Friday, July 03, 2009
E-Mail Migration
We are migrating Ashford School Staff E-mail from Gaggle to Google between July 3 and July 7. It is possible (probable) that email will be off line during part of that time frame. Delivery of email may be held up. Enjoy your vacation weekend.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Grade 2 News
by Chris Busse
Ashford School’s second grade had a field trip to the Roger William’s Zoo. Students chose an anima
l that is at the zoo to do their first report on. Students wrote about what they already know about the animal, what they want to learn and then researched the animal using texts and the internet. Students were also able to listen to pod casts that were made by 8th graders who previously went to the zoo and observed different animal’s behavior.
Students
have been working on writing topic sentences, using sentence variety and to write using their own words. It was very exciting for the second graders to study their animal and then get the chance to see their animal live and in person.
Ashford School’s second grade had a field trip to the Roger William’s Zoo. Students chose an anima
l that is at the zoo to do their first report on. Students wrote about what they already know about the animal, what they want to learn and then researched the animal using texts and the internet. Students were also able to listen to pod casts that were made by 8th graders who previously went to the zoo and observed different animal’s behavior.Students
have been working on writing topic sentences, using sentence variety and to write using their own words. It was very exciting for the second graders to study their animal and then get the chance to see their animal live and in person.
6th Grade takes a Trip to the Middle Ages
by Mike Young
This spring the 6th grade social studies classes took a trip to the Higgins Armory in Worcester, Massachusetts. This trip was held as a wrap up to their study of Ancient Rome, and as an introduction to their unit on the middle ages. The visit began with a wonderful presentation on the types of armor used in battle beginning with Greek soldiers and ending with the knights of the renaissance. Volunteers were given a chance to try on armor and witness first hand the protection given by chain mail garments. Students were then treated to a guided tour of the museum and given a wealth of information about the manufacturing, cost, and usage of the various types of armor and weapons on display.
The day ended with a hands on project which gave the students a chance to create their very own metal etching similar to those done on armor by the soldiers of the day. As a whole the trip was a big success, and students recommended that it be done for the sixth grade each year.
Black Hawk Visits Ashford School
by Carol Moran
On Monday, May 18th all students in Ashford School assembled outside to see a Black Hawk helicopter make a visit. Bob Mullady, Staff Sergeant from the CT National Guard, arranged to have “his” helicopter make the trip. He is responsible for maintenance and inspection of this particular UH-60 Blackhawk.
The helicopter arrived at 13:00 as scheduled and all students watched from a nearby blacktop. It passed over the cheering group, circled the school, and landed in the adjacent soccer field. Once the helicopter check was complete, students could approach and pass through the cabin. Many students also had the opportunity to sit in the cockpit.
Students in grades 1-4 had learned about the Blackhawk in enrichment class the week prior. Students learned about parts and their functions, the Blackhawk’s many purposes, identified forces of lift, gravity, thrust and drag, and developed questions for the pilots. The visit was also a complement to eighth grade students’ science unit on flight. These students stayed later with science teacher Annie Perkins to get a special lesson and ask questions of the pilots.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Earth Day Assembly
By Carol Moran/ from art-farm.org
Imagine a circus in which actors juggle bottled water, polar bears dance on melting ice floes, the props and set are recycled, and the core of clowns are called the Fossil Fools. That's part of what you get in ARTFARM's Circus For a Fragile Planet, an exciting educational circus performance featuring juggling, clowning, physical comedy, acrobatics, unicycling, and other circus arts built around a strong environmental message.
6th-8th graders enjoyed this assembly on April 17, thanks to the PTO!
Imagine a circus in which actors juggle bottled water, polar bears dance on melting ice floes, the props and set are recycled, and the core of clowns are called the Fossil Fools. That's part of what you get in ARTFARM's Circus For a Fragile Planet, an exciting educational circus performance featuring juggling, clowning, physical comedy, acrobatics, unicycling, and other circus arts built around a strong environmental message.
6th-8th graders enjoyed this assembly on April 17, thanks to the PTO!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Author Visits School
By Carol Moran
Primary students were captivated by author/illustrator Jeff Mack, who shared his work on April 2nd. Mr. Mack has illustrated many books, including Hurry, Hurry by Eve Bunting, and Rub A Dub Sub and Starry Safari by Linda Ashman. Thank you to the PTO for the event!
3rd Grade News
By Mrs. Christopher, Mrs. Dickenman, Mr. Horn
Welcome spring! Our third grade teachers and students are looking forward to our upcoming special events and activities for fourth term.
Our social studies curriculum focuses on learning about communities and that includes our traditional emphasis on the 1850's community life and times experienced at Old Sturbridge Village. We are fortunate enough to have a docent visit our class
es to showcase lessons about "Traveler's Trunk" and "Ye Old Schoolhouse". Mrs. Christopher, Mrs. Dickenman and Mr. Horn will also team teach to present learning activities to inform, interest and motivate the children to thoroughly enjoy our field trip to the village, scheduled for May 22, 2009.
We continue to be excited about our participation in the "Find Your Way" EASTCONN program, conducted by Cathy Smith-Carolan. She comes to our classes to assist with a variety of instructional endeavors with mapping skills and practice with compasses for orienteering. Then, we visit Mansfield Hollow, June 6, 2009, where the children work cooperatively in small teams with their chaperones, to use their skills and compasses searching for clues and map puzzle pieces to complete this unique orienteering experience.
Finally, we'll participate in Mrs. Hardisty's annual "SWINGS Day" on May 27, 2009. It's a lively, great day to be outdoors on the playgrounds, enjoying some physical activity and great games.
We are delighted to finish our third grade year together with these interesting, rewarding, and memorable events!
Welcome spring! Our third grade teachers and students are looking forward to our upcoming special events and activities for fourth term.
Our social studies curriculum focuses on learning about communities and that includes our traditional emphasis on the 1850's community life and times experienced at Old Sturbridge Village. We are fortunate enough to have a docent visit our class
es to showcase lessons about "Traveler's Trunk" and "Ye Old Schoolhouse". Mrs. Christopher, Mrs. Dickenman and Mr. Horn will also team teach to present learning activities to inform, interest and motivate the children to thoroughly enjoy our field trip to the village, scheduled for May 22, 2009.We continue to be excited about our participation in the "Find Your Way" EASTCONN program, conducted by Cathy Smith-Carolan. She comes to our classes to assist with a variety of instructional endeavors with mapping skills and practice with compasses for orienteering. Then, we visit Mansfield Hollow, June 6, 2009, where the children work cooperatively in small teams with their chaperones, to use their skills and compasses searching for clues and map puzzle pieces to complete this unique orienteering experience.
Finally, we'll participate in Mrs. Hardisty's annual "SWINGS Day" on May 27, 2009. It's a lively, great day to be outdoors on the playgrounds, enjoying some physical activity and great games.
We are delighted to finish our third grade year together with these interesting, rewarding, and memorable events!
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Eighth Graders Take in a Play
By Jen Lindsay
On March 19, the eighth grade traveled to Hartford to see a performance of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. After studying the novel in language arts class, and viewing Horton Foote's screenplay, students enjoyed seeing Hartford Stage's Artistic Director Michael Wilson's interpretation of the plot. Set in 1930s Alabama, To Kill a Mockingbird follows the life of children Scout and Jem Finch as their fath
er defends an African-American man who was falsely accused of attacking a white woman.
Harper Lee wrote the novel in 1960. It won numerous awards immediately, including the 1960 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Hartford Stage's performance of To Kill a Mockingbird was part of the National Endowment for the Arts initiative designed to encourage literacy in America. In conjunction with the Hartford Public Library, community members were encouraged to read (or reread!) the novel. We were delighted to see Matthew Modine (Memphis Belle, Gross Anatomy, Vision Quest ) in his stage debut as Atticus Finch as well as many local actors.
Following the performance, the mostly school group audience, enjoyed time to ask questions of the performers. This interesting opportunity allowed students and actors to discuss the themes of the novel, the differences between life in 1930s Alabama and today, and the challenge of discrimination, racism and prejudice.
Students were encouraged to expand their view of the world and to avoid passing judgment on others. In a phrase, they were encouraged to "…climb into his skin and walk around in it." (Lee)
While at the theater, and during a brief lunch stop, several teachers enjoyed comments from passersby about our eighth graders. It was observed that students were courteous, helpful, and appropriate. They truly represented our school and community well. We look forward to sharing more events with this class as we head toward graduation.
If you have not read To Kill a Mockingbird, or if it has been some time, do consider reading it again. You won't regret it!
On March 19, the eighth grade traveled to Hartford to see a performance of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. After studying the novel in language arts class, and viewing Horton Foote's screenplay, students enjoyed seeing Hartford Stage's Artistic Director Michael Wilson's interpretation of the plot. Set in 1930s Alabama, To Kill a Mockingbird follows the life of children Scout and Jem Finch as their fath
er defends an African-American man who was falsely accused of attacking a white woman.Harper Lee wrote the novel in 1960. It won numerous awards immediately, including the 1960 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Hartford Stage's performance of To Kill a Mockingbird was part of the National Endowment for the Arts initiative designed to encourage literacy in America. In conjunction with the Hartford Public Library, community members were encouraged to read (or reread!) the novel. We were delighted to see Matthew Modine (Memphis Belle, Gross Anatomy, Vision Quest ) in his stage debut as Atticus Finch as well as many local actors.
Following the performance, the mostly school group audience, enjoyed time to ask questions of the performers. This interesting opportunity allowed students and actors to discuss the themes of the novel, the differences between life in 1930s Alabama and today, and the challenge of discrimination, racism and prejudice.
Students were encouraged to expand their view of the world and to avoid passing judgment on others. In a phrase, they were encouraged to "…climb into his skin and walk around in it." (Lee)
While at the theater, and during a brief lunch stop, several teachers enjoyed comments from passersby about our eighth graders. It was observed that students were courteous, helpful, and appropriate. They truly represented our school and community well. We look forward to sharing more events with this class as we head toward graduation.
If you have not read To Kill a Mockingbird, or if it has been some time, do consider reading it again. You won't regret it!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
New Ashford School Website Goes Live!
On Thursday, April 23rd – right in the middle of vacation – the new, redesigned Ashford School Website went live. We are quite excited about it. It is sporting many new features including announcements and an activities calendar right on the home page. The new home page currently resides at http://sites.google.com/site/ashfordschoolct/ but the old address will automatically redirect you to it (www.ashfordct.org). The address will be switched during the summer. You may need to empty your internet browser caches if you are still seeing the old site on your computer.
The new site was created by Marji Roy using the free online Goggle Sites tool. This was chosen so teachers could also design and develop their classroom pages and have access to editing them from their home computers as well as their school computers (and the price was right!) Many teachers are developing sites now with more to come. Check back often to see changes and updates. Check the new site out!
The new site was created by Marji Roy using the free online Goggle Sites tool. This was chosen so teachers could also design and develop their classroom pages and have access to editing them from their home computers as well as their school computers (and the price was right!) Many teachers are developing sites now with more to come. Check back often to see changes and updates. Check the new site out!
Monday, April 06, 2009
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Program
By Marina Brand
The staff and students at Ashford School continue to promote a positive, safe, and healthy environment for everyone through the implementation of the Positive Behavior Support Program (PBS). All of our students learn and regularly review our three school-wide expectations of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, and PRIDE. Signs throughout the building remind the students how to show RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, and PRIDE. Students receive recognition for exhibiting behaviors that exemplify these three expectations in school, whether it is in the classroom, cafeteria, hallway, playground, or the bus.
On February 27th, the entire student body gathered in the gymnasium for an exciting assembly. Our new superintendent, Dr. Longo, greeted the students and our principal, Mrs. Johndrow, reminded the students of our three school-wide behavior expectations and how to exhibit these expectations while they did their best on the Connecticut Mastery Testing. Three students from Mr. Schreiber’s class read short essays that they had written about examples of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, and PRIDE that they had witnessed. Then, staff members “acted” and “performed” while Mrs. Bernardini read a children’s story aloud. The book, a humorous story about students taking THE TEST, was enjoyed by all of the students. The assembly concluded with a raffle drawing and a cheer led by Mr. Young, our very talented sixth grade teacher. Our entire community of staff and students left the gymnasium energized and ready to do their personal best on the CMTs.
The staff and students at Ashford School continue to promote a positive, safe, and healthy environment for everyone through the implementation of the Positive Behavior Support Program (PBS). All of our students learn and regularly review our three school-wide expectations of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, and PRIDE. Signs throughout the building remind the students how to show RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, and PRIDE. Students receive recognition for exhibiting behaviors that exemplify these three expectations in school, whether it is in the classroom, cafeteria, hallway, playground, or the bus.
On February 27th, the entire student body gathered in the gymnasium for an exciting assembly. Our new superintendent, Dr. Longo, greeted the students and our principal, Mrs. Johndrow, reminded the students of our three school-wide behavior expectations and how to exhibit these expectations while they did their best on the Connecticut Mastery Testing. Three students from Mr. Schreiber’s class read short essays that they had written about examples of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, and PRIDE that they had witnessed. Then, staff members “acted” and “performed” while Mrs. Bernardini read a children’s story aloud. The book, a humorous story about students taking THE TEST, was enjoyed by all of the students. The assembly concluded with a raffle drawing and a cheer led by Mr. Young, our very talented sixth grade teacher. Our entire community of staff and students left the gymnasium energized and ready to do their personal best on the CMTs.
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