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Firehawk of the Week
Core Value -Initiative
Talon Reporter -Emily B.
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Each week a scholar is identified by our Talon Character Reporter, Emily B. as Firehawk of the Week. The Firehawk of the Week embodies the characteristics of the core value highlighted for the month.
February's Core Value is initiative. Initiative means to lead, take charge, and present ideas to help further a group in a project. This week, I interviewed many Firehawks on why Cole deserves to have the honor of being nominated of Firehawk of the Week. William told me that Cole invites Faith and himself to games. "In H.P, when we have arguments, Cole tries to be the mediator. He takes initiative by making sure both sides are in an agreement. Cole also never argues with Mrs. Lyda" says Lauren. Faith told me that Cole is always nice to her, and always includes her in activities. Thank you Cole for showing initiative this week, as well as being friendly to others.
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| Deep Thoughts | 
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A Look Ahead
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Reminders:
- Send in candy bar from select country Monday.
- Complete permission slips for Monday's field trip to the Spelling Bee and Tuesday's field trip to Central Market.
- Send in items for Cupid's Auction on Thursday.
- Bring Valentine's for 14-Young Style
- Scholastic book orders due Friday.
Mark Your Calendar:
Feb. 11 Scripps Spelling Bee Field Trip (6th/7th)
Feb. 12 Central Market Field Investigation
Feb. 14 Valentine's Day Celebration
Feb. 18 President's Day Holiday - No School
Feb. 23 Destination Imagination Tournament
Feb. 28 Information Night and Open House
Mar. 8 School Holiday/ Scholar Led Conferences
Mar. 11-15 Spring Break
Mar. 23 PSIA - Holy Family Nazareth, Irving
Mar. 27 Meet at the Park (3:30-4:30)
Mar. 28 Information Night and Open House
Mar. 29 School Holiday
Apr. 1 School Holiday
Apr. 5/6 PSIA- Prince of Peace, Carrollton
Apr. 24 Meet at the Park (3:30-4:30)
Apr. 25 Information Night and Summer Program Sneak Peek
May 3 School Holiday
May 4 PSIA-TCU
May 22 Meet at the Park (3:30-4:30)
May 24 Last Day of School
May 28 Scholar Led Conferences
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Wish List
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- Construction of Quidditch Hoops: http://tinyurl.com/3fzgw3u
- Old picture frames and leftover patterned wrapping paper
- Art Easels
- Picnic Tables
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Board of Directors
(2012-2014)
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Gayle Brown, MS
Steve Flamm, BS, CPA
June Johnson, BA
Bryan Holland, BS
Kathy Lyda, MS
Lance Lyda, BA
Alicia Probasco, BS
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IGNITE! Summer Intensives Are Coming
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Click here to watch a video of last year's awesomeness!
Details coming soon. Mark your calendars now:
Week 1: June 10-14
Week 2: June 17-21
Week 3: July 22-26
Week 4: July 29- Aug 2
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Gallery
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 | | Kyra Ellibie is shedding! |
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Welcome to The Talon, our weekly newsletter highlighting the amazing activities of our Young Scholars and source of other important information. |
STEM Lab (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
Carol Raymond, MEd
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 First of all, congratulations to our Firehawk Mathletes - Emily B, Noah F, Macie J and Elyssa P who competed in the Fort Worth chapter MATHCOUNTS contest at TCU this weekend. I am so excited about the growth that I have seen in them and the desire to tackle extremely difficult math problems! I love the way that this program has lit a fire under them and I look forward to working with them and new Firehawk Mathletes in the year to come! Out of all the teams that competed on Saturday, Young's was the only team to have entered the "Reel Math" challenge supported by MATHCOUNTS and they were recognized at the tournament. Don't forget to vote for their videos once per day!:
Both classes are knee deep in the engineering design process. The younger scholars are about half way through incorporating numerous simple machines to create one complex machine in their Rube Goldberg inventions. After completing various experiments measuring speed, students embarked on the mission to create an interactive gumball machine. Students will be calculating the basic quantities of motion involved in their gumball machines.
In math, all students explored algebra using various levels of Hands On
Equations. At the MATHCOUNTS contest this weekend, I realized how helpful this process would be for our Firehawk Mathletes!
Here's a sample of a problem that a few of our fifth graders can now solve with ease:
"When one-third of a number is increased by 2, then doubled, and then increased by the number itself, the result is 24 more than one-third of the original number. Find the number."
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The Arts...They Are So Fine
June Johnson, BA | |
 Enchanting...that is what this week has been for our 6th and 7th grade Firehawks. They have had the wonderful opportunity to work closely with my dear friend, Betsy Modrzejewski, theater arts extraordinaire. We have had a week long theater intensive to work on our one act play, The Small World of Millie McIvor, and her guidance gave our scholars a renewed energy. We will be competing at PSIA this spring and the workshop has proven to be just what we needed to breathe life into these characters and pull it all together. I am incredibly proud of our Firehawk thespians and can't wait for them to show everyone what they've worked so hard to refine. A BIG thanks to Betsy for all of her wonderful help!
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Oh the Humanities
Sandi Johnson, MEd
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Chocolate on the brain!! This week our classes delved into the world of chocolate. Each grade group tackled chocolate in unique ways. 3rd and 5th graders started researching chocolate in trade books and will eventually move to online research. They are using note taking skills to aid them in the process. 6th and 7th graders focused on the effects of chocolate on multiple targets. They broke up into groups to plan presentations of chocolate effects on humans, animals, the environment and the economy.
A partially eaten box of chocolate arrived in our class on Monday with a mysterious note attached. Apparently a disgruntled Mallory had received the box and would not eat the chocolate claiming that it had too many effects on children and she could not bring herself to eating another bite. The students brainstormed the possibilities that could have prevented Mallory from eating the chocolate and decided against eating the chocolate for now.
By Friday, we had watched the documentary The Dark Side of Chocolate, which examines the issue of trafficking of children to aid in the harvesting of the cocoa bean, which eventually becomes the yummy candy we eat all the time. Many of the students actively discussed the issue in class and we learned how to watch carefully for Fair Trade products. I offered the students chocolate after the movie and they all took a piece, not even knowing where it had come from! It is truly a tempting product with psychological impacts that run deep! Next week we will continue our research and aim to present by the end of the week.
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Health Promotion...the Other HP
Kathy Lyda, MS
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This week saw a combination of "Minute to Win It" games and heart rate increasing activities. Scholars had to use both brain and brawn to conquer the activities each day. Quick Reminder: Help your scholar make sure they bring or wear athletic shoes each day. Thanks!
We will be looking for Finding Your Fitness Passion guests beginning each Friday. If you have a fitness, nutrition, stress management or other healthy lifestyle passion that you would like to share, please let Mrs. Lyda know!
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TREKS
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Our TREKS time was focused on MAPS testing. We have been very proud of the growth in our students since the beginning of the year. Some students tripled the academic progress expected by this time of year! We are so excited to see the growth in our students and the way that each of them challenges themselves for individual growth and achievement. Our goal is that their motivation continues to grow intrinsically as they grow into lifelong learners and achievers! (MAPS results are preliminary-detailed reports to follow.)
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Meet Tamara Choate, MA
Adjunct Faculty
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When Tamara Choate was child, she dreamed of being a teacher, but her teachers worked hard to talk her out of her dream. Instead, she pursued a degree in French Horn performance. As much as she enjoyed music and teaching privately, the thought of wearing black every night of her career made her long to integrate color into her wardrobe. She decided to be a sociologist and was offered a fellowship to Indiana University, where she completed her master's and doctoral coursework, minoring in statistics and child development.
While in Indiana, she joined the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra and taught social psychology at the University, earning the highest student satisfaction ratings in the department her last semester there. She then moved back to Texas, where she served as a youth and music ministry intern at her church. After being asked to be a permanent staff member, she went to seminary to complete a master's degree in education. She became a tri-vocational minister, working in the performance improvement department of one of Fortune's Top 100 Companies to Work For and teaching computer classes as part of the faculty at Richland College when it became the first community college to earn the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
This led to a job at Cook Children's, designing curriculum and training staff to use clinical software tools. While she was near children in this role, she missed being with the children, and she finally decided to follow her original calling. She went back to earn her teaching certification and has taught music, art, and middle school math. What she loves most about teaching is helping students envision how they will use their skills in the "real world," applying not only an academic skill set, but learning to lead by working well in groups and engaging and equipping others.
Tamara is married to Bobby, an accountant and trombone player. When they aren't working or playing their horns in the church orchestra, they enjoy spending time with their two fabulous daughters, Faith and Grace.
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 Fill Someone's Heart!
A special teacher, friend, or parent? Make them feel special
Send them a Sweet Message
(Personal note + sweet treat!)
Only $1.00 per note
To be delivered Valentine's Day, February 14th
Purchase Sweet Message note cards at Mrs. Lyda's office
-as many as you would like! -
Last day to turn in is Tuesday, February 12th
All proceeds to benefit Young Academy
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