Parent
September 15, 2011
Connection
Breaking News Yeeee Haw - It’s Fall Round-Up Time!
Put on your boots and bandannas and plan on joining us for the Parent Association’s annual family event, the Fall Round-Up on Friday, Sept. 23! Bring your family and get ready for an evening of food, free activities for kids and line dancing. This is a great way to kick off the school year and get together with the Island School ‘ohana. Watch this space for more information.
Still Need Text Books?
Students taking high school courses and still needing to purchase their textbooks can go to the following link to the school’s online bookstore: http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/ischool. htm. Most books have a ‘Buy Back’ option at the end of the school year.
and allow parents to take advantage of Lifetouch’s 100% satisfaction guarantee program. Order forms will be available after Autumn Break. Any student who wishes to have their photo retaken must return all of the contents from their original portrait package. New students and students absent on the original picture day or those who want to order additional packages can also have their pictures taken on make-up day. The class picture will be a composite of everyone’s portrait picture and will be distributed at a later date. Student ID cards are also forthcoming.
Logowear Sale
The IS Logo Store is offering a $2 discount to all families for each logowear item in stock until September 30, 2011. (Discount does not apply to PE uniforms).
island school
LOGO STORE located in the island school office bldg.
Gift Wrap Winners!
Congratulations and mahalo to all of our students who participated in the Parent Association’s gift wrap sale. Middle School participants will be treated to pizza on Monday, Sept. 19, during last block. Extra kudos to the 5th grade class, who came in first place with $3000 in gross sales. They will also receive a pizza party. The elementary top sellers will also be invited. A percentage of the profits will be added to each class fund for special activities.
School Pictures Distributed A Make Up/Retake Day will be scheduled on Wednesday, October 19, in an effort to capture and preserve all of our school’s smiles
Coupon - $2.00 off EACH SCHOOL LOGO WEAR APPAREL* DISCOUNT WILL BE APPLIED TO EACH APPAREL ITEM AND ONLY VALID FOR IN-STOCK APPAREL ONLY
*excludes pe uniforms
COUPON EXPIRES SEPT. 30, 2011 This coupon has no cash value and may not be redeemed for cash or applied as payment or credit to your school accounts. If you have any questions, please call the Business Office at (808)246-0233. Mahalo!
New Elementary Aides
Luci Mendoza is our PK teacher’s aide. She’s a graduate of U of California, Davis with a degree in sociology and a minor in education. She moved to Kaua‘i this past May from Sacramento to raise her one year old daughter close to her family. She said, “I love
Click on the Calendar tab on our website.
seeing how each student is growing and developing socially. I also love all the sweet and funny things the children say.” Assisting in first grade is Ita Rubio. Ita attended Island School in high school and has been a regular substitute teacher for six years. She has a B.A. in ethnic studies and has studied many types of ethnic dance. She is an accomplished hula dancer and is teaching the elementary Hula & Tahitian Club. She is the mother of 17 month old Makoa. Anne Meyers works with the 3rd graders. Anne has a B.S. in chemistry and an M.S. in physiology. She came to Kaua‘i to work as a horse breeder, and has found a second career in teaching. She taught Spanish after school at both Wilcox and Kapa‘a Elementary and is currently leading the elementary Spanish Club on Wednesdays. “I like the camaraderie of the teachers,” said Anne. “They are all very kind and helpful.”
KIF Student Athletics Cards On Sale Now This is a great deal for students who want to cheer on the Voyagers all year. These cards get you in FREE to all KIF games, including non-Island School games. They are on sale for $15 for high school students, and $10 for grade eight and under. See Jen
To contact the publisher of Island School’s Parent Connection, email peggy@ischool.org
I.S. Chronicles MUSIC – Congratulations to Kathleen Bissell ‘12, Kelly Culliney ‘12, Lasie Eto ‘12, Michelle Poirson ‘12, Gabriel Figueroa ‘13 and Margo Latif ‘14, who were selected as the 20112012 Island School Singers. These students will begin rehearsing this week with Mr. Steinbacher for the December 13th Island School Chorus concert at KCC. Island School Singers is a performing group designed for students who enjoy singing and performing in a show choir-type capacity. Membership requires a year-long commitment and is determined by audition. This year marks the third year of participation for Lasie and Kelly, the second year for Kathleen and Michelle, and the inaugural year for Gabe and Margo. Congratulations, Singers! SCIENCE – Last Friday, Ms. Mink’s Astronomy class went to the science show “Plasma: The Fourth State of Matter” at the War Memorial. They saw demonstrations of the properties of lasers, liquid nitrogen, a Faraday cage, a really big Tesla coil, and of course plasmas, which are electrically charged glowing gases, as in a neon sign.
An infrared (heat) image of seniors, Lasie Eto and Daniel Miller, from one of the post-show exhibition booths.
DRAMA – Peggy’s 4th grade students have been practicing their voice projection and articulation skills. They have learned where their diaphragm is and how to use it to get
Seniors created inspirational messages with poetry magnets in their college counseling class.
the best volume. They will complete a group project tomorrow where they will perform short acts they created which include speaking and movement. This activity really put their collaboration skills to the test! COMPUTER – Ms. Byce’s 5th graders are finishing the final editing of their first text document. They are learning to use the punctuation, quotation mark, and apostrophe keys as well as how to do line spacing and character formatting. The students are also testing themselves on typing accuracy per typing speed once a week and logging the results in to their class booklets. Fourth grade students are studying the outside and inside parts of a computer, the binary code (computer language), and file storage. They practice about fifteen minutes each class period perfecting their typing skills, including accuracy, using the proper fingers to type, good posture, and keeping their eyes on the monitor instead of their fingers. They will soon begin working on their project to create an animated graphic scene using MicroWorlds EX. KINDERGARTEN – Tomorrow is Rainbow/Grandparents Day in the kindergarten class. Grandparents and parents were invited for an hour of celebration with the keiki. When everyone arrives, the children will sing “The World is a Rainbow,” by Greg Scilsa, then work on four activities with their tutu. They will draw rainbows on their rainbow t-shirts, help to make fruit salad
from the many-colored fruit they will bring to school, make a Fruit Loops rainbow bracelet, and finally, draw a picture of themselves with their grandparents. Everyone will enjoy the rainbow treats which includes, besides the fruit salad, a delicious layered jello dessert. Rainbow/ Grandparents Day culminates a study of colors and shapes. COLLEGE PREP – Juniors and seniors packed the room at a presentation by an admissions counselor from Santa Clara University, in California’s Silicon Valley. SOCIAL STUDIES – Former I.S. parent, Carol Pescaia, was a guest speaker in Bob Springer’s Comparative Religions class this week. Students listened with interest to her speak about Judaism and posed dozens of thoughtful questions afterward.
Mr. Massaro discussing improvements to their robot with students, Michael Miller, ‘15, Lansen Eto, ‘14, and Zach Beydoun, ‘15.
Parent Page
Parent Association
Our Fabulous Room Parents! PK: Debra DeBusca, Kori King
6th: Adeline Sears
K: Chris Ing
7th: Laura Cushnie
1st: Leilani Kurz, Keana Oliveira
8th: Karla Anderson, Leslie Kilcoyne
2nd: Claudia Trask, Debra DeBusca
9th: Sandy Catlin
3rd: Leah Edwards, Kori King 4th: 5th: Sandy Catlin, Allison Wendler
10th: Bridgette Orsatelli 11th: Barbie Taylor, Leslie Kilcoyne 12th: Donna King
Classified Ads
DISPLAY CASE WANTED: The Athletic Department is looking for a glass case for displaying our trophies. Please contact Jen Pomroy if you have any leads: jenp@ischool.org. LIFEGUARD TRAINING: The American Red Cross is offering Lifeguard/CPR Training for people ages 15 and above. Starting date has not been announced, but it will run for 3 weeks, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday nights from 6:00 - 9:30. Must attend all 9 classes. Classes limited to ten students. Cost is $125 (payable to YMCA). Payment must be received at the YMCA before your space is confirmed. For starting date and to sign up, contact Coach Billy 808-497-4403. KALAHEO HOUSE FOR RENT: 2500sq ft and priced at 2250/mo. Contact Pam at 635-7497. CHEAP O'AHU ACCOMMODATIONS WANTED: The high school drama troupe is traveling to O‘ahu on Nov. 11 & 12, and need an inexpensive (or free) place to stay for two nights near downtown. There are eight students and four adults. They prefer to stay together or adjacent, but could separate if necessary. Contact Peggy at peggy@ ischool.org if you have any leads. Mahalo.
Mahalo to
♥♥♥
♥ ♥ ♥ Richard Porto and Laurel Petterson-
McGraw for their help with the high school play.
♥ ♥ ♥ Carol Pescaia for being a guest speaker in the
Comparative Religions class.
♥ ♥ ♥ the Parent Association for showing their appreciation for teachers and staff with bagels, muffins and coffee this morning! ♥ ♥ ♥ Jason & Heather Barth, Michael Carlsson &
Naomi Matias, Joe Corbo, Sean & Katie Magoun, Jim Mayfield, Cristy & Ronald Peeren and Jen Pomroy & Bruce Javellana for donations to the Annual Giving Campaign!
FURNITURE FOR SALE: Two Frogs Hugging Teak Dining Room Set – 6 chairs; wicker 6-drawer dresser and 2 night stands; Michael Kors – Custom Bedding Cal King; Platform Bed Sapeli Wood Handcrafted; best offer on all! Contact Pam at 635-7497. NA AINA KAI EVENT: Saturday, Sept. 17, 4:00 p.m. For a $15 entrance fee you will stroll through the Formal Garden enjoying a tropical lagoon with fountains, a waterfall, and colorful koi fish; a full-size hedge maze; and a desert and palm garden. You will also enjoy a sampling of life size bronze sculptures along the way. All while enjoying live music and entertainment; food available at booths, cash only. Slack Key by Paul Togioka, Harp by Anela Lauren, and performances by High Sky Dance! There will also be a huge Gift Shop Tent sale. Don’t miss this great opportunity to enjoy the Gardens! SUPPORT OUR SWIMMERS: Support our KIF champion swimmers, sophomores Quinn Hannah-White and Tyler Keith, in a Sunset Swim-a-Thon on September 23rd. Quinn and Tyler are going for speed this year - they will be attempting to swim 5,000 yards (almost 3 miles!) in under an hour to raise funds for their year-round swim team, Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics. They need your support in the form of pledges (by the yard, by the lap, or overall), so they can keep up their training and bring home the KIF banner to Island School for another year! Talk to Quinn or Tyler, or call Quinn’s mom at 652-3837, to pledge your support for our swimmers.
Emeline Wu Named a 2012 NMSC Semifinalist! Emeline Wu, ‘12, has been named a Semifinalist in the 2012 National Merit® Scholarship Program! Approximately 16,000 students were named yesterday by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Emeline and the other semi-finalists can now continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $34 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship, Emeline must fulfill several requirements and advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 90% of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship. Emeline joins another Island School student, Lexa Mink-Flacco, ‘11, in receiving this recognition. Lexa went on to the next level and was named a Finalist last spring.
Emeline. “If I get the scholarship, it would be really great.” Emeline will be applying to various universities for the 2012-13 school year. She’s interested in several, including Stanford on the west coast and MIT on the east. She’s thinking of a possible double major in math and biomedical science. NMSC is a non-profit organization that operates without government assistance. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
About 1.5 million juniors across the country entered the 2012 NMSP competition by taking the 2010 PSAT/NMSQT last fall. This test serves as the initial screening and narrows the field down to less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors, who are the highest-scoring entrants from each state. This year’s sophomore’s and juniors will take the PSAT in October.
Finalists will be announced in February and scholarship winners will be selected from this group on the basis of their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Scholarship winners will be announced beginning in spring, 2012. There will be 2,500 $2500 National Merit scholarships awarded, as well as corporate-sponsored and college-sponsored merit scholarships.
“This is a tremendous opportunity,” said
Congratulations to Emeline and her family.
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Island School 3-1875 Kaumuali`i Hwy Lihu`e, Kaua`i, Hawai`i, 96766
September 15, 2011 A weekly publication We’re on the web at www.ischool.org