Last week, Amesbury Elementary School Principal Walter Helliesen met with each grade level to talk with them about the importance of the MCAS test. Students in the third and fourth grade undertook the first phase of spring MCAS testing this week, and other grades are preparing for their testing, which takes place through Friday. Students are reminded to get a good night's sleep and eat a good breakfast before their testing days.
Cashman Elementary School fourth-graders will complete Long Composition testing today; third- and fourth-graders take Reading Comprehension tests tomorrow and Thursday. Today, the seventh grade will be taking Long Composition; tomorrow, grades 5 and 6 will take the ELA portion; Thursday, grades 7 and 8 will take ELA; Friday will be grades 6 and 7 ELA part two.
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Students from the kindergarten classes at Cashman trekked to Amesbury High School to visit Wayne Adams' horticulture class on Friday and yesterday. Sasha Ericson, Jennifer Gelineau, Joseph Kezer, Sara Pelletier, Rebecca Pike, Brittni May-Grove and Nicole Richardson helped students plant seeds into pots that will be Mother's Day gifts.
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The Cashman greenhouse is filled with plant activity. Basil, coriander, marigolds, sweet peas, tomatoes, sunflowers and nasturtiums are growing. Under the supervision of Leslie Barnaby, Amesbury Educational Foundation Green Plants to a Greener Earth recipient, the children are starting seedlings with Jen Gelineau, student horticultural intern, or with their teachers. Kate Bissell's students are growing marigolds and made a tether to see if the morning glories will climb. In the next few weeks, students will begin herb and pumpkin seedlings. Master gardener Nanette Masi will be visiting to teach students how to properly prune and clear away brush for the compost bin. Guest speaker Molly Ettenborough will be visiting Cashman on April 17 to talk about greener practices.
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Deb Welch's second-grade classroom at AES is planting pumpkin seeds in the new greenhouse. Mrs. Rowe, Hannah's mom, helped students plant seeds in each pot. The pots will stay in the greenhouse until planting season, when the children can bring their plant home or plant it in the school garden. Students are keeping journals using science vocabulary from their Reading Street nonfiction selection, "Life Cycle of a Pumpkin," as well as doing sketches of plant growth. Room 12 was the first class to use the new greenhouse, which was made possible from a grant written by teacher/building coordinator Pam Gagnon through the Amesbury Educational Foundation.
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The Woodland Nature Trail behind AES suffered from December's ice storm; trees and debris cover the trail, making it impassable. Students and teachers use this trail for nature exploration and ask for the public's help in clearing it on Saturday, April 18, at 8 a.m. — many hands will make light work. Meet in the parking lot. If you are skilled with a chain saw, bring it down.
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Cashman Student Council members, in partnership with Our Neighbors' Table, are decorating 500 white paper bags for Easter that will hold healthy snacks.
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Cashman Elementary fourth-grade teacher Beth Cavalier recently completed her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in educational leadership through Plymouth State University.
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One of the AES Destination Imagination teams is going on to the state finals. A team featuring Elizabeth Jarmolowicz, Mariah Deardon and Amber Finney chose "Video Lit Hits," where they had to take a work of literature and make it into a music video. They modernized "The Grinch who Stole Christmas" as an original rap. The second team, featuring sisters Marianna and Elena Sanborn, brothers Ben and Andrew Campbell, Katelyn Gileo and Abby Davis built a solution around the "Instinct Messaging" challenge, which asked them to tell a story about how animals communicate without using words, and it earned them a trip to the state finals.
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Senior Kate Goodwin has been selected to represent Amesbury as a member of the Lions Club All-State Band. Kate, a trombone player who is also the AHS Band president, will be rehearsing in Holyoke between April 29 and May 2. The All-State Band will be performing in two concerts during Lions Club meetings.
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Carter Mulcahy has been awarded the "Massachusetts College of Art Summer Study Scholarship" from the Newburyport Art Association. This scholarship covers tuition, room and board, and supplies for the one-month study at the college.
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The 11th annual Amesbury High School Student Art Show will take place in the Provident Bank of Amesbury's lobby in April.
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AHS junior Becca Donohue will hold a photo show, "My Perspective," at the Unity on the River Gallery at 58 Macy St. through April with show hours Wednesday and Thursday, 6 to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Eighty-six children in the Amesbury After-School Program participated in the second annual coloring contest sponsored by the Amesbury Lions Club. Students enrolled in the after-school program at CES, AES and AMS were asked to color a page from the Lions International Coloring book. First prize in grades 1 and 2 went to Angel Tricoche; second place went to Ursula Siegfried. First prize in grades 3 and 4 went to Michael Yell; second prize went to Carolyn Sullivan. First prize in grades 5 and 6 went to Spencer Moavenzadeh, and second prize went to Victoria Wadsworth. First- and second-prize winners each received a check for $25. Every child who participated received a coloring book and a gift card from either Maggie Sundae or Carriagetown Chocolates. Prizes were awarded by the Lions Club's "Mr. Lion."
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Junior Prom tickets will be on sale to juniors from April 13 to 17. Tickets will be available to both juniors and seniors from April 18 to 30. The prom will be at Atkinson Country Club on May 8, from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Book obligations must be cleared up before purchasing prom tickets. Any student with a Junior Prom date who is a non-AHS student must obtain a permission slip from Elizabeth McAndrews and return it by Wednesday, May 6. Tickets are $70 and may be purchased in the lobby after school from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m.
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Tickets for the senior dinner dance ($15) and class trip to Fire and Ice and "Sheer Madness" ($63) will be on sale every Wednesday until May 6 after school in the lobby. The tickets may also be purchased at senior parent meeting on May 13.
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AMS Math team came in fourth in the last math meet at Ipswich. James Buckley was the highest scorer for the entire sixth grade for the third consecutive time.
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Eighth-graders who have received acceptance letters from Essex Agricultural and Technical High School, Whittier Regional Technical Vocational High School or any private high school and are planning to attend that school in the fall are reminded to bring the letter to AMS counselor Kathleen Scott to copy for their files.
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AMS special needs teachers and students are holding a raffle for two Adirondack chairs, with proceeds to benefit the Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program in the Amesbury schools. Tickets can be purchased for $5, 3 for $10 or an arm's length for $20. Tickets may be purchased from the staff in AMS Room 11 or at the AMS open house on May 7. The drawing will be held May 8.
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"Amesbury High School Magazine with Les Murray" airs on channel 18 Mondays at 6 p.m. and Thursdays at 9 p.m. The program is now streamed at www. K12.amesbury.ma.us.
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Important dates coming up:
Friday — The Gay/Straight Alliance will be showing the film "Prayers for Bobby" at 7:30 p.m. in the AHS auditorium. Admission is free; refreshments will be sold.
Thursday through Saturday — AMS Drama Club presents "Beauty and the Beast" at the AMS Performance Center, Thursday at 6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets $3 for students and $5 for adults
April 8 — The class of 2011 is holding a fundraiser at Papa Gino's in Amesbury.
April 6 through 17 — The sophomore class will sponsor a spring perennial fundraiser.
April 14 — AHS All-Sports Boosters Club is hosting a "Good food for good sports" fundraiser at Flatbread Co. from 5 to 9 p.m.
April 16 through 18 — AMS Drama Club presents its spring musical, "Little Shop of Horrors"
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Liz King covers Amesbury schools for The Daily News. She can be reached by e-mail at lking@newburyportnews.com or by calling 978-462-6666, ext. 3230.
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