We have been busy this spring in PE at the FMA with the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders spending their days at Izzy’s Park riding bikes. During our time cycling we have learned about safe riding, hand signals, nutrition, and all the things we can do to be healthy and strong for life. Our time cycling has been a ton of fun and we have all enjoyed racing around the park on our bikes!

In other PE news, we are wrapping up our final intramural league of the school year with only the championship game to go in our softball league. The Dodgers stormed out to the best record in the league this season. In their first playoff game they were able to hold on to win against the Tigers by one run on a Jefferson Mondesir RBI in the bottom of the final inning. They’re headed to the finals! The other semi-final matched the Athletics against the Phillies. In this closely fought game the Athletics prevailed and will join the Dodgers in the Championship. Many thanks to all the students who have made this a memorable season and to the parents who have made it out to see a game or two! I would also like to give a special thanks to Ms. Coulson; without her this season would not have been possible.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer break and I can’t wait to see you all in the fall!

June 2014

Fletcher Maynard AcademyGazette

CycleKids and Softball -E. Allen

Don’t Forget! 2pm Dismissal Every Wednesday

visit us @ fma.cpsd.us

• THURSDAY, JUNE 5 EARLY RELEASE DAY, 12PM

• Friday, June 6 FMA Leadership Meeting, 8am

• Wednesday, June 11 FMA PTO Meeting, 7:45am

• Thursday, June 12 Scholar College Parent Workshop,

5:30pm

• Friday, June 13 Fifth Grade Capstone Project Exhibition

• Wednesday, June 18 FMA Field Day, 8:30am

• Thursday, June 19th Fifth Grade Breakfast, 9am

• Friday, June 20 FMA Talent Show, 2pm

• Monday, JUNE 23 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

June Happenings

Junior Kindergarten ExplorersHiking in the woods, experiencing a Planetarium show, seeing a formerly live bear, moose and emu, playing in the indoor playground, picnicking, rolling down green hills, standing in a wind machine, climbing a wall, watching turtles, noticing patterns in animals’ coats, appreciating beautiful shells, blowing bubbles, watching a live boa constrictor, looking into a scientist’s study, noticing Venus Fly Trap plants and enjoying the beautiful weather were just a few of the memories created by the junior kindergarten and kindergarten scholars at the Ecotarium (Worcester Science Museum).

Thank you to the generosity of the Biogen Idec Foundation and Cambridge Community Foundation for sponsoring this educational and fun field trip!

-R. O’Sullivan

On Wednesday, May 7, Math Coach, Kelly Rowan; Kindergarten Teacher, Ali Basu; and Principal Intern, Elizabeth Nolan, conducted a parent workshop, “Math: Beyond Paper and Pencil.” This workshop was designed for all Pre-K, JK, and K parents/families to introduce and model activities to build math skills. The activities and games that were presented are designed to build math skills such as: counting, addition/subtraction, comparing numbers, understanding the relationship between numbers and quantities, pairing objects with one number, and representing addition and subtraction with objects.

Six parents and grandparents attended and learned how to play math games using objects like playing cards, pasta, and M&M’s! Following the workshop, the families brought home a “goody bag” with ten-frames, math games, playing cards, and some pasta that could be used as manipulatives. Ms. Rowan, Ms. Basu, and Ms. Nolan are planning to conduct a similar workshop this fall. Be on the lookout for the “save the date.”

Pre-K and Kindergarten Parent Math Workshop -E. Nowlan

May Students of the Month

Teacher StudentKevin McGonegal Jameer SilvaTonya Leonard Hillawe AlemChristina Stagliano Not this monthA. Abdul-Mussawir (Library) Karla RiveraDeborah Greene (music) Peter McDonnellKelly Hammond-Franklin Jeremyah Fletcher-LewisE. Allen (Phys. Ed.) Edlawit ZewdeL. Mallon Not this monthJamie Babcock Not this monthBanke Oluwole Anayllah SheffieldJennifer Martin Kayla JulienSheria Morrison Nick Robles De La CruzLolly Lincoln (Art) Ariel JosephM. Waddell Daniel Timoteo

Wow! What a wonderful and musically productive school year we have had at FMA! Our lower grades - Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First Grade students - had so much fun preparing for the Spring Recital that took place on May 9th at the FMA Gym. Their hard work, dedication, and effort were very inspiring for our entire community, and resulted in a performance that will be remembered.

The theme of our concert was Jazz. We learned about the different styles of jazz by listening and dancing, as well as creating our own jazzy versions of traditional songs and games we have learned in the past. To help us in our fun jazzy adventures, we had two guest artists, professional jazz musicians with degrees from the Berklee College of Music, who accompanied the students: Ms. Liz Sullivan on double bass and Mr. Andres Ramos on piano.

Our Preschool through Kindergarten students sang the “Baa-Baa Black Sheep & Alphabet Song Medley”, “B.I.N.G.O.”, “Miss Mary Mack”, “The Upsy Down Town” and “Three Jazzy Bears”. The first graders performed in the second half of the event starting with a West African dance, and later singing “Down By The Station”, “I’ve Been Working On The Railroad”, “The Train Medley” and “The Cat Came Back”. Great work, everybody!

~ Tina Pelhe, Primary Music Teacher

All that Jazz!

Student Work

Student Work

This saTurday, June 7 from noon To 6pm.• 12:00pm Wild and Wacky Water Tales *for children

and families*

• 12:45 Memory Stories by Cambridge residents from Haiti, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, China, and elsewhere.

• 1:30 True Story Theater brings to life stories of growing up in the Port--or in your neighborhood

• 2:30 Kamishibai Story Theater Traditional Japanese “paper theater” by Yumi Izuyama *for children and families*

• 3:30 Massmouth-Stories from the Slams Winning tales from story slam contestants

• 4:30 Memory Stories by Cambridge residents from Haiti, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, China, and elsewhere.

• Create your personal Story Flag! Illustrate your stories on fabric *all day*

StoryStream at Cambridge River Festival

Grade four students created a tribute to Maya Angelou last week after reading her poem,

“Life Doesn’t Frighten Me At All”.

Life Doesn’t Frighten Me At All

Shadows on the wallNoises down the hallLife doesn’t frighten me at all Bad dogs barking loudBig ghosts in a cloudLife doesn’t frighten me at all Mean old Mother GooseLions on the looseThey don’t frighten me at all Dragons breathing flameOn my counterpaneThat doesn’t frighten me at all. I go booMake them shooI make funWay they runI won’t crySo they flyI just smileThey go wild Life doesn’t frighten me at all. Tough guys fightAll alone at nightLife doesn’t frighten me at all.

Panthers in the parkStrangers in the darkNo, they don’t frighten me at all. That new classroom whereBoys all pull my hair(Kissy little girlsWith their hair in curls)They don’t frighten me at all. Don’t show me frogs and snakesAnd listen for my scream,If I’m afraid at allIt’s only in my dreams. I’ve got a magic charmThat I keep up my sleeveI can walk the ocean floorAnd never have to breathe. Life doesn’t frighten me at allNot at allNot at all. Life doesn’t frighten me at all.-Maya Angelou

Life Doesn’t Frighten Me At All--A Tribute to Maya Angelou

Student artworks inspired by Jean Michel Basquiat were used to illustrate Angelou’s poetry on the large display wall in FMA’s cafeteria. Maya Angelou was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2000, the Lincoln Medal in 2008, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, as well as over fifty honorary degrees. Ms. Angelou passed away last week at the age of 86.

FMA on the Main Stage

A number of FMA students participated in the staging of The Wiz, presented by Beyond the 4th Wall at the YMCA at 820 Mass Ave in Central Square. They rehearsed weekly throughout the year and had fabulous performances. The Fletcher Maynard is proud of its talented performers and hopes that they continue to explore the performing arts in the years to come.

We would like to congratulate:Anwesha Maity, Kianis Gomes Perez, Amarah Gonsavles Rolley, Ismael Labbaq, Giovanni Douyon, Jungkeon Ahn, Peter McDonnell, Erika Saravia Fernandez, Wasika Taufiq, Zavier Dunbar, Sara Solomon, Leah Berhanu, Nikita Reece, Aya Mahrous, Kailani Cribb, Keyah Adamson, Isaiah Thorpe, Alim Dixon, Valentine Kathiru, and Mariana Mena.