In recognition of Asian Lunar New Year, Victoria Ingrassia’s eighth-grade FACS students completed their delicious Chinese dumplings assignment! On Monday, they wrapped a specially seasoned and marinated chicken filling in a thin layer of dough. Yesterday, students boiled the dumplings and fried them in a wok for a tasty treat! Truth be told: These dumplings were just as good, if not better, than what you'd get with a takeout order! Ask them to make this at home!
•The history of Chinese dumplings, or jiaozi, dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). They originated in northern China as a staple food for the Han people.
•Dumplings are a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
•Dumplings are often eaten during special occasions, such as Chinese New Year.
•The word jiaozi sounds similar to an expression that means "transition from old to new."
It’s always great when former students come to visit! That was the case when High School Sophomore Elijah Zittel visited Otisville Elementary and read to Cynthia Muccari’s and Tasha Buchler’s second and third-graders, as part of the class’s recent National Compliment Day activities. Elijah read Kevin Henkes’ “Chrysanthemum,” the story of a little mouse who is teased because of her long name. With the help of a music teacher who also has a long name, Chrysanthemum learns that her name is special and she should be proud of it. It's a wonderful book about self-esteem and acceptance. Afterward, students shared compliments about each other in a scoot writing activity. They also learned more about Elijah and the high school! WELL-DONE, Elijah!
Otisville students completed "No Name Calling Week this past Friday by commemorating International Compliment Day!
When they arrived to school this past Friday buckets full of compliments awaited them! They were invited to select some and share with others.
Classes also marked the day in different ways, including Bryan Imbarrato’s third-graders, who wrote kind messages and delivered them to the classrooms.
Students in Jennifer Pagnanella's eighth-grade ELA class are learning about Vietnamese culture while reading Thanhha Lai’s “Inside Out and Back Again.” This Newbery Honor award winning book is a coming-of-age novel told in verse and is about a child's-eye view of her Vietnamese family and its immigration to America during the Vietnam War.
As part of this, students spent time reading about Vietnam, its people, culture and geographical features, taking time to also understand the holiday of Tết, (or Tet Nguyen Dan, which is Vietnam's Lunar New Year. It's a major public holiday that celebrates the start of spring and the new year) as well as the Asian Lunar New Year.
Students designed traditional dragon masks and worked on maps of Vietnam. Throughout the remainder of the unit, students will study aspects of the Vietnam War, examine several first-hand accounts of refugees fleeing the war-torn country for a better life and the beauty of literature written in poetic form.
In second-grade, district students are introduced to opinion writing as part of the ELA studies.
We’d all agree there’s no better way to write an opinion piece about donuts than to have a fresh donut sitting on your desk just waiting for you to eat!
When ES second-grader teacher Gemma Lyon tasked her students with writing an opinion piece about donuts, she shared a fresh batch of cinnamon donuts with them as part of the assignment!
Students used their senses to create a collaborative vocabulary list that they would use in their final writing piece. The students described the donuts as fresh, sugary, sweet and squishy. They enjoyed their donut treats as they explored their sense of taste as they finalized their writing work, which included an introduction, the stating of an opinion, reasons to support their opinion, linking words and a conclusion. WELL DONE!
The Otisville PTO's Line Dancing Party, held this past Friday, was so much fun! Take a peek! Thank you to everyone who played a role in its success!
Ross Potter’s IS physical education third-graders are getting really good at playing floor hockey!
Floor hockey is a simplified version of ice hockey played indoors on a flat surface, where players use sticks to hit a plastic puck or ball into a goal, typically with modified rules to suit younger children's abilities and often played in a gym setting as part of physical education classes. Often, the main focus at this level is usually on basic skills like dribbling, passing, and shooting while learning the game's fundamental concepts like positions and scoring
District second-graders, like Jen Levin’s ES second-graders, are learning about how “benchmark numbers” can be a huge help in solving math problems! Ask them about this concept, because they can explain it to you!
Benchmark numbers help solve second-grade math problems by providing easy reference points (like the numbers 5 and 10) that students can use to estimate and mentally calculate answers to addition and subtraction problems, making them easier to solve by rounding numbers to these familiar landmarks. This can help when dealing with larger numbers or comparing quantities. It’s kind of like having a “friendly” number that can help simplify calculations!
In Jill Stramiello’s seventh-grade computer/innovation lab, students have been focusing on applying the design process to a variety of STEM challenges. For this recent project, they were tasked with designing a 3D puzzle system using scrap hardwood cubes to create a challenging, yet solvable, puzzle featuring 27 linking cubes, for middle school students…all while minimizing environmental impact. They all did a great and creative job, creating puzzles featuring different levels of difficulty!
Part of the assignment was to gather data to calculate a puzzle solution time and to use that data to create an advertisement which would encourage a fictitious toy company to buy their product for the marketplace. What better way to acquire data than to ask for assistance in the data gathering process from: Principal Michael Larsen, Main Office Secretary Ann Friedle, Teacher Jessica Dickman as well as Superintendent Brian Monahan, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Christian Ranaudo and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Michael Giardina. They all gladly served as puzzle solvers, with students timing the completion of the puzzles they were given to solve!
Truth be told: Some of the puzzle testers were very challenged with completing the more difficult puzzles! See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD/posts/pfbid0EkjVfsnGNKYgEKP9BJcJrn5bA1nuqg7u52hb7vg3jWhSB1qDsqVfmHwk4TMNC8hJl?__cft__[0]=AZUR4sWRcRtTbUpL9JMIY6UBgLeowz_sRiewXitoJ__Jhgc3D0isZOVKqy267W2_wsA4m6QXCD4JJIdQS5NOug2_8HuS7fKYDbBM-Q-Dm6iWYAQsOkR2g68hqHJoTLnpfl55NFtRNdMKqd9P1-oABU5hyP_SxiQtkPkXhFcZy2Y8JpDV-EP9bDnhqsm6RNFqCSc&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
Like all district third-graders, Shari Cannone’s IS third-graders are learning about the distributive property of multiplication during their math lessons.
The distributive property is important because it helps students break down complex multiplication problems into smaller, more manageable parts, allowing them to use basic multiplication facts to solve larger numbers, develop number sense, and build a foundation for more advanced math concepts as they advance to higher grade levels.. This property shows them how to "distribute" a multiplication operation across addition, making calculations easier.
Congratulations to the Girls Varsity Freestyle Wrestling Team, which delivered a standout performance at the recent "Dame of Thrones" Tournament, showcasing their skills and determination. The team won first place with a total of 317 team points!
Individual Achievements
●Patricia Deslandes was the star of the day, earning first place in the A Bracket. Her powerful wrestling and tactical skill on the mat were unmatched, as she dominated her opponents to secure the top spot in her division.
●Jaida Macaluso wrestled her way to a strong third place finish in the A Bracket. Her tenacity and resilience were evident throughout the tournament, as she fought hard in each match and earned a well-deserved spot on the podium.
●Sara Pauls won second place in the A Bracket. Her determination to wrestle through tough competition paid off, and she showcased a blend of technical skill and grit. opponents.
●Kiera Filip also earned third place in the A Bracket. Her ability to keep her composure under pressure and execute her techniques effectively led her to a spot among the tournament's top wrestlers.
Varsity Coaches Dan Gallo and Travis Edwards said these collective achievements are solidifying the team's reputation as one of the top regional wrestling teams!
Cayla Tangney’s High School Sculpting class students are in the midst of some creative clay sculpture work! Perhaps some of these are future gifts in-the making!
Clay sculpture work fosters creativity, develops fine motor skills, encourages problem-solving, allows for self-expression, and provides a tactile learning experience that can even engage students who might not connect with traditional art mediums. Plus, students have a understanding of form and design through the manipulation of 3D objects.
Did you know the Middle School has a Ski Club?
Advisors Michele Semco and JoAnn Westby took some students to Mountain Creek several days back for a wonderful late afternoon and evening gathering on the slopes!
Support the Class of 2025 and stop by Chipotle on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 4 to 8 p.m. 25% of all proceeds will be donated to the Minisink Valley Senior Class!
Kudos to the Girls Varsity Wrestling Team, which won the team trophy at the Jan. 20 Frank Giampaolo Tournament on Long Island!
In addition to the team trophy, there were also six individual highlights:
•Zoe Ford, 94 lb. weight class finalist
•Keira Filip, 114 lb. weight class champion ho also was also named“Most Outstanding Wrestler”
•Madyson Thorpe, 120 lb. weight class finalist
•Avery Wingen, 126 lb. weight class champion
•Jaida Macaluso, 145 lb. weight class champion
•Patricia Deslandes, 235 lb. weight class champion
“Looking to face new competition, our team proved once again that all the hard work they have been putting in is paying off,” said Varsity Head Coach Dan Gallo. “On top of our six finalists, the team had place winners in nearly every weight and won the team trophy for first place.”
This team tournament win follows other team and individual successes at the Eastern States Tournament! The team travels to Albany this weekend for the NYSPHSAA Dual Meet championship. Minisink is in the “Red Pool” and opens with matches against Phoenix and Rocky Point. Good luck to all!
Great sporting experiences come in many different ways! This past weekend, the Girls Modified Basketball team had an incredible time attending a SUNY Orange basketball game during Alumni Night!
What made this event even more special was knowing that Modified Coach Kelsie Doller played on that very court! Seeing her connection to the program showed the girls where they are now, to where hard work and dedication can take them.
The girls loved watching the SUNY Orange players in action and were amazed to see them doing many of the same warm-ups and plays they’ve been practicing. It was a great reminder that the fundamentals they’re learning now are essential at every level of basketball.
To top it all off, the team had the chance to meet the SUNY Orange women’s basketball coach, who encouraged and inspired them even more!
Middle School art teacher Brian Maione’s eighth-grade students are working on abstract sculpture pieces during their art class! Their pieces have been made using wire, wood and nylon. Soon, they’ll be using Mod Podge to give their work a hardened shell so that they can paint and make cool and funky patterns on them. So creative!
Congratulations to the Boys Varsity Indoor Track team, which won the OCIAA Division II title this past Saturday at West Point!
“The boys track team put in a lot of hard work leading up to the division championships,” said Varsity Coach James Beck. “They stepped out of their comfort zones, competing in events they don't typically participate in, and chasing every possible point. Their efforts paid off as they brought home the win.”
Athletic Director Tim Bult added: “We’re so proud of our track program, as both the boys and girls teams have been building each season to become a perennial powerhouse across the OCIAA, Section IX and beyond.”
Gemma Lyon’s ES second-graders are not only making a creative fashion statement, they’re also having a lot of phonics fun as part of the ELA work by wearing letter vests!
Students incorporated movement and letter sounds as they reviewed beginning, middle and ending sounds, forming real and nonsense words! What a fun and interactive way to reinforce important language skills!
Beginning, middle, and ending sounds" refer to the first sound you hear when saying a word (beginning), the sound in the middle of the word (middle), and the last sound you hear when saying a word (ending); or the different sound positions within a word.
For example, using the word “cat”:
•Beginning sound: This is the initial phoneme (sound) of a word, like the "c" sound in "cat."
•Middle sound: This is the vowel sound usually found in the middle of a word, like the "a" sound in "cat."
•Ending sound: This is the final phoneme (sound) of a word, like the "t" sound in "cat."
The ability to discriminate between the beginning, middle, and ending sounds helps students progress faster in phonics skills.
Otisville Music Teacher Maria Fenfert is combining the study of the blues music genre with boomwhacker fun for her fifth-grade students!
“The Blues” is a musical genre that originated in the American Deep South in the 1860s following the end American Civil War, though that's not fully clear. The rhythmic, call-and-response style of music arose from African-Americans and black communities in the Deep South with music and lyrics describing one's hardships, and heartbreaks.
Students used boomwhackers, which are percussion instruments, to play the songs “St. Louis Blues” and “Boomwhacker Blues.” These lightweight, color-coded plastic tubes are tuned to different musical pitches. Students were given a different colored pitch, and must wait their turn to play their note when it appears on the screen to create the songs’ ensemble sounds!
Boomwhackers are a popular instrument in elementary music classrooms because they’re a fun and engaging way to teach music concepts such as rhythm and pitch, harmony and melody as well as timing, focus and concentration, teamwork, collaboration and hand-eye coordination.
Craig Ramsell invented the instrument in 1994 while cutting down a cardboard gift-wrap tube for recycling. He noticed the different tones produced by the two pieces of the tube and realized he could tune them to play music. Ramsell experimented with different plastics, eventually settling on plastic mailing tubes. He and his wife created the first plastic model in 1995.
