Music is in the air—new
strings program to launch
AUGUST 2007—As
part of the proposed budget, funding for a strings
program at the intermediate schools has been allocated.
Maple Hill and Mechanicstown Elementary Schools will
both receive strings programs said Betsy McKean, Business
Administrator.
“Playing a stringed instrument enhances a child’s
quality of life,” said Gregory Bennett, K-12 music
chair. “It provides creative, emotional, and social
opportunities and can lead to improvements in academic
performance in other areas beyond music.”
Programs at both of the intermediate schools are set to
start in the fall of 2007.
Noted poet &
professor
visits Mechanicstown for lecture series
FEB.2007—In
honor of Black History Month, award-winning poet and
author Quraysh Ali Lansana (pictured at below) visited Mechanicstown as part of
Middletown's Arts-in-Education programming.
Lansana, a professor at Chicago State University,
visited the school on Feb.7 & 8, 2007, to lecture on the
life of Harriet Tubman. Students in grades 2-5 heard Lansana
read poems from his book They Shall Run: Harriet Tubman Poems,
and had the chance
to discuss selected poems with the author and ask
questions.
"The students felt as
if they had 'met' Harriet Tubman through Mr. Lansana's
poetry readings," said librarian Linda Elston. "They
were spellbound, and truly touched to learn more about a
woman consistently driven to help others and to remain
committed to her cause of freedom."
Students learn
about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., from Dr. Rev. William Best
JAN. 2006—Dr. Rev. William Best (pictured at right), a minister in Middletown and
former Board of Education member, spoke about Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr., to students at Mechanistown Elementary
School on Jan. 11, 2006.
Students in grades 2-5 piled
into the school's cafeteria to listen to Dr. Rev. Best speak
about King and why the holiday in remembrance of him is so
important. "Dr. King was about making sure that everyone
received an equal chance," Dr. Rev. Best said. "I encourage you
and stimulate you to take this holiday in your hearts and to
do something nice and something good on Monday in respect of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."
Dr. Rev. Best went on to speak
about King's work and his life, defining why Monday, Jan.15,
2006,
is such an important holiday for everyone in our nation and
the world.
Students and teachers
create masterpieces
NOV. 2006—What
is a celebrity? How are we influenced by them? Let’s imagine
that our favorite celebrity were a turkey! Students and
teachers alike at Mechanicstown Elementary did just that by
taking time out from their regular classroom duties to
unwind and have some fun by drawing a celebrity turkey to be
displayed in the Celebrity Turkey Art Gallery.
The only parameters given by art teacher Danielle Strommer,
were for each turkey to have the obvious turkey features
(wings, tail feathers, a beak and a waddle). This gave
classroom teachers an opportunity to discuss art elements
and bring the visual arts into their classroom.
This cooperative student and teacher effort,produced
turkeys ranging from the likes of P. Diddy to the Dalai
Lama, Albert Einstein to Hillary Duff, and Conan O’Brien to
Kiss band members.
Students create
artwork to thank Board of Education
NOV. 2006—Mechanicstown students, with the help of art teacher
Karen Rhein, created posters thanking the Middletown Board
of Education for all of their hard work and support during
School Board Recognition Week in October 2006. Art work was presented to the Board of Education at the November 2,
2006,
meeting.
Photo at left: Just one of the many posters elementary students
created for the Board of Education during School Board
Recognition Week held from Oct. 23-27, 2006.
