News

Book Swap

Submitted by Timothy Weber on Wed, 2013-05-22 12:46

Dear Fall Creek Families, 

The 3rd grade Red-tailed Hawk Room will be organizing the Book Swap this year! The Book Swap is when families donate children’s books from home that they are done with and don’t want to keep. Our class collects all these books for one week. Then during the week of June 10, each student will be able to choose a certain amount of books to take home and keep. The number of books each child is able to take home depends on how many books we collect. 

If you can, please donate your gently used children’s books to our cause. Fall Creek’s kids would love your books that are still in good condition, chapter books and picture books. These books should be suitable for children from Pre-K to 5th grade. Book donations will be accepted beginning Tuesday, May 28 through Tuesday, June 4. You can either put your donations in the bin in the lobby or have your child bring them to their classroom and they will be collected there. Thank you in advance for your support!

Tanya Kszystyniak
Third Grade Teacher
Fall Creek Elementary

Commons Art Mural

Submitted by Deirdre Kurzweil on Tue, 2013-05-21 12:23

As you know, our downtown is being revitalized!  In an effort to help the Commons businesses thrive during construction, many special things are being planned to encourage people to continue coming to the Commons while the work is being done. One of those things is a MURAL ART PROGRAM—there are 5x8’ panels hanging on the security fencing that surrounds the work area.

Fall Creek School submitted an application to make one, and our beloved art teacher, Amanda Reppi, is going to draw our “logo” onto the panel—kids will be invited to come (on a day TBD in the next week or two) to help paint it!

So, the purpose of this message is two-fold: 1) a heads-up to families whose kids might want to help paint, and 2) a request for an adult (or two) who would be willing to help me manage that process (your commitment would only be for that day, as long as it takes to paint—maybe a couple hours?). Either way, please email DKurzweil@WBandA.com if you’re interested in participating!

p.s. Not that this is the main motivation, but there IS a $500 award to the “winner” of this mural competition!

Credit Union Bingo - Week 4

Submitted by Dan Cogan on Tue, 2013-05-21 11:30

(This message back by popular demand…)

Summer vacation is drawing closer, which generally makes kids happy. But if your student seems a little melancholy, it could be because they know there are only FOUR CREDIT UNIONS LEFT this school year.

To combat the blues, we are in the midst of our beloved Credit Union Bingo promotion. And this week is the fourth week of the promotion. Will someone get bingo this week? Will it be you?

Come on down with your deposit, and find out what this week’s word will be. Remember, you have to make a deposit each week in order to scratch off that week’s word. And when you get four words in a row: Bingo! (and a prize!)

Doors are open from 7:40 to 7:55 a.m. in the gym.

See you there.

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Request for Feedback on District Improvements

Submitted by Asia Bonacci on Fri, 2013-05-17 13:17

 

OFFICIAL ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE

                                                                                         

 

Contact: Jenny Bisha

 (607) 274-2101

jenny.bisha@icsd.k12.ny.us

 

 

Request for Feedback on District Improvements

 

Ithaca, NY, May 15, 2013: Ithaca City School District is asking parents, 6th to 12th grade students and community members to help thedistrict make decisions to improve education for all students by responding to a brief District Goals and Priorities Survey to be launchedMonday, May 20th, 2013.

 

The district is hoping to determine if it is meeting its goals and addressing its priorities, as defined by its Equity Report Card Dashboard. The survey will also allow the district to establish baseline data from which it can measure the extent to which it is meeting benchmarks.

 

“I am committed to a partnership between the community and our schools, based on open communication,” said Dr. Luvelle Brown, Superintendent of Ithaca City School District. “It’s vital that all our stakeholders lend their voice to this discussion by taking a few minutes to share their views and concerns.”

 

The survey asks parents and community members to weigh in on the relationship between schools and community, where they get their information about the district and how often they attend school events. Students are being asked about their relationships with teachers, their interest in their classes, and how rigorous and relevant their classes are. The survey is being administered by independent research and communication firm K12 Insight.

 

Parents who have provided the district with their email addresses will receive email invitations and text messages to participate, but the survey is open to everyone in the Ithaca community and is accessible on the district’s website at http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us and via the district’s Facebook page. All answers will be kept strictly confidential.

 

Anyone without access to a computer or the Internet may also call the school district at 607-274-2101 to request a paper copy of the survey. The goal is to ensure community-wide participation and feedback.

 

Once the survey has closed on Sunday, June 2, 2013, the district will close the loop by coming back to the community with results, along with an explanation of how they plan to use the data to make critical decisions.

 

“Building a world class organization requires ongoing two-way dialogue with all our stakeholders,” said Brown. “These kinds of candid conversations with the Ithaca community will help us best achieve our mission of educating every student to become a lifelong learner who respects all people in our multicultural and multiethnic world.”

 

The Ithaca City School District mission is to engage, educate, and empower. We will strive to engage all students in the importance and relevance of thinking; to educate every learner to communicate, comprehend, and collaborate for understanding; and to empower all in the ICSD to achieve academic excellence.

 

We envision a bold community of 6,000+ Thinkers. Thinking is foundational to the development of self, society, and democracy. It is the cornerstone of all creative ideas; problem solving; scientific discoveries, innovations and social good.

 

Informational Meeting About Ithaca STEM Advocates on June 4

Submitted by Asia Bonacci on Fri, 2013-05-17 13:14

 

Ithaca STEM Advocates

Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

 

Ithaca STEM Advocates is a newly formed organization created on behalf of K-12 students in the Ithaca City School District. Our mission is to:

 

* Advocate for STEM activities in the Ithaca City School District

* Help raise funds, seek grants, and coordinate sponsorships for STEM activities

* Foster communication and collaboration among STEM groups and with the community

 

Join us for a public meeting on June 4th to learn more about how you can become involved, or how we can help your STEM-related group or activity.


Why:

* We want students and adults to be excited about and to participate in classes, clubs, teams, events, and activities involving science, technology, engineering, and math.


* We want to support the teachers, advisors, and mentors who work with our kids.


* We need the help of community members and companies to foster the next generation of innovators.


When: 7 PM on June 4th

Where: Ithaca High School – York Lecture Hall (Park on Lake Street)

What: Learn how you can assist in raising funds; help decide how funds are allocated; and find out how your class, club, or organization can benefit.

 

Become a member today or get more information by visiting http://IthacaSTEM.org/ or sending us email at info@IthacaSTEM.org.

 

Illa Burbank, President

Pat Musa, Vice-President

Julie & Paul Langenbacher, Treasurers

Adam Engst, Secretary



Pending final approval, Ithaca STEM Advocates will be an affiliate of the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI), giving us 501(c)(3) status. This means donations to Ithaca STEM Advocates will be tax deductible!

Needed: aluminum-framed window screens for our PTA's entry in the Ithaca Festival Parade

Submitted by David Moreland on Thu, 2013-05-16 08:25

In your garage, do you have a bunch of aluminum-framed window screens that you no longer use? The Fall Creek PTA would love to use them to make bubbles in the Ithaca Festival Parade. Our marchers will carry the screens in the parade, use a large brush to cover them with bubble liquid, swing the screens through the air and—whoosh!—thousands of bubbles will drift over the cheering crowd!

The ideal screen would be an easy-to-handle size (about 2 foot square), lightweight (aluminum-framed rather than wood), and no longer needed by you (swinging the screens through the air sometimes causes them to fall apart).

We’d like to know that we have enough screens well in advance of the parade on May 29th, so please leave them in the drop box in the school lobby as soon as you’re able, or contact me, David Moreland—davidmoreland1@verizon.net or 607-269-0892—and I’ll arrange to pick them up. Thanks! 

Fall Creek parents invited to theatre troupe performance this Friday at 12:45

Submitted by David Moreland on Wed, 2013-05-15 21:23

Parents and caregivers of Fall Creek students are invited to join the students and teachers at a performance of “Patch Works: Life & Legends of the Coal Towns” in our gym this Friday May 17th at 12:45PM.  The play will be performed by three professional actors from the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble (of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) using minimal scenery and props, and is paid for by our Fall Creek Elementary PTA.

You can read more about the play at http://www.bte.org/theatre-education/theatre-on-tour/

The 45 minute show will be followed by a 15 minute question and answer period.

We hope you’re able to If you’re able to attend! If you are, please do be sure to sign in at the office and wear a visitor sticker.

Talent Show reminder

Submitted by Timothy Weber on Tue, 2013-05-14 15:35

The Talent Show will be this Thursday, May 16, starting at 6:15 pm, in the gym.

If your child is signed up to perform (you might want to ask him/her), please arrive by 6:00. Mr. Bell is planning on contacting parents of kids who signed up, but again, if you get a chance ask your child if he/she has signed up.

And remember, along with great acts we need a great audience - so come whether you’re performing or not! See you there!

Archives

14 May - Credit Union Bingo - Week 3 04 May - Volunteers needed for new Cool School Food tasting
12 May - Spring Garden Fair & Plant Sale, Saturday, May 18 02 May - Fall Creek Elementary School Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10
12 May - Volunteer at Upcoming ICSD Hiring Searches 02 May - Last PTA Meeting of the Year, Monday, May 6
12 May - FREE Workshop: Class, Race, and Wealth in the U.S., Tuesday, May 21 at GIAC 02 May - Morning Program line-up
12 May - Community Feedback Night at Boynton Middle School, Monday, May 13 01 May - March with the Fall Creek PTA in the Ithaca Festival Parade!
09 May - Morning Program line-up 30 Apr - Award-winning graphic novelist coming to Fall Creek!
07 May - District-Wide PTA Meeting with Budget Presentation by Dr. Brown 30 Apr - Credit Union Bingo is Back
07 May - Credit Union Bingo - Week 2 25 Apr - Math & Science Night at BJM
06 May - Yearbook update 25 Apr - Rummage Sale next Saturday
05 May - Proposed ICSD Budget 2013-2014 24 Apr - Fall Creek Women Swimmin' Team?