Fifth Grade's Early College Awareness Tour
Thanks to their counselors and a partnership with SUNY Westchester Community College, over 300 fifth graders went on an Early College Awareness Tour last week. Throughout the day they explored radiology labs, toured an impressive industrial kitchen, and got an up-close look at the athletics facilities. From manufacturing and cybersecurity labs to real podcasts and TV studios, they learned about the endless possibilities that await them. Minds were racing and dreams were forming!

The Pride of Port Chester Finishes their Season Strong

The Pride of Port Chester Marching Band finished with a score of 89.5 at the Allentown National Championships on Sunday, November 3, performing their show Flight of Fire at the historic J. Birney Crum Stadium.

JFK Elementary Celebrates a Milestone in their Reading Journey 

Students across grade levels at John F. Kennedy Elementary School participated in a Reading Challenge recently. The school's Character Education Committee, which aims to enhance how students view themselves as learners, created the challenge.

Over the course of about four weeks, teachers recorded the number of minutes their students spent reading each day, with different goals for different grades. The school-wide goal was to reach 8,000 minutes by October 24. Across every grade, students not only met their goals but exceeded them. At the end of the challenge, the school totaled 8,468 minutes of reading! A celebration was held in the students' honor on October 25. They dressed up as their favorite storybook characters and engaged in fun activities throughout the day.

Date Added: 11/13/2024

On October 30, Port Chester High School's U.S. History students had the unique opportunity to attend the Hamilton Education Program on Broadway, where they experienced the groundbreaking musical Hamilton and participated in a special Q&A session with the cast and crew.

This exciting field trip served as the culmination of a larger interdisciplinary project that combined history with the performing arts. As part of the project, students were tasked with creating performance pieces—ranging from monologues and scenes to spoken word, rap, and poetry—that connected to the Founding Fathers era, which they had been studying in class.

The students wrote and performed their pieces, many of which were captured on video, said Theatre Director Christina Baurle. This project allows them to make deeper connections with the historical material they’re learning in class and shows how real, factual events can be transformed into creative, expressive performance.

Date Added: 11/13/2024

Middle school students in Rebecca Peters' French class marked Orange Shirt Day on September 30, a day in Canada dedicated to honoring the multi-generational impact of the Indian residential school system. The day serves as a reminder of the resilience of Indigenous communities and reaffirms the belief that every child matters.

To observe the occasion, students engaged in meaningful activities that highlighted the importance of Orange Shirt Day. They designed their own orange shirts to show solidarity with Indigenous peoples and viewed educational videos in French that helped them understand the history and lasting effects of residential schools.

We also explored artwork by an Indigenous Quebecois artist, which prompted deep discussions about the events that shaped this painful chapter of our shared history, said Peters.

In addition to these activities, Peters shared a curated list of books about the history and legacy of residential schools to encourage further learning and reflection. Below are some student reflections on the significance of the day:

I am wearing an orange shirt because...

* No child should ever be separated from their family, and every child has the right to preserve their culture and heritage.
* Residential schools were devastating, and every child deserves to grow up connected to their culture.
* Life should be kind to everyone.
* I want to honor those who died as a result of the residential school system.
* What happened was wrong, and it's important that we remember.
* We stand in solidarity with the survivors who have lived through unimaginable trauma.

Orange Shirt Day was inspired by Phyllis Jack Webstad, a member of the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation in Williams Lake, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.orangeshirtday.org

Date Added: 11/13/2024

Halloween was a spook-tacular celebration that brought the entire Port Chester community together last week. From good witches and bad witches to mummies and mice, students and staff sported creative costumes with pride, marched in parades, attended trunk-or-treat events and engaged in other activities throughout the day that were both educational and fun. Families were even invited to school to watch their children march!

It was the perfect blend of creativity, community, and spooky school spirit.

Click the image above to watch a video montage!

Date Added: 11/13/2024