Gustave Whitehead of Bridgeport, First in Flight

Last year's 8th grade engineering classes studied the aviator Gustave Whitehead. There is evidence that Whitehead may have flown in 1901, before the Wright brothers.  Governor Malloy has just signed a bill honoring Whitehead.

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/06/27/Conn-decrees-Wright-Brothers-were-not-first-with-powered-aircraft/UPI-50341372389001/ 

New Haven Canoes and Kayaks

Participate in guided canoe and kayak tours of the Mill River, Edgewood Pond, Lighthouse Point and Fort Hale Park.  $15-25.  Equipment and instruction provided.

http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/NewsYouCanUse/readmore.asp?ID={25B08200-CCC3-40E0-A470-7944419EBB6C}

Reminder: Powerschool Training

The dates and sessions are:

July 30 or August 7

10am-12pm

3-5pm

6-8pm

The trainings will take place at Gateway Community College, and you only need to attend one session.  Please email annamaria.mauhs@new-haven.k12.ct.us if you are interested.  The group trained this summer will help the rest of the school's parents learn to use Powerschool.  

Free Math Enrichment Activity

http://www.realworldmath.org/

Students use Google Earth and SketchUp (easy to download) to puzzle out interesting practical problems using their math skills.

Board of Education Meeting Tonight (6/25)

Sounds like fun.  The meeting will be at 5:30 on the 2nd floor of 54 Meadow Street.

Agenda:

http://www.nhps.net/sites/default/files/AGENDA_062513_0.pdf

http://www.nhps.net/sites/default/files/action_items_062513_1.pdf

2013-2014 PTO Officers

The PTO voted in a new governing board yesterday.

President: Sandra McNair-Boyd
Vice President: Cathy Berni
Treasurer: Jennifer Jenkins
Secretary: Janice Wivagg

A parent volunteer is still needed to lead the Walk-a-Thon committee.  (Contact esumspto@gmail.com.)

Parent volunteers can also help paint classrooms this summer in the Leeder Hill building.  (Contact Ms. Migliore-Dest, amy.migliore@new-haven.k12.ct.us.)

Recruiting from New Haven

There are still a few spots open for the incoming ESUMS 6th grade class.  These are for New Haven students only and cannot be filled from the suburban wait list.  This is a great opportunity; spread the word to your 5th grade friends in New Haven!

Staying Connected

Did you know the ESUMS 6th grade teachers keep a terrific blog?  Click to hear Ms. Ackert explain linear regression on a graphing calculator:
http://esumsgrade6.edublogs.org/2013/04/.

The school has a new Facebook page with great photos of academic activities from the last school year:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Engineering-and-Science-University-Magnet-School/482087401868080.

You can receive email updates from this PTO blog by scrolling all the way down to the bottom and clicking on Subscribe to: Posts (Atom).

New Building

The building committee met yesterday to hear more of the architects' plans for the new ESUMS building.  This drawing shows the classrooms (all glass) with the brick gym and cafeteria/auditorium in front.  There will be a rooftop garden on the cafeteria and skylights on the gym.  The main roof will have a small solar panel system (providing about 15% of the building's power).  They plan two outdoor classrooms, a nice engineering workshop, a dedicated lab for the Cisco program, and a walking path to the UNH main campus.  

8th Grade Graduation

Congratulations to the new freshmen -- ESUMS high school class of 2017!  Thanks to the faculty, staff and parents for working hard to make it such a great year.

Happy Summer to all!

Free Tour of Yale Engineering Center

After school on Thursday, at 2:45 and 3:30, the Yale Center for Engineering Innovation and Design will hold free tours as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas.  Reservations required.

More info: http://artidea.org/event/2013/1484

Four More Days

Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday will be half-days (middle school dismissal at 1:45).

On Thursday, the 6th grade will take a short walking field trip that they themselves planned out in language arts and math classes.  Friday will be the 6th grade's extra field day and the 8th grade graduation.

Yearbooks are still available for $17.

Talent Show Monday

The Talent Show has been moved to Monday; please sign up with Mr. Stewart.

Two Meetings on Monday

There will be a building committee meeting Monday, June 24 at Leeder Hill at 2:30, followed by a PTO meeting to elect next year's officers at 3:30.

Backpack Drive

There will be a box in the front hall of the middle school to collect backpacks for Project Homeless Connect.

8th Grade Breakfast Postponed

The 8th Grade Breakfast has been postponed to Wednesday morning.

A Talent Show

The students will have a talent show during school hours on Thursday.  There will be no try-outs; just see Mr. Stewart to sign up.

Details of TAG program changes

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/tag_program_restructured/

Summary of Citywide Parent Leadership Team Meeting

(1)  District-wide Recess Policy.  This mostly doesn't affect ESUMS, since it's for elementary school students, but the policy does say K-6 and they are hoping to expand it to 7&8, so our 6th grade at least might have to comply.  The plan is to require 20 minutes outdoor daily recess, and teachers may not take away recess for bad behavior or to make up academic work.  Voluntary phase-in in the fall, with the intent to make it universal and mandatory mid-year.  

(2)  Parent-led Mayoral Debate on Education.  Parents are encouraged to attend the education-oriented mayoral debate on June 21, 6 p.m. at 242 Dixwell Ave.  If CPLT holds their own debate in August, they are looking for high school students to volunteer, perhaps as ushers, which could possibly count toward their community service requirement.  The ESUMS debate team might be interested.  

(3)  New Citywide Parent Website.  nhsdparents.wordpress.com would be a resource for parent info.  It's a brand-new work-in-progress, and they'd like feedback and help.  Contact person is Jennifer.Ricker@hotmail.com.

(4)  Parent University Business:
Brainstorming Session, June 17, 5:30 p.m. at United Way, 370 James St. (RSVP info@punh.org)
Back to School Rally, Aug. 3, 10 a.m. -- 1 p.m. at Goffe St. Park & Hillhouse Athletic Center
Citywide Kindergarten Canvass (not really for ESUMS, looking for volunteers)
Parent Resource Fair, for parents of children with special needs, Oct. 17, 5 p.m. at Wilbur Cross 
Parent University, Nov. 2 at Gateway

(5)  School Food Petition.  Cafeteria workers would like to prepare fresh food in the cafeterias instead of reheating frozen stuff.  Contact ccruzuribe217@gmail.com.

(6)  The CPLT may try to screen the documentary Forest Kindergarten which compares an outdoor kindergarten in Europe with an indoor one in New Haven. 

(7)  Big TAG Changes.  The plan is to move TAG into the individual schools and change the admission criteria somewhat. They are looking for parents to be involved in the process.  Contact Dr. Dolores Garcia-Blocker at the B.O.E.

(8)  Powerschool & Naviance.  Powerschool is the latest online grade management system.  Naviance is an online service to help students prepare for college.  Students will set goals and interests and track their progress toward them.  Parents can then view and add -- but not change or delete -- students' choices.  Parents may attend one of the following two-hour training sessions: July 30 or Aug. 7, 10 a.m., 3 p.m. or 6 p.m.  The district is trying to recruit parents to learn the system and then help out with the transition in their own school building.  Anyone interested should contact Daniel.Diaz@new-haven.k12.ct.us.

(9)  New superintendent to be announced July 22.  

Chalkville 2013

ESUMS parent Elinor Slomba is leading a community effort to break the world's record for largest pavement chalk art in West Haven this summer.

Website: http://artsinterstices.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/Chalkville?fref=ts

Register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15ZDcqd-EmP8D5hU9ONPSnbefAKkI5GPIND1QWscy0_k/viewform

Good News: Planning & Zoning Approval

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/06/04/news/metro/doc51ad6280d1c57726661780.txt

The West Haven Planning & Zoning Board approved the plans and zoning change for the new building.

Good News: Funds from the State Legislature

"Another paragraph addressed $2.5 million in off-site costs related to the construction of a permanent home for the Engineering & Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) across the town line in West Haven. The $2.5 million related to off-site improvements, such as straightening out a road and adding a left-hand turning lane, Weisselberg said. Off-site improvements are not usually considered eligible for reimbursement by the state; the legislature deemed those costs eligible for reimbursement after all."  (http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/gee_thanks_folks/)

2012-2013 Triumphs

From our Celebration of Learning, some reasons to celebrate!

Tier I Status

Project Lead-the-Way certified school (http://www.pltw.org/)

Partnership with Education Connection (entire 9th grade)
     -- http://educationconnection.org/teaching-learning/overview/
     -- award-winning science and technology teams
     -- two 1st place awards in CT Student Film Festival
     -- two awards at CT Innovation Expo
(http://www.ctexpo.skills21schools.org/film-festival/)

3 tenth grade students took courses at UNH

2nd-ranked school in the district (grades 6-8) for CMT performance

8th grader placed 5th in in Connecticut State Science Fair, received "urban award"
(http://www.ctsciencefair.org/)

2013 Community Partnership Award in Academic Service Learning, UNH
(http://www.newhaven.edu/IEL/servicelearning/)

high school Debate Team ranked 8th in state, individual student ranked 7th

1st place in New Haven high school math competition

1st and 2nd place in middle school Math Counts competition (6th graders)

high school Robotics Team competed in state and regional events

international foreign language trip to Quebec

first ESUMS college tour

all engineering teachers grades 6-10 received PTLW certification

ESUMS Engineering & Industry Partnership Team established

UNH college campus day (grades 6 & 7)

speakers from Sikorsky, UCONN School of Engineering

Mythology Website built by ESUMS 7th Graders

For Ms. Streets' Language Arts class, ESUMS students have built an entire website guide to Mythology.  The address is http://Esumsmythology.kissr.com/explaining.HTML

8th Grade odds & ends

Students have permission to leave a little early today if they have any preparations for the dance (hair appointment, e.g.)

Students should arrive at 8 a.m. tomorrow for Holiday Hill.

On Thursday, students should arrive for the Philadelphia trip at 5:30 a.m.

Yearbooks

Order forms are due Friday.  Yearbooks are $17.

Middle School Celebration of Learning

 Monday 4 - 5:30

ESUMS on Twitter

Follow the 6th grade @ESUMSGrade6 and the Robotics Team @ESUMSRobotics.

6th Grade Lake Compounce Trip

is tomorrow.  Students should wear their Field Day t-shirts if possible.

UNH Summer Engineering Program

The UNH summer engineering program for students going into grades 9-12 runs July 8 - 19 and costs $650. Scholarships are available.

http://www.newhaven.edu/148742/

Yale Splash offers summer program: SPROUT

Students going into grades 7 - 12 can take classes taught by Yale students on four Saturdays: July 6, 13, 20, and 27 for $40 plus lunch.

Website: https://yale.learningu.org/learn/sprout.html

STEAM Summer Program 2013

ESUMS & Davis Street School:  a unique summer experience available to students entering grades 6 that includes courses in Engineering, Math, Reading, Creative Writing, Art, Music and Dance.

July 1 - August 1, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
35 Davis Street
New Haven

contact Ms. Amy Migliore-Dest at 946-6610 (area code 203)

Citywide Parent Leadership Meeting June 13

From: "Diaz, Daniel" <Daniel.Diaz@new-haven.k12.ct.us>
Date: May 28, 2013 10:38:35 AM EDT

Subject: citywide Parent Leadership Meeting

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Reginald Mayo is retiring at the end of June. Under the City charter and State law, the Board of Education (BOE) appoints the Superintendent. The BOE is made up of 7 members who are parents, community members and educators, as well as the Mayor, who appoints them. The BOE’s members believe it is critical to have input and participation from parents, staff and the community to ensure a successful and thorough search process. Therefore the BOE is conducting a national search to find a replacement for Dr. Mayo and has hired a national search firm to oversee the process.  Members of the public are encouraged to participate in public forums as well as fill out a survey about what qualities and characteristics they think are important in a superintendent. Surveys are available online at www.nhps.net.

   

-        NOTIFICATION - The next Citywide Parent Leadership Team (CLPT) Meeting will be held on: Thursday, June 13th, 2013 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Wilbur Cross High School (meeting held in the school foyer) Topics: More information to follow soon with a meeting reminder and agenda.. New "First Half-Hour"   Designated time for all NHPS parents, faculty and staff to do group networking, follow-up and discussion on citywide topics, initiatives and advocacy. Tables will be labeled according to group or topic. Early attendance is encouraged.       Ample & Free Parking (in school's parking lot) Bus Route - M to State St. (click HERE to view bus schedule)    Dinner will be served promptly at 5:00p.m.   Meeting will start promptly at 5:30p.m. Childcare available for children ages 4 and up RSVP & Childcare confirmation to: Danny Diaz: Daniel.Diaz@new-haven.k12.ct.us  or call (203) 946-5087 Please ensure that there are at least two representatives from each school, more parents are always welcome; and bring prepared questions for presenters.

8th Grade Activities

Friday, June 7:  student projects due for Celebration of Learning

Monday, June 10:  Celebration of Learning in the Middle School Auditorium (schedule to follow)

Tuesday, June 11:  Formal Dinner Dance, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Eli's on Whitney, $35, no jeans or sneakers (permission slip due June 7)

Wednesday, June 12:  Holiday Hill, be at the school 8 a.m., no cost, lunch provided, bring bathing suit, flip-flops, towel, change of clothes (permission slip due June 7)

Thursday, June 13 through Friday, June 14:  Philadelphia trip (details to follow)

Tuesday, June 18:  8th Grade Breakfast

Friday, June 21:  8th grade Graduation, 12:45-2:15 in the Middle School Auditorium, 2 tickets per family, cake will be served