Volume 1, Issue 1 October, 2009 Dragon Wings A p u b l i c a t i o n o f D o v e r E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l Meet the staff of Dragon Wings! Front (l-r): Mikayla Sciortino, Emily Groh, Lindsay Dowd, Gianna Bennett Back (l-r): Dan Pakrad, Jeffrey Crocker, Aidan Graham, Aaron Langiu, Brandon Ferrotta, Matthew LaChapelle, Michael Lalli Welcome to the first issue of Dragon Wings, a publication of the 2009-2010 Dover Elementary School Newspaper Club. We welcome your ideas, thoughts and comments, and look forward to providing you with all the DES news that s fit to print this school year. You may contact us at sally.schroeder@doverschools.org. Happy reading, dragons!! Walking Over The Hudson by Aidan Graham Friday, October 2 nd marked a historic day for the Hudson Valley as citizens of New York came together to celebrate the opening of a beautiful new landmark. The Walkway Over the Hudson appears to stretch for miles but, surprisingly, is only 1.25 miles long! Still, it is now the longest walkway bridge in the world, connecting over thirty miles of paths on which visitors can walk, run, or bike while enjoying breathtaking views of, and around, the Hudson River. Once a railroad overpass, the historic Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge opened in December of 1888 and, at the time, was the longest bridge in the world, a true wonder for its time. Sadly, in 1974, an awful fire severely damaged the tracks, ending almost one hundred years of use. It remained abandoned and unused until now. It is now a beautiful state park. I had a huge nervous knot in my stomach as I started walking on the bridge during the opening night celebration on the 2 nd, but it loosened the farther I went and the excitement took over. Then, a performer juggling lit torches almost set my sister on fire! That was a little too much excitement, so my family and I continued walking! My three foot tall hat made of glowsticks, and two glowstick necklaces, added to the evening s festive atmosphere. Walkway Over the Hudson is a place everyone must visit soon!
All Grades Enjoy Fall Field Trips Third Grade Goes Apple Picking by Dan Pakrad and Mikayla Sciortino Third graders enjoyed a visit to Prospect Hill Orchards in Milton, New York on October 28 th and 29 th. The children made apple cider, enjoyed a hayride, picked apples and pumpkins, and listened to stories about Johnny Appleseed. Kevin Pakrad, in Ms. Razvi s class, said that he liked making apple cider the best because (he) could see the giant metal teeth crushing the apples. Noor Ahmed agreed, adding she enjoyed drinking the cider. The third graders also enjoyed going into the orchard to pick the apples, especially when they almost slipped on the ones that had fallen on the ground! The children all enjoyed a picnic lunch by the pond before returning to school. On Friday of that same week, third grade held Apple Theme day. All five classes participated in apple-related workshops including sponge-painting apple trees, writing apple-shaped poems, designing a time-line of Johnny Appleseed s life, developing a list of adjectives to describe apples, taste-testing and graphing favorite apple varieties, and baking apple crisp. It was definitely an apple-licious experience for everyone! (l-r) Jonathan Rodriguez, Liam Vail, Kara Smith, Marco Pereira, Shelby Schlueter, Jorge Guzman and Sergio Ramirez Fourth Graders Visit American Indian Museum by Aaron Langiu and Dan Pakrad On Friday, October 2 nd, fourth grade classes visited the American Indian Museum in Washington, Connecticut. Everyone had a ball as they explored a longhouse built in the style of the New York Iroquois tribe. While this model of the longhouse wasn t as big as the Indians once made theirs, it was very cool to see the style of home in which they had lived. Around the longhouse was a garden surrounded by a rock wall to prevent animals from getting in. The children learned that the wall couldn t always keep the animals out, however, so the Indians would build a watch tower. When the animals got close to the garden, the guards would throw rocks, scaring the critters away before they could eat Photo by Brandon Ferrotta the crops. The Indians were especially protective of their three spirit sister crops of corn, beans and squash. During their visit, students watched a movie that taught them how American Indians lived and hunted, and how they made bows and arrows. The children found it interesting that, after the braves hunted and killed their prey, the women would return to the site to pick up the meat and bring it back to camp. Another favorite part of the trip was when the boys and girls got to hunt for a real-life artifact. An outdoors lunch and a visit to the gift shop, which had a lot of cool stuff ended the trip on a high note for DES fourth graders! Photo by Brandon Ferrotta Mrs. Johnsen s Class Walks to Stone Church by Brandon Ferrotta Fourth graders in Mrs. Johnsen s class enjoyed a visit to Stone Church right here in Dover. Stone Church was founded by Native Americans about 400 years ago. Legend says that a tribal chief of the Pequot Indians, and a band of his men, escaped from a fire and the massacre of many of their people on Long Island. They travelled far, not worrying about other Native Americans tracking them down. Eventually, they made it to Dover Plains, found a stream, and followed it to a cave. The chief and his men remained safely in what is now Stone Church for about eight days. Today, visitors from all over the region visit Stone Church to enjoy its peaceful natural beauty, scenic views and historical significance.
Fifth Grade Trip to FDR s Home by Gianna Bennett and Lindsay Dowd Front of FDR s home in Hyde Park, NY On Monday, October 19 th, DES fifth graders travelled to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Museum in Hyde Park, New York. Students learned a great deal about President Roosevelt during their visit to this historic landmark. As they toured FDR s thirty-six room home, students learned that when he was young, he was not allowed to have his hair cut until he was four years old, so he looked like a little girl, instead of Photo by Emily Groh a little boy! As an adult, FDR loved to study birds and, when he was president, never wanted his bodyguards to be with him in his car. He preferred having only his beloved dog, Fala, with him. FDR also never wanted an electric elevator in his home, and used a pulley to pull himself up and lower himself down. During their visit to Hyde Park, the fifth graders went on an exciting scavenger hunt, and explored the site of a famous weather vane made out of wheelchair wheels. Interesting hand-made statues at the base of the weather vane represented freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom from hunger, all ideals Franklin Delano Roosevelt firmly believed in. It was a fascinating and educational day for the fifth graders as they learned about one of America s most beloved and effective presidents. If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world, at peace. - Franklin Delano Roosevelt DES Gets Its Own Postmaster by Emily Groh On Friday, October 23 rd, fifth grader Jaymie Valyou was officially sworn in as the postmaster of Dover Elementary School. He was appointed by Dover postmaster, Raj Malhotra, who recited the oath for Jaymie to repeat, and presented Jaymie with an official certificate. Also in attendance was New York State Assemblyman Marcus Molinaro who congratulated Jaymie and presented him with a set of collectible dinosaur stamps his grandfather, a former postal worker, had given him many years ago. Jaymie s parents, DES faculty, staff and students, Dutchess County Clerk Brad Kendall, and members of the press were all on hand to witness this moving ceremony. When it was over, everyone began to applaud and cheer. It was probably one of the happiest days of Jaymie s life. Mrs. Finnerty looks on as Jaymie takes postmaster oath from Mr. Malhotra Jaymie, who is very excited about his new duties, will be in charge of collecting, sorting, stamping and delivering internal mail at DES. He will be assisted by letter carriers Tristan Alarcon, Charlie Brazee, Nick Charest, Brandon Gonzalez, Yasmine Henry, Ashley Jones, Aiden McNeil, Paul Nodine, Alex Perugini, Henry Portillo and Hunter Snyder, all students of Mrs. Karen Finnerty, Dover s occupational therapist, who is thrilled that Jaymie is the postmaster. Mrs. Finnerty, and Ms. Patty Zangle, 4th grade special education teacher, brought Wee Deliver, an official program of the U.S. Postal Service, to DES three years ago. Through the program, students write to other students, teachers and staff within the building, taking care to address their correspondence correctly and place a stamp (drawn or sticker) in its proper place. Each classroom and office in the building has its own address and mailbox. DES s cafeteria has a special table set up with many letter writing supplies for students to use during their lunch periods. There is also an official mailbox where students can mail their letters. The program provides a wonderful opportunity for students to practice their reading and writing skills while having a lot of fun.
Welcome, Ms. Civiok! by Mikayla Sciortino Ms. Alicia Civiok is Dover Elementary School s new music teacher. I asked her some questions so we could all get to know her better. Here is some of what we talked about. What do you like best about music? I like that you can share it with other people. Why did you become a music teacher? When I was in school, music made me happy. I wanted to give that to other people and to kids. Do you have a favorite instrument? My favorite is the piano, but I have mostly played the trumpet. Where did you go to college? I went to college at SUNY Potsdam. How long have you been teaching? For five years. Where do you live: In Poughkeepsie. What is your favorite color? Blue. Do you have a favorite animal? My favorite animals are cats and I have a fat cat named Kimmy. We are all happy to have Ms. Civiok as our music teacher here at Dover Elementary! Photo by Mikayla Sciortino New Students Welcomed to DES by Brandon Ferrotta, Matthew LaChapelle and Michael Lalli Dragon Wings s own Brandon Ferrotta gives a first-hand account of what it s like to be a new student. I am a new student here in the fourth grade at Dover Elementary School. I have some things I d like to share with you. I like Dover better than my last school because I have new friends, no-one is mean to me, and Dover Elementary has three floors. Before I came here, I went to St. Joseph s in Millbrook. It was a nice enough school, but I had some trouble with someone who had bothered me since first grade. He bullied me, broke my stuff, and didn t respect me, so I was happy when my parents asked if I d like to change schools. I chose to come to Dover Elementary to try it out. I am happy I did! The hardest thing of all was meeting new kids, and getting used to the school s ways. I m doing well though, and am happy to be here. Well, Brandon, we are really happy you re here too. It is wonderful to hear that you have had such a positive experience since coming to Dover Elementary School. Our students are the best friendly, respectful, hard working and fun to be around. You fit right in!!! Let s learn a little about the other eleven students who have recently transferred to our school. Krystal Dymond Davis, Jessica Miller, Liam Vail and Darryl Vann Jr. are our new third graders. Jessica is from New Jersey where she went to Bricker Elementary. Her family moved to Dover when they bought a new house here. She is in Mrs. Lasko s class and says she is half happy and half sad to be here. Liam, who is in Ms. Schroeder s class, feels good about being a new student here. He came from Fishkill Plains School but likes this new school much better. For him, lunch is easy, but rocket math is hard! Darryl is in Ms. Razvi s class and Krystal is in Mr. Fleming s room. In addition to Brandon, Dylan Ferguson and Johana Salazar are also members of Mrs. Johnsen s fourth grade class. Cheyanne Carr is in Mrs. Gault s class and Devin Whitsel is in Mrs. Torino s room. Alex Vitolo is in Ms. Zmyndak s class. He moved from LaGrange and kind of likes this place. Emily Groh is our only new fifth grader this year. She is a hard-working, talented reporter and writer, and we are very glad she s here at Dover Elementary! Welcome, to all of our new students this year!!
Mr. & Mrs. Harmelink Welcome Beautiful Baby Girl by Aaron Langiu She was supposed to be born on September 19 th but Ava Mackenize Harmelink surprised everyone by arriving more than two weeks early on September 1 st. She came into the world weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces, and measuring 20 and 1/4 inches long. Ava is healthy and beautiful, with lots of blondish brown hair! Most people think she looks just like her mom and dad. Born at New Milford Hospital at 8:33 p.m. on the 1 st, Ava went home with her proud parents two days later. The Harmelink family has since moved into their new home in Pawling. Ava s dad says she sleeps a lot and even hums in her sleep. For her first Halloween, Ava will be dressed up as...of course, a little Dover dragon!! What s Going On After (and Before) School? by Jeffrey Crocker, Emily Groh, Lindsay Dowd and Dan Pakrad Students in Computer Club make different kinds of graphs, posters, banners, slide shows, cards, books and digital yearbooks on the computer. Computer Club meets in the morning, before school, on Tuesday and Thursdays. The Tuesday group is made up of students who are brand new to Computer Club. Thursday s club members are more experienced since they participated last year. They work on bigger, more complicated projects than the new club members. Mrs. Bartolomeo is the advisor for Computer Club. In Globetrotters, students visit places all around the world. They experience what life is like in different countries, and even try new food from those countries! Most importantly, they learn about the cultures and lifestyles of people in various places around the world. The Globetrotters have a special pledge: We will learn to embrace diversity and be global thinkers. Mrs. Caviglia leads the Globetrotters on their journey around the world. Library Club is all about reading, and challenging its members to become better, more insightful readers. Students in the club read and discuss approximately six different books over the course of the year. Right now, they are working on Roald Dahl s The Witches. The children are split into two groups: twenty-two third graders and fifteen fourth and fifth graders. This is Ms. Davis s fourth year running Library Club. The reporters in Newspaper Club research, write and edit stories about school and, sometimes, local events, and write their information down in special reporters notebooks. The eleven reporters also do interviews, type their stories, and take pictures for almost every section of the newspaper. They discuss what will go in the paper and who will work on what story. Newspaper Club, which is all about the newspaper and the work meets on Mondays with Ms. Schroeder. Odyssey of the Mind students use creative thinking skills to solve long-term problems. They then share their solutions through the performance of skits they produce. In addition to writing and acting out the skits, Odyssey members make their own costumes and props. Odyssey of the Mind meets on Monday and Wednesdays. The team s coaches are Mrs. Avery, Ms. Davis, Mrs. McKeon and Ms. Zmyndak. The Yearbook Club is responsible for putting together the end-of-the-year Dover Elementary School yearbook. Students in this club take pictures at the many events and activities that take place throughout the school year. Individual students, groups, classes, and clubs can all be found in the yearbook. Ms. Allsop and Ms. Razvi are the advisors for Yearbook Club.
Halloween Survey Results by Staff Reporters The question was...what is your favorite Halloween activity? The answer? Wearing a costume! It was surprising to us, but 93 of you said you enjoyed that Halloween tradition the best. Eating candy got 86 votes, followed closely by trick or treating with 76 votes. A distant last place was answering the door to give out treats to those little neighborhood ghosts and goblins. Only 16 of you enjoy that the most. Happy Halloween, everyone, and have a spooky, fun-filled filled night! Please be safe! Dragon Wings is a publication of the Dover Elementary School 2009-2010 Newspaper Club. Dover Elementary School 9 School Street, Dover Plains, NY 12522 (845) 877-4700 Principal: Mr. Harmelink Dover Elementary School 2009-2010 Newspaper Club Advisor/Editor in Chief: Ms. Schroeder (sally.schroeder@doverschools.org) Student/Assistant Editors: Staff Reporters & Photographers: Brandon Ferrotta Emily Groh Gianna Bennett Jeffrey Crocker Lindsay Dowd Brandon Ferrotta Aidan Graham Emily Groh Matthew LaChapelle Michael Lalli Aaron Langiu Dan Pakrad Mikayla Sciortino