April 2014 1 School House Rock Live! Jr. The reviews are in and Watchung PTA's 2nd annual After School Enrichment theater production was a big hit! Our tal- ented singers, dancers and actors performed Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr. (based on the Emmy Award-winning 1970s educational animated TV series) to their fellow students, friends and family with three performances in two days. Con- gratulations to the cast, volunteers and everyone who helped make the production such a huge success!
Transcript
April 2014
April 2014
1
School House Rock Live! Jr.
The reviews are in and Watchung PTA's 2nd annual After School Enrichment theater production was a big hit! Our tal-
ented singers, dancers and actors performed Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr. (based on the Emmy Award -winning 1970s
educational animated TV series) to their fellow students, friends and family with three performances in two days. Con-
gratulations to the cast, volunteers and everyone who helped make the production such a huge success!
Watchung Elementary School / PTA Newsletter (Continued)
A Message from the PTA
Presidents
We think we can finally say it: spring is here! And with the sunshine and warmer days come so many school activities. Our PTA volunteers are working on the annu-al Tag Sale, Bike/Walk to School Day, Teacher Appre-ciation Week, Pancake Breakfast and Fun Run, the annual Talent Show, Science Bee and Science Sum-mit, Field Day, Ice Cream Social and the farewell activi-ties for our graduating fifth graders. We are busy! If you would like to help out with any of these events, vol-unteer information can be found later in this issue. We know many Watchung parents would like to learn more about how our district is implementing the Com-mon Core State Standards (CCSS) and the PARCC test. Both the PTA and the School Action Team (SAT) are working to bring more information to you. The SAT sponsored a presentation by Supervisor for Profession-al Development Natalee Bartlett last week on the CCSS, which gave an overview of the goals for mathe-matics and language arts. Last Tuesday, we attended a PTA Council meeting during which Chief Academic Of-ficer Gail Clarke presented an overview of the PARCC test and the district’s new Director of Technology, Barry Haines, gave a brief presentation of the district’s two-year technology plan, which is vital given that the PARCC test must be taken on a computer or tablet. We can assure you that Barry is hitting the ground running and he plans to meet with the PTAs and SATs in the district soon to tell us what we can expect from the dis-trict in terms of new technology and also how the PTAs can best use funds raised for technology. If you would like to do any reading on either Common Core or PARCC, both Principal Schmidt and the SAT have provided information and useful links to websites in this issue of the newsletter as well as in past issues (available at www.watchungpta.org). In addition, the Na-tional PTA (www.pta.org) website has some great basic information for parents, including a New Jersey-specific guide to the Common Core)
1 as well as short overviews
of Common Core standards for each grade level. We hope everyone has a relaxing, fun-filled Spring Break (and remember, school is in session on Friday, April 25th!). Have a great month! – Jen and Melinda 1 www.pta.org/files/Advocacy/CCSSIToolkit/Common%20Core%20State%20Standards%20Resources/Assessments%20Resouces/PTA%5FNJ%5F6PG%5F10DEC13%5FFINAL%5FR.pdf
Watchung Elementary School / PTA Newsletter (Continued)
Thank You!
School House Rock Live! Jr. Our second annual ASE Theater Production was a hit! Thank you to director Marlaina Powell, musical director Henry
Boote, committee chairs Lisa Russman and Cyndi Owgang, parent volunteers Julie Laser, Ellen Kim, Jen Freund,
Rachelle Byrd, Debbie Nathanson, Deb Leow, Elaine Schwartz, Omaira Lacey, Aimee Brooks, Laura Gelman, Ki Keys,
Kim Keys, Dina Cagliostro, and intern Ava Falco. Also special thanks to the following: Humberto Ibarra and John Warren for their assistance getting our auditorium ready, Eric Weintraub for generously allowing the use of the gym during the
production, Ravan McGrath for creating the "Great American Melting Pot” montage, Tim Bohn for staging/directing "I'm
Just a Bill," Louisa Testa for supplying flowers, Eileen Painter and Cookie Bella Bakeshop for supplying cookies, and Acadia Scenic for donating stairs.
Watchung Booksellers Fundraiser Thank you to chair Aimee Brooks and Jill and John Hirsch, Deborah Leow, Debi Debiak, Janice Leas, Ewa Baj, Ki Keys, Kate Kim, Christine Westlund, Jen Freund, Rion Byrd-Gumus, Beth Acevedo, Tracy Schraven, Mutya Harsch and Sybil
Eng who either helped at the lemonade stand/bake sale or baked goodies!
After School Enrichment It was a tough winter with all the snow days, but we want to send a BIG thank you to ASE chair Janice Leas for seeing
the winter session of ASE through to the end. This is one of the bigger PTA jobs and Janice has graciously chaired it for
two years—even while she was trying to move! Janice, we will miss you next year!
Fifth Grade Graduation Team Our Fifth Grade Graduation committee chairs, Mary Moore and Elaine Schwartz, have worked tirelessly this year to
raise funds for the fifth grade graduation festivities. If you don’t know who they are, you have surely bought pizza or
snacks from them at one of our many PTA events! Thank you, Mary and Elaine! We are almost there.
Harlem Wizards vs. Montclair Magic We hope everyone had an amazing time at the Harlem Wizards game! Our own Montclair Magic gave them a run for
their money, but alas, the Harlem Wizards remain undefeated. Thank you to the Montclair Magic team: Raymon Barrett, Susan Bleecker, Henry Boote, Lyndsay Byron, Jon Chiles, Angela Falco, Rob Fantozzi, Justin Franciose, Major Jen-
nings, Patrick Krenn, Ravan Magrath, Renee Marchand, Megan Matson, Victoria Meisch, George Oliphant, Dione Ol-
son, Kevin Osman, Gina Russo, Joe Schmidt, Randi Schott, Danielle Schragen, Cristiana Smith, Christina Sparacino,
Keimon Thompson, Maureen Verducci, Patrick Wilson, Susan Wolff and team coach (and our own "Coach") Eric Wein-traub. Thank you for putting yourself out there, basketball skills or not, and for having a great time!
Thank you to the teachers and staff who didn't play but showed their support in so many other ways during the game:
Thank you to our tireless team of volunteers: our event co-chairs, Ofie Bondorowsky and Paul Marchand and our event committee, Aimee Brooks, Tara Charkow, Kate Epstein, Laurie Ewing, Laura Gelman, Janine Gillott, Nikki Jones, Ki Keys,
Eve Longlade, Anu O'Brien, Meghan Spielberg, Heather Taylor, Meg Temkin, Kim Williams and Lilly Williams. Thank you
Lombardo, Sheila Gibbons, Angela Durham-Knight, Veronica Miklaszewski, Kate Kim, Candace Thom, Karyn Evans Far-kas, Kimberley Clearwater, Robyn Myhr, Phil Dorian, Valerie Bischak, Brett Straten, Tom and Jen Strollo, Mary Afragola
Moore, Jonathan Kim, Stephen White, Tory Brangham, Deborah Leow, Jason Hedberg, Jim Andrews, Raquel Wall, Yael
Gelman, Brigitta Taylor-Lilquist, Shari and Stephanie Fox, Stephanie and Kimberly Troeller, LaTascha and Sydney Foster,
Lisa and Abby Russman, Jill and Skyler Edinburg, Cyndi and Eva Owgang, Angela Durham, Tory Brangham, Charley Flicker, Jake Halpern, Kiera Asan, Louisa Skerry, Addie Temkin, Alex Jonasz, Kesley Kaelin Panico, John Frenzer, Marcia
Lewis, Lauren Schmidt, Tina and Alexandra Cowles, Jen Freund, Jill Hirsch and Yana Gutierrez. Lastly, thank you to all of
you who came out to support Watchung School and the Watchung School PTA.
– Jen and Melinda
4 April 2014
Watchung Elementary School / PTA Newsletter (Continued)
Common Core State Standards Update
With all of the talk lately regarding required shifts in classroom instruction to meet the rigor and demands of Common
Core State Standards, many parents might not realize how much of this has been common practice here at Watchung
for years. Below are a few of the things we have done, and continue to do, to meet the demands of the new CCSS:
Balancing informational and literary texts:
Increase the percent of nonfiction texts in our collections.
Motivate students through nonfiction book talks.
Teach strategies for accessing print and electronic nonfiction materials.
Teach reading skills specific to nonfiction material.
Knowledge in the disciplines:
Plan and teach content-specific topics.
Teach strategies for research skills and help students apply them directly to a project.
Staircase of complexity:
Review the current literature collection to determine the genres and complex texts that students will
need to use.
Teach students how to choose appropriate texts.
Ascertain students’ reading levels and use them with book selection and projects.
Expose students to more-rigorous text aligned to instruction.
Text-based answers:
Teach students how to select a source and evaluate possible bias.
Help students develop their critical-thinking skills.
Teach students how to support a claim or assertion by drawing on a selected text.
Writing from sources:
Get students accessing information, researching topics, and citing sources.
Guide students through the daily process of reading and writing.
Teach students how to use text references and evidence to support conclusions and opinions.
Academic vocabulary:
Provide access to resources with rich, engaging vocabulary.
Focus instruction on constantly building richer vocabularies.
– Mr. Schmidt
NJ ASK TESTING SCHEDULE
5th Grade: May 5th-8th
3rd Grade: May 12th-15th
4th Grade: May 12-16th
Please make sure all students arrive to school on time
during testing.
April 2014 5
Watchung Elementary School / PTA Newsletter (Continued)
SAT Update
On April 9, the District’s Supervisor for Professional Development Officer, Natalee Bartlett, provided a presentation on
the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Watchung parents. For those who missed this SAT-organized event, on
page 6 is a copy of the handout, “3 Key Ideas for Parents about the Common Core.” Also, the District has several guides
to CCSS on www.montclair.k12.nj.us. Look at the bottom right of the home page for the links.
Our next SAT meeting is May 13 at 7:00pm. Please join us! Please also feel free to contact your SAT representatives
with questions or issues for the SAT to address.
– Shari Fox
SAT Co-Chair
Upcoming Assemblies
On Wednesday, April 30 the George Street Playhouse Educational
Touring Theater brings to Watchung School, Austin the Unstoppable.
Reigning master of the X-box and junk food junkie, eleven-year-old Aus-
tin must face the long-term consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle when
he learns his mother has been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. In part-
nership with ShapingNJ, this fun, upbeat musical comedy explores the
challenges of one family learning how to make healthy choices together
and celebrates how positive changes can occur with the power of love,
hard work and support.
On Thursday, May 22, History’s Alive: Lewis and Clark will be present-
ed by Patrick Garner, a local professional actor. He will mix history and
humor, science and motivation to instruct students in the value of histo-
ry, inspire them to study history and entertain them as they learn
from history. 9:30 a.m. K-2, 10:30 a.m. 3-5.
On Friday, May 30, students will be treated to a visit from Charles Liu, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of
Natural and Montclair resident. Dr. Liu clearly takes great delight in his work and will get the students excited about
learning about the universe.
Parents are always welcome. Also, please ask your kids about the assemblies they attend.
![Coleccionable Hulk 08 [por The Rock JR][CRG]](https://static.documents.pub/doc/80x56/568c4bf51a28ab49169e3ef7/coleccionable-hulk-08-por-the-rock-jrcrg.jpg)
![Coleccionable Hulk 09 [por The Rock JR][CRG]](https://static.documents.pub/doc/80x56/568bc30b1a28ab777e8d5f1f/coleccionable-hulk-09-por-the-rock-jrcrg.jpg)
