Marblehead school board impressed with Village

MARBLEHEAD – Marblehead Village School Principal Donald LeClerc had to admit he felt like a proud parent.Despite having an extra 100 students transfer into grades 4-6 from the Marblehead Community Charter Public School, the school put together a 45-minute presentation he and Assistant Principal Danielle Cherry called "An Educational Snapshot," and impressed the School Committee last week.Using a so-called Smartboard, students Daniel Rosenberg and Caitlin McCarthy showed three ways of comparing fractions. They were introduced by teacher Jonathan Heller.The Marblehead Village School has five portable smartboards – one on each floor and one in each of the two lab classrooms – and is seeking a grant to purchase more.Instructor Fei Yang led a group of nine students in some Mandarin Chinese speeches and songs she has taught them in a special weekly class, also funded by a grant.Jennifer DiGiammarino’s students showed the pet-sized robots they have programmed to move around a room and discussed the stock market competition some will enter later this year, using virtual portfolios.Teachers Susan Gravel and Jennifer Billings showed how they are teaching students how to argue, with students comparing countries in Asia and stating which one they would rather live in. Based on the economy, life expectancy and other factors, students preferred Japan to Iraq, China to India and the United Arab Emirate to Nepal.Stephen Volpe’s students brought science projects with them. Cian Saunders built ecosystems in glass cylinders, using different kinds of plants, a fish and a cricket. Hayley Cole used vinegar to simulate acid rain and study its effects on each one, first removing the fish and the cricket.Charles Maney built a boat that would hold at least 15 marbles without sinking in a small tank, and counted the marbles as he dropped them in. The boat took 19 marbles before it sank.