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Crescendo! Ensemble Interns

For the past three years, the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO) has sent young musicians to work with our El Sistema Resident Artists and students on a weekly basis through the Crescendo! Ensemble. The Ensemble works with music programs throughout Boston including all eight El Sistema programs.  The young music interns participate in rehearsals, offer guidance and mentoring, and assist the schools in preparing for the annual El Sistema Greater Boston Spring Showcase.

One of the BPYO musicians coming here every week is Riley Giampaolo, a bass trombone player in his freshman year at the New England Conservatory.  He is working alongside RAs Clayton DeWalt and Chris Schroeder with our youngest horn players, 2nd grader Demari Rogers on trombone, and 3rd graders Rael Oumarou and Jordan Volel on trumpet. "I wanted to join the Crescendo community to further my ability to connect with kids this age and not only help them enjoy music, but understand and perform it at a high level. And it's truly awesome having great people at my side, like Chris and Clayton, to give me advice and help guide me through this journey. During my first 4 weeks working with the Conservatory Lab brass students, I've come to realize how much is really possible at such a young age. Once they get in the zone, there's no stopping them, and the amount of work they get done in that time is immense. I've never enjoyed working with kids so much."

The Cookie Monster Visits K2

Over the weekend, K2 teachers Ms. Biro and Ms. Wendling received a mysterious email: could they please gather their classes Monday afternoon in Ms. Biro's room? An anonymous visitor wanted some advice.  Imagine everyone's surprise when that visitor was the Cookie Monster!  Cookie had been thinking recently about changing his usual lunch (of a full package of cookies) but wasn't sure what to choose.  The kindergarteners had plenty of suggestions so he asked them to write them all down for him in a way he could use as he planned his meals.  They all agreed to draw some pictures to show him what should be on his plate in order to be healthy and strong.

These pictures, drawn as placemats of a healthy meal, are part of What's On Your Plate?, a science and social studies learning expedition that has been part of the kindergarten curriculum for years. The students explore how a balanced diet and regular exercise helps keep their bodies healthy and strong and use the USDA MyPlate graphic as a guidepost to learn about the five food groups and discover the three principles of a healthy diet-balance, variety, and moderation. They will conduct independent research to create Pick Me posters to help Cookie Monster and other shoppers make healthy choices. Their final product will be illustrated placemats to educate the community about making healthy exercise and food choices.

ANet on Chromebooks 

This week all students in grades 2 through 8 did something for the first time: took an interim assessment in Math and English Language Arts online via the Achievement Network (ANet).   Four times a year, students take a short, standardized test which includes multiple choice, short answer and open response (essay) questions.  Those tests are scored quickly and our teachers and administrators gather to look at those results and plan how they will address the range of learners in their classes.  Who may need some extra tutoring help? Who might be ready for more complex material? Is there some concept that the whole class needs to revisit in order to move forward?  The tests are aligned both with our curriculum and with the Common Core standards.

Half Day Coming Up - Take Note:

• Next Friday, October 31st will be our first half day of the year.  Students are expected to be in uniform that day and should not bring in or wear Halloween costumes. 
• Students will be dismissed from both buildings at 11:15 AM and school buses will run their return routes at that time.  We will follow our usual dismissal routines so please be aware of when your child will arrive home.