Positively - White Plains Public Schools / Overvie · Tim Conners, Assistant Superintendents...
Transcript of Positively - White Plains Public Schools / Overvie · Tim Conners, Assistant Superintendents...
Construction of the new Post Road School is off to a good start! The preliminary
site work planned for the Fall of 2007 has been completed, except for a few minor
items. Work was completed without any problems or safety issues. While we did
experience some construction noise, we worked closely with the contractor to
minimize the impact on student learning. This part of the project was completed
on time and within the budget.
The plans for the new elementary school building were submitted to the Office of
Facilities Planning at the State Education Department in September. There has
been a comprehensive review with
A Construction Update Provided by Fred Seiler, Assistant Superintendent for Business
Post Road Elementary
PTA Newsletter
January 2008
Volume 4, Issue 2
Editor - Jim Cardon
Positively POST ROAD
Principal’s Corner 2
A Letter from the
PTA Presidents 3
PTA News 4
In the Classroom 6 - 7
Whole Class
Enrichment 8 - 9
Walls of Fame 10
Spring Fest Donation
Form Insert 11 - 12
PTA Events and
Calendar 13 - 14
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
This year’s readers were Superintendent
Tim Conners, Assistant Superintendents Margaret Dwyer and Anne Lillis, Eastview Middle School
Principal Joe Cloherty, Post Road Assistant Principal Jodi Nestle, Newcomer Center Director Suz-
anne Lasser, ELA Instructional Specialist Monica Bermiss and Post Road teachers Mary Marquis and
Wendy Gussack. News 12 West-
chester's Joe Rao, one of the best-
known broadcast meteorologists in the
Northeast also read to our Post Road
families that night. This year, Post
Road’s Reading Night hosted approxi-
mately 200 students and family mem-
bers. We hope to continue the tradi-
tion for years to come.
The Second Annual Post Road Reading Night Post Road School hosted its second
annual Reading Night on Tuesday,
October 16, 2007. Fitting in with up-
coming construction on the site, this
year’s theme was “Building a Solid
Foundation through Reading”. Read-
ing Night is a special event designed to
foster a love of reading by inviting
students and families to enjoy stories
read by a variety of special guests.
(continued on page 5)
Happy New Year to one and all! It is my wish
that 2008 brings you happiness, good health
and much prosperity.
As we move forward in the New Year, this
seems like a wonderful opportunity to refresh our understanding
of our procedures for student drop-offs and pick ups.
Morning Drop-off
• School begins at 8:40 each morning.
• Students who are having breakfast in school may be
dropped off at 8:15 a.m.
• All other children should not arrive before 8:30 a.m.
Following this time schedule will ensure that we have the staff on
duty to supervise and monitor the safety of the students.
Afternoon Pick-Up
• The dismissal process begins at 3:10 p.m.
• Parents / caretakers who pick up children should report
to the cafeteria between 3:10 p.m. and 3:20 p.m. to meet
the students.
• The Teaching Assistants on duty will release the students
to the parent/ caretakers.
We ask for your help by notifying the office of any change in
your child’s method of departure before 1:30 p.m. We use a very
detailed process to keep track of each child at the end of the
day. When we receive last minute changes at dismissal time,
it causes the system to be compromised . By following the
suggested plan we will be able to monitor how your child is to
leave school and to also provide for his /her safety and security.
Upon entering the building, we would also like to remind all par-
ents/ guests to:
a) Stop in the office and sign in.
b) Inform the office staff of your appointment so they may
direct you or inform the staff member to meet you.
c) Receive a visitors badge and place it on yourself in a
visible location.
d) Sign out before leaving.
I thank you for your cooperation to help us continue to keep Post
Road School a safe and secure place for all.
We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming school meetings
and events. Please check your school calendar and your child’s
backpack for notices and reminders of the exciting programs
that are coming up. You will not want to miss them!
All the Best,
Laura Havis
Principal
Principal’s Corner with Laura Havis
Siguiendo este horario nosotros nos asegu-
raremos de tener el personal disponible para
supervisar y monitorear la seguridad de los
estudiantes.
Recogida en la Tarde
• El proceso de salida comienza a las
3:10 p.m.
• Los padres / los que cuidan a los
niños, quienes los recogen deben
reportarse a la cafetería entre las
3:10 p.m. y las 3:20 p.m. para re-
unirse con los estudiantes.
• Los Asistentes de Profesores en
servicio entregarán los estudiantes a
sus padres/proveedores de cuidado.
Nosotros les pedimos su ayuda notificando a
El Rincon del Principal Laura Havis
Felíz Año Nuevo a cada uno de ustedes!
Es mi deseo que el 2008 les traiga felici-
dad, buena salud y mucha prosperidad.
A medida que seguimos adelante en el
nuevo año, esta parece ser una excelente
oportunidad para refrescar nuestro en-
tendimiento sobre nuestros procedimien-
tos para la llegada y recogida de los estudi-
antes.
Llegada en la Mañana
• Las clases comienzan a las 8:40
a.m. cada mañana.
• Los estudiantes que están to-
mando desayuno en la escuela
deben ser dejados a las 8:15 a.m..
• Todos los otros niños no deben
llegar antes de las 8:30 a.m..
Page 2 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
(continua en la pagina 4)
la oficina sobre cualquier cambio en el
método de salida de su niño antes de la
1:30 p.m. Nosotros usamos un proceso
muy detallado para mantenernos al tanto de
cada niño hasta el fiinal del dia escolar.
Cuando nosotros recibimos cambios de
salida a último minuto, esto causa que el
sistema pueda verse comprometido.
Siguiendo el plan sugerido nosotros po-
demos monitorear como vá a salir el niño
de la escuela y también cuidar su bienestar y
seguridad.
Una vez entrando a la escuela, a nosotros
nos gustaría recordarles a todos lo padres,
visitantes que:
a) vayan a la oficina y registren su
llegada.
A Letter from the PTA Presidents by Joretta Crabbe and Caroline Furry
Una Carta de los Presidentes del PTA Joretta Crabbe y Caroline Furry
Winter is upon us and our PTA is as active as ever. We would like to thank everyone for all of their hard work to continue to make Post Road School a warm and wel-coming place to learn.
It is such a great sight to see our children heading out for a field trip in their new bright green PRS shirts. Thank you to eve-ryone who purchased a shirt. Our children are safer and more visible to each other and our staff and chaperones when they are away from the school. Thank you to Eliza-beth Mayeri for coordinating this for the PTA.
We had an excellent turnout at our Hallow-een Bash. The costumes were amazing and the kids and adults had a spooktacular time with their friends and family. It truly is a great event and it couldn’t have happened without the hard work of Julia and Steven Plaza. We extend a great thanks to them for jumping into this time consuming event as kindergarten parents.
The Harvest dinner was a great night of delicious food and great entertainment. We would like to thank the Irish Step Dancers who performed and the dancers from the Greenburg Recreation Center. They were all a pleasure to watch. A special thanks to Maria Portillo and Margarita Mateo-Saja for planning this fun family event.
Family Fun Night in January was a great
night of roller skating and board games. The children and adults had a great time. Thank you to Mrs. Nestle and Anthony Russo for showing us adults can rollerblade too! And a special thanks to Coach Brian Golden and Karen Landers who always volunteer their time to make this event a tradition at Post Road.
Our November PTA Meeting offered a wonderful look into the support that our school provides from our School Social Worker, Laura Fein-Zotolla, and our School Psychologist, Lizette Maniatis. We thank them for such an informative presen-tation. We were also joined by Fred Seiler, Assistant Superintendent for Business and the architects and con-struction foreman who provided us with the plans and outline of the construc-tion process. The crowd was so impressed by the beauty of the school, the state of the art facilities and the “green” features that our new Post Road School will have. It was a great evening.
Our January PTA meeting featured Marga-ret Dwyer and Doreen Fanelli who dis-cussed our enrichment programs in the district and then specifically at Post Road.
They gave us great information about the wonderful enrichment opportunities avail-able for all of our students. We would like to thank them for their presentations.
The kindergarten choice period is under way and Mrs. Havis and Mrs. Nestle are conducting excellent tours that showcase the great staff, resources and of course children here at Post Road. A special thank you to our parent volunteers for the tours who are very helpful in giving a par-ent’s perspective.
Our upcoming events in-clude PTA Meetings on February 5th and March 11th. Our March Madness Basketball Game will be held on March 7th, so stay tuned for more informa-tion.
We wish you all a wonder-ful winter and look for-ward to seeing you soon.
Thank you for all of your support and be sure to visit us at wpcsd.k12.ny.us, select Post Road school in the top left hand cor-ner, and then click on “PTA” under the “Organizations” tab.
Please feel free to contact us if you ever have any questions, or would like to volun-teer to help.
Have a great winter and make it fun!
disfraces fueron maravillosos y tanto niños como adultos se divir-tieron muchísimo con sus amigos y familias. Es verdaderamente un gran evento y no se hubiera podido hacer sin el trabajo de Julia y Steve Plaza. Les extendemos muchísimas gracias a ambos por haberse envuelto en este evento como padres de Kindergarten.
La cena de Harvest fue una noche de comida deliciosa y de gran entretenimiento. Nos gustaría darles las gracias a los Danzantes de Irish Step que actuaron y a los bailarines del Centro Recreativo de Greenburg. Fue un placer verlos a todos. Especiales gracias a María Portillo y a Margarita Mateo-Saja por la planificación de
El invierno ya está aquí y la PTA es tan activa como siempre. Agradecemos a todos el duro trabajo efectuado y les rogamos que continúen haciendo la escuela Post Road un cálido y bienvenido lugar de aprendizaje.
Es un gran placer ver a nuestros niños con sus camisetas PRS verdes en sus viajes escolares. Gracias a todos los que compraron una camiseta. Nuestros niños están más seguros y son más visibles entre ellos y para nuestro personal y acompañantes cuando van de excursión. Gracias Elizabeth Mayeri por coordinar esto para PTA.
Nuestra Fiesta de Halloween estuvo muy bien concurrida. Los
Visit the Post Road PTA on
the web at: wpcsd.k12.ny.us
Select “Post Road School” in
the top left corner, then
click on “PTA” under the
“Organizations” tab.
Page 3 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
(continua en la pagina 5)
b) informen al personal de la oficina de su cita para que
puedan ser dirigidos o informarle al miembro del per-
sonal que se tiene que reunir con usted.
c) recibir una etiqueta de visitante y pegarla en su ropa en
un lugar visible.
d) firmar su salida antes de irse.
Les agradezco su cooperación para ayudarnos a mantener la Es-
cuela Post Road un lugar seguro para todos.
Esperamos verlos en las reuniones y eventos de este año escolar.
Por favor revise su calendario escolar y la mochila de su niño por
notificaciones y recordatorios sobre los excitantes programas que
vienen. No se los vá a
querer perder!
Lo Mejor,
Laura Havis
Page 4 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
PTA Program News Next meeting: Tuesday February 5, 2008, 7pm in the Cafeteria
Our well-attended January meeting featured a program about the Enrichment Programs in the district. We would like to thank
Dr. Margaret Dwyer and Ms. Doreen Fanelli for their informative presentations on the evolving enrichment programs in White
Plains, including the whole class enrichment initiatives and the pull-out WINGS programs.
Internet Safety will be the topic of our next meeting on Tuesday, February 5, at 7pm. This subject is often on the minds of our
parents, with our children’s ever greater access to the internet and as their technological skills sometimes surpass our own! Learn
how to keep your children safe as they use the internet for fun, learning and communication. Our speaker will be a member of the
High Technology Bureau of the Westchester District Attorney’s Office, under their education outreach programs.
Our March 11 meeting will be about Bullying: How Parents
and Schools Can Prevent It. Bullying is now recognized by
the American Medical Association as abusive behavior with
serious mental, social and emotional consequences for children
and teens. This interactive workshop will define bullying, iden-
tify why it happens, and will address the impact of bullying on
the entire school community; whether a child engages in bully-
ing behavior, is bullied or is a bystander. It will also focus on
effective strategies for parents and schools to prevent bullying
and to help children cope with bullying behaviors. Our speaker
will be Ms. Andrea Fallick, LCSW. Ms. Fallick is the Assistant
Director for School Based Programs of Student Assistance
Services Corp. She has over 20 years experience with children
and families and provides training throughout the country on
this topic. She is a certified Olweus Bullying Prevention
Trainer. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a nation-
ally recognized program aimed at reducing bullying in schools.
Please continue to share to your ideas on programs of interest
to you and the Post Road community with our Program VPs:
Christine Cavallucci (682-0936) and Karen Reynolds (684-
0616).
El Rincon del Principal (viene de la pagina 2)
The Tiger Times Hot off the presses! The Autumn issue of this year’s Tiger Times was a wonderful success. The children en-joyed writing about current events, book and restaurant reviews, poetry, and interviews with some of their favor-ite people. Others showed their talents by telling jokes, creative writing or drawings. It was fun to have all grades participating in the Post Road paper created “by kids, for kids”.
Planning has begun for the next issue which will include a special “Travel the Globe” feature section, and will include stories about different countries, their customs, cultures and people. Writers will be encouraged to write about their travels and share their experiences, so that readers may learn about new and interesting places. What an exciting way to learn about our class-mates who have joined us from other countries, and about new and exciting places around the globe!
Special thanks to Mrs. Fanelli and Mrs. Ciofolo for helping with this year’s Times. For more information, or for writing help, chil-dren may contact either of them. Completed articles may be submitted to the Tiger Times envelope in the Main Office or placed in the Tiger Times folders in each classroom by the Feb. 13th deadline.
Have your writers listen to announcements and look for flyers for more information. For now, get ready to “Travel the World with the Tiger Times”!!
Get on the Post Road P.T.A.
E-Mail list for updates on
happenings in the Post Road
Community! Send your
information to Caroline Furry,
Una Carta de los Presidentes del PTA (viene de la pagina 3)
proveyeron de planos e información del proceso de construcción. La belleza de la escuela, la modernidad de las facilidades y el especto “verde” que la nueva escuela Post Road tendrá impresionó mucho a los asis-tentes. Fue una gran reunión.
Nuestra reunión de enero presentó a Marga-ret Dwyer y a Doreen Fanelli quienes dis-cutieron nuestros programas enriquecidos en el distrito y después específicamente en Post Road. Nos dieron mucha información acerca de las magníficas oportunidades de enri-quecimiento disponibles a todos nuestros estudiantes. Nos gustaría agradecerles la presentación.
El tiempo para elegir la escuela de Kinder-garten ha llegado y las Sras. Havis y Nestle conducen excellentes giras que muestran el excelente personal, recursos y, desde luego, los niños aquí en Post Road. Gracias espe-ciales a nuestros padres voluntarios por las
este divertido evento familiar.
La Noche de Diversión con la Familia en enero fue una gran noche de patines y jue-gos. Los niños y los adultos se divirtieron mucho. Gracias a la señora Nestle y a An-thony Russo por enseñarnos a los adultos que también podemos patinar. Y gracias especiales al entrenador Brian Golden y a Karen Landers que siempre regalan su tiempo para hacer de este evento una tra-dición de Post Road.
La Reunión de la PTA de noviembre nos ofreció una interesante mirada a la ayuda que nuestra escuela ofrece por medio de nuestra Trabajadora Social Laura Fein-Zotolla y nuestra Psicóloga Lizette Mani-atis. Les agradecemos la información tan interesante. También se reunió con nosotros el Ayudante de Superintendente de Negocios Fred Seiler, con los arquitectos y el capataz de la construcción quienes nos
giras que ayudan grandemente en la per-spectiva de los nuevos padres.
Nuestros próximos eventos incluyen míti-nes de PTA el cinco de febrero y el once de marzo. Nuestro Juego de Basketball de marzo se jugará el día siete de marzo, así, atención a la información.
Les deseamos a todos un buen invierno y esperamos verlos pronto. Gracias por toda su ayuda y visitennos en wpcsd.k12.ny.us, seleccione post Road School en la esquina superior izquierda, entonces apriete “PTA” bajo el título “Organizations.”
Por favor, no tengan reparo en ponerse en contacto con nosotros si tienen algo que preguntar, o si desean ayudarnos en cualquier cosa.
¡Tengan un gran invierno!
Page 5 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
A Construction Update (continued from page 1)
many questions for the architect firm of KG & D to address. We
expect to receive final approval from the State in short order.
In the meantime, the architects are busy preparing the detailed
specifications for the bid document, which is expected to be re-
leased as soon as we receive approval from the State Education
Department. Due to the size of the project, the time to complete
the bid process and award bids will take about 6 weeks. We ex-
pect the Board of Education to award construction bids in late
February to early March.
Construction of the new school building itself is expected to be-
gin in March, with a projected completion date in the early sum-
mer of 2009. The overall Capital Project continues to be operat-
ing within the proposed timeline and projected budget. Prior to
the beginning of construction, we will again meet with staff and
parents to prepare everyone for the exciting implementation of
the construction project.
Thank you to Mrs. Mollo for the great pictures!
Happy New Year from Mrs. Mollo’s Class! We have had a very busy fall as we worked hard to become independent readers. We are so happy to be reading and we have learned so much about the different kind of books we can read. We are currently working on fiction and non-fiction, but we have been enjoying folktales as well.
We have taken some wonderful field trips in the months since we started first grade and we are getting ready to visit the Neuberger Museum at SUNY Purchase. We are looking forward to exploring African art. We know we will see some masks, instru-ments and head pieces. We wonder what else we will see. We’ll let you know next time. In the meantime we want to share a few highlights from our past trips!
Hudson River in September - We returned a big striped bass (Mrs. Mollo called him Pete.) Jillian’s dad let him out of the bucket and into the river. He was happy to be back home. We looked for beach treasure and found river glass, shells and pol-ished stones. We met Chris Letts and Jonathan’s dad helped him put the seine net
into the river. We caught some fish to bring back to our classroom tanks. We helped bring the seine net off the beach and shake out all the leaves and river grass. Then Mr. Letts showed us a bunch of other fish that live in the river. It was a great day!
Fire Department Headquarters in October - We walked down to the fire station on Mamaroneck Avenue to learn more about Fire Safety. It was very exciting to see all the engines and trucks. We got to climb in some of them and we even got to see some of the trucks go out on calls. We watched a firefighter dress up in his gear and we know not to be afraid of the firemen even if their masks look a bit scary. When we were done with our lessons we were treated to a chance to spray the fire hose. That was so cool!
White Plains Public Library in November – Since we were working so hard on learning how to be independent readers we knew it was important to head over to the library to learn about all the books we could borrow with our new library cards. Rosemary gave us a tour around “The Trove” and now we know exactly where to go to find the books we can read. We were treated to story time and a puppet show. Then we all checked out books to take home. What a treat that was!
Nutcracker Ballet in Late November - We were SO excited to put on our fancy clothes and go to the Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase to see their production of the Nutcracker Ballet. We couldn’t wait to see the Mouse King and the soldiers fight, the Sugar Plum Fairy dance and the Christmas tree grow on stage. We were the best kids in the audience for sure because we were so en-grossed in the ballet that we didn’t make a peep, except when the cannon blasted the cheese! Then we all let out a little scream! Mrs. Mollo said that our eyes were glued to the stage the whole time!
As we get ready for more adventures, we want to thank our parents and the PTA for helping us take all of these trips. We know that the buses and our tickets have to be paid for. We know that some of our parents took days off from work to join us as chaperones and that means a lot to us. We learned so much on these trips that we can’t wait to learn more as we get ready to take more trips in the up-coming months! We’ll be sure to let you know what information we find out!
Page 6 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
Fourth Grade Fun The students in Mr. Russo’s class have been busy preparing them-
selves for the New York State English Language Arts Test.
They’ve been reading and listening to a wide variety of reading
materials such as novels, poetry, fables, and folktales, as well as
nonfiction articles. The children took notes and responded in
writing in many sophisticated and advanced ways. It was certainly
a big challenge but the students felt comfortable and well pre-
pared to take the test seriously and meet fourth grade standards.
As historians, the students are investigating the explorers who
came to what is now New York. They include Cartier, Cham-
plain, Verrazano, Cabot, and Hudson. The students examined
documents such as timelines, journal entries, pictures, and maps.
The students have been using the computer to design and create
trading cards of their favorite explorers as a culminating project.
The students have been very “attracted” to our new science unit on
magnets. There was much “oohing” and “ahhing” as the children
experimented with the magnets and discovered the interesting prop-
erties hidden in the magnets. Their favorite so far has definitely
been the levitation. If you see any fourth graders floating around
the school, please let us know.
As mathematicians, the students have been continuing to investigate
multiplication and are also examining division. The children are
working with a variety of division problems with remainders and are
analyzing what to do with the extras. The students have also been
exploring many concepts in geometry such as symmetry, congru-
ence, and figures such as lines and line segments. The children en-
joyed making their own line and line segments with pretzels, frost-
ing, and alphabet noodles. Who knew math could be so tasty?
Page 7 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
On December 20, 2007 the 4th grade chorus participated in a heart warming event. They sang
holiday songs for the Ridgeway Senior Citizens Home. We first talked about Senior people and
how often times they are alone. Students learned that many times, family members become very
busy with their lives, and forget to come visit their ailing parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles,
and that for this reason we were going to sing for them. We were going to bring them good cheer
and lots of love and remind them that they are not really forgotten by all.
The Seniors enjoyed hearing the young lovely voices of the children, and were so grateful that
they invited us to stay for cookies and apple cider. While we were all enjoying our treats, more
seniors came and asked if
we would sing again be-
cause they wanted to hear what they had missed. They were
overjoyed by the sound of the young voices, while enjoying
a stroll down memory lane as they reminisced their youth
through the gentle sounds of the children’s voices.
The students were touched by their good deed and learned
that singing isn’t only for accolades. They learned that a gift
isn’t always something you have to buy, but something you
could share from yourself that can have lasting memories
for both the performer and the audience.
The 4th grade chorus is a very special group of children.
They give up their recess 2 days a cycle to be members of
the Post Road chorus. They are truly a top class representa-
tion of their school. I am honored to be working with
them, as well as Mr. Russo and Mr. Sheridan. Thank you
Ms. Fein-Zatolla for thinking of the chorus and inviting us
to perform for the Senior Home.
Fourth Grade Chorus Deborah Forman, Choral Music director
What a Hoot! Ms. Wirak’s third graders had such a wonderful time investigating owl pel-lets! Following the scientific process we learned about owls and their eat-ing habits. We hypothesized about what we might find in their stomachs. Then came the most exciting part- the experiment! To conduct our re-search we wet the pellets so they would easily break apart. Then we began gently picking apart the pellets to release the skeletal parts belonging to what the owl ate. Owls typically eat voles, mice, rats, and smaller birds.
We found parts from each of these animals and compared the bones found to the human bones we studied. The after conducting the experiment we had to analyze our data and compare the bones with those on our charts to determine what each of our owls had eaten that meal. Mrs. Hettinger was a great help through the process and we are very thankful for her assistance.
Page 8 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
Whole Class Enrichment
with Mrs. Fanelli
Kindergarten Unit - Patterns in Nature and Math
Kindergarten students explored patterns on animals and in nature,
mosaics, pattern blocks and more to investigate and create a vari-
ety of patterns. Through this study the children made connec-
tions and discovered that there are patterns all around us!
First Grade Unit - Maps and Globes
The first graders love exploring maps and globes and have made
so many exciting discoveries and connections. In this unit the
students used maps, globes and compasses to create a map com-
plete with a compass rose and map key. The children have done a
wonderful job with our “Make Believe Town” maps!
Second Grade Unit - Pattern Exploration through Tessellations
Second graders worked in centers during our Whole Class Enrich-
ment unit this time with great success. Students explored the geome-
try and art of tessellating patterns in seven different centers which
allowed for lots of differentiation in this hands-on unit. It was so
exciting to see students create their own tessellations from a simple
square piece of paper!
Fifth Grade Unit - Microscopic Investigations
Do things exist that are smaller than the eye can see? Ask a smart fifth
grader! During our unit students made scientific observations and draw-
ings using microscopes to study objects including their own fingerprints
and a variety of crystals. We explored the physical characteristics of the
amoeba and paramecium and even made giant, stuffed microorganisms.
The enlarged microscopic photos of germs, dust and a variety of insects
were a huge hit with the fifth graders too!
Page 9 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
Third Grade Unit - Storytelling from Around the World
I learned a very important lesson from this storytelling unit.
Third graders love to perform! Students studied the ancient art of
storytelling from a variety of cultures using storytelling techniques,
graphic organizers and Reader's Theatre to foster fluency. On the
final day of the unit I asked if anyone would like to share a com-
ment and one student really made my day. She raised her hand
and said, “What a wonderful way to learn!”
4th Grade Unit - Metric Olympics
Fourth graders participated in a series of Olympic themed games
while using metric measurement skills. The upcoming Beijing
Olympics are so child-friendly that we couldn’t resist using this
theme to work on skills in linear measurement, volume and mass
that the students will be using on their upcoming NYS Math and
Science tests. Students created team flags, collected medals and
worked on important skills in metric measurement during events
such as the Paper Plate Discus Throw, Cotton Ball Shot Put and
Straw Javelin events. Summer Olympics, here we come!
Chess Instruction
The chess instructor for our Wings program at Post Road School is Mike
Amori of Westchester Chess Academy. He's fabulous! Mike is an expert
chess player and an amazing chess instructor. He recently encouraged Wings
students in grades 3, 4 and 5 to participate in the National Scholastic Chess
Foundation tournament held at Ridgeway School on December 1st. Bobby
Lovitch, Dominick Cardon, Connor McEvoy, Jacqueline Sheridan, Max
Crawley, Caroline Griffiths, and Cardon Furry all competed in the tourna-
ment, and Post Road School proudly placed 3rd in the tournament! Con-
gratulations future chess masters!
Page 10 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
Walls of Fame! some artwork from Mrs. Potocki’s
and Ms. Kopelowitz’s classes
Snow People, Kindergarten
Winter Landscapes, Grade 1
Outer Space, Grade 2
Scratch Board, Grade 5
Line Landscape, Grade 3
Masks, Grade 4
Post Road PTA Spring Fest and Raffle Donation Form Post Road Elementary School
175 West Post Road White Plains, NY 10606
Parent Teacher Association
Dear Post Road Family and Friends:
Post Road will be hosting the 2nd
annual Spring Fest and Raffle on Friday, April 11, 2008. We are asking Post Road families and friends to come together to help us raise money for the Post Road PTA. All donations are tax deductible.
We appreciate your support through donations of any kind including gift certificates, products, dinner/movie passes, and/or direct cash contributions. This contribution can be from you personally, the business you work for, a place you frequently shop, etc. If you can help please fill out the following form and return it to Post Road Elementary School. This contribution will not be included in the class basket section but will stand-alone and we will recognize your contribution in the Raffle’s program and on place cards.
How Will Your Gift Help?
Funds raised through our Spring Fest and Raffle will help us support:
• Academic programs • Music and Arts • Technology
Yes! I want to donate to the Post Road PTA’s 2nd Annual Spring Fest and Raffle
Donated By
Company/Contact/Title: __________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________ City: _______________ State: ______ Zip: _______ Phone: ____________________________________________ Post Road Parent Yes No Post Road Family Alum Yes No Donation Specifics (Donations must be received by March 15, 2008)
There are several ways to support our fundraiser. Please indicate below your donation preference.
� Item/Service ____________________________________________________________
Retail Value $ ____________________
� Gift Certificate Enclosed Amount: ____________
� Cash Donation: Amount: ____________ , Please make check payable to “Post Road PTA Spring Fest”
Description/RESTRICTIONS/Special Instructions:
� Donation Enclosed
Return your donation with this form to the Post Road PTA mailbox at the school.
� Donation to be picked up
If you prefer not to mail your donation, a Donations Committee volunteer can pick up your item. Just check this area, list your contact information above, and return to Post Road Elementary School. We will contact you to arrange pickup details.
� Yes, please send me a tax donation receipt to keep for my tax records.
Thank you for your generous donation and support!
Questions? Contact Joretta Crabbe (914) 948-4258 or Caroline Furry (914)949-3948
Page 11 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
POST ROAD PTA: Formulario de Donación de la Fiesta Primaveral y Rifa Post Road Elementary School
175 West Post Road White Plains, NY 10606
Parent Teacher Association
Queridos Familiares y Amigos de la escuela Post Road:
Post Road estará celebrando la Segunda Fiesta Anual de la Primavera y Rifa el Viernes, 11 de Abril del 2008. Les pedimos reunirse para ayudar a reunir dinero para el Post Road PTA. Todos los donativos serán deducibles ante los impuestos.
Apreciamos su ayuda con donaciones de cualquier tipo, esto incluye certificados de regalo, productos, un pase de cena o de película, y/ó contribuciones de efectivo en directo. Esta contribución puede ser de usted personalmente, el negocio por el cual usted trabaja, o el lugar donde usted frecuenta ir de compras etc. Sí usted no puede ayudar, por favor complete el siguiente formulario y retórnelo a la escuela ( Post Road Elementary School). Esta contribución no será incluida en la sección de la cesta de la clase sino estará parada sola y nosotros reconoceremos su contribución en el programa de las rifas y en las tarjetas de lugar.
¿Cómo ayudará su regalo?
Los fondos recibidos a través de la Fiesta Primaveral y Rifas no ayudara a apoyar:
• Programas Académicos • Música y Artes • Tecnología
¡Sí! deseo donar a la Segunda Fiesta Anual de la Primavera y Rifa del Post Road PTA.
Donado Por:
Compañía/ Contacto/ Titulo:___________________________________________
Dirección:_______________________________ Ciudad:_____________ Código:_________
Teléfono:________________________________
Pariente de Post Road SI NO Alumno Familiar de Post Road SI NO
Especificaciones de la donación ( Las donaciones deben de ser recibidas para antes del 15 de Marzo, 2008) Existen varias maneras de apoyar nuestra meta de recoger fondos. Por favor indique su modo de preferencia:
� Producto/ Servicio:_____________________________________________
Valor de Precio: $_______________________________
� Incluyo un Regalo Certificado: Cantidad:$___________________
� Donación en efectivo: Cantidad: $________________, Por favor haga el cheque para “ Post Road PTA Spring Fest.”
Descripciones/ Restricciones/ Instrucciones especiales:
� Donación Incluida: Retornar su donación con este formulario a el buzón “POST ROAD PTA” en la escuela.
� Donación para ser recogida: Si usted prefiere no ir a dejar su donación ene el buzón, un voluntario del Comité de Donaciones puede recoger su donación. Simplemente marque esta área, llene su información arriba y retorne el formulario al la escuela. Nosotros nos contactaremos con usted para hablar de los detalles de recogida.
� SI, por favor mándeme un recibo de donación del impuesto para mantenerlo en mis expedientes de impuesto.
Questions? Contact Joretta Crabbe (914) 948-4258 or Caroline Furry (914)949-3948
Page 12 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
The Halloween Bash Last Fall’s Halloween Bash was
very successful on many fronts.
Not only was it a profitable PTA
fundraiser, it also provided a safe,
fun environment for Post Road
students and families to have a
spooky good time!
Many thanks go out to the 40 plus
volunteers, without whom this event
wouldn’t have even been possible. Every
part of the talented Post Road family was represented—administrators, faculty, par-
ents and even former students. Of special note are the 15 student volunteers who
represented the 5th Grade Team. Because
of their impressive work, they earned over
$100 for their class. Great job, everyone!
Save the date! Mark your calendars now! You don’t want to miss this! April 8,
2008 will be Post Road School’s next fabulous Author/Illustrator
Evening. It’s a wonderful celebration of children’s literature and it’s
free. The guests are currently checking in with Mrs. Mollo and we
have some great attendees lined up. You will be able to meet Gail
Carson Levine, the author of Ella Enchanted, Bernard Most, the
author and illustrator of many, many great dinosaur books, Alyssa
Satin Capucilli and Pat Schories, the creative team behind the famous
Biscuit series, Diane deGroat, author and illustrator of many books
including Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite and
many, many more! Contact Mrs. Mollo if you would like to volunteer
some time to help out that evening and keep your eyes on those
backpacks as we get closer to the event!
Family Fun Night The Post Road PTA FAMILY FUN NIGHT was a great success. When the third Friday in
January rolled around again this year, Post Road families dusted off their roller skates and
came to the annual Family Fun Night. The children took their spirited spins around the Post
Road Gym, with Mr. Russo and Ms. Nestle in the lead and Coach Golden on the music.
Even those without skates had fun downstairs where there were plenty of board games wait-
ing to be played. Special thanks to Ms. Havis, Ms. Nestle, Coach Golden and Mr. Russo for
all they do to make our Family Fun Night a huge success.
Page 13 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
JOIN THE PTA!
YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP FUND POST ROAD PTA PRO-GRAMS AND GRANTS
Author-Illustrator Program; Speakers;
Assemblies; Field Trips; Family Picnic;
Halloween Bash; Talent Show;
Harvest Dinner; Graduation; Hospitality
MEMBERSHIP
Gold $100 Family $12
Silver $50 Individual $ 7
Bronze $25
REMEMBER, WITHOUT PARENTS AND TEACHERS, THERE IS NO PTA
Please detach and return to school, along with your check payable to “Post Road
PTA”. Thank you!
Name __________________________
Address __________________________
Phone __________________________
E-mail __________________________
Child’s Name _____________________
Teacher _____________________
Page 14 Volume 4, I ssue 2 Pos i t ive ly Post Road
Mark Your Calendar
Tuesday, February 5, 2008, 7pm PTA Meeting, Cafeteria
Friday, February 8, 7 pm Karaoke Night Fundraiser, Cafeteria
Friday, March 7, 2008, 7pm March Madness Game, WPHS North Gym
Tuesday, March 11, 2008, 7pm PTA Meeting, Cafeteria
Tuesday, April 8, 2008, 7pm Author Night, Cafeteria
Friday, April 11, 2008, 7pm Spring Fest, Gym
Tuesday, April 15, 2008, 7pm Budget Vote w/Tim Connors, School Theatre
Tuesday, May 6, 2008, 7pm PTA Meeting/Jenkins Awards, Media Center
Friday, May 9, 2008 PTA Staff Appreciation Luncheon
CALLING ALL PARENTS
Post Road PTA March Madness is coming!
March 7, 2008 7pm in the WPHS gym
We are looking for enthusiastic and fun par-
ents to play in our annual basketball game!
Please contact
Dan Furry ([email protected]) or
Steve Crabbe ([email protected])
if you want in on the fun!
GET READY FOR THE POST ROAD PTA
SPRING FEST & RAFFLE
Friday April 11th at 7pm
A fun-filled evening for the entire family!
Many great activities for the children in the cafeteria!
Come out and support Post Road!
For as little as a dollar ticket you can win one of over 100
exciting prizes!
Mark Your Calendars Now! And Get Ready to Party!