Less than 2 weeks left before the last day of school! The 2014-2015 school year ends Tuesday, June 30th.
Get ready for a great summer. We hope you’ll take advantage of our free Summer Meals program starting July 6, for Somerville
youth ages 18 and under. See What’s Happening for more information and to download a Summer Meals schedule.

News & Notes

Somerville High’s Isaiah Lombardo Honored with Frank Kelly Adversity Award
Class of 2015 Somerville High School graduate, Isaiah Lombardo, was recently honored by the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association, as a recipient of the Frank Kelly Adversity Awards. The award is given to Track and Cross Country athletes who have met adversity – either hardship, physical or mental disability, or circumstances requiring tremendous sacrifice – with courage. Frank Kelly has coached high school track for almost 60 years and dealt with his own physical disability with courage and dedication to generations of athletes.

Isaiah, who was born with Down Syndrome, was a member of the Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field teams at Somerville High School for 2 years, competing in the Dash and the Shot Put events “with enthusiasm,” according to his coach Dave Dickerson. Coach Dickerson nominated Isaiah for this award. Isaiah was an extremely dedicated member of the team, rarely missing a day of practice (except for medical appointments or event conflicts). He also established a strong connection with his teammates. According to Coach Dickerson, “he and our team have benefited from a great learning experience and some very uplifting moments.”

By the end of his senior season, Isaiah negotiated a full afternoon of practice with no special consideration other than regular coaching instruction and contact. He was a much beloved member of the SHS Class of 2015 graduating class, and will be taking Culinary Arts classes at Bunker Hill Community College next fall. Congratulations, Isaiah!

Somerville Students Take Center Stage at All-America City Competition
Somerville students took center stage at the All-America City competition in Denver last weekend, as the City of Somerville earned an All-America City award for the third time. Congratulations, Somerville! Learn more about the National Civic League’s All-America City award at http://www.nationalcivicleague.org/. Visit Somerville’s All-America City Facebook Page for a look at the weekend’s events. (https://www.facebook.com/SomervilleAACTeam)

Arbor Day Celebration and Poster Contest Winners
On Friday, June 19, at 10:00 a.m., the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation will hold an Arbor Day Celebration at the Argenziano School to present awards to the 2015 Massachusetts Arbor Day Poster Contest winners, including three students from the Somerville Public Schools. A tree will be planted at the school to honor all poster contest winners. Winners will be presented with prizes including art supplies and a T-shirt with their poster image impressed upon it. This year’s contest theme was “Trees Are Champions in My Community.” Students were asked to create a poster to depict the important role that trees play in their community.

Congratulations to the following Arbor Day Poster Contest Winners from our District:
1st place: Stephka Lubin (Argenziano) – Grade 5 – Art Teacher Diana Taremi
Honorable Mention: Joselyn Torres (Healey) – Grade 5 – Art Teacher Mikkel Della Camera
Honorable Mention: Ashley Sousa (Kennedy) – Grade 5 – Art Teacher Stephanie Stiassni

Healey Students Benefit from Off-Site Learning Opportunities
Students at the Healey are benefitting from a wide range of off-site learning opportunities, thanks in part to Friends of the Healey and the Somerville Arts Council, who help support off-site and other educational opportunities for Healey School students. Nearly 200 students participated in 3 different age-appropriate overnight educational trips at the beginning of this month.

On June 5th, third grade students attended what for many of them was their first “sleep-away” experience with the Museum of Science overnight trip. Students were entertained and educated through hands-on science activities, a Theater of Electricity Lightning! show, science demonstrations, an Omni film, and free time to explore the Museum.

Fourth graders headed off to Red Gate Farm in Buckland MA for 2-1/2 days of hard (but fun!) work. Fueled by healthy vegetarian meals, much of which was produced on the farm, the students mended fences, slopped hogs, tended the sugar maple trees, and completed many other tasks done on a farm to produce the food we all need. Although they worked hard, students also had time for outdoor games and adult-supervised exploration of the land around the farm.

The Healey middle grades took a trip to Washington DC. The trip included museum visits to the Holocaust Museum and the Air & Space Museum, stops at several national memorials (Lincoln, FDR, MLK Jr, Jefferson, Vietnam War, Arlington National Cemetery), and a visit with Congressman Mike Capuano on the steps of the Capitol Building. Teachers helped ensure that as many fun learning opportunities as possible were packed into the 3 day-2 night trip.

Mr. Collins Meets Bonnie
Matt Collins, a sixth grade teacher at the Winter Hill Community Innovation School, recently learned that he will be getting a new service dog, thanks to the generosity of the Winter Hill and Somerville community.

Nancy McWeeny, secretary at the Winter Hill School, set up a “Go Fund Me” page which raised more than $10,000 to help cover the cost of a new service dog for Mr. Collins. People from throughout the District and the community donated to the cause.

Meet Bonnie, Mr. Collins’ new service dog.

What’s Happening

Remaining 2014-2015 School-year Calendar
The end of the 2014-2015 school year is quickly approaching. The last day of school is Tuesday, June 30. Below is a list of upcoming calendar changes:
· Monday, June 22, 2015 – Full day of school for all students
· Tuesday, June 23, 2015 – Full day of school for all students
· Wednesday, June 24, 2015 – Full day of school for all students
· Thursday, June 25, 2015 – Full day of school for all students
· Friday, June 26, 2015 – School day for all students: Early Release for PreK to Grade 8 students at all schools EXCEPT Brown School; Full Day for Brown School students
· Monday, June 29, 2015 – School day for all students: Early Release for all PreK to Grade 8 students
· Tuesday, June 30, 2015 – LAST DAY OF SCHOOL; Early Release for ALL students

FREE Summer Meals Starting July 6, 2015
Somerville youth ages 18 and under can enjoy a delicious free summer breakfast and/or lunch starting July 6, 2015. Download the Summer Meals schedule here: http://bit.ly/1CdG0uz, or visit the Summer Meals Program website at http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/summer_meals.

2015-2016 School-year Calendar
It’s never too early to start planning for next year. Click here for the Somerville Public Schools 2015-2016 School Year Calendar (amended on 3/16/15).
Kennedy Pool Summer News
Join the fun at the Kennedy Pool this summer. For details on this summer’s schedule and events, visit: http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/pool.

Summer Music Camps – Somerville String Camp and Camp HONK
You still have time to enroll in two great summer music camps!
· Somerville String Camp will be held at the Kennedy School, July 13-24, from 9:00am to 12:10pm. String Camp is open to violin, viola, cello and bass players of all ages, including beginners aged 7 and older. Tuition for the 2-week camp is $110 for Somerville residents; $120 for non-residents. For enquiries, email joannesadler@rocketmail.com. Download an application at http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/music_camps.
· Camp Honk will be held at the Kennedy School, July 13-24, from 9:00am to noon. Campers will learn to have fun the street band way, be playful and spontaneous in playing their instrument, basic street band musical forms, and the history and culture of street bands around the world. Cost for 2 weeks is $160 ($80/week); family discounts and some scholarships may be available. To register, visit http://www.schoolofhonk.org/camphonk.

Upcoming School Events:
Visit your child’s school website, http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/schools, and click on the “calendar of events” link at the top of the page for a complete list of all the activities happening at school this month.
Monday, June 22: ESCS 5th Grade to Freedom Trail
Tuesday, June 23, 1:30-2:30pm: ESCS Talent Show in the ESCS Auditorium (50 Cross St.)
Wednesday, June 24, 1:30-2:30pm: ESCS 8th Grade Moving On Ceremony in the ESCS Auditorium (50 Cross St.)
Thursday, June 25, 8:30-10:00am: ESCS Kindergartners Rising Ceremony in the ESCS Auditorium (50 Cross St.)
Thursday, June 25: ESCS 7th Grade to Freedom Trail
Thursday, June 25: ESCS 8th Grade to Canobie Lake
Thursday, June 25: ESCS 1st Grade to Foss Park
Friday, June 26: Kennedy Field Day
Monday, June 29, 9:00-9:45am: ESCS Students visit next grade
Tuesday, June 30, 8:30am: ESCS 8th Grade Breakfast in the ESCS Cafeteria (50 Cross St.)
Tuesday, June 30, 9:00am: Kennedy 8th Grade Moving On Ceremony at the Kennedy School (5 Cherry St.)

Upcoming School Committee Meetings
Find the complete School Committee schedule, agendas and meeting minutes (as approved) online at http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/school_committee.
Monday, June 22, 6:00-6:50pm: Finance & Facilities Subcommittee Meeting at the SHS Library (81 Highland Ave.)
Monday, June 22, 7:00pm: School Committee Meeting at the Somerville High School Library (81 Highland Ave.)

Community News & Events
Somerville Recreation Spring & Summer Guide. Download the Somerville Recreational 2015 Spring & Summer Guide (http://www.flipgorilla.com/p/23837411469433680/show) to make plans for fun and active spring and summer seasons. For more information about Somerville Recreation, visit http://www.somervillerec.com/info.
Somerville Arts Discovery Camp. The Armory’s Arts Discovery Camp will run from August 3rd-7th from 9:00-4:00pm for children ages 5-10. Arts Discovery Camp is a sliding-scale arts education program that offers multi-disciplinary artistic workshops encouraging campers to investigate different art media through a wide variety of topics each day. To download a registration form, visit http://artsatthearmory.org/learn/summer-2015/. Email the completed form back to education@artsatthearmory.org or drop it off in person at the Armory. Questions? Contact us! Email education@artsatthearmory.org or call (617) 718-2191.

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Have something to share with the community? Send information to connections@k12.somerville.ma.us to share your event.
Include date, time and name of event, along with any additional pertinent information. Or, submit your event to http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/events.

Susana Hernandez Morgan
Director of Communications and Grants
Somerville Public Schools
42 Cross Street
Somerville, MA 02145
617.629.5221
Internal office extension: 6013
http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us
@SvilleSchools