YALE 5-12th Bridging Home & School
Volume 2 October 3, 2024
November: A Season of Gratitude and Growth
Dear Families,
As we move into November, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the dedication, energy, and resilience of our school community. This season allows us to reflect on the progress we’ve made and look ahead to the exciting journey still to come.
November brings enriching opportunities for growth, including our ongoing parent-teacher conferences, held each Thursday by invitation. These conversations allow us to celebrate your child’s progress, identify areas for growth, and work together to support their success. Strong communication between home and school is essential to the MAS way of education, and we are here to help every student thrive.
This month, we’re also excited to embrace the Thanksgiving spirit of gratitude and giving back. Through our Choose Love / SEL (social and emotional learning) curriculum, students learn the importance of courage, gratitude, forgiveness, and compassion — values that extend well beyond the classroom. We encourage you to continue these meaningful discussions at home, nurturing our students into thoughtful, caring individuals.
As days grow shorter and schedules busier, please remind your child to keep up with routines and take time for rest and reflection. Together, let’s make this November a true season of learning, gratitude, and growth.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Janice Julal
5th-12th Grade School Leader
MAS Yale Campus
Layer Up for Learning
Cold mornings can make it tempting to stay in, so make sure your child dresses in cozy layers to stay warm and ready for school.
Germ Busters
Help keep colds and flu at bay by encouraging good hygiene habits like handwashing and covering coughs, so your child can stay healthy and engaged in class.
Routines Reap Rewards
A steady bedtime and morning routine make getting to school easier and helps your child feel prepared and focused for the day.
Be on Time, Every Time
Aim for punctuality each day; being on time builds confidence and helps your child start each day strong alongside their classmates.
Teacher Spotlight: Celebrating Celestino Pesana’s Choose Love Lesson
We’re thrilled to spotlight Mr. Celestino Pesana for his inspiring work in teaching our 8th grade students the importance of emotional awareness through the Choose Love curriculum. A recent lesson, Expressing Emotions, was brought to life through Mr. Pesana’s creativity and dedication to making social-emotional learning engaging and memorable.
To help students connect with their emotions in a fun way, Mr Pesana encouraged them to paint pumpkins as representations of how they felt. Some students volunteered to bring pumpkins to class to paint, while others illustrated unique pumpkin designs on paper. Each pumpkin became a personal reflection of the student’s feelings, sparking curiosity and creativity.
The lesson wrapped up with a share-out session, where students openly discussed their work, fostering an environment of empathy and understanding as they connected with each other’s emotions. This meaningful activity not only made the lesson enjoyable but also deepened students’ ability to express and understand feelings — which is a key part of the Choose Love curriculum.
Take a look at some of the incredible artwork and see how our 8th graders are learning to express themselves and support one another! Thank you, Mr. Pesana, for your dedication to helping our students grow emotionally and empathetically.
Teacher Spotlight: Honoring Mr. Gino Gerasol’s Dedication to Science Education
We proudly spotlight Mr. Gino Gerasol for his unwavering determination and perseverance in conducting engaging science activities in his classroom. Teaching 8th grade can be challenging, and Mr. Gerasol consistently rises to the occasion by creating a dynamic and enjoyable learning environment for his students.
His commitment to providing fun and interactive science experiences not only makes the subject matter more accessible but also inspires a love for learning among his students. Mr. Gerasol’s creativity and dedication shine through in every lesson, encouraging students to explore, ask questions, and develop their scientific skills.
Thank you, Mr. Gerasol, for your hard work and passion in making science an exciting adventure for your students! Your efforts truly make a difference in their educational journey.
Teacher Spotlight: Celebrating Ms. Jamy Malone’s Engaging Teaching
We’re excited to spotlight Ms. Jamy Malone, 5th and 6th Grade Reading Teacher, for her exemplary approach to teaching compare and contrast as a new skill to her students. Ms. Malone’s model of this lesson was outstanding — her presentation was clean, focused, and captivated 100 percent of her students' attention.
To keep everyone engaged, Ms. Malone ensured that each student had the same materials in front of them, making it easy for them to follow along and actively participate. Her approach not only clarified the skill but also created an interactive and inclusive environment where students felt connected to the learning process.
Thank you, Ms. Malone, for setting a high standard and fostering a love of learning with your clear and engaging teaching style!