BACK TO SCHOOL

Welcome back to all of our wonderful continuing students and a big 'Welcome' to our new students!  Please watch our website and blog for information on great events in the 2011/12 school year. 

Programs that will begin soon or have already begun:

  Mathletes
  Math Olympiads
  Mandarin Chinese
  JumpBunch
  New Vistas Sports Club
  Computer Club
  Lemonade Lane
  Chess Club
  New Vistas Theatre
  Poetry Club
  Short Story Club

SUMMER READING PROGRAM

Optional Summer Check and Chat Sessions for Returning Students

Mrs. McFadyen and all of our Reading Teachers encourage all our returning students to continue their reading during the summer.  One fun way to have your children read is to participate in the Summer Reading Program and 'Check and Chat' Sessions.

 

If your child is checking out a book for the summer, we will be offering three dates that you may sign up to have your child come in for a few minutes, if you have a need. At that time, your child may:

• Read with Mrs. McFadyen/ Mrs. Shioshita to briefly check comprehension and vocabulary.

•  Return a book, exchange a book or make adjustments.

If your child has finished the book and would like another, it will be important to bring the book and completed workbook with them.

Students in preprimers, who have finished a book, should be prepared to read all vocabulary words at the back of the book.

We hope this will provide an opportunity for parents and children to connect with school during the summer and to meet the needs of students around their summer reading. Please call the office (480.963.2313) and leave a message prior to the day to let us know you would like to stop by.  Scheduled dates and times are:  Thursday, June 16th; Tuesday, July 12th and Thursday, August 4th; from 9 am – 12 noon.

Happy Reading!!!

RELAY FOR LIFE

Last weekend thirty-eight participants from New Vistas School gathered at Basha High School's track field, pitched their tents on the infield, and began an all-night relay race to raise dollars for the American Cancer Society.  Their early goal was to raise a modest $1000.  By the day of the event, the team raised nearly six times that amount earning them a gold medal for Chandler team participants.

Team captains, both teachers at New Vistas, Dawnmarie Shipley and Stacey Trepanier, led their team to victory inspired by one of their own student's courageous testimony about her mother's bout with cancer this year.  Sixth grader, Hayley Benson, who now hopes to one day to become an oncologist, says that "If we find a cure for cancer it means celebrating more birthdays."  "Such a happy event for such a serious cause." says Trepanier, herself a cancer survivor who makes her participation an annual event.   "I was so proud to have been their teacher-sponsor team captain.  The respect, energy, responsibility, creativity, good sportsmanship, and support could not have been choreographed better."

The Relay opened with the Survivors Lap where survivors led the way around the track while being honored and applauded by all participants.  Being a part of the Survivors Lap allowed survivors to celebrate what they overcame while inspiring and motivating those in attendance to fight on for a cure.

One of the most moving parts of the Relay for Life was the Luminaria Ceremony.  Timed with the setting sun, luminaire lit; each bag bearing the name of someone who battled cancer.   Some present celebrated cancer survivors they know, while others honor loved ones who lost their battle with the disease.  All represented someone special affected by cancer and the family and friends who continue to fight back in their honor.

Team New Vistas chose a "'60's" theme with the children wearing tie-dyed shirts bearing the words:  "Love, Peace, and A Cure."   They gathered at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon and completed their laps at 6 a.m. Sunday morning.  At 4 a.m., sixth grader Aryasp Nejat said "It was hard to stay awake but we put our heads together and created themes for a lot of the laps...like the crazy hats lap, the bubble wrap lap, duct tape lap, teddy bear lap, snuggy lap.  It was really fun." 

DISNEY ... HERE WE COME!

On May 10^th, New Vistas Sixth Graders traveled to Disneyland in Anaheim, California to undergo Leadership Training with their acclaimed Youth Education Series:  The Pursuit of Excellence:  Leadership in Action.

The Disney Youth Education Series programs are accredited by Northwest Association of Accredited Schools who have established a list of core Academic National Standards for the program.  Each student was coached on the same character and leadership traits exhibited in the life of Walt Disney himself.   Disney credited these life lessons, instilled in him as a child, as the catalysts for his own success.

The students were then given a project to be completed on site utilizing concepts of teamwork, creativity, innovation, problem solving, analytics, persistence, courage, trust, and focus on the final goal.
Upon completion of the course each individual student learned to understand their own personal leadership strengths and weaknesses and how they could best apply them to a team setting.  They learned that although they come from diverse backgrounds and experiences there is power in their differences when building effective teams.  Respect was a key component in all activities.  The students learned that "goal setting" and "accomplishing goals" are vastly different and more easily achieved when ideas are brainstormed and each idea weighed carefully for efficiency, thoroughness and excellence.

Way to go!!!  We are so proud of you.

ANIMALS, FUN, CLASSMATES AND SUN

Field trips are so much fun and what better way to have fun than to go visit the Phoenix Zoo during our fabulous weather with your classmates, teachers and many dedicated moms! 

Our first grade classes did just that.  The students had an assignment coming due to write a report about an animal of their choice.  They were watchful to find their animal throughout the zoo as they completed an Amazing Animal tour and visited all the zoo exhibits. 

As you can see, the students really enjoyed themselves.

STATE SCIENCE FAIR WINNERS

We are so very proud of all the hard work our students put forth for the Arizona State Science Fair!  These hard-working students earned 23 Medals!!!

FIRST PLACE WINNERS!
Front Row: Aryasp, Anika, Sarah Jayne
Back Row:  Safiyah, Mia, Michael, Alicia

First Place Winners:  Alicia, Michael, Safiyah, Sarah Jayne, Anika, Mia and Aryasp
Second Place Winners:  Kira, Liam, Barin, Marwan and Vika
Third Place Winners:  Alexis, Nayah, Sarah, Zachary, Aditya, Hayley, Thomas and Pooja
Fourth Place Winners:  Mira, Mona and Caleb

EMILY'S STORY

Joseph Nseir, Trevor Burgoyne, and Runali Hatalkar

New Vistas 2nd & 4th Grade Students Adopt Entire US Marine Platoon in Afghanistan

Even though 2nd Lt. Emily Lyren is far away from home this year, she and her 40 man US Marine Platoon will not be forgotten.  New Vistas Center for Education 2nd and 4th grade students have adopted Emily and her entire platoon stationed in Afghanistan.  Forty-six students in all will be sending frequent care packages, letters, and gifts to ease the strain of a 6 month deployment to distant combat zones.

The New Vistas 2nd and 4th graders are students of mathematics teacher, Andrea Pearson and daughter, Mandy Pearson, a longtime friend of Emily's.  Andrea states:  "These soldiers often work 18 hour days in grueling heat at a remote combat post where personal time is in short supply.  So imagine a soldier during “mail call” hearing his or her name called out, and being able to physically hold something from “home” that instantly takes them away from the harshness of their surroundings, even if it’s only for a few minutes."  




Dhruv Khatri and Karan Bhullar

 

SCHOOL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR WINNERS


We are so happy to announce our school winners for the 2011 New Vistas Center for Education Science and Engineering Fair!

First Place: Vika Laloudakis

Second Place: Thomas Duke

Third Place: Pranav Konuru



Pranav Konuru, Thomas Duke, Mrs. Shipley and Vika Loloudakis



SCIENCE FAIR

The 4th, 5th and 6th grade students at New Vistas worked very hard on their Science Projects and that hard work was evident! 

Students, teachers, staff and parents had the opportunity to view these science display boards on Thursday, March 10th. 

Winners information will be posted in the April newsletter!

SEUSSVILLE

Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 2, 1904.   He attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and Oxford in England. 

At the time of his death on September 24, 1991, Ted had written and illustrated 44 children's books, including such all-time favorites as Green Eggs and Ham, Oh, the Places You'll Go, Fox in Socks and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. His books have been translated into more than 15 languages. 

Over 200 million copies had found their way into homes and hearts around the
world.

Many of the younger classes at New Vistas participated in Read Across America 2011 and celebrated the 'would be' 107th birthday of Dr. Seuss!

Mrs. McSweeney and Mrs. Castine dressed for the occasion.