By Christine Fisher
Correspondent
March 19, 2008 07:07 am Three teams from Amesbury Elementary School recently participated in the 2008 Regional Destination ImagiNation Tournament at Triton Regional High School. Each team has been getting ready since September. Team DI've Got a Secret included Marianna Sanborn, Mandy Claflin, Mara Einson, Lilly Gross, Kristen Provost and Eli Ratner. DI've Got a Secret's project focused on optical illusions. Abby Davis, Kaitlyn Gilleo and Patrick Lamotte took on the challenge of designing a vehicle that overcame obstacles in its path. Team Rising Stars, whose members included Beverly Brown, Evi Ratner, Elena Sanborn and Mia and Maddie Ziomek, presented a skit about the Boston Tea party with an alternative ending that had opposing sides drinking tea. Each team had a parent leader. The rules of the tournament specified that the parents were not allowed to assemble props, costumes, equipment or prompt lines. The parents were encouraged to cheer on their team members. The parent leaders included Marianna Sanborn, Randy Davis and Sherri Ziomek. Destination ImagiNation Inc. is the world's largest creativity and problem-solving organization. It is community-based with programs that reach out to preschool students, corporate employees and a range of demographics in between. nnn Fifth-graders at the middle school will take their annual field trip back in time on Thursday. The students will be doing so for their annual Colonial Day celebration. Students and staff will dress in era-appropriate attire, serve a traditional meal, experience colonial education and make crafts. Stop & Shop is donating hams for the colonial meal. nnn Spirit Week at Amesbury Middle School began Monday with Sports Day. Tuesday is Clash Day. Wednesday will be Crazy Hat and Hair Day, and Thursday will be Twin Day. nnn Students may sign up for an SAT prep course at Amesbury High School on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The class runs from April 9 to June 4. Guidance counselor Sue Saurman will answer questions regarding this course. nnn After-school clubs at Amesbury Middle School will not meet Wednesday because of a staff meeting. nnn The AHS Talent Night has been postponed until Monday, March 31, at 7 p.m. because of scheduling conflicts. The event will be at the Amesbury Middle School Performance Center. nnn Amesbury Elementary School reading teacher Marne Cowden shared pictures from her trip to Yellowstone National Park with third-grade AES students. To complement the musical picture CD that Cowden created, the students read about the park, composed a written piece and made watercolor artwork. The students who participated thank Cowden for sharing her trip with them. nnn Kindergarten students in Julia Philcrantz's Amesbury Elementary School class have started their spring study. Some of their activities will include tracking the weather, planting flowers and watching for signs of spring. Kindergarten students are also working with graphing software to see how they can manipulate the appearance of data. nnn The Kindergarten Parent Information Night is scheduled for Wednesday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m. in the Amesbury Elementary School Cafeteria. Parents and guardians of students who will begin kindergarten in the fall of 2008 are encouraged to attend the meeting for information on the enrollment process and what to expect for their children. Kindergarten registration will run from April 1 through April 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at respective local district schools. nnn There will be no school on Friday. nnn On March 25, second-graders from Cashman Elementary School are traveling to the North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly to see the production of "Charlotte's Web." Second grade-teacher Marjorie Taft said that students "have been reading E.B. White's widely loved book in preparation for (their) trip and enjoying its rich language and crisp visual images." nnn The middle school will celebrate the arts Thursday with Jazz and Art Night '08 presented by the Amesbury Music Department. The Paul Broadnax Ensemble with Paul Broadnax, Marty Ballou, Les Harris Jr., Dave Newsam and Jeff Stout will share the stage with the middle school jazz band, middle school melody club and high school jazz band beginning at 7:30 in the AMS Performance Center. Professional and student artists will have their work on display in the art show beginning at 6:30 in the AMS Cafeteria. Tickets will be available beforehand at the AMS office and at the door for $8. The AHS Jazz Band will perform on Tuesday, March 25, at the Newburyport Jazz Festival. Sponsored by the Newburyport Education Business Coalition, it features musicians from area schools, including Triton and Ipswich. The Les Harris Jazz Combo will also be performing. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Newburyport High School auditorium. Tickets are $8. nnn The high school English Department is hosting a night of poetry at the high school on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the high school library. The 2008 literary magazine will be released. Students will read original and classic poetry. nnn "The Smell of the Kill," an Amesbury High School Drama Club production, will run March 26, 28 and 29 at 7 p.m. in the Amesbury Middle School Performance Center. The play is a student-directed comedy. nnn Parent Teacher conferences for high school students will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 27. Students should schedule times for their parents to meet with their teachers before Thursday. nnn Amesbury High School students in the horticulture classes, special needs classes and Advanced Placement biology traveled to the New England Flower Show at the Bayside Expo Center in Boston on Friday, March 14. The Parent Advisory Council made this day possible by reducing the cost of transportation for the students and teachers. Christine Fisher is a senior at Amesbury High School.
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