Oresko Spring Newsletter 2012 - Bayonne Board of Education

Nicholas OreskoSchoolA NationalBlue Ribbon SchoolNJ Star SchoolVolume 8, Issue 3Spring 2012PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGESpring has arrived and our teachers and Jaguars are busy preparing for stateassessments. Our NJ ASK testing schedule is as follows:NJ ASK 7 & 8 – April 23 – April 26NJ ASK 5 & 6 – April 30 – May 3NJ ASK 4 – May 7 – May 11NJ ASK 3 – May 7 – May 10You can assist your child by encouraging adequate sleep the night before and a goodbreakfast prior to school. It is important that your child arrive to school on time and ready togive the test their best effort.The Academic Challenge Competition took place on March 15 th . Oresko Schoolplaced first in the competition. This remarkable achievement recognizes our studentsʼ andteachersʼ commitment to excellence. Our students also placed first in the Individual Subjectcompetition in English, Science, Social Studies and Special Subjects. Sara Bendaoud andKapil Kanakaraj placed first in the Individual Alternate competition. Congratulations to CoachCoyne for her dedication and commitment to our team!The Hudson County Science Fair took place on March 12 th . Congratulations to DmitryShlyapnikov who earned a gold medal and Amina Bendaoud who earned a bronze medal.Job well done!The Bayonne School Districtʼs Math Olympiad Competition was held on March 27 th .Oresko School teams captured First place in the competition. Anish Patel also earned aperfect score in the entire competition. What a great day for our Jaguars and Coach Kim!Our Fire Bowl Team captured First Place in the Districtwide Competition on April 4 th .They will go on to compete in the State Championship on May 18 th at Kean University. Wayto go Jaguars and Mrs. DeBenedictis.On May 17 th our “Teacher of the Year”, Miss Casais and our “Caring & SharingAward” recipient, Mrs. Boyle will be honored at the Board of Education School RecognitionProgram. Congratulations!Our Jaguars are looking forward to our Water Festival on May 16 th and our G & T fifthgraders are gearing up for their annual New England Maritime Tour on May 22 nd , 23 rd & 24 th .Once again, many wonderful things happening at Nicholas Oresko School.HAPPY SPRING!!!!Maria V. KazimirPrincipal1

Student Council NewsThe student council is lookingforward to “springing” into action in themonths ahead with more activities for ourOresko School students. April is designatedas “Autism Awareness Month.” If you havenot already done so, there is still time topurchase a “Helping Handsʼ sponsor card toraise money for this worthy cause. Your“Helping Hands” donation will help theSimpson-Baber Foundationʼs Busy BeeProgram that assists children right here in ourBayonne schools. Students who purchase a“Helping Hands” card for $1.00 will also havetheir names entered into a raffle to thankthem for their support.After standardized testing iscomplete, student council members willresume their busy agenda with a number ofactivities to make the end of the school yeara pleasant one for students and staff alike!Plans are being made for The Week of theYoung Child, Spirit Days, Diversity Day,Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week, the BHSLeadership Summit, and other activitiesdesigned to spread the message “Let ThereBe Peace in Bayonne.”As we “spring ahead,” we know wecan count on your continued support in ourvarious student council endeavors, since by“Building a Caring Learning Community,Everyone Counts In Our Success” as we“Create a Spirit of Excellence for All!”Mrs. Joanne SquitieriVocal Music & StringsOur young musicians have been verybusy at Oresko School these past fewmonths.Several wonderful performanceshave taken place since our last newsletter.Weʼve seen the 5 th gradeperformance of SHHH, WEʼRE WRITINGTHE CONSTITUTION, the 6 th gradeperformance of SONGS OF THE CIVIL WARon March 16 th and the MUSIC GAP RECITALon March 28 th .UPCOMING PROGRAMS:We are looking forward to theSPRING CONCERT on May 21 at 6:00 p.m.,Pre-Kindergarten and KindergartenCelebration on Friday, May 25 th and finallythe Grade 4 performance of ITʼS TIME TOLOOK AT NEW JERSEY.Many of our dedicated violin studentshave been working very hard at learning toplay their instruments at early morningrehearsals. Three students from Grade 6have completed the STAR STUDENT Violinchart: Diamond De Barros, Yasmeen Shareefand Julia Szymanski. Congratulations on afine job! Keep up the good work!Mrs. Marianne Greiman-HurleyInstrumental MusicThe Nicholas Oresko Band,Orchestra, and Jamminʼ Jags Rock/Pop/JazzBand are gearing up for the Spring Concerton Monday, May 21 st , 2012. The studentshave been hard at work in rehearsals and athome practicing to put on an excellentperformance.Orchestra will be performing the“Finale” from Beethovenʼs Symphony No. 5,as well as the “Hallelujah Chorus” movementfrom Handelʼs infamous The Messiah.Symphonic Band has a greatprogram lined up for this year. Thesestudents will be presenting an arrangement ofMussourgskyʼs “Pictures at an Exhibition”,“The Guardians of Liberty” march, a verycolorful and harmonious work by BobMargolis titled “The Stars Asleep, The Breakof Day”, as well as another very picturesquework called “A Quiet Rain.” We will also bepresenting this literature at Hershey Park for2

the Music in the Parks Festival, where ourstudents will be competing against othermiddle school bands from across the country.Jamminʼ Jags will be presenting avariety of pop, rock, and jazz music, includingeverything from Bon Jovi to Miles Davis toTaio Cruz. This is surely something you willnot want to miss!Email Mr. Good:OreskoMusic@gmail.comArtMr. Anthony GoodOnce spring break is over, the race ison. There are so many events that occurduring the months of April, May and June. Inour Art Gap and Club, we are working on theSpring Concert Scenery and Graduationbackground. So there will be a lot of paintinggoing on.With the standardized tests startingat the end of April, the students will behopefully getting enough rest. Once thetesting is over, all the fun events start. Manythings are planned for the children, yetinstruction goes on.In May, we are having our annual artshow, but with a new twist. For theelementary students, there will be a one-dayshow at the Museum downtown. This willtake place on a Saturday. If the weather isgood, some of the exhibits will be outdoors.There will be other events taking placeoutdoors too. It should be a lot of fun.Physical EducationAs the weather gets nicer thestudents will be having physical educationclass outdoors. Parents please remember tosend your children to school with hats andsunscreen to protect them from the sun.The 7 th and 8 th grade track meet willbe taking place in late May and the Jaguarsare hoping to win another city title. Some ofthe events include the mile run, shot put,4x100 relay and a 100-yard dash.Healthy Tips: GET MOVING! Itʼseasy to fit physical activities into your dailyroutine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends.Take a 10-minute activity break every hourwhile you read or do homework or watch TV.Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator orelevator. Try to do these things for a total of30 minutes every day.EAT MORE GRAINS, FRUITS ANDVEGETABLES! These foods give youcarbohydrates for energy, plus vitamins,minerals and fiber. Besides, they taste good!Try breads such as whole-wheat, bagels andpita. Spaghetti and oatmeal are also in thegrain group. Bananas, strawberries andmelons are some great tasting fruits.Mr. P.J. BaccarellaMrs. Marcia Singer3

them know that it's the kind ofbehavior you expect.• Provide rest and good nutrition:Children tend to behave badly whenthey are tired or hungry. Make surethey get enough sleep and nutritiousfood.• Be honest: While "fessing up" tomisbehavior is sometimes difficultand painful for children, they mustunderstand that honesty is the bestpolicy. When they admit doingsomething wrong, tell them that youwould have been more angry ordisappointed if they hadn't admittedtheir mistake.plants, their parts, and we will grow our veryown plants. Our caterpillars will arrive at theend of April, and we will see first hand howthey turn into butterflies.The kindergarteners will have a greatcelebration on May 25th; so all kindergartenfamilies should save the date. This programwill celebrate all the hard work they put intothis year. Happy Spring!Mrs. Lorena QuiñonezMrs. Cary FussaGrade 1KindergartenThe kindergarten jaguars are lookingforward to spring. We will be having a lot offun discussing and participating in variousspring activities.We are looking forward to the Weekof the Young Child, the week of April 23 rdthrough April 27 th . During this week, we willbe engaged in activities such as Pajama,Story and Stuffed Animal Day, Outdoor PlayDay, Ice Cream Sundae and Board GameDay and Movie and Popcorn Day.In math, we will be starting our newthemes on Number Facts and Length andHeight. In language arts, we will be startingour new theme, “Letʼs Explore.”In science, we will be learning aboutplants and observing the butterfly life cycle.We will be learning about different types ofBy now, you may have noticed thatyour child is reading with more skill andconfidence. It is still so important that theycontinue to read everyday and practicereading at home with someone else watchingyour child pronouncing words in a given text.This will help your child read more fluentlyand keep up skills, as the reading text willbecome more challenging. The students arereading a unit on “Changes.” Students arelearning about how we change by growing,learning new ideas, and how the worldaround us is always changing. They are alsolearning about things that do not change. Inwriting, we have been making up our ownstories and sentences using the spelling andchallenge words. Please practice writingstories and sentences using the spellingwords at home. It is significant that studentsare creative when they write sentences orstories.The first graders in math are learningabout addition, subtraction, multiplication,division, and value of a penny, nickel, dime,quarter, half-dollar, and dollar. It is importantthat you practice counting money with yourchild. Lay out a group of coins. Then, helphim or her count the coins, beginning with thecoin or coins of greatest value. Challengeyour child to make small purchases at the5

store for you. The students will learn toestimate and measure length, capacity,weight, and temperature.Homework- As you might havealready noticed, your child will be receivinghomework on a daily basis. Please be awarethat you should check your childʼs book tomake sure that all assignments arecompleted. Keep in mind, this is theirhomework, not yours. Help when necessaryand review and sign finished work.Reminder to Students- Readeveryday for 20 minutes. Practice yourhandwriting. Practice those Spelling Wordsand Study Pad every night. Children need tocome prepared everyday with all supplies.They must have sharpened pencils, erasers,etc.Reminder to Parents- Check yourchildʼs folder every night. Make sure that alltest are signed and returned. Sit with yourchildren and have them read to you the storyof the week and ask comprehensionquestions. When students complete theirhomework, make sure you review it withthem.Grade 2Ms. Maria BarberiWe have a lot of exciting events inthe coming months. In language arts, we willbe completing Unit 5. Focusing onresponsibility, this unit addresses thequestion, “What does it mean to beresponsible?” The students will develop anunderstanding of the question by exploringways to make a difference through their ownbehavior by taking care of themselves, familymembers, friends and even animals. Theyalso will talk about what it means to face theconsequences of doing something wrong.We also look forward to celebrating“The Week of the Young Child.” Thiscelebration involves students in Pre-Kthrough 2 nd grade. We have many funactivities planned for the entire week. On May17, 2012 we will be visiting Liberty ScienceCenter to see the 3-D movie, “FlyingMonsters.” While on May 30, 2012 thesecond graders will be taking a trip to theBayonne Public Library to prepare for theirsummer reading assignments. On June 4,2012 the second graders will be taking a tripto Mary J. Donohoe School to meet their penpals! The students have been writing backand forth to each other throughout the schoolyear and are looking forward to meeting theirnew friends.It is important that students keep upwith their reading logs at home. As the niceweather approaches us, take the time to readoutside with a good book. Changing theenvironment you read in can change theentire experience!Grade 3Ms. Janine PacynaSpring has sprung and Miss Cookʼsthird grade class has had a busy few months!In math class, students have beenpracticing their problem-solving skills acrossall third grade math themes. Also, thirdgraders recently concluded a unit in fractionsand decimals. Students are now wrapping uptheir “Geometry and Measurement” unit inwhich they studied shapes, lines, and angles.They particularly enjoyed building shapesand differentiating types of movement usingmanipulative tangram pieces. They alsocreated their own “Geomy” bingo boards thatwere used for fun and competitive geometrypractice.In language arts/literacy, thirdgraders concluded Unit 4 in the readingseries, “One of a Kind.” In reading storiessuch as Wings, Rocks in His Head, AmericaʼsChampion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle, andFly, Eagle, Fly students learned andpracticed how to comprehend by identifyingcause and effect, generalizing, differentiatingfact and opinion, comparing/contrasting, andanalyzing plot and theme. Furthermore,these stories tied in with our science andsocial studies curricula by teaching studentsabout geology and geography. For example,in the story Hottest, Coldest, Highest,Deepest, third graders learned about thefascinating places on Earth that hold recordsfor being so unique. After learning moreabout the biography genre, the third gradersread biographies about important people inhistory, and then completed their ownbiography poster reports to share with theclass. Third graders are now working on the6

“Cultures” unit in their reading series, inwhich they learn about kids who experiencewhat itʼs like when “two ways of life cometogether.”In science, the kids have had a lot ofexperience with hands-on experiments withwhich they practiced the scientific method.The third graders have teamed up with someof Ms. DeBenedictisʼ seventh graders in thescience laboratory to complete experimentssuch as the “Egg Drop” from the MickelsonExxonMobil Teachers Academy. In fact, thislesson will be aired on BEN-TV channel 77 inthe near future!The NJ ASK 3 will be administeredfrom May 7 th through May 10 th . On thesedays, parents, please be sure that yourchildren get a good nightʼs sleep, a healthybreakfast, and that they arrive to school ontime everyday. Prior to that week, we will beworking very hard in class to ensure that thestudents are fully prepared. At home, pleaseurge your children to complete all of theirhomework with care and to read for pleasurein their spare time. Most of all encouragethem to stay relaxed and remain confidentduring the testing process. Your support isalways greatly appreciated!Grade 4Ms. Erin CookHappy Spring! We worked very hardin the third marking period and we are veryproud of our accomplishments.Grade four has been learning allabout capacity and measurement in mathclass. We poured from container to containerto see how capacity really works. This wentalong very nicely with our capacity robots thatare on display in our room. We went outsideand measured our jumps for Leap Day. Weused our measurements to find out the mean,mode, and median of our class.In science, we are learning all aboutheat and energy transfer. We studied soundwaves and what makes sound waves travel.In social studies, we are continuingour journey to learn as much as we can aboutthe regions of the United States. We arelearning about the state of New Jersey ingreat detail, as well.In language arts, we read greatstories and practice our writing skills for theNJASK that we are taking in May.We are working hard to achievepersonal accomplishments. We help eachother when we break into groups. We arevery excited to make our own PEACE Book.We are proving that team future students areready for grade five!Grades 5 & 6Mrs. Nancy JarosSpring is upon us and the end of agreat school year is approaching. A lot ofwork has yet to be done. The fifth and sixthgraders are hard at work reviewing skills andpreparing for the upcoming NJ ASK testing.MathThe fifth graders are busy working onfractions. They have developed anunderstanding of improper fractions as mixednumbers, fractions in simplest form and madethe connection between fractions anddecimals. We reviewed adding andsubtracting fractions with like and unlikedenominators, and we are learningmultiplication of fractions and mixed numbersand division of fractions. In the comingweeks, we will be working on measurement.The sixth grade has completedworking with ratio, rate and proportion.Currently, we are completing a chapter onpercent. In the coming weeks, we will becovering measurement, and reviewing how tofind perimeter, area, and volume. Studentswill be involved in using a variety of mathprocesses including problem solving,reasoning and logic.Science7

The fifth grade is currentlycompleting a unit on the processes of livingthings. Weʼve studied cells, body systems,and plant and animal growth. The fifth gradestudents are currently taking care of a dozenPainted Lady Butterflies. The studentsobserved the complete metamorphosis, fromcaterpillar to chrysalis to adult butterfly. Soon,we will be beginning the unit that coversinteractions among living things.The sixth grade completed theirstudy of physical science and have begun theunit on life science. We have begun thestudy of cells and body systems. Recently,the students created models of the humanskeleton. Next, we will be studying howcharacteristics are either learned or inherited.The school year is just flying by! Iwant to take this time to thank all my parentsfor their support. I am looking forward tomaking the most of the remainder of theschool year. Please fell free to contact mewith any comments or concerns atspelliccia@bboed.org.Mrs. Susan PellicciaWith spring comes the chirping of thebirds, blossoming of flowers, and that warmlingering breeze that was so desperatelymissed. Itʼs so spectacular to say thatSPRING HAS SPRUNG! With spring comesMay and with May comes the NJASK. Thestudents have been working tediously all yearand will continue to do so in order to do theirabsolute best on the test.During the remainder of the year, thestudents will be reading stories aboutadapting, adventure, and the unexpected.They have been responding to speculativeand explanatory, and, I must say, that theyhave been making a real effort to do theirbest. The students enjoyed reading ReportTo The Principalʼs Office and will be readingFrom the Mixed Up Files of Basil E.Frankweiler. In May, they will have theopportunity to see the play of this novel.As for the fifth grade, in socialstudies, they have learned about the Patriotsand Loyalists, the Declaration ofIndependence, and the Revolutionary War. Inhonor of Womenʼs History Month, thestudents had the opportunity to dress up andmeet women from prehistoric days of thecavewoman and travel through history. Theylearned about the changes that haveoccurred in women over the years and whatcontributions women have made in America.They really enjoyed having the opportunity todress up and portray these important people.The students will be getting a new book, WeThe People, the Citizen and the Constitution,in which they will be learning all about theconstitution as well as the government.The literature units remaining for thesixth grade include stories revolvingexplorers, pioneers and discoverers,resources, and they will be exploring culturesand what ways one culture affects another.They will continue with responding topersuasive, speculative and explanatory, inorder to do their best on the test and improveon their writing skills. With finishing up thenovel Island of the Blue Dolphins, we beganthe new novel entitled Walk Two Moons. Thelast novel they will be reading is From theMixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler, whichis the play that we are going to be seeing.Manifest Destiny, life in the west, anera of change and the worlds of the north andsouth was the history that the sixth gradershave been busy exploring. The Civil Warshow was a great way for them to previewwhat they will be learning in the months tocome. Through song, it gave them an insightof the development of the Civil War. They willbe learning about the division of the northand south, as well as the Civil War andimmigration.The NJASK is an extremelyimportant test that will be occurring during theweek of April 30. The testing will begin withLanguage Arts on April 30 and May 1 andMath on May 2 and 3. Please use thosepackets that were sent home in March as apractice at home for your child. In order tohelp your child do their best on the test, makesure they come to school on time, eat ahealthy breakfast, and get a good nightʼs rest.They need their full concentration during thetest in order to fully succeed. I know theweather is getting warmer and the days aregetting longer, and it may be a little harder topick up a book and read, but who says youcanʼt do it outside! I hope that everyone had afun filled spring break!Ms. Dana Pajak8

Grade 5Welcome back from spring break!Fifth graders are working hard preparing forour NJASK test, which begins on April 30.The students are sharpening their writingskills by practicing essays in response to avariety of prompts, and doing a great job peerediting and revising their own writing.In reading, we are enjoying our newtheme, “Adventures,” as well as continuingour novel studies. We recently had anexciting trip to Montclair State Theater, wherewe enjoyed “Lilyʼs Crossing.” It wasawesome to watch the characters come aliveon stage after reading and discussing thenovel in class.Some students chose to share theirknowledge of the book, “Holes” by creating achildrenʼs version of the novel. SamanthaRozario and Tatyana Lazareva did anexceptional job writing and illustrating thisproject. They enjoyed sharing their finishedproduct with Mrs. Jarosʼs fourth gradestudents, who are now “Holes” fans. Greatjob, girls!In social studies, we continuelearning about the exciting events that led upto the Revolutionary War. Comic books,Learn 360 video clips, and Libertyʼs Kidsmovies have helped to bring these manyexciting people and events to life in ourclassroom. We are looking forward tomoving on to our new book, “We the People –The Citizen and the Constitution.”In March, Shane Paradineʼs momwas the lucky winner of our PTA CasinoNight 50-50! Mrs. Paradine graciouslydonated $500 to our fifth graders. Sincekindness is contagious, students decided thatwe should share some of our good fortune.After much discussion and research ofvarious charities, students reached a decisionand proudly contributed to the SimpsonBaber Foundation to support “AutismAwareness.” Way to go, fifth graders!Students will also enjoy a hands-onprogram entitled “Colonial Living,” presentedby educator Diana McCumiskey, and a minigolftrip scheduled for some time in June.Thanks for sharing, Mrs. Paradine.How far that little candlethrows his beams!So shines a good deed in anaughty world.~William Shakespeare,Merchant of VeniceMrs. Mary DwyerIn science, we will continue with thetheme, “Processes of Living Things” as weexplore plant processes. The fifth graderswill be able to describe how plants makefood, reproduce, and grow. As this unitcomes to an end, we will begin a new unitentitled “Systems and Interactions in Nature.”In the first chapter of the new unit, we willdiscuss how nature reuses materials and whythe water cycle is important!In math, measurement is the word!The students will explore linearmeasurement, perimeter, area, time andtemperature.NJ ASK 5 will take place April 30 th -May 3 rd . Please be sure your children getplenty of rest the night before and eat anutritious breakfast each morning. With yourhelp, your children can do their best on thetest!Fifth graders are also very busilypreparing background information for ourlong awaited “New England Maritime Tour.”With that in mind, we would like to commendour students for the beautiful artworksubmitted for the whale watching t-shirts. Itwas a hard decision, but our t-shirt designwinners are Victoria Cuevas and SamanthaRozario. Congratulations! Canʼt wait to seehow they look!Get Ready Whales…Here WeCome!!!Mrs. Kimberly Weimmer9

Grade 6And the winner is……Gryffindor!Gryffindor walked away with the thirdmarking period House Party. The membersof Gryffindor enjoyed a fabulous pizza partyas their reward for outstanding work allmarking period. Good luck to all the housesfor the Fourth and final marking period. I lookforward to all the hard work the sixth graderswill be doing in their efforts to win the lasthouse party.At the end of February, sixth gradersattended the CSI Convocation at theMeadowlands Environment Center, wherethey tried their hands at forensic science tosolve a crime. They ran chromatographytests, examined fingerprints, usedmicroscopes to run a hair, fur, & fiberanalysis, made plaster cast molds of theculpritʼs footprint, and examined a variety ofclues to conclude who was the most likelysuspect who committed the vandalism in theMeadowlands Environment Centerclassrooms.Itʼs so very hard to believe that weare already in the last marking period of the2011-2012 school year. The sixth gradershave learned so much so far, and thereʼs somuch more to go!Geometry and measurement are thecurrent skills being covered in 6 th Grade MathClasses. All 6 th graders should be workingdiligently on IXL, an internet-based program,designed to help our students practice andmaster math skills. They are encouraged topersevere and work on any lessons assignedto achieve a 100 score. This earns them thehonor of having their names posted on the100 Club Board and Math Masters Wall ofAchievement!In science, the sixth graders recentlywrapped up their ocean unit and jumped rightinto learning different factors that causeweather changes.Spring is back and itʼs time to go outand do some more Mussel Gardening! Twomore trips to Rutkowski Park are in theworks, and the students will be visiting thegarden to continue collecting data on thegrowth progress of our Nicholas OreskoMussels. They will also observe and recorddata on the water and weather conditions themussels are exposed to, for example: airtemperature, water temperature, pH, Salinity,Phosphate levels, Turbidity, nitrate levels,and dissolved oxygen. The students will alsobe cleaning off the nets in which the musselsare temporarily kept, in an attempt to keepconditions as optimal as possible for thesuccess of our mussel garden. As theculmination of our Bayonne Schoolʼs AtlanticRibbed Mussel Habitat Restoration project,four students from each school will beselected to join Mr. Tokar to plant theirAtlantic Ribbed Mussels on the edge of a saltmarsh located near the kayak launch sitenear the golf course. This activity will:• Help create new mussel beds• Start new populations of mussels• Attract new aquatic wildlife to area• Increase biodiversity• Improve water quality by filteringpollution• Prevent shoreline erosion byholding soilMrs. Monica BurnettPreparing our “Best for the Test” andexperiencing the “Best of the West” are themajor themes that impact the focus ofinstruction at this time of year. In their socialstudies classes, sixth grade students arelearning about the lives of pioneers, ranchers,and miners who experienced the challengesand lure of the Western trails. The plight ofthe Native Americans, who fought to maintaintheir way of life as settlers poured onto theirlands, is also examined. In art history,students are ”touring” the West through theworks of such artists as Frederick Remingtonand George Catlin. One can truly understandhow the beauty of the landscape inspiredAmericans to “Go West!”Sixth graders are facing challengesof their own as they continue preparation forstandardized testing. The integration ofsocial studies and language arts will help toreinforce the reading comprehension, writing,and critical thinking skills that will beassessed. Interdisciplinary assignmentsimplementing the Collins Writing Program willgive students the opportunity to improve theircomposition skills. The NJ ASK will be10

given to all sixth graders during the weekof APRIL 30 th – MAY 3 rd .The sixth graders will later be“springing ahead” with integrated socialstudies and language arts projects andlessons that will revolve around their study ofthe Civil War. In social studies, students willoutline the growing tensions between theNorth and the South, identify the majorevents and personalities of the Civil War, andstudy the Reconstruction Period.Appropriately enough, students will begin toread the novel Across Five Aprils, theunforgettable and moving story about ayoung boy who comes of age during the fiveyears of the Civil War. The sixth gradersʼperformance, “Songs of the Civil War,” underthe direction of vocal music instructor Mrs.Greiman, provided a firm foundation for thelessons to come. Through an in-depth studyof this fascinating time period, students willexamine the legacy of this major turning pointin our nationʼs history – a war which not onlypitted army against army, but sadly, brotheragainst brother – a war which divided ournation; then reunited it, making it strongerthan ever!Grades 7 & 8Mrs. Joanne SquitieriScience: During the 3 rd markingperiod, the eighth grade has examined theforces, both natural and human, that affectand change the shape of the Earth. Theyhave also studied how various naturalsystems and occurrences impact our worldand the effects, both positive and negative,humans have on it. In addition, 8 th gradehas reviewed many other scientific topics,such as Matter, Body systems, Chemicalreactions, and Energy, as we reviewed forthe science portion of the NJASK, which theywill take this year.For the 7 th grade, the 3 rd markingperiod was a journey into genetics andheredity. Students tapped into their creativesides and created 3D models, poems, orsongs to explain mitosis and meiosis. Theywere awesome! We also began the journeyinto discussing various genetic topics such asgenetic engineering, multiple births, cloning,etc., as well as diseases. In the 4 th MarkingPeriod, we will further explore these topics,as well as delve more into the systems inhuman body.Math: Since math is a subject thatbuilds upon previous knowledge, masteringand retaining each step is extremelyimportant. During the 3 rd marking period,students have continued to practice andimprove upon their math skills, vocabulary,and understanding of various concepts.Please continue to encourage them to reviewtheir vocabulary and key concepts daily.During the 3 rd marking periodstudents focused mainly on order ofoperations, relating various forms of numberssuch as fractions, decimals, and percents,and extended those concepts to proportions.Of course algebra, word problems, and openendedquestions were practiced in eachlesson as well.As we enter the 4 th marking period,we will continue to build upon their mathfoundation in areas such as Geometry, Dataand Probability, and Graphing equations. Asalways we will continue to strive to improveour problem solving skills.General: Please encourage yourchild to read and follow directions carefullyand answer all parts of a question. Pleasereinforce how important it is to read aproblem carefully, and show, or explain theirwork or reasoning. Also, please emphasize toyour child that studying IS homework andshould be done every night. Please checkmy website regularly, and encourage yourchild to do the same.http://www.oncoursesystems.com/school/webpage.aspx?id=374858Mrs. Danielle Nese11

Welcome back. I hope everyone hada restful spring break. The NJASK 7 and 8 isjust around the corner, and the students havebeen busy preparing in all of their classes.Parents can help their children succeed bymaking sure they get a good nightʼs sleepevery evening during testing. Also, studentsshould eat a healthy breakfast before schooland arrive to class on time. We all need towork together to create a relaxingatmosphere, where students feel comfortableand confident.The seventh and eighth gradestudents are continuing their work in literaturethrough novels, short stories, and plays.Soon, we will be working on writing both freeversepoetry and haiku. Both classes will beworking on a project: creating their own classbook of poetry with the theme “Let There BePeace in Bayonne.” This is a district-wideactivity to promote positive thinkingthroughout our schools and community.In social studies, the seventh gradewill continue their studies of ancientcivilizations. Weʼve already learned aboutancient Egypt, Greece, and Sumer. Our nextstop is Rome. Eighth grade recently finishedexploring the Italian Renaissance, and arenow moving across the globe to EasternAsia.The eighth grade also has a new setof challenges and responsibilities as thefourth marking period begins. Graduation isquickly approaching, bringing with it mixedemotions. The month of May will be verybusy while the class works on writingspeeches, learning songs, and practicing forthe ceremony. I look forward to sharingthese moments with the class.Ms. Stacy CasaisGrades 7 & 8ScienceCongratulations to Amina Bendaoud,grade eight, and Dmitry Shylapnikov, gradesix. Both of them won gold medals at ourown Nicholas Oresko Science Fair inDecember. Both went on to represent ourschool in the Hudson County Science Fairheld at the Liberty Science Center in March.Dmitry won a gold medal and Amina won aBronze medal at the Hudson County ScienceFair. We are so proud of you both!!!Congratulations to our own Fire BowlTeam. They won first place in our district FireBowl competition held on April 4. Teammembers are: Kenny Tarantino, Alexis Konn,and Gerry Konn. Althea Ato also won firstplace in the individual competition. Nice workteam!!!Seventh and eighth grade studentsare preparing for our Water Festival. I havereceived a grant from NJ Project WET onceagain, for the purpose of conducting a schoolwater festival. Please save the date, andplan on joining us! We will be asking forsnack and door prize donations, and we willneed parents to come help out as well.Please look for letters and flyers that will besent home soon.Mrs. Barbara DeBenedictisCome to ourOresko SchoolWater FestivalWednesday, May 16, 2012Nicholas Oresko School Schoolyard(In the Cafetorium, if it rains)Time: 9:00 – 11:3012:10 – 2:45Students, families, and guest arewelcomeGames---food---prizes---exhibits12

MathematicsWelcome Spring! The girlsbasketball team had a great season this year!We were the undefeated champions in thedistrict! Special congratulations to MadisonMcGlone and Nyla Mulcahy. The girls werenamed the MVPs of our league! Mr.Goodhart and I want to thank the entire teamfor a great season. We will miss our three 8 thgraders, Madison, Kristen, and Karen. But,we are excited to defend our title next year!I would like to congratulate allmembers of the Math Olympiad team. Youall did so well! Special congratulations toKapil Kanakaraj, Sara Bendaoud, AnishPatel, Hayoung Park, and Miriam Ibrahim,whose team placed first in the district! Also,congratulations to our other two teams, whoboth received Honorable Mention!Additionally, congratulations to the studentswho placed in the individual competition.Anish Patel came in first place. He had aperfect score! Hayoung Park placed second,and Kapil Kanakaraj placed third. In addition,Miriam Ibrahim and Hubert Kalinowski bothreceived honorable mention! Go Jaguars!!In 7 th grade, we have been workingthrough our units on coordinate geometry,ratios, proportions, and percents. Up next for7A and 7R is our unit on functions. Studentsin 8A have been working with all forms oflinear equations, polynomials, and factoring.We will be starting quadratic equations afterthe break. In 8R, we recently completed unitson both proportions and percents. Now, weare focusing on geometry, both twodimensionaland three-dimensional.Students will be completing a Cereal Boxproject about surface area and volume soon.Students in all classes are busygetting ready for the NJ ASK tests! The NJASK 7 Math sections are scheduled for April25 th and April 26 th . The NJ ASK 8 Mathportion is on April 25 th . Please make sureeveryone gets a good nightʼs rest the nightbefore and eats a healthy breakfast themorning of the test!Mrs. Kathryn KimSocial StudiesThere are many areas of WorldHistory to explore during the spring. Eighthgrade social studies classes will study thecontinents of Asia, Africa, and the Americas.Mayan, Incan, Aztec, Anasazi, and Iriquoishistory and culture will be studied. Thegeography, history, and traditions of EastAfrica, North Africa, and the Western Africantrading kingdoms are the focus of multimediapresentations by the eighth grade students.We will also learn about China, Korea, andJapan as part of our unit on Asia. The art andarchitecture of these civilizations will also bea component of our art history classes, whichincludes lectures, discussions, and visualpresentations.A wonderful time was had by all asthe lords and ladies of 8-1, 8-2, and 8-3,including Lady Coyne, Lady Casais, andLady Gonzalez, ventured off to MedievalTimes for the 8 th grade trip on March 16,2012.Seventh grade social studies classeswill study the art, architecture, and traditionsof the Indian subcontinent. Our classes willcover rulers, dynasties, and the Golden Ageof Ancient India. We will learn about villagelife, the Hindu caste system, and otheraspects of Indian culture. Seventh graderswill also study Chinese history during ancienttimes. Chinese geography, dynasties,mythology, and contributions are the basis forfuture projects.I would also like to congratulate our2012 Academic Challenge team for placing13

first in the District Competition.Congratulations to Amina Bendaoud, MisoDemko, Ronnie Romano, George Iskander,Tom Salama, and Kenny Tarantino. Our teamalso won English, reading, science, socialstudies, and special subject awards in thesubject area category. Sara Bendaoud andKapil Kanakaraj tied for first place in theindividual competition. They worked so hardand spent countless hours at practice and athome in preparation. It has been my pleasureto participate with the members and I am sovery proud of all of you. Go Jaguars!preparations will soon be underway for theirgraduation ceremony.This past month we completed workon the Class of 2012 yearbook. Our studentsdevoted many hours and put great effort intocreating a beautiful yearbook. We would liketo thank Ms. Casais and Mrs. Kim for helpingus in this endeavor. We would also like tooffer our sincere thanks to the eighth gradeparents who so generously contributed to thiswonderful project.Ms. Zoe GonzalezMrs. Stephanie CoyneLanguage ArtsThis month we continue ourpreparation for the NJASK7 and the NJASK8.Students have worked diligently, and Icommend them for their focus anddedication.As we welcome spring, we celebratethe rebirth of the world around us with anumber of creative writing projects. GAPlanguage arts students will create a series ofprojects that will combine writing, music, andart. Seventh grade students will completetheir self portrait poems and experiment with“formula poems” while eighth graders willwrite metaphor poems. Novels classes will bediscussing works by Agatha Christie, ArthurConan Doyle, and William Shakespeare.As the weather gets warmer, it isinevitable that our thoughts turn to the end ofour school year. During these months, oureighth graders will begin preparations for anumber of memorable activities that will bringtheir years in the Gifted and TalentedProgram to a close. Eighth graders will bewriting graduation speeches, andSchool Nurse“April showers bring May flowers,” isa familiar phrase this time of year. But if youhave allergies or asthma, it is probably notyour favorite phrase. With the mild winterbehind us, the trees and flowers are bloomingearlier than ever. The wind is blowing all thepollen around. The pollen gets in your eyes,goes up your nose, and even lands on yourhair, clothes, and shoes, which you bring intoyour home. It will stick on your car and makesyour car glow. But if you have allergies orasthma, pollen can trigger an allergy orasthma attack.Allergies can affect the nose, skin,lungs, and other parts of your body whileasthma is only a lung condition. Allergysymptoms may include itchy watery eyes,runny nose, sneezing, and an itchy throat.Asthma may present itself by coughing,difficulty breathing, chest tightness, shortnessof breath, or wheezing. Please see a doctor14

for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan assoon as possible. If any medication is neededin school, please call the Health Office formedication authorization forms. Asthma isone of the leading causes of schoolabsenteeism in children.Here are a few things you can do tolessen your symptoms and prevent an attack.Wash your hands and do not touch your face.Drink water. Stay indoors when the pollencount is high. Change your clothes andshower as soon as you get home for the day,especially if you play outdoors after school.Wear a hat and sunglasses. Keep thewindows in your house and car closed andAC on if possible. After seeing your doctor,take medication as prescribed and treatsymptoms to prevent attacks from worsening.For more information, please log onto theAsthma and Allergy Foundation of Americawebsite at www.aafa.org.The NJ Administrative Code requiresall students entering Grade 6 and reachingage 11 to receive the Meningococcal Vaccineand Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria, and AcellularPertussis) Vaccine. Letters regarding theimmunization requirements were sent homeon March 30 to all 5 th grade parents. Pleaseforward documented proof of theseimmunizations from a doctor as soon aspossible for the 2012-2013 school year.Please call the Health Office with anyquestions or concerns at 201-858-6283.than try to “cram” all the material in the nightbefore. Tell your child to listen carefully to alltest-taking directions given by the teacherand to ask questions about any directionsthat are unclear. See that your child getshis/her regular amount of sleep before thetests and is well rested. Make sure that yourchild eats breakfast on the day of the testsince hunger can detract from a good testperformance. Finally, encourage your child todo his/her best.Mrs. Amanda RomanoMrs. Forker, R.N.GuidanceNJASK testing dates are fastapproaching. There are many ways thatparents can help their child be successful onthe day of the test. Listed below are sometips provided by the American SchoolCounselor Association to help prepare yourson or daughter for testing.The best way to get ready for anytype of examination is to know what materialwill be on the test and study. If your child isnervous, ask his/her teacher for ways to calmdown any test anxiety. Make sure your childis present during testing; please do notschedule any doctor appointments orvacations during that time. Encourage yourchild to study over a period of time rather15