District News and Information from the Elementary Library and Media Specialists  

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Making Your Mark

International Dot Day was the inspiration for students to express themselves through art. Technology integration specialist, Amy Kneller, and art teacher, Sarah Cristani collaborated on a project based on the book "The Dot", by Peter H. Reynolds.

Students began by watching the video book, a sweet story about a girl named Vashti who thinks she can't draw until a teacher encourages her to "make a dot and see where it takes you."

"Students used the computer program Tux Paint to make a dot, add color, background and other features," says Mrs. Kneller. "They were given a blank slate to become creative in their own way."

Art classes featured a similar challenge, as students used colored markers to make a dot - or many dots - and added their own special colors and design. For International Dot Day, Mrs. Cristani and Mrs. Kneller collaborated on a video to showcase the unique works of art.

Inspired by Reynolds' book, International Dot Day is a celebration of creativity around the globe.

                                             Gemini Gems

Grade 7 Gemini at PCIS has started a new program to recognize the efforts of our students. The "Gemini Gems" program highlights students who have proven to be outstanding community members. During the course of the year, our team members will be recognized for academics, extracurricular activities, community service, and positive participation. After our first set of Gemini Gems receive recognition at the team and school level, a certificate with their picture and a description of their achievement will be sent home to their families. Our hope is that this program will increase student participation, and will also be a vehicle to send the good news home.

Our first Gemini Gems are:

Caroline DiGravio

Peter Jamison

Sarah Gill

                                  PCIS Building College Awareness

This week PCIS grade 8 students and staff visited the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay. This visit is designed to build an awareness of what college is and what opportunities are out there after high school. It's never too early to start thinking about their future.

Students toured the campus, met current students, and even had a lecture from the president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Richard Gurnon. During the visit students were able to visit classrooms, lecture halls, labs, the library and even toured the academy's sea ship the T.S. Kennedy. This event culminated with lunch on the campus. The college bought pizza for all of our 8th graders. PCIS is very appreciative of the time and support Massachusetts Maritime Academy gave to our students. We look forward to the continued relationship between PCIS and Massachusets Maritime Academy.

Young Artists at the Plymouth Art Guild Show

Elizabeth "Liz" Tosi received a second place ribbon in the Plymouth  

Art Guild's Young Artists' Show for her painting/collage called  

"Renowned Revolution". This is her second year in a row that she  

has placed for artwork entered. Liz is a junior here at PNHS. Her  

work is included in this year's edition of the Plymouth Public Schools  

Budget Book and in Stellwagon Bank's Marine program. She is captain  

of the Field Hockey team and a candidate for the National Honor  

Society.

Sophomore Paige Burke received a third place ribbon in the Plymouth  

Art Guild's Young Artists' Show. Her photo was named "Plymouth North's

Last Day"; she also received an Honorable Mention for a photo she  

took of her cat.

________________________________________________________________

Recently we held elections for Freshman Office, our newly elected  

officials were voted in by their peers:

Congratulations to the Winners of the Freshman Elections:

President

Mallory Fey

Vice President

Abigail Noyes

Treasurer

Julianne White

Secretary

Rebecca Janssen

Senators

Aaron Bisson

Margaret Duncombe

Taylor Stasis

Matthew Turrell

The Plymouth High Schools Marching Band will be performing at a  

USBands show at King Philip High School in Wrentham on Saturday  

evening, October 6, 2012. The band will be performing the field show

"Waves".   Plymouth Band is on at 6:30. Come out and support the  

Marching Band!

PCIS Students Skype with Students in Santa Marta, Columbia

Mrs. Farrell's 7th grade Visual Art students at PCIS just finished their first art project. Students created their own "Personal Logo."  Each logo contains what they consider to be important information about themselves. Students worked hard to keep their message simple and clear, by focusing on contour lines and using few interior lines. One of the specifications for this project was, "If this logo was sent to a student in another country would they be able to learn who you are?"

While these PCIS students were making their logos a 5th grade class in Santa Marta, Columbia was creating their own personal collages using movie stubs, concert tickets, bus tickets, etc. Both of these art projects will be shared with each class.  

Students at PCIS held their artwork up to the camera while Columbian students had to describe at least one thing they learned about this artist. Students both in America and Columbia thought this was a lot of fun and look forward to sharing more artwork with each other in the future. Students also had time to ask questions about culture, art, technology, and entertainment.

Students and staff involved walked away learning more about an area of the world that was easily accessible through Skype. This experience allowed students at PCIS to meet and understand how students live and learn in Santa Marta, Columbia.  

The learning and fun doesn't end here. These students will continue to work on artwork to share and even send in the mail to each other.