William M. Kaegebein Elementary School
News Page 2014
1690 Love Road
773-8840
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Kaegebein Elementary School District's Website
Principal
Mary E. Haggerty
"Yes, Virginia The Musical", "Great Success" - December 2014
Click for larger view.
Kaegebein music teacher Renee Michki has reported that the musical "Yes, Virginia The Musical" was a "great success." The school received a $1000 grant from Macy's to assist with production costs and performed two shows on December 18 & 19, 2014.Hour of Code at Kaegebein School - December 2014
The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. This is a world wide event that took place from December 8 - 14th and Kaegebein Elementary was a participant. Computers are everywhere, but fewer schools teach computer science than 10 years ago. Girls and minorities are severely under-represented. The good news is Kaegebein School is trying to change this. In one week last year, 15 million students tried computer science! Computer science was on homepages of Google, MSN, Yahoo! and Disney. President Obama, Shakira and Ashton Kutcher all kicked off the Hour of Code with videos. Over 100 partners came together to support this movement. This year the Hour of Code movement is aiming for 100 million students.
That is why the students of Mrs. Chadwick and Mrs. McDonald at Kaegebein School joined in on the largest learning event in history. These students participated in "The Hour of Code" on Friday, December 12, 2014. The Hour of Code, organized by the nonprofit Code.org and over 100 others, is a statement that today's generations of students are ready to learn critical skills for 21st century success. These classes had a great introduction to coding and learned many new skills.
Kaegebein PTA's Reflections Winners - December 2014
From left: Ashley Beck and Wynonna Roberts
The Kaegebein PTA is pleased to announce the winners of this years Reflection' program. "Reflections" is a national PTA creative arts competition established to promote the arts. This year's theme was "The World Would Be A Better Place If..." The winners are: Visual Arts: Wynonna Roberts & Ashley Beck, Literature: Wynonna Roberts. The Kaegebein winner's work will advance to the regional PTA level competition.Macy's $1000 Grant Allows Musical - December 2014
(Grand Island, NY) - December 3, 2014
This holiday season, Kaegebein School will stage a performance of "Yes, Virginia The Musical," an original production based on a true story of 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon, who wrote a letter to the New York Sun newspaper in 1897, inquiring about the existence of Santa Claus. The school musical program debuted in 2012 as part of Macy's holiday “Believe” campaign and has been performed by elementary and middle schools nationwide. Kaegebein has received a $1,000 grant from Macy's to assist with production costs, and will welcome the holiday season with a special performance of "Yes, Virginia The Musical" on December 18 & 19, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
During a time of financial setbacks for many educational arts programs, Macy's has made the script and score for "Yes, Virginia The Musical" available royalty free to all schools and has created a free, digital toolkit on yesvirginiamusical.com. Macy's has also offered $1,000 grants to 100 schools each year since the program's introduction to support their local productions. Grant recipient schools put their funds to use to purchase everything from costumes and set materials to sound and lighting equipment.
"The magical performances from 'Yes, Virginia The Musical' have been a highlight the last two holiday seasons," said Martine Reardon, Macy's chief marketing officer. "Each year, we are inspired by the enthusiastic response from schools across the country and the creative young talent who bring the story of Virginia O'Hanlon to life. Macy's is proud to offer 'Yes, Virginia The Musical' again, and we look forward to another season of magical performances."
"Yes, Virginia The Musical" is part of Macy's beloved "Believe" campaign, which supports Make-A-Wish. The "Believe" program encourages children of all ages to drop their stamped letter to Santa at the red Santa Mail letterbox at their local Macy's or to visit macys.com/believe to create and send a letter. For every letter received, Macy's will donate $1, up to $1 million, to Make-A-Wish, helping to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
It is Kaegebein's first school-wide musical and it will feature the new sound and lights just recently installed as a part of the district capital project.
Colonial Day at Kaegebein - November 2014
Top: boys doing lessons, bottom: girls learning cross stitching.
Click photos for larger view.
Mrs. Katherine Chadwick's 4th grade at Kaegebein Elementary celebrated "Colonial Day" on Tuesday, November 25th. This day is based on a class novel the students read called "Felicity Learns a Lesson". The girls prepare the dinner meal. They make applesauce, butter, peel and mash potatoes, and prepare the stuffing. The boys learn lessons from hornbooks. The girls learn how to cross stitch and have a tea party. The boys learn about Colonial occupations and construct a sign to go with an occupation they are interested in. Both the boys and girls make soap, carve soap, write with a quill feather and ink, and stencil. All the boys and the girls enjoyed this authentic experience with Colonial times.GI Fire Company Ride to School - October 2014
The annual Fire Truck Ride to School contest sponsored by the Grand Island Fire Company is always a big thrill. This year's Kaegebein winners were Sydney Martin, Christopher Woroniecki, Kiersten Brown, Brady Butler, Madison Kephart, Jayden Kleinschmidt, Isabelle Pezdek and Sabrina Butcher. The students were taken to school in two fire trucks on Friday, October 24th.
Apple Day At Kaegebein - September 2014
From left: Sarah Brand, Michael Greer, and Christian Kessler
It is a tradition at Kaegebein Elementary School to commemorate Johnny Appleseed's birthday (September 26, 1774 or 1775) with an apple and a story about him. This year Apple Day was Monday, September 22nd. Johnny's actual name was John Chapman and he was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. During the early 1800's Johnny traveled westward planting apple seeds he had collected from cider presses in Pennsylvania. Much of what is known about Johnny Appleseed is mixed with legend. Johnny Appleseed is celebrated in frontier legends as a symbol of westward-moving civilization. Each class was read a story about Johnny Appleseed and then a delicious apple was given to each student. Miss Casey Steck’s 5th grade class had parent volunteers Lynn Greer and Apple Day Chairperson Kristen Thore helping in the classroom. The program is sponsored annually by the Kaegebein Elementary School PTA and received a generous donation of apples Top's Market.Back to School at Kaegebein - September 2014
Above: PJ Marston - Mary Stewart Photos
All Grand Island Schools enjoyed their first day on Thursday, September 4th. It was a bit later this year due to the construction projects happening at all the schools.Kickoff to Summer at Kaegebein - June 2014
The Kaegebein Playground Committee "Kickoff to Summer" event at the school on Friday, June 20th was a great success. See slideshow by Mary Stewart.Kickoff to Summer at Kaegebein - June 2014
The Kaegebein Playground Committee is holding a "Kickoff to Summer" event at the school on Friday, June 20th from 6:00 - 9:00 pm The event will have multiple bounce houses, dance lessons, face painting, sports contest, and culminates with an outdoor movie. The cost is $5 per child (parents free) and dinner (hot dogs & pizza), beverages, snacks (ice cream, sno cones, & popcorn) will be sold separately. The event is open to anyone, not just Kaegebein students. If rain, the event will be moved indoors. See flyer for details.Spelling Bee at Kaegebein - March 2014
5th grade winners: Hannah Schiffmacher(1), Isabel Buckingham(2), Taylor Kullerkupp(3) and Stephen Leone (alternate)
All 5th grade contestants.
4th grade winners: Mia Schiffmacher(1), Ian Pachura(2), Jack Stravino(3) and Noah DeCourcey (alternate)
All 4th grade contestants. Click photos for larger view.
The Kaegebein PTA sponsored Spelling Bee for 4th and 5th graders was held on Wednesday, March 26th. The top four spellers from each classroom participated. Sisters Mia Schiffmacher(4th grade) and Hannah Schiffmacher(5th grade) won top spot in their grade. Participants were:
4th grade:
Nicholas Pawlak, Madison, Piggot, Jack Stravino, Sophia Bobeck, Ian Pachura, Joshua Henderson, Emily Andrews, Noah DeCourcey, Grace Promowicz, Kaylee Boyle, Mia Schiffmacher, Lucas Dunn, Joseph Zherebilov, Joshua McMahon, Kira Seidel, Jenna Duquin, Ashley James.
5th grade:
Molly Tuohy, Ava DeFranks, Justin Wohlfehrt, Isabella Harper, Kathleen Ilecki, Grace Carey, David Schnell, Brooke Schneider, Stephen Leone, Kristina Joseph, Taylor Kullerkupp, Alison Gula, Isabel Buckingham, Mia Phillips, Nathan Cedri and Hannah Schiffmacher.
PARP Program at Kaegebein - March 2014
Susan Marston reads to students - Click for larger view
School Board member Mrs. Susan Marston was a guest reader on Tuesday, March 25th for the kick off to the PARP program at Kaegebein Elementary. Parents As Reading Partners (PARP) is designed to involve parents in fostering the love of reading. Mrs. Marston read "The Giant Jam Sandwich" by John Vernon Lord to the students in Miss Dana Santospirito's second grade class. The story was about a town inundated with wasps and how they got rid of them by making a giant sandwich and trapping them in the jelly. Fitting the story, Mrs. Marston left with a giant thank you note.Mrs. Chadwick's Class "Make a Difference" - January 2014
