Members of the Curley PACE Team - (left to right) Doris Sanchez, Colleen Leary (Autism Strand Specialist), Jackie Levine (PACE K2-2 teacher), Ashely Riccardi (PACE K0-K1 teacher), Blanca Pereia (PACE paraprofessional)

Recently, a Curley team of teachers and families participated in the 2012 Walk Now for Autism Speaks. This event is a major fundraiser for vital research about autism, which is one of the fastest-growing serious developmental disorders in the U.S. This year the team raised $95 towards research! Though, Sunday’s rainy weather created muddy obstacles, it by no means compares to the obstacles our students with autism face daily.

To find more ways you can help support the Curley’s PACE program contact Colleen Leary.

3 Part ABA Series for Parents at the Curley

If you are interested in learning more about ABA services, Boston Public Schools, Boston Medical Center and the Autism Consortium will be holding 3 part Parent Information Series at the Curley on:

• December 11, 2012 – session 1 – ABA Topic: Stop Doing That!
• January 8, 2013 – session 2 -ABA Topic: What Do You Want?
• February 12, 2013 – session 3 – ABA Topic: Play with Me?

All families are welcome! Pizza will be provided.

All sessions will run from 6:00-7:30pm with the last 30 minutes dedicated to resource Q&A with staff from Boston Medical Center.

Please contact the BPS ABA Team with any questions at (617) 635-7800.

– Colleen Leary, Ed.M, MSW, Autism Strand Specialist

This week’s Paw Prints from principal Jeff Slater:

• Did you know that Northeastern University is one of the Curley’s partners though the Mayor’s StepUp university partnership initiative? NU provides us with a variety of supports including on-site visits for students to support Science learning, retired professors assisting in our classrooms, university students to provide math tutoring, K2 literacy support, clerical assistance with our Parent Center, and much more!
• Our math tutoring will begin within the next week or so as a part of our Curley After School Program (CASP). This tutoring will be provided by students from Northeastern University. We currently have 85 students in grades 6-8 enrolled for math tutoring that will focus primarily on support for Algebra I as well as any student learning needs determined by our formative assessments and teacher recommendations.
• I attended a middle/K8 principal meeting on Wednesday. Principals received updates from a variety of departments including: Literacy, Math, and Teacher Effectiveness. We also had the opportunity to attend the presentation on the new BPS school choice proposals. If you’d like to learn more about curriculum and instruction in BPS be sure to check out: http://bpscurriculumandinstruction.weebly.com/index.html. You can learn more about the BPS school choice proposals here: http://bostonschoolchoice.org/.
• On Friday we’ll be visited by 38 students and their professors of the School Leadership Program at Harvard. They’ll be at the Curley to visit classrooms and to learn about the important work we’re engaged in. They’ll also provide us some feedback about what they noticed and what they wondered in relation to how teachers are checking for student understanding of the lessons being taught.
• One of our school priorities this year is differentiation of instruction. According to the new teacher evaluation rubric, a teacher who is proficient at differentiating their instruction “consistently adapts instruction, materials, and assessments to make challenging material accessible to all students, including English learners and students with disabilities.” An indicator of this would be the planning and implementation lessons that set clear and high expectations and also make knowledge accessible for all students.
• I look forward to seeing all of you at our Fall Fling on Friday from 5:30-8:00 p.m.!

The 6th Annual Fall Fling is this Friday, October 12th from 5:30 – 8 p.m. in the upper school gym. Use the Pershing Road bridge entrance. The annual Curley K-8 Fall Fling is our key fundraising event of the year – it brings in 40% of the money we raise to support music, art, and science at the Curley!

The all important grand prizes this year include an Apple iPad, a kid’s bike, and a Nintendo Wii.

An event attended by hundreds of people, including in the past the Mayor, Superintendent, and some City Councilors, it features raffles, dancing, food, a bouncy house, and lots of fun! There will also be art related activities including visiting dance troupes and a performance by Ms. Taylor Knight’s Curley Ambassadors of Dance.

If you would like to volunteer, please contact Molly Mariano or sign up online.

Bring your friends and neighbors!

A reminder the School Parent Council (SPC) meeting and elections are tomorrow night, Wednesday, October 10th, in the lower school cafeteria from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Principal Jeff Slater will start the meeting by sharing his key goals for this school year.
• The parents’ council elections will follow.
• Childcare WILL BE provided.

• Please bring a dish or drink to share if you can; if not, please come anyway!
• All parents and guardians are part of the parents’ council, and we encourage you to come learn what’s going on at the Curley. Whether you’re brand new to the school or you’ve been here for years, please come!

What does the school parent council do and what are the positions available? Last week’s helpful guide to the School Parent Council, the School Site Council, and other positions is a good primer.

The SPC raises money. How is it spent?

In addition to school governance and advocacy work, the Curley K-8 SPC raises approximately $40,000 each year to provide support for the following programs and outreach:

• A partnership with the Community Music Center of Boston that provides music instruction to every student.
• Enrichment of the arts programming by supplementing the material and program budgets for the instructors.
• Providing experiential learning opportunities through field trips to local museums and historic sites.
• Providing support for meetings, open houses and other gatherings throughout the year that help engage parents and the local community in the life of the school.

But being one of the crack fundraising team is only one of the ways new and returning parents can participate. There are many other ways you can be involved in making our school community even better. Learn more about the SPC’s sub-committees.

Most important though is to simply attend. Come and meet other parents, and experience part of the terrific community that makes up the Curley K-8!

This Friday’s 6th annual Fall Fling is still in need of donated baskets!

We have a few families who have offered to donate baskets for the Fall Fling (apologies to those who have already signed up), but we are in need of more! Each year, we ask families to create baskets filled with goods or services that are themed in some way, and these baskets are raffled off over the course of the evening. The kids LOVE these baskets. Below are some ideas for types of baskets that we do not yet have. You are welcome to choose from the list, or to make up your own.

Kid themed baskets:

Adult themed baskets:

Please contact Jennifer Taub at 857-205-6778 or Jennifer.taub@gmail.com and let Jennifer know what you are interested in. You may also fill out the Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RPWgWLlfI8KD422lb_d2w15BsnpqRp0fVQpvNQeUYWY/edit

— Jennifer Taub

This week’s Paw Prints from principal Jeff Slater:

• Laurie Ciardi’s 1st grade students taught me and my intern Clara how to play the “5 in Row” math game!
• It was great to hear students explaining their mathematical thinking in Connie Redden’s 2nd grade class! Asking students to explain their thinking is something parents can do at home as well!
• Students in Laura Shea’s K1 class continued learning about emotions through a reading of The Chocolate-Covered Cookie Tantrum by Deborah Blumenthal. Students had the opportunity to stretch or twist “fidget toys” if they needed some assistance in staying focused during the reading…a strategy I’m going to use during some of my principal meetings!
• Our 2nd graders had a great time visiting the Museum of Science this week!
• Students in Teresa Johnson-Javaloyes’ 4th grade class participated to a walking field trip to Boston 826 where they wrote and published their own books! You can learn more about Boston 826 by clicking here: http://826boston.org/programs/
• Don’t forget that Monday, October 8 is Columbus Day. There is no school.

October events at the Curley include the following:

Parent Night – Meet Your Child’s Teachers
Thursday, October 4th, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Your child’s homeroom

Come and learn what your child will be covering during the school year, meet your child’s teachers, and get informed about their expectations for this school year. Parents will also get the chance to meet the teachers you teach your child’s specialty classes.

Though the evening is intended for parents and guardians, if childcare is not possible, please still come with your children rather than miss the evening. Our dance teacher Ms. Taylor Knight will also play dance related games in her classroom with any students who come for the Open House while their parents tour the school.

Need more information? Read our earlier story.

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Columbus Day
Monday, October 8th
School is closed.

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Parents’ Council Meeting and Elections

Wednesday, October 10th, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Lower School Cafeteria

Please join us for our monthly parents’ council meeting – all parents and guardians are welcome. As this is the first Parent Council meeting of the year, elections will be held for all parent positions. Dinner, childcare, and Spanish interpretation will be provided.

This first meeting will be held in the Lower School Cafeteria. All other meetings during the rest of the year will be held in the Upper School Library.

Principal Jeff Slater will start the meeting by sharing his key goals for this school year.

Click here for more information on the School Parent Council, School Site Council, and the other positions that draw on parent participation.

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6th Annual Fall Fling

Friday, October 12th, 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Upper School Gym

The annual Curley K-8 Fall Fling is our key fundraising event of the year – it brings in 40% of the money we raise to support music, art, and science at the Curley!

This year’s event, the 6th annual, is on Friday, October 12 from 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. It will be held as usual in the Upper School Gym. Enter through the Pershing Street bridge entrance. An event attended by hundreds of people, including in the past the Mayor, Superintendent, and some City Councilors, it features raffles, dancing, food and lots of fun!

The all important grand prizes this year include an Apple iPad, a kid’s bike, and a Nintendo Wii.

If you would like to volunteer, help is always welcome!

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Principal’s Breakfast
Thursday, October 25th, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Upper School Library

Principal Jeff Slater invites parents and guardians to join him every fourth Thursday of the month for an informal breakfast meeting. You can discuss important issues with Principal Slater, and each breakfast is followed by an informative workshop or presentation on a different topic. This is the first breakfast of the year.

For more information, please contact Betty Villalba-Alvarado.

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MFABS for Curley Mamas
Thursday, October 25th, 7:30 p.m. –
Bella Luna/Milky Way

The October version of MFABS in on Thursday, October 25th. That’s Mamas, Friendship and Beverages for Survival, or MFABS for short.

Join other Curley moms at Bella Luna/Milky Way at 7:30 pm on the last Thursday of each month for a casual evening of beverages and mama-ship. Arrive whenever you can (it’s a “soft” start-time), and leave whenever you need to.

By way of introduction for those of you unfamiliar with MFABS, this is a chance for mamas in the Curley K-8 community — and beyond — to get together for a drink and a chat. It’s just for fun; there are no dads, kids, or agendas other than to relax, vent, share, and otherwise take a load off our far-too-busy minds and souls.

PLEASE SHARE THIS INVITE with any moms who might enjoy a night out! For more information, contact Lindsey Weeramuni.

This week’s Paw Points, from principal Jeff Slater:

• Our Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) met on Tuesday. BPS is providing schools with funds to support our team. Funds will be used to designate teacher leaders in the following areas: Professional Growth & Evaluation, Rigorous implementation of Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks with differentiated supports, Data inquiry & Data Analysis.
• Congratulations to Curley parent and teacher, Kate Davis, for her full-time appointment to our Special Education department! We also welcome Carla Orlando as a long-term substitute in our Special Education Department, as well as Juanita Bradley as a new paraprofessional!
• I’m excited to be on Thompson Island this Wednesday through Friday with our 7th graders! For many of our students, this is the first time for them to stay away from home overnight! Be sure to follow our adventures on Twitter: @CurleyPrincipal.
• Don’t forget about our Open House next Thursday, October 4 from 5-7 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there!
• Our salad bar is up and running in the upper school cafe! It will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the school year. You’d be amazed at how excited our students are about the opportunity to eat healthy veggies!
• It’s been a blast filling in for our lunch monitors while they were at training! I was assigned to Waverly Kidd’s K1 classroom to assist with recess and lunch support. I may consider doing this on a regular basis and cancel my gym membership! It’s quite a workout! Special thanks to Maria Monteiro-Roby, Nurse Marilyn Regan, Eddie Neal, and Sue Trotz’ interns for their support in kindergarten as well!

Hello Curley Mamas! It’s again time to gather for Mamas, Friendship and Beverages for Survival, MFABS for short.

Join us at Bella Luna/Milky Way at 7:30 pm on the last Thursday of each month for a casual evening of beverages and mama-ship. The September addition is this Thursday, September 27. Arrive whenever you can (it’s a “soft” start-time), and leave whenever you need to.

By way of introduction for those of you unfamiliar with MFABS, this is a chance for mamas in the Curley K-8 community — and beyond — to get together for a drink and a chat. It’s just for fun; there are no dads, kids, or agendas other than to relax, vent, share, and otherwise take a load off our far-too-busy minds and souls.

PLEASE SHARE THIS INVITE with any moms who might enjoy a night out! For more information, contact Lindsey Weeramuni.

The school is having an educational energy audit this Wednesday, September 26th at 2:30 p.m. It will last 1 hour. We are looking for parents to help.

Together with a member of the BPS, Curley science teacher Stephanie Selznick will conduct the audit with students and parents to test all the classrooms and other areas of the school. Students will tour the building with clipboards during the audit, noting energy usage and waste.

On the night of the Teacher Open House on October 4th, the results of the energy audit will be presented. The students will help with the results presentation. There will also be information on how to get a free energy audit at home.

If you are able to participate in the audit or want more information, please contact Stephanie Selznick.

This week’s Paw Points, from principal Jeff Slater:

• Intervention Block: We’ve built a 40 minute block of time into our schedule this year for teachers to provide targeted instruction to our students based on different data points. The placement of intervention is time is a little more flexible in grades K-5 and it is set at the end of the day for grades 6-8. Grade level teachers have the flexibility to group students across their entire grade level to target similar needs. Where possible, we’re including specialist teachers and outside partners to provide additional supports during this time.
• Massachusetts is now implementing the new Common Core Standards. All of our teachers are expected to plan their instruction based on these standards. If you are looking for some light bathtub reading, you can check them out here: http://www.doe.mass.edu/candi/commoncore/
• Here is just a taste of the exciting learning happening in our wonderful classrooms this week: Students in Kim Daly’s 5th Grade Math workshop were finding multiplication combinations for 18 and 180; Students in Danielle Moran’s 5th Grade ELA workshop were learning to use background knowledge to make inferences, predictions and connections; Students in Jesse Cardoso’s 7th grade Art class were learning about foreground and background.
• I’m joining our 7th grade teachers and students for 3 days and 2 nights on Thompson Island next week! In the classroom at the Curley, students will participate in “hands-on” activities that prepare students for their island experience. While on the island, students work outdoors in teams during the day where experiential, curriculum-based activities are tied to the FOSS curriculum and where challenge based activities are used to create camaraderie.   Classroom/auditorium activities at night extend the learning day.
• On Thursday I attended our monthly Superintendent’s Learning/Information Session. Agenda items included: New teacher evaluation system, highlights of the new contract, and information on the new MA DESE accountability system.
• September 24-28 we’ll be administering the SUPERA (AWC) Spanish test to students in grades 3-5 in ELA/Math; October 1-9 we’ll be administering Terra Nova (AWC) test to students in grades 3-5 in ELA/Math; Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) testing has begun in grades K2-3.