Music News

Lori Hershenhart, district music supervisor, has announced that two choral groups were selected to participate in WMHT’s Music for the Holidays 2007. This is a showcase for the fine school choral groups of every age throughout the capital region. Student groups are invited to WMHTs digital studios at the Winifred Touhey Public Broadcasting Center in the Rensselaer Technology Park to record their holiday selections at the end of November. Programs will be broadcast several times during the holiday season on WMHT-TV, WMHT-FM, and WBKK-FM. In addition to the on air broadcasts, a DVD of public domain songs from each participating ensemble is also available for purchase.

Congratulations to the Pine Bush Elementary 4th and 5th Grade Chorus and their director Ms. Kerry Dineen and to the Eighth Grade Chorus and their director Mrs. Starr Norman on the choirs’ selection to participate in this prestigious event.

Programs will be broadcast on WMHT-TV on:

• Sunday - Thursday, December 16-20, 7:30-8:00pm
• Monday-Friday, December 17-21 5:30-6:00pm
• Sunday, December 23, 5:30-8pm (all 5 episodes)
• Monday, December 24, 2:30-5pm, (all 5 episodes)
• Tuesday, December 25, 10:30am - 1pm (all 5 episodes)

Guilderland High School Newspaper Honored

Congratulations to Aaron Sicotte, advisor, and the staff of The Journal, Guilderland High School’s newspaper, for their thirteen awards from the Empire State School Press Association (ESSPA). The contest evaluated work published during the 2006-07 school year and was judged by professors from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. The awards included three Gold Awards, the highest honor. The Journal received a Gold Award for both the Highest Category of Achievement and for Design (Portfolio). Junior Stephanie Li also received a Gold Award for Personality Interview for an article on artist and fellow classmate Elena Cruz-Allen.

Co-Editor-in-Chief senior Katie Haas received a Bronze Award for Feature Photograph and a Silver for the on-site writing competition. Senior Anna Lishay received a Bronze in the same competition.

Senior Anna Kaufman, also co-Editor-in-Chief, won a Silver Award in the Feature Story category. Other Silver Awards included Special Topic/Event Coverage to senior Katie Matthews for her article last year on school security and Use of Advertising (Portfolio) to the staff of the paper.

Senior Lily Rowen won a Bronze Award for her portfolio of Entertainment/Review articles and Ben Zucker a junior received an Honorable Mention for Sports Photograph. Other Honorable Mention awards went to the staff for Front Page (Portfolio) and Picture Layout / Picture Story.

The Journal was among the most honored school newspapers in the state!

FMS Student Accepted into Leadership Program

Congratulations to Kara Carman, grade 7, who has been accepted into the People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington March 10th – 16th, 2008. She will join other students in studying leadership and exploring United States monuments and history.

From Capitol Hill to the Smithsonian Institution, and from Colonial Williamsburg to the National Museum of American History, Kara Carman will examine the characteristics of American leadership during times of national challenge and prosperity. Forum delegates will also participate in small-group discussions and exercise to experience first-hand how successful leaders develop strategies, make decisions, build consensus, and foster change.

Kara Carman was nominated and accepted for the honor based on outstanding merit, civic involvement and leadership potential.

The program is coordinated by People to People Student Leader Programs to fulfill the vision President Dwight D. Eisenhower had for fostering world citizenship when he founded People to People during his presidency in 1956.

GES Librarian to Lead Children’s Literature Connection

Congratulations to Meg Seingberg-Hughes, Guilderland Elementary School library-media specialist, who will serve as a co-president of the Children’s Literature Connection, a professional organization committed to enriching learning through professional development on children’s literature.

Guilderland Staff Lauded for work on Mathematics Action Plan

Mike Piscitelli, high school math, science supervisor, and Tierney Provost, elementary math teacher leader, were praised by the New York State Education Department for their work in the state Mathematics Leadership Development project sponsored by SED and the New York State Mathematics Resource Center. As a part of the leadership team, they are now able to share innovations in curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development with our teachers and others in the area.

November 20th Recognizes School-Related Professionals

On November 20th we will join educators across the state in honoring our School Related Professionals for all they do to help students learn. NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi has thanked Gov. Eliot Spitzer for signing into law the bill that creates a permanent School-Related Professional Recognition Day on the state calendar.

“The governor’s signature on this bill memorializes New York’s commitment to some deeply dedicated educators – School-Related Professionals,” said Iannuzzi. “Their daily contributions to our students will now be honored annually on the third Tuesday of each November, usually falling during American Education Week.”

NYSUT’s 90,000 School-Related Professional members perform a variety of key roles in schools. They work as bus drivers, school nurses, custodians, secretaries, food service workers, teaching assistants and aides and in dozens of other job titles.

The SRP bill was sponsored by Assemblywoman Barbara Clark, D-Queens and Sen. James DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse.

“NYSUT appreciates the great legislative support we received on this effort,” said Executive Vice President Alan Lubin. “Both houses worked together to make this recognition happen for our members.”

NYSUT Vice President Kathleen Donahue oversees much of the union’s programming for SRPs. “These NYSUT members are often the hidden heroes of our schools,” said Donahue. “Honoring their contributions to our students is the right thing to do. We will urge every school district to use this day to celebrate the work of all school employees, both inside and outside the classroom.”

FMS Science Teachers to Present at National Science Conference

Julie Long, grade 8 middle school science teacher and Carol Kelly, middle school enrichment teacher have been invited to present at the 2008 National Science Teacher’s Association annual conference in Boston March 27–30, 2008. Their presentation is entitled “A Road Map to the Wonderful World of Co-Teaching.”

The teachers share how they effectively planned and implemented co-teaching units in multiple science disciplines using inquiry-based lessons –and reach 50+ students at a time!

Congratulations to Julie & Carol!

FMS Science Class on WAMC “Science Forum”

Congratulations to FMS science teacher Jean Quattrochi and her 7th grade science class. They were guests on WAMC’s “Science Forum” on November 8th. Students had an opportunity to ask questions to a panel of scientists.