Mary Snow School

2018-2019 School Highlights

 Mission: The Bangor School Department will offer high quality instruction and comprehensive programs to provide academic excellence for all students

Strategic Goals:

(AE) Academic Excellence

(PE) Professional Excellence

(QIP) Quality Instructional Programs

(ES) Environment for Success

 

Scholastic Reading Inventory Results (AE):

 Proficiency Growth – Grade 4

• 65% of Grade 4 students were Advanced or Proficient in September; 65% were Advanced or Proficient by June.
• 19% of Grade 4 students were Advanced in September; 23% were Advanced by June.
• 29% were Basic and 6% were Below Basic in September; 34% were Basic and less than 1% was Below Basic by June.

Proficiency Growth – Grade 5

• 68% of Grade 5 students were Advanced or Proficient in September; 54% were Advanced or Proficient by June.
• 16% of Grade 5 students were Advanced in September; 10% were Advanced by June.
• 29% were Basic and 4% were Below Basic in September; 44% were Basic and less than 1% was Below Basic by June.

Proficiency Growth – School wide

• 67% of Mary Snow students were Advanced or Proficient in September; 60% were Advanced or Proficient by June
• 5% of Mary Snow students were Advanced in September; 16.5% were Advanced by June
• 29% of Mary Snow students were Basic or Below Basic in September; 39% were Basic or Below Basic by June

 

Math Goal Results (AE):

EOY Math Data – Grade 4

• 51% of Grade 4 students scored an 80% or better on the End of Year math assessment – a decrease of 16%
• 31% of Grade 4 students earned a 3 or better on the End of Year Math Fact Fluency Assessment – a decrease of 19%

EOY Math Data – Grade 5

• 61% of Grade 5 students scored an 80% or better on the End of Year math assessment – an increase of 3%
• 40% of Grade 5 students earned a 3 or better on the End of Year Math Fact Fluency assessment – a decrease of 26%

 

2018-2019 attendance data indicated a school-wide attendance rate of 95.95%, a decrease of .01% from 2017-2018. Mary Snow also had a Chronic Absenteeism rate of 7.1%.

All students were encouraged to participate in two after school activities this year.  As a result of this goal, 100% of the students at Mary Snow participated in one activity and 95% participated in two activities (AE, QIP, ES).

During the 2018-2019 school year, the Mary Snow School offered 3D Printing, Student Council, Homework Club, Math Club (with math tutors from Bangor High School), Kickball Club, Chess Club, Cribbage Club, Chorus, Floor Hockey, and Lego Robotics as part of its Community School. Additionally, we added an Origami Club, Scratch Programming Club, and a Cooking Club for the first time! Many thanks to the teachers and staff for their hard work in giving the students many options for after school assistance or participation, and many thanks to the students for joining in and making themselves a part of the Mary Snow School community. (AE, ES)

Mr. Stephen Norris once again entertained the students at Mary Snow with a Beginner Band Demo. Mr. Norris and his band showed students the different instruments they could play, and they delighted the fifth-grade class with renditions of the Pink Panther theme song, Hot Crossed Buns, and The Cantina Song from Star Wars. The students enjoyed the presentation and were very eager to sign up! (ES, QIP)

The Bangor School Department held its annual Punt, Pass, and Kick competition! Josephine Clukey and Noah Runnells were the winners for the 4th grade. Fifth grade had a two-way tie: Ava Pelkey and Clara Oldenburg, and Zach Cota and Trey Tennett tied for as the respective winners! The students were honored during halftime at Bangor Rams home game, and they received a certificate of recognition from Dr. Webb. Congratulations to all the winners, and to all the students who participated in this year’s event. (ES)

Through the hard work of the Mary Snow Student Council and club advisors Mrs. Cormier and Mrs. Kennedy, the Mary Snow School celebrated “Red Ribbon Week” the from October 22nd to October 26th. Red Ribbon Week is a drug free campaign that aims to educate students about the importance of healthy lifestyle choices. Students and faculty showed their dedication to being drug free by participating in a daily show of support. The Student Council created theme days around living drug free including, “Outshine Drugs,” “Kick Drugs Away,” “Fight Off Drugs,” “Don’t Get Tied Up in Drugs,” and “Be a Stop Sign Against Drugs.” Each day, students wore clothing to match the theme of the day. The students loved the week, and also shared kindness challenges each day to continue to build a strong community at Mary Snow! (PE, ES)

Three Petty Officers from the United States Navy visited Mary Snow School the last day of Red Ribbon week to do a presentation on living drug free. HM2 Meyers, PS1 Rowland, and LTCDR Metzer talked to students about how to make good choices, live a drug free lifestyle, and do well in school to be successful in the future. They fielded questions, shared their experiences, and thanked the students for their good behavior and participation. (ES)

Mary Snow hosted its PEAK Literacy night this month by inviting Mr. Jon Folsom, Mary Snow gym teacher, to talk about his book Family Tree. Mr. Folsom read from the book, shared insights into his writing process, and talked about the making of the book from its origins to its publication. After Mr. Folsom spoke, students got the opportunity to live the life of a writer and to spend part of the evening writing with their families. Every student took home a journal, and five students won copies of Mr. Folsom’s book! We received a lot of positive feedback, and families said they enjoyed the night. Thanks also to Mrs. Rutherford and Mrs. Rowland, Mary Snow’s Literacy Coach and Title I teacher, respectively, for their hard work, organization, and enthusiasm for this project! (AE, PE, QIP, ES)

Mary Snow student Sam Bergmark won a ride to school in a Fire Truck! Sam won a competition on fire safety, and then got the opportunity to sit in the front of the truck, wear a headset, and experience a bit of what the Bangor Fire Department does on a daily basis! The team who drove Sam to school made sure to stop and pose for pictures, and all the students outside gathered around to cheer for Sam and to say hello to the fire fighters. It was quite an experience for all! (ES)

The Mary Snow Cribbage Club is in up and running, and has welcomed 30 cribbage team members this quarter! Some of the students in the club have had a lot of experience with playing cribbage in the past, and other students are learning about the game for the first time. It has been a great experience for students to pair up, play, and teach each other all of the ins and outs of the game. Cribbage is a fun and recreational way for our Mary Snow students to practice their mental math skills, observe and continue patterns, witness probability concepts, and relate sets and combinations – all while having fun and connecting with each other! (AE, PE, ES)

Origami club is in full swing! Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper, and in Origami Club this quarter, students have created animals and other figures. Members are all doing a fantastic job of following directions and folding the origami paper correctly. Ethan Yu, a new student to Mary Snow this school year, is doing an outstanding job teaching origami to his peers. This first session meets every Tuesday after school, and the next session of Origami will begin after the Holiday break. (ES)

On Friday, November 30th, the Mary Snow School hosted a Family Movie Night sponsored by the Mary Snow PTO. Students and families gathered in the gym to watch the movie Rio 2. We had popcorn, snacks, and water for guests, and afterwards, families stayed to help clean up. The night was a great community event, and it was wonderful to see so many families coming together. (ES)

The Mary Snow PTO pulled out all the stops in providing a delicious menu of items for our teachers and staff during Parent Teacher Conferences. They served our staff delicious pizza and salad the first night of conferences, provided an excellent bagel breakfast the next morning, and capped it off with a sandwich buffet for lunch. Many thanks to our PTO for being so kind, supporting our teachers and staff, and keeping our energy up before the Thanksgiving break. (PE, ES)

Under the direction of Mary Snow music teacher Kelly Ellis, students showcased their musical talents on a couple of occasions during the month of December.  All fifth-grade students along with the Mary Snow Chorus presented their winter concert, A Holiday of Music, on Tuesday, December 18. The student’s hard work was evident as they sang such songs as Winter is Coming, Shalom, Sing, Penguin Polka, and The Rhythm of the Season.  Songs were enhanced by students performing on rhythm instruments, and some special features included a display of candles and even some dancing!  (PE, QIP, ES)

The Mary Snow Chorus traveled to Winterberry Heights assisted living community to perform their concert songs and enjoy a patriotic sing-a-long with the residents.  Led by Mrs. Ellis, the chorus students had quite a meaningful experience as they shared their love of music with the Winterberry community. Residents were extremely touched by the music, moved by the performance, and impressed by our students. (PE, ES)

The Mary Snow Student Council organized a theme week right before the December break, and to drum up excitement for the Bangor Day Food Drive! Themes included Twin Day, Dress for Success Day, Character Day, and Eyes on the Future Day, all culminating in Bangor Day. Students took part in the festivities, dressing for each day, and the excitement of the week was palpable. (ES)

Bangor Day was a huge success at Mary Snow! Students, families, and staff members donated ten boxes of items to help those in need! Plus, the school was decked out in red and white on the last day before vacation, including streamers hanging from the ceilings. Everyone showed their Bangor pride! (ES)

The Mary Snow Student Council organized the creation and collection of Care Packages for the homeless residents of Bangor. Working with the Bangor Homeless Shelter, Student Council members collected non-perishable food, water, and other supplies to be handed out to those in need. Bangor Police Officer Eric Lund picked up over seventy-five packages which contained crucial items that were passed out at the Bangor Police Station, several homeless campsites, and the Bangor Homeless Shelter! Many thanks to the students for their kindness and thoughtfulness, and thanks to Mrs. Cormier and Mrs. Kennedy for organizing the event. (PE, ES)

Fifth grade teacher Jenny Farrar and a parent at Mary Snow have started a Food Club! Students in Food Club will be learning how to make soups, dips, desserts, and other healthy snacks. Students will also learn about food, learn about healthy eating, and use their knowledge to create their own cook book! (PE, QIP)

A new session of Extra Curricular activities kicked off this month! Students have the opportunity to participate in 3D Printing, Chorus, Origami Club, Scratch Programming, Student Council, Art Club, LEGO Robotics, Chess Club, Food Club, Homework Club, and our annual Floor Hokey tournament! Many thanks to the teachers, staff, and club advisors for all of their hard work and thoughtfulness in providing students a number of options to be engaged after school at Mary Snow! (AE, PE, QIP, ES)

The floor hockey season is in full swing at Mary Snow! 65 students are currently participating on six different teams, three times a week after school, to practice their hockey skills, and enjoy team work and good sportsmanship. The goal for each team is win the championship game in March! Games are open to the public, so feel free to come by Mary Snow any Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoon! (ES)

The second session of chorus has begun at Mary Snow! About 50 students meet each Monday after school to share in their passion for singing and performing, and Chorus members are currently learning songs to sing at their All-City concert in May! (QIP, ES)

Students in Ms. Roberts’ classroom participated in the Special Olympics Candlepin Bowling in January! The students showcased their bowling skills as they cheered each other on! All students took home ribbons which were presented at a special ribbon ceremony in Ms. Roberts room! Congratulations to our Special Olympians on their wonderful success! (PE, QIP, ES)

Once again, Mr. Stephen Norris entertained a packed house of family and community members with a Fifth Grade Band Demonstration on Tuesday, February 5th. With his usual showmanship and good humor, Mr. Norris conducted the students through solid renditions of “Hot Crossed Buns,” “Rolling Along,” Go Tell Aunt Rhody,” and “Lightly Row.” The students sounded incredible, and will get a chance to showcase their talents at the All-City Band performance in March! (PE, QIP, ES)

LEGO Robotics club has been busy working on a variety of training missions utilizing ultrasonic, color, and touch sensors. These missions have enabled students to branch out on their own to customize their builds and programming in preparation for their challenge: Sumo Bots! Many students are highly anticipating the start of the competitive robotics team that will train and compete in the robotics track meet this spring. (AE, QIP, ES)

The first cycle of Scratch club has been a huge success. Many students arrived the first day of club having little to no understanding of basic programming. After one quarter of meetings, many of the students have designed multiple projects ranging from animation, to games, and to much more! The ability level in the group is diverse, which has helped to build a collaborative community of programmers that continues to grow every day at Mary Snow! (AE, QIP, ES)

3D printing fever has gripped the students at Mary Snow! The second quarter of 3D printing club was a great success, with many students arriving with no 3D design experience. By the end of second quarter, a variety of projects had been developed in the  home and school improvement category. Projects included phone cases, aquaponics accessories, bridge prototypes, key chains, varieties of toys, and much more! A group of students have put on their entrepreneurial hats and have developed a series of projects to sell at the student council store. Funds raised will go directly to future student council and 3D printing endeavors! (AE, QIP, ES)

Mary Snow’s custodial staff did an excellent job cleaning the school over February vacation. The floors were waxed, repairs were made, and all the door handles, windows, and hand rails were wiped and polished! The building looked sharp, ready for the return of the students and the staff. Many thanks to Mr. Peters and Mr. Hanson for their hard work! (PE, ES)

The Mary Snow School held its annual Academic Showcase night on March 5th. Students and their families played math games, took part in science experiments (including building a structure to withstand an Earthquake Simulator), played word games, learned about Dr. Seuss, and experienced the wonderful extra and co-curricular activities offered at the Mary Snow School. Many thanks to all who visited and to our teachers and staff for making the showcase such a great night! (AE, PE, QIP, ES)

Mary Snow’s fifth grade band students performed at the All City Band show. Students from both the Mary Snow and Fairmount Schools demonstrated their talent and their growth as musicians. Attendees could clearly hear how much the band had progressed under the direction of Mr. Stephen Norris, and the students were given an opportunity to see how far their dedication to music can take them. (QIP, ES)

The Mary Snow PTO held its annual Spaghetti Summer on the night of March 22nd. Students and families were treated to a generous helping of spaghetti, salad, meatballs, and desserts – all donated by local businesses! Additionally, attendees were treated to the magic and showmanship of Conjuring Carroll! Thanks to the PTO for organizing the event, and thanks to the community members who came to dine with us! (ES)

Roaming Gnomes have been spotted around the Mary Snow School! The 4th grade Art Club created amazing Paper Mache gnomes beginning with a sand filled plastic bottle as an armature (or framework to build the sculpture on). Students rolled up their sleeves and got right into the Paper Mache, dipping strips of paper into the glue and wrapping and sculpting details. Soon, paint and accessories brought the artwork to life, each so unique and interesting. From beards to braids and even beaks, these gnomes are one of a kind, and absolutely beautiful! (QIP, ES)

Mary Snow’s 2019 Floor Hockey Season came to an end with the Flyers defeating the Bruins 5-3. Congratulations to students on both teams for their excellent sportsmanship, hard work, and enthusiasm for the game! And extra special thanks to Mr. Folsom for another fantastic Floor Hockey season! (ES)

During the first week of April, Mary Snow students had the opportunity to show what they know during MEA testing! We couldn’t be prouder of our students who put their heads down, worked hard, and took pride in their work. Thanks to our teachers and staff for their encouragement and support, and thanks to our PTO for providing snacks and water! (AE, PE, QIP, ES)

Fourth grade students at Mary Snow School, under the direction of Kelly Ellis, presented their spring concert, The Magic of Disney! Students sang songs that spanned seventy-five years of Disney movies. Starting with the original Mickey Mouse theme song, students continued to progress through Disney movies including The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and The Lion King.  The Mary Snow chorus also sang several selections from songs that students have been working on in their after-school Chorus Club. The Mary Snow chorus will perform once more this year joining with Fairmount in the all-city chorus concert on May 2. (PE, QIP, ES)

The sonorous sounds of music could be heard on April 9th as Mary Snow strings students performed at the All City Strings event. Students got the opportunity to play for family, friends, and community members, and to display the growth they have made as musicians since strings began in November! Student played a variety of traditional, Folk, and classical songs under the direction of Mr. William Bell, and we couldn’t be prouder of their skills as musicians! (QIP, ES)

Mary Snow Fifth grade students celebrated an “egg-celent” egg drop the day before April vacation! In science classes, students worked in teams on developing prototypes holders and parachutes to protect the eggs as they were dropped off the roof of Mary Snow! Students cheered each other on, clapped for their classmates, and enjoyed a great send off into vacation. (AE, QIP, ES)

Many thanks to our custodians for their hard work during vacation week! The faculty, staff, and students came back to polished floors, clean desks and rooms, and a building that looked ready to open its doors back up to our students. Many thanks to Mr. Hanson and Mr. Peters for their attention to detail and pride in our school. (PE, ES)

On May 8th, Mary Snow students and families were invited to an End of Year Art Show and Math PEAK Night! Mrs. Crahen’s art students prepared the exhibit by selecting artwork for display and providing a written personal artist statement. The event was well attended and families got a chance to see and experience a variety of unique art while enjoying cookies and water provided by our generous PTO. It was a great evening for families and friends to celebrate the creativity of our young artists! (PE, QIP, ES)

On May 8th, Mrs. Rutherford and Mrs. Rowland presented a Mary Snow Math Night! Students in attendance were given the opportunity to play math games with their families, practice their math facts, and take home a math activity to sharpen their skills! Many thanks to our Literacy Coach and Title I Teacher for providing students with a fun and engaging evening! (AE, PE, QIP, ES)

On May 2nd, Mary Snow and Fairmount students performed for a packed house at Peakes Auditorium during the All City Chorus event! They sang a mixture of songs, including the student and crowd favorite “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!” Through the direction of Mrs. Kelly Ellis and the accompaniment of Mr. Joshua Johnson, the students did an excellent job, and their hard work and practice paid off in an entertaining performance. (QIP, ES)

During the week of May 20th, the Student Council organized a Kindness Week! Students showed their kindness by participating in theme days such as wearing bright colors, dressing up as Disney characters, dressing as twins, wearing beach attire, and capping off the week with a wacky hair day! Thanks to Student Council for organizing this wonderful event, and to Mrs. Cormier and Mrs. Kennedy for their direction and leadership! (QIP, ES)

Mary Snow fifth graders performed in the annual Talent Show on June 7th! Performers danced, sang, contorted, and even played hockey on stage! Thanks to Ms. Roberts, Mrs. Bendure, and Mrs. Lower for organizing such an excellent show, and thank you to the PTO for providing snacks and drinks. (ES)

On June 6th, Mary Snow held its Step-Up day for 3rd grade students from the Abraham Lincoln and Fruit Street Schools. Incoming students were able to tour the school, meet the teachers, and to hear about the Mary Snow experience. The day was capped off with a group photo of the current and incoming fourth grade classes. Thanks to Principals Tennent and Fournier, and all the teachers at Fruit Street and Abraham Lincoln schools for making the day so successful. (QIP, ES)

Fifth grade students at the Mary Snow School traveled to the William S. Cohen School for 5th Grade Step Up Day on June 6th. Students received a tour from a current sixth grader, met the teachers and administrators, and were able to hear about the William S. Cohen School experience. Thanks to Principal Missbrenner, Assistant Principal Ellis, and Dr. Astbury for hosting such an informative and important event. (QIP, ES)

On Thursday, June 13th, the Mary Snow School held its first “Acadia Day.” Park Rangers came to Mary Snow and set up six different stations aimed at teaching students about animal pelts, bats, researching, water rescue/firefighting, soil development, and scenery conversation. The students had a wonderful experience, and each left with a little bit more knowledge about our environment, being a good camper, and how to protect wildlife. (AE, PE, QIP, ES)

On Friday, June 14th, Mary Snow fifth grade students hosted a Hobby Day for parents, families, and community members. Students created displays for their hobbies, and Mary Snow opened its doors to allow community members in to see the varied and unique talents of our students! The day was a success, and it opened the eyes of many students who may not have known about the special talents of their classmates. (QIP, ES)

On Monday, June 17th, Mary Snow held its annual Field Day! The weather was perfect for the students who were able to experience ten different, challenging, fun, and team-building exercises under the direction of PE teacher Jon Folsom. With additional assistance from over twenty PTO volunteers, the Field Day event was a great success! (QIP, ES)