Lab Talk Message from the Principal

Dear Lower Lab Families,

I want to thank you so much for your thoughtfulness as we welcomed our first child, Alexandra Milly, into the family. Your kindness will not be forgotten. It certainly has been an exciting time and we are overjoyed by our new parental status. The baby is happy and healthy and beginning to respond to individuals. It is all quite thrilling. Again, many thanks to all who extended warm wishes to us over the last few weeks.

When I returned to school last week, I was pleased to see Lower Lab bursting with activity. I want to thank all the teachers and Kathy Piscioneri for their efforts in a very successful Art and Poetry Festival and Dr. Katarina Klaf for organizing a wonderful Science Fair. Not to mention all the performances organized by Meryl Danziger, Brian Shaheen, Wingspan Arts, YANY, Salvadori Center, the Architecture Program, classroom publishing parties and many, many more. The end of the year is such a wonderful time to reflect on the growth of the children and I thank the teachers for all of their efforts in directing our students to do their personal best.

I would also like to thank the parents of the graduating Class of 2009 for all of their support of the Lab School over the past six years, and to all the students graduating and leaving Lower Lab for middle school, I wish you well. You are beginning a new and exciting time in your lives, filled with increased independence and new challenges. Best of luck to you and you will be missed. Thank you for making Lower Lab a special place.

Over the last few weeks, Chancellor Klein

announced the results of the New York State ELA and Mathematics exams. At Lower Lab we are very proud to announce that in 2009, 96.3% of our third, fourth, and fifth grade students scored a level 3 or 4 on the Math test. This score is up from 2008, when 94.3% of our students in grades 3-5 scored a level 3 or 4. Additionally this year, 64.4% of our third grade students scored at a performance level 4 in math, and 94.3% of our fourth grade students received a level 4, as well as 98.1% of our fifth grade students scoring a level 4.

In ELA, Lower Lab saw similarly positive results. In 2009, 96.3% of our students in grades three, four and five scored at a level 3 or 4 on the statewide ELA exam. This score is up from 2008, when 94.3% of our students in grades 3-5 scored at a level 3 or 4. In 2009, 37.3% of our third grade students scored a level 4. In grade 4, 50.9% of our students scored a level 4 and our fifth grade had 67.3% of students achieving a level 4.

These results wouldn’t be possible without the commitment of our teachers and are also the result of a wonderful collaboration between teachers, parents, and students—congratulations to all of our teachers, students and parents who worked so hard to make this possible!

Lastly, I want to wish all of the students, teachers, staff, and parents a restful and relaxing summer filled with leisurely day and nights and time to reconnect with family and friends. I look forward to hearing about all your adventures in September.

Have a wonderful summer, Dr. Mara Koetke

Congratulations to the Lower Lab School

Class of 2009!

Congratulations to all of the fifth graders (pictured below) who have successfully completed their course of study at Lab! We’re so proud of you and wish you the best of luck

next year in middle school!

CLASS OF 2009 MIDDLE SCHOOL DATA

The Class of 2009 will be attending the following schools in the fall of 2009:

Public

Anderson, Clinton, Columbia Secondary, The Computer School,

East Side, Greenwich Village, Life Sciences, MAT,

NEST+m, Salk, Upper Lab, Wagner SP

Private

Calhoun, The Chapin School, Columbia Grammar and Prep,

Dwight, Friends Seminary, Horace Mann,

Italian American School, Spence, Trevor

Of the students who plan to attend a District school, 88% received one of their top two choices. This does not include students who plan to attend

a Citywide or private school.

JUNE 2009 Lab Talk

Dear Lower Lab Families,

It has been a particularly active year for the SLT, and we are looking forward to working together again next year as your SLT representatives. There are a number of items we believe you’ll be interested to hear more about.

Enrichment Survey Results

The SLT recently fielded a survey to gain feedback from parents on the various enrichment programs that our children have participated in so far at Lower Lab. We received surveys for 85 students, 25% of the school population. The breakdown by grade was: Kindergarten: 16; first grade: 18; second grade: 13; third grade: 10; fourth grade: 21; and fifth grade: 7.

The survey results reveal a high level of satisfaction with current enrichment programs, and thus we can infer that our school community believes they play a vital part in our children's educational experience at Lower Lab. The vast majority of parents indicated that their child enjoyed the enrichment programs they have participated in so far, and some stated that the programs were among the highlights of their child’s school experience. However, it should be understood that not every enrichment program will be universally well received. For example, while most surveys indicated a favorable response to WordMasters, some suggested the implementation could be more fun-spirited.

Some opportunity areas were noted for improving the second grade Quilting program—ensuring it is more significantly tied into the Social Studies curriculum covering the Colonial period of American History, as well as pattern study in Math. Several parents noted the importance of incorporating more arts in the curriculum through enrichment programs. The results of the survey will be useful to the SLT as discussions begin over the summer and into the fall regarding next year's enrichment programs. Our goal is to build upon the very strong foundation that has been created. The survey also contained questions regarding field trips, assemblies, use of the new website, and SLT communication.

Field Trips Most were enjoyed, with a few exceptions, particularly the Carnegie Hall trip for fourth grade students. Next year, the program will include playing the recorder at Carnegie Hall, which will hopefully be viewed as a far more favorable experience by students and parents. There were a significant number of comments that the children should have more field trips and particularly seek out those that support the curriculum and leverage the great resources of NYC. Many parents noted that they've seen an improvement this year in trips that are more connected with the curriculum and want to see that continue.

Assemblies These were largely enjoyed. Many parents suggested offering dedicated assemblies for lower and upper grades for specific topics that would not be of particular interest to the other grade level. The magazine drive and NED assemblies were not valued.

Website Nearly half of the respondents did not utilize the e-Chalk website. Within this number, several comments noted a lack of class specific information and a desire for more information on upcoming events in their children's particular class/grade. As of next year, a description of each enrichment program per grade along with the general time frame of the program will be posted on the website. Field trip notices will also be posted.

Overall Classroom Communication Relatedly, better communications were desired by many on enrichment programs, field trips, and assemblies. Many parents stated they were unaware of specific programs and related projects for enrichment programs. The SLT has discussed more uniform and consistent communication from classroom teachers to parents that will provide families with updates throughout the year. Updates from specialist teachers will be included within the primary classroom teacher’s correspondence.

SLT Communication

The vast majority of respondents were pleased with SLT communication during this school year, though a few surveys noted dissatisfaction. Comments provided ranged from not having time to read the SLT meeting notes in the main office to feeling the SLT updates in Lab Talk are not sufficient.

School leadership team (SLT) Update

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June 2009 Lab Talk Page Three of Eight

SLT Update (continued…) One of the key tenets of this year's SLT agenda was to improve the level of communication. During the '08-'09 school year, the SLT provided lengthy updates in all Lab Talks as well as several dedicated parent letters that were backpacked and issued via e-mail. Further updates were also provided at the monthly Executive PTA Board Meetings and bi-monthly PTA meetings, both of which are open to all Lower Lab parents. Beyond these communications, all SLT members have consistently noted that parents can contact them with any further questions or input. Contact information for SLT members is provided on the school website. We regret that any parent, even just one, may feel dissatisfied with communication from the SLT. Our goal is to ensure our school community is well informed and knows who they should contact to discuss any appropriate SLT matter. We greatly appreciate the rich feedback, all of which will be considered as we move forward.

Homework Policy During the last few months, we have been reviewing the quantity and type of homework assigned for every grade at various points during the year, both from the classroom teacher and specialist teachers.

We believe more needs to be done in re-assessing the appropriate level of homework, both across grade levels and throughout the year in each grade level. This will be discussed with all Lower Lab teachers and a new homework policy will be distributed to parents in the fall.

Gifted & Talented Evening Event The event held on June 10th was very well received by those in attendance. The feedback surveys indicated a high level of satisfaction with the main objective of the event achieved–demonstrating how Lower Lab, as a G&T school, is different and to showcase an array of our programs that are geared for a G&T population. Many parents applauded the efforts to put this event together and feel more even more confident in the curriculum along with reinforcement of how wonderful and talented our teachers are. We couldn’t agree more. Tremendous appreciation goes out to Kristin Broderick and Robyn Schwartz for organizing the event and to all of the wonderful presenters. The SLT will be thinking through the ongoing role of this kind of event at Lower Lab.

If you have any questions or input, as always, please contact any of us.

In the meantime, we wish everyone lots of summer fun,

The School Leadership Team (SLT) Loryn Bergman (Co-Chair, Upper Grade Rep) Kristin Broderick (Lower Grade Teacher) Claudia Coia (UFT Rep, Teacher) Denise Freiberg (Lower Grade Rep) Cathy Israelevitz Co-Chair, Lower Grade Rep) Katarina Klaf (Science Teacher) Maria Koutras (Upper Grade Teacher) Tara Ryan (PTA Co-President Rep) Maureen Schilling (Upper Grade Rep)

Dr. Mara Koetke, Principal

Parent Quiz

How would you grade your schoolwork this year?

The end of the year is drawing closer. Soon, your child will be bringing home her final report card. Perhaps it's time to take a few minutes to grade your own school behavior. Kids learn best when schools and families work as a team. Did you do your share? Answer yes or no to each question below to find out: ___1. Did you attend at least one parent-teacher conference this year? ___2. Did you stay in touch with your child's teacher? Did you let her know if there were issues or concerns that might affect your child in school? ___3. Did you help your child be responsible? Did you have a regular time for homework? ___4. Did you talk about school with your child at home? ___5. Did you encourage your child to do her best and try her hardest?

How did you score?

Give yourself an A for each yes answer. If you didn't earn straight As, that's okay. Set some goals for the next school year. Reprinted with permission from the May 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc.

June 2009 Lab Talk Page four of Eight

Choose your words carefully if you want to motivate your child Sometimes the words you use can send a message to your child that's quite different from the one you intended.

For instance, suppose your child is doing a chore around your house. It's taking much longer than it would take you. Finally, you say, "Here, let me do that."

You may think you just simply finished a task for your child. But what you really communicated was, "I don't think you can handle that."

Sometimes, the words parents say to motivate their children actually turn out to have the opposite effect. Here are some things you might say to your child that will motivate him to keep trying, or to do his best.

When you say:

0. "Why don't you give this a try?" your child will hear, "I think you can do this by yourself."

0. "What would happen if you added more water?" your child will hear, "You can solve problems." But if you say, "That's too dry," your child will hear, "You aren't doing it right."

0. "I never thought of trying it that way," your child will hear, "You made a good decision." But if you say, "I don't do it that way," your child will hear, "You are doing it wrong."

Use this approach when your child is doing schoolwork. If he's stuck on a tough math problem, ask, "Have you ever solved a problem like this before? How did you solve it then?"

Keep focusing on the things your child can do. The more you encourage your child, the more likely he is to stay motivated. Reprinted with permission from the April 2009 issue of Parents make

the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Lynn Lott and Riki Intner, Chores Without Wars, ISBN: 0-761-51252-7 (Prima Publishing, 1-800-733-3000, www.randomhouse.com/index.pperl).

Class of 2009 Graduation Pictures

Dr. Koetke addressing the graduates and audience

The After party!

The Graduates perform “Viva La Vida”

June 2009 Lab Talk Page Five of Eight

Lab Talent Show

The 2009 Lower Lab PTA Talent Show was held on March 18th. It was a wonderful night that showcased our children’s many talents. We had 99 acts, ranging from singing to dancing; from solo to group and class acts; from stand-up comedy to gymnastics and hula-hoops. Our students really put the “talented” in “gifted and talented”! The variety of performances kept the audience thrilled and waiting for the next act!

The night started off with the girls from K-101 singing and dancing to “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” and ended with a gymnastics solo by fifth grader Anwen Herbert-Lewis. The many performances in between included wonderful class acts, dynamic group acts, family acts with dads or siblings and many soloists in voice, dance, piano, guitar and violin. Even the youngest children weren’t afraid to get out there alone!

The range of music choices included many classical pieces, folk music, rock and roll, and current pop hits. Many performers drew inspiration from Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus and her alter ego Hannah Montana, not to mention The Little Mermaid, The Beatles, and Johnny Cash. As a change of pace, the audience also got to enjoy traditional Indian dance. Rounding out the night were examples of fencing, gymnastics, and even politics, with a surprise visit by Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.

There were also many student announcers who kept everyone informed and entertained. Their brief but pithy remarks helped to keep the show moving through a long line of eager performers. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to all the children who practiced so hard to hone their performances for our enjoyment. Bravo to you all for a fabulous show!

This show would not have been possible without a huge turnout of loving parent volunteers. There were so many who helped to make this night the special event that it was. My thanks and appreciation goes to all. The list of names would take up the rest of Lab Talk, but you know who you are! Alice Lee, Chair of the Talent Show

Lower Lab Summer Read-a-thon! To All Lower Lab Families: It's June--our favorite month of the year. Our students will be ending the school year and getting ready to ease into summer. It means only one thing to us--IT'S TIME FOR THE 2009 LOWER LAB SUMMER READ-A-THON...and we are ready to go! We hope that you all received our new Read-a-Thon packet with our 2009 slogan: Reading. The Perfect Brain Food. All materials are also available on our school's website: www.ps77lowerlab.org. The Read-a-Thon kicked off on June 20th, the official first day of summer, so keep your book forms and bookmark nearby to begin logging all your books! Participating students who read 5 books or more over the summer and submit their book logs will walk with their class up on stage in the auditorium on September 25th and receive a 2009 medal. They will also have a chance to win a Barnes and Noble Gift Certificate! Every year, students wear their medals all throughout the school day-- they are so proud of what they have accomplished! Don't forget--students can put a book on their log whether they read it themselves, or if a parent, relative or friend reads to them--it all counts! Our New York City libraries and our book stores are waiting for us--so much to choose from, so our students can read all summer long. What a great opportunity for our children to improve their reading skills! The Read-A-Thon is also a great way for students to raise money for our school if they choose! Last year was a banner year for the Read-A-Thon--our students collected pledges for their reading efforts and raised over $17,000 for Lower Lab! Mention the Read-A-Thon to friends and family and let them know that you will be reading all summer long--because it's great brain food and because it benefits Lower Lab. Grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles are some of the strongest supporters of the Read-A-Thon! Keep in mind also that fundraising is optional. As last year, we will have a Read-A-Thon tree in the hallway across from the Main Office. We will begin to put names on the tree in September as soon as we receive completed forms, so make sure your name gets up on the tree! We hope that 100% of our students will read this summer and join our favorite event! Thanks so much and have a wonderful summer, Cathlyn Cantone Denise Greene Read-a-Thon Co-Chairs

Page Six of Eight June 2009 Lab Talk

Frost Valley Photos

Lab students catching newts, tadpoles, frogs, and dragonfly larva

in the Water Ecology Class

Examining water critters with FV Counselor Kenzie

Composting class, in front of the results of Frost Valley’s effort to compost all of their cafeteria food scraps

On the hike to Devil’s Hole

June 2009 Lab Talk

Page Seven of Eight

Frost Valley Photos

Photos (clockwise from left): on the four-mile hike to the

bear’s cave and waterfall; Lab kids scaling the enormous Y-shaped rock climbing wall; the campfire on the last night of

the trip, with the boy’s cabin in the background; and cooking

marshmallows.

June 2009 Lab Talk

Page eight of Eight

Spanish Class Update

Hola, amigas y amigos! This past term students from Kindergarten to second grade demonstrated lots of good energy and enthusiasm as they made progress in their learning of the Spanish language. I thank each and every one of the parents who stopped to see me for teacher-parent conferences for your support and interest. Kindergarten students learned the song of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” It goes like this:

Brilla, brilla estrella.

Cómo saber que serás?

Sobre el mundo tan alta.

Como diamante estrella.

Brilla, brilla estrella.

Cómo saber que serás?

Por favor, ask your children what the words mean in English. They also have learned: las letras del alfabeto en Español. Don’t be surprised if they clarify that the Spanish alphabet has four extra letters: Ch (che) , Ll (elle), Ñ (eñe) and Rr (erre). In first grade, we continued to work very hard in number concepts. We are counting all the numbers in the one hundred chart, forwards, backwards, and diagonally. We danced the numbers with a Cha-Cha-Chá rhythm. We counted skipping by ones, highlighting odd numbers, or skipping by twos and being aware of the even numbers. We played a memory game to match numbers and we had big dice made of foam to add the numbers as the player rolled the dice on the carpet. The following is a sample of how we added numbers in the odd number sequence: 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 Uno más uno más uno son tres. 3 + 1 + 1 = 5 Tres más uno má uno son cinco. 5 + 1 + 1 = 7 Cinco más uno más uno son siete. 7 + 1 + 1 = 9 Siete más uno más uno son nueve. The following computations are number sentences and addition with even numbers: 2 + 2 = 4 Dos más dos son cuatro. 4 + 2 = 6 Cuatro más dos son seis. 6 + 2 = 8 Seis más dos son ocho. 8 + 2 = 10 Ocho más dos son diez. In second grade, back in February, we celebrated Chinese New Year by saying “Feliz Año Nuevo Chino” and pretended to do our parade of the animals in the twelve year cycle by identifying and labeling each animal: ratón = mouse, toro =bull, tigre = tiger, conejo = rabbit, dragon = dragon, culebra = snake, caballo = horse, oveja = sheep, mico/mono = monkey, gallo = rooster, perro = dog, marrano = pig. Students share their animals and we describe them according to size and color including their names.

We continued to review members of the family in order to talk about their birthdays when we discussed the calendar and also learned how to introduce our families in Spanish. In addition, we celebrated how all of our families are different. Another unit we started was how to tell time in Spanish, in order to review numbers in yet a new format, and the first meal of the day, desayuno = breakfast. The book we individually illustrated this year was in this theme.

Best of wishes to every one! Salud! Dinero! Amor! Hasta la vista. -- Patricia and Tío Pepe.

Bits and Pieces

Lab Student’s Top Score

Lab students Luca Cantone, Camille

Casino, Quincy Edwards, Abigail Hunt, Alexander Morgan, Eliza Paradise Jake

Singer, and Eric Wiener were recently honored for their outstanding score on a gifted and talented exam at a statewide awards ceremony for gifted children held by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY). For more info about this test and award, please go to: www.cty.jhu.edu/ts/index.html.

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“Lighthouse”

The fog is thick All signs of life

are hidden under a gray gloomy

blanket of fog

every light is out except two

the rickety sign reading "Welcome to the Bay"

and the lighthouse shining it's ghostly

light on the waveless boatless bay

as if a plague of silence has been bestowed upon it

Sami Rosenblatt 4-243

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Lab Talk Needs A New Editor!

If you are interested in becoming the new editor of Lab Talk for the 2009-2010 school

year, please contact one of the PTA Co-Presidents!

+ + + + Have a terrific summer!