Congratulations to this year’s sixth grade class at Birch School. Best of luck in middle school!

During the months of April and May, kindergarten students at Birch School learned how to write opinions about their favorite books, characters and authors. The results of their efforts were revealed at the annual Kvintessandro Awards, hosted by teachers Denise Kvint and Traci D’Alessandro.

The event, held on June 13, combined the spirit of the Caldecott Medal (held every year to recognize the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children) with the style and fanfare of the Oscars. Students were joined by their families and school administrators, who gathered in the school’s mini-gym to walk the red carpet, stop for pictures on the step and ultimately unseal envelopes to announce the winning books. Each kindergartener received a golden trophy for all of their hard work!

Second-grade students in Kimberly DePalma and Elizabeth Doheny’s classes at Birch School recently shared the beautiful writing pieces they have created this year during a special Writer’s Celebration. Students explained what they learned in each of the writing units and how they used these writing tools to create unique writing pieces. They invited special guests to sit in on their presentations and read their writing pieces. These authors made Birch School very proud!

At their June meeting, the Merrick Board of Education honored one student from each of the district’s three elementary schools with the Board of Education Citizenship Award.

With input from the principal, faculty and staff of each school, this award recognizes students who demonstrate exemplary leadership characteristics, good judgement and an overall appreciation and respect for others, as well as themselves.

The Merrick Board and administration congratulate Elena Hyzak (Birch School), Leah Pollack (Levy Lakeside School) and Katherine Salvatore (Chatterton School), each of whom embody pride in school, self and community.  Pictured are Board of Education members congratulating Leah and Katherine. Missing from the photo is Elena.

The Merrick UFSD has been utilizing eSpark in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms to deliver targeted literacy instruction to small groups of students. During the spring of 2019, Merrick  fourth- and fifth-grade students were also given the opportunity to pilot eSpark’s new web-based personal learning platform in both literacy and mathematics. 

Merrick was one of only six districts nationwide that piloted the new program. On Wednesday, June 5, Linda Ronayne's fifth-grade class at Birch School provided representatives from eSpark feedback on improving the web-based platform for students nationwide. Merrick students, overall, played an instrumental role in providing feedback on the newest version of eSpark. Students shared comments on instructional content, usability, and student engagement. These ideas and feedback will directly impact the product for thousands of students across the country. 

In an effort to complement and enhance the Social Studies curriculum, Birch School’s third graders were provided with an opportunity to participate in a dance residence program with The Vanaver Caravan. Each class focused on learning a dance from a particular country's culture. Parents and students who attended the performance enjoyed every aspect of the show.

New York Times best-selling author Chris Grabenstein, who is heralded for penning the “Haunted Mystery,” “Lemoncello” and “Wonderland” series of children’s books, recently stopped by Birch School to share his love of writing with students. Grabenstein spoke with fifth and sixth graders about his journey to becoming a best-selling author, his writing process and the fortitude that we all can channel to overcome rejection and persevere through challenges while pursuing our dreams. He also took time to sign books for students. Grabenstein has also co-authored bestsellers “I Funny” and the “Treasure Hunter” series with James Patterson.

Students from Birch, Chatterton, and Lakeside schools recently participated in the annual Kiwanis Club Scrabble Tournament, which brings students from across the Merrick School District together to engage in friendly competition.  Fifth and sixth grade teams played several rounds of Scrabble throughout the daylong tournament held at the Merrick Public Library.  The Merrick Kiwanis Club generously hosts this event, treating participants to snacks, lunch, certificates, t-shirts, and trophies!