Dear Lab School Families
Wow, it's been a busy November and it's hard to believe that it is already Thanksgiving Break.
Today in 7th grade humanities students participated in a publishing coffee house celebration. Each student was invited to share their original writing with their fellow classmates. It was wonderful to hear all of the work the students had written. We definitely have some talented writers in our 7th grade.
Our classrooms are starting to look a little different as we add a new piece of technology to them. Through a City Council Reso A grant we were able to purchase ENO boards for 8 of our classrooms. ENO boards are a type of "smart board" technology. This is the first installment of these types of boards. We will be purchasing more through Taste of Lab fundraising proceeds and other grants. We are working to have all classrooms outfitted by May 2012.
Construction is underway on our school building. Construction begins everyday at 3:30 pm (as to not disrupt instructional time). The contractors are working to replace the entire facade and all of the windows. This is a long-term project. We are meeting with SCA (School Construction Authority) twice a month. I will be sure to continue to give updates.
We've also been in the midst of middle school tour season. Thank you to all of the parents that have helped with the welcoming efforts. I also want to recognize our fabulous 8th grade tour guides who are doing a wonderful job answering questions and leading groups around the school.
Before I too head off for Thanksgiving I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you. I feel blessed to be leading our school. I am lucky to be surrounded by such caring faculty, thoughtful students and engaged parents. I love my work and thankful for each of you - my lab family.
Happy Thanksgiving! Have a safe a relaxing holiday.
Warmly,
Meg
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Water Cycle and Other Explorations
Dear Lab Middle School Families,
In PE students have started their fitness unit. Each year we are required to administer the FitnessGram to all of our students. This is city-wide assessment that measures a student's level of physical fitness. Elements of endurance, flexibility and strength are monitored through a series of fitness tests. The information from these test is compiled into a data report that will go home in the spring. It is important that we all recognize the links between academic progress and healthy, active children. This starts in building habits of a healthy life-style both at home and school.
Here is an interesting article from the NYTimes from earlier this year.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/phys-ed-can-exercise-make-kids-smarter/
This week the entire school also participated in the SIGMA math contest. It is a national math program that our school is involved with. The SIGMA is a fun way for students to engage in math competition. The exams are not pure computation but rather the exams have students tackle complex questions and employ problem-solving strategies. We are able to compare how our students perform in relation to other middle schoolers at the city, state and national level. The highest scoring students have their names listed next to the classroom doors. These tests have no weight on students' grades it is meant to be fun and challenging.
The 6th graders are completing the water unit in science class. Over the past couple days I have watched students bring in all sorts of models depicting the water cycle. Students have created books, dioramas, charts and posters to tell the story of the water drop. This is the first major science project students complete in middle school - it was wonderful to see such a variety of projects. All of the classes will be taking a special trip on the water cycle in the coming weeks.
On Wednesday the 6th graders went bowling at Chelsea Piers. The kids had wonderful time being silly, bowling and meeting new friends - all with Justin Bieber playing in the background. I couldn't think of a better time. Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to chaperon!
More "thank you's" are in order for the parents that helped organize/run photo day on Tuesday. To get 600 students and their teacher to all of have pictures taken is a pretty amazing. Thank you also to the parents who chaperoned 7th and 8th grade trips this week. We had something special almost everyday - all which we relied on parents for.
It's almost middle school tour season. The 8th graders were all invited to apply to be tour guides. We had nearly 100 students write essays about why they wanted to help with this year's process. I loved reading the essays - they were quite beautiful. It was extremely hard making the selections. It is an honor to represent the school and the process is quite rigorous. The tour guides will be announced early next week. 6th and 7th graders will be invited to apply in their 8th grade year.
Halloween
As we approach Halloween I find it necessary to underscore some specific policies that Lab and the DoE have in place. Students are allowed to wear costumes as long as they are appropriate and do not interfere with instruction. Students may not wear masks or carry anything that may resemble a weapon (fake or otherwise). If a teacher or staff member feels that a child is not appropriately dressed we will be addressing the issue with a phone call home and outfit change. Not following these policies may also lead to further disciplinary action.
On Friday, October 29th we will be escorting students to the subway and buses. We will expect them to go straight there. There will be no hanging out in Kelly Park or on the streets. I do not expect any issues around safety this is just a precaution that we have in place every Halloween. Please help us with this by reviewing with your child where you expect them to go afterschool.
Unlike elementary school, we do not do any Halloween parties, etc. Students should expect a normal school day and come Lab accordingly.
The annual SpookFest celebration is coming up. The event will be held next Friday, October 29th at 6 pm. Students are invited to dress-up in their costumes and come enjoy a fun-filled Halloween celebration. There will be food, movies, games and a costume contest. We will need parents to help run the event and chaperon.
Have a wonderful weekend - it's nearing the peak of color for fall foliage.
Warmly,
Meg
In PE students have started their fitness unit. Each year we are required to administer the FitnessGram to all of our students. This is city-wide assessment that measures a student's level of physical fitness. Elements of endurance, flexibility and strength are monitored through a series of fitness tests. The information from these test is compiled into a data report that will go home in the spring. It is important that we all recognize the links between academic progress and healthy, active children. This starts in building habits of a healthy life-style both at home and school.
Here is an interesting article from the NYTimes from earlier this year.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/phys-ed-can-exercise-make-kids-smarter/
This week the entire school also participated in the SIGMA math contest. It is a national math program that our school is involved with. The SIGMA is a fun way for students to engage in math competition. The exams are not pure computation but rather the exams have students tackle complex questions and employ problem-solving strategies. We are able to compare how our students perform in relation to other middle schoolers at the city, state and national level. The highest scoring students have their names listed next to the classroom doors. These tests have no weight on students' grades it is meant to be fun and challenging.
The 6th graders are completing the water unit in science class. Over the past couple days I have watched students bring in all sorts of models depicting the water cycle. Students have created books, dioramas, charts and posters to tell the story of the water drop. This is the first major science project students complete in middle school - it was wonderful to see such a variety of projects. All of the classes will be taking a special trip on the water cycle in the coming weeks.
On Wednesday the 6th graders went bowling at Chelsea Piers. The kids had wonderful time being silly, bowling and meeting new friends - all with Justin Bieber playing in the background. I couldn't think of a better time. Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to chaperon!
More "thank you's" are in order for the parents that helped organize/run photo day on Tuesday. To get 600 students and their teacher to all of have pictures taken is a pretty amazing. Thank you also to the parents who chaperoned 7th and 8th grade trips this week. We had something special almost everyday - all which we relied on parents for.
It's almost middle school tour season. The 8th graders were all invited to apply to be tour guides. We had nearly 100 students write essays about why they wanted to help with this year's process. I loved reading the essays - they were quite beautiful. It was extremely hard making the selections. It is an honor to represent the school and the process is quite rigorous. The tour guides will be announced early next week. 6th and 7th graders will be invited to apply in their 8th grade year.
Halloween
As we approach Halloween I find it necessary to underscore some specific policies that Lab and the DoE have in place. Students are allowed to wear costumes as long as they are appropriate and do not interfere with instruction. Students may not wear masks or carry anything that may resemble a weapon (fake or otherwise). If a teacher or staff member feels that a child is not appropriately dressed we will be addressing the issue with a phone call home and outfit change. Not following these policies may also lead to further disciplinary action.
On Friday, October 29th we will be escorting students to the subway and buses. We will expect them to go straight there. There will be no hanging out in Kelly Park or on the streets. I do not expect any issues around safety this is just a precaution that we have in place every Halloween. Please help us with this by reviewing with your child where you expect them to go afterschool.
Unlike elementary school, we do not do any Halloween parties, etc. Students should expect a normal school day and come Lab accordingly.
The annual SpookFest celebration is coming up. The event will be held next Friday, October 29th at 6 pm. Students are invited to dress-up in their costumes and come enjoy a fun-filled Halloween celebration. There will be food, movies, games and a costume contest. We will need parents to help run the event and chaperon.
Have a wonderful weekend - it's nearing the peak of color for fall foliage.
Warmly,
Meg
Monday, October 18, 2010
Go Gators - Fall Pep Rally
Dear Lab School Families,
It was such a busy week at Lab that Friday's blog is being posted on Monday night...oops :)
The ultimate highlight of the week for me was of course our school's fall pep rally. If you've ever wondered what controlled chaos looks like you should stop in to see a middle school pep rally. The event started with all 18 homerooms and nearly 600 students dressed in green parading into the gym. Then there was dancing. It was a sight to see that many children all dancing in nearly complete synchronization . Their movements seemed almost instinctual - like every 12 year old knows how to Cha-Cha Slide...some of our teachers also seemed to know it too. I have included a link to for those that might not know what this dance is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZv62ShoStY
The dance music raised the noise and excitement of the pep rally to an all new high. From there it was time to celebrate Lab School - we honored all of the teams, student organizations and after school activities. Finally, to close the celebration we were led by our pep squad in a Lab School cheer. Miraculously this was all done in 38 min. We will have two more pep rallies this year - one in winter and one in spring.
The pep rally reminded me what I love about our Labbies and what it means to be a middle schooler. Their hearts seemed so full of school pride - I know mine was.
Last week I also made my way to see both our boys and girls play soccer against Anderson. I was so proud of both teams - they played some pretty intense soccer and represented our school well. This week I am hoping to see Flag Football and Volleyball. I am also looking forward to our first Cross Country race in a couple of weeks.
On Saturday night Ms. Dwyer (8th grade earth science) took a group of her students up to the star gazing event in Sheep's Meadow - Central Park. Armature astronomers from all over gathered with their fancy telescopes to see what could be seen in a city sky. The Parents' Association bought Lab School a telescope that we were able to add to the bunch. The moons of Jupiter, rings of Saturn and many stars were seen that night. Ms. Dwyer will be sure to let her students know when she is going star gazing again.
Tomorrow is Photo Day - please remind your students to dress nicely. These photos will be used in the yearbook and forever commemorate their middle school years.
We also have a number of field trips coming up this week - please check the Lab School calendar on SchoolHub for more information.
Warmly,
Meg
It was such a busy week at Lab that Friday's blog is being posted on Monday night...oops :)
The ultimate highlight of the week for me was of course our school's fall pep rally. If you've ever wondered what controlled chaos looks like you should stop in to see a middle school pep rally. The event started with all 18 homerooms and nearly 600 students dressed in green parading into the gym. Then there was dancing. It was a sight to see that many children all dancing in nearly complete synchronization . Their movements seemed almost instinctual - like every 12 year old knows how to Cha-Cha Slide...some of our teachers also seemed to know it too. I have included a link to for those that might not know what this dance is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZv62ShoStY
The dance music raised the noise and excitement of the pep rally to an all new high. From there it was time to celebrate Lab School - we honored all of the teams, student organizations and after school activities. Finally, to close the celebration we were led by our pep squad in a Lab School cheer. Miraculously this was all done in 38 min. We will have two more pep rallies this year - one in winter and one in spring.
The pep rally reminded me what I love about our Labbies and what it means to be a middle schooler. Their hearts seemed so full of school pride - I know mine was.
Last week I also made my way to see both our boys and girls play soccer against Anderson. I was so proud of both teams - they played some pretty intense soccer and represented our school well. This week I am hoping to see Flag Football and Volleyball. I am also looking forward to our first Cross Country race in a couple of weeks.
On Saturday night Ms. Dwyer (8th grade earth science) took a group of her students up to the star gazing event in Sheep's Meadow - Central Park. Armature astronomers from all over gathered with their fancy telescopes to see what could be seen in a city sky. The Parents' Association bought Lab School a telescope that we were able to add to the bunch. The moons of Jupiter, rings of Saturn and many stars were seen that night. Ms. Dwyer will be sure to let her students know when she is going star gazing again.
Tomorrow is Photo Day - please remind your students to dress nicely. These photos will be used in the yearbook and forever commemorate their middle school years.
We also have a number of field trips coming up this week - please check the Lab School calendar on SchoolHub for more information.
Warmly,
Meg
Friday, October 8, 2010
Capture the Flag
Dear Lab School Families,
It was great to see so many of you at Curriculum Night last night. The my highlight of my evening was seeing 702 and 706 parents playing a heated game of Capture the Flag. Your children would never believe it : ) The purpose of the night was to get a good sense of what your child will be learning this year and to finally meet your teachers. I know that my faculty enjoyed meeting you. In November we will be holding an Open School Week and Parent/Teacher Conferences. These are both great opportunities to get to know Lab even better.
In 7th grade science students are learning about the cell. This unit will serve as the basis for a year-long study of life science. The teachers are working towards an end of unit project where students will be making cellular models.
In 8th grade visual arts students in the midst of a design unit that will be linked to a field trip to the MoMA later this month. Ms. Rinna used a learning styles inventory and at the beginning of the year to create design teams. Students are placed in heterogeneous groups. Students are exploring fundamental design concepts while developing a chair.
It must be fall because Cross Country started this week. The students build up to a five mile road race (in December). Last year was the first year of the sport and has become amazingly popular. Our coaches partner with the Young Runners organization (part of the New York Road Runners). It is a wonderful program and adds tremendously to our full year of running.
There are also soccer, volleyball AND flag football games also next week. Please check-in with your coach or child for me details.
Our fall Pep Rally is next week - Friday, October 15th. Please remind your students to wear their best Gator Green. We will be celebrating all of the fall sports and after school clubs. Our newly formed pep squad will also be leading us in some school-wide cheers. It should be a lot of fun.
Next Friday is also the DDR party - for us non tweens, DDR is Dance Dance Revolution. It is an interactive video game where students use a mat to make dance moves. Last year the DDR party was a tremendous success. We are hoping many of your students will choose to attend.
With the season changing I have noticed that students are not coming to school with the proper amount of warm clothing. Please remind your child to bring a coat or jacket. The days are getting cooler and I am seeing many children without coats at lunchtime. If you are unable to afford to buy a coat please let me know and the school can help get you one.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Warmly,
Meg
It was great to see so many of you at Curriculum Night last night. The my highlight of my evening was seeing 702 and 706 parents playing a heated game of Capture the Flag. Your children would never believe it : ) The purpose of the night was to get a good sense of what your child will be learning this year and to finally meet your teachers. I know that my faculty enjoyed meeting you. In November we will be holding an Open School Week and Parent/Teacher Conferences. These are both great opportunities to get to know Lab even better.
In 7th grade science students are learning about the cell. This unit will serve as the basis for a year-long study of life science. The teachers are working towards an end of unit project where students will be making cellular models.
In 8th grade visual arts students in the midst of a design unit that will be linked to a field trip to the MoMA later this month. Ms. Rinna used a learning styles inventory and at the beginning of the year to create design teams. Students are placed in heterogeneous groups. Students are exploring fundamental design concepts while developing a chair.
It must be fall because Cross Country started this week. The students build up to a five mile road race (in December). Last year was the first year of the sport and has become amazingly popular. Our coaches partner with the Young Runners organization (part of the New York Road Runners). It is a wonderful program and adds tremendously to our full year of running.
There are also soccer, volleyball AND flag football games also next week. Please check-in with your coach or child for me details.
Our fall Pep Rally is next week - Friday, October 15th. Please remind your students to wear their best Gator Green. We will be celebrating all of the fall sports and after school clubs. Our newly formed pep squad will also be leading us in some school-wide cheers. It should be a lot of fun.
Next Friday is also the DDR party - for us non tweens, DDR is Dance Dance Revolution. It is an interactive video game where students use a mat to make dance moves. Last year the DDR party was a tremendous success. We are hoping many of your students will choose to attend.
With the season changing I have noticed that students are not coming to school with the proper amount of warm clothing. Please remind your child to bring a coat or jacket. The days are getting cooler and I am seeing many children without coats at lunchtime. If you are unable to afford to buy a coat please let me know and the school can help get you one.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Warmly,
Meg
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Go Gators - Soccer, Progress Report News and Upcoming Events
Dear Lab School Families
Quite a rainy day - or really a rainy week here. It is with great anticipation and worry that I think of our field trips for tomorrow. Half of our school will be out of the building on outdoor field trips (the entire 7th grade and half the 8th grade). I am hoping that these storms will clear in time for these activities. Please send your children prepared for both "regular" school and the field trip tomorrow. The joy of Autumn in New York : )
Lab AfterSchool started this week. Record numbers of students piled into the different courses. It was great to see such high student involvement. The first few weeks is meant to be a trial period for students to explore the courses and decide which one(s) most interest them. Please help your child choose courses that they are interested in.
The fall sports season is picking up pace. Last our soccer teams played their first games against a middle school up in East Harlem. Our girls had their first win in a game that was 3-1. The boys' game was close...but in the final moments the other team scored a goal. The final score was 0-1. A truly great start to the season.
I wanted to be the first to share some wonderful news. Lab Middle School earned an A on the 2009-2010 Progress Report. We have earned an A for a number of years now. The difference this year is that the city raised the standard of what constitutes each letter score. The number of schools receiving an A this year (compared to year's past) dropped by over 50%. The score is encouraging but also reminds us that there is always room to grow and become even better. This year we will continue to work hard - working to meet even more rigorous academic and community goals.
I consider this a community-wide achievement. Thank you for all of your hard work in helping us meet this goal. Parental involvement is a key factor in student achievement and well-being. A parent guide Progress Report Overview will be backpacked home tomorrow. This guide gives families a breakdown of the score and explains the different components. It also discusses the progress of the Progress Report and shows the city-wide breakdown for Middle and Elementary schools. It is important to note (for parents with high schoolers) that the high school progress report is on a different timeline and has yet to be released. The report and overview will be posted on our school's website. I am including a link to that and further DoE resources below.
www.nyclabschool.net
http://schools.nyc.gov/Accountability/tools/report/default.htm
We have two parent events coming up next week.
On Tuesday, October 5th the guidance faculty and I will be hosting High School Information meetings for CURRENT 8th GRADE families. Our guidance faculty will review the process for High School admissions and answer all of your questions. There will be two meetings - 8:30 -9:30 and 5:00 - 6:00. They will both be in the auditorium. This is for 8th grade families only - the process changes each year and it is not that useful for 6th and 7th grade families to attend. 7th Grade families will have an Introduction to the High School Process in June.
On Thursday, October 7th we will be holding Curriculum Night (followed by a Parents' Association Meeting). Curriculum Night starts at 5 pm and the PA meeting will start around 6:30. The Curriculum Night is an excellent opportunity to be a middle schooler again. You will get to meet your child's teachers, see old friends and make new ones during passing periods and learn about what's to come this year. More information will be backpacked home about the night. I hope to see everyone there.
Warmly,
Meg
Quite a rainy day - or really a rainy week here. It is with great anticipation and worry that I think of our field trips for tomorrow. Half of our school will be out of the building on outdoor field trips (the entire 7th grade and half the 8th grade). I am hoping that these storms will clear in time for these activities. Please send your children prepared for both "regular" school and the field trip tomorrow. The joy of Autumn in New York : )
Lab AfterSchool started this week. Record numbers of students piled into the different courses. It was great to see such high student involvement. The first few weeks is meant to be a trial period for students to explore the courses and decide which one(s) most interest them. Please help your child choose courses that they are interested in.
The fall sports season is picking up pace. Last our soccer teams played their first games against a middle school up in East Harlem. Our girls had their first win in a game that was 3-1. The boys' game was close...but in the final moments the other team scored a goal. The final score was 0-1. A truly great start to the season.
I wanted to be the first to share some wonderful news. Lab Middle School earned an A on the 2009-2010 Progress Report. We have earned an A for a number of years now. The difference this year is that the city raised the standard of what constitutes each letter score. The number of schools receiving an A this year (compared to year's past) dropped by over 50%. The score is encouraging but also reminds us that there is always room to grow and become even better. This year we will continue to work hard - working to meet even more rigorous academic and community goals.
I consider this a community-wide achievement. Thank you for all of your hard work in helping us meet this goal. Parental involvement is a key factor in student achievement and well-being. A parent guide Progress Report Overview will be backpacked home tomorrow. This guide gives families a breakdown of the score and explains the different components. It also discusses the progress of the Progress Report and shows the city-wide breakdown for Middle and Elementary schools. It is important to note (for parents with high schoolers) that the high school progress report is on a different timeline and has yet to be released. The report and overview will be posted on our school's website. I am including a link to that and further DoE resources below.
www.nyclabschool.net
http://schools.nyc.gov/Accountability/tools/report/default.htm
We have two parent events coming up next week.
On Tuesday, October 5th the guidance faculty and I will be hosting High School Information meetings for CURRENT 8th GRADE families. Our guidance faculty will review the process for High School admissions and answer all of your questions. There will be two meetings - 8:30 -9:30 and 5:00 - 6:00. They will both be in the auditorium. This is for 8th grade families only - the process changes each year and it is not that useful for 6th and 7th grade families to attend. 7th Grade families will have an Introduction to the High School Process in June.
On Thursday, October 7th we will be holding Curriculum Night (followed by a Parents' Association Meeting). Curriculum Night starts at 5 pm and the PA meeting will start around 6:30. The Curriculum Night is an excellent opportunity to be a middle schooler again. You will get to meet your child's teachers, see old friends and make new ones during passing periods and learn about what's to come this year. More information will be backpacked home about the night. I hope to see everyone there.
Warmly,
Meg
Friday, September 24, 2010
Happy Fall
Dear Lab School Families
As Week Two comes to a close students (and teachers) seem to be settling nicely into the routine. I find it always takes a few weeks for children to get adjusted to school.
Our 6th graders are finally finding their way around the building - they have mastered the fourth floor, located the library and are able to get to gym class. You may laugh but I can tell you from personal experience that this building can be very confusing for newcomers.
Our 7th and 8th graders are experiencing the change in homework load and complexity of assignments. Middle School is only three years - in that time we must change students from being elementary schoolers to high schoolers. Each year the work will become much more challenging, much more demanding and challenge the students to push their own understanding. To support this challenge Lab has designed a number of structures and interventions for student learning. Next week Academic Study Groups will be starting for 7th and 8th grade students (6th grade will start one week later). Letters will be backpacked home on Monday and letters will also be mailed to families. Teachers built the groups based on student need. The groups are fluid and will change throughout the school year. Parents should contact their child's homeroom teacher or guidance counselor if they have question.
Success in school also relies on you and what your child is doing at home. I included this is a lesson that was shared in the NYTimes blog http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/learn-your-lesson-using-effective-study-strategies/. I found it incredibly interesting and thought that much of this could be applied at home. There are also other links to some great resources that you might be interested in as parents.
We had a wonderful turn-out to the Inclusion Information Night on Tuesday. It was great to see so many of you there. I loved hearing the students' and teachers' reflections about our Collaborative Team Teaching program - it was also great to have so many parents share their own experiences. This is annual event at lab School. We feel that it is important to share information about our inclusion program because it is central to our work. We also find that there are lots of questions from gened parents whose children are in these classes. If you were unable to make the night and have questions please let me know.
Sports try-outs started yesterday with Flag Football. Pleas make sure that your student has the appropriate paperwork so that are eligible. Please contact the coach or Mr. Jessup (our Athletic Director) if you have any questions. Our Lab Afterschool Programs will be starting next week. There is information on the website and a flyer is being backpacked home today.
Signing off for now...I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Warmly, Meg
As Week Two comes to a close students (and teachers) seem to be settling nicely into the routine. I find it always takes a few weeks for children to get adjusted to school.
Our 6th graders are finally finding their way around the building - they have mastered the fourth floor, located the library and are able to get to gym class. You may laugh but I can tell you from personal experience that this building can be very confusing for newcomers.
Our 7th and 8th graders are experiencing the change in homework load and complexity of assignments. Middle School is only three years - in that time we must change students from being elementary schoolers to high schoolers. Each year the work will become much more challenging, much more demanding and challenge the students to push their own understanding. To support this challenge Lab has designed a number of structures and interventions for student learning. Next week Academic Study Groups will be starting for 7th and 8th grade students (6th grade will start one week later). Letters will be backpacked home on Monday and letters will also be mailed to families. Teachers built the groups based on student need. The groups are fluid and will change throughout the school year. Parents should contact their child's homeroom teacher or guidance counselor if they have question.
Success in school also relies on you and what your child is doing at home. I included this is a lesson that was shared in the NYTimes blog http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/learn-your-lesson-using-effective-study-strategies/. I found it incredibly interesting and thought that much of this could be applied at home. There are also other links to some great resources that you might be interested in as parents.
We had a wonderful turn-out to the Inclusion Information Night on Tuesday. It was great to see so many of you there. I loved hearing the students' and teachers' reflections about our Collaborative Team Teaching program - it was also great to have so many parents share their own experiences. This is annual event at lab School. We feel that it is important to share information about our inclusion program because it is central to our work. We also find that there are lots of questions from gened parents whose children are in these classes. If you were unable to make the night and have questions please let me know.
Sports try-outs started yesterday with Flag Football. Pleas make sure that your student has the appropriate paperwork so that are eligible. Please contact the coach or Mr. Jessup (our Athletic Director) if you have any questions. Our Lab Afterschool Programs will be starting next week. There is information on the website and a flyer is being backpacked home today.
Signing off for now...I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Warmly, Meg
Friday, September 17, 2010
Happy First (full) Week
Congratulations on completing the first full week fo school - it has been quite a busy one! Thank you to all of the families that were able to come out to our Parent Coffees and Parents' Association Meeting. It was great to meet new parents and see old friends. Thank you to the Parents' Association Executive Board for running these events.
This week I started my classroom walk-thrus. I try to be in all of our classrooms as frequently as possible. I consider myself a teacher first and foremost and the classroom is where I feel most at home. Classroom are the best way to understand what is going on at Lab. I am able to observe teaching practice, student learning and larger school trends. They are also the highlight of my day. Sitting next to an 8th grader in a Math lesson is what I find most fulfilling in my work as as a principal.
In 6th grade Spanish students are learning how to say Hola, me llamo.. and ¿Cómo estás? Foreign language is a challenging subject for students because it forces them to take risks in trying something that many have never done before. Ms. Clavijo had the students break into small groups to practice these exchanges before moving speaking in front of the entire class. Our 6th graders are doing a lot of get-to-know-you (and get-to-know Lab) activities in their classes. In humanities class students are learning about our school values and what they mean in the context of our work as middle schoolers. They created posters in groups illustrating these values and are doing a gallery walk to explain them to their classmates.
Ms. Isaacson's 7th grade Humanities classroom was engaged with a study of figurative language when I sat in yesterday. The students were doing a close reading of the segment of The House on Mango Street. Students were given a passage and asked to find sentences that most exhibited these literary techniques. What started off as a simple literacy lesson evolved into a beautiful discussion around words - word choice and meaning. It was great hear such thoughtful conversation. When I went into 701's math class they were working on bar graphs using data they collected from fellow students. Ms. Feurtado was teaching into the concepts of data presentation and analysis.
Our American Studies (8th grade Humanities) classes are starting a unit on slavery. 801 and 802 were doing a close reading of a segment of Narrative Life of Fredrick Douglas. Yesterday they discussed the topic of dehumanization using a graphic organizer. They will be continuing with this text throughout the unit. The other four sections are also studying the same topics. Earth Science is starting with a season study. Students were assigned to interview a family member about how why seasons happen. A seemingly simple concept has such myth and misunderstanding around it. It is always funny to hear what parents remember from their 8th grade science. 8th grade parents -study up before you're interviewed :)
Our sports program is in full-swing. We had informational sessions for 4 of our 5 sports this week (with pep squad next week). Each of the meetings had 60+ students attend. I was excited to see such enthusiasm in representing Gator Green. Charles Jessup is our Athletic Director (cjessup@schools.nyc.gov) Please contact him if you have any questions related to sports.
I'll end this blog with my favorite student story from this week. Yesterday morning I escorted a new 6th grader upstairs for first period. She was late and very upset about it : ( As we were in the elevator I asked how the first couple of days of school had been for her. She said that at first it was a little scary but she was feeling more comfortable now. I said to her that my first day her was pretty scary too. Her response, "wait, you're a student her too". I laughed for a moment and reintroduced myself as I walked her to Humanities class. After I thought this 6th grader was right - I am a student (or at least a learner) here too. In a school that's what we all become.
I hope that everyone has a restful weekend. Fall has almost arrived to the city and it is suppose to be beautiful.
Warmly,
Meg
This week I started my classroom walk-thrus. I try to be in all of our classrooms as frequently as possible. I consider myself a teacher first and foremost and the classroom is where I feel most at home. Classroom are the best way to understand what is going on at Lab. I am able to observe teaching practice, student learning and larger school trends. They are also the highlight of my day. Sitting next to an 8th grader in a Math lesson is what I find most fulfilling in my work as as a principal.
In 6th grade Spanish students are learning how to say Hola, me llamo.. and ¿Cómo estás? Foreign language is a challenging subject for students because it forces them to take risks in trying something that many have never done before. Ms. Clavijo had the students break into small groups to practice these exchanges before moving speaking in front of the entire class. Our 6th graders are doing a lot of get-to-know-you (and get-to-know Lab) activities in their classes. In humanities class students are learning about our school values and what they mean in the context of our work as middle schoolers. They created posters in groups illustrating these values and are doing a gallery walk to explain them to their classmates.
Ms. Isaacson's 7th grade Humanities classroom was engaged with a study of figurative language when I sat in yesterday. The students were doing a close reading of the segment of The House on Mango Street. Students were given a passage and asked to find sentences that most exhibited these literary techniques. What started off as a simple literacy lesson evolved into a beautiful discussion around words - word choice and meaning. It was great hear such thoughtful conversation. When I went into 701's math class they were working on bar graphs using data they collected from fellow students. Ms. Feurtado was teaching into the concepts of data presentation and analysis.
Our American Studies (8th grade Humanities) classes are starting a unit on slavery. 801 and 802 were doing a close reading of a segment of Narrative Life of Fredrick Douglas. Yesterday they discussed the topic of dehumanization using a graphic organizer. They will be continuing with this text throughout the unit. The other four sections are also studying the same topics. Earth Science is starting with a season study. Students were assigned to interview a family member about how why seasons happen. A seemingly simple concept has such myth and misunderstanding around it. It is always funny to hear what parents remember from their 8th grade science. 8th grade parents -study up before you're interviewed :)
Our sports program is in full-swing. We had informational sessions for 4 of our 5 sports this week (with pep squad next week). Each of the meetings had 60+ students attend. I was excited to see such enthusiasm in representing Gator Green. Charles Jessup is our Athletic Director (cjessup@schools.nyc.gov) Please contact him if you have any questions related to sports.
I'll end this blog with my favorite student story from this week. Yesterday morning I escorted a new 6th grader upstairs for first period. She was late and very upset about it : ( As we were in the elevator I asked how the first couple of days of school had been for her. She said that at first it was a little scary but she was feeling more comfortable now. I said to her that my first day her was pretty scary too. Her response, "wait, you're a student her too". I laughed for a moment and reintroduced myself as I walked her to Humanities class. After I thought this 6th grader was right - I am a student (or at least a learner) here too. In a school that's what we all become.
I hope that everyone has a restful weekend. Fall has almost arrived to the city and it is suppose to be beautiful.
Warmly,
Meg
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Welcome Back!
Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year. I am incredibly excited - we have a great year to look forward to. Before I talk about the day I wanted to remind folks of some upcoming meetings. Next week I will be hosting a series of Meet and Greets for parents. 6th grade families are invited to the meeting on Tuesday, September 14th at 8:15. 7th and 8th grade families are invited to a meeting on Wednesday, September 15th at 8:15. Both meetings will be in the library on the 2nd floor. On Thursday, September 16th the Parents' Association will be holding their first meeting of the year. It will be at 6pm in the cafeteria. The topic will be sports and afterschool. September is a busy month at Lab School. For a complete list of meetings please check-out the school calendar on our website at www.nyclabschool.net.
The first day back is always one of mixed emotions for me. I feel nervous for our youngest ones. You can spot a 6th grader from a mile away. Eyes - WIDE...a little confused, apprehensive, reserved and unsure. Walking toward the gym this morning I thought I had missed our new 6th grade class because it was so quite. To my surprise I found almost 200 children gathered around their homeroom signs silent. I thought, this is the quietest these children will ever be in the next three years.
This peace was quite a contrast to the excitement in the front of the building. The 7th and 8th grade scene was one of sheer joy. Friends reuniting - yelling, laughing, hugging. You would think they haven't seen each other in years. It made me so happy because there was such love among the children - they were greeting like family.
Middle School is a dynamic time. The students go through so much change over the course of the three years. I notice this change most at the beginning of the year. It was exciting to see this 8th grade class so differently than I remember only two Septembers before. And our 7th graders - taking on a new level of prestige because they are now no longer the youngest.
Our 7th and 8th grade students went though a pretty normal school day. Homeroom time was spent doing introductions and reviewing rules. Teachers used class time to review the syllabus and handout textbooks - even some homework.
The 6th graders had a modified day. Students spent a lot of time in homeroom participating in teambuilding activities and get-to-know-you games. They also took a tour of the school and had a grade-wide assembly where they were introduced to school personnel . On Monday they will begin to have their normal schedule. Our teachers understand that 6th grade is a challenging transition year. They build a lot into the curriculum over the next month to help students feel ready for middle school.
I was quite pleased with the 1st day of school. All of your students behaved beautifully - let's hope that continues : )
Please check your child's backpack. There are lots of materials for you to read.
Next week is our first full week and we have a lot happening. We will be holding sports information sessions for our fall season. The Beacon Afterschool program will also be starting.
As we transition into a new school year please make sure you have established a good routine for your child. It is always a little hard to transition between summer and the school year :)
I have included some links below for articles about helping students transition. Please also feel free to contact our guidance department if you need advice or support.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/back_to_school.html
http://parentingtweens.suite101.com/article.cfm/starting_middle_school
http://www.education.com/reference/article/quick-tips-preparing-middle-school/
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_15746600
Have a restful and happy weekend.
Warmly,
Meg
The first day back is always one of mixed emotions for me. I feel nervous for our youngest ones. You can spot a 6th grader from a mile away. Eyes - WIDE...a little confused, apprehensive, reserved and unsure. Walking toward the gym this morning I thought I had missed our new 6th grade class because it was so quite. To my surprise I found almost 200 children gathered around their homeroom signs silent. I thought, this is the quietest these children will ever be in the next three years.
This peace was quite a contrast to the excitement in the front of the building. The 7th and 8th grade scene was one of sheer joy. Friends reuniting - yelling, laughing, hugging. You would think they haven't seen each other in years. It made me so happy because there was such love among the children - they were greeting like family.
Middle School is a dynamic time. The students go through so much change over the course of the three years. I notice this change most at the beginning of the year. It was exciting to see this 8th grade class so differently than I remember only two Septembers before. And our 7th graders - taking on a new level of prestige because they are now no longer the youngest.
Our 7th and 8th grade students went though a pretty normal school day. Homeroom time was spent doing introductions and reviewing rules. Teachers used class time to review the syllabus and handout textbooks - even some homework.
The 6th graders had a modified day. Students spent a lot of time in homeroom participating in teambuilding activities and get-to-know-you games. They also took a tour of the school and had a grade-wide assembly where they were introduced to school personnel . On Monday they will begin to have their normal schedule. Our teachers understand that 6th grade is a challenging transition year. They build a lot into the curriculum over the next month to help students feel ready for middle school.
I was quite pleased with the 1st day of school. All of your students behaved beautifully - let's hope that continues : )
Please check your child's backpack. There are lots of materials for you to read.
Next week is our first full week and we have a lot happening. We will be holding sports information sessions for our fall season. The Beacon Afterschool program will also be starting.
As we transition into a new school year please make sure you have established a good routine for your child. It is always a little hard to transition between summer and the school year :)
I have included some links below for articles about helping students transition. Please also feel free to contact our guidance department if you need advice or support.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/back_to_school.html
http://parentingtweens.suite101.com/article.cfm/starting_middle_school
http://www.education.com/reference/article/quick-tips-preparing-middle-school/
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_15746600
Have a restful and happy weekend.
Warmly,
Meg
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Happy Spring
Happy Spring!
I just returned from a series of humanities classroom walk-thrus. The 6th graders have moved to Ancient Egypt. Students are currently studying the poem Adoration of the Disk. The students are applying skills of poetry writing, Readers' Theater and annotation to study and perform the poem. In Mr. Galasso's 7th grade class students are working on a persuasive essay. Today I was able to participate in a peer editing session. It was wonderful to hear feedback between students. Writer to writer, students were reading work and giving critique in a concrete and supportive way. In Mr. Adler's 8th grade class students were exploring concepts on the New Deal through a political paintings. There was an interesting discussion about the "forgotten" groups in the New Deal - women and minorities. The 8th graders were my first Labbies. Each time I am in their classes I am amazed by how thoughtful and grown they've become.
In related news, the 8th grade team has decided on the 8th grade class trip. The students will be going camping upstate next month (and another group in May). 8th graders were given permission slips yesterday - parents, please ask your children for these. We will need parents to help. Please be in contact with your student's homeroom teacher.
Today is a busy one for Lab School we are are holding the Black Alliance assembly. This in an annual event organized by the Black Alliance Club (a student organization at our school). The assembly is a lively event including dance, signing, readings and other forms of artistic expression. The assembly includes students from all grade levels and is completely designed/organized by BAC student leaders. This student involvement is what excites me the most. Students were responsible for all of the planning and organization - a major task for 14 year olds! Thank you to Ms. Marilyn and Ms. McCormick - the advisers for this event and the BAC.
I am excited to announce our spring sports line-up. As part of a year-long initiative to build our sport program we are adding two sports to our spring season - softball and baseball. These two new sports will be running alongside our popular Lab Runs Track and Field program. Informational sessions about these sports were held last week during lunch. Students should speak directly with the coaches if they have any questions about paperwork, schedules, try-outs, etc. Thank you to the Parents' Association for their generosity in supporting our athletics program.
Spring Break is just around the corner. School will be closed from Monday, March 29th to Tuesday, April 6th. School will resume session on Wednesday, April 7th. Lab MS will be doing some spring cleaning and office moving over the break. We are establishing one central administrative office on the first floor. Marilyn Coston (our parent coordinator) and our two school aides (who work with attendance, patrols and other administrative tasks) will relocate to room 111. You can't miss the bright green paint (LMS colors) and the gators. The Principal's Office will remain on the 4th floor (room 422). On a related note, I am looking for some brave parents who are interested in helping paint gators and other Labbie spirit in our new office. Please let me know if you'd like to help.
Over the is past month Lab has held a number of events that relied heavily on community support. Thank you to all the families who helped with our admissions day on March 6th. We tested over 700 students all in one day. I received positive feedback from several perspective families - all noting their positive interactions Lab parents. The auction on March 12th was also a brilliant success. It was wonderful to see so many of you there. Thank you to those who worked so hard behind the scenes. A special "shout-out" for Sarah Kimbell and Linda Ortega for chairing.
I hope that this email finds everyone well. I love when it becomes Spring - we seem to come out of hibernation and rediscover all that our city has to offer. I hope everyone has taken some time for exploration and rediscovery.
Wishing you warmth and goodness in this new season.
Meg
I just returned from a series of humanities classroom walk-thrus. The 6th graders have moved to Ancient Egypt. Students are currently studying the poem Adoration of the Disk. The students are applying skills of poetry writing, Readers' Theater and annotation to study and perform the poem. In Mr. Galasso's 7th grade class students are working on a persuasive essay. Today I was able to participate in a peer editing session. It was wonderful to hear feedback between students. Writer to writer, students were reading work and giving critique in a concrete and supportive way. In Mr. Adler's 8th grade class students were exploring concepts on the New Deal through a political paintings. There was an interesting discussion about the "forgotten" groups in the New Deal - women and minorities. The 8th graders were my first Labbies. Each time I am in their classes I am amazed by how thoughtful and grown they've become.
In related news, the 8th grade team has decided on the 8th grade class trip. The students will be going camping upstate next month (and another group in May). 8th graders were given permission slips yesterday - parents, please ask your children for these. We will need parents to help. Please be in contact with your student's homeroom teacher.
Today is a busy one for Lab School we are are holding the Black Alliance assembly. This in an annual event organized by the Black Alliance Club (a student organization at our school). The assembly is a lively event including dance, signing, readings and other forms of artistic expression. The assembly includes students from all grade levels and is completely designed/organized by BAC student leaders. This student involvement is what excites me the most. Students were responsible for all of the planning and organization - a major task for 14 year olds! Thank you to Ms. Marilyn and Ms. McCormick - the advisers for this event and the BAC.
I am excited to announce our spring sports line-up. As part of a year-long initiative to build our sport program we are adding two sports to our spring season - softball and baseball. These two new sports will be running alongside our popular Lab Runs Track and Field program. Informational sessions about these sports were held last week during lunch. Students should speak directly with the coaches if they have any questions about paperwork, schedules, try-outs, etc. Thank you to the Parents' Association for their generosity in supporting our athletics program.
Spring Break is just around the corner. School will be closed from Monday, March 29th to Tuesday, April 6th. School will resume session on Wednesday, April 7th. Lab MS will be doing some spring cleaning and office moving over the break. We are establishing one central administrative office on the first floor. Marilyn Coston (our parent coordinator) and our two school aides (who work with attendance, patrols and other administrative tasks) will relocate to room 111. You can't miss the bright green paint (LMS colors) and the gators. The Principal's Office will remain on the 4th floor (room 422). On a related note, I am looking for some brave parents who are interested in helping paint gators and other Labbie spirit in our new office. Please let me know if you'd like to help.
Over the is past month Lab has held a number of events that relied heavily on community support. Thank you to all the families who helped with our admissions day on March 6th. We tested over 700 students all in one day. I received positive feedback from several perspective families - all noting their positive interactions Lab parents. The auction on March 12th was also a brilliant success. It was wonderful to see so many of you there. Thank you to those who worked so hard behind the scenes. A special "shout-out" for Sarah Kimbell and Linda Ortega for chairing.
I hope that this email finds everyone well. I love when it becomes Spring - we seem to come out of hibernation and rediscover all that our city has to offer. I hope everyone has taken some time for exploration and rediscovery.
Wishing you warmth and goodness in this new season.
Meg
Monday, February 8, 2010
Glee
A shorter blog for a shortened week...
It was great to see everyone after our snow day yesterday. The unprecedented early announcement caused the school to erupt into a state of glee on Tuesday. I was reminded of my own childhood in Omaha - we would wake up at 5:00 am to watch as the news reports of school cancellations came in. The shared experience of Tuesday afternoon was much more exciting. I hope that yesterday was filled with sledding, snowmen and fort building - it was for me :)
On Tuesday I gave the annual State of the School address to the Lab School parent community. There is a power point that accompanies my presentation. I will make sure that the power point document is posted on the school's website. In the State of the School I discussed the school's data, academic program, co-curriculars, facilities and the five-year strategic plan. Please check-out the presentation and accompanying data documents. I am happy to answer any questions that folks might have.
On Monday, I attended the 8th grade Symposium of the Arts for 803 and 804 - a celebration of humanities studied here at Lab School: including visual art, history and language. There were student readings and a gallery walk filled with student created books. I was incredibly proud of our 8th grade Labbies - their work was creative, well-researched and thoughtful. The other four homerooms will be holding similar events throughout the week.
I am including a fascinating article about math - and how we learn about numbers. I hope that folks enjoy it as much as I have (thanks Ms. Kim for sending to to me). http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/from-fish-to-infinity/
Next week is the Mid Winter recess and there will be no school. The week we come back is a busy one with Parent/Teacher conferences. Information about Parent/Teacher conferences will be posted on SchoolHub (as well as backpacked home). I look forward to seeing everyone then.
Warmly,
Meg
It was great to see everyone after our snow day yesterday. The unprecedented early announcement caused the school to erupt into a state of glee on Tuesday. I was reminded of my own childhood in Omaha - we would wake up at 5:00 am to watch as the news reports of school cancellations came in. The shared experience of Tuesday afternoon was much more exciting. I hope that yesterday was filled with sledding, snowmen and fort building - it was for me :)
On Tuesday I gave the annual State of the School address to the Lab School parent community. There is a power point that accompanies my presentation. I will make sure that the power point document is posted on the school's website. In the State of the School I discussed the school's data, academic program, co-curriculars, facilities and the five-year strategic plan. Please check-out the presentation and accompanying data documents. I am happy to answer any questions that folks might have.
On Monday, I attended the 8th grade Symposium of the Arts for 803 and 804 - a celebration of humanities studied here at Lab School: including visual art, history and language. There were student readings and a gallery walk filled with student created books. I was incredibly proud of our 8th grade Labbies - their work was creative, well-researched and thoughtful. The other four homerooms will be holding similar events throughout the week.
I am including a fascinating article about math - and how we learn about numbers. I hope that folks enjoy it as much as I have (thanks Ms. Kim for sending to to me). http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/from-fish-to-infinity/
Next week is the Mid Winter recess and there will be no school. The week we come back is a busy one with Parent/Teacher conferences. Information about Parent/Teacher conferences will be posted on SchoolHub (as well as backpacked home). I look forward to seeing everyone then.
Warmly,
Meg
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Happy Groundhog Day
Welcome to second semester - February 1st marked the halfway point in our school-year. It seems to be going to so quickly. I will be giving a State of the School address next Tuesday, February 9th at 8:15 a.m. in conjunction with the monthly Parents' Association meeting. I look forward to seeing all of you there.
Monday morning I found myself contemplating the deepest of questions with our youngest Labbies (one that I am sure many of us ask ourselves) - How does one know when they've become an adult? The 6th graders in Ms. Smith's and Ms. Zittel's are exploring the theme of "Coming of Age" while reading the novel The Red Pony. The write-in question allowed students to relate this theme to their own lives. The share-out erupted into a lively discussion of what defined adulthood. Students suggested that it was related to caring for yourself (doing laundry, cooking, etc). Others talked about having a job and being able to pay for things. There were also certain rites of passage that were named as pivotal to adulthood. Sadly, there was no resolution...no defining moment to when adulthood starts : ) The "Coming of Age" theme is also being explored by our 7th graders in Ms. McLaughlin's and Mr. Goldberg's literature circles.
We have started a nonfiction book club at lunch. A collection of 6th and 7th grade students are currently reading Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow. It is a graphic nonfiction book about the Jim Crow laws and baseball. The book club is part of a grant that Lab School was awarded last spring. Thank you to Ms. Lageoles, Ms. Eydlin and Mr. Goldberg for organizing the program. The goal of the book club is to get students interested (and practicing) reading nonfiction texts. Related to reading, I was sent a great article by a parent about the importance of our students reading for pleasure - folks should check it out.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/757917--literacy-is-not-enough-if-content-is-mental-junk-food
Thank you to the Parents' Association and the families that helped make the movie night on Friday a wonderful event. Lab School's Food and Greening committee showed Super Size Me as part of an effort to get students to think more about healthy eating. We even got every single child to eat carrots - I consider this a brilliant success. This committee is doing some remarkable work - if you are interested in joining please let the PA know.
The Lab School Table Tennis Team had their first match yesterday. I am so excited to see such enthusiasm for our newest sport. Thanks to Ms. Riina and her team for all of their hard work.
Report cards will be mailed home (rather than backpacked) on Friday. Families should expect to receive them in their mailboxes by early/mid next week. Please contact Marilyn Coston if you have any questions.
Happy Groundhog Day - I'm wishing for an early spring.
Warmly,
Meg
Monday morning I found myself contemplating the deepest of questions with our youngest Labbies (one that I am sure many of us ask ourselves) - How does one know when they've become an adult? The 6th graders in Ms. Smith's and Ms. Zittel's are exploring the theme of "Coming of Age" while reading the novel The Red Pony. The write-in question allowed students to relate this theme to their own lives. The share-out erupted into a lively discussion of what defined adulthood. Students suggested that it was related to caring for yourself (doing laundry, cooking, etc). Others talked about having a job and being able to pay for things. There were also certain rites of passage that were named as pivotal to adulthood. Sadly, there was no resolution...no defining moment to when adulthood starts : ) The "Coming of Age" theme is also being explored by our 7th graders in Ms. McLaughlin's and Mr. Goldberg's literature circles.
We have started a nonfiction book club at lunch. A collection of 6th and 7th grade students are currently reading Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow. It is a graphic nonfiction book about the Jim Crow laws and baseball. The book club is part of a grant that Lab School was awarded last spring. Thank you to Ms. Lageoles, Ms. Eydlin and Mr. Goldberg for organizing the program. The goal of the book club is to get students interested (and practicing) reading nonfiction texts. Related to reading, I was sent a great article by a parent about the importance of our students reading for pleasure - folks should check it out.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/757917--literacy-is-not-enough-if-content-is-mental-junk-food
Thank you to the Parents' Association and the families that helped make the movie night on Friday a wonderful event. Lab School's Food and Greening committee showed Super Size Me as part of an effort to get students to think more about healthy eating. We even got every single child to eat carrots - I consider this a brilliant success. This committee is doing some remarkable work - if you are interested in joining please let the PA know.
The Lab School Table Tennis Team had their first match yesterday. I am so excited to see such enthusiasm for our newest sport. Thanks to Ms. Riina and her team for all of their hard work.
Report cards will be mailed home (rather than backpacked) on Friday. Families should expect to receive them in their mailboxes by early/mid next week. Please contact Marilyn Coston if you have any questions.
Happy Groundhog Day - I'm wishing for an early spring.
Warmly,
Meg
Monday, January 25, 2010
A Week in Review
At the end of a very busy week I found myself in the auditorium lobby watching the Science Olympiad team test their Trebuchets (I have included a link for those that may be a bit confused
In other news, Ms. Cortes (7th grade science) has too many trout and is looking for an additional tank. 7th grade parents may remember that Lab School was the site for the fertilization process. This allowed us to start with more eggs than normal. Usually by this time in the process many fish have died; however, our "school" seems to be going strong at OVER 200... If anyone has a tank (20 or 40 gallon) that they would like to lend through the spring please let us know. Ms. Cortes, the 7th graders and the fish would all appreciate it.
Congratulations to the Invisible Children (http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php) student organization. Over the past few months the student led group developed an informational campaign to raise awareness for Ugandan child soldiers. They also implemented a massive book drive - gathering over 400 books to be used by the organization. These young Labbies are realizing and living the second half of our mission "Acting bravely in our world". With the book drive complete, the students are now turning their attention to Haiti.
A final note...
A striking thing was realized by the Lab School community today - it's January (and therefore winter). As I was standing outside today before school, I had at least a dozen Labbies comment that it is cold outside. The first eleven times I thought (said), "gee, yes it is". By the twelfth child I realized - it's winter of course it's cold outside. At lunch a similar thing occurred. I was sitting in Kelly Park watching as our little ones ran around - coats unzipped, no hats, no gloves, etc. I went up to one 7th grader and asked, "aren't you cold". His response, "no Meg...it's because I'm Finnish". There is a point to these stories...it is cold, it is winter, it is January and students need to dress accordingly. I will continue to remind your students at school if everyone can also make sure they're coming from home dressed appropriately. It seems that global warming has gotten the best of us and we've forgotten how to dress in January.
Warmly,
Meg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trebuchet). Ours were not quite that big but certainly imaginative! It was amazing to see so many different designs all testing out the same physics principles. Today the students had to calibrate their instruments. A huge thank you to Ms. Gatti and all of the parents there to help. The students did so well. I promise that many pictures were taken :)
Yesterday I was in a 7th grade science classroom to learn how the digestive system works. Our science department is interested in kinesthetic techniques for student learning - this lesson used movement to teach into the digestive process. Students were placed in small groups and asked to "story" the process through action. Groups were given time to think about and practice what each step would look like if it were acted out and then put it in order. The group presentations were incredible - one student played the "food" while the rest of the students in the group worked collaboratively as the different organs found within the digestive system (i.e. what happens to the food when it gets to the stomach, etc). Watching it made me feel pretty sorry for the PB&J sandwhich I had just eaten for lunch. Beyond learning, students were active, joyful, collaborative and creative in their work. It was a sight to see.
I was also able to sit in on a 7th grade math class where students are exploring algebraic patterns. Students each were given a fictional business and then asked to chart the profits of the business. Students are practicing data collection and analysis while trying to find the patterns between the numbers. It was wonderful to see those "light bulb moments" when students discovered the pattern in the data. This unit is a hard one because it introduces them to much more abstract ways of thinking.In other news, Ms. Cortes (7th grade science) has too many trout and is looking for an additional tank. 7th grade parents may remember that Lab School was the site for the fertilization process. This allowed us to start with more eggs than normal. Usually by this time in the process many fish have died; however, our "school" seems to be going strong at OVER 200... If anyone has a tank (20 or 40 gallon) that they would like to lend through the spring please let us know. Ms. Cortes, the 7th graders and the fish would all appreciate it.
Congratulations to the Invisible Children (http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php) student organization. Over the past few months the student led group developed an informational campaign to raise awareness for Ugandan child soldiers. They also implemented a massive book drive - gathering over 400 books to be used by the organization. These young Labbies are realizing and living the second half of our mission "Acting bravely in our world". With the book drive complete, the students are now turning their attention to Haiti.
A final note...
A striking thing was realized by the Lab School community today - it's January (and therefore winter). As I was standing outside today before school, I had at least a dozen Labbies comment that it is cold outside. The first eleven times I thought (said), "gee, yes it is". By the twelfth child I realized - it's winter of course it's cold outside. At lunch a similar thing occurred. I was sitting in Kelly Park watching as our little ones ran around - coats unzipped, no hats, no gloves, etc. I went up to one 7th grader and asked, "aren't you cold". His response, "no Meg...it's because I'm Finnish". There is a point to these stories...it is cold, it is winter, it is January and students need to dress accordingly. I will continue to remind your students at school if everyone can also make sure they're coming from home dressed appropriately. It seems that global warming has gotten the best of us and we've forgotten how to dress in January.
Warmly,
Meg
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Events of the Past Week
News of the earthquake in Haiti last week made me pause and consider once again how blessed we all are. The PA has posted information on SchoolHub about how families can donate and support the Haitian people. Money is what is most needed right now - please check-out the website to learn about the various organizations that are accepting donations. Natural disasters of this magnitude have an impact on all of us. The Department of Education has provided a number of materials that parents can use in helping their children cope with these events. I will have these resources posted on SchoolHub. We also have a wonderful guidance department on-site to provide ongoing support.
School Related News...
Every Wednesday at lunchtime room 424 becomes a lesson in civic engagement - it's the time when Lab's Student Government Organization (SGO) meets. I took a break from my normal lunchtime routine in Kelly Park to meet with the Events/Fundraising committee at the last meeting. The students are planning a school-wide dance that might be Valentine's Day themed if they get it organized in time : ) In planning the dance, the students are responsible for all the components (i.e. they must fill-out the correct paperwork, organize the chaperons, plan the budget...etc). The process of planning and execution provides practice for many real world skills. I witnessed a heated debate about the price of the dance tickets - should the tickets cost $5.00 with food as an additional fee or should the ticket be $7.00 with a food ticket included (there were of course several other variations). It was exciting to watch the students replicate the same collaborative interactions that they have been practicing constantly in their academic classes. I have no doubt the dance will be a blast but what's more important is how much these students are learning in leadership.
All of our 6th graders are currently reading John Steinbeck's The Red Pony in humanities. For those that have not read the book (and some who may not of read it since middle school), it is a series of short stories about a boy who grows-up on a ranch. The stories are beautiful and at times incredibly sad. Right now the students are practicing developing high-level discussion questions using the text. I was able to hear some thoughtful conversation in both Ms. Mazarakis's and Ms. Licht's homeroom classes. If you have a 6th grader be sure to ask them what they think of the book.
The table tennis team has gotten off to a great start. Ms. Rinna and the team practice in the space in front of the auditorium many afternoons if you want to see them in action. This is a new sport for Lab MS and I am really excited by the response. Go Gators!
I want to provide a point of clarification for a memo sent home last week. The school was required to distribute a memo about District 2 not making Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) for the past school year. AYP is a measure defined by the state in conjunction with No Child Left Behind legislation. The memo referred to the overall progress of District 2. Lab MS did make AYP last year - meeting the progress metrics set by the state. I will be sharing more about our school's data at State of the School presentation in February. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Late last week I learned of our school's mid-year budget cut. Lab MS lost $94,200.00 in this current round of cuts. This amount is far above the publicized city-wide 1% cut that most schools experienced. This cut is indeed frustrating for our school community. This news is not intended to cause alarm. I am sharing this news because it is important for our school community to know how these cuts have impacted our school. All academic programs and extra-curricular programs (athletics, after school and clubs) will remain intact. The budget cut will not result in the loss of teaching faculty or other school personnel. We are able to maintain our current academic programs in part because proactive budgeting and cost-cutting measures taken throughout the school-year. The extra-curriculars are solely dependent on the fundraising efforts of the Parents' Association and the generous spirit of our school community. I am truly grateful for your continued support. In the coming week I will be sharing more about the budget. We have two main priorities moving forward - continuing to provide the best educational experience for our students and ensuring that we do not start next year with a budget deficit (a challenge many schools are facing). I am certain that we will be able to achieve both of these goals.
It is time for lunch - I am off to Kelly Park.
Warmly,
Meg
School Related News...
Every Wednesday at lunchtime room 424 becomes a lesson in civic engagement - it's the time when Lab's Student Government Organization (SGO) meets. I took a break from my normal lunchtime routine in Kelly Park to meet with the Events/Fundraising committee at the last meeting. The students are planning a school-wide dance that might be Valentine's Day themed if they get it organized in time : ) In planning the dance, the students are responsible for all the components (i.e. they must fill-out the correct paperwork, organize the chaperons, plan the budget...etc). The process of planning and execution provides practice for many real world skills. I witnessed a heated debate about the price of the dance tickets - should the tickets cost $5.00 with food as an additional fee or should the ticket be $7.00 with a food ticket included (there were of course several other variations). It was exciting to watch the students replicate the same collaborative interactions that they have been practicing constantly in their academic classes. I have no doubt the dance will be a blast but what's more important is how much these students are learning in leadership.
All of our 6th graders are currently reading John Steinbeck's The Red Pony in humanities. For those that have not read the book (and some who may not of read it since middle school), it is a series of short stories about a boy who grows-up on a ranch. The stories are beautiful and at times incredibly sad. Right now the students are practicing developing high-level discussion questions using the text. I was able to hear some thoughtful conversation in both Ms. Mazarakis's and Ms. Licht's homeroom classes. If you have a 6th grader be sure to ask them what they think of the book.
The table tennis team has gotten off to a great start. Ms. Rinna and the team practice in the space in front of the auditorium many afternoons if you want to see them in action. This is a new sport for Lab MS and I am really excited by the response. Go Gators!
I want to provide a point of clarification for a memo sent home last week. The school was required to distribute a memo about District 2 not making Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) for the past school year. AYP is a measure defined by the state in conjunction with No Child Left Behind legislation. The memo referred to the overall progress of District 2. Lab MS did make AYP last year - meeting the progress metrics set by the state. I will be sharing more about our school's data at State of the School presentation in February. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Late last week I learned of our school's mid-year budget cut. Lab MS lost $94,200.00 in this current round of cuts. This amount is far above the publicized city-wide 1% cut that most schools experienced. This cut is indeed frustrating for our school community. This news is not intended to cause alarm. I am sharing this news because it is important for our school community to know how these cuts have impacted our school. All academic programs and extra-curricular programs (athletics, after school and clubs) will remain intact. The budget cut will not result in the loss of teaching faculty or other school personnel. We are able to maintain our current academic programs in part because proactive budgeting and cost-cutting measures taken throughout the school-year. The extra-curriculars are solely dependent on the fundraising efforts of the Parents' Association and the generous spirit of our school community. I am truly grateful for your continued support. In the coming week I will be sharing more about the budget. We have two main priorities moving forward - continuing to provide the best educational experience for our students and ensuring that we do not start next year with a budget deficit (a challenge many schools are facing). I am certain that we will be able to achieve both of these goals.
It is time for lunch - I am off to Kelly Park.
Warmly,
Meg
Monday, January 11, 2010
Your Future Seems Bright and Other Tales from the Hallways of Lab
801 is working on the future tense in Spanish class. Ms. Ordonez has created a group project where students develop different fortune telling devices and then write future fortunes to share with one another. The groups are are all creating their own devices - the magic eight ball, tarot cards, fortune cookies, fortune dice...and the list goes on. Beyond the creativity, students are challenged to practice grammar skills (sentence construction and conjugation) along with vocabulary. It was a fun project to see the start of. I am not sure if I want to tempt fate and have an 8th grader tell my fortune :)
In related sports news, the girls' basketball team beat Clinton by nearly 20 points in last Thursday's game. Our gators looked impressive on the court. The defense was strong - allowing very few points and the offense scored a number of 3 pointers. The team this year is led by some talented 8th graders that are wonderful models of sportsmanship. It was also great to see such a great turnout of students, faculty and parents to cheer on our gators.
I hope that this finds everyone well.
Warmly,
Meg
This morning I sat alongside 602 as they started their fractions unit. Today the students spent time making fractions strips. This is a project that takes a tremendous amount of thought and precision. They will use these manipulatives throughout the unit. There was so much learned through the "construction process" - observations about patterns of fractions, representation of fractions, values of fractions, etc. It was wonderful to participate in such a kinesthetic activity early on a Monday morning.
We have added one more offering to our winter athletics program. There will be a Lab Runs Winter Conditioning/Training program. This is open to students who participated in the fall Lab Runs XC and/or the 7th and 8th graders who participated in Lab Runs Track and Field last spring. Students will be training together (mostly indoors) once a week and will be invited to participate in a couple of road races this winter. Running in the road races will take additional training and commitment outside the once a week practice. This program is great for runners not already in another winter sport that want to remain active and condition for the spring track season. There will be an informational meeting for students on January 12th at 12:15 in the auditorium. The winter running program would not of been possible without the hard work and enthusiasm of our team - students, coaches and parents. I love running and I am proud to say that we have a full school-year of running at Lab - this has been a dream for so many Labbies.
In related sports news, the girls' basketball team beat Clinton by nearly 20 points in last Thursday's game. Our gators looked impressive on the court. The defense was strong - allowing very few points and the offense scored a number of 3 pointers. The team this year is led by some talented 8th graders that are wonderful models of sportsmanship. It was also great to see such a great turnout of students, faculty and parents to cheer on our gators.
I hope that this finds everyone well.
Warmly,
Meg
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Welcome 2010
Welcome Back Lab Families!
I hope that everyone had a wonderful winter break and a great start to the new year. I spent much of my time snowbound in Omaha, NE. It was nice to relax with family but I found myself longing for Lab after only my third day on break. The energy and noise of 600 middle schoolers was missing from my life. It was exciting to see everyone yesterday - our school seems to be in such high spirits.
It has been a busy start to 2010. Yesterday I watched presentations by Ms. Licht's 6th graders on ancient Mesopotamia. The presentations were the culminating projects to the unit. Each group was responsible for researching and creating a presentation on a specific topic about Mesopotamia. During my time in the classroom I learned about Mesopotamian architecture through a study of ziggurats. I also learned about the Code of Hammurabi through a game show called "Guess the Punishment". It was a lively and original experience. The most important part of the project was how student driven the process was. Students practiced skills of writing, researching, planning, presentation and collaboration. I am so proud of our 6th graders (all of whom worked on these projects).
Monday was also our monthly full-staff meeting. Yesterday we began the process of developing a 5-year strategic plan for the our school. The work started with brainstorming in six key areas: Instructional Technology, Communications and Operations, Student Support Services and Intervention, Curriculum and Instruction, Climate and Culture, and Staff Development and Support. It was an exciting and productive conversation to have. My leadership cabinet and I will use these brainstorms ("where we are at" and "where we want to go") to start the framework for these plans. The School Leadership Team is also working on this process - looking specifically at Instructional Technology. There is so much to do and I will certainly be soliciting help from families as we move forward in this project.
It is shaping up to be a very busy winter sports season. We currently have three sports representing our Gator Pride. Both the girls and boys basketball teams have gotten off to a great start. The teams are playing in a challenging league against many tough opponents. Basketball has been a long tradition at Lab Middle School - it was wonderful to see our gym bleachers filled with Labbies. We also introduced two new sports to this season. Our golf team started just before the break. We are running the sport in collaboration with a program called First Tee - the program helps us secure (and afford) space at Chelsea Piers. We are lucky to be part of such a great partnership and I am thankful to our golf coach Mr. Skinner for building this relationship. We are also starting a Table Tennis team. Ms. Rinna will be holding an informational session next week - all interested students (not already in a winter sport) are invited to join. The team will be playing against other middle schools in Lower Manhattan. The growth of our sports and after school programs is one of the things that most excites me about our school. These programs help students make a connection to each other, to our faculty and to our school. They have helped to make Lab a richer and more fulfilling place.
First period is coming to a close and I am off to see some science classrooms.
Warmly,
Meg
I hope that everyone had a wonderful winter break and a great start to the new year. I spent much of my time snowbound in Omaha, NE. It was nice to relax with family but I found myself longing for Lab after only my third day on break. The energy and noise of 600 middle schoolers was missing from my life. It was exciting to see everyone yesterday - our school seems to be in such high spirits.
It has been a busy start to 2010. Yesterday I watched presentations by Ms. Licht's 6th graders on ancient Mesopotamia. The presentations were the culminating projects to the unit. Each group was responsible for researching and creating a presentation on a specific topic about Mesopotamia. During my time in the classroom I learned about Mesopotamian architecture through a study of ziggurats. I also learned about the Code of Hammurabi through a game show called "Guess the Punishment". It was a lively and original experience. The most important part of the project was how student driven the process was. Students practiced skills of writing, researching, planning, presentation and collaboration. I am so proud of our 6th graders (all of whom worked on these projects).
Monday was also our monthly full-staff meeting. Yesterday we began the process of developing a 5-year strategic plan for the our school. The work started with brainstorming in six key areas: Instructional Technology, Communications and Operations, Student Support Services and Intervention, Curriculum and Instruction, Climate and Culture, and Staff Development and Support. It was an exciting and productive conversation to have. My leadership cabinet and I will use these brainstorms ("where we are at" and "where we want to go") to start the framework for these plans. The School Leadership Team is also working on this process - looking specifically at Instructional Technology. There is so much to do and I will certainly be soliciting help from families as we move forward in this project.
It is shaping up to be a very busy winter sports season. We currently have three sports representing our Gator Pride. Both the girls and boys basketball teams have gotten off to a great start. The teams are playing in a challenging league against many tough opponents. Basketball has been a long tradition at Lab Middle School - it was wonderful to see our gym bleachers filled with Labbies. We also introduced two new sports to this season. Our golf team started just before the break. We are running the sport in collaboration with a program called First Tee - the program helps us secure (and afford) space at Chelsea Piers. We are lucky to be part of such a great partnership and I am thankful to our golf coach Mr. Skinner for building this relationship. We are also starting a Table Tennis team. Ms. Rinna will be holding an informational session next week - all interested students (not already in a winter sport) are invited to join. The team will be playing against other middle schools in Lower Manhattan. The growth of our sports and after school programs is one of the things that most excites me about our school. These programs help students make a connection to each other, to our faculty and to our school. They have helped to make Lab a richer and more fulfilling place.
First period is coming to a close and I am off to see some science classrooms.
Warmly,
Meg
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