Oct 21

Parent Newsletter October 21, 2011

Dear Parents,

I have mentioned a few times that I am working on a three year plan for school improvement.  I have gained input from teachers and students.  This week I am asking for your opinions.  Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?pli=1&formkey=dEpfalpsNEJMalRoWG1JckFucDlnRkE6MA#gid=0

Halloween is just around the corner.  Several people have asked me to describe what the “rules” are about celebrations and costumes.  We do not dress up in costumes for Halloween.  Wearing a sweatshirt with Halloween figures or jewelry, crazy socks, etc is fine.  But costumes and masks are for trick or treat, not school.   The recreation department does a fabulous job with Pumpkin in the Park, and our students truly enjoy trick or treating in the community.  Therefore we feel the celebration of this day does not have to take place within the school.

We are in need of nursing substitutes.  If you are available, even one day per week, please contact Deb Christie-Maples. 

Students are beginning to show mastery of their basic computation skills.  Linden Oaks in grade 2 was the first students to do so.  We are so proud of him. 

The HES grade 5/6 spelling team won the Supervisory Union spelling bee earlier this month.  We are pleased to host the regional competition here at school on Saturday, November 5 between 10:00AM and 12:00 PM.  We hope you can attend.

Later in the day, November 5, I hope you will plan to attend the Spaghetti Supper.  This is an annual fund- raiser for the eighth grade.  This year, the spaghetti supper will take place in our cafeteria starting at 5:00 PM. 

Parents often wonder what happened during professional days when school is closed and students get a day off.  This past Tuesday we attended a presentation called Bridges Out of Poverty. This was offered by the Mount Ascutney Prevention Partnership to all teachers in the Supervisory Union.  I think the presentation was valuable in helping teachers understand the lack of resources, or lack of access to resources that many families face. 

This should be a quiet weekend.  I hope you enjoy your time with your children.  As always, give them a hug for me. 

Judy Callens

Letter to Parents of 7/8 students

Hartland Elementary School_____________________________

97 Martinsville Road, Hartland, Vermont 05048  (802) 436-2255  fax (802) 436-2091

                                                                                    October 14, 2011

Dear Parents of seventh and eighth grade students,

            We are writing to you to ask for your help.  We have recently experienced a spate of inappropriate behavior between students that may be considered harassment.  Although this word is commonly used to describe many irritating behaviors, we do not use the term lightly in these cases.  The legal definition of harassment is as follows:

            Harassment:  An incident or incidents of verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct based on or motivated by a student’s or a student’s family  member’s actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, gender identity, marital status, sex, sex orientation, or disability that has the purpose or effect of objectively and substantially undermining and detracting from or interfering with a student’s educational performance or access to school resources, or creating an objectively intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. 

            Bullying:  Any overt act or combination of acts directed against a student by another student or groups of students and which:

                        a.  is repeated over time

                        b. is intended to ridicule, humiliate, or intimidate the student, and

                        c.  occurs during the school day on school property, on a school bus, or at                                     a school-sponsored activity.

            Mr. Cox has been vigilant about responding to claims or reports of inappropriate behavior and has taken a very strict approach to these incidents.  I support him completely. Looking at individual incidents, one might ask if the school is taking too strict an approach. However taken as a whole, I believe we have a significant problem with the way in which students are treating each other and that the response has been appropriate. 

            Teachers and staff met with the boys and girls separately this week to clarify what behaviors they are seeing that are problematic.  They include writing inappropriate words on the bus seats, “scoop dunking” girls’ chests, calling each other gay, making comments of a sexual nature about each other’s bodies.  We need your help in reinforcing what is acceptable. We also need your help in teaching your children that there are different standards for acceptable behaviors in different environments such as school. 

            I ask that you all take a look at YouTube and some of the MTV shows that your children are watching.  Listen to the language used, check out the dress, (or lack thereof).  It is no wonder that students have difficulty understanding what is not OK.  Sex sells, which is why these venues are such money- makers.  Yet at school, we are bound by Vermont Statute to enforce very high standards of conduct.  Again, we need your help.  Thank you.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Judith Callens, Principal

                                                                                    Kevin Cox, Dean of Students

October 14, 2011 newsletter

October 14 Newsletter

 

Dear Parents,

When I was in junior high school, one of my teachers used to say “There is a time and a place for everything.”  What she was trying to teach us was that some kinds of behavior were OK outside of school, but not inside of school.  I can’t believe it, but that statement has been haunting me this week.  Parents of seventh and eighth grade students have been sent a letter regarding student behaviors that are inappropriate.  I have also posted the letter on my blog.  I ask all parents to be very proactive about what kinds of things their children are exposed to on television, the internet, and while overhearing casual conversation at home.  Many students are understandably confused about why something is acceptable in one environment, but not at school.  We ask for your help in teaching them where and when it is not OK.  Thank you. 

I am very pleased to announce that three students in sixth grade have been recognized by Omya, the Vermont Marble Exhibit, the Vermont Geological Survey, and the Vermont Geological Society for creating posters for Earth Science Week,  Kyle Postens won first prize, Anna Heise took second, and Ileana Sirois was awarded third place. These three students will be honored tomorrow at an awards ceremony at the Vermont Marble Exhibit  in Middlebury.  Congratulations to these students and Mrs. Cathey, their art teacher.

Mrs. Ziegler will host Linda Urban, author of A Crooked Kind of Perfect on Monday.  Her class has just finished reading this book.  This is a lovely opportunity for students to meet an author and learn about what motivated her to write. 

Please don’t forget that there is no school for students on Tuesday, October 18.  The entire teaching staff will be attending a professional development program in Windsor. 

Have a wonderful weekend.  As always, give your kids a hug for me.  

Parent Newsletter October 7, 2011

Parent Newsletter October 7, 2011

Dear Parents,

Our first Parent Coffee on Monday was a lovely success.  Mr. Cox and I enjoyed having a few minutes to chat with parents as they dropped children off for school.  We will continue to do this on the first Monday of each month.  We hope that you will join us on Monday, November 7. 

I want to thank two long term substitute teachers for their help this fall.  Barbara Barbour has taught science in grades 7 and 8 while Ms. Colby has been out on maternity leave.  We welcome Ms. Colby back on Monday and thank Mrs. Barbour for all of her hard work.  Lee Fotion subbed for Mr. Pogue while he was out on paternity leave.  Mr. Pogue is back in his second grade classroom.  Mrs Fotion has been subbing where ever there is a need.  We thank both long term subs for helping us get off to a healthy school start. 

Today’s Channel 3 news report included a story about a high school girl who is suing her former school for not protecting her from bullying and harassment.  We have two policies, #F1-B and F-1C that address these issues.  They can be found in the student handbook and on our website.  I mention them because parents often feel that we over react to “normal teenage” language and behavior.  However, by policy and by law we must address this behavior.  Behavior and language that may have been overlooked when parents were in middle school must be addressed today.  Schools cannot prevent bullying and harassment.  However, we have a responsibility to educate students about what it is, set standards for behavior, and respond to complaints. 

Once again, Janie White and Deb Joslin have earned a nearly perfect score by the Vermont Department of Health for the condition and management of the school kitchen.  They earned a score of 99 out of 100 points.  We are very proud of their record!

At our faculty meeting this week, Alicia Jenks led a discussion about venting.  We talked about the need for students and adults to occasionally vent when stressed or frustrated.  The danger is in making assumptions about schools, teachers, parents, or students based upon someone’s venting their frustrations.  Often after “letting loose”, the person who has just vented can put the issue into better perspective.  I mention this to parents because we hear of many students who regularly vent at home.  Parents then get only one picture of what is happening in their child’s day, and of course, want to make things better.  When talking to the teacher, both the teacher and the parent often find the true situation is different than described while the child is in venting mode.  Venting is important, but the follow up discussion is equally important.  After talking things through with your child you feel the problem really exists and cannot be solved by the child, by all means, contact the teacher for a conference.  We will do our best to solve the problem together. 

This weekend is supposed to be spectacular.  Enjoy it with your kiddos.  As always, give them a hug for me. 

Judy Callens