“Love That Class”

A Poem Inspired by Walter Dean Myers

By Cyndi McKnight

Love that class,

like an eagle loves to soar.

I said I love that class

like an eagle loves to soar.

Love to see them in the morning

Love to watch them

dance in the door.

They buzz around the room

And work like busy bees.

I said they buzz around the room

And work like busy bees.

They sing when they’re happy,

When they’re done they sing some more.

Some talk the whole day,

When they’re shushed they talk some more!

The rest are quiet mice all day,

They try to make their highest score.

Their mamas want to keep them,

Want to keep them sweet and young.

I said their mamas want to keep them,

Want to keep them sweet and young.

But they’re growing up now,

It’s time for them to find their way.

I’ve tried to fill their minds with stories

And their heads with words galore.

I said I’ve filled their minds with stories

And their heads with words galore.

They’ll be fine young friends,

They’ve got time to bloom

before they’re grown.

I said they’ll be fine young friends,

They’ve got time to bloom

before they’re grown.

They’ll be ready for their future

whatever it may hold;

they’ll be the best at being special,

at making life their own.

Click here to read 5th grader Ellie A.’s poem “Love Those Finches.”

Yet after only a few minutes the children were smiling, chatting, and making new friendships. On Tuesday, May 21, S.P. Livingston, a Duval County public school,  and JCDS began a partnership that blossomed into the PGA TOUR Young Writers’ Workshop.

What a day the students had! Thanks in part to the PGA TOUR, students enjoyed an action-packed day filled with writing, computers, art, music, science, and physical education.

Students heard writing tips from Times-Union reporter Khristopher Brooks, photographer/children’s’ author Patsy Smith Roberts, and JCDS librarian Amy Kucsak. They also drew toucans with Mrs. Lane, beat on drums with Mrs. Dickert, built spinning tops with Mrs. Johnson, and played basketball and flag football with Coach Lynch, Coach Anderson, Dawn Kell, and Matt Wilson.

From Jennifer Brown, S.P.Livingston principal, and Carl Tremble, JCDS parent and board member, students learned to “dream big” and focus on education. They also were photographed with special guest Jaxson de Ville, whose appearance was arranged by JCDS parent Crystal Freed.

None of this would have been possible without the caring guidance and enthusiasm of the third grade teachers: Mrs. McCall, Mrs. Merrill, Mrs. Hockenbery, Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. McLeod, and Mrs. Cannington.

Numerous others supported in a variety of ways: Gayle Wilson, Ian Nyquist, Kat Braswell, Vivian Pinner, Pat Walker, Deanna Gammon, Louise Hiday, Michael Porter, Carla Robinson, Steve Formanek, and Cathy Bell. This was all the result of Terry Bartow’s vision of the Young Writers’ Workshop he brought to JCDS nine years ago.

A third grade parent remarked, “My son has talked non-stop about his buddy. Lots of interesting and insightful questions. He really enjoyed his buddy.”

Third grade teacher Helen McCall said “once again, our JCDS students stepped up to the plate and welcomed the Livingston students with open arms and showed them what good character is all about.”

JCDS is looking forward to continuing this partnership for years to come.

The show was divided into three sections. The first was about friendship and opened with the entire sixth grade singing the song “Wonder” and closed with an African drums performance, which ties into the grade’s global studies unit. The middle section pieces were based on the students reading A Long Walk to Water this year. The last section was called “The Night Before Middle School” and reflected students’ anxieties and hopes about their upcoming transition to middle school. For the finale, all of the sixth graders sang “Lean on Me” with Kamren K. on piano.

“It was a smash from the moment the pictures started flashing on the screen to the last key that Kamren played on the piano,” director of curriculum Ruthanne Stabler said.

Head of school Terry Bartow said, “Today there was an integrated thematic approach with a common thread, the books they read, in a variety of modes: songs, dance, instrumental, and cups. What happened today was a whole child education, and it was brilliant. It represented where we are and where we are headed as a school.”

Sixth graders will always remember the performance! Thanks to all of the sixth grade faculty, parents, and staff who made this show so memorable.

Fourth graders have completed their iBook as part of their Latin America unit. The iBook and PDFs (for other devices that aren’t iPads) are online and ready for downloading (see directions at the bottom of the page).

Here is the Introduction from the book that explains a little about the project:

This electronic publication represents the culmination of the fourth grade social studies unit on Latin America.

The unit began in the library with students collaboratively researching  Spanish speaking countries on the Internet. The students read and took notes on “A Day in the Life” of a child from one of these countries:  Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Spain.

Next, each student worked in class with a partner on these topic choices: a postcard plus a drawing, an advice column with questions and responses, or a friendly letter and thank you note. In Spanish classes, fourth graders created models and symbols of their country. In social studies, they studied the location of twenty-six Latin American countries using the website, “Ilike2learn.com.” Students Skyped with three families in Latin American countries (including Señora Leonard’s and Mrs. Kucsak’s families) and learned that they had much in common with their Latin American friends. PE planned games and lessons to coordinate with our unit as well.

The students used various technology tools in preparation for playing their version of “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego.”  The rubric required that they use at least one of four technology tools:  Blabberize, podcast, video, or Wordle. Each class, using critical thinking skills, played “Where in the World are JCDS Sharks” in the library. Additionally, they created art work from Latin America and learned to play a Spanish song on the guitar and recorders.

The result was a great deal of learning and a tremendous amount of fun.

The project was a collaboration of several individuals and areas of study, including Mrs. Stoner (4th grade teacher), Mrs. Kucsak (library), Mrs. Lane (art), Mrs. Dickert (music), Mrs. Leonard (Spanish), Mr. Wilson, Mr. Porter, and Ms. Sanchez (technology), and Mrs. Stabler (curriculum).

iPad instructions

iPad users can experience the epub using iBooks. To download the epub to your iPad, enter the following link in Safari on your device:

http://students.jcds.com/latinam2013.ibooks

After the book is downloaded, click “Open in iBooks” and enjoy! This may take a few minutes to download depending on your connection speed.

Instructions for other devices
To view the epub on your iPhone, iPod Touch, computer, or other devices that can display pdf files, use this link (you may also click it here):

http://students.jcds.com/latinam2013.pdf

The judges had glowing remarks for both groups and were especially impressed that the Band has third grade members. The judges also commented that the sounds achieved in only one hour a week were equal or superior to many middle school and high school groups that meet for an hour or more every school day.

“It’s not only the teaching, but it’s also the wonderful students whom we are blessed to work with at JCDS.  It’s also the parents who support our programs and who make sure their students are at rehearsals, especially the Band rehearsals at 7:15 a.m.  It’s also the administration who allow us to be as creative as we want,” music specialist Virginia Dickert said.

“The kids worked very hard to take their performance to a new level, which is no surprise with such great parents to help them accomplish their potential, ” band director Chrystal Staples said.

In addition to the Chorus and Band receiving superior ratings, four sixth graders shared their talents in the solo category. Each of these musicians received a superior (the highest) rating. They are:

— Libby K. (vocal)

— Chandler B. (vocal)

— Jessica H. (flute)

— Amanda F. (french horn)

We are so proud of all of these outstanding musicians!

“I’m so proud of our second graders. They learned their show in a very short amount of time and they nailed it,” Music specialist Virginia Dickert said of the show. “I had so many people comment on how age-appropriate the music was and how the musical had such a great message. The kids really learned the meaning of the show, and I hope they never forget the lessons learned,” she added.

Thanks to the second grade faculty, Stacy Bowen, Sylvia Kalal, Diane Wellman, Vivian Pinner, the video/tech team, the administrative team, and parents for all of their support and help to make the show possible.

The next day, younger students and their older buddies met to share their art experiences. It was not uncommon to see a fifth grader holding hands with his first grade buddy while explaining how he glazed his gray turtle. Afterwards, the first grader proudly marched up to his pastel of a frisky polar bear to show his older friend. In the halls kindergartners searched for their blue and white windmills that sprang from their engineering unit. Fourth graders found their bright symmetrical bird “molls.” Preprimary friends grinned at their stately stegosauruses.

The variety was amazing: orange and purple poinsettias, Mondrian geometrics, pink pigs with curly tails and muddy ears, STEAM turtles, Asian elephants, recycled robots, stunning irises, chocolate-covered strawberries, amazing abstracts, and much more.

The Young Artist Forum, the culmination of a year rich in art and learning, dazzled the school community. ”Thank you, Shaw and Stacy, for the time, energy, and love you poured into the exhibition,” Ruthanne Stabler, director of curriculum at JCDS said.

She had spoken to the sixth grade students in October during their global studies unit on Africa. Mrs. Smith-Roberts has been to Africa more than 20 times and she has taken some breathtaking photographs. She brought several of her photos and some African artifacts. She also showed the students a power point presentation.

During her previous visit, Mrs. Smith-Roberts told the students that many of the children in the villages don’t have any shoes, so she collects them and takes them to the children when she visits. The students decided, after she left, that they would like to collect Crocs and flip-flops for the children in the villages. Mrs. Smith-Roberts told the students the shoes would be greatly appreciated by the African children.

Songs included “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” “I Won’t Grow Up,” and “You’ve Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two,” which featured Michael Porter, technology and production coordinator at JCDS, as Fagin.

“Virginia Dickert can pull things out of students that they do not even know they have in them,” a staff member watching the sixth grade show said. Seeing the sixth grade boys in frizzy, multicolored wigs singing and dancing to “Green Eggs and Ham” confirmed that statement. Also, who can forget how two soloists in Pocahontas tugged at the heartstrings?

“Wow, talk about a sixth grade class that rose to the occasion! The performance was the icing on the cake and I am so proud of our JCDS sixth graders. They performed beautifully and even their teachers joined in on ‘The Audition’ with some talents of their own,” music specialist Virginia Dickert, who directed the show, said. She also thanked all the parents, both for the costumes and for bringing their students to JCDS.

“Virginia, hats off to yet another wonderful performance! Kudos to the sixth grade team, Mrs. Bowen, Mrs. Gray, and all who contributed,” director of curriculum Ruthanne Stabler said.