Mahopac High School 421 Baldwin Place Road Mahopac, NY 10541 Phone: (845) 628-3256 Fax: (845) 628-3350 or (845) 628-4380 Calendar of Events 12/13 2/9- Drama Band Parents Presents: 2/10 The Meeting Pink at Panther 7:30 pm 12/14 Strikes HS Financial Again Aid Night at at 7:30 7:00 pm 12/15 2/13 Board 2 nd Interim of Education Period Ends Meeting at Fulmar Road at 8:00 pm 12/15 Recording Concert at 7:30 pm 2/15 9th Grade Curriculum 12/20 Night SAT Registration 7:00 pm 12/20 2/15 PTO Holiday Meeting Concert at at 7:30 pm 7:00 pm 12/21 PTO Meeting at 2/19- No School: 10:00 am 2/25 Winter Recess 12/23- No School- 1/1 2/26 School Holiday Reopens Recess 1/2 2/26 Middle School School Reopens Students Visit HS 2/27-2/28 2/27-3/1 Program of Studies Distribution at HS Student/Counselor Meetings regarding Schedule for 2007-08 3/1 Signature Thursday 3/2 3rd Quarter Interim period ends 3/5-3/9 Foreign Language Week 3/9 HS Counselors go to Middle School for Scheduling 3/10 SAT Test Date The Advocate V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 5 Rube Goldberg Competition a Huge Success Story by Ron McDermott Rube Goldberg was an engineer who later became famous as a cartoonist who created Rube Goldberg devices, very elaborate devices that incorporated a series of separate actions that eventually performed some ordinary task. Making a morning cup of coffee, for example, might entail using roosters, dogs, bowling balls, falling objects, fans, etc. F E B R U A R Y 7, 2 0 0 7 The physics department has just completed its 7 th Annual Rube Goldberg Engineering Competition, in which students must design a device employing ten separate energy transferring steps, culminating in opening a raw egg and depositing the contents into a container. As anyone who has ever built something has learned (often to their dismay), planning something on paper is quite different from actually making that thing work properly in real life! Students must plan, design, organize materials, assemble those materials, test, and very often, refine or even redesign their device on the fly. It is a real test of their organizational skills! The competition itself is conducted on the school stage, where it is observed by staff, administration, and reporters. In recent years, it has also been filmed live. It s an exciting, frenetic, and when it is over, a thoroughly enjoyable experience for all involved! Story by Andy Hatt WISE at MHS Students in Mahopac High School s WISE program are fanning out into the community this week to begin full semester internships for academic credit. Forty-six Mahopac seniors will spend 10-12 hours per week working with attorneys, architects, police officers, teachers, and fashion merchandisers to name a few, from now until June 8th. This semester seniors also will continue to meet with a teacher mentor once per week, complete professional reading in the field, write a summative paper and do a thirty minute presentation. These young people expect to hone their skills in the world of work and to get direct experience in the workplace that will help them decide on the right college major. Said one parent, I can t believe the difference in my daughter since the WISE program started. She s focused, excited and says that this is the best thing she s ever done in high school.
BOCES Tech Students Work to Finish Mahopac Field House Story by Barbara Coats Learning on the job, 27 Masonry and Plumbing students from The Tech Center at BOCES have been building interior walls and installing pipes at Mahopac High School s field house, working several mornings a week with the goal of completing the communitysponsored project by spring. Braving the variable weather, the students are getting hands-on instruction and experience at the 20- by 90-foot unheated structure, begun three years ago as a collaborative effort of the school and community volunteers. The building will eventually hold restrooms, a kitchen, and concession stand adjacent to the school s athletic fields. The project is supported entirely by student and community contributions of materials and labor. The BOCES students, from a variety of school districts, including Mahopac, John Jay, Carmel, Brewster, Bedford, Ossining, Putnam Valley, Hendrick Hudson, and Chappaqua, regularly attend Tech Center classes two hours a day, some at the BOCES Yorktown campus and some at the field house. We come out in all the elements, says student Graham Lawson of Brewster. Does he have a sense of pride in being part of this project? Exactly, Mr. Lawson says. This will be here years from now. This is a real community effort, says Jim Ucci, BOCES Plumbing teacher, describing the field house project. Everything s been donated. It s all volunteer labor. Local 21 of the plumbers union laid the pipes; Local 5 retired masons Everett Cantamessa and Art Bunaye helped BOCES students build the exterior block structure and somebody else put in the concrete slab and put the roof on. For the students, the project gives them a look at possible professions. As many as 80 percent [of Plumbing and Masonry students] go into the field, Mr. Ucci says, though at this point they don t always realize the value of what they re learning. When they get out there, they see what a good idea this was. Drama Company Delights Audiences with Musical Version of a Dickens Classic Story by Rachel Formale - Grade 10 On December 8th and 9th, the Mahopac High School Drama Company performed Scrooge! The Musical. The holiday cheer and fun was felt by an audience ranging from young children to senior citizens. The play opens on Christmas Eve in 1800's London in the office of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old skinflint, played by Josh Solar-Doherty. After arguing with his clerk, played by Ritesh Rajan, Scrooge is visited by four ghosts, played by Rande Iaboni, Jenna Koenigsman, Archana Rajan, and Brittany Merola. The ghosts lead Scrooge through the heartbreaking memories of his past, the mistakes of his present, and the misery that may be his future. After learning the error of his ways, the show concluded with the now merry Scrooge joining with the rest of the cast to sing "Thank You Very Much," the show's most famous song. The audience enjoyed the performance as well as the snow emanating from two snow machines operated from the balcony. The actors felt a great sense of pride in their work. Alex Turqman, who played Mr. Fezziwig, summed up the feelings of the hard working cast: "I really think the show pulled together and it came out nicely in the end." True to this statement, the show did come together nicely, and provided a great holiday event for people of all ages. After all, as Bob Cratchit pointed out in one of the show's musical numbers, "Christmas is for children young and old." THE ADVOCATE PAGE 2
Building With Books - Changing Lives for the Good Story by Agnes Marie Califano - Grade 11 Tim Victor - Grade 12 Building with Books is a service-oriented club in the High School. Focusing on local community service, global education, and changing the world for the better, our club helps its members gain a sense of community through helping others. Building with Books holds fundraisers to raise money to help build schools in communities worldwide that don't have a tradition of good education. Every summer members from our club and from BWB chapters across the country meet in countries like Nicaragua and Mali and help to build a school with their own hands with materials they raised money for. We hope to offer a good education to people who need it. Aside from spreading education worldwide, the club also focuses on local community service, because charity begins at home. Building with Books initiated a paper recycling program in Mahopac High School which has drastically reduced the schools waste output. The club also helps school social worker/landscaping extraordinaire Chip Kennard to beautify the gardens and landscaping around the high school. Throughout the year, our club also meets with other local BWB chapters to take on large-scale service projects, such as cleaning New York City parks and painting residences for AIDS patients. Building with Books offers its members more than just a way to attain community service hours; we offer a chance to grow as an individual and as a member of the community. We encourage members to be more responsible and socially-conscious people, and prepare them to be a positive force in their world. La Société Honoraire de Français Spreads The French Word Story by Jennifer Brent - Grade 10 December 14th, Mahopac High School s Société Honoraire de Français (or French Honor Society to those who aren t familiar with the language) had the pleasure of volunteering their time at the Lakeview Elementary School to the classes of Mrs. Stefanak and Mrs. Bentivenga. Upon arrival, the French students dispersed into their designated classes. They were delighted to learn that the children had already begun to learn French prior to their arrival with such phrases as Bonjour and Comment-allez vous? ( Hello and How are you? ). While the high school students prepared stations for the kids, our Mrs. Giamanco read aloud to them a story they knew quite well only it was entirely in French! What was at one point Little Red Riding Hood had become Le Petit Chaperon Rouge. At the conclusion of the story, the elementary kids were broken into groups and they began to travel to the stations. At these French-student-run booths, the children were exposed to animals, colors, and a myriad of other intriguing topics in regards to France. The elementary-kids moved from booth to booth, all the while demonstrating an unbridled energy as well as enthusiasm for the culture and language they were learning about. When the time came for the high school students to leave, they bid the children farewell, and then assembled charming goodie-bags for them. Once this was finished, the MHS French Honor Society left Lakeview Elementary with a job well done. Ninth Grade Curriculum Night Parents of incoming 9th graders are invited to the High School auditorium for an evening presentation on February 15. The presentation focuses on the transition, scheduling process, 9th grade program and the high school graduation requirements. The presentation will begin at 7:00 pm with a snow date of February 16th. High School Course Selection Process 2/27/07 & 2/28/07 - Program of Studies Distribution 2/27/07 & 2/28/07 Program of Studies goes home with student 2/27/07 3/1/07 Student/Counselors Meetings Regarding Schedule 3/1/07 Signature Thursday ο Grade 9-11 students will be given Course Request Worksheet in their first period class ο 1 st period teacher will distribute course request worksheets ο Teachers will be expected to make time to sign off on each student s request form for each subject ο Students will be required to carry forms from class to class gathering signatures THE ADVOCATE PAGE 3
Staff Participates in Conflict Resolution Workshop Mahopac High School, through PBIS efforts, recently worked with ICCR (International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution) based out of the Teacher College at Columbia University to provide all MHS staff training on conflict resolution. The ICCR mission statement is as follows: ICCCR is an innovative center committed to developing knowledge and practice to promote constructive conflict resolution, effective cooperation, and social justice. We partner with individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to learn to resolve conflicts constructively so they may develop just and peaceful relationships. We work with sensitivity to cultural differences and emphasize the links between theory, research, and practice. For more information, please visit their website: http://www.tc.edu/icccr/education.html The purpose of the workshop was to provide teachers with an introduction to concepts and skills that can be used in de-escalating confrontation and anger in teacher-student conflicts. The program included the following initiatives: The difference between positions and underlying needs in conflict: What are conflicts really about? (Includes analysis of This positions story can fit and 75-125 needs words. in a film clip Once showing you have student-teacher chosen an image, conflict.) Selecting pictures Small group or graphics exercise: an Three place Part it close Listening. to the article. Listening Be sure for positions, needs and feelings in participants own scenarios important of teacher-student part of adding conflict. content to to place the caption of the image your newsletter. near the image. Listening skills for de-escalating conflict: active listening, probing, paraphrasing. Skill practice in pairs. Think about Small your group article exercise: and ask Analysis of listening behaviors in teacher-student conflicts using participants own scenarios. yourself Skill if the practice: picture revise supports conflict or scenarios with a focus on effective listening skills. enhances the message you re trying to convey. The workshop Avoid selecting was well images received and will help to develop common language and strategies for all staff members to use in that appear de-escalating to be out confrontation of context. and anger in teacher-student conflicts. Microsoft Publisher includes thousands Positive of clip art Behavioral images from Interventions which and Supports (PBIS) is a systems approach to preventing and responding to school and you can classroom choose and discipline import problems. into PBIS develops school-wide systems that support staff to teach Caption and promote describing positive picture behavior or your to newsletter. all students. There are also graphic. several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols. MHS on the Web Please visit our award winning website at www.mahopac.k12.ny.us/mhs to find the following: Daily Announcements Student Handbook Early Release Days Video Archives: Scholarship News Program of Studies Interactive Sports Schedule School Lunch Menu Guide to College Planning Mahopac High School : A Great American School Financial Aid Night Please Note: If you have information that you would like to share regarding former Mahopac students or information for future newsletters, please contact Troy Bilyeu, Green House Principal, at 845-628-3256 ext. 567 or you can email him at bilyeut@mahopac.k12.ny.us THE ADVOCATE PAGE 4
Mahopac High School Parent Teacher Organization SAT PREP COURSES The Mahopac High School Parent Teacher Organization will offer three SAT prep courses at Mahopac High School this spring. These four course sessions will be taught by certified teachers. Each session will be divided into two courses of English Language Arts and, Mathematics. The total cost of the course is $160.00, materials included. We will offer three SAT courses for the students (juniors given priority), The first session will be offered: Saturdays March:17,24 and April 21,28 8am to 12 noon Sundays: March 18, 25 and April,15,22 3 to 7pm Tuesdays: March,20,27 and April,17,24 4 to 8pm. In order for these classes to be offered, there must be a minimum of 26 students per section. This is on a first come first served basis. So please register today. The application form and check must be received by Friday March 2. Make your check payable to: MHSPTO. Please note that this is a non-refundable fee once the classes have started. Send the completed form and check to: Mahopac High School Parent Teacher Organization C/o Mahopac High School Main Office 421 Baldwin Place Road Mahopac, N.Y. 10541 Please note that attendance and completed homework are necessary to obtain the maximum results from these courses. However it is not the responsibility of the PTO to monitor this. For any additional information contact: Sue Gray 845-628-0218. cut here cut here Students Name Grade Address Home Phone Emergency # E-mail Address Please check for one session only: SUNDAY (3-7pm) Tuesday (4-8pm) Saturday(8-12) Please note: You will have to schedule the SAT test through collegeboard.com.