The Hummingbird Post
Welcome to Our First Edition! Look up ⬆️ for our sections: Around School 4, History, Laughs, People, Recipes, Special Events, and Sports.
Volume 1 Edition 1
November 2021
Why the Name "The Hummingbird Post"
The hummingbirds that you see on the concrete outside around our school are also called Rosies. The idea of hummingbirds came about to honor Rosie Mastrandrea. Hummingbirds flutter from flower to flower and help pollinate. We think of Mrs. Mastrandrea as someone who went from person to person, spreading kindness and love. Mrs. Mastandrea was a secretary in our School #4 office. She made sure that student records were kept up-to-date and worked directly with students, our principal, teachers, and other staff. Mrs. Mastrandrea was always kind and sweet to students, parents, and staff. She loved to leave notes to remind people about things. She even wrote little notes to herself. Many of the notes Mrs. Mastrandrea left for people were written on post-its. She retired from School #4 in 2016. Mrs. Mastrandrea passed away in June 2020 due to COVID19.
When we were deciding on a name for our School #4 newspaper, we decided to name it The Hummingbird Post in honor of Rosie Mastrandrea and our school's motto: Be Brave. Be Kind. Work Hard.
Welcoming Mrs.Graham!
By: Noah B. and Aaliyah I.
As you all know, we have a brand new principal this year - Mrs. Graham! Welcome to School 4.
We went to her office and interviewed Mrs.Graham. Did you know in her old school she started a newspaper club? Here are some questions that we asked her, but one last thing. Her office was AMAZING ! It had a lot of books like The Giving Tree.
We asked Mrs. Graham to explain how she thought of Mindful Moments. She said that she wants to have kids focus better in the morning. She said, “I know that mornings can be hectic and everyone can be busy. Sometimes we have to rush around a lot.” Mrs. Graham wanted to make sure that we all have a moment to reset before we start working so we can better focus to be better learners. That’s why she does a mindful moment in the morning.
Mrs. Graham wanted to be principal of School 4 because of the first time she walked in. She loved it. She loved the staff and the students. Mrs. Graham said, “The first time that I went to School 4 I fell in love with it. The staff and students were so welcoming and kind and I saw they were very hard workers. Also, it is the small school with the big heart. I knew I wanted to be part of this incredible family.”
Mrs. Graham’s favorite book is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It is a book about the gift of giving and teaches its readers an important lesson.
Kids are Mrs. Graham’s favorite part of working here. She loves seeing our smiling faces, walking into our classroom, and seeing how hard we work. She loves observing kindness. She loves reading our writing and really enjoys getting knowing to know us a little bit. She said, “I am so proud to be your principal!”
The idea of the Golden Spatula Award came from Mrs. Graham’s own kids’ school. They have something like it. They are very excited to do it and she thought it would be fun to do a Golden Spatula Award in our school.
Mrs. Graham said that she is so impressed with the teachers at School 4. Our teachers are dedicated to teaching and learning and they care about their students. Mrs. Graham said, “Our teachers are so hardworking. I want to thank them for doing such a great job everyday.”
We are were very happy to be interviewing the principal. It was very nice and the principal was very kind. We are happy to welcome the new principal. We are very grateful. Remember to be brave, be kind and work hard. We are!
It's Candy Time at the Dentist!
By Elliana B.
For all you candy lovers out there stay tuned because this might help you avoid an awful trip to the dentist. I thought this would be great because, as all of you know, Halloween is rolling around, and I know I can't be the only one the day after Halloween who thinks, “Uh oh, when do I have my dentist appointment?” Filling up on that delicious candy can be a treat, but when you know what might be best to avoid and stay away from will help you, trust me.
First off I would like to let you know that chocolate is your best bet. It is ten times better than sticky candies like starburst, taffy, caramel, etc. “Chocolate is one of the better candies because it washes off your teeth easier than other types of candy,” Dr. Ferraz-Dougherty says. Chocolate is also a pretty popular candy that is given out on Halloween so it won't be hard to find while out trick or treating with friends. As far as chocolate goes, I love it so hopefully I can avoid those cavities and you will too.
You also got to be a little pickier if it's stickier. All the sticky candy can get stuck to your teeth, and it will allow bacteria to seep in and create cavities. Sour candy is our other big no no. Sour candy can be very acidic,” says Dr. Ferraz-Dougherty. “And that acidity can weaken the outer shell of your teeth, making your teeth more vulnerable to cavities.” So let's say no thanks to that sour candy and say hello to something most kids and adults chew every day. Can you guess?
If you guessed gum, you got it! Some parents will tell their kids that gum is bad for your teeth. Well, listen up because that is not true, gums that have sugar are not great for your teeth, but if you have that type of gum once in a while, it is not the end of the world. But there is something better than that, and that’s sugarless gum. Studies have shown that sugarless gum can prevent any type of cavities. It could also taste great! I hope this was helpful, that's all for now!
Hope you had fun trick or treating!