We’re ready to spring into summer!
As unbelievable as it may seem, we’re heading down the homestretch towards summer vacation. School will soon, indeed, be out for summer. Our seniors are counting the days to graduation while the rest of us are trying to cram in the many tasks and activities that precede the end of the school year.
May you find your perfect Summer Place and enjoy the Summer Breeze, for all too soon we’ll be singing a September Song.
Now once again, enjoy reading about the wonderful people, activities, and events that make this district so special!
-Suzanne McKenna
HAPPENINGS AT HAVILAND
S.H.A.P.E. Students Spearhead the Mothers Matter Collection at Haviland. Preschool teacher, Cherie McNellis and her students have been the driving force behind our collection of health and beauty products for Mothers Matter. Through this program, which helps carry out the Lauren Rose Albert Foundation’s mission to bring sunshine and light into the lives of others, gift baskets filled with women’s health and beauty care products are distributed to special and needy women for Mother’s Day. Ms. Cherie set out a small inflatable swimming pool in the main school hallway, and the children and staff of Haviland have filled it to the brim with a variety of personal care items which are used to fill gift baskets for mothers living in homeless shelters. Everybody’s mom deserves something special on Mothers’ Day. This year our little ones made many moms happy on their special day.
First Grade Class has International Pen Pals. Ms Gibboni’s First Grade Class is going to begin a link with an international school. This pen pal program, centered around technology, will take place between Ms. Gibboni’s class and a class in Shoeburyness, Essex, England. The primary focus will be for our students to have the opportunity to learn about a different culture. The students will be able to discuss their differing lifestyles, school curriculum, foods, etc. They will also be using map skills and basic research to learn about the schools. This project also supports the technology initiative in the district’s Strategic Plan.
At Haviland We Love our Adult Volunteers! Our adult volunteers are very important members of the Haviland Family. Coordinated by Mrs. Graham, our Guidance Counselor, these individuals give of their time and talents every week to help our students in any number of ways in the classroom. The children look forward to their visits, and we don’t know what we would do without them. Special thanks to Craig Burgess, Rose Mary Connelly, Ann Costino, Pat Mace, Elena Matthews, Bill and Anne Simpson, and Doris Schoper for their support of our programs at HAS.
HAS PTA gives Teachers’ Lounge an Extreme Makeover. Over the spring break, many families take the opportunity to travel or relax together. That wasn’t the case for the families of certain members of the PTA Teacher Appreciation Committee. They spent the week doing an extreme makeover of the teachers’ lounge. For months, this committee met, planned, solicited donations and shopped online to redesign the teachers’ lounge into an oasis. They used the spring break to paint, install new cabinets, appliances, sink and countertop, tables and chairs, love seat and even a flat screen TV! All of their special decorating touches reflected the Haviland Spirit. When teachers returned from their break on Monday morning, they were treated to breakfast in their new lounge. The expressions of surprise and awe on their faces told it all. We are so grateful for all the hard work and effort that the PTA put into this project. It is a “teacher appreciation” gift that will keep on giving for years to come.
A MESSAGE FROM MANSION
Transitioning and Articulation In the last newsletter we reported on the Transition Meetings taking place between the Second and Third Grade Teachers, and the Sixth and Seventh Grade Teachers. These meetings support the district’s Strategic Plan by giving teachers the opportunity to work together to assure our students smooth transitions from one building to the next.
Our Second and Third Grade meeting went very well. It was a time for the teachers to get together and discuss academics and student expectations. The Second Grade teachers shared their thoughts on assessing student progress. It has been decided that Second Graders will not be responsible for taking standardized tests beginning in the 2010-11 school year. Instead, Dr. Slowik and the Second Grade staff have developed a number of assessments to demonstrate student growth. These assessments will be used to give the Third Grade teachers a “snapshot” of individual student progress on the academic spectrum. There was also a discussion about what the expectations are for our students as they enter Third Grade. All in all we found our time together to be very worthwhile as it helped us all to understand what we are doing to promote student achievement.
Our Sixth and Seventh Grade meeting was a sharing of ideas and philosophies. One of the major concerns is that we need to prepare our Sixth Graders for the expectations of the Junior High. As a result of the meeting during the fourth marking period at MAS, our Sixth Grade students will be given “survival skills” to help them in high school. Mrs. Amoroso and Mr. Schiavo will be presenting lessons and leading discussions about some of the concerns our students face as they enter the Junior High. Some of the topics we will be focusing on include completing homework, opening lockers, and changing for Physical Education class. We will also familiarize students with the layout of the Audubon Junior/Senior High School, and make sure they know the staff members to see if they have a question or a concern. We hope by doing this it will help our Sixth Graders be more comfortable and successful when they move up to the High School.
Our second annual Moving Up Day is scheduled for May 28. On that day all the students in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade will move to the next grade level in order to get a feel for their “new” class next year. Last year was our first Moving Up Day and it was a huge success, so we are really excited about this year, as well.
Read Across America/Dr. Seuss Celebration – “Stick” to a good book! The first week in March is our Read Across America/ Dr. Seuss Celebration. Our activities this year focused on reading. We wanted our students to read independently for 600 minutes. The students had to keep track in their logs of the number of minutes they had read. Those completing the required reading received a free ticket to the Camden River Sharks. We called the program, “Stick to a good book!” for another reason! Any student completing the reading project received a foot long piece of duct tape and used it to tape Mr. Clarke to a wall in the Cafeteria. There are pictures posted on the Mansion Avenue School web site, right-hand column. Just click on What’s Happening at MAS and you will get to see what a good job the students and teachers did!! Our Dr. Seuss Celebration included a door decorating contest. All the classes participated and used extremely creative ideas to decorate their classroom doors. All in all, a wonderful celebration of reading at MAS!
DARE Graduation – Our annual Fifth Grade DARE Graduation program was held in the Audubon High School auditorium on March 30. It was another excellent year!! Special thanks to Officer Candice Gorman for a job well done.
Jump Rope for a Healthy Heart – The month of March was Healthy Heart Month and Mr. Ralph Schiavo and our student body participated in Jump Rope for a Healthy Heart. Ms. Dawn Whitman from the American Heart Association kicked off the fund raiser by coming to our February PAWS Assembly. The fund raiser ended on March 31 with our students raising over $1,300. Our top fund raiser was Rebecca Segal in Mrs. Bodenschatz’s Fifth Grade class.
Grandparents’ Week – Grandparents’ Week is usually held in December right after Thanksgiving. This year, however, we moved it to April 20-22 and it was a huge success. We had over 275 Grandparents visit us during the week. Some of our students did projects about their Grandparents that they shared during the visit. It was a great time and we enjoyed having all the Grandparents in for their annual visit. Our thanks go out to Ms. Cara Novick, our Guidance Counselor, and Mrs. Kelly Brown, the chairperson from the Audubon Grade School PTA, for organizing a wonderful program.
Children’s Night – Our annual Children’s Night took place on April 20, and what a wonderful night it was! Mrs. Gabardi, our Art instructor, did a fabulous job displaying our children’s art work. It was just amazing to see the talent our students have and the displays were magnificent. The theme this year was “Art Across the Curriculum,” and Mrs. Gabardi and the students really did a super job. If you haven’t seen the exhibit, please stop by. We will begin to take the work down in the middle of May.
Spring Concerts – We held our Elementary Band Concert on April 27 in the Audubon High School Auditorium. Mrs. Susan Moore is in charge our Instrumental Music program here at Mansion Avenue School. Three bands preformed for the audience and each did a magnificent job. We have had a number of people compliment us on the program. On May 27, we will be holding our Choral Concert in the Audubon High School Auditorium under the direction of Mrs. Kate Hayden. We hope you will be able to attend, as we anticipate a wonderful program.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL?
STARS continues to shine! Members of STARS (Students and Teachers Against Racism and Stereotypes) and Peer to Peer will be visiting Haviland Avenue School on May 12 to teach a lesson on tolerance and acceptance. After the lesson, the groups will run Mix-It-Up Day. During this event, which promotes a sense of school unity, students meet and talk to someone they don’t know. The goal is to break down social barriers so that there are fewer misunderstandings and incidents of bullying. During their study halls STARS members are also meeting with students in the YALE program to help them achieve their social goals.
AHS Library Media Center selected for grant. The Audubon High School Library Media Center is one of 4,000 libraries nationwide selected to receive a We the People grant including free hardcover editions of seventeen classic books for young readers. The grant, presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Library Association, is provided to support the teaching, study and understanding of American history and culture in our library. Created in 1965, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities. As the American people begin observing the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, NEH seeks to promote reflection among young people on the idea of the United States as a “union.” This is the second grant awarded to the AHS Library Media Center from the NEH and the ALA. The AHS Library MediaCenter was also awarded the Picturing America grant last year that included twenty double-sided high-quality reproductions of great American art which can readily be used in core subject areas such as Social Studies, civics, language arts, and American history. Congratulations go to Mrs. Wilma Fitzpatrick who oversees the Media Center.
Seventh Graders root their mushers on to victory! The entire Seventh Grade Class recently completed their cross-curricular unit on the Iditarod. The students followed a musher of their choice on the “Last Great Race” across Alaska from Anchorage to Nome. They read books about Native American culture in Alaska and even debated the humane-ness of dog sled racing. The unit culminated in a movie and “Mushers’ Banquet” to celebrate the achievements of the students during the unit. Snacks and beverages were donated by parents and a great time was had by all. What a great way to kick off spring break!
For more information…Please visit our new Child Study Team website at www.audubonschools.org. Simply click on the Child Study Team link on the right, then click on the CST Resources heading to meet our staff and have access to updated announcements and helpful educational links. You’ll also be able to access the CST Reference Lending Library and find out information about the Special Education Advisory Committee. What a great way to learn about the district’s services to our students and their families!
It’s time to take a bow!
Not one, not two, but three Induction Ceremonies took place at the High School since our last newsletter.
On Wednesday evening, March 31, the French National Honor Society added eight new members: Veronica Brodsky, Peter Coulter, Sarah Cox, Peter Falchetta, Brittany Kirk, Allison Kirsch, Sarah Myers, and Kristi Posey. On the same evening twenty-nine students joined the Spanish National Honor Society: Barianna Bobo, Ariel Booth, Michael Brandon, Ernest Braun, Matthew Cameron, Sierra Chambers, Christopher Clements, Jace Colon, Devon Coyle, Megan Dadds, Drew DiPrinzio, Brian Flacco, Emily Grassi, Alexandra Gravinese, Amanda Hauske, Derek Hoinkis, Jessica Lanchang, Kelly Lewis, Jessica Mannion, Osvaldo Marrero, Cassandra Martorano, Danielle Millen, Gabrielle Passarella, Timothy Pojawis, Jeffrey Proko, Julia Pugliese, Brooke Rizzo, Keirstie Wineland, and Nikole Zane. Students accepted for membership into the French and Spanish National Honor Societies must have completed two years of language study and continue to study beyond the second year, have an "A" average in the language and a "B" average overall, and display a keen interest in the language and a cooperative attitude in class.
On Thursday evening, April 15, the following students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. In Seventh Grade: Taylor Amato, Alice Borden, Thomas Colbert, Brian Doyle, Christopher Doyle, Emily Goodman, Katelyn Grim, Katrina Janco, Nathaniel Lee, Ngozi Nwadiogbu, Madison Olszewski, Emily Porrett, Abigail Proko, Nicole Rosado, Ryan Schaffer, Augustus Stolte, Zachary Thomas, Emily Tubbs, and Jacob VanArnam. In Eighth Grade: Michael Cameron, Kelsey Gesner, Adam Hoinkis, Donald Hutter, Carolyn Kirsch. These students maintain a 3.6 grade point average overall and demonstrate exemplary service, citizenship, leadership, and character.
Last, but far from least, the following juniors and seniors were inducted into the Audubon High School Chapter of the National Honor Society on Thursday evening, April 29. Junior Initiates include: Matthew Cameron, Christopher Clements, Peter Coulter, Sarah Cox, Devon Coyle, Peter Falchetta, Markos Georges, Amanda Hauske, Allison Kirsch, Jessica Lanchang, Jessica Mannion, Molly McKee, and Samantha Snyder. Senior Initiates include: Shane Dougherty, Kristina Marioni, and Luke Minardi. To be accepted into the National Honor Society students must maintain a 3.6 grade point average overall and demonstrate exemplary leadership, service, and character.
Congratulations to all of our new inductees!
Hey, they’re not just a bunch of pretty faces! In keeping with their dedication to service, on April 19 members of the Audubon Chapter of the National Honor Society sponsored a Red Cross Blood Drive netting 150 pints of life saving blood from the 165 students and staff members who participated in the drive. It is estimated that each pint of blood donated can save three lives!
Some kids just can’t get enough of school! Five AHS juniors have applied to and been accepted into the University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey Medical Science program for next year. The following students will be attending an after school program from 2 – 6 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays at UMDNJ to learn all they can about medical school and careers in the field of medicine: Ben Donia, Brittany Kirk, Danielle Millen, Sarah Myers, and Hali Pearce. Looks like we’ll need to establish a “Future Physicians Club” at AHS!
Seventh Grader Taylor Amato was honored for her participation in the annual District of Camden County Veterans of Foreign Wars annual essay contest. Taylor’s essay was awarded third place in the Patriot’s Pen category. Not only was Taylor honored, but her entire family was treated to lunch as part of the ceremony to honor the winners of the contest. According to Christine Amato, Taylor’s Mom, the entire experience was “heart warming.” Since this could lead to a national scholarship totaling $30,000, the VFW is hopeful that Taylor’s experience will encourage other eligible students to participate in the competition in the future.
Senior Brian Beswick has been accepted to and will be attending The United States Merchant Marine Academy next year. Brian completed a challenging application process that include “piles of paperwork,” letters of recommendation, and a rigorous physical fitness test. Brian also had to seek a Congressional Nomination, which was provided by Congressman Robert Andrews. Ultimately, Brian intends to pursue a career in the United States Coast Guard. We wish him our best for fair winds and following seas.
Senior Mariel Carbone has been invited to join The Hofstra University Cheerleading program which features a nationally recognized co-ed squad. Mariel tried out for the squad as a walk on during a weekend visit to the University in May. In addition to cheering at athletic events, as a member of the squad Mariel will also be expected to perform at University festivals, admissions events, and morning TV news shows. This summer Mariel will be traveling to Wisconsin with her teammates to attend a cheerleading camp. No doubt we’ll recognize Mariel on the squad—she’ll be the one tossed highest in the air! We wish her the best as she juggles her participation in cheerleading at a major university with a major in broadcast journalism.
California Here I Come! That’s the tune Senior John Flacco will be singing in the fall when he travels west to attend Stanford University. John will be joining an academic community dedicated to what university co-founder Jane Stanford called “the cultivation and enlargement of the mind.” Although John has opted to “grow big,” we know he’ll never forget his smaller roots in the community of Audubon. We wish him the best out west!
Senior Taylor Musselman will be receiving one of the Reidenauer-Fisher Nutrition Excellence Scholarships ($100.00 award) this May from The Camden County College Foundation. Taylor, who is taking an on-line college level Nutrition course at CCC, has been selected for the award based on her consistent effort and dedication to her coursework. The College has extended an invitation to Taylor and her family to attend the Awards presentation on May 19. Way to go, Taylor!
Seniors Michelle Knetz and Mike Koverchick are Audubon’s recipients of the Adam Taliaferro Foundation’s Player of the Year award. Both Michelle and Mike joined AHS Principal Mr. Jack Ross at a luncheon at Lincoln Financial Field where they were recognized for their accomplishments.
Seniors Kristina Morgan and Tyler Urban join Keara Ahern and Joseph Furlong in receiving recognition from the Colonial Conference. Kristina and Tyler have received a Sportsmanship Award while Keara and Joe have been honored as Scholar-Athletes. All four were recognized at a banquet sponsored by the Colonial Conference on April 28.
A celebrity walks among us! AHS English Teacher Ms. Kimberly Rotter was named the Courier Post’s Swim Coach of the Year! Kimberly is also completing work on her Masters in English at Rutgers University. Her thesis is entitled “Traumatic Fiction Techniques in Beloved.”
Audubon Music Students Honored Five Audubon High School Choir members have been selected to the NJ All-State Chorus following auditions on April 10 and 17. Accepted to the Al1-State mixed Chorus were Dillon Gilligan, Anna Henry, Leia Hall, Will Busarello, and Kessie Farnath. The chorus will be performing in November at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall and at the NJ Performing Arts Center in Newark.
Junior Dillon Gilligan was also recently accepted to the Music Educators’ National Convention sponsored National Choir. He will be performing on June 26 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. under the direction of eminent composer/conductor Andre Thomas of Florida State University.
Audubon High Concert Choir Announces Alumni Concert. The Audubon High School Concert Choir’s Annual Spring Concert will feature a most unique group of singers this year as the High School students will be joined by Audubon High Alumni who graduated as members of the Concert Choir. Over eighty former choir members including graduates from the Class of 1964 to 2009 have already committed to perform. They will be preparing to sing Randall Thompson’s Testament of Freedom and Last Words of David, among other songs, accompanied by a full orchestra. Testament of Freedom was composed for Thomas Jefferson’s 200th birthday and the text is taken entirely from Jefferson’s writings and letters. Audubon’s last Alumni Concert took place in 1993 under the direction of Mr. Richard M. Smith. The concert will be held Sunday, June 6 at 3:00 PM in the Audubon High School auditorium. More information is available by calling Mr. Duane Trowbridge at 856-547-7695 ext. 4204 or by email at dtrowbridge@audubonschools.org. Information is also available on the school website- audubonschools.org.
Looking for something for the kids to do this summer? Check out one of the following camps:
Primetime Player Camps—Coach Cheryl Kulesa-Clark will be running two basketball camps for girls ages 6-14 in the Audubon High School Gymnasium from July 12-16 and again from August 9-12. The July camp (Girls Basketball Day Camp) will focus on fundamental basketball skills while the August camp (2010 Offensive Skills Camp) is geared for girls who want to learn how to become “Primetime” offensive players. Contact Cheryl at 856 904-4734 or email her at ckulesa@aol.com for additional information.
River Sharks Baseball Camp—Contact AHS Counselor Mike Tomasetti (856 547-7694, ext 4141) if you would like more information about this four day baseball camp for ages 8 -18. There are four sessions to choose from: June 28-July 1; July 12- 15; July 26- 29; and August 2- 5. You can also register for any of the sessions at Camps@riversharks.com.
Green Wave Basketball Leagues and Camps—AHS Varsity Boys Basketball Coach David Ricci announces two summer basketball camps for children ages 5 to 12 . The first camp will run from July 19-22 and is for boys and girls ages 7-12 . The second camp is for boys and girls ages 5-6 and runs July 26-29. If you are interested please visit audubonschools.org and click on Green Wave Basketball Leagues and Camps Logo or contact Dave at 856-547-7695 Ext. 4733. Thank you.
C.S.I. Summer Camp—If your child (ages 8-11) would like an introduction to the amazing world of forensic science, this camp will make for an exciting summer experience. Participants will perform a series of hands-on activities that will strengthen their general scientific knowledge as well as their math, reading, and writing skills. Topics include fingerprint and “crime scene” analysis, and physical evidence. There are five four-day sessions from which to choose: July 5-8; July 12-15; July 19-22; July 26-29; and August 2-5. Students may sign up for a morning or afternoon three hour time slot for each of the sessions. Contact AHS Science Teacher Eric Miller (emiller@audubonschools.org) for more information. You can also register at www.audubon.k12.nj.us by clicking on the “C.S.I. Summer Camp” link.
Still Shining After All These Years…
David Faris, AHS Class of 1996, received his PhD in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, where his research interests include democratization, Middle East politics, and digital media. His dissertation focuses on the role of digital activism in Egyptian opposition politics, and his work has been published in Arab Media & Society and Technology & Politics Review. In addition to his scholarly work, David has a regular political column in the Philadelphia City Paper, and has been published in the Egypt Daily News, Foreign Policy's Middle East Channel, Al-Arabiyya, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, and on NPR.org. David serves on the Strategy Group for the Meta-Activism Project, which seeks to build foundational knowledge about digital activism. He has accepted a full-time position in Political Science at Roosevelt University in Chicago beginning this summer.
Joseph Flacco, a member of the AHS Class of 2003 and quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, was featured in the 2009-2010 Life 101, The Magazine for College-Bound Students, which is published by the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. We’re thankful that Joe’s accomplishments continue to bring positive recognition to his hometown.
Bianca Berkowitz, a member of the AHS Class of 2006, is student teaching with Mrs. Claudia Kirby at Mansion Avenue School. Bianca herself graduated from MAS!
Erin Jo Tiedeken, AHS Class of 2006, has completed her undergraduate work at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Erin Jo will be graduating this May with Honors, having made Dean’s List every semester of her undergraduate career. During her time at Muhlenberg Erin Jo has worked as a student tutor with fellow undergraduates in the biology department, and as a teaching assistant. Her studies have included international travel in May of 2008 to Costa Rica, and a study abroad semester in Limerick, Ireland. During her time in Costa Rica Erin Jo conducted a study to investigate levels of coliform bacteria and chlorine in the local water supply to determine water quality in La Cuenca Abangares, Costa Rica. This travel was the culmination of a semester long research-based course and two weeks on-site field study. During her time at Muhlenberg Erin Jo has conducted field research for three years as part of a National Science Foundation grant conducted by Dr. R. Niesenbaum, studying top down and bottom up effects on herbivory of the woody understory shrub, Spicebush. Portions of this research have been presented at conferences or published in journals. On campus, Erin has been active in the local chapter of Hillel (a national collegiate Jewish organization). In addition, she spent a semester working with a local elementary inner city environmental club in Allentown helping to supervise the projects and field trips in order to develop students’ scientific and environmental awareness. For all of her achievements Erin has been accepted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society. If that weren’t enough, to add to her amazing resume, Erin is also the recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship which will fund three years of her graduate study and research. Erin has been accepted into a PhD program to study the impact of invasive plant species on native pollinator communities with Dr. Jane Stout at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, beginning in the fall of 2010.
Fiona Locker, member of the AHS Class of 2009, was placed on the Dean’s List at Brandeis University in recognition of her fine academic record for the Fall term 2009.
Wow! I have nothing more to add. Wow!
Enjoy the summer! See you in September!
(Next deadline for information: September 15, 2010)