Sawdust News November 2022
A Message from Mike
Two stories I heard recently demonstrate the value Maplewoodshop can bring.
At JHS 190 in Queens, a 6th grader thanked me for inventing this program because math finally made sense when applied to measure his projects.
In a small district in New Jersey, I learned of an 8th grader who, a year ago, did not want to go to recess and did not feel she was a strong student. The principal suggested she explore their Maplewoodshop and she was inspired to create the foosball table you see below. This success both caused her to believe in herself and spurred her to apply to and was accepted into a scholarship program in a regional high school for engineering.
How can we help your students? And, if you have stories to share, please call, email or post to Facebook @maplewoodshopNJ.
Kind regards,
Mike
Introducing the Maplewoodshop Starter Program: Start small and grow!
Maplewoodshop's new starter program enables educators to introduce woodworking to their students at a smaller scale and a low initial cost. Our safe, portable, and easy-to-implement starter program enables students to:
Engage in a hands-on tactile learning experience that promotes learning in STEM and Career Technical Education
Build projects including sanding blocks, string art, and keepsake box
Develop real-life skills and SEL
Discover the intelligence in their hands
Upgrade to the full Maplewoodshop program seamlessly at anytime
“This is so important. It’s so different from their normal schooling, it’s really nice for them to work with their hands and experience things in a very different manner than just sitting down all day in classes.”
Are you on LinkedIn? Stay connected with us and subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
The Orange Pencil Award
Congratulations JHS 190 Russell Sage
The November recipient of the Orange Pencil award is JHS 190, Russell Sage. Located in Queens, NY, JHS 190 Russell Sage is a diverse collaborative school community dedicated to achieving academic excellence for all students. Students in grades 6 -8th grade participate in woodworking weekly. The school utilizes Maplewoodshop to expose students to hands-on building as part of their rotating enrichments options to get students to work with their hands and give them exposure to other opportunities for future employment. Students at JHS 190 have and continue to learn through woodworking. Last month, students were featured on CBS New York to showcase their program and their accomplishments.
Welcome to the Family
A new addition to our family is always worth celebrating, so get your party hats and let’s celebrate all the schools and camps that have joined Maplewoodshop. We are glad to add you to our family!
Viewpoint
As a cyber school, it seemed highly unlikely Reach Cyber Charter School could start a hands-on carpentry program, but JD Smith, director of career readiness for the school, was still determined to try. “It is so important for us to promote career readiness, not just college readiness,” said Smith. “It is our responsibility to ensure students are aware of every possible path for their future.” Reach Cyber partnered with Maplewoodshop and the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Funds to create opportunities for students to gain skills and experience in carpentry, earn credit, and get a jump start on their career through apprenticeship opportunities. “Maplewoodshop’s partnership with the Carpenters Union is great for apprenticeship opportunities. And, the curriculum provided for the program is top notch,” said Smith. “The program was easy to get started since we were already sending STEM kits to our students, so it wasn’t a foreign idea to send out woodworking kits.” Read Full Case Study
Upcoming events
Association of Assistant Principals Annual Conference and Exhibits
December 10, 2022
Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
https://www.aapnyc.com/annual-conference
Tri-State CAMP Conference 2023
March 14-16, 2023
Atlantic City Convention Center
https://www.acacamps.org/events-education/event/tri-state-camp-conference-2023
We'd love to chat in person. Come meet us at a trade show.
Other Info
Hosting a webinar? Presenting at an upcoming state or regional conference? If so, please email lauretta@maplewoodshop.com. We’d love to attend and offer our support from providing the most up-to-date information on CTE and woodworking, to sharing your upcoming session on our social media outlets, etc.
Write for us! One of the best ways to earn recognition for the work you do is to write about it. Email lauretta@maplewoodshop.com about opportunities to write for the Maplewoodshop blog. We feature articles by educators every month and are interested in submissions about implementing CTE in the classroom, experiences with project-based learning, teaching insights, and any new trends you’re spotting.
Contact us today to bring woodworking to your school this year.