A Note from the
new Acting
Principal,
Mr. Pitts
Vol. 8 No. 3 Mr. Duane Pitts, Acting Principal February 2011
area my entire career. Our objective is
to develop academically successful in-
dividuals. We can and we will!
Goodbye to Mrs. Muñoz
Sometimes it is hard to say goodbye
but when a good opportunity comes
along it makes it easier to do so. Mrs.
Muñoz accepted a principalship at
another local school in Chicago. Over
winter break she was asked if she
would become principal of Kilmer
School and she accepted. She loves
Carpenter School’s students, parents
and staff but it was an opportunity that
she couldn’t refuse because of the
current status of Carpenter School.
She will be greatly missed by the
Carpenter community. We wish her
the best and hope our paths cross
again sometime soon.
TIME STANDS STILL FOR NO ONE
I’d like to thank the local school council,
teachers, students, staff and parents for
embracing me as we aim to ―Make the
Grade‖ and choose success over failure.
As Acting Principal of Carpenter Fine
Arts Magnet Cluster School, I will con-
tinue overseeing the daily functions as
well as facilitate the school’s educational
activities. My purpose is to drive the as-
pirations and goals of both the teachers
and students to new heights. Our plans
are to surge forward in educating our stu-
dents. We will use technology, better
strategies and utilize our time and data
wisely.
I have 28 years of experience as an ele-
mentary school educator and administra-
tor. I have taught general education,
early childhood, self-contained special
education, and delivered instructions as a
special education resource teacher. It is
wonderful to be awarded the opportunity
to work in this culturally diverse urban
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Toys & Books
Carpenter students received books from
KMR and we thanked them all with
thank-you letters. The books were great!
We also received presents from Santa.
He hand-delivered them to every kid in
our school. So every kid in school re-
ceived at least two gifts. We hope every
child enjoyed the toys and books that
they got from KMR and Santa. All the
toys and books were very expensive, but
every kid in school received these gifts
for free. Everyone seemed grateful for
what they received.
By Evelyn Zarate & Suyanna Gonzalez
Pajama Day
It was Pajama Day on January 21 and
almost everyone was in their pajamas. I
really wondered if they just wore the
pajamas they slept in last night. Every-
one was wearing cute, funny, and nice
pajamas. There were cats & dogs, Hello
Kitty, Tweety, stars, flowers and striped
pajamas. Students mostly wore colorful
pajamas. Some wore slippers, some wore
socks and some wore blind-folds. I
thought everyone would be embarrassed
if they had to walk into school with their
pajamas on, but everyone just walked in
to school as if it were natural for them to
wear pajamas. It was so cute! Even
some teachers were in their pajamas.
Everyone was really comfortable. I hope
we will do this again next year!
By Erika Conner
Art Contests
Please remember to check out the art
contest wall located in the doorway of
the art room. There are three art contests
where art work is due March 31st.
Participate! Participate! Participate! You
may win great rewards for your efforts
in the arts. Erika Conner, Jocelyn Escobedo,
Leslie Martinez, Cassandra Aguirre
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News from Carpenter's Art
Corner
Creative minds
want to know!
Our 6th through
8th grade Visual
Arts Club is enjoying their art supplies
from our current project funded by the
Office of Arts Education for World Art
Chicago. Our theme this year is ―My
Dream City.‖ Students devise a city
plan showing where public art is found.
These works of art will be watercolor
diptychs and triptychs. The students
will be exhibiting their work at the
World Art Chicago in May. We are
looking forward to the grand event and
their work will be seen by hundreds of
other students from around the city.
The 2nd through 5th grade is working
hard on finishing up their very colorful
and ornate individual Mardi Gras
masks for February. In honor of the
Chinese new year, the students will be
painting lanterns with the elements of
nature as a theme. Also, in the month
of February the students will be
creating decorations for the African
American Assembly.
We are preparing, as a whole school,
creative artists and designers for our
upcoming gallery event. We look
forward to the display of great art work
to share with the community. Go
artists!
A New
Addition
As you all
know
Mrs.Stirling
had a healthy
baby girl. Her name is Elsie Margaret
and was born at 8:41 P.M. on December
30, 2010 and weighed 8 pounds, 18
ounces. Thankfully, the baby was healthy
and we all hope Mrs. Stirling comes
back soon!
By Giovanna Medina
Most Improved Students
Congratulations to the most improved
students for the 2nd quarter. What a job
well done!
Beyoncee Lopez– Room 1001
Axel Rubio-Room 1001
Marivel Aviles-Room 1003
Deja Pierre-Louis-Room 1004
Elvin Rubio-Room 1004
Shamond Spencer–Room 1005A
Reyluis Acosta –Room 1005B
Suyanna Gonzalez-Room 1006
Joshua Harris –Room 1007
Rayan Merida-Corado-Room 1008
Mayely Bello-Room 1010A
Cassandra Aguirre -Room 1010B
HIGH HONOR ROLL
Room 1004
Florecita Avalos
Room 1006
Arturo Arzate
Giovanna Medina
Room 1007
Erika Conner
Room 1008
Stephanie Ventura
Vanessa Grimaldo
HONOR ROLL
Room 1001
Ian Bermudez
Natalie Guzman
Diana Arzate
Room 1003
Chloe Saddler
Room 1004– 4th Grade
Ian Merida
Anthony Perez
Jacqueline Toxqui
Karin Urgilez
HONOR ROLL-Continued
Room 1004– 5th Grade
Alexa Folgar
Kevin Franklin
Cathy Moro
Aliyah Turner
Room 1005B
Lexus Garcia
Room 1006
Ariel Villa
Room 1007
Rut Merida
Room 1008
Kiana Robinson
Ashley Moncrief
Jocelyn Corona
Alejandra Barajas
Room 1010A
Mayely Bello
Room 1010B
Cassandra Aguirre
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PERFECT ATTENDANCE
Room 1001
Antjuan Turner
Miracle Hutchinson
Metrevell Hutchinson
Sebastian Macedo-Martinez
Jhonathan Sanchez
Mateo Ortiz
Tania Marin-Jarro
Room 1004-4th Grade
Zahiyah Edwards
Ian Merida
Jalen Mitchell
Jacqueline Toxqui
Karin Urgilez
Giovanni Zuniga
Room 1004- 5th Grade
Alexa Folgar
Florecita Avalos
Dantrell Massey
Aliyah Turner
PERFECT ATTENDANCE
Room 1006
Miguel Toxqui
Fernando Toxqui
Klarissa Macedo
Arturo Arzate
Israel Caldero
Ariel Villa
Dequan Ingram
Room 1007
Ernesto Camacho
Joshua Harris
Jeremiah Harris
Rut Merida
Kimberly Paredes
Leslie Rubio
Niko Griffin
Room 1008
Jocelyn Corona
Vanessa Grimaldo
Rayan Merida-Corado
Room 1010A
Kevin Sanchez
Mayely Bello
Room 1010B
Rusbel Arredondo
Cassandra Aguirre
6
IT’S ON THE STRENGTH OF OBSER-
VATION AND REFLECTION THAT
ONE FINDS A WAY. SO WE MUST DIG
AND DELVE UNCEASINGLY.
—Claude Monet
Yesenia Ortiz, Aliyah Turner and
Alexa Folgar sing “We Wish You a
Merry Christmas” at the Winter
Talent Show.
Spelling Bee
Thank you to all the Carpenter students
for attending our annual Spelling Bee.
The following students were the class-
room winners:
Cassandra Aguirre, Alejandra Barajas,
Ramiro Delgado, Zahiyah Edwards,
Vanessa Grimaldo, Jordan Hilson,
Airanna McMullan, Alvaro Orozco,
Yesenia Ortiz and Monica Rodriguez.
The Winter Talent Show
This year we had our first ever talent
show! Our wonderful students had the
ability to demonstrate their talents. Spec-
tators got to observe the students dance
and sing. This spectacular show began
with some students dancing hip-hop
songs like ―Whip My Hair‖ and ―My
Girl.‖ Then, we heard some Christmas
classics interpreted by our Carpenter stu-
dents featuring ―Deck the Halls‖ and
―Feliz Navidad.‖ Even though this was
our first talent show ever, it was a total
success! Give it up for our talented
Carpenter students!
By Arturo Arzate
The champion speller was Florecita
Avalos and the runner-up was Jaylon
Vaughn. You all were terrific!
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“ A CREATIVE COMMUNITY OF
LEARNERS IN THE LEAST
RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT”
Science Fair
Congratulations to Carpenter’s three rep-
resentatives that went to the Area 6 sci-
ence fair: Kiana Robinson, Giovanna
Medina and Suyanna Gonzalez.
Wonderful job!
Twin Day
Twin Day is when everyone in school
was encouraged to find a friend and
dress identically. Having to dress up the
same as your friends is cool because it’s
like having a clone. Twin Day was fun
because you got to see the students out
of their uniform and to see how creative
they can be. Twin Day doesn't really
mean that you actually have to have a
twin it means you can have a partner and
dress up the same. It may be hard dress-
ing up the same as your friends because
you may not have the same clothes as
they do but Carpenter students really
tried!
Brothers Jordan Hilson and Jaylon
Vaughn dressed up as twins.
Maliek Green and Mrs. Davis
dressed up as twins on Twin Day.
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