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8/9/2019 Magna Charter April 2010
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2 3 4 WinterSports
Meet theTeacher
FUEL theLearning
BY RYAN REDMOND
As the sun set, Greg spent an
hour clambering up a slopeof loose rock, hoping to get a
view that would tell him where he
was, wrote David Oliver Relin and
Greg Mortenson in their book, ThreeCups of Tea. But when he got to the
top of the slope, all he saw were unfa-
miliar peaks in the fading light.
What begins as a story of climbing
K2 quickly turns into a story about
another mountain to climb:Mortensons life mission to keep
bringing education, and hope, and
chances of a better life to the children
of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
During the month of February, theentireMCCPS community read this
inspiring book together. Kay ODwyersuggested the community endeavor to
the MCCPS Humanities department,
and 6th grade Humanities teacher,
Molly Dunne, suggested the book.With a young readers edition, Three
Cups of Tea was the perfect candidate.
The book transports readers to
rural Pakistan, rife with poverty and
the richness of culture in the people,
landscape, sights, sounds, and smells.The title refers to an important lesson
taught to Mortenson by a Haji Ali,
chief of the village into which he
stumbled on his descent from K2:
after one cup of tea, you are a
stranger; after two cups of tea, youbecome an honored guest; and after
three cups of tea, you become family.
Lunchtime Discussions
One thing that makes MCCPS
unique is our lunchtime culture.Adults sit with students to share meals
and conversation. One could say that
we have all sipped those figurative
three cups of tea.
To enlighten and transport us even
more, Chef Laura DeSantis and hertalented kitchen staff created a
Pakistani-inspired lunch in early
February. The menuchicken and
vegetable curry with lentils, pickled
BY DR. ALBERT F. ARGENZIANO
Next to the quest for peace, our nationsmost important goal is the develop-
ment of a high-quality educational
enterprise that will prepare all young people
for life in a fast-changing, complex world.
Indeed, few people disagree with the belief of
Clifton Fadiman: There is an intimate connec-tion between the survival of democracy and
the quality of our public education system.
With this thought in mind, the philosophy
and attitude of school officials has become
rather important. I was reminded of this dur-ing a recent visit to a thriving business estab-
lishment. While waiting in line, I noticed a
poster on the wall. It was especially stimulating
because the employees obviously subscribed to
the message. I believe this philosophy is as
appropriate to schools as it is to businesses,and I have chosen to substitute the word stu-
dent for customer:
A student is the most important person in
any school. A student is not an interruption of our
work. He or she is the purpose of it. A student is not just a statistic. He or she
is a flesh and blood human being with
feelings and emotions like ourselves.
A student is one who comes to us with
needs and/ or wants. It is our job to fillthem.
A student is deserving of the most courte-
ous and attentive treatment that we can
provide.
A student is the lifeblood of our school.
Without him or her we would have toclose our doors.
A p r i l 2 0 1 0 | V ol u m e 2 , n u m b e r 2
Inspired by Three Cups of Tea
Our Quest forExcellence
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MARBLEHEAD COMMUNITY CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOL
Here, the arts are really valued and treated with as much importance as any other subject. Dominique Dart
SeeTHREE CUPS OF TEA, page 4See
EXCELLENCE, page 4
Students,Sabrina, Connor and Anya, were transported to a world of poverty and grace.
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It is not too late to contribute to the MCCPS
Educational Fund Annual Appeal. To date, we
have brought in $5,140.00. Our goal is $15,000
in honor of our 15th Anniversary. Gifts of all
sizes are welcome and appreciated! To give,
simply go the MCCPS Educational Foundation
web page on the school website (www.marble-
headcharter.org) and use the PayPal button, or
you may simply drop off a contribution at the
school with Eileen Perry.
The Educational Foundation continues to
look for ways to raise money to support capital
projects and innovative programs at MCCPS.
Your support is needed!
W H A T S N E W ( S ) A T M C C P S A P R I L 2 0 1 02
M C C PS E d u c at i o n F o u n dat i o n
FUEL for StudentsForming Units to Elevate Learning
MAGNA CH RTER
Magna Charteris the officialnewsletter of MCCPS.
Magna Charter Staff
& Contributors
Dr. Albert ArgenzianoKathleen Cormier
Nina Cullen-HamzehMichael Houlihan
Mary McRaeKay O'Dwyer
Ryan RedmondEmil RonchiMike Ruth
Laura SmithNancy Marland Wolinski
MCCPS Board of Trustees
Emil Ronchi, ChairCathy Vaucher, Vice Chair
Dr.John Sullivan, TreasurerJohn McEnaney, ClerkNina Cullen-Hamzeh
Cynthia CanavanMatt Cronin
Dr.Alice de KoningCami Paris
Michael Zimman
MCCPS School Staff
Dr. Albert ArgenzianoInterim Managing Director
Nina Cullen-HamzehAcademic Director
Eileen PerryAssistant to the Directors
Molly WrightStudent Services Coordinator
Jed O'ConnorDirector of Special Education
Jeffrey BarryBusiness Manager
M C C P S17 Lime Street,Marblehead,MA 01945
Phone:781-631-0777Fax: 781-631-0500
www.marbleheadcharter.org
Our Mission
MCCPS fosters a community that empowers
children to become capable, self-determining, fully
engaged individuals who are critical and creative
thinkers committed to achieving their highest
intellectual, artistic, social, emotional, and physicalpotential. We are dedicated to involving, learning
from, participating in, and serving our school
community and the community at large.
Volume 2, Number 2, April 2010
BY NINA CULLEN-HAMZEH
On March 19, MCCPS master teachers hosted aworkshop designed to empower educators toimprove student achievement by beginning with the
end in mind. The event was funded through a com-
petitive federal grant awarded to MCCPS by the
Charter School Office at the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education.
The 20 participants were public school teachers
from all over Massachusetts who came to learn about
backwards planning, standards-driven instruction,
content integration, and performance assessments
just some of the things that we do really well at
MCCPS. Participants learned how to create a unit that
will engage their students and teach the required con-
tent. They learned about the process of developing
rubrics that can be used to enhance instruction and
assess what matters most.
"Any time a teacher can see creative work that oth-
ers are doing, it sparks ideas for new ways to benefit
students, one participant said. Also, looking at the
state standards with other content-area teachers was
enlightening in terms of making new and different
connections."
The event was beneficial for MCCPS teachers, too.
"It was rewarding developing this program with our
faculty and sharing our expertise with a wider educa-
tional audience, said Matt Cronin, FUEL Project
Coordinator.
"Working and planning with our staff is invigorat-
ing and such a gift, added Pam Miller, FUEL Project
Director. Having the opportunity to present the work
we do everyday is the icing on the cake."
The next phase of FUEL will send the workshop
presenters to the participants schools to ensure that
they are supported as they attempt to implement
what they have learned. This consultancy will deepenthe participants understanding of the workshops
goals. Additionally, a state-wide database of stan-
dards-driven units that employ performance assess-
ments is being created to enable the participants and
other interested educators to share successful units
and highlight exemplary work.
FUEL was created and presented by Pam Miller,
Matt Cronin, Molly Wright, Ryan Redmond, Ivy
Connelly, Rebecca Perry, Kay ODwyer, Katie Sullivan,
and Nina Cullen-Hamzeh. For more information
about this project, visit http://fuelforstudents.com.
MCCPS master teachers share their wisdom and inspiration.
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Winter sports at MCCPS are growing and getting
better!
The boysand girlsbasketball teams concluded
their year with the annual Charter Cup Tournament inPlaistow,New Hampshire.The Lady Navigators made
it to the quarterfinals,but were knocked out by Smith
Leadership Academy.The girls placed 5th of 12 teams,
representing a huge improvement from lastseason.
Our girlsteam Captain,Alex Bozarjian,was honored
with a spot on the All Tournament Team for her
efforts.
Our boys faced tough competition and were
defeated in the third round by Roxbury Prep,placing
9th of 12 teams. The Junior Varsity boysteam put up
a good fight the entire season as they faced relentless
competition from Tower,Hillel, and Manchester-Essex.
The basketball teams were supported by a highly
enthusiastic group of cheerleaders.We are a commu-nity school!
This was the inaugural year of the Navigator Ski
Team! All racers finished in the middle of the pack, as
seven skiers participated in both the Slalom and Giant
Slalom (GS) races.Were looking forward to growing
this program next year.
BY LAURA SMITH
Anyone who wanders through MCCPS wouldagree that the student artwork on the walls isinspiredand much of that inspiration comes from
Dominique Dart.
Of course, the polite and refined Madame Dart
gives credit to the students and the school itself.
Everyone is so supportive, she says. Here, the arts
are really valued and treated with as much impor-
tance as any other subject.
The integrated curriculum really pushes me to
find projects that are going to capture the kids inter-
est, Madame Dart adds, not only for the state stan-
dards, but what we are teaching. This spring, the
students will develop artwork that integrates with
math through geometric templates and architecture.
In her second year of teaching art at the school,
Madame Dart also recently discovered a wealth of sup-
port from parents when she and Pam Haley launched
an online initiative to raise funds for art materials. Inshort order, they raised $900 for pricey drying racks as
well as unbreakable mirrors for self-portraits and
everyday supplies such as markers and paints.
A native of Paris, Ms. Dart always drew, taking
correspondence courses as a teenager because, oddly
enough, art was not emphasized in her school. She
has lived in some of the most scenic places in the
world, including New Caledonia, New Zealand and
Switzerland. When she moved to the United States,
she taught French at MCCPS for three years.But art was her true calling. When raising her
sons, Nick and Gregory, now 19 and 15, Madame
Dart painted vibrant oils of flowers and landscapes,
and showed her work at the Marblehead Art
Association, Acorn Gallery and St. Andrews Cloister
Gallery. She taught adult classes at Acorn, earned a
B.A. in Art Education from Salem State College, and
is working toward her masters degree. She lives in
Swampscott with her husband, Andrew, and Greg
while Nick attends the University of Massachusetts.
Believing that art promotes multi-cultural under-
standing, Madame Dart shows PowerPoints about the
culture, people, and landscape when students do a
project relating to a specific culture (such as Australia
and New Zealand for this term's 6th grade aboriginalpaintings). Everyone can be successful, she adds:
"The kids start working and surprise themselves.
That's what makes it so exciting."
W H A T S N E W ( S ) A T M C C P S A P R I L 2 0 1 0 3
Nav igato r S po r ts
Meet the Teacher:Dominique Dart
Dominique Dart
Lady Navigators take it to the hoop.
Basketball and Skiing Highlights
PTO N ews
With the recent arrival of spring, it is with
renewed purpose that we encourage you to
participate in the activities of your PTO.The
MCCPS PTO's primary mission is to provide
opportunity for social interaction at every
level.We promise to allot a very limitedamount of time dealing with business and
plenty of time for discussion and connec-
tion.Come and share; we are all here in
partnership.For more information, please
visit the PTO web pages on the MCCPS
website.
As the weather is warming it is time to
open the outdoor classroom.Last year, it
was thoroughly enjoyed by students and
teachers alike. We have received ideas about
how best to delegate the care and expan-
sion of this invaluable space. If you or your
children have any input or if you would like
to be part of a team working to maintainand beautify this space,please contact
Norma Ross at rossclan5@verizon.net or
Sue Ballou at sue365_6@msn.com.
Happy Spring!
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BY MARY MCRAE
Recycling is something close tomy heart said MCCPS parentJulie Pottier-Brown, so she createdan enrichment program to restartthe school composting and recy-
cling efforts. Every Friday, Pottier-Brown leads the 10 students ofThe Green Team in their pro-gram to reduce, reuse, and recyclethe waste produced by the school.
Pottier-Brown got a compostbin donated by the farm coopera-tive she manages. Since the stu-dents were already in the habit ofbringing their trays up after lunchand sorting dishes and trash, addinga tray to each table for recyclables and gettingthe clean-up crews to sort out compostablematerial was an easy next step.
The school seems to have embraced the pro-
gram, said Pottier-Brown, noting that cleanupcrews are sorting, weighing, and recording theamount of compost material.
The Green Team enrichment tackles four bigjobs. They add compost to the bin, sort paperrecycling for the collection bin in the parking lot,separate returnable containers from recyclableones, and create informational posters on theprogram for the school. The posters show how
many pounds of compost have been collectedand how much money has been earned inreturned containers. They also provide informa-tion on what can and cant be recycled. Pottier-Brown turns the compost regularly to help thedecomposition.
In addition to the educational and environ-mental benefits, the program should produceenough compost for the school gardens nextyear. Whats next? I dont have a grand schemein mind, says Pottier-Brown. but Id love to getmore parents involved, both this year and nextyear.
Green Team Tackles Compost
5 64
W H A T S N E W ( S ) A T M C C P S A P R I L 2 0 1 04
Fourth graders became specialists on our
states by creating brochures detailing LOTS ofinformation about their state and presenting onan Incredible Personhailing from the state. Asmathematicians, students designed presenta-tions on a chosen number. As scientists, they pre-sented lab reports. As linguists, they created ani-mals native to their state and featured theirnumbers in a verse poem.
Fifth graders electrified the room with models ofthe nervous system.In math, students explored pat-terns and codes and created Spiro laterals. Thetroops performed a colonial militia musket drill andtheir own versions of Yankee Doodle.They present-ed poetry anthologies showing off skills with ono-matopoeia and more! Students cross-stitched ANDquilted, and created calendars highlighting theregions of France or Spain.
Sixth graders presented essays and media pre-sentations of European or Asian countries, anda map puzzle of their chosen country, demon-strating their understanding of geometry.They created colorful barkpaintings inspiredby the Australian Aborigine and New ZealandMaori people. Their French and Spanish calen-dars taughtus about celebrations in variousregions of these countries.
Grade Grade Grade
E x h i b i t i o n O v e r v i e w C o m m u n i c a t i o n
EXCELLENCEContinued from page 1
The focus of our future will be in service and excel-
lence to our students. These words inspire and allow mto support the challenge and commitment we educator
have to the quality education at the Marblehead
Community Charter Public School.
Lydia,Corinne,and Emma head to the compost bin.
carrots, and ricewas such a success that Chef Laura
decided to add it to Marchs menu as well.
We let the students try samples of the curry andsome chai tea at snack the day before to expose them to
the flavors, and it was a hit, Chef Laura said.
Three Cups of Tea is a story that calls one to action.
On February 12, longtime MCCPS teacher Katie Sulliva
organized a Penny Carnival for 4th graders. Twenty vol-unteers helped, many of them 8th grade students, and
the younger participants played games with the pennies
and other coins that they had brought. The event raised
a generous $140.67 for Pennies for Peace, an education
and fundraising program of the Central Asia Institute,
the organization Mortenson founded to further his mis-sion of promoting education and peace.
Its a fitting step after having read a book so moving
and thought-provoking. And its a step that I hope is
only the first of many to come.
THREE CUPS OF TEAContinued from page 1
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BY EMIL RONCHI, CHAIR OF MCCPS BOARD OFTRUSTEES
Two initiatives of the MCCPS Board of Trusteesare nearing their apex, and it is no exaggera-tion to say each is likely to change the nature of
our school.
The first is to recruit and hire a full-timeManaging Director, a role that has been filledon a part-time basis for the last two years.
The second is to expand the MCCPS pro-gram to include third grade, fully occupyingour current facility.
If Rip van Winkle were a member of our com-munity and had nodded off in 2006 to wake uptoday, how would we explain why these things arehappening?
On the full-time Managing Director:
You, see, Mr. van Winkle, when you noddedoff under the shade tree in the schools parking lotcircle, your pleasant demeanor was lost to thecommunity. We changed this and that rule, thisand that process, and recognized that a two-head-ed administrative structure appears far superior toa single-head model. Not cheaper year-by-year,but far more effective, far more capable, far morerobust, and far more cost-effective over time.
While a part-time interim solution gets us partway there, were not satisfied with a partial solu-tion no matter how good its worked so far. Yousee, its like a boat in the waterone can achievestatic stability in short order by not rocking theboat, but thats not a long-term viable condition;we must move forward under sail with dynamicstability.
Moving on to the question of the third-gradeexpansion:
Rip, we are concerning ourselves foremostwith the educational need for such an expansion,both for existing and prospective students. Forexample, existing students would have animproved facility to support the academic pro-gram, and new students would get an additionalyear of what we believe is a superior program. Itsalso true that we must make sure the expansion isfinancially viable. The catch-22 is that the better
we manage the financial aspect, the greater ourpolitical risk in appearing to be expanding prima-rily for the lure of additional funding. As Im sureyou know, Mr. van Winkle, thats pure rubbish,but appearances do matter. Not everyone appreci-ates the benefit of a public educational alternativeto the district schools.
I wonder what Rip van Winkle would makeof all that.
Board News:No Time for Napping Counselors Corne
Bully, Bully...Everywhere?
The old school yard is
much bigger than it used
to be.Parents who recall
being physically or verbal-
ly bullied should note recent statistics and trends.
One in seven American students stay home from
school each day,feeling intimidated or unsafe due
to harassment.
Young people are unfortunately still bullied face
to-face in school by one or more peers.Stories or
rumors used to spread only as fast as students saw
one another. No longer does bullying stop atday's
end:name calling, intimidation,threats,andharassmentnow follow students home via mobile
phone text messages, email,and video or textpos
ings.For all the positive changes of the Internet
age,these technologies also allow for rumors,
vicious statements,and harassment to reach hun-
dreds or more in seconds.
Of Facebook's 300+ million worldwide users,20
million in the U.S.are under 21 years old.Almost 75
percentof students regularly use a home compute
and a similar percentage use mobile phones, from
which over four billion text messages are sent dail
in the U.S.Combining these statistics with the neg
ative effects of "Johnny did such-and-such" or "Suz
is such-and-such" multiplies tremendously when
forwarded to classmates or posted on Facebook fo
the world to see.The power and repetition of such
harassmentin school and online leaves virtually no
respite for young people.
Legislation passed by the Massachusetts Senate
aims to decrease bullying and cyberbullying in
school.It would require schools to develop anti-bu
lying prevention and intervention plans,and princi
pals who feel criminal charges could be pursued
would be required to report bullies to police.
Teaching students to be respectful,responsibleschool citizens and informed users of today's tech-
nologies can lessen negative impacts.Resources
abound to help parents and students surf safely
and responsibly.For helpful information visit:
iSafe.org; stopBullyingNow.hrsa.gov;tcs.cyberti-
pline.org;stopcyberbullying.org. Be well!
Mr. Houli
7 8
W H A T S N E W ( S ) A T M C C P S A P R I L 2 0 1 0 5
Seventh graders read myths from AncientGreeceand Egypt,identifying common ele-
ments. Students created modern mythstogether with accompanying illustrationsandpresented them in the ancientoral tradition ofstorytelling. Students chose an ancient struc-ture and compared it to modern architecture.They shared stories of French and SpanishEgyptologists. Last(but not least),they becameentrepreneurs in the woodshop with the com-pany SEVEN WOOD CREW!
Eighth grade students presented researchpapers on the American Industrial Revolution,writings on musical change, and information
from interviews with older family membersregarding technology. As artists, theysketched famous architectural structures,incorporating geometry,from France, Spain,and the U.S.They made tourism commercialsto highlight the countries. An array of physi-cal science demonstrations unfolded thewonders of floating, flaming,expanding,exploding, and extinguishing!
Grade Grade
BY MIKE HOULIHAN
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Dear MCCPS Families and Friends,
Theres a lot going on at Charter, and its all good!
Thanks to you, we have much to celebrate!
Our charter was renewed through 2015!
Exhibition II was extraordinary! The incoming fami-
lies were astounded by the depth of knowledge that
was demonstrated by the students.
A gift from the Gelfand Family Charitable Trust
made the adoption of KnowAtom possible for the
4th & 5th graders. They are loving every minute of
the program, and theyre learning even more science,
math, and technology.
An anonymous donation enabled us to complete a
whole-school read of Three Cups of Tea, rebuild the
computer lab, and begin production of another
musical.
The MCCPS Outdoor Experience, funded by the
van Otterloo Family Foundation, is set to start up
again this spring.
Our educational program has been disseminated to
schools across the state via a federally funded com-
petitive grant, and a team of MCCPS educators is
working with the Center for Collaborative Education
to reform the states system of assessment.
Enrollment is at capacity, and a long waiting list
exists at each grade level.
I hope that youre planning to join us at the Lyceum
Restaurant in Salem on May 22nd at 7:00, so that we can
revel in our successes together. Current and former par-
ents, students, and faculty/staff will be in attendance.
Youre sure to see familiar faces and recount many happy
memories. Please visit the schools website to purchase
tickets. I look forward to celebrating with you!
Nina Cullen-HamzehAcademic Director
I hope youre
planning to join
us at the Lyceum
Restaurant in
Salem on May
22nd at 7:00, so
that we can revel
in our successes
together. Nina Cullen-Hamzeh
MAGNA CH RTERS O O N - T O - B E H A P P E N I N G S
Community Member MeetingApril 29 at 7:00 PM
Spring Fashion Show and TeaMay 8, 2:00 4:00 PMCorinthian Yacht Club
Band Competition at Six FlagsMay 14
15th Anniversary GalaMay 22, 7:00 PMLyceum Restaurant
MAGNA CH RTER April 2010
Whats New(s) at MCCPS
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