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What a great winter concert! It takes a lot to put this concert on from the choosing of the songs, to teaching of songs (in music class and in classrooms), bussing to and from the rehearsal, the development of the written program , set up and take down by Jim Hescock and most importantly – student enthusiasm for their learning. It is a great schoolwide event. Thanks to those who were able to attend. The audience means a lot to our students .

A reminder to parents who drop off and pick of your children that you need to park at the bottom of the hill in the mornings and afternoons. I appreciate that so many of you continue to do this. Some parents have forgotten. On Thursday morning this week, the bus driver was not able to back out because of the cars parked in the parking lot. This made the second bus students later than usual. Mrs. Smith has contacted the town and requested they push the snow back more at the bottom so there is additional room for parking. Thank you for following this procedure.

The next three days of school will be busy as we prepare for the vacation. It is hard to believe that we are looking at the new year, 2010. On our first Tuesday back, please be sure you child/ren come to school prepared for the winter sports afternoons. To those parents with children involved in the Stratton Rec program we need your help. Please sign up for one or more days when you can help. We appreciate the ongoing weekly support from Kim Lazelle and Scott Francy, along with other parents who are able to attend on a part time basis. This year school personnel involved include Bill Scarlett, guidance counselor, along with our 4 para professionals. We met this week to discuss strategies for improved safety – too many children on the sledding hill has always been a concern. This year students will be rotating through activities. All children will be sledding and snowshoeing. Those with skates will also be able to skate, depending on the weather.

This week brings an end to the 2^nd Connections session. It is great to see so many students taking advantage of this opportunity. Our next session starts on January 11^th – you should have received the sign- up sheet for this yesterday. For this session there is no Tuesday Connections because of winter sports. There is no bussing available on Mondays so parents will need to make other arrangements. Parents, remember there are scholarships available if there is a need. We don’t want students left out for this reason! We receive 100% grant funding ($22,000) for the first three years of the program. Then 75% grant funding for year four and 65% funding for year five. At the end of five years we can reapply for the grant but would not be eligible for more than 50% funding. To ensure this program continues and ensure we have local money for year four and five, we need to begin to plan now. I am looking for interested parents to become part of a new committee for this reason – The Wardsboro Arts and Enrichment Council. If you have an interest or skills that would help us, please contact me – we need you! We are planning a meeting in January.

This is our last newsletter of 2009. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU!

Dear Pre K and Kindergarten Families,

Thank you for joining us at our wonderful winter concert on Monday evening. The kids looked great. I was very proud of how well they did up on the “big stage”.

This week the featured character from Letterland was Munching Mike. He was definitely one of our most anticipated characters of the year so far. The kids enjoyed learning about the things that Munching Mike likes to eat and drink. See if your child can tell you what Munching Mike’s favorite food is. During our word work time, students practiced listening for beginning sounds in words. They each chose 4 pictures and had to decide the letter that makes the sound at the beginning of each. At the ABC center this week students played a letter hunt game. Most of them are becoming letter experts.

During the afternoons this week kindergartners took the MAP assessments. MEASURES OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS (MAP) are state-aligned computerized adaptive tests that accurately reflect the instructional level of each student and measure growth over time. I am very proud of how hard the students worked, despite some technical difficulties. I will be sharing the results of these at our next conference.

Next week is a short week. There will be school on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday only. Hope you are all able to enjoy the holiday season with your family.

Yours truly,

Mrs. Bates

First and Second Grade

Mrs. Parker-Jennings (PJ)

Our week started off with a great holiday concert. As many of you know I love seeing kids up on the stage! All the first and second graders have been working hard, especially at not being excited about the upcoming holiday.   Since students are now wearing winter boots to school please make sure that SNEAKERS are either left at school or brought in backpacks. They are ALWAYS needed on Tuesdays and Fridays for P.E.

This week we have been making some holiday decorations. Many of which include the student’s personal touch. I hope families are enjoying them as they come home. Please pick up your child’s interview project next week Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.

Students have continued working on their diaries, which include facts that students learned about school long ago.

During word work first graders have continued learning a new activity to work on their high frequency words. Second graders have been making connections between words including their beginning parts (i.e. stop-start, spray-spring, chin-cheese). Also, second graders explored vowel controlled-r words like star, corn, turn, fir, and runner.

During our Math Workshop we began our chapter on subtraction strategies to help subtract numbers quickly. This week we worked on the count back strategy and relating facts (i.e. 4+2=6, 2+4=6, 6-2=4, 6-4=2.) The entire class completed their first addition mad minutes and will be working toward beating their goal each week.

            Thank you for your time and support. I hope everyone enjoys the snow.

Yours Truly,

Cris PJ

Dear Third and Fourth Grade Families,

The holidays are quickly sneaking up on us! I hope that you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday break.

Next week we will be wrapping up many different things we have begun.   As of today we have finished doing the facts for 1 through 9 on our Wrap-Ups. Monday we will complete the 10s.    On Wednesday afternoon we will be having a Wrap-up Party with some friendly competition. Please encourage your students to practice their facts.

On Wednesday the students got a chance to participate in a Japanese Tea Ceremony to wrap up the Vermont Reads Grant and our study of Japanese American History.   It seems that most of them enjoyed themselves. We want to offer a huge thank you to Jill Dean and Amy Dix for their hard work in getting this grant for us and planning the activities.

We have also been working hard practicing our constructed responses or Answer Sandwich responses as the kids know them by reading well known fairy tales and then finding details in them to respond to a prompt. Then they are expected to write a response to the prompt. They are getting quite good at these!

I will not be sending home homework during the Holiday break, unless your child has a lot of unfinished work. Please encourage them to continue to use their time wisely so that this won’t happen.   I do hope that children will do plenty of reading during the break.

Happy Holidays,

Mrs. Bills

5^th and 6^th Grade Newsletter from Mrs. Shakespeare

December 16, 2009

Hope you all got to hear our wonderful singing at the concert on Monday night!

This week we learned about the ancient people of North America. We will soon be learning about other early civilizations such as the: Olmecs, the Mound Builders, the Anasazi, the Mayas, the Aztecs, and the Incas.

Fifth and Sixth graders continue to add information to their Math Language and Concepts notebooks. Fifth graders have begun a short unit on Roman Numerals, and sixth graders are continuing their study of geometry.

On Thursday Jill Dean from the Wardsboro Library presented us with a Japanese Tea Ceremony. The third and fourth graders shared information about the rules of behavior for the ceremony.   Jill Dean made us some interesting treats to go with our tea! We thank her for her efforts and for the information provided by the third and fourth grade students.

Have a happy winter break!

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Friday, December 11

Newsletter 12/11/09

by Laura Smith on Fri 11 Dec 2009 03:36 PM PST

Calendar

Wednesday, Dec. 9             School Club Meeting 6:00pm

Monday, December 14       6:30 pm at Wardsboro Town Hall

School Winter Concert & Basket Raffle drawing

                                                Tuesday, December 15     School Board meeting 6:30 pm

Monday, December 21       H1N1 Clinic for students needing second dose

December 24 – January 3 Holiday Recess – No School

From the Principal’s Desk

Rosemary FitzSimons

We are all set for our winter concert on Monday night. Don’t forget to invite family and friends to join us! Just a reminder, in case you hadn’t noticed on Wednesday, that winter has arrived. Be sure your child/ren come to school with the proper clothing to go outside at recess time. No one can sled without the proper clothing.

WINTER SPORTS PROGRAM NEWS

We are ready for our winter sports program that starts after Christmas vacation. This means early dismissal for our students each Tuesday – 1/5, 1/12, 1/26, 2/2 and 2/9, with a make-up date on 3/9, if needed. There are two choices for families depending on ages and interests. Students with an interest in skiing or snowboarding at Mt. Snow, have signed up with Jody Perkins and Lucas Bates. All other students will be able to participate in the Stratton Rec activities. While there, students will have an opportunity to do a variety of outdoor winter fun activities. Bill Scarlett, guidance counselor, will oversee the program with the support of our paraprofessionals. Kim Lazelle will serve as the parent facilitator again this year. The teachers and myself will be engaged in professional development around literacy and math. To ensure another safe and successful season, we need parent volunteers. Parents, please sign up to help out for one or more of the dates shown above – THANKS.

Yes, I can volunteer to help out at Stratton Rec on the following dates: _____________

_____________________

Parent Signature

Band News

The District Band, Cadet Band and Jazz Band will give their Winter Concert on Thursday, December 17th, at 7 pm. in the gym at Leland & Gray High School. Students should wear black pants/ white shirts (with collar), for this event.

There will be stage rehearsal on Wednesday, December 16th, in the gym at Leland & Gray. The schedule for stage time is as follows:

3-3:30-Cadet Band

3:30-4 District Band

4-4:30 Chorus

4:30-5 Jazz Band

Please pick your child up promptly following their stage time. Please carpool with other parents.

Thank you,

Michael McKinney

Dear Pre K and Kindergarten Families,

We had a great week! From Letterland we met and reviewed Lucy Lamplights shape and sound. We learned that she has many animals who love her. See if your child is able to tell you which animals they are. During our word work time we learned a new song using the beginning letters in our names. Students had fun marching along to it around the classroom and taking turns sitting down when the beginning letter in our name was called.

Thank you to those of you who remembered to send your child with snow clothes. We will not go outside every day. However, it is great to be prepared. We will be sending home all snow gear unless you let us know otherwise. Please provide a pair of shoes, slippers or sneakers and a pair of extra socks that can stay at school.

We have been practicing all week for our winter concert. Students have done a fantastic job learning the words to our songs. The rehearsal at The Town Hall also went well. Please remember the concert is on Monday night, December 14^th at 6:30. Plan to arrive at 6:15. The snow date is on Tuesday December 15th in case of inclement weather.

During math time the kindergarten students continued to study number patterns. This week we practiced counting by 2s up to 100. Some of us could still use some more practice with this skill. Another word that we use for this is “skip counting”. Try to practice this at home. We also practiced counting by 5s as well as 10s. We figured out that 8 eyes are on four children, by counting by 2s, we figured out that 15 fingers are on three hands by counting by 5s and we also figured out that 20 toes are on two children by counting by 10s.

Hope you can enjoy the newly fallen snow over the weekend.

Mrs. Bates

First and Second Grade

Mrs. Parker-Jennings (PJ)

All the first and second graders have had a great week. Winter is finally here, and most of the students are dressing for it. PLEASE send your child with an extra pair of shoes or slippers. Boots will be worn outside, but inside students will need shoes that are not cumbersome and track in slop. Also, SNEAKERS are needed on Tuesdays and Fridays for P.E.

This week we finished sharing the Now and Then projects. We are now using them to create a diary about our interviewees. We read several books using the diary writing format, and are writing rough drafts about ten days in the life of the person we interviewed.

During word work first graders have been sorting words by their ending parts, like –est, -ell, -at, and -an. Also, first graders learned a new activity to work on their high frequency words. Second grader’s word work included new high frequency word activities to practice reading and writing words that we read and write a lot.

During our Math Workshop we began our chapter on addition strategies to help add numbers quickly. This week we worked on the make ten strategy, adding ten & adding 9 strategy. Next week we will finish up our chapter and move on to subtraction strategies. After Holiday break we will begin mad minutes which will be assessed on Fridays. More information about what mad minutes are and what is expected will come home after break too.

            Thank you for your time and support. I hope everyone enjoys the snow.

Yours Truly,

Cris PJ

Homophones/ Homonyms

Have you seen the most recent scene of the newest movie advertised on television that will be in the movie theaters soon?

Sometime during the school year, students in grades one through six will study homophones (homonyms). While not all dictionaries give the exact same meaning of the terms homophone and homonym, they are often used to mean words that sound the same, have different spellings, and have different meanings.

Homophones can be great fun if you like to play with words and their meanings. Many puns, riddles, and silly sayings use homophones, such as the following.

                What do you call a naked grizzly? (a bare bear)

I’m on a seafood diet, every time I see food, I eat it.

                When the glassblower accidentally inhaled, he ended up with a pane in his

stomach.

What do you call an uninterested plank of wood? (a bored board)

There are several Internet websites with jokes, activities, and information about homophones that children could use. The URLs for some sites are included below and are geared toward different age levels. Parents should preview any website prior to their child using it to determine if it is suitable and acceptable for their child(ren). These sites may include advertising and/or links to other sites.

URLs for websites about homophones:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/english/homonyms/

http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/frog/frog.html

http://www.funbrain.com/whichword/index.html

http://www.mikids.com/Jigwords/1/Homonyms/h1.html

http://www.fun-with-words.com/nym_homonyms.html

http://www.cooper.com/alan/homonym_list.html

http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/other/homonyms/homonyms.htm

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