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COMMUNITY • MIDDLE • SCHOOL • NEWSLETTER
School Website: www.wwprsd.org/cms District Website: www.ww-p.org
Principal’s Pen
It is with bittersweet feelings
that I announce my retirement
to you, the parents and students
of West Windsor-Plainsboro.
After fifty years in education as
a teacher and principal of three
schools, it is time for me to put
my career behind me and move
on to other phases of my life.
Dr. Arthur C. Downs, Jr.
Making a decision to leave a
career that I truly love is most difficult for me; but the
part that is more painful, is leaving all of you, my Community family. You have been an important part of my
life, professionally and personally, for many years.
As I look back on my years in WW-P, I have seen
many changes; however, the one thing that remains
constant is the commitment of our entire community to
the children of West Windsor-Plainsboro. I always
knew that I could count on your help when we needed
to do what was best for children. I am particularly grateful for the professional opportunities and for the many
personal relationships that I have established in West
Windsor-Plainsboro. I leave with many wonderful
memories as a science teacher at Dutch Neck and as a
Principal at Maurice Hawk, Dutch Neck, and Community Middle Schools. It was an honor to be asked to lead
the construction and opening of WW-P’s first middle
school, which became a signature school in a very short
time. We had an amazing group of teachers, students,
parents, board members, and other administrators to
work with that enabled the staff to do what was best for
children. I leave knowing that I tried my best to bring
quality education to the students of West WindsorPlainsboro as a teacher for eight years and an administrator for forty-two years. I will miss being involved in
so many aspects of life at Community Middle School.
VOL. 23, NO. 5
JUNE 2010
E-mail: [email protected]
During the last fifty years, I was lucky and fortunate enough to work with many outstanding teachers,
administrators, school board members, parents, and of
course the fantastic students that I have watched
become fine citizens. Therefore, I leave without any
regrets. I look forward to the next chapter of my life
and the opportunities that will be available to me in
retirement. This decision was the most difficult decision I have ever made, but I know it is the right one.
Joan, my wife, has a “honey do” list ready for me. I
look forward to a more relaxing time with family and
friends. There will be more time to travel, fish, golf,
relax, read, go back to school, and so many other things
that I don’t even know about. Even though I will keep
busy and active, Community Middle School, and all
that it is about, will always be on my mind. You are
family. I would like to thank every one of you for contributing to my fifty years in education. I have many
stories to recall in moments of nostalgia, and I thank
you for that. Please continue to stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Dr. Arthur C. Downs, Jr.
Principal
Principal Dr. Arthur C. Downs, Jr.
Assistant Principals Donna Nini • Stephanie Leroux
Supervisors
Karen Schubert-Ramirez, IRLA
Barbara Braverman, Math
Miriam Robin, Science
Mark Wise, Social Studies
Rosanne Zeppieri, World Languages
Guidance Counselors
Faith Scibienski • Ellen Burgess • Colleen Pedersen
Lynn Fisher
Wendy Alley, Student Assistance Counselor
Panther Press Editors
Antonella Vescuso • Mara Bok • Maria Selander
PAGE 2
Assistant Principal’s Corner
Stephanie Leroux and Donna Nini
Assistant Principals
As our school year draws to a close, we would like to
share with all of you a poem that captures the essence
of middle school children and reflects upon the uniqueness of the children we share. Parents and teachers both
recognize that middle-level students are challenging
and argumentative—and in the middle of an exciting
period in their emotional and intellectual development.
The brain of a preteen is straddling the divide between
concrete and abstract thinking. Their thought processes
are getting more subjective, more complex, so every
issue takes on extenuating circumstances. Helping the
“middlers” through this trying time can be exasperating for the adults in their lives.
WORDS OF GUIDANCE FROM
A MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILD
PANTHER PRESS
Love me when it’s hardest to do.
Like me when I don’t like you.
Give me, but with restraint.
Never let me say, “I can’t.”
Support me no matter what.
But recognize when it’s my fault.
Accept me whenever I dare.
Always show me that you care.
Guide me without a fight.
Hug me every time I’m right.
Warn me when you think I’m wrong.
Help me always to be strong.
Understand when I’m difficult,
Or hostile, angry, rude and abrupt.
If you can do this when I’m thirteen,
You’ll be proud when I’m eighteen.
It’s hard to be the kid between.
If you’ll remember, you’ll know what I mean.
So help me through this trying time.
And one day soon, I promise, I’ll shine.
-Author Unknown
We look forward to another opportunity to work
with your middle school child next fall. Until then, we
hope that all CMS families will have a satisfying and
refreshing summer.
NURSE’S CORNER
Sport permission packets for Fall 2010 are available online at the CMS website http://wwpsd.sharpschool.com/schools/community_middle_school/ under school forms. The packets are due to the nurse’s office
by Monday, June 14th. Sports available are boys and girls soccer, field hockey, and cross country. Sixth grade
students may only participate in cross country.
High School packets are available online or in the nurse’s office for those interested in Fall 2010 sports at HSN.
• Please remember any that incoming 6th graders need to have their Tdap and Menactra vaccinations up to
date before entering school in September!!!! Spread the word!!!
SUN TIPS!
Unprotected exposure to the sun when children are outside playing during the summer months may cause
sunburn, permanent damage to the skin, and an increased risk of developing skin cancer.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends teaching children the “ABC’S for fun in the sun.”
Away
stay away from the sun in the middle of the day
Block
use SPF 15 or higher sunscreen
Cover up
wear a T-shirt and hat
Speak out talk to family and friends about sun protection
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PAGE 3
PTSA NEWS
C M S S c i e n c e O ly m p i a d
Team on National Stage
“Auld Lang Syne & Thanksgiving”—The end of the school
year seems an appropriate time to look back with heartfelt
appreciation at the partnerships and support the PTSA has
enjoyed throughout this school year. Just as the 8th grade
students are reflecting on their time at CMS, so are the parents who have been a part of the PTSA for the past three
years. The CMS community appreciates the effort and commitment of the many PTSA volunteers. As beneficiaries of
each member’s involvement and support, CMS thanks the
PTSA membership for its enthusiasm. Of special note is
the effort made by the PTSA Committee Chairs and Executive Board. Their dedication in time and effort is reflected
in the tremendous success the PTSA has had this year. In
addition to the terrific effort of our committee chairs and
volunteers, we extend a special thank you to Mary
Meduski, Dawn O’Brien, Patti Ciolfi, Allegra D’Adamo,
Michele Kaish, Karen Carlen, and Gina Ochs for their service on the 2009-2010 PTSA Executive Board.
“Looking Forward”—Planning for the 2010-2011
school year has already begun, with the induction of the
PTSA Executive Board. Serving on the 2010-2011 PTSA Executive Board: Catherine Foley & Dana Krug (Co-Presidents), Toni Hendy (VP - Membership), Gina Ochs (Vice
President - Communications), Dawn O’Brien (Vice President - Fundraising), Evelyn Turney (Treasurer), and Allegra
D’Adamo (Secretary). This team of PTSA leaders is looking
forward to participating in the PTSA’s continued success,
and extends a warm invitation to anyone interested in getting
involved to look at the committee listing on the CMS PTSA
website. The PTSA welcomes any level of involvement from
its membership. Contact information for all committees and
board members is available on the website.
“Fundraising 2010-2011”—The simple success of the
Just Write a Check campaign speaks for itself. In its second
year, the JWAC has replaced all other “traditional” PTSA
fundraising programs. Thank you to all who participated we exceeded our fundraising goal for the year! In doing so
were able to support various activities at CMS, as well as
the purchase of the soundboard for the auditorium and several classroom smart boards. We will be doing JWAC next
year, as well.
Finally, we extend our warm wishes for a happy retirement and gratitude to Dr. Downs, Ms. Leroux, and Ms.
Fisher for their strong support of the CMS PTSA over the
years. We will miss them greatly, and hope their next
chapters are truly rewarding.
Best wishes for a terrific summer recess!
For the tenth consecutive year, Community Middle
School’s Science Olympiad Team competed at the
National Championship hosted this year by the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign. After months
of studying, building, and practicing in a variety of
science-based areas, 21 students participated in 23
rigorous events. The team medaled in five of the events,
including a Gold Medal finish for Bolong Xu and Lyric
Gupta in the Disease Detectives event. For their win,
they also earned a trip to the Center for Disease Control.
Community Middle School finished 25th in a field of
60 teams at the National tournament for Science
Olympiad, which represents over 1800 teams registered
from all 50 states.
Other winners included: 5th Place in Anatomy for
Bolong Xu and Lyric Gupta, 4th Place in Fossils for
Sai Meruga and Aditya Badeti, 5th Place in Meteorology for Sai Meruga and Rohan Agrawal, and 3rd
Place in Optics for Aana Bansal and Matthew Zang.
Congratulations go out to the entire team for being
the Regional and State Champions, and for its placement and effort during the National tournament and
throughout the Olympiad season. Coaches Dr. Arthur
Downs, Mr. Kyle Schimpf, and Mrs. Cynthia Bumber wish the 9th graders the best of luck in their future
endeavors, and hope to see some of the competitors
back for next year’s team.
The following students represented Community and
High School North in the Science Olympiad National
Competition.
13. Avinash Subramanian
1. Rohan Agrawal
2. Maunika Atmakuri
14. Pranith Linga
3. Aditya Badeti
15. Jasmine Tsai
4. Lyric Gupta
16. Vincent Wu
5. Freddie Huang
17. Walter Wu
6. Raghav Kalra
18. Bolong Xu
7. Bharath Kannan
19. Matthew Zang
8. Daniel Liu
20. George Zhou
9. Sai Meruga
21. Aana Bansal
10. Durgesh Prusty
22. Kathryn Khaw
11. Shannon Sheu
23. Priyanka
12. Felix Su
Radhakrishnaw
PAGE 4
TEAM NEWS
Team 8A students have enjoyed an excellent
4th marking period and are looking forward to
finishing off this wonderful school year with
an excellent finish!
What do you feel strongly about? IRLA students on
8A have been drafting Opinion Editorials on their most
rooted beliefs. Can they persuade you to change your
mind? Next, we will be traveling to different planets and
learning the essentials of life with The Little Prince by
our side! And, of course, there is no better way to kick off
the summer than with some lighthearted poetry.
In science class, the kids are thinking about space.
How big is space? Does it have a beginning? An end?
How did it form? Where are we in space? Are we
alone? Before we tackle these BIG questions, we will
deal with what we know about the Moon, the Sun, the
planets, comets, asteroids and meteors. The students
will be working on two projects, a travel brochure of
the solar system and a power point presentation concerning unique events and structures in the universe. It
will be a fun way to end their middle school science
experience.
In Mr. McNamara’s social studies classes, students
have recently completed a Model United Nations activity that put on display a myriad of their talents, from
research to public speaking to political discourse. Students enjoyed an extremely successful unit, which culminated in a two day experience led by high school
students acting as Secretaries General from the United
Nations.
In pre-algebra, students began to review concepts
learned and make connections to everyday problem
solving. Students then worked on an Introduction to
Algebra unit in preparation for next year at the high
school level.
Algebra students have completed their chapter on
“Rational and Radical Expressions.” We will continue
with equations and functions as we use “The Quadratic
Formula” to solve problems.
With this final issue of the Panther Press for the
year, the team teachers would like to wish all 8A and
Community Middle School families a restful and
relaxing summer.
8A
Science Connections
Science is something we cannot live without.
Science is what makes the world go around. It
is because of science that new medicines have been
developed and new, efficient technology is available. It
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has helped us understand the world, what is beyond the
world, and ourselves. So what is science, and how does
it relate to our everyday lives? Well, for one thing, I
know it connects with my life at school. Everyday, I see
examples of how science has affected my life in every
single one of my classes starting with social studies and
ending with IRLA.
In the morning, I see science at work in my social
studies class. Whenever I hear of a famous explorer like
Lewis and Clark and Christopher Columbus, I see that
they could not have gotten anywhere without the
invention of the compass. The compass is a scientific
instrument created by the ancient Chinese in the late
1400s. Before the use of compasses, explorers had to
solely rely on familiar landmarks, which made it hard
to explore. Without understanding the science behind
the Earth’s poles and the use of the compass, these
explorers could not travel and discover new lands. Another useful scientific discovery that was invented
much later involved the satellite. Satellites are used
today to create maps by taking photos of the Earth,
allowing us to learn more about our Earth’s geography.
Next, I walk to math class. I often discover that
math and science go hand in hand. Science relies on
mathematical equations, to describe patterns and relationships in nature. The famous formula, E=mc2, describes the relationship between matter and energy
within the universe. On the other hand, science also
helps out math. Since I’m taking algebra, I know when
math starts to become scary. With today’s scientific discoveries in electricity and circuits, we have created
modernized computers and machines that can help us
when math becomes too difficult. There are advanced
graphing calculators and special computers that can
help us solve long, complex equations, and this is all
thanks to a man named Charles Babbage who first conceived the idea to create a machine that would do our
computations for us.
At the end of the day, I wave to my IRLA teacher
and stroll into her classroom. I don’t even need to go
into her room to know that science has influenced my
language arts class. Nowadays, we rarely see anyone
writing books on parchment with a quill pen. People
use technology, such as the keyboard to type and print
their books so that they can be mass produced. How
else would they sell so many Harry Potter books to the
whole world? In addition, research and reference
materials have been made so much easier to access.
With the creation of the internet, we have online
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TEAM NEWS
dictionaries and encyclopedias at our fingertips. Science also played a role in this piece of unison with the
creation of fiber optics, which allows information to be
sent across seas and distant lands. It is because of these
fiber optics cables that we have the internet. Science,
in turn, benefits from the skills of language arts. Scientists depend on IRLA to accurately communicate their
ideas, their observations, and the processes of nature.
All in all, by the time I get home, I’ve seen science
impact my life in a vast array of ways. Science and
math, social studies and IRLA all intertwined. Without
science, our daily lives would be much more difficult.
We would have many more problems to worry about,
and we would live a more primitive and simple life. So
the next time someone asks you for what you are most
thankful, remember: science!
Siddarth Senthilkumar
All eighth grade algebra and pre-algebra students took their end-of-year math test on
Thursday, June 3. They are now completing
their units of study for this year, and will have the
opportunity to correct their end-of-year tests in class
before the school year ends.
Our editorials for IRLA have been a great way for
us to put our personalities into our writing and to “vent”
about things that just make us mad. Along with Medieval book clubs, we have been reading poetry. We
have been figuring out why poets use certain techniques
through our last Reader’s Chair presentations. We will
be ending the year writing our own poetry, and sharing
our work with the rest of the 8th grade teams.
In science students have been following an investigation of the Moon; 8C will finish the school year by
exploring the solar system. The students will determine
if any planets/moons could be colonized. Additionally,
studies will be taught about the effects of long exposure to weightlessness on the human body, the amounts
of water used during space missions, rockets and the
history of space exploration.
Team 8B & 8C students wrapped up their study of
the Islamic Empire by uncovering the many advancements and achievements of this global civilization. Students were thrilled to learn that they have the Muslims
to thank for algebra as well as other discoveries in the
fields of medicine, astronomy and math. We learned
that the Mongol invasions will bring an end to the
golden ages of both Islam and China. The Mongols cre-
8C
PAGE 5
ated the world’s largest empire and were responsible
for spreading knowledge between the east and west. As
we move forward this year, we will explore the impact
of Europe’s “discovery” of the Americas on both the
Old and New Worlds.
The Team 8C teachers wish to thank our students
and their families for a very rewarding and enjoyable
school year. We hope you have a safe, relaxing, and
fun-filled summer. Best wishes for continued success
in high school!
After moving out of the Dark Ages and into
the Renaissance, students discovered how the
Renaissance acted as a springboard for the Age
of Exploration. After the “Trial of 1492”, students
engaged in an end-of-the-year performance assessment
related to the United Nations Millennium Development
Goals.
The stars were the final destination in Ms. Bowen’s
science class, as they finished the year by studying
astronomy. Perhaps some of the members of 8D will
travel in space some day!
Mrs. Fenton’s algebra students developed and
applied skills involving combining, simplifying, and
factoring polynomials to quadratic functions. Students
examined various types of graphs and explored proofs.
Students discovered the many methods used to solve
quadratic equations. Pre-algebra class used proportions
in many different applications, including problems
involving percent. Students then moved to probability
and discovering the distinction between theoretical outcomes and those that result from actual events.
8D IRLA students recently shared opinions through
our op-ed articles which were full of voice. We then finished out the year with a study of poetry styles and
forms. Ultimately, we used these ideas when writing
our own poetry notebooks and sharing them at a “Community of Poets” day.
8D
Students have completed a unit on quadratic
equations, and tackled the initially intimidating quadratic formula. Throughout the year in
algebra, the students have expanded on their knowledge
of the four basic operations of mathematics: addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division, and how these
operations apply to polynomials, the basic building
blocks of algebra. In our final unit for the year the students will apply their understanding of division as they
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TEAM NEWS
simplify rational expressions and solve rational equations.
The brain is a most-amazing configuration of cells
and connective tissue. The 8th graders learned how the
human brain evolved specific areas to regulate and control everything that happens to them both physiologically
and psychologically. Memories, desires, cravings, and
body functions are all controlled by the brain. Input is
done by the senses, and hearing and vision were explored
in depth. The dissection of the eyeball will remain stored
as a long-term memory for many students.
Students are wading knee deep in metaphors, and
are responding like ducks in water to similes for their
poetry unit. The culmination of all this word fun is the
8th Annual Community of Poets, during which students
will read and/or perform their poems for their peers on
other teams.
Students are discovering how Europe moved itself
out of the Dark Ages and onto exploration and discovery. We will soon engage in our end-of-the-year project,
where we will be able to see the positive and negative
effects of connectedness in our world today.
Team 7A experienced a wonderful year of excitement. Early highlights included reading
core novels such as Fever 1793 and The Giver,
as well as several classic short stories such as “The
Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, and
Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
The immigration
unit in social studies had all the students interview an
individual who was
an American immi-
7A
grant. This gave students information
on how it felt to
immigrate to the
United States, and
at the same time
provided the students with a great
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way to learn about someone’s life. In connection with
the IRLA Ashes of Roses unit, 7A enjoyed a field trip to
the Lower East Side of Manhattan to learn more about
European immigrants who had come through Ellis
Island. Students learned about immigrant life, while trying various foods such as fresh bialys and cannolis.
In science class, a project to make complex
machines to turn on electrical devices was achieved.
These contraptions called “Rube Goldberg” machines
were tested in front of the class and the best ones were
nominated to be videotaped by Ms. Saba. The project
was a fun way to learn about simple machines as well as
testing the students’ creativity. Also in science, a group of
students worked on a quirky and corny science musical
about the internal organs. The students will perform this
play towards the end of the school year.
To round up the fabulous 7A school year, there was
the success of Liam Knox and Sundar Solai in the
National History Day competition. Gabriel YoderShenk also managed to win the state-wide competition
in the Reflections program with his piano composition.
As well as individual successes, over half of the students on the team maintained 7A honor roll status
throughout the year.
Finally, in math, students learned about percents as
well as positive and negative integers, not to mention
dozens of other topics. Overall, the year was a great
success and all the students are well prepared for 8th
grade.
By Srilaya Bhavaraju, David Yaffe-Bellany,
Juliette Garcia-Flahaut, Gabe Yoder-Shenk,
Christina Hayduchok, Deval Shah, Roberta Shapiro
Team 7B Participated in the We the People
Competition. The classroom curriculum program, We the People, affords elementary, middle, and high school students the opportunity to
participate in an innovative course based upon the principles of constitutional democracy in the United States.
The activities complement a wide range of student abilities, and promote critical thinking, problem solving,
and cooperative learning techniques. The program successfully challenges students to develop intellectual and
participatory skills for life while at the same time
increasing students’ knowledge base and understanding of the institutions of American constitutional
democracy. Students’ attitudes are fostered and
enhanced; thus, creating more effective and responsi-
7B
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TEAM NEWS
ble citizens. Participation in this curriculum is training
ground for the future leaders of our country. The students are congratulated on their second place standing
in the state competition. Special thanks go out to mentors of the program Mr. Mort Levine and Ms. Chubik-Kwis for their continued dedication and hard work
enriching this incredible experience for the students.
Purchasing a car seems like a job often left to
the adults. However, the 7C students studying
math with Mrs. Tolbert-Jensen went on their
own journey of buying a car. During the month of April,
students searched for their dream car (an affordable one
of course!) Each student was assigned a monthly salary
and down payment by Mrs. Tolbert-Jensen. From there,
the students found their monthly allotment. And then
the shopping began! Students looked through car magazines and approved websites looking for the right car.
Students used a calculation sheet to show how they calculated sales tax, principle, simple interest, monthly
payment and for some, the compound interest. On each
calculation sheet, the last box was what it all came
down to. This was where the students determined the
difference between their monthly allotment and their
monthly payment. The lower the difference, the higher
their grade on the “accuracy” section of the rubric.
Afterwards, students produced a final project. The
students were permitted to create a PowerPoint, a website, a poster or a video. The students also wrote reflection papers about
their experience
purchasing a car.
However, the project was not limited
to math. In science,
the students learned
about using low gas
mileage and carPhoto: A 7C student’s car project poster pools to stay envi-
7C
ronmentally-friendly in their dream cars. Overall, the
students had a “funducational” time learning about the
harder than expected process of buying a car.
As this is the last edition of the 2010 Panther Press,
the 7C teachers would like to wish everyone a marvelous rest of the school year as well as a happy and
safe summer.
By Anika Varty
PAGE 7
Team 7D ends the year with a bang. In IRLA
we are finishing up our novel unit, Tangerine.
We continue to focus on descriptive language
in literature and formal writing. We will end the school
year with a poetry unit. Mrs. Widmann is feverishly
preparing for the final assessment in math on June 10
and 11. Students have completed their Social Studies
Research Papers on Americans Who Made a Difference.
In science, we are right in the middle of our Energy,
Machines, and Motion unit. We have explored how energy is transformed from one form to another with various activities, such as making a lemon battery, egg
bungee jump, and marble roll. We also explored Newton’s Laws of Motion and are now up to our elbows in
simple machines, building our Rube Goldberg
machines.
7D
Students have made huge strides in mathematics during this school year. Beginning the
year 7E pre-algebra students formally
encountered the idea of integers, positive and negative
numbers, for the first time. Since then they have been
able to write and solve variable equations, mastered
rules for exponents, developed an understanding of percents and their application, and refined methods for
finding the area, surface area, and volume of various
two dimensional and three dimensional shapes. Students are currently expanding their knowledge through
the study of square roots and a practical application of
this idea—the Pythagorean Theorem!
Students transitioned nicely from their simple machine Rube Goldberg devices to exploring the geological history of our wonderful planet. Our trip to Round
Valley culminated many weeks of studies, and allowed
students to make authentic observations to infer how
the geological features of this recreational area formed.
7E IRLA students have been enjoying a unit on science fiction and fantasy. Students formed book clubs
based on their choice of novel and read together, looking for metaphors of present-day life. Their final projects included making movies, game boards, and graphic
representations of what they read.
7E social studies students have been actively discovering the roots of America’s foreign policy decisions. We are forming strong opinions on how we
should interact with other countries and how much
involvement we should have with their issues. We are
looking forward to voicing our opinions in a letter to
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TEAM NEWS
the President on how we should proceed with our future
foreign policy decisions.
The Team 6A teachers thank all of the family
members who take part in ensuring the success
of the students on this team. Without all of
you, we could not have had such a great year! The students have accomplished so much over the course of
ten months in all of their classes and extra curricular
activities. They have made a significant impact on our
school community and you would never guess that just
a short time ago that they were brand new to CMS! 6A
is looking forward to spending a few days together in
the great outdoors on the annual 6th Grade Outdoor
Education trip June 9-11. The students also look forward to creating many memories, learning about and
experiencing the environment in a hands on way.
6A
Team 6B is preparing for Outdoor Education
which will take place June 9th-11th. Students
have created a cover for their Outdoor Education Book and will soon assemble the book. Campers
have been provided with a packing list and should be
gathering any items necessary for camp. Outdoor Education is one of the most memorable experiences for
middle school students. Both students and teachers are
eagerly looking forward to the Outdoor Education
experience.
6B
Ms. Crain’s math class students are planning
an incredible evening for Team 6C’s Math
Night courtesy of McCaffrey’s of West Windsor! This evening is an annual event using the content
of the 6th grade math curriculum in a real-world setting
that always proves to be fun for all!
In class, the students recently completed a unit on
area of circles, trapezoids, parallelograms and triangles
using previously learned applications of PEMDAS (order
of operations) with spiraling of all four operations of fractions and decimals. Fourth marking period has included
using all four quadrants for coordinate graphing, use of
properties (commutative, associative and distributive),
theoretical and experimental probability, integers as well
as rates and rations. We are anxiously waiting for another
Team Math and invite any adult, college student home
for the summer or visiting relatives to come join in the
fun. (Please don't hesitate to volunteer- remember that
you receive the answer key!)
In Dr. Cheek’s IRLA class, students have com-
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pleted their study of Greek Mythology and The Adventures of Ulysses and are currently engaged in reading an adapted version of Shakespeare’s The Tragedy
of Julius Caesar. These reading/writing units have connected with Mrs. Kotch’s social studies class and their
study of the classical cultures of ancient Greece and
Rome. In the words of the great Caesar, they came, they
saw, and they conquered this introduction to Shakespeare!
In Mrs. Kotch’s social studies class, after a study of
ancient Greece, all roads have recently led to Rome. In
conjunction with the reading of Shakespeare’s dramatic
depiction of Julius Caesar in IRLA, students have had
an opportunity to explore the factual person of Caesar
and his reign in ancient Rome.
In Mr. Maggio’s science class, students have been
working on a unit about organisms, which includes
growing Wisconsin fast plants and raising cabbage
white butterflies so they can study the relationships
between the two organisms. They have also dissected
an owl pellet, assembled the bones found in the pellet,
and created a food web after conducting research on
their findings. Rounding out this year’s science curriculum is Outdoor Education where students participate in a number of science-oriented activities.
Approaching the last leg of a gratifying year
of studying ancient civilizations, the 6D
social studies classes have embarked on two
projects to round out their year. Students were busy figuring out “who’s who” in Ancient Rome by creating
classroom timeline posters and 1-2 minute taped documentaries. The inclusion of technology, which included
using laptop carts, internet-based research, and Flip
Cams, has been an integral part of the Social Studies
classes all year. The “who’s who” project gave the students an opportunity to show off their skills to their
peers. The project culminated with a viewing of each
period’s documentary. To conclude their unit on Rome,
the 6D students participated in a “Fall of Rome Trial.”
Student judges heard the cases and placed the blame for
the collapse of the Roman Empire. In full character,
complete with costumes and props, these student legal
teams brought history alive! The students of 6D were
excited to wrap up their study of history with these fun,
interactive challenges, and look forward to enjoying
Outdoor Education, final 6D team-days, summer vacations, and their next journey as 7th graders here at Community Middle School.
6D
PANTHER PRESS
TEAM 6E is preparing for the end of the world
(at least according to the Mayans and Hollywood, vis a vis, “2012”) through the study and
construction of hurricane-resistant housing. The exploration and analysis of catastrophic events and other
weather-related patterns continues and will hopefully
serve as a good luck avatar…especially with Outdoor
Education approaching (read, “Please…no rain!”).
Mathematically speaking, the students of 6E have
been putting their learning to the test and engaging in
enrichment activities to prepare for an end-of-the-year
math assessment. The team has also been focusing on
the study of area, volume, and perimeter of both simple
and compound shapes.
Language Arts finds TEAM 6E reading actively and
applying their writing know-how to their work. The
novels of Jerry Spinelli have been studied (Wringer and
Maniac Magee) and contrasted with classic stories such
as, Ulysses, and King Arthur. Presently, the students
have been practicing writing poetry and continue to
analyze different genres of reading and writing.
“When in Rome…” Therefore, the students have
been studying ancient Roman civilization and its
impact on our United States culture in Social Studies.
Why did the founding fathers opt for Roman representative democracy versus direct democracy, a la the
ancient Greeks? The answer? Have you watched any
Philadelphia Phillies games lately? Tasers? The students have studied seminal events in American history
such as Shays’ Rebellion and how it relates to the
development of our government as we know it today.
-Susan Roe (parent)
6E
ESL STUDENTS PRESENT
CHINESE CULTURE
PAGE 9
TEAM NEWS
On May 7th, ESL students from China, Hong Kong
and Taiwan presented Chinese culture to Ms. Pei’s Chinese language class. Their topics were Chinese chess, a
Chinese folk story on the New Year Monster, Chinese
Writing System and the Origin of the Chinese Characters. In addition, students formed four research groups
and prepared ten questions to interview their American
peers. ESL students who participated in this joint class
project are as follows: Larry Li and Shuning Chen
presented Chinese Chess; James Guo and Eric Yu presented the Origin of Chinese Characters; Yulun Wu,
Tracy Wan and Peggy Yang presented the Chinese
Writing System; Jason Chen and Yu-Chih Chiu presented a Chinese Folk Story on the New Year Monster
Congratulations!
Contributed by their
Chinese bilingual teacher Ms. Zhao
CARING AWARDS
ASSEMBLY
Seventh grader Ambika Nair represented CMS at the
Caring Awards Assembly from the Mercer County Professional Counselors Association in April. Her parents
were present while her school counselor Faith Scibienski proudly spoke of Ambika’s outstanding kindness
and caring.
CHESS CLUB
Spring Chess Club has completed its chess tournament. First place winner is Larry Li from 6 B; 2nd
place winner is Rohan Patlola from 6 C and both Jisan
Lee from 6B and Andrew Ma from 7A won 3rd place.
Congratulations!
In addition to the chess tournament, CMS Chess
Club also completed a Connect 4 Tournament. Larry
Li from 6B won 1st place again. Jisan Lee from 6B
won 2nd place and Arpit Shah from 6B is the 3rd place
winner. Congratulations again!
By Ms. Zhao, Chess Club supervisor
PAGE 10
PANTHER PRESS
SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
Have Family Fun Time This Summer
We spend so much time worrying about our children’s academics, their sports teams, their friendships…
we forget to just spend time with our children. Do you
discuss anything other than these topics? What activities do you do as a family just for fun? When was the
last time you had a movie night, played a board game,
or tucked your child into bed? Even though they’re
entering adolescence, children still love and need those
childhood family rituals. They help you stay connected
to your ever-changing pre-teen or teenager, and they’re
fun! Summer is a great time to get into the habit of
relaxing and doing things together as a family.
In today’s society, reasons to spend time as a family
aren’t hard to find, but having the time … well that’s
another story. Parents are working long hours, kids are
running to their many activities, and there is never
enough time in a day. It is important for parents and children just to spend time enjoying each other’s company
as a family. Nobody would disagree about the benefits of
having a well-connected family. Family talks and family
activities enhance open communication, the sharing of
family values, and problem-solving skills. Additionally,
children who spend “together time” with their families
are less likely to look for that sense of belonging and connection elsewhere. The summer is a great time to do a
better job of having fun together as a family.
Here are some quick suggestions of ways to
enhance your family’s “together time.”
How to get started…
• Schedule regular times during the week.
• Have a family meeting and ask your kids for suggestions.
• Start with something fun to get the ball rolling.
Ideas for the home…
• Set a limit for activities that keep you sitting, such
as video games, television, computer, etc.
• Choose fitness-oriented presents for others.
• Invite other relatives and other families whenever
possible.
• Dust off those board games for a game night!
• Emphasize having “FUN”—not who won.
• Eat dinner at the fancy dining room table.
• Declare a movie night, with popcorn, candy, the
works!
Ideas for the backyard…
• Run, jog, and walk together.
• Learn to juggle.
• Dig out the hula hoop, jump rope, pogo stick or
sidewalk chalk.
• Go in-line skating or roller skating together.
• Wash the car.
• Take the family dog for a walk.
• Play a game of basketball or even kickball.
Summer Counseling Schedule
CMS counselors will be available periodically during July and August. Your calls will be returned as soon
as possible. If you have a question that requires immediate attention, please call the main office. During the
month of August new students will be registered and
student schedules will be finalized. In August, you will
receive a letter listing your child’s team, homeroom and
information about the start of school in September.
Schedules and lockers will be distributed in homeroom
on the first day of school.
The school counselors wish all students and their
families a safe, relaxing and stress-free summer. We
look forward to welcoming the incoming sixth graders
and wish our eighth graders continued success and
happiness at High School North.
CHOIR PERFORMANCE
Twenty-five students from CMS travelled to New York
City on April 15 and 16 and had the extreme honor of
performing at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. These
students performed in the Spring Sing: Anniversary
Celebration of Lincoln Center. The first day of the trip
included hours of rehearsals, a fun dinner break and
finally retiring to the luxurious Sheraton Towers in
Times Square. To add to this opportunity of a lifetime,
Mr. Timothy Shew was the emcee for the concert. Mr.
Shew has held the role of Jean val Jean in Les Miserables as well as Bye Bye Birdie, The Scarlet Pimpernel
and Guys and Dolls. He performed two numbers at the
beginning of the concert. Directors Patricia Conover
and Maureen Murphy-Fernandez couldn’t have been
prouder!
PANTHER PRESS
PAGE 11
PAGE 12
PANTHER PRESS
STUDENT
COUNCIL
Student Council attended an award
ceremony at Six Flags Great Adventure on May 13th. This year’s council received the Community Sunshine
Award for participating in over 450
volunteer hours this school year! The
council also received an award for
raising $2,000 for The Family Reach Foundation in
addition to having raised $500 for The American Red
Cross for relief efforts in Haiti. A big thank you goes
out to all who made it possible!
Congratulations to the new CMS Student Council
Executive Board for the 2010-11 school year!
President: ....................................................Miriam Li
Vice President: .....................................Kyle Jacobson
Corresponding Secretary:........................Sophie Ochs
Recording Secretary: .......................Kavya Pochiraju
Liaison:.....................................................Saachi Bedi
Congratulations to the new High School North
Student Council Executive Board for the 2010-11
school year!
President: .........................................Adam Kercheval
Vice President: ........................................Lev Gedrich
Class Representatives:..........................Jessie Bizenov
Julianna Haase
Divya Menezes
Stephanie Sievers
Joyce Zhange
Secretary ...........................................Julia Tampellini
Treasurer: .............................................Aditya Bindra
C A L E NDA R f or JU NE
Monday, June 7 A Day
Science Olympiad Team Banquet – 6:30pm
Tuesday, June 8 B Day
PRISM EXPO – 7 to 8:30pm
World Cup – 7th grade
6th Grade Outdoor Ed Camp June 9-11
Thursday, June 10 B Day
7th Grade Math Finals (Pre-Algebra Honors)
during regular Math Class
Friday, June 11 A Day
8th Grade End of the Year Dance – 7:30 to 10pm
Monday, June 14 B Day
Rain Date for World Cup
Tuesday, June 15 A Day
8th Grade Hershey Park Field Trip
Wednesday, June 16 B Day
8th Grade awards Assembly
6th Grade choir sings at Trenton Thunders
Baseball Game
Thursday, June 17 A Day
8th grade Salute – 7:30pm
Friday, June 18 B Day
8th grade picnic
LAST DAY – EARLY DISMISSAL