John Paulding 2008-2009 School News

Shedding a Little Holiday Light

On Friday, December 5^th in the Gym at John Paulding School, 198 first graders kicked off the Holiday season with festive Winter Holiday songs.  There was standing room only as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters; even former students filled the audience to enjoy the show.   The air was electric as the children excitedly filed in to be led in song and dance by music teacher Ms. Le Fleur.  The children could barely contain their excitement and enthusiasm; helping Ms. Le Fleur conduct, dancing from the risers, singing with emotion or just simply relishing in the experience of being on stage. 

From perfect winter days to vacations in warm sunny Hawaii, there was a clear message of light and hope for this Holiday Season.  Mrs. Mercado-Belvin announced that the adopted “signature song” A Little Bit of Light was certainly expressive of the sentiments as well as the mission of everyone at John Paulding School.  So, with this in mind, from John Paulding School to all of your homes, we wish you a little bit of light this Holiday Season.   

(Look for our shining stars in concert on the district’s cable channel.)  (Posted 12/8/08)

The EPTA is honored to announce that acclaimed children’s book author and cartoonist Nick Bruel will join us at the John Paulding Book Fair Celebration!

Where: John Paulding School

When:  Friday, December 5

What Time:  6:30pm to 8pm

The celebration is open to all and is a great opportunity for holiday shopping. We will have books for a variety of reading levels and something for the parents too!

Mr Bruel will have several of his books for sale and has generously agreed to donate a portion of the sales to the EPTA.

*Join us for gym activities, crafts and treats.*

 (Posted 12/3/08)

Project Daffodil

On Friday, November 21^st, the students at John Paulding School planted daffodil bulbs.  Almost 300 daffodil bulbs were donated to our school by Jackie Golabek from Whimsies Incognito on Main Street.  Children from our school have planted daffodils in the community before and then were able to have the same experience at school.  Thank you to Rembert Polanco, Senia Sakarya, and Cathy Ruhland Mauhs for volunteering to dig holes.  They dug 10 holes in front of our breakfast room so that each class could plant the bulbs and fill the holes with dirt.  The children had a great time despite the cold weather.  We were glad to be able to complete the project before the ground froze.  Thank you to Patricia Pinckney who contacted the school to see if we were interested in participating.  We look forward to seeing the beautiful daffodils in the spring!  (Posted 12/2/08)

Hitachi Readers Come to John Paulding!

One gift the fairies gave to me:
(Three they commonly bestowed of yore)
The love of books, the golden key
That opens the enchanted door.   

-Andrew Lang

The enchanted door is in each book opened and read by a child. Hitachi, through their generous donation of books and lively readers from their company, has brought even more magic to the classrooms of John Paulding.  

Once a month from November to May, each class of children at JP has a volunteer Hitachi reader come into their rooms to read a new book.  When the reading is done, this book becomes part of the students’ classroom library.  Hitachi works closely with John Paulding staff to pick texts that correlate with curriculum themes. This year, the children were in for a wonderful start to their monthly readings when the volunteer reader presented a glimpse into their own personal lives through an autobiographical poster.  The children enjoyed meeting their reader and can’t wait until the next visit. When the school year comes to a close, the children of John Paulding will gather together with their readers and present them with posters and notes of gratitude for their valuable gifts of time, and literature. (Posted 11/20/08)

Project REACH

This year, the staff, students and parents at John Paulding Elementary School participated in Project REACH, a program designed to sensitize nondisabled individuals to the needs of students with disabilities. Initially, BOCES staff members Kathy Knudsen and Susan Doherty worked in each classroom to help the students recognize the similarities and differences between disabled and non-disabled individuals.  A variety of activities help the class discover that children with disabilities are like everyone else in most ways.  The awareness sessions conclude with a slide show introducing the students from BOCES and a discussion on the core values of friendship.

On Nov. 13 the staff and parent volunteers created 6 simulation stations, each designed to provide students with hands on experiences for different disabilities.  For example, the students experienced blindness by wearing a blindfold and trying to find their way to the water fountain.  Parent volunteers not only guided the students safely during this station, but helped the students identify the emotions they felt during their experience as well. In addition, the students were encouraged to use other senses while blindfolded, such as identifying objects using touch and smell.  They learned about the Braille alphabet and discovered first hand how difficult it is to “read” using only their fingertips.  Other disabilities, such as hearing, communication, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and fine motor impairments were also simulated. 

The students’ comments were very interesting afterwards, with most students thankful that they themselves did not have a disability.  In such a wonderful community as this, it is no surprise that many students left the experience with a greater understanding of the challenges those with disabilities face and a strong desire to help in any way possible. 

Principal Marilyn Mercado-Belvin works with a student trying to identify objects while blindfolded. 

(Posted 11/17/08)

John Paulding Rocks the Vote! 

On Election Day the first graders at John Paulding held their own mock election.  Upon entering and saying the Pledge of Allegiance Mrs. Mercado-Belvin spoke to the students about the importance of voting for what you believe in.  The first grade teachers had been teaching the students about the candidates and elections in the past few weeks.  Did you know John McCain’s favorite food was Mexican?  Or that Barack Obama promised his daughters a dog following the election?  The first graders also read books about elections Grace for President, My Teacher For President, and Duck for President to name a few.  Ms. LeFleur has been teaching them a President’s Rap as well.  The students cast their ballots in private voting booths and then put them in a ballot box.  When the polls closed at 8:30 am the votes were counted and recounted by faculty members.  Mrs. Mercado-Belvin came on the loudspeaker and announced a landslide win for Barack Obama!  The count was 165 for Obama and 32 for John McCain.  Each child received an I voted!  sticker and proudly waited for the results of our nation’s election.  (Posted 11/4/08)

John Paulding Celebrates Halloween

The month of October is never complete without celebrating Halloween.  At John Paulding it is tradition to start the day off with Witch’s Brew.  Our resident witch got stuck in traffic on the Tappan Zee Bridge.  After a short delay, she was spied by the students wandering around the outside of the school trying to find her way in.  This year she brought her potion book which was apparently damaged by a spell from some sneaky witches that were found in the school library just the day before.  The festivities continued with a reading of By The Light of the Halloween Moon, a story which the children were able to participate in the cumulative poetry.  After a lunch of bat wings, ghost sticks, skeleton fingers and vampire juice, the children dressed up in their costumes.  Time for the annual Halloween parade!  How many Hannah Montanas did you see?  Thank you to the Sleepy Hollow High Band for the marching tunes. The John Paulding Staff sported their new All Star Baseball uniforms designed by JP’s head custodian, Greg Valentin, Principal Mrs. Mercado-Belvin and high school art teacher Gary Benton.  The day culminated with classroom parties.  It was a a bewitching day!   (Posted 11/17/08)

Apple Autumn Adventures

Cool air and crunchy colorful leaves suggest fall has arrived, and with it, an abundance of apples ready to be picked.  In late September and early October the first grade classes at John Paulding learned many things about apples.  The story of Johnny Appleseed, as well as other apple related stories, were read to each class.  The classes did apple taste testing, graphing, printing and patterning of apples.  This was done in preparation for the field trip.

The children in each classroom at John Paulding boarded big yellow school buses for a day of learning.  Their destination was Stuart’s Farm in Granite Springs, New York.  Upon arrival, the students, parent volunteers and teachers were all warmly greeted by Mrs. Stuart.  She was eager to show the children some of the different varieties of apples and apple tress that are grow on their farm. She then showed the children how the apples go through the washer and are sorted by size.  After this process, Mrs. Stuart explained how apples go to sleep in a large cooler, which helps to slow their growth before they are sold.  The children got a grand tour of the cold storage room but not for long because it was a bit chilly inside. 

Then it was off to the apple orchards which were long corridors of what seemed like endless rows of delicious apples.  It was a true adventure as the children hunted for the biggest, shiniest, roundest apples they could find.  Parents and teachers stood by to take pictures and help the children carry their apple bags which were bursting at the seams.  Once all the bags and tummies were filled, we headed back to school where the children baked many apple treats.  What a perfect ending to a perfect day!  (Posted 10/6/08)

18th Annual Rose Ceremony

On the morning of September 25^th, the senior class of 2009 welcomed the first grade students of John Paulding to the Eighteenth Annual Rose Ceremony.  It was the first Rose Ceremony in the new Sleepy Hollow High School auditorium.  The ceremony began with Mrs. Conklin welcoming the future class of 2020 to the High School and remembering how it seemed like such a short time ago the graduating seniors were the ones sitting in the audience.  Deven Campbell, the Senior Class President, concurred and related some of her memories as a first grader.  

The attendees were serenaded by the talented Sleepy Hollow High School chorus, under the direction of Ms. Gail Persad, with a song titled “Child of Tomorrow” that had a beautiful message of telling the students to “go forth and follow your dreams.”  After the song, Mrs. Mercado-Belvin spoke and thanked the senior class for their welcome and their inspirational gift of song.   She invited the seniors to come to John Paulding to remind them of all that they have achieved.  She advised the graduating class to celebrate their many accomplishments and to cherish the culmination of their years in Tarrytown when she reminded them that “Senior year is one of the most remarkable years of your life.”  

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for; the exchange of the roses.  The first graders were each called up by their name and received a rose and a “Class of 2020” tee-shirt from a senior.  The Rose Ceremony was a meaningful morning shared by all, combining a remembrance of the past and glimpse into the future.   (Posted 9/26/08)

AN EXCITING BEGINNING AT JOHN PAULDING

Embarking on the first grade journey in a different school building could seem daunting.  Yet, John Paulding’s class of 2008-2009 is making a joyful and smooth transition from kindergarten.  When asked about their experiences entering first grade, the children happily expressed their feelings. The quotes that follow are the sentiments shared by the children, in their own words:

“I feel very very good about coming to John Paulding.  When I saw my teacher I knew it was going to be a great school!”

“I feel really happy because I get to meet new friends and new teachers.  I liked the first day because it was fun."

“It was very different for me because I met new friends and new teachers.  They are all nice people. I have good friends here."

“I love my new school.  I like it because of the playground.  It has a fun pole to slide down.”

“The day before I started, I had trouble going to sleep.  Now, I go to sleep right away because this is a nice school and I feel loved here.  I also have some of the same teachers that I had in kindergarten, for Art and Music, so it made me feel good.”

“I love my school because we get to earn marbles for acts of kindness and when we fill the container, we celebrate.  We get a party for choosing to do the right thing.  We are learning to be kind and how to love our friends in a good way.”

The teachers are excited about the new school year as well.  Ms. Ferrari explained, “We focus on creating a community of learners, helping the children understand the structure of their day.  We provide them with the ability to make transitions from one topic to another and to make connections between the various disciplines.”  Mrs. Daley shared, “We are excited to implement the curricular work that John Paulding’s teachers accomplished over the summer.  We are also thrilled to use the new books that are available in our newly enhanced teacher’s resource room!”  Mrs. Buckley added, “We are all excited to begin the school year with some wonderful new students.  We are learning and having fun!  Getting to know each other is especially fun!”

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