SPOTLIGHT Archives

Fitness Program at Jackson Road Elementary School

A little bit of Mahatma Gandhi is alive and well in Silver Spring, Maryland — or at least his words: "We must be the change we wish to see in the world." Gandhi's quote inspired veteran art teacher Lisa Gutman to do something about a problem she was seeing among her students at Jackson Road Elementary school: poor eating habits and a lack of physical activity.

So Gutman made a bold move. Through a grant she received from the Verizon Foundation and the support of Principal Sally Macias, she developed a program called "Fit to Learn, Fit for Life." The program is designed to provide a safe, respectful and responsible environment where elementary school students can exercise, learn proper nutrition and acquire the skills necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle. The best part about it? It can easily be integrated into the school day as well as at home.

The program starts with morning fitness classes in the cafeteria before the school day begins. Either through DVDs or live guest teachers, such as local trainer and owner of Fiterrifix Scott Sulkin, kids enjoy 20-minute exercise sessions, featuring hip-hop, yoga, and other kid-friendly routines. Teachers also get a DVD called "Energy Blasts" for quick exercise breaks in the classroom.

To teach students how to live healthier lives, a dietician from the Department of Food and Nutrition Services leads discussions about fitness and nutrition. And, because kids love "stuff," Gutman also offers students cool program T-shirts, which they wear with pride.

How are students responding to the program?

"They love it," says Gutman. "I've seen a real metamorphosis. Kids are becoming much more active. Suddenly, in my art class students are rushing to clean up so that they have time for a quick bit of hip-hop."

Even better, kids are beginning to understand there's more to hip-hop than just fun moves; they're starting to embrace the link between exercise and health.

"If you're fit," a first-grader recently told Gutman, "you could live to be 100 years old!"

More proof of the program's success comes in the form of paper stars filling up the walls in the school's hallways. On each star, students describe what they like best about their workouts — strong testimony to their new-found enjoyment of physical activity. Kids also created a "Fit to Learn, Fit for Life" cookbook to share with their families, featuring recipes supplied by a local author.

"We're also in the process of collecting written fitness goals from every student," says Gutman, "and helping them make plans to reach them."

How does the future of fitness look at Jackson Road Elementary? Strong.

"These days," says Gutman, "the kids are the ones leading the charge for more fitness activities."

For example, the students decided amongst themselves to start a recess running club. As a result of their request, a P.E. teacher mapped out a quarter mile loop for them to run, and a local trainer arrived to head up their club. Could the next world-famous marathoner be among Jackson Road's fledgling runners?

To include families, Gutman is working with students from George Washington University's exercise science program to participate in a Family Fitness Night. Led by Professor Alex Dickman, the GW students are working with the kids to set up health and fitness stations for the families to engage in and creating take home bags of fitness goodies to keep the momentum going.

Up next is a workout video contest, in which students will develop their own five-minute fitness routines. Gutman will then choose the best workouts and combine them into a video for everyone to use. Presently each morning the halls are lined with students waiting for their routines to be recorded!

Fitness Gurus Billy Blanks and Denise Austin — watch out!

Here are some tips for increasing the fitness of your student body:

Present exercise as a fun activity.
* Focus on kid-friendly exercises, such as hip-hop.
* Present quick activities that can be done at home as well as at school.
* Give kids public recognition for accomplishing fitness goals.
* Educate parents and kids about good nutrition.
* Involve parents as much as possible.
* Encourage and empower kids to take fitness programs further.

Hollywood Comes to Paint Branch Winterguard!

On Thursday, March 20, 2008, Paint Branch Winterguard will participate in the filming of the Hollywood movie "State of Play," directed by Kevin Macdonald and starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Russell Crowe, and Helen Mirren.

The Paint Branch Winterguard members are: Marthe Ambroise, Marly Diallo, Bernardine Frazer, Christina Heng, Hawi Itana, Meri Kitila, Amanda Lay, Christine Lay, Renee Reardon, Sierra Reynolds, and Jessica Tran.

Filming will take place on the steps of the Scottish Rite Temple on 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC, throughout the day.

The film is based on a BBC mini-series of the same title. In the movie, a team of investigative reporters work alongside a police detective to try and solve the murder of a congressman's mistress. The film is scheduled for release in 2009.

The Winterguard is under the direction of Dawn Simounet and her assistant Cecilio Alvarez. Ms. Simounet has been the instructor for the past five years and choreographed the number which will appear in the film.

The Winterguard is part of the Paint Branch Marching Band under the direction of Sean Kirchhoff, a 1996 Paint Branch graduate and an alum of the music program. This is Mr. Kirchhoff's eighth year as a band director, and his first at his alma mater.

ADVANCEMENT IN SCIENCE …

The Montgomery County Council on Feb. 26 recognized students from Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda for their victory in a battle of scientific and mathematical wits in the recent Maryland Science Bowl state championship. Whitman has now qualified to compete against 67 other teams in the National Science Bowl competition in Chevy Chase in May. Councilmember Roger Berliner presented a proclamation in honor of the team’s success to Damjan Korac, Shantanu Jha, Seth Gordon, Evan Weingarten and team advisor Julie Frank.

Wheaton High School Named National Breakthrough School

January 31, 2008

MCPS

Wheaton High School Named MetLife-NASSP Breakthrough School for Encouraging High Levels of Student Achievement

Wheaton High School has been selected as a MetLife-NASSP Breakthrough School, one of only 10 schools in the nation serving large numbers of students living in poverty that were honored for encouraging high levels of student achievement.

The Breakthrough School program, sponsored by the MetLife Foundation and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), showcases middle and high schools that are high achieving or are dramatically improving student achievement. The 10 schools selected as Breakthrough Schools demonstrated continual growth on state assessments over at least three years, specific efforts addressing the achievement gap, equity of student participation in challenging courses, and academic and career-focused learning plans for students.

Wheaton has a diverse student population. Of the 1,324 students who attend, 53.4 percent are Hispanic, 24.2 percent are African American, 11.6 percent are Asian and 10.6 percent are white. Almost 49 percent of Wheaton students receive free and reduced-price meals.

With supports in place—such as access to rigorous coursework for all students, differentiated instruction with multiple assessments, data-based decision making and opportunities for career development—Wheaton is working to close the achievement gap. The number of students who take Advanced Placement classes and exams continues to increase. Wheaton actively recruits students to take Honors classes in their freshman and sophomore years. This year, 61.7 percent of all students are participating in AP and/or Honors classes, with 26 percent enrolled in Advanced Placement classes.

Wheaton offers professional development that supports students’ particular needs. All staff members participate in subject-level Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) that meet at least once a month. Based on data gathered last school year, this year the PLC is focusing on motivating students and looking at implications for instruction.

Wheaton is committed to the concept of smaller learning communities, which allows the school to target all students for academic success. Wheaton has five academies—Academy of Information Technology, Academy of Engineering, Academy of Biosciences and Health Professions, Institute for Global and Cultural Studies, and the Ninth Grade Academy. The four content-specific academies are integrated with course pathways that provide advanced-level instruction. Next year, all incoming freshmen, in addition to attending the Ninth Grade Academy, will participate in another academy during their years at Wheaton.

The high school also partners with the Montgomery County Department of Recreation, which provides tutor funding at the Homework Center, where students can work with teachers across all disciplines. Lunchtime Enrichment is offered every day through the various academic departments and academies.

The school will receive a $5,000 grant and will be featured in an upcoming issue of Principal Leadership magazine. Wheaton and other Breakthrough Schools will be honored at the National Association of Secondary School Principals conference, to be held in San Antonio, Texas, February 22–28, 2008.

November 2007

"The Gift of Writing" at Mill Creek Town ES

Mill Creek Towne ES hosted a local author-in-residence, Debbie Fink, who spent the day meeting with our students, grade by grade, in the Media Center. Mrs. Fink adapted her program, The Gift of Writing: Going from Inspiration to Publication, to meet each grade's reading and writing goals and objectives. She highlights that The Gift of Writing is a metaphor for the writing process ("to write is a gift to both the reader and writer"). To emphasize this metaphor, she brings huge gift boxes, representing the three stages of writing. Student volunteers got to climb into some of these gift boxes as part of her explanation--met with peels of shared laughter! She also uses a visual simile, comparing the three stages of writing to a traffic light. To explain her simile, the gift box for each writing stage is a color of a traffic light: green is for "Inspiration" (Ideas), yellow is for "Perspiration" (exercising caution and sweating the details), and red is for "Publication" (the final product).

Ms. Fink's creative program involves many artistic elements: the visual appeal as described above, as well as music (she played her fiddle), movement (lots of upper body motion), drama, sign language, art, and children's literature. When Mrs. Fink explained the printing process (during "Publication"), she integrated science, art, and math. When she talked about visual literacy, she integrated art and storytelling. Everyone left the Media Center with a smile on their face, and the talk in the halls was very positive, from teachers, students, and staff alike. We at Mill Creek Towne highly recommend "The Gift of Writing" for your students. Next time our students pick up a pencil, they will remember that they have a gift to give, and give, and give . . .

For further questions about the Mill Creek Towne ES experience, please contact Traci Bird, MCTES Cultural Arts Committee, at [301-670-1810].

William Tyler Page Elementary School is a National PTA award recipient in celebration of PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month!

CHICAGO (October 24, 2007) - PTA's national office today announced it will award $500 to 39 PTA schools, and a grand award of $1,000 to one PTA school, to help thousands of students and families celebrate PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month, November.

These PTAs are receiving cash awards to recognize PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month activities they have planned to promote health and wellness and parent involvement in their schools; emphasize the link between involvement and student achievement; and further PTA's mission. Hundreds of PTAs submitted proposals describing different family activities they have planned, such as walkathons, and health fairs, as well as yoga and cooking classes. » Read More

Winston Churchill HS Named National Blue Ribbon School

October 2, 2007

MCPS

Winston Churchill High School is among six Maryland public schools selected today as a 2007 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. Churchill is the 33rd school in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to achieve national blue ribbon status since 1985.

The No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that are either academically superior or have shown dramatic improvement among economically disadvantaged students.

Churchill was named on the basis of superior performance on the High School Assessments in algebra and English, as well as outstanding performance on SAT and Advanced Placement examinations. Competition for the National Blue Ribbon included a site visit to the school and evidence of other outstanding aspects of the school’s program.

“The National Blue Ribbon is an important recognition that reflects high expectations and a commitment to excellence,” said Superintendent Jerry D. Weast. “MCPS is very proud of this achievement earned by the students, staff, and administrators at Winston Churchill High School.”

This is the first year that Maryland high schools were among the schools named for this honor under the new Blue Ribbon Schools Award process that uses performance on state assessments as the primary criterion for selection. Two public elementary schools, two public middle schools, and two public high schools were honored. Other winners in addition to Churchill include schools in Howard and Baltimore counties and Baltimore City. One nonpublic school in Maryland also received National Blue Ribbon status—St. Andrew Apostle School in Montgomery County.

Schools selected as National Blue Ribbon winners will be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. in November. For more information on the program and a list of 2007 winners, visit the link below.

» Blue Ribbon Schools Program

September 2007

Walter Johnson High School Best Buddies Named Top High School Chapter in the World

A ceremony and reception will be held on Monday, September 10, honoring the Best Buddies chapter at Walter Johnson High School. The chapter was named the most outstanding high school chapter in the world by Best Buddies International.

Walter Johnson’s Best Buddies program was selected from program chapters in more than 800 high schools worldwide for its commitment to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-on-one friendships. The 2006-2007 school year was the first full year in existence for the chapter, which grew considerably under the leadership and guidance of Walter Johnson students Sara Moss, chapter president, and Eli Lewis, buddy director.

Among the guests at the ceremony will be Board of Education Vice President Shirley Brandman, Board of Education members Patricia O’Neill and Ben Moskowitz, and Superintendent Jerry D. Weast. Christian Metzger, director of Best Buddies for the state of Maryland, will be present, along with several other Best Buddies representatives.

The international program, founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, pairs general education students (buddy peers) with special education students (buddies) to create one-on-one friendships and expand connections among groups of students with differing abilities.

August 2007

Academy of Finance at Paint Branch High School Receives Award from the National Academy Foundation

The Rebecca F. Baber Academy of Finance program at Paint Branch High School has been honored as one of five most improved National Academy Foundation (NAF) academies in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The award was presented on July 20 by the NAF, in partnership with American Express, to Jeanette Dixon, principal; Rebecca Baber, site coordinator; and Sandra Navidi, program director, at the NAF Institute for Staff Development in Washington, DC. The $5,000 award recognizes the Academy of Finance team’s successful efforts to reach criteria for program excellence, such as graduation rate and percent of placements in paid internships. The award may be used for student scholarships and awards, or for programmatic support.

The Academy of Finance at Paint Branch High School began in 2003 and operates as a "school within a school." It introduces students to the broad career opportunities in the financial services industry and includes paid internships at banks, brokerage houses, and other businesses that deal with finance and accounting practices.

The Academy of Finance also is offered at Albert Einstein, Gaithersburg, Col. Zadok Magruder, Northwest, and Watkins Mill high schools. More than 500 students participate in AOF programs. For more information contact Sandra Navidi at 240-632-6938 or email her at Sandra_L_Navidi@mcpsmd.org

July 2007

Six MCPS PTAs Receive National PTA Unit Recognition Awards

Congratulations go out to the local PTAs at six Montgomery County Public Schools that were recognized with the Unit Recognition Award for 2006-2007. These PTA units worked to increase their membership, involve parents in the school, and inform parents about issues affecting student achievement or school success. The units also attended a state PTA convention or other state-sponsored event. The six schools are: Clearspring ES PTA, Cloverly ES PTA, Dr. Martin Luther King MS PTSA, Little Bennett ES PTA, Rocky Hill MS PTA and Stonegate PTA.

Congratulations to these schools!

Locals are encouraged to apply for this award. The application form can be found on the Maryland PTA website.