Kids Corner
Polk Street School
Holiday Cheer
How will you spread cheer this holiday season?
I will spread cheer this holiday season by being nice and doing the best I can to be good all the way to Christmas. The next thing that I would do to spread cheer is by helping people, making them feel good. The last thing to spread cheer this holiday season is by helping my parents by cooking and being nice all the way next year. - Jaxon B.
I will spread cheer this holiday season. I will spread cheer by maybe shoveling the snow for my neighbor. I can also donate a jacket to the school's fundraiser. Those are only two ways I can spread cheer this holiday. - Catalina C.
I will spread cheer this holiday season by donating to the toy drives, can food drives, and coat drives. I know I will do this by taking my extra toys and coats that I don’t need and to donate them. I also go to my uncle's fundraiser and pick a family to get gifts for. That is how I will spread cheer this holiday season. - Madelyn S.
Holiday Excitement at PSS
What is your favorite part about the holidays at Polk Street School?
My favorite part is seeing all the holiday cheer around me and our teachers and principals spreading that cheer. I also love it when we do the bake sale and holiday sale. - Nathan S.
My favorite parts are the holiday games that we do like word searches, holiday movies on the day before break, and parties. My favorite part is the holiday games because I think that they are fun and I think that it gets everyone awake and in the holiday spirit. - Peter S.
My favorite part of the holidays at Polk Street is spending time with friends, having class parties, and just having a good time with good people around. The Holiday Sale always gets me excited. The baked goods at the Bake Sale are always delicious. And the Christmas themed projects and activities are the best. The band and chorus get us in the Christmas spirit. That’s what my favorite part about the holidays at Polk Street are. - Filippo G.
Click here to view the Holiday Excitement at PSS 2024 slideshow.
PSS Holiday Brunch
The PSS holiday brunch was so much fun! We played games, we did art and crafts, and there were so many opportunities to take cute pictures. Santa was even Santa there! The PSS holiday brunch was the best!! - Mia H.
Click here to view the PSS Holiday Brunch 2024 slideshow.
John Street News
Where students report on the amazing happenings at John Street School.
Mistletunes with Squeaky Clean Assembly
Click here to view the JSS Mistletunes with Squeaky Clean Assembly 24-25 slideshow.
By: Millie & Bella
We had the best assembly at John Street School when the amazing band Squeaky Clean came and got us into the Christmas spirit by playing some traditional holiday songs. This was such a great cheerful holiday experience for the third through sixth grade students. Some of the fun holiday tunes they played were ‘Rocking around the Christmas Tree’, ‘Feliz Navidad’, ‘Frosty the Snowman’, ‘Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer’, and more! This band was so fun to listen to, they were also so entertaining and interactive. For the younger kids, they were very happy and excited with all the tricks and cheerful, jolly songs.Thanks to PTA and the band Squeaky Clean for making this super special and amazing event happen. Wishing you a wonderful Happy Holiday!
Winter Concert
Click here to view the JSS Winter Concert 24-25 slideshow.
By: Ariana & Mikayla
The winter concert was a BLAST! The 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade worked so hard to make this the best concert JSS ever had. The 5th and 6th graders sang songs including “Blizzard on the Way”, ‘Al Shlosha D’varim’, and ‘Hip Hop Reindeer’. The band played songs including ‘Holiday Sampler’, ‘Chanukah Delights’, and ‘Rocking Around The Christmas Tree’. The 3rd and 4th graders sang ‘Santa Fever’ which got the whole crowding going and busting a move. We all thank Ms. Gottesman and Mr. Rizzo for putting all of their time and effort to make this concert the best there ever was. We also thank Mrs. Randazzo, the JSS art helpers, and the PTA for designing and putting all of the beautiful artwork on the gymnasium walls. Without them, none of this would have been possible. Thank you to all our soloists, hip hop rappers and dancers, and our blizzard dancers for putting in their time to practice and making this performance spectacular. The students worked so hard to make this winter concert remarkable for us and for everyone. Thank you for watching all of the concert kids perform a mashup of our holiday favorites.
Acts of Kindness
Click here to view the JSS Acts of Kindness 24-25 slideshow.
By: Arya
Acts of Kindness are all around us at John Street School. What does it mean to be kind? Kindness is being a good friend and standing up for others and what is right. Kindness isn’t just about being nice to your friends but to all the people around you. One act of kindness you can do for anyone is SMILE. You never know what people are going through so if you do something even as small as smile and wave to them when you pass by It may go a long way to help them. Also, if you do a good deed for someone, that person might be INSPIRED to be kind to someone else, and then that person gets inspired to do a good deed for someone else and by the time you know it, a lot of people will be inspired to have a positive attitude. Another act of kindness you can do is be respectful. Being respectful includes not talking when your teacher or others are talking, not playing around with your friends when there is work in front of you, not putting your hands on other people, not being or doing anything dangerous and being responsible for the consequences of YOUR OWN actions. Another way you can be kind around John Street School, and outside of John Street, is by including friends and others whom you might not know. It is good to be an INCLUDER because if you include someone or a friend, it can make you feel good about yourself and make the other person feel INCLUDED as well. Also, if someone you don’t know wants to join in on what you’re doing, don’t just think, “Because I don’t know them, I don’t need to include them,” INCLUDE THEM! That’s how you can make more friends and make that other person feel GOOD about themselves. These are some ACTS OF KINDNESS I hope to see around our school, as well as outside of school. I have sadly experienced and seen people experience EXCLUDING and it really breaks my heart when people are upset that they're being excluded and look like they're on the brink of tears. You may not notice when you are off with some of your friends and not really thinking about anyone else, but it can really hurt others’ feelings when you just run away. If you are in this situation, you have a voice, so use it! I’m not talking about saying something like, “Let me join, or else!” but simply saying, “Hello! Do you think I can join you and your friends?” and YOU or SOMEONE ELSE should be KIND and INCLUDE you or whoever is asking. Now here are some interviews of what my fellow classmates think it means to BE KIND.
December 2024
Guest Author Visit “ Roseanne Critelli”
1st grade students had a visit from local guest author Roseanne Critelli, who shared her new release holiday story. The author read her book and raffled off signed copies of each of her children’s books. Each student also got a keepsake bookmark that featured the main characters, Sonny and Luca, two dogs who go on adventures together.
Trim the Tree & Holiday Spirit
Classes worked on beautiful ornament decorations to trim our Washington Street tree, displayed in our main hallway. The doors of the building were decorated with colorful holiday spirit to spread cheer and excitement in our building.
Holiday Concert
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade students put on an incredible winter performance which included a selection of holiday songs and talented dancers. The chorus was directed by our musical teacher, Mrs. Tesar and the band was directed by our own, Mr. O’Connor. The gymnasium was decorated with stunning artwork from our students.
