teacher Annie Rebola-Thompson and Maker Space and Woodworking teacher Nathan Muehleisen work with the students on their mural. Preparation for the Math and Science Quiz Bowl was done on their own. Ms. Stoe reports that attending the event was "a blast!" The young women enjoyed hearing the two guest speakers--NBC Sports Analyst Kyle Draper and National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director David J. Johns. Mr. Johns previously served as the first Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans under the Obama Administration. She has nothing but praise for the dedication, energy, hard work and courage of Adrianna, Njuere and Anyeliz. I want to applaud the team for taking on this event and creating such strong and meaningful work. I also thank Ms. Stoe, Ms. Rebola-Thompson and Mr. Muehleisen for providing their support and guidance. AHS Instrumental Director Honored by Arlington Rotary Club I am happy to share the news that our Instrumental Director Sabato D'Agostino is the 2018 recipient of the Community Person of the Year award given annually by the Rotary Club of Arlington. The Club presents this honor to an individual who espouses the Rotary motto of Service Above Self by contributing time, money or expertise in ways that seek to improve the lives of Arlington citizens. Mr. D, as his students know him, conducts the AHS Orchestra, Band and Jazz Band and is a tireless advocate for our talented young people. Last month he assembled and directed the stellar pit band at the AHS musical, Wonderful Town, and this month we will see him leading the AHS Jazz Band at the Arlington Jazz Festival where they will open for jazz legend John Patitucci.

I know that many members of our community will be on hand when the award is presented at the annual Paul Harris Fellow Rotary Dinner on June 5. Congratulations Mr. D'Agostino! Visual Arts Director Joins Panel of Judges for AIFF Poster Contest K-12 Director of Visual Arts David Ardito was among the panel of artists and arts educators who judged the 2018 Arlington International Film Festival (AIFF) Poster Contest. The winning design was chosen from the entries submitted by Massachusetts College of Arts and Design students. It will represent the 2018 AIFF season and advertise the festival that will take place at Arlington's Capitol Theater over four days in November. It is always wonderful when the community recognizes the expertise of our talented educators, and I am glad that Mr. Ardito was able to take part. Academics & Enrichment

Elementary Science Nights Encourage Experimentation and Discovery The Science Nights that several of our elementary schools hold between March and May always draw enthusiastic crowds eager to try their hands at various interactive activities. They are a great way to get young people excited about discovery and experimentation and bring a school community together. I am going to highlight two of these here, the Brackett STEM Night and the Stratton Science and Engineering Night. Next month I will share information about the events held at Bishop, Thompson and Dallin. Organizers Yaguang Si and Garret C. Van Dyke Jr. report that the Brackett Elementary School was transformed into a land of adventures for the annual STEM Night/Science Fair held on March 16. There were over 20 STEM activities from which to choose. A life-size interactive robot greeted attendees on the third floor, balloon car racing (an ever-popular event) took place on the second floor, and the dry ice show (a personal favorite of Mr. Si) was in the Visual Arts room. The Green Initiative Group hosted a wind turbine experiment. AHS CADD Teacher Kambiz Vatan brought members of the Robotics Club to help students print small toys they designed using a 3D printer. Their Lego Robot Station demonstrated how to control robots to complete simple tasks. The young scientists who needed an extra boost could go to the gym for pizza or baked goods before they tackled Straw Rockets, Big Dice, and other math games. The gym was also the home of over 60 student posters created by fourth and fifth grade students that described their personal experiments. Parent volunteer Atwood Cheung spearheaded the poster session. Stratton's ninth annual Science and Engineering Night, held on April 6, drew nearly 200 young science enthusiasts to Stratton's cafeteria and gym to exercise their curiosity. Attendees moved among 17 stations during the evening that was co-chaired by Sheila Ranganath and Chandreyee Das. Students were able to see if they could use straws to create the strongest bridge, watch mutant fruit flies under a microscope, experiment with magnetic properties, explore the physics of racing soap box derby cars and create a dramatic "elephant's toothpaste" chemical reaction.

It takes a lot of hard work and commitment to create and execute these wonderful events. Mr. Si and Mr. Van Dyke said that over 40 parent volunteers were present to assist during Brackett evening. Volunteers also handled flyer design and publicity. Ms. Das reports that about 50 parents, AHS students, alumni, local scientists and other community members created and ran the hands-on stations at Stratton. I want to thank everyone who came together at Brackett and Stratton to make the events such a success.

AHS Launches Innovation and Design Thinking Certificate Program Arlington Public Schools takes the responsibility of preparing our young people to participate in the 21st century workforce very seriously. There are many educational frameworks listing the critical skills students need to develop in order to achieve this. While each individual list will differ slightly from another, there is agreement on four critical areas that must be addressed during the school years. We must foster the development of collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, critical thinking, and problem solving. (13 Essential 21st Century Skills for Todays Students) Tomorrow's workers will need to be creators as well as consumers, and be able to look beyond traditional boundaries. It is no longer enough for students to gain knowledge in specific content areas. As educators, we must foster the skills that enable them to apply this knowledge in an ever-changing world. This is why we are developing a program of interdisciplinary certificates. We introduced the Global Competence Certificate three years ago. This program combines course work, community service, a global engagement project and foreign travel and is designed to provide AHS graduates with the essential skills for participating and contributing to a globalized society. I am happy to announce that we are ready to launch the second of these--the AHS Innovation and Design Thinking Certificate Program. Beginning in their junior year, students will be able to apply what they have learned in their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) courses by working collaboratively across disciplines to arrive at the best possible solution. Students working toward the AHS Innovation and Design Thinking Certificate must complete four years of math, and three years of Science (Physical Science, Biology and an additional class of choice), with a grade of C or above. Twenty elective credits in STEAM-based courses are also required. These may come from Computer Science, Engineering, Woodworking/Maker Space, Visual Arts, Music Technology and Fashion. Students must work on at least eight projects over two years that provide the opportunity for them to apply the design thinking concept and document these in an online portfolio. During their final year, students will identify an independent project that solves a real world problem and develop it under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The last step is to present the final online project portfolio for review by related faculty. The students will be applying the design thinking process developed by the Stanford D.school to all their project work. This requires them to use a five-step approach to each one--Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. Collaboration and feedback is an important part of the program. The students will meet afterschool as a cohort six times during a year to review their portfolios. They will meet often with their advisors and peers. Those who meet the requirements will receive the AHS Innovation and Design

Thinking credential on their transcript, and be recognized for their focused interest and effort in STEAM-related fields. The AHS Innovation and Design Thinking Certificate as been created by Woodworking and Maker Space teacher Nathan Muehleisen, and he will oversee the program. His goal is for every student who participates to be able to identify problems, think creatively, demonstrate persistence, work collaboratively and document progress and accomplishments. I want to thank Mr. Muehleisen for defining and developing this new program for Arlington High School, and I look forward to learning more as students begin to work toward their Certificates in September. AHS Spring College Fair Provides Choices and Interactions to Help Determine "Best Fit"

At Arlington Public Schools, we are dedicated to preparing our young people for success once they leave us. Helping them determine the next steps they will take after high school graduation is a key element of this mission. The annual AHS Spring College Fair, held on April 9, is one of the many ways our Guidance Department provides opportunities for students and their families to explore the options for further education. You may not know that most area high schools do not hold college fairs. We believe that having the opportunity to meet and speak with college representatives, some of whom will actually be making admission decisions, can play an important role in helping young people and their families understand which schools will be the "best fits" for their life goals. It is also important that college applicants get their name and face known to people at the colleges who will be reviewing their applications, and a college fair is one of the ways to make this happen. This year's Fair was attended by over 120 schools from across the country. Representatives from four and two year schools, US military academies, and public and private colleges, both large and small, were present. The Fair is open to all AHS students and their families as well as those from neighboring high schools. The Guidance Department provides a guide that includes questions students can answer to help define the kind of school they are looking for, suggestions on how to research colleges of interest before the Fair, and a list of questions to ask college representatives once they arrive. The AHS Spring College Fair offers students and families the chance to ask learn more about majors and admissions processes, make comparisons and develop a list of choices to explore further. Inviting the schools and executing the Fair is a tremendous effort, and I want to thank the members of the Guidance Department and all the others who volunteered to assist and make the evening such a success. Creative Highlights

Talent and Beauty Abound at Elementary Music Concerts and Art Shows Every spring we are treated to wonderful concerts and art shows in our elementary schools that give us a chance to see how the Performing and Visual Arts curricula enrich our children's lives. I want to share

some examples in this newsletter, and express my congratulations to the students and their teachers at all of our elementary schools. At Brackett and Peirce, Music teacher Gina Esile-Sylva and Visual Arts teacher Deb Chisholm chose a unifying theme for the concert and art show. This year, the music and artworks celebrated A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing: Music and Art in Celebration of the Sea. Ms. Chisholm directed her art students through projects addressing the scientific aspects of the ocean through both traditional and contemporary activist artworks. Marine life and ecosystems, environmental threats and weather conditions were all considered. Examples of the work include diatom gadget prints done in the Kindergarten under the theme of The Ocean Unexpected, ocean zone kinetic mobiles created in grade three to depict The Ocean Reinvented, and grade five's coralized clay forms representing The Ocean Reconstructed. The show was displayed as a large-scale "under sea" installation. The pictures above and below this article are from the Brackett show. To prepare her classes for the concert, Ms. Esile-Sylva considered the history of songs associated with the sea, and led the children through discussions of the animal and plant life in and around the oceans of the world. They listened to whale songs, practiced vocal pitch exploration by imitating these and the sounds of sea birds, watched videos to learn about how sound pollution can affect whale communication, and discussed the concerns they had regarding human impact on ocean environments. The students listened to instrumental and vocal music performed by children and adults from many coastal cultures, discovering the common thread of the "call and response" structure and antiphonal patterns. This groundwork informed the song selections for the concert which came from across the world. Traditional offerings included grade one's presentation of Yea Ho, Little Fish, found on Cape Verde Island, Cape Cod Chantey, which pokes fun at sailors from fishing towns from Cape Cod to St. John delivered by the fourth grade, and the fifth grade presentation of the canoe song Tongo from the Polynesian Solomon Islands. Contemporary offerings included Baby Beluga, sung by the Kindergarten, and Octopus's Garden, delivered by grade three. In total, the concert illustrated how the lives of people around the world have been controlled by the oceans for centuries. Visual Arts teacher Stacie Greenland and Music teacher Peter Malagodi unified the art show and concert at Dallin under the theme from the book I See the Rhythm by Toyomi Igus and Michelle Wood. Ms. Greenland highlighted the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Faith Ringgold with her students, and then asked them to respond in the style of these or other African American artists. They could also choose to create art from African American music or history. She reports that her students noticed that these artists frequently use the things that are important to them in their communities to inform their work. The student artists wrote statements to accompany their pieces, and many matted and hung their own art. Ms. Greenland reports that these new skills are being honed this year through the Teaching for Artistic Behavior curriculum, a philosophy that emphasizes student choice. She also wants to stress that each piece of art the children created was unique, and that a variety of media--origami, mixed media, sculpture, weaving, embroidery, digital art, drawing, painting, and collage--were present in the show. Dallin music teacher Peter Malagodi created a concert that was A History of African American Music featuring songs from America and beyond our borders. The range of music spanned centuries, and included a work song, spirituals, a line dance, and Oh! Susanna by Stephen Foster. The fourth and fifth grades brought the audience into the 20th century with Duke Ellington's It Don't Mean a Thing, Blue Moon by Richard Rodgers that was popularized by African American singers Billy Holliday and Billy Eckstine, Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode, and Take It from Dr. King by Pete Seeger. It was clear that instruments are playing a part in the curriculum during the concert at Bishop. It was great fun to see Music teacher James Ham's fourth grade students on their new ukuleles playing When I first Came to this Land. Every fifth grade student had a drum in their hands for their performance as they used the West African Llamba and the Samba from Brazil to demonstrate what they learned in the World Drumming Unit. Other performances included the Kindergarten singing Down by the Bay, and the first grade's performance of the Mexican folk song El Gato, presented in Spanish.

The art shows at Thompson and Stratton Schools are upcoming (May 31 and June 6 respectively), but Visual Arts teachers Melody Wolfe Thomas and Deb Campagna want us to know that they are very excited to share what the students have been doing since they moved to the Teaching for Artistic Behavior curriculum. I hope that many of you will be able to attend.

"The Lion King Jr." Roars at Bishop Over 165 young actors, divided into two casts, took their audiences to the jungle last month as they presented The Lion King Jr. in two public performances. This was the sixth musical offered by the Bishop Players, an annual cooperative theater program open to all Bishop students. Actors in Kindergarten through third grade performed in grade-level ensembles, while the fourth and fifth grade students tackled the lead roles or participated in the Tech Crew. The 20 members of the Tech Crew worked behind the scenes, changing sets and handling special effects, the curtain, spotlight and props. The production is a real community affair, and this year over 160 parent volunteers assisted with costumes, sets, rehearsal and backstage supervision, programs, props, make-up, sound, lights and ticket sales. Director Sarah Morrison, an actor and educator, was assisted by dancer and choreographer Noa Barankin. I want to thank all the volunteers who came together to support the Bishop Players this year. Congratulations to the young people who took part in what was a roaring success! Annual Festival of Bands Featured Instrumentalists in Grades Four through Eight We had the opportunity to appreciate the talent of our brass, woodwind and percussion students at the Seventeenth Annual Festival of Concert Bands this month. Over 200 instrumentalists from grades four through eight were on hand to share what they have learned and illustrate how their skills develop as they age through the program. The evening kicked off with the All-Town Beginning Band, who presented four traditional and folk numbers along with one by Mozart. The latter piece, Star Search, began and ended with bells that made the audience think of twinkling stars.

The percussion section got things started on the first of two numbers presented by the All-Town Grade 5 Band. There was plenty of percussion in the rousing Groovee! that started out the Ottoson Middle School Concert Band's three-number set as well. They followed this with the slower, flowing Air for Band, and then brought percussion back to start the Tarzan Soundtrack Highlights with a throbbing drumbeat. The Ottoson Middle School Jazz Ensemble closed the concert with a great three number set that included some terrific trumpet and saxophone solos.(Unfortunately, the AHS groups that would normally be included in an All-Town concert were unable to attend as this was the second reschedule due to snow!) It was a wonderful night of music, and I want to thank Elementary and Middle School Band teacher Paula Demetrio, who led all the ensembles, and congratulate the students who performed. It is a joy to see our children play, and this concert was another demonstration of the strength and popularity of our instrumental music program. Challenging Music and Exciting Choreography Dazzle in AHS Production of "Wonderful Town" It was a truly wonderful evening of musical theater when the Arlington High School Gilbert and Sullivan Club presented Wonderful Town last month. First performed on Broadway in 1953, this fast-moving play tells the story of two sisters who arrive in Greenwich Village determined to have careers: one as a writer and one as an actor. Along the way, they lament "Why oh, why oh, why oh. Why did I ever leave, Ohio?", as they struggle to make ends meet and navigate through the collection of interesting New Yorkers they come across. AHS Drama teacher Michael Byrne chose the play to coincide with this year's global celebration of composer Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday. He was drawn to the story because the central characters are defined by what they want to do in the world, rather than by a love interest. The cast of 20 actors and 30 company members shone as they sang and danced their way through the 16 challenging songs. Four AHS student dancers choreographed the several large, dance-heavy numbers. The stellar pit orchestra, led by AHS Instrumental Director Sabato D'Agostino, included current students, alumni and music professionals. AHS Choral Director Madalyn Kitchen served as the Music Director, BU graduate Alex Fetchko handled the lightening design and Lianna Bessette served as the Production Manager. AHS Visual Arts teacher Nikki McCulloch's Painting class and Maker Space teacher Nathan Muehleisen's Woodworking classes handled set construction and design along with various cast and crew members. Over 100 individuals were involved in creating the magical Wonderful Town. Musical theater is a proud tradition at Arlington High School that began with Patience in 1938. The Gilbert and Sullivan Club hasn't missed a year since! I want to congratulate everyone who was involved in this year's production.

Spring Art Exhibit Illustrates the Depth and Breadth of AHS Visual Arts Department I hope many of you were able to attend the annual Arlington High School Art Department 2018 Spring Art Exhibit held in the teacher's cafe gallery this month. The exhibit represented artwork done in every Visual

Arts course at AHS, and included digital photography, sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, graphic design, collage and mixed media. The pieces on display were informed by the AHS art curriculum that emphasizes student choice in subject matter, theme, and materials that best represent the artist's own ideas and feelings. In Foundations in Studio Art, students researched masks and their function in societies around the world as an inspiration for creating their own versions. Those on display included sculptural masks made using papier mâché glue, markers and special painting techniques to replicate worn patinas and details. Students learned that drawing can be about letting go of preconceived ideas and cliché habits when they used natural sticks as their drawing tool. This resulted in remarkable drawings that were created while standing up. Students in Digital Photography learn to think of photography not as "chance snapshots", but as an exploration of the inner and outer world of emotions, and there were many examples of how the artists experiment with subject matter and technique. The large-scale expressive puppet heads on display immediately captured the viewer's attention due to their size, themes and complexity. The Spring Art Exhibit gives all of us the chance to appreciate the depth of our Visual Arts Department and the talent of our students. I congratulate all the students and their teachers.