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 100th 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
