Caroline Play

Every year on Halloween, the adults of Caroline Elementary School put on a play for students based on a book.  This year, they put on The Magic Hat by Mem Fox.  Check out the video below!

Cornell Big Red Readers

Cornell Football Team members came to visit Caroline to read to our classes!

Welcome back!

Welcome back students!  It's been a lonely summer without you!

School Budget/Board Members VOTE TOMORROW

Remember to vote Tuesday, May 17, between 12:00noon and 9:00pm!

Voters who reside in the Ithaca City School District and are currently registered for general elections are qualified to vote in the school district elections. Polling locations for school district elections differ from general elections, so please check your polling location at
http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/images/stories/PollingPlacesrevised042511%285%29.pdf

Voters will see two propositions -- the proposed school budget for 2011-12 and the proposed use of capital reserves -- and five Board of Education candidates. The budget brochure mailing is available here.

For information about the five candidates for the three seats on the ICSD Board of Education, see:

• Contact information
• Video of May 9 candidate forum
• Candidate responses to PTA Council questionnaire
• Candidate responses to Ithaca Times questionnaire

PTAs and Parent Groups for the schools hosting polling stations have been asked once again provide some refreshments for polling workers (LACS, BJM, Belle Sherman, Fall Creek, South Hill, Enfield, Cayuga Heights, Caroline, and Northeast). The kindness in giving these folks some cookies, water, and such are most appreciated. 

Olympic Gold-Medal Winner Back at Caroline!

Caryn Davies, a graduate of Caroline, went on to join the United States Women's Olympic rowing team.  Her team has won a Gold and Silver Medal.  She came to visit Caroline for a second time this past Thursday!  First she lead us in a walk around the school to kick-off the Olympic World Fit Program.

Caryn stands at 6'4"! 

Banners read "3rd Grade Wishes You Luck in London!" and "Welcome Back Ms. Davies!" 

Johnson Art Museum

Today, Mrs. Nelson's 3rd grade class took a trip to Cornell's Johnson art museum.  Besides seeing ancient artifacts, we also had a beautiful view of Ithaca and Cayuga Lake.

Practicing Fluency through Reader's Theatre

Here, three 2nd graders play Baby Bear, Goldilocks, and Papa Bear.  Through acting out a play, these students are learning to read with expression and at a pace someone would while talking.

Watch out, Goldilocks!

Happy Spring!

With the help of some extended day program students, Miss Mack created this beautiful piece of art to hang in the entrance of Caroline to remind us that (even though it doesn't look like it) Spring is here!

Author Visit: Charles R Smith Jr.

Thank you Charles Smith Jr. for coming to Caroline and reading and showing pictures of his work!

Take a look at his website here to learn more about him!

Plantations visits 3rd Graders

Today, several women from Cornell's Plantations came to 3rd grade to go over some aspects of plants with the students.  Below, student dissect and name parts of a flower, and manipulate the life cycle of a wildflower!  Students will go to the Plantations on a field trip in May.

In addition, Happy Birthday Liv!

Special Guests at Caroline

Today, a quartet from the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra came to play their sing "Firebird" for the 2nd graders. The students have been listening to the song, learning about it, and drawing pictures of their interpretations.  Here is an excerpt about the program from their website:

The CCO's successful Youth Outreach Program visits the schools in and around Tompkins County each spring to provide a classical music experience for youngsters - right in their classrooms. For over fourteen years, an ensemble of musicians from the CCO has visited second-grade classrooms over a six county area.

The program consists of three phases:

• Phase 1: A docent musician from the CCO visits each school to introduce the second grade classes to the theme for the year and prepare them for the upcoming visit of a small ensemble.
• Phase 2: The small ensemble of CCO musicians then engages the children in an introduction to the oboe, viola, violin, and cello. They talk about music as a vehicle for expression and introduce the children to musical concepts.
• Phase 3: The program culminates in a visit to Ithaca High School's Kulp Auditorium where the 700 second-graders attend a one hour concert given by the award-winning Ithaca High School Orchestra.

By familiarizing students with instruments before they have the opportunity to participate in the school's instrumental instruction program, the CCO hopes to promote individual music study in elementary school and beyond. The CCO is happy to share our enthusiasm and interest with kids of any age, and we appreciate the collaborative spirit of the schools and the individual teachers – this program wouldn’t be the success it is without your active involvement.



Meanwhile, "Kids on the Block" came to 3rd grade to teach about different disabilities.  First we met two students.  One was in a wheelchair, and has cerebral palsy.  He talked about what that is and how it impacts his life.

Next, we met Mandy, who taught us what it's like to be deaf.  She taught us some sign language, and the students learned to look directly at her and speak clearly so that she can read their lips.

Mr. McDonald eats BUGS for reading!

Last Friday, Caroline Elementary School reached our monthly reading goal and Mr. McDonald was served a 3-course meal of bugs to celebrate!

Meal worms, chocolate-covered crickets, and sour-cream grasshoppers!

Our new superintendent, Dr. Brown, showed up to be our special chef.

Every student wore a green "Wild About Reading" t-shirt!

For the time being, a video is posted on the homepage of our district's website. "Caroline- Wild About Reading"

In addition, a slideshow of this event can also be seen here in the Ithaca Journal.

Congratulations Caroline School!

Hangar exceeds campaign goal

(from The Ithaca Journal, Feb. 20, 2011)

Caroline Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Whitney Bong follows along on her script as her class performs "The Water Cycle Adventures" Friday morning on stage at the Hangar Theatre. For the first time in 16 years of creating original fourth-grade plays, the theater is presenting them on the Hangar's Stage. Project 4 brings together the Hangar's professional teaching artists, fourth-grade teachers and their classes throughout the Ithaca City School District to produce original plays and music based on curriculum topics ranging from arithmetic to history to literature. 

/ SIMON WHEELER / Staff Photo

Happy 100th Day of School!

Wow, many students are doing cool things to celebrate our 100th day in our 2010-2011 school year!

A long trail of 100 wooden blocks lead me to the kindergarten classrooms!

Mrs. Keating's kindergarten class made 100 Days crowns and brought in bags of 100 objects!

Mrs. Beeners' 1st graders completed many 100 Days of School fun coloring and counting activities!

 And in Mrs. Wells' 2nd grade class, Zach Neely made a beautiful mosaic with 100 pattern blocks including diamonds, triangles, squares, trapezoids, rhombuses, topped with 2 hexagons!

ITHACA SCHOOLS CANCELLED Wednesday 2/2/11

SNOW DAY!

ICSD Budget Survey

If you would like to input your opinion about what is most important while considering our budget for the schools, please go to the district's website and click on the red bar that says "ICSD Budget Survey - Click here to download"

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today we had a lion come to school and dance for us to a drumbeat to celebrate the Chinese New Year!

SPECIAL UPDATE: WINTERFEST!!!

SPECIAL UPDATE:
Because of the freezing rain, Winterfest has been postponed until tomorrow (Wednesday)!  An annual Caroline Elementary School tradition, the entire school will go outside from 12:30-1:30 to participate in many fun winter activities like sledding, snow decorating, snowshoeing, snowball target practice, giant parachute, "Iditarod" sled races, AND MORE!

So don't forget your BOOTS, SNOW PANTS, COATS, HATS, GLOVES, and SCARVES!