Principal’s Corner Dec. 2009

Congratulations to our fall sports teams. The Cutler boys and girls cross country and soccer teams recently completed a

very successful season. Terrific job, you all represented Cutler Middle School well!

The end of the calendar year is full with holiday celebrations. Cutler Middle School celebrated Veteran’s Day on No-

vember 11,, 2009. The purpose of the day was framed for our students by Lt. Patrick Evans who visited Cutler on No-

vember 10th. Lt. Evans is the Public Affairs Officer for Submarine Group Two at the U.S. Submarine Base in Groton.

Mr. Evans gave a talk on the purpose of the holiday as we celebrate all those that have served honorably in our military.

Later in the month, we celebrated Thanksgiving. For me, Thanksgiving is a special day to give thanks for all those things

which are truly valuable in our lives.

As we begin to plan for the winter season, there is much planned for the Cutler community. We are in the beginning

stages of organizing our annual weeklong trip to Nature’s Classroom. Nature’s Classroom, an exceptional educational

experience, is available to all seventh graders. That trip is scheduled for early May. This year, Nature’s Classroom will

be held in Wakefield RI. Look for more information coming soon. The Boys and Girls Basketball teams have completed

tryouts and preparing for their upcoming season. Both basketball schedules have been added to the website under the

athletics tab. As I write this, Ms. Cochrane has organized a cash fundraiser involving the entire student body. Spare

change will be collected during our lunch waves and donated to the Groton Food Locker The money will be used to fill

shortages in the food baskets distributed to those in need during the upcoming holiday season. Lastly, Cutler has ex-

panded its list of after school activities for our students. Please check out all that is available at the website under the ac-

tivities tab.

We end the calendar year with the many, many celebrations and holiday traditions that make this country what it is and

in many cases, define who we are. I wish the entire Cutler family all the best in the upcoming holiday season.

Monson S. Lane Principal Cutler Middle School

Two Very Important Reminders for Parents

End of the Year Field Trip

Any student suspended from school after January 23, 2010 will not be allowed to attend the end of year field trip.

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Extracurricular Activities

In accordance with the middle school philosophy, extracurricular activities are offered and encouraged. Activities such

as Student Council and various sports are available. Students must maintain passing grades in all subjects to be eligible

to participate in the extra curricular activities.

PTO Student Directory

The CMS Student Directories were sent home. If your child did not receive a directory please have them get one in the

office. Please note that we only print parent/guardian first names and student first & last names due to space constraints

for each line. If you find any mistakes in your child’s entries, please call Sue Szczesny, at 572-1781. The final print

setup of this year’s directory is the basis for starting next year’s book so please call if you find something in error.

STUDENT SERVICES

Student Services would like to recognize and congratulate this year’s first trimester Cutler Cougars:

Grade 6: Katherine Aristi, Greg Cooper, Carolyn Ellis, Nicole Greider, Vineela Kanagala, Damayanti Rane-

Casrodad, Seda Sahin and Caroline Taber

Grade 7: Aly Clarke, Johnathan Floyd, Sam Gardner, Jacqueline Lewis, Nathan Rollinson and Shelby

McNeely

Grade 8: Brianna Berg, Amanda Brown, Jackie Kokomoor, Jim Lin, Bailey Mahler, Thomas Mason, Russell

Parker and Josee Rockwell

We also celebrated our second National Mix it Up Day on November 10th in the cafe. Students were asked

to sit with other students in their lunch wave born in their same birth month. Although we do meet with some

resistance, for the most part students enjoy this day to aimed to increase tolerance. We hope to add another

similar day later in the school year.

Ten students from CMS had the opportunity to attend a regional workshop sponsored by The Community

Coalition for Children on October 27th at Connecticut College. The workshop entitled “Less Stress...More

Success “focused on the issues of building resilience in children and teens. Students from around the region

were divided into small groups with trained facilitators to discuss the stressors in their lives and develop

ways to build resilience against this. Parents had the opportunity to hear the speaker the evening before at the

Garde Arts Center on the same topic.

The Community Coalition for Children sponsors a presenter annually held at the Garde Arts Center.

And finally, eighth grade students are reminded that applications are now due for those who are interested

in applying to Grasso, Ledyard or the New London Magnet high schools. Applications need to be processed

here at Cutler before they are sent to the appropriate school before December break. Don’t let yours be late!

Have a wonderful and relaxing holiday!

TEAM A

Ms. Forbes Language Arts

In Language arts we are beginning our legacy project, called Listen to a Life writing project. The stu-

dents have chosen a special senior citizen to interview about their hopes, dreams, life experiences and

personal words of wisdom. The students will then write about this person’s life-story. This is a wonder-

ful intergenerational activity that becomes a great learning experience for the students as they speak,

listen and write about their special senior.

We have also recently begun reading the novel, Boy of the Painted Cave while studying the literary ele-

ments of plot, characterization and theme. We are also using Socratic circles to further discuss the story

and build comprehension.

Ms. Panucci Social Studies

In Social Studies students are using technology to research and gather information on their family’s cul-

tural, holiday traditions. Students will use their technology, writing, reading, and artistic skills to create

a memorable gift. We hope you enjoy it! HAPPY HOLIDAYS

TEAM B

Ms. Ryley Language Arts

Team B language arts students are immersed in literature and language along with their CMT prepara-

tion activities. Grade 6 classes are reading Boy of the Painted Cave, by Justin Denzel, a novel set in the

Stone Age. They will be reading and responding to the story in a variety of ways over the next

weeks. Grade 7 [Green Class] is finishing A Long Way from Chicago, by Richard Peck. This book is a

series of stories about two children’s annual summer visit to their “country” grandmother. Students are

creating storyboards for their favorite chapter. Grade 7 [Yellow Class] will be writing a new episode to

the book The Wish Giver, by Bill Brittain.

TEAM C

Ms. Manning Language Arts

During December classes will read their third independent reading book and complete the related assign-

ment. Students will receive instruction on writing the persuasive essay which is the type of essay which

will be given in March on the seventh grade CMT. Spelling, grammar and vocabulary practice will con-

tinue. Reading of the class novel Tuck Everlasting will be completed.

Students have district testing this month. In conjunction with the testing, students will practice the re-

quired skills.

Ms. Aleskiewicz Science

Team C science students will be learning about different types of energy during the month of December.

We will also be looking energy transformations in the world and in our bodies. We will be researching

energy efficiency and applying our knowledge to design some “green” architecture.

TEAM D

Mr. Solar Mathematics

In December our algebra students will begin their study of the Cartesian Coordinate System. Pre-algebra

classes will begin solving simple linear equations.

Ms. Cady Language Arts Students are in the pre-writing stage for their screenplays and will soon be drafting their own scripts.

Teams D and E are collaborating together and cross-teaming for this assignment. Scripts should be com-

pleted sometime in January and students will have the remainder of the year to film their scripts. We are

aiming for shorter, tighter stories which will hopefully allow us to feature even more films at the Terry

Awards this year.

In anticipation for the plays at the Garde on December 17, classes are reading the five short stories, dis-

cussing them and the vocabulary. The short stories are “The Open Window”, The Ransom of Red

Chief”, “The Most Dangerous Game”, “The Lady or the Tiger?” and “The Fall of the House of Usher”.

We have just finished examining plotlines and will continue learning about elements of literature

through the short stories and eventually the book THE OUTSIDERS, which we will be starting some-

time in December.

Combo Books have begun and grammar will begin up again shortly, resuming with sentence types and

structure.

TEAM E Mr. Milligan Mathematics Pre-algebra students will continue working with integers. As their

confidence increases, we will use the skills acquired to solve simple equations. Algebra students will

begin their study of the Cartesian coordinate plane.

UNIFIED ARTS

Ms. Widham World Language Grade 6 Spanish students are finishing their virtual trip to Mexico. Now they can weave, cook and count like a

Maya! The experiences and activities have deepened their appreciation and understanding of Mexican history and

culture. Soon we will be returning to the vocabulary associated with our own classroom … in Spanish.

Grade 7 Spanish classes are enjoying the AVANCEMOS chapter about describing ourselves and others by person-

ality characteristics and physical descriptions. At the same time students are learning about the presence of His-

panics in the United States.

The Grade 8 C&C students recently finished a unit on native American foods found in Mexico and used for holi-

day celebrations. Using their own fabricated clocks they have been telling time to each other in Spanish and de-

scribing when certain events occur during the day. In December there will be a unit on comparing holiday celebra-

tions in various countries with celebrations nearby in English and in Spanish.

A Thanksgiving table was laden with 3-D representations of foods and beverages typical of a Thanksgiving

feast. The Spanish I Grade 8 classes orally presented their contributions to the table in Spanish. Meanwhile these

students continue to move through Unit 2 of AVANCEMOS, concerning themselves with understanding the his-

tory and cultures of Mexico, while becoming more articulate and fluent in speaking and writing about the life of a

student and classroom situations.

Ms. Gulino World Language

Grade 6 French Exploratory students will be learning classroom objects and a unit on likes and dislikes before they

wind down in January with a French food tasting.

Grade 7 French students are getting used to the writing and spelling of French and will be learning the names of

school subjects and how to talk about their classes and teachers.

Grade 8 French C&C class has been working on expressing what they like to do in their free time and will be be-

ginning a unit on shopping and food terms.

Grade 8 French I class has been working on school related topics and will now be working on family related vo-

cabulary and activities.

Ms. Caldwell Language Arts

Students in Gr. 8, Spanish I are diligently working on conjugating all forms of regular verbs in the pre-

sent tense and are also learning how to conjugate and use four irregular verbs, ser, tener, estar and

ir. They are rapidly expanding their vocabulary and are able to read and listen to selected segments in

Spanish with ease. Their new text is providing them with many opportunities to enrich their understand-

ing of the culture of the Spanish speaking world.

Gr. 7 students in Spanish are learning how to say what they like to do, and will soon be able to describe

themselves and others both by physical characteristics and those which indicate a type of personal-

ity. They are working with the verb ser and are learning how to tell time, and use definite and indefinite

articles with nouns as well as correctly making adjectives agree with the nouns they describe.

Exploratory Spanish students in Grade 6 have learned numbers to 100, how to give the date in Spanish,

name the colors, ask about the age of others, tell what the weather is doing and will soon be studying the

geography of Mexico.

Grade 7 and 8 students have been given user names and passwords in order to access their text on-

line. Mrs. Caldwell wishes all her students a safe and happy holiday season and a healthy and prosper-

ous New Year!

Mr. Brennauer Technology Education

Students in technology education class learn through individual and group participation how to

solve problems. Many of the students use math and science skills in the ideation phase of prob-

lem-solving to complete their design. Students in the sixth grade are designing and building

structures and transportation devices to solve problems given. The seventh grade students are

working collaboratively to design and build balsa wood towers that are the most efficient. The

eighth students are designing and testing bridges on the computer. Students are using architec-

tural software to design a solar efficient home. Students are encouraged to be creative in seek-

ing a solution to a problem.

Ms. Nadile Orchestra CONGRATULATIONS to Sarah Dinovelli, violist, and Katie Hodgkinson, violinist, from the Cutler

Orchestra, who recently auditioned and were accepted into the Eastern Region Middle School Orches-

tra. Sarah, who is in eighth grade, made it on her first attempt last year and Katie also made it on her

first try. They will perform with hundreds of middle school students at the Eastern Region Middle

School Festival on February 26 & 27 at Fitch High School. Cutler is very proud of them and wish

them well!

The Cutler Middle School Orchestra will be presenting their Winter Concert on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009

at 7 p.m. in the gym. The orchestra is made up of students in grades

6-8. They will perform songs of the season as well as pieces by Anne McGinty, the Beatles and

Tchaikovsky. Hope to see you there!

Cutler Science Team The Cutler Science Team will participate in the Science Bowl on February 27 at UCONN and Science

Olympiad on April 10 at New Britain High School. Practices began in November and our December

practice will be on Thursday, December 10. Stay tuned for details on the Cutler Middle school website

or see Mrs. A-Z or Miss Brink.

Yearbook Due to low fall sales, the 2009 – 2010 Yearbook is on sale until December 20. The cost will be 25 dol-

lars, cash or check made payable to CMS. This year’s yearbook will have some color pages and a hard-

cover, provided we sell enough copies ahead of time. Please don’t wait until the spring to purchase a

yearbook as the copies are limited and last year quite a few students went without their own yearbook.

If you have any questions, please see Mrs. A-Z or email her at ealeskiewicz@groton.k12.ct.us . Thank

you for your advance purchase!

*If you would like to help with this year’s yearbook, please see Mrs. A-Z at school.

***Congratulations to our two cover art winners: the front cover will feature the art of Isabella Nowa-

kowski (Grade 7) and the back cover will feature the art of Rose O’Connor (Grade 8). Thank you to

everyone who participated in the contest.

Drama Club The CMS Drama Club performed its first play, “Miss Frankenstein” on Friday, October 30. The Drama

Club will continue to meet to do reader’s theater and we may join the Fitch High School Drama Club in

the spring for their musical. More details to follow. Check out the Cutler drama website for the cast list,

script and performance photos. The cast party date is to be determined.

YES Club The Young Educators Society is all about educating the students about the teaching profession while

they get to meet students from other schools. This year’s activities will include community services pro-

jects, job shadowing, college visits, and attending a future teachers’ convention. The YES Club is also

selected one teacher to honor every month at Cutler. The following teachers have been honored: Mrs.

Houston in September, Mrs. Ryley in October, and Mrs. Caldwell in November. The YES club will meet

December 2. If you are interested in joining the YES Club, please see Mrs. A-Z.

Club Internacional On November 18th Club Internacional members learned about the history of “matryuschkas” and han-

dled several of them. These stacking dolls always tell a story in their layers. Then the history of Russia

was briefly outlined and the role of Ukraine in Russian history. Kiev, Ukraine was the first capital of

Russia and is still considered the birthplace of Russia. Then we covered the extraordinary history of the

20th century and the U.S.S.R. (Soviet Union) and its collapse in 1991. In honor of the 20th anniversary

of the Berlin wall coming down November 9th, members handled a piece of the actual Berlin wall. For

treats we ate traditional Russian beet soup “borscht” with black bread and had Ukrainain walnut cookies

“rouletchke”. Then the members designed their own “matryuschka” dolls.

Dec. 9 France and Spain

January 20 India

Feb. 24 France: Mardi Gras

March 31 Rwanda

May 5 Mexico