MegaSkills Workshop on INITIATIVE & PERSEVERANCE November 30, 2011
A group of dedicated parents braved a stormy night on November 16 to consider ways to work with their children at home on developing the MegaSkills qualities of initiative and perseverance. This topic is of great importance to our students at Paul Cuffee because these qualities are keys for success and achievement in life. The need for significant improvement in these areas is revealed through the NECAP testing and most specifically in the science inquiry tests taken in 4th and 8th grade. Read More
Fourth Grade Empty Bowls Hunger Relief Effort Raises More Than $1,500 for RI Food Bank November 21, 2011
On November 17, Paul Cuffee's cafeteria was filled with fourth graders, their families, faculty, and friends of the school who came to support the students' studies of global hunger and their local relief efforts. Colorful handmade ceramic glazed bowls held the evening meal of delicious soup and bread. With all of the ingredients and supplies for the project donated, the students were able to contribute 100% of the event proceeds to the RI Food Bank and surpassed the first year's contribution of $1300! Read More
Paul Cuffee High School Students Build
3D Ships November 16, 2011
Mathematics is the foundation for much of marine science and engineering. In keeping with our school's maritime theme, 9th grade geometry students recently constructed three-dimensional shipbuilder's models from two-dimensional naval architect's drawings. Made of cardboard, paper and wood, the ship models represent the skeletal frame of a typical cargo ship as well as the ship's rudder and screw propeller. Read More
Coach Mike Hart Delivers from the Heart a Speech to Our Middle School Students
November 10, 2011
One of the most successful secondary coaches in New England, Mike Hart from St.
Andrew’s School, took the stage at Wednesday Morning Meeting at our Middle School.
Armed with a warm smile, infectious enthusiasm, and wise words, Coach Hart shared
with the audience his secret for success: “There’s a lot of luck involved in what I’ve
accomplished, but there’s been a lot of hard work too. Success comes when you prepare
and take advantage of opportunities as they come; preparation, hard work, and execution
lead to success.” Read More
Paul Cuffee's High School Debuts Debate Team November 6, 2011
Saturday, October 29th marked the first ever Paul Cuffee High School Debate team tournament and there was no room for disappointment! Ten members of our brand new debate team faced stiff competition from opposing Rhode Island high schools and, despite some grueling efforts from their opponents, the Paul Cuffee Debate team took home more awards than any other competing schools! Read More
Bill Harley Sings at Paul Cuffee's
Elementary
SchoolNovember 4, 2011
The Paul Cuffee Elementary School community rejoiced last month as our October 17th
Monday Morning Meeting included Bill Harley.A two-time Grammy award-winning artist, recipient of the Magic Penny Award from the Children’s Music Network,
recipient of the Rhode Island Council for Humanities Lifetime Achievement Award, and an NPR commentator, Mr. Harley delighted the crowd by singing four songs with our community, including our official Paul Cuffee song which he penned for us.
Read More
If you're unable to view the video on the left, click here.
"The Gift of Time" November 3, 2011 Read | Listen to Head of School Michael Obel-Omia's latest article featured on WPRI's segment of This I Believe aired on November 1, 2011.
Carol Montrond Book Club Holds its Initial Meeting October 23, 2011
On October 18, 13 students gathered in the library at the High School to consider Andrew Mulligan's Trash, a novel about Raphael, a dumpsite boy in a third-world country in the not too distant future. The students, who discussed the novel over pizza, cookies, and brownies with Ms. Leah Lubman, Ms. Naomi Morey, and Mr. Michael C. Obel-Omia, spoke thoughtfully about the multiple narrative style, the values that each one of us needs to exist, and the power of friendship.
Read more
Paul Cuffee School Competes in the Papa Noel Soccer Tournament October 28, 2011
On a cool Saturday morning, the Paul Cuffee School Navigators sailed into hostile waters, determined to return home with the 1st Annual Papa Noel Tournament Trophy. Held at the Meeting Street School, the tournament featured four teams, Meeting Street, Highlander, Community Prep, and Paul Cuffee School. The format ensured that each team would play two games, with the winners of the first games playing for the championship.
Read more
Middle School Students Make a “Golden” Effort to Fight Cancer
By Photojournalism Club: Fiona Carey, Dorothy Windham, Zachary Rapoza (8th grade); Emma
Sereby (7th grade); Kelly Ramos (6th grade) - October 26, 2011
During the week ending Friday, September 30, Paul Cuffee middle school students raised awareness for a great
cause: pediatric cancer research. Read more
Second Graders Learn About Our CommunityOctober 21, 2011 Paul Cuffee second graders went on their annual social studies field trip to learn about the City of Providence and the different communities in which they live,
learn, work and play. Chaperoned by 9 parents, 3 staff, and their 3 classroom teachers,
the students boarded a school bus at 9:45 a.m. with stops scheduled at 3 different
locations. Bag lunches were packed for a picnic lunch at Roger Williams Park.
The plan for the day was to visit different areas of the City so that the children could
learn about what makes a community work and how people effect change. Read more.
Paul Cuffee Students get a Tour of Downtown Providence October 13, 2011
After an intense day of NECAP testing, Miss Caldarelli and Mrs. Guzman Polanco's class spent the afternoon on Wednesday, October 5th, getting to know the history of downtown Providence. During a two-hour tour led by Ray Rickman of the RI Black Heritage Society, students visited four Rhode Island landmarks where African Americans played a major role. Students learned that before the construction of their own church, African Americans had to sit in the "crow's nest" of The First Baptist Church in America and that African Americans in RI started the first official school with the help of one of the Brown brothers. This highly informative walking tour was a great way for the fourth and fifth grade students to enrich their knowledge of African Americans in Rhode Island history.
Paul Cuffee Students Celebrate "International Walk to School Day" October 13, 2011
On Wednesday, October 5th, our elementary school students, faculty, and staff took part in International Walk to School Day. Founded in 1997 as a means of raising awareness about healthy options for children and bringing community leaders and children together,Walk to School Day continues to emphasize a need for exercise and camaraderie.
In spirit of the day, we asked parents to put down the car keys and walk or bike to school with their children. For a large number of our students walking to school isn't possible, so we decided to do an All School Walk to Davis Park. With the assistance of the Providence Police Department and other members of the community, our walk to Davis Park was a huge success!
"Middle School Students Create School Rules" by Isaiah Pinto, 7th grade student, with Ariana Wohl October 6, 2011
On September 15, each of the middle school advisories sent one or two elected delegates to participate in the annual Constitutional Convention. Delegates started the meeting off by welcoming new representatives and acknowledging two returning ones while enjoying the tastiness of pepperoni and cheese pizza. Moments later, they got right to the business of updating the Paul Cuffee Middle School Social Contract. The delegates began with 33 rules suggested by advisories and boiled them down to five. Read more
Paul Cuffee Students Win Second Place at the 2011 Street Painting Festival October 4, 2011
At this year's Rotary Street Painting Festival, held on Sunday, October 2, our middle school students took second place for their beautiful 8x8 tropical scene! All four pastel paintings that were created by our elementary, middle, and high school students were impressive, but clearly the Pura Vida and its Costa Rican influence took the hearts of many token bearing admirers that attended Sunday's fundraising event. Read more
The New Bedford Whaling Museum Dedicates a Park to Captain
Paul Cuffe by Head of School Michael Obel-Omia, September 25, 2011
On Saturday, 24 September, more than 50 persons gathered for the dedication of the Captain Paul Cuffe Park on the corner of Johnny Cake Hill & Union Street. The beautiful new park, which seeks to memorialize one of the most influential and important men in Southeast Coast history, is adjacent to the shop that Paul Cuffe operated in New Bedford.
The ceremony opened with three Nettukkusqk Women singing songs that evoked Paul Cuffe's Native- American heritage. These women gave way to James Russell, the President & CEO of the New Bedford Whaling Museum. He joyfully welcomed us and all the dignitaries from the area who attended this dedication. The Rev. Pam Cole represented Paul Cuffe's Quaker roots, as she led a moment of silence and then a prayer in honor of the Park and the dedication. James Lopes, the Vice President of the Museum spoke before giving way to Mr. Rob Pike and four Paul Cuffee School students, Sam, Samantha, Miles, and Dommel, who read from their book, which they created last spring in Mr. Pike's classroom. The book is now for sale in the New Bedford Whaling Museum store.
RIF Award will put New Books in the Hands of all Paul Cuffee StudentsSeptember 23, 2011 Reading is Fundamental (RIF), a federally funded program, has awarded Paul Cuffee School $4,158.00 to purchase high-quality new books for all our students K-10th grade. These books are intended to go home to build the students' home libraries at no cost to our families. Parents and faculty are involved with selecting the wide range of titles to be offered at the book give-aways. Book distributions are being scheduled in December, April and June with special activities and refreshments planned to make each give-away a true celebration of reading!
Parent support for book selection, distribution set up, activities and refreshments is always welcome. Please contact Ann Hampson at 453-2626 X128 or by email at ahampson@paulcuffee.org. You may also contact PCS Parent Association Co-chairs Mark Santow and Crystal Gantz via email at parents@paulcuffee.org to find out more ways you can get involved.
Eighth Grade Climbs Mt. MonadnockSeptember 13, 2011 In his final, most dramatic speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. affirmed, “I’ve been to the mountaintop.” And now, the lion’s share of our eighth graders can say the same. On a warm Friday morning, our 60+ eighth graders loaded on to two buses and traveled north to Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire, determined to reach its summit. Read more
Summer Academy for Freshman Introduce Students to CommunityAugust 30, 2011 Each summer, when students’ minds are still preoccupied with time away from school, we invite in the entire freshman class to orient them to the Paul Cuffee School. Many of our students are familiar with the School from their time in the Elementary and Middle School, but some are new to the School. All, of course, are new to our High School, which is beginning its second year this month. In an effort to share our values, our mission, our vision, and our goals, we draw in the students and their families and give them a two-day introduction to our community. Download Slideshow | Read more
Successful Welcome Back Picnic Held at CBC August 25, 2011 On a warm, inviting afternoon, a number of Paul Cuffee families convened on the shores of the Providence Harbor for a picnic. Held at the Community Boating Center, the picnic intended to welcome new families to our School and welcome back returning families. Read more
"Rounding Up the Class of 2011" by Jenny Boone Summer 2011 Before PCHS existed, at the end of 8th grade our students bade farewell to the trusted teachers
who had guided them through middle school and set out for various high schools across the
district. The first class of these former Paul Cuffee students just graduated in June. We checked
in with them at this momentous time in their lives to see what their plans are and how their
experiences at Paul Cuffee may have influenced them.Read more
PCS Receives $24,320 for Technology in Elementary School
Aug 9, 2011 The Fund for the Education of the Children of Providence awarded the Paul Cuffee School a grant for $24,320 so that we can outfit each classroom in our Elementary School with a document camera and projector. These 21st century technology tools will enable our teachers to share information in an instantaneous way: for instance, a student’s writing will be easily shared with his classmates, providing a wonderful model for the other students. Read more
Our 2010-2011 Annual Fund Results Are In! July 6, 2011
We are proud to announce that your contributions to our annual giving campaign not only increased in number this year, your gifts and the year-end matching challenge helped us to exceed our $125,000 goal by more than $14,000.00! Thank you so much for investing in the lives of the students of all ages that attend Paul Cuffee School!
2010-2011 School Year
Middle School Hosts Climate Change Awareness Fair
June 28, 2011 Earlier this month, during Wednesday Morning Meeting, Ms. Alvarez, our eighth grade science master, introduced to the community a project that had garnered a great deal of attention, energy, and time in her class these past few weeks: climate change. The purpose of the unit was to raise awareness of the problem, hopeful that awareness of the consequences of climate change would lead to each person making wiser and better decisions for our world. Her eighth grade students visited advisory groups in the 6th and 7th grades to discuss with care what they had researched and learned. Using discussing questions, video clips, and other means, the students prepared the students for the Fair, which was held in the cafeteria that morning.
Each one of the displays was comprised of a poster board that was replete with information about various aspects of how climate change affects our atmosphere, our environment, and our oceans. One of the displays, for instance, discussed the Albedo Effect, or the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it, or, in laymen terms, how does melting ice caps harm our environment and threaten our population centers? Students manned each display, armed with information and fascinating facts. Their presentations skills adeptly shared crucial truths that, we hope, altered people’s habits and help slow our changing climate.
Ice Cream Social Welcomes New Kindergarteners to Paul Cuffee School June 24, 2011 On a rainy afternoon that hinted not at summer, new families and their children gathered in the cafeteria of the Paul Cuffee Elementary School to enjoy face-painting, coloring, information, and, of course, ice cream. Donated by Three Sisters on Hope Street here in Providence, the ice cream, as well as the many fixings, was in great demand. The children and their families had an opportunity to mingle, to meet again the Academic Head of the Elementary School, Suzie Shaw, hear about summer opportunities for their children, and to enjoy one another’s company.
Michael Obel-Omia, Head of School, spoke briefly about the importance of reading every day: “The best way that you can prepare your child for his or her academic experience is to read with him or her every day for at least twenty minutes. Take the time to enjoy the summer, going to the zoo, the RISD Museum, the pool, the beach, or whatever your family traditions include, but make sure that you spend at least twenty minutes every day reading with your child.”
The Ice Cream Social was the good idea of Mark Santow and Crystal Gantz, head of our Parent Association, as well as Olinda Matos, our superb Director of Admission.
Our High School Holds Its First Annual Art Share June 21, 2011 On Monday, June 20th, Paul Cuffee parents, students, and staff gathered at our high school located on 544 Elmwood Avenue to enjoy an afternoon of entertainment. Under the guidance of our Performing Arts Teacher Mr. Epstein and our High School Art Teacher Ms. Stoos, a number of our students prepared a special presentation for our guests that included dramatic presentations of scenes from The Crucible and musical performances that even included an original piece composed by three of our students! An art gallery in the hallways displayed the best pieces of our students’ work. Delicious refreshments were prepared and served by our Cooking Club for this capstone event.
Paul Cuffee 5th Graders Visit Mystic Seaport June 6, 2011
On Tuesday, May 31st, our 5th grade students visited Mystic Seaport, CT where they were able to board ships, learn how the explorers used the night sky to help them navigate the seas, and glimpse what life looked like during the 19th century. The Paul Cuffee School would like to thank Mystic Seaport for a generous grant that allowed our students to attend the Seaport for a significantly discounted fee!
Middle School Students Share Their Work at Scholars’Night June 3, 2011 Our Barton Street location was transformed last Thursday evening from a middle school to a museum, as hundreds of exhibits, created by our middle school students, populated the space. The works of art, which included sculptures, paintings, drawings, sketches, highlighted the good work of the students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, but befitting the name of the evening, there were other works on display as well. Students presented their best (or favorite) work from humanities, science, art, and mathematics classes with great and appropriate pride. Read more
Paul Cuffee's After School Students Learn about the Importance of Recycling by Building Robots June 2, 2011 Our K-5 After School Club students are excited to be sharing their brilliant robot models! Inspired by the movie ROBOTS, this creative team-building project gave students the opportunity to learn about the importance of recycling and the process of collaboration as they had to use everyone's creative input to create their team's robot.
The images above show their completed designs which were assembled out of bits and pieces of recycling materials and most importantly with the students' personal design ideas. Many thanks to the groups that participated in this special project: Ms.Wedel’s kindergarten team, Mrs. Avila’s first grade team, Mr.Polanco’s second grade team, Mrs. Clapprood’s third grade team, Mr. Mike’s fourth grade team, and Mr.T’s fifth grade. Congratulations to all for your remarkable models!
Paul Cuffee High School Students Participate in Shakespeare in the City at Lincoln School May 26, 2011
On a night befitting a midsummer dream, six Paul Cuffee School students, under the direction of our high school Performing Arts Teacher, Mr. Tom Epstein, performed a scene from William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream as a part of the Lincoln’s School’s third annual "Shakespeare in the City".
Our six students not only flawlessly performed Act II, scene ii, the scene in which Titania, the Fairy Queen falls asleep and is placed under a love spell by her jealous husband Oberon, and Lysander and Hermia are separated by mischievous Puck, but they also attended a rehearsal the previous evening, which included theatre games led by Steve Kidd, Education Director of the GAMM Theatre. Read more
Mr. Chen Receives Commitment to Teaching Award May 25, 2011 Earlier this spring, Tom Chen, our 8th Grade Humanities Teacher received Amherst College's Class of 54 Commitment to Teaching Award for best representing a serious long-term commitment to teaching! Read more
Troop 88 Gives a Special Gift to PCS May 17, 2011
Paul Cuffee School received a beautiful note and donation from a special group of Girl Scouts (Troop 88), made up of both Paul Cuffee students and students from other schools. As a way to thank PCS for providing their meeting space, the troop decided to make a contribution from their own fundraising efforts to our School's Annual Fund. The extra good news is that their gift will be matched by an anonymous donor, doubling their gift to the School! Thank you Troop 88: Jaazyel Benzant, Lucyel Benzant, Mahogany Braxton, Tabitha Buren Vidal, Emily Alexandra Cabreja, Grace Carey, Emily Freeman, Lydia Grosswendtl, Sophia Grosswendtl, Lucy Handy, Maddie Heynen, Marta Matzko, Indira McCall, Kimberly Nieves, Dasha Ramirez, Ayanna Row, and troop leader and PCS parent, Rebekah Ham.
Paul Cuffee Students Attend Pawsox Game May 13, 2011
The longest game in baseball history was played at McCoy Stadium in 1981, and it featured several future major league all-stars and two hall of fame players, Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken of Baltimore Oriole fame. On May 12, Paul Cuffee School students entered the fabled ballpark to watch the home town team battle with the Gwinnett Braves, the Triple A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Due to the generosity of the Pawtucket Sox, we were given free tickets to the game. We arrived shortly before the noon start, settled in, and watched the Sox break out on top early with two runs in the bottom of the second. Alas, those would be the only runs the home team would score. Even though this game lasted 15 innings with the Braves tacking on two runs in the top of the 15th, we were long gone by then!
It was a fun day enjoyed by all, and we are grateful to the PawSox organization for inviting us and playing such good hosts.
Paul Cuffee Students Participate in their First Science Olympiad
May 13, 2011
Last month, our middle school students took part in the state-wide
Science Olympiad program held at Rhode Island College. They had a
great experience and learned a lot, both at the event and in the
weeks (and months!) of preparation leading up to it. Many thanks to
Lance Comeau, our 7th Grade Science Teacher and team captain;
volunteers Allyn Copp and Stan Cobb who would come in weekly on
Wednesdays after school and on Fridays during club time to help
mentor our students; and the three talented Brown undergrads from
the New Scientist Program who took part in helping our
students as well. We would also like to thank Cuffee parent Anne
Windham for making it all possible! We look forward to preparing our
students for next year's Olympiad!
Keith Stokes Honors Posy Wiggins April 29, 2011 “The
only truly dead are those who have been forgotten,” or so believes
Keith W. Stokes, the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Economic
Development Corporation, who is also a serious historian. Ending his
speech with that famous Jewish proverb, Keith Stokes sought to
breathe life into the many young boys and girls from Africa who
served as artisans, domestics, masons, stonecutters, and smiths in
18th and 19th century Rhode Island. “As my grandmother used to say,
slavery is how we got to America, but it does not define us as a
people.”
Mr. Stokes, who lectured for more than forty minutes on
this topic, animatedly articulated how African teens, who arrived in
Rhode Island as forced immigrants, contributed deeply, widely, and
magnificently to America’s history, culture, and economic
development. Read more
5th Grade Students Complete Their Annual Boat Designs
April 29, 2011
On Friday, April 15th, Paul Cuffee School 5th graders held their
annual grade boat design presentations. From January-April, students
performed experiments to learn about buoyancy, stability, and speed;
read about all things maritime; designed, measured, and built
cardboard boats; and prepared visual and oral presentations to
demonstrate their knowledge. Read more
Paul Cuffee School Vacation Book Giveaways April 27,
2011 On April 13th, just in
time for vacation, our Paul Cuffee elementary students came with
their families to a free book distribution sponsored by the Paul
Cuffee School Title I Program (a federally subsidized supplemental
literacy program) and by the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) grant. Read more
Middle
School Teacher Earns Competitive NEH Grant to Study Rhode Island’s
Role in Slavery April 25,
2011 Middle School Humanities Teacher, Josie Batista, was recently awarded
a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Institute Grant which
will enable her to study for two weeks this summer. Read more
"We'll
Build a School": Fourth Grade Students Perform Annual Tribute to
School Namesake
April 11,
2011 On Friday, 1 April, our fourth grade students performed the musical, We'll Build a School. Written by Grammy-Award Winning artist,
Bill Harley, the musical seeks to tell the story of Paul Cuffee’s
creating a school for his own children, for no tutor would take his
seven children.
As Founding Board Chair David Burnham notes, “Having had to teach
himself to read and write, he built a school and supported a teacher
on his farm in Westport, welcoming white children as well as his
own. Perhaps the first integrated school in America was opened by a
man of color.” The musical weaves facts about Paul Cuffee’s life
with music that both instructs and inspires! Read more
Our Very Own Coach Mussington is Featured in the Spring 2011 edition
of URI's Alumni Magazine: QUADANGLES! Read Article
The Inaugural David L. Bourns Dialogues: How European Jews Survived
WWII by Becoming Dairy Farmers in the Dominican Republic
March 28, 2011
On March
21st more than 150 guests and friends of Paul Cuffee School came to
hear an unbelievable, but true story. Presented by author Allen
Wells, a distinguished Professor of Latin American History at Bowdoin College, the audience learned about the survival of 757 Jews
who escaped one dictator (Hitler) by accepting the seemingly benign
invitation of the Dominican Republic’s former President, Rafael
Trujillo.
Read more
Paul Cuffee Elementary and Middle
School Students Raise Awareness and Funds for Healthy Hearts
March 23, 2011 During the month of February, the American Heart Month, both our
elementary and our middle school students participated in an annual
fundraising campaign which raised over $5,000.00 for the
American Heart Association!
Read more
High School Students Continue Monthly Carol Montrond Book ClubMarch 22, 2011 Fully one month after its first one, the Paul Cuffee High
School hosted its second Carol Montrond Book Club group discussion in the library.
Read more
Let Them Eat Pi: 7th Graders Celebrate (and Eat) Pi
March 22, 2011 For the past four
years, we at the Middle School have been celebrating (Pi) Day in 7th
grade, and our festivities and celebrations have lasted a week. Pi
day, typically celebrated on March 14th or 3.14, is an infinite
number defining the ratio between the circumference and the diameter
of a circle.
Read more
Governor Lincoln Chafee and
Commissioner Deborah Gist Visit Paul Cuffee School March 10, 2011 Arriving among
a number of press members, Governor Lincoln Chafee and Education Commissioner
Deborah Gist visited our High School building on Elmwood Avenue.
Massachusetts
State Senator, Brian A. Joyce, Speaks to Middle and Elementary
Schools
March 10, 2011
Deputizing
the students to whom he spoke as senators, Senator Brian A Joyce
gave a civics
lesson to the students of Paul Cuffee School.
Read more
Paul Cuffee School Holds Its Annual
Lottery March 9, 2011
On March 1st, Paul Cuffee School conducted its annual lottery for
interested families and their children. We hold a public lottery so
that families and students can see and experience the fairness of
the process, but as the accompanying video shows, it can be a hard
process. With more than 900 applications for fewer than 100
openings, the lottery gives hope to a few and disappoints many.
Our hope is that all children will find a school where they will be
challenged and nurtured, pushed and supported, so that they can
realize their potential and live their dreams.
View video
Commissioner Deborah A. Gist Visits the Paul Cuffee School
by Head of School, Michael Obel-Omia
On this past Wednesday, 2 March, Commissioner Gist arrived promptly
at one o'clock for her scheduled visit. As a part of her determination to see
schools in action and to assist them as they seek to improve the
lives of students, Commissioner Gist will have visited every school
in the state of Rhode Island at least twice before her two year
anniversary.
Read more
Seventh
Graders Bring the Harlem Renaissance Alive
March
7, 2011 February 10th
marked the fifth annual Harlem Renaissance Salon Presentations by
our seventh grade students. Through creative oral presentations, our
students brought famous African-American musicians, intellectuals,
poets, and artists alive at a “salon,” or a social gathering where
artists and writers share ideas.
Read more|
View Pictures
Test Results are In
by Michael Obel-Omia, March 4, 2011 With tremendous delight and pride,
I share Paul Cuffee School's standardized test results. As you can
see, we continue to outperform our sending district, Providence and
compete favorably with the State of Rhode Island, which has also
enjoyed some progress, besting Vermont and New Hampshire for the
first time in the NECAP test's history. We are obviously proud of
our school, but expect to continue to work to provide a superb
education for the youth of Providence.View Results
Our Annual Dance Brings Families Together
February 18, 2011
Our annual Family Dinner Dance was held on
February 11th which hosted over 200 guests! Families came together
to enjoy a delicious dinner and then danced the night away to their
favorite songs played by DJ Luv'Lee. The night ended with Raffle
prize giveaways donated by parents, staff, and local businesses.
Many thanks to the staff and volunteers who helped make this event an enjoyable evening for all. Special thanks to Dana Billington for photographing the event and Leanne Robinson for
deejaying the event.View Gallery
"New Developmental Changes Prompt Changes in Routine" by Emily Hoyler
February 17, 2011 Click the above link to read an
article
written by our middle school teacher Emily Hoyler about ways she
used the Developmental Design approach with her
6th graders last year.
"This I Believe" essay by Michael Obel-Omia
February 17, 2011 Click to hear
our Head of School, Michael Obel-Omia, share an essay on WRNI about how
we can be inspired by unlikely sources.
Swimming
with Sharks
February 4, 2011 Our 7th grade students are
learning how body form affects velocity and maneuverability.
Graduate students from the University of Rhode Island’s Marine
Biology Program help guide Cuffee students in this physics unit,
which introduces the concepts of drag (friction) velocity and
momentum in a streamlined body shape (spiny dogfish) and a flattened
shape (skate).
Read more
Participating
with Media and
Visual Culture
January 21, 2011 Inspired by
the work of contemporary artist Nancy Chunn, our ninth grade
students were challenged to "talk back" to the media.
Read more
Brown Bears Roar on Campus
January 21, 2011 On Wednesday,
during Community Meeting, members of Brown University’s men’s
basketball team and their head coach, Jesse Agel, visited Paul
Cuffee middle school.
Read more
1st Trimester Head of School Scholars
January 10, 2010 At the
conclusion of the first trimester, a number of our students were
recognized for having distinguished themselves as scholars and as
citizens. These young men and women have contributed significantly
to
both the academic and the social culture of the School. As a reward
for their good work, they have been designated Head of School
Scholars.
Read more
Our
Middle School Students Deliver Hope
January 10, 2011 “We won’t just be giving people food, we will be giving them hope,”
said one sixth-grade student. It was at that moment, the food drive
organized by Mr. Charlesworth’s sixth grade advisory was christened
the “Holiday Hope Drive.” The group felt compelled to do
something to help local folks in need during the holidays. And after
three weeks of food collections, on a snowy day in late December,
four Paul Cuffee middle school students counted, packed and lugged
nearly 800 pounds of goods to the Rhode Island Food Bank.
Read more
Service Learning Leads to Action
January 6, 2011 Service learning occupied thirteen 3rd grade students participating
in Ms. Clapprood's after school group during the month of December.
Read more
Paul Cuffee Students Compete and Succeed
December 7, 2010
This past Saturday, Yenelsy Cepeda, Jadia Clay, Max Valerio, and Rhessa
Langstaff
represented Paul Cuffee School at the Connecticut State Sport
Stacking Championships in Baltic, CT. They competed against children
from other states and didn't shy away from the pressure. All four
students won either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place, and three out of the
four were able to set new Rhode Island state records for their
individual divisions!
Division 9
Rhessa Langstaff: RI State Record for the Cycle Stack (2nd Place)
Division 10 Yenelsy Cepada: RI State Record for the 3-3-3 (2nd Place)
Division 10 Max Valerio: RI State Record for the 3-6-3 (3rd Place)
Aspiring chefs from Art Teacher Kelly Stoos'
Cooking Club get up early to prepare breakfast for the entire high
school
November 24, 2010
Our Middle School Goes Pink!
November 24, 2010 On November 17th, the PCS middle school was awash in pink. Students
wore pink shirts and pants and many had pink bracelets. It was PCS's
first Pink Day, a day to build awareness about breast cancer and to
raise money for breast cancer research.
Read more
8th Graders Visit the NYC Museum of Jewish Heritage
November 23, 2010
In late October,
8th grade teachers Mr. Tom Chen, Ms. Alvarez, and Mr. Hall along
with four other chaperones traveled to Battery Park, New York City
to the annual visit of the NYC Museum of Jewish Heritage. Every
year, Mr. Chen's 8th grade Humanities class learns about the
Essential Question, "How do individuals' decisions affect their
lives, their communities, and their world?" Given this goal,
students learn about important figures, famous and infamous, and the
context of anti-Semitism and post-WWI Germany.
Read more
Our 4th Graders Raise Funds for our
Community in Need
November 22, 2010
. The fourth grade Empty Bowls hunger relief project was a
tremendous success! On November 18th, more than 100 faculty, staff,
students, and families of Cuffee fourth graders purchased colorful
hand crafted ceramic bowls, all of which were made and donated by
artisans from within the elementary school community and Dew Claw
Studios in Pawtucket.
Thanks to the generosity of Whole Foods and United Natural
Foods, guests and students enjoyed a meal of delicious soup and
bread to celebrate the project completion. After the meal, students
and fourth grade teacher Miss Barr illustrated the multiple benefits
of service learning and communicated the need to relieve hunger
right here in Rhode Island. More than $1,000 was raised for the RI
Food Bank in time for the Thanksgiving holiday!View pictures
Paul Cuffee Students Celebrate
Bill Harley
November 18, 2010
.
“This is the
best way to start our mornings,” said our Title 1 Coordinator, as we
burst into song with Bill Harley on Monday morning. We were blessed to
have another morning with Bill Harley, and we took the opportunity
not only to sing three great songs with him, but also to honor him
and say thank you.
Last month at the Rhode Island Council for the
Humanities awards banquet, our own Bill Harley was bestowed the
lifetime achievement award for his contributions to the arts and to
the lives of children. Having Mr. Harley at the elementary school
about once a month is a treasure. As Suzie Shaw, our Elementary
School Principal, noted, “We are so
lucky have to him. The work he’s doing this morning teaching our third
graders about story-telling is marvelous.”
Read more
One Teacher's Response to "Waiting for Superman" (the movie)
November 10, 2010 After seeing
the premiere of Waiting for
Superman, fifth grade teacher, Kate Conley,
shared her response to the movie with her students the next morning. She agreed to let us publish her
words which we hope will inspire you to support public education for
all children so that we all can actualize our highest potential. Read Mrs. Conley's
response
Under the Ice in Antarctica
November 10, 2010
Julie Barber,
a URI grad, is keeping in touch with our 7th grade scientists and
their teacher Lance Comeau, as she works for three months on a
research project in Antarctica. Before she left for Antarctica,
Julie she set up contacts with several schools, including Paul
Cuffee School, so that students can follow her adventures diving
under the ice of McMurdo sound.
Successful Season for the Navigators!
November 3, 2010
The World Cup may have crowned Spain as its champions, but if Paul
Cuffee School had entered the quadrennial event, we might have had
something to say about the outcome. Under the direction of Coach
Christopher Love, the Navigators circumnavigated their league,
winning seven games and losing only two. The highlight of the season
may have been their participation in the West Bay Christian Academy
Tournament, in which they finished an impressive second considering
their eighth graders were absent due to standardized testing. In
all, the season was an unqualified success.
Read more
| View Pictures
Paul Cuffee Celebrates its High
School Opening
October 21, 2010
.
. On October 7th, more than 100 friends of Paul Cuffee School helped
us to celebrate the new high school program at 544 Elmwood Ave. With
Board President, Joop Nagtegaal serving as Emcee, the audience was
witness to impressive student performances and heartfelt speeches
from former and present school leaders Mr. Bourns and Mr. Burnham.
Mr. Obel-Omia, our head of school, humbly credited those who
built and supported this successful school and spoke eloquently
about his vision for our future.
His remarks, which reference Walt
Whitman, Camelot, Matthew, The Crucible and Death of a Salesman, are
available for those of you who missed the celebration and for
those of you who would like to revisit and share his words not only
for inspiration, but to help us continue the momentum.
Our high
school currently serves 60 ninth grade freshmen and will add one
grade each year until 2014 when our first class of seniors will
graduate!
Paul Cuffee Middle School Students Participate in Their First Ever
Soccer Tournament
October 21, 2010
Come out and support our soccer team, coached by the dedicated Mr.
Love, this Saturday at West Bay Christian Academy. The tournament
will begin at 8:00am and continue throughout the day. Admission is
free. West Bay Christian Academy is located at 475 School Street,
North Kingstown, RI 02852 Get
directions
Captain Nutrition Fights Obesity and Junk Food at Paul Cuffee School
October 19, 2010
.
. On Friday afternoons, sumptuous smells waft through the elementary
building. One might think that the vents are open and Dunkin Donuts
must be the culprit, but a quick walk to the cafeteria solves all
mysteries: it is the culinary club preparing another delicious meal.
For the past few years, students from Johnson and Wales legendary
cooking school volunteer their time to work with our students on cooking meals and eating healthily.
Under the direction of Michael Makuch, a wonderful chef at Johnson
and Wales University who created the program, our students have a
chance to make a variety of delicious, healthy meals. On a recent
Friday afternoon, our students rolled tortellini from scratch, made
marinara sauce and pasta, and prepared an exotic stew with apples,
butternut squash, and quinoa. The purpose of the program is to teach
cooking skills, show our students how to pick and use fresh, locally
grown ingredients, prepare food properly and sanitarily, help them
learn healthy eating habits, and choose appropriate proportions.
Best of all, the children consume what they make.
One of the great benefits of this program and many of the After
School Programs is that the dozen or so college students who lead
the program are serving as great role models and mentors for our
students. This program, named Captain Nutrition, is one of many
programs that our students experience because of the wonderful
partnerships that we have forged with many community-based
organizations. We are fortunate that so many community members are
eager to share their time and their talents with our students. This
one, of course, is particularly delectable!
Middle School Students Dig in to Archaeology
October 8, 2010
.
. While many students have heard of Indiana Jones, few have had the
opportunity to interact with a true professional archaeologist—until
recently. On Friday, October 8, the Middle School received a special
lunchtime visit from Dr. Allison Davis, Postdoctoral Fellow at the
Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World at Brown
University. The visit was inspired by seventh-grade reading and
inquiry activities related to the process of investigating and
understanding early societies based on artifacts and changes in the
natural environment.
“Archaeology is the perfect model of interdisciplinary learning,”
said Humanities teacher Ariana Wohl. “It is based on questions and
combines natural sciences and mathematical thinking with the study
of cultures and history.”
During the impressive slide presentation and open conversation with
Dr. Davis, students learned about her research on the pre-Inka
people in Cusco, Peru, and also about aspects of contemporary
Peruvian life. They asked questions related to her scientific
process, the ethics of handling human burials, and how various
artifacts were utilized, among other topics.
When asked about the presentation, seventh grader Zachary Rapoza
exclaimed, “I loved it! I learned so much.”
Spaghetti Dinner Draws 200 Friends to Elementary School
October 2, 2010
On a rainy, autumnal Friday evening, more than 200 community members
of the Paul Cuffee School squeezed into our elementary school
gymnasium to enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner. Prepared and served
by Johnson & Wales legendary culinary students, the third annual
event featured delicately prepared meatballs, sumptuous pasta, and a
boatload of raffle prizes, kindly donated by many teachers, local
businesses, and family members. More than half the guests left with
some kind of raffle prize, many with the lovely center pieces, which
were created by fifth grade parent, Lisa Gonzalez.
The brainchild of After School Director Tina McDonough, Spaghetti
Dinner Night seeks to unite families with one another and with our
teachers. “The evening fosters an environment conducive for
community building and family networking,” says Ms. McDonough. She
believes that once we break bread with one another, we can
communicate more easily. This event allows families to connect with
teachers and to discuss their children’s strengths and challenges in
a friendly, fun, non-threatening atmosphere. It falls on the heels
of the summer picnic, which was generously hosted by Community
Boating. Both events help families to feel comfortable with the
School and the teachers, celebrate the start of the new School year,
and anticipate the hard, but important work ahead. Both events
easily and
deliciously succeed in their mission and vision. View Pictures
Providence College Basketball Players Visit Elementary School
October 7, 2010
.
. Chris Carter ’11, a 6’4” senior guard from Worcester, Massachusetts,
and Vincent Council ’13, a 6’2” sophomore guard from Brooklyn, New
York scraped the ceiling of our elementary school this morning. They
came to talk to our students about the joys and challenges
associated with being a student athlete at an elite school. Both
young men spoke encouragingly and thoughtfully about their
experience at Providence College, and the Paul Cuffee students sat
rapt at their feet, eager to listen, ask questions, and learn how
they can aspire to such heights. Their main message was that in
order to be a successful student-athlete, a young man or woman has
to be prepared to work exceptionally hard; there are no short cuts
to success.
Chris and Vincent, dressed in their game sweats, alternately spoke
and answered questions from the eager students. They also gave away
jerseys and mini basketballs to our students. Perhaps the biggest
and greatest present was an invitation to see the Friars at the
Dunkin Center, which our students will do this winter! The young
men, who came to us with Kevin Connolly, the assistant director of
the athletic department, posed for pictures before they returned to
classes at Providence College.
Our own Coach Marlon Mussington enabled these young men to come to
us. He connected with the college and facilitated their coming. For
that we are grateful to our own great physical education coach.
Paul Cuffee Students Visit the U. S. Navy's Surface Warfare Officers
School in Newport
October 6, 2010
.
.
On October 6, a group of our high school students headed to Newport,
RI to visit the U. S. Navy's Surface Warfare Officers School. While
visiting, our students had the opportunity to try out the computer
simulation ship handling trainers used by the Navy to train its
officers on how to maneuver ships at sea. Our students truly enjoyed
this experience! We are very grateful to the naval officers who
hosted us.
Paul Cuffee students Participate in the 11th Annual Providence
Street Painting Festival
October 2, 2010
.
. On October 2, art teachers
Michelle Carden, Frank Piccirillo, and Kelly Stoos were able to
spotlight the creative talents of several Paul Cuffee elementary,
middle, and high school students at the 2010Providence
Rotary Street Painting Festival. We want to congratulate our
students for winning 3rd place at this year's event!
Many thanks to our staff, parents, and our generous community
sponsors - David C. Burnham, Residential Properties-Cumberland
Office, and Cade Tompkins Editions - for making this experience
possible for our students.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Visits Paul Cuffee High School
September 13, 2010
.
On a cool, rainy autumnal afternoon, The Honorable Sheldon
Whitehouse arrived at the new Paul Cuffee High School site on
Elmwood Avenue to see the good work occurring within. The former
Feinstein High School building has been transformed over the summer
and now serves as an inspiring space for our ninth grade students
and faculty. The Senator visited classrooms, spending a good amount
of time watching the students in Ms. Stoos’ art room and the budding
thespians in Mr. Epstein’s performing arts class.
After seeing several “tableaus” performed by the energetic students,
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse sat with Joop Nagtegaal, Board Chair,
Allyn Copp, Board Member, Becky Coustan, High School Principal,
Julia Karahalis, Director of Development, Michael Obel-Omia, Head of
School, and Rele Abiade, an aid from the Senator’s Providence
Office. The lively conversation touched on many topics, including
the process that led to the opening of the High School and Paul
Cuffee’s determination to connect with its roots and honor its
mission: to avail our students of opportunities to excel in the
sciences and to contribute widely and deeply to our Providence
community.
“I was grateful to have an hour of the senator’s time, which enabled
us to share our obvious pride in what we do here and to thank the
senator for his attention to and care for educational issues,” said
Head of School Michael C. Obel-Omia. “Our time with Senator Sheldon
Whitehouse only affirmed our knowledge that he is deeply interested
in and committed to Rhode Island children having the best
educational opportunities possible. We always appreciate his taking
the time to visit and to see firsthand exactly what we accomplish
here daily.”
Bill
Harley Returns to the Elementary School
September 13, 2010 The Paul Cuffee Elementary School community enjoyed a treat
at its morning meeting: Bill Harley, a two-time Grammy award-winning
artist, recipient of the Magic Penny Award from the Children’s Music
Network and an NPR commentator, sang three songs with our community,
including our official Paul Cuffee song, which he penned for us.
After a few announcements and acknowledgements, we happily turned
the stage over to Mr. Harley, a frequent and beloved guest. He
opened by singing “I Care,” before encouraging the students to “Walk
in [Someone else’s] Shoes,” and finishing with the Paul Cuffee
School song. All the students, grades K-5, as well as the faculty
and staff members sang happily, as they welcomed among them an old
friend. The kindergartners, new to Mr. Harley, quickly picked up the
songs and sang along.
As noted on his website, “Bill’s songs and stories paint a vibrant
and hilarious picture of growing up, schooling and family life.” In
a few minutes he set the right tone for a productive, happy week
here at the Elementary School. We were glad to see him and eagerly
await his next visit.
Help us raise the funds for Bill Harley's residency this year and
every year by making a contribution to the Paul Cuffee School annual
giving campaign, or to the Paul Cuffee School artist in residence
program. Music, singing, storytelling, performance arts, and knowing
what it means and feels like to be a good audience and part of a
community that sings together are integrals part of our curriculum,
requiring external sources of support from people like you, who
share our commitment to high quality education for all of our
children.
Please make a generous donation today so that we can keep our
students singing with Bill Harley! Mail your check to Paul Cuffee
School, Advancement Office, 459 Promenade Street, Providence, RI
02908 or donate today online using master card or visa. Every gift,
no matter what the size, makes a difference! Thank you!
Eighth Grade Climbs Mt. Monadnock
September 3, 2010
. On September 3rd, our eighth grade students boarded a bus and headed
for southern New Hampshire
to climb Mt. Monadnock.
Read more about their experience
Troops to Teachers Educator, Tom Beall, Awarded Bonus at Paul Cuffee
High School
August 31, 2010On the eve of opening the new Paul Cuffee High School in Providence,
Captain Tom Beall, our ninth grade mathematics teacher and retired
U.S. Naval Captain, was awarded a $10,000 bonus from the Troops to
Teachers program in partnership with SchoolSpring.See pictures|Read More
Cuffee Awarded $10,000 to Support our Science Program
August 2010
Cuffee was one of three Providence schools selected to receive a
grant from The Fund for the Education of the Children of Providence
at Brown University. The School was awarded $10,000 to support
student achievement in the sciences.
“This is a momentous day for Paul Cuffee School,” says Head of
School, Michael C. Obel-Omia. He continues, “This gift will allow
our school librarian and classroom teachers to reinforce the
environmental and marine sciences curriculum with the non-fiction
books resources their students most need. It reminds us of the
responsibility that we have to provide our students with the best
education possible, and strengthens the connection that we have with
our many community partners. We appreciate the good efforts of the FECP Committee, particularly Mr. Joukowsky, its chair, but, Ms.
Madden our librarian, our science teachers, and our Development
Office should also be commended for their carefully prepared
application, which successfully secured $10,000 for our students and
our teachers.”
By November, many of the shelves of the library will be bursting
with these new acquisitions. Be sure to come by and to see them.
Change a Students’ Life with a Donation to the Library
July 2010 Your one-time contribution or monthly gift of $25 or more to the
Paul Cuffee Library, or to one of the named collections, can make an
enormous difference in the education of just one child, or to 546
Providence students in grades K-9!
Click here to learn about our named collections.
You Can Make a Difference at PCS
July 2010 There are many ways you can get
involved with the School this year.
Click here to learn
more.
Paul Cuffee Students Participate in their First Science Olympiad 
Paul Cuffee High School Students Build 
Coach Mike Hart Delivers from the Heart a Speech to Our Middle School Students
Paul Cuffee
Carol Montrond Book Club Holds its Initial Meeting
Middle School Students Make a “Golden” Effort to Fight Cancer
Second Graders Learn About Our Community
The Legacy of Carol Montrond Expands
RIF Award will put New Books in the Hands of all Paul Cuffee Students
PCS Receives $24,320 for Technology in Elementary School
We are proud to announce that your contributions to our annual giving campaign not only increased in number this year, 
Middle School Students Share Their Work at Scholars’
Mr. Chen Receives Commitment to Teaching Award 
Middle
School Teacher Earns Competitive NEH Grant to Study Rhode Island’s
Role in Slaver
Seventh
Graders Bring the Harlem Renaissance Alive 
