GATEWAY Newsletter BUES June 2025

All Barnstable Public School students will experience joyful and inclusive learning environments that pave the way to continuous learning, curiosity, change-making and meaningful engagement with the world around them. We aspire to create a learning community with students and educators engaging in challenging, authentic, adventurous, meaningful, and affirming experiences so that learning, independence, and achievement may flourish for all.

Learning in GATEWAY will provide opportunities for students to

• develop talents based on interests

• engage in enrichment and extension, through thought-provoking topics, which reflect their own experiences and those of others

• engage in advanced, rigorous learning beyond the grade level standards

• think critically and creatively about their learning and communicate effectively with others

• build growth mindset and perseverance for task commitment

• develop civic mindedness that prepares them to make meaningful contributions in their communities and beyond

• experience connections in multiple content areas which align to instruction in various educational settings within a student’s day

Our goal is to create learning environments where educators and students achieve more than they imagined possible.

All students enrolled in Tier 3 GATEWAY classes

have a required summer reading book if they are planning on going to BIS next year.

Please click on the images below for more information!

The top Tier 2 Math students have completed over 25 assignments this year!

Many students have completed 10 or more!

This demonstrates a great level of self-motivation and effort, I am very proud of them!

Grade 4

The progress made by these 4th graders with algebraic reasoning is amazing! They are able to discern between mathematical expressions and equations, identify the value of numerous variables, and put it all together to accurately solve problems. Faced with tricky, multistep problems they went right to work armed with new skills and strategies. Their excitement over new math activator games is contagious! I look forward to working with these amazing students again in 5th grade!

Grade 5

These fifth-graders are PEMDAS Masters! They certainly have demonstrated their deep understanding of the Order of Operations in a wide variety of ways! As this is the foundation upon which all multistep expressions are built and evaluated, they are in great shape moving forward! I am proud to pass these amazing mathematicians on to grade 6!

Mangonels, trebuchets, and ballistas - oh my! Our 4th grade engineers have been hard at work designing tools of medieval warfare otherwise known as Catapults! After learning about the scientific principles behind them, namely Simple Machines and Potential/Kinetic Energy Transfer, these young engineers got right to work. They followed the Engineering Design Process to build catapults that could launch a ping pong ball and a marshmallow as far and accurately as possible. The resulting projects were unique, amazing, and testament to effective effort and perseverance!

5th grade engineers applied their knowledge of Newton’s Laws of Motion and Potential to Kinetic Energy Transfer to create magnificent Marble Runs! (Check out the works in progress below) The goal is to include as many components as possible that will slow down the marble's progress from top to bottom while keeping it in constant motion. The slower, the better! After having the opportunity to explore and build with commercially made marble run kits, they began their journey through the Engineering Design Process. At this point, they know the process and productively move through the steps, working cooperatively with their partners/groups. It’s impressive to watch! They are well-prepared for STEM at BIS!

Students in Tier 2 have been working hard on assignments throughout the year! From fiction writing to nonfiction writing, and even student-created assignments, the students have put in effort into what they turn in. Have a great summer!

Students have completed and presented their final projects for Inside Out & Back Again! Students were able to choose how they wanted to demonstrate their understanding of the book, from redesigning the book cover to researching the Vietnam War in more depth. They did a great job, and I’m looking forward to seeing them next year!

About Inside Out & Back Again:

Inside Out & Back Again tells the story of a young Vietnamese girl named Hà, who is forced to flee her home in Saigon with her family during the fall of the city at the end of the Vietnam War. She navigates the challenges of adjusting to a new life as a refugee in Alabama, where she faces cultural differences, racism, and the ongoing grief of a missing father while trying to build a new life for herself and her family.

Students had the opportunity to choose a final project for the end of the year. Some chose research projects, some participated in a mini book discussion, and others created an art project based on a book of their choice. They did a great job, and I hope they have a great year in 6th grade!

Students worked to raise money for the BIS/BHS FPS team that competed at the World Finals at Indiana University. We raised close to $400! Thank you to the students, families, and BUES community for your support!

Students also hosted the culture fair, and it was a huge success!

The students ran stations where they shared and interacted with their peers. Many homerooms participated in the culture fair by choosing a culture to represent by decorating their doors.

Click here to view pictures!

Thank you to everyone involved in the steps it took to get the culture fair off the ground, and I’m looking forward to it next year!