LOWER SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

April, 2017

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From the Dean's Desk

 

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want—oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"   -Mark Twain

 

We have spring fever at the Lower School!  Hopefully the nice weather is here to stay and inside recess is a thing of the past!  Our spring teams have taken to the field and the promise of summer is in the air.  Our spring term is indeed a busy time - in the coming weeks we will complete our ERB's, have primary conferences, enjoy numerous field trips and celebrate some of our wonderful traditions such as the second grade art show.  As we enter "the beginning of the end" of the 2016-2017 school year, please be sure to check the calendar regularly for updates - enjoy the sunshine!


Kathleen Hanlon, EdD
Lower School Dean
Wyoming Seminary
khanlon@wyomingseminary.org
(570) 718-6600

 

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Time to register for Summer at Sem!

 

It's time for summer fun! Lower School students have received brochures for Early Fun at Sem. Take a look at the variety of sessions for students from toddler through eighth grade like Water, Water Everywhere for toddler through Pre-K, Fun With Play Dough or Cool Classroom Critters for K-1, Mischievous Math and Trip to Neverland for grades 2-4, and Spy 101 and Ukulele for grades 5-8. Of course the favorites like Sem Survivor, LEGO Stop Motion Movies, and Game On are returning too! Visit www.wyomingseminary.org/EarlySummerFun for a complete listing of workshops or to register for sessions.  We can't wait to see you this summer!

 
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Blue Knight Bash this week!


The third annual Blue Knight Bash will take place on Friday, April 21 from 6:00-10:00 p.m. at the Woodlands in Wilkes-Barre where you can eat, drink, and dance to the sounds of Sweet Pepper and the Long Hots! At 9:00 p.m., Sem dad Jim Shoemaker will auction off the five hottest items and add to the bottom line success of the 2017 Blue Knight Bash online auction.  Click here to register for the event. Don't forget to let us know who will be sitting at your table.  

 

Don't forget to buy and sell raffle tickets! Please contact Julie McCarthy Strzeletz at jstrzeletz@wyomingseminary.org if you have any questions.

 

See you at the BASH!

 

Michele and Shawn Casey

2017 Blue Knight Bash Chairs


 
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STEM-tastic Saturday!

 

The STEM Advisory Board is pleased to announce a STEM Saturday event scheduled on April 22.  Featuring three workstations, Virtual Reality, Math in Art, and an Earth Day Station, this event will be held on the Upper School campus from 9:00-11:00 a.m. in Nesbitt Hall.  Pre-registration is required.

Earth Day Station: "The Air Around Us"

 

Students will learn more about air quality and particulate pollution around the world, including sources and the positive impacts of forests and plants.  They will make predictions about particulate levels indoors and outdoors around campus, followed by taking measurements of particulates and carbon dioxide levels around campus using AirVisual Node air quality monitors.

 

Virtual Reality

 

This STEM Saturday will allow for an introduction to the new world of virtual reality. Explore games, movies and other content. Use Google Cardboard and PlayStation VR to dive deep into the technology that is shaping the future.

 

Math in Art

 

Within the Math in Art portion of the STEM Saturday, students will learn about historical uses of perspective (even in the 1500s artists could accurately depict drawings that mimicked what computer models can mathematically recreate today) and be able to apply this understanding to their own pieces of art.

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Upper School to host lecture on climate change


The economic and ethical aspects of climate change will be discussed in a special free public lecture to be held on Tuesday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Wyoming Seminary Upper School. The speakers will be Professor Donald Brown, scholar in residence and professor of sustainability and law at Widener University Commonwealth Law School, and Keith Welks, Esq., deputy state treasurer for fiscal operations in the Pennsylvania Treasury Department. The lecture, a presentation of Sem Speaks: A Global Topics Lecture Series, will be held at the Kirby Center for Creative Arts and is free and open to the public. Click here for more information.

 

PERFORMING ARTS EVENTS AT SEM:

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A rare performance of the unique Czech children's opera "Brundibar" will be performed in English as part of the Sem Music Department's spring concert on Sunday, April 23 at 2:00 p.m. in the Kirby Center for Creative Arts. The Sem Chorale, Madrigal Singers and String Ensemble will be featured in the performance. Free and open to the public. For more information call 570-270-2190.

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The Wyoming Seminary Players will present the outlandish comedy "The Nerd" by Larry Shue on Friday and Saturday, April 28-29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Buckingham Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $3.00 in advance and $4.00 at the door. For more information call 570-270-2190.

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The Upper School spring instrumental concert, featuring the percussion ensemble, wind ensemble, hand bells, jazz band and orchestra will be presented on Tuesday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the KCCA. Free and open to the public. For more information call 570-270-2190.

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The Primary and Middle-School Choral Concert and Art Show will be presented on Thursday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Amato Auditorium.

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The artwork of Sem alumna Nina Davidowitz '77 will be on display from May 5-31 in the Flack Gallery of the Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. An opening reception will be held on Friday, May 5 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. The exhibit also will be open each Saturday in May from 10 a.m.-1:00 p.m. or by appointment. For more information call 570-270-2190.

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The Wyoming Seminary Civic Symphony will present its annual spring concert on Sunday, May 7 at 8:00 p.m. in the Kirby Center for Creative Arts. "The Planets" by Gustav Holst will be the featured work. Free and open to the public. For more information call 570-270-2190.

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The Sem Dance Company will present its annual spring dance performance on Friday and Saturday, May 12-13 at 8:00 p.m. in the Kirby Center for Creative Arts. Free and open to the public. For more information call 570-270-2190.

 

IMPORTANT DATES:

Middle-school ERB exams now underway

 

ERB assessment tests are now being administered online to students in grades 5 through 7. The dates are as follows: Monday, April 24, and Tuesday, April 25, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Students may bring a water bottle and a small, healthy snack on their designated testing days. Water bottles or snacks will not be provided. We will be administering the CTP version of the ERB program. CTP is an assessment of students attending schools that aspire to higher standards. The test covers reading, vocabulary, writing, mathematics, verbal and quantitative reasoning. The data collected from these tests help to inform you as well as our school about student performance in key areas of school achievement.

 

The purpose of the test is to determine what a student knows and can do at the time of testing. It helps to identify a student's strengths and weaknesses in achievement as well as helps teachers make decisions about their curriculum and instruction. Therefore, no test preparation is required. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kris McCarthy, ERB testing coordinator, at kmccarthy@wyomingseminary.org. You may also check out this site: https://www.erblearn.org/services/ctp-overview/family-resources for more information.

Eighth-grade students schedule classes for freshman year at Upper School

 

In mid-February, key administrators and teachers from both the Upper and Lower schools met to review the academic and extra-curricular program of each student in eighth grade. Ideal course loads and appropriate course sequences were discussed for each student. This information along with SSAT test results are used to determine what courses will be most appropriate for your child.

Laurie Morgan, Director of Scheduling at the Upper School, has met with students individually to discuss their scheduling choices at Sem. The students shared their academic and extra-curricular preferences during these in-school interviews in late March.

On April 25, an evening meeting for all eighth-grade parents will be held to explain the Upper School curriculum, our new seven-day rotating schedule, and to share a copy of your child's proposed list of courses. After your review and input, a schedule will be created for each new freshman. This schedule will be available on registration and orientation day in late August.

We look forward to working with you on this important step in your child's academic journey.

Primary conferences coming up

 

Primary conferences will be held on Friday, April 28.  Students will not be in school this day.  More information will follow in the upcoming Wednesday Weekly.

 


"Screenagers" documentary coming to Lower School

 

"How much is enough?"  Sem's STEM School and Sem's "Raising Kids in the Digital Age" group invite you to view the award-winning documentary "Screenagers" in the Lower School Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16.  The movie is 70 minutes long and will be followed up by short discussion led by our Sem counselors Dr. Kathleen Carlisle and Ms. Jessica Montrella. "Screenagers," not available on DVD, is for middle and upper school parents and students.  This special event is free and open to the community.

 

ACCOLADES

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History Day winner: The regional competition for National History Day was recently held at Misericordia University.  Oliver L., eighth grade, chose the performance category to illustrate the theme "Taking A Stand."  His topic was the local icon Nathan Denison who came here from Connecticut, fought for the Patriots during the battle of Wyoming, and later becomes a judge. Oliver's 10-minute performance was well-grounded in research, including an interview with our local expert on Denison.  It also involved writing a script, a process paper describing his research steps, an annotated bibliography, creating a costume and appropriate props, and presentation.

 

Oliver made it to the state competition in May.  Congratulations! 

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Winter Sports Awards: Congratulations to our winter sports teams for a great season! A special note of congratulations goes to the following students who received winter sports awards :

Boys 5th and 6th basketball: Casey O., Ben F., and Liam D., Rising Stars

Girls 5th and 6th basketball: Angelina D., MVP, Cate G., Most Improved; Aashima C., Most Coachable

Boys 7th basketball: Will Y., MVP, and William V., Coaches Award

Girls 7th and 8th basketball: Mercedes V., Most Improved; Julia B., Coaches Award; Heather P., Defensive MVP; Ava B., Offensive MVP; Margaret M., MVP

Boys 8th basketball: Ethan M., MVP; Aiden M. and John C., Coaches Awards

 

CAMPUS NEWS AND MEDIA

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Faculty, students attend conference in New Jersey

 

Lower School and Upper School science faculty traveled to Princeton with seven Lower and Upper School students to attend the inaugural Lead Like A Girl conference. Click here for more.


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Dance marathon raises more than $26,000 for Children's Miracle Network

 

Wyoming Seminary's sixth annual Dance Marathon, or SemDM, held on Saturday, April 1 at the Carpenter Athletic Center, exceeded this year's donation goal of $20,000 and raised a total of $26,630.75 for the Geisinger Janet Weis Childrens' Hospital and the Childrens' Miracle Network. Click here for more.


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Fine Arts Fiesta art exhibit coming in May

 

The 62nd Fine Arts Fiesta Juried Junior-Senior High School Exhibition will be held on Public Square, Thursday, May 18, through Sunday, May 21.  The exhibit is a regional competition of original artworks done by students in grades 5-12.  Good luck to students who are participating in this year's exhibit.  Hope to see you there!



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Lower School community holds SIDS fundraiser

 

The students, faculty and staff recently supported research efforts into Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by holding a dress-down day and wearing pink or blue. The fundraiser brought in $610. Click here for photos.


Primary school:

Pre-Kindergarten News: A quick owl unit kicked off the third trimester in Pre-K. The students enjoy learning about the beautiful birds with sharp talons and asymmetrical ears. Dissecting owl pellets to find bones from their meals is cool . . . and a little gross! Sharing the classroom with our dads during this unit is fun. Father's night is always a treat. And to conclude the unit, owls from the Carbon County Environmental Education Center come to the classroom. Susan Gallagher has been bringing them to Pre-K for many years, and she is always amazed with our knowledge of owls!


First Grade News:

 

School Days: A Fish Tale: We hope you all enjoyed our first grade musical.  It was a huge success, and we owe a great deal of thanks to the Mr. Piazza and Mrs. Molitoris for stepping in to help us conduct the music and work the lighting.  In spite of missing a few days of practice due to the snow, the children were able to memorize their lines and remember their staging places. We're still waiting for Broadway to call! Click here for photos.

 

Squid Dissection: Mrs. Carrick dove into our first grade ocean unit and brought a squid with her.  Both classes enjoyed learning about this wonderful sea creature from her and were able to name the many parts that they had learned in class as Mrs. Carrick dissected it.  At the end of her presentation, the students were able to come up and enjoy a hands-on experience and had the opportunity to touch the squid.  It was so cool!

 

Skype Session with Dolphin Quest, Bermuda: In March, Mrs. Carrick connected with her niece, Cheryl, who works at Dolphin Quest, Bermuda.  She has been a dolphin trainer for years and was able to take some time out of her already busy schedule to Skype with the first grade classes.  We spent about 45 minutes listening, watching the dolphins do tricks, and asking Cheryl questions.  It was an amazing experience.  Thanks Mrs. Carrick! Click here for photos.

 

Trip to Camden Aquarium: March 30 was a great day for the first grade classes and their families.  We had the opportunity to enjoy the many hands-on experiences provided at the Camden Aquarium in New Jersey.  It was a great way to culminate our ocean unit.


Third-Grade News: The third graders experienced living history as they presented their first Wax Museum to the school community. As a culmination of weeks of reading, research, and writing, the children brought to life historical figures. The students dressed as their chosen person and in their "waxed" positions struck a pose. As their "buttons" were activated, they told the highlights of that person's life. From Rosa Parks to Roald Dahl, there were all types of individuals to learn about. It was an engaging experience for students, teachers and all of the visitors. Click here for photos.

Fourth-Grade News: Fourth grade has been busy! February brought two showings of our play, "School House Rock Jr.," a State and Science Fair in the library, and Metric Field Day. March has been just as exciting as we held a surprise baby shower for Mrs. Barnes, completed ERB testing and ventured on a field trip to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. At the Franklin Institute, we were able to see the Robot Revolution exhibit, a live show, the Carnival of Machines, and tour several interactive scientific exhibits. Fourth graders are ready for many April and May activities, including warmer weather! Click here for photos.

Middle school:

Fifth-Grade News: Fifth grade spent an exciting day at the Franklin Institute on March 30. The Robot Revolution exhibit helped the students discover the ways in which robots can contribute to our lives, now and in the very near future. In addition to this special exhibit the students enjoyed learning about the inner workings of the brain and heart, experimenting with static electricity, and testing their knowledge and skills in the physics and sports exhibits. Click here for photos.

 

The class also participated in Poetry Month activities, sharing some of their favorite poems with their classmates. Click here for photos.

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The Scoop from STEM


STEMtastic Start to Spring Term!

 

On Friday, March 24, members of the Environmental Club and Air and Waste Management Association Student Chapter at Wilkes continued what has become an annual tradition at the Lower School, bringing some fun STEM labs to first through eighth grades.  This is the sixth year that Wilkes students have brought STEM labs to the Lower School.  Science investigations included saltwater density, egg experiments, non-Newtonian "Oobleck," and "Newton's Inertia Beads."  Engineering challenges included spinning tops, hex-nut stacking with magnets, and the "Pipes of Pan." Click here for photos.

 

Our eighth annual Lower School STEM Night was held on March 30.  Science Research Group members presented their science investigations, all of which earned Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science awards.  Our award-winning Science Olympiad competitors challenged visitors in some of their competition events and demonstrated some of their engineering accomplishments.  Other middle-school students created interactive stations and demonstrations for this special night. Students were the teachers and did an excellent job leading us in some fun learning! Click here for photos.

 

Thanks to the WSLSPA, the Franklin Institute's Traveling Science Show returned to the Lower School for the eleventh year in a row.  This year's show "Electricity" sparked the interest of students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.  Having fun with the Van de Graaff machine, creating an electromagnet, and using a portable Tesla coil to demonstrate high frequency electricity were all part of this year's assembly.  Thank you very much, parents! Click here for photos.

 

Sem Lower and Upper School alum Bill Hinko '82 returned to the Lower School with his Tesla electric car on Friday, April 7, accompanied by five other owners and their Tesla cars.  One owner even drove down from Ontario, Canada!  Students in grades 1-5 learned about Tesla design features and experienced the cars firsthand.  Some students rode in a driverless car, and two x-wing Tesla cars performed for the students, flashing colored lights and flying with their x-wing doors in sync with Tran Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards in Winter."  Bill and other Tesla owners will return with the Tesla cars on April 21, the day before Earth Day, to present and share with the students in grades 6-8. Click here for photos.

 

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Check out all of the latest news in our Sem News section!

WYOMING SEMINARY
Voted the best private school in Northeastern Pennsylvania!
201 North Sprague Avenue
Kingston, PA 18704
APPLY NOW: 570-270-2160 
www.wyomingseminary.org

 
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