Friday, June 12, 2009

For FOCUS Students, Dreams Take Flight

On Tuesday, June 2, members of Wallace Middle School’s Talented and Gifted Program (FOCUS) visited Central Connecticut State University and attended a series of workshops along with students from varying grades across the state. The workshops were part of a meeting known as “Dreams Take Flight.” The workshops ranged from Gemstone Jewelry to Robotics 101. The seven FOCUS students were: Selmon Rafey, Gabriel Mobley, Jorna Sojati, Anxheliki Duro, Shayla Biello, Lillian Rivera, and Temeyra Ramos.

We listened to a keynote address from famous musician and activist Peter Yarrow of the 1960s folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary. With Leonard Lipton, Yarrow co-wrote “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” the group's most famous song.

Reflecting on Mr. Yarrow's presentation, Shayla said: "It was a thrilling experience to witness other students of different races, ages, and grades experiencing their feelings about respect and bullying in front of people they don't know with Mr. Yarrow."

Jorna said: "It definitely takes a lot of guts to go up and share your thoughts and ideas with Mr. Yarrow--and I'm just so glad I got to be a part of that experience."

Click here for more about Mr. Yarrow's work.

Thanks to Selmon Rafey for drafting this post.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Puffer: Students and Parents Welcomed to Challenge of Elite City Schools


(WATERBURY, June 11, 2009) — Having one daughter attend West Side Middle School was enough for Christine Rousseau.

Rousseau said her eldest daughter struggled with dis­ruptions by unruly students. With a second daughter, Alex­ia, graduating fifth grade, Rousseau was ready to begin paying a private school tuition. But she’s giving West Side a second chance because of new elite academies being launched at the city’s three mainstream middle schools next year. Top-ranked stu­dents will take tougher classes, moving at a quicker pace and bringing home more difficult homework.

“It was either this or Catholic school,” Rousseau said Wednesday during an ori­entation at Waterbury Arts Magnet School’s atrium.

The room was packed with hundreds of students and par­ents — the cream of the city’s fifth grade.

To apply, students needed high marks on their Connecti­cut Mastery Tests — meeting or exceeding state goal in writ­ing, reading and math. They also needed a 95 percent atten­dance rate, a record of good behavior and a minimum aver­age grade of “B.” Screening committees made the final picks after interviewing stu­dents.

Educators at the orientation say the academies are for students who might otherwise have languished in mainstream classes.

“What always concerned me is some bright kids weren’t challenged, they were bored,” Board of Education President Patrick Hayes told the crowd. He said the academies are also a good alternative for parents who might otherwise consider private school.

“You spend enough money in Waterbury,” Hayes said. “Stick with us and we will deliver for you.”

Wallace Middle School Prin­cipal Louis Padua called the middle schools’ raucous reputa­tion unfair. But it was a com­mon belief among parents pres­ent. Several said they’d consid­ered private schools for their children before learning of the academies.

Wallace and West Side will start with two classes of 28 stu­dents. North End Middle School didn’t receive enough appli­cants, so it will start with a sin­gle accelerated class.

Wallace teacher Matthew Calabrese warned students they might see their grades slip and find the homework load challenging at the outset.

“We set the bar pretty high for our students,” Calabrese said. “You are going to make mistakes. It’s OK to make mis­takes.”

Driving the workload expec­tation home, organizers gave students a packet of summer homework. They must read four books, write detailed re­ports and answer questions.

Padua said educators hope the academies will serve as in­spiration.


Michael Puffer, Repbublican-American

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Wallace Students: Gone Fishin'



Wallace students who are involved in PAL participated in a fishing derby at Fulton Park on Saturday, June 6.



Friday, June 5, 2009

CPEP Kids Celebrate Success


Wallace Middle School held a CPEP (Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program) awards luncheon for those students who competed in this year's annual CPEP Day Event which on May 9 at the Connecticut Convention Center. Maureen Coelho, CPEP Regional Manager, and Dr. Louis Padua, Wallace's Building Principal, joined instructors Robert Stevens and Ken Sirois in addressing the students.

Wallace placed in five events, including first by Rube Goldberg for the Electric Magnetic Levitation and the Architects Award for Bridge Construction. Wallace placed second in the Engineers Award and Wind Power Magnetic Levitation.