Trinity Elementary School

On March 29^th, Trinity School PTA hosted another successful International Night.  Trinity students, along with their families and teachers, celebrated their heritage by bringing food from their countries to share with others. ENL teachers, Ms. Caridad, Mrs. Giordano, Ms. Vaccaro and Mrs. Valle, led their students in a performance entitled, “Cinderella Stories Around the World.”  Students read and explored six different versions of Cinderella from countries including Mexico, India, Philippines, China, America, and the original from Europe.  They analyzed, compared, and answered comprehension questions for each story.  As a culminating presentation, the students read summaries of each Cinderella story and acted out various scenes from each story. This opportunity gave them a chance to shine and represent diverse cultures. Costumes and props were primarily funded through the Trinity PTA. Additional items were donated by Trinity teachers. It was a rewarding evening for teachers, students and their families. 

 36 4th and 5th grade Trinity scholars participated in our Academic Basketball Camp during the break.The program was sponsored by the New Rochelle Basketball Association and provided the students with Math, ELA, Character Education AND Basketball. The kids had fun and learned during the break!  We are so grateful to NRBA, Sean Oliver, Michael Kenny, Steve Mauro and the NRHS students that came to Trinity to create this memorable experience for our students!

Welcome Back to School!

Dear Trinity Families;

Buenas Noches, Muchachos! We hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable summer break! Just a few reminders for all of our Trinity Families:

September 10 - NO SCHOOL - Rosh Hashanah

September 11 - NO SCHOOL - Rosh Hashanah

September 12 - Regular School Day  and Back To School Night - 6:30 PM - Grades K-2

September 13 - Regular School Day and Back To School Night - 6:30 PM - Grades 3-5

September 14 - PTA Welcome Back Picnic - 5:00 PM

Third grade students in Mrs. Larkin's and Ms. Joy's class studied bulbs with Joyce Kent and Naomi Gams-Towers of Hudson Park Children's Greenhouse.  They learned the parts of a bulb and examined a dissected Paperwhite bulb with magnifying glasses, then set up a whole bulb in water and pebbles to grow.  They explored Amaryllis bulbs in more depth -- weighing them and measuring their height and circumference, as well as using their senses of sight, touch and smell to describe them.  All of this was recorded in their Amaryllis Observation booklet.  Finally they planted the bulbs and entered the date on their Data sheets where they will keep track of growth and change.  Each bulb "belongs" to 4 students who will be in charge of their care.  Mrs. Kent and Mrs. Gams-Towers will come back when the blooms are ready to be pollinated and again when, hopefully, seeds have been produced.

Inquisitive children at Trinity Elementary are halfway through a three-class series that traces kernels of corn to a warm bowl of hot popcorn in the “Popcorn Project.”  Educators from Hudson Park Children’s Greenhouse met with the second graders earlier in the year to visit the corn crop on school grounds that they planted last year as first graders.  The stalks, tended by students in the summer program, produced ample cobs. In the first day of the sequence, the students visited the raised beds to observe firsthand the results of their planting the kernels last year.  The stalks were pulled out and the cobs allowed to dry.  Two weeks later, in the second day of the educational sequence, educator Naomi Gams-Towers presented the dried brown stalks to the students.  Students came to the front of the room and identified the parts. 

Then each child was given a corn cob to measure, observe with magnifying glasses and document findings.  They diligently produced careful sketches and notations.  A highlight of the class was watching a video (https://binged.it/2Cy9FZF ) of the kernel to plant growth cycle.  “Wow!  That’s amazing” said one student. “Can you show that again?” said someone else. 

Educator Joyce Kent brought a fully germinating Indian corn cob for the class to experience (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uSmEM6ON7s )  Kent had put the dried corn cob horizontally in water for two weeks and the kernels sprouted into bright green stalks.  The children gingerly pulled off individual seedlings and were amazed.  At the third and final session of this horticultural educational sequence, students will pop the corn in a clear air-popper and learn the science of the kernel explosion.  A companion children’s book will be read to reinforce learning. 

The Hudson Park Children’s Greenhouse committee will be taking this cohort of students, which they started with in first grade, through fifth grade, year after year to design a garden program that can be replicated throughout all the grades in years to come.  Funding for this program was provided by a generous Westchester County Board of Legislator grant.  The raised beds were built with funds from a New Rochelle Fund for Excellence grant