Central Avenue School PTO Meeting Minutes January 13, 2016 Meeting Called to Order: 7:40 pm by Laura Crane, Jen Hewes, Co‐Presidents Attendees: Tom Liss, Principal, CAS
Raia Wielandy
Lisa Moro Voorhees
Kirsten Cohen
Paula Notari-Mazurek Guest Speaker: Dr. Michael A. Rossi, Jr., Superintendent of Schools
Discussion today: STEM
Madison School District Launches STEM Initiative
The Madison School District has initiated a process to heighten its Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM) programs. "We are working to create 21st Century learning spaces that engage students, as well as hands‐on STEM applications that will provide relevant training, going beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. During this initial phase of exploration, members of our administration and teaching staff have been researching best practices that are currently unfolding locally, statewide, and nationally," said Dr. Michael Rossi, Superintendent in a release sent from the Madison BOE. "Plans include a retrofit of the current Junior School library and adjacent computer lab. This retrofit will create a dedicated STEM learning space, as well as a more modern library facility that leverages 21st Century learning models. In addition, a reconstruction project at the high school will enable students to design and build as they learn a variety of skills and techniques from woodworking to modern construction methods to the latest higher technology methods, such as computer assisted drawing, 3D printing, computer numerical control programming and machining." "We have visited numerous school districts, attended a variety of conferences, and are exploring every possibility. It is our intention to connect Next Generation Science Standards with the Common Core and do so in a manner that is Page1
Central Avenue School PTO Meeting Minutes January 13, 2016 meaningful for all students, regardless of their future plans. The District has also hired a full‐time STEM teacher at Madison Junior School who will start in January 2016. The foundation of all STEM learning will begin at the elementary school levels, through computer based applications, mathematics and science instruction, and the use of STEM facilities as field trips for K‐5 students and professional development activities for staff," Dr. Rossi added. TEACHERS REPORTS: Tom Liss, Principal CAS Kindergarten Kindergarten is working on numbers to 20. We are counting objects and writing the number down. We continue to learn our sight words and write them in sentences. This week we are reading stories about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and his impact on society. In the upcoming weeks, we will be testing our reading reading levels and our sight word recognition. 1st Grade Right now we are finishing our unit called Readers Grow Ideas/Deepening Comprehension. We have been focusing on strategies to help strengthen the students’ comprehension of the stories we are reading. Some of the topics students have/will learn about are the following: ∙ How to articulate a strong retelling of a story. ∙ How to envision a story they are reading ∙ How to make connections to the story to help aid in comprehension. ∙ How to make meaningful predictions Writing Workshop Students have just begun their new unit called Procedural Writing (How‐To books.) In order to write a How‐To book a child recalls a procedure he or she can do well and then lays out the directions for that procedure, starting at the beginning and proceeding in a step by step and explicit fashion to the end. Math The students are learning different strategies for addition and subtraction as they solve problems that include numbers 10‐20. Right now we are currently working on adding and subtracting both with and without regrouping. Page2
Central Avenue School PTO Meeting Minutes January 13, 2016 Social Studies Our Social Studies unit will explore different communities and family units. We will also focus on Martin Luther King this month. Science We are finishing up our Property Unit. Our next unit that we will be studying is the Moon. Second Grade ~ tied in the study of fairy tales in Language Arts with our first Social Studies unit and created new communities for the Gingerbread Man. They are displayed on the new hallway bulletin boards at CAS. ~is finishing up the chapter on using bar models to solve math problems and is getting ready for multiplication and division. ~is hoping parents will encourage children to stretch reading time at home and keep up with addition and subtraction facts. ~is learning about kindness and compassion as we study the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. 3rd Grade Third grade is knee deep in non‐fiction! In December, we focused on narrative non‐fiction and biographies. We read many, many biographies over the course of the month. Then, we used a variety of texts to research one biography subject and take notes. We organized our notes into paragraphs and created a biography pamphlet during writing workshop. In math, we have spent the last several units focusing on multiplication and division. We have learned strategies to solve multiplication facts from 0‐10. We also used bar models to help us solve multiplication and division real world problems. Now, it is time for us to practice our multiplication facts so that we can memorize them by the end of the year. We worked on our first social studies unit in December as well. During this unit, we learned about New Jersey ‐ its regions, natural resources and economy, climate, and symbols. 4th Grade The fourth grade has just started Historical Fiction in reading. During reading, the students are working in small groups and discussing the setting, history during this time period, and comparing the time period to their own lives. In writing, the students brainstormed topics for persuasive essays. They are beginning to come up with a strong hook or attention catcher (strong lead) to pull in the reader. In science, we are exploring the properties of magnets and in social studies, we have been learning about the five regions and learning the location of each state in the US. Page3
Central Avenue School PTO Meeting Minutes January 13, 2016 5th Grade 5th graders are finishing up the unit on simple machines. They will be building desktop Rube Goldberg devices‐ finding a very complicated way to solve a simple problem! In SS, they are learning about the revolutionary war and are preparing to "reenact" George Washington's stay at Jockey Hollow as we visit there on Jan. 20th or Feb. 4th. They are also working on a big revolutionary war project with their partners that they will be presenting in the first week of Feb. Also, they are learning about the real world of business and economics as we do a unit through junior achievement. In reading/writing‐ After becoming an expert on a non‐ficiton topic, they are making a powerpoint on their subject. We will be presenting next week. Fifth grade is currently working on a Revolutionary War unit in Social Studies and preparing for a field trip to Jockey Hollow later this month. In Math we are all completing Chapter 4 (multiplication and division of fractions) and and testing this week. The building of the Rube Goldberg projects has begun in Science as a culminating activity for Simple machines. Last but not least, we are all working on our research projects for the Nonfiction unit in Reading and Writing. Art Students started working on their annual Square 1 art project this week. The first step was to brainstorm an idea for their drawing. Students then drew a rough draft. In the next couple of weeks, students will be drawing and coloring their final draft that will be sent to the Square 1 art company. Information will be going home about all of the many different objects you can order the student's drawing on and how to go about the ordering process. PE K‐1 just finished up there fitness unit. The student's engaged in hand eye‐coordination, muscle strength, and endurance activities while working in stations. Some of the stations were rock wall, balloons, yarn balls, and hurdles. 2‐5 finished up there unit in Speedball. Student's learn the rules and skills of the game along with working as a team. Library PTO Meeting – January, 2016 – Library/Media ‐Gayle Stein Thank you to the PTO for your help in funding the BOB SHEA visit in November. Your support and an MEF grant brought a truly special event to CAS. Bob Shea was well‐received by teachers and especially our students. His 3 assemblies were tailored to the different age groups, with a general theme that anyone can be an author or illustrator if they keep trying. He wrote stories with each group, illustrated his book characters and had everyone laughing throughout the day. His books have been in high demand since his visit‐‐‐a sure sign of success. Page4
Central Avenue School PTO Meeting Minutes January 13, 2016 We have many new parent/volunteers who help out in our library/media center. Thank you to all, and especially to Jen Bauman and Raia Wielandy for their coordination of everyone’s schedules. Fifth graders are immersed in Battle of the Books which started in November. Currently, they are researching a Revolutionary War figure which is based on their social studies curriculum. 4th graders finished their explorer research project and are using the World Almanac, both online and in print. 3rd graders have exchanged projects with their Livingston Pen Pals and will continue to do so throughout the year. The next one will be in February. They are beginning to master the on‐line catalog to find books more independently. 2nd graders learned about folk and fairy tales in the classroom, and Mrs. Stein created Fairy Tale wands with them. Now they are learning about the Caldecott Award (best illustrated book of the year) and will choose their own CAS‐A‐
COTT Award in committees. 1st graders enjoyed many holiday stories and created New Year resolutions and faces which will be displayed on library bulletin boards. They now may borrow two books per week. Kindergarten students love to choose a book in library each week. We are learning about the seasons and winter with nonfiction and picture books. Please take a look at the Library/Media website for links to suggestions for read alouds and independent reading. World Language Students are having a great time working on "Los materiales escolares" school materials. Students are creating projects and play games guessing what their friends have created. 3D and 3M had been learning about numbers in Spanish. Right now they are making their final projects. The students are very interested in this project because it combines the cultural knowledge they gained about Peru and the Incas with the numbers 1‐30 in Spanish. The final projects will be displayed and shared within the class. Our upcoming unit is about Shapes and Colors. Expect great artwork inspired in Pablo Picasso's work and the rich Spanish culture. 3rd Grade Spanish‐Third graders in Mrs. Manley and Ms. Bulzachelli's classrooms are completing their second unit this year on numbers. They learned about the Incan system for recording numbers and stories called a Quipus and have each made their own! Computers: January 2016‐Computers Grade 1: First graders are learning how to navigate on various websites. First graders are learning how to log into the computer with their own username and password. First graders have started to practice finding letters on the Page5
Central Avenue School PTO Meeting Minutes January 13, 2016 keyboard using a website called Dance Mat Typing. We are working on keeping two hands on the keyboard and becoming familiar with where the letters are on the keyboard. Grade 2: Second graders have started to log into the computer using their own username and password. Second graders are practicing using the home row and using the correct fingers for the different letters. They are also working on memorizing where the letters are on the keyboard. Grade 3: Third graders will be spending most of the year learning how to keyboard (touch type). Students should not be looking at their hands when they are typing. We are using a web‐based program called Typing Pal. Students know their usernames and passwords and can practice at home. Third graders have started to log into the computer using their own username and password. Grade 4: Students are wrapping up their Power Point presentations and will be taking the next couple of classes to practice their keyboarding before we start our next research project. Fourth graders have started to log into the computer using their own username and password. Grade 5: Fifth graders are working on researching a Revolutionary War figure and then creating a video in Animoto. Fifth graders have started to log into the computer using their own username and password. Also, Mr. Liss said that there will be a MATH night in April. BOARD REPORTS CO ‐ PRESIDENTS: Laura Crane + Jen Hewes: FAMILY BINGO NIGHT: FRIDAY, JAN 29: very good response. BUDGET: We had a great amount of support for holiday funding for the "specials" gifts we gave out. SCHOOL STORE is opened during lunch Friday January 29 Treasurer Sharon Mahere has stepped down as Treasurer. Appointment of interim PTO Treasurer; Voted in NEW Treasurer, Margherita Cerilli. Jen Hewes now has access to the PTO page on the CAS website. Page6
Central Avenue School PTO Meeting Minutes January 13, 2016 CO‐VICE PRESIDENT: Mindy Chase: SPRING BOOK FAIR: We will be changing from ALLBOOKS to SCHOLASTIC BOOKS; better tools, more efficient, easier to advertise CO‐VICE PRESIDENT: Gretchen Schleck: ROLLER DERBY FRIDAY, MARCH 12; flyer to advertise will be in newsletter first week of February SECRETARYS REPORTS: Pam Errichetti: Minutes from 11/07/15 meeting submitted for review and approval. Approved by Laura Crane, and second by Lisa Moro Voorhees. ME AND MY GUY DANCE, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 26: we will need volunteers for the event, will be sending out a SignUpGenius. Raia Wielandy reports on INCREDIBLE ART: CHAIRS: Monika Stebbins & Raia Wielandy; VERY popular, children are invited to learn about the lives and artwork of various artists and then given the chance to create artwork inspired by those same artists; need volunteers. Lisa Moro Voorhees reports on upcoming assembly’s JANUARY: 01/29: Dino Man dynamic, 6 Dinosaur workshops FEBRUARY: 02/11 Valentine’s Day, Lion Dance, Chinese Arts MARCH: Music, chello purest with classical music with a rock twist APRIL: The Dirt Meister, Steve “the Dirtmeister” Tomecek, executive director of Science Plus, and is also a radio show host MAY: weather show, Franklin Institute, how weather changes JUNE: (same day as Field Day) Brain Game show, kids love, repeat Next PTO Meeting: Location: CAS Library February 2, 2016 8:45 am to 10:00 am Meeting Adjourned: 9:13 pm Respectfully submitted, Pam Errichetti, Secretary Page7