District News and Information from the Elementary Library and Media Specialists 

 

Have you seen Historypin.com?

 

Historypin brings together stories, photographs and links memories from around the world. Clean out your attic of those dusty photos and pin them on a worldwide map, explore pictures posted by others, create collections, discuss history, and capture and share the world's moments. Introduce Historypin to your social studies and history classes and collaborate to have students map out the story and histories of their family.

 

Have you heard about Study Ladder?
 

Study Ladder, geared for elementary and junior high/middle grades, lends itself to being an interesting, ready to use stock of activities to reinforce many content standards from a wide range of curricula. Many of the activities offer a game-like feeling, while building conceptual understanding. The site is also supportive of the flipped classroom concept, and a variety of different user account options are available, including parent accounts. A suggested use would be to up a station with a white board at a parent open house that showcases this site as something parents can use at home, too.

For more information see: studyladder.com.

 

Need to learn more about or refresh your Web 2.0 skills and more? You are not alone.

Visit: learnitin5.com
 

Learn It in 5 is for professionals, students, and parents who want to increase their Web 2.0 skills. A series of videos, all 5 minutes or less, guide users through lessons of their choice. Users can search for specific topics or browse to discover new techniques. Categories include:      assessment

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South Elementary School News

Rockin' at the Museum

 

Students in Ms. Debra Carter's first grade class shared their beach treasures with fellow students during a pebble museum on September 21.

 

"To prepare for the event, children were assigned a scavenger hunt over the weekend to find ocean or beach treasures," says Ms. Carter. "They searched for a small rock on the beach that reminded them of something - a tree, a shoe, a cupcake or a worm, for instance. They named their rock and wrote it down on a piece of paper."

 

The beach collection was displayed in a pebble museum for third graders in Mrs. Trombly's and Mrs. Caldwell's classes. The program kicked off with a reading of Leo Lionni's book On My Beach There are Many Pebbles, followed by a showing of the unique beach treasures.

 

Discovering the Fun of Learning

 

This week, fourth graders at South Elementary School participated in a 50-minute science presentation aboard the National Science Center's Mobile Discovery Center. The Mobile Discovery Center is sponsored by the National Science Center, located in Augusta, Georgia, and the U.S. Army.

 

"Students climbed aboard an 18-wheeler tractor trailer that presented a program designed to show young people that studying science and math is fun as well as essential to their future," says Mrs. Dori Kondracki, fourth grade teacher. "The students enjoyed the fun, hands-on, interactive science demonstrations."

 

Presenters included two representatives from the Army who did experiments that showed sound waves, static electricity, and how the eye sees color.

Cold Spring Elementary School

Every student and staff member at Cold Spring wrote a goal for the school year. One kindergarten class plans to "learn to read, write, use the computer and make friends." First graders in Miss Costa 's class will read independently for 15 minutes.  Some other goals include getting a leaf on the kindness tree (a second grader), learning about astronomy (a third grader), learning to love math from a fifth grader and one fourth grade student's goal is pay attention, write neatly and learn to play an instrument.  Teacher and students all talked about the importance of setting goals to help with being successful.

Plymouth South High School News


 
PLYMOUTH SOUTH'S ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Jason Lamb and Bethanne Keane
The G & G Silk Screening/Plymouth South High School Male Athlete of the Week is senior football captain, Jason Lamb.  Lamb has already enjoyed a great fall season on the football field.  This past week he ran for 124 yards on 17 carries, had two rushing touchdowns, and threw for another touchdown.  This is the third consecutive week since the start of the season that Lamb has run for over 100 yards.  Not only is he a leader both on and off the field with the entire team, Lamb acts as a mentor to younger players on the team.  Congrats Jason!
 
The G & G Silk Screening/Plymouth South High School Female Athlete of the Week is junior field hockey player, Bethanne Keane.  Keane scored a goal and also had an assist in a huge win over Marshfield High School.  In addition, she scored a goal in this week's win over Silver Lake High School.  Keane plays strong as a forward on the team and always displays a tremendous work ethic.
 
 
COMMENDED STUDENTS IN THE 2013 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The principal, Patricia Fry, of Plymouth South High School congratulates Sam Cheung and Timothy West who have been named Commended Students in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.  About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.  Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2013 competition by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
 
"Recognizing academically talented students plays a fundamental role in the advancement of education excellence within our nation," commented an NMSC spokesperson.  "The young people recognized as Commended Students represent some of the best and brightest minds in the country as demonstrated by their outstanding performance in our highly competitive program.  We sincerely hope this recognition will provide them with additional educational outlets and motivate them in their pursuit of academic achievement.
 
 
STUDENTS --- REGISTER TO VOTE!!!   Look in the cafeteria for the voter registration tables on October 4th and 5th.  You will be able to register to vote in the upcoming presidential election.  Your vote counts!
 
 

Students L to R:  Lindsey Carlson, Julietta Mascitelli, Vanessa Kanter, John Maloney, Alec Rosemy and Jacob Jobe
 
The following freshman students were nominated by their Team Teachers and awarded the "Student of the Month" award for September.   The students received a certificate and a coupon to get a 'treat' from the school's Culinary bakery.  The student's names are: Blue Team/Vanessa Kanter and Jacob Jobe; Yellow Team/Lindsey Carlson and Alec Rosemy; Red Team/Julietta Mascitelli and John Maloney.  Please congratulate them all for their hard work and dedication to Plymouth South High School.
 
 
FYI Parents of Seniors: Over the past week Guidance Counselors have been visiting senior English classes to discuss requirements necessary for the successful completion of the senior year as well as the process of planning for life after high school. Students were given "senior folders" that include, among other things, information on the college application process, registering for SATs and different resources available to seniors and their parents. Over the next few weeks counselors will be meeting with senior students individually to review their transcripts and to discuss progress on post-secondary planning. A letter summarizing this meeting will be sent home to keep parents updated. Counselors are available throughout the year to students and parents to answer questions, assist in research and provide support and assistance.
 
 
Congratulations to the following students from PSHS who were honored at a breakfast this morning with Dr. Maestas, Mrs. Fry, and Mr. Hanna.  They have been recognized with John and Abigail Adams Scholarships by the Department of Education.  The following students have combined scores from the MCAS ELA and Mathematics tests that place them in the top 25% of students in the graduating class in their district.  Congrats to all students for their hard work and well-deserved awards.  Students should be arriving home with a letter with the details.  Darby Andersson, Sheila Benjamin, Samuel Bennett, Toni Bishop, Allyson Booth, Madison Braz, Stephanie Bryson, William Callahan, David Celli, Sam Cheung, Haylee Christian, Haley Clark, Brittney Cleary, Joseph Cohen, Serena Colbert, Melissa Connolly, Caitlyn Cribben, Marie Cronin, Patrick Curran, Jason Davies, Conor Disher, Kelli Donahue, Jake Feiter, Danielle Finlay, Joseph Flagg, Hannah Forte, Jeffrey Forte, Devin Furtado, Christian Fusco, Caroline Gallagher, Ashley Gallardo, Desiree Galligan, Haley Garvey, Anthony Giannelli, Devin Guadagno, Eren Gulsen, Gabriel Gunning, Devin Gurule, Melanie Hawes, Kathleen Hennessy, Dominic Henrich, Brent Holmes, Alexander Hunt, Kara Hurley, Stephen Johnson, Jamie Korkutis, Matthew Kotce, Jason Lamb, Justin Langlois, Rebecca Laudermilk, Matthew Lima, Keianna Lopes, Ryan Madden, Jason McCue, Elsa McGilvray, Brenna McGinnis, Alyson Messina, Zachary Moody, Sarah Mori, Ashley Morrill, Rachael Morrissey, Nicholas Mulligan, Shannon Murphy, Kyle Nickerson, Caitlyn Palmer, Miranda Payne, Marissa Persichini, Sydney Quirk, Rawson Randlett, Emilee Rizzotto, Nathan Rogers, Sara Schlecht, Charles Senechal, Michael Smith, Sydney Stelter, Hannah Stewart-Wheeler,  Harry Teets IV, Nicholas Trainor, Alec Vozzella, Sean Walkama, Timothy West, Zachary West and Brian Wyte.
 
 
Plymouth South High School has implemented a new Freshman Mentoring Program this year.  Each freshman teacher has three senior mentors assigned to his or her class.  These mentors will visit the freshman classes every Wednesday during the extended part of Period C.  Senior mentors also attended the Camp Clark team building field trips with the freshman teams, as well as the back to school barbeque for all incoming freshman and their parents.   The senior mentors were chosen after being recommended by teachers and completing an application process.
The goal of this program is to create a more comfortable transition from middle school into high school in academic, social, and extracurricular areas and for senior mentors to assist freshman students in becoming stronger individuals and making educated decisions.  Mentors will expose the freshmen to all of the opportunities Plymouth South has to offer and also serve as a source of support and guidance for the students. Throughout the school year, the mentors will speak with students on a variety of topics, including bullying, scheduling, the role of guidance, academics, time management, and peer pressure.  The mentors have the opportunity to run this weekly meeting, as if it is their own Advisory.  Some students have even taken steps to create lesson plans for each week, to ensure their mentees get the most out of their time together.  The ultimate goal of this program is to ease the transition to high school and to create a stronger sense of community at Plymouth South High School.

The following is a list of the Senior Mentors:  Darby Andersson, Katelyn Belcher, Kelsey Bernard, Toni Bishop, Ally Booth, Samantha Brady, Madison Braz, Dylan Carlson, Robbie Cheetham, Sam Cheung, Katie Cicchetti, Haley Clark, Serena Colbert, John Connolly, Melissa Connolly, Marie Cronin, Lianna DaSilva, Connor Disher, Nicole Dzengeleski, Carley Fernandes, Meredith Flynn, Molly Flynn, Chelsea Folger, Caroline Gallagher, Ryan Gallerani, Alyssa Gates, Austin Howie, Alex Hunt, Missy Jaworski, Kathryn Kanke, Marissa Kessell, Brianna Lacey, Rebecca Laudermilk, Ryan Madden, Brendan McDonnell, Brenna McGinnis, Devin Messenger,  Aly Messina, Ashley Meyer, Shannon Murphy, Kayla O'Farrell, Samantha Ottino, Kathy Payzant, Yannis Rigas, Alexandra Rusconi, Chad Senechal, Sydney Stelter, Drew Sutherland, Alaina Tolland, Alec Vozzella, Zac West, Zac Wilson and Hannah Zion.
 
 

 
Art Auction and Sale
On October 4th, PSHS Art Department will be hosting a silent auction of our student painted doors and will be collecting donations for student ceramic work.  This event will be held during open house from 7:00-9:00 PM in our main lobby.   All proceeds will be used for student field trips in the arts and art scholarships for our graduating seniors. Thank you for supporting the arts in our schools.
 
 

PSHS Graduate Diane Coon
 
The Fall Captain's lunch was on Thursday, September 27th at the Southside Café.  Athletic captains and their coaches sit together and share a lunch.  The guest speaker was PSHS Graduate Diane Coon who is in the photo above.  Thanks to Diane for sharing words of wisdom from her experiences as a college student and college athlete.  Captains also received their "captains pass" which allows them into home athletic events free of charge.  These are the students who attended:  Girls Soccer - Darby Anderson, Alyson Messina, Olivia Parsons and Madison Braz.  Cheerleading - Rachel LaFountain and Samantha James.  Field Hockey - Serena Colbert, Haley Clark, Marissa Persichini, Shannon Legare and Kara Hurley.  Cross Country - Max Bassett,  Ross Randlett, Brittaney Reed and Ashley Eccelston.  Volleyball - Christina Jaros, Cassandra Stout and Becca Laudermilk.  Golf - Alec Vozzella and Randy Moores.  Dance - Rachel Baldrate, Jess Holland and Jeannine Barrio.  Boys Soccer - Zack Wilson and Joe Cohen.  Football - Derek Anderson, Jason Lamb, Dillan Halpin and Connor Rossi.
 
 
HIGH SCHOOL QUIZ SHOW
Social Studies Teacher Karen Spinale and Science Teacher Fei Denn will be working with the students below in preparing for a PSHS Team of students who have been nominated to be a part of the High School Quiz Show program.  Registration is now open for Season 4 of WGBH's High School Quiz Show. Public high schools across Massachusetts are invited to apply for the chance to compete on WGBH's award-winning academic quiz show. The following students have been registered for the PSHS Team.  Space is limited and only the first 100 schools that register and meet the eligibility requirements will be invited to come to WGBH to take the quiz on Super Sunday, November 4, 2012. All other schools will receive notification that the available spaces are filled. We hope that we get chosen to be one of 16 teams chosen to compete in Season 4 of WGBH's High School Quiz Show.
PSHS Team Members are:  Tim West, Sam Cheung, Sydney Quirk and Marie Cronin.  The alternates are:  Conor Disher and Melanie Hawes.
 

Guidance Department News


"Go Public!" October 3 at Plymouth North High School

On October 3, 2012, at 7:00 P.M., the presidents and chancellors of many of the public colleges and universities in Massachusetts will join Senate President Therese Murray for a special event at Plymouth North High School (41 Obery Street, Plymouth).

Prospective applicants (high school students, veterans, and families) can learn about the programs and opportunities available at Massachusetts' public higher education institutions. Following presentations by students about their experiences at the commonwealth's community colleges, state universities, and UMass campuses, there will be an open Q&A session with the college leaders: Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria, president of Bridgewater State University, Dr. Jack Sbrega, president of Bristol Community College, Dr. John Cox, president of Cape Cod Community College, Dr. Charles Wall, president of Massasoit Community College, and Dr. Divina Grossman, chancellor of UMass Dartmouth.

Following the Q and A session will be break-out sessions on financial aid and on career choices that make the cost of higher education a good investment.

SENIORS

SAT registration dates and deadlines: Exam date: November 3, 2012 regular registration deadline is October 4th and late registration deadline is October 19th. Please go to www.collegeboard.com to register.

Plymouth High Schools' Annual College Fair: Tuesday, October 16, 2011, 6:00-8:00 P.M. at Plymouth SOUTH High School.

JUNIORS & SOPHOMORES

PSAT 2012: The Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test (PSAT) will be administered to all sophomores and juniors at PNHS and PSHS on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 from 7:30 A.M. to approximately 11:00 A.M. This is free of charge and no registration is necessary. Students will receive an official PSAT Student Guide booklet prior to the test. Students should bring two #2 pencils and a calculator.

News from the Visual and Performing Arts Department

PINWHEELS FOR PEACE
Imagine...Whirled Peace!

In today's world, peace needs to become more than just a word. On September 21, 2012 PCIS Art Classes took part in recognizing the International Day of Peace. The display in the hallway by the Visual Arts rooms is part of an International art and literacy project, Pinwheels for Peace. Each pinwheel has a student's personal message of peace depicted visually and in writing.

Pinwheels for Peace is an art installation project started in 2005 by two Art teachers, Ann Ayers and Ellen McMillan, of Coconut Creek, Florida, as a way for students to express their feelings about what is going on in the world and in their lives. Last year over 4 million pinwheels were spinning in over 3,500 locations, including the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, the Middle East, Africa and South America.

This project is non-political. Peace doesn't necessarily have to be associated with the conflict of war, it can be related to violence/intolerance in our daily lives, to peace of mind. To each of us, peace can take on a different meaning, but, in the end, it all comes down to a simple definition: "a state of calm and serenity, with no anxiety, the absence of violence, freedom from conflict or disagreement among people or groups of people."

For more information, go to http://www.pinwheelsforpeace.com