 Community
Newsletter
May 2002 |
Monthly Matters
Dear CLC Community:
As we near the end of another school year, I am reminded that every ending is indeed a new beginning. I am looking forward to joining you in the near future. I have purchased a home in State College and will be moving to the area in June.
More endings and beginnings:
-Sara Barley will be moving to Portland, Oregon. She sets out on
her adventure this summer. Thank you, Sara, for your years of hard
work and commitment at the CLC.
-Katharine Dixon has announced that her husband has accepted a
position in Dayton, Ohio. Best wishes to Katharine and her family
as they settle into their new home this summer.
We will miss both Sara and Katharine! Other staffing changes will
be discussed at the upcoming parent meeting on May 18.
To follow up on our April parent
meeting:
-We currently have 20 applications for teaching positions. I will
be reviewing these prior to holding search committee meetings.
-An inventory of science equipment is being updated so that we may
begin to address our needs in this area during curriculum and
grant reviews.
-Meetings are being held this Saturday and on the 18th with staff
members prior to reviewing our team configurations and staffing
needs for next year
-Parents will be surveyed for their viewpoints on a two-year
versus four-year grade configuration.
See you on May 18 at our next parent
meeting!
Winnie
Team News and
Updates
8th
grade
The eighth grade class traveled to Spring Mills Elementary
School April 30, May 1 and May 2 to perform community service in
the form of mentorship. The eighth graders used part of their
proceeds from trip fundraising to buy S.M. Elementary School a DVD
camera(with VHS to digital capability) and supporting equipment.
CLC students spent the week teaching the S.M. fifth and sixth
graders how to use that equipment. Our students also provided
instruction on constructing a supporting website. The hope is that
the equipment and instruction will be a base that will continue to
expand long after the eighth graders are gone.
On Saturday, April 27, WPSX staff met with a handful of CLC
students, instructors and supporters for a final critique of their
yet unveiled, but improved web site "What's in the News". Our
students provided feedback for TV administrators to finalize plans
in creating an interactive website to scaffold "What's in the
News". It was fun, as educators, to see our middleschoolers in the
position of experts. The video project (also for WPSX) is moving
along again, under the tutelage of Jean Morrow (Chris' mom). We
are extremely grateful to tap into her wealth of knowledge; plus
the kids really like her.
The 8th Grade End of Year Conference will take place on May 30 and
May 31. The conference is open to the public, and we encourage all
parents to attend.
Team 3
Team 3 is in the midst of our "Disease" project with students
currently researching epidemics such as the black plague, the flu
of 1918, and yellow fever. We are also continuing work on our
history focused Independent Projects. Areas of interest include
1960's music, the Middle Ages (slightly different than the 60's),
and the U.S.S. Indianapolis.
Kudos to Grant who is assisting Crystal F. teach this block's FLEX
class, American Sign Language. Grant has been studying sign
language with Crystal independently during the year and has been a
huge help to her in class. Way to go, Grant!
Team 4
The Science Fair was a huge success with two Team 4 members
coming away with Blue Ribbons and many others contributing
impressive projects. The stories for the forthcoming CLC booklet
have been written as well. Students are now in the second week of
the Human Body project, which is being studied in terms of
health-- nurturing and maintaining physical, mental, emotional,
and spiritual self-systems. At the "CLC Medical School", students
have the opportunity to advance through premed, Medical School,
and Post-Doc/Applied Research programs. They are poised to
complete the first program, which involves research on the
definition of life, parts of the cell, and the twelve bodily
systems. Additional work includes seminars on microscopes,
reproduction, and substance abuse, and students graduate after
completing a Longevity Study and a Personal Wellness
Report/Plan.
A new suite of Independent projects is also underway with students
studying solar power, landscaping, social interactions, computer
building, and many others topics of diverse interest.
Lastly, twenty two Team 4 members survived journeys to the
underworld on trips to two local undeveloped caves. They lived to
tell the tale of raging underground rivers and perilous
passageways, freezing stream crawls and yawning pits. Learning has
certainly been an exciting experience for the students of Team 4.
Teams 5 & 6
Teams 5 and 6 are working together on an ecology-based project
with Joe, Donna, Sara, Jalynn and Kelly. We have been offered an
opportunity to work with Harris Township to document and help plan
the future development of the Stan Yoder Memorial Preserve in
Boalsburg. Our youngsters have made initial visits to the site and
found evidence of a wide variety of animal and plant life. We have
also found some evidence of the original farm which was in
operation at the site until 50-60 years ago. As the project
unfolds, the students will focus on an individualized interest
areas (amphibians, birds, butterflies, bird banding, trees,
flowers, sustainable agriculture, etc.). The Township is
interested in having our students develop a Power Point
presentation which documents the ecosystems within the Preserve.
The work we do this year is just the beginning of our relationship
with the Preserve. The Township is open to establishing a long
term commitment to CLC's future involvement in the development of
trails, maps, and nature guides.
In addition to exploring the Preserve, we have hiked the
Shingletown Gap trails and visited Tait Farm. We've also been
listening to music inspired by nature (e.g., Paul Winter's
Canyon), investigating and imitating Andy Goldsworthy's art,
deciphering the meanings behind wetlands and watersheds, and
writing in originally-crafted journals with support from our poet
Beth Workman. We had a visit from the Centre Wildlife Care and
learned about caring for injured, orphaned, sick and displaced
wildlife. Some of us will be heading off to Julian Woods next week
to see examples of several endangered plants which have been
located near that area. There's also a chance that some of our
budding ecologists will be sizing up a fish hatchery and a
butterfly preserve first-hand. Some students are also expressing
an interest in an in-depth look at wolves, organic farming, and
the rainforest!
May Parent
Meeting - Saturday,
May 18, 10:30 a.m.
This
will be a chance to continue the productive dialogue we started
last month with Winnie Bolinsky, our incoming CAO. The meeting
will start at 10:30 a.m. and last about an hour.
May Board Meeting - Thursday, May 23, 7:00
Heifer Project
Car Wash- Sat.,
May 4, 10-4, Benner Pike Walmart
CLC
students are holding a car wash to benefit the Heifer Project, an
international organization that helps communities to develop
sustainable agricultural practices and to become more
self-sufficient. Cost will be $4.00/car, but tickets can be
purchased ahead of time in the office at a discounted rate of
$3.00/car!
Bake Sale/Yard
Sale - Heifer Project
The
Heifer Project Club is tentatively scheduling a yard sale/bake
sale at CLC for Saturday, May 18. We will keep you updated on the
plans as they unfold.
CAT V
Testing
The PSSA
(5th & 8th grades) exams and the SCASD Math Thinking Test (5th
& 6th grades) have been completed. The CAT V exams (all
grades) will begin Wednesday, May 8 and will be completed by May
22. All students will also take the SCASD Writing Assessment in
late May.
Internship
Completed - Parent Resources Available
Rachel
Neuhard has completed her internship with us and will be
graduating from PSU this semester. We are grateful for all of the
time, energy and enthusiasm Rachel has given to the CLC community.
As part of her internship Rachel has helped to develop our Peer
Mediation Program and has created a Parent Resource Library in our
office. There are a variety of resources available to parents and
staff on such topics as Smoking, Mental Health, Child Development
and Parenting. Online resources are also available at
http://www.clccharter.org/~rachel/onlineresourcelibrary.htm
Fiesta - May
31 - "Fin de Ano Fiesta"
With the
cooperation of all four Spanish Classes we will be celebrating the
end of the school year by having a Fiesta & Baile, (which is
the final culminating project for all Spanish classes). The Fiesta
will be held on Friday, May 31st, from 7pm-10pm in the CLC Big
Room. There will be music, dancing, food, and fun. More info to
come!
Lost and
Found
You
wouldn't believe the plethora of items that are now in our lost
and found. So, I'm giving you the opportunity to see for yourself.
The accumulated lost and found will be on display at this month's
parent meeting. Here's a great chance to retrieve all of your
child's clothing you didn't even realize was missing! (As well as
books, binders, lunch bags, eye glasses, etc.) Students have been
given many opportunities to look throw the pile and there's still
a lot leftover! Items remaining unclaimed at the end of the school
year will be donated to charity.
D.C. Trip -
June 4
As we
announced last month, students and staff will be traveling to
Washington, D.C. once again for our all-school trip. Our drop off
points will be at the National Zoo and the Mall, where we have
access to the Smithsonian Museums, the Washington Monument, and
other historical sites. The chartered buses will leave CLC at 5:00
a.m and return to school around 11:00 p.m. We suggest that your
child pack breakfast and lunch, as purchasing meals in D.C. is
both costly and time consuming. We will stop on the way home for
dinner. Although both the Smithsonian and the Zoo have FREE
admission, your child will need to bring money for dinner,
souvenirs, IMAX shows at the Smithsonian, or for other personal
expenses. If you have any questions or would like to join us as a
chaperone, please contact your child's lead teacher or M.J. in the
office.
Boxtops
All five
teams have now reached their goal of 500 boxtops giving the school
over 2500 which translates into over $250.00 to use toward outdoor
equipment! Thank you to all of the families who have eaten all of
those brownies for the good of the cause! Thanks also to those of
you who have donated money toward the ice cream parties we will be
having in celebration of our success! And, finally, one huge thank
you to Linda F. our parent coordinator for all of her hard work
and persistence! It wouldn't have happened without
you.
Staff
Appreciation Lunches May 4 Car Wash at Benner Pike
WalMart, 10-4 May 8, 15, 22 CAT V Testing - all
grades May 18 May Parent Meeting, 10:30
a.m. May 23 May Board Meeting, 7:00
p.m. May 27 No School - Memorial
Day May 30, 31 8th grade
Conference
A big
thank you to all of the families who have donated food and time
toward the monthly staff lunches. We all appreciate you for
appreciating us! A special thanks to Liz K. and Annie L. for
serving as coordinators.
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