Tara Frawley’s and Kelly Manganiello's Otisville fifth-graders recently completed a science experiment about energy using Hot Wheels cars!
The purpose of this energy transfer experiment was to test two predictions that students know about potential, kinetic energy and friction. They did this by taking a car and placing it on a track higher than another car will travel further along the track and then covering the track with salt to see if the car will not travel as far as one without salt on the track
During the experiment, students taped Hot Wheels tracks together and built a stack of books 40 centimeters and 20 centimeters high. They positioned a Hot Wheels car on the edge of the slope and released it.
Students then measured the distance travelled in centimeters after three releases on their data sheets. They also tested what happened to the Hot Wheels cars’ distance once salt was added to the track. Finally, students calculated the average distance to determine which height the car travelled further on- the high or low height.
•Potential energy is stored energy within an object or system, waiting to be released and used.
•Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. It's the energy possessed by an object due to its movement.
•Friction is a force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are in contact,
•According to manufacturer Mattel, eight Hot Wheels cars are sold every second. There’s more than 800 models and 11,000 variations.
What do fireworks, cake and a winter tablecloth mean? There’s only one correct answer: The 2025 edition of Vale, the high school yearbook, is complete and off for printing!
Per yearbook tradition, on Thursday night before the deadline seniors and editors meet in the evening to run the index. But because of last Thursday’s networking issues at the High School, staff quickly pivoted and used one of the Middle School technology rooms for this important step in the process.
This past Friday, Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration” blasted from Room 126 as the final pages were submitted. Editor-in-chief Aislyn Struble completed the final submission and then read her theme opening to “Out Loud!” to her yearbook staff peers!
Did you know that staff operates as a high school art elective class and is taught by Kat Hoolan and copy advised by Laura Lalor.
But, why the winter tablecloth? That’s because the staff only has one for deadline celebrations, and it’s become part of the staff traditions no matter the season. Yearbooks will arrive in early June!
There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes every concert season! Take a peek at Laura Hulle's eighth-grade band, which has been intensely practicing together to be ready for the Spring Concert! Every member in this ensemble is important and contributes to the overall band's success!
Otisville’s Family Craft and Tie Dye Night, held this past Friday night, was a huge success! Everyone had a great time and there’s lots of wonderful crafts which now have a place of distinction at home! Thank you to the Otisville PTO and everyone who contributed to the evening’s success!
Art teacher Kara Welsh used fabric dye given to her from former art teacher for tie dying over 160 people tie dyed items! Students also had fun at paper airplane/origami, air dry clay sculpting, tissue flowers, magnet decoration and pom-pom coaster stations!
See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD/
Kaylin Morran’s sixth-grade art students recently took a hands-on approach to learning the elements of art!
Using 3D geometric and organic shapes students were challenged to make animals, foods and sports equipment. Then, as groups, they were tasked with building the tallest structure. This required students to experiment with balance and stability and they quickly learned they needed a base and couldn’t just build up!
Students figured it out and the tallest structure was over 30 inches!
Organic shapes contrast with geometric shapes, which have well-defined and regular attributes. These fluid and expressive forms add a sense of natural beauty and spontaneity to artistic compositions. These artistic shapes play a vital role in the world of art and design.
Students who are members of the High School’s “Ministock” Club, along with interested students enrolled the High School’s various music ensembles, had the unique opportunity to attend a collegiate-level interview featuring Dr. Timothy Yip, assistant professor for music business, at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music; and Matt Christy, the high school’s band director, “Ministock” Club advisor and SUNY Potsdam Crane School of Music alumnus, this past April 23.
Their topic of discussion was “Marketing in Business.” Dr. Yip and Mr. Christy discussed how the skills learned in the college’s music business program—particularly in marketing—play a role in shaping professional careers in the field.
"An opportunity like this is important to students because it bridges the gap between their current educational experiences and real-world applications in higher education and professional careers," said Mr. Christy. "By hearing directly from a college professor, and a working professional who once stood in their shoes, students gain valuable insight into how academic programs, especially ones like Music Business, translate into meaningful and successful career paths. It's an experience that can plant the seeds for future ambition, broaden perspectives, and motivate students to think more intentionally about their own educational and career journeys."
Our youngest students always have big smiles on Fridays at lunch time, as it's PIZZA DAY! Our dedicated Food Services team prepares homemade pizza for all who are interested! (You can smell it in the hallways, too!)
Take a peek at our youngest ES students with their traditional, pepperoni or "grilled cheese" slice options! Remember, everyone eats from free! (But, some student families do put funds in their children's "My School Bucks" accounts to purchases extras, like ice cream, or on pizza days... an extra slice!)
No matter if you’re a young student or older student, it’s a fact: Holding chicks and goats will definitely make you smile!
Take a look at the smiles on the faces Kimberly Jordan’s Freshman Biology students! Because of the kindness of Minisink Valley parent Erin O’Neill, Mrs. Jordan’s classroom was a “foster” home to these baby chicks. Students were amazed by the 20-day journey of watching life develop and were overjoyed to watch the eggs hatch!
Plus: Mrs. O’Neill brought an adorable one-month-old baby goat for a visit! Both the chicks and goat were wonderful examples to support a lesson about reproduction. What a wonderful way to learn about the wonder of life! Thank you, Mrs. O’Neill, we appreciate your kindness!
See more photos on the districts' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD/
TODAY IS ARBOR DAY --- the day that celebrates planting trees! To help mark this annual day, Elementary School first-graders attended a special assembly earlier this week featuring guest speaker and certified arborist Mark Beamish of Orange & Rockland Utilities.
Mr. Beamish spoke to these young students about many different tree facts. For example, students learned that deciduous trees have leaves that grow in the spring and fall in the winter and grow in a round shape. In contrast, coniferous trees have needles that stay green all year and grow in the shape of a pyramid.
PLUS: Every first-grader went home with a coniferous tree sapling to plant at home! Coniferous tree saplings to promote reforestation efforts, enhance wildlife habitat, and provide aesthetic and environmental benefits. Conifers, with their year-round greenery, offer windbreaks, shade, and contribute to soil health. They also provide shelter for birds and other animals. THANK YOU, Mr. Beamish!
Arbor Day is a national holiday dedicated to celebrating and promoting the importance of trees and tree planting. It encourages communities to plant trees and learn about their benefits, with the first Arbor Day celebrated in Nebraska in 1872.
ADORABLE! Before the break, Carmela Sill’s/Stephanie Ewanciw’s ES kindergarteners had some special visitors! Mrs. Ewanciw’s bunnies, “Oreo,” “Marshmallow,” “Chocolate Chip” and “Rosemary” spent the day in class and mesmerized these little students with their cuteness!
In addition to tying into the seasonality of spring, students also had a fun lesson learning about bunny care. Students learned that bunnies need a safe and stimulating environment to live in, with a lot of space to move around; and it’s important for them to have a balanced diet of mostly hay, fresh greens and water (just like children need a balanced diet every day!)
And… they also learned bunnies need a variety of toys like stacking cups and chewing materials to keep them mentally and physically stimulated. They were also surprised to learn that bunnies can be trained to use a litter box, just like cats!
The High School’s Robotics Club is getting ready for the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics’ New York//New Jersey Botball Tournament, to be held May 17 at the Rahway Recreation Center in New Jersey,
KIPR is dedicated to sparking excitement for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through hands-on robotics programs, and we know the district’s team is working hard to make sure all their Botball are ready to compete!
There’s a volunteering component to the competition and the team chose to undertake a food and supply drive. THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to their efforts!
Botball is a team-oriented robotics competition where teams design, build, and program autonomous robots to compete in challenges that change annually, fostering teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
COMBINING EARTH DAY FUN AND IMPORTANT LESSONS!
Marjori Bobish's ES transitional kindergarteners, like many students districtwide, spent time learning about why Earth Day, which was April 22, is an important day to commemorate!
These cutie-pies made adorable Earth Day art projects and spent time time outdoors showing why they "Care for our Earth" by helping to clean-up outside! We appreciate their outdoor help!
Celebrating Earth Day gives students of all ages a chance to foster a sense of environmental responsibility and connect them with the natural world. This learning helps them develop a deeper appreciation for the planet and inspire them to become environmentally conscious citizens in the future.
TODAY'S FEEL GOOD MOMENT!
The Varsity Unified Basketball team kicked off their spring season with an away game at North Rockland High School yesterday, April 23. Take a look!
"For many, it was their first-ever varsity bus ride—an experience full of laughter, bonding, and unforgettable memories," Varsity Coach Theresa Uhelsky said. "North Rockland welcomed us with open arms, and not only did we sharpen our basketball skills, we also made some great new friends along the way."
Halftime turned into a celebration as both teams came together for an epic dance party to the classic song “YMCA!”
"Here’s to a season full of teamwork, fun, and unity," Coach Uhelsky added, "both on and off the court!"
Lillian Preziosi’s Otisville fifth-graders, like all district fifth-graders, are studying ocean ecosystems as part of their science lessons.
During their recent CKLA Grade 5 Pilot Unit “Lesson 1: Introducing Ocean Ecosystems and Their Inhabitants,” students explored the diversity of animal and plant life within six ocean ecosystems.
When an image was displayed, students brainstormed about the characteristics of the ecosystem and then took turns recording their observations. And after reading Chapter 1, they worked together to identify unique characteristics of each ecosystem (coral reefs, kelp forests, estuaries, mangrove forests, the open ocean and the deep sea) by looking closely at their biotic and abiotic features. They had a great time collaborating and learning together…and collaboration is an important life skill!
In an ecosystem, biotic factors are the living organisms (like plants, animals, and bacteria), while abiotic factors are the non-living, physical and chemical components (like sunlight, water, and soil)
Library class offers so many different learning opportunities! For example, Aimee Hardy’s IS third-graders recently completed another unit on internet safety. This includes conversations about the importance of being kind online, in addition to cyberbullying issues and what kinds of information they should keep private.
During this recent class, students learned about passwords and how to make unique ones that would be almost impossible for someone to figure out and use to access their data. Students were tasked with coming up with a phrase (as a password) that means something to them, such as “SAVE THE MANATEES.” Then, they were shown how to substitute letters with numbers and symbols to make their password becomes even more secure. So “SAVETHEMANATEES" becomes "5@w37n3W&u@t335."
Now they have a really great password that is hard to crack, and one that they can remember. Ask them about this!
TODAY IS EARTH DAY!
Today’s gorgeous weather and temperatures was the perfect opportunity for Jessica Kahn’s/Julia Ferguson’s and AnneMarie Guido’s Otisville kindergarteners to spend some time outside enjoying the outdoors and appreciating nature and the sunshine. Erica Alders’/Alexa Roach’s fifth-graders and Rachel Sebold's third-graders did the same, too, along with a very cool Earth Day-related scavenger hunt!
Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22 that focuses on raising awareness and promoting environmental protection. It's a time to demonstrate support for the environment, with a wide range of events coordinated globally to encourage action and behavioral changes to protect the planet!
Understanding digraph sounds is an important ELA skill for kindergarteners! Digraph sounds are important because they are two letters that come together to make a completely new sound such as (/th/, /sh/, /ch/, /ng/, and /qu/). Ask the kindergartener in your life about this!
Take a peek at Tiffany Guareno’s ES kindergarteners, who recently played a fun Digraph Headbands Game where they walked around the room, found a partner, read the word on their partner's headband (which contained a digraph) and practiced writing the word What a fun way to reinforcing these special sounds!
Learning digraph sounds is crucial for developing strong reading and spelling skills because they help children decode words accurately and fluently, and represent sounds correctly in written language.
MORE HANGING WITH THEIR PEEPS!
Before the break, Shawne Demberg’s ES kindergartners learned a great deal about responsibility by caring for their PEEPS! Some of their tasks included keeping their personal PEEP safe, reading it a bedtime story and bringing it to and from school each day. They became stellar caregivers and had great lessons in learning about why caregiving is so important! Even therapy dog Addy was a great assistant, serving as a babysitter when the students left the room! Well-done, everyone!
Otisville Elementary was proud to have a small role in welcoming home veterans who were part of Hudson Valley Honor Flight's recent Mission 35 to Washington, D.C.! This WELCOME HOME banner was signed by everyone at Otisville! Students also made beautiful cards of appreciation!
HANGING WITH THEIR PEEPS
Before the break, Gemma Lyon’s ES second-graders explored PEEPS, those seasonal sugary sweet springtime treats we’ve all eaten, in a day full of fun ELA and science work! TAKE A PEEP….rather, PEEK!
Students completed multiple science experiments using their senses and incorporated new vocabulary words called “prediction” and “observation” into their expressive and written language. They even had some fine motor skill practice creating and decorating a special PEEP “house!”
Each student also adopted a PEEP and took their PEEP on some adventures over this past spring break! Mrs. Lyon is looking forward to hearing about the adventures and reading their journals now that her students are back in class!
•Just Born, the company that makes PEEPS Brand Marshmallow candies, produces enough in one year to circle the Earth twice.
•Yellow is America’s best-selling color of PEEPS chicks and bunnies.
•Yellow and white PEEPS chicks and bunnies came first, followed by pink, lavender, blue, green and orange.
