January 27

January 27, 2012

Dear Parents,

I am writing this on Thursday.  The weather tomorrow looks iffy and I wonder if we will have to cancel school.

I am so proud of the students in grades 6 – 8 who made honor roll this term.  In many ways the second term of the school year is the most difficult due to the holiday interruptions.  However, the following students persevered:

Grade 6 Honors:

Tanner Fisher, Anna Heise, Noah Tucker, Morgan Emanuele, Duncan Frazer, Kyle Postans, Anthony Scelza, Ileana Sirois, Morgan White.

Grade 6 High Honors:  Anna Wysocki,Eve Warner, Nora Rice, Cameron Rediker, Kyle Prior.

Grade 7 Honors: 

Jack Conners, Jessica Sykes, Parker Strawbridge, Casey Starr, JadenSanborn, Daisy Hutt, Leah Tanny, Camila Pentland, Sam Cote, Holly Weglarz, Mallory Lloyd, Michael Usher, Georgia Sparks, Summer Raymond, Christian Conaway, Hannah Driscoll.

Grade 7 High Honors: Ella Ziegler, Abbagail Wimett, Hannah Harkins, Abigail LeBlanc, Anyata Hamilton, Rebecca Crosby, Lyndsie Rice, Mason Archambeault.

Grade 8 Honors:

Brandon Dole, Mason Thompson, Elyria Gordon, Arne Wolz, Marta Bartholomew, Hunter Brooks, Tanner Potter, Katey Comstock.

Grade 8 High Honors: Tim Alibozek,   Hannah Cox, Amanda Locke, Gretta Stack, Lexi Urayse.

Mr. Cox and I invite you to have coffee with us on Monday, February 6 in our school library between 7:30 and 8:30.  We will have copies of the budget available for any parent who has questions. We also will be happy to discuss any school issue that happens to be on your mind.  We look forward to seeing you. 

We have welcomed two teaching interns to our school this week. Sarah Cota will be mentored by our 7/8 science teacher, Sarah Colby.  Christine Osgood will be mentored by one of our fifth grade teachers, Patti Gray.  Both interns are training through the Upper Valley Educator’s Institute.

First interviews for Principal candidates will take place on Wednesday and Thursday of next week.  The School Board hopes to give second interviews and make a final decision before Town Meeting Day.

I hope you will attend the Hartland Winter Carnival next weekend.  I also hope we  have real  snow by then.  Our eighth grade students will be running the raffle this year to raise money for their class trip. Winter Carnival is always a fun, family event.  

Be safe this weekend. As always, give your child a hug for me.

Judy Callens

January 20

January 20, 2012

Dear Parents,

The second marking period ended last Friday, so you should expect to receive report cards today.  For students in grades 6 – 8, the honor roll assembly will take place on Wednesday, January 25 at 8:00 AM.  As always, parents are encouraged to attend.

Students in grades K – 4 held a student led assembly yesterday.  We were treated to skits, songs, and some of the best break dancing I have ever seen from a second grade student, Kaleb Swett!  As always several students sang solos.  Daisy Johnson, Samantha Gibbs and Haley Symonds continue to amaze me.  I am always impressed by the courage of our young students to perform before such a large audience.

Ms. Cathey’s art classes have been creating impressive ceramic projects.  Second graders created owl sculptures which are displayed outside her classroom.  In the display case off the slate lobby are ceramic tiles decorated with protozoans.  For those of you who have forgotten your high school biology, protozoans are simple one celled creatures.  Remember parameciums, amoebas, euglenas, stentors???  These tiles are so beautiful, I would love to use them as a back splash in my home. 

As many of you already know, there is a nasty stomach bug making its rounds through the students and teachers.  If your child complains of a stomachache, they are probably not just trying to avoid school.  I hope the rest of us avoid it.  Have a great weekend.  Enjoy the new snow!  As always, give your child a hug for me.

Judy Callens, Principal

January 13

January 13, 2012

Dear Parents,

It is often difficult to determine when to cancel school. Yesterday’s storm was no exception.  Phone calls began before 5:00 AM between principals and Mr. Christensen.  Weather predictions varied, leaving us wondering what was the correct decision.  Finally, as you know, we decided to err on the side of caution.  Student safety is more important than how much sleet or snow happens to fall.

The search for a new principal is well underway.  A community forum was held to discuss the characteristics desired in the candidates.  The results of this discussion are included at the end of this newsletter. 

On Monday, the Hartland Board of School Directors approved the budget for FY13.  It is posted on our web site: www.hartland.k12.vt.us/.  The proposed budget equals $7,552,789, which represents a reduction of $113,441 or -2.431% from this year’s. The proposed budget will also result in a reduction of $0.0367 in the tax rate.  The next step is to present the budget at the Annual School District Meeting on March 6 at 7:30 PM in Damon Hall, and to vote to approve it on Town Meeting Day, March 7.   We hope that you will support it. 

There are three vacancies on the School Board.  We need people to commit to volunteer their time as new board members. Please consider participating. Petitions can be picked up at the Town Clerk’s office. 

Have a wonderful holiday weekend.  I hope that all families will take a few minutes to talk to their children about Dr. Martin Luther King and why we have dedicated a National holiday in his honor.  As always, give your child a hug for me.

Principal Search Community Meeting

Below you will find the results of the January 5, 2012 Hartland Principal Search Community Meeting.  This information will frame the work of the Principal Search Interview Team in selecting the best candidate to lead the Hartland School.  Thank you to all who participated in this process.

Strengths of Hartland School:

·    Physical setting

·    Community involvement

·    Good history

·    Size of school

·    K-8 Program

·    School choice

·    Welcoming atmosphere

·    Physical plant

·    The staff

·    Closing the achievement gap

·    Support for students

·    Peaceful, low stress setting/environment

·    Diversity (socioeconomic and interests)

·    Reputation

·    Opportunities afforded students

·    Extracurriculars (athletics, the arts)

·    Ample opportunities for involvement

·    Parent involvement

·    Communication

·    Looping

·    Teaching/faculty staff

·    Farm to School Program

·    Connection to American legion/rec program

·    Well prepared for high school

Needs of Hartland School:

·       Continue in technology growth

·       Continue to improve communication with home

·       Maintain current programs

·       Maintain and support paraeducators

·       Curricular and inter-grade connections

·       More integrated learning

·       Schedule that supports Best Practices

·       More focused on fewer goals

·       Increased para support

·       HCRS and counseling support

·       School nursing services

·       Strong leadership

·       Internal communication

·       Improve collaboration among schools in SU

·       More outside activity

·       Longer lunch/recess

·       Less homework

·       Increased environmental/experiential learning

·       Improved connections to students’ changing world

·       Increased creativity

Vision for Hartland School:

·       Able to understand where we are/have been to get to where we want to be

·       Excellence

·       Mastery learning

·       Practical applications of learning

·       Students excited about learning

·       Addressing the needs of all children

·       Nurturing children

·       Compassionate, positive culture

·       Safe environment

·       Continued professional learning/growth

·       Awareness of the environment

·       Students developing sense of community service

·       Preparing students for life after Hartland

·       Challenging all students (enrichment)

·       Preparing families and students to be successful in a school setting

Characteristics of New Principal:

·       Humor

·       Chocolate

·       Creative Problem-solving

·       Good communicator

·       Manager of personnel

·       Strong leader

·       Reflective

·       Good listener

·       Decision maker

·       Detail oriented

·       Juggler

·       Can learn school community/culture

·       Acceptance of Hartland lifestyle

·       Knowledge of community resources

·       Honest

·       Approachable

·       Fair

·       Visible

·       Involved in school

·       Visionary

·       Understands (K-8)

·       Collaborative

·       Makes connections to holistic learning

·       Able to relate to kids and staff

·       Follow through

·       Loves to learn

·       Able to prioritize

·       Range of grade level teaching experiences

·       Calm

·       Experience as an administrator

·       Students are first priority

·       Responsive in a timely fashion

·       Understands triage

January 6

January 6, 2012

Happy New Year.  I hope that you  all had a restful break over the holidays.  It felt good to get back to work.  Students arrived back ready to work.  The climate of the school feels cozy.  Students have “hunkered down” and are attending to their work. 

I ask parents to remind students to dress appropriately.  We actually held recess indoors for two days this week because the low temperature, combined with the wind chills were too extreme.  Yet on both of these days a few students arrived to school in shorts and tee shirts, with no coats, hats, or mittens. 

The second quarter marking period ends January 13 and report cards will be distributed January 20.  This is a good time to review PowerSchool with your 6, 7, or 8^th grade children.  Work missing from mid term (Dec 6) to the present can be submitted for credit. 

The School Board meets Monday at 5:00 PM in the HES library.  The most important agenda item this month is the budget.  After a lengthy discussion, I expect the budget to be approved by the Board on Monday.  Of course the community needs to vote to approve it on Town Meeting Day.

Speaking of the budget, Mr. Cox and I will be holding a parents coffee on Monday February 6 from 7:30 – 8:15.  We will have copies of the approved budget available and will answer questions that parents may have.  I am sure several Board members will be present to provide information. 

Our next student-led assembly is Thursday January 19 at 12:30 PM.  These events have grown to be an important school tradition.  Any student can apply to perform a song, skit, dance, or demonstration to the school community.  More and more parents have been attending, which I encourage.  There is always a variety of presentations.  I remain in awe of the comfort level of our students as they step on the stage and perform for their peers. 

The recreation department began its winter ski and board program at Whaleback this week.  I am amazed there was enough snow to run the program, but the feedback from the students was that “It was awesome.”  Hartland is so lucky to have such a variety of recreation programs. Many thanks go to Ray Sapp and John Leonard for their efforts. 

Four- day weeks just fly by.  Have a great weekend.  As always, give your kids a hug for me.

Judy Callens