Excellence in Teaching
 » Alumna Honors a Mentor - Cornell Scholarship Named for Dr. Mary Ann Gavioli
South High School Mathematics Chair Dr. Mary Ann Gavioli was invited to participate in the Cornell University Merrill Presidential Scholars Convocation May 25th and May 26th at Cornell University. Dr. Gavioli was nominated by South graduate Hanah Chae (class of 2006) current senior at Cornell University as "the secondary teacher who has made the most significant contribution to her education...In recognition of the enduring partnership that educators share in the pursuit of academic excellence."

As part of this recognition, a $4000 scholarship will be awarded by Cornell in the name of Dr. Gavioli to a student at South who will enter Cornell University in Fall 2011. This is the second year Dr. Gavioli has received this prestigious and personal recognition.

Kindergarten Teacher Mentors Educators and Gives Students an Exemplary Start
On Thursday, May 27, Rockland Community College will honor
Ms. Ava Sona, a kindergarten teacher at West Nyack Elementary. She will be recognized as a Master/Mentor Teacher, and honored "for her many years of remarkable service to children and student teachers, and her school community."

Link Community Celebrates Young Authors
Last week, Link hosted hundreds of guests - parents, grandparents, and district, community, and county leaders - anxious to hear student authors read their original works. Young Authors' Celebration is an annual week long event that provides all students with the opportunity to share their books with a variety of audiences. The topics selected by individual student authors represent "things of importance" to them. The variety of work included all genres. Throughout the week, many exciting activities occurred to commemorate this special occasion, including Classroom Authors' Tea and Buddy Readings with older grades reading to younger grades. We congratulate our children and are very proud of their achievements!

Fifth grader teaches us about the human body with her story, "Cookie's Journey Through the Digestive System."		A kindergartener reads "All About Me!"

BRAVISSMI!
 » Felix Festa Students Placed in the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI)

• National Italian High School Contest Exam:
  • Excellence in Italian - Susan Zollinger
    Honorable Mention - Mitchell Abrams, Daniel Bello, Elena Conte, Hannah Levin, and Elizabeth Terry-Kantor

South Students Master a Classic Language
The National Latin Exam was recently administered to South High School students and is sponsored by the American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League. More than 149,000 Latin students from all fifty states and 13 foreign countries participated this year. The test covers knowledge of Latin grammar and vocabulary, mythology, customs, derivatives, and translation abilities.

Though South's students consistently perform well on this exam, this year marked the highest number of perfect scores (40 out of 40 on the Intro to Latin Exam), and gold and silver medals for upper level students (Latin I and II exams, which are taken by level 2 and 3 students.) Click here for the students and their achievements.

Clarkstown Students Winningly Illustrate the Importance of Bus Safety
For the 4th year in a row, Clarkstown students have taken first place in the Lower Hudson Chapter of the National School Bus Safety Poster Contest. They will shortly be receiving congratulatory letters from the local chapter and $20 prizes, and their posters will now compete in the statewide competition in Saratoga in July.

• First Place Winner Grades K-2
  Caroline Clifford
  West Nyack Elementary
   
• First Place Winner Grades 3-5
  Joseph Moon
  Bardonia Elementary

Clarkstown South Orchestra Achieves Silver Distinction at NYSSMA Festival
The student musicians in Clarkstown South's Orchestra under the direction of Mrs. Lydia Leizman performed on May 19 at the Monroe-Woodbury High School for the Zone 9 NYSSMA Rating Festival. The orchestra performed the Vivaldi Concerto Grosso in d Minor, Drifen, and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik for the judges, and were awarded the Silver Distinction from NYSSMA in Level V! This is a significant achievement for Mrs. Leizman and her fine musicians.

The 29th Annual New City Library Elementary Art Show
Elementary art students from the eleven elementary schools in Clarkstown have their art hanging in the New City Library as part of the 29th Annual Art Show. The students were honored at the official opening on May 6th at the library and proudly showed their work to their families and friends. In addition to our talented artists, the show was made possible by the work of our art educators Jennifer Bini, Carolyn Eisenhart,
Julie Fanshawe, Maggie Keuerleber, Madelyn Lepore, Patricia Reilly Matthews, Hugo Silberberg, Heidi Silverstein, and Arts Coordinator Liz VonWurmb.

The International Baccalaureate Art Show
Senior IB students of art educator Ms. Erin McNally held an art show displaying their projects in the upstairs gallery of the North High School library. The beautiful works highlight the talent of our young artists.