“The Hawk”
December 2, 2016
Dear IACS Families-
Public presentations of learning are a hallmark of the IACS program. During the month of December, IACS will host several events for students to practice their presentation skills and celebrate student work.
Mark your calendars:
HS Exhibition Night– Wednesday, 12/7 ~ 6-8 pm
MS Quality Night- Self-Direction and Effective Communication Teams Tuesday, 12/13 ~ 6-7:15 pm
MS Quality Night- Community Membership and Problem-Solving Teams Thursday, 12/15 ~ 6-7:15 pm
Next week, middle school students will prepare for Quality Night by making revisions, preparing their presentation, and creating a display. In between Quality Night prep day and their scheduled Quality Night, students should practice their presentation at home. Families can help ensure readiness for this important event by listening to the presentation. Asking your child questions about how the work relates to the real-world and making connections to the four school outcomes as well as providing feedback about their presentation skills will help your child polish their presentation.
Guests are asked to review short student presentations of their work and are given the opportunity to provide feedback to students. Quality Nights give students the opportunity to share an example of their best work with the public. We believe that this is not only an experience for adults to learn about what we do at Innovation Academy, but an opportunity for students to learn very important public speaking and presentation skills. Family participation at Quality Night is essential in providing students individualized feedback about their work. Please do not hesitate to invite other guests (grandparents, aunts/uncles, neighbors, etc.) that are interested in supporting your child and seeing some examples of the project-based work IACS students do.
On Wednesday, December 7th the general public is invited to see original work displayed by IACS High School students at our Winter Exhibition Night. Families of 8th graders that are interested in learning more about the high school are invited to attend an information session with the principal from 5-6pm, but the main attraction will be the viewing of student work and student performances which will run from 6-8pm. The high school rock band (“Garageband”) will be performing near the entrance to the auditorium from 6-6:20. Student exhibits and presentations from the History, Spanish, and Math departments will be showcased until 7:30. The evening will wrap-up with a Winter Concert in the auditorium beginning at 7:30 and will likely end around 8:30. Our new Instrumental Ensemble will be performing several songs, followed by the chorus and chorale. All are invited to attend this special evening.
Best,
Melissa Kapeckas Erik Arnold
MS Principal HS Principal
Important Upcoming Dates
December 3 SAT Exam 8:00 – 1:00 pm
HS Chorus & Chorale Performance Tyngsboro Festival of Trees
December 6 HS Innovation Morning for Parents of Prospective Students 8:30 – 9:30
December 7 Early Release
December 7 No Internships
Winter Exhibition Night 6:00 – 8:00 pm
December 8 MS & HS Picture Retake Day
MS Innovation Morning for Parents of Prospective Students 8:30 – 9:30
December 9 GSA Dinner 6:00 – 8:00 pm
December 12 MS Band and Chorus Concert 6:00 – 8:00 pm
December 13 MS Quality Night (Self Direction & Effective Com. Teams) 6:00-7:15pm
December 14 Early Release
December 15 MS Quality Night (Problem Solve & Com Member Teams) 6:00-7:15pm
December 16 HS Movie Night (Suicided Squad PG-13) 7:00 – 10:00 pm
December 19 Board of Trustee Meeting 6:30 – 8:30 pm
December 20 11th Grade College Night Kick-Off (parents & Students) 6:00 – 7:30
December 21 Early Release
December 23 – January 2 No School Winter Vacation
All School News
IACS School Nutrition Program: The December Breakfast & Lunch Menu is posted here. Contact Karen Drake kdrake@innovationcharter.org if you have any questions about the School Nutrition Program.
Picture Re-takes
Picture re-take day for both MS and HS is Thursday, December 8th for students that were absent or would like to have their photo re-taken. Please bring the original photos that were taken and give to the photographer.
Upcoming Music Performances
The schedule at IACS between now and winter break is jam-packed with musical events!
– On Friday, 12/2, a small group of student musicians will be playing at Tyngsboro's Festival of Trees. Come hear them from 5:30-6:30 at the Tyngsboro Old Town Hall!
– On Saturday 12/3 at 4:30, come and sing with the HS choir students as they lead caroling on the town common for the Festival of Trees' tree lighting ceremony!
– HS student musicians in the choirs and the instrumental ensemble will be showing off their skills at their concert on Wednesday, 12/7. Don't forget to stop by and hear them!
– The Saxyderms, a Boston-based saxophone ensemble that Ms. Destramp plays with, are so pleased to be having their annual winter concert at IACS this year! On Sunday, 12/11 at 2 pm, come enjoy a free concert in the auditorium with classical, jazz, pop, and Christmas music.
– The MS winter concert takes place on Monday, 12/12 at 7 pm. The middle school chorus, the beginner band, and the advanced band would love to see you there!
Drama for MS & HS:
Thank you so much for all of your support for the IACS production of "Through the Looking Glass"! Congratulations to the Cast and Crew on a spectacular run, and HUGE THANKS to the IACS family community who volunteered in every way to make this production successful!
The fall and winter middle school drama workshop is almost full! Please see information and registration forms at https://www.innovationcharter.org/theater/ for details! Auditions were recently held for the production of “Man of La Mancha”.
Questions about the performing arts program? Please email rhawthorne@innovationcharter.org.
IACA News
Quality Night " Store" IACA sponsors a Quality Night "Store" in the library to help kids prepare their display boards. We will be selling poster boards, sharpies, colored markers, colored pencils and index cards. We are in need of volunteers to help students with their purchases on 12/6 from 9:00am-11:00am and 12/8 from 1-3pm. If you would like to help with this event, please sign up on the IACA website. http://iaca.weebly.com/volunteer.html
Quality Night (Dec. 13 and 15) and Embrace Winter Social ( Feb. 10) : If you have volunteered to assist with our Quality Night and Embrace Winter social, you will be contacted within the next two weeks with more information. If you would like to help, please be sure to fill out our Volunteer form on the IACA website Volunteer!
Students participated in a Mannequin Challenge in Spanish this week. Students saw videos of mannequin challenges, building their vocabulary and ability to form sentences as they described them. Then they made their own!
Progress Report #2
The second progress report of Semester 1 will be published on Monday, 12/5.
MS Winter Concert
The MS winter concert takes place on Monday, 12/12 at 7 pm. The middle school chorus, the beginner band, and the advanced band would love to see you there!
Coming soon to middle school community meetings and high school advisories near you: performances by the MS chorus, advanced band, HS choirs, and HS instrumental ensemble!
For 8th graders Applying to Technical or Independent Schools
Please be aware that deadlines can be quite early. Please provide 2 weeks or more notice for letter of recommendations in order to give staff adequate time. Any requests for other documents (transcripts, attendance/conduct record, etc.) can be made to Federico Pererya, Dean of Students.
2016-2017 IACS MS Yearbook Cover Competition- Deadline 12/16/2016
The Yearbook Committee is holding a cover contest open to everyone in the Middle School. Click here for more information.
Middle School Art Needs Your Recyclables: We are in need of clean cereal boxes or other similar cardboard packaging for an upcoming 6th grade project. Please have students bring materials to the art room. Please no packaging from foods containing nuts. Thank you!
High School News
Upcoming Events to Note:
Friday, 12/2 – 5:30pm Instrumental Ensemble members perform at Tyngsborough Festival of Trees
Saturday, 12/3 – 4:30pm Chorus & Chorale perform at Tyngsborough Festival of Trees
Wednesday, 12/7 – Exhibition Night 6-8pm with a special musical performance at 7:30pm
Thursday, 12/8 – Picture Retake Day
Friday, 12/16 – High School Movie Night, 7-10pm (Suicide Squad PG-13)
Tuesday, 12/20 – 11th Grade College Kick-Off Night for Parents & Students
Friday, 1/13 – Last Day of Semester 1
Picture Retake Day is Thursday, December 8th. Student Photos were sent home this week. All students receive a proof even if you didn’t order photos. Students that were absent or would like to have their photo retaken should make sure to look in morning announcements on Thursday to find out what time they are scheduled to go to the Auditorium. To order photos go to www.coffeepond.com. Student ID’s have not arrived yet. We will let students know as soon as they do.
Spanish Department Presents at ACTFL Convention
Students Performing at Tyngsborough Festival of Trees
College Acceptance Update 12/2/16
Merrimack Valley Class Field Trip
IACS Students Accepted into Senior District Chorus
Student Health 101 – This month in Student Health 101 our own College Counseling Office is highlighted under the Innovation Academy tab—take a look at the advice from Danny Barr regarding writing your college essay. New articles on teen depression are in this month's issue and if you missed it, read about "talking to your teen about alcohol" in the November issue.
Photo of the Week
Submissions can be emailed to earnold@innovationcharter.org
The engineering challenge for this week was to build a “deck” using only manilla folders, a few straws, and some painters tape. Sarah Milne and Josh Sweetland built one that held over 100 lbs! They asked Matt Guy to stand on it to demonstrate the structural integrity of their deck.
Holiday Season Giving Tree
Help us again with the holiday giving tree!
Thom Anne Sullivan Center is located in Lowell. It is an non-profit, early intervention center for infants, toddlers and their families. Not only is it an organization for children and families with early development issues, but there is a lot of community outreach done here to Lowell and the surrounding communities. This holiday season, a mitten tree fundraiser will be running from December 5rd to December 20th to help donate gifts and living essentials to those in need. The gifts will be donated to local families with infants all the way through teens. Emma Chaitin will be running it again this year. Please contact her at emma.chaitin@innovationcharter.org if you have any questions
***NHS MEMBERS RECEIVE ONE HOUR FOR DONATING GIFTS***.
How it works! The mitten tree along with the donation box can be found in the cafeteria.
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Take a mitten from the tree!
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The mitten will contain the gender of the child, the age, and the gifts that are requested.
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Purchase one of the gifts listed on the mitten or an appropriate gift for the age group on your mitten. GIFTS MUST BE NEWLY PURCHASED.
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Bring the gift back by the date of December 20th and drop it in the bin located next to the tree in the cafeteria. You do not need to bring your mitten back.
If you would like to donate without taking a mitten, gloves, hats, diapers and winter-wear is greatly appreciated. Once again, if it is all NEWLY PURCHASED. Bring your gift to the bin in the cafeteria as you would if you were giving a mitten gift.
Thank you so much for your participation! Let’s make it even better than last year!
Note: Please try your best to fulfill your commitment to bringing this gift to donate once a mitten is taken. If you CANNOT bring in the gift after a mitten is taken, please put the mitten back on the tree or contact me so I can make a new one.
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