Livingston Manor School Scene 2015

SCHOOL SCENE

A Special Supplement to the Sullivan County Democrat

A look at activities in the Livingston Manor School District

SECTION L, MARCH, 2015 CALLICOON, NY

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LIVINGSTON MANOR SCHOOL SCENE

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Playing and learning all day long at Manor’s first full-day Pre-K T

hey ride the school bus like big kids.

They eat in the cafeteria like big kids.

But at about 12:15 p.m. every day, Fiona Streimer’s 20 students curl up on individual floor mats and take a hearty 45-minute nap. Then they’re on to more learning and playing.

Livingston Manor’s first full-day pre-kindergarten class is managing just fine, says their teacher.

“I worried about them at first,” said Streimer, who has taught Pre-K at Manor for almost 13 years, always in half-day programs.

Other years, “I had always been my class’ art and music teacher,” she recounted. “Now they go to other teachers for art, phys ed, library, music and computers. I was worried about them getting used to different teachers with different rules.”

But, said Streimer, children are much more flexible than adults would give them credit for.

“They’re doing great,” she said.

“They have transitioned very nicely.”

Why an 8 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. school day for four-year-olds?

“With the new Common Core curriculum plus play time, plus snack time, there isn’t enough time in a half-day,” said the teacher “All studies have shown that the

‘Play is so important at this level -- so much learning is embedded in play time.’

Fiona Streimer Pre-K teacher | brain is growing so rapidly at this age,” she added. “If we can get their brains stimulated and their social skills underway, they have a good

School Scene A Look at Activities in

Livingston Manor Central School Published by

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(845) 887-5200 Callicoon, NY 12723 March 17, 2015 • Vol. CXXIV, No. 78

Pre-kindergartners Lynnz Amback and Makayla Budd listen as teacher Fiona Streimer reads a Dr. Seuss book.

foundation for kindergarten” and beyond.

The full-day program at Manor affords children a healthy balance of academics, play and social learning.

First they learn classroom routines: sitting down when they eat, sitting in a circle with their legs crossed when they’re listening to a story, cleaning up after eating or after messy projects and walking in line.

Through play, Streimer teaches

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her students good manners.

“At first, they might be building a house together and saying ‘I want that block, that’s my block.’ ” Slowly they learn to act kindly, take turns and work as a team.

Learning in the key Common Core areas – Math and English Language Arts – always involves fun.

“Math is all games playing,” noted Streimer.

The children play Number Bingo to learn counting. They use special

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“manipulatives” like a pirate ship with attachable fish that they count as the fish jump on and off the ship.

What looks like playing is always building language, math and science skills. For example, the students become acquainted with the concept of gravity when Streimer takes a plastic car and sends it down a sloping board, talking about how much farther the vehicle moves when the slope is increased.

“Play is so important at this level – so much learning is embedded in play time,” she said.

The other day, the students used the classroom’s stuffed animals to pretend they were running a veterinarian’s office. They took x-rays of the wing of a stuffed bird, and they

The beginning of his educational journey

All photographs and stories for this special School Scene are by Sullivan County Democrat Photographer/Reporter Kathy Daley.

The Democrat would also like to thank the Livingston Manor School District for all its cooperation in this project.

At four years old, Alexander Jones is one of the littlest of the 500 students at Livingston Manor Central School. But through songs, games and play, the pre-kindergartener is learning his letters and numbers, ensuring a solid academic foundation for kindergarten and the higher grades.

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examined the ear of a play horse. All the while, they were going over words they know, like eyes, fur and paws, and making their acquaintance with more complex terms like medicine, patient and appointment.

Even during play, the teacher’s job does not stop. “I’m assessing them – are they using new vocabulary words? Are their fine motor skills getting better?”

Through fun projects like making their own play doh, or growing beans from seed a la “Jack and the Beanstalk,” Manor’s littlest students like what they learn.

“I want to make it positive and fun for them,” said Streimer. “If they love coming to school, I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. And they do love it.”

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Manor math teacher named ‘Master’ in statewide excellence program

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ot every school district can boast a prestigious New York State Master Teacher in its midst, but Livingston Manor Central School District can and does.

Beginning in January, the Master Teacher program designed to invest in great teachers and transform education statewide welcomed Manor math teacher Jamie Dymond.

“Jamie makes math class exciting, and he fosters the love of learning,” enthused Manor Principal Sandra Johnson. “He’s very energetic. There’s never a dull moment. He gets students excited and involved – his classes are all interactive with students actively engaged in their learning. And his (academic) results here are excellent.”

Launched in 2013 by Governor Andrew Cuomo, the Master Teacher

Program has created a statewide network of the highest-performing teachers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The goal is to allow teachers to share their expertise with peers and to also attract students to successful careers in STEM. “We want the best possible teachers in every New York classroom educating our children,” Cuomo said. “As part of the state’s work to transform our education system and put students first, we are committed to investing in great teachers to educate our students and to create a highlytrained workforce to drive our future economy.”

Master teachers mentor others in their school district, particularly new teachers or student teachers. They also offer curriculum workshops and

MARCH, 2015

Manor math teacher and New York State Master Teacher Jamie Dymond helps eleventh grader Katie Spencer understand a problem with derivatives in Calculus.

best practices tips for teaching.

But master teachers work on themselves as well. For four years, the educators make a commitment to continue learning, meeting regularly on evenings and weekends to work on ways to grow individually and collectively in their profession.

“I was really excited and happy to find out I had made it,” said Dymond, who has taught high school Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Calculus and Statistics for the past five years in Manor.

Dymond grew up in Kerhonkson and graduated with a B.S. from SUNY New Paltz and with a master’s degree from New York Institute of Technology.

The Master Teacher application and interviewing process lasted a grueling eight months, said Dymond.

Three areas of ability and commitment to growth were essential in

Master Teacher selection: advanced knowledge of the ideas that are central to their discipline; a deep understanding of how to teach successfully; and a comprehensive grasp on students’ cultures, families, values and communities.

Those chosen receive a $15,000 stipend annually for four years.

Dymond continues to teach as he makes plans for mentoring, for curriculum workshops and for presentations at faculty meetings.

He also meets in small and large groups with other master teachers and attends mini-courses on topics like student research and emerging STEM subjects such as climate change and hydrofracking.

Learning Teams have formed around the Common Core; expeditionary learning that fosters curiosity about the world through creative learning situations; and the flipped classroom, whereby teachers tape a lesson for students to watch at home, and then discuss the lesson the next day in class.

SUNY New Paltz, which is home base for the regional Master Teacher Program, hosts most of the group discussions.

Later on, the teachers will also participate in the Empire State STEM Learning Network, partnering with local businesses to better prepare students for STEM careers.

“I really want to improve education and how students learn, connecting with kids and making a difference,” said Dymond. “I want to help everybody I can to be the best they can be.”

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A 3D printer’s multi-dimensional impact on students’ love of learning

n his Technology students a step Education class, above others,” Huninth grader Vito bert said.

Galvez has discovVito Galvez said he ered that designing wants to design user new models from products as a professcratch is a matter of sion and agrees he’s trial and error – and getting a great that the class’s new grounding for the 3D printer acts as a future. valuable tool in that “This program process. shows you where “You can actually your problems are — see what you deyou test it and then signed and see if it make changes,” he works,” Vito said. “If said. it doesn’t, you can do Ninth grader Vito Galvez discusses his 3D invention – a cellphone case and holder that can be mounted on a mountain bike – with For example, Gavit again. It’s really teacher David Hubert. The product was created on the 3D printer to the left. ez designed a cellcool.” phone case and then At Livingston decided to go furManor High School, a new 3D printer Learning in math, science and engi- er five years ago at a technology con- ther, building a mounted cellphone in teacher David Hubert’s Design neering arises naturally as part of the ference at his alma mater, SUNY holder for his mountain bike. and Drawing for Production class has investigation and construction of the Geneseo.

He soon realized he had forgotten “Adding 3D printing to the curricu- to put in a slot for the power button, been chugging away since Septem- projects. ber.

“This is instant prototyping you can lum became a dream of mine — I saw so it was back to the drawing board.

“3D works like a printer but instead hold in your hand,” the teacher said. it as the wave of the future,” he said.

He also slimmed down the model, Prophetic words, as students versed making it more lightweight. of ink in two dimensions, it prints “The kids love it. Most of the students layer by layer using layers of ABS, a during their free time are down here, in 3D printing can now find jobs in The prototype is so good, said his kind of plastic,” Hubert explained. using this constantly. To me that can’t architecture, industrial design, aero- teacher, that they’re looking to win a space and automotive manufactur- prize.

Students design items freehand, be replaced.”

“We’d like to enter this into a conthen work in the software program One of their first assignments was ing. The medical profession uses 3D called SolidWorks to actually design to design strong, slim plastic cases for printing in creating prosthetics, test for new design,” said Hubert, and “build” the piece on computer. their cellphones. They are also work- molds for false teeth, and plastic either in an education competition or The software then “tells” the 3D ing on miniature CO2 dragsters – models which are used instead of a Time Warner Cable-sponsored conaerodynamic model cars that run on cadavers for study in medical school. test for new product ideas. printer what to do.

“It’s amazing what can be done with Moreover, Manor students’ familThe printer allows students to move a capsule of carbon dioxide.

A veteran teacher of 14 years at iarity with the powerful, cutting edge the 3D printer,” said Hubert. “The quickly from concept or idea to a 3D product, which the students love. Manor, Hubert saw his first 3D print- SolidWorks software “will put these sky’s the limit.”

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Free laptop and a jump on college?

Kids say ‘yes’ to virtual AP class

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Districts that are not able to afford to offer regular AP classes because they either don’t have the budget or don't have enough students to run a full class were especially considered in the planning, said Towsley.

Subject matter experts from local districts developed the courses, and content specialists with technological expertise were hired to assist in preparing the courseware.

All for the good, said Angelo Piscitelli.

“You don’t have to take the course in college,” he said. “And you save money.”

High school seniors Angelo Piscitelli and Ariel Galvez discuss their online coursework in Art History through Manor’s Virtual AP Program.

‘Two hours’ AP work each night is a commitment. But it’s definitely worth it -- it looks more impressive to colleges because it shows that you’re self motivated’

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Ariel Galvez student | He added that for students who do not have internet access at home, laptops can be used in the school during study halls in order to complete the AP work.

Other AP courses available online are Comparative Government and Politics, Computer Science, Human Geography and Statistics.

Supported by federal funding, VAP grants were created to increase learning opportunities but also to offer school districts substantial savings in the midst of a difficult fiscal climate.

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ngelo Piscitelli wanted to get a jump on his future by taking high school Advanced Placement courses that would afford him college course credits.

But Livingston Manor High School, small enough for comfort and a family feeling, wasn’t large enough to designate a teacher to instruct the rigorous AP classes.

Thankfully, Manor now participates in The New York State Education Department’s Virtual Advanced Placement program, allowing the District to offer free online AP courses and free use of individual laptops for participating students.

Last year, AP Psychology drew Piscitelli, and this year, he’s taking AP Art History.

“Two hours each night, we watch instructional videos at home,” explained the student. “We’re now studying Impressionism and PostImpressionism. We go through the lesson and then type in answers to questions. We work with a teacher through email.”

Fellow senior year student Ariel Galvez added that Art History students are analyzing particular art pieces, studying the characteristics of the artist’s style and how the time period influenced the piece.

Online AP classes are not for the faint of heart, she said.

“Whether you succeed depends on the type of person you are and whether or not you have a lot of afterschool activities,” she said. “Two hours’ AP work each night is a commitment. But it’s definitely worth it – it looks more impressive to colleges because it shows that you’re self motivated.”

High School guidance counselor Chris Towsley said the Virtual AP Program (VAP) is administered locally by Ulster BOCES. The project, in its second year across New York State, is intended to help needy districts provide AP coursework. Livingston Manor had not been able to offer AP for the past 10 years, Towsley said.

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