Chinese Culture Comes Alive in Hillsborough Schools [Video]

Amsterdam, Sunnymead students add Chinese dance to language lessons.

For the last few weeks, Sunnymead and Amsterdam third-graders have been adding skills in Chinese dance to their Mandarin language lessons, working with the professional instructors at the Fort Lee-based Nai-Ni Chen Dance Co. On Wednesday, those students—as well as other classes—got a chance to step onto the stage to perform, alongside traditional performances of "The Long Sword Dance" and "The Dance of the Peacock," and more. Nai Ni Chen offered insights into the diverse, 5,000-year history of Chinese culture for the students, as well as some descriptions of the areas of the country where dances performed by the company's dancers originated.

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Students' Water Study Proves 'A Drop Saves A Lot'

Amsterdam School fourth-graders undertake examination of water conservation methods.

Amsterdam School fourth-grader students were given a task: undertake a study of the various ways of conserving water and the benefits of doing so. But the the students didn't just hit Google for their project, nor did they write a few quick papers. Instead, they completed a lengthy study of the issue in terms of the impact their classmates could make, and at Monday's Board of Education meeting revealed how the fourth-graders at the school could save a whopping 100,000 gallons of water annually. According to the students' data, a survey of water conservation methods identified two ways students could affect water useage: taking shorter showers and turning off water while brushing their teeth. They then asked their fellow students to find …

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Teacher's Creation Helps Children Make Cents

Township educator Dianne Leoni developed a hands-on tool to show kids how change adds up.

Dianne Leoni believes that “every child can learn math; they just need the right tools.” With that philosophy in mind, Leoni, a mathematics teacher and specialist at Amsterdam Elementary School now in her 26th year as a teacher, developed Coin Tiles, a hands-on tool to help children identify coins and make change. Coin Tiles uses a physical model known as a “hundred board” that allows students to build horizontally to visualize the value of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters, combinations and making change. The Hillsborough resident developed the idea about four or five years ago. While working with second graders, she observed that they were challenged by the concept of money, particularly coins. “Kids are not getting as much practice …

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Mother's Bandage Drive Eases Pain for Kids With Cancer

Derrith Spitzer collects more than 23,000 bandages, which are a 'reward' for young patients.

An Amsterdam School mother of a first-grader with Acute Lymphoblatic Leukemia successfully—and anonymously—ran a bandage drive to help her son and other children with the disease. Derrith Spitzer, whose son, Ben, attends the school, had been in charge of the Band-Aid drive, but did not want to reveal her identity throughout the process. “I wanted the initiative to focus on children helping other children in need…regardless if they knew them.” she said. Spitzer collected more than 900 boxes of Band-Aids, which totaled more than 23,000 bandages. Her son has been treated for Acute Lymphoblatic Leukemia for the past year-and-a-half at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “These two wonderful …

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Take Five

District Marks 100 Days of School

Students in Hillsborough Schools celebrated the 100th day of the 2011-2012 school year.

On February 14, Amsterdam Elementary School (AMS) students and staff celebrated the 100th day of school for the 2012-2013 school year. All grades participated in different activities to honor this special occasion. The 100th day activities helped emphasize number sense and place values which are emphasized in Hillsborough Township Public Schools and a focus of instruction outlined in the Common Core Standards. The day offered a great opportunity for students to develop understanding of whole number relationships and place value, including grouping in tens and ones. Students extended their understanding of the base-ten system. Ideas of counting by tens and hundreds were demonstrated with visuals and games. On February 14, students were …

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Laura Madsen

9:18 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012

What a very creative celebration of the 100th day of school! Love it!   more ›