HOWARD C. REICHE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
DECEMBER
UPCOMING
EVENTS
DEC 2ND
MR AWEIS SOCCER CLINIC
BEGINS
6 week session for 4/5 students
DEC 2ND & 3RD
MECA BAKE SALE
[email protected]
[email protected]
Bake, Bake, Bake!
DEC 4TH
CLOSE BUY ITEMS
Pick up Between 1-3pm
DEC 6TH
MAINE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY RECEPTION
3RD GRADE EXHIBIT
4-5pm
DEC 6TH
KINDERCONCERT
WOODWINDS
Grades 1 & 2
DEC 6TH
FLATBREAD FUNDRAISER
Come eat delicious pizza and raise
money for Reiche!! 5pm-9pm
DEC 8TH
5TH GRADE MATH MEET
Holiday Inn 1:30-4pm
DEC 14TH & 15TH
25 CENT SALE
To benefit Ronald McDonald House
& Tanzania Schoolhouse project
DEC 15TH
MRS VILLANI’S GIFT
MAKING CLASS
3:05-4:30pm
DEC 17TH
REICHE FAMILY FUN
FESTIVAL
2-5pm
DEC 23RD - JAN 2ND
WINTER BREAK
NOV 2011
A Message from our Teacher Leaders
As the calendar moves deeper into the Fall the leaves have changed and
mostly fallen, and the trees, flowers, and bushes prepare for the inevitable
coming of Winter. The Reiche community is also preparing for the changing
seasons, shifting the focus from building classroom communities and
routines, diving deeper into the curriculum and building relationships within
the community.
The Green Team celebrated the schools first harvest with a Garden
Dedication celebration. Parents, students, teachers and neighbors gathered
in the garden to sample delicious hors d'oeuvres made with fresh
ingredients, straight from the raised beds. New signage was erected to
honor the sponsors, who were also recognized by Mrs. Graves. The student
Green Team is also up and running, collecting compostables from the
classrooms twice per week. They are also preparing the gardens for winter
and have resurrected the Golden Bucket, a monthly award for the class that
does the best job recycling.
The Kindergarten and First Grade students have begun their first session of
Yoga. Generously sponsored by the PTO, our youngest students spend forty
minutes a week stretching their bodies and minds. They have mastered the
Downward Dog and Child's Pose. Each week they practice a routine that
Ms. Traca guides them through, adding elements and poses that challenge
them physically, while refreshing them mentally.
On November 15, State Senator Justin Alfond visited Reiche for a tour and
roundtable discussion with the staff. Senator Alfond was interested in the
new Teacher Led model and spent two hours on campus, visiting classes,
engaging with students, chatting with parents and talking with staff.
November also had Parent Teacher conferences. In addition to catching up
with their students' progress, families were asked to fill out a survey detailing
the climate at Reiche this year. Staff members also were surveyed regarding
their work climate. All of this information will be tabulated and presented to
the School Board, as a means of capturing how effective this new model is.
In March, both families and staff will be surveyed again. We appreciate you
taking the time and effort to complete these important documents.
And finally, the whole school will celebrate the changing of the seasons on
November 29th, with a trip to the Merrill Auditorium to see Backstage at the
Nutcracker. Students will get to witness select scenes from the classic
ballet, see the secret stagecraft that makes for a magical performance and
engage in a Q and A with the director and cast.
We hope that all of our Reiche families had a relaxing Thanksgiving Recess
and that our students are ready to get back to work for the next several
weeks!
HOWARD C. REICHE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
NOV 2011
CLASSROOM NEWS...
Our First Grade trip to the Audubon
All four of the first grade classes took a trip to the
Audubon in November. We learned all about the
different parts of trees, the different layers of a
forest and how animals depend on the forest. The
students got to play a game called camouflage
where they hid in the forest like animals to hide
from the Audubon educators. Another game the
students played was a game of tag where they
were either a fox or a squirrel to learn about
predator and prey.
More First Grade News...
The students from Mr. Derrig and Mrs Martelle’s
classes did an amazing job at the Portland
Museum of Art. We learned about marble
sculptures, the McClellan house, and some early
seafaring and artistic pioneers of Portland! We
also saw lots of amazing pieces of artwork.
We would like to thank the Museum for the free
field trip and thank Jeanne Swanton and
Annettee Kraus for being our chaperones.
The Reiche PTO would like to THANK Betsy
Graves for her generous contribution to
the 2nd grade field trip fund!
Capri Sun Item Sale 12/8 and 12/9
(All proceeds benefit 3rd grade field trips)
Due to popular demand, the Capri Sun project is back this year and is in full swing! Every week, students in
Mrs. Fox's class have been dutifully collecting used juice pouches from each Reiche classroom. The pouches
are being washed and then sewn into functional and colorful accessories. New items this year include gift
bags, wrist bands, and purses. Annette Kraus, a Reiche mom, has generously offered her time to help with
the cleaning, designing, and sewing. Come check out our sale in the brickwork area after school on Thursday
12/8 and Friday 12/9 from 3-3:30! Prices range from $1-$20. We will also accept special orders, and will
have them ready for you before winter break.
Students have been garnering a lot of financial education throughout this project. Topics covered include
supply and demand, income and expenses, marketing, publicity, quality control, and customer service.
Students understand that we need to earn money for our field trips, and they are very invested in making this
project a success. Thank you all in advance for supporting the third grade field trip fund.
Mrs. Fox
HOWARD C. REICHE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
NOV 2011
News from Mrs. Murray and Ms. Provencher’s Grade 5 Classes
Busy, busy, busy…that’s what we’ve been in fifth
grade. The students are all researching a state.
From learning about the economy to studying
the products, the students are extremely excited
to share their projects. We will have a “State
Fair” along with the “State Savvy” Quiz Show in
December, details to come.
By Jessie Horn
The students have also been busy writing their
second personal narrative and they are
becoming quite capable authors! The following
are excerpts from two talented writers...
Abdirizak wrote about a time that he got lost as
a young child in a large store.
I was walking with my mom and a toy distracted
me. I stopped, pulled it off the shelf and
thought; maybe my mom will buy it for me! I
looked around the toy to see if I could twist
anything off. After a couple of minutes I got
bored by the toy and I put it back up on the
shelf. That’s when I noticed that my mom had
kept walking! I got scared and started crying.
My heart was beating fast like a drum, PA-rum,
Pa-rum, Bum!...
See Abdrirzak Mohamed if you want to hear the
story and find out what happened next!
those years of Christmas before, but not one like this.
This one was special because more of my family was
together than ever before.
Quentin Smith can tell you what happens next.
FUNDRAISING
By: Tabarak, Lara, Sabrina and Cameron
We have done a great job with our fundraisers to
collect money for the Boston Field Trip.
Every Thursday, the boys are selling hot chocolate
for only $1 a cup in the cafeteria.
On Fridays, the girls are selling crafts and jewelry
from 50 cents-$5 outside Mrs. Hopper’s room. You
are MORE than welcome to come and see or buy what
you would like. These items make great gifts and all
the items are handmade by 5th graders!
BASKETBALL
Hi! We are some kids from the basketball team. Our
coaches are Jay Villani and assistant coach Steve
Weatherhead. We are a variety of kids that are fast,
tall, short, and 3-point shooters. On November 12, we
had our first competition with Waynflete School at
Riverton School. WE WON! 22-17.
Quentin writes about a memorable Christmas in
the following excerpt.
We have practices at the Reiche gym on Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 4-5. Mr. Brewster sometimes comes
to the practices and he is assistant to the assistant
coach.
I saw presents scattered all around the room like
people in a crowded airplane. I think I might
have fainted, but I didn’t. I can remember all of
Trey, Addison, Quentin, Abdirizak, Franco, Minor,
Jonah, Easton, Jackson, and Gabe (4th graders on the
team are: Emmanuel, Ochola, and Chris)
Soccer Clinic Offered for Grades 4/5 Students
Mr. Aweis will be coaching a free soccer clinic on Friday afternoons from 3:05-4 PM for all
interested 4th and 5th grade students. Practices start on Fri. 12/2 and end on 1/20/12. Following
this 6-week session, 2nd and 3rd grade students will have an opportunity to attend the next 6week session. Students will receive registration forms from their teachers. The class limit is 18-the first 18 students to turn in a completed application form will be registered for the clinic. A
waiting list will be kept in case there are openings.
Parents and staff: 10 soccer balls are needed by next Friday. If you or your friends have any balls
to donate or lend, please drop them off at the main office.
Thank you!
HOWARD C. REICHE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
NOV 2011
THIRD GRADE NEWS
The 3rd grade classes have been collaborating with the Maine Historical Society to explore historical clothing and
accessories. Initially, staff from the MHS visited each of our classrooms to help the students learn about the
significance of certain clothing; how clothing is designed and made; and how clothing helps people express
themselves. Our classes then visited the current MHS Museum exhibit "Dressing up, Standing Out, Fitting In:
Adornment and Identity in Maine, 1750-1950". At the museum, students crafted their own picture frames; they
also walked through the exhibit with interactive information cards that helped students think more deeply about
the display. Students are currently working on their own projects which will be displayed at the museum. On
Tuesday, 12/6, from 4-5 PM, the museum is hosting a reception for Reiche students and their families. Save the
date--more details will follow.
With the help of Junior Achievement staff, 3rd grade classes are also learning about the various zones found in a
city. Students had the chance to inspect the various zones in their own classrooms, and to design an ideal
classroom with their own ideas about which zones should be included. They also designed their own city and
decided which businesses belonged in which zones. Students had the opportunity to look at a blueprint and to
practice using scale with both the metric and the US Customary systems. There are more lessons to follow.....
Upcoming highlights of our Portland unit include a December 6th visit to the Evergreen Cemetery with the
Audubon staff to learn about animal adaptations; we will also visit the Victoria mansion to learn about its
architecture. Students enjoy learning about the city in which they live, and are excited to learn more throughout
the year!
Notes From the Music Room
Students at Reiche School have one 45 minute
music class once a week. Here are some of the
Learning Goals for Music Class:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
To
To
To
To
To
To
To
To
To
understand more about music
learn about different kinds of music
become a better singer
learn how to play instruments
learn how to perform music
become a better listener
become more creative
enjoy music more
become part of a music team
In addition to music class, string instrument
lessons are available for 4th and 5th grade
students. Band instrument lessons are available
in 5th grade and chorus is for 3rd,4th, and 5th
grade students.
The whole school will be attending Behind the
Scenes at The Nutcracker on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
We will be supporting the student's field trip
experience by studying some of the aspects of
Tchaikovsky's wonderful Nutcracker music.
Alyson Ciechomski & Suki Rice
Mrs Villani’s Gift
Making Class
Mrs. Villani, with the
help of Ms. McCallum,
and some others, will be
hosting An Afternoon
for Making Gifts in the
art room
Thursday, December
15th 3:05-4:30
all are welcome
including parents
K-2 students should have
a parent or older sibling
with them
ideas are brewing...Look
for posters around
school closer to the
date for details
HOWARD C. REICHE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
NOV 2011
News from the Art Room
Well, the art room is getting messier and more crowded with various materials by the day, so I know we're
in full swing now! Here is what we're working on:
Kindergarten has just finished BEAUTIFUL oil pastel drawings of flowers, which I am hogging in my room. I
Love looking at them on the wall! I'll try to bring myself to share them with the school by hanging some
downstairs. Now they have started to draw from observation by looking at some interesting objects I have
collected. You would be impressed with their skills!
First Grade did some very FUN collage portraits with paste paper that they made. I adore these characters!
I hope you check them out on the first floor. They are now working on FINGER PUPPETS! Yay!!!! Who
doesn't love finger puppets? Be ready for some amusing puppet shows.
Second and Third Grade did an amazing job creating prints of places that were special to them. You can
check out their work on the first and second floors of school. Printmaking makes for a wild art room, but
they all worked well together and cleaned up the room quickly and completely. Mrs. Villani was tired on
those days. They are now starting work with clay. Second graders are creating portraits with the craziest,
most fabulous hats they can think of. Third graders are creating Autobiographical relief vessels. Ask your
third grader what this means exactly.
Fourth Grade has just finished some very cool scratchboards of animals. Again, I am hogging these all to
myself in the art room, but will try to move them out so you can see them on the second floor. They will
begin their journey to becoming masters of cutting with scissors by making some flags inspired by
traditional Mexican cut-paper art, "papel picado". Be on the lookout for our group installation.
Fifth Grade pastel still life drawings can be seen adorning the walls by the computer lab and bathrooms
upstairs. These large drawings are beautiful! I'm pretty picky and these students worked long and hard to
create these masterpieces. Gorgeous colors and great compositions! They are hung high to keep out of
reach of curious fingers. Take a look sometime. Next up for them are puppets! They will be making hand
puppets with plaster heads. Students have also been asked to come up with a rap/ rhyme that involves their
name, so ask your fifth grader (or fourth grader in Ms. Blayne's room) if they have a rap yet. And if they
don't, feel free to brainstorm some rhyming words with them. Those puppets will be rappin' soon!
If you would like to see some samples of the artworks described above, please check out my blog.
http://blogs.portlandschools.org/villaa/
Congratulations!
MECA Holiday Show -­‐ Bake Sale Event
To the 5th Grade for raising $578 at the
Election Day Bake Sale
Our next Bake Sale will be held the weekend of December
2nd and 3rd at the Maine College of Art Holiday Show. In
order to make this event a huge success - we’ll need your help!
All proceeds from the sale will be
applied to their Boston Field Trip to the
Museum of Science this Spring
If you are interested in setting up, transporting food, baking
goods, manning a table or cleaning up - Please contact Allison
Hawkes or Blue Butterfield for more details!
A special Thank you goes out to Mary
Clews for organizing this event!
[email protected]
[email protected]
Thank you Erin Hutton - for making this opportunity possible!
HOWARD C. REICHE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
NOV 2011
Be Prepared for Snow Cancellations!
Winter weather is on the way, and now is the time to prepare for snow days. The Portland Public
Schools close when it is unsafe for children to get to school due to the conditions of roads and
sidewalks.
School closing decisions generally are made by 5:30 a.m. They are announced on the school
district’s website (www.portlandschools.org), Facebook page (Portland ME Public Schools) and on
local radio and television stations, including TV3.
If schools are closed for the day, extracurricular activities usually are cancelled, too. However,
Portland Recreation may open a snow camp for participants of their before- and after-school
program. Please call the Recreation Information Hotline at 756-8130 for updates.
Every family needs a back-up plan for snow days. Please arrange for a neighbor, family member,
friend or child-care provider to care for your child. Be sure that your child’s school has a current
phone number to reach you in case of emergency. For more information about snow cancellations,
visit www.portlandschools.org.
Reiche Alumni in the News!
Zach Lentz and Sarah Bryan were selected as the
Sixth Grade Students of the Month for November at
King Middle School!
Congratulations Zach & Sarah!
Close Buy Items
Ready for Pick-Up - December 4th!
Close Buy catalog items are arriving on Friday,
December 2nd. We will be sorting the items
throughout the weekend - and will have them
ready for pick up on
Sunday, December 4th from 1-3pm
If you cannot come to the school to get your items
that day, please make special arrangements by
contacting the PTO at [email protected]
Thank you to all involved with making this
fundraiser a HUGE success!
Join Us for
A Night of
Fun!
Our School is partnering with
Flatbread for a fundraising event
on December 6th - 5pm-9pm
For every Large Flatbread
sold that night - Our School
will make $3.50! Small
Flatbreads - 1.75!
So, come on down for some
Family Fun and DELICIOUS food.
Tell a Friend! or...consider
ordering take out that night.
It’s for a great cause!
HOWARD C. REICHE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
December Happenings from The Climate Committee
Kindness and caring at Reiche School Down the street and around the world!
All proceeds from these events are split between the Ronald McDonald House on Brackett Street and the Tanzania Schoolhouse Project 25-‐‑‒Cent Sale
Will be held this year on December 14 and 15th in the back of the media center. All items are 25-‐‑‒cents, and students may buy a total of 2 items. Ice Cream Sundae Raffle
Will be held the week of December 12-‐‑‒16. Tickets will be sold in the morning until 8:50, 10-‐‑‒cents a ticket. Names will be drawn before winter break and staff will schedule the sundae eating for a mutually convenient time in January.
Reiche Harvest!
NOV 2011
TEACHER LEADERS
CHRIS KEEGAN
KEVIN BREWSTER
ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE
ALLISON VILLANI Co-Chair
KRISTEN FOX Co-Chair
JESSIE McCALLUM
MARY ANN FOLEY
LAURA GRAVES
KEVIN BREWSTER
ALYSON CIECHOMSKI
MADIA ALLODING
MARY OTTO
AWEIS ABDALLA
ANDREA MARTELLE
CLIMATE COMMITTEE
JOAN MURRAY Chair
DAVID BRILEY
ANTHONY DERRIG
ANNETTA WEATHERHEAD
CAROLYN NEDZA
JONI BELIVEAU
MICHELLE TURNER
LINDA CAMPITELLI
TINA VEILLEUX
CATHY HOPKINS
MATT LEE
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
SELENE BECKER Chair
On Friday, November 4th, members of the Reiche student body spent a portion of their day helping to prepare for our school’s =irst annual Harvest Celebration. These students, teachers and adult green team volunteers, worked throughout the day to harvest Reiche’s =irst bounty of crops that were planted last spring. There was representation from Kindergarten through =ifth grade. Some of the ways students were involved in the harvest included: harvesting vegetables and herbs (to include potatoes, leeks, carrots, beet greens, parsley, sage, thyme and nasturtium), weeding and cutting back overgrown plants, collecting seeds for the spring and making bouquets of herbs along with handwritten thank you cards to present to our funders, supporters and volunteers. The vegetables were sent to the Portland Schools Central Kitchen, to be turned into a potato leek soup that was sent back to Reiche on November 8th for all of the school to sample. The consensus from a majority of students surveyed was that the soup was PHENOMENAL!! The end of this day culminated in a harvest festival. Green team volunteers worked to organize the celebration -­‐ prepping the vegetables and creating platters of food using garden items. Trays of multicolored carrots, crackers with cream cheese and Reiche herbs and edible nasturtium =lowers were served. As this was the school’s =irst harvest, this event was also tied in to a special thank you to all of those donors and grantors who made the Reiche garden a possibility. The green team led this event, and had the opportunity to publicly thank those that were involved from the garden’s inception. This event was a great way for the green team to showcase the work that has been done on the Reiche school grounds and was a wonderful way to bolster the community spirit that is always so vibrant at Reiche. KATHRYN BLAYNE
SHAWNA DeRICE
CHRIS KEEGAN
LYNN McCARTHY
LINDA PROVENCHER
AMY WU
DEB DRAKE
INSTRUCTIONAL
LEADERSHIP
LORI BOBINSKY Chair
LYNN PROVENCHER
JESSIE LAZENBY
LAURIE ANDREADES
KATHY FEENSTRA
MEGAN McDONOUGH
JANNY KERKHOF
FIONA HOPPER
CANDICE THOMAS
PTO LEADERSHIP
JUDY WATSON
JEANNE SWANTON Treasurer
LORIE DANA
PERRYN FERRIS
[email protected]
HOWARD C. REICHE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
NOV 2011
PTO poll results
Aikido was the winner of our PTO poll asking which WINTER After-School Program
you would most like to see scheduled. Swimming was a close second. We are looking
into the possibility of offering BOTH. More details to follow!
Welcome to Reiche!
Katie Mahoney is our new School Secretary. Please
We are pleased to announce that Mrs. Gagnon will
be sure to stop by and say Hello! Welcome Katie, it’s
be joining the staff as our 4th Kindergarten teacher.
nice to have you at our school.
Welcome Mrs. Gagnon!
DECEMBER 8TH - MATH MEET - HOLIDAY INN
1:30 - 4pm
GOOD LUCK REICHE MATH TEAM!