Focus on a Student: Dannan Murphy

By Nadja Anderson-Oberman

 

Dannan M. in her classroom.

This school year, Lisa Pack, the fourth and fifth grade group teacher at Project Learn School (PLS) has a class of only eight kids. One of the new, younger students, Dannan Murphy, likes being in such a small class. “When there are less kids in my class, I feel  like I have more focus than when there are more kids,” Dannan commented. “With less kids, Lisa can focus more on me than she could if she had 15 other kids that also need help,” she added.

  One thing unknown about Dannan is that this isn't her first year at PLS. Dannan went to PLS in 2009, but left in 2010 to go to Greene Street Friends School. “I didn't like going to Greene Street Friends. The teachers were really strict. That’s one of the reasons that I left and came back to PLS this year (2014-2015),” Dannan said. Even though Dannan was at Greene Street Friends, her brother, Jimmy Murphy, continued to go to PLS.

  Outside of the classroom, you can often find Dannan hanging out with her friends or dancing. Dannan is currently taking jazz lessons at the Wissahickon Dance Academy. She used to be interested in ballet, but now she is more interested in jazz. She’s been dancing for about three years.

 Inside the classroom, you can find Dannan enjoying herself the most during Social Studies and Geography. Overall, she loves all of her classes. So far, she really likes Lisa’s group, and Lisa of course. Dannan loves Lisa’s classroom, and feels like it’s an ideal learning environment for her. She is happy that she decided to come back to PLS and enjoys laughing, playing, and learning with Lisa and her group.

Climbing to New Heights!!

By Ian Holbrook

Years ago there was a metal climber at Project Learn School (PLS), which was removed in the summer of 2009 after a tree fell onto it. The loss of this climber upset the students. Last year, the Development Committee held some fundraising events intended to raise money for a new climber. There are four people on the committee:  Aubrey DiSanto, teacher of 2nd and 3rd grades at PLS who is currently on maternity leave, Laurance Rosenzweig, father of Mei R, sixth grade student at PLS, Melissa Klein, mother of Tani K, 3rd grade student at PLS, and Kathleen Karhnak-Glasby, mother of Tim and Alma K-G, fourth and second graders at PLS. First there was a book fair, but this did not work to raise money because the committee did not know that it would only get Scholastic credit. Next the Development Committee asked for donations by using letters given out at grandparents day; this fund raised $3,500 when they were only looking for $3,000.  The money was raised very fast.

A dome climber was what the students were interested in. It was to be installed before school started this year but there was not enough clearance space. Clearance space is the safety space needed so kids do not bang their heads on the nearest object if they fall off the climber.  The committee's solution for this problem was to add to the existing climber instead of purchasing a new one. This extension will need to be installed by a specialist from Kompan, the playground experts. The committee is investigating what kind of extension can be bought with the amount of money that was raised. New insurance will not be needed to get the new climber. 

Students at PLS hope to see a new climber soon and also appreciate the Development Committee’s great efforts to work towards this goal.  

Fridays Are Lunch Sale Days

By Tia Simone

Donna Waxler in line for mashed potato and topping sale.

Mashed potatoes, spaghetti, taco’s, and soup - oh my! These are the things that you can buy on Friday’s at Project Learn School (PLS). The eighth graders Ma’ayani GK, Kennedy AL, and Jim M, host weekly lunch sales in order to raise money for their trip to Costa Rica in April. These weekly sales have been going on for about four years. Going to Costa Rica requires a certain amount of money and these sales help provide that money.

      Food sale ideas are generated by the kids and when there’s one that everybody likes, then the sale is repeated. This years have been tested, with the help of the teachers, Liam Gallagher and Joan Fox. They all run smoothly. Last year, there were ten eighth graders and this year there are three, so it is a little bit easier to cook. However, since there are so few eighth graders, the seventh graders help serve.

      Joan is in charge of buying the ingredients. She uses some of the profit from the week before to purchase them. The teachers try to make it a goal to have a reasonable price for the sales, plus make enough profit that helps the cost for Costa Rica. The cost of each weekly meal is five dollars. The teachers make it a goal to not go over that price.

    Project Learn has recently gotten a new kitchen. Teachers and students have said that it’s a great help to the lunch sales, and using the kitchen in general, because it’s more spacious. The new stove, because it is a six burner, helps also because some of the meals require big pots. The old stove was too small, so the pots wouldn't always fit. Now that there is a bigger stove with six burners, cooking with bigger pots runs a lot smoother.

    “It’s kind of happier in there. More cheerful. The space just makes your spirits higher, you know, cooking is more fun in there. The sink also has been more helpful because it’s easier to wash dishes.” Joan says.

    Check out the weekly sale - it may just be the perfect meal!