In honor of the opening ceremony of the Olympics on Feb. 7, students and staff of Jackson Avenue held a special assembly titled Champions of Outstanding Character. The event began with a U.S.A. chant to get everyone excited for the official Olympic kickoff. Students led the rally to discuss the many characteristics that are evident at Jackson Avenue, offering definitions and examples of each character. Some of the words included: teamwork, responsibility, courage, confidence, perseverance, citizenship, inspiration and sportsmanship. Go Team Jackson!
Posted 10 years, 3 months ago at 11:12 am. 1 comment
I don’t know how Mr DeLuca does it. His team manages to get bigger and better each year. Not only was the cast and crew over 175 students, the costumes and scenery were incredible!! There was so much to see I had a feeling I was missing things. The whole play is based on the premise of Ariel’s beautiful voice- newcomer Isabella Posada did not disappoint. WOW! Equally impressive were Josie Jones as Sebastian and Stephanie Toms as Ursula. Robert Shevlin’s (and the gulls) “Human Stuff” was one of my favorite scenes. Miquel Velasquez (Eric), Annemarie Patalano (Flounder) and Samantha Trested (Chef Louise) also stole scenes. All of the supporting ensemble were fantastic. The Sisters, lagoon animals, Ursula’s tentacles, Sailors, princesses (and their lovely voices), Flotsam and Jetsam, Grimsby, ALL added so much to the show. Kudos to Mr. Owens, Mr Goldman, Mrs. Peters, Ms. Buongiovanni , Mr. Carreras and Mr. Tunkel. Special shout out to all of the “Drama Mamas”- the show doesn’t go on without you!
Posted 10 years, 3 months ago at 3:28 pm. 1 comment
People laugh when I say that snow days are the worse part of my job. They can’t believe I would stress over this relatively minor aspect of running an entire school system. But man do I hate snow. I rarely have to make a quick decision that affects so many families and routines; and it is agonizing. As much as I never want to cancel a day I will always err on the side of caution. There are many factors in the decision. Can we clear the snow? Remember that our custodians, maintenance men, and bus drivers all travel to work. They need to arrive well before school to prepare the grounds and vehicles. (They have done an EXCEPTIONAL job this year!) If you shovel your walk you can appreciate what it is like clearing the schools. We have snow blowers for the walkways but the driveways are a challenge. While we have plows they only PUSH the snow. They can’t lift it and deposit it in a different area. We have one small “Bobcat” that has that capability. A heavy snow like yesterday makes it very difficult. Are the roads safe? Last week’s early dismissal was necessary to keep the buses on schedule. The roads became increasingly dangerous as the day went on. Had we waited and dismissed at normal times Jackson students would have arrived home at 5:00 (if we were lucky). Are the bus stops safe? Can the staff arrive on time? Can they get home safely? What are the other districts doing? Are we running out of days? This question doesn’t factor in on whether to call a day or not, but it certainly is a question that is important. Right now we have 2 instructional days built into the calendar and 3 additional days if necessary. I will wait and see what transpires with the next 2 storms before we address the calendar. The forecast for tomorrow is tenuous at best. As of now it appears we may have a delayed opening, but it isn’t crystal clear. We will wait and see what the morning brings. I appreciate your patience and understanding on these days; rest assured we will consider all of the things listed above and many more and ultimately decide to do what is safest for children.
Posted 10 years, 3 months ago at 1:34 pm. Add a comment
We implemented a dual-language program at Hampton Street School this year for interested students in grades K-2. Students rotate between a teacher speaking only in English and a teacher instructing only in Spanish throughout the school day. The program has been successful to date and the we intend to expand it next year. I walked into Carmen Vazquez’s second-grade class recently and saw this. It’s students receiving a social studies lesson in Spanish while using the total physical response technique. TPR is the use of hand and body gestures to help language learners better understand what they are learning. It’s really something and an expanded article on the dual-language program and TPR will be included in the district’s next edition of the Outreach. Watch your mailboxes for it sometime in early April.
Posted 10 years, 3 months ago at 11:05 am. Add a comment
Just another example of how even our youngest can utilize our online databases and conduct research at the click of a button! Kindergartners in Ms. Levi and Ms. Maffettone’s class at Hampton have been experimenting with the online research database PebbleGo. Designed for elementary learners, the database provides facts in an easy-to-read format on any given subject and even offers the option of having the information read out loud for the student. Most recently, students used the program to research penguins, which was the start of a two-week project for the students. This project was
a precursor to the culminating grade-appropriate research project that every class is required to complete at the end of the school year.
Posted 10 years, 3 months ago at 10:21 am. Add a comment
Our Dept. of Fine and Performing Arts is teaming up with the Mineola Memorial Library to showcase the work of our students. Over 175 pieces of mixed-media student work will be on display at the Walter and Joan Hobbs Gallery located in the lower level of the Mineola Memorial Library. The works will be viewable throughout the month of January during regular library hours. Please visit and support our talented artists.
Posted 10 years, 4 months ago at 12:43 pm. Add a comment
Last night’s 5th grade concert was the sixth and final performance of the holiday season. I was fortunate to be able to attend all 6 performances this year; they never disappoint. Kudos to all of our wonderful music teachers and Joe Owens. Some personal highlights include- Ian Kelly’s dance moves during Zoot Suit Santa. Samantha Trested and Miguel Velasquez’s solos in All I want for Christmas. All of the songs played by the 8th grade orchestra. Linus and Lucy by the 8th grade band. The Concert Singers rendition of Africa (not really a holiday song). The 7th graders singing Believe and finally the 6th grade band First Holiday Concert. Last night my 2nd grade son accompanied me to the concert. He sat mesmerized and fully entertained. This morning I overheard him telling his sister about the “Treblemakers” and how great they can sing – entertaining and inspirational- can’t ask for more than that!
Posted 10 years, 5 months ago at 3:45 pm. Add a comment
On Tuesday evening about 125 people gathered in the Middle School music room for a discussion about Mineola’s implementation of the common core standards and curriculum. I made a brief presentation and then a panel of school personnel fielded questions. The concerns dealt primarily with mathematics in grades K-2. These concerns are understandable since the NYSED curriculum wasn’t released until late August. The terminology and expectations of this curriculum are very different from Everyday math. As a District we have responded with parent resources K-7 that include teacher videos of HW problems as well as letters to parents with an overview of the topics in the new unit, new vocabulary and activities to do at home. Parents also relayed a concern over student work space on HW sheets, which we will address. We have purchased math workbooks (they have just been released) in grades 1-4. Grades 3 and 4 already have them, grades 1 and 2 will start with the next module. I found it interesting that no one voiced a concern over the ELA curriculum which the district planned and began implementing last year. I think the extra time to plan for that implementation allowed a smoother transition. We continue to adopt and adapt all curriculum materials to best suit our students’ needs. We have staff developers and weekly and monthly opportunities for teachers to share concerns and resources. The underlying theme behind the common core standards is to expose students to grade level expectations while simultaneously providing work and materials at his/her ability level. Here is a link to the video of that evening: http://youtu.be/N8NTPeE0Ldg
Posted 10 years, 5 months ago at 10:11 am. 1 comment
Man what a depressing play! I really wanted Catherine to find love and we don’t know if she ever did. Our thespians once again seamlessly transported us into another world. High society of New York in the 1850’s – the language was different, the clothes, the culture – all beautifully portrayed. Rebecca Bastos was superb as the ‘plain and simple” Catherine (no type casting here!!) Quinn Ginsberg was excellent as the cold and unable to please Dr. Sloper. Every year we see a newcomer dominate the stage and this year didn’t disappoint- Tyler Villalona rocked as the “mercenary” Morris Townsend. Kudos to Michelle Serna she has the uncanny ability to make me laugh in every role she plays. Her portrayal of Aunt Lavinia was wonderful. The rest of the cast, Katie Barnwell, Matt Eisen, Julianne Ortiz, Brendan Pusey, Nicole Mengler and Bonnie Small all took us back in time to a period not often seen in movies or TV. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening- even though I it depressed me! Great set Mr. Tunkel and all of the students that helped in the construction. Another great production- Congratulations Mr. DeLuca and Ms. Sloane. Theater is alive and well in Mineola!!
Posted 10 years, 5 months ago at 2:05 pm. Add a comment
Fourth-graders in the AGP class at Jackson have been doing some phenomenal things with their new iPads. Newsday sent a photographer to the class yesterday and we are featured in today’s paper:
Posted 10 years, 6 months ago at 9:14 am. Add a comment
