Locust Curriculum Meeting Monday, November 28, 2011
Attendees: Miss Jean Ricotta, Mrs. Rose Huntington, Mrs. Mary Clare Bohn, Mrs. Nancy Kephart
Me Maps and Parent Survey:
- Me Maps and Parent Surveys were distributed in September. They were distributed to all parents with the intention to help with differentiation of instruction. Some parents thought it was redundant with the letters requested by the teachers. Many felt that the survey was difficult to complete and felt that the personal letters to the teachers describing their child was more effective.
- These will be revisited. Miss Ricotta would like consider other options that may be more visual such as collages.
Curriculum Presentations at PTA meetings:
December 2011 Locust School PTA Meeting
- Mrs. Justino will do a Smart Board presentation in her classroom. Parents will see how Smart Boards are used for instruction.
- Mrs. Ripp will do a Tumble Books presentation. Parents will learn how to access various computer activities that are based on age appropriate books.
March 2012 Locust School PTA Meeting
- Miss Ricotta will ask for a staff volunteer to present on Writing Workshop as a curriculum topic for parents at the next PTA meeting.
Report Cards:
- New report cards will be reviewed for parents that have not seen them yet at the next PTA meeting.
- The key for Social Emotional section has changed from Performance Levels to Effort Levels.
- Math and ELA sections will have to change due to the new Core Curriculum changes to be instituted in September 2012.
January Joint PTA meeting at Stratford:
- New Common Core Learning Standards Curriculum – Race to the Top initiative will be presented to the parents.
Curriculum Guides
- Will be updated with new Common Core Learning Standards curriculum objectives.
Locust Curriculum Meeting Summary - Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Attendees: Miss Jean Ricotta, Mrs. Rose Huntington, Mrs. Mary Clare Bohn
Curriculum themes for this year include Writing Workshop, Differentiated Instruction and Character Education.
Erica Pecorale to present at Locust staff meeting 10-6-2011. Possible Writing Workshop presentation by Locust school staff member (TBD) for PTA meeting later in the year (target March 1st).
Differentiated Instruction Committee provided “Me Map” and parent feedback form, distributed to each primary school student. Feedback is being received and will be used by teachers to tailor curriculum. Receipt of these forms is ongoing: 102 maps and 90 surveys were returned so far. In addition, many Locust teachers asked for parent feedback prior to the commencement of the school year. The letter invited parents to write a letter about their child describing what type of ‘learner’ their child is, etc. and gave teachers insight into parents’ observations of children.
Arts & Education Program “The Power of One” (Character Education focus) to be presented in October to primary school students. Also, Locust will re-introduce the ‘bucket fillers’ and incorporate into the AM announcements.
- Curriculum Guides for K & 1 were delivered to each parent at Back to School Night and also made available at 10-6-2011 PTA meeting.
- OT push-in (Sarah Friedberg) will occur weekly for 30 minutes in each K classroom, beginning in October to further develop student’s fine motor skills.
- Several teachers applied for science-themed field trip grants and are awaiting feedback (Mrs. Hayes, Mrs. Joyce).
- Eagle Scout candidate Ryan Castellano will be re-furbishing the back courtyard at Locust School during the year.
2011-2012 Planning:
- Provide Tumblebooks demonstration and smartboard lesson at December 8th Locust PTA meeting. By the end of the 2011-12 school year, each Locust classroom will be equipped with a smart board.
- Plan Writing Workshop presentation TBD for PTA meeting later in the year (target March 1st)?
- Locust PTA approved provision of funds for purchase of 6 color Nook e-readers to be used in pilot and classroom instruction. E-books will be downloaded from GC Public Library.
Seeking parent feedback on:
- Summer Reading Lists
- Summer Mathematics package (35 returned for incoming first grade students)
- Curriculum topics for presentation at PTA meetings.
Locust Curriculum Meeting Summary Tuesday, May 20, 2011
Attendees: Miss Jean Ricotta, Mrs. Rose Huntington, Mrs. Maria Papachristos, Mrs. Kelly Lynch, Mrs. Mary Clare Bohn
Discussion of continuity of services:
- The speech therapist participated in the kindergarten screening to assess language and articulation. Students who were determined to be potentially at risk will receive speech screenings in the fall. The speech therapist will determine if the students currently receiving speech improvement will continue next year.
- ‘Developmental Skills’ (at the Primary Level) and ‘Reading' (at the Elementary Level) evaluations are taking place for current students receiving the benefit of reading support at the present time and will continue (with incoming students) in the fall.
Summer Reading Lists:
- Recommended summer reading lists are being developed at the Primary Level and these are expected to include guided reading levels.
- Primary Principals are working along with the Garden City Public Library to develop the recommended reading lists by grade (an example is the Kindergarten; which could be termed ‘to and with’).
- The guided reading levels are being looked at at the request of Dr. Prendergast and this is a work in progress.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Miss Ricotta participated in the April feedback session. Stella Cristoforo is the Locust Rep and will communicate issues back to PTA. Curriculum to keep an eye on this as to any impact we may want to explore further.
2011-2012 planning:
- There are no specific carry-over issues. Our committee will be comprised of (Mary Clare Bohn plus another parent) as Kelly Lynch and Maria Papachristos are rotating off.
- Themes for next year may include: Writing Workshop, Differentiation, and 2011-12 District-wide Goals.
- The Curriculum themed presentation on the smart board by Mrs. Justino and by Mrs. Friedrich on Library resources/tumblebooks was great at March Locust PTA meeting! A suggestion was made to present more topics like this at PTA meetings.
- Locust is planning for 4 Kindergarten classes and 3 First grades for 2011-12 year.
Locust School Curriculum Committee Meeting Summary – March 17, 2011
-Second round of report cards will be going out March 25, 2011.
-The PTA is sponsoring an Arts in Education yoga program for both kindergarten and first grade classes. Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Joyce's students will participate in the yoga program on Wednesday, March 23rd. All other classes will participate on Tuesday, March 29th.
-Students will partake in two Video Conferencing sessions at Stewart. They are virtual live lessons face to face interaction with peers, tutors or experts from around the world. Mrs. Justino's first grade class will be experiencing this one hour session on April 11. "Fractured Fairytales", which is a lesson on discovering what it is that makes one story more compelling, exciting or enjoyable than another. They learn how to tell the same story several different ways. The next session will take place May 2nd. "Animal Awareness" by Discovery Center of Springfield. It introduces children to the differences and similarities in mammals, birds and reptiles. Children learn to discover the world without leaving Garden City.
-Various preschools in the area came in March 11 to hear from teachers from all the primary schools a presentation on Science and Social Studies.
- There will be 4 kindergarten classes and 3 first grade classes come the next school year, 2011 - 2012.
-Ms. Ricotta is working on submitting by April 30th, an Early Childhood Reading Grant from Target.
-Locust School raised $2,111 for Pennies for Patients. This was a wonderful lesson for the children to learn about by working together.
Locust School Curriculum Committee Meeting - February 3, 2011
-The first of the new report cards were distributed in December. The report card reflects more accurately what is being done in the classroom and the curriculum. Report Cards will be distributed three times yearly as opposed to twice. The next report card distribution is scheduled for March.
-The first of the new report cards were distributed in December. The report card reflects more accurately what is being done in the classroom and the curriculum. Report Cards will be distributed three times yearly as opposed to twice. The next report card distribution is scheduled for March.
- Ms. Joyce, won a $500 grant from Target Field Trips to the Queens Zoo.
-Mrs. Haye's first grade class received a response from President and Mrs. Obama from a letter they wrote in November. The first graders wrote suggestions for how they thought people could make the world a better place by promoting peace and picking up garbage. Mrs. Hayes made a book of the children's letters and sent it to Washington, D.C. The President wrote back to them and sent them some pictures and other items from the White House.
- Beth Will's class has received a Smartboard. All first grade classes now have Smartboards as well as Mrs. Polant's kindergarten class. They have become very useful and fun for the children. Mrs. Justino's first grade class is using the Tumble books where the children follow the words on the screen as a story is being narrated. We hope to have Smartboards installed in all the rooms by the end of the year.
-Children made Valentine's day cards for veterans.
Joint Primary School Curriculum Meeting - November 2010
Guided reading is just one of the many tools the teachers use to assess reading. The levels help dictate what specific reading skills are taught. They also track growth and if there is any sign of a problem the teacher will contact the parent. Guided reading levels were reported for first graders at the November conferences. Kindergarten guided reading levels will be shared later in the year.
Progress Reports
The new primary school progress reports will be issued December 17th for the first of three times this year. Notable is that the progress report cards will include both a performance and an effort grade. Curriculum guides published this year may be used along with the progress report cards.
Write Traits
The write traits program (techniques for good writers) will be incorporated into the Writing Workshops.
Locust School Curriculum Committee Summary - Sept. 29. 2010
IN ATTENDANCE – Miss Ricotta, Mrs. Rose Huntington, Mary Clare Bohn, Kelly Lynch
Locust School is off to a fantastic start to the new school year! Back to School night was a huge success all around. Parents were able to meet with teachers, get an overview of the curriculum, and get involved.
New report cards will be used this year. These new report cards will closely reflect the curriculum for both Kindergarten and First Grade. The curriculum was outlined in the handouts given at Back To School Night. The report cards will be presented at the Joint Primary PTA meeting on October 27th at Homestead. All are encouraged to attend!
Erica Pecorale will be returning to run Staff Development workshops for our teachers. This year she will be spending full days in each classroom to closely meet each teacher’s specific needs.
Lauren Arnone will be returning to our Kindergarten classes weekly for OT until the end of this year.
October 8th will be the Tracks Assembly. Officer Matarazzo will be returning to discuss railroad safety with the children.
Numerous grants have been submitted by Miss Ricotta and the teachers. These grants help to offset the cost of field trips for the students. The grant writing requires much time and effort so we hope to hear good news!
We’re looking forward to a wonderful year ahead!
Locust Curriculum Committee Summary May 2010
-May 6th was Arbor Day where kindergarteners went to the Village Hall to
plant a tree with Mr. Mike Didick, the town's arborist.
-Earth Day was celebrated in the courtyard where everyone wore green for
the day.
-On May 25th there is "Funancial" show for arts in education for all
Kindergarten and first grade class from all the primary schools at Stratford.
-Kindergarten orientation took place Thursday May 20th. There will be 4
incoming kindergarten classes and 4 first grade classes in September.
-Read Aloud Day was on April 22nd where Dr. Feirsten, Dr. Solerno and Ms.
Norton came in to read to the children.
-There was a Lock down on April 20th where Steve Jacobs came in from
BOCES to teach safety.
-The theme for this year's yearbook is "Kindness Counts".
-Smart board is mounted in Mrs. Justino's class and is used along with the
clickers by the first grade students.
-A new report card format will be used in the upcoming school year 2010-
2011. It will reflect a more to date curriculum.
February 2010 Curriculum Update
- Carol Kolsaar will speak to all kindergarten and first grade classes about financial literacy. What money really means and where it comes from.
-Site based; High school students from Garden City High will be coming in to interact with the children.
-Report Card; Ms. Ricotta and committee are hopeful by June there will be a finalized draft to turn in and possibly implemented for the upcoming school year 2010-2011. This has been a two year work in progress.
-5 grants were won:
$500 won by Mrs. Joyce from the Queens Zoo, Target Field trip.
Naussau teacher grants: Mrs. Hayes won 2, $427 & $484; Mrs. Crofton won $240 and Mrs. Polant won $267.
-100th day t-shirts were donated to the children by the PTA.
-Andy Greene will be coming in February 24th to discuss math topics on behalf of the balanced literacy program, Understanding by Design.
-At the last PTA meeting at Locust, there were two speakers Cheryl Arbitelli and Michelle Green from Adelphi University, part of the Institute for Parenting who spoke about parents helphing children develop empathy and kindness.
Locust School Curriculum Committee Update December 2009
The Locust School Curriculum Committee met on November 20 to discuss the events at Locust School. Miss Ricotta is very enthusiastic about the continued emphasis on Balanced Literacy. Teachers have also been introduced to UbD – Understanding by Design; a concept in which teachers look at the “big picture” and then decide how to best break it down to the grade level they teach.
Miss Ricotta won a raffle prize at a recent workshop she attended. The raffle prize was 32 smart board clickers that enable teachers to “poll” students for answers and have those answers shown on the smart board.
Locust School has submitted 8 grants thus far!
Please support our school by registering your Stop & Shop card. Locust school can earn points every time you shop!
Finally, a parent representative is needed for the Report Card committee. The committee’s main goal is to have a piece to submit by June that accurately reflects the current curriculum.
LOCUST SCHOOL OCTOBER 2009 SUMMARY
Committee members met with Miss Ricotta and Mrs. Huntington on October 5th.
*Mrs. Pecorale will continue to work with teachers to implement the writing workshops in the classrooms.
*There is currently a committee working to revise the present report card to better reflect the work being done in the classroom. The committee hopes to have a piece to propose to the Board of Education for review by the end of the school year.
*A Target grant has been submitted as a supplementary source of funding for educational programs throughout the school.
*Kindergarten students receive OT every Wednesday with Corinne Dunn.
*Miss Ricotta has added school wide physical education time each morning utilizing the intercom system to get the whole school active for 10 extra minutes each day.
*Officer Matarazzo will be speaking to the students about railroad safety.
implement the writing workshops in the classrooms.
*There is currently a committee working to revise the present report card to better reflect the work being done in the classroom. The committee hopes to have a piece to propose to the Board of Education for review by the end of the school year.
*A Target grant has been submitted as a supplementary source of funding for educational programs throughout the school.
*Kindergarten students receive OT every Wednesday with Corinne Dunn.
*Miss Ricotta has added school wide physical education time each morning utilizing the intercom system to get the whole school active for 10 extra minutes each day.
*Officer Matarazzo will be speaking to the students about railroad safety.