Week Ending Friday, September 7th, 2018!

As I made my way across the district this week...
I CAUGHT Ms. Arons at Letourneau 
BEING AWESOME!  
Here's what she did...

She set up each table with a color specific set of art tools, and even taped the markers with the respective color... 

She set up an agenda on the board so students were clear of the day's expectations...

And the best part?  She included a pair of "glasses" for each Materials Master that matched the Materials Boxes.  Material Masters have the choice of wearing these on their faces, on their heads, or hanging proudly from their t-shirts.  PRETTY Schnazzy!

Do you have any new and/or tried and true art or music systems that work that you would like to share?   Shoot me an email and I will share in next week's blog!

In the News this Week:
Letourneau Scholars getting their music on!
  • Ms. Jontos has been busy- just follow her on Twitter and you  will know how dedicated she is to her craft!  She is currently working on a STEAM Donor's Choose for iPads for her classroom.  Check it out HERE!
  • Not on Twitter?  Did you know you can use your FRPS Email to create an account?  Share the greatness that you plan for each day on Twitter!  Tweet away!  Many teachers in the district share their work on the page, and get hundreds of followers...  gone are the days of the paper newsletter.  Parents like to look at what their kids are involved in online!  Here's a feed from the new FRPS Site with some of our Twitter Feeds: Our FRPS Site 
  • At CPTs this week, we touched base on the start of the year, and there are some exciting things planned- one event that is always a hit..  Morton's Freaky Family Fun Night!  This event invites the Morton Community to have a little FREAKY FUN as teachers and students work together to transform an area of the school into a Haunted House...  This year's theme is Classic Horror Movies!  So excited to support teachers as they plan this- set for Thursday, October 25th.  Stay tuned for more details!
  • Band and Orchestra Itinerant Teachers are busy speaking to groups of students and demonstrating instruments for them (grades 4, 5, 6)- please reinforce taking up an instrument to your kids!  It's soooo good for the soul (and the brain)!
  • Band and Orchestra Lessons will start (some have started already!) for newbies soon.  The BIG String Rental Night is set for September 25th from 5 to 7pm at Durfee.
  • Coming Up- This year, we will continue learning to love music through The Orchestra MOVES program with the Rhode Island Philharmonic.  As you may remember, this program (partially funded through a Carnegie Grant) engages every 5th grader in FRPS in becoming "part of the orchestra" as they learn to play Strauss' Blue Danube, Bizet's Carmen, and Mozart's Le Nozze Di Figaro.  Amelia Nixon from RI Phil's Link Up program will be visiting us soon to deliver PD on the program, and this will include the curriculum guide, workbooks for all students and a recorder FOR 963 5th graders!  I can hear them playing already!  :)  The PD date is tentatively set for Thursday October 4th- I will confirm.  If it is set for this day, that would count as your monthly department meeting for September (we would not have one the week prior)
  • In addition, planning is in the works for the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra to visit 5 of our Elementary Schools as they engage our 3rd graders in a program named Resourceful Composer, Resourceful Planet!  This is always one too see- Terry Walkowicz does an amazing job with her team.   Stay tuned for school performance dates and the big culminating show at the Zeiterion!
  • Art teachers received a little gift to start the year off- a double sided tape gun!  This tool will help prep for the 2019 BIG BIG K-12 FRPS Arts EXPO!  The event will be held from 5-7PM on Thursday, April 25th.
  • As always, we will be submitting student art work to the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards..  here is a message from the president: September marks the beginning of a new program year at the Scholastic Awards--a year that is sure to be filled with the powerful voices and visions of our nation's teens. Submissions for the 2019 Awards open on September 12! 
The Week in Pictures!

Our own Fitz Lamarre, Art Studio teacher at RPA has this portrait hanging at the Fall River YMCA!

Check out this work in progress- a Sculpture challenge from Barbara Mullen's class!

Durfee Orchestra, led by Nicole Laprise- Every teacher's ultimate goal- to see their students leading one another!

In Gary Bigelow's Music and Audio Tech class, students compose their own short pieces using technology!

Chelsea Valois at Stone school has students working on a crazy hair day drawing, and they are "working their way" over to the cozy chairs behind them!

Last year's sculptures developed by Ms. Mullen's sculpture kids are currently displayed in Durfee's Main Entrance!

Mark Carvalho's Honors Artists working on pushing and pulling values as they draw from observation!

Mr. Carvalho getting his hands dirty modeling shading and highlighting!
Students in Ana Arsenio's Design class researching and planning!

Beth Laginess at HLCS gets her kids right into using art tools as they dig into what different lines look like!

In 6-12 CPT Next Week:
  • We will review the new online site for evaluations.  I will also do a refresher training on Tes Teach (Blendspace) as teachers have requested this.  
  • The lessons you create on Blendspace can be added to the K-8 Maps via a live link!
  • Check In with schedules.
Planning Ahead:
  • Durfee Dept Meet- 9/11
  • Principals Meet- 9/11
  • Durfee Faculty Meet- 9/19
  • Durfee Open House- 9/20
  • Band/Orchestra Instrument Rental Night- 9/25 @ Durfee 5-7 PM
  • K-8 Department Meetings (K-5 Music may move to 10/4)- 9/27 @3:45 Online (I will share docs to work on)
  • Release Time Day- 10/1
Have a wonderful weekend!

Jackie





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