John Street School’s staff recently wore pink in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

 

Date Added: 10/22/2024

Each year during October, which is National Bullying Prevention Month, Washington Street School hosts a fun, themed “It’s Always Cool to Care at WSS” Spirit Week to teach students about the importance of kindness and anti-bullying.

This year, Spirit Week was held from Oct. 15-18. Though schools were closed on Monday the 14th for Columbus Day, students were still encouraged to kickstart their week of caring. They were asked to be kind to a family member and to share a picture of their “random act of kindness” to the school’s X (formerly known as Twitter) page.

The in-school festivities kicked off on Tuesday with a wild west-themed “We’re Wild About Caring!” day, and students and staff dressed as cowboys and cowgirls. On Wednesday, for “WSS Has Spirit!” day, everyone wore the school colors of blue and gold. Also on Wednesday, students surprised their teachers with “you are amazing because...” messages. Students and staff came to school in their comfy pajamas, ready for Thursday’s “Say Goodnight to Bullying.” Spirit Week concluded with “Think Pink” on Friday, tying in kindness with the school’s recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

In addition to the themed days, the mental health support staff have been conducting age-appropriate workshops on the school’s “Buddy Bench'' initiative, bully-proofing the building and Erin’s Law on “Trusted Adults.” Students have also read books on the rules on the playground and learned a new “Buddy Bench” song in music, making this a multidisciplinary approach to teaching kindness throughout the building.

 

Date Added: 10/21/2024

Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, which was observed nationwide Sept. 15-Oct. 15, Polk Street School students learned about Hispanic culture, figures and history.

School Social Worker Christina Luca read aloud Hispanic-influenced books to second graders and third graders. Second graders listened to a read aloud of “My Papi Has a Motorcycle” by Isabel Quintero. While reading, the students engaged in using context clues and multilingual students used their prior knowledge to identify and translate Spanish words to English. Following the reading, the students wrote and drew about their own role model or someone they love.

Ms. Luca read aloud “Alma and How She Got Her Name” by Juana Martinez-Neal to the third grade classes. The students then discussed the importance of names and the connection between names, families and heritage. The activity concluded with the students drawing a family portrait.

Fourth grade classes learned about Hispanic countries and decorated paper handprint outlines with a flag and facts on their chosen location.

Sixth grade students explored the contributions of notable Hispanic figures through a research project, organized by Ms. Luca. The students worked together in groups to research their designated figure, answering questions and creating an accompanying project that correlated with the person’s life or interests. Some of the famous people researched included Pura Belpré, the first Puerto Rican librarian to work for the New York Public Library; Rafael López, a well-known artist and illustrator; and Sylvia Mendez, an American civil rights activist and retired nurse. The students created a gallery walk for the hallway with their projects.

Additionally, students in grades 2-5 enjoyed a performance of “Cuentos del Árbol,” a bilingual musical based on Spanish and Latin American folklore, by the Pushcart Players.

 

Date Added: 10/18/2024

In honor of School Board Recognition Week, which is observed this year from Oct. 14-18, the dedicated service of the Franklin Square Board of Education was celebrated at the board meeting on Oct. 10.

"We would like to this take this opportunity to honor our board of education members who volunteer their time to serve the Franklin Square community,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jared Bloom stated. “These individuals dedicate countless hours to support our students, families and the broader community – all without compensation. On behalf of the district, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our board members.”

            In lieu of gifts, Dr. Bloom will be donating to the Make-a-Wish Foundation on behalf of the board. 

Franklin Square Teachers’ Association representatives continued the acknowledgements, thanking the board with a poem and presenting them with candles to represent “like a candle’s warm and gentle glow, you help our schools and students grow.” Washington Street School Assistant Principal Dominic Gobbo spoke on behalf of the administrative team, thanking the board and gifting them with beautiful mums as a token of their appreciation.

The board then heard words of gratitude and thanks directly from the district’s students. John Street School students Layla Farina, Jayden Keating, Avery Kirrane and Isabelle Maser read aloud a poem and gifted framed copies to the board members. Polk Street School sixth grader Victoria Davi then expressed thanks to the board, highlighting the exciting updates at the school building. The student presentations concluded with a video shared by Washington Street School, featuring students throughout the building enjoying the new updates such as floors, painted hallways, speaker system in the gym and more.

At the conclusion of the board recognitions, Dr. Jared Bloom took a moment to acknowledge each of the new staff members and formally welcomed them to the district.

 

Date Added: 10/10/2024