September 30 newsletter

September 30, 2011

Dear Parents,

Goodbye summer.  The first few weeks of school have flown by.

We need volunteers for two important committees. The first is the Budget Advisory Committee.  This committee will meet throughout the months of late October – December and will advise the Superintendent and School Board while developing next year’s budget.  The second committee is to serve on the Regional Education District, or RED committee. This committee will study the pros and cons of consolidating our WSSU into one legal entity, and consider issues such as school choice and local representation.  We need two representatives from Hartland on this committee.  If you are interested in serving on either committee, please contact Tom Christensen, Superintendent, at 674-2144.

• The first half of the semester is over.  Students in grades 7 – 8 will receive mid term reports next week.  If you have not been given a power point code, please ask your child’s advisor to provide it.  This allows you to access his/her grades throughout the marking period.  I will be meeting with students on Wednesday to discuss eligibility for sports and after school activities.
• Earlier this week I posted a student survey link on my principal’s blog.  The purpose is to gain the students’ input about our school programs.  I am writing a three year plan for school improvement and want to include the opinions of the students.  Next week I will post a similar survey for parents.  I would appreciate your input..
• Teachers across all grade levels are using a website called Xtra math to assess the basic computational skills of our students.  Collectively we are surprised by the lack of retention of these basic math skills.  Students are practicing them on a regular basis.  We have one student, Kyle Postens who has achieved a perfect score in all four computational areas!  We are sure he will be joined by many other students, soon.  Xtra math not only tests students accuracy, it tests fluency, or how quickly students can recall their facts.  This is stressful for some students, but really, it is no different than an Xbox computer game.  I know they can do it. 
• We will host the WSSU spelling bee on Monday in our library.  Believe it or not, this is the most intensely competitive event of the year!  Students in grades 5 and 6 will compete from 9:00 – 11:00 AM, while students in grades 7 and 8 will compete from 12:00 – 2:00 PM. 
• We have received our Science NECAP results, and our school did very well compared to the district and State results.  Yes, there is always room for improvement!  I will post a report on the school website soon.  Parents of fifth grade students will receive a report by mail. 

Overall, I am so pleased with the beginning of the school year.  You should be proud of your children!  As always, give them a hug for me. 

Judy Callens

Student Survey

Hey 7th and 8th graders- you have found my blog.  In order to fill out the student survey, click on this link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHhhSjJ2TmFZc3R4RE01M2VHU0hEOGc6MQ 

September 23 Newsletter

Dear Parents,

It was wonderful to see so many of you at last night’s welcome back picnic.  It was nice to see parents and students enjoying each other on such a balmy evening.  Thank you to all who contributed food.  Special thanks go to Ray Sapp and John Leonard for being our grill masters. 

• NECAP Assessments begin the first week of October.  Grades K – 2 are not tested.  Grade 3 – 4 will have testing on Oct 4,5,6 and 11, 12, 13.    Grades 5 and 6 will have testing on Oct 11, 12, 13, and 17, 19, and 20.  Grades 7 and 8 will test on Oct 11, 12, and 13.  Please help us by ensuring that your children attend school during the testing window.  If you would like to contribute breakfast or snack items during the testing, we would appreciate your efforts. 

• We will be hosting the WSSU Spelling Bee here at HES on Monday, October 3.  Teams from Windsor, West Windsor, and Weathersfield will join us in our school library from 9:00 – 11:00 AM for grades 5 and 6, and 12:00 – 2:00 PM for grades 7 and 8.

                        Members of the 5-6 team are:  Cami Rediker, Bronwyn Smith, Devon             Beland, MollyThompson, Halsey Jones and Sara Kleber.

                        Members of the 7-8 team are:  Hunter Brooks, Miranda Sweeney, Emily                         Fortier, and Jacob Farewell.

• We are still in great need of Volunteers.  We could use someone for two hours per week in the office to some data entry, work with Mr. Cox on the bus schedule, filing, etc.  I will need 1 or 2 people (more are welcome) to review a three year plan for school improvement in early November.  I do not anticipate this to be a  long term commitment. Also, Mr. Cox is trying to organize after school activities and needs parent volunteers to supervise and run them.  If you can spare some extra time, please contact us.
• We have not yet hired a Part Time Kitchen Worker.  This is a paid position for two hours per day.  Send a letter of interest to me if you would like to be considered for the position.
• If you are planning a family vacation during regularly scheduled school days, you must write a letter to me detailing the days your child will miss. 
• Mid Term grades close on September 30, so it is important that 7^th and 8^th grade students be up to date with their class work. I have enjoyed watching the soccer games and feel it would be unfortunate for students to lose team time due to ineligibility due to poor grades.  Parents should check out Power School to determine which assignments are missing. 
• I want to thank all of the ELF Volunteers for their work this week.  The theme of this month’s lesson was spiders. Volunteers brought in living spiders to share with students.  The stories of capturing “the Beast” and “Fang” were hysterical.  I think the excitement of the parent volunteers made this an especially interesting lesson for the students.
• Finally, I want to honor Arne Wolz’s accomplishments in the Region 8 National dressage competition where he took three first place ribbons, and a second place and a third place. Arne belongs o the Green Mountain Horse Association.

Enjoy the first fall weekend.   It is supposed to be beautiful. As always, give your child a hug from me.

Judy Callens

Sept 9 newsletter

September 9, 2011 Parent Newsletter

Dear Parents,

The second week of school has run smoothly.  Bus routes, schedules, and classroom coverage have begun to run smoothly.  Our Kindergarten students are now here full time.

• One of the difficulties in creating accurate bus routes is that some students do not ride the same bus home as they ride to school each day.  Depending upon sports, day care needs, and parent schedules, some students ride different busses at the end of each day.  Teachers make a concerted effort to ensure that students get on the correct bus every day.  Please make sure that teachers have a note of which bus is to be taken.  If your plans change, you must provide a note.  It is common for a child to state that they are supposed to wait for a parent to pick them up when no notice was given to the teacher. Our protocol is that all children will be sent home on their regular bus UNLESS we have received a note, or in an emergency, a phone call.
• Our secretaries work from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM.  If you call the school after 3:30 PM, you will hear a recording.  If you stay on the phone, you will be instructed about how to access a teacher’s direct phone line or voice mail.  A list of staff extensions has been included in this newsletter for your convenience. 
• Walmart has selected our school to receive $1000 in gift cards so that teachers can purchase classroom materials.  Each year, Walmart employees select an area school to honor.  We are very pleased to accept this gift to the school. 
• Micah Heaney is a former HES student working on his Eagle Scout designation.  This summer he and a cadre of volunteers built an access to the 17 acres adjacent to the school.  Stone steps, railings and bridges were erected.  We encourage you to explore this land with your families.  His work was a gift to all of us.  Our students and teachers are already using the 17 acres as a natural classroom.
• All court documents concerning custodial rights need to be filed in our main office. 
• Please don’t forget the Welcome Back community picnic scheduled for Wednesday, September 21.  Tom Christensen, our new WSSU Superintendent plans to attend and say a few words.  This is a great opportunity to meet him.

From time to time I feel it is important to review school policies with parents.  This week I want to review school attendance policies. Absences from school are considered “excused” as follows: (HES Policy F14) “ Illness, observance of religious holidays, a death in the family, family emergencies, or situations beyond the student’s control as determined by the School Board, or other circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent or guardian for the health or safety of the student and are confirmed in writing or verbally by the parent or guardian of the student.” All other absences are considered unexcused.  School attendance in Vermont is compulsory after age 6.  If a student accrues 5 unexcused absences, we are required to make personal contact with parents and document our concerns.  After 7 unexcused absences, we will meet to determine how the school can assist the parents in improving school attendance.  After 10 unexcused absences, the school must gather a team of social service agencies, the truant officer, and parents to create a Coordinated Services Plan.  If that is not successful, we must make a formal referral to the Department of Children and Families, who will refer the issue to the State’s Attorney

It is important that you call the school when your child is going to be absent and describe the reason for their absence. 

Have a great weekend.  After a week of rain and clouds, it feels terrific to know the sun will be shining again.  I hope that you have ample time to enjoy being out of doors.  As always, give your kids a hug for me. 

Judy Callens

  

September 2 Newsletter

September 3 Newsletter. 

Dear Parents,

With such devastation in our State, I am thankful that we were able to open school on time.  We had a wonderful first week of school.   Students returned rested, full of summer stories, and ready to learn.

I also feel grateful that damage to Hartland was minimal compared to so many other Vermont communities.  Conversations have started about getting students involved in either assisting neighboring communities with clean up projects, raising money for disaster relief, and food and clothing drives. 

We would like to welcome our 26 Kindergarten students and their families to a new school year.  In addition, we welcome 16 new students and their families to HES.

• First my yearly plea:  Please do not drop off children before 7:30 AM.  Supervision is available only after this time.  After school students are expected to go home unless they are attending homework club or sports.  PARENTS MUST SEND NOTES TO THEIR CHILDREN’S TEACHERS STATING WHERE THEY SHOULD GO AT THE END OF THE DAY.  If students intend to go to the library at the end of the day, we need a note from parents.  Accounting for the whereabouts of each child is difficult to manage.  Please keep us informed.  Thank you. 

• Now that students, staff and parents are back in the routine, we are returning to our security protocols.  The front door will be locked after 8:00 AM.  Visitors after that time will be “buzzed in”.  All visitors need to sign in outside of the office and wear visitors badges. 
• We have ordered staff identification name tags as well as substitute and volunteer badges. 
• Homework club for students in grades 5 – 8 begins next week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2:45 – 4:00 PM in the HES library.
• The 5 – 8^th grade student council members for 2011-12 were elected on the last day of school last June.  They are:  Lexie Urase, President, Daisy Hutt, Vice President, Cammie Rediker, Secretary, Jakob Farewell, Treasurer, and Camden Moffit, 5^th grade representative. 
• Peter Driscoll called Thursday morning from Vietnam to wish us all a terrific first week of school.  He and Jennifer started teaching several weeks ago. They are still settling in to their new school, learning the language and customs, and deciphering the rules of driving, which apparently make absolutely no sense.  …Something about not making eye contact….
• If your family is in a custody dispute and you wish to limit access to your child by a non- custodial parent or relative, please meet with me.  We will need legal documents showing that you have full custody in order to prohibit access by anyone else.  We also need photos of those who should not be allowed to see your children.  
• Children from homeless families are automatically qualified for free lunch and breakfast.  If you have moved in with a parent, relative, or friend because you have been unable to find housing, you may qualify.  Again, please contact me to discuss how our school can support you. 

Enjoy the long weekend.  It feels good to be back among students again.  As always, give them a hug for me. 

Judy Callens, Principal