Conti Chatter Dr. Michael Conti School PS 5

Feb 28, 2025

Talking About Race

Every February, to celebrate Black History Month, Conti students present biographies of notable African-Americans during morning announcements....bios of individuals who excelled in their chosen fields, rising above the challenges of racism and inequity. This year, our students got to delve deeper into these issues, when acclaimed author, educator & speaker Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul visited PS5 in person last week, on February 19th, to discuss her adaptation of Jason Reynolds & Ibram Kendi's bestseller Stamped (For Kids) : Racism, Antiracism, & You. During two assemblies held in our school auditorium, Dr. Cherry-Paul discussed the many insidious forms of racist ideas - and ways students can identify & stamp out racist thoughts, leading to a better future...Dr. Cherry also led a separate workshop the following day for parents, educators, & the community-at-large on the topic of creating an equitable curriculum for all students.

Many thanks to our PTA for sponsoring Dr. Cherry-Paul's visit to PS5 and for providing each of our students in grades 5-8 their own personal copy of the National Book Award winning work, STAMPED (FOR KIDS)...Dr. Cherry-Paul graciously stayed after the assemblies to personally autograph copies of this book & chat with each of our students in attendance [PHOTO - BOTTOM ROW RIGHT.] The book states, "Racist ideas are woven into the fabric of this country, and the first step to building an antiracist America is acknowledging America's racist past and present...This is NOT a history book. This is a book about the here and now."

Spelling Bee Champions

Kudos to 5th-grader Hamza Ayan Muhammad Ali for winning the 2025 Dr. Michael Conti School Spelling Bee, and proudly represented our school on Saturday, February 8th, in the Hudson County Scripps Spelling Bee. Competing against more than 75 other contestants, all who were champions of their school bees. Hamza placed in the top 15 competitors overall in the County Bee.

Kudos as well to 6th-grader Oliver Clash, who was 1st Runner-Up in the Conti PS5 School Bee and to 4th-grader Maanvi Boddupalli who was 2nd Runner-Up. Going forward, both Oliver and Hamza will represent PS5 at the Jersey City Public School District Bee (unaffiliated with Scripps) to be held on March 22...Finally, ALL the participants in both our school-wide & classroom bees are to be commended for dedicating themselves to mastering new words, and also displaying good sportsmanship while being fierce competitors!

Thank you to faculty members Maryanne Curti, Courtney Meola, Jillian Quirk, & Ken Teschlog, who served as record keeper & judges, to Conti Spelling Bee Coordinator Keung Sexton, and to our administrators Principal Rivero & Asst. Principal Padilla.

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PS5 student wins spot in upcoming County STEM Showcase

Congrats to Conti 5th-grader Michaella Avegno for achieving 3rd-Prize at the Jersey City Public Schools Science Fair! She, along with other grade-level winners of the Conti School Science Fair, presented their projects before a panel of scientists, engineers and mathematicians at the district fair held earlier this month. As a JCPS Science Fair Bronze medalist, Michaella gets to proceed to the 2025 County STEM Showcase, the largest science fair in Hudson County. The showcase will be held at Liberty Science Center on March 3, and will feature more than 400 projects from public, private, and charter school students.

Photos in bottom row: [left] Michaella at the JCPS Science Fair earlier this month with her winning project, "Screen Time: Is it really as bad as they say it is?" and [right] at the JC district Science Fair Ceremony held last night where medalists received their awards.

A Taste of College STEM

The state-of-the art STEM center at Hudson County Community College was the site of an immersive day of learning recently for Conti 8th-graders. During their visit, our students participated in post-secondary-level science activities, while also interacting with professors and getting a feel for the college experience. This partnership is just one example of how Conti middle-schoolers benefit from ongoing relationships fostered over the years with programs at HCCC and with Rutgers University.

Field days at HCCC have our middle school students participating in hands-on STEM activities like Simulated Blood Typing, Cyber-Security Programming, Virtual Reality & Artificial Intelligence Coding, the Laws of Motion, and Electrical Engineering...

Conti STEM Lab

PALEO-CLIMATOLOGY

The Rutgers Science Bus visited the PS5 STEM Lab to conduct engaging lessons, over the course of two days, with our middle school classrooms. Conti students learned to be "paleo-climatologists" by using fossil records to determine Earth's climate at various points in history, before the widespread use of instruments to record weather. Paleo- climatology helps us understand how the climate has changed over time and what the future may hold. Special thanks to our PTA for their help in sponsoring this visit.

ANATOMY

Conti 8th-graders dissect preserved frogs, an introductory activity into vertebrate anatomy and mature body systems. It also provides insight into evolutionary adaptations, such as the transition from an aquatic life to life on land...

GERM LAB

...meanwhile Conti 1st graders in Ms. Johnson's room are likewise engaged in hands-on scientific exploration: by setting up their own mini labs for microbes to grow, they've been learning about good viruses, bad viruses, bacteria, & fungi! Each student records their observations in a germ journal, with the focus so far on well-known viruses such as the flu, COVID, and norovirus. It came as no surprise that schools are hot spots for contagious bacteria & viruses, especially in places such as the nurses office, bathrooms, and the school cafeteria. They also learned about the microscope, and how scientists use this device to discover new strains of germs. Students even got to design and craft 3-D models of imaginary microbes!

STEMotional Saturdays

The PS5 STEMotional Saturday events held this month - on February 1st (for Kindergarten thru Gr. 2) & on February 22nd (for grades 3-5) - were great fun for kids in attendance. Both events featured STEM activities incorporating social-emotional learning, and students also had a chance to win free bikes, courtesy of an anonymous donor, as well as the services of the JC Bicycle Company, providing the lucky bike recipients free annual tune-ups and safety checks.

The next Conti STEMotional Saturday, scheduled for MARCH 22nd, will be for our MIDDLE SCHOOL students:

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Students of the Month

The focus TRAIT for the prior month was RESPONSIBILITY: Keeping commitments and being accountable to oneself and others.

{Click on photos to enlarge]

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National School Counseling Week

In commemoration of February's National School Counseling Week, recognizing the vital role school counselors play in the lives of students, here's a shout out to PS5's own school counselor Emma Santiago- Hernandez! The national celebration aims to highlight the invaluable contributions of school counselors in guiding students toward academic success, career readiness, and personal growth. Whether it be assisting students in their applications to high schools & special enrichment programs, offering guidance on mental health & emotional well-being, or mediating conflict and facilitating activities to encourage peer support (Ms. Santiago-Hernandez leads the Strong Girls Club, and the Conti Culture Club), a school counselor is a vital bridge between students, teachers, and families. "My role is to advocate for students, help break down barriers to success, and ensure every student has the resources they need to thrive & reach their potential," says Ms. Santiago-Hernandez.

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Arts in Education

EDUCATIONAL ARTS TEAM

Thanks to a Hudson County AIE grant, 6th & 7th grade classes at PS5 get literature "brought to life" by the celebrated Educational Arts Team, a local non-profit that recently won the Library of Congress Literacy Award for promoting a love of reading in school communities. Educational Arts Team uses theatre activities to help students engage with text and find deeper meaning.

Conti middle schoolers participate in theatre games designed to increase comprehension and critical thinking. Above, 7th graders engage in an activity to get them narrating stories using descriptive words. Each student received 3 words, then had to tell their partner a personal story using the 3 words, and then write down their narrative. Another activity involved honing in on a story character's emotions. ELA teacher Jillian Quirk explains, "We discussed the 6th grade core novel Walk Two Moons and what characters were feeling, then students had to act it out, while the audience looked for the text evidence. 7th graders did the same activity with their core novel Ghost." In yet another game, students took on the role of members of a school board, debating whether or not summer breaks should only be 2 weeks, stating their claim, and defending it aloud before an audience of their peers.

SPERANZA THEATRE

For the fourth year, Conti students in grades K to 5 are exercising their creative muscles through PS5's partnership with Speranza Theatre. Over a span of 8 to 10 weeks, K-1 classes participate in Storybooks to Stage, focused on read-a-louds and crafting stage props; grades 2 & 3 the Elements of Theatre, emphasizing storytelling & components of a successful production; and for grades 4 & 5, a play-writing workshop...Thanks to our PTA for funding the K-1 classes; to PS5 LMS/Literacy Support teacher Keung Sexton for organizing & facilitating artistic partnerships; and to Principal Clerk Diane Wilson for her invaluable assistance as well!

LUNAR NEW YEAR CONCERT

Conti students were treated to a delightful concert celebrating the Chinese New Year. Ying Li, pianist; Bihan, violist; and Andy Li, who masterfully wielded the erhu - a traditional Asian instrument - are all Julliard-trained musicians whose expressive performances had our young audience riveted. Thanks to Brighter Bee Academy for sponsoring this wonderful event!

Classroom Happenings:

MLK'S LEGACY

Students in Room 209 learned all about Dr. Martin Luther King and enjoyed creating portraits of this American hero.

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GOALS ACHIEVED & GOALS AHEAD

3rd-graders in Rm. 310 participate in a community circle to reflect on their efforts & accomplishments in MP2 and share the goals they have for MP3

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NATIONAL VALENTINES DAY EXCHANGE

For the fifth year in a row, our first graders are participating in a National Valentine Exchange with other 1st-grade students from across the nation! Valentines, made by Conti students, were sent out to classrooms all over the country and PS5 students have since received valentines from schools in New Hampshire, California, and Illinois, just to name a few. Our young ones have loved learning about other places, and seeing what children their age do....such as going sledding during recess!

SPREADING LOVE & CHEER

Students in Rm 210 participated in a Pass the Heart activity. They danced as they went around the room and wrote a compliment for a friend when the music stopped. They read their compliments at the end of the activity and took a class picture! Spreading love is fun!....They also had a 100th Day of School celebration!

MULTICULTURAL CELEBRATIONS

SOME RECENT PTA EVENTS:

Beside sponsoring Dr. Cherry-Paul's visit, the lead story in this Conti Chatter, the PS5 PTA has been busy hosting other events as well. Be it multicultural celebrations held in the the Conti School Garden, Teacher Appreciation luncheons, or family gatherings like Soft Play Day, etc. our amazing PTA works hard to bring together the school community!

THE PTA's NEXT FAMILY EVENT IS A PANCAKE BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER FOR THE 8TH-GRADE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TRIP TO PHILADELPHIA:

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UPCOMING CONTI PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN SNEAK-A-PEEK OPEN HOUSE!

Know any families who may be interested? Have them RSVP at this LINK

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Thank you!

Conti Chatter @ 2024-25 Keung Sexton, LMS/Literacy Support

Principal John J. Rivero

Assistant Principal Albert Padilla

CREATED BY

K. S.