Category: Academics News

Academics News, Newsletter

Featured Academic News of the Week

Mr. Qining Cai, Chinese Teacher
March 24, 2023

正如大家所知道的，我校高中部分學生正在體驗經歷她們美妙的台灣之旅。借此機會，祝她們旅途愉快、一路順風、收穫滿滿！
出發前，AP Chinese班的學生們，對這次旅行充滿了期待，雖然她們已經具備了很好的中文聽說能力，但是把這種能力運用到台灣純中文的交際學習生活環境中去，還是第一次。本著＂學以致用＂的教學原則，過去的一個多月裏，我在課堂上，利用教學遊戲、觀看視頻、模擬對話情境等方式，鞏固學生們所學知識，加深他們對台灣當地語言文化生活的了解，增強她們用中文與台灣當地民眾進行交流的興趣和信心。通過不斷的學和練，學生們說：＂我們是最好的，一定行！＂請您為我們這些優秀而可愛的學生祝福吧！
這次兩個星期的台灣行，不算長也不算短，既是學生課堂所學知識、能力的一次實踐，也是對中文課教學的一次檢驗。相信台灣之行一定會給學生們留下深刻的印象，我們同樣熱切地期待著學生們回來後，跟大家分享她們美妙的經歷和故事。

As you all know, some of our high school students are experiencing their wonderful trip to Taiwan. I would like to take this opportunity to wish them a happy and fruitful journey! 

Before their departure, the students in the AP Chinese class were full of excitement for this trip. Although they already have good Chinese listening and speaking skills, it is still the first time for them to apply this ability to real life. In the past month, I have used teaching games, watching videos, and simulating dialogue situations in class to consolidate their language and deepen their understanding of Taiwan culture. I hope more practice in daily life has enhanced their confidence in communicating with local Taiwanese people in Chinese. Through continuous learning and practice, the students said: “We are the best, we must do it!” Good luck to our lovely students! 

This two-week trip to Taiwan is not only a practice of the knowledge and abilities learned in the classroom for students, but also a test for us Chinese teachers. I believe that the trip to Taiwan will definitely leave a deep impression on the students, and we are eagerly looking forward to the students’ return with their wonderful experiences and stories to share with us.

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Academics News, Newsletter

Featured Academic News of the Week

March 10, 2023
Ms. Yoyo Zhang, Chinese Teacher

This week in our middle school Chinese Level II class, besides regular learning and reviewing, the students also watch an episode of the 3D cartoon show called Heaven Kid. Based on Confucianism theory, each episode tells a story to teach the students how to be a good kid. After watching the video, the students shared what they had learned from it, such as helping others when possible, encouraging and being happy for others’ progress, being nicer, not disturbing others when they are not feeling well, and working harder. Each student also shared what they wanted to improve on in the future, such as being less angry, helping others more, being nicer, avoiding jealousy, and working harder.

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Student Life News, Academics News, Newsletter

Study Hall and Tutoring

March 3, 2023
Student Life News

Not quite clubs, but also happening during extracurricular hours, study hall and tutoring opportunities await you!

Looking for a quiet, focused place to do some homework or get some studying in? Each afternoon, there’s study hall! There’s a different teacher supervising each day, ready to answer any of your questions.

We also have a number of teachers available to go over homework, review subject material, or even do a bit of extra tutoring. You just have to reach out and ask!

So drop on by study hall or ask your local teacher about some extra tutoring. We’re all here for you, ready to help 🙂

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Academics News, Newsletter, Student Life News

5th and 6th Grade Field Trip with Mrs. Leddy

Academic News of the Week
March 3, 2023
Mrs. Darragh Leddy, Math Teacher and Field Trip Supervisor

This past Wednesday, the 5th and 6th grade math classes visited Randall Museum. In math class, we recently learned about ratios, proportions, and scale factors. To see the applications of scale factors we have been studying maps. Students had to print out a map that instructed them how to get from school to Randall Museum. I accompanied them, but did not give any direction; not even when they disputed whether they were going the correct direction or not. Students worked together, explaining clearly why their interpretation of the map was correct and were able to listen to each other and come to an agreement. We only went wrong once! We stopped at Corona Heights Park, climbed a huge rock (very carefully), and had clear panoramic views of the city. We played eye spy and had fun taking in the span of San Francisco. We could even see Mt Diablo, which some students learned was not LA. At Randall Museum, students toured other middle schoolers’ science projects that Randall Museum is displaying this month. Our students now have a greater understanding of what a science project entails, and have some great ideas for what they plan to test next year in their very own science project. We also visited animals that Randall Museum is rehabilitating. Students were particularly enamored with the raccoon. We look forward to more field trips, more time outside, and more ideas to test and share our results with our community!

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Academics News, Newsletter

Featured Academic News of the Week

February 24, 2023
Mr. David Gallagher, English Teacher

Here are a few highlights in English classes over the past few weeks.

In fifth grade we are about halfway through Holes, a 1998 young adult mystery comedy novel written by Louis Sachar. The protagonist, Stanley Yelnats, is under a curse that began with his great-great-grandfather and has followed the family since then. Stanley has been sent to a boys’ detention center where the boys build character by spending all day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes, thus the title. 

In middle school, we are just finishing up the Rod Serling teleplay, “The Monsters are Due on Maple St,” which was written and performed for the television show “The Twilight Zone,” in 1960. The teleplay shows how easily society can tear itself apart when people are afraid and suspicious of one another. It begins on Main Street, U.S.A. and ends as a paranoid, out-of-control mob.

In high school, our freshman and sophomores just finished writing an argumentative essay about the novel, The Lord of the Flies, written in 1954 by the Nobel Prize-winning British author William Golding.  Students presented written arguments designed to persuade readers who or what was responsible for the demise of society on the island where a group of young British boys are stranded. 

Finally, in British Literature, we are wrapping up 1984, George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece, published in 1949. The iconic English novelist and social critic writes about the risks of government overreach, totalitarianism and repression of all persons and behaviors within society.

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Academics News, Newsletter

Featured Academic News of the Week 

February 10, 2023
Mr. Ray Chen, Math and Science and Integrated Math and Science Teacher

We started our journey of computer science education in our middle school and high school back in August last year. What we have right now is integrated biology and computer science for 9th/10th graders. In addition to that, we have 8th grade’s physical science integrated with computer science too. 

This semester, based on positive feedback regarding computer science, we’re piloting 6th grade math integration with computer science. By doing that, 6 graders not only learned, for example, prime factorization using pencil and paper. They will be able to “teach” computers how to do prime factorization by writing codes in JavaScript. In the near future, all of our middle schoolers and our high schoolers will be able to program an APP for a concept learned from all level science classes and math classes.

And on a final note, “Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid. Human beings are incredibly slow, inaccurate, and brilliant. Together they are powerful beyond imagination.”- Albert Einstein

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Academics News, Newsletter

Featured Academic News of the Week

February 3, 2023
Mr. Qining Cai, Chinese Teacher

As we begin the year of the Rabbit for 2023, Chinese teachers took part in the evening at HSArts Chinese New Year Celebration to promote learning Chinese and Chinese traditional culture. The teachers started preparations a few weeks in advanced. Some Chinese classes sang celebration songs in Chinese, some classes introduced the origin and tradition of Chinese New Year and some wished everyone a happy and healthy New Year. There were constant applause and laughter. Through this activity, students were able to practice what they are learning in the classroom and have fun at the same time.   

2023年是中國農曆癸卯兔年，1月27日一年一度期待已久的HSArts中國新年晚會，給家長和全校師生帶來了新年的喜悅。中文老師們也藉此晚會，來促進學生們的中文學習以及對中國傳統文化進一步的理解。 老師們提前幾個星期就開始準備、排練，有的中文課演唱中文歌曲，有的中文課介紹中國新年的來歷，有的向大家拜年，祝福新年平安快樂。晚會氣氛熱烈、掌聲笑聲不斷。通過這次活動，學生的中文能力普遍得到了鍛煉。

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Academics News, Newsletter

Featured Academic News of the Week 

January 27, 2023
Mrs. Darragh Leddy, Math Teacher

Last week our 6th, 7th and 8th graders took the AMC 8. We are very proud of our students for participating in this mathematics competition, and we hope our students are proud of themselves as well. We encourage students to reflect on their score and set a goal for next year’s competition. The competition consists of 25 multiple choice questions and each question is worth one point. Perhaps, a goal for next year is to go up one point or maybe ten points or maybe to achieve a perfect score. Whatever the goal is it is attainable with the right timing and focus. Furthermore, we want students to think back to the very first AMC they took and realize that their official score from last week is a lot better than the very first test’s score was, and they have learned a whole lot of math along the way! 

Alongside the excitement of completing the AMC 8, our math classes are back in full swing in the second semester. AP Calculus BC is just one week away from finishing the entire curriculum! The speed has been fast, but the 11th and 12th graders have been good sports! The remaining 11 weeks before the AP exam will be dedicated to intensive review and practicing real past exams. Precalculus is cruising through their honors curriculum and we look forward to some field trips and projects. Algebra II and Algebra I have been hard at work keeping on pace with schedule. Our latest highlight was a group quiz, in which students exhibited excellent communication skills, words of encouragement, and humility when they or a classmate spotted a gap in their logic. Our 6th and 5th graders are both being pushed a little above their grade level and most are reveling in the challenge and that they can handle the material. And on a final note, here is a quote to ponder, said by Edward Kasner: “Mathematics is the science which uses easy words for hard ideas.”

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Academics News, Newsletter

Featured Academic News of the Week

January 20, 2023
Mr. David Gallagher, English Teacher

Aiden Wong from our 8th grade has been crowned champion of the first annual 2023 San Francisco High School of the Arts Spelling Bee held last Friday in the school library.

Lurid (an adjective defined as very vivid in color, especially so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect) was the winning word that bolstered Aiden to victory in the tournament judged by Mr. Randazzo, Ms. Ogden, who also was our pronouncer, and Mr. Gallagher, who was also the recordkeeper. As our registered school champion, Aiden will now be invited to an online test to qualify for the San Ramon Valley Rotary Regional Spelling Bee. The online test will be available from February 10th to the 17th. It will be a 50 item test, with 25 spelling and 25 word meaning questions.

The top 35 scores will then be invited to compete at the regional spelling bee. The champion of the San Ramon Valley Rotary Regional Spelling Bee will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. 

All of our students in grades 5-8 participated in the bee and the competition was both riveting and fun. Coming in second place was Andy Ispas from 7th grade and our third place contestant was Lucas Luu from 5th grade. Congratulations Aiden and all of the students who participated and showed their passion for spelling.

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Academics News, Newsletter

Featured Academic News of the Week

January 13, 2023
Mrs. Darragh Leddy, Math Teacher

Our 6th, 7th and 8th graders have been hard at work over the last 4 months prepping for AMC 8! AMC 8 is the American Mathematics Competition at the 8th grade level. The AMC offers competitions at 3 levels: the 8th, 10th and 12 grades. Any student that is in or below the 8th grade is eligible to participate in AMC 8. The AMC is the most well known mathematics competition in America. Performing well on this exam can open doors, scholarships, and is very impressive on a resume. 

Testing Day: Thursday, January 19th at 8:05am in Room 203. The test is online, so please bring a laptop with you to Room 203. You will be given scrap paper and are not allowed to use a calculator, or any other technology or resources. Please bring a few pencils and erasers for your scrap work. The test is 40 minutes long. You will be dismissed once all students have completed and submitted the AMC 8 and you will be released to the remainder of your first period class on Thursday morning. 

Prep Work: In math class, we have been using past tests to prepare for the AMC 8. Please see the link below for a full listing. Students are very comfortable with questions 1-10 from tests administered from 2022 to 2015 (a total of 7 tests). Students, please continue to review all 7 tests. Parents, please quiz your child on these questions. And, if you want an extra challenge try some of the questions from 11-15, or even more advanced from 16-25. Furthermore, there are 16 more tests that you can try and use to prepare. I am available for any questions and help. Test resource: https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AMC_8_Problems_and_Solutions. 

We are very grateful that our students have the opportunity to participate in this competition and showcase the hard work they have put into excelling their mathematics foundation. We encourage all students and families to take this opportunity by the reins and reap as much of the benefits it has to offer. 

Happy Studying & Testing! 

Mrs Leddy 

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