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iSSue no. 829 vol. 4 Cobble Hill, brooklynPOST | Winter 2015 © P.S.29 / tHe JoHn M. Harrigan SCHool SHOULD BREAKING CELL PHONES Your Top Ten NEWS Internet Out at 29! BE ALLOWED Video Games Go to IN SCHOOL? ps29brooklyn.org See page 4 of 2015. See page 12 for details! There’s PRACTICING THEIR WINNING MOVES Something Special Going on at P.S. 29 BY GUS KRUMPUS (5-500) AND NOAH SILBER (5-505) t P.S. 29, we have an amazing year she’s back full-time, which everyone specials program which is happy about. Media literacy is a great includes Media Literacy, Art, example of how lucky our school is, Physical Education, lower and because we have computers, a big library Aupper grade Science, Music and last, but with lots of books, and an amazing not least, Drama. teacher to run the place. This issue, we are putting the spotlight What do students think? on Susannah Sperry and her Media Fifth-graders Giulia Fontaine and Literacy class. Ms. Sperry, a former Isabel Young say that they like media classroom teacher, is the media literacy literacy because it lets them explore teacher at P.S. 29. She teaches everyone the internet. They like Ms. Sperry’s from 1st grade to 5th grade. Last year class because “she takes control. For she was only at the school part-time Fourth-graders sashay down the auditorium aisle at a recent ballroom dance share. because she has two small children. This CONTINUED ON P4 Photo: Sarma Ozols. Dr. Fagin on Students Are More Silver Medal Phones and Goes to P.S.29 Than a Piece of Paper Dancers School BY ISABEL YOUNG (5-500), GIULIA FONTAINE (5-500) AND MIA PERRY (5-500) BY 29 POST STAFF The P.S. 29 principal recently sat down The ongoing stress of report cards snakes tell how clever a child is from three days with Kali Iacono (4-527) and Amelia through the school year. Both fourth and of testing? A child’s nerves may lead to Kupper (4-527). This excerpt is from fifth graders have to worry about their mistakes, and even to not finish the test P.S. 29 took home the silver medal at that conversation. See page 4 for Kali report cards for middle school. “I think because she spent half the time worrying. the Rainbow Match Ballroom Com- and Amelia’s report on phones and report cards are stressful,” says Maya Dr. Fagin, the principal of P.S. 29, petition this past December! Dancing school. Evans of 5-506. “But they are also a great recognizes the controversy that surrounds against teams from all over New York way to see how you are doing, and how the tests. “The ELA tests are a complex City, the P.S. 29 team whirled and “The Department of Education is you can improve.” topic,” Dr. Fagin said. “I understand twirled its way past far more seasoned becoming more open to cell phones. I have Report cards are more fair than state teachers need a universal tool to measure opponents. mixed feelings. There are good reasons tests: at least they look at the entire student academic growth, but it can be Congratulations to our P.S. 29 stu- for middle and high school students school year. But near to the time the unreliable at times. The ELA tests should dents who participated in the contest! to have one, but not most elementary report cards come out, students also get not be used by themselves to determine All of them learned their skills in our students. I think that kids that walk alone stressed. Maybe this stress shows on their whether you get into middle school.” ballroom dance enrichment program. to and from school should have one. But work. One thing we know for sure: That Nina Rivas, a student in 5-505, opted All 4th grade classes participated in the teachers don’t know what kids are doing work will show up on their report cards. out of the 2015 state tests. “I opted out,” Ballroom Dance program during the on their phones and it could be something The dreaded New York State tests add she said, “because teachers get graded fall, and, as our report on page three inappropriate. Equality is a part of it to the pressure. Some middle schools on state tests and my mom is a teacher. explains, the program partnership is too. Not everyone has one. I also worry look at the state tests results, and some It’s unfair.” As many as 20% percent of expanding and includes instruction in about how cell phones affect social skills. no longer do. We think state tests are a third through eighth-graders in New York as many as four different dances. If cell phones are used in school, there stupid idea. Students are so much more opted out of the state tests in 2015. Who Whatever the expert instructors are should be a lot of guidelines.” than a piece of paper. Is it possible to knows how many will opt-out this year? doing, it’s clearly working. Page 2 29POST Navigating Middle School BY MAYA EVANS (5-506) AND see what the school’s curriculum, pro- choice for middle school and only 2.91% would have fewer options and a lottery ARCHANA VAITHILINGAM (5-505) grams, talents (if they have them), and got their third or fourth choice. system,” says Dr. Fagin. “I want my 5th other things are like. “[Tours] are fun, Although tours are helpful they can still graders to go with someone they know. Your head is crammed with information. because you get to see how the school make things difficult. “It is hard,” says Ms. Familiar faces help ease the anxiety and You’re running from school to school, works and you see what’s going on and Hana when asked about students coming takes away some of the stress.” from tour to tour, from interview to inter- how they’re learning,” says Saba Naini late from school tours. “Even though it Most kids wouldn’t believe it but the view. Your tutor is filling your brain to the Ukmar (5-506). is important for kids to get to know what middle school process has changed a brim with information for the SSAT. You Although there are a few schools that middle schools are like, it makes it hard to lot. “Many parents would agree that the think, “All of this can’t possibly be worth most PS 29 students go to that is changing plan lessons because I don’t want kids to middle school process is very different the new school that I get into.” as parents are considering more district miss important things that we’re doing.” from when we were kids,” says Dr. Fagin. You aren’t alone. Many 5th graders are schools as options. Last year PS 29 5th Saba agrees: “When you come [in] late “I went to the only middle school in the experiencing this stress. “I’ve seen kids get graders went to 12 different public middle from middle school tours you’re a little bit area, but even for parents that grew up in extremely stressed out and worried,” says schools, in addition, some went on to sev- behind. The teacher helps you catch up New York City, many of then remember 5th grade teacher Ms. Hana. “If they don’t eral private schools and others moved out but you are still a little bit behind.” going to the middle school closest to their get into a school that they want, they feel of New York City. For this year’s 5th grad- P.S. 29 Principal, Dr. Rebecca Fagin, home. The school system created a middle they aren’t smart enough.” ers worried about where they will get in, would like the process to be less of a big school choice program so families have Middle school tours are a great way to they should know that last year 90.29% of deal. “If I had it my way, there’d be a sim- more choices but with more choices comes see what schools are best for you and to PS 29 5th graders got their first or second pler system. For example, my 5th graders more complications,” says Dr. Fagin. Students STUDENTS ENJOYING THEIR NEW BOOK FAIR PURCHASE With English as a Second Language BY ELI GORDON (4-527) Lots of languages are spoken at P.S. 29. Beyond English, a quick survey of students found kids who speak Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, Dutch, French, Japanese, Danish, Swedish, Hebrew, Russian, Mandarin, Korean, Finnish and Greek. That’s a lot of languages in each class. People from all over the world are moving to Brooklyn. An estimated five new students come from another country to the school each year. This is a good thing because it makes P.S. 29 more interesting and more diverse. But it’s also a bad thing because it helps make P.S. 29 more overcrowded. P.S. 29 has a wait-list this year for the first ever. A wait-list means that some people who live in the school zone and want to go the school might not be able to get a spot to get into P.S. 29. But for A student ponders which of her many new book purchases she should read first. Photo: Vania Workman von Ussar those who do go, there is a strong ESL program, which stands for English as a Second Language.