Christopher Columbus Middle School
April 2012
Volume 1, Issue 2
Mrs. Lalama - Co-Advisor
Mr. Giblin - Co-Advisor
CC
olumbus
olumns
Contents
Dear CCMS Community 1
create your own
at wordle.net
New Staff2
New Staff/Technology
3
Box Tops, Books & Break
4
Cyber Bullying/Conferences
5
What’s Up at CCMS
6
Music & Movie Reviews
7
Spring Styles
8
Christopher Columbus Family
Dear CCMS Community,
Mr. Giblin and I are extremely pleased
with the hard work and creative articles
the students in the Christopher Columbus
Newspaper have written for the second
edition. There were so many wonderful
activities, great projects, motivating
assemblies, creative displays in the
hallways and sporting events. These
dedicated students captivated the real
meaning of what makes their school so
amazing.
Please take the time to read the second
edition because many hours of reporting,
writing and editing the great articles
that went into making this an excellent
newspaper.
We want to thank the teachers, staff,
administrators and community for your
time and support to CCMS and the
Dance/NJASK/Diversity/Math9
Comics & Jokes
10
Comics11
Do you know what
this is? Scan it with
your smartphone
or web camera.
See page 9!
ultimate rewards the students will
reap from their enthusiasm and
passion they feel towards their
school.
If you do not know, the newspaper
is online at CCMS web site. Please
follow the link to download your
edition. Don’t forget to send the link
to families and friends too!
http://my.qrvoice.net/IK62ig
CCMS Newsletter
New Staff
Page 2 of 11
Ms. Sidor: Our New Speech and Language Pathologist
By: Stacey Suero
Do you know what a Speech and
Language Pathologist is? I did not
know. It sounded like a doctor from
C.S.I. on TV. According to Ms. Sidor,
she helps people of all ages develop
clear articulation and expand their
language skills. She has worked with
many types of children of all ages
for a number of years and she also
completed two internships as part
of her graduate program in different
middle school settings. She wanted to
work in CCMS because she works well
with her students and instills passion to work hard and a desire
to become successful so they can develop their full potential.
She would like to enhance our school by being a positive
influence to the students she meets with everyday! She said “I
believe the students that I do work with know that I genuinely
care about them because I take the time out to listen to them.”
Ms. Sidor’s interests outside of school is spending time with
her family and friends, travelling, photography and teaching
myself how to play the guitar. She is originally not from New
Jersey, but grew up in a small town outside of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania and moved here about 9 years ago. She is very
happy she did! Welcome to CCMS, Ms. Sidor!
Ms. Coyne
By: Reena Barakat
Take out your reading textbooks!
Shoot the basket, Shoot it! We have
a new teacher in CCMS! Do you know
who she is? Well.... Here are some
clues:
1) She is the basketball coach for
girls.
2) She is a LA Literacy teacher.
3) She loves to Coach and Read!
Do you know who she is? Still dont
know? Well her name is Mrs. Coyne!
Mrs. Coyne wanted to be a teacher
and accomplish many things because
she has a lot of knowledge she wants
to share with her students. Mrs. Coyne loves working with her
students and inspiring them! She hopes to let her students have
a fun, exciting year in her classroom. Mrs. Coyne had many great
experiences teaching middle school and she personally loved her
middle school years the most.
Mrs. Coyne’s strongest asset she will bring to CCMS is she
can relate to middle school students and help them build
relationships so they can succeed in school. Also, Mrs. Coyne
wants her students to take a lot of AR quizzes so they ca n be
happy with their reading goals.
Mrs. Coyne wants to make CCMS better by coaching the girls
basketball team to a great season!
Mrs. Coyne had a teacher that had a huge impact on her
teaching years. She said “In 8th grade I had a teacher, His name
was Mr. Bucco. He inspired me to be a teacher and is responsible
for my love, for reading and writing.”
Mrs. Coyne’s students know that she cares about them
because she gives a lot of extra help. Also her students know she
cares about them because she always tries her best to set them
up for success in their life, so they can go to college and have a
good education.
Mrs. Coyne’s interests outside of teaching are sports,
especially baseball (Go Yankees!) and football (Go Giants!). She
also loves being at the beach or hiking with Mr. Coyne and her
dog Chloe!
Mrs. Coyne wants us to know that her Birthday is October
24th. She loves Derek Jeter and Edward Cullen. Mrs. Coyne’s
favorite candy is Skittles! Also she hopes to have a great school
year!
Ms. Tacchi
By: Reena Barakat
Take out your reading textbook,
students! We have a new teacher at
CCMS! Dont know who she is? Well...
Here are some hints:
1) Her homeroom is 211.
2) She has Brown hair.
3) She loves to read!
Dont know yet? This women we
are talking about is... Well.....Her
name is Ms. Tacchi!
Ms. Tacchi wanted to be a teacher
because she loves working with kids
She wants to help them achieve
their goals. Ms. Tacchi hopes to help
her students learn and to love reading as much as she does.
Ms. Tacchi’s strongest asset she will bring to CCMS is her
desire is to help students succeed. Another asset she has is her
willingness to learn and grow along with her students. She wants
her students to not get bored in her class and she wants to make
her class exciting and fun!
Ms. Tacchi helps make CCMS better by guiding her students
through their daily work. She also helps CCMS by helping kids
with their AR goals and help them find good books so they get
good grades on AR quizzes. Ms. Tacchi is determind to help her
children succeed.
When she started teaching she realized she had a passion
for learning as well as for helping her students to learn about
education and other things.
Ms. Tacchi’s students know that she cares about them because
she gives them extra help and takes time to answer their
questions. She is kind and nice to her students. She is always
helping her students with their work.
Ms. Tacchi’s has many interests outside of teaching. She
enjoys spending time with her friends and family and she also
love to cuddle up with a great book!
Ms. Tacchi wants us to know that she is dedicated, hard
working and she loves to teach her students! Ms. Tacchi is
looking foward to a good year in CCMS!
CCMS Newsletter
New Staff & Technology
Page 3 of 11
Ms. Polito
By: Reena Barakat
We have a new teacher in CCMS!
Don’t know yet? Again, I’ll give you
three hints:
1) She is a LA literacy teacher.
2) Her Room Number is 301.
3) She loves Reading!
Still don’t know yet? Well... this
mystery women we are talking about
is Ms. Polito!
Ms. Polito wanted to be a teacher
because she has a lot of knowledge
that she wants to share with her
students. Some things Ms. Polito
wants to accomplish are to give
her students a fun education, make things exciting and let her
children take as many AR quizzes as possible. Ms. Polito wants
her kids to have a fun time in her classroom and not get bored!
Ms. Polito had many experiences while preparing for middle
school. First, she was at Kearny High School for 2 years. It was
very tough and challenging. She pulled through and was able to
teach her students and get them through a succesful year. Also
her 6th, 7th, and 8th reading teachers were always persuading
her to write out their feelings in a writers notebook.
The strongest asset that Ms. Polito will bring to CCMS is her
creative projects, fun reading assignment and writing projects.
She wants her students to have a fun time and a nice experience
in her classroom so they are not bored and do not like her
classroom. Ms. Polito will have many fun things in store for her
students.
Ms. Polito wants to make CCMS better by having all her
students happy with her reading class, AR quizzes and reading
goals. She wants her students to read everyday and read good
books so they can understand plot and setting. She wants her
students to understand the books they read so the can pass their
goals for AR.
Ms. Polito had many impactful moments during her teaching
years. Once, her students made odes about her and how she was
so nice and caring. Ms. Polito was so surprised and shocked. It
was very emotional for her. She was crying and she was so happy
that her students cared about her so much. Ms. Polito said “ It
was a very emotional surprise.” Ms. Poltio still remembers it to
this day.
She is very nice and kind to her students and cares about
them. Ms. Polito also answers all of her students answers and
listens to them.
Ms. Polito has many interests outside of teaching. Some of
her interests are her work out on P90X, reading books, tutoring
outside of teaching and snowboarding! Thats awesome! Ms.
Polito loves to do many thing outside of teaching!
Ms. Polito wants us to know that she loves CCMS. She is very
appreciated by students and staff. Also that she is looking
forward to a great school year!
Skyping with the Dutch
By: Mr. Callaghan
In the fall, a group of Dutch educators visited CCMS. Some
of the group came to observe my Social Studies class and I was
fortunate enough to be invited to lunch with them. One Dutch
professor from Zwolle University, Ellen Kloet, said she thoroughly
enjoyed the team teaching philosophy Mr. Fieldhouse and I
use, and how we interacted in the classroom. Ellen and I then
exchanged email information.
Last summer I contacted Ellen
and suggested it might be good for
our students if they were able to
communicate using Skype. Ellen
said she would be unavailable in the
fall, but would put me in touch with
a fellow professor who might be
interested. In September
Carina Van Olst from Deltion
College wrote to me and said she was
excited at the prospect. Over the next
six weeks Carina and I exchanged emails and tried to work out a
date that was good for both of us. I also enlisted the help of the
district technology supervisor, Eric Mountain.
The Netherlands is a country located in Western Europe, with
a population of approximately 17 million people. It is sometimes
called Holland, and although Dutch is the official language of the
country, many people also speak English. The time difference
with the U.S. is six hours, so it was 9 AM here and 3 PM in the
Netherlands when the students finally interacted on November
30. The class that my 8th grade Social Studies students got
to speak with was one of Carina’s first year university classes.
Carina’s class was an all-girl class, and fortunately they spoke
English well.
Each class could see the other class, and students were
called up to the microphone to individually ask questions. One
of the first questions from the Dutch brought a chuckle when a
student asked if people in New Jersey were like the people on
the TV show, Jersey Shore. I was relieved when CCMS students
responded that the actors were playing roles, and not role
models to be copied. CCMS students asked some very good
questions as well, and were surprised
that the Netherlands had some of
the same stores as our malls. A Dutch
student asked one CCMS student what
they did after school, and Shanerri
Champian responded, “I like to sing.”
At that point both classes put her on
the spot, and the talent she displayed
impressed both students and teachers.
Mr. Fieldhouse and I thought the
Skype experience went well, and it
was rewarding to hear students talking about it excitedly in the
cafeteria later that day. Carina wrote “My students were very
nervous but enjoyed it a great deal.” She also said, “Can you
let Shanerri know that my group was really impressed by her
voice. They thought it was very brave of her to sing to people
she doesn’t know, and she did very well.” Ms. Peters was kind
enough to stop by that day and was very proud of the students.
I would like to thank Mr. Fieldhouse, Carina and Eric Mountain
for their help in this endeavor, and also Ms. Peters for giving
students a memory from middle school they will remember for
quite some time. Needless to say, thank you goes to both classes
as well, especially those who overcame their stage fright to
make this a rewarding educational experience for all.
CCMS Newsletter
Box Tops, Books and Break!
Page 4 of 11
What are Box Tops for Education?
By: Chelsea Acosta
Okay, so many of you have
heard about the Box Tops
for Education at school. We
hear it in homeroom from our
homeroom teachers and we
hear about it during the morning
announcements from Ms. Peters.
The reason why box tops help
us is they are like little coupons
and each one is worth ten cents
cents). These give your
(10
school credits and if we collect a lot, we can win really neat
things that can help our school be more exciting and it can
improve our school too!
You can get them from almost 300 different items.
Free Books
By: Antonio Gordon
Hello readers, I have some
great news for you! Do you wish
you could get a new book for
free? Yes, I did say free. Well,
now you can. How? You simply
read. When you finish the book,
you take the AR quiz and you
need to accumulate a certain
amount of points in order to
receive a book. The 6th graders
must reach 15 points, the 7th graders need 20 points and
the 8th graders need 25 points. Once you have reached your
goal, you ask your Language Arts teacher for a ticket and you
present it to the Media Specialist for a free book. She will
take the ticket and show you a closet full of books where you
make your selection. You may select from a variety of books,
such as Hunger Games Trilogy, Fable Haven, The 39 Clues and
Heat. If you can’t find the book you want because it ran out,
do not worry, it will be ordered and you will have it shortly.
My advice: get your free book now!
Please take your time and cut off these box tops and send
them into school. I know my class is collecting box tops to
help our school. We would like to get more than pens and
pencils. We want books, computers, and tablets. So please,
do not forget to bring in the box tops to help CCMS! Thank
you!
List of Participating Products:
http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/clip/Brands.aspx
February Break:
What Did You Do?
By: Dennise
Gonzalez
What did you do during
February break? Many
people say that this break
is the best, but others
disagree. Here is a variety
or responses when I asked
different students about the
break. “I think winter break
is so boring. We are the
only people in New Jersey that have it, so I can’t hand out
with my cousins!” Many towns only have off one or two days
for President’s Day. “I don’t like winder break because all it
does is add more days to the end of the year.” I guess getting
out earlier would be better due to the horrible heat in the
building. “I am so happy we have winter break, I love sitting
next to the fire and sipping hot cocoa while looking out the
window and watching the snow fall.” “Every time we have a
winter break, I go out of the country on vacation.”
What do you think? Is it awesome, boring or fun?
CCMS Newsletter
Great Articles
Page 5 of 11
Horrors of Cyber Bullying
By: Alyssa Castro
Cyber bulling, what exactly is it? It is when an adolescent
abuses another adolescent physically or mentally. This occurs
on the Internet, interactive websites, and on the cellphone.
This is one of the several things the eighth graders learned
from attending, “The Cyber Bulling Presentation.” Detective
Castellanos from the Passaic County Sheriff’s Dept. came to
talk to us about it and to make us understand how much we
really hurt each other from it. You may think it’s funny at first,
but it’s not. The result of cyber bullying can lead to emotional
problems, mental problems, depression, low grades and suicide.
The eighth graders watched the movie about how a shy young
boy fell in love with a girl. Soon he was taunted and cyber
bullied about it and the one he fell in love with didn’t stick up
for him. She could have stopped it but she was worried about
the peer pressure from people in her group. She stuck up for him
when it was too late. When he committed suicide at the end
of the movie, I saw so many eighth graders with tears running
down their cheeks and in shock. Let’s be honest, when you think
about all those people who were crying and in shock, did this
change anyone? How many of you saw the presentation and still
continue to bully others? Do not forget what you saw and heard.
This is a thing that you realize when it’s too late.
However, in my opinion, the saddest part for me was when
everyone was going back to class and saw so many students
mocking the movie and what the detective said. It’s just sad to
know that the things that are not funny, are to them. One of
the things Detective Castellanos mentioned was that we have
one life and after you commit suicide there’s no coming back.
You hurt your family and friends forever. We all have one life
so think about that before you do that to someone. I think the
golden rule applies here: treat people the same way you want to
be treated.
Resources for Cyber Bullying:
http://www.njbullying.org/infohelp.htm
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/tweens/
Parent Conferences
By Ilene Goldberg
When parent conferences are brought up, a majority of
students think about how unimportant it is because it is only
for kids who get horrible grades or have discipline issues. This is
not the case. Sure it is recommended for a student who doesn’t
behave well or a student who gets bad grades but that doesn’t
mean that students who get great grades and behave really
well shouldn’t have their parents go to a conference. Even if
someone gets good grades, despite the fact that not everyone
tells their mom or dad their grades. Most students show their
parents their tests or quizzes, but those grades are not the only
form of assessment. What about homework, class work, projects
or class participation (which you do receive a grade)? The
point is that parents definitely need to think about those grades
and what better way to find out what grades their child has
been learning, is to attend the conference and speak with the
teacher. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the child is getting bad
grades because they could be getting amazing grades that they
haven’t been telling their parents.
Communication is the key. Parents need to know what is
going on at school and become more involved. Some students
may not discuss the activities or events that are happening, so
by attending the conference after progress reports or grades
parents can check out what is going on and talking to the
teachers. Don’t forget, you may want your mom or your dad or
both, to go to a conference because you may love one of your
teachers so you they could meet the teacher and say great
things about you. Keep this in mind next time you think about
parent conferences. They are a vital network between school
and you!
Mrs. Rebisz: Adopt an Element
By: Alyssa Castro
Throughout all of the grades in CCMS, there have been many
unique projects in many great classes, but there was one that
caught the eyes of many. This project is called, “Adopt and
Element,” which was given to her eighth grade Nina students.
Mrs. Rebisz, who wanted her students to learn about a particular
element, created this science project. Each student picked an
element from the periodic table.
They had to create a visual aid and presentation about the
element they chose. The visual aid was a poster or 3 dimensional
model of its atomic structure. The presentation was all about
the element and it was the most creative part of the project.
The students could choose to write a poem, rap, Haiku, song or
movie about the element. It had to include an advertisement,
for the element, name, symbol, and number.
The students did a fantastic job! They learned something
important in a fun and creative way. Great job!
NJASK Warning!!!
By: Antonio Gordon
This is an important message for all students. I am here
to make sure you understand how crucial this test is for you.
You have been reading, writing and learning new materials
throughout the school year. You need to remember formulas for
math, how to answer an open-ended question, the steps to write
a 5-paragraph essay and how to choose the correct answer for
multiple-choice sections.
So, get plenty of sleep each night, have a great breakfast and
try your best. Good luck to my fellow students! I know you will
do a great job!
CCMS Newsletter
What’s Up at CCMS?
Page 6 of 11
AR Competition
By: Antonio Gordon
Well, Spring break has arrived and CCMS was
involved in a stiff competition between each grade
level to see which group would win the most amount
of points from Accelerated Reader quizzes. There
was breaking news during announcements at the end
of the day when the tallies for each of the grades
were read. Some grades would be jumping up and
down, while others were inspired to read more.
At the end, the 7th graders won. On April 5th,
they received a free snack. As a special surprise,
Mr. Labriola and Ms. Peters also served them lunch!
Mr. Labriola painted his head like an Easter egg. Ms.
Peters also had a special Easter Bonnet! Congrats to
the 7th grade for doing such a great job!
“Into the Woods”
By: Ilene Goldberg
I was amazed as I was taken “Into the Woods”
on Thursday and Friday of March 8th and 9th at
Christopher Columbus Middle School. The play was a
masterpiece that intertwines many stories into one.
Not only were the characters funny and realistic,
but also the people playing the characters were
amazingly talented and the voices blew me away. On
a scale from 1 to 10, I would, without a doubt, give
it a 10. From the wolf with a craving for a certain
little girl in a red cape, to the baker and wife with
child issues, to the prince searching for his princess,
to a boy named Jack whose only wish was to stay
with his cow forever, which his mother did not like
and Rapunzel locked up in the tower by the witch.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of the play. You could
definitely see the dedication in the student’s eyes.
All they wanted to do was to make their teachers
proud. By teachers I mean Ms. Pogi, Ms. Camasta,
and Mr. Labriola. Without them there would be no
play. I give the play 5 stars and two thumbs up.
CCMS Newsletter
Music & Movies
Page 7 of 11
Have you seen these movies yet?
By: Ilene Goldberg
I know that some of you are wondering what the great movies
are playing in the theater. Well, there is one that everyone
is talking about and that is The Hunger Games.” This movie,
which is based on the book by Suzanne Collins, is part one of the
trilogy. It is set in the future where the Capitol selects a boy and
a girl between the ages of 11 to 18 from each one of the twelve
districts to fight to the death on live television. The main female
character, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger
sister’s place for this year’s match. I will say that this is a must
read and a must see.
The next movie is “Silent House.” Laura and her father, Wilson
settle down in an old farmhouse to make some repairs and
update it prior to its sale. However, after they spend the night
there, things start to get strange. Laura hears a sound that gets
louder and louder on the upper floor, so Wilson goes upstairs to
see what is going on while she waits downstairs.
Another movie, which I personally love, is called “The Vow.” A
car accident puts Paige in a coma and when she wakes up, she
has severe memory loss and does not remember her husband,
Leo. He never gives up and tries to win the woman back he
loves so much.
There is “21 Jump Street,” which is a movie based on a
television series that starred Johnny Depp. In high school,
Schmidt was a dork and Jenko was the popular jock. After
graduation, both of them joined the police force and ended
up as partners riding bicycles in the city park. Since they are
young and look like high schools students, they are assigned to
an undercover unit to infiltrate a criminal ring involving local
high school students.
The following movie is “This Means War.” Two top CIA spies
find their enduring friendship put to the ultimate test when
the engage in an all-out war to win the affections of a
beautiful woman.
The last one is a comedy, “A Thousand Words.” It is about
a smooth-talking man who discovers that he has only 1,000
words left to speak before he dies. Now, which movie will you
be seeing? Don’t forget the tub of tasty popcorn!
Billboards Top 5 Radio Songs
By: Max Dubac
Oh no! That song is on the radio again!? How many of you
wonder what this week’s top radio songs are? According to
Billboard magazine, this week’s top five radio songs heard
across the country are Set Fire to the Rain by Adele, Stronger
by Kelly Clarkson, Turn Me On by David Guetta featuring Nicki
Minaj, Take Care by Drake featuring Rihanna, and We Found
Love by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris.
Set Fire to the Rain has been on Billboard’s Top Radio Songs
chart for 17 weeks peaking at number 1, Stronger has been
on the chart for 10 weeks peaking at number 2, and Turn Me
On has been on the chart for 13 weeks peaking at number 3.
Drake’s Take Care has been on the chart for 13 weeks peaking
at number 5 while Rihanna’s We Found Love has surpassed
all four landing a spot on the chart for 26 weeks peaking at
number 1.
If you’re wondering how these five songs made it onto
Billboard’s Top Radio Songs of the week, you have to consider
certain factors. Billboard is the music industry’s popularity
singles chart. The rankings are based on the number of sales
and radio time for each single tracked by Nielsen Broadcast
Data System (BDS). Tracking of the sales of singles start on
Mondays and end on Sundays and radio playing time is tracked
from Wednesdays to Tuesdays. A new chart is released to the
public by Billboard magazine every Thursday.
Personally, I prefer Turn Me On, Take Care, and We Found
Love. They’re songs whose lyrics are cool and beats are
slammin’. So stay tuned and enjoy these singles for now
because this week’s top tunes can be replaced by next week’s
latest hits!
Page 8 of 11
Spring’s Here!
CCMS Newsletter
Best Scents for Spring Flowers
By: Stacey Suero
There are so many wonderful spring flowers that have
wonderful aromas to make your place smell like a park. These
scents are also in many perfumes, body lotions and sprays.
Here are few ideas to check out. Freesia has a white colored
bloom that has a more subtle scent, but if you are looking for
something stronger, then look for the pink and red varieties. Lily
of the Valley signifies a “return to happiness.” It has a sweet
perfume and it is popular in bridal arrangements. Lilacs, which
are the purple-flowered varieties, have a strong scent and are
only available in the spring for a very short season. Enjoy them
before they are gone! Roses are perfect for many occasions.
White ones signify new beginnings and are used in weddings a
lot. Peach colored roses make the perfect anytime gift! The
bright and varied colors of spring flowers such as tulips, make
spring flower arrangements uniquely vibrant, while the sweet
scents of freesia and lavender awaken the senses from their
winter slumber.
Don’t forget, these beautiful flowers would make a great
gift for Mother’s Day (as well as Aunt and Grandmother too!)
Wouldn’t a bouquet look beautiful on the table? I know someone
would be very happy!!
Spring into Style
By: Arianna Riley
Get your color on!
Girls, bring your Rocker look with chic bright colored denim
and boxy like tops. Off the shoulder shirts may also be in, but
Not in School!! Black and white geometric shapes with a bright
color splash in an accessory will also bring you into style.
Searching for a classy look? Try large floral prints whether on
a dress or a blouse. Sixties style flowing skirts will be great for
those summer days.
Top your look off with either carefree loose flowing hair or
a long scarf over your head tied off to the side. For a dressier
look, slick your hair back in a neat bun or ponytail.
Boys, those bright colors are not just for girls. You can match
them with your favorite shirt or hat.
Yes, polo’s are still in and you can top them off with loafers
for an easy and neat appearance. No sagging, just swag!!
Spring: New Nails and Hair Styles
By: Janan Shahin
What do you think of these new spring
styles? The new nail polish designs make your
nails an added accessory to your individual
style. You can change your color to match
your new spring clothes. You can get them
airbrushed or you can check out the new press
on nail polish at Sephora. What cool designs!
Next, to look great and feel cool, you can wear
your hair up and braided. There are so many
different ways to braid your hair. Try a few and
then pick the one you like. Nails and hair done!
You look fabulous!
Glitter Polish Glitter P olish Roses Roses Zebra Zebra Mini Side Braid
Mini Side Braid Crown Braid Crown B raid B
Loose Loose Side raid Side Braid CCMS Newsletter
News & Happenings
Page 9 of 11
Grooving?
By: Antonio Gordon
Diversity Dinner=Yummy!!
By: Ilene Goldberg
Do you like dancing? Then grab your dance shoes and bring
them to the school dance! As you know, the school dance will
be on Friday, April 20th. This is the last dance of the school
year for the sixth and seventh graders. The eighth graders have
one more, it is their Farewell Dance. There will be snacks and
refreshments. Oh, and of course the newest songs out will be
playing! The dance is always a lot of fun. As I say, “You dance to
impress.” Hope to see you there!!
What a yummy evening!! The Annual Diversity Dinner
took place on March 30, 2012 in the school cafeteria. In
the beginning, people welcomed the attendees in different
languages, then they sang the national anthem from their
respective country. Then came the most important part, the
food!
I felt I was visiting so many different countries at one time.
It was a delicious night learning about the different foods from
so many countries that were represented. It was a multicultural
celebration of food and understanding.
After eating, there was a raffle for four different baskets.
The first one was filled with school supplies, the second one
with CCMS clothing, the third one with board games and the last
one with a family movie night. On a scale from 1 to 10, it was a
definite 10! I give it two thumbs up! So does my happy tummy!
Assembly: Math and Magic!
By: Antonio Gordon
Math is not as difficult as we may think. The math magician,
Bradley Fields proved that! On Thursday, March 22, 2012,
there was a wonderful assembly sponsored by the Home School
Association for the sixth and seventh graders. The assembly was
fun and entertaining.
The magician did magic tricks all based on mathematics. He
took us through history, from the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and
Mayans. He showed us the importance of math in everything we
do. Many of the students were sitting on the edge of their seats
trying to figure out the different tricks. The one trick that was
really cool was the “Circle “ trick. During the assembly he told
stories and jokes all dealing with…you guessed it, Math! We need
to thank the HSA for this great assembly.
What are QR Codes?
By: Ms. Lalama
Did you see that strange bar code on the front of this
newspaper? Do you see them in The Record or The Clifton
Journal? They can be seen on letterheads, business cards,
on posters or anything else. It is known as a Quick Response
Code. It was originally invented in 1994 by Toyota to track the
manufacturing process of cars on the assembly line.
A QR Code is a barcode that contains data that can be read
by a phone’s camera. Most smartphones have the software that
allows them to download a QR Code reader. Once you download
a reader, the phone’s camera acts like a scanner and reads the
barcode. These codes can provide you with a website, important
information, a voice reminder, or similar links to information
right on your phone. This can be used in many different ways in
business and in education. There are so many possibilities for its
use. How can you use it? What would you use it for?
Here is a great website to construct your own QR Code.
http://www.qrstuff.com
Here is another code for voice only.
http://qrvoice.net
Here is a great introduction online that explains the QR Code:
http://www.commoncraft.com/video/qr-codes
CCMS Newsletter
The Funny Section
Page 10 of 11
Bullying
Share these with your friends!
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Who
Who Who?
What? Are you an owl?
Knock Knock Jokes
By: Stacey Suero
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Juno
Juno who?
Juno that I’m out here, right?
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Cash!
Cash who?
No thanks, I prefer peanuts!
CCMS Newsletter
The Funny Section
Page 11 of 11