Thursday, March 31, 2011

Poet of The Month: Edgar Allan Poe

Each month, PS4 students study a famous poet! This month's famous poet is:

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American poet and short-story author, known as a master of scary stories. He also wrote detective and science fiction stories. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but grew up in Richmond, Virginia and was orphaned at an early age. Throughout his life, he had many jobs. He was a sergeant in the army, a literary critic and a magazine editor. His most famous poem, The Raven, was written in 1845. Here is an excerpt:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more."

Do you think you know enough about this poet? Take this quiz and let us know your results by posting a comment.

One for Japan























The student members of PS4's National Honor Society and members of the Student Government Organization are raising money to help the thousands of victims of the earthquake in Japan. Please donate $1 to support our One for Japan campaign. All donations will be hand delivered to the Japan Society of NYC on April 15, 2011. Help us reach our goal of donating $1000.00.

This past Saturday, some members of The Ellington Poets Society were given a special art class led by Japanese poet and teacher, Emi Kikuchi. "Each class that donates to the One for Japan campaign will be given an origami crane", said Mr. Cantu. Origami cranes are Japanese symbols of friendship and peace. Feleesha J. (from class 402) felt proud to help. "I feel good helping out with what happened in Japan", she says. "I'm learning that any little thing can help". Origami cranes will be placed in our school's lobby and in each classroom.

For details about earthquakes, click here. For details about the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, click here or go to timeforkids.com/japanquake. For more information about our One for Japan campaign, see Ms. Lennon or contact Mr. Cantu at jcantu@schools.nyc.gov.

Update: $652 was delivered to the Japan Society of New York along with haikus written by students from the Ellington Poets Society. Thank you to all who donated.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Joke of the Week!


Question: Why did the baseball player get arrested?

Answer: He stole second base!

Special thanks to 5th grader, Edison V. for this week's joke! Click here to see more jokes like this one! If you have a joke that you would like to share, post it in the comment section below.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

The Lady Dukes Take a Loss


Last week, The Lady Dukes lost to a Bronx School with a score of 22 - 6. Although the Lady Dukes did not play that well they did try hard. The team from The Bronx was very good with their point guard putting on an all - star performance. But, there were some good moments that came from efforts of The Lady Dukes. Aileen R. scored two baskets. Those four points seemed to give her more confidence. Hennesey A. showed a lot of courage for a third grader. The PS4 girls basketball team may have lost this game, but Coach Keys an Coach Harris are seeing a lot of improvement!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Famous Artist of the Month: Dorothea Lange


The artist of the month is Dorothea Lange (1895-1965). She was born in Hoboken New, Jersey. She has been called the greatest American documentary photographer. She is best known for her photographs taken during the Great Depression and for her photographs of migratory farm workers. Her most famous photograph is of a woman named Florence Owens Thompson and her children, taken in 1936.

Click here to see her famous photo and click here to see a video about the Great Depression.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

From the Principal's Desk

Every printed issue of The Duke Ellington Express, our Principal, Ms. Delois White-Jones, addresses the PS4 community...


Parents are the role models their children emulate from the very beginning. After three or four years, when children report to school, they meet their second role model, their classroom teacher. For children to advance there must be continued communication between home and school so that children can make a connection between what is learned in school and what is needed to survive in the home and in the community-at-large. I have learned over the years that there are no boundaries to what children can achieve when parents and educators work together for a common goal.


Let me take this opportunity to encourage all of our parents and guardians to continue to provide the enormous support that I have come to rely on. Let us continue to work together to provide the quality education that our children so richly deserve.

Monday, March 21, 2011

HSHF's Healthy Habit for the Month of March


The Healthy Schools Healthy Families Habit of the Month:


Healthy choices today make healthy habits tomorrow!



For more information about HSHF, click here or e-mail our Program Coordinator, Rahel Biegel, at rab9053@nyp.org

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Art Exhibition at PS4


On March 15 and 16, the Dia/Hispanic Society Museum and PS4M officially opened an art exhibition showcasing student artwork inspired by Koo Joeng A. "This year, the artist's work is very abstract", says Education Associate, Christine Hou, "and the students really have to use their imagination". Miss Christine (as she is fondly called by our 5th graders) worked with Ms. McLeod's class to discuss how the artist was inspired by the five senses. Since January, each 5th grade class worked with an art instructor to create their masterpieces. Click here to see an article about how it all began. The exhibition will remain in the 4th floor lobby during the month of March.

If you are interested in purchasing framed artwork for your child (any grade level), click here for more information or contact the school's librarian by calling the main office at (212) 928-0739.

Joke of the Week!

Question: Why was the broom late for work?

Answer: Because he over-swept!

Special thanks to 5th grader, Antonio C. for this week's joke! Click here to see more jokes like this one! If you have a joke that you would like to share, post it in the comment section below.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Another Successful Scholastic Book Fair!


From March 15-18, the parents, students and staff of PS4 enjoyed another Scholastic Book Fair. This year's theme: Book Fair Carnival! Students in first and second grade were especially excited about the book fair after seeing a performance of the Chinese Acrobats a week before the fair. "I can only do one of those tricks", said Horacio N. from Ms. Hodge's class. Books with a carnival theme, like Olivia and the School Carnival, were sold at the fair.

This year was especially exciting for PS4, because according to Ms. Lennon (librarian and Book Fair Chairperson), "we exceeded our goal in book sales". "With each book fair", she said, "we are able to purchase books for classroom libraries".

A special thanks goes out to the following Book Fair Student Jr. Crew Members for their help assisting parents and students during the week of the fair: Adja C., Seleny P. and Franklin S. from class 501 and Rafael M. and Alex G. from class 521.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Parent Workshops: Budgeting Your Finances


On Friday, March 11, Parent-Coordinator Lucy Perez held another great workshop for parents of PS4. This workshop was led by an expert in the field of finances. She taught parents how to make their money go farther by managing finances, tracking what is spent, and using ways to save money. Keylis Sanchez, mother of twin boys in Ms. Capozzolli and Ms. Hodge's class, thought this workshops was helpful. "All this information can help you", she explains, "We all need to learn how to budget our money. I just cashed a check yesterday and it's already gone!"

Keylis Sanchez is one of many Parent-Volunteers at PS4. She's been supporting our school for three years and has no plans on stopping. "I like PS4", she says, "I'm learning a lot here". Thank you to all of the Parent-Volunteers who help to make this school great!

For more information about future workshops for parents, contact Lucy Perez by calling the main office at (212) 928-0739.

Friday, March 11, 2011

The Lady Dukes Win!


In their first basketball game at PS4, The Lady Dukes won Thursday's game against PS28, with a score of 10 - 6! Led by Coach Keys, The Lady Dukes played a game that was both a fun and tough battle. Thanks to the two baskets scored by their power forward Ayleen R. of class 501, PS4 was able to win the game. "They have been practicing hard so I am glad they came out on top", said Coach Keys after the game. Center Sabrina T. also played well and often took the ball from the other players right out of their hands! Starting point guard, Victoria R., whose Mom watched from the side lines, moved quickly on the basketball court and managed to dribble past other girls.

Congratulations to the Lady Dukes of PS4! Keep up the good work!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Baseball Season Officially Starts!


Baseball Season is here! Now that the weather is getting warmer, it is time for the boys to get their bats and gloves and play the sport known as America's Pastime. Sponsored by Derek Jeter's Turn 2 Us Foundation, there are seven teams that will compete against each other for the baseball championship. According to Dr. Montanez, director of the program, sports are a great way to bring out the best in the students. "These programs are intended to make our students know that school work and sportsmanship go hand in hand", she said. "That is why we check with their teachers throughout the season to make sure they are taking care of business in the class room before anything else." She reminds each student that participation in this program is a privilege, not a right. The students our looking forward to this season of hitting, catching and throwing. "They are enthusiastic, energetic and willing to do what it takes", says Coach Harris. "We want to bring home a championship to PS4".

Click here to see a story about last season's boy's baseball team.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Joke of the Week!


Question: What's brown, hairy and wears sunglasses?

Answer:
A coconut on vacation!

Special thanks goes to 5th grader Edison V. for suggesting that we feature a joke each week! Click here to see more jokes like this one! If you have a joke that you would like to share, post it in the comment section below.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Student Recyclers Keep Checking

Did you know that a seed takes about 20 years to grow into a tree, but takes less than ten minutes to be cut down and made into paper? Did you know that one tree can make about 700 paper grocery bags, which will be used up in less than an hour by a supermarket? Did you also know that by recycling one ton of paper, we can save 17 trees? Well, at PS4, a group of students are doing their part to make sure our school recycles.

On a daily basis, Recycling Monitors visit classes and collect all of the paper recycled by student in that class. Then they prepare a larger bin for our school's janitors to pick up at the end of the day. "We go to classrooms and if they did a good job, they get a check mark", says Dionely J. (class 520). Recycling monitors take recycling very seriously. "Sometimes classes forget to put tissues in the garbage", says 5th grade monitor Jenesis M. (class 502), "but, they try their best". Under the direction of Ms. Snoke (our expert recycler), our school has recently begun to collect bottles.

Click here to play a fun recycling game and click here for more recycling facts!

The Thunderbird Dancers Visit PS4!




On March 3rd, the Robert Frost Academy (classes on the 3rd floor) attended a special performance by the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers! Thanks to a grant given to PS4 by the Lotus Music & Dance Organization, The Thunderbird American Indian Dancers shared parts of the Native American culture by giving a great performance on our stage. For over twenty-five years, Thunderbird Dancers have performed dances with the varied traditions of the American Indian peoples. Specializing in the songs and dances of the tribes of the Northwest Coast, Woodlands (Iroquois and Winnebago), Plains (Sioux) and the Southwest (Hopi and Santo Domingo), each show includes the traditional “Fancy Dance” and “Hoop Dance,” as well as a variety of other distinct regional tribal dances. On May 22, 2011, The Thunderbird Dancers will be featured at the 9th Annual Drums Along the Hudson Native American Festival. For more information about this free event, click here.

Class 323 especially loved the performance. Their teacher, Ms. Nieves, has a special connection to the Native American culture. "I lived near an Indian Reservation and remember seeing the Hoop Dance", she says. After the performance, her class was asked to pose for a picture with the dancers. Four students got a chance to perform the "Feather Dance" with the dancers and received a prize for their dancing skills.

Senior Spirit Week

Recently, the seniors of The Duke Ellington School celebrated Spirit Week! The Spirit Committee of PS4's National Elementary Honor Society came up with ways for students to school spirit by participating in activities or dressing in certain ways that show how much they love PS4. Here's how the week went:

Monday-Hat Day
Tuesday-Compliment Day
Wed-Duke Pride Day (wear your uniform)
Thursday-Twin Day
Friday-All Black Day (dress in all black)

Twin Day was especially exciting! Even teachers got in the spirit! "I can't wait for our next Twin Day", said Ms. McLeod,"It was fun!". For more information on this and all events sponsored by the Honor Society, speak to Yeni P., 5th grade president of the organization.


Saturday, March 5, 2011

5th Grade Hosts Health & Fitness Fair

On February 17, 5th grade classes hosted a very successful Health & Fitness Fair! Each 5th grade class presented an important topic concerning health or fitness:

Ms. McLeod's class shared healthy snacks, including hummus and peppers! Selected students then gave Google Doc presentations about the disadvantages of eating processed foods. Students in Ms. Anderson's class provided water to visitors after leading them through a series of exercises. In class 520, students used diagrams and posters to discuss the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Rafael N. showed students how to take their pulse by putting two fingers under your chin. With the list of ingredients distributed, Ms. Cabral taught visitors how to make a strawberry-banana smoothie and everyone got a taste of this healthy treat!

"This is great", said Rahel Biegel, Program Coordinator for Healthy Schools & Healthy Families, "PS4 always has some great ideas for encouraging healthy lifestyles".

Look at the slide show below for pictures from this event!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Meet the Assistant Principals: Mr. Polubiec

As we continue to learn about the talented staff of PS4, the editors of The Duke Ellington Express wanted to highlight the leadership of our wonderful school by sharing a few pieces of information about our Assistant Principals. We'll start with Mr. Polubiec!

Did you know that Mr. Polubiec's first name is Jacek (pronounced ya-sek) and that he was born in Poland? He began his studies at the Institute of Archeology in Warsaw, Poland, and later pursued his passion for music by graduating from Queens College with a degree in Jazz Performance. He began his career in education, here at PS4, as a music teacher! After graduating from the Principals Institute at Bank Street College, Mr. Polubiec accepted the position as an Assistant Principal at our school; a position he's held for 7 years. Now, he attends Fordham University. He is the proud father of two girls, ages 16 and 21. So, what does he like to do for fun, you ask. "When I'm not working or studying", says Mr. Polubiec, "I enjoy windsurfing, fishing, photography, cooking, and salsa dancing". Click here, to check out his digital footprint!

Now, you know a little bit more about Mr. Polubiec! Next up...Ms. Martin!