April 15, 2015 Volume IX, No. 22 Emily Gaberman, Principal – [email protected] Karen Bourn, Assistant Principal – [email protected] Dates To Remember: DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION Fri. Apr 17 2:45pm Schools Close at End of Day for April Recess Mon. Apr 27 8:20am Classes Resume th th Thu. Apr 30 7-‐8:15pm PTC Parent Forum – 4 &5 Parent/Child Math Night Performance Center Wed. May 6 7:45am Early Principal’s Coffee Media Center Wed. May 6 8:30am Principal’s Coffee Performance Center Thu. May 7 9am-‐12pm Gr. 3 Bike Rodeo Playground Thu. May 7 12:15pm Early Release Day – NO AM Kindergarten due to AM Parent Conferences Fri. May 8 9:45 & 12:30 2015-‐2016 Incoming Kindergarten Visit Day Fri. May 15 9am Gr. 1 Parent Concert Performance Center Fri. May 15 7pm Broadmeadow-‐Mitchell Basketball Game Needham High School Wed. May 20 6-‐7pm Book Pals & Art Show Opening Lobby, Hallways Mon. May 25 No School – Memorial Day Fri. May 29 9am Gr. 5 Immigration Fair Thu. June 4 12:15pm Early Release Day – NO AM Kindergarten due to AM Parent Conferences Fri. June 5 8:20-‐11:10am Gr. 1-‐5 Field Day Playground Fri. June 5 6pm PTC Playground Picnic Playground Wed. June 10 7pm Concert for Gr. 3 Strings and Gr. 4 Parents Performance Center Mon. June 15 7pm Concert for Gr. 5 Parents Performance Center Wed. June 24 12:15pm Early Release Day – LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!! REVISED MCAS Math & Science, Technology & Engineering Testing Dates: Grade 3: May 13, 14 Grade 4: May 18, 19 Grade 5 Math: May 11, 12 Grade 5 STE: May 20, 21 1 PRINCIPAL’S NOTES Last Friday we held our April All School Meeting, which was led by the First Grade students and teachers. They used VoiceThread, a web-‐based program to share a retelling of The Happy Day, which students illustrated and read. First graders also read news and announcement blurbs -‐which you can read for yourself below. We were really impressed with their reading! The kindergartners recently had March Mathness games day in the Performance Center. They played games that helped them learn math facts and practice skills. Parents came to help out, and everyone had a great time! The kindergartners have finished learning the lower case formations and sounds for all of the letters of the alphabet. Hooray! They are now painting animals for a collaborative zoo to decorate the bulletin board between the two classrooms. The Kindergartners are happy it's spring so they won't have to wear snow pants anymore! First graders have been hard at work learning all about our world through nonfiction reading. In math, they are exploring the Number Line Hotel. Now that we finally have some spring weather, first graders are excited to continue exploring air and weather in science. First graders recently enjoyed a visit from author Brian Lies, who shared the process behind writing and illustrating his books. Second graders have been busy doing Social Studies and Science. They recently had the World Bazaar and learned a lot about many countries including Lebanon, Ireland, Brazil, and Australia. Second graders also collected 17 gallons of sap from the maple tree over the last few weeks. On Tuesday, April 7, they boiled the sap and watched it transform into syrup...yum! Third graders are continuing to learn about Fractions. They have discovered that fractions are equal parts of a whole and are learning how to find equivalent fractions, placing fractions on a number line, and ordering fractions too! Also, third graders are excited to have finished their first ELA MCAS tests last Wednesday and Thursday! In fourth grade students are learning about and exploring historical fiction, and the work is exciting. In math they are learning about fractions and their relationship to decimals. They are also having fun learning about the earth's landforms, about our ever changing earth, and about famous explorers throughout history. They really loved having a poet in their classroom recently, and some fourth grade classes are embarking upon a unit of poetry writing. Fourth graders thank you for being so quiet in the hallways as they worked on MCAS! This is a busy time of year for fifth graders. Students have been studying multiplying and dividing fractions and have been practicing test-‐taking strategies. Students have been learning about simple machines and westward movement. In music, students have been working with Garage Band in the Tech Center. Students are learning volleyball in PE, and glazing pots in art. On a personal note, I am heading to Toronto this weekend to see my older son and his girlfriend for a short family reunion. Then, I will be home and resting up for the last leg of our school year. I hope everyone has a wonderful spring break and I look forward to see you on our return. Best-‐ Emily Gaberman 2 SCHOOL NEWS PUBLIC HEARING ON SCHOOL CHOICE The Needham School Committee will hold a public hearing on the School Choice Program at its meeting on Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. in the Broadmeadow School Committee Room. The school choice program allows parents to send their children to schools in communities other than the city or town in which they reside. Districts may elect not to enroll school choice students if space is not available. All interested parties are invited to attend. SAVE THE DATE: SPRING MUSIC PERFORMANCES! First Grade Spring Music Celebration -‐ Friday, May 15th at 9:00am Fourth Grade Spring Concert (strings, band, chorus)-‐ Wednesday, June 10th at 7:00pm Fifth Grade Spring Concert (strings, band, chorus) -‐Monday, June 15th at 7:00pm TO FAMILIES WHO ARE MOVING OR TRANSFERRING TO PRIVATE SCHOOL Please notify the office as soon as possible if your child (ren) will not be returning to Broadmeadow or the district in the fall. COMMUNITY NEWS PACK 8 NEEDHAM CUB SCOUTS ROCKET DAY Pack 8 Needham Cub Scouts invites boys entering 1st to 5th grade in September to Rocket Day on Saturday, May 2nd, 9am to noon at Olin College, off Great Plain Ave, parking lot C. Try launching one of our rockets or bring along your own rocket to launch. For questions about scouts or Rocket Day contact us at [email protected] or visithttp://www.pack8needham.com SUMMER ANIMAL ADOPTION PROGRAM – NEEDHAM SCIENCE CENTER Enrich your summer with a cuddly or cool Science Center animal. We’ll teach you how to care for your summer guest and give you a starter supply of food. To learn more about summer adoptions, call the Science Center: 781 455-‐0475. WANT TO BE A TUTEE? The Peer Tutor Program matches students in grades 3-‐8 with a high school tutor. Tutors provide one hour of tutoring each week throughout the year at designated sites. The cost of the program is $45. Applications are available at the Needham Youth Services office in Town Hall or online at www.needhamma.gov/youth/peertutor. Available tutee slots are limited and they fill up quickly – apply now! Applications will be accepted until June 1st. Contact Liz Loveless at [email protected] NEEDHAM YOUTH SERVICES SUMMER REGISTRATION Starting on Monday, May 4th, Needham Youth Services will be accepting registrations for all of their summer and early fall programs. Most of the services/programs are offered free of charge to Needham residents, and most regularly sell out. Hard copies of the Summer Brochures are available at our office in Town Hall, or online at:www.needhamma.gov/youth/summer2015/brochure. For additional information please contact Maria Papantoniou at [email protected]. 3 ANNUAL NEEDHAM PITCH HIT AND RUN Softball and baseball players, ages 7-‐14 can compete in pitching, hitting and running skills. Sunday, May 3 at 12 noon at DeFazio Field. There is NO FEE to participate in this event. Registration and information at www.Smileboston.com/PHR. OPEN STUDIOS Artists all around Needham will be displaying and demonstrating their work during the annual Needham Open Studios tour on May 2 from 10-‐4 and May 3 from noon-‐4. This is a great opportunity for students to meet working artists, see demonstrations, and learn about their inspirations and methods. Throughout the weekend there will be special demonstrations and hands-‐on activities at some locations. For more information, to see all the participating artists, and to view a map of the locations, please visits www.needhamopenstudios.com, or look for brochures at the library, Town Hall, and many local businesses. 4