Faust Newsletter
Marking Period 2
Principal's Message
Dear Parents & Guardians,
I hope that all of our Faust School families are doing well. It is so hard to believe that we are already in the 3rd Marking Period. I want to thank you all for your understanding and patience as we continue to get through this Pandemic. Your presence and support make us much stronger to achieve our goals and ensure that our students remain our top priority.
Our hard-working and caring faculty will continue to provide rich and engaging lessons that foster a well-rounded education and support our students’ social, and emotional health.
Our administration, professional support staff, custodians, and food service remain committed and are on hand to address any concerns, questions, and provide assistance to our families.
At school, we will continue to social distance, require face covering, use increased disinfecting practices, and promote frequent hand washing/hand sanitizing.
We want to remind you about the following safety measures to ensure the well being and safety of everyone that comes to Faust School.
Do not send your child to school if he/she is sick.
Report symptoms to the school immediately.
Report immediately if your child or someone with whom your child has been in close contact has tested positive for COVID-19.
Continue to follow the East Rutherford School District’s The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education
We know that this guidance puts added stress on families, and we are grateful for your cooperation. We look forward to the day that we can open our doors again and provide an educational experience that brings us back to a normal routine of socializing and learning.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here for you!
Warm regards,
Mrs. Regina Barrale
Alfred S. Faust School Principal
(201) 804-3100 Ext. 3003
Faust's New Addition
Mrs. Lahullier and Bridge to Terabithia
Math Department
Our 5th Grade Math students are tackling the Fraction Unit. Fractions can be challenging but we are working through it together step-by-step to build a solid foundation. They are working hard with practicing the skills and applying them to real-life situations to make more connections. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and efforts.
The sixth-grade students have been working very hard in Math. We have completed the first volume of our book and are onto the second volume already! We have been working hard in the world of ratios and will continue to work on ratios, rates, and using ratios to convert measurements. Our students should be very proud of themselves!
Meanwhile, the 7th-grade math students have been working hard to identify and rewrite expressions when analyzing equivalent expressions. The 7th grade Pre-Algebra class have been applying their knowledge of data distributions and measures of center and variability to informally compare and make inferences about populations.
5th Grade ELA
Our 5th-grade students recently started their first novel “Bridge to Terabithia.” Throughout this novel study, students will be learning all about life in the mid-1970s, friendships, imagination, and creating lifelong memories. Working together, students will learn how to utilize technology to annotate and interact with a story through Kami, an online PDF annotation tool. The novel will culminate in a viewing of the film. The students are already enjoying this timeless classic!
Sixth Grade Language Arts
Students in the sixth grade English Language Arts classes have been immersed in reading E.L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The story is centered around two children who run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and find themselves living with one of the greatest controversies in the art world. Just like the story’s protagonists, students researched the Italian Renaissance’s great artists, inventors, and ideas.
Sixth-grade students have also been busy writers, practicing literary analysis and citing evidence when responding to literature. Analyzing how character’s personalities are reflected in decisions and reactions has been so interesting! Literature is a reflection of life and we love discussing our own perspectives and connections to the novel!
Student Council
ELA Grade 7
During this marking period, students in Seventh Grade ELA have been immersed in the world of Science Fiction. They have been busy studying the teleplay "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," the short story "Examination Day," and the novel The Giver. We have looked at the effects of fear, mob mentality, individuality, and choice- while reading through the lens of different dystopian societies. Students also sharpened their skills in evaluating and utilizing text evidence in literary analysis and are on their way to becoming masters at reflective writing.
ELA 8 and Honors English 8 Explore Autism
Seventh Grade Honors English Students Refine Communication Skills
Ms. Bayeux’s Grade 7 Honors English Class has been busy preparing for the NJSLA. Not only are we sharpening our analytical and critical thinking skills when reading, but we are also refining our writing skills. One strategy we use to sharpen our analytical skills is to try to come up with our own answers to multiple-choice questions before looking at the answer choices. Sometimes when we are working on a NewsELA article, it can be challenging to differentiate between the answer choices. To prevent this from happening, we read the question and think of our own answers first, then we look at the choices and choose the one that is most similar to our answer. This has helped our reading comprehension grades increase and we can also use this strategy during the NJSLA.
Furthermore, besides refining our reading comprehension strategies, we have also been constructing many different RACE (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain) responses to questions about our class novels for homework. Then, the next day during class we have a group writing conference to identify our strengths and weaknesses. The writing conferences benefit everyone; the writer gets personalized attention while the rest of the learning community is able to evaluate a peer’s work. Clearly, both of these strategies will enable us to become more communicative and confident readers and writers.
Social Studies 5th - 8th
5th Grade Science
6th Grade Science
Science with Mr. Rizi
Marking period 2 has been all about the human body and our genes in 7th Grade Science. Students have been working hard to learn about body systems and how traits are passed down from parents to offspring from generation to generation.
Recently, the students have been working on a project which combines Science and Art! The students were told that they are going to be drawing a male and female monster. They were given a set of traits to choose from and had to figure out the genotypes of those traits for those monsters. Then the students put their artistic abilities to the test as they drew the monsters with the traits that they chose!
In part 2 of the project, students will be evaluating what the baby of the two monsters would possibly look like and will be drawing the bundle of joy to complete the monster family.
8th Grade Science
Mrs. Yang's 8th-grade science class investigated the impacts that humans had on the biosphere by observing the effects that adding carbon dioxide to the ocean had on organisms.
Two virtual labs: 1, Adding carbon dioxide to the solution turned the solution yellow, indicating an increase in acidity. 2, The eggshell dissolved in the acid solution.
The students learned that when carbon dioxide was dissolved in bromothymol blue, the solution would turn yellow, indicating an increase in carbon dioxide. Whenever humans burned fossil fuels and destroyed forests, carbon dioxide levels were increased. This carbon dioxide dissolved in oceans, increasing their acidity. The eggshell dissolved in the acidic solution. Organisms in the oceans with shells could see these same effects with the increase in acidity.
Animals with shells, such as oysters, would definitely be affected because shells are designed to protect these animals. Without the shell, they are more susceptible to predators.
Conclusion: We should reduce deforestation and fossil fuel emissions in order to save the ocean ecosystems
Physical Education
World Language Department
As you are aware the World Language Department Spanish 5th-8th grades, are learning in one marking period this year due to “COVID19”. Students had the opportunity to continue their learning in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. We also continued to use the many learning platforms described in our last newsletter.
-In 5th grade, students were able to watch an authentic video series to practice their Spanish comprehension skills.
- In 6th-grade, students learned about all types of celebrations in the Spanish-speaking world such as Cumpleaños, learning about the fiesta, regalos, tarjeta de invitación, and we focused greatly on the importance, and the meaning of “The Quinceañera” for a young señorita.
- 7th graders learned about various famous Hispanic Americans. They researched their chosen Hispanic Americans and briefly wrote about them in the target language. Among those famous Hispanic Americans were Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, and many more.
-8th graders went on imaginary trips learning and writing about places to visit, who they visited those places with, what means of transportation they used, and selecting what clothing items to bring on their summer vacation. Students practice speaking by pretending to call a class friend to share their adventures using Flipgrid.
Music Cycle
6th graders have done a great job learning about the orchestra and can recognize the sound of most instruments being played. 7th grade has really enjoyed going back and learning about composers and classical music of the 1700s and 1800s. They especially enjoyed learning about Beethoven and listening to his 5th symphony. 8th graders really rocked as we learned about the history of rock and roll! Chuck Berry performing Johnny B. Goode was one of their favorites.
Dancing with Ms. Setlock
Ms. Machere & Art
Financial Literacy
Students in grades 6 and 7 Financial Literacy classes are entering the world of finance. We are introducing the students to concepts required to achieve and maintain a secure financial future. Financial Literacy is necessary to ensure that young adults know how to manage their finances now and in the future. We discuss real-world situations such as budgeting, wants and needs, paying bills, credit, large purchases, checking, debt, loans, education costs, and savings. The key components of Financial Literacy are: earn, spend, save and invest, borrow, and protect.
To enable students to identify with and become aware of these concepts, they will be creating several projects and papers which apply to their everyday lives now and in the future. One project is the Passion Project, where the students research their dream career and investigate the finances that relate to that field, including schooling and income. Also, the students will argue the controversial issue of abolishing the US Lincoln penny, as well as answering the question: “Would you rather have a job you love which pays little, or a job you dislike which pays a lot?”
The students will integrate the areas of math and literacy – a rich combination!
Advisory
Theatre
In theatre grades 5-8 have been exploring a Theatre History Timeline.
5th Graders are developing Hunt Dramas based on the Origin of Drama and cavemen. They have created Tribe names and performed their dramatic pantomimes in class. 5th grade will begin the study of Reader’s Theatre and Aesop by participating in many of his well known fables.
6th Grade’s focus is on Greek Theatre History. They have learned all about the different outdoor theatres of the time and the role Thespis played in our world in creating a lead actor. Students have presented mini projects on Theatre innovation and are currently studying the play Pandora’s box. They have been working on their own boxes that are full of good things they want to unleash onto the world.
7th Grade Students are embarking on the study of William Shakespeare. We had fun playing with his language using some of his famous phrases and insults in class. Students are learning to analyze and perform some of his most famous sonnets in class. They will be working on creating an original sonnet to be performed.
8th grade is all about Modern Drama. Musical Theatre was our first stop. Students discussed musicals they have either seen or heard of and learned that Musical Theatre has many different categories. We engaged in conversations about Andrew Loyd Webber and his musicals Phantom and Cat’s. Students will begin to focus on Realism and Naturalism in Theatre and connect this style to contemporary issues in playwriting.
Mrs. Clemens, Faust School's Theatre Teacher and the Drama Club, Faust Future Starts, put on their first-ever virtual production.
It was a great show! Click on the play arrow below and check it out!
Band
Mr. Schweikardt could not be more proud of all the band students at Faust School.
Your devotion to your band lessons is a testament to your dedication, and the pride you take in yourselves and your classmates. The hybrid students and remote students have been practicing safely, respectfully, and diligently together. The band students have been learning how to practice their band literature while listening to backing tracks consisting of full band ensembles. The band students have also been working on specific techniques needed to master their respective instruments. These skills will be the foundation to the future success of our ensembles as we look towards the future.
February Winter Health Reminders, Faust School Nurse Pacelli
A healthy school environment requires collaboration and effort from all individuals of the East Rutherford School District. This time of year it is common to see a higher incidence of illnesses such as strep throat, respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses. As the school nurse, I would like to remind everyone what you can all do to protect yourself, your families, and others around you from developing an airborne illness. Follow the Habits for Good Health that I have listed below recommended by the Center for Disease Control.
Habits for Good Health
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw the tissue away after you use it. If you do not have a tissue, cover your mouth and nose on the inside of your elbow.
Wash your hands often with soap and water especially after you cough or sneeze. If you are not near water, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
Stay away as much as you can from people who are sick.
If you or your child gets the flu, stay home from work or school. Do not go near other people so that you don’t make them sick too.
Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs often spread this way.
Dress for the weather. Come to school dressed for the winter. Wear layers of loose-fitting clothing. Wear mittens and gloves. Wear a hat. Remember, the air that is trapped inside your clothing, warmed by your body heat, is the best protection from the cold.
February is National Dental Health Month
It is important to incorporate healthy dental habits and make them part of your daily routine!
Brush your teeth at least twice a day (Morning and Night)
Floss daily
Eliminate sugary foods/snacks
Visit your dentist at least yearly for routine checkups and cleanings
Change your toothbrush every 3 months and after illnesses