Tiger Talk - Yonkers Public Schools
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
YONKERS PUBLIC SCHOOLS MARCH 29, 2019
Tiger Talk
Kahlil Gibran School’s Official School Newspaper
WALK to end
Pancreatic Cancer!
(pg. 3)
Letter from the
Kahlil Gibran's First Annual Science Fair! Editor
In February of this year, Gibran welcomed a new opportunity for students to By Student Editor: Mia
Fraitag (pg. 8)
showcase scientific research! All grades were given the chance to work with
a group, or alone, on a project. For grades Pre-K to K, students had to keep
the same headings for each section but use pictures or illustrations to
include on the board. They also needed to add a caption under each visual
explaining what we were seeing. From first to fifth grade, students...(cont.)
1 2 3
Film Review: Mary
Poppins Returns
KAHLIL GIBRAN CORNER INTRAMURAL SPORTS GRADE LEVEL (pg. 10)
Lessons from our school’s Gibran students kick, FEATURES
namesake! (pg. 8) shoot & hit their way to
What’s happening in
victory! (pg. 10)
Pre-K-8? (pg. 6)
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019 - PAGE 2 (cont. from cover) ...come up with a question that could be answered using the scientific method. Along with that, they needed to make a connection to math. As for sixth and seventh grade, the STEM project guidelines needed to be followed. These guidelines involve creating a question that could be answered using a model or prototype. After the project is completed, they were reviewed by the committee: Ms. Iezza (third and fourth grade), Mrs. Troiano (pre-k, K, first grade and second grade), Ms. Romano (fifth and sixth) and Mrs. Farrell (seventh). I was lucky enough to visit the science fair and witness the amazing experiments and projects that the students created. They were all very original and impressive. “Everyone worked so hard and produced such interesting science projects. I hope all of the students enjoyed the science fair and will participate again next year.” -Ms. Romano “All the students who participated did an amazing job! We have quite a few talented scientists among us. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next year.” -Ms. Iezza 3rd Grade Peer Tutoring: Our 7th-8th graders have volunteered to tutor the younger grades during their recess. The tutors work on preparing the class for the State Tests and reviewing topics that they’ve learned already. Emanuela Florio (EF) interviewed 8th graders Mia Fraitag (MF) and Samantha Salzarulo (SS) on how they feel about tutoring: EF: “What do you usually do with the children?” MF: “We usually play review games.” EF: “What’s the hardest part of tutoring?” MF: “Getting them to pay attention and respect us.” SS: “Getting them to listen to us without yelling.” EF: “What are some of the things you’ve learned from doing this?” SS: “I learned how to be patient. I also learned that I would like to become a teacher.” Going with what my fellow writer Emanuela has addressed, we don’t just play review games! Over the past break, Ms. Salvi’s 3rd graders were given a project to complete about their nationalities. I was very proud of what I saw, and I can tell you for certain that they enjoyed it: “I learned so much about my friends and their nationalities. Also, I learned about so many different foods. Ms. Salvi said that she is so mad that we didn’t bring food in for her.” -Ms. Salvi’s Ava Yacovone Overall, they did an amazing job, and I can’t wait to see their next projects after spring break! -Mia Fraitag
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019 - PAGE 3 Raising Money and Awareness at Gibran by Ms. Ciccone Dear School Community, Unfortunately, cancer has become a reality for all of us. We have either been affected by or lost someone to this devastating illness. Whatever part of the body cancer attacks, it is invasive and destructive. Late August 2017, I lost my strong and what we assumed, healthy dad. He was taken from us six months after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The Lustgarten Foundation is the nation's largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research to date. The foundation has played a critical role in promoting therapeutic discoveries that have led to new treatments and possibly, someday, a cure for this painful disease. Please help us support pancreatic cancer research through the Lustgarten Foundation. There are different ways that you can make to help the cause. One of the choices is to join me on Sunday, April 28 at Rye Playland Park for the walk. You may register through a webpage I created in my name and that of our schools'. The address to the website is listed below. You may also register in-person on the day of the walk. Check-in begins at 8:00 am and you can join me in the walk at 9:30 am. There is free food and drinks and a D.J. along with a few extra activities for the children. If you cannot attend, please choose one of the other choices listed below. Any contribution will help make a difference in the fight against cancer. Sincerely, Ms. T. Ciccone, Pre-K Teacher & Anna Whalen, PTA President Donate $1.00 Directly To The School Each student may donate $1.00, which will be collected by their classroom teacher and submitted to the PTA to donate directly to the Kahlil Gibran Tigers Team. Classroom teachers will begin accepting donations on Monday, March 18 and all donations must be submitted by Friday, April 12. Register to Walk https://events.lustgarten.org/fundraiser/1951476 - Rye Playland, 4/28/19. Sign up @8/Walk @9:30 Donate Directly https://events.lustgarten.org/fundraiser/1951476
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019- PAGE 4
Preparing for the Science Fair
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019- PAGE 5
Kahlil Gibran's First Science Fair!
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019- PAGE 6 Kindergarten News: Our Kindergarten classes have been very busy celebrating many joyous events this trimester other than the December holidays. One such event was the Hundredth Day of school. They celebrated the Hundredth Day of School on Valentine’s Day. The students were asked to create projects with their families that reflected the number 100. The students used candy, pipe cleaners, and other objects to assemble their projects. Our kindergarteners were also busy celebrating Dr. Seuss’s Birthday in March. Some of our kindergarteners wore mismatched socks and crazy hats to reflect the books, The Cat in the Hat and Fox in Socks. No matter how they celebrated that day they all agreed that it was a day filled with silliness and fun. They are looking forward to making their Leprechaun Traps and hoping to catch a leprechaun or two. 1st Grade News: Our first graders have spent the past few months deep in work. In celebration of Black History month, some of the students read books on famous African Americans and then presented a report to their class. The students learned about so many famous African Americans. Science has led them to a unit on seasons and how the weather affects change. Tallying and graphing is happening in their math classes. They are doing St Patrick’s Day graphs as well Lucky Charms graphs. Keeping in the St. Patrick’s Day mode, they have done some writing on why they are lucky. 2nd Grade News: Our second graders are hard at work in their classrooms. For Black History Month, some of the students wrote about famous African Americans. They learned all about Chinese New Year in the classroom and celebrated it with a snack of traditional Chinese food. Other students created their own leprechaun and wrote stories about how they could catch one. They are learning about self-esteem and kindness. They are awaiting a trip to see the movie, “Dumbo”. They can use the movie to help understand the importance of self-esteem and being kind to each other. 3rd Grade News: Our third graders are spending a lot of their time reading. They are looking at different reading skills such as comparing and contrasting and setting, and they have just started looking at figurative language. Whether they are reading Sarah Plain and Tall or a Cherokee legend, our third graders are finding connections in their reading. As for Math, the third graders have begun their study of multiplication. We wish them luck. Maybe the next time you run into a third grader, you could quiz them on the tables. 4th Grade News: Many of our fourth graders participated in the first ever Science Fair here at Kahlil Gibran School! They are continuing their study of multiplication and division as they begin their unit of fractions in math. Their study of science brings them to the systems of the body and how they function. Look out for their life-size body systems. The students are studying the American Revolution in their Social Studies classes. They had to decide whether they wanted to be a loyalist or a patriot. They used what they had learned about colonial America and decided which they would be. 5th Grade News: Our fifth graders continue to show responsibility each day. Some of the exciting things that have happened in fifth grade are our research papers on African Americans, book reports and our Chinese New Year celebration. We are working on CBT based testing weekly and practicing strategies for test-taking in April. Of course, we continue to celebrate "Fun Fridays" and other classroom celebrations. We went to the Museum of Natural History and visited the planetarium. We learned about the Big Bang Theory and weighed ourselves on different planets. We then explored the museum and saw many different exhibits like the dinosaurs fossils and of course, the whale. Lastly, we visited the biodiversity exhibit and enjoyed our lunch together in the cafeteria.
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019- PAGE 7
The Value of a First-Hand Account:
For many members of our upper class, March brought the opportunity to hear the account of a first-hand
witness to the Holocaust - an invaluable chance that time is quickly running out on.
This month, the 6th and 8th graders furthered their study of the Holocaust by attending the Holocaust
Remembrance Program at Lincoln Park Jewish Center. They viewed historical poster displays and listened to
the testimony of a survivor, Mrs. Judith Altmann (6th) and Mr. Alan Moskin (8th). Prior to the visit the 6th
graders examined primary source documents and watched a documentary related to survivor Greta Weismann
Klein’s life, all of which the 8th graders recall from their time in Ms. Dillon's 6th grade class. Students
brainstormed the lessons learned from this unit of study that they can use in their life today. They include:
• always be an upstander; never a bystander
• keep hate out of your heart, because it will only destroy you
• keep positive thoughts
• life is precious
• study history and hear the stories of the past to keep atrocities from ever happening again
• value and appreciate family/friends
• accept people for who they are (and many more!)
In Ms. Dillon’s sixth grade class, students learned about the Holocaust. This is probably one of the most
difficult topics to teach and to learn. However, the students have viewed, written, and spoken about just how
horrible this time in history was.They watched the documentary “Paperclips”, visited Lincoln Park Jewish
Center and witnessed a Holocaust survivor speak, and wrote essays on what the Holocaust meant to them.
They also read primary source documents and first-hand accounts and debated on whether or not they were
humanizing or dehumanizing.
“When I read about the Holocaust I felt sad because 11 million people died because of who they were.” -Alyssa Weeks
Students view an exhibit on Nazi Propaganda Waiting to meet & thank Mr. Moskin
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019- PAGE 8
A Letter from the Student Editor:
Have you ever sat down at a desk and noticed writing or drawings covering certain areas? What did you
think? Were you bothered by it at all, or did it seem normal to you? If it was normal to you, did you add to it? If
you didn’t, you made the right decision. Vandalism is illegal.
Not only in schools, but on streets in Yonkers (or any other city), you can easily find defaced buildings,
vehicles, and other forms of private property. Things such as graffiti and destruction of street lights and stop signs
are very easy to spot. Some people notice them easily and others don’t. While many people are against
vandalization, some people find it stress relieving or calming. No matter how beautiful the graffiti or drawing is, it
is still against the law. There is no way that I can stop you from writing on desks or breaking school, or private
property, but keep in mind that you could get into serious trouble. You or our family can be charged with a fine of
between $400 and $1,000. Depending on what you defaced and how much of it you defaced, you could spend
years in prison, be charged with 100 hours of community service, and a $10,000 fine. Next time, think twice
before you write on your desk. And, if you see anyone writing or drawing on private property, warn them that it’s
against the law and that it’s the wrong thing to do.
Let’s try to keep our school and our community graffiti free! - Mia Fraitag
Kahlil Gibran Corner:
"Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof." - Kahlil Gibran
Each issue, we here at Tiger Talk would like to challenge students to
think in the way that our school’s namesake, Kahlil Gibran, did.
Gibran is known for his thoughtful teachings that can help people to
improve their daily lives by changing their perspective on the things
they experience.
In the quote above, Gibran provides an opportunity to consider what
the word "faith" means to us. Larger than simply a word related to
our understanding of religion, faith is something that we put in
others, and ourselves, every day.
Faith cannot be justified by reasons. It cannot be explained by proof.
Sometimes, it won’t even make sense. But - hold on. It is believing
the unseen and trusting the unknown. Beyond the horizons yet
within reach. Bringing peace to your soul and meaning to your
existence. It is what the heart knows and understands but the mind
fails to comprehend. In this way "faith" is more than just a religious
term - it is the very fabric of what keeps us going.
A digital illustration of the quotation
Faith, as Khalil Gibran says, is an oasis in the heart which will never
as interpreted by Jayna Silliman.
be reached by the caravan of thinking. Faith and hope go a very long way.
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019- PAGE 9 Junior Achievement Job Shadow Program @ Microsoft: This winter our 8th grade students were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to participate in a "Job Shadow" program at the Microsoft Store in the Westchester Mall in White Plains. Upon arrival the students were whisked into a theater/classroom hybrid space at the rear of the store where they were presented to by some of the company's employees - each of which shared the story of their unique position and path that has taken them there. They had the opportunity to learn about career- options, benefits packages, to get hands-on with educational and gaming technology and much, experience coding, & much more!
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019- PAGE 10 Intramural Sports: As we work through the second half school year, Kahlil Gibran students hope to find success yet again in intramural sports! Open to 7th and 8th grade students, our intramural sports offerings put students from our school up against their peers from across the other schools in the District in a variety of sports. With Spring in the air, the volleyball season is preparing to kick into gear for 7th and 8th grade girls this week! Now in its 3rd year, the intramural volleyball program is a great opportunity for team-building, exercise, and competition! Good luck to Coach Figueroa and his team this season! New this Spring to the Yonkers Public Schools' Intramural program is Flag-Football! Our school, with Mr. Di Monaco as coach, will be joined by students and coaches from DiChiaro, School 32, School 23, School 5 & Pulaski to combine into two teams that will eventually compete against others being formed around the city. Students will learn offensive and defensive drills, stretches/conditioning drills, the fundamental rules of the game and how each position functions, with the ultimate goal to be to get them ready to enter 9th grade ready to try out for the Yonkers Brave or Yonkers Force. Film Review - Mary Poppins Returns by Mia Fraitag What movie do you associate with imagination, 17 Cherry Tree Lane, and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"? If you have not thought of one yet, let me introduce one.“Mary Poppins” staring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, was released on August 26, 1964. It includes George Banks, a bank worker, along with his wife Winifred, and his two children Jane and Michael. With Mr. Banks at work everyday, and Mrs. Banks protesting to gain the right to vote for women, the children were usually left with nannies that they would eventually drive away for their accidental misbehaviors. That is, until Mary Poppins came along and showed them that anything is possible. She took them on adventures through chalk drawings and taught them right from wrong. Now, many years later, we find Michael Banks and his three children in a similar situation. The new sequel “Mary Poppins Returns” features Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins and Lin Manuel Miranda as our new role model, Jack, in place of Bert from the original film. This movie contains all-new music written by Marc Shaiman. With many references to the original film, I believe that this is a “must see.” Some songs featured in this movie are, “Lovely London Sky” (Sung by Lin Manuel Miranda), “Can you Imagine That” (Sung by Emily Blunt), “The Cover Is Not The Book” (Sung by both Emily Blunt and Lin Manuel Miranda), and “Nowhere To Go But Up” (Sung by the entire cast.) If you are a fan of the original, you will not be disappointed with the new movie. I would definitely give if five out of five stars! The actors and actresses fit their parts perfectly and the animation is beautiful! I absolutely loved when they had the cast enter the animation just like in the original. This movie is truly supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL MARCH 29, 2019- PAGE 11 Gibran's Cheer Squad: This year, Ms. Salvi and Mrs. Shaggura's third graders started a cheer squad! This squad consisted of six girls from Ms. Salvi's class and one girl from Mrs. Shaggura's class. In Ms. Salvi's class we had Taylor Lavery, Bridget Ferry, Ava Yacovone, Brianna Wiley, Bella Burke, and Meghan Foster. In Mrs. Shaggura's class, we had Rida Pirzada. I got to spend time with them recently, and I was lucky enough to learn two of their cheers! - Mia Fraitag "Who rocks the house? The tigers rock the house! And when the tigers rock the house, they rock it all the way down!" "V. I. C. T. O. R. Y. Victory! Victory! That's our cry! Victory! Success! Cause we are the best! GO TIGERS!" Not pictured: Meghan Foster #FUNDYONKERSFAIRLY: Yonkers Public Schools Faces $60 Million Deficit Potentially Leading to Major Cuts & Layoffs This year, Yonkers Public Schools face a $60 million deficit which could potentially lead to major cuts and layoffs. Currently, the Foundation Aid Formula appropriates nearly $8,000 per Yonkers pupil. By formula, Yonkers’ students lag its sister cities Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo by approximately $2,000 – $3,000 per student. Based on Yonkers Public Schools enrollment, the difference in annual funding among Yonkers and its sister cities ranges between $52 million to $79 million. Mayor Spano traveled to Albany Wednesday, March 13th and met with state officials about the needs of the Yonkers Public Schools. He also will joined Yonkers PTA parents and students on Tuesday, March 19th in Albany as they rallied at the State Capitol to Fund Yonkers Fairly. New York State is expected to pass its annual budget by April 1st. You can take action to help - your voice should be heard! The New York State PTA is supporting the cause and has created a webpage through which you can easily send a message to Albany and express your thoughts on this matter. Visit the link below to quickly and effectively sign the petition and have your voice heard! https://nyspta.org/home/advocacy/take-action/?vvsrc=/Campaigns/64258/Respond
Tiger Talk is proudly brought to you by:
Principal: Mrs. Dianne White
Assistant Principal: Dr. Amilcar Poças
Faculty Advisers: Mrs. P. Ackerman & Mr. L. Di Monaco
Student Editor: Mia FraitagYou can also read
