Adventurers Team

                                                               Team teachers Pam Wise/Joplin James

 

 

 

Welcome to the Adventurers Parentlink message for January 12, 2007

 

 It was great to see Adventurers parents at the parentnight on Thursday. Thanks to Ginger Williamson for taking notes (attached below) for those parents who were unable to attend.

     This week a focus was preparation for the Martin Luther King Day. Students shared their ideas from last weeks parentlink homework about how we can make the world a better place by living the dream of Martin Luther King’s dream of peace and justice, treating all people with respect and learning to solve our problems without violence. Thank you for taking the time to have this conversation with your child and helping her/him to enrich this discussion.  Each morning this week, Adventurers students contributed to the morning announcements with some words about the Martin Luther King holiday to get others thinking about how to o honor his life and work. On Friday, Adventurers met with the Explorers Team to watch a video about the life of Martin Luther King, shared some poetry about the issues to which he was so devoted and sang a happy birthday song. If you do anything special on Monday for Martin Luther King Day, we hope your child will share with the class about it next week.

       

     This week began with the feeling that it might actually be winter.  We continued to encourage the snow to fall with an Art Project that used white chalk, dark colored paper, and snowflake stencils. 

   Students counted cans and bottles into bags of 10 and gathered these into groups of 100.  It was very exciting to reach our first 1000. By Friday we had our second 1000 and the final total was 2384.  Harkin’s dad, Kevin and Jamie’s mom, Ginger, helped transport them to the redemption center and came back with $137. Thanks to all those who contributed to this effort to grant “Lucy’s Wish.”

        Jamie filled the Estimating Jar with toy cars and other vehicles.  There were 33 in the jar and Marley was the closest with her estimate.

     Sam did a science table about the Ice Age. He had great information and activities about how ice covered the land, a map that showed what parts of the earth were covered, and about some of the prehistoric animals that lived at that time. He also showed a video about glaciers and how the ice age shaped the landscape of Vermont. 

 

        First and second graders wrote a piece together about taking a vacation.  We used a story map to list why we chose that destination.  We then wrote our own vacation pieces. Now students have made their own story map and are writing a piece about what they would make the family for dinner and why.  Ask your student about his/her writing.  Take a chance and let them prepare the meal. Kindergartners have been blending sounds into words and writing about what keeps them warm.  It is really difficult to trust what our ears hear and write those sounds down on paper.  Please read the little books from school at home each night and return them in the morning.                   

 

       In math this week kindergartners *** First graders began a new unit, learned about Everyday Math “Frames and Arrows” and also worked on their problem solving  Second graders  continued working with multiple strategies to solve the same problem.  They must be able to demonstrate several ways to achieve the same answer.  They also worked with the first graders to score some kindergarten problem solving pieces.

 

   Mrs. Burritt's says that in Music this week the Kindergarten students are learning songs about snow and winter fun for our February 15th concert. It will be at 9 am in the large gym. At the conclusion of their singing students will perform several folk dances. This is a cooperative program between the music and phys. ed. departments. First and second grade students continue to enjoy our drumming component to our lessons. We are playing the syllables of our names in the space of two beats! Please check out the updated photos of the Adventurers at:

http://www.scsvt.org/TEAMS/UA/K-2MUSIC/images/AdvDrumming.htm

 

  We’re looking forward to our trip to the Echo Science Center next Wednesday. This will be a full day trip, so Kindergartners should plan to stay for the full day and please alert anyone that should know about the change afternoon plans and let us know of any special instructions for the afternoon dismissal. All students should bring a snack and a lunch.  The focus of the visit is the special exhibit “Treehouse.” This imaginative, hands-on exhibit explores the important roles that trees play in providing homes for all sorts of wild creatures - including people. Tree Houses showcases contributions by our friends at Shelburne Farms and Forever Young Treehouses, and was created by EEC!, the folks who brought you Turtle Travels. Students will explore the exhibit with a small group and also participate in a special guided program with the museum educators. This will be an excellent follow-up to our Hands-On-Nature focus on trees from the fall.

In preparation for this visit, the parentLink homework activity is for each Adventurer to make a list of some of the ways we benefit from trees.  This will be an excellent follow-up to our Hands-On-Nature focus on trees from the fall.

 

Note: We’re hoping for some snow this weekend, but there are five pairs of lonely boots sitting outside the classroom with no names. We’ll try to make sure your child brings them home if we can identify them.

 

        Some questions about this week to get your child started talking about school this week:

- What are civil rights?

- How did MLK try to make changes?

- What did choose to write about for the family meal you could prepare? (1st/2nd)

- What are some of the strategies a good math problem solver uses? (1st/2nd)

- How many cans and bottles were collected?

- What did you learn about the Ice Age?

 

Coming up:

-January 17: Trip to Echo Science Center – 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Lunch needed by all.  We need to know where kindergartners need to go at 2:35 dismissal.

-January 25: Winter Sports Day at Sleepy Hollow – 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Lunch needed for all.  Dismissal arrangements for kindergartners will be needed.

-February 8: Adventurers ParentNight and Potluck (Guest: Art Dequasi: music experiences for children)

-February 15: Kindergarten Concert 9 AM

-February 17: Adventurers Literary Café

-March 12: Flynn Theatre “Russian-American Circus”

-March: Audubon Nature Center TBA

-April 6: Shelburne Farms

-April 10: 1st/2nd Grade Concert 7PM

-May 7: Flynn Theatre “Hanging with Giants”

 

Reminders:

- Please make sure your child has sneakers to wear in school daily.

- Please return any Adventurers books.

- Please make sure your student has shoes to wear in school.  An extra peor may be left at school during boot season.

-Sew a loop inside the back of your child’s coats and snowpants for hanging.

If you have questions, suggestions, or concerns, email or give us a call.

 

-Voicemail: Pam 985-3331 #167. Email: PWise@cssu.org

-Voicemail: Joplin 985-3331 #168.  Email: JJames@cssu.org

Adventurers homepage: http://www.scsvt.org/TEAMS/Advent/index.html

 

 

 

 

Notes from the Adventurers Team Parent Meeting

January 11, 2007 6pm-7.30pm   Recorded by Ginger Williamson

 Special guest: Principal Allegra Miller. 

 

Allegra began with an overview of her background (music teacher and administrator), and now in her second year as co-principal at SCS.  She discussed the configuration study which took input from a variety of sources

(Parents, teachers, kids, community members).  SCS now has a configuration change for the 2007-2008 school year, but many details still need to be worked

out.  A large portion of our discussion was on the issue of full day kindergarten at SCS.  There was some discussion of the whys and hows of keeping Kindergarten separate when it goes to full day, and looking at 3rd grade as a stand-alone transitional year.  The reasons behind full day Kindergarten are varied, but in the end, the committee recognized that it helps with educating the whole child, and provides better pacing throughout the day.  Pam was very helpful in this discussion, based on her work on this committee and her personal experiences. 

 

Declining Enrollment Issues:  This is something that impacts all towns in

Chittenden County (Williston is flat, neither increasing nor decreasing).  For example, there are 102 4th graders now and 63 Kindergarteners this year.  They are projecting 66 Kindergartners for 2007-08.  A big question for parents present focused on will our team stay as it is, or will there be changes?

Allegra responded that changes on the teams will be inevitable, partly due to the new configuration, and partly due to separating the Kindergarteners when they go to full day.  Teams may change due to staffing changes and enrollment, but her goal is to minimize changes for students.  Allegra recognized that consistency is important for kids.  The budge will be finalized near the end of January and that will keep the time line going for changes within the SCS structure.  They are hoping to complete teaching assignments before the February vacation and are currently undergoing principal/teacher meetings. 

 

During a Q&A with Allegra there was a parent question on looping (a teacher would have a group of 1st graders for one year and then have that same group of students as 2nd graders for the following year, then that teacher would take a new group of 1st graders for the next year. We discussed the pros and cons of it.  Another question on declining enrollment led to Allegra commenting that the School Board is committed to ranges for number of students in each classroom/grade level, rather than specific numbers.  In this way, it is easier to keep to “best practices” with new configurations.  At this point, there is no finalized plan on where these newly-configured classrooms/teams will be located throughout the school, but they are trying to minimize teacher’s classroom moves.  In summary, she and the school board are committed to a best practices approach, and what is best for the kids. 

   Allegra also took questions about foreign language instruction, and the issue of beginning French or Spanish earlier than 6th grade.  We discussed the club approach, which is currently offered for younger grades.  The Supervisory

Union is looking at the larger picture on language, because kids come to the high school level with vastly different language levels, depending on what primary school they attended in the district.  Allegra  discussed the role of the volunteer school board, and all the effort they put in to their roles as they guide SCS through these configuration changes.  Allegra concluded her visit, and we thanked her for her time and efforts. 

 

Upcoming Field Trips and events: ECHO trip next Wednesday, Jan. 17th.  All day; could use more drivers and or chaperones to make it easier for all of the groups.  Several parents are looking into their schedules to see what they can provide that day. 

-Sleepy Hollow trip on Thursday, Jan. 25th.  Will need plenty of chaperones and drivers. They stressed that this is always a great, fun day for everyone. 

Kids should bring their own skates, etc. if they have them, along with a lunch.  The date may change depending on snow conditions.  Dress appropriately for the weather and outings (snowshoeing, skating X-C skiing and sledding).

 

Literary Cafe: This is a kid-based project that received an enthusiastic reception from new and returning parents.  There are a few details which need to be confirmed, but it’s possible that it will happen on Saturday, February 18th at the Old Town Hall in Shelburne (adjacent to the Pierson Library).  Instead of ordering food at this cafe, you order poetry, verse, or speeches, recited by your “waiter”.  You keep track of what you “order”--a Mother Goose rhyme, a famous speech, etc. and order your way through a menu.  The proceeds from this would go to a charity of the kid’s choosing (maybe something local, maybe not).  It’s a bit hard to explain properly, but most people present seemed willing to make this event work.  More details will follow. 

 

Next Meeting: Thursday, Feb. 8th Speaker is Art D. from the Vermont Youth

Orchestra, discussing music and lessons for children, and how to get them interested in a range of music opportunities. 

 

A topic suggested for the March meeting was what to do with your kids and your sanity this summer.  Joplin is checking with the Kids Vt. paper editors to see if they have any suggestions for a speaker at this meeting. 

 

  April meeting: proposed topic will be on Healthy Snacks and Nutrition for kids and families.  Leslie B. and Ginger volunteered to coordinate.

 

The May meeting may be on sleeping issues and over-scheduling issues for kids. 

Marianne is looking into a speaker on kids and sleep needs/issues. 

   As always, your input on any of these topics is appreciated!

 

 

 

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JJames@cssu.org or PWise@cssu.org
Last updated: January 12, 2007