Plant Science Day in Hamden

http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=2824&q=526016

August 7, 9:30-4, at Lockwood Farm, 890 Evergreen Ave. in Hamden.

Free, sponsored by the CT Agricultural Experiment Station.

Learn about bee-keeping, soil testing, fruit flies, food safety and hurricanes.  Great for students with a strong interest in biology.

Local Fundraiser -- Pie (pi?) Contest

CitySeed, the farmers' market people, are having a pie contest this Friday evening.  All-you-can-eat tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for kids, but anyone who brings a pie gets in free.

http://cityseed.org/donate/pie-contest-on-9

Painting the Classrooms

The middle school move is now more-or-less complete.  That means it is finally time to help paint classrooms.  Volunteers should contact Ms. Migliore-Dest.  <AMY.MIGLIORE@new-haven.k12.ct.us>

Back to School Rally

Don't forget the Back to School Rally which will be held at Hillhouse High School Athletic Center on Saturday, August 3, from 11-4.

They need volunteers and kids to attend.  There will be limited amounts of free backpacks, school supplies and food.

Habemus Superintendentam

White smoke has appeared over 54 Meadow Street.  We have a new superintendent of schools: former assistant superintendent Garth Harries.

Come and meet him at the Citywide Parent Leadership meeting Thursday evening at 5:30 at Cross High School.  You can register with Danny Diaz <Daniel.Diaz@new-haven.k12.ct.us>

So Cool: Home CNC Router, an Alternative to 3D Printing

http://qz.com/103705/forget-3d-printing-3d-subtraction-is-going-to-arrive-in-your-garage-first/

Meet Aspiring Superintendents

http://www.nhps.net/node/3123

What better way to spend a summer Saturday than quizzing superintendent candidates?  Come to Gateway on July 20, 9-4, to meet and question the finalists for New Haven Superintendent of Schools.  Lunch will be provided.

Questions may also be submitted online at the link provided.

Free Planetarium Shows at Yale

http://www.leitnerobservatory.org/

Tuesday evenings, 7 & 8.  It's free, but the seats fill up fast.  The telescopes are open afterwards if the skies are clear.

Chalkville Reminder

Don't forget Chalkville is this weekend in West Haven!  Join ESUMS parent Elinor Slomba's effort to break the world record for largest pavement chalk drawing.
Register (they need a headcount) at www.chalkville.org.

Vi Hart's New Video

Vi Hart has a new (really long) math-music video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4niz8TfY794.

If you're not . . . used to . . . Vi's geeky sense of humor, you can start with some of her classic math videos.

Hexaflexagons -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paQ10POrZh8&feature=youtu.be

Pythagoras and the Beans -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1E7I7_r3Cw

Doodling in Math Class -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heKK95DAKms

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!