GFMS 2019-20 Clubs & Activities
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES 2019-2020 Revised: 10/3/19
Art Club – Grades 5-8. This club is for those who would like to enjoy some additional time exploring artistic opportunities in the art room. Members will be able to pursue self-directed projects in the medium of their choice, put in additional time on art classroom assignments, and become involved in collaborative ventures with other club members. Individualized instruction and support will be readily available. Students are encouraged to share ideas and enjoy immersing themselves in artistic endeavors in the company of their fellow art enthusiasts. Students may sign up for one quarter of Art Club. 2019-2020 Art Club meets on Fridays after school. Limit of 24 students per quarter. Sign up is first come/ first enrolled. Advisor: Amanda Lynne alynne@carmelschools.org
Book Club – Grades 5-8 Interested in discussing short stories, poems, and books? The book club will meet in room 266. Share in the entertaining world of reading!" Advisor: Elizabeth Power epower@carmelschools.org
Babysitting Course – One time a year, usually in the spring, the GFMS PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) Team provides a course in babysitting.
Chess Club –Grades 5-7. This club meets weekly. The club includes chess strategy instruction and in- school tournaments. Beginners are welcome. Club has a cap of 20 students. Advisor: Joanna Sweeney jsweeney@carmelschools.org
Dignity Club – Grades 5-8. This club provides a time and place to help students support cultural competencies, gender awareness/differences, human rights and world peace. It will help to teach our students ways to support others in all things. Activities include but are not limited to: discussions of issues important to students, collaborative mural making, posted design, poetry writing, awareness events, fund raisers/charity events. Meets weekly. Advisor: Sarah Bell sbell1@carmelschools.org
Drama Club – Grades 6-8. This club is for those who want to let their inner actor out and work with a variety of people. Students perform in one show each year. Meetings range from once a week to five times a week once the play and cast has been selected. Advisors: Joann Monroe (jmonroe@carmelschools.org) Annie Davey (adavey@carmelschools.org) and Tom Esposito (tesposit@carmelschools.org)
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) – Grades 5-8. The GFMS chapter of FBLA serves as an important stepping stone for participating in the high school’s chapter of this national, state and local organization. Members are active in school and community partnerships that exemplify the club’s overall mission of community service; educating themselves and others; and promoting progressive ideas through professional connections. Students learn best business practices and participate in charitable fundraising activities. Advisor: Jeff Diamonde jdiamond@carmelschools.org
General Organization (GO) – Grades 5-8. GO is the student government that represents the GFMS student body. Officers include a President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer as well as student representatives from each homeroom. The GO is involved in community service projects such as food and clothing collections. They plan school activities such as dances and keep students informed. The GO meets on Wednesday afternoons. Advisors: Felicia Dileo (fdileo@carmelschools.org), Cynthia Tully (ctully@carmelschools.org), and Dan Drebycz (ddrebycz@carmelschools.org)
Go Green Environmental Club – Grades 5-8. The Go Green Club’s primary function is to run the recycling program at GFMS. The club meets on Tuesdays after school to collect, bag, and remove the school’s recyclable waste to our outdoor collection site. The club also gets involved in special projects within the school and in the community to support and promote environmental efforts. Advisor: Amanda Lynne alynne@carmelschools.org
Lego Robotics Club – Grades 6-8. Students design and build an autonomous programmable Lego robotic vehicle to perform tasks in an annual regional contest at Dutchess Community College. Per the rules of the tournament, the team consists of only 10 students. See www.usfirst.org for more information. The middle school competition is called First Lego League (FLL). Advisor: Tony Sottile asottile@carmelschools.org
Living History Club – Grades 7-8. Students learn about various topics in American History. Students research Colonial era and Civil War time period during club meetings. Club members create presentations to demonstrate 18th and 19th century American culture. In the fall, students assist with 7th grade Colonial Day. In June, the club hosts the “Excelsior Cup”, a 19th century baseball tournament. The club meets after school every other Thursday. Advisor: Keith Reilly kreilly@carmelschools.org
Math Counts - Grades 6-8. A National enrichment, coaching and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement. The club meets once a week and will focus on competition. The club is geared for 7th and 8th graders. Sixth graders are welcome to attend but the content may be difficult. Advisor: Stacy Molison smolison@carmelschools.org
Musical Groups
Clarinet Choir: open to all 6th through 8th grade clarinet players. Performances for the HS pops concert as well as an extra-curricular concert. Meets weekly on Monday’s after school along with Jazz Band. Great opportunity to meet with multiple grade levels and get more playing opportunities. Advisor: Meghan Cabral mcabral@carmelschools.org
Jazz Band – Grades 7-8 band students. In addition to band students, Jazz Band is students who play piano, guitar and bass. This club provides an opportunity for interested students to learn and perform jazz, rock, blues, and other forms of popular music in an instrumental setting. The group meets on Mondays after school until the late bus. One evening concert will be scheduled in the spring. Advisors: Eric Pecor epecor@carmelschools.org and Aimee Brainard abrainar@carmelschools.org
Rock Ensemble – Grades 7-8. This club provides an opportunity for 7th and 8th students to learn and perform popular music from many different decades. Rock Ensemble is an auditioned group including approximately 20 singers, 2-3 guitarists, 1-2 bass guitarists, 1-2 keyboard/piano players and 1-2 students who play drum set. Auditions take place mid to late September. Rock Ensemble rehearses on Tuesdays from 2:30-4:00 p.m. finishing the season in April with several school day assemblies. Advisor: Don Griffith dgriffit@carmelschools.org
Select Strings – Grades 7-8. Students who play violin, viola, cello, bass, or piano. This ensembles provides students the opportunity to play alternative style music such as: pop, rock, bluegrass and jazz, with the possibility of improvisation and solo playing. There is one scheduled concert in the spring. Rehearsals are held once a week.
Peer Leaders – Grade 8. Students serve as good role models for incoming 5th graders. In September Peer Leaders assist with 5th grade orientation. In addition, they attend Back-to-School Nights as well as Curriculum Nights to assist parents. They also help at other various events throughout the school year. These students are hard-working, conscientious and dedicated to their school community. Students are chosen by an application process that begins at the end of their 7th grade year. Advisor: Beth Pellino bpellino@carmelschools.org
Reflections – PTA – Grades 5-8. The Reflections Program is an annual National PTA program sponsored and hosted by the GFMS PTA which showcases student talents in literature, musical composition, visual arts, photography/film/video and dance/choreography. Students in all grades may enter original works in one or more of these categories that support the theme for that school year. Entries are judged locally by a panel of professionals. First, second and third place winning entries for each category are sent for inclusion in the regional level, and then possibly the state and national level.
Safe School Ambassadors – This group of students is trained through the Community Matters Program. Students are nominated for this group by their faculty and peers. This is not an open enrollment activity. Approx. 60 students will participate in Family Groups with faculty, bi-weekly. Student and school goals are to help create and maintain a positive, safe, and uplifting school environment.
Science & Technology Fair – Grades 5-8. The Science & Technology fair is a great event. It takes place on Saturday February 22, 2020 and is open to all GFMS students. Projects can be entered in the categories of biology, physical science, technology, math and earth science. Awards are given to the first, second and third place winners from each category. Advisor: Kathy Malheiro kmalheiro@carmelschools.org and Heather Schmidt hschmidt@carmelschools.org
Spotlight – Grades 5-8. This club meets after school on Mondays to read and critique poems, short stories and art work to be published in the GFMS Spotlight Literary and Art Magazine. Spotlight Literary and Art Magazine showcases original pieces. The members work together to produce this memorable magazine. Advisor: Krista Berardi kberardi@carmelschools.org
Teens-N-Kids Mentoring Club – Grade 5. Sponsored in partnership with the Putnam County Youth Bureau, Carmel HS students come to GFMS to mentor and interact with our 5th grade students. The club meets weekly on Wednesdays. Activities and snacks are provided by the Youth Bureau. Please see Ms. Jacobs in Ms. Burns’s office to sign up.
Tutorial Program – Grade 8. A time to academically help the fifth and sixth grade students. Eighth graders can volunteer and then be trained to be a tutor, one day a week for our younger students. Students should seek more information from Mrs. Burns’ office. Space is limited and is filled on a first come/first enrolled basis. Please see Ms. Jacobs in Ms. Burns’s office for more information.
Yearbook – Grades 6-8. The yearbook is a publication of middle school memories. Meetings are held each Thursday. The yearbook staff works on photography, keyboarding, layouts and selling ad and booster space. Students learn how to design a yearbook page. Advisors: Karen Nagel knagel@carmelschools.org and Fran Russo frusso@carmelschools.org
