Newtown High School Blog

Creating anything useful from discarded aluminum drink cans is a challenge; creating something artistic is a challenge of another sort entirely. Students enrolled in Newtown High School Art Teacher Ms. Carol Skolas’ Sculpture course are beginning a journey that will ultimately prove they are able to meet that challenge.

The task begins with a great idea, and then the idea is roughly formed by bending aluminum wire into a 3-dimensional “armature” upon which the colorful “skin” will be mounted. The “skin”, or “scales”, or “feathers” are cut to shape individually and then affixed to the armature with hot glue. The process is tedious, even painful at times, but the result can be stunning.

Pictured at work are Emily Nacewicz (12), Mary Vodola (12), Lydia Field (9) and Lindsay Skalkos (9). We will check back with these patient artists as the projects progress.

Ms. Skolas welcomes students in grades 9-12 to join her Sculpture class and create “beings” of your own.

Students enrolled in Newtown High School Ceramics Teacher Mrs. Carol Pelligra’s Ceramics II course have recently completed a challenge requiring them to create a vessel with any type of animal incorporated into the design. Some animals are obvious, some less so. See if you find the animal in these creations from Hannah Dillon (12), Nicole Remillard (12), Aileen Decker (10), and Zachary Weiland (10).

Students in Newtown High School Video Teacher Miss Staci Stamm’s Video Production I course have created teams of two or three and begun the collaborative process which will lead to the production of a Public service Announcement (PSA). Discussions became quite animated while students engaged in pitching and defending their creative ideas.

Students are given considerable latitude for the topic and approach, and yes, humorous interpretations are allowed. These young producers are enthused about the opportunity to self-determine their project, but are also aware of the necessity to meet professional standards for technical excellence, and “school appropriate” for theme. A select few will be formatted for posting to the blog.

Video Production courses are open to enrollment by students in grades 9-12.

Newtown High School Student Artist Meagan Foy (11) was recently acknowledged by The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards as a National Silver Medalist for her creation, ‘The Red Pitcher’. This 90th annual contest considered more than 230,000 entries and honored only the top 1% with this level of recognition.

The pitcher is now traveling the country as part of a national tour of winning entries. Meagan will be reunited with her pitcher in New York City this May, when she attends the formal awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall. Her Ceramics Teacher, Mrs. Carol Pelligra, has also been invited to attend.

The Newtown High School Art Department encourages all artists to exhibit their work, and we take extra pride when exhibiting brings such credible critical acclaim.

Congratulations Meagan, and Mrs. Pelligra, for a Job Well Done!

Representatives from the 16th annual National K12 Ceramics Exhibition jury have notified Newtown High School Ceramics Teacher, Mrs. Carol Pelligra, that three of her students have been recognized for awards at the national exhibition in Houston this year.

• Katie Wolff (10) received a Curator Book Award for her ‘Bird Vase’ piece.
• Lauren Harrison (11) was honored with an Honorable Mention, an Orton Foundation Cash Award, and a Bailey Pottery Equipment Award for her ‘Snapping Turtle Bowl’.
• Shaylyn Fayhe (10) received an Artistic Merit Award for her ‘Gorilla Cup’.

Congratulations to these outstanding young artists and to their teacher, Mrs. Carol Pelligra, who reminds us that students in grades 9-12 are welcome to enroll in Ceramics courses.

Newtown High School Culinary Department Chefs Lori Hoagland and Brian Neumeyer invested a Professional Development day exploring resources and models to support our recent commitment to feeding those in need.

Conversations between Chef Neumeyer and Mr. Paul O’Leary, CEO of the CT Food Bank (CTFB), have resulted in a partnership between the two entities which provides the NHS program with weekly deliveries of food in need of processing. Our Chefs toured the CTFB facility in East Haven, and left with a clear understanding of the volume and scope of food items available. The facility distributes more than17 million pounds of food annually, and partnering with the Food Bank generates several winning opportunities:

Win: The CT Food Bank can now accept donations of perishable items for processing into meals.

Win: Purchasing food as instructional material for beginning students has always been a considerable and ongoing expense for our culinary program. This cost-free resource is a very welcome addition.

Win: Advanced culinary students thrive on the challenge of developing – quickly – creative menu items from the broad spectrum of perishable goods delivered by the CTFB truck. This high level of problem solving skill is critical in the food service and any other industry.

Win: Area needy are afforded a source of professionally prepared, very nutritious meals of a higher quality than has been possible via prior resources.

Win: NHS adds another opportunity to engage students in authentic acts of character development and good citizenship.

Chefs Neumeyer and Hoagland then traveled to Bridgeport for a tour of the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, another CTFB partner, where Chef Paul Byron explained how he organizes his small staff and facility to produce 1,500 meals per day, 365 days per year.

Everyone involved agreed this was the beginning of a very exciting opportunity with unlimited potential.

Newtown High School Student Jen Bonanno (12) is pictured modeling an official NHS Foam Spirit Finger, available for $5.00 in the school store. One size fits all!

Jen’s work in the store earns Community Service credit, Work Experience in a retail merchandising enterprise, and an excellent Resume Entry for future applications she may submit for jobs or schools.

All students in grades 9-12 may work in the store. Applications can be obtained in the Main Office, the Career Center, and in the Business Education office (A109). Students with questions can email store adviser, Mrs. Jolene Swann (swannj@newtown.k12.ct.us).

The store currently has openings for students to supervise during the following periods:
A Day periods 3, 5 and 6
B Day periods 3 and 4
C Day periods 5 and 6
D day periods 3, 6 and 7
E Day periods 6, 5, 4, 3
F day periods 3
G day periods 5
H day periods 8, 6, 4 and 3

Feel free to stop in and speak with one of the student managers.

Kira Flynn (9) is trying to beat the bell by placing the contents of a baggie full of change into the Pennies For Patients Fund collection box before her homeroom period ended.

Kira is reminding us that the fund-raising campaign for Leukemia and Lymphoma research has been extended until March 28, 2013. Join Kira and her classmates in Homeroom A106 by contributing to this worthy cause.

A simple idea outlined in this post served as the impetus for much greater things.

Newtown High School Culinary Chefs Brian Neumeyer and Lori Hoagland have partnered the NHS Culinary Arts program with the Connecticut Food Bank in a collaborative effort to provide nutritional offerings for many in need in surrounding communities. As a designated partner, NHS receives a wide variety of “good but unsellable” perishable food items from three local Stop & Shop stores.

These items include slightly blemished fruits and vegetables, dented cans, and items nearing their expiration date. Based upon the food donated, NHS Culinary students compose a unique menu and turn the raw material into hot meals, which are delivered by volunteers to area facilities.

The food leaves NHS precooked, labeled and with reheating instructions. The travel trays are large – each of those pictured contains 24 adult portions. The meals are excellent and reflect the NHS Culinary reputation for creativity -  Hawaiian Style Rice with Country Ham, for example. To date, more than 800 hot nutritious meals have been served to those in need, and each of those meals included ingredients that would likely have been discarded due to an inability to properly process and store.

This program is growing by the day. Examples of good citizenship are easy to find at NHS.

Congratulations and Thank You to all involved.

Jostens Publishing Co. Representative, Mr. Mike Lenfest, met with Yearbook I students. He presented an overview of the company’s online yearbook designing software, and the publishing process that results from the design.

This is critical information because the YB1 students will soon be assembling their very own publication – The Newtown Book – which prepares them for the larger job of producing the actual Newtown High School Class of 2014 yearbook next year.

Mr. Lenfest will be working closely with these students and their teacher, Ms. Kristin Violette, from now until June 2014, when the process will begin anew.

Newtown High School student Baxter Hankin (10) plans a future in Architecture. He is always looking for opportunities to develop his skills, and found one in the 2013 Student Design Contest, sponsored by the Home Builder’s Association of Hartford.

Baxter began planning his design in the Fall of 2012, and completed his journey by exhibiting his work, along with peers from across the state, at the Connecticut Home Show in Hartford. The attached pictures show Baxter’s work progressing from the planning stage to his completed model.

Congratulations, Baxter!

Newtown High School Cupcake Wars continued last week as Culinary II students submitted their final submissions for judging. Students agreed that the best part of the challenge was sampling the work of peer competitors. And, YES! they do taste as good as they look.

Congratulations to all participants, and special thanks to Jessica Longi (10) for submitting a photo for inclusion here.

Chef Neumeyer and Chef Hoagland are encouraging all interested students to consider enrolling in a Culinary course when they plan their schedule for next year.

Newtown High School Student Erica Benoit (12) displays one of several hoodie sweatshirts available in the school store – perfect for the recent cold temperatures. This particular design is new for this year, and available in a full range of sizes for only $30.

Work in the store earns earns practical experience, Community Service hours, and a quality resume entry. Students also participate in design and purchasing decisions.

The school store is open most periods of most days. Students in grades 9-12 who are interested in working should contact Mrs. Jolene Swann in room A109 for an application.

Newtown High School Students enrolled in Mr. Tom Swetts’ Computer Repair courses are surrounded by authentic problem solving opportunities. A recent visit found students engaged in the process of physically installing network receptacles in a mock “wall”, solving connection challenges on their local network, programming scheduled tasks in Windows 8, and creating original tech tutorials from their own text and images.

Mr. Swetts is always nearby as a coach and resource, but students are always leading the work. The red computers pictured are an example of this. All were built in the Computer Repair lab . . . by students.

Computer Repair courses are open to enrollment by students in grades 9-12.

Newtown High School students enrolled in our Baking & Pastry course recently completed a unit focused on cupcakes. Pictures of their responses to the unit test are featured above. Each of these unique offerings is the result of a creative collaboration involving a team of four students.

The tastes are as sophisticated as their names imply. How many can you identify? Green Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Lemon-Stawberry Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting. Hazelnut Cream Broulle. French Banana Buttercup. Tropical Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Toasted Coconut.

Congratulations to Chef Neumeyer, Chef Hoagland, and all of your student chefs.

Attendees at the DECA State Career Development Conference were greeted with a sea of green and white, including officer’s wardrobes, table cloths, and the event program, all to show support for our community and those we lost.

The DECA program also included a page dedicated to Remembrance, and a promise that CT DECA “will never forget what happened on December 14th, 2012.”

Thank you, DECA.

Newtown High School Science Teacher George Bachman’s 7th period Biology class got an opportunity to discover first hand how the principles of adhesion, cohesion, passive transport, diffusion, osmosis, and active transport impact the opening of flower buds and how those processes, along with temperature, can be utilized in industry to control the degree of flowering in commercial plants. The biology students assisted Greenery and Greenhouse Management students in preparing carnations for Valentine’s Day and observed how scientific principles can be applied commercially to produce a superior product. Students were surprised to see how rapidly and readily the plants responded to treatment. Greenery and Greenhouse Management students appreciated the extra help. Thanks, biology!

Newtown High School graduate Paige Olson has already begun to make a name for herself in the world of Art, and her recent success at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has brought reward to the NHS Art program. Fine & Applied Arts Department Chair Jay Daly received a letter from SCAD President Paula S. Wallace announcing Paige’s academic and artistic achievement, and presenting the NHS Art Department with a case of art supplies to encourage current high school students to follow Paige’s lead.

Thank you Dr. Wallace, for your thoughtful gift. And thank you Paige, for representing us so well. We’re proud of you!

Newtown High School students enrolled in Chef Brian Neumeyer’s Baking & Pastry course learn a lot about creating confections. They learn from the chef, they learn by doing, and they learn from each other. Students pictured here are in the process of presenting their original creation to their peers and responding to critical questions that follow.

When all dishes have been presented, students engage in one additional method of learning – the tasting experience! Students agree that the best part of this session was tasting the delightful surprises created by their peers. Peer Review at its best!

Photographer’s Forum Magazine recently announced winners in their 33rd Annual College and High School Photography Contest, and Newtown High School student Steve Andereau (11) submitted an entry that was designated as an honorable mention.

Steve’s entry was selected from more than 16,700 submitted by entrants from around the world and will be included in an upcoming book, published to  commemorate the contest.

Congratulations to Steve Andereau, and his teacher, Miss Staci Stamm.

The Newtown High School DECA Chapter was well represented at the annual Career Development Conference held in Southington, at the Aqua Turf, February 27, 2013. Forty-five members of our group competed with high school students from across the state in a variety of individual and group challenges related to careers in business.

Competitors were presented with a variety of scenarios depicting a range of challenging business situations, and allowed time to develop a solution. The solutions were then presented to a panel of local industry professionals who evaluated individual and team success. Scores from the role-play scenarios were combined with scores from on-line testing conducted earlier in February, and the results determined the challenge winners. We had several members receive trophies and medals for their performance.

Trophies Awarded
Rachel DiVanno (12): 3rd place trophy in Retail Merchandising
John Carlson (10) and Liam McNichols (10): 2nd place trophy in Business Law and Ethics

Medals Awarded
Alex Weber (11) and Cameron Eiseman (11): Business Law and Ethics
Josh Kaufman (11) and Nehar Patel (11): Financial Services
Brandon O’Sullivan (10) and Ryan King (10): Financial Services
Nick Roche (12) and Colin Dutt (12): Travel and Tourism

This was the third year our DECA chapter has participated in this event, sending a greater number of our students each of those years. Congratulations to all students that contribute to this outstanding DECA chapter, and to their advisers, Mrs. Jolene Swann and Ms. Vivian Sheen.

Newtown High School technology teacher Kristin Violette was recently notified of her selection as a presenter at the Computer Science Teacher Association’s (CSTA) annual conference, to be held July 15, 2013 and July 16, 2013 in Quincy, MA.

Miss Violette will be presenting a session entitled Inspiring High School Students in STEM Using App Inventor, which she co-authored with Ms. Shaileen Pokress, Manager of Curriculum Development at the MIT Media Lab Center For Mobile Learning.

Proposals for presentation at this event are submitted by computer science professionals from across the United States and Europe. Selection of finalists is made by a jury of professional peers on the basis of technical quality, written presentation, and relevance to the CSTA 2013 goals. This is a very noteworthy achievement.

Congratulations Miss Violette!

Newtown High School art teacher Ms. Carol Skolas is continually encouraging her students to exhibit their work in any venue possible, and recently mentioned an annual national contest for high school students, sponsored by the Cornell University Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design.

Michael Triantafilidis (10) took the initiative to produce a sketch of a creative idea for a garment, and submit the sketch to Cornell University for consideration. His effort was rewarded with the notification that the submission has been selected for honorable mention at the Silver Medal level.

Thank you Ms. Skolas for putting these opportunities in front of your students, and congratulations Michael for believing in yourself and exhibiting your work.

The Newtown High School National honor Society Art Committee helped create artwork for a reading lounge at Newtown’s Hawley School. Hawley students nominated their favorite authors and then the high school artists sketched ideas, enlarged them onto 36″ x 48″ canvases, and painted them. The high school students worked in the Hawley Art Room after school for many weeks, including a full Saturday of painting during which they were joined by Newtown High School art teacher Diane Dutchick. On Thursday, February 21, 2013, the artists unveiled their work at an assembly at the elementary school filled with Hawley students and staff. There were roars of approval from all. The paintings are now on view in the new reading lounge and will be enjoyed for many years to come.

The students involved were Leah Pinckney, Caitlyn Gibney, Natalie Dieckman, David Swigart, Kelly O’Sullivan, Michelle Rekofsky, Victoria Hanulik, Heather Leone, Colleen Fahy, Michelle Green, Victoria Kokoszka, Mary Vodola, and Jen Davies.  The project was coordinated with the help of Hawley art teacher Vicki Sheskin.

Newtown High School students in The Afternoon Program (TAP) made connections between art and mathematics with Kathy Bremer.

Newtown High School students in The Afternoon Program (TAP) participated in an exploratory culinary Valentine’s Day class under the direction of Chef Lori Hoagland.

The Newtown High School DECA chapter will travel to compete with other Connecticut high school teams in the annual Career Development Conference being held next Wednesday, February 27, 2013, at the Aqua Turf in Southington.

Forty-five NHS members will be attending the all day event, two participating as voting delegates to the State Convention, and the remaining forty-three students engaging in a wide variety of competitions requiring them to collaborate to solve problems, and to speak extemporaneously on a broad range of business topics. Final scores will be determined by a combination of points earned live at the conference, and points scored two weeks ago in on-line testing in specific areas of specialty.

This will be the largest team fielded by our chapter, and students have been working to offset the travel expenses with fundraisers selling Tupperware, Butter Braid Pastries, and frozen pies. The group was also assisted by a generous grant from the NHS PTSA which covered the entire cost of registration for the event.

Special thanks to the NHS PTSA, and Good Luck to our DECA students and their advisers, Ms. Vivian Sheen, and Mrs. Jolene Swann.

The National K-12 Ceramics Exhibition is an annual juried event created to showcase the most talented ceramic art offerings produced by students from across the United States. Three Newtown High School student artists were recently notified that their work has been selected for inclusion in this prestigious event:

Congratulations to all three artists, and their teacher, Mrs. Carol Pelligra.

The ability to visualize and solve 3-dimensional problems is among the most challenging tasks we ask our brain to perform. The cognitive growth that accrues from mastering these challenges is known to improve performance in all academic endeavors. Students enrolled in Mr. Jay Daly’s Computer Assisted Design (CAD) I & II courses master these challenges every day, but only after they master another critical skill – the patience to persevere.

Collaboration skills are also critical for students preparing to enter any profession in the future. The ability to effectively work with others to solve complex problems is essential for members of our 21st century workforce. The students pictured above are displaying their collaborative skills as they each model parts of a large assembly that no single student could complete in the allotted time.

All CAD classes are open to enrollment by students in grades 9-12, and incorporate use of 3-dimensional modeling software ranging from SketchUp (free) to the current version of SolidWorks.

Newtown High School students enrolled in Ms. Kristin Violette’s Yearbook I course discover the skills and stresses involved with publication in a very authentic fashion – they actually publish a book! Members of this year’s crew are pictured in a brainstorming session outlining their work.

The title of the book Newtown . . . remains the same from year to year, but the content and creative theme vary with the students involved. The finished book offers readers quality insight into the Newtown community and all the benefits of living here. The book is limited to 100 pages, printed in full-color, and produced in a very limited run. Copies of previous editions have become collectible.

Printed copies of the books will be delivered to the YBI students during the first week of June. The delivery will also provide the students with an affirmation that they are prepared to assume responsibility for publishing the NHS Nighthawk Yearbook when they return to school in September.

Students in grades 9-12 are invited to enroll.

Congratulations to Liam Reynolds and Ian Solaski (pictured above with Mr. DeFeo, Mr. Daly, and Mr. Dumais) for being selected as recipients of the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) Outstanding High School Visual (Ian) and Performing Arts (Liam) Award.  The two students will be honored with other recipients from across the state on April 1, 2013 at the Aqua Turf in Southington, CT.

As part of normal plant maintenance and care provided by Newtown High School Greenery students, plants on campus are sprayed with soap, oils, alcohol, or biological controls.  No dangerous insecticides are ever used.

On Sunday, February 3, 2013, members from the Newtown High School Creative Cultural Arts Council had a full day of volunteering! First, they met with members of the Sandy Hook Healing Project to discuss how they can cater to Newtown High School students’ needs in particular, as well as the whole community as we move forward. Then, they went to the Sandy Hook Arts Center for Kids (SHACK) to help organize the space and volunteer with kids to complete fun art projects.

Newtown High School Physics students of both Dr. Malary and Mr. Swanhall recently completed a project in which they worked in groups to design and construct an artistic mobile around a general theme using physics to calculate the mobile’s translational and rotational equilibrium.

1.Research the artistic components in a successful art mobile.

2.Design a hanging mobile having a minimum of three freely-swinging horizontal arms using an artistic general theme.

3.Write a rationale for the design of your mobile based on your research; this should include explanations regarding physics properties and at least one aesthetic choice. Be sure to include information from at least one print and/or digital source.

4.Create the hanging items of the mobile. Plan to use wooden dowels or metal rods.

5.Sketch the general plan of your mobile. Keep this sketch and all of your work in a data sheet that documents your procedures and modifications.

6.Find the mass of each element in the mobile and record in your data sheet.

7.Construct your actual mobile. You are likely to achieve the best results by starting with the lowest level and working upward.

8.Measure distances and determine the position of each support string and record in your data sheet.

9.On graph paper make a drawn-to-scale blueprint of your mobile in the form of a diagram indicating the actual lengths, positions of all strings, pivots and elements with the forces clearly labeled.

10.Verify by calculation that translational and rotational equilibrium exists.

The 24th annual Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards is the largest juried student art exhibition in the state, and the source of several artistic achievement honors for several Newtown High School students. See attached press release for details.

Lauren Harrison (11): Gold Key Award, Best in Show (ceramics)
Emily Brinkmann: Gold Key Award (ceramics)
Meagan Foy (11): Gold Key Award (ceramics)
Katherine Wolff (10): Silver Key Award (ceramics)
Paige Carnes (12): Honorable Mention (sculpture)
Anna Jannott (10): Honorable Mention (sculpture)
Jesse Sailer (10): Honorable Mention (mixed media)

Congratulations to all artists, and to their teachers, Mrs. Carol Pelligra, Mrs. Diane Dutchick, and Ms. Carol Skolas.

Press Release Scholastic

Students representing several Newtown High School Business Education department courses, as well as members of the NHS DECA chapter, traveled to the University of Hartford Wednesday, January 9, 2013 to attend a Careers in Sports seminar.

Speakers from the UHa Athletics Dept. included Laurie Weinstein, Associate Athletics Director of Compliance, and Justin Blood, Head Baseball Coach. Also speaking were John Holt, WFSB Sports Reporter and Anchor, and Patricia Meiser, Director of Athletics and Special Assistant to the University President.

The presentations were followed by a Q&A session, after which students attended a portion of a UHa Men’s Basketball game.

Attending students expressed their appreciation for being exposed to such a broad spectrum of career opportunities in athletics. The trip was organized and supervised by Business Ed. department teachers and DECA co-advisers Mrs. Jolene Swann and Ms. Vivian Sheen, who both understand the value of connecting classroom learning with world-of-work experiences.

Paladar is the most recent iteration of the Newtown High School Culinary Department student-run enterprise. Following the format of a ‘Pop-up Eatery’, Paladar makes surprise appearances and always satisfies the members of their growing fan club. The food is always creative, healthy and a delight to the taste. The “underground” establishment made two appearances this week. Did you know?

Want to get advance notice on the next Paladar appearance and menu items? Follow @NewtownCulinary on Twitter for all the insider info.

Shhhh. Keep this on the DL.

A recent visit to a Newtown High School Power Tech I class found students breathing new life into several old machines in need.

A ten year old Jeep was gently resisting the transplant of a completely rebuilt 6 cylinder engine. A forty-three year old Porsche 914 was getting some prep work finished while its 4 cylinder engine was just beginning the rebuild process, and a 60 year old snow blower is ready to face the winter following a complete overhaul of its 1 cylinder power plant by Mike Cook (10) and his partner.

Students in grades 10-12 are invited to enroll in Power Tech I taught by Mr. Steve George. Did you notice Mr. George? He is where he can often be found, elbow-deep in an engine bay alongside his students.

Students enrolled in Ms. Carol Skolas’ Sculpture course are always exploring new forms of artistic expression. Their latest challenge is to find sculptural art in books – literally.

Students are transforming unwanted/damaged books into artistic sculptures by using a variety of methods to manipulate the pages. Removing all or parts of pages, rolling and folding those that remain, gluing, pasting and adding thematic objects as needed, students massage their books into a unique thematic 3-dimensional offering.

Caitlin Moss (9) displays her music-themed piece which is almost complete, while Shannon Diiorio (12) is continuing her work in progress.

Finished pieces will be displayed, where else? In the NHS Library.

Students in grades 9-12 are welcome to enroll in the Sculpture course.

Newtown High School Painting I Teacher Mrs. Diane Dutchick challenged her students to use their skills to produce the “ugliest” holiday sweater. Students and Staff have been voting all week, and the winner will be announced Monday, January 14, 2013.

Which is your (least)favorite?