Nishuane News - Montclair PTA Council
Transcription
Nishuane News - Montclair PTA Council
SPRING 2010 Nishuane News Nishuane PTA Newsletter 02 In this Issue: Chatting with Principal Gail Clarke Community News House D Production 03 House C Production The Making of a Nishuane Production 04 Fireball 2010 PTA Behind the Scenes 05 School Tours Beautification by Design 06 Gentle Tiger, Happy Dragon Kindergartners Love Aesthetics Gym Class: Nishuane Style 07 Why Nishuane? School Lunch 08 Kudos to Our Kids Acknowledgements Greetings from Tessie Thomas PTA President The recent weeks have been eventful for Nishuane and all the other schools in the Montclair school district. As most of you are aware, we are facing unprecedented budget cuts. This is a direct result of about 60% reduction in state aid emanating from efforts to cut the deficit in New Jersey. These are tough times, and tough times have a way of bringing out the best in us and the worst in us – as individuals and as a community. Needless to say, the last few weeks did just that. The environment created ended up pitting neighbor against neighbor in some cases. Choice of schools for our children has been a luxury in Montclair but sometimes it has brought out strong feelings. Plenty of emotions were on display in the last few weeks. At the end of the day the schools in Montclair have more in common than commonly understood. But at times like this the minor differences come under the spotlight and seem to get exaggerated beyond belief. We, at all the schools, are in it together. All our children graduate from the same high school and we can only be as strong as the weakest link in the school system. We all need to come to terms with the new reality of the budget cuts and learn to do more with less. These tough times brought the best out of the Nishuane community. We conducted ourselves with decency and dignity. We 32 Cedar Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042 were relentless in keeping the focus on issues that impacted all the schools – transparency, equity, and parent inputs. We managed to get across the Nishuane point of view in the context of an integrated magnet theme and without divisiveness. Thank you. As a PTA, we have exercised reasonable controls on costs and consistently raised funds for the last two years. The very successful Fireball recently raised about $30k and almost doubled our funds. We are fortunate to find ourselves in this situation and are planning to use these funds prudently as investments into the school infrastructure to create lasting benefits for Nishuane and to alleviate some of the budget cuts impacts. Building a broadcast studio is becoming a realistic goal now with these available funds. I encourage everyone to reach out to us with other investment ideas for the school. In the last few weeks I have looked at my kids and wondered if they will be as fortunate as our generation was in being able to get high quality education at a reasonable cost. I have a feeling that volunteering and staying involved in the school is going to matter more now than ever before. Given the wide and deep involvement of the Nishuane families, we are well on our way to fulfill our part in sustaining quality education for our children. Let’s keep it going! 973.509.4222 www.nishuanepta.org F r o m t h e M a i n O f f i c e Chatting with Principal Gail Clarke Interview by Denise Ford Sawadogo At the January school review meeting Gail and a few teachers discussed and demonstrated Nishuane’s reading programs. I asked why she decided to discuss this topic, the main points she wants families to know about the program and what she looks forward to this spring. Gail: The school review committee conducted a parent survey in September. The majority of responding families had requested that a formal presentation of the Houghton-Mifflin and Fundations Phonics programs be presented. Nishuane’s reading program follows Community News Staff Changes and Accomplishments by Denise Ford Sawadogo Ms. Jenna Fragale is now a second grade teacher in room 209. Last year she was an in-class kindergarten support teacher. Prior to that, she worked at Watchung School. This is her fourth year in the Montclair School District. She is a graduate of Montclair State University, where she is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Special Education. “This year has been very exciting for me; to watch the children progress and see their skills grow and improve are two of the many reasons why being a teacher is special. I look forward to a great rest of the year and to hopefully working with your children.” Mrs. Khalida Lewis, now a kindergarten teacher in room B-11, was previously a STARS instructional assistant for one year at Nishuane. Her experiences have taken her from 15 years in corporate America to following her passion teaching Early Childhood. Ms. Lewis is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Kean University. “The students here at Nishuane have allowed me to continue to follow my passion and 02 the state standards and district curriculum. All classrooms utilize the language arts program via the HoughtonMifflin resources and also integrate the Fundations Multi-Sensory Phonics into that model. Fundations addresses phonics, handwriting, and spelling instruction and replaces those components found in the Houghton-Mifflin series. By integrating the two programs I expect increased reading proficiencies for all students, increased appreciation for literature and increased student successes in all areas of reading and language arts. We continue to assess our students using a variety of formative and summative assessment tools that include, but are not limited to—Houghton Mifflin unit and skill tests, teacher observations, Fundations inventory and unit tests, and other similar methods. For the future, we will continue to infuse both approaches and we are looking to pilot the use of the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) in all K-2 classrooms. This diagnostic tool is administered one to one and will allow the classroom teacher to have a clearer understanding of a child’s specific strengths and weaknesses in all aspects of reading. The data will be used to guide a teacher’s differentiated plans to better meet the diverse needs of the students. This spring season, I look forward to the new CI/Aesthetics catalog which includes detailed descriptions and exciting course offerings and of course I can’t wait for Mayfair! calling to teach. It is for that very reason I am grateful for their smiles and their presence.” Mrs. Valerie E. Hampton has returned to teaching first grade in room 105. Ms. Hampton taught reading last year and worked as a curriculum support teacher for nine years at Nishuane. Before that, she taught first grade for seventeen years. “Teaching is my passion.” Kristy Scanlan, daughter of Nishuane’s Drama teacher, Mrs. Doreen Cleerdin produced a new Lego animation feature which premiered this March at “Legoland”, California. The movie, titled, LEGO: The Adventures of Clutch Powers,”reinforces the importance of “teamwork”. In September 2009, Kristy produced the animated Lego DVD Bionicle-themed: “The Legend Reborn”, featuring the voice of Michael Dorn from “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Mrs. Cleerdin is a proud mom! marched, danced and twirled their way to a flawless production. At the end of the play, the students of House D led the audience to a rocking rendition of some holiday classics. In her closing remarks, Principal Gail Clarke thanked the tireless efforts of Mrs. Cleerdin who wrote and directed as well as Melanie Koebel and Donna McGowan for the wonderful music. Peter Johnson and Ivory Wise’s creative costumes, as well as Eric Eder’s staging and Ginger Reilly’s choreography, made the production come alive. Please send your updates to Denise Ford Sawadogo: [email protected] House D Production Full of Holiday Cheer by Marika Alzadon House D kicked off the 2009 holiday season with it’s production of “Clara’s Nutcracker” on December 17th. Based on the “Nutcracker” classic, the packed audience went along with Clara and her nutcracker as they journeyed to the Magical Land of Sweets. Students of House D, dressed as snowflakes, gum drops and toy soldiers- H o u s e N e w s House C Production Re-dressing a Classic by Benesia Babb The House C Production titled “The Emperor’s New Clothes” re-dressed the Hans Christian Andersen classic with just the right dose of comedic creativity. The play told the tale of an Emperor too obsessed with his external appearance to tend to the cares of his subjects. When two scoundrels concoct a plan to exploit his vanity, the play shifts into high gear when a band of neglected musicians, solicited the audience’s participation as they left the stage in procession and song. Cast members flipped, danced and sang their way through a flawless production, which kept the audience laughing with moments of witty comedy. In her closing remarks, Assistant Principal Cenithia Bilal applauded the hard work and dedication of House C teachers, parent volunteers and production staff. Special thanks went out to producers Ms. Koebel and Mrs. McGowan; script-writer Mrs. Cleerdin; set designers Mr. Johnson and Ms. Wise; stage manager Mr. Eder; and choreographer Mrs. Reilly. The Making of a Nishuane House Production by Peter Wert, with contribution from Anika Taylor Seeing our little ones blossom on stage may feel like a brief moment to us as parents, but to our children, the classroom teachers and the dedicated SNAP staff, it has been a long process spanning two months filled with hard work and creativity. While performing their grand collaborative effort to the Nishuane community gives the children of each house their moment in the sun, spending a few weeks observing the elements of the creative process reveals how important and vital these productions are to the growth of our children. Let’s journey “backstage” to see how their work is more than a brief moment showing off for friends and families. The classroom teachers in the house gather with our resident drama teacher, Mrs. Cleerdin, to bounce around ideas. Ultimately, a script source is selected and re-worked to fit the specific needs and size of the House. The material contains a theme appropriate to our children and provides a positive message of respect, kindness or teamwork that befits the Nishuane community. The story is outlined to allow the SNAP team to begin their creative process; music needs to be selected, re-arranged and lyrics written by Mrs. McGowan and Mrs. Koebel; movement and dances need to be created by Mrs. Reilly; and the visual artistry of the production is sketched out by Ms. Wise (costumes) and Mr. Johnson (sets). Casting is no easy task and not because Mrs. Cleerdin tries to find someone who “looks the part.” The actors playing the main characters in a Nishuane play change from scene to scene. Given that each scene is performed by a different class, there were five Claras in the “Nutcracker” and four Emperors in “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Multiple casting of main roles works at Nishuane, not only because more children are able to speak, but also because one child doesn’t “carry” a show alone. This allows each class to rehearse as a unit during the allotted 40 minute production period. Although the children playing the four Emperors looked visually different, Mrs. Cleerdin chose children with similar personalities that fit the character. To help establish continuity, unifying costume elements are used from scene to scene to help the audience identify the character. The rehearsal process begins with the SNAP staff teaching each class individually for the first few weeks. Dances are choreographed and taught onstage. Songs are learned in a music room, costumes and scenery are built in the art room, while the dialogue segments of the scenes are directed in the dance studio. Each production’s success is also dependent on the parent volunteers who help paint sets and create costumes. It’s amazing how construction paper, paint, glue and a myriad of other materials can be whipped together into an impressive array of hats, aprons and capes to give the production a cohesive image from start to finish. After three weeks of rehearsal, the songs, dances and dialogue are mostly memorized and we move onstage. The first few rehearsals are noisy and chaotic adjusting to handheld microphones, costumes and props, but with efficient stage management by Mr. Eder, the chaos is quickly calmed. With several dress rehearsals, the show is ready for the big day. Excitement is in the air; some of the children are very nervous, others are calm and collected. All of the elements of the production pull together into a well-knit performance, including the finale that brings the entire House back onstage for a final number, which underlines the theme and message of the piece. It’s over quickly, but the experience of working hard on a collaborative project, cooperating with classmates onstage and finding the courage to speak (or even stammer through) dialogue is a memorable and worthwhile experience for all of our children. 03 P T A H a p p e n i n g s Nishuane and Hillside Party for a Cause at Fireball 2010 by Denise Ford Sawadogo Clinking plastic cups, chatter, laughter, smiles, hugs and dancing filled the Wo m e n ’s Club of Upper Montclair on the chilly evening of Friday, March 26th. The exuberant night was the culmination of 8 months of planning and coordination led by Nishuane and Hillside PTAs, with Deb Georgiou taking up the charge as Nishuane chairperson. As I entered the parlor room I was surrounded by beautifully decorated tables of tempting raffle baskets filled with goodies such as, “Game Night” a collection of family games including a Wii console and easels listing priceless teacher moments up for auction, such as “Doin’ Dishes with Ms. Ko” where the winner and one friend would join Ms. Ko for pottery painting. The vibrating sounds from the Parents Who Rock bands and the illuminating wall dragon lured me into the grand ballroom. Here I met new and old friends, sampled the eclectic assortment of delicious food, sampled the electric blue, “Fireball” signature drink and perused the class-made art projects such as the customized Monopoly game and the Andy Warhol inspired framed print. My attention was then drawn to the tables displaying the generously donated auction items, such as the Boca Raton condo which went for the most money and the Saturday Night Live tickets for the May 8th show with Betty White, Tina Fey and Jay-Z, which closely followed. Everything from the raffles being closed promptly at 9:30, auction at 10 and the written announcement of the lucky win- ners, to the arrival of tempting desserts and the sweet candy bar, seemed to run like a well-oiled machine. One mother, remembering the first Fireball event 3 years ago amidst a blizzard told me that she was happy all the efforts were not in vain this time around and that the weather cooperated. As one committee member sums it up, “It was a fun night out with friends while generating impressive results, thanks to the coordination efforts and volunteer time from the committee and many parents.” Early numbers show that more than $60,000 was raised and approximately 400 people attended. The money generated will go to fund top projects at both schools. I felt great to be part of this community and happy to have a night filled with celebration. Although I wasn’t a raffle or auction winner I left happy knowing that our children and schools are the true winners after all. “Tessie, stop we have more volunteers than we need!” – A direct quote from Aman D’Mello, co-chair for School Spirit. This came after we reached out to the community in a pinch and received an overwhelming response for a short notice request. School Spirit, under Aman and Susie Blim, achieved sales of more than $1,500 in the few weeks leading up to School Spirit day in February. The adult gear at the staff sale sold out! Keeping the spirit alive requires long hours, so much so that the custodians suggested to our chairpersons that they move into the basement storage closet! Bingo night is a special night at Nishuane for the children and their parents. This January 22 was no different. Liz Brandt not only led a wonderful fun evening for the community, but also raised some money for the PTA. Ari Brandt was the master of ceremonies and given his performance that night, he should feel comfortable about having a backup career. No other event brings the Nishuane community together like the Family Dance. Jen Adubato led this year’s event and brought her own flavor to it with a professional DJ, Zumba dance lessons, and a rocking night through and through. After each house production, families have the option to purchase a DVD. Pam Moed and Lauren Kaiser coordinate the whole process, from order taking to fulfillment. At the house production, Deb Georgiou is the familiar face at the door selling flowers to make our kids feel special. The PTA website is updated almost daily. Every flyer that comes home is on our website and we are lucky to have Elizabeth Cahill as our webmaster. She brought in many innovative ideas that help the PTA keep moving in the digital age! And the list goes on…One article seems too little to summarize the hard work of our behind-the-scenes parent volunteers. But it hopefully provides a flavor of the work that goes into bringing us together as one community and inspires other parents to get involved! PTA Behind the Scenes by Tessie Thomas Creating a sense of community is a top priority for the Nishuane PTA. A sense of ownership and understanding that we are in this together for our children makes for a better school. So how do we walk this talk? There are countless hours that the PTA volunteers put in to make it happen. Some of it is fairly visible, but some of it is fairly invisible. On a frosty January morning, over croissants and coffee, a 4 hour planning meeting kicked-off the Newsletter team led by Denise Sawadogo and Stacey Pinilis. The newsletter crew then diligently worked with teachers and parents to capture and create this newsletter you are holding with the noteworthy happenings in and around Nishuane. Every month Jennifer Snyder and her Teacher Appreciation team do something for the Nishuane staff to acknowledge their dedication and our gratitude. As an example, around Valentine’s Day, a table was set-up in the teacher’s lounge with baked goods donated by parents. Heart-shaped cookies and lots of red brought forth the warmth and love for our teachers. 04 P r o g r e s s School Tours by Stacey Pinilis Incoming Kindergartners are registered and placement decisions are being made. None of this could happen without the elementary school tours. Caren Stern, PTA Vice President spent weeks preparing for the tours but credits the 23 parent volunteers for their success. Volunteers attended a training session with Stern and Gail Clarke. During tour week, there were 2 tours in the morning and 1 evening tour. Interested parents gathered in the library for 15 minute Power Point presentation followed by a Q&A period. Here parents asked questions about Nishuane including our math curriculum, lunch menu items, recess schedule and aesthetics program. Then parents were divided up into small groups and the volunteers led them on tours that lasted about 30-35 minutes. According to Ms. Clarke, more parents toured the school this year than last and the feedback was phenomenal. One mom liked Nishuane so much, she came back to tour multiple times with different family members. Stern said that the survey results were very positive. The top reasons parents said they would select Nishuane are: our Magnet Theme, K-2 setting, the variety of programs that Nishuane offers via CI’s and Aesthetics, the Mandarin program, and the house plays. Another incredible feature that cannot be overlooked is our Principal Gail Clarke. People seemed to have loved her! She followed up via email to each tour parent and received numerous emails back telling her that going into the tours Nishuane was not one of their top choices but after the tour, Nishuane ranked 1st or 2nd. Actually about 90% of the people who filled out the survey listed Nishuane as their first choice. Will Ms. Clarke win her bet with Kathy Lindsay (Principal of Northeast) and will Nishuane be the most requested school for the 2010/2011 school year? I’d say the odds are with Nishuane! Beautification by Design by Dana Hawkins-Simons Thad Hayes is a world-class interior designer, whose work has been displayed in the glossy pages of Architectural Digest dozens of times. His latest project: Nishuane Elementary School. “Thad’s client list includes Bruce Springsteen, Marc Jacobs…and now Nishuane,” laughs PTA President Tessie Thomas. “And we’re very fortunate to have him.” It all began back in September at the PTA ice-cream social. Caren Stern, the cousin of Hayes’ partner, was working at a table with committee sign-up forms. She suggested that Hayes, the father of a kindergartener at Nishuane, volunteer for the PTA’s beautification committee. When he asked what that would entail, she jokingly told him, “They might need your advice on where to stick some geranium pots.” Thankfully, it has turned into much more than that. Thomas pursued Hayes throughout the fall with invitations to tour the school in the hopes that he’d put his genius to use for Nishuane. Then one day in December, Thomas got her wish…and as the pair walked the halls, Hayes began to bubble over with ideas. Soon after, he developed a paint color palette for the school. His master plan will be realized over time, as money becomes available. The main entry, hallways, tech room, and a few classrooms have already been painted. “I approached Nishuane as I would any project,” says Hayes. “As we walked around the school I saw existing features that were very nice, but were being completely ignored with the current color palette.” “The brick is quite beautiful: a blonde, baked brick,” continues Hayes. “But all the colors are warm—floors, walls, and brick. Even the auditorium is brown, as is the beautiful oak wood finish on the doors. But you don’t complement that with more warm colors,” says Hayes. “If you paint the walls and floors in cool blues and greens-it will highlight the existing features, the brick and wood, and really make them standout.” Once Hayes had done the rational work of developing his basic color plan, he began the more intuitive process to “let the magic happen.” Hayes explains, “This led me to thinking about old maps in schools, the ones you pulled down in front of blackboards. I grew up in the 60’s, and in my memory the oceans were a beautiful bluegreen, mixed with a little gray. So I started looking at hundreds of these colors before narrowing it down to three.” The auditorium presents the biggest challenge, says Hayes. “It’s such a big room, with no natural light. You have to amp up the perception of the color. It could go a 19th century, blue-wedgewoody color… something full of life and brightness, but not garish. That would come across very rich.” But it’s not all about complementary colors. “I wanted to think about the effect of color on children, and I wanted to respect what the school is telling me. It needs something elegant, but appropriate for the children.” The success of the painting project has prompted Hayes to volunteer his services to Nishuane again, this time to help with the redesign of the library this summer. Springsteen may just have to wait. 05 S N A P S Gentle Tiger, Happy Dragon Another Festive Chinese New Year at Nishuane by Nicole Gray-Chan On Friday, February 19th, 2010, kindergarten students took center stage as they paraded through the hallways of Nishuane. First and second graders flanked the sidelines cheering on the marchers and holding up banners, masks, and other ornately colored symbols of the New Year. Kindergarten teacher Susan Price, who has coordinated the parade for over 30 years, says, “These parades never seem to lose their spirit of fun. Mrs. Chang loaned us the smaller dragon. We thought the second grade Mandarin students might like to assist with the dragon parade. They were delighted to join, many of them remembering when they participated themselves in kindergarten.” of holiday-specific creativity in action. As the The group bustled down the hallway with throng moved down the hallways, viewers tambourines and noisemakers, smiling caught glimpses of tiger masks with probroadly and chanting “Xïn nián kuài lè!”— truding tongues, red-band tiger headbands, Happy New Year in Mandarin. The percusmini-dragons, cheerleaders with lanterns, the sive sounds of Chinese music could be heard official red-and-yellow Nishuane Mandarin over the loudspeaker. The parade was a vision shirts, and lots and lots of glitter. Gym Class: Nishuane Style by Dana Hawkins-Simons Today, like many days, Ginger Reilly begins her kindergarten physical education class with a dance. As lively Irish music plays, Reilly invites a couple of students to the front of the class to teach their own, made-up steps. The children, with their fleet footwork and rigid upper bodies, are doing their best to channel “Riverdance.” Reilly calls out the steps in rhythm: “Do Ahmaya’s move…now Ella’s move…march…and stretch!” Not only is the class warmed-up, they’ve just invented a new dance. “Dance is my passion,” says Reilly, an upbeat woman with shoulder-length hair the color of her first name. Fittingly, she also choreographs the House productions. Welcome to gym class 2.0. Reilly and Eric Eder, the other phys-ed teacher, mix in elements of not only dance, but also critical thinking, math, nutrition, and anatomy lessons. To illustrate, Eder tells the story of a 1st grader who broke her arm this year: “Her dad says when she saw the x-ray, she asked: ‘Is that my radius and ulna?’ She learned that here,” he beamed. Near the end of class, Reilly pulls out a plastic egg and opens it. “This is ‘Silly Putty.’ If you stretch it, it gets longer--just like your muscles. See?” she says, stretching the sticky stuff between her hands. “If you don’t warm up your muscles before you kick a ball, watch what could happen.” There’s a sharp “CRACK” as the plastic pops. “Your muscles can snap, too.” One final point, well made, on this day in notjust-gym class. 06 Kindergartners Love Aesthetics by Stacey Pinilis The new and improved kindergarten aesthetics program is a huge hit. My kindergartner even likes saying the word aesthetics! Eli comes home excited each time he starts a new class and describes in detail the new things he has learned - a song, a yoga pose, a teacher’s name. This year each kindergarten class goes together as a group to an aesthetic taught by a different kindergarten teacher. The schedule changes every 2 weeks. So every Monday - Thursday at 2:40 the students are escorted to a new room to learn something new from a new teacher! Assistant Principal Cenithia Bilal explains how most learning stems naturally from Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence. Nishuane’s aesthetics program for K-2 is based on this theory which includes linguistic, logicalmathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist areas of learning. Ms. Keller who teaches Find It, Draw It, Build It, and Observe It! says, “This year each teacher is taking one or two of Howard Gardner’s The parade, which lasted 45 minutes, was as well organized as it was festive. The children were happy to return to their rooms and continue celebrating. Mrs. Price’s class ate Chinese noodles and fortune cookies and, in keeping with an age-old tradition, received their red envelopes—a gesture of good fortune. Students at Nishuane have grown to love Chinese New Year and look forward to it each year. When polled, 95% of Ms. McLaughlin’s first grade class knew that this year is the Year of the Tiger. And although they did not march this year, the first graders had just as much fun cheering the kindergarten students on. “I liked watching them,” said Genesys Thomas, “and waving my dragon flag!” Read more about Nishuane’s Chinese New Year Celebrations including our presence at the Montclair Public Library at www.nishuanepta. org. multiple intelligences and introducing them to each kindergarten class. I’m introducing the spatial and naturalist intelligences. I enjoy seeing the children create and become excited about the world around them.” Mrs. May adds, “The children in my homeroom really enjoy going to their aesthetics class and always come back excited about their new learned skills. I think it is wonderful to have a program where the children and teachers are equally enthusiastic about learning and teaching the classes.” Here are some exciting things being learned in each class: In Pretend With Price taught by Ms. Price students are encouraged to write their own endings to stories, become “authors”, act out favorite characters and create stories and poems. Mrs. May teaches Mixed Up Math where students learn through fun activities like “crazy for coins” and “place value snakes.” Ms. Adams teaches Busy Bodies where children learn through physical experiences such as molding with playdoh, dancing and yoga. Ms. Lewis teaches Feel the Music: Shake, Rattle and Roll. This class introduces students to music through instruments and singing. Continued on page 7 P a r e n t i n g Why Nishuane? by Stacey Pinilis Recently I dropped off my Kindergartner at school. Holding his 100 Day poster, he ran with excitement by himself through the front doors of Nishuane. Yes the street was snowy and crowded and there were people in cars behind me, but I took a moment to stare at him as he ran, and with tears in my eyes I thought, “I love Nishuane.” Hi, my name is Stacey and Nishuane was my 5th choice. Years ago I fought hard to get my daughter switched. So I can relate to the people out there who look at me and say with a odd, questioning tone of voice, “Nishuane? Hillside? How do you like it?” I have gone from a Nishuane cynic to a Nishuane salesperson. I truly believe that my kids and my family are meant to be here. When my quiet daughter -- then in first grade and having an outstanding experience with Jill McLaughlin, came home from school with a violin in one hand and a script in the other, I literally fell on the floor. She was Clara in the school play — “Clara’s Nutcracker”—a speaking part! And where did she get that violin?? From a CI class -- offered at Nishuane -- that’s where! Did you know that last year Nishuane was the second most requested elementary school? I think it’s because people are starting to realize just how incredible we are. There is a rumor out there that kids who come from Nishuane and Hillside thrive in high school. Is it because they know half the graduating class? That they have had a locker since kindergarten? That they have been switching classes since first grade? Is it because, they are exposed to a vast selection of classes so they have cultivated many interests? Or is it that their independence has been fostered since day one in kindergarten? I have come full circle. So many of the things I was scared of initially have turned out to be positives. Walking in and around such a big building, lockers, switching classes -- the things that I thought might be inappropriate for our youngest students have turned out to bring out their strengths and help them grow. And of course the warmth and the caring that these kids need is all around them, in the classrooms and halls. So yes, I may not have chosen Nishuane initially, however I am thrilled to be here and will be here through 2014! School Lunch: Healthier than You Think? by Dana Hawkins-Simons As my kindergartner reminds me every Friday—“It’s PIZZA day at school, Mama!” This from a girl who has never liked pizza, and still usually won’t eat it elsewhere. Of course, I’ve been curious to sample a slice myself, and today is my lucky day. Cynthia Capaccio, the affable Food Service Director for the Montclair Public Schools, has agreed to be interviewed during lunchtime in the Nishuane cafeteria. The kids are clearly enjoying their pizza, and I have to admit: it’s not bad. While no one would ever confuse it with a legit pizza parlor pie--the soft, chewy, whole-wheat crust, mild mozzarella, and slightly sweet sauce do have their charms. With hormone-free, low fat milk, wholewheat grains, and no foods with trans-fats on the menu--lunchtime at Nishuane may be healthier than you think. In addition, the children usually have red meat (no filler) only once a week, all fries are baked, and the juice is 100% fruit. The only non-whole grain served is the tortilla for the turkey wrap. Hot dog and hamburger buns, pasta, and rolls are wholewheat. “Three years ago we couldn’t afford whole wheat buns,” says Capaccio. “We wanted them, but they cost $7 a dozen. Now they’re $2.40. As more schools request something, the costs go down.” The longer I chat with Cynthia, the more respect I gain for the way she negotiates what must be a very difficult balancing act. She clearly cares about nutrition, but has to balance a budget. The fact is, lunches must be affordable, and that affects quality. The current cost is $2.75, and 65% of Montclair public elementary school students are in the hot lunch program. Of those, 20% qualify for free or reduced price meals, which the system must provide. In addition, all lunches must meet strict nutritional standards set by the government. Of course, there’s room for improvement. Some of the bagged veggies contain preservatives and chocolate milk is on the menu daily. The fresh fruits and vegetables lack variety (mostly carrots, celery, bananas, and apples) and the quality isn’t the best. My daughter, normally a huge fresh produce proponent, usually skips the school lunch offerings. “They feel weird on my tongue,” she says, scrunching up her nose emphatically. As I finish my pizza lunch, I tell Capaccio that I’m pleasantly surprised with the quality of Nishuane’s school lunch program. I also resolve to serve even more fresh veggies and fruits at home, and cut down further on the sweets. Then I notice that when one boy gives his ID to the cashier, a warning pops up: “No juice.” Great idea, I think. Note to self: I’m going ask for “No chocolate milk.” Sorry, darling daughter. Ok, maybe “…except on Friday’s.” Note: School Review has been discussing ways to address healthier eating habits for snack time and classroom celebrations. If you’d like to be involved or have questions, contact Lauren Rosen at [email protected] or Amy Gideon at [email protected]. Aesthetics (cont.) Ms. Foster-Clark teaches Culture Club where students explore cultures, geography, science and history. Ms. Keller teaches Find It, Draw It, Build It and Observe It. Here children learn things from map reading to famous artists to observing our earth. Michal Herman, mom of twins Eilat and Liyam, says, “It is amazing for them to be exposed to these subjects as an extracurricular activity in the middle of the school day. How awesome is it that Liyam, who would never choose a yoga class, got to experience and LOVE yoga!! Eilat who loves math, got 2 extra weeks of math which she still talks about!” The Kindergarten Aesthetics program is a great way for our youngest students to get a taste of what is to come in first and second grades. By sampling some classes now, they will have a better understanding of what to choose from all those wonderful electives! 07 Kudos to Our Kids by Denise Ford Sawadogo This winter we saw many reasons to give kudos to Nishuane students. To start things off, the first term Mandarin CI students won the 2010 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) podcast contest both in the judges and popular vote categories. The podcast submitted on behalf of Nishuane’s World Language department was made through a joint effort between Ms. McGowen (assisting with the technology), Ms. Rolandelli (assisting with the Spanish part), Madame Aurian (use of her Eiffel Tower as prop) and Ms. Chang (coordinating and submitting). In addition to each student receiving a congratulatory certificate and a Discover Languages product, Nishuane received a $600 award check. Kudos to the participating students: Benee’-Jolie Barron, Madeleine Blackburn, Maxwell Blackburn, Charlie Blim, Benjamin Cole, Katherine Cummings, Elijah Dawson, Sameer Deogun, Natalie Glasman, Devin Gutiérrez, Kara Peck, Jared Topf and Syd- ney Topf. One of the goals of the ACTFL and its contest is to bring attention to the important role language learning can play in a student’s life. View the video at www. DiscoverLanguages.org. Nishuane Mandarin students had their projects displayed at the Montclair Public Library in preparation for the Feb. 7th Chinese New Year program at the library. At the celebration, Nishuane’s 2nd grade Mandarin students were featured in the dynamic dragon dance, which dates back thousands of years in Chinese culture. Several Nishuane classes partook in the NJEA Pride Expo Art Exhibition at the Livingston Mall from March 6 through March 13. Along with other Essex County Newsletter Committee: Denise Ford Sawadogo- Managing Editor Stacey Pinilis- Assistant Editor Tessie Thomas- PTA President Marika Alzadon- Graphic Designer Benesia Babb- Writer Dana Hawkins-Simons- Writer Nicole Gray-Chan- Writer Pamela Levine- Copy Editor Lisa Passmore- Photographer Contributors: Cenithia Bilal, Vicky Chang, Gail Clarke, Eric Eder, Thad Hayes, Laura Keller, Melanie Koebel, Marissa May, Ginger Reilly, Caren Stern, Anika Taylor, and Peter Wert Photo Credits: Bob Beinish, Dan D’Errico, Chanda Hall and Jessica Michaud schools, Montclair schools had a phenomenal showing. The vast collection of Nishuane students work included Ms. Mussa’s 1st grade language arts class, Ms. McLaughlin’s 1st grade writing class, Ms. Chang’s mandarin class and Ms. Wise and Mr. Johnson’s kindergarten through 2nd grade art classes. To round out Nishuane’s presence at the Expo, two of Nishuane’s CI choruses sang a total of 12 songs on Saturday, March 7th to a riveting audience. Nishuane’s Monday/Tuesday CI Chorus performed on March 11th for Montclair’s Fourth Annual “Youth Explosion” concert which took place at Montclair High School. Each of the eleven schools in Montclair sent a chorus to perform during the concert. For the finale, all 330 students, including Nishuane’s 24 students sang “The Green Anthem” together. Congratulations to everyone for their achievements! Do you have a child or student that has an accomplishment that should be shared with the Nishuane community? Send the information to dfords_2000@ yahoo.com or by backpack addressed to PTA Nishuane News, for consideration for inclusion in the next newsletter coming in June.