“This year, we are going to be focusing on community,” Mr. Trust says when asked about the much-anticipated Holiday Concert.
That means song offerings relating to Christmas as well as Hanukah and Kwanza. There will even be a song from Thailand, regarding a holiday that happens there in November.
The popular show takes place at MS 51 (5th Avenue and 3rd Street) on December 20th.
In addition to singing, there will be dancing – sort of.
“I’m hoping to have a group singalong,” Mr Trust says. “And group movement too, with all the kids throughout the grades. These will be movements that we can teach to the adults.”
We’re all looking forward to the moving and shaking that will surely bring down the house when PS 39 takes over MS 51. We hope to see you there.
We’re still looking for parent volunteers for the night of the show. If you’re interested, please contact Susan Moesker at susan@caeny.org.
For current updates on the concert, and to hear mp3s and videos of the featured songs, go to www.ps39.org
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Smencilmania!
The fragrant pencils captivate the noses of PS 39ers
PS 39ers learn a variety of subjects, but perhaps nothing gets into their heads more than the smell of a fresh Smencil. There is probably no need to explain Smencils, but for new parents, here goes: Smencils are fragrant smelling pencils that are sold by the fifth-grade class in order to defray the costs of their senior activities. These include the senior trip, the senior barbeque, the yearbook, and senior dues.
The sales (and reaction) to Smencils have historically been, to say the least, nothing short of sweet. According to administrative assistant Donna Baker, who heads up the wildly successful campaign, 200 Smencils were sold as of October 11th (at a dollar a piece. Cheap!). Take that, Girl Scouts!
Donna orders them in bulk from a very happy distributor in Pennsylvania called Gifts N’ Things (contrary to the theory that they come from Willy Wonka’s factory). Donna says that this season, the scents are geared toward Halloween: Pumpkin Panic, Goblin Grape, Sublime Lime, Monster Mash (smells like a marshmallow!) and Trick or Treat (you have to smell it to believe it).
They may smell swell, but they are also green. They’re made from paper and corn-based, biodegradable plastic. Very recyclable!
Donna’s sales team consists of six salespeople from each fifth-grade class (these kids are no sales slouches – they can sell you the pants you are wearing). They visit all classes and all grades at the last period of the day, and they continue selling until they’re all gone. And they usually are.
Donna makes sure the team is trained in dealing with cash and making change, and that the final sales tally sheet balances out evenly.
Donna recalls a new fifth grader telling her that “this is the best day of my life! I remember last year’s fifth graders going around and selling. And I said, ‘Oh, I hope I can go around and do that one day. And now here I am, selling the Smencils!”
Of course, we already know that dreams really do come true at PS 39.
-- Ron Sklar, P.S. 39 Reporter-at-large
PS 39ers learn a variety of subjects, but perhaps nothing gets into their heads more than the smell of a fresh Smencil. There is probably no need to explain Smencils, but for new parents, here goes: Smencils are fragrant smelling pencils that are sold by the fifth-grade class in order to defray the costs of their senior activities. These include the senior trip, the senior barbeque, the yearbook, and senior dues.
The sales (and reaction) to Smencils have historically been, to say the least, nothing short of sweet. According to administrative assistant Donna Baker, who heads up the wildly successful campaign, 200 Smencils were sold as of October 11th (at a dollar a piece. Cheap!). Take that, Girl Scouts!
Donna orders them in bulk from a very happy distributor in Pennsylvania called Gifts N’ Things (contrary to the theory that they come from Willy Wonka’s factory). Donna says that this season, the scents are geared toward Halloween: Pumpkin Panic, Goblin Grape, Sublime Lime, Monster Mash (smells like a marshmallow!) and Trick or Treat (you have to smell it to believe it).
They may smell swell, but they are also green. They’re made from paper and corn-based, biodegradable plastic. Very recyclable!
Donna’s sales team consists of six salespeople from each fifth-grade class (these kids are no sales slouches – they can sell you the pants you are wearing). They visit all classes and all grades at the last period of the day, and they continue selling until they’re all gone. And they usually are.
Donna makes sure the team is trained in dealing with cash and making change, and that the final sales tally sheet balances out evenly.
Donna recalls a new fifth grader telling her that “this is the best day of my life! I remember last year’s fifth graders going around and selling. And I said, ‘Oh, I hope I can go around and do that one day. And now here I am, selling the Smencils!”
Of course, we already know that dreams really do come true at PS 39.
-- Ron Sklar, P.S. 39 Reporter-at-large
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)