April 2016 - Falcon Cove Middle School

THE FALCON TIMES
Falcon Cove Middle School
4251 Bonaventure Boulevard
Weston, FL 33332
Http://www.falconcove.net
SPRING
STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE
Dear Falcon Cove Families:
APRIL 2016
Important Dates to Remember
Falcon Cove Events
Bird’s Eye View (incoming 6th Graders visit) …..
April 20th—6:30pm
Falcon Cove Film Fest …….…... April 21st—6:30pm
Solo & Ens. Band I & II ……..... April 28th—4:30pm
NJHS Ceremony ………….….... April 28th—6:00pm
Spring is in the air!
Band Music Fest ………………..... May 6th -4 :30pm
As we celebrate the end of 2015 and
begin a new year, I wanted to take this
opportunity to share with you some fantastic recent events, honors around "the
Cove", and important dates to remember.
City Scenes & Dreams ……...….. May 19th –7:00pm
The great things going on at the cove
are due to the great partnership we
have between our staff, our parents,
and our students. I encourage you to
continue to be a part of this winning
combination that makes Falcon Cove one
of the premiere middle schools in the
State of Florida.
Drama, Band & Dance Banquet … June 6th—
6:00pm
Sincerely,
Spring Concert ……………….…. May 20th—7:00pm
Fine Art ………………...….……. May 24th—7:00pm
Alice in Wonderland ………….….. June 1st -7 :00pm
8th Grade Dance ………………….. June 3rd -6 :00pm
Awards Night …………………….. June 8th—6:30pm
School Calendar Events
Report Cards …………………………….… April 14th
Interim Reports …………………...… April 28th
Dr. Mark J. Kaplan,
Principal
Teacher Planning ……………………... May 27th
Early Release/Last Day ………………... June 9th
Introducing our new 8th Grade Assistant Principal
Please join FCMS in welcoming our new 8th grade assistant
principal, Mr. Daniel Lechtman. Mr. Lechtman grew up in North
Miami Beach and attended North Miami Beach High school. He
received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Florida and completed his Master's in Educational
Leadership at the University of Scranton, Ohio.
Mr. Lechtman’s career in education began at Sabal Palm Elementary in Dade County teaching 5th grade, where he stayed
for two years and then was given the opportunity of teaching
at the high school level at Stoneman Douglas High. He taught
Social Studies with an emphasis on World History for ten
years and finished his career teaching U.S. History and Law Studies to both Regular students and
Advanced Placement students. During his time at Stoneman Douglas from 2009-2011, Mr. Lechtman was the Behavior Specialist, which gave his an insight into some of the duties of an Assistant
Principal.
In his free time he loves to surf and mountain bike. He was a triathlete for many years competing
in all distances from sprints to half-ironman. He is extremely happy to be part of the Falcon Cove
team and hopes to make a positive impact here for years to come.
Welcome new teachers!
I decided to join Falcon Cove because of the opportunity to be with a
school that genuinely has the best interest for all of its students to
succeed in a diverse community. I am delighted to be a part of the
Falcon Cove community for the 2015-16 school year. In collaboration
Mr. Baez—Social Studies
with all faculty, staff, students, and parents, I am honored to be in7th grade
volved with a team that will continue to widen students’ academic horizons.
I came to Falcon Cove Middle School to teach sixth grade English Language Arts, because the
students are amazing, the staff is supportive, and resources are readily
available.
Music is my passion and is one of the most influential components of my
life. My hobbies include performing and composing music, volunteering
and donating to humanitarian causes, playing tennis, and spending quality
time with my family. Currently, I am the president of a non-profit charitable organization called Child of Mine, which focuses on helping underprivileged children in Honduras. I graduated from Broward College
Ms. Guimaraes—Language with honors as an Exceptional Student Education major with reading
Arts 6th grade
and ESOL endorsements.
Mr. España¨s 2nd, 3rd, and 4th period Spanish Speakers 2
class worked on a project in which they had to recreate the
scenario of a story read in class. They had to summarize the
main idea and convert it into a scene.
These are the stories read in my class:
Mis primeros versos—My first Verse by Ruben Dario.
Primero de Secundaria—My Freshman year by Gary Soto
Un Cuentecillo Triste—A Sad Story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
La Guerra de los Yacares—The Battle of the Aligators By Horacio
Quiroga
Popping into Science!
As you can see in the following examples, this project
concerns convection, conduction, and radiation. With
conduction, energy is transferred through direct
touch, whether it's through a cold hand grabbing a
warm mug of hot cocoa or even ice melting in warmth.
With radiation, energy is transferred by the energy of
electromagnetic waves (Or EM waves).
Examples include visible light, microwaves, and infrared light, along with convection, which is
transferred by energy as heat by the movement of a liquid or gas. Convection occurs when a
cooler, denser mass of a gas or liquid is pushing it upward. These three energy transfers are
involved with our daily lives, where in this example even with the food eat regularly!
Written by Bryanna Lares
Book Goes to the Bonnet House
Do you know where the movie “Hoot” was shot? It was shot at the Bonnet House which is right
here in Florida. The Falcon Cove Book Club went to the Bonnet House on January 14, 2016. We
saw some amazing plants and animals, especially birds, and learned so much about Fort Lauderdale history.
We read the book “Counting by 7’s” by Holly Goldberg Sloan. In the book, the main character,
Willow, is struggling to fit in. She is an orphan; her biological parents were killed, and her adopted
parents were killed as well. She is taken
in by a classmate and her family, and
although her classmate’s family is very
poor, they happily take in Willow. The
book Counting by 7’s took us on an
amazing journey through the world of
an 11 year old girl. Even though she has
been through a lot in her life, Willow is
always trying to be positive no matter
what, and she brings this positive attitude to the people around her. She even
manages to turn a shabby, low-class slot
of land, into a magnificent, thriving garden that all of the community can enjoy.
You might be wondering what this all
has to do with the Bonnet House. Well,
Willow had some hobbies that gave her happiness: gardening, bird watching, and pretty much nature in general. Every year, the book club tries to go on a field trip related to the books that we
read. We thought this trip to the Bonnet House would be a perfect mix of nature, history, and
books. The club’s advisor, Mrs. Alexander found the Bonnet House, and she immediately knew we
should go there. At the Bonnet House, history and nature were brought together in one brilliant,
beautiful location. It was perfect!
Swans, strangling trees, and more!!! Our first impression of the Bonnet House was its beautiful
courtyard. With a stunning fountain in the middle, and plants adorning the pathway, it was truly a
sight to behold. Next, we took a tour through the house, and we learned how the Bonnet House
became the way it is now. After that, we took a walk through the gardens. We saw two majestic
swans floating on a river with lilies. We also saw strangler trees that grow around another tree.
It doesn’t kill the tree, but it does protect it. We also got some tips on bird watching and different bird traits to look for. The book club looks forward to our next book related field trip!
Article written by Eniya Krishnaraj—Book Club President
Team 706 FSA Kick-off ….
As the upcoming FSA dawns on the students of Falcon Cove, Team 706 (Gifted) has
decided to celebrate its arrival with a fun-filled, yet intellectually intriguing day.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democratic representative for our very own Florida
district in Congress, paid our campus
(and her daughter who is a fellow
student) a wholesome visit. Wasserman’s speech consisted of nearly everything to inspire those wanting to jump
right into the field of American Government. She described just how difficult it was for her, a young girl,
fresh out of college, to climb up the career ladder. One of the most valuable things she expressed was
the importance of hard work. Again and again, Mrs. Schultz carved it in: hard
work was the very thing that brought her to this stage today. Whether it was
dedication, perseverance, or just basic passion for politics, you knew she had
it. To finish off her presentation, Mrs Wasserman Schultz insightfully answered the students’ prewritten questions about just how a Congresswomen
really lives.
After having their fair share of pizza in the bus loop’s “little patch of heaven,” the classes separated
into groups, excitedly waiting to explore what else was in store for them.
The Museum of Discovery and Science so graciously brought in two educators, Camillo and Peggy, to provide two thirds of the day’s activities. The
first being a CSI and Scientific Method hands
on activity. The second, essential to understanding the said CSI one, was a demonstration of how several elements and chemicals
act or react in our world. If we had been told before Friday morning that
later today they would see plasma being made in front of their own eyes or
this “fire jug” thing light up with flames, they would have called you insane.
But really, that’s just how crazy it was to see the liquids mix around and
solidify and change color all at once. It definitely goes without saying, these demonstrations really lit a
spark in the students hearts.
Last but certainly not least was a sprinkle of improvisation. The students had
done “improv” before, acting, dancing around, etc., but this time we had 45
seconds to complete the task. Mrs. Vitello, Team 706’s Language Arts teacher, instructed the groups. She conducted warm-ups, pulled random names
forming them into trios, and presented a topic unknown to the audience all
for the spirit of performance.
We are truly thankful for the many opportunities we get to learn and enjoy ourselves all at once. With such a tense schedule hanging over us, Gifted Team 706’s
FSA Kickoff will be a time we’ll look on to reconcile the burden of modern school
“finals” life. - Article written by:
Gianna Chavez
Mock Trial at Nova
On April 2nd, fourteen students from Mrs. Stewart's Civics class participated in Nova Southeastern University's Street Law Mock Trial Competition at the Broward County Courthouse in
front of real lawyers and judges. During this ten-week program, a
law student came into the classroom to teach students about the
legal system, courts, and how trials are
conducted. To prepare for the competition, students wrote up their own opening
and closing statements and created their
own questions for the direct and cross examination of witnesses. In this mock trial,
a defendant named, Stefan Scurry was charged with murder in the
first degree. Our prosecution and defense teams were successful against their opponents
from William Dandy Middle School and did a phenomenal job arguing their cases.
Go Falcons!
Author Visits Falcon Cove 6th Graders ...
James Grippando came to talk with the 6th grade Research students about Leapholes, the book they are currently reading. His
very interesting and informative presentation included a powerpoint about historical legal causes and cases that are the foundation for his novel, including US v. Holmes, Dred Scott v. Sanford,
Rosa Parks, the 14th Ammendment,
Prigg v. Pennsylvania, etc.
He shared with the students his inspiration for this book, along with how his
ideas for some of the other novels he
has written were formulated in his imagination. He took selfies with the students
and signed their own copies of Leapholes.
It was a wonderful and exciting morning
for our students!
Mrs. Wasserstrom and
Author James Grippando
Drama News …
In December, Drama Club presented SEUSSICAL to the fifth
graders from our feeder elementary schools (Manatee Bay,
Everglades, and Gator Run).
This annual tradition welcomes
our "Future Falcons" and gives
them a positive first-impression
of their new school. "This is one
of the highlights of Drama Club.
We get to welcome the fifth
graders and show them some of
the amazing experiences that
await them," said 8th grader
Silvia Zervos, who played the Cat In the Hat and is a member of the Drama Club's
Board of Directors.
Mrs. Alter's Dance students
took a very active role in the
show, providing beautiful choreography and a much-needed
vibrance to the world of
Seuss. Said Taylor Munger,
8th Grade Captain (2nd from
the left), "I love to tell stories
through dance and you just
don't get better than Dr.
Seuss!"
The Members of the Drama II
& III classes competed at the
Florida State Junior Thespian Festival in Orlando against schools from across the
state. With more than 5,000 participants, Florida has the largest middle school aged
theatre festival in the world. We earned Superiors in nearly every category we entered, including the highly competitive One-Act play category, for which only four
schools from Broward County, including public and private, were permitted to perform.
LADY FALCONS SOCCER COUNTY CHAMPIONS!
Congratulations to the Lady Falcons Soccer Team! They are the 2015 MSAA Soccer County Champions.
The Lady Falcons have won the soccer championship four out of the past five years and six Championships in ten years. The Lady Falcons went undefeated 12-0! Our suffocating defense of Morgan
Meuleman, Kelly Hastings, Riley Carpenteri (Captain), Sydney Hackmeyer, and Goalie Franchesca
Ramirez recorded nine shut out games (including the Semi-Final and Final games). Scoring this year
came from a lot of different players. Adriana Rincon scored the goal in the Championship game and
Sami Rheingold was named the games MVP. Camila Jimenez and Adriana Rincon were a big part of our
goal scoring arsenal this year and when we really needed a goal they delivered. Alex Goffi (captain),
Kim Cover, Sophia Pieschacon (captain), and Sami Rheingold were fierce and essential keys to controlling the field and getting the ball to where we needed it
to be.
This has been an incredible season for the Lady Falcons. Coach Hoopes remarked, ”This is a special group.
They are dedicated, driven, and have a strong work ethic. They sacrifice so much of their time, their parents
sacrifice so much of their time, and Coach Stupp and I
appreciate the commitment they make to each other
and to representing their school. People think it’s easy
to win because they already play soccer. It’s never easy
to win; we always play in a difficult division with strong
teams. Everyone wants to beat Falcon Cove Middle
School (FCMS) and in ten years there are only four
schools that have ever done that. It takes a special kind of person and player to make it to a championship. We try to put them in the best possible position to win, but in the end, it’s all up to the players.
I’m so happy that they were able to win together and I’m so proud of them.”
Before the Championship game the Lady Falcons participated in the “Making Strides American Cancer
Society Breast Cancer Walk” together with Coach Hoopes, Coach Stupp, and some of their parents.
Coach Hoopes stated, ” I wanted them to participate in this event because our soccer girls are a family. Being involved helps them appreciate each other and value one another. I try to help them understand the importance of serving others. If they can understand we are all here to help each other,
maybe when they adults they can impart that compassion into their lives. Volunteering your time to
help others always has a great benefit to building a strong team. They realize they can do anything as
long as they are together. These experiences help create memories and bond them forever. As a female it's important for young girls to know about this cause. Important for them to know people are
trying to make a difference by finding a cure. Important for them to know that whatever they choose
to do or support, they can truly make a difference in this world.”
Coach Stupp, co-coach of the ”The Lady Falcon Soccer Team” ,agrees that FCMS had such a successful
season this year because of the dedication and heart displayed by each member. Additionally, the girls
had so much fun playing together, that each day, created special moments that they will never forget.
Winning is wonderful, but watching the sportsmanship, integrity, and selflessness displayed every day
is what makes this a true winning team.”
Guac the Guac ...
Mrs. Jimenez's and Mrs. Negron's Spanish II classes have just finished Unit 4 -Food Vocabulary and Commands, for the Grammar. The book comes with the
recipe for guacamole, so as for a
project, Mrs. Jimenez thought it
would be fun to make guacamole.
First students had to write a script,
all in Spanish, and act it out in
class -- no reading allowed. The
students were very creative. At the
end of the script they ended up
giving the commands in Spanish
to make the guacamole (cut the onions, smash the avocado, mix the ingredients, etc.) thus practicing the grammar part of the unit. Mrs. Negron's classes did a similar project. The students
made a recipe and made a video while they were cooking. The videos were
shared in class and everyone had a great time while learning vocabulary and
grammar.
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!
Film I students took over various locations including Mr.
Kaplan's office as part of their music video project. The project entitled "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" is one of many projects that was a recreation or an interpretation of an exisiting
video. The students enjoyed working with the office staff and
their teachers, Mrs. Schrager and Mr. Hengge. This project
was an exciting venture for all of the students because their music videos were televised
throughout the school for all of the Falcon students to enjoy!
World Languages District Middle School Academic Competition
World Languages can provide a variety of exciting and challenging experiences for students
of all grade levels. The element of competition promotes standards of excellence on personal, school, community, district, and state levels. Through the different categories of the academic competition, students demonstrate knowledge of the language and culture they are learning. This year the competition
had 35 schools participating. There were over 500 students in
attendance at Falcon Cove on March 12th.
Participation in the district competition is as follows:
Declamation – (Six students per level, per language taught at
each school may participate)
Impromptu Speaking (Three per level per language)
Project (Three per language per school)
Poster (Three per language per school)
New Media – Pod casting, Glides, PowerPoint (3 per language per
school)
Live Skit (One per language per school)
Live Talent (Two per school, per language)
At the conclusion of the competition participants are awarded
medals depending on the points they had accumulated in their individual event. The medals are:
First Place—Gold
Second PlaceSilver
Third place ⇒ Bronze
Fourth place will receive a certificate or ribbon
The models represent the different important landmarks or
cultural aspects of the different Spanish speaking countries.
PTA NEWS . . .
Peer Tutoring
The FCMS PTA always has a busy spring season. On Tuesday, February 16, they hosted
the Harlem Wizards Basketball team who played
against the Fighting Falcons. This team consisted
of faculty and staff members from Falcon Cove,
Gator Run, Everglades and Manatee Bay Elementary schools.
The Peer Counseling Program is in full swing.
The peer counselors are wonderful tutors
(tutoring in all subject areas) and are
trained to be
great listeners.
Peer
Counsels
have
valuable
skills to help
your child succeed.
Currently, the PTA is planning an event for
the 7th graders for after school on Friday,
April 8 and the exciting 8th grade dance
which is set for Friday, June 3rd.
If your child is
having any academic concerns or just would
like to speak to someone, please call the
grade level center for further information.
One of the PTA’s
goals for the spring
is to give back to
Falcon Cove by accomplishing a variety
of projects with funds raised from Flight of
the Falcon. Just to name a few, the PTA are
looking into installing a shade structure over
the pavers in the courtyard by the bus loop,
purchasing a new sound system for the cafeteria, installing pavers over the grass area in
front of the front office, and purchasing new
cameras for the film classes, digital printers
for the Arts. We have also given the front
office a make-over!
Math Tutoring
Cypress
Bay
High
School Students come
to Falcon Cove every
other Tuesday for Math
Tutoring. A permission
slip must be signed and
given to the 8th grade
center in order to participate.
form for exact dates.
Please see
Breakfast/Lunch
Parents, if you would like to prepay for lunch,
please have your child bring either cash or a
The PTA is currently looking for new mem- check to the cafeteria before school and give
bers to join the PTA Board for 2016-2017. If it to one of the cashiers.
anyone is interested, please contact us for all
Breakfast
is
the details.
served
from
For all information and to see what is going
8:55—9:25
am.
on, check out our website at
The main meal is
www.falconcovepta.com.
free any extras
are paid for.