Feb 17

February 17, 2012

Dear Parents, 

The week prior to a vacation is normally the time that teachers wrap up major units of study.  This week was no exception.  For the past two days I have been invited to classrooms to observe students presenting their work.  I am impressed!

Students in Mrs. Skehan’s grade 4 class studied animals in Vermont.  Each student presented their factual information about habitat, predators, food chains, and life cycles in the form of a game, or visual presentation. One student, Zofia Zerphy, created her own DVD presentation, complete with music and an interview with her father.  Impressive.

Students in Mrs. McClure’s class learned how to make electrical switches.  Students in Mrs. Cramer’s third grade class made and tested rubber band rollers as part of an inquiry based science unit.  Students were presenting their edible cell projects in Mrs. Ziegler’s fifth grade classrooms. 

In addition to all of this, students in grades K – 2 celebrated the 100^th day of school this week.  Mrs. White’s class created a dragon with a 100- foot long tail.  Mrs Bodner’s class created chains made of 100 links. A tremendous amount of math is integrated into the daily number count; counting by 1’s, 10’s ,2’s and 5’s, and learning odd and even numbers. 

Students in grade 4 were given a presentation by the Change The World Kids. This is a program out of Woodstock High School that involves students in local community service as well as global issues.  Locally students assisted in hurricane clean up, stocking food shelves, etc.  Globally, students have been involved in creating a preserve in Costa Rica and providing water to villages in Africa.  Although this program is based in Woodstock, two of our students are already involved; Georgia Sparks and Casey Starr. 

Grade 1 students ended their week with a field trip to VINS. As a partner school, we have been offered free field trips to the nature center during the slower winter months. 

Earlier this week we had some vandalism occur during a basketball game.  The students at fault were HES students whose parents were present during the vandalism, but in the gym watching the game.  I am reminding all parents that their children are to be under their direct supervision at all times during after school events.   Allowing students to play in the lobby, or roam the halls is not acceptable.  The video of the lobby during this particular event revealed students jumping on furniture, roughhousing, and throwing balls around the lobby. 

Enjoy the long holiday weekend and winter break.  Since there is no sledding, snow-shoeing, and little skiing, perhaps kids can get out of doors for hiking and riding bikes.  Rest up. See you in a week.  And as always, give your child a hug for me.

Judy Callens

Feb 10

February 10, 2012

Dear Parents,

Given the warm temperatures and sunshine, it feels more like we are week away from April vacation rather than February vacation.  I have to say I enjoy the longer hour+ of daylight and the savings in heating my house. 

Our school web page has an updated version of the budget.  I urge all of you to plan to attend the Annual School District meeting on Monday, March 5 at 7:30 PM.  I also urge everyone to vote on Town Meeting day.

Now it is time to nag.  Parents, please, please get your students to school on time.  We have students arriving to school at all hours of the morning on a regular basis.  Classes start at 8:00, so students who arrive late miss valuable class time, which teachers should not have to repeat.  We would really like to see a reduction in tardiness.  Thank you.

This week, the Hartland School participated in the Young Vermont Writer’s Initiative.  Every person in the school dropped what they were doing to write for a period of time on Tuesday.  The point was to encourage students to respond to a number of prompts, and to see adults enjoy writing.  Thanks to Sarah Stewart Taylor for bring this event to our school.

We received the results of our NECAP state assessments this week.  I am putting together a report for our school board, which will be posted soon on our website.   I am pleased with our results!  Individual student reports will be sent home before vacation.

Please check out the lost and found.  We have quite a collection of coats and boots.

I want to thank Karen Rodis, our K – 5 Spanish teacher for participating in a Journey North program.  Mrs. Rodis’s students are communicating with schools in Mexico, while tracking the migration route of Monarch butterflies from Vermont to their winter sites in Mexico.  In the spring, they will track them back to Vermont.  Students in grades 1 and 2 have sent paper butterflies to two schools in Mexico. If you click on this link to Mrs. Rodis’s school web page, you will be able to see photos of students in Mexico displaying the art work of our students.  http://hartlandspanish.blogspot.com/2012/02/symbolic-monarch-migration-update.html

The Footnotes, a special chorus from Hanover High school gave an fabulous performance this week.  They sang songs from Wicked, and Grease.  It was especially thrilling to welcome Genevera Wetmore, Kendra Comstock, and Olivia Zerphy back to Hartland.  These former students sang solos for our students.  I was very pleased that we were asked to host this performance.  I am sure it inspired many students.

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

Judy Callens, Principal

Feb 3

February 3, 2012

Dear Parents,

Between vacation, Martin Luther King Day, and snow days, this was the first five day week we have had in 2012.  So why have I been unable to cross off everything from my to- do list? 

This has been a lovely week.  The student council has hosted spirit week, which included pajama day, fashion disaster day, black and white day, and multiplicity day.  The students have been especially creative.  They decorated the doors to their classrooms, and generally had fun. The best part for this administrator?  We had a week of laughter and fun, yet students attended to their class work.  No one misbehaved and we just had fun. 

Mr. Cox and I will be hosting a Monday morning coffee meeting in the library this Monday. (obviously)  We will have information about this year’s proposed budget to share.  Please come by, take a look at the budget, and ask any questions on your mind, budget or otherwise.

On Tuesday, we will be celebrating Vermont Writes Day.  At 8:50, EVERYONE in the school will spend seven minutes writing.  Teachers have writing prompts, but any kind of writing will be allowed.  We welcome parents to join us. We will post examples of student and adult writing around the school.  I hope you can join us. 

Have a terrific weekend. The ChiliFest and auction sound like great fun.  And of course…. The game. Go Patriots!  Enjoy and as always, give your child a hug for me.

Judy Callens