Breakfast discussion with Ilene Green on March 23

You’re invited to a breakfast discussion with Ilene Green on Friday, March 23rd at 9 a.m. in the Living Room.

What role does conflict play in social, emotional and cognitive development? Is it always a negative indicator or are there ways to understand its role or function in the context of normative psychological development? How do we help children express the full range of their emotional responses and reactions, without impinging upon the rights and freedom of others? What are the specific strategies we utilize at MCS to support children in their social or emotional growth and how do we respond when normative development gets derailed?

These are but a few of the concerns that may be interesting to address in a group setting. To that end, I will be hosting a breakfast for parents on Friday, March 23rd at 9 a.m. in the Living Room. Although this will not be a formal presentation, parents are encouraged to come with any thoughts, questions or concerns they may have. Light refreshments will be served!

Sapping, syrup making for 7th graders at MCS Farm

By Nick Patel
Upper School Science Teacher

The seventh grade is having a blast at the farm as we near the end of our stay in Roxbury, N.Y.  It is a beautiful time of the year to be here as spring draws near.  The weather has been relatively warm during the days and just a bit cool in the evenings.  The flowers are ready to bloom and the trees are showing the first signs of budding.  In the midst of collecting the yearly sap from the maple trees, students were able to integrate their knowledge of photosynthesis learned in science with the sapping and syrup making processes taking place at the farm.

We have collected many buckets, approximately 500 gallons, full of sap since our arrival here on Monday.  The students, Tom, and I had a great time playing manhunt on our first night.  Tuesday was filled with chores, classes, activities, games, and even more fun.  Students are weaving pillows using wool yarn obtained from the sheep raised on the farm, going on hikes to experience the nature/silence/solitude the farm has to offer, and traveling to a hydroponics farm not too far from here to check out alternative and creative ways of farming and planting. 

You’re invited: Cultural Festival to Support Fifth Floor Activism Project

By Kyle
8^th Grade

This year, the 7^th and 8^th grade activism project is focusing on the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is a bill that says that if you came to the U.S. before the age of fifteen and lived here for more than five years, you may become a U.S citizen if you attend college or serve in the military for at least two years.

On Saturday, March 17^th, from 2-5 p.m., we will be hosting a Cultural Festival at MCS to raise money for our activism trip to Washington D.C where we will lobby for the DREAM Act bill to pass. We will be participating in the American Immigration Lawyers Association Day of Action. Please come to our Cultural Festival and support student activism at MCS! If you’re unable to attend, but would still like to support, you can give online by clicking here and designate your gift for the Fifth Floor Activism Project.

The Cultural Festival will include:

Food from around the world:

• Sushi
• Latkes
• Spanakopita
• Spaghetti and more…

Games/Activities that celebrate different cultures:

• Translation game
• Henna Station
• Mask making
• Cooking Station
• Storytelling
• Creating Dream Catchers and more…

Thank you!

For more information on upcoming activism events, check out the MCS Activism blog.

MCS to celebrate National Pi Day on March 14

By Flannery Denny
Math Specialist

Pi Day is Wednesday, March 14 (a date which coincides with Albert Einstein’s birthday and the first 3 digits of pi)!  Manhattan Country School students and teachers will commemorate the day by celebrating all things circular with their reading buddy classes.  Students will look for circles in everyday objects and in children’s books, sort objects with circular cross-sections, investigate the relationship between diameter and circumference, make and test predictions about the way that cones move … and enjoy some delicious homemade pie.

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Photos from Pi Day 2011.

You’re invited: Cultural Festival to Support Fifth Floor Activism Project

By Kyle
8^th Grade

This year, the 7^th and 8^th grade activism project is focusing on the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is a bill that says that if you came to the U.S. before the age of fifteen and lived here for more than five years, you may become a U.S citizen if you attend college or serve in the military for at least two years.

On Saturday, March 17^th, from 2-5 p.m., we will be hosting a Cultural Festival at MCS to raise money for our activism trip to Washington D.C where we will lobby for the DREAM Act bill to pass. We will be participating in the American Immigration Lawyers Association Day of Action. Please come to our Cultural Festival and support student activism at MCS! If you’re unable to attend, but would still like to support, you can give online by clicking here and designate your gift for the Fifth Floor Activism Project.

The Cultural Festival will include:

Food from around the world:

• Sushi
• Latkes
• Spanakopita
• Spaghetti and more…

Games/Activities that celebrate different cultures:

• Translation game
• Henna Station
• Mask making
• Cooking Station
• Storytelling
• Creating Dream Catchers and more…

Thank you!

For more information on upcoming activism events, check out the MCS Activism blog.

Highlights: 100th Day of School

Teachers Anna, Kendia and the 5-6s class hosted their 100^th day of school celebration with much fan fare for visiting parents, staff and other classes. The classroom was adorned with creative depictions of the number 100. There were 100 homemade cookies, 100 cups strung together to make a hanging work of art, and 100 circle stickers in various objects and smiley faces. There were plenty of hands-on activities to enjoy, too. They assembled fuzzy pipe cleaners into eyeglasses in the shape of 100, turned cereal in circular shapes into edible necklaces, guessed how many beans were the jars, and more.

View a photo slideshow of the day’s events …

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Photos by Anna Sobel and Corris Little

Join us! U.S. Science Fair this Tuesday

Nick Patel
Upper School Science Teacher

This is a very exciting time of year because it’s time for the Upper School Science Fair! Join us this Tuesday, March 6, from 12:30-2 p.m. on the fifth floor. There will be live demos, food sampling and lots of fun.

The various topics for this year’s science fair include:

• genetics of sickle cell anemia
• study of fear
• physiological mechanism of stress in the body
• method by which electricity can travel through air
• differences between vanilla and chocolate
• mechanism of cancer in the body
• science of the hero engine
• science of acid and base reactions
• differences between natural and synthetic hair gels
• chemistry of soap
• science of French fries
• apparent motion of the sun in the sky

But, wait … there’s many more interesting projects that must be seen in person. Please come by and witness the results of all the hard work students have been putting forth for the past few months. Thank you and I hope to see many of you at the science fair.

Photos from U.S. Science Fair 2011.

6-7s class attend first-day-of-issue stamp ceremony at Schomburg

By Laura Swindler
6-7s Head Teacher

On Feb. 29^th, the 6-7s were invited by Deirdre Hollman, mom of Myles (8-9s), to attend a first-day-of-issue ceremony as part of their post office studies. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture hosted the event. It was attended by many community members as well as officials from the United States Postal Service.

The ceremony was held to introduce a new stamp in the Black Heritage Forever Stamp series. The forever stamp honors a great American in publishing, John H. Johnson. The 6-7s class learned about Mr. Johnson’s life and work. He was the founder of Johnson Publishing Company, which publishes Ebony and Jet magazines, and many others. Johnson is the 35th honoree in the Black Heritage stamp series. The Postal Service has recognized the achievements of prominent African Americans through the Black Heritage series since 1978, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Marian Anderson, Langston Hughes and more.

At one point, the 6-7s students were asked to stand and the event speaker said, “This is all for you. You are the future.” After the ceremony the 6-7s class purchased first-day-of-issue stamps and received many gifts from the postal service. They were then able to meet the speakers and get their autographs. The students were especially excited to meet with the Postmaster General of the Bronx.

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7th graders write identity poems en Español

By Señorita Naomi Enright
Profesora de Español

The 7th grade has written their identity poems! They will be displayed outside of my classroom next week, so please come if you have the chance. Below are two. ¡Gracias!

Yo soy Max                                                       I am Max
Yo soy de las calles de Italia                          I am from the streets of Italy
Los océanos de Portugal                                 The oceans of Portugal
Y las montañas de Irlanda                               And the mountains of Ireland
Yo soy Victoria en toda su Gloria                   I am Victory in all of its Glory
Victoria Máxima es mi nombre                       Maximum Victory is my name
Yo soy de gladiadores y gondelieri                   I am from gladiators and gondelieri
Yo soy el último legionario                                I am the last legionnaire
Yo soy el que se quedó parado                           I am the one who stood
Yo soy de los Pubs Irlandeses                            I am from Irish Pubs
Nacido de una pinta de cerveza                          Born from a pint of beer
Yo soy de pizza y pasta                                        I am from pizza and pasta
De comida preparada con amor                         From food prepared with love
Yo soy de las olas y la arena                                I am from the waves and the sand
Y el pez que nada con gracia                                And fish that swim with grace
Yo soy de paredes de sangre y piedra                I am from walls of blood and stone
Yo soy el mutt de la manga                                  I am the mutt of the pack
Yo soy un guerrero y un pacifista                       I am a warrior and a peacemaker
Yo siempre cambio                                               I always change
Yo soy Max                                                             I am Max

Yo soy Carolina                                                     I am Caroline
Yo soy el campo                                                     I am the country
Soy de arándanos y pino                                       I am from blueberries and pine
Del océano y el bosque                                         From the ocean and the forest
De veranos calientes en la playa                         From hot summers on the beach
De los picnics en una isla                                     From picnics on an island
De familia                                                               From family
De perros                                                                From dogs
Yo soy la ciudad                                                     I am the city
Soy de la acera y el rascacielo                             I am from sidewalks and skyscrapers
De las tiendas y los estudios de baile                From stores and dance studios
De inviernos fríos en la pista                              From cold winters on the rink
De los picnics en el parque                                  From picnics in the park
De amigos                                                               From friends
De gatos                                                                  From cats
Yo soy los dos                                                        I am both
De barcos a taxis                                                   From boats to taxis
De descalza a andar con tacónes                        From barefoot to heels
De uñas lustradas a uñas rotas                          From polished nails to chipped nails
De manos fuertes a manos suaves                     From rough hands to soft hands
De piernas suaves a piernas con cicatrices      From soft legs to scabbed legs
De bahías a piscinas                                            From bays to pools
Yo soy el campo                                                   I am the country
Yo soy la ciudad                                                   I am the city
Yo soy Carolina                                                    I am Caroline

Community basketball game a slam dunk!

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On February 17th, Manhattan Country School hosted a community basketball game at the 92^nd Street Y. It had the feeling of a long-anticipated high school game. There were many MCS families, alumni, students and friends filling the bleachers, sidelines and baselines of the gym.

Jermaine Lloyd, MCS’ team sports and movement teacher, led participants of all ages through a variety of fun games, including drills and a shooting contest. “It was great to see Upper School student-athletes encourage Lower School students to dribble and shoot the ball. The game itself was amazingly intense and full of aggressive defense, dazzling passes, consistent jump shots and high-flying dunks,” he said. Due to the popularity of this event, Jermaine hopes to hold another community basketball game in the near future. “Thank you to the MCS community for your participation and support,” he added.

Here’s what people are saying about the community event:

“It was a hit! There was joy and excitement all wrapped up in a ballgame. I enjoyed seeing all the grades, former students, staff and parents playing together and laughing. The spectators were not sure which side to cheer for. It was amazing to see Dominic (5-6s class) get a basket as the buzzer went off and seeing his dad dunking! All made for great fun and one of the best times ever!” – Airam, fifth grade parent

“We had such a great time at the game and definitely think this should become an annual event! Our son James (in the 4-5s class) was so proud to see his daddy play. James had a blast doing the drills before the game started as well as playing in the half-time contest.  It was a great community building opportunity for us, a new family to MCS, because we got to know the families in the older classes.  Even seeing them play gave us a window into who they are. Jean commented on how much fun he had playing and talking on the bench with the other players. He loved seeing how Jermaine used the event to teach the older students about the game of basketball as well. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves.” – Katie, 4-5s parent

“I loved the way students, alums and parents all played together. There was such a sense of camaraderie that was really great to witness. A whole crew of recent graduates came as well, and it was fantastic to catch up with them and hear about their high school experiences.” – Tom, English teacher

“It was exciting to see the MCS community come together and have a good time. It felt like a community and not a school. It would be great to see more events like this because everyone in attendance seemed to enjoy how alumni, parents and students were all on the same team competing. The funniest thing that happened to me while playing was when my basketball instincts took over and I blocked a young lady. It was kind of embarrassing because I’m so used to blocking any ball that flies my direction. Also, my son Dominic hit a shot during the half-time contest from between the three-point line and the free throw. The crowd went crazy! It would be great to see more events like this because MCS comes together as one community.” – Kenny, 5-6s parent

“MCS is very good at embracing our diversity and building a community through words: reading buddies, MLK Walk speeches, and the post office. At the Community Basketball Game there were words, cheers, and laughter too. But it was different having basketball as the common theme, with Jermaine’s whistle and gentle coaching from the sidelines. I loved watching new 4-5s parents playing with our coed varsity players, and the Community Service class took such an unassuming leadership role with younger students. With just two hours in a gym, we experienced diversity and community in a whole different way. Thank you to all who made it possible.” – Michèle, Director

“As I walked onto the court, the excitement of the game and MCS family was so tangible. Watching alumni, parents and students cheering and playing together was a beautiful experience. I tried my best to capture photos of the boldness and tenacity of students playing neck and neck with parents and alumni and the excitement the crowd felt each time a shot or even a dunk was made! Jermaine did such a wonderful job putting together this inspiring and exciting community event! We need more events like this.” – Aeden, Admissions Associate

Photos by Aeden Keffelew and Akemi Kochiyama

Celebrate the 100th day of school this Wednesday

Sticker art on display during last year's 100th Day of School

By Anna Sobel
5-6s Head Teacher

The 5-6s could not be more excited about our upcoming 100th Day of School this Wednesday. We have been counting up to this day since our very first day together, and as we grow closer and closer each day, the children’s enthusiasm is palpable. We look forward to seeing you at our family celebration of this momentous day, Wednesday, February 29th from 9-9:45 a.m. In addition, the 5-6s will host four other classes in celebrating with us!

Students have created “100th Day Collections” to be displayed in our “museum.” Parents and children were asked to collect 100 items and display them in some way. Examples of items include paper clips, toothpicks, dried pasta, and pennies. Examples of displays include gluing 100 objects to posterboard or cardboard, stringing objects onto yarn, nailing them to a board, or pinning them onto an item of clothing – the sky’s the limit.

Over the past few weeks, the children have:

• hypothesized which objects in our classroom have more, less or exactly 100 items, then counted them and recorded their findings

• played several games about the number 100, including Race to 100 and Collect 100 (which you can play at our family celebration!)

• created structures with 100 blocks and other materials

• invented ways to form 1-0-0 with materials from the classroom

• played counting games called Splat and Boing

• did a series of writings about the number 100 (see our books at the celebration!)

• used 100s boards and paths of numbers in the Block Area to try skip counting by different numbers

• completed a series of challenges around the number 100, such as seeing how many times they can write their names in 100 seconds, and seeing how long it takes us as a class to move 100 blocks from one side of the classroom to the other in an assembly line

• used our large 100s board to for patterns and play a version of 20 Questions called Guess the Number

• read stories and poems about the number 100 (our favorite is 100 Hungry Ants by Elinor Pinczes!)

• created artwork out of 100 dot stickers

Phew! Come experience what we’ve mastered and see photos of all our hard work at the family celebration … we’ll see you there!

7-8s attend Bomba y Plena concert

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The following letter was composed by the 7-8s class in order to share their exciting Bomba y Plena experience with the MCS community.

Dear Parents,

Last month, we went to a Bomba y Plena music concert at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center. The name of the band is Los Pleneros de la 21. They were really good. They play Puerto Rican music with drums that first came from Africa. We got to see them performing but we don’t know if they are famous.

There was lots of stuff going on. There was dancing and drumming and students were going up on stage.  It was loud and they had some instruments that were new to us. One of them looked like a gourd. It is called a guiro.  You would rub on it and it would make the noise you would hear from an old car. Half of the group was doing one beat and the other half was doing another beat on small drums called panderetas.

There was a dancer named Julia. She was doing really hard things with her feet going backwards. She was also going forward, lifting her skirts in waves. It was really hard to dance with her because you didn’t know what she was going to do next. It felt good but it was hard.

While older students were singing they called some of the 7-8s up to play the drums. Also, some people were called to ask questions at the end. Some of the people who were called up to drum and to say their name were very nervous.  There weren’t many people called up to dance. The music was really good and we liked the beat and dancing.

We learned that in Puerto Rico you keep your Christmas tree until February 2nd. Then, you throw it into a big bonfire. People get together to sing, dance and burn their trees together. Thank you Pleneros de la 21. You were awesome!

From, The 7-8s

4-5s study babies and toddlers

By Sarah Leibowits
4-5s Head Teacher

The 4-5s have recently completed our study of babies and toddlers.  Through this study, the 4-5s take their first look at history and think about their own development as they have grown from babies to toddlers to where they are now as four- or five-year-olds.  We welcomed several babies and toddlers into our classroom so that we might observe and ask questions about their growth and development.  The 4-5s created information maps about each visitor.  Please feel free to stop in to have a look! We are thankful for the many families who gave their time to visit us and help us to learn from firsthand experience.  The 4-5s also brought in their own baby photographs and stories to share and each child has written a book about the first years of their lives.  We have had a wonderful winter learning about each other’s personal histories.

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Morning at the MCS Farm in Roxbury, NY

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Jay’s Picks: Reading, Learning About U.S. Presidents

Jay Fung, MCS Librarian

By Jay Fung
MCS Librarian

Cherry trees, stove pipe hat, wooden teeth, “fourscore and seven years ago,” $1 and $5 bills. These images conjure up two of the most iconic Americans in history. Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We honor them in many ways, but most people nowadays remember them because we get a day off for President’s Day. (Some of us remember when we used to get two days before the “holiday” was consolidated into one!)

In any case, a number of intriguing children’s books that highlight these two men have been published in recent years. Although many of us can summarize both of their lives in some choice words, I would venture to guess that many of us don’t know much about their actual lives and history. Here are some titles that I have gathered that, although they are about Washington and Lincoln, vary widely in subject matter and approach.

George Washington’s Birthday: A Mostly True Tale by Margaret McNamara (Picture book, ages 4 and up) – From award-winning author Margaret McNamara and New Yorker artist Barry Blitt comes this partly true and completely funny story of George Washington’s 7th birthday. In this clever approach to history, readers will discover the truths and myths about George Washington. Did George Washington wear a wig? No. Did George Washington cut down a cherry tree? Probably not. Readers young and old, who are used to seeing George Washington as an old man, will get a new look at the first president—as a kid.

Join us! MCS Community Basketball Game on Feb. 17

You’re invited to Manhattan Country School’s Community Basketball Game on Friday, February 17 from 4-6 p.m. at the 92nd Street Y. Come watch MCS parents, teachers and alumni play and cheer them on! There will be all sorts of activities, including a basketball obstacle course, shooting contest and our very own cheer squad. Free! For more details, please contact Jermaine Lloyd at (212) 348-0952.

Grand Opening! The 6-7s Post Office

I’m gonna wrap myself in paper
I’m gonna dab myself with glue
Stick some stamps on top of my head
I’m gonna mail myself to you

I’m gonna tie me up in red string
I’m gonna tie blue ribbons, too
I’m gonna climb up in my mailbox
I’m gonna mail myself to you
– song by Woody Guthrie

Tuesday was the grand opening of the 6-7s’ Post Office and it runs through Wednesday, March 21. Students will be operating a post office right here at MCS in the lobby. This year, the 6-7s class chose to name their postal operation The MCS Post Office. Their slogan, inspired by the Fairway grocery store, is “Like no other Post Office.” They are learning about the work of mail carriers, how to prepare an envelope, the value of coins, and the inner workings of the postal system. In the classroom, there’s a collection of postage stamps from around the world, an area outfitted for sorting mail, and much more.

Jeff, Joe and Jenna’s dad, helped create the t-shirts students are wearing today. During math class, students practiced working as a Postal Clerk and learned about helping customers who were buying the various products. For example, “Jermaine bought two postcards and five stamps.  How much does he owe?”

How you can participate:

You can send a letter or a postcard to anyone in the school. Just like a real post office, you must have a stamp and an address on your envelope. MCS stamps will be sold for a penny in the lobby every morning from 8:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. or in the 6-7s classroom during lunch from 12:30 to 1 p.m. To mail a letter, put it inside the big blue mailbox in the lobby. Students will pick up, sort and deliver the mail.

Have fun and enjoy participating in this annual tradition!

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Photos by Aeden Keffelew

Parents’ Council Meeting on February 16

The next Parents’ Council meeting is on Thursday, February 16 at 9 a.m. in the third floor meeting room. Please join us!

Boys Varsity Basketball Team Wins!

Manhattan Country School’s boys varsity basketball team beat The Dwight School – 37 vs. 26 points – in their last home game of the season at the 92^nd Street Y on Monday. The boys’ team has moved into the first round of playoffs where they’ll play against the Dwight School at 3:30 p.m. on February 27^th at the Cathedral School on 111^th Street & Amsterdam Avenue.

In related sports news, the girls will play a home game against Bank Street School for Children at 4 p.m. on February 27^th at the 92^nd Street Y. Come cheer on our student athletes!

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Photos by Jamie Evans and Aeden Keffelew

Pinki to visit HOPE Foundation Nursery & Primary School in India

An image from the photography exchange with Pinki's class.

Fifth grade teacher Pinki Shah will spend the February break (“I’m only going for eight days”) in India! She will spend her time visiting and teaching at HOPE Foundation Nursery & Primary School in Bhuj, Gujarat. She will also be visiting the desert region of Kutch, one of the major towns during the Indus Valley Civilization. Her trip will require air travel (through Qatar), train, bus, and car transportation, taking her in and out of internet range.

Why is this important? Since 2010, Pinki has spearheaded a photography exchange between MCS fifth graders studying sustainability and students at HOPE foundation Nursery & Primary School (supported by the Children’s Hope India). There is no language barrier with digital cameras in the hands of 10- and 11-year-olds on two continents. Focused on food, water, fuel, and plastic, their images open not only new eyes on the world, but new perspectives on one’s own consumption of natural and humanly-produced resources. Weekly downloaded and e-mailed images are eagerly anticipated events, that can take place in the classroom, at the Farm, and at community events like the Essie Green Gallery hosted for fifth graders last year. Sales of the photographs help cover the cost of the program and encourage in an authentic way the seeds of philanthropy education as proceeds are shared with Children’s Hope India.

Solidifying our relationship with Children’s Hope India fits precisely within the guidelines of the Gelernt Mentoring Program which is providing some of the funding for this exchange. Chris Guajardo and Armando Lopez will be teaching fifth grade in Pinki’s absence.

7th graders explore block building in child development class

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By Cynthia Rogers 
H.S. Placement Director

As part of their Child Development class, the 7th graders look at the blocks and how they help young children see their world. The 7th graders observe in the 4-5s classroom, watching how children use the materials. At one point they are given table versions of the same blocks and asked to create their own structures. It was interesting to see which 7th graders collaborated with peers and which built on their own. There were many towers, enclosures, and specifically named structures. One 7th grader commented, “I felt like I was four again.”

Photos by Cynthia Rogers

Students learn about music, culture of Native Americans

Tiokasin Ghosthorse

By Debbie Weiss and Hilary Davis
8-9′s Head Teacher and Student Teacher 

Students from the 8-9s, 7^th and 8^th grade had the opportunity to meet with Tiokasin Ghosthorse on Tuesday, January 25th.  He is a Lakota flute maker/player, speaker, and activist with a weekly radio show on WBAI.  Tiokasin imparted stories of his life and work and gave students the opportunity to ask him about his experiences.  He even played traditional Lakota songs on three different handmade flutes.

Tiokasin shared difficult experiences from his childhood.  Because of U.S. government policy, he was forced to attend a boarding school away from his family and give up his Lakota heritage.  However, he never lost his traditions and still speaks his first language, the language of the Lakota, fluently.

Students learned that indigenous people originated many types of food and herbs that helped create food we enjoy so much, like potatoes, corn and tomatoes.  They also discovered many herbal remedies to aid with different illnesses, which can be found in some modern day medicine.  Students were fascinated to discover that native people invented many sports and games more than 400 years ago that we now enjoy today, such as lacrosse, spinning tops, basketball, and football.

Here are some quotes from our students reflecting on what Tiokasin Ghosthorse presented:

“The flute playing was amazing!”

“I thought it was interesting to hear what he had to say about Columbus and how Native Americans discovered him.”

“I liked how he showed us that the sports we have today were invented in Native American times.”

“I thought it was really cool how he played the flute and taught us about different foods, like how there would be no pizza without Native Americans.”

“I thought his opinion about Columbus Day and Indigenous Day was really interesting and it is cool that he has his own radio show.”

“I like when he said that we should have peace with earth, not peace on earth.”

Tiokasin Ghosthorse’s visit is part of a joint project with the 8-9s, 7^th and 8^th grade.  The classes are working together to think about the first encounters between native people and Europeans and how those encounters are remembered 500 years later.  Thanks to a donation from the Wimpfheimer Grant, Tiokasin is the second in a series of speakers to inform our students about this topic.

Photo and video by Aeden Keffelew

Apply for MCS Farm Camp!

Manhattan Country School’s 2011 Farm Camp
Monday, July 9 – Friday, July 27

Daily activities are divided between sustainability and recreation at the MCS Farm in Roxbury, N.Y. MCS Farm Camp is open to students in the 9-10s class through the 8th grade. Enrollment is limited to 20 students who will be selected according to their expressed interest and their participation during school farm trips. A number of spaces at Farm Camp are available to MCS students at a reduced fee, based on a family’s financial circumstances. There are a limited number of spaces during the first week of Farm Camp, from July 9 through July 15 for students who can only attend one week. Session fee: $4,200.

Click here to download the application for MCS Farm Camp.

Application Deadline: February 27, 2011

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Sixth graders welcome new calves, go tubing during trip to MCS Farm

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Note: This farm update was written while 6^th graders were at the MCS Farm from January 23-27, 2012.

By Karen Zaidberg
6^th Grade Head Teacher 

We are having a lovely week at the farm!  The students have settled back into routines quickly, and many have remarked that our last visit in October feels just like yesterday.  Once again, each day has been busy with chores and play and time spent with friends.  Our trip up on Monday was easy and we pulled up the driveway just before one o’clock.  After moving into rooms and unpacking, students enjoyed a snack of vanilla cake before heading out for a long stretch of outdoor free time.  The weather has been unseasonably mild, which has created abundant opportunities for hiking, walks in the meadow, and games on the ball field.

The farm has welcomed three new calves and the sixth grade has the honor of naming one, a young Holstein male that will be raised for beef.  Yesterday, the farming classes worked with the new calves, while John led a group up through the North Meadow to look at the land through an economic lens.

Today the group headed out early to Plattekill Ski Mountain for a session of snow tubing.  The sixth graders from Roxbury Central School, with whom many of our students were pen pals during the 9-10s, came out to join us on the mountain.  I was warmed by the eager reconnections and new camaraderie that sprang up on the lift line and over the lunch tables between the groups.  Plus, the tubing was excellent!   A great time was had by all.

Meals, as always, have been simple, fresh, and delicious.  Breakfasts of eggs, sausage, pancakes, and fruit give everyone a good start to the day. Lunches have featured comfort dishes like beef tacos and macaroni and cheese, with produce harvested from our garden.  Dinners have been a consistent hit, with meatloaf, roast pork, and homemade pizza accompanied by green beans, corn, and homemade bread.  It’s been lovely to watch students work as a community around meals, from preparing the food during cooking classes to encouraging friends to try a new food.

Our evenings kick off with mathematics class.  This week we are engaging in an exploration using pentominoes, which activate spatial logic and critical thinking, and reinforce our last unit on area and perimeter.  After academics, we burn off energy with outdoor and indoor games – Capture the Flag, Bus Stop, Manhunt, and Panic! – before gathering for a read aloud of From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg and then bed.  Students have been grateful to have news from home, and many of the rooms settle in to share family letters before lights out.

In light of our recent intensive work on the civil rights movement and preparing for the Martin Luther King Assembly performance, it’s been wonderful to see the students unwinding and also reflecting on a personal level on the discussions we’ve been having about identity, the power of the group, and self-determination.  I remain as always proud of their curiosity, their physical and emotional courage, their humor, and their willingness to try to get better every day.  I’m excited for the next couple days!  We will see you back at East 96th Street on Friday afternoon.

Photos by John McDaniel

Parents Invited to Upper School Assembly on Youth Immigration

Daniel Altschuler '96

On Wednesday, February 8, from 9-10 a.m. in the Music Room, the Upper School will hold an assembly on Youth Immigration as one of the kick-off events for the 7^th and 8^th grade activism project.

MCS alumnus Daniel Altschuler ’96, coordinator of the Long Island Civic Engagement Table, and Natalia Aristizabal-Betancur, youth organizer at Make the Road New York, will be speaking about their work organizing communities to fight for immigrant rights.  The assembly is designed for Upper School students to learn more about social issues facing young immigrants in the U.S. and how people are working together to create positive change.  Meanwhile, the 5^th Floor students are busy planning their trip to Washington, DC to lobby in support of passing the federal DREAM Act and reinstating Ethnic Studies programs in Arizona.  We welcome interested parents and friends to join our students as they continue their learning process as young activists.

Daniel Altschuler is currently the coordinator of the Long Island Civic Engagement Table, a coalition of grassroots organizations working to increase civic participation in working-class communities of color in Suffolk County, N.Y.  He holds a doctorate in Politics and a Masters in Development Studies from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. Daniel’s doctoral research focused on civic and political participation and civil society in Honduras and Guatemala.  He was recently a Copeland Fellow at Amherst College, where he continued with academic and journalistic writing. Daniel’s journalistic work has recently focused on US immigration politics, and he has recently been published in such venues as The Christian Science Monitor, The Nation, Americas Quarterly, CNN, Foreign Policy, Newsday, the San Francisco Chronicle, and Dissent.

Natalia Aristizabal-Betancur is a youth organizer and arts & media educator at Make the Road New York. She has devoted her career to helping young immigrants like herself establish themselves and find their way in a new culture. For seven years, she has coordinated youth organizing and arts programming at Make the Road New York (MRNY), NYC’s largest participatory immigrant organization. Her innovative work with MRNY’s Youth Power Project includes fighting and organizing young people ages 14-21 in Northern Queens for the passage of the federal and state DREAM Act, while teaching political education and using photography, mural painting, video and poetry projects as tools of empowerment and education. She also taught Social Justice and Latin American History at MRNY’s partner high school, Pan American International. She received a dual Bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies and Media Communication Studies from Queens College.

5-6s donate proceeds from farmers’ market to charity

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By Anna Sobel
5-6s Head Teacher

In December, the 5-6s welcomed a large crowd into our very own farmers’ market! The excitement was palpable.

Visitors were ushered in by our “welcomers,” Jack and Daisy, and were handed a special ticket. As they visited different stands, workers would stamp the ticket to indicate the number of dollars worth of goods they had acquired. If you were one of these visitors, perhaps you encountered Kaylin selling bags of lavender, or Alicia selling roasted squash seeds. You may have bought something the 5-6s grew on the rooftop garden, such as the marigold seeds sold by Paloma and Andrew, or JoJo and Maya selling dried herbs from the rooftop garden.

As you continued through the room, you may have talked with a worker selling something made or grown in our classroom, such as the scallion plants Zevin sold that we grew under our grow light, the bags of compost generated in our classroom compost bin sold by Eva, or the dried apple rings we prepared and hung, sold by Charlie.

Maybe you looked for something decorated by the 5-6s, such as the cookbooks (filled with recipes we made throughout the Fall) sold by Nate, or the reusable canvas bags sold bags sold by Nico.  It’s possible you were hungry or thirsty for something you could consume right away, so you visited workers selling goods cooked by the 5-6s, such as pumpkin pie sold by Lev and Addie, carrot cake sold by Dashiell and Sophia, or watermelon juice sold by Skylar. Once visitors had acquired all of their goods, they brought their stamped tickets to Luca and Dominic at the cash register, who then tallied the final amount owed.

Not only did everyone have so much fun, the children were incredibly proud of their significant accomplishments! A couple of weeks ago the children voted on an organization to which we would donate the proceeds raised from the market.

We are proud to announce that we will be giving the $565 we raised to Yorkville Common Pantry (YCP), which is located close to MCS at 109th Street and is New York City’s largest community-based food pantry.  The 5-6s will be visiting YCP later in the year. To learn more about this incredible organization, visit ycp.org

Watch a “commercial” for the farmers’ market created and scripted by MCS teacher Anna Sobel and the 5-6s class.

Photos by Nancy Hsu

You’re invited: MCS Community Basketball Game on Feb. 17

You’re invited to Manhattan Country School’s Community Basketball Game on Friday, February 17 from 4-6 p.m. at the 92nd Street Y. Come watch MCS parents, teachers and alumni play and cheer them on! There will be all sorts of activities, including a basketball obstacle course, shooting contest and our very own cheer squad. Free! For more details, please contact Jermaine Lloyd at (212) 348-0952.

Fifth grade hosts sustainable book publishing party

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By Leilani,
5^th grader

Last week, the fifth grade had our sustainable book publishing party. So many parents came and calmed our nerves by giving us great compliments on our books. Everyone read each other’s stories. Staff and parents heard the stories of kids whose parent couldn’t make it. In conclusion, it was a great party.

Parents invited to meet with Board on February 2

Parents are invited to meet with the Board of Trustees on Thursday, February 2nd at 8:45 a.m. in the third floor meeting room. This is the second of three meetings where parents can discuss the expansion and relocation plans directly with board members in small groups. Although the meeting on February 2nd is primarily for parents of 6-7s through 9-10s parents, all MCS parents are welcome to attend.

Click here for a full schedule of the meetings. (You must have a login for the MCS Community website to access it on the Parents Portal.)

MCS 7th, 8th graders to support youth immigration

By Altana and Emma
8th graders 

The Manhattan Country School Activism Project is an annual and year-long initiative that is based around student inquiry and leadership on issues of crucial impact in the local and global communities.  The MCS seventh and eighth graders, students of the fifth floor, define activism as, “when a person or group of people fight against something they think is wrong or fight for something that they think is right.”

Each year, MCS students redefine activism, identify an issue of immediate importance and design a project to address that concern.  The student group is led by a small student steering committee, the activism committee, which facilitates communication, fundraising and programming decisions.  The project alternates yearly between a locally-based initiative, and a project based around national and/or global themes, which can require substantial fundraising efforts.  Past projects have included:

• lobbying in Washington, D.C. and Albany,
• volunteering with community-based NYC nonprofits (2005)
• assisting elementary schools in the Mississippi Gulf Coast following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina (2006),
• a “Speak-Out Against Hate” in Central Park (2007),
• a collaboration with Camp Sunshine (2008),
• a walk-a-thon to raise funds for the MCS farm’s new solar panel system (2009),
• a trip to West Virginia to engage in comprehensive programming in opposition to Mountain Top Removal coal mining (2010), and
• a project to take a stand against bullying (2011).

This year the fifth floor students of MCS have chosen to support youth immigration in the United States:

“We, the seventh and eighth graders of MCS, believe that this is an important topic for many reasons. Imagine being a young undocumented immigrant, brought from your country of birth to the United States, not by your own choice, but because your family was seeking a better life. Years later, you have a life in the United States — you have friends, a high school diploma, and ties to your community. Imagine then being deported from the only home you have ever known, because a police officer arrested you because you “look” like an “illegal” immigrant. This is what happens to undocumented youth every day as a result of recent legislation. Around the country, you would be unable to get a driver’s license, receive college loans, or get a job that you are otherwise qualified for.

The fifth floor believes this is unjust and we have decided to try to make a change. We understand that diversity is key in building a future for America, and by deporting these young people we are destroying a vital part of America’s future. By lobbying for youth immigration rights we will learn and teach each other not to not judge people by their immigration status, but, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, by the “content of their character.” “

>> READ MORE:

• Activism updates on the MCS blog 
• Student activism blog