Marblehead students spice up school board meetings

MARBLEHEAD – Some of the best entertainment in town can be found at a School Committee meeting – at least when the students have a chance to demonstrate their special projects and activities.Marblehead High music teacher Kenneth Warren led the high school Jazz Band in two selections at the April 17 meeting, The Girl from Ipanema by Antonio Jobim and Four Brothers by Jimmy Giuffre. The band includes Alto Saxophone, Sean O’Connor and Rebecca Ness; Tenor Saxophone, Ariel Katz; Trumpet, Michael Syversen, Daniel Kennedy and Evan Thorne; Trombone, Kyle Benowitz and Sean Belliveau; Bass, Ross Peterson; Drums, William Wyman.Principal John Ziergiebel explained that the instructional focus at the high school relies on the student as worker and teacher as coach, and the process is apply, analyze, evaluate and synthesize. He offered special thanks to Kathleen Duff, assistant principal, Dr. Martha Bedrosian, science curriculum director and Kay Scheidler, English and language arts curriculum director.Eileen Kennedy and Sinead Persaud presented a documentary they filmed called “The Synthesis of a Documentary – Marblehead Reads.” Connor Ryan, English teacher, asked them to make the documentary and they filmed over six hours of footage and edited it into a 23-minute film, to inform people about the program and potentially serve as an example for surrounding towns.The Math Team and their teacher Micheline Ryan discussed math competitons and practice sessions. Team members included Ben Dobkin, Sasha Veksler, Kelsey Pedersen, Gavin Frisch, Alec Eidelman and Ryan Heffrin.Kendra Song and the Robotics Class, represented by Josh Buchsbaum, Ryan Braun and Brad Krivelow demonstrated a crane, a mining robot and a claw car.David Zalanowski and the Science Team – Ben Dobkin, Sasha Veksler and Tyler Freeto – discussed “Creative Solutions to Real World Dilemmas.” The Science Team competes in the North Shore Science League.Taylor Wright and Sean Belliveau talked about participating in the Model Boat-making class, a Marblehead tradition. They hope to sell their completed models to purchase more materials so the class may be self-sustaining and extended special thanks to Tyler Doyle of Doyle Sailmakers.