December 16

December 16, 2011

Dear Parents,

This week flew by in a combination of budget and board meetings, and concerts.  I am thankful for the talents of Ms. Bernstein and Ms. Wood, our music teachers.  The concerts were sweet.  I never tire of the excitement of the students as they perform, and of the incredible talent they display.  As a child, I was terrified of speaking or performing publicly, so I marvel at our students’ comfort on stage.

This year, three of our School Board members will complete their terms in office.  Debbie Carter, Tom Kennedy and Susan McGrath have served this community for years, and deserve thanks from the school and community for their hard work.  We now need to replace them.  Please seriously consider volunteering as a School Board member.  In order to do so, you need to be elected by the community on Town Meeting Day.  A petition must be picked up from the Town Clerk’s office and then returned with signatures from 25 residents of the town.  (This is quite easy and can be accomplished by spending a half hour in the lobby of the school on any morning or afternoon.) The completed petition must be submitted to the Town Clerk’s office by January 30 at 5:00 PM. 

Tom Christensen and the School Board have mapped out a process to search for a new HES Principal.  They are inviting and community members to a public forum on January 5 at 6:30 PM in our library.  The purpose of the discussion is to gather input on the characteristics that you would like to see in a new principal.  This information will help the search committee select applicants.  I hope that you will plan to attend.  I also hope that you will bring your children to participate in this process.

We had an exciting week in the library with author visits!  Two authors made visits via Skype.  The students thoroughly enjoyed talking in real time to an author on the big screen.  Todd Parr, author of I like to Read,, and It’s OK To Be Different, and Mary Amato, author of Chicken of the Family described how to become an author, what it is like to write books, and how they got their ideas.  Students loved it.  Today author Jan Reynolds visits in person!  Mrs. Hill has several additional authors scheduled to visit classes electronically during January and February. 

Have a wonderful weekend.  I will start baking in preparation of the holidays.  My children are both planning to visit over break and will actually overlap their visits for 24 hours!  It has been a long time since we have been together as a family.  Since this is the last newsletter before the holiday break, and the last newsletter of 2011, I wish you peace and happiness.  As always, give your child a hug for me.

Judy Callens

December 9 newsletter

December 9, 2011 Parent Newsletter

Dear Parents,

Having such mild weather is both a blessing and a bane.  I love the fact that the school is using less oil.  It is so much easier to get students out to recess without putting on layers of snow pants, etc.  It is nice to not worry about driving in icy conditions.  On the other hand, this feels a little strange. This is the first year that I can remember in which our pond has not been totally frozen.  We usually count on skating and skiing over the holiday break, but that does not seem to be on the horizon this year. 

We owe a huge thank you to the PTSF for another successful Breakfast with Santa.  If you receive the Vermont Standard, there was a wonderful article with beautiful photos in this week’s edition. 

Next week is very busy here at school.  We have a Budget Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday at 5:00 PM, and evening concerts on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  Thanks to the community members who volunteered to serve on the Budget Advisory Committee. 

As for the concerts, I hope that you can all attend.  School concerts always put me in the holiday spirit.  The K – 4 students perform on Wednesday at 6:30 PM.  Older students perform on Thursday at 7:00 PM.  Further information about drumming groups, chorus and bands, will be sent to parents.

Mid term reports are about to be sent home to students in grades 6. 7, and 8.  

Winter

Snow blisters, frost bites

All kinds of stuff

Nothing is better than icicle crust

Snow is glittery, snow is cold

white skies

Everybody loves to drink hot cocoa

Children laughing, snowmen built

Pink cheeks

Come and get your cookies and milk!

By Ellie Jacobson-Goodue

Edited by J-G

Every year we arrange for a special assembly for our students as our holiday gift to them.  This year, we will host Dr. Quinton Quark’s Slapstick Science show on Flight.  Although Dr. Quark (actor Ted Lawrence) performs as a science clown, he teachers the physics of flight gliding, floating, gravity, force, and the Bernoulli Principle.  It is so much fun, the kids don’t even know they are learning some sophisticated science.  He will present two shows on December 21.  The K – 4 students will be entertained at 8:30, and the 5 – 8 students will watch the show at 9:45. 

Have a great weekend.  Put up the trees and string the lights.   Enjoy this special time of the year with your children, and as always, give them a hug for me. 

Judy Callens, Principal

Dec 2

December 2, 2011

Dear Parents,

As many of you know by now, I have decided to retire at the end of the school year.  The School Board is actively advertising my position in order to conduct the search for a new principal.  To that end, they are looking for parent representatives for the search committee.  If you are interested in participating in the search process, contact Tom Christensen at 674-2144.

This year has been challenging, but I want to make it very clear that my decision to retire is entirely for personal reasons.   I continue to believe in this school, the staff, students and the community.   It simply is time for me to change the direction of my life, spend more time with family, travel, play, and take stock of the things I would like to pursue next. 

Having said that, I think this is an exciting time for HES.  I have been a mentor for an Upper Valley Educator’s Institute administrative intern this year.  Through this involvement I have had the opportunity to work with principals throughout Vermont and New Hampshire, and meet all of the interns.  I know there are many, many highly qualified people who are eager to lead a school like ours.  Meeting these wonderful people helped me realize that HES will be in good hands.  So please, volunteer to participate in the search process.

I also need several volunteers to serve on the Budget Advisory Committee.  Our first meeting is Wednesday, Dec 7 at 5:000 PM.   I do not anticipate there will be many BAC meetings since the budget needs to be presented to the Board in December and approved no later than early January.   Please contact me if you can spare a few hours. 

There are so many exciting things happening in the school.  The halls are full of choral and instrumental music being rehearsed for our upcoming winter concerts.  Students in grades 5 and 6 are studying ecosystems and building small aquarium/ terrarium environments.  The new art displays are spectacular.  The fourth grade teachers are trying out new approaches to teaching science.  Basketball has started. Auditions for the play are taking place.  It is a good time.

Have a great, sun filled weekend.  As always, give your child a hug for me. 

Judy Callens