HASBROUCK HEIGHTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Superintendent’s Report
September 27, 2007

Curriculum and Instruction -
High School –
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT –

Mr. Binazeski’s Physical Science classes are learning about the scientific method and chemistry. The students performed an experiment turning copper pennies into gold pennies. Using their knowledge of the scientific method and chemistry, they will determine whether the penny is truly gold.
Mr. Binazeski’s Environmental Science class is learning the many areas of environmental science and seeing how they apply to everyday life. A case study is being performed on superfund sites with an emphasis on Love Canal.
Mrs. Hicswa’s Biology classes have reviewed all safety items and procedures in the biology classroom. They have been introduced to all of the equipment that they will be using during the year. An in-depth study has taken place concerning the microscope- its parts and their functions. The stereomicroscope was used to introduce the students to a 3-D magnifying device. Various topics in Biodiversity will be explored after completing the topic of tools of the biologist.
Mr. Pignatiello’s Chemistry CP and Honors classes have both completed the lab safety video and test. The students have been introduced to all of the equipment that they will be using during the year. The students are now starting the mathematics section dealing with metrics, FLM, significant digits, and scientific notation.
Mr. Pignatiello’s AP Chemistry have completed mathematics, polyatomic ions, nomenclature, and are now diving deep into the topic of types of reactions and all of the special cases that need to be memorized and understood.
Mr. Stine’s Physics classes began the year with the study of motion, to include the topics of velocity, acceleration, freefall, and projectile motion. Graphical analysis of motion will be introduced with velocity-time curves and position-time curves.
Mr. Stine’s Computer Programming Class will write simple programs using conditional statements and loops.
Mrs. Stoehs' Environmental Science class has started with a look at planet Earth, its layers and characteristics. This included a review of rocks and their formation and a discussion of ozone.

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT –

Mrs. Boggis' Calculus class will define and calculate limits for functions. They will use the idea of the limit to calculate horizontal and vertical asymptotes. Students will be able to understand the meaning of a continuous function.
Mrs. Boggis' Honors Algebra II class will learn how to graph a line using the slope intercept and standard forms. They will be able to use slope to classify if lines are parallel or perpendicular.
Mrs. Boggis' HSPA 9 class students will review prime numbers, factors, order of operations, variables and exponents. Students will apply these concepts to word problems.
Mrs. Boggis' Algebra I class classes are currently reviewing order of operations, evaluating variable expressions, evaluating expressions containing exponents and powers, solving equations and inequalities, translating verbal phrases into algebraic expressions and are devising problem solving strategies.
Mrs. Healey’s Precalculus classes are in the process of reviewing the algebra skills necessary for the course. The review should also assist those students preparing to take the SAT in October.
Mrs. Healey’s Foundations of Advanced Math class is in the process of reviewing the algebra skills necessary for the course. The review should also assist those students preparing to take the SAT in October.
Mr. Heller’s Geometry classes have started the year defining many aspects of lines, planes, and angles, towards learning their first theorems, demonstrating deductive reasoning, and developing their first proofs. Students have become familiar with this material through a combination of textbook reading, classroom discussion, and in-class and take-home practice assignments. Students have also had a variety of practice problems and in-class discussion on HSPA-related material, particularly rational numbers, exponents, and properties of mathematical operations.
Mr. Heller's Algebra 2 class has started the year reviewing the fundamentals of algebra, particularly the properties of real numbers, solving linear equations, and mathematical patterns in everyday life. Students have become familiar with this material through a combination of textbook reading, classroom discussion, and in-class and take-home practice assignments. Students have also had a variety of practice problems and in-class discussion on HSPA-related material, particularly rational numbers, exponents, and properties of mathematical operations.
Ms. Khandhar's AP Calculus students have been introduced to the fundamental concepts that they will be studying in detail throughout the course, namely the derivative and the integral. They are currently studying the definition of a limit and will be learning how to evaluate limits. Next, they will be exploring the concept of continuity.
Ms. Khandhar's Honors Precalculus students are currently learning about linear functions. They are reviewing the writing of linear equations (including those of parallel and perpendicular lines) and solving systems of linear equations as well as applying these concepts to geometry. They will also be exposed to the fundamentals of the graphing calculator and will shortly be using the calculator for analysis.
Ms. Khandhar's Foundations Math students are currently reviewing they work they did the previous year in Algebra II. Concepts being reviewed include exponents, radicals, factoring, and rational expressions.
Ms. Khandhar's HSPA Math 10 class is reviewing the number system. They have been comparing and graphing numbers, converting numbers to scientific notation, evaluating square roots, factorials, exponents, and absolute value, working with factors and multiples, and examining verbal problems.
Ms. Khandhar's HSPA 12 class is preparing for the HSPA exam in October by practicing a variety of HSPA - like problems.
Mrs. Michaeli’s Algebra 2 classes learned how to use the number line to graph and order real numbers, how to identify rational and irrational numbers, properties of addition and multiplication and solved linear equations.
Mrs. O’Brien’s Algebra I classes are currently reviewing order of operations, evaluating variable expressions, evaluating expressions containing exponents and powers, solving equations and inequalities, translating verbal phrases into algebraic expressions and are devising problem solving strategies.
Mrs. O’Brien’s Foundations of Advanced Mathematics students are currently working on college placement tests. As well we began our first unit project. This project is an exploration of possible careers after graduation.
Mrs. Stoehs ' Geometry class has begun the year with definitions of basic geometric terms: point, line, ray, angle, etc. We are doing segment addition and including some algebra skills.
Mrs. Stoehs' Algebra 1 students are reviewing to evaluate how strong our basic skills are. The initial topics include order of operations and algebraic expressions with substitution.
Mrs. Stoehs' Algebra II students are reviewing their basic algebra skills beginning with basic equations and combining like terms.
Mrs. Rad's HSPA 9 students are solving problems that involve order of operations, exponents, and scientific notation.
Mrs. Rad's HSPA 10 students are completing activities dealing with evaluating expressions, applying the rules for addition, multiplication, and division of signed
numbers, as well as using algebraic methods to model real-life situations.
Mrs. Rad's HSPA 11 students are studying real numbers: integers, rational, and irrational numbers. They will also be solving problems using powers, roots,and scientific notation.
Mrs. Rad's Math IV class is studying salaries and earnings. Students will calculate his/her earnings before deductions, after job-related expenses, and how much he/she will make with overtime.

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT –

Mr. Smith’s English 9 classes have begun the school year by obtaining and organizing their binders and discussing the summer reading. Students will give a speech on the book of their choice and then take part in discussion and testing on the other two novels.
Mr. Smith’s Cycle 9 class is beginning the course by discussing how to evaluate a website for credibility. Time and attention is being given to this prior to students being assigned their first web quest in which they will need to use the internet to complete research.
Mr. Smith’s HSPA English 10 class is beginning the course by discussing the HSPA rubric and scoring system. After completing a writing sample, students will begin exercises from a variety of workbooks to help them strengthen their skills for the HSPA.
Mrs. Geftic’s English 12 students participated in an in-depth discussion of their summer reading novels, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Fences by August Wilson. Currently, students are reading the ancient epic poem of Gilgamesh, literature that predates the Bible. They will be comparing this literature to the more familiar story of Noah’s Ark. Questions such as “How does the text reflect its society's religious beliefs, political situation, culture, or another aspect of the society?” and “Why would this society have generated such a text?” will be addressed. In conjunction with this unit, students will create poems and an “Illuminated Bible” about the Great Flood and Creation that reflect the life and times of Sumeria and Mesopotamia in 2500 BCE.
Mrs. Geftic’s Journalism II, III and IV students have been busy preparing this year’s first edition of the Pilot’s Log which includes such stories as the repairs on Depkin Field, new courses offered, and a center spread on the genocide in Darfur. They are currently formulating ideas for projects that will help students become more aware of this crisis. Journalism I students are focusing on interview techniques, the twelve elements of a news story, and AP writing techniques.
Mrs. Fernandes HSPA English 9 students are being introduced to the elements of the HSPA exam. This month students are concentrating on reading comprehension; focus is on characters, setting and supporting details. Students are using a HSPA specific workbook and literary texts.
Mrs. Fernandes HSPA English 11 students are preparing for the HSPA exam by concentrating on reading comprehension. The class is also exploring various test taking strategies for the multiple choice questions and open-ended responses. Students are using a HSPA specific workbook and texts from a variety of sources.
Mrs. Fernandes Genre & Critical Issues students were introduced to the vocabulary associated with camera and editing techniques. The film American Graffiti started the Coming of Age genre, exploring the themes of friendship and the anticipation/hesitation of growing up.
Mrs. Fernandes Advanced Genres students are exploring the relationship theme in select films. The class will be viewing films that exhibit this theme in unconventional ways; we began with What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? and will soon begin Sling Blade. Students enthusiastically embraced this new elective!
Ms. Kos’s English 11 students are finishing up work on their summer reading projects. They will be starting the introduction chapter in their British Literature textbooks and will begin by reading “Beowulf.” In conjunction with this unit, students will do a number of projects designed to capitalize on different learning styles and strengths, such as art multi-media activities. Throughout the year, students in this class will devote one day per week to work on the specific skills necessary to succeed on the Language Arts portion of the HSPA.
Ms. Kos’s English 9 students are participating in a number of activities designed to evaluate—and increase—their understanding of the summer reading selections. At the completion of these activities, students will begin with the novel unit and will read John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men. HSPA skills will be addressed in the context of this unit.
Ms. Kos’s English 12 students are taking part in a new class called World Literature-World Change. In this class, students will be exposed to the regular World Literature curriculum as well as a number of contemporary works which focus on literature as a vehicle for social change. They are beginning the year with a special environmental unit and are working with Go Green Initiative as well as the custodial staff and the DPW to create a school-wide recycling and environmental program.
Ms. Kos’s English 10 students are finishing up their summer reading evaluation and assessment. At its completion, they will begin work in their American Literature textbooks. This month will focus on an overview with special emphasis on Native American literature. The unit will culminate with a Native American research project.

Students will learn and practice HSPA skills throughout the year.
Ms. Kos’s HSPA 11 students are working to improve reading comprehension and writing skills through the use of various English activities devoted to improving the specific skills necessary to be successful on the language arts portion of the HSPA to be given this spring. Creative writing activities and reading comprehension utilizing contemporary media will be emphasized.
Mr. Pankiewicz’s English 10 and English 10 Honors classes completed a review, discussion, and assessment of the summer reading materials. With regard to the summer reading book-of-choice, students will complete an essay to be submitted to the annual “Letters About Literature Contest” sponsored by the Library of Congress.
Mrs. Meyer’s English 9 and English 9 Honors are reviewing their books from the summer reading assignment. The two assigned books, Big Mouth and Ugly Girl and Animal Farm, will be discussed in class and then the students will complete a written assignment on each novel. The free choice book will be presented to the class in the form of an oral presentation.
Mrs. Czekaj’s English 10 class discussed their summer reading books, Of Mice and Men and Fever: 1793, prior to taking tests on both books. They prepared audio or visual aids to augment their oral presentations on their summer book of choice.
Mrs. Czekaj’s English 12 class discussed their summer reading books, The Catcher in the Rye and Fences, prior to taking tests on both books. They have begun reading Night as they commence a unit on the Holocaust.
Mrs. Czekaj’s English 12 AP class read four novels over the summer and are being tested on them using the types of essay questions they will see on May’s AP test.
Mrs. Czekaj’s Shakespeare classes are reading Henry IV, part 1 and learning about Shakespeare’s approach to English history.
Mrs. Schneeweiss’ Communications classes are learning three editing programs, how to use the cameras, how to write a television and movie review, and beginning to work on Public Service Announcements.
Mrs. Schneeweiss’ Drama class is working on improvisational exercises and their first self selected monologues and scenes.
Miss Venneman’s HSPA 9 class is preparing for the HSPA exam by discussing and implementing various techniques to enhance their essay writing. Students will be including figurative language as well as details that appeal to the senses to enrich their essays. Students will critique and edit essay samples in order to troubleshoot their own writing pieces.
Mr. Van Dam’s English 11and 11 Honors classes are discussing their three summer reading novels and the writing movements that they represent. The students have identified unique elements of British Romanticism, the Victorian movement, and modernism as developed in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; individually selected works by Victorian authors such as Dickens, Bronte, Austen and Wells, and George Orwell’s 1984. The students will be tested on each of the novels they have read and analyzed.
Mr. Van Dam’s and Ms. Monetti’s English 11 classes are discussing and being tested on their two summer reading novels as well as comparing their third novel to the works and themes we have studied. The students are focusing on the modern relevance of the themes and warnings that are contained within Doris Lessing’s The Fifth Child and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.
Mr. Van Dam’s English 12-Honors are discussing the three modern novels that they were assigned to read as part of their summer reading assignment. The students have analyzed the nature of the modern tragic protagonist as it is developed in Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye; Achebe’s Things Fall Apart; and Camus’ The Stranger.
Mr. Van Dam’s SRA English 12 class is preparing for the October test by critiquing earlier graded test performances and by taking practice HSPA tasks. The students have reviewed test taking strategies and are now applying these techniques to their practice tasks.
Ms Monetti’s English 10 students discussed their summer reading books, Of Mice and Men and Fever: 1793, prior to taking tests on both books. Our summer reading unit will end with a test on each novel. In addition, each student will present his/her “free choice” to the class.

HISTORY DEPARTMTENT -

Mr. Warren's Ninth Grade World History and World History Honors course began the school year by creating a personal history document. These documents included important events in their lives, achievements, and future events they foresee for themselves. This helped students understand that history is made and not set in stone. Following that assignment the students questioned the origins of mankind and began tracing the course of ancient human history beginning with primitive man in Africa. The students then analyzed what culture is and how it is learned and what constitutes a working civilization by describing the elements needed for a proper civilization to arise. Finally, the class will explore one of the great ancient civilizations, Egypt, and its' government, social structure, and customs.
Ms. Cassidy’s U.S. History I classes began the school year with a PowerPoint presentation on the Holocaust and then European exploration of the New World. Students will soon begin study of early colonial settlements such as Jamestown and Plymouth Plantation.
Mrs. Sadiku’s U.S. History I class covered basic information such as school supplies, classroom rules, grading guidelines and assessments. Instruction on Chapter 1 has begun and students were assigned a project which needs to be completed during the first marking period.
Mrs. Sadiku’s U.S. History II classes covered basic information such as school supplies, classroom rules, grading guidelines and assessments. Students have begun study of Chapter 17 and were assigned a project which needs to be completed during the first marking period.
Mrs. McGinty‘s U.S. History II classes Students will begin this month with an introduction to the 1st unit: Modern America Emerges (1890-1920). The unit describes how the modern United States began taking shape in the first two decades of the 20th century. Americans embrace the Progressive movement, which leads to greater government involvement in many aspects of life. Starting with the move to gain colonies and ending with the participation in WWI, America also plays a greater role in world affairs than ever before. Honors

Additionally, students began practicing with DBQ (Document Based Question) assessments which utilize the careful analysis and synthesis of primary source documents and their knowledge of history. Unit I projects were assigned for the marking period.
Mrs. McGinty’s Contemporary World Affairs (CWA) students began identifying and analyzing some of the topics of discussion including: global warming, the war on terror, the upcoming presidential election, the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, relations with China, the stock market and the economy, Osama Bin Laden/Al Qaeda, the war on Aids, the war on poverty/debt relief for developing nations, and stem cell research to name a few. Methods for discussion include question and answer, groups, debate. Students will be engaging in written responses and reactions to a variety of the subjects.
Mrs. McGinty’s Sociology students will begin this month with an introduction to sociology. Subjects include the sociological perspective, the meaning of culture, cultural variation, cultural conformity and adaptation, social control and social change. Students will conduct research using the sociological methods: content analysis, the survey method, observation, evaluating case studies and evaluating statistical analysis.
Mrs. McGinty utilized the classroom desktop computer and the LCD, students benefited from access to visuals and primary source materials which complement their respective courses.
Mrs. Marzi’s Psychology class During the month of September we are discussing the study of psychology, including the different forms of psychology, the major theorists, and how each aspect of psychology that we have discussed relates to our personal lives.
The Library Media Center is ready for the new school year. Teachers are already signing in classes for orientation or research. Our 17 computers are functional. We have boxes of books to unpack and catalog, and a whole summer’s worth of magazines to check in and put away.

Renweb (new software purchased by the District) training for Administrators, Secretaries, and Super Trainer Teachers has taken place in the Media Center, closing us down for two days.
The Library will be running a High School Scholastic Book Fair in coordination with the Key Club again this year. It will be held on September 19th, 20th and 21st. September 19th is Back to School Night for the High School, and the Book Fair will be open for parents.
Students coming in to the Library at 7:30 in the morning will be greeted by Ms. Kos this year; Ms. Kos has replaced Mrs. Czekaj as A.M. Media Supervisor. We still do not have a P.M. Media Supervisor, so the Library will be closing at 2:39 until we find one.
Mrs. Marano's Computer Classes are waiting for passwords for the system. Once passwords are received, the classes will begin working on various applications.
Mrs. Squillace’s Accounting I class will be able to identify accounting terms and the preparations of a balance sheet for a proprietorship.
Mrs. Squillace’s Life Management class will be able to identify jobs and careers available and complete resumes and job application lessons.
Mrs. Squillace’s Word Processing I and II classes will be able to use Word 2003 to prepare different announcements using clip art, fonts and other various commands.

WORLD LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT -

Mrs. Montero’s, Mr. Eggmann, and Ms. Siddons’ Spanish I students are describing various classroom items and are learning the days, months, numbers, and geography of the Spanish speaking world. They are developing their listening and analytical skills by listening to conversations of native speakers.
Mrs. Washburn is engaging the students in a research project about the sixth anniversary of September 11 utilizing the internet.
Mr. Eggmann’s French IV/V students are reading and completing a play report on Moliere’s plays.
Ms. Siddons’ Spanish II students are concentrating on a review of the basic vocabulary and structure and start to learn daily routines using the preterite and reflexive.
Ms. Siddons’ Spanish IV/V are reading more material from known Spanish authors as well as current events and reviewing structural forms.
Mrs. Cafferty’s Spanish III students are learning vocabulary of healthy food and visiting the doctor.

MUSIC DEPARTMENT –

Mr. Ascolese reports that the marching band is preparing for the first football game on September 14 as well as the first home game to be held September 28. The Jazz and Concert Bands are working on the holiday concert material.
Mr. Taylor reports that the concert choir is preparing “The Star Spangled Banner” in honor of National Anthem Day (September 14) and will also be sung at the start of the band competition on October 27.
Mr. Taylor’s vocal classes are working on breathing and tone production. Additional practice is being planned for some students who are interested in auditioning for County Choir and the Pro-Arte Chorale.

ART DEPARTMENT -

Ms. Caputo’s Drawing classes started off the year by using their observational skills to draw a still life. They are currently learning about perspective and will be working on other projects dealing with shading and proportion.
Ms. Caputo’s Graphic design class has already learned about different aspects of graphic design, such as layouts, typography, and logos. They are currently working on making layouts for a business card and letterhead.
Mrs. Brinker's Senior Leadership Class began the school year by organizing our Annual Magazine Sale and conducting the nomination process for Senior Class Officers. This group of students is also responsible for coordinating our School brochure for extra-curricular activities to be circulated on back-to-school night.
Mrs. Brinker's Digital Photography classes have kicked off the school year by working on self-portraits as they become familiar with adobe photo shop.
Mrs. Brinker's Altered Books classes are off to a great start as they completed layout number one in response to the quote, "I am constantly trying to find new ways to express myself."
Mrs.Kritzer’s drawing classes are working on value drawings. They learned about the gray scale and are in the process of making” shattered values”.
Mrs. Kritzer’s Advanced Art Class have begun a self portrait unit. They had to draw themselves while looking in the mirror. A cubist style self-portrait using a color theme is now in progress.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT -

The 10, 11 and 12 grade students are participating in physical fitness twice a week, running and exercise. The other three days the students are participating in tennis, football and soccer. The 9th grade is participating in physical fitness three times per week and activities twice a week.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT –

Mr. Delcalzo’s and Tessaro’s driver education classes are discussing the highway transportation system and driver license requirements.
Ms Gaccione’s 9th grade classes are doing a unit on health and fitness. They are discussing life time goals for fitness.
Mrs. Kolich’s 12th grade Health class is starting the Drug and Alcohol unit and will be spending some time in the library researching drugs for their drug reports.

INDUSTRIAL ARTS DEPARTMENT -

Mr. Masucci’s high school classes are going over safety in the shop and the students are preparing to make lamps.

Middle School-
MATHEMATIC DEPARTMENT -

Miss Keller’s 6th grade mainstream Geometry classes will be working with Organizing and Displaying Data. They will begin by learning how to create and interpret both frequency tables and line plots. Once they are proficient with their interpretation skills, they will learn to utilize these skills in problem solving. As the class continues to collect data, the students will learn to interpret the information using the terms mean, median, and mode. Throughout the month, the students will become better acquainted with different ways to display information and will understand the advantages and disadvantages of each representation.
Miss Keller’s 6th grade Honors Geometry class will be working with Reporting Frequency. They will be working with frequency tables and line plots along with histograms. The students will collect data to create tables and plots in order to organize and help interpret their information. Along with making Bar Graphs, Line Graphs, and Spreadsheets, the students will expand into stem and leaf plots. Through these lesson topics, the students will continue to gain an understanding of how to organize data.
Miss Keller is excited about the year and is eager to implement various hands-on and interactive techniques in the classroom. By creating a warm and inviting atmosphere it is hoped that each student will grow in confidence and be able to maximize their individual abilities.
Miss Mercandino’s 6th grade mainstream Geometry class will be working with Organizing and Displaying Data by creating frequency tables and line plots. Students will be working collaboratively with one another in constructing frequency tables and line plots using different data. Once they have mastered this skill they will use this information to find the mean, median, and mode. During the month the students will learn various ways of displaying data in different types of tables and charts.
Miss Mercandino’s 6th grade mainstream Algebra class is working on Patterns and Algebraic Thinking. They find number patterns and write rules for the patterns. The students will also be working with variable expressions later in the month.
Miss DiPiano’s 6th grade mainstream Algebra classes will be working hard this month on Patterns and Algebraic Thinking. They will learn how to find the next term in a number pattern, write rules for number patterns and use number patterns to solve problems. The students will also be introduced to variable expressions by writing them and using models to solve the expressions. Students will become familiar with Algebra Tiles and use the tiles to solve simple variable expressions. The students will be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide using these manipulatives. This hands-on method should help to bring a more positive outlook and attitude towards math.
Miss DiPiano’s6th grade Honors Algebra classes will be working on decimals throughout the month. They will be comparing and rounding decimals, adding and subtracting decimals, multiplying and dividing decimals, and applying these decimal skills to problem solving.
Miss DiPiano’s webpage at teacherweb.com will be used daily. The students can check homework, update notes, and complete extra practice on the topics they are learning in class.
Mrs. Caputo’s 7th grade mainstream Algebra classes are currently working on two mini projects. One is entitled, “All about Me” which has the students telling their favorites and least favorites subjects , characteristic traits, and family history. This project will be collected and displayed in Room 218 and throughout the middle school hallway. The second project is to try to name a job or career that does not use any math at all. A home pass will be issued to any correct responses. The class is starting with chapter two, Decimals. We will continue to review this concept and raise skills up to a mastery level.
Mrs. Caputo’s 7th grade Honors Algebra class is currently working on two mini projects. One is entitled, “All about Me” which has the students telling their favorites and least favorites subjects, characteristic traits, and family history. This project will be collected and displayed in Room 218 and throughout the middle school hallway. The second project is to try to name a job or career that does not use any math at all. A home pass will be issued to any correct responses. We are also working in chapter two of the text reviewing integers, and their rules, scientific notation and positive and negative exponents.
Mrs. Caputo: All the students appear to be comfortable and working hard. We are only in the second week of school and all appear to be eager to learn and succeed.
Mr. Sickels’ 7th grade Geometry mainstream students are currently working on Chapter Seven, Investigating Geometry. As the class explores the different types and parts of polygons and circles, the students will be reacquainted with such Math tools as a ruler, compass, and a protractor.
Mr. Sickels’ 7th grade Geometry Honors class is currently working on Chapter Eight, Patterns in Geometry. As the class explores the different types and parts of polygons, the students will be reacquainted with such Math tools as a ruler, compass, and a protractor.
Mr. Sickels: The first of the GEPA/NJASK Prep packets will be handed out to the classes on September 21st and collected on October 4th. The 7th grade students are on task in class and seem to have an interest in doing well. As we continue in September, I look forward to getting to know them better and meeting all of the parents at back-to-school night. I’m excited about the successful year ahead. On September 10th, I attended the RenWeb Super Trainer In-service. I was able to be trained on the new software, so that I may turn-key the information of what I learned and teach my colleagues. We are all excited about the new system.
Mr. Mastropietro’s 8th grade Geometry classes are currently working on Chapter One, Drawing Conclusion from Statistical data – Graphing, Probability, and using measure of central tendencies. (Chapter 8: Patterns in Geometry)
Mr. Mastropietro’s 8th grade Honors Topics class is currently working on Chapter 5, Graphs and Data Analysis – begin Chapter 6, Introduction to Geometry working with points, lines, and planes.
Mr. Mastropietro: The students overall are comfortable and happy to be back. I look forward to a successful year. In addition to teaching mathematics I coach and volunteer time for student activities.
Mrs. Dunne’s 8th grade Algebra I class has completed two sections reviewing evaluation and simple verbal problems using formulas. All classes received the first cluster packet that is due on September 28.
Mrs. Dunne’s Math 8 classes have reviewed absolute value, comparison, and ordering of numbers. They are now writing variable expressions and evaluating them. All classes received the first cluster packet that is due on September 28.

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT -

Mr. Rispoli’s 6th grade science classes are learning about motion. The students will learn how to determine if something is in motion, be able to identify reference points, identify the velocity of an object and how to find the speed of an object. They will be completing a speed lab by measuring the distance traveled, timing the object, recording the results and applying the formula for speed to determine on object’s speed.
Mrs. Toy’s 7th grade science students have begun the school year by studying the 7 Steps to the Scientific Method. They will begin a pendulum lab to demonstrate how to use these steps appropriately. The students are currently working on project at home in which they are researching a famous scientist. They are creating a "WANTED" poster that shows why the scientist is important. This project is due September 24th.
Mr. Cassiere’s 8th grade students learned about the possibilities of Chemistry in our world and learning to think scientifically. Chapter one was introduced and lab partners were chosen. Students also learned about laboratory safety and how to conduct a safe and effective lab while having fun. Students will close the month up with a fun lab exploring the properties of matter.

ART DEPARTMENT -

Mrs. Kritzer’s Cycle 8 art are have begun their five days of drawing. Mrs. Kritzer is extremely impressed the way the students are adapting to drawing from life.
Mrs. Kritzer’s Cycle 7 art classes made a Matisse inspired name plate using collage methods. They also studied modern artist Piet Mondrian. Paintings, Mondrian style, are now in progress.
Mrs. Brinker’s Cycle 6 Art Class has been working on silk paintings of flowers and fish as they learn to blend colors and shades.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH -

6th, 7th and 8th grade PE classes are all participating in a fitness unit three times per week. This unit includes a period of a run/walk outside and stations inside. The stations are: sit ups, push ups, jump roping, and step ups. They are playing football, soccer and tennis.
Ms. Gaccione’s 8th grade Health are participating in the DARE program ways to say no to drugs and alcohol with Lt. Mullins
Mrs. Miller’s7th grade Health cycle is starting the unit on tobacco and alcohol
Mr. Delcalzo’s 6th grade Health class is starting the Quest program with a unit on Getting to Know Your Classmates and setting goals.

INDUSTRIAL ARTS -

Mr. Masucci‘s cycle classes are doing a pre-test on all of the tools to be used. They will be making cutting boards.

SOCIAL STUDIES -

Ms. Sigl’s 6th grade students will complete Chapter 1 of their text by being able to identify the tools and skills geographers, archaeologists, historians, and other scholars use to explore and learn about the past. The students will be using the text, teacher-made worksheets, and take notes via teacher-driven instruction/cooperative learning. In addition, they will be taking weekly quizzes for each lesson. On Wed., September 19, 2007 the learners will be able to complete a 20 word vocabulary quiz for the chapter and on Friday, September 28, 2007 the learners will be able to successfully complete a Chapter 1 test.
Mrs. Gay’s Social Studies 7 course will begin with the Geography section for the first two semesters this academic year and end with the Civics section. Students are currently reviewing basic map reading skills, such as use of scale and reading a map key. They will sharpen their research and standardized test taking skills with weekly Geography Challenge questions. Their first current events topic will be "Are single sex classrooms more conducive to learning than mixed gender classrooms? anchored by an article in the New Jersey Bar Association educational publication Respect.
Mrs. Rucci’s 8th grade students began the school year with a fresh look at social studies. Students shared their ideas on their favorite topics and things that they hope to learn about – current events, different cultures, geography, wars and catastrophes, to name a few. We acknowledged the sixth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks with poetic stars that are hanging in the middle school hallway. Also, much about that fateful day was clarified for the students who were only in second grade when it happened. After we complete the War on Terrorism chapter, we will continue to use the text Creating America, for background information as we cover American history chronologically. We use the Junior Scholastic magazines as a starting point for geography activities and discussions about current news.

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT -

Mrs. Rowland’s 7th grade English classes have been working on the importance of communication through demonstrations and group work. Through these various activities they have learned individually about their own strengths and weaknesses within the English language. They should now have a focus to improve in their perspective areas.
Ms. Dolan’s 6th Grade Literature classes are off to a great start this year. The new middle school students spent the first week of classes finding their way around the middle school and learning how to open their lockers. As a follow up to the students’ summer reading, the students created a six panel comic strip based on one of the books that they were required to read. This project was completed in Ms. Dolan’s class and the results can be seen in Room 404. They are beautiful! In literature classes, the students will begin reading the Newberry Award winning novel, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit. This novel follows the journeys of Winnie Foster who has to decide whether she wants to live forever. An entire class set of these novels was received over the summer, so the students will do some of the reading at home.
Ms. Wolf’s English classes are off to a great start. They began the year by learning about the important aspects of different types of writing, the writing process, and the purposes of writing. During this time, the students completed a collage using different examples of writing that they found in magazines and newspapers. The collages will be displayed at “Back to School Night” on September 25th. In addition to beginning to understand the writing process and types of writing, the students will begin enhancing their writing skills with bi-weekly writing assignments. All of the writing assignments will follow the format of the NJ standardized tests. The writing will be based on pictures or scenarios for writing tasks. The students will also continue to broaden their vocabulary with daily words and bi-weekly spelling units. Ms. Wolf is excited to build upon their already existing skills and introduce them to more advanced information in writing, grammar, and spelling in the upcoming year.
Mr. Colangelo’s 6th grade Study Skills class is off to a great start. The students will be introduced to a number of requirements and conditions that pertain to their class. Each student will receive a Study Skills workbook, You Can Take Charge. There will be an emphasis on the students’ ability to take notes.
Mr. Colangelo’s 6th grade Creative Writing class is off to a great start. The students will be introduced to a variety of writing assignments. These assignments include: journal entries, an autobiography, stories w/out endings, news articles, and a film study/review.
Mr. Colangelo’s 7th grade Literature classes have started the school year with a review of their summer reading book, Hatchet. The students will be quizzed on reading comprehension and asked to present their summer reading book projects. Once the summer reading unit is complete, Mr. Colangelo’s Literature classes will begin an extensive unit on The Adventures of Ulysses.
Miss Venneman’s 7th grade Literature classes have recently finished presenting their summer reading projects. Students are currently beginning their journey with Ulysses, the King of Ithaca on an epic adventure. The Adventures of Ulysses is an adaptation of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey which we will be studying the duration of the first marking period.
Miss Venneman’s 7th grade Creative Writing classes have been introduced to the various purposes of journal writing. Students are currently working on techniques to enhance their journal entries such has using details that appeal to the senses in order to create imagery. Students will also complete other writing assignments such as poems, stories without endings, an autobiography, news articles and a film review.
Mr. Stillman & Mr. Colangelo’s 8th grade Literature classes have started the school year with a review of their summer reading book, Parallel Journeys. The students will be tested on their reading comprehension. Once the summer reading unit is complete, the classes will begin an extensive unit on short stories and literary terms.
Mr. Sicilian’s 8th grade English classes are jumping right into descriptive writing activities and vocabulary usage and development exercises. All classes are utilizing the internet, word processing and power point programs for their writing projects. In addition, all students will keep an electronic writing portfolio which will include all writing samples assigned throughout the year.
Mr. Sicilian’s English Honors class is completing the first in a series of writing assignments that will culminate in a complete autobiography by the end of the year. Students are writing “Letters of Introduction” that require the student to introduce themselves from another person’s perspective. Honors classes will begin Internet research on writing a student autobiography in the coming weeks.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES -

Mrs. Cafferty’s eighth graders are learning how to talk about members of their families in Spanish as well as review numbers and months of the year.
Mrs. Montero’s sixth and seventh graders are practicing basic greetings, the Spanish alphabet as well as the big influence that Hispanic culture and people have in the United States. Discussions on how Spanish words are displayed in public places as well as the differences between American and Hispanic food show the importance of learning Spanish.

MUSIC DEPARTMENT -

Mr. Ascolese reports that the marching band is preparing for the first football game on September 14 as well as the first home game to be held September 28. The Jazz and Concert Bands are working on the holiday concert material.
Mr. Taylor reports that the concert choir is preparing “The Star Spangled Banner” in honor of National Anthem Day (September 14) and will also be sung at the start of the band competition on October 27. Mr. Taylor’s vocal classes are working on breathing and tone production. Additional practice is being planned for some students who are interested in auditioning for County Choir and the Pro-Arte Chorale.
Mr. McCarthy reports that the seventh grade cycle is studying the baroque period while the eighth grade cycle is working on early American music. Mr. McCarthy reports that the seventh grade vocal cycle is working on breathing and voice placement.
Ms. Moroney’s instrumental cycle is working on Major scales, rhythm studies, and is doing initial sight reading for the first concert program. Ms. Moroney reports that students will be auditioning for “section leader” position shortly which will include a performance of three scales, a song, and a written essay.
Mr.Taylor reports on checking student interest as well as vocal techniques and warm-ups.

Euclid School –
Math-
Kindergarten has been working on their shapes, the days of the week, the calendar and sorting. They have also been working with positional words and graphing the daily weather. Grade One students are reviewing addition number sentences. They are using pictures and number to enhance their learning. They are also learning about the Associative Property in addition. Grade Two is beginning to review computation facts. They are completing Chapter 1, which is working on numbers to 100, and Chapter 2, which are number patterns. They have begun working on problem solving and have spent time on understanding tens and ones. Grade Three has been working on place value, odd and even numbers, algebraic properties, subtraction with regrouping, and striving to develop skills in multiplication and problem solving. Grade Four has been spending time practicing our mad minutes in short quiz form so that we will continue to strengthen our multiplication skills. We've also been learning and practicing standard form, expanded form, and benchmark numbers. We're almost done with chapter one, and soon we'll be on our way to chapter 2!
Grade Five has been working with place value to the billions. They have been developing the knowledge of comparing and ordering numbers to the billions place. Students have worked with decimals to the hundred-thousandths.
Science-
Kindergarten has been mixing primary colors to make secondary colors. They are learning about the life cycle of an apple. Grade One is beginning their first unit in Science. The children have been learning about living and nonliving things. They are making fact books to coincide with the unit. Grade Two has begun their Life Science chapter on Plants. They are completing multiple projects while learning about the different parts of plants. Grade Three has begun a unit on Animals and vertebrates/invertebrates. Grade Five has begun their unit on Matter. The students are working on the steps to the scientific method to correlate our curriculum to the "Science Happenings" magazine that will be a continuous project for the 2007-2008 school year (HIPP Foundation grant).

Social Studies-

Kindergarten has been working on learning the school’s rules. They are having a celebration on Native American Day on Sept. 21st and completing a special Native American art project. They are have a celebration for Johnny Apple Seed and are making homemade applesauce. They searched for the Gingerbread Man around Euclid to learn about the school. Grade One has been learning about school rules and classroom rules. Grade Two has been learning about different types of communities; urban, suburban, and rural. They are completing group projects related to the different communities. Grade Three has been discussing communities around the world, as well as exploring our own community using a project-based approach. Grade Four has reviewed classroom and school rules and is getting ready to study New Jersey. They are discovering their home state of New Jersey! After a review of continents and direction, they will know all the symbols of New Jersey and its main regions. What an exciting journey it will be!!! Grade Five developed an understanding of the regions of the United States. Each child worked a map to differentiate the regions. We will soon begin our unit on the "Migration to the Americas".
Language Arts-
Kindergarten has been identifying authors and illustrators. They are working with the letters S and M. They are identifying the parts of a book. They are practicing their name writing and utilizing letters to make up words. They are clapping out syllables and working on character identification. Grade One is working on mastery of the short a sound. They are also practicing writing simple sentences with correct grammar. The classes are learning new spelling words and have their first bonus words of the school year. Grade Two has been learning how to write complete sentences. They also have been learning about statements and questions. They have begun weekly writing pieces. The students have been writing responses to books we have read to them. Some books have been: The Black Lagoon and Miss Nelson. They have started the First Theme unit named: Being Me. The students are learning how to respond to open-ended questions using words from the question to begin the written answers. Grade Three is developing their writing skills using the five senses and is writing their first picture prompt. They also have been differentiating between the different types of sentences. They are discussing the narrative elements of a story and using context clues to define vocabulary words in a story. Grade Four has "kicked off a great year" by hanging up footballs that describe their personal goals for the year. They are discussing and practicing the seven traits of good writing to use in every one of writings this year. Their first writing was Descriptive where they used all of their five senses to create a mental picture of their favorite place through words. They cannot wait to here from each other about the beach, Hershey Park, Great Wolf Lodge, and other featured favorites! They have also been introduced to types of sentences and daily editing to improve their grammar skills. They are getting accustomed to their weekly routine of learning new spelling and vocabulary words. They have read two new stories where they focused on Narrative Elements and Inferencing. The stories were quite inspiring considering the theme of the first unit was "You can do it!" They have met child characters like Donavan and Lydia Grace who showed them that anything is possible if you just try. Grade Five classes have been working with the Writing Process in Language Arts. They are developing good topic and conclusion sentences. They are also reviewing their knowledge of the four types of sentences. They have been developing vocabulary and comprehension skills. Each class has been learning about the parts of a non-fiction book. The students will be introduced to their first class novel, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Art –
Kindergarten - Drawing caterpillars, learning about overlapping, practicing their circles
1st - Did name explosions - focus on controlling their lines around their name
2nd - Designed flags for their imaginary countries
3rd - Review on color, creating a color wheel
4th - Drawing trees for fall season
5th - String Art, using math in art
Music –
Kindergarten has been working very hard on singing, movement activities and learning to play a variety of rhythm instruments. Grade One and Grade two are learning the World Drumming Curriculum through the integration of math and language arts skills during the music lesson. Third Grade students are learning about musical questions and answers. Fourth grade students will attend a concert by the NJ Symphony Orchestra on October 30, 2007. The concert is Dance Around the World. The students are learning about concert etiquette, conducting skills, and background information for the various composers. Fifth grade students are working on good vocal productions. The Fifth Grade is working on good vocal production. The fifth grade continues to develop their World Drumming skills and techniques.
Physical Education –
Grades K-2
Students will become aware of gym rules and safety, dress code, fire drill/lock down procedure.
Students will be participating in varied activities to develop special awareness, cardio vascular endurance, and gross motor skills.
Activities include: line tag, red light, freeze tag, running program, indoor/outdoor stations.
Grades 3-5
Students will become aware of gym rules and safety, dress code, fire drill/lock down procedure, and grading.
Students will be participating in fitness stations to develop cardiovascular and muscular endurance.
Students will be participating in a soccer unit that will continue thru Oct.

World Language-

Mrs. Cafferty has been instructing grades preK-5. They are creating nametags with pictures of their four favorite things. The children are learning the Spanish words for their pictures. In K, a Dora story was read in English and Spanish while in 1, familiar weather words as well as colors and shapes were practiced. In grades 2-5, students reviewed colors and shapes and months and days of the week in Spanish. Additionally, grades 3,4,5 will receive homework and letter grades.

Library/Computers –
All classes are regularly attending a scheduled library/computer class once a week. We have new Dell computers, which are now being programmed to fit the needs of the various grade levels. Students also have the opportunity to visit the media center for an additional computer lab period each week, which is computer lesson or subject reinforcement planned by the classroom teacher. Library book checkout has also started with a sizeable number of books already out in circulation. We are looking forward to the first Book Fair in October.

Lincoln School –
Mathematics:
Kindergarten students learned positional words like top, middle, bottom, in-out, above-below, over-under. Then they learned to sort and classify by size, shape, and color.   Our first graders are working on addition facts and problem solving using addition. The second graders completed a mixed math review to see how much information the children already know. We are presently working on tens and ones. Math manipulatives will also be used for grouping tens and ones. The third graders are reviewing their multiplication facts 0-5, and began practicing their 6–12 facts. They have also been practicing addition and subtraction of up to four-digit numbers, and have been problem solving using the five key steps. Fourth graders are currently reviewing place value to the millions. In addition, students are completing problems of the day as well as multiplication and division mad minutes. Problems of the Week are being assigned and reviewed weekly. The fifth graders have just completed the first chapter on place value to the billions. They are been bringing in their summer math projects where they had to create a vacation pamphlet to a destination outside Hasbrouck Heights. Comparing the temperature of Hasbrouck Heights to their vacation destination, they had to create and properly label a bar or line graph.   These will be reviewed in class and the students will have an assessment during the week of the September 24th.   The students are also practicing Mad Minute multiplication tables.
Science:
Kindergarten students compared living and non-living things. Our first graders have begun our Life Science Unit and are learning about living and nonliving things. The second graders are currently discussing living things. There is a strong emphasis on plant life. The children will be naming parts of a plant and describing what each part is used for. The third grade students have been exploring different types of animals, their adaptations, and methods of protection. They have also been investigating the life cycles of different animals.
Social Studies:
Our kindergarten students were introduced to concept of community.   The first graders have begun the "We Go To School" unit and are learning about symbols that represent America and different groups that people belong to. The second grade students will learn about the three different types of communities. They will also become more familiar with a suburban community. It is very important for each child to know their address and phone numbers in case of an emergency. The third graders will learn about the three different types of communities. They will also become more familiar with a Suburban community. It is very important for each child to know their address and phone numbers in case of an emergency. The fourth grade students have learned about the four regions of New Jersey as well as specific characteristics of each region. The water cycle has also been reviewed in each class. Students will be learning about New Jersey’s State Symbols in the weeks to come as well as preparing for United Nation's Day. The fifth graders have just completed Chapter 1 ~ Migration to the Americas.
Language Arts:
The kindergarteners got off to a great start for the New Year. They read “The Gingerbread Man” story. The next few days they looked around the school for him. They finally caught him in their classrooms and ate him. The gingerbread cookie was delicious! All classes practiced fire drill procedures. Our first graders have been writing stories and sentences about fall and back to school. We are also working on the short a sound. We have completed the first two reading stories from our reading series: The Hat and Sam and the Bag. We have also read seasonal books and books about being in school. The second graders were given the Trophies Inventory test and the beginning of the year oral fluency test.   The trophies test consists of vocabulary words and comprehension. The oral fluency test determines what level each child is reading on.   Currently they are enjoying the first story The Mixed up Chameleon. Vocabulary and comprehension skills will be emphasized throughout the reading series. In spelling we have begun our first set of words. The sounds id and ide are the primary focus and will be reinforced. The second graders are also reviewing beginning, medial and ending consonant sounds. Enough practice in this area will help the children to becoming expert spellers. The skills of capitalization and punctuation are being reviewed. Emphasis will be on writing telling and asking sentence. Knowing key question words is vital when identifying the different types of sentence. The third grade students have been exploring descriptive writing using sensory details. They have been writing narratives based on picture prompts. They have also been writing using sentence variety. Third graders have been exploring fantasy and realistic fiction selections. They are identifying narrative elements and authors’ purposes. They have also started the Rally Reading Workbook in preparation for the NJASK. The fourth graders Grammar are learning the parts of a sentence and how to distinguish a complete sentence from an incomplete sentence. They are also practicing their sentence revising and editing skills. The students began the year by writing Bio Poems, poems all about themselves. They wrote letters to their parents welcoming them to Back-To-School Night. They also are learning a five sentence paragraph structure and how to apply this to answering Open Ended questions. The fifth graders have begun Theme 1 (Look Inside) of their Reading text book. They have also begun reading a Realistic Fiction Book for their first book report. The students are reviewing types of sentences and sentence structure. They have begun work in their writing folders.

Physical Education:
K, PSD, and PreK
All Classes were instructed on rules of P.E class and school safety rules.
Skipping Hopping Balancing skills to enhance coordination are being taught this month.
1st grades thru 2nd Grades
These classes have been working on soccer skills such as dribbling passing and controlling the soccer ball around cones and obstacles.
Assorted relays and ball control skills are being incorporated in relay race formats.
3rd grades thru 5th grades
These grade levels are working on more advanced soccer skills through lead up games to enhance the students abilities in soccer. All of the skill work being done for soccer in these lasses will lead into 6-man soccer game activities for the next 3 weeks.

Music: (All Elementary Schools)
4th Grade Instrumental: Instruments were delivered to the school and handed out. Assembly, care and maintenance and basic sound production have been introduced.
5th Grade Instrumental: Students are working on B-flat Concert Scale, and are reviewing 1/8th note patterns.

World Language:
Grades K-5 are using a dialog technique for extensive review of previous vocabulary as well as allowing for more material to be reviewed in a concentrated format. Students will review greetings and introductions, colors, numbers and days of the week. Additionally, grades 3, 4, 5 will receive homework and letter grades.
Media Center:
Pre-K students are involved in story time. Kindergarten classes are having story time, learning to choose books and beginning to learn to sign out books. Grades 1-5 are beginning to learn to use the new computers and systems.
PreK- Curiosity Corner.
Our first unit was Welcome To School. The children were welcomed into a well-organized space with activities to help them learn the daily routine. They explored materials in learning labs such as blocks, dramatic play, manipulatives, art, library, science, and writing. The children became involved in learning each others names. An environment was created to help the students feel welcome, accepted, and safe.

Our second unit was Marvelous Me. This week the focus on building a classroom community continues with an added emphasis on the individuality of each person in our class. Successful completion of responsibilities contributes to a child’s self-esteem. Our children were assigned classroom jobs this week. They participated in all learning labs with concentrations on rhymes, primary colors, and 8-piece puzzles.

We are recently introduced our third unit How Do You Feel?. The activities for this week are designed to help our children recognize, identify, and appropriately express a broad range of emotions. This week we introduced alphabet books, alphabet crayon rubbings, and magnetic letters. Show and tell was introduced to enhance their language skills and confidence.

Our children are excited and our teachers are organized and fine tuning the schedules. It’s FUN!

Special Education
Lincoln Elementary School

Alyssa Cannizzo
Preschool Disabled Self-Contained Class

The Children are focused on “All About Me”. During Circle Time, the children learned about each other by answering questions based on themselves and their family. The children also learned the importance of Fire Safety by reviewing the fire drill procedures. In the area of Language Arts, the students made posters about themselves and their favorite things. While discussing the concept of friendship we reviewed the classroom rules and how to show respect for one another. In the area of Mathematics, the children learned to identify different shapes and colors by making schoolhouses. The concept of Front and Back was also reviewed while learning to stand in line and walk while following the class.

Shannon Valenti
1st to 2nd Grade Learning Resource Center

1st Grade Reading/Spelling: We are reading our first 2 stories in the Harcourt Reading series. We are also learning how to spell and read short a words and building our sight word vocabulary.
2nd Grade Reading/Spelling: We have just begun read the first story “The Mixed Up Chameleon” from the Harcourt Reading series. We have been working on recalling details and vocabulary. We have also been learning to spell and read –id and –ide words.
2nd Grade Writing/Lang Arts: We have been learning about complete and incomplete sentences along with statements and question sentences. We have also been developing our writing skills through some “Back to School Night” activities.
1st Grade Math: We have been learning about place value in the first chapter of our math book. We have also been practicing addition facts.

Eileen Manzella
3rd to 5th Grade LLDM Self-Contained Class

Math: Students are working on addition properties and writing whole numbers to the billions
Spelling: Reviewing short vowel sounds
Reading: Students are working on oral fluency and increased reading comprehension
Language Arts: Students learn about types of sentences and writing descriptive paragraphs
Social Studies: Students are learning about different communities and regions of New Jersey
Science: Students are learning about the water cycle

Karen Young
3rd to 5th Learning Resource Center Special Education

Math: Grade 3: Students read and wrote whole numbers to hundred thousands, and reviewed multiplication facts 0-5. Grade 4: Students read and wrote whole numbers to millions, and reviewed place value concepts. Grade 5: Students read and wrote whole numbers to billions, and learned place value concepts.
English: Grade 3: Students learned about statements, questions, commands, and exclamation sentences. They also are learning how to write descriptive paragraphs. Grade 4: Students learned about declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences. They also learned how to identify subjects and predicates. Grade 5: Students learned about declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences. They also reviewed the main parts of a paragraph.

Euclid Elementary School

Sarah Munier September Monthly Report
Preschool Disabled Self-Contained ABA Class

Math: Students work on their individual Math goals as written in their IEPs, along with group math. During group, the class works on matching number to quantity, one to one correspondence, counting, and simple addition and subtraction skills using manipulatives.
Science: The class works on Science related activities during morning meeting. We use the “Weather Bear” to learn how to dress for various weather conditions, as well as picture symbols to identify the current weather conditions, and how the weather changes with the seasons.
Social Studies: At this time, the class is working on social questions, such as, “Where do you live?”, “What is your address?” etc. Students also listen to songs during Morning Meeting which discuss where we live (including cities, neighborhoods, and states). We also discuss our emotions during Morning Meeting and days of the week and months of the year.
Language Arts/Reading: Student’s continue to follow their Language Arts and Reading goals as they are written in their IEPs. As a class, we read books aloud and answer various WH questions pertaining to the story. We practice reading sight words as a group and are learning to match colors and letters (pre-reading skills). Our class is also learning prepositions as well as expressively answering social questions.
Other: (ABA) Each student has his/her own Program Book which is used on a daily basis (2 hours/day) to target goals and objectives taken from their IEP’s. The students participate in Phonics Group weekly, as well as Sounds in Motion with the speech therapist. The students participate in daily sensory sessions which they are given tactile items, as well as listening to classical music. The students are also given multiple opportunities throughout the day to engage in appropriate play and social skill activities.

Maria Farruggio
K-1 LLDM Self Contained Class

Language Arts/Reading: Students have been reviewing matching sound/symbol correspondence. We have been using our knowledge of sound/symbol relationships to decode simple CVC words. We have also added the words look and come to our increasing sight word vocabulary. We have been learning to identify the beginning, middle, and ending of a story. The class has learned the purpose of a chart. They went on a treasure hunt in the classroom and located items of various shapes and listed them on our chart. We have been learning to write descriptive sentences.
Math: Students are reviewing graphs, learning to read and interpret a tally table. Students are introduced to probability, activities dependent upon chance. The can identify when a given event is more likely, equally likely or less likely to occur. They are learning to use the problem solving skill make a prediction to solve problems. They are introduced to addition by using concrete objects to solve addition problems.
Social Studies: Students can differentiate between schools today and of long ago and the importance of school rules.
Science: Students can distinguish between living and nonliving things and know the basic needs of all living things. The can classify things as living and nonliving.
Health: Students explain and demonstrate ways to stay safe in school and on the playground.

Christine Canetti
2nd and 3rd Grade Learning Resource Center

Students are exploring novels in reading and language arts. We are learning to write book reports and talk about key events that are happening in "Goosebumps" and "Junnie B." stories. We are focusing on comprehension and withdrawal of previous material we have covered. In Language Arts, we are learning about end marks and the appropriate time to use each type. We are identifying question, exclamation, and statement sentences. In Math, the second graders have completed learning about tens and ones and have started identifying odd and even numbers. The third graders have just finished a chapter on addition and subtraction and are now learning about place value.

Amanda Mai
3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Learning Resource Center

Math: Students have been learning about place value. The third graders learned to the thousand period, the fourth graders learned to the millions period, and the fifth graders learned to the billions period. All students learned how to write numbers in standard form, expanded form and word form. Students were using place value rods as a hands on manipulative to enhance their understanding. Once this unit is completed students will begin comparing and ordering numbers.
Language Arts: In language arts class the students have been learning about complete sentences. The students practiced this skill by working in small groups and writing on sentence strips. Students will continue to learn about sentences and be introduced to declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, exclamatory sentences and imperative sentences. Students have also been introduced to the “good writing traits.” They have been learning about good word choice, voice, organization and conventions. Students will continue to learn about good writing traits before being