SCS Adventurer's Home Page

Adventurers Team

Team teachers Pam Wise/Joplin James

Adventurers Parentlink: March 13th, 2003

This week we’ll start with some reminders. First, tonight is the PTO Goods and Service Auction at the Town Hall. The event begins at 7:00 and we hope to see you there.

Next week are Parent conference days on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Students will be dismissed after lunch at 12:25. Kindergarten families, please remember there are no K busses (red, blue, purple, green). Please send instructions if your child is not following the normal routine for the afternoon. Before you come to the conference with your child we ask that you spend some time together to review the year so far and consider success and challenges that we could talk about at the conference. We want to make sure that any questions or concerns are appropriately addressed. Please confirm your conference time at the Adventurers website. We look forward to seeing you and your child at that time. If for some reason you cannot make it for your conference time, please leave a message at 985-3331 #166.

We hope you have heard all about the Flynn performance of “Frogz” on Monday. It was an incredible production of mask, mime, and illusion. Next Tuesday we have a companion workshop with local dancer Tracy Martin to who will help us explore expression using masks and mime. Tracy will be back next Tuesday for a follow-up workshop. These workshops are sponsored by the Flynn Center and the Kennedy Arts Center.

This week we also had the opportunity to attend a performance of the Vermont Conservatory of Ballet in the gym at SCS. They showed us how they warmed up and provided some background about what is involved in the training for ballet and then performed three classical and modern dances. Back in the classroom we learned some more about ballet and what is involved in the training.

We shared observations about our ELF bird feeders that everyone brought home from last week. Some feeders had much activity (squirrels seemed to really enjoy them) and others were still waiting to be found.

This week Maki taught us a Japanese song called Ki no Shita de (Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree). Please have your child sing it for you. If your child needs a little reminder before s/he performs it for you, have them listen to the recording at 985-3331 #410. Maki also taught us how to write our names in katakana which is the Japanese phonetic alphabet for non-Japanese words and names.

In math this week, 1^st and second graders have been working on place value up to the trillions place and problem solving with the function machine. We also learned how to use the online geoboard (link from the Adventurers homepage). Kindergartners worked with the function machine to practice adding and subtracting.

Clarke filled the estimating jar with juice pouches. It turned out that there were 28. For the first time our winner was not an Adventurer or Adventurer family member. Kara, a frequent visitor from the Explorers team had the closest estimate and will fill it with something interesting for next week.

Adventurers read a total of 6,882 minutes this week (slightly over last week’s total). Please encourage your child, by being a good model for enjoying reading and help your child record his/her reading on the “I Love to Read” record for next week.

Monday was the parent group and potluck dinner. Jos Vandal has once again offered to coordinate the upcoming spring Math Night. If you would like to help out run an activity or help with refreshments, please call Jos Vandal. We talked about ideas for continuing foreign language opportunities next year despite the budget cut for a French teacher. These included using community and student volunteers, media resources and also working to get French back into the budget for the future. This will need to be an ongoing discussion and we welcome your input. There was also discussion about transportation option for our end of the year trip. Thanks to Don Kaufman and John Kerr for researching hiring a coach or renting passenger vans as an alternative to hiring a school bus at $500. In May the PTO Yard Sale, is an opportunity for teams to raise money for special events. There were several creative ideas in addition to or instead of the yard sale including milk shakes or Root Beer floats, face painting, plant sale. If you weren’t able to make it to the meeting we ask that you please think about your creative ideas and how we could make this a fun way for all families to get involved in supporting our trip without making it an overwhelming obligation from any individual. We look forward to hearing from you with your ideas and how you would like to get involved. The next parent Group meeting will be Monday April 14^th.

We are still hoping to reschedule our day at Catamount, so if we get a good snowfall, keep your eyes out for an announcement.

Adventurers are trying to help Maki with her collection of U.S. state quarters. Students should keep their eyes out for some of these which include: NJ, ME, IN, SC, TN, VA, LA, WV, OH, VT, RI, DE. If you find any of these please do not send in more than one at a time, so this can be an ongoing challenge.

We have some children wearing boots to school without shoes to change into. Please check with your child to make sure s/he has proper shoes and boots for the day.

Reminders:

Literacy groups: Help your child complete their reading and bring their books.

March conference schedule goto http://scsvt.org/TEAMS/Advent/Conferences.htm

Coming up:

PTO “Goods & Services” Auction: Friday March 14^th

Parent Conferences: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, March 19-21.

Adventurers Parent Group & Potluck:” Monday April 14th, 6:00-7:30.

Adventurers Math Night: Friday, April 4^th

Portraits: April 8th

Flynn Center Trip: “African Tales:” April 28^th (Not April 3^rd)

Ethan Allen Homestead: Native American studies, TBA

Vergenes: Indian Artifacts collection, TBA