Encourage Your Student to Read over Winter Break!

EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - Why doesn’t reading more make us better readers?

According to this article, originally published in the Washington Post, Americans now are reading more than we did in 1980, but our nation's reading scores haven't improved since the 1970s.

Why? Well, it all comes down to the kinds of reading we're doing. Although we're reading more, we're reading web sites like Facebook, we're reading text messages, and we're reading how-to information on our favorite video games.

The key to improving reading skills is to read more books, magazines, and newspaper articles! According to the author, Daniel Willingham, whose article is linked above, "Practice in reading lightweight material won’t improve your reading much. Reading content-rich material will."

So... please help our Oracle students make a commitment to content-rich reading over the Winter Break. We've even put together some book suggestions from Mrs. Behr:

• Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins - From School Library Journal: "In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch."
• The Book Thief, Markus Zusak - This book, set during World War II and narrated by Death himself, is ultimately a story about the power of words and friendship.
• The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold - From Amazon: When we first meet the narrator of this novel, she is already in heaven, looking on as her family copes with their grief and searches for her killer. This novel is both suspenseful and touching, and is ultimately a story about the power of memory and understanding.
  
• We Were Here, Matt de la Pena - From Amazon: "When it happened, Miguel was sent to Juvi. The judge gave him a year in a group home—said he had to write in a journal so some counselor could try to figure out how he thinks. The judge had no idea that he actually did Miguel a favor..."
• Half-Broken Horses: A True Life Novel, Jeanette Walls - From Publishers Weekly: "For the first 10 years of her life, Lily Casey Smith, the narrator of this true-life novel by her granddaughter, Walls, lived in a dirt dugout in west Texas. Walls ... writes in what she recalls as Lily's plainspoken voice, whose recital provides plenty of drama and suspense as she ricochets from one challenge to another."
• Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins - If you finish Hunger Games and want more...this is the second book in the series.
  

Better People, Better Students, Better Athletes...

The first day of basketball practice this year closed with the players reflecting on the following quotation:

“I have a standard, and it is a high standard. If you aim for perfection, you’ll reach greatness. If you strive for greatness, you’ll reach good. If you aim for good, you’ll reach average. Don’t lower that standard.” - Lou Holtz

to which Dresean L., a Varsity guard whose willingness to learn and work is unparalleled in our program, said, “You only become great if you demand a lot of yourself.”

The coaches followed with:

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” - Conrad Hilton

to which Keyon M., a senior who, though unable to play this year, is still a part of the team and harbors a very realistic chance of playing in college due to his work ethic, attitude, and skill, said, “You can’t ever stop. You just have to keep coming – especially when things are hard.”

Which has most recently led to:

“What is to give light must endure burning.” - Viktor Frankl

to which Andre S., a Junior Varsity point guard with a quick first step and a non-stop mouth, reflected, “I think it means that if you’re going to be really good at something, you have to work really hard.”

Clearly what we are developing at Oracle is a different kind of basketball program. Through basketball and the camaraderie it offers, we believe that we can teach the young men in our program the principles of what it means to be accountable, honest, and hard-working student leaders who open up doors for their futures and enliven those around them. And when the wins on the court start pouring in, we will look at them as a product -- not the product -- of our time and work together.

JV Basketball Update

The Boys JV basketball team competed in back to back games this week.

On Wednesday, the Phoenix battled against BACS in a nail biting game. The game had 5 lead changes in the last 2 minutes, with OCS pulling the victory out on a buzzer beater by A. Sanders. Once again J. Edwards led the defense with 4 blocks and M. Darby led the team with a season high 18 points.

On the very next day, OCS extended their winning streak to 3 with a convincing win over a skilled Silver Creek team. L. Collins was the team leader emotionally with a never-quit attitude, physically with 110% effort and in points with 13. J. Nyagot had a strong offensive game with great ball movement and G. Bibbs stepped up to a new level, playing great team defense and scoring 5 huge points in the 4th quarter. The game's MVP went to L. Johnson who scored his first points of the season, coming up with 4 steals and countless defensive rebounds.

The next game for the 4 and 2 Phoenix is Monday December 28 when the boys compete in the Cassadaga Valley tournament.

The Explosion of Charter Schools in America

The Explosion of Charter Schools in America - US News and World Report

I recommend this article from US News and World Report, which is the source of this wonderful graphic showing the expansion of charter schools across the country. When you look at our home state, you will see that Oracle Charter School is one of 144 charter schools currently operating in the state of New York. Currently, state law caps the number of charters that may open at 200 schools.

President Obama's Race to the Top funding initiative, worth billions of dollars for states that enact education reforms, provides a clear mandate to lift charter caps and increase the number of charters operating within each state. New York's charter school law, with its cap at 200 schools, ultimately jeopardizes the state's ability to earn this federal funding. Given the current state budget crisis, access these funds is critical.

Your support for charter school advocacy is important! Let your state legislators and the local school board officials know that your child is educated in a charter school, and that you believe in school choice.

Oracle Students Submit MLK Principals of NonViolence Video

New York State's Education Department solicited student artwork and essays reflecting Dr. Martin Luther King's principals of nonviolence from around the state.

Student entries will be placed on display for viewing in the Empire State Plaza in Albany during the week before the MLK holiday on Monday, January 18, 2010.

Oracle's Advanced Studio in Art students created the following video with student-created sock puppets. In the spirit of the Twilight series of books, this video features a vampire counseling a werewolf on Dr. King's principals of non-violence. It's wacky fun...sure to stand out as a submission!

Restoration Work begins at Oracle Charter School

Restoration work has begun on Oracle Charter School's historic facility!

In last year's round of grant funding, Oracle was awarded $111,832 in historic preservation funds through the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.

We will use this funding for a restoration project on the Charles W. Goodyear mansion portion of our school.

We are excited that this important work has begun. If you have been to Oracle to drop off or pick up your student, you may have noticed that work has begun on the side porch. Posted here are photos from the restoration work which is being conducted by Dan Farrell of Lost Cities Restorations.

AP Environmental Science Class Visits Buffalo Water and Sewage Treatment Facilities

On December 3, 2009, Mr. Coia’s AP Environmental Science class toured two of Buffalo’s most important public works facilities.

In the first half of the day, students visited the Wastewater Treatment Plant located on Bird Island off West Ferry St. While there, students learned about the processes that clean Buffalo’s sewage and the jobs that people do to make that possible. The class was fascinated by the amount of waste produced by the city and how efficiently the facility manages to eliminate all the contaminants before sending the water back into the Niagara River.

After lunch, Oracle students toured the Colonel Ward Pumping Station/Water Treatment Plant. Students experienced the sequence of pumps, filters and treatments that take water from Lake Erie and turn it into clean, healthy water for the entire city. The highlight of this facility is the sight of the enormous steam pumps that fed the city its water until a few decades ago. This was an experience that the students will remember for a long time.

Many thanks to Oracle Charter School's Operations Manager, Bill Sunderlin, for setting up this field trip!