New Library Rearrangement

Check out this article!  Toward the end of last school year, several Cornell design students came and looked at our library and computer lab's floor space.  Then they redesigned the space to make both rooms look the way they do now!  There is a picture of our very own Mrs. Snyder in it!  Click here to go to the article!

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...

Thank you to our wonderful friends at Hangar Theatre for yet another impressive production!  The other day the entire school was lucky to attend "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," based on the book written by Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond.  I think there wasn't a single person in the cafeteria that wasn't laughing!

Latkes!

A huge thanks to Emma's mom, Wendy Salomon, and grandma for coming in to her 3rd grade class and sharing their tradition of making homemade latkes!  Everyone loved them, and I'm sure everyone in the school could smell them through the hallways!

Thanksgiving

These are some of the things that Caroline Elementary students think of on Thanksgiving! (Click on the picture to see a closer view)

What are YOU thankful for?  Leave a comment!


 
 

2nd Grade: The Great Cricket Release

Fun Question!

Parent-Teacher Conferences!

Please don't forget to sign up for parent-teaacher conferences this Friday, November 12th!  If you have not signed up for a time slot yet, or need a reminder of what time you signed up for, please call Janet in the office at (607) 539-7155

"The Hat" Play

Every year the Caroline Teachers put on a play the day of our Halloween Parade.  We choose a book to act out.  This year we chose "The Hat" by Jan Brett.  See if you can tell which teachers played which characters!

Simple Machines

The fifth grade class made “Mystery Machines” to see how simple machines work.  They used basic supplies to make their own machines.  This is a picture of them!

Picture and caption by Izzy Magnuson-Lee, 5^th grader

Halloween Parade on Friday

This Friday at 1:00pm we will be having our annual Caroline Halloween Parade!  If the weather permits, families are welcome to gather on the inside of the soccer field.  Otherwise, you may go to the gym or cafeteria in the case that the parade will be held indoors.

Don't forget to sign in at the office, and if you are planning on taking your child home, you must sign them out in the main hallway.

Please remember: no masks, or violent costumes, and please leave your props at home.  Do not wear costumes to school; we will change into them before the parade.

Participation is not mandatory!

Caroline is GREEN!

Yesterday the school's green team displayed the following slideshow in an all-school assembly.  Students were moved to understand why it's so important to make the thoughtful decision to compost and recycle carefully.

Picture Day!

Tomorrow is Picture Day!  Don't forget your best SMILE!

Fire Safety Day

 Today was Fire Safety Day at Caroline Elementary.  In the morning, pre-k and kindergarten classes got to tour and sit in an ambulance and two different fire trucks!  They also met firefighters and saw what they look and sound like when all of their equipment is on.

  In the afternoon we had a school assembly.  After going over bus safety, the firefighters showed the audience what they look like with all of their equipment on.  They even walked around through the audience so we could get a good look and listen to what they sound like when they talk and breathe!

THIS WEEK

Thursday, October 7th:  the district will hold an early dismissal drill. All students in the district will be dismissed 15 minutes early. The district conducts the drill annually in an effort to test its emergency plan.  Caroline Elementary students will be dismissed at 1:45.  There will be no CASP on this day.


Friday, October 8th: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS!  Superintendent's Conference Day for teachers and school staff.

What's Going on in: 2nd Grade?

Second graders in Mrs. Wells', Ms. Goodmark's, and Mrs. Ward's classes are studying mealworms! Students get to observe their mealworms in their own personal containers.

Curriculum Nights

Thanks to all parents who were able to make it to Curriculum Night! The students seemed excited to show off their desks, classrooms, and work! And a big thanks to John Simon who sang fun songs to the children while their guardians had some alone time with the teachers!

Who's New at Caroline?!

This school year we are lucky to receive a whole bunch of amazing new adults at Caroline!  Read below to learn some information about the new faces you may see!

Mr. McDonald, Principal

Why I wanted to become a teacher/principal: Because I love children, love to have fun with them, and want to make a difference in their lives.

My hobbies include playing/coaching/watching football and spending time with my family

If I were an animal, I’d be an eagle, because when they fly into a storm, they use it to rise above and overcome the turbulent weather.

Ms. Graw (Ms. Emily), 1st Grade Teacher

Why I wanted to become a teacher: I believe every child has the right to an education, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, gender, and/or culture.

My hobbies include reading, traveling, and collecting treasures from around the world

If I were an animal, I’d be a bird, able to soar high, yet humble enough to land on the ground and appreciate her source of sustenance.

Mr. Beigel, 3^rd Grade Teacher

Why I wanted to become a teacher: When I was a teenager, I started working at a summer camp.  I really enjoyed it, and decided it was something I wanted to pursue, so I did that for five summers!  Then at the end of it, I decided that teaching was something I wanted to pursue as an extension of my experiences, and so far it's been really good!  I like having an impact, seeing kids grow, watching the change that takes place through the year, and I like the connections that are made.

My hobbies include spending time with my family (I have three children!) and see them grow, running, skiing, reading, and playing guitar. 

If I were an animal, I’d be a Golden Retriever, because I like to be happy, and I think Golden Retriever are typically happy dogs, and great family members!  They're fun to be around, and I try to be a people-person.  (Plus they like to run around outside and play, and I like to do that too!)

Mr. Graham, 4^th Grade Teacher

Why I wanted to become a teacher: I used help my younger nieces who were in elementary school do their homework.  They did not understand how to do multiplication and I helped them over the weekends to make sure they understood it.  When they both did well on their math tests, it made me feel good to know that I had a hand o their education.  They are my inspiration for becoming a teacher.  

My hobbies include playing the piano, reading books centered around education, and watching good movies with my wife.

If I were an animal, I’d be the Golden Lion Tamarin, because they are tiny but fierce little mammals!

Mrs. Badeau, Special Education Teacher

Why I wanted to become a teacher: I love watching children learn and being part of that experience.  There is something amazing about seeing a child’s face light up when they learn something new or if they suddenly understand it.

My hobbies include reading, writing, scrapbooking, painting, downhill skiing

If I were an animal, I’d be a bird because you see the world from a whole new perspective.  I also love to travel, so flying wherever and whenever I want would be awesome!

Ms. Allee, English Language Arts Teacher

Why I wanted to become a teacher: I have always enjoyed working with children.  I used to teach kids to swim, but I got waterlogged so now I teach them to read!

My hobbies include swimming, running, reading, cooking, playing with my kids

If I were an animal, I’d be a dolphin because I want to live in the ocean!

Mr. Zulu, Math Teacher’s Assistant

Why I wanted to become a teacher: I struggled with reading and writing myself as a child, and after working with high school-ers who felt like they were stuck being “bad” at reading and writing, I wanted to reach out to the elementary level to help them with their skills and confidence.

My hobbies include basketball, reading

If I were an animal, I’d be a salamander, because I adjust to different situations, whether on water or land!

Ms. Notarianni, Music Teacher

Why I wanted to become a teacher:  I've wanted to be a teacher for my entire life-- it's a joy to be a part of learning.  Plus, kids ROCK.

My hobbies include reading, telling stories, and being outside.  In addition, traditional social dancing has always been a part of my life-- contra dancing, English Longsword and Clog Morris teams, and waltzes.  When I lived in New England: Appalachian clogging, and when I lived in Kentucky: Southern Squares.  Now it's Lindy and West Coast swing dancing here in Ithaca.  I also travel to Louisiana to visit my musician friends and dance to Cajun and Zydeco music down there.  It's lots of fun as well as being a direct link to our living American heritage of traditional music and dance.  
   Of course....I also like to play music of all kinds (good thing, since I'm a music teacher!) with my friends, in bands, and by myself-- on piano, banjo, uke, guitar, concertina, and fiddle.

If I were an animal, I’d be... When I taught on the Navajo Indian Reservation,  I liked seeing how fast and silently coyotes move, and how splendidly eagles soar.  But I think it would also be awesome to be a dragon-- I mean, come on, being able to breathe fire?  How cool is that?  Not to mention swift horses and fierce tigers.  Hmmm....so many choices...

Ms. Bintz, Music Teacher

Why I wanted to become a teacher: I’ve known for awhile (since I was about 10) that I wanted to be a teacher!  I want to make people love music as much as I do!

My hobbies include hiking, food, singing, watching movies, traveling, and riding rollercoasters!

If I were an animal, some days I would want to be a bunny!  Other days I wish I could be an owl so I could fly and hang around at night.



Also, welcome back Ms. Goodmark, returning to Caroline as a 2nd grade teacher!  And Miss Coffey joined the special education team at Caroline!

Welcome to Caroline, Mr. McDonald! Welcome back to school, Caroline students!

Mr. McDonald waves goodbye to students on the first day of school.

On the first day of school, students met our new principal, Mr. Tim McDonald.  Not only did he greet everyone at the entrance, but he popped into classrooms all day.  The hallways crowded with many smiling faces, excited to be back and see their past teachers and friends and meet their new ones for this year.  Conversations of new sneakers, siblings joining the school, and which books were read this summer filled the hallways.  Heard from the 2nd grade wing, "Whoa!  Today I made friends, we got to do fun things, and my teacher even gave us a piece of candy!  I can't WAIT to come back tomorrow!"  The day was calm; students were on their best behavior as they went through a day to get to know each other, the routines, and to have fun!  Mr. McDonald walked students to their buses at the end of school.