MKES Students Work on Mount Kisco Map, With Favorite Landmarks

A group of kindergarten students at Mount Kisco Elementary School put together a project that includes a large map of Mount Kisco, complete with drawings and outlines of their favorite spots to go to, the school announced.

The project, according to the school, is called "Mt. Kisco is Our Town" is now on display at the Mount Kisco Public Library, and features a large map of the downtown area. The kids' drawings feature landmarks that include the school itself, the Methodist Church, the statue of Chief Kisco and the Mutual Engine & Hose firehouse.

The idea for the project was first thought up last year, in honor of the Mount Kisco Public Library's 100th anniversay.

Mary Ellen Matts, an instructional assistant, said that a library board member came up with the idea, suggesting that the children do the project. The kids did the drawings of their destinations, while Matts drew the map.

Several grades at MKES have submitted their work to the library for its centennial, according to Nanci Colangelo, an elementary consulting teacher at the school. These include book reviews, a bird house worked on for the school's community garden and poetry.

Matt, noting the student's depicitions of the landmarks, was "amazed at how accurate some of the drawings were."

The map should be on display at the library until the end of the school year in June, according to Matts.

Below is a copy of the school's announcement:

Last June, in honor of the Mt. Kisco Public Library’s 100 year anniversary, a committee was formed to help celebrate the big event.  The committee, composed of members of the library board, the library staff and the Mt. Kisco Elementary School staff, brain-stormed ideas for our Mt. Kisco students.  Each grade level was given choices of projects to complete to celebrate our students’ learning.  On completion, the projects were displayed at the library.  Parents and community members were encouraged to visit the library to see the wonderful work of our students.  Presently, the kindergarten mapping project is on display.  Read on to see how it all unfolded.
            The kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Meinel, Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Groark, Mrs. Montenegro and Ms. Deangelis, and their students took on the challenge of “mapping out” our town.  Mary Ellen Matts, an IA in one of the kindergarten classes and member of the committee, worked with the teachers on the project. First, twenty-five places of interest in Mt. Kisco were chosen.  Care was taken to choose places that make Mt. Kisco a special place in which to live, as well as include our community helpers and also places that the children would be familiar with. Mrs. Matts took pictures of all of the places and distributed five locations to each of the five kindergarten classes.  The teachers discussed the importance of the chosen places and the children were directed to draw one of the five.  Next, the children generated a list of places they love to visit with their parents. After a lively discussion, the students drew their favorite places. Finally, Mrs.  Matts drew a map of Mt.Kisco and decorated it with the students’ drawings. Chief Kisco was given top billing! The rest of the students’ work was placed in a binder for display.  Each class also made a booklet to include their favorite places to visit in Mt. Kisco.  The students worked very hard on their project and the results are amazing!  Please drop by the library to see for yourself.