District News

SNaV Curriculum:    Inspiring the Engineers of Tomorrow

Did you know that the George Washington Bridge, the world's busiest bridge, hosts 108 million vehicle crossings each year and flies the world's largest American flag?  Or that the bridge was named by students from New Jersey and New York?  Our third graders do!  As a part of our Curiosity Corner program, Mrs. Mascharka led her students through an enrichment unit about bridge engineering.  

The young engineers began by building multiple bridges using K'NEX materials to examine structures, forces, and strengthening techniques.  After gaining background knowledge about engineering, the students were challenged in a simulation during which they designed and built model bridges for a fictional city.  The bridges had to fulfill specific criteria and were then inspected to be sure that they had met that criteria.  All student bridges passed inspection with flying colors!  

The final lesson in this unit treated the children to a guest speaker presentation by Mrs. Andrea Giorgi-Bocker, Engineer of Construction, at the George Washington Bridge.  Mrs. Giorgi-Bocker shared her engineering expertise with the students and even let them try out her official safety gear! 

 SNaV Business and Operations:   Room for Everyone

Did you know that our school facilities benefit the community beyond the schools' normal day filled with academics, sports, clubs, and fine arts performances?   Our school buildings and grounds also host after school clubs and other PTA events, Daisy/Brownie/Junior Girl Scout meetings, Cub/Boy Scout den and pack meetings, Recreation department basketball and cheerleading programs, Becton DIckinson's men's basketball, board meetings for the BOE, FLEF, and RYSA organizations, Wyckoff YMCA aftercare, RYSA soccer practice and games, and several camps in the summertime.  School activities always have priority of course, but the District is pleased to share its wonderful facilities with our community.

SNaV Special Services:   Nelson Mandela tribute

 

On Tuesday, December 10, Ms. Caesar and Dr. Pryor went on FAMS close-circuit television (FAMS Live) to address students and faculty about the passing and contributions of Nelson Mandela. They gave a brief historical background of his life and the impact he had on the world, most specifically apartheid, reconciliation and education. They ended the broadcast with his famous quote, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" and closed with a tribute song from a children's choir from South Africa. 

 

 SNaV Special Services:   Weather Fun

 

Fourth and fifth grade students from Ms. Betrus' SLD Science class recently learned about the different types of bad weather.

Students had opportunities to focus on each type of weather and created a flip-book. Students especially enjoyed making a tornado in a bottle by using 2 soda bottles, water, glitter, and blue food coloring.  The experiment showed how tornadoes form, by teaching students about vortexes. 

 

FAMS News

SNaV FAMS:   Veteran's Day

The Peer Leadership Corps hosted a Veterans' Day Remembrance ceremony on Monday, November 11th outside on the FAMS Plaza. The ceremony included a faculty drumline, presentation of the colors, an official flag raising routine, and some reflective remarks by the 8th grade core group. The PLC, in close partnership with the VFW, honored and thanked the veterans of our community. The PLC also played a tribute movie showcasing the dozens of past and present military members in our FAMS family. We are forever grateful for the service they provided to our country and they will never be forgotten. 

 SNaV FAMS:   Students Visit Gettysburg 

 

The Peer Leadership Corps traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania from November 13th - 15th for their Annual Leadership Training Conference. This 3-day trip included rich history from the region, leadership training seminars, work sessions, CHEERS activities, and DARE Awareness and Prevention. The students traveled through the town with licensed tour guides.  Highlights included the National Military Park, Seminary Ridge Museum, Battlefield Tours, Gettysburg College, and the Gettysburg National Cemetery. 

 

The 8th grade core group will bring this leadership training back to FAMS to help plan, prepare, and carry out the dozens of service projects that the PLC hosts throughout the school year. Upcoming activities include the Warm Winter Clothing Drive and Veterans' Holiday Cards. As always, all the details can be found on the PLC website.  

  

 

CRS News

SNaV CRS:  Learning to Problem Solve

CRS continues to follow the district's Character Education monthly themes.  December's topic is problem solving. Below are the Problem Solving Steps students in grades K-5 use every year.  During monthly Character Education lessons, our Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Ballas, likes to focus on one literature connection per grade to reinforce the monthly theme.  Every story is used in connection with a specific lesson for each grade.  To discuss the message of respectful conflict resolution, some of the stories read are Mim, Gym, and June by Denis Roche, Horace and Morris Join the Chorus by James Howe, Six Dinner Sid by Inga Moore and Ruler of the Courtyard by Rukhsana Khan. Click here for more information about the Character Education monthly themes and how they are addressed at CRS.

PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS

1. Talk about the problem. 

2. Listen to understand.

3. Think of ways to solve it.

SNaV CRS:  Hot and Cold Assembly

Recently, the third graders students were treated to an exciting in-school field trip entitled Hot and Cold!  The students had to "hang onto their lab coats" as they were "turned" into molecules exploring the three states of matter. Students enjoyed making balloons shrink, freezing bubbles, and causing a rubber ball to shatter by using liquid nitrogen.  We thank our PTA for providing our students with this unforgettable experience.  

SNaV CRS:  Holiday Magic

On December 12th, the students, staff, and families of Colonial Road School were treated to a spectacular event.  Our fourth and fifth grade band students, as well as all of our fourth grade students performed at our annual Holiday Concert.  Our instrumental music students, under the direction of Mrs. Cindy Cipriano and Mr. James Finnen, wowed the crowd with their catchy renditions of old classics, as well as more traditional tunes.  Our fourth grade students, under the direction of our vocal music teacher Mrs. Karen Andruska, impressed our audience with their sophisticated musical repertoire, as well as their choreographed moves that accompanied each song.  Overall our performers had everyone in the crowd beaming as they set the perfect holiday mood for all to enjoy! 

HMR News

SNaV HMR:  Geography Bee

Our fifth graders recently competed in a Geography Bee related to Spanish speaking countries.  Each student studied the capitals, continents and bordering countries of twenty countries, all in Spanish!  Time was given in class in advance for students to work with a partner to complete maps of the countries and prepare all the information.  The day of the Bee, in each class, there was great competition and also great sportsmanship, as partners competed for prizes.  This is an annual tradition in fifth grade and the photos of the winners are displayed in the hallway for the entire student body to see.  

SNaV HMR: Kindergarteners Celebrate 50th Day of School

Our Kindergarten Class celebrated the 50th day of school with a sock hop!  Students came to school dressed in clothing from the era of the 1950's.  They enjoyed activities from that time period while engaging in a review of the first fifty days of school!

WAS News

SNaV WAS:  Food Drive Exceeds all Expectations!

The fifth grade students, with help from Ms. Preziosi,  coordinated the annual WAS Thanksgiving Food Drive, held from November 13th to 20th, with outstanding results. Their excellent work and the generosity of the WAS community put a

Consistent with Woodside Avenue School's reputation of being a very caring community, Ms. Cathy Hoogendoorn, our Kindergarten teacher, coordinated efforts to seek out a match for  an Allogeneic Transplant for a 19-year-old son of a friend. This young man was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and, unfortunately, less than 1% of the population is a donor match. During recent Parent Teacher Conferences, seventy eight parents and staff members met with our school nurse, Ms. Noreen Carey, completed an online form, and provided cheek cells via a swab.