Friday, February 14, 2020—The best gifts are from the heart. 3rd Grade took a field trip to Painting with a Twist where they showcased their artistic abilities and worked on some great pieces for the ones they loved. Each student was able to take home their work and give it to someone special. 

Thursday, February 13, 2020—We are supporting the next generation of scientific innovators. With parents and teachers by their side, our #SASAtoms enjoyed the first-ever #STEM night at the #SASCS Elementary School. Atoms created bouncy balls, built structures from toothpicks and marshmallows, and explored their peer's science fair projects. It was a night to remember for all our young scholars. Way to go, Atoms!

Friday, February 14, 2020—Ms. Figueroa's kindergarten class believes the best way to celebrate American Heart Month is a happy, healthy heart for the ones you love! On Friday, February 14th students celebrated this mentality and transformed into Doctors for the morning to perform "surgery" during their centers time. They worked in groups to treat their "patients" hearts by using skills that they have learned thus far this year. Thanks for putting together such a wonderful event for our #SASAtoms, Ms. Figueroa!

Thursday, February 13, 2020—Our fourth-grade #SASAtoms have been testing and experimenting tirelessly for two months in preparation for their Science Fair. Judges from SUNY-ESF, SRC, Inc., The Tech Garden, The VA Hospital, and other great Syracuse organizations joined us on Thursday, 2/13 to help judge our Atoms Science Fair projects. The judges commended Atoms on their professionalism and were surprised by the academic level of some of the amazing experiments. Students made circuits, lava lamps, tested static electricity, and more through the lens of the scientific method.

Winners will be announced soon. Keep up the great work, Atoms!

Thursday, February 13, 2020—Kuukua Yomekpe, The Owner and Head Chef of Asempe Kitchen, LLC stopped by Ms. Dickinson and Mr. Scheemaker's first-grade class. Ms. Yomekpe makes and serves Ghanaian cuisine in downtown Syracuse.

Ms. Yomekpe taught the students how to prepare and cook their own crepes. She wove culturally relevant facts into the cooking demonstration leaving students not only with a full belly, but a full mind as well. For example, did you know babies in Ghana are not named until 8 days after their birth? Atoms also learned how to properly wrap hair with a Duku. We believe in the value of culturally-relevant teaching in our classrooms, and reminding Atoms that they are citizens of this world. Thank you, Ms. Yomekpe, for sharing your time with us! 

Thursday, February 6, 2020—The Trophy goes to the kindergarten #SASAtoms for having a blast at The Ultimate Goal. Sharks & Minnows, soccer, and musical chairs were just a few of the team games students played. The highlight of the trip for Atoms was definitely jumping from one rug to another while swinging on a rope. Or was it seeing the teachers running and chasing after to them to tag them? Either way, it was a fun day to practice physical education and teamwork skills they have been working on throughout the year. Way to go, Atoms! 

Thursday, February 6, 2020—Several of our fourth graders participated in our annual #SASCS Geography Bee. These Atoms were a picture of perseverance, courage and hard work portrayed by their immense knowledge of questions that ranged from facts about the United States to multiple continents throughout the world. The top three winners in order from third to first were: Cicero Stroman, Ali Ghazi, and Marius Lang! An amazing job by all who participated!

Wednesday, February 12, 2020—The #SASCS Elementary Health Office is celebrating #HealthyHeart Month by teaching our students on ways to keep our hearts healthy. Here are just a few ways to help build a healthy and strong heart!

? Smile
? Laugh
? Sunshine
? Wash Hands
? Brush Teeth
? Sleep
? Exercise
? Drink Water
? Quiet Time
? Play Outside
? Eat Fruits
? Eat Vegetables

Monday, February 11, 2020—We believe in preparing our students for their futures with practical support. According to 2018-2028 Employment Projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the 30 fastest growing occupations, 18 are in healthcare and related occupations. To better help our students understand what opportunities exist for them in the healthcare industry, we took a group of 21 #SASCS Juniors to Upstate Medical University to attend a medical careers panel which included twelve professional staff members. The panel shared heartwarming personal stories and great information about potential career paths. Thank you, Upstate, for supporting our Scholars! 

Wednesday, February 5, 2020—Starting Monday, February 10th we will start our 6-week mood boost program. Each week will focus on a different mood and students will be able to enjoy a special menu item that will enhance the mood of the week. Week 1 will focus on foods that help us feel alert, Week 2's mood will be calm, week 3's mood will be confident, week 4's mood will be happy, week 5's mood will be smart, and Week 6's mood will be strong. Every Tuesday students will receive a coloring page with the mood of the week, and on Fridays, they will receive a trading card that states the mood and a healthy recipe that ties to it. To kick off this initiative students were introduced to the program and got to try blueberries with balsamic and thyme which is a "smart food recipe" and also broccoli raisin salad which is a "calm food recipe." Every student also received a bracelet to take home. Thank you, Chartwells for sharing this great program with our students! We are looking forward to the fun that is to come in the upcoming weeks!