Newburyport Public Schools were recently awarded a $30,000 Professional Development Literacy grant through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is designed to help further a district's balanced literacy initiatives by providing advanced training to its faculty. According to Interim Superintendent Deirdre Farrell, the grant will provide middle school in-house training to help introduce participants to the thinking behind the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System and help them understand instructional and grouping implications.
It will also provide "Structure of Reading" workshops to help participants teach effective mini-lessons to deepen student understanding, help participants examine ways to connect their teaching to student assessment and explore the ways in which interactive read-aloud activities build a community of learners in the classroom and deepen students' response to literature.
Training will also be offered to middle school administrators, specifically centered on "What every school leader needs to know about good literacy teaching and effective literacy coaching," and to upper elementary teachers seeking greater understanding of analyzing student writing and reading and how to assess their progress. Reading Recovery teachers will receive support and training as well.
Overall, the competitive grant will be a boon for the Newburyport literacy program, which will in turn strengthen students' literacy skills, Farrell said.
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Newburyport High School junior Connor Mcateer was about to donate his old suit recently to the Salvation Army when he was struck by a better idea.
Remembering how his mother had spent so much money on his suit, which he bought to wear on the eighth-grade New York trip to go see a Broadway play, he wanted to do something to help others in that same situation.
The idea has grown into "Connor's Closet," a clothing drive. The idea is to collect old clothing for kids attending the eighth-grade trip and, on a day in February or March, have the kids come to an open house and "go shopping," or pick out an outfit for free.
In today's economy, it might be tough for families to purchase the dresses, shoes, ties, suits and shirts for the show, Connor wrote in a flier distributed at the high school.
"This clothing can also be used for eighth-grade graduation," he wrote.
Connor's idea started with the New York trip, but if it grows beyond that, it would be great, his mother, Kerri, Mcateer said.
Connor can be reached at kmack327@yahoo.com. He will pick up donations and keep them until the drive concludes, Mcateer said.
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The Brown School is in need of recycled toys for children's use during indoor and outdoor recess. The preschool and kindergarten center is looking for romper stompers, hula hoops, nerf-type balls, skip-its, spill-proof bubble containers and playground balls for its outdoor play. Indoor toys such as Lego pieces and people, K-nex sets, magna doodles and Connect Four games, Etch-A-Sketches, soft foam blocks and Little Tykes basketball nets are also needed. To donate, contact Di Ouellette at douellette@newburyport.k12.ma.us.
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The Kelley School Drop In Center is hosting a Cookie Cram fundraiser Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and invites families and children to stop by for some holiday fun in support of a good cause.
Decorate your own container and fill it with as many cookies as you like for just $5; all proceeds will go toward purchasing toys for children in need this holiday season.
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A Newburyport High School Senior Celebration Meeting will be held Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. in NHS Room 118. Anyone interested in helping plan for the all-night, alcohol-free graduation night soiree for seniors is welcome to attend. For more information, contact Nancy Krasnow at nankras@yahoo.com or Melinda Crossman at dcross1008@aol.com.
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Newburyport Youth Services "Winter Movie Nights" will begin Friday with a screening of the popular animated film "Up" at City Hall for grades 1 to 5. Kids are invited to bring their friends, a cozy blanket and an appetite for popcorn to the film, which begins at 6:30 and is free.
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Thursday is an early release day for students in the Newburyport School District.
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Parents of sixth-graders will soon be hearing more about their children's upcoming spring stay-over trip to Camp Kieve in Nobleboro, Maine, an annual rite of passage for decades for Newburyport's sixth-graders. An informational meeting for the outing is scheduled for Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the RAN Library to allow parents to learn more about the particulars of the trip. Parents of students wishing to take part in the four-night trip, scheduled for Monday, April 26, through Friday, April 30, should plan on attending. Registration forms will be distributed to students on Wednesday, Jan. 20, and are due back on Friday, Jan. 29, along with a nonrefundable tuition deposit of $175.
The remaining balance of $120 is due on Friday, Feb. 26.
For more information on the camp, go to www.kieve.org, or call 207-563-5172.
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An informational night on helping fund college with assistance from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority will be held Thursday at Newburyport High School. The financial aid forum begins at 6:30 p.m.
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Lynne Hendricks covers Newburyport schools for The Daily News. She can be reached at lhendricks@newburyportnews.com, or by calling 978-462-6666, ext. 3254.
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