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It is with both joy and sadness that we prepare to say good-bye to Lisa Picek, our Physical Education and Health Teacher. Lisa has decided to pursue a career as a Physical Therapist. She has accepted a position as a trainer in private industry, which will be providing her with a very flexible schedule.

Lisa has brought vigor, vitality and very good teaching to our Physical Education Program, and we'll miss her greatly. She will be working full-time until November 16, and then part-time until we find her replacement or until January 1, 2008, whichever comes first.

Lisa, you will be missed by the entire community. We also wish you the best of luck in your new career.

Carol Stock

Welcome back to all families. We’d like to take this opportunity to reintroduce you all to the Friends of Elysian Charter School, a 501c3 organization, (www.friendsofelysian.org), whose mission is to assist our School Board in planning and hosting major fundraising events that will benefit Elysian Charter School in the areas of:

* Technology
* School Trips, Athletics &Cultural Events * Library Resources
* Arts and Sciences Resources

1. Annual Appeal: Our 2007 Annual Appeal will begin soon. All monies raised from this appeal will go to the Elysian Facilities and New Building Fund which is designated in part to help us fulfill our dream of having one contiguous school. The annual appeal ends on December 31, 2007, so please look for a letter to arrive in your mailbox soon.

2. Mardi Gras 2008: Save the date!
The Friends’ Annual Mardi Gras Fundraising Dinner and Auction is on Saturday, January 26, 2008 (7-11 pm) in the OLG auditorium. This adults-only event features a full buffet dinner, live entertainment and auctions. The event not only raises significant funds for Elysian, it also serves as a great way for parents to get to know one another.

Tickets ($35 each) go on sale today. To reserve your tickets contact Donna Olah-Reiken at donnaor@optonline.net. Remember to buy your tickets early; last year we SOLD OUT quickly.

We are also collecting donations for the silent and paper bag auctions. If you can donate items such as electronics, jewelry, art, vacation homes, gift certificates, house wares, etc., we can use it! Contact Deb Lewis, genstein@optonline.net. Remember the holidays are approaching and we will take your “re-gifted items” for our auction!

The Friends will host its first meeting for 2007-2008 on Wednesday, November 14 at 7:30PM at Panera Bread Company on Washington Street. All parents interested in joining the Friends and assisting with our two main events (Mardi Gras and our annual appeal) are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to Grace Leong, gleong@hunterpr.com.

Thank you for your support. We look forward to another successful year of fundraising for Elysian.

The Elysian art program meets National and State Standards with an emphasis in the following five areas throughout grades K-8; Aesthetics, Creation, Elements and Principles of the Arts, Critique, and World Cultures, History and Society.

Art class helps to promote each child’s self-esteem while developing their ability to create and respond to the meaning in visual imagery. Students work individually and in small groups on hands-on projects while using problem-solving skills. Individual expression is encouraged through a variety of media, such as: painting, drawing, ceramics, and two-and-three-dimensional design. Themes of art projects are often integrated into the students’ classroom curriculum to enhance cross-curricular learning. The artwork of various cultures is introduced throughout all grades to help promote understanding and appreciation of art around the world.

MANY creative and wonderful projects have been going on in the art room! Here is a brief description of what has been going on at each grade level.

Please Note: All grades- K-6 will begin participating in Square 1 art. This is a school wide fundraiser that also benefits the art department. This is a great opportunity to buy your child’s artwork printed on items such as; tee-shirts, mugs, magnets, etc. while supporting Elysian Charter School!

Kindergarten: Kindergarten students began the school year learning about the 3 primary colors; red, yellow and blue. They’ve been spending much time color mixing with tempera paint. They have learned how to make the 3 secondary colors; orange, purple and green. They have looked at Mondrian’s painting, “Broadway Boogie Woogie” and created their own color collages with construction paper and crayons. They have also been learning about various textures (rough, smooth, shiny, soft, etc.) and incorporating textured papers and fabrics into their artwork. The students are now working with watercolor paint and creating a fall landscape painting inspired by the read aloud, When Autumn Falls.

First Grade: First graders also created versions of “Broadway Boogie Woogie” while expanding upon the textures in their art so it became a mixed media project. They have been reviewing mixing secondary colors from primary colors. First graders have looked at paintings by Kandinsky, and have been practicing painting different shapes and a variety of lines in their paintings. They have begun to do some “leaf rubbings”. The students are using actual leaves and flat crayons to create prints of the leaves they are turning into a fall collage.

Second Grade: Second graders started out the school year by learning the difference between warm (shades of red, orange, yellow) and cool (shades of green, blue, and purple) colors. They looked at the artwork of Paul Klee and discussed the different moods warm and cool colors play in his art work. The students then created their own warm/cool color landscapes using oil pastels. This project was then expanded to tempera paint, where the students reviewed color mixing and created their own paintings in warm and cool colors. Currently, second graders are creating their own collage based on illustrations from the book, Tar Beach, by Faith Ringold.

Third Grade: Third Graders also began the school year by working with oil pastels. They viewed Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”. Students created their own version titled “My Home Under A Starry Night” using oil pastels and construction paper. The students learned how to create a foreground, middle-ground and background in their work. They continued to work with collage in their next project based on “Goldfish” by Henri Matisse. The students have enjoyed listening to music created by Art Educator Greg Percy whose songs teach about famous artists and art skills. Third Grade students will next begin African Art in preparation for Kuumba Day! During “half group art”, third graders have been reviewing color mixing and working with both tempera and watercolors. During this time they also receive more individualized help on their classroom projects.

Fourth Grade: Fourth Graders began the school year by using their observation skills and drawing still life objects. Next, they looked at the paper cut outs and paintings of artist Henri Matisse. Fourth graders then created their own vibrant collage and paintings of still life objects based on Matisse’s work, while learning about shape, color, rhythm and harmony.

In collaboration with Karen’s Spanish class, fourth graders expanded upon their Hispanic Heritage Month project; they created different Spanish speaking countries’ flags, by creating a painting of their country’s national bird or flower. Currently Fourth grade students have began their Square 1 art projects during class.

Fifth Grade: Fifth graders began the school year by looking at OP art (optical art) and creating their own Op art paintings using complementary colors and different values of paint to create optical illusions. The students extended this activity by learning how to mix twelve different shades of colors with tempera paint to create their own color wheels. Once everyone completes their color wheels, fifth graders will work in small groups and have the challenge of creating their own color wheels out of cookies and frosting. After the group successfully creates a color wheel, they will have the chance to eat their artwork! During “half group art class”, fifth graders have been creating sketches of the Hudson River Valley, which they have been studying with Emily and John. They will make Hudson River Valley landscapes using chalk pastels; in the process, they will learn about horizon lines, foreground, middle-ground, background, and shading. Fifth graders have also been looking at the artwork of other artists whose pictures depict the region throughout American history.

Sixth Grade: Sixth grade students have art class for two periods a week. All sixth graders created their own sketchbooks during art class, learning about book-binding techniques. They store these sketchbooks in the art room, and use them as real artists do, for planning projects, and to practice their drawing skills. They’ve also spent time working on drawing various proportions of the human figure. They have used wooden mannequins as still life objects, and also spent time in class drawing each other! The students then looked at the colorful paintings of LeRoy Neiman and created their own action figures in vibrant colors using watercolor paint and watercolor pencils. They have been focusing on the use of line to create motion in their artwork. Currently the students are working in small groups to create life-size black silhouettes of figures in motion. They have continued to study value, depth, and the use of lines, while learning about Chinese art and brush painting on rice paper during class.

Middle School students began their seminar by looking at the sculptural boxes of the famous artist Joseph Cornell. They created their own boxes, using personal images of people they considered to be heroes in their own lives. The students have used these boxes to create “shadow boxes” in order to create their own still life drawings focusing on the use of light, values, and shadows. The students were very excited to have the opportunity to use an airbrush to add color to their boxes.

The students have now been working on creating their own sculptures for these boxes using cardboard, wood and clay. They have learned the art principles of organic, non-organic, representational, and non-representational ideas and have been incorporating these themes into their sculptures.

Thanks goes to first grade parent, Vicky Duerdan, for volunteering her time in the Art Room.

If your child was absent on Picture Day, Deb Rosner will contact you to make arrangements.

If you would like your child’s picture taken again, you must contact Deb Rosner to make arrangements, 201 792-5288, debrosner@optonline.net to make arrangements.

In either case, please drop your child off at OLG that morning. Arrangements have been made for parent volunteers to accompany children back to their classrooms.

Next PTSO Meeting is Tuesday, November 13th at 6:30.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear ECS music, art, physical education, and Spanish teachers discuss their plans for work with our students this year.

The PTSO is looking for items to raffle off at our Kuumba Day celebration. Items that have done well in the past are: gift certificates to local stores or restaurants, items that appeal to children, handmade items or anything that you think might be a good holiday gift. If you would like to donate an item or help out at the raffle table on the day of the event please contact Alyse Battaglia at 201-216-1197 or alysebatt@aol.com.

Let Pamela Strell know where you’d like to work, e-mail preferred, 201 222-0505, pstrell@optonline.net

Parents with children entering Kindergarten next year -Applications are now available for the next school year. Elysian Families with siblings who begin Kindergarten (or other grades) next year need to complete and submit an application to Lynne Shapiro a.s.a.p.

· Photo retake day, at OLG, call Deb Rosner to make arrangements. More info in newsletter

· First Meeting of the Friends, 7:30 PM at Panera’s on Washington Street. Please come if you are interested in helping with the Annual Appeal and/or The Mardi Gras.

· 7:00 PM Hudson County Charter School Forum for the entire Charter School Community, St. Michael’s, 252 9^th Street, Jersey City, NJ

· 8:30 AM Community Meeting at Rue Building. All students should be dropped off at Rue in the AM.

This is a forum for the entire Charter School Community. Mark you calendars: November 20^th, 7PM, St. Michael’s 252 9^th Street, Jersey City.

The New Jersey Charter Schools Association hopes that at least 30 people from each school will attend, including parents, faculty and friends. Hope to see you there!

The Second grade is collecting ½ gallon containers for an upcoming project. We need lots and would love the school’s help. Thanks, Nicole

Elysian Track went well this past Sunday. 17 Elysian runners braved the cold to come away with various ribbons. Congratulations and thanks to all those who came out to cheer them on.

This coming weekend we’ll have meets on Saturday, 10 AM start time, and Sunday, 1:15 start time. Everyone is welcome to come and cheer on our team. Meets are at Lincoln Park in Jersey City.

Thanks to the class parents who made calls about Friday’s trip to Mayhem Poets. We were lucky to get last minute tickets – a school group cancelled and our 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders were able to attend this fabulous poetry performance. Our next trip is Thursday, November 15 to see Tapeire. Trip Slip attached.

Punk rock collides with centuries of Irish dance. Dancer James Devine, is in the Guiness Book of World Records’ as the “Fastest Dancer in the World,” clocks in at an astounding 38 taps per second to create a whole new kind of theatrical experience. Teaming up with a motley crew of mind-blowing musicians, Devine infuses Celtic rhythms with live fiddle and electric harp in an exhilarating hip-hop and funk jam session that celebrates the past, present and future of Irish dance…”if hip –hop did tap, this would be it. It’s pure beat box with feet.” (The Herald)

_________________________’s class to attend the 4:30 PM performance of the TAPEIRE at The New Victory Theater in New York City on Thursday, November 15. I understand that he/she will be traveling to and from New York via public transportation..