june 2019 issue - yonkers public schools

Kahlil Gibran School Honored by Mayor Spano as May's "School of the Month"

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, joined by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin M. Quezada, members of the Yonkers Board of Education, Yonkers City

Council and the State Assembly, presented the School of the Month Award for April 2019 to the deserving administration, faculty, staff, parents and

students of the Kahlil Gibran School. (cont. on page 2)

Four Score & Seven Years Ago...

(pg. 3)

Letter from the Editor

By Student Editor: Mia Fraitag (pg. 7)

Film Review: Aladdin (2019)

(pg. 9)KAHLIL GIBRAN CORNER

Lessons from our school’s namesake! (pg. 8)

1FLAG FOOTBALL

New Intramural Program is a Great Success (pg. 8)

2GRADE LEVEL

FEATURES What’s happening in Pre-K-8? (pg. 4/5/6)

3

YONKERS PUBLIC SCHOOLS JUNE 20, 2019

Tiger Talk Kahlil Gibran School’s Official School Newspaper

Under the leadership of Principal Dianne White, Khalil Gibran School was recognized for their exceptional efforts in community outreach and charitable endeavors both locally and globally this school year. Kahlil Gibran School students, parents, teachers, staff and PTA have supported causes in the areas of hunger, homelessness, human rights, health, clean water and global citizenship.

“The Kahlil Gibran School has excelled academically this school year and the impact they have made by giving back to our local community in Yonkers is outstanding,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “The administrators, teachers and staff should be proud of the work they’ve accomplished – exposing our young ones to diverse experiences that are crucial to their early childhood development. By affording our students the opportunity to learn while helping others, we’re cultivating a learning environment each and every day."

Locally, the Kahlil Gibran community raised funds and donated goods for The Sharing Community in downtown Yonkers, Toys for Tots and Feeding Westchester. Globally, Kahlil Gibran joined a movement of dozens of schools throughout the country that raised nearly $500,000 for clean water projects in the Sudan.

“On behalf of the Board of Education Trustees, we congratulate the entire Kahlil Gibran School community on receiving this well-deserved award,” noted Board of Education President Rev. Steve Lopez. “The

administrators, teachers and support staff are totally focused on the children’s success and the students’ commitment to charity outside of the classroom is inspiring.”

“Kahlil Gibran School Principal White, along with her teachers and staff, has shown a true commitment to providing a cohesive academic program and a culture of giving back,” added Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin M. Quezada. “I’m proud of their community outreach and charity within the City of Yonkers and beyond.” Mayor Spano’s School of the Month recognition program began in January 2014 as a way to celebrate the significant academic success, extracurricular achievements and community volunteerism of the students, teachers,

administration and staff of Yonkers Public Schools.

TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL JUNE 20, 2019 - PAGE 2

Superintendent Dr. Quezada addresses the audience at May's "School of the Month" event

Sade Javier Impresses at Annual Oratorical Contest

The Peter Joseph Memorial Oratorical Contest is an annual event where students from across the District represent their schools by delivering Abraham Lincoln’s famous “Gettysburg Address”. Students are critiqued on their ability to deliver the speech from memory, with genuine and

appropriate tone and style, and with a focus on their diction, accuracy, and authenticity.

Our school’s representative this year not only impressed with her preparation, poise and performance, but she also tied for first place up against contestants from over 20 schools in the

Middle School division with 296 of 300 possible points earned from the judges. Congratulations to Sade Javier!

TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL JUNE 20, 2019 - PAGE 3

Sade Javier & Mr. Di Monaco outside Saunders High School after her impressive performance!

Pre-K News: You're never too young to leave a legacy! Our Pre-Kindergarten students, with Ms. Ciccone, Ms. Joan & Ms. Naber at the helm, used their time and energy to plant a tree that will transport all of us at Gibran through time in the years to come.

The concept of planting a tree on our school property is a living testament to the Pre-K and Ms. Ciccone's hard work and growth! The depth & detail of planting a tree, from the selection of the type to the selection of location will be a visible symbol of our youngestlearners' success! Stop by and see it on the island in the middle of the parking lot on the Manor Drive side of our school!

Kindergarten News: So many fun activities took place in Kindergarten this year. Several students in Ms. Marvin’s class told us about some of their favorites. Chris Abraham loved learning about numbers and looks forward to learning more about addition and subtraction in the first grade. Ariana Fava also loved doing math because subtracting was so much fun to do. She hopes that the math work is harder in first grade. Daniel Romano loved outdoor recess in kindergarten because he could play with his friends and go down the slide. He hopes that there will be fun trips in the first grade and lots of very hard work.

Ms. Mangan’s students also loved doing math work and reading books. Noah Doyle loved celebrating birthdays with cupcakes and looks forward to getting smarter in the first grade. Sheridan Arroyo remembers dribbling the ballin gym and wants to do a lot of coloring in math next year. Aiden Rosa enjoyed reading math books and wants to read more books in first grade, especially science books.

1st Grade News: Our first graders were very busy this year with math facts and phonics. Some of Ms. Khader’s students talked to us about first grade. Ella Callaghan loved coloring the math keys this year and wants to read funny stories in second grade. Bella Ramos really enjoyed making number bonds and wants to have tons of fun doing classwork next year. Liam Alcantara will never forget playing golf in gym and hopes to color animals in second grade. The students in Ms. Troiano's class really enjoyed Math. Daniel Jacob loved adding the ones column to the tens and hopes to go on some field trips in second grade. Tatiana Sabater also wants to go on Field trips next year. She will never forget the ice cream party she had because she filled up her green chart. Lamar Al Saidi remembers making flowers to learn how to group facts and hopes to read more books like Cat in the Hat in second grade.

2nd Grade News: Science activities were high on the memories of our second graders. Ms. Castellani’s students want to keep their scientific brains jogged in third grade. Jayden Bijnath also enjoyed playing golf with the golf clubs and wants to do a lot of science in third grade. Jocelyn Sabatelli thought that math, especially addition, subtraction, and multiplication, was the highlight of second grade and hopes to learn about electricity in third grade. Allison Calvert will never forget making a hat to protect her head from the sun when she and the rest of her class pretended to be stranded on a deserted island. Her hope is to do a lot of multiplication next year.

TIGER TALK - KAHLIL GIBRAN SCHOOL JUNE 20, 2019- PAGE 4

Our 1st Graders are ready for 2nd Grade!

3rd Grade News: The third graders at Kahlil Gibran spent the year having fun and working hard. Bridget Ferry from Ms. Salvi’s class will never forget learning about figurative language and the funny way Ms. Salvi taught it to them. She can’t wait to meet her teachers next year and to make new friends. Brandon Rivera’s highlight this year was making the Principal’s list and hopes to make it again in the fourth grade. Bella Burke wants to thank the eighth grade helpers for making third grade so much fun. She will not forget how these helpers gave up their recess time to assist in her classroom. Bella is looking forward to meeting her teachers as well. Briannelis Castillo from Mrs. Shaggura’s class, remembers this year’s Field Day because she enjoyed the day dancing and playing games with her friends. She plans on working hard next year and doing better in Math. She hopes to make the Honor Roll.

4th Grade News: Our fourth graders were hard at work this year in all subjects. Nuru Jobe was so happy that our school was named School of the Month and hopes that next year’s ScienceFair is even better than this year’s. Liam Cassidy remembers the fourth grade as the year that he started to learn Greek on the computer. When he gets to fifth grade, he wants to learn how to multiply and divide decimals. Kaylee Meireles enjoyed the science experiments especially the experiment that she and her partners entered into the Science Fair. She wants to do more experiments in the fifth grade and can’t wait for the Science Fair. Kaitlyn Vazquez from Ms. Dos Santos’s class thought the trip to John Jay Homestead was her favorite memory. She enjoyed playing with the old toys. She can’t wait to learn more history and Math in the fifth grade. She is just hoping for a great year in fifth grade.


Mrs. Shaggura's class waiting for 4th Grade!

Our 2nd Graders on their trip to see Dumbo!

Some of Ms.Dos Santos’ students Ms Iezza’s class placing their bird feeders outside. Abdul shares his culture with his classmates. before the Spring Concert.

5th Grade News: Fifth graders worked hard this year learning about fractions, the government, the solar system, and literary genres. In Mrs. Ackerman’s class, Chassity Rodriguez loved Friday Dodgeball with Mr. Fig and wants to make continue to make the honor roll in sixth grade. Jessica Mukattash thought playing the games,like basketball and soccer, at Field Day were great. She can’t wait to go to Caramoor in the sixth grade. Aaron Canlas remembers the Bronx Zoo and seeing all the animals, especially the sea lions. He hopes to be challenged next year by learning more complicated math. From Mr. Figueroa’s class, Sal Florio will never forget all the fun he had playing dodgeball with his classmates. He is looking forward to watching the books that they read in sixth grade come to life through the movies. Elysia Real is thankful for the chance to go on field trips in the fifth grade. She sees them as an opportunity to take a break from the everyday and to socialize with her friends and even her teachers in a way that she can’t at school. Elysia hopes to study interesting topics in the sixth grade but mostly hopes it is as much fun as fifth grade. Fifth Graders at the Bronx Zoo!


Fifth Graders at the Bronx Zoo! Riding "The Beast"

A Letter from the Student Editor: As the year comes to a close, I would like to reflect on some of my most cherished memories that I have made at this school. Now, (sadly) I only attended Gibran from fifth grade to eighth grade, so I can’t even imagine how many more amazing memories I could have made If I had come sooner. I specifically remember playing a game in the beginning of the year in Mrs. Ackerman’s fifth grade that helped me get to know my fellow classmates for the first time. We had to find everyone who could say their ABCs backwards, everyone who had five letters in their first name, who the oldest person was, and etc. I always enjoyed playing dodgeball on Fridays with Mr. Fig’s class, I beared playing “sparkle,” I LOVED studying historical Broadway shows like “Les Miserables” and “Fiddler On The Roof” in Ms. Dillon’s class, learning Beyonce and Jay Z’s “to the left to the left” and “to the right to the right” in Ms. Romano’s math class, and of course, working on “Tiger Talk”. I don’t think that I could ever listen to “American Pie” again without thinking of Ms. Dillon. Moving on to the seventh and eighth grade, I enjoyed playing softball on the boys team, getting elected as Vice President of the student body council while watching “Les Miserables,” working with both third grade classes for 2-3 times a week for about two months, then full time with Ms. Salvi’s class since about January, and again, working on “Tiger Talk.” That is just the extra stuff! During seventh grade, I enjoyed learning about the American Revolution because of my love for the show “Hamilton,” in Mr. Rizzo’s class and watching the “Amoeba Sisters” in Mrs. Farrell’s class. In eighth grade, I liked reading “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in Mr. DiMonaco’s class, listening to Mr. Galland’s interesting music, and watching and answering questions about one of my favorite movies, “Cinderella Man” in Mr. Rizzo’s class. Overall, my time at this school had impacted my life incredibly. As this is my last “Tiger Talk” issue, I would like to thank everyone who helped make the newspaper possible, but most importantly, I would like to thank Mrs. Ackerman and Mr. DiMonaco. Working with all of you has taught me so much about team work and (honestly) commitment. I also hope that, “Tiger Talk” will continue to advance and blossom after I leave, and that whoever fulfills my position will realize just how amazing it is. I hope that you will have the same experience that I did. Good luck, and I cant wait to see the next issue!

By Mia Fraitag


Kahlil Gibran Corner:

Each issue, we here at Tiger Talk would like to challenge students to think in the way that our school’s namesake, Kahlil Gibran, did. Gibran is known for his thoughtful teachings that can help people to improve their daily lives by changing their perspective on the things they experience.

In the quote above, Gibran challenges us to reconnect with nature and the world around us. With summer vacation on the horizon, the opportunity to get outside, interact with friends, and enjoy all that the world gives us will be at all of our fingertips. While it can be tempting to shut in and watch television or play games, don't forget to "stop and smell the roses." There is no gift like the gift of nature and the freedom of the wind in your hair and the grass between your toes.

A Great Start For Flag Football : New this Spring to the Yonkers Public Schools' Intramural program was Flag-Football! Our school, with Mr. Di Monaco as coach, was joined by students and coaches from DiChiaro, School 32, School 23, School 5 & Pulaski to combine into teams that would practice together and eventually compete against others being formed around the city. Students learned offensive and defensive drills, stretches/conditioning drills, the fundamental rules of the game and how each position functions, with the ultimate goal to be to get them ready to enter 9th grade ready to try out for the Yonkers Brave or Yonkers Force.

The program was an immense success, with over 70 students coming out to participate and to learn. Already the students and coaches are eager for next year's season, as the program continues to grow! The NFL graciously donated flags and flag belts for every student, along with offical Nike/NFL wide-receiver gloves for EVERY student in the program - over 200 in all! We're thankful for these contributions, and for the students' hard work and good attitudes.


Film Review - Aladdin (2019) by Mia Fraitag

For the past year or two, I have noticed a trend in the film industry. This trend is the updating of older cartoon classics using “live action.” It involves turning a well-loved animated movie into its human acted form. The most recently released live action movie is “Aladdin”, which was originally released by Disney in 1992. Now in 2019, we were given a similar version with almost the exact same soundtrack. With one new song, this movie was very easy to compare to its original form. It was released on May 24 of this year and starred many people who resembled the characters in the original, race and mannerism wise. This has also been a trend in Hollywood, with inclusivity being the guiding force in casting choices and ensuring that the actors and actresses actually reflect the cultures they are meant to represent. Overall, they did a very good job of portraying their characters, and met the appropriate standards that fans were expecting.

Yet, as we reflect on the movie that we originally came to know in 1992, we start to wonder if the future will be taken over by our past. If what was a classic will become new once more. With some deep thought, the title “A Whole New World” could be seen as an oxymoron. Also, with the same music repeated in this movie, we wonder if there will ever be a new story set in this land, featuring a new story with new music. In that case, the “…Whole New World” that Aladdin and Jasmine sing about would be new in more ways than one.

The most surprising event in this film, was the well-deserved, added song, titled “Speechless.” This song was awarded to Princess Jasmine’s character, and it represented feminine strength and rights. In my opinion, this song is a great inspiration for young girls who are seeing the live action before the original 1992 version. The movie was honestly so much better than I could ever imagine and I would definitely recommend seeing it as soon as possible. Plus – if you enjoy it, you’re in for a treat as Disney will also be releasing a live-action version of their classic “The Lion King” this July in theaters!


Tiger Talk is proudly brought to you by:

Principal: Mrs. Dianne White

Assistant Principal: Dr. Amilcar Poças

Faculty Advisers: Mrs. P. Ackerman & Mr. L. Di Monaco

Student Editor: Mia Fraitag


june 2019 issue - yonkers public schools

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