In Jill Stramiello’s seventh-grade computer/innovation lab, students have been focusing on applying the design process to a variety of STEM challenges. For this recent project, they were tasked with designing a 3D puzzle system using scrap hardwood cubes to create a challenging, yet solvable, puzzle featuring 27 linking cubes, for middle school students…all while minimizing environmental impact. They all did a great and creative job, creating puzzles featuring different levels of difficulty!
Part of the assignment was to gather data to calculate a puzzle solution time and to use that data to create an advertisement which would encourage a fictitious toy company to buy their product for the marketplace. What better way to acquire data than to ask for assistance in the data gathering process from: Principal Michael Larsen, Main Office Secretary Ann Friedle, Teacher Jessica Dickman as well as Superintendent Brian Monahan, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Christian Ranaudo and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Michael Giardina. They all gladly served as puzzle solvers, with students timing the completion of the puzzles they were given to solve!
Truth be told: Some of the puzzle testers were very challenged with completing the more difficult puzzles! See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD/posts/pfbid0EkjVfsnGNKYgEKP9BJcJrn5bA1nuqg7u52hb7vg3jWhSB1qDsqVfmHwk4TMNC8hJl?__cft__[0]=AZUR4sWRcRtTbUpL9JMIY6UBgLeowz_sRiewXitoJ__Jhgc3D0isZOVKqy267W2_wsA4m6QXCD4JJIdQS5NOug2_8HuS7fKYDbBM-Q-Dm6iWYAQsOkR2g68hqHJoTLnpfl55NFtRNdMKqd9P1-oABU5hyP_SxiQtkPkXhFcZy2Y8JpDV-EP9bDnhqsm6RNFqCSc&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
Like all district third-graders, Shari Cannone’s IS third-graders are learning about the distributive property of multiplication during their math lessons.
The distributive property is important because it helps students break down complex multiplication problems into smaller, more manageable parts, allowing them to use basic multiplication facts to solve larger numbers, develop number sense, and build a foundation for more advanced math concepts as they advance to higher grade levels.. This property shows them how to "distribute" a multiplication operation across addition, making calculations easier.
Congratulations to the Girls Varsity Freestyle Wrestling Team, which delivered a standout performance at the recent "Dame of Thrones" Tournament, showcasing their skills and determination. The team won first place with a total of 317 team points!
Individual Achievements
●Patricia Deslandes was the star of the day, earning first place in the A Bracket. Her powerful wrestling and tactical skill on the mat were unmatched, as she dominated her opponents to secure the top spot in her division.
●Jaida Macaluso wrestled her way to a strong third place finish in the A Bracket. Her tenacity and resilience were evident throughout the tournament, as she fought hard in each match and earned a well-deserved spot on the podium.
●Sara Pauls won second place in the A Bracket. Her determination to wrestle through tough competition paid off, and she showcased a blend of technical skill and grit. opponents.
●Kiera Filip also earned third place in the A Bracket. Her ability to keep her composure under pressure and execute her techniques effectively led her to a spot among the tournament's top wrestlers.
Varsity Coaches Dan Gallo and Travis Edwards said these collective achievements are solidifying the team's reputation as one of the top regional wrestling teams!
Cayla Tangney’s High School Sculpting class students are in the midst of some creative clay sculpture work! Perhaps some of these are future gifts in-the making!
Clay sculpture work fosters creativity, develops fine motor skills, encourages problem-solving, allows for self-expression, and provides a tactile learning experience that can even engage students who might not connect with traditional art mediums. Plus, students have a understanding of form and design through the manipulation of 3D objects.
Did you know the Middle School has a Ski Club?
Advisors Michele Semco and JoAnn Westby took some students to Mountain Creek several days back for a wonderful late afternoon and evening gathering on the slopes!
Support the Class of 2025 and stop by Chipotle on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 4 to 8 p.m. 25% of all proceeds will be donated to the Minisink Valley Senior Class!
Kudos to the Girls Varsity Wrestling Team, which won the team trophy at the Jan. 20 Frank Giampaolo Tournament on Long Island!
In addition to the team trophy, there were also six individual highlights:
•Zoe Ford, 94 lb. weight class finalist
•Keira Filip, 114 lb. weight class champion ho also was also named“Most Outstanding Wrestler”
•Madyson Thorpe, 120 lb. weight class finalist
•Avery Wingen, 126 lb. weight class champion
•Jaida Macaluso, 145 lb. weight class champion
•Patricia Deslandes, 235 lb. weight class champion
“Looking to face new competition, our team proved once again that all the hard work they have been putting in is paying off,” said Varsity Head Coach Dan Gallo. “On top of our six finalists, the team had place winners in nearly every weight and won the team trophy for first place.”
This team tournament win follows other team and individual successes at the Eastern States Tournament! The team travels to Albany this weekend for the NYSPHSAA Dual Meet championship. Minisink is in the “Red Pool” and opens with matches against Phoenix and Rocky Point. Good luck to all!
Great sporting experiences come in many different ways! This past weekend, the Girls Modified Basketball team had an incredible time attending a SUNY Orange basketball game during Alumni Night!
What made this event even more special was knowing that Modified Coach Kelsie Doller played on that very court! Seeing her connection to the program showed the girls where they are now, to where hard work and dedication can take them.
The girls loved watching the SUNY Orange players in action and were amazed to see them doing many of the same warm-ups and plays they’ve been practicing. It was a great reminder that the fundamentals they’re learning now are essential at every level of basketball.
To top it all off, the team had the chance to meet the SUNY Orange women’s basketball coach, who encouraged and inspired them even more!
Middle School art teacher Brian Maione’s eighth-grade students are working on abstract sculpture pieces during their art class! Their pieces have been made using wire, wood and nylon. Soon, they’ll be using Mod Podge to give their work a hardened shell so that they can paint and make cool and funky patterns on them. So creative!
Congratulations to the Boys Varsity Indoor Track team, which won the OCIAA Division II title this past Saturday at West Point!
“The boys track team put in a lot of hard work leading up to the division championships,” said Varsity Coach James Beck. “They stepped out of their comfort zones, competing in events they don't typically participate in, and chasing every possible point. Their efforts paid off as they brought home the win.”
Athletic Director Tim Bult added: “We’re so proud of our track program, as both the boys and girls teams have been building each season to become a perennial powerhouse across the OCIAA, Section IX and beyond.”
Gemma Lyon’s ES second-graders are not only making a creative fashion statement, they’re also having a lot of phonics fun as part of the ELA work by wearing letter vests!
Students incorporated movement and letter sounds as they reviewed beginning, middle and ending sounds, forming real and nonsense words! What a fun and interactive way to reinforce important language skills!
Beginning, middle, and ending sounds" refer to the first sound you hear when saying a word (beginning), the sound in the middle of the word (middle), and the last sound you hear when saying a word (ending); or the different sound positions within a word.
For example, using the word “cat”:
•Beginning sound: This is the initial phoneme (sound) of a word, like the "c" sound in "cat."
•Middle sound: This is the vowel sound usually found in the middle of a word, like the "a" sound in "cat."
•Ending sound: This is the final phoneme (sound) of a word, like the "t" sound in "cat."
The ability to discriminate between the beginning, middle, and ending sounds helps students progress faster in phonics skills.
Otisville Music Teacher Maria Fenfert is combining the study of the blues music genre with boomwhacker fun for her fifth-grade students!
“The Blues” is a musical genre that originated in the American Deep South in the 1860s following the end American Civil War, though that's not fully clear. The rhythmic, call-and-response style of music arose from African-Americans and black communities in the Deep South with music and lyrics describing one's hardships, and heartbreaks.
Students used boomwhackers, which are percussion instruments, to play the songs “St. Louis Blues” and “Boomwhacker Blues.” These lightweight, color-coded plastic tubes are tuned to different musical pitches. Students were given a different colored pitch, and must wait their turn to play their note when it appears on the screen to create the songs’ ensemble sounds!
Boomwhackers are a popular instrument in elementary music classrooms because they’re a fun and engaging way to teach music concepts such as rhythm and pitch, harmony and melody as well as timing, focus and concentration, teamwork, collaboration and hand-eye coordination.
Craig Ramsell invented the instrument in 1994 while cutting down a cardboard gift-wrap tube for recycling. He noticed the different tones produced by the two pieces of the tube and realized he could tune them to play music. Ramsell experimented with different plastics, eventually settling on plastic mailing tubes. He and his wife created the first plastic model in 1995.
Germination! It’s a big word!
But district second-graders, like Kelly Bernice’s second-graders, understand this big word and are learning about this process during their studies about plants and flowers.
In second-grade, learning about germination provides a foundational understanding of how plants grow, introducing key concepts about the life cycle of plants, the role of seeds, and the necessary conditions for growth (like water, light, and air). These are essential concepts for young students to grasp as they learn about the natural world around them in addition to fostering curiosity and elementary scientific thinking skills.
More lessons tied to and awareness of the life and legacy of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are visible in the middle school, via these school displays!
In the library, a display created by teacher Kelsey Doller and her students following their viewing of a slideshow about Dr. King and his six principles of nonviolence features small paper cutouts to look like themselves and reflect their individuality.
The other display was created using artwork that Corinne Yanis' Skills classes, Stephanie Gage's English classes and several sixth-grade students created after viewing a slideshow about those same principles. The portrait of Dr. King was drawn by eighth- grader Isabella Kaminski.
Ilana Kaufman’s ES second-grade art students are exploring how to use value and texture, two elements of art, to paint teddy bears. In this lesson, students experimented with different types of brushes and painting techniques to create fluffy, soft, and fuzzy textures.
In art, "value" means how light or dark a color is, like the difference between a bright yellow and a dark shadow. "Texture" refers to how something feels when you touch it, like the smooth surface of a ball or the rough bark on a tree. This includes how a surface appears to feel to the touch.
Ian Walker’s ES second-graders, like all district second-graders, are beginning their studies on animals. As a prelude to their work, they recently discussed what are “living” and “non-living” things. Clearly, animals are living things! Pencils and books are not! Take a peek!
Studying animals in second-grade helps young students develop a basic understanding of living things, their habitats, and how they adapt to their environment. It’s also intended to foster curiosity about the natural world, teaching them about basic needs like food and shelter, and introducing the concept of animal classification, all while laying the foundation for more complex ecological concepts later on in their academic careers.
Today, Jan. 15, is the birthday of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The third Monday in January is the federal holiday which commemorates the nation's remembrance of Dr. King and his steadfast commitment to fighting for freedom, civil rights and equality for all people. In recent days, district students, in age-appropriate lessons, have been spending talking about Dr. King and his teachings.
That includes Meghan Donahue’s ES first-graders, who are in the process of completing a project focusing on the importance of one’s character. Their projects will soon be on display in the school’s hallway along with other similar projects completed by their peers!
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit Neptune, Mars or the Moon?
With imaginations and Internet-based resources, Vincent Napolitano’s High School Earth Science students recently produced advertising campaigns and acted as solar system tour guides to entice their peers --- aka “space tourists” ---- to want to visit these paired planetary places:
• Mercury and Venus: The “Hot, Hot, Hot! Interior Planets”
• Moon and Mars: “Marvelous Missions Unraveling Mysteries”
• Jupiter and Saturn: The “Gorgeous Gas Giants”
• Uranus & Neptune – “Paradise Planets Beyond our Vision”
• Pluto and Dwarf planets: “Wonders at the edge of the Solar System”
• Asteroids and Comets: “Good Things in Small Packages”
• Exoplanets Beyond our Solar System: “Newly Discovered Worlds”
• Moons of Other Planets: “Wonderful Worlds around other Planets”
Their “campaigns” were creative and filled with scientific facts and figures! We’re not certain how many tours were booked, but students learned a lot and had some fun!
Studying the solar system in Earth Science provides students with the context for understanding Earth's complex systems and phenomena, including its unique characteristics, forces that shape it and conditions that allow life to exist.
Basketball is always a fun physical education activity! Check out these eighth-graders perfecting their shooting skills. Maybe there's some future NBA/WNBA players in this group!
We don’t have any significant amounts of snow on the ground, but that’s not stopping Otisville physical education teacher Stephanie Giufre from making sure her students are ready for the time-honored tradition of snowball fights!
Students are provided with snowballs (ok...yarn balls) and are practicing throwing, looking to “hit” their classmates. If they’re “hit with a snowball,” they have to go over to the snow pile (mats) and perform a given exercise, such as jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups and more …the exercise changes every few minutes!
More importantly, students are working on throwing, chasing, fleeing, dodging and cardiovascular endurance while having fun! It's an extremely creative way to refine these useful and important skills!
Chasing, fleeing and dodging skills are movement concepts that young students should learn in order to better problem-solve how their bodies should move during certain activities and situations. Movement concepts provide critical foundations for learning how to move in novel situations, such as playing a new sport.
Throwing and catching also helps students to: develop fine motor skills by controlling the small muscles in the hand and fingers needed for specific movement; understand practice helps them progress with their throwing and catching skills; further develop gross motor skills through the use of various parts of the body at the same time; and further develop sensory skills by observing the ball flying through the air.
