Specialists are Professional Staff in addition to the Classroom Teachers.

 

Art Department

Welcome to a new creative art year at Lafayette.  All of our students have been busy on a variety of projects that incorporate the elements of art.  The elements of art are the “tools” used to create a successful and complete piece of visual art.  These elements include COLOR, VALUE, LINE, SHAPE, FORM, SPACE, and TEXTURE.

Older grades are focusing on VALUE and SHADING within a number of different projects.  During these lessons students learn how to create value scales; meaning shading from light to dark using a variety of art media including crayon, Cray-pas, pencil, pen, paint, and printing ink.  Within these projects students are challenged to learn to mix colors creating tints and shades of color to further enhance the details, value and quality of their art work.

Students are also moving into a variety of three-dimensional work. Projects we are working on include three-dimensional plaster birds in the grade five. Grade four will be working on Repousse, which is a relief metal tooling technique. Grade three is working on sewing and stitchery projects. Grade two is working on coil pots.

Throughout the New Year Lafayette artists will be building upon a variety of learned artistic skills and applying them to all of their art work from now until the end of the year. Look for the elements of art in your child’s work and encourage your child to talk about the processes, techniques and creativity used in their work. The pride displayed on each student’s face as they see their individual progress develop in art is priceless!!! 

 

Vocal Music Department

Music is an integral part of the school culture and life at Lafayette. All students have an opportunity to take part in grade level musical programs that allow them to experience working as a team and performing in an ensemble.  Students enjoy singing, dancing and acting for their friends and families. Good vocal technique and musicianship are stressed as part of the program.

Students also receive instruction in music fundamentals in their individual classes.  As part of the general music curriculum children learn about musical expression (tempo, dynamics etc), rhythm, form, melody, timbre, and texture/harmony.  Activities such as reading music, singing, movement, and playing classroom instruments are some of the skills reinforced in the music class.  Students explore music in a wide variety of styles and from many different time periods and cultures.

 

Phys. Ed Department

Nothing dampens our enthusiasm at Lafayette!  We have been very active each and every day. We start with our jogging program which encourages the students in a non-competitive way, to remain active for five minutes.  A certificate of achievement is issued to all students who try their best. 

We also are involved in a jump rope program.  There are two aspects of this program.  Individual jump rope consists of a student jumping solo.  The other type involves a longer rope, two turners and one jumper.  In order to succeed, turners and jumpers need to practice teamwork and cooperation.  We look to establish our personal best each and every time we jump rope, and we do this by keeping track of our own score.  The results have been very impressive at all grade levels, with students working hard to achieve their goals!

Another area of great importance in Physical Education is in gymnastics.  Students have been learning some of the fundamental movement patterns associated with gymnastics.  We progress from the basic rolls to more advanced Cartwheels.  Some students have developed routines which they present to their classmates! The hard work and dedication are quite evident when witnessing a student’s performance. 

The team sports are also very important here at Lafayette.  We have recently been working on our basketball skills.  The three main skills which we focus on are dribbling, passing, and shooting.  Our goal here is to see improvement. We also place a great emphasis on teamwork and sportsmanship.  Encouraging others to do well and being a good teammate are essentials here in Physical Education.  We want to establish a lifetime “habit” of being physically active . From what we have seen so far, we are definitely on the road to achieving and maintaining physical fitness.

 

Media Center

The Media Center is a wonderful place where inquisitive minds can come to find answers to questions and where others can let their imaginations soar in a good fantasy book.

Throughout their school career, the library/media/technology skills become the foundation for research, study and homework tasks which the students are involved in. They are life long skills

The curriculum covers authors, illustrators, book awards, fiction and non-fiction books, computer skills, safe surfing rules on the internet, reference and research skills and work cited. Throughout the school year, students enjoy holiday stories and traditions as each occurs. As participants in the Summer Reading Program, each student logs in the books they have read during summer vacation.  This activity culminates in the fall with a celebration party for the readers.

The Media Center is a truly magical place that can take you anywhere.

 

Instrumental Music

Mr.Treni

The instrumental music program at Lafayette Elementary School builds on the musical skills that students have already acquired from their vocal music classes. Fourth and fifth grade students are eligible to receive one 30-minute group lesson per week on a variety of woodwind, brass, string, and percussion instruments. Students learn sound production and instrumental technique and begin to transfer their knowledge of musical pitch and rhythm to their chosen instrument. As students’ skill-levels advance, they become eligible to participate in the school band, which meets once a week for an additional 30 minutes. The school band performs twice a year, once before the holiday break, and once at the end of the school year. In addition, the district offers the annual All-Wayne Honor Band, held in the spring, for outstanding fifth grade instrumentalists chosen to represent their schools.

 

World Language Department

Welcome!        ¡Bienvenidos!

 

The 4th and 5th grade students are instructed by a Spanish teacher using an oral proficiency program designed exclusive for this district by their World Language department.

These students review previous topics and continue their learning adding a little more.

The 4th graders are introduced to the following topics: weather, numbers (0-50), house, community, interviews, clothing articles, food and culture. The 5th graders continue their process adding adjectives, numbers (0-100), body parts, salsa, Spain, likes and dislikes and culture.  

Our Spanish students use a workbook to reinforce the concepts learned in class. Also they will be reading authentic and translated literature that will make the language come alive. 

¡Adios! 

 

Counseling News

Miss Giarrusso

Our goal as both parents and educators in the elementary school is to develop happy, well adjusted children with a love for learning.  We provide a caring and nurturing learning environment to help our children develop into enthusiastic and capable students.

Elementary counseling services are available here at Lafayette School to all students.  The counseling program here includes classroom character education lessons on topics such as responsibility, respect, violence prevention and social skills, to help students in developing the interpersonal skills needed to relate well to others.  Many children cope with other issues as well, such as being new to the school, loss of a loved one, changing family situations and divorce.  We have had and will continue to have small groups for children to help them understand their many difficult feelings and know that they are not alone.  These groups are held throughout the year during recess times. 

There are many other issues families and children face during these years.  I am available to speak with parents individually with regard to any counseling concern related to your child.  Please feel free to contact me at school 973-633-3165 ext.18.

Michele Giarrusso, M.Ed., NCC, LAC