Magna Charter April 2010

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.

MCCPS-Apr10.qxd 4/16/10 12:00 PM Page 3


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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.



3/6

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 [email protected] or

Sue Ballou at [email protected].

Happy Spring!



4/6

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

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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



5/6

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

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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



6/6

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


Documents

Magna Charter April 2010