J.M.S. News...
APRIL 2018
A message from our PTSA...
There have been several requests from our community for information about where one could make a donation in memory of Karen Kweit, our former treasurer and an ardent supporter of our school and PTA. Karen's family has informed us that, as someone who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at the age of 20, it has always been a goal of Karen's to try and help find a cure for this disease. Therefore, per the family's wishes, anyone wishing to make a contribution in memory of Karen may choose to do so by making a donation to the Lymphoma Research Foundation by:
1) Going to www.lymphoma.org and clicking on “Donate” in the upper right hand corner of the webpage. Then, on the left hand side of the webpage, choose “Honor/Memorial Gift."
OR
2) Mailing a completed donation form (below) to: Lymphoma Research Foundation, Wall Street Plaza, 88 Pine Street, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10005.
Quotes for the Month of April:
April 9-13: “Step by step, one can ascend the stairs.”-Evelyn Cisneros
April 16-20: “Your success and happiness lie in you.”-Helen Keller,
April 23-27: “Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.” -Vernon Howard
April 30-May 4: “The only way to have a friend is to be one.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Monthly SEL Theme for the Month of April: Hope (Resiliency)
Hope (Resiliency)
Joseph Sugarman said, “…if you’re willing to consider failure as a blessing in disguise and bounce back, you’ve got the potential of harnessing one of the most powerful success forces.”
I believe that Joseph Sugarman’s quote captures the meaning of and the need to be resilient. In being resilient we learn that hope believes in tomorrow because we have learned to see with our hearts.
By seeing with your heart, you are able to understand how hope looks, acts, and feels. It is our obligation, as adult mentors, to practice hope, share it, and pass it along by becoming your SEL coaches. If we do so, your hearts will see what is invisible to the eyes.
New York State Scholastic Chess Championships- 1st Place Winners
Pictured left to right:
Binghui (Eric) Du, Evelyn Zhu, Weijie Li, Wesley Wang, Joshua Dong & Dr. Gately
Global Innovation Award Winners
Pictured left to right:
Sahil Joshi, Rishab Bhatia, Siddhant Tandon, Andrew Istomin, Anshul Vemuri, Benjamin Liu, & Dr. Gately
Classroom News!
Team 6A:
In math, we’ve successfully tackled equations and inequalities. In Science have learned about forces, friction, gravity and Newton’s Laws through a variety of cool experiments. Check out our practice runs on gravity, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyOY-Kq2cb4&feature=youtu.be In ELA we have been busy studying about Ancient Greece. They learned about Sparta and Athens governments, education, and daily life. At the conclusion of their study they had an opportunity to debate which city-state was more successful. The children really enjoyed presenting and defending their arguments. We also completed our second Sixth Grade Ed Camp, where your children shared their passions with their sixth grade classmates!
Team 6B:
Team 6B has been engaged and immersed in the culture of Ancient Greece! Students wrote original Greek myths that they brought to life through skits and read alouds as we celebrated National Read Aloud Day. We experienced what it was like living under different forms of government and what daily life was like in Ancient Greece. Students have been researching Olympic events and athletes and comparing the first Olympic Games to the 2018 games. Team 6B also held a very competitive debate about Alexander the Great....was he really great? Wow!
Team 6C:
Team 6C loves kid EdCamp. Students in the sixth grade had an opportunity to teach a skill to their peers. Students from 6C showed off new recipes, card games, soccer tricks and we even got to fly a drone!
Team 6D:
Team 6D has been busy learning about forces and motion! Students have been exploring friction, gravity and acceleration through hand- on experiences using Newton's Laws of Motion. From "bowling for forces" to balloon rockets, what better way to learn physics than to try it?!
Team 6E:
Team 6E just finished their independent “biography” books for the month of March. The book report entailed dressing up as their biography subject and sitting down for an interview to discuss their lives. We met Harry Potter, Florence Nightingale, Abraham Lincoln, Oprah Winfrey, Gandhi, Thomas Edison, J.K. Rowling, Jackie Robinson, Walt Disney, Kobe Bryant and Michelle Kwan - to name a few. Next independent reading genre – historical fiction.
Team 6F:
During our exploration of ancient Greece, Team 6F has learned that so much of our own culture is borrowed from this civilization, including the Olympics, architectural features, philosophy, and democracy. We also did a Breakout, testing our knowledge of non-fiction text features! In math, we found the ratios using the color of Skittles (“taste the ratio!”) and in science, we’ve been investigating the way that forces impact our lives. We have also been enjoying the novel “The Lightning Thief” and look forward to reading it more!
Team 7A:
Students on Team 7A conducted an investigation on the amount of Carbon Dioxide that we release. They exhaled into a solution of bromothymol blue indicator that changes colors from blue to yellow in the presence of CO2. The students then vigorously exercised for 2 minutes and exhaled again, discovering that the solution turned colors faster. This investigation provided visual evidence that we exhale more CO2 when we exercise.
Team 7B:
Team 7C:
Team 7C has had a busy month in science. We concluded our study of the body systems, and have begun to explore the Periodic Table. It has been fun to see the elements in the world around us! 8th graders have started to study DNA, and make our own (yummy) double helix models!
Team 8A:
In science class on team 8A students are working in expert groups on various astronomy topics. Students are engaged in collaborating to create presentations that are exciting and engaging to their audience, their peers!
Team 8B:
During this month team 8B continue to demonstrate their amazing abilities. Some team members flexed their dramatic muscles with Mrs. Scalera in The Enchanted Bookshop. Other students demonstrated their love of history by competing at NHD on an island wide basis with Mr. Kovoros. Still more students showed their ability to work through various problems posed to them through cooperation and teamwork with Mrs. Catalano and Mr. Smith. In all cases our team showed that the keys to success are working hard and being passionate in the pursuit of your dreams!
Team 8C:
The 8th Grade Earth Science students on team 7/8C have been exploring the concept of weathering through laboratory exercises. The students did a variety of experiments with sugar cubes to simulate both chemical and mechanical weathering. The students also created time lapse videos to showcase their results! 8th graders in Bio have started to study DNA, and make our own (yummy) double helix models!
Jericho MS Welcomes New Staff Members
Shannon Philbin - Teacher Aide
I am very excited to join the Jericho Middle School staff. I graduated from St. Joseph's College with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a minor in child study. I'm also getting my Master's Degree in elementary special education from St. Joseph's and am graduating in December. I previously worked at Building Blocks Developmental Preschool as an ABA therapist working with children with autism and as a teacher's assistant in an integrated preschool classroom. I enjoy spending time with family and friends and fostering pets through my local animal rescue. I look forward to joining the Jericho community!
Dates to Remember...
March 29-April 6 - Schools Closed
April 9- MS Spring Sports Season Begins
April 12-Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Assessments
April 13-Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Assessments
April 13- SEPTA Exec Mtg- District Conference Room- 9:30AM
April 13- MS Spirit Day
April 13- MS/HS 3rd Marking Period Ends
April 17- SEPTA Mtg.- MS Library-7:00PM
April 17- MS/HS Evening Guidance Hours 7:00PM-9:00PM
April 19 - MS PTSA Exec Mtg- MS Principal's Conf. Room- 8:30AM
April 19- MS PTSA Mtg &Principals Coffee Hour- MS Library- 9:15AM
April 23- MS/HS Quarterly Grades Posted Online
April 26- Board of Education Meeting- MS Library- 7:15PM
Tips from the School Nurse
Dental Hygiene
1-Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, especially after eating.
2- Floss your teeth daily.
3-Limit sugary, sticky snacks.
4-Have yearly check ups with your dentist.
5-Wear a mouth guard when playing sports.
6-Change your toothbrush every couple of months.
Here are some fun teeth facts from Colgate:
· Kids in prehistoric times did not suffer tooth decay. The ADA says this is because sugar was not a part of their diet.
· Tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body; because it’s so durable, healthy teeth tooth enamel protects teeth from cavity-causing oral bacteria
· Ancient Egyptians brushed their teeth using a powdery substance made from pulverized eggshells and oxen hooves.
· Unlike bones or other parts of the body, teeth are incapable of self-repair. This is why receiving fillings and other dental work is necessary to protect teeth from further damage.
· The modern toothbrush was not developed until the 1700’s. A man from England named William Addis attached boars’ bristles to a bone handle, creating a toothbrush that was actually mass-produced.
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Jericho Middle School
Email: dgately@jerichoschools.org
Website: jerichoschools.org
Location: 99 Old Cedar Swamp Road, Jericho, NY, United States
Phone: (516) 203-3600
Twitter: @JerichoMS