Happy Friday Everyone.
Good News!
Elizabeth (English) and Tom Kenworthy welcomed Jackson Thomas this past Wednesday, March 9.
Congratulations!
Teachers as Learners
On Monday afternoon we had a building filled with teachers learning by themselves or with one another. I have received many Google Slides with multiple tech tools and how they either are currently being used in your classroom or role or how they could be used. I will organize the slides and working with our in-house technology teacher, Mark DeLucia, and Donna and Barbara, we will set up a follow up technology hour for the next faculty meeting, too. I learned that for some it was the first time for using Google Slides. Great work. Perhaps in the weeks between now and the next meeting, the new tool you discovered on Monday will then be integrated into your class. If not, know that by the end of the next faculty meeting you will have one, maybe two, tools added to your repertoire. Stay tuned.
Students as Learners
Here is a sampling of all the important activities going
on at the high school this week.
on at the high school this week.
Chemistry--Mrs. Silva's class
ELECTRON PROBABILITY ACTIVITY
Since the position of an electron in an atom at any given moment cannot be predicted, scientists speak more of the region of space, called an orbital, in which the electron can probably be found.
In this activity the students used a marker and a target to investigate the probability distribution of marks (representing electrons) about a central point (representing the nucleus). The denser areas (places where there are more markings) represent areas where there is a greater probability of finding an electron. This two-dimensional model was used to help the students better understand the three-dimensional distribution of the electron in the ground state orbital of hydrogen.
Rick Gagnon's Physical Science--The objective of the lab was to use Vernier Lab Software to collect data about the velocity of the students' "toy car." They were to analyze the slope of the position versus time graph using the software slope function. After several trials, students recorded the velocity of their car. Since the slope of the graph created by the software was equal to the velocity, they were able to predict how long it would take for the car to achieve a known distance. They did this using the formula derived in class. Next step for them will be to perform an error analysis on the calculated times versus the actual times. From what I observed the margin of error will be very small. Most teams hit the target within 1/10 of a second.
PE Guest Speaker--Kira Manser. The objective of the activity was to teach the students that stereotypes are a way we simplify and organize information when we meet new people. It is a part of everyday life. Unfortunately, it often makes us ignore differences among people and make generalizations.The activity was a lead-in to a lesson about natal sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. Kira Manser was very well received by the students.
Can you please share these resources with the faculty and staff?
Can you please share these resources with the faculty and staff?
From Rich Garland for DECA--I have the scores from Friday's competition and 14 of the 24 members from NK placed in the top 3 of various business events receiving medals and in some cases money towards college at J&W (scholarships - ranging from $750 to $1K).
From Jordan Albernaz--Happy Friday! I wanted to share a photo with you from our Pi Day Celebration today. Feel free to use it in the weekly Blog. (Although Pi Day is on Monday, my Day 1 geometry class celebrated today.) Students presented Pi Day t-shirts, Pi Day posters, and recited the digits of pi in a Pi Digit Memorization Competition.
We will be doing a class vs. class pi day competition on Monday. (Albernaz, Brayton, Garcia, Hoffer). Please stop by if you have a chance. It will be Day 2 Period 3 in the Cafeteria. Thanks,
Health and Wellness
From Karen D’Abrosca
Spring Ahead: Sunday March 13 @ 2:00 AM. Ahh, later sunsets ~ a sure sign of spring!!. Like January 1st, spring is often associated with the “new”. New growth in nature, birds return, homes get “spring cleaning”, spring high school sports begin and lots of energy everywhere!
What new healthy habit can you try? Maybe a more colorful meal, 5 minutes of quiet, a walk outside or more sleep. Official spring (equinox) is only 1 week away! Enjoy the weekend.
Upcoming Events/Important Dates
March 14 – LINKS Night Out--Carriage Inn 7 pm
March 22 – Band Concert 7pm
School Committee Meeting 7 pm
March 23 – E-Cig & E-Vap Presentation for parents 7pm
March 25 – No School – Good Friday
March 28 – RI Orchestra Festival
March 31 – All Town Concert 7pm
Student Services Office
Congratulations to Melissa Waterman for being nominated for this week's Skipper Pride for Excellence Award by last week's winner Christopher Carty. From Chris:
I would like to pass on the Skipper Excellence award to Melissa Waterman this week. Her positive attitude and enthusiasm for every person she comes into contact with is an invaluable commodity in our school community. Missy has has the ability to energize those around her, and it is clear that students and faculty members alike truly enjoy, trust and appreciate her. She is a model for me professionally, especially in regards to making an active effort to have positive and balanced outlook in a profession that can be challenging and stressful for different reasons. She sincerely cares about all of those in her life, puts others first, and forms strong relationships with all she comes into contact with. All things that I consider to be fundamental qualities in our profession. In addition, Missy and her son were a great part of the boys basketball teams experience over the course of the season, the team will always have great memories of "Shaqy" cheering his heart out on the sideline and being part of their senior night celebration. Thank you Missy for everything that you do for NK!
Regarding Parking and bridge construction in Wickford--Donna sent out the following message to students.
Good morning,
Please note that 100 Fairway Drive is not an acceptable area for student parking. The town has taken domain of that area and will soon begin construction. Aside from that, parking was never allowed there anyway. : )
Also, please note that beginning April 1st, the small expansion bridge in Wickford will be closed to traffic until June 24th. Therefore, we expect that Annaquatucket will be more heavily traveled because cars and buses have to reroute if they normally come through Wickford traveling south. We anticipate that Annaquatucket will be more congested.
Please plan accordingly by leaving earlier if you drive to school. If you drive in from points south or from Jamestown and park in the lower lot, please avoid Annaquatucket all together and come in via Fairway Drive by Boston Neck Rd, that will help greatly.
Thank you,
Mrs. Sweet
School Community
From School Committee Member Bob Jones:
Ms. Caiazza,
I wanted to thank you for the note and invitation to the matinee musical performance of Fiddler on the Roof.
Impressive is insufficient to describe the wonderful performances and enthusiasm of the cast, orchestra, and crew as well as all aspects that must come together to put on such a production.
Congratulations to you, the students, and all the other participants who came together to produce such a wonderful show.
Regards,
Bob
School Culture
As seen in several classrooms around the building, a cell phone life hack! As demonstrated here in Mr. Propatier's classroom, students have an assigned pocket for their cell phone. It relieves the temptation for students to peek at their phone, but yet it is safely stored during class. In an observation of Leah LaPorte's classroom, students used a similar caddy. At the bell, all phones were in, then students used them for a Kahoot activity. Without prompting, students placed their phones away as they moved onto their next exercise.
Donna followed a student for a day last Wednesday and she sent an email to him asking to follow up on their experience. Here is what Griffin emailed back:
Hi Mrs. Sweet!
I would love to come tomorrow to talk. The email that you sent to my parents was one of the most amazing things I've seen so far in my high school career. It made me feel such a sense of purpose and I was trying to hold back tears not only because I felt so happy, but because I saw how proud my parents are of me. My father cried reading that email, and I've been thinking about that day and the message ever since. I could come during advisory tomorrow if you have time then! Thank you so much.
Griffin Keeffe
Details from Donna:
On Wednesday, March 2nd, I participated in a National Shadow a Student Shadow Day. My gracious host was sophomore Griffin Keefe. I arrived to school, PE clothes in hand ready to take on the day. I literally jumped right in. We shot hoops, jumped rope, participated in a (very long) warm up and finished with team building brain challenges. Thank you to Coach Higgins for resisting every urge to laugh at me.
While I saw many great things, I acknowledged some challenges. I took 16 pages of thoughts, notes and observations. Many were my own thoughts. Personally, I felt challenged by the seating arrangements and I wondered if it bothered the students. Most classes had seats 2x2 or 2x3 and I felt claustrophobic. Was it me? The kids certainly didn't seem to mind, but I wonder if they have ever been asked?
From my journal:
I am not sure if it is because I am old or because my day is usually so hectic, but these classes are long. I loved teaching in the block, it gave me so much time to dig deep into literature, but I wonder if kids like learning in the block? Have we ever asked them? Maybe I am not use to sitting still for this long, perhaps that is what I need to focus on?"
Another entry:
This day is harder than I thought, I wish I had something to do, straight up sustained observation is hard to do. My group is having awkward forced conversation, the group behind me is killing it, I want to turn my chair. Must stayed focused.
There were a thousand other thoughts and while the break from technology tweaked me out for part of the day, by the end of the day, I rather enjoyed just sitting still and listening. Next week I will meet with Griffin to get his thoughts.
If you have the chance, I encourage you to walk a day with a student, all day, by their rules. You might be surprised by what you see. And as tweaked out as I was about the dozens and dozens of e-mails/phone calls that were waiting for me, it was worth every second.
Ferrris Bueller nailed it: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it."
From the Deans
At the start of the 3rd quarter, the Student Services Office rescinded the restriction of lockers and restrooms based on the feedback from teachers regarding the impacts felt at the start of period 3. Students are allowed to visit the restroom and/or lockers with a pass. Please, make sure that any student leaving your advisory for any reason has a pass indicating their destination.
Some of you may have noticed a couple of students entering the building from the teachers parking lot; these students have been our monthly winners for the PBIS Raffle that has been very successful. For the last 3 months, PBIS has been holding a raffle to raise funds for the weekly pride buck prizes. The two parking spots closest to the entrance from Fairway Drive, numbered 1 and 2, have been the raffle prize. The students purchase raffle tickets in hopes to be allowed to park in that spot for the month. Our winners have included Nicolette Naya, Zachary Boettger, Michael Ferris, Ella Valatka, Jeff Panek and Jacob Easter. If you see these students entering the building, maybe give them a small congratulations to recognize their participation in the PBIS initiatives.
Videos Worth Watching
Articles Worth Reading
Food for Thought
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
~ Mark Twain
Until next time, Think, Create, Innovate...Denise
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