Two Fire Drills in One Day and Some Thoughts on Summer Homework 2014

Today the excessive humidity tripped our fire alarm system twice resulting in the entire school going outside for two fire drills within the course of twenty minutes.  The local fire department came to the school and determined that excessive humidity caused the alarm to sound.  A technician from our fire alarm company arrived an hour later and repaired the system so that we could return to our regular schedule and prevent this from happening again.

This Monday summer homework is due for students in grades 4-8.  Throughout the summer I received insightful feedback from families regarding what they found helpful about assignments and areas where we could improve in terms of the quality and quantity of the work.  This was our first year creating summer homework assignments.  We expect our students to excel at LCCS and we want their learning to continue throughout the summer.  It is critical that we create summer homework that is engaging for our students with clear directions and expectations for each assignment. 

As we begin to review the summer homework assignments that are coming in we will evaluate how many students actually completed their assignments and who struggled with understanding them.  After conducting this review we will turn our focus towards creating 2015 summer homework that is engaging, fairly simple to understand, and that results in a high level of student completion.  The feedback we received from families and students over the course of this summer will be invaluable as we begin crafting new summer homework assignments.

Thanks to all the students that completed 2014 summer homework and their families that supported them throughout this process. We will work diligently to further improve summer homework for next year.

Happy Labor Day and Welcome to the 2014-2015 School Year

September 1, 2014

On behalf of the entire team at LCCS, I want to welcome you to the 2014-2015 school year and wish each of you a happy new school year.  I hope that your summer was filled with family, friends, and fun.  In preparation for the coming school year our administrative and custodial teams have been cleaning and organizing for the coming school year and our faculty attended professional development workshops preparing for our students. 

We are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of our students on the first day of school which is on Wednesday, September 3^rd, 2014.  Our school hours are from 8:30-3:15.  Our doors open at 7:50 and students should arrive at school no later than 8:20.

 Please make sure to say your good byes to your child at home.  This will make it easier for you to part ways on the first day of school.  Don’t let your child fool you-it is harder for you than it will be for them!  Please do not accompany your child into his or her classroom.  This prolongs the good-bye process and makes it much more difficult for the class to begin their day.  Our teachers and teacher assistants are experts at making children feel welcome on the first day of school and every day throughout the year.

This year we are launching a number of new initiatives that will further enhance our students’ academic skills and their social emotional growth.  I plan to share more information about many of these programs  with all of you throughout the coming year.

·         We launched a new scheduling system that will allow students in our middle school to receive individual schedules so that they will no longer travel from class to class in fixed homeroom groups.

·         Our scheduling system is linked to an online grading system so that middle school parents can monitor their child’s academic progress on a regular basis.

·         A new school website will provide students and families with information about school events and greater accessibility to classroom materials on teacher websites.

·          In an effort to prepare our fifth graders for middle school they will now switch classes for all their academic subjects among the teachers on the fifth grade team.  Ms. Litman will teach math, Ms. Muse will teach English, and Mr. Rengifo will teach science and social studies.  The fifth grade remains part of the lower school as we view fifth grade as the bridge year between lower and middle school at LCCS.

·         Students in the middle school will now have Spanish four times a week in an effort to increase their overall foreign language skills.

·         An advanced math class will be offered for students in grades 5-8 that will cover the same material only at a more rapid pace.  Placement in this class is determined by student academic performance in previous math classes and their standardized test scores.

·         In grades 3, 5, and the middle school students will participate in the Touchstones Discussion Project program.  This is an international program where students explore important ethical or philosophical ideas in a discussion format based on writings from great thinkers and writers throughout history. 

I firmly believe that Learning Community Charter School is a family, we work together, we learn together, and we support one another.  I look forward to working and collaborating with each of your children (and you) in the coming school year.

Have a wonderful Labor Day and see you on September 3^rd.

Colin Hogan

Head of School

Summer of 2014-What We've Been Up to

This weekend marks for most of us in the K-12 education world the end of summer.  The LCCS faculty returns on Monday to begin planning and preparing for the 2014-2015 school year.

Given that we have reached that point I think today would be a wonderful time to reflect on how the LCCS community used the summer to plan, learn, and continue to teach our students.

Summer Program

For the second year in a row in July LCCS ran an academic summer program for students in the Lower School that also participate in our free and reduced lunch program.  The program offered our students entering grades 1-5 the opportunity for additional instruction in reading, writing, and math.  Students worked in small groups with our teachers.  We offered additional academic enrichment for students participating in the program that were above grade level in reading and math.  This year 40 students attended the program which ran from Tuesdays through Thursdays for a full day.  Thanks to all the families that participated in the program and the incredible LCCS team that developed and ran the program.  We look forward to offering the program again next summer.

NJCU Literacy Center Institute

During the last week in July eight of our teachers and teacher assistants in grades K-3 attended an institute at NJCU for developing literacy centers within their classrooms.  The teachers learned how to create centers within their room for students to further develop their reading comprehension and writing skills. They planned how to structure their reading and writing classes to encourage their independence while also increasing students’ skills in terms of building vocabulary, reading fluency, and keeping journals.

Metamorphosis Summer Math Institute

In August Ms. Rha, Ms. Wuerthner, Ms. Tyjer, Mr. Anderson, Ms. Smith, and Ms. Flam participated in a workshop for teachers to study math at an academic level with master math educators and coaches from the Metamorphosis Institute.  The guiding concept behind the institute is that the more teachers master the content they teach the more aware they become in terms of how to effectively teach these concepts to students.  This institute was the launch of year-long partnership between LCCS and Metamorphosis to enhance our teachers in grades PreK-8 skills’ and understanding of how to engage and challenge students in math. 

Welcome Back for the 2014-2015 School Year

Dear Learning Community Family,

I hope that this correspondence finds you well, and that you are continuing to enjoy your summer. As the days quickly pass, we all become excited and anxious for the beginning of the school year. I will hold off on the official “welcome back” message because I don’t want you to rush what remains of your summer. We are currently in the process of mailing out welcome packets which contain information about your child’s teacher for the coming school year.

Please make a note that Curriculum Night for Lower School will be on 9-23 at 6:30 pm and Middle School Curriculum Night will be on 9-30 at 6:30 pm.  PreK Curriculum Night will be at 5:30 on 9-23.

We do have some staffing changes in teaching assignments for the coming year.  I am pleased to announce that all of our teachers are highly qualified and certified in the academic subjects they are teaching.  This year’s faculty is truly impressive for their tremendous skill set and their interest in providing all our students with educational experiences that are engaging, challenging, and meaningful.

We are thrilled to announce that Ms. Wood will join the first grade team bringing her tremendous passion for community and her creativity to the first grade.

Laura Callegari will join us as the 4^th grade teacher during Ms. Nardiello’s maternity leave.  Ms. Callegari holds a degree from the University of Padua in English and French.  She has an extensive career as a translator and in international business.  She is currently pursuing her studies to become an ELL teacher.

Michelle Smith will teach kindergarten during Ms. Finn’s (formerly Ms. Turner’s) maternity leave.  Ms. Smith has served as the Assistant Teacher in kindergarten for many years and has an in-depth understanding of our kindergarten program.  Samantha Gutierrez will serve as the Kindergarten Assistant while Ms. Smith teaches kindergarten. 

Dana Guzman will continue to be our Math Early Intervention Specialist.  She will also become the Director of our Early Intervention Program (formerly known as the Basic Skills Program).

Sarah Westley will serve as our reading specialist and early intervention teacher.

This year we also welcome several new members to our LCCS family.

Aisha de Los Santos will be our third PreK teacher.  Aisha is famously known as Miss A throughout Jersey City.  She previously taught at Jersey City’s PreK program at St. Bridget’s.  She has taught many of our current students and is celebrated throughout Jersey City for her incredible creativity and passion for early childhood education.  She will be joined in PreK by Tiffany Fitch the Teacher Assistant in Ms. Tracy’s room.  Christina McGary will become the Assistant Teacher in Ms. Tracy’s room.

Mallory Vessa will be our third grade teacher this year.  Mallory completed her undergraduate degree at Catholic University this past fall.  Mallory student taught in Washington DC at a school that could be the virtual mirror image of LCCS.  While student teaching Ms. Vessa conducted an extensive action research project on differentiated instruction in reading that was incredibly rigorous and looks much like the work we do regularly as a school. She is gracious, warm, reflective, diligent and someone who has known from an early point in her life that she wanted to dedicate her life to educating children and making a difference in the world through her work.  

Natahsa Tyjer will be our new 4^th grade teacher.  Ms. Tyjer joins us after teaching third grade at Maria Varisco Charter School in Newark.  Natasha is from Paterson and attended the University of Pennsylvania.  During her interview Natasha was probably one of the most passionate candidates for constructivist education we have ever met.  When her demo lesson concluded students lined up to hug her.  It will be exciting to see her work and her classroom.

Mirtha Perez joins us as our Spanish teacher.  Ms. Perez joins us from the Village School in Waldwick.  She is incredibly creative and has an incredible passion for teaching both Spanish language and culture.  This year we are increasing the amount of Spanish our middle school students receive to four days a week.  In order to make these changes Ms. Perez and Mr. Lambert will teach both middle and lower classes.  Ms. Perez will be teaching in our new Spanish room which was formerly the computer lab. 

Allyson Szcesi will be our new special education and early intervention teacher.  Ms. Szcesi attended the University of Delaware and did most of her student teaching in schools with multiply disabled students.  She is incredibly creative and managed to teach a demo lesson that included the use of technology, handmade puppets, and books designed specifically for each student. 

Marianne Conod will be our 7^th grade ELA teacher.  Ms. Conod has a wealth of knowledge about young adult literature and teaching writing.  A committed urban educator she has taught in Newark and Plainfield, and at the University of Pennsylvania.  She has an MFA and is also a lawyer as well.  When one of the middle school students in her demo lesson learned that she was hired for the position he thanked us for making that selection. 

 Katie Goral will be our 8^th grade ELA teacher.  Ms. Goral is from Wisconsin and joins us after spending a few years teaching and tutoring in Grenada where her husband attended medical school.  She studied at the University of Wisconsin and has a MA in reading and literacy.  Ms. Goral student taught both in middle school and high school. She is incredibly resourceful and was able to arrange to teach a demo lesson in a school she did not work in with students she'd never met before while a kindergarten class was meeting in the same room!   She simply exudes warmth and has an incredible sense of humor. 

Please enjoy the remainder of the summer – it goes by quickly! Spend time with your family, rest, relax, and have fun!

See you soon!

Colin Hogan

Beginning of Summer, Staffing Changes, and Summer Homework

Thanks

It is hard to believe that summer is here.  Now that the school year has come to an end it is time to reflect and celebrate a year full of incredible learning experiences that will remain in our memories for years to come.  These experiences are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, their families, and our LCCS faculty.

I would like to thank all of you for your support throughout the school year.  Our dedicated parent volunteers, class parents, our PTO, and the LCCS faculty members offered to our community enriching assemblies, special projects, and family activities.  I would like to thank our faculty for the opportunities that they made available to our students and families.  Our LCCS family invested so much work in building community this year to embody our CIRCLE values of community, independence, respect, courage, leadership, and effort.

Good-byes

To those of you who are leaving LCCS and moving on to high school, or a new a community, please know that we will miss you.  Best of luck to our outgoing eighth grade class-we are proud of you and know that you will continue to do wonderful things as you enter high school.  Additionally please join me in wishing all the best to Ms. Fernandez, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Snowise, and Ms. Silva as they begin a new chapter in their professional lives.  Each of these educators will be missed.

Staffing Changes for 2014-2015

These departures have resulted in some changes in staffing at LCCS in both the Lower School and Middle School.  Ms. Westley will become our reading specialist for the Lower School and Ms. Guarini will join the first grade team.  We are thrilled to welcome Natasha Tyjer from the Maria Varisco Charter School to the fourth grade team and Ms. Aisha de Los Santos of St. Brigid’s Early Childhood Center in Jersey City as the teacher for our third PreK class.  Ms. Tiffany will join Ms. Aisha as we open the third PreK on the ground floor of our building, and Ms. Christina McGarry will move from the middle school to work with Ms. Tracy in PreK.  Ms. Strauss will be return to LCCS in the fall only as our PreK Supervisor and will no longer take small groups for reading.  In the coming months I will provide all of you with further information about the new faculty members that will join the LCCS family for the fall.

Summer Homework

This year summer homework has been assigned to students entering grades 4-8.  These assignments are designed to prevent the downward “summer slide” in student skills and understanding that can happen over the long summer months.  Students entering grades 4 and 5 will receive homework only in English and Math, while students entering into grades 6-8 will receive homework in English, Math, Social Studies, and Science.  These assignments are all available on our newly designed website, accessible at the same address - www.lccsnj.org bly clicking on the For Parents tab on the homepage.   Hard copies of the assignments are also available in the LCCS main office.  All summer homework will be factored into a student’s grade for the first marking period and will be due on Monday, September 8^th. 

Summer Building Hours at LCCS for July and August

During the summer months the building is on a slightly different schedule.  The building is open from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Monday-Thursday through August 21^st.  The building returns to regular school hours on Monday, August 25^th.  The building will be closed on Fridays during the summer through August 30^th.

  

Planning for Next Year

Welcome packets with classroom placements & forms to be filled out will be mailed around August 15^th.   

If you are not returning to LCCS please contact the office as soon as possible so that we can arrange for your transfer paper and notify a replacement candidate from the waiting list. 

Please take some time to rest, relax, and recharge.  As you do so know that we will be busy planning and preparing for an amazing 2014-2015 school year.

Have a safe and fun-filled summer.

Basketball at LCCS

LCCS Middle School Basketball Teams 

I have a profound love and passion for sports, especially basketball. I had a vision and a dream that LCCS would soon have a successful basketball team. With a lot of work and dedication last year we were able to put together our first sports team in the history of LCCS. Through this vision the LCCS Boys and Girls Middle School Basketball teams evolved.

We pride ourselves in instilling our circle values through study hall, practices, and games. Community, independence, respect, courage, leadership, and effort are all values that are practiced and preached amongst our coaches and players. These values have given us an identity and have paved the way for us to be successful. We hold our student athletes to a high academic standard. They are required to attend study hall sessions on a weekly basis as well as handing in weekly progress reports. Our coaches communicate with teachers to ensure that our students stay on the right track academically. We practice two to three times a week and play an eight game regular season. Our basketball program has helped players develop many skills and characteristics that are essential to being positive citizens and great members of our community. Being a member of our basketball teams require a lot of effort, hard work, and dedication. We focus on building student athletes, team players, and leaders on and off of the court.

The amount of success we have experienced in just two years has exceeded all of our expectations. The players have responded with a great deal of excitement and willingness to learn. Our LCCS community has rallied behind us and supported us by showing tremendous school spirit. We have had winning seasons in our first two years and advanced to the playoffs both seasons. Our students have excelled in the classroom and are motivated to do better because of our basketball team. They are better prepared mentally and physically for high school. I believe that we have only scratched the surface of our potential, goals, and successes. We will continue to grow our basketball program, honor our circle values, and strive to develop the best student athletes. 

Angel Melendez

LCCS K-5 Physical Education Teacher

LCCS Boys Head Basketball Coach 

Middle School Locker Update

This past week we had to make some changes in student locker use in the Middle School to address safety concerns.  We altered the times when students use their lockers so that only certain grades are at their lockers at specific times during the day.  8th grade students will now go to their lockers before lunch and drop their belongings off in their next period class before heading to lunch.  6th and 7th graders will go to their lockers after lunch and will leave their belongings in the class before lunch.  They may retrieve their lunches from their lockers before heading to the cafeteria. 

These changes were made because students began tossing their belongings over their lockers causing injury to students before and after lunch periods.  Our lockers are not fixed to a wall and are located in an alcove as seen in the photo below. This unique configuration of lockers within our middle school means that we must regularly consider how we utilize space and our available resources. Limiting locker use to to one or two grades at a time is much less chaotic, easier to supervise and ensures overall student safety.  

The Past Few Weeks at LCCS

The past few weeks at LCCS were filled with with the conclusion of exciting projects, field trips, and amazing student accomplishments.

5th Grade Heads to Camp Bernie

As part of their culminating experience in Lower School at LCCS our 5th graders spent Monday and Tuesday on an overnight trip to Camp Bernie in Northwest New Jersey.  The program focused on environmental science and team building.  They all returned with tired and grinning faces.  Thanks to our amazing 5th grade team for all their planning and dedication to making this project a reality. 

Friday, May 9th at LCCS

Two weeks ago on Friday the building was full of students sharing their research with family members and peers.  Our third grade hosted their annual space carnival which enables our kindergartners to learn about astronomy from our third graders through games and other experiential learning activities.  There were space suits, rocket ship rides, and opportunities to see how much one would weigh on other planets.  Thanks to Ms. Wood, Ms. Crane, Ms. Lefkowitz, and Ms. Kiss and the entire third grade for providing everyone with such an incredible opportunity to learn about space.

In the auditorium our 6th graders presented their hero project. In English each sixth grader researched an individual in history or today that the student considers their hero.  The students dressed like their hero and explained to visitors why their heroes changed the world based on their extensive research.  The event also provided incredible opportunities to see historical and cultural figures finally meet such as, Hedy Lamarr and Galileo or Pope John Paul II and and Lebron James.  Thanks to Mr. Coven and the sixth grade for making us think about the meaning and importance heroes have in each of our lives.

This incredible morning ended with our 5th graders cheering on the Jersey City Police Unity bike tour as they passed in front of LCCS

Awards 

We all have so much to celebrate in terms of our students' successes over the past few months.  Congratulations to Sai Bandar, Palak and Yash Mehta for earning second place in the Hudson County Chess Competition.

We also want to congratulate Hannah Dutton, Katja Larssen, Michael Barrett, Christian Bautista, Olive Sayre, Josette Jonson and Ekim Karakurt for qualifying for the state competition at New Jersey History Day.

Happy
Last week we completed our final NJASK ever at LCCS.  Please enjoy this video made be our own special education teacher, Jennifer Casey starring our students as they celebrate all the hard work that went into preparing and taking these tests.
https://www.wevideo.com/hub/#media/ci/195342553

Constitution in the News at LCCS Middle School

8^th Graders Study

 Constitution in the News

Are threats protected by the First Amendment?  Is the Death Penalty a violation of the constitutional prohibition of Cruel & Unusual Punishment?  Can the government wiretap U.S. citizens without a warrant?

These and other similar questions were considered by LCCS American History students as part of the recent Constitution in the News project.  The project looked at a number of controversial issues facing the U.S. today—issues that have relate directly to the U.S. Constitution.  Each student chose an issue, identified the Constitutional principle raised by the issue, then researched both and presented their findings to their fellow students.  In May, many of these projects will be shared with 5^th graders, who are also studying the U.S. Constitution.

The Constitution in the News project was the culmination of two units of study, one that looked at the ideas behind the American Revolution, the other on the founding of the New Nation.  First, the 8^th graders studied the historical facts related to the writing and signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1789.  Then they identified some of the underlying principles found in the Constitution, such as Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, the Right to Bear Arms, Due Process, Checks and Balances and more. 

Although the projects were done individually, students with similar issues often combined their presentations and shared a poster.  One group, for example, looked at three cases related to Freedom of Religion.  One case involved a high school teacher in Kearny, NJ, who—in clear violation of the First Amendment—was preaching instead of teaching in his American History class.  Another looked at the way that Jersey City presents holiday displays at City Hall.  A third student examined the controversy over teacher the theory of evolution in science class.

Another poster looked at two cases related to the 7^th Amendment’s prohibition of Cruel and Unusual Punishment.  In the 1970s, the Supreme Court banned the use of capital punishment based, in part, on the 7^th Amendment.  More recently, the issue of youthful offenders has raised similar questions.  Should children under the age of 18 who commit serious crimes be tried as adults?  Should youthful offenders spend time in adult jails?  Is this cruel and unusual punishment?  These are very difficult questions and these presentations examined a number of perspectives on these controversial topics.

Many students were interested in the many constitutional amendments designed to protect the rights of the accused.  Why did the Founding Fathers pay so much attention to this?  The students understood the answer right away: After facing British (in)justice for so long, they did not want to create a government that could use the law to mistreat its own citizens.  For that reason, the students noted, we have things like the right to a speedy public trial, the right to a lawyer, due process.

Is the U.S. Constitution still relevant today?  After learning about the many Constitutional issues in the news today, LCCS American History students gave a resounding yes.  The Constitution defines the proper role of government and protects individual rights as well.  That, the 8^th graders understood, is the basis of our democratic system.

Steve Krinsky is a longtime Middle School Social Studies teacher.  He is also a founder of the school and was an LCCS parent for the school's first 12 years.  Dr. Krinsky has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Texas.

A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE ON MIDDLE SCHOOL AT LCCS by Sofia Lesnewski

A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE ON MIDDLE SCHOOL AT LCCS

When I began middle school at LCCS in 2010 I was petrified. I worried: will I get lost in the chaos of changing classes?... Will I forget my locker combination? ...Will middle school be completely different from elementary school? As it turned out, within my first week of fifth grade, all three scenarios became realities. But even with these seemingly negative events, I was reeled in. With the magnificent mayhem of middle school, I had fallen in love with LCCS all over again.

What Makes our Middle School Special

Two things stood out as special right away:

Our teachers are extremely caring and qualified teachers. They design hands-on lessons and activities that required critical thinking and deep reasoning on the part of each student. We are not merely expected to learn the information, but to interpret it, and draw our own conclusions. Lessons at LCCS are taught in a relatable, interesting manner that sparks enthusiasm and dedication in both students and teachers. LCCS teachers are so committed to their responsibilities that they will sacrifice their own lunches and afternoons as long as it will benefit a student in need. 

LCCS’s CIRCLE values inspire tolerance and kindness, creating a supportive social environment that feels unique to our middle school. While there can be cliques or activities that can make middle school challenging, they are handled quickly according to policies that make it possible for students of all kinds to feel safe and comfortable inside the school building.

Graduating and Heading to High School

When I began middle school I had clear goals concerning my academic performance and future. Through the help of my family, my classmates, and my teachers these goals were encouraged, directed, and realized. My time at LCCS has allowed me to learn more than I could have ever imagined as a student and a person. From Language Arts to science labs, flipped instruction in math, and Wingspan, middle school has exposed me to the concept of creative learning, independently and through collaboration with teachers and peers. My time here may be coming to an end, but I will always be grateful that I attended middle school at LCCS!

Sofia Lesnewski is an eighth grader at Learning Community Charter School and will attend McNair Academic High School in September.

Highlights from the Week of April 21st at LCCS

Book Fair Success

The spring book fair was an incredible success.  Thanks to all the parents who volunteered to take shifts running the fair and to all the students and families that bought books.  It is wonderful to see the generosity of our school community in action to support reading.

First Grade Post Office

The first grade post office opened on Thursday.  Over the next few weeks our fist graders operate a post office for the school.  Everyone enjoyed writing letters and having mail delivered promptly and efficiently to classrooms or faculty mailboxes.  The post office is final component of the first grade's study of community and community institutions.  Please contact one of our first grade teachers Ms. Dynega at nicole-dynega@lccsnj.org, Ms. Megaro at stephanie-megaro@lccsnj,org, or Ms. Westley at sarah-westley@lccsnj.org  or stop by when the post office is open this week on Tuesday from 1:00-2:15 or on Friday from 9:00-10:15 in the library if you are interested in sending a letter to your child via the first grade post office.

NJASK for 6-8th Grades Monday 4-28-Thursday 5-1

Over the next four days our 6-8th graders will take the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge the state's standardized test.  Our students are incredibly prepared for the test due to the tireless work of our faculty.  If you are a parent of a middle school student please make sure (no matter how difficult it is) that you child has a good night's sleep from Sunday through Thursday morning and eats breakfast.  Homework will not be assigned for our middle school students from Monday through Thursday due to testing.

What is going on in our Classrooms

The 2nd grade students have identified research topics for their non-fiction "All About Books."
Some exciting topics are: The Titanic, Civil War, Helen Keller, Comets, Martin Luther King Jr., and Pompeii.

In Spanish the 4th graders are working on scripts focusing on using vocabulary about the human body.  In a few weeks they will perform their plays for their classmates.

The 8th grade students worked with our fourth graders on making pulleys as part of the 4th grade simple machine study and the 8th grade's study of physical science.

Language Arts in the Middle School

Spring blooms with Literacy in the LCCS Middle School

by Lori Kraemer- Eighth grade Language Arts Teacher

Writing

Each day, I come to Jersey City excited to spend so much time engaged in the writing process with my eighth grade students.  They work hard to craft essays, narratives, poems, plays and reports,  writing them on Chrome books, and get immediate and constructive feedback on their work from teachers and peers.  Writing is a way of life here; it’s authentic, and not simply something we do to demonstrate test prep which is the only way that it's used in my own daughter's suburban eigth grade. 

Reading

It’s the same with reading. Here at LCCS, our classrooms are filled with words and pages of so many incredible books it's hard to keep up. Our students literally love reading, and its exciting to watch them devour so many worthwhile books read each week that it’s hard to keep up! Our students love to read  fiction and non-fiction alike, and spend hours debating and deconstructing books on every topic you can imagine.   Here students have learned to love to read. I'm constantly taking book suggestions from your students, and taking them home to share with my daughter because that kind of reading is simply not encouraged or supported  in her school. 

Engaging in Meaningful Ways

Reading and writing all day brings growth beyond the page. Here, students are encouraged to be themselves, to express their opinions freely, and to challenge one another to think openly about the many diverse issues facing us all on a daily basis. At my daughter’s school, the greatest debates involve footwear and the hallways are nearly silent. My daughter will survive despite her very common middle school experience, but I hate that it has to be that way. Our  middle school feels different, looks different, and sounds different than your average 6-8th grade environment; it’s a refreshing vibe, full of energy and joy where teachers and students demonstrate a true camaraderie. And that’s what keeps me coming back each day.

Lori Kraemer is thrilled to join us as a guest blogger. She's been a teacher at LCCS for 4 years and is also  the proud mom of three. She loves that she gets to experience eighth grade as a teacher and as the parent of a student in another school, and just wishes that her own child had the ongoing creative curriculum she's proud to teach here at LCCS every day. 

If you’d like to know more about our Middle School please join us on  Tuesday, April 29^th  at 6:30 pm in the auditorium for our Middle School orientation session.  Please also feel free to email Ms. Kraemer at lori-kraemer@lccsnj.org if you have additional questions about our Middle School English program.

Middle School at Learning Community by Mr. Laster

In anticipation of our upcoming Middle School orientation on April 29th this week and next we are featuring guest bloggers from our Middle School community.  We begin the series by hearing from James Laster, our Assistant Head of School.

Middle school can be an intimidating place.  It is a time of immense growth for your child academically, physically, emotionally and socially.   This is not only a huge transition for your children, but for you as well as parents.   Next week we will be holding an information session for 5^th grade parents where they can learn more about what lies ahead in the middle school.  We will be highlighting some of the things that make 6^th-8^th grade at LCCS unique and enriching. 

One of the things that I always love to accentuate is how we educate “the whole child”.  This is certainly true at all grade levels, but I believe the middle school is where students are able to truly discover their individuality and explore in depth things they are passionate about.  This is an experience they won’t get anywhere else. 

Our amazingly talented staff helps develop children into leaders through student council and our peer mediation program, environmentalists through Green Group, award winning presenters through National History Day, athletes through our growing sports program, renowned artists through Wingspan Arts and agents of change through 8^th grade community service and numerous outreach activities.

These things alongside our demanding and thorough academic program allow our students to not only be accepted in high numbers into the most competitive high schools in Jersey City and Hudson County, but also allows them to flourish and hit the ground running once they arrive.  Our graduates consistently matriculate to taking advanced placement courses and are accepted to top universities throughout the country.

I have to admit, after writing the two previous paragraphs I am once again reminded of how truly phenomenal LCCS is because of all we have to offer your children.  I can say with confidence that the rest of the staff and I are inspired to continue to develop new and exciting opportunities for your child to grow.

If you’d like to know more about our Middle School please join us on  Tuesday, April 29^th  at 6:30 pm in the auditorium for our Middle School orientation session.  Please also feel free to email me at james-laster@lccsnj.org if you have additional questions about our Middle School program.

Arriving at School in the Post-Pulaski Skyway Closure Era

In regard to students being late to school we have ended the practice of students receiving detentions for arriving to school late over several days.  We have seen a tremendous decrease in the amount of students being late for school and believe that this disciplinary approach to students being late for school is no longer necessary.

When we return to school on April 21st we all may face a new challenge of increased traffic due to the closure of the Pulaski Skyway.  We may not know the full effects of the closure until Tuesday, April 22nd when Jersey City Public Schools return from their spring break.  At LCCS we want to be as flexible as possible in regard to how new traffic patterns may impact all of our families' morning routines and  routes to school.  We encourage everyone to start their day a bit earlier in order to deal with increased traffic on the roads in the early days of the closure.  We hope that our students will be at school by 8:20 but we also understand that the changes in traffic patterns on the Pulaski will impact most Learning Community families.   At the same time we realize that accidents elsewhere may cause a child to be ten or fifteen minutes late to school due to increased street traffic throughout Jersey City.We are instituting a grace period where we will not mark students late until 9:00 am through Friday, May 3rd to address these traffic changes.  

If you drop your child off at school in the morning on Kennedy please only stop briefly and do not park your car there for any extended period of time.  When picking up a child after school from 5:30 on please do not park on Kennedy as well.  By complying with these simple requests space is created for our school buses to safely and quickly pick up and drop off students.  This also may be a time to consider car pooling with other LCCS families.  If you are currently not part of a car pool but would be interested in joining one please contact Charlotte Kreutz in the main office.  We will not be able to actually set up any car pools but we can certainly suggest some families that live nearby that you may wish to contact in order to set one up or join an existing one.

As you notice issues with traffic flow throughout Jersey City please feel free to contact Jersey City's Resident Response Center at 201-547-4900.  The Response Center will take calls from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Let's hope that through getting up a bit earlier and more commuters embracing mass transit options the closure will have a minimal effect on how our school day begins.

Highlights from the Week of April 7th at LCCS

Even though spring break was almost upon us this made last week incredibly exciting with events highlighting our tremendously talented students.

The week began with the annual Middle School Talent Show.  The evening included songs, dances, and films made by our students.  

If you missed the event this year consider joining us next year. It truly is one of the best tickets in town.  


Each kindergarten class presented a play based on their collaboration with Ms. Jaffrey.  Each play was remarkably different and highlighted the tremendous collaboration that occurs between Ms. Jaffrey, Ms. Vanderhorn, Ms. Turner, and Ms. Porter, and our kindergarten families.

Later in the week the first grade hosted a publishing party to present their books based on their animal research.  Ms. Jaffrey also led each first grade class in a special xylophone performance as well.

2nd grade has entered into the world of fractions.  Students can already see how fractions are used in everyday life, especially when you want to split a cookie equally amongst two friends or four friends! 

In Spanish our 5th graders are creating books about people of their choosing (friends, family members, or celebrities) and describing them using adjectives and character trait vocabulary words they've learned in class.  

We held our first Coffee and Conversation session on Friday for parents to discuss questions, concerns, or to simply learn more about what is going on at school.  Two parents joined us for our initial session and I'm looking forward to our next one on Friday, May 2nd at 8:30.  

The week concluded with our school recognition of April as poetry month.  Students in grades 5-8 attended a performance and workshops led by the international award winning slam poet, Gayle Danley.  We were all moved to both laughter and tears by Ms. Gayle's incredible performance.  Our K-4 students attended an incredible poetry and music performance called "Poetry and Precussion, Beats, Rhymes, and Life" by the rappers, drummers, and musicians, Josh and Jacob.  All of our 4th graders attended a workshop with Josh and Jacob after the performance on drumming, rapping, and poetry.  Both performances were funded through the Student Activity Fee.  

I hope that everyone has a relaxing spring break and I look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday, April 21st.  

Middle School Updates

MIDDLE SCHOOL EVALUATION

This year we’ve begun a full evaluation of the Middle School at LCCS to make sure that it is most effectively providing an education that serves the students’ needs and the school charter. The  faculty, the LCCS Board of Trustees, James Laster and I have carefully evaluated the LCCS program.  Together, we have identified our successes as well as areas where we could improve and enhance the overall program so that it works specifically for our community and our students.

ADJUSTMENTS TO BATHROOM RULE

Based on that evaluation, many decisions were made in the interest of improving the learning and social environment for all of our students. A recent rule regarding student bathroom use have caused some concern among our families. We appreciate all the parents who took the time to speak out and voice your concerns.  Please know are listening. We made two key adjustments, specifically based on your feedback:

Students will no longer be limited in terms of the number of times they may leave a class during a month for the bathroom.  We will return to a system of students signing a bathroom log sheet. Teachers will work with a student and his or her family if there is a concern about a student visiting a bathroom too often during a specific class.

CREATING A MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

LCCS is a community of teachers, administrators, students and parents, and as we continue to evaluate our middle school, we’d like to include more families in that process. We’re expanding our Middle School Evaluation Committee and our goal is to have one parent from each of the nine middle school homerooms join us.  The committee will meet periodically to discuss the middle school's progress in terms of academics and overall school climate, as well as make suggestions for improvement.

The first meeting will be May, 8th at 6:00 pm in the school library.  If you have a student in 4th-7th grade and would like to participate, please email me by April 25th. We hope that involving more families in this evaluation will insure that our middle school meets the needs of all of our students and grows in line with the values that we all hold as important here at LCCS.

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A New Blog and New Lines of Communication

Last month the LCCS Parent Teacher Organization sponsored open forum discussion was a successful enlightening experience for me. It was wonderful to hear some of the issues you felt were important and I want to know more.  I encourage all parents to come to them in the future and we have begun to plan another similar event on May 7th at 6:00 pm in the auditorium. In addition, in order to continue an open dialogue, I would like to invite parents to join me for a monthly Coffee Conversation our first one will be on Friday, April 11th from 8:30-9:00 am in the LCCS library .  There is no set agenda for these conversations. This is the time to ask questions, express concerns, and provide input. 

There are many exciting things happening at LCCS, both inside and outside the classroom. I recently started a twitter feed to share these with the community on a regular basis.  Anyone can follow the twitter feed at Mrcolinhogan. Tweets will also be posted on our website.  In addition I will also be sending out a short weekly email blast with highlights from the week about our innovative academic program.   

I also plan to use this blog to engage in weekly conversations with our school community about what is going on both insider school and in the larger world of education.  Please feel free to raise questions or concerns to my blog postings and I will respond to questions either through the blog or a  via a personal email.  

I hope that through these forums, I can provide greater insight into what is happening at our school now, our plans for the future and to continually listen to and address community concerns and feedback 

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