Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Washington DC

It's that time of year again! Time to sign up for the Washington DC field trip! The deadline has been extended to November 20th. I know May seems like a long way away, but in order to secure the hotel of our choice, and the preferred tour bus company arrangements need to be made months in advance!

The trip is 3 days and 2 nights, and is not only educational but fun too! There is a deposit required at time of sign up around $90 dollars. The trip itself costs $417, with most meals included.

If you are interested please email me paula.roswell@ct.gov or call 860-445-3858

I understand that money is tight for everyone, but there are payment plans available and I have a couple ideas for a few more fundraisers.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Grasso Tech PFO

Just a few bits of information about the Grasso Tech PFO....this is a worthwhile and very hard working organization. If you can't make meetings, but still want to be involved, any and all help is appreciated! Please mark your calendars for the below listed events. And to plan ahead, during Shop Selection Night, which is scheduled for December 5th, the PFO will be sponsoring a "Cookie Walk"- what that means is for $5.00 dollars, you can fill a container with cookies and other assorted baked goods. If you have a favorite cookie recipe, and/or wouldn't mind baking up a batch of cookies to donate to the event it would be much appreciated! If you have questions, please feel free to contact me and I will forward your questions to PFO President Wendy Smith or contact the PFO directly on their Facebook site.

From Wendy Smith, PFO President........
Just a reminder the next PFO meeting is Tuesday, October 15th at 6pm in the music room. Normally, they are held on the second Tuesday of the month, but occasionally we need to change.
If you have a senior student and are interested in helping with the 2014 All Night Drug/Alcohol Free Graduation Party, please contact our co-chairs, Astrid Aalund (wdwmom@sbcglobal.net ) or Sandra Wheeler (forpeaceofmind@sbcglobal.net ). The Grad Party committee will be hosting a bake sale at the Groton Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct 12th and are looking for baked good donations. Please contact them if you can help.

Our Parent's Night Fundraising was a success! The PFO has received a lot of positive feedback from the event. The school store is looking fabulous. A special thank you to Suzanne Darby for all the time she has spent decorating and opening the store during school lunches.

There are a few other fundraisers coming up at the Groton Senior Center that will be discussed at the upcoming meeting, as well as reports from our Music and Athletics departments and Administration.

Please feel free to contact PFO President Wendy Smith with any questions or ideas you may have for fundraising, All Night Grad Party planning or ways to involve and connect with more parent's and families of Grasso Tech students.
www.facebook.com/GrassoTech



Friday, October 4, 2013

Thanks for coming to Parent's Night

Thank you everyone for attending Parent's Night last night!!

It is always nice to meet my students families! If you didn't get a chance to attend parent's night, please feel free to contact me via me school email: paula.roswell@ct.gov   or you can call my classroom at 860-445-3858.

The Grasso Tech PFo had a great fundraiser last night during Parent's Night, they had the Rolling Tomato Pizza truck come sell pizza with a portion of the proceeds the PFO.
Not sure what the PFO is or how important it is for you the parents/guardians to become involved? They need and want your support!

Check out the PFO Facebook page or email them at:
pfograssotech@comcast.net



Sunday, September 29, 2013

Parent's Night!!

This Thursday October 3rd from 5:00-7:00 pm, Grasso Tech is hosting our annual Parent's Night! Although it is called "Parent's Night", it is a night designed for those of you who love and take care of our students to come into school and meet everyone, teachers and administrators. It also gives you a chance to come to meet all of the academic teachers your student has this year and to reconnect with their trade instructors.

If your student has me for an art class, I'd like to offer you, their parents/guardians/loved ones, a chance for YOU to earn a free extra credit project grade for THEM. Just stop in to my art room, room 411, and take a few minutes to complete an art project. Don't worry, I don't expect you to have any prior art background or experiences since you were in school. It will only take a few minutes, I promise!

I started this practice my first year here as a way for me to meet parents and talk to everyone, as Parent's Night is not for one-on-one conferences about your student. Not that I wouldn't love to sit and talk to everyone about their student, but it's just not possible. If you would like a one-on-one conference about your student, I urge you to contact me via email, phone or even during Parent's Night and we can try and work something out that would fit both of our schedules.
paula.roswell@ct.gov     or 860-445-3858

Parent's Night gives us a chance to meet in person, make some art together and you a chance to earn your student an extra credit project grade!!

Make sure to stop in...can't find my room...just ask someone!  See you Thursday!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Welcome to Academics ......Sophomores and Juniors!!

It's an exciting time in art class, B cycle in Academics begins tomorrow!!

For those of you in my Elements of Art class and Drawing I class, you are going to need to obtain a sketchbook. If you have gotten yours already, great! If not, we have a long 12 day cycle, so try and get one as soon as you can.

Haven't had art class since Middle School and not sure what to expect the first day?
Well, for one, we will go over my class rules, they are pretty straight forward. Respect the materials, respect your own artwork and that of your classmates. Clean up after yourself, learn something new and of course have some fun! After we go over the rules, we will spend some time completing an art game, and then decorating folders.
Every student will be expected to sign an art contract, which you can bring home to show your parents/guardians and then return to me. It's your first homework assignment.

The rest of the cycle we will begin our exploration into the Elements of Art!!


Drawing I students, I have a lot of things planned for our first day. After spending sometime reviewing the rules, or getting to know them if you haven't had me. We will start learning about Shading & Modeling. Shading & Modeling is one of the most important skills you will develop and refine throughout your time in Drawing class. This cycle you will also be introduced to the plastic fruit! While I was in Maine over the summer on vacation, I went into a store that had, well giant plastic fruit. Well not giant really, but about 8 inches tall! I could only buy a couple, one pear and one apple, but I can't wait to show you them!

See you soon!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Young Artist's Society

Young Artist's Society...............

Our first meeting of the year will be Friday September 20th, 7th period in room 411.
To help make scheduling meetings easier this year, the third Friday of every month
we will have a meeting during 7th period.

If you are unable to attend our first or actually any of our meetings, that doesn't mean that you still can't participate! Especially if you are signing up for Band, which meets Wed and Friday during 7th period, under no circumstances are you to miss band or any regularly scheduled class other than academic access. It's also helpful to your academic access teacher's if you show up with a pass already signed by me.

Drop by, or ask me in the hallway for a pass before the meeting dates if you can. If not, please make sure you arrive with a pass written by your teacher. I realize it is very hard to miss valuable shop time, so don't give your teacher a hard time, you can make the next meeting.

See you soon!

Friday, August 30, 2013

First week .....

As we all relax this long labor day weekend.. here are just a few of the latest happenings in art class.......


In Drawing II class we started construction of a paper sculpture. Yes, sculpture in drawing class! It is actually cut strips of paper (black or white) that students bend, twist and shape and then glue (black or white) on a separate piece of paper as a base. The shaping of the strips creates visual rhythm. Students will then be drawing select areas of their sculpture using Conte Crayon applying shading & modeling. Students were reintroduced to our friend "the viewfinder" as we discussed how it helps to focus our eye and create a more dynamic composition by being selective on what we draw- the content.

3D Design class we viewed a slide show that depicted a sampling of sculpture ranging from the lion man to Greek statues and ending with work by Christo. It was interesting to hear students share their thoughts and views on the artwork itself and on the purpose behind sculpture then and now.

In Digital Photography class we began with a discussion on the difference between a "snapshot" and a "photograph" as we looked at examples of both types of photos. Students will also spend time throughout the year responding to photographs in writing. Their first assignment was to view Dorothea Lange's, The Migrant Mother photograph. The FSA, the Farm Security Administration, a US government program during the Great Depression; was the first time that photographs were used to depict actual working and living conditions of rural farming communities. Unlike current media bombardment, back in the day so to speak, there was only news radio. Photographs provided the visual evidence of poverty conditions to those all across our country. I also chose this photograph because it is very relatable to my students, a mom and her kids.

We have added a new class this year, 2D Design and I am just getting started with the class and students. Our first project will be using pattern and repetition to create movement and emphasis. More details to follow.....