In the culmination of a whirlwind month full of excitement, accolades and celebrations, Petway Elementary School held its Seventh Annual Achievement Night on Thursday, June 19. Over 600 people attended the event which celebrated students’ hard work, projects, and performances, and was funded by a generous PRIDE in Education Grant provided by the Vineland Education Association (VEA). The evening began with Petway’s Math 24 members, led by coaches Mrs. Marla Gruber and Mrs. Vicky Kaffenberger, demonstrating their amazing math skills with speed and accuracy. Petway’s Principal, Mrs. Jennifer Frederico, welcomed the parents, students, families, and guests, and thanked them for attending this special event. Petway’s Kindergarten students began the performances by singing, “You are My Sunshine” , and a patriotic rendition of “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” Mrs. Frederico and Mrs. Leslie Smith, Petway’s Social Worker, made a special presentation to celebrate the school’s year-long community service projects. They also honored Petway’s Community Partners: Sharon Flaim, Anthony Fanucci, John Casadia, and Dr. Paul Triviellini. Mr. Fanucci, Vineland City Council President and father of a Petway student, was given a donation of $150 raised by Petway students to restore the Kennedy Statue in Vineland’s Landis Park. Dr. Triviellini, Buena Boro Business Administrator, donated his time and expertise to educate Petway’s 4th grade students on bird habits and birding ecology. Mrs. Flaim, Assistant Director of Solid Waste Management for the City of Vineland, was recognized for her efforts in making Petway’s service learning initiative a success. Through the Clean Community Program, Mrs. Flaim donated gardening equipment, plants and mulch for Petway students to use in their work to beautify local parks and Petway’s Butterfly Garden. She also helped with the bird sign instillation at Williow Oak Persevere. Most importantly, Mrs. Flaim lent her encouragement and support to each project. Petway’s Chorus, under the direction of Mrs. Terry Bordo and Mrs. Jeanette Ganio, sang lovely versions of “Roar”, “Thank You for Being a Friend” , and “The Climb”. Gianna Dotti, Robert Burgess, and Zach Bispo, fifth grade students, sang, “Notice Me, Horton”, and “Alone in the Universe” from Petway’s spring production of “Suesscial Jr.” which was directed by Mr. Steven Calakos and Mrs. Judy Garza. Petway’s String Ensemble, directed by Mrs. Vera Bojko, delighted the crowd with their instrumental talents. The LEAP Music students performed a rendition of STOMP to “Demons” by Imagine Dragons, under the guidance of Mrs. Jeanne Andrews, Petway’s Music Teacher. The students created the choreography, percussive rhythms, props, and instruments for the performance. After exploring sounds and designing strategies, the students also made all the instruments used in the performance from recycled materials and everyday objects. Students and their families were then encouraged to roam the school’s hallways to enjoy the multitude of amazing projects and work samples created by Petway students. Those attending saw writing samples, Math, Social Studies, and Science displays, as well as books. There were also numerous research reports, timelines, and posters. After roaming the hallways, families were invited to the cafeteria to enjoy a light meal, refreshments, and to enjoy the music provided by a DJ. Since 1994, the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) has conducted the PRIDE in Education Campaign, a statewide effort to share public education success and build strong community support for our public schools. As part of this campaign, NJEA provides grants for special events, like Petway’s Achievement Night, that bring the community into our public schools to celebrate their success. Please click the following link for a gallery of submitted photos from the event: vpscomm.org/public/07-08-14_Petway/index.html
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 17:51:53 +0000