Clarendon Elementary School Newsletter April 2016 Clarendon Elementary School 84 Grange Hall Road, North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 P: (802) 775-5379 F: (802) 747-7584 Fred Valastro, Principal •
[email protected]
“Every Student, Every Day, Our Personal Best in Every Way!” Hello Clarendon Families, We thank you for your support over the last few weeks. CES has had many activities along with the Parent Teacher meetings and we appreciate you joining us whenever possible. As mentioned in the update, Odyssey of the Mind was re-introduced to our school with seven of our children competing. The children, coaches and teachers are lauded for their efforts and creativity. The NED Show entertained our students with the important message to Never give up, Encourage others, and to Do your BEST so they could all be champions! There are important informational items in the Superintendent’s RSSU Connect. (More information on the merger, new school hours for next year, and more) I urge you to read this and call if you have any questions. CES is also developing a year-long educational undertaking to inform our students of the benefits of staying away from drugs. A calendar is in progress titled “Pride In Prevention” and we will kick off this enterprise with a powerful guest speaker in April, Cris Johnson’s “Drug Free, That’s Me!” April 27th will have all of our elementary schools at CES for the speaker, a picnic lunch, music, and a tee shirt. It is shaping up to be a wonderful day. How appropriate that our word of the month for April is Pride. There is much of that in Clarendon these days. Visit the Chaffee to see our students’ work, enjoy one of our concerts or student talent show, and witness our PBiS character education in action every day in OUR school. Please help the children recognize all that for which they should be proud. Please let us know if there are any other interested parties that want to receive this newsletter. Let us know what information you would like to see in your newsletter. Again, we welcome information and submissions from our community. Please send us your input or particulars (two weeks before the end of the month is helpful). All of us are here to help educate, support and model for the students.
Your principal, Fred Valastro IMPORTANT DATES
School Board Meetings Tuesday, April 26, 5:30 pm
NO SCHOOL April 18—22
The children should be at school by 8:15 AM School starts at 8:20 AM - Thank you!
Miss Doiron's kindergarten celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday all month long. Happy birthday Dr. Seuss!
Math is always fun in kindergarten! We especially love it when Mrs. Cohen comes for Math Fun Friday.
The leprechaun brought these lucky kindergarteners gold for St. Patricks's day!
Celebrating Mr. V's birthday! Kindergarten students made cards and crafts to celebrate Mr. V's birthday. He even chose a prize from our prize box and wore a birthday crown!
Miss Doiron's class is out enjoying the sunny weather!
Mrs. Loyzelle’s class celebrates the 100th day of school with various activities!
Easter Egg Hunt in the Peace Garden!
Kindergarten was studying things that are tall, long, and big in art!
Playing and exploring with magnets.
Building roads and train tracks for the cars and trains.
Working together to paint a picture.
Enjoying the wonderful spring weather.
Building a zoo for the animals.
Being farmers by taking care of the animals.
First graders are shown on St. Patrick's Day gobbling up the "Magical Blarney Pudding" that they made from a secret recipe given to Mrs. Jakubowski by a certain "Irish Lassie"!
Second Grade Lads and Lassies learn a "wee" bit about Ireland and St. Patrick's Day traditions through music, dancing, stories, videos, and Scholastic News articles about Irish castles. We ended our St. Patrick's Day celebration with homemade green milkshakes and shamrock cookies.
"How do you make a milkshake?" "Tickle it!"
The boys are timing themselves reading "trick" words from Fundations.
Quilts are an important part of our history. Lorraine Wenta and Kathy Budd from Maple Leaf Guild came to class to talk about quilts. We designed a Comfort Quilt that will be donated to RRMC Pediatrics.
Grade Three has been studying the Northwest Coast Native Americans. We especially enjoyed learning about the totem poles that they carved from cedar trees. The totem poles might include various animals like the thunderbird, eagle, bear, whale, beaver, and frog. Some of the animals were the symbol of power in different domains: the thunderbird or eagle, often at the top, was power in the sky; the whale signified power in the water; and the bear was for power on the earth. Each part of a totem pole had a meaning and together they told family legends, events, or stories. Inside the house, totem poles were sometimes house posts that supported the roof.
Mrs. Redman and Mr. Lannon’s fourth graders are working hard at learning to be better writers. The children have written constructive responses, opinion pieces, and narratives. One student had an article published on Difference Makers in Sam’s Good News. They have also created their own grammar books. An item included in their grammar book is a copy of a transitional phrase page, which they have been using regularly. Many of the fourth graders enjoyed the Monday afternoon winter sport’s program, which occurred at the Pico Mountain Ski Resort. Many other students had fun with the successful activities that were held at the school. The children have completed their second science fair. The fair focused on their knowledge of sound and sound levitators. A unique student project was a sound levitator chamber. In the world of math, the children are learning about division. The students have been using their place value understanding and visual representations to solve multiplication and division problems with multi-digit numbers. They have been moving slowly but comprehensively to develop their ability to reason about the methods and models chosen to solve problems with multi-digit factors and dividends. They began by investigating the formulas for area and perimeter. They then solved multiplicative comparison problems including the language of times, with a focus on problems using area and perimeter as a context. They have created diagrams to represent these problems.
Difference Makers By Megan 4th Grader Are you a difference maker? There are many ways to be a difference maker. You and I could be one. You have friends that believe in you and those are the friends that stay with you when the going gets rough. I believe anyone can become a difference maker. How might that happen? My first few ideas are for you to become a helpful friend, believe in people, and be kind. In addition, you need to be respectful, work hard, and always do your best. In conclusion, a person needs to persevere. Have fun and remember that proper prior planning prevents poor performance. That is how to become a difference maker. I believe if you follow these steps you can change the world and be a difference maker.
If you're the parent of a four year old, no doubt you are excited about your child entering kindergarten this August! This year, our kindergarten teachers have worked extra hard on aligning our foundational reading and writing instruction to meet the expectations of the Common Core State Standards. It's amazing to see the students taking their first steps toward becoming independent readers! Their journey begins at home, where parents spend countless hours building crucial language and communication skills that will help children succeed with formal instruction in reading. Check out the tips for parents of preschoolers brought to you by Reading Rockets. I hope everyone can join us as we celebrate the end of our Reading Road Trip! You will find the details in our weekly updates and elsewhere in the newsletter.
“Wonderful Winter World“ After sketching each other in action poses, students in grades 1 & 2 drew children and families doing their favorite outdoor winter activities. Looking at the paintings of New England landscape painter Grandma Moses gave them some ideas for their own snowy scene. It is so much fun to create art as a big group! The 6’x 8’ mural will be displayed in our main hallway until the Primary Music Concert, so many families can enjoy it. It will then be displayed at the Chaffee Student Art Exhibit where it can be admired until May 24th .
Hula Hoops & Giant Tic-Tac-Toe!
February’s PBiS prize was an inflatable bean bag and a $20 gift certificate to Phoenix Books!
The winner of the ping-pong drawing for February was
Connor from 3rd Grade!
Maisie
Lindsey
Lily
Isabella
AM PreK
PM PreK
K-Doiron
Stella
K-Loyzelle
Olivia
Matthew
1-Jakubowski
2-D’Amico
2-McLaughlin
Hayden
Paige
Sidney
3-Lind
4-Lannon
Brendan 6-Pritchard
April Word of the month is... Pride means pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself
5-Hogan
Crystal 6-Moore
Odyssey of the Mind Congratulations to this year’s Odyssey of the Mind team, who competed on the 19th of March at CVU High School against teams from around Vermont. Their solution to the long term problem, “No-Cycle Recycle,” gave them a fourth place finish. Their achievement is further compounded by the fact that this is the first OotM team at CES to compete in nearly a decade. Congratulations again to the team and their coaches.
Rotary club provides our third graders personal dictionaries.
Clarendon School Counselor Page CES is ROCKIN’ PBIS We are so proud of our students this year. They continue to work hard at being positive members of our school community and following the Core Values. We have seen a 60% increase in good behaviors. Our fish tank is filling up quickly with ping pong balls. We handed out 537 balls last year and we are ready to surpass that figure all before April Vacation. These kids are ROCKIN’ IT! We have handed out some wonderful prizes this year and want to thank the following local business for supporting our PBIS program; Ramunto’s Pizza, Bowlerama, Spartan Arena, Phoenix Book Store, Holiday Inn, and Horace Mann Insurance.
Denny McCullough Clarendon Elementary School Counselor
Contact Info:
[email protected] 802-773-5379 x105
How exactly does PBIS work? Students are recognized for Core Values by receiving a “ticket”. Students trade in 5 tickets for 1 Paw slip. Once they have earned 3 Paw slips they are awarded a small prize and a ping pong ball. The balls are numbered and a list of names is kept. At the end of every month we have an award assembly recognizing all students who have earned ping pong balls. We then draw a ball from the fish tank and award that student a prize. As our fish tank fills we also do school wide celebrations activities. We are happy to see how well this Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports program is working at CES for its 3rd year.
Career Exploration Students in grades 5 and 6 will have a chance to do some career exploration. They will complete an interest inventory to see what careers might match up well with their interests. I will also share a power point presentation, highlighting job growth trends with a deeper look into some specific careers. We will also discuss why it is important to choose careers wisely and what skills future employers are looking for. I plan to remind them that school is where we begin teaching the skills they need for the future. A close look at jobs in VT will be highlighted.
ASP kids LOVE Cup Stacking! Our towers almost touched the ceiling!
April Workshop Descriptions Homework / Activities (All grades) This is a quiet time when students work on homework. There are adults available to assist with homework or projects, listen to students read, or offer other assistance students may require. When children are finished with homework they may join another workshop, read, or play a quiet game. Computer games will be available for the last 30 minutes of this workshop (4:45-5:15). Children will have access to computers for specific homework assignments at any time. Yoga Adventure(K-2) - Develop physical strength, flexibility, and self-expression as you explore yoga and games with Mrs. Reynolds Orienteering (3-6) – Orienteering is an outdoor sport that combines racing with navigation. Students will learn navigational skills using a compass to navigate from point to point. This workshop will use the outdoor space around the school including the woods. It is possible that during this workshop, students will not be available for pick-up until 5:00. Environmental Literacy (K-3) – Come and explore nature with five senses as we learn about our neighborhood trees and surrounding environment. Circus Skills (3-6) – Ever wonder about the circus life. Join us to explore as you learn basic circus skills such as juggling. Parachute & Active Games (K-3) –Join Ms T for fun and fitness in this workshop as we get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity. Mrs. Carlson’s Craft Club (3-6) – Our crafty Mrs. Carlson will guide you through a variety of craft projects. Outdoor Man (K-3) – Spring is here and it’s time to think about wetting a line with dad, mom, and grandparents. Join this after school clinic to learn casting and fishing methods to take home the big one. Outdoor Man, Bob Stefanski a VT Certified Instructor, will teach you how, when and where to be a better fisherperson. Bike Fun (4-6) – In this workshop we will improve basic bike skills while riding the back roads of Clarendon. Bikes will be available for this workshop and helmet use will be required. NOTE: We will be riding the back roads of Clarendon, so children will not be available for pick-up until 5:00. Also by signing your child up for this workshop, you are giving permission for your child to leave the school and ride the backroads. Fun Friday (All grades): 4/1 - This month our community food drive Fun Friday will be Pizza and a Movie. We will snack on pizza and watch the Minions. Please note this movie is rated PG. The fee for this Fun Friday is a non-perishable food item that will be donated to the Rutland Community Cupboard. 4/8 – Tinkering with the Montshire Museum – The Montshire Museum will travel to CES with their mobile tinkering lab where students try their hand at engineering whimsical contraptions using real tools and materials. Tinkering Lab activities require cooperation, concentration, and a playful "tinkering mindset." Design, test, and build, and share your creations alongside other students. Cost: $5.00 4/15 – Jump Fore Fun – the kids had such a great time and requested to go back so we booked it again. Bounce Houses and Black Light Mini Golf. What more can you say. Cost: $3.50 4/29 – Hiking – Let’s try our outdoor Fun Friday again. Cost: $1.00
Spring April 2016 Break
Clarendon ASP
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3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Yoga Adventure (K-2) 3:45 -5:15 Orienteering (3-6)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Environmental Literacy (K-3) 3:45 -5:15 Circus Skills (36)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Parachute & Active Games (K-3) 3:45 -5:15 Mrs. Carlson’s Craft Club (3-6)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Outdoor Man (K3) 3:45 -5:15 Bike Fun (4-6)
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3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Yoga Adventure (K-2) 3:45 -5:15 Orienteering (3-6)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Environmental Literacy (K-3) 3:45 -5:15 Circus Skills (36)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Parachute & Active Games (K-3) 3:45 -5:15 Mrs. Carlson’s Craft Club (3-6)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Outdoor Man (K3) 3:45 -5:15 Bike Fun (4-6)
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3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Yoga Adventure (K-2) 3:45 -5:15 Orienteering (3-6)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Environmental Literacy (K-3) 3:45 -5:15 Circus Skills (36)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Parachute & Active Games (K-3) 3:45 -5:15 Mrs. Carlson’s Craft Club (3-6)
3:00-3:30 Attendance, & Physical Activity 3:30- 3:45 Snack 3:45 -5:15 Homework & Computer Games (A) 3:45 -5:15 Outdoor Man (K3) 3:45 -5:15 Bike Fun (4-6)
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Montshire Museum Tinkering 15 Fun Friday
Jump Fore Fun 29 Fun Friday
Hiking
Hello CES Families, Clarendon Elementary is planning to offer many opportunities for all of our students this summer. Please share with us your thoughts and your needs for this important time of year in our kids social and academic lives. Please see the message from our After School coordinator, Tracy Tinsley: CES will be hosting a Summer Camp for all students who live in the Clarendon region. The camp will run Monday through Friday from the end of school to July 1 (the SU Summer Enrichment program is set to start July 5th). Our hours will be from 7:30 - 5:30. The camp day will begin at 9:00 and end at 3:30. There will be a before camp program from 7:30 - 9 and after camp care from 3:30 - 5:30. Cost will be: $70.00 per child per week $18.00 per child per day for 3-4 days (in one week) $21.00 per child per day for 1-2 days (in one week) Before and/or after camp will be $5.00 per child per day (for one or both) It will be set-up similar to the CEBA program. Monday through Thursday kids will have different activities including two afternoons of swimming. Fridays will be a trip somewhere. It will be open to any child K-6 that lives in the Clarendon region, regardless of whether they were registered for the CEBA program during the year. There will be more details coming soon, but if this is something you think you might be interested in or you have any questions, please contact Tracey Tinsley at
[email protected].
Each year thousands of schools in the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. The contest is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. Schools with students in grades four through eight are eligible for this entertaining and challenging test of geographic knowledge. Congratulations to Everett Bruckerhoff! He has qualified to compete in the state level competition of the National Geographic Bee! As you remember, Everett was first in our CES competition in January. The Vermont State Bee will be held on Friday, April 1, 2016. Please visit the State Bee Homepage, and click on Vermont to access your state Bee website and review event information.
Notice to all parents of current 6th grade students: Prior to entry into 7th grade next year, all 6th grade students are required, per the Vermont Department of Health immunization standards, to have received a booster for the Tdap vaccine. If your child has not received the Tdap booster (Tetanus, Diptheria, and Acellular Pertussis vaccine), please schedule an appointment with your child's primary care provider prior to the start of school in August. Additionally, the meningococcal vaccine (MCV4), is recommended for students entering the 7th grade as well, but is not required for students who are not attending a residential (boarding) school. Please send any copies of updated immunization records to the school nurse prior to June, if available, so they may be forwarded to the nurse at Mill River. If you have any questions about these or other vaccines, please contact Alyssa Arlen, MSN, RN at 775-5379 (confidential voicemail x104) or by e-mail
[email protected]. For more information on these vaccines, please review this notice from the Vermont Department of Health: http://healthvermont.gov/hc/imm/documents/
The NED Show is a character education program that centers around three important messages that have life long relevance:
Never give up * Encourage others * Do your best® During the assembly on March 24th, students learned about NED’s three messages and enjoyed storytelling, magic humor and yo-yo tricks.
Caden wins a yo-yo and a balloon hat after telling the assembly that you need to persevere to succeed.
http://www.thenedshow.com/parents.html
We have launched a reading challenge for our students that runs March 28 - April 1. The theme is "Reading Road Trip" and includes a reading scavenger hunt as well as some fun dress up days. Here's a look at what we’ve done so far!
State of the Union
(wear a shirt with a state name on it)
These Boots Are Made For Walking (wear your favorite boots, socks or shoes)
Places Everyone!
(wear something from your favorite place in the USA)
Be A Brave Traveler
(wear something that represents a heroic character or real life hero)
The State House Adam and Al got a tour of the State House from Representative David Potter. They got to see the Senate in action in the Senate Chambers. They met Speaker of the House Shap Smith, and Adam got to sit and have his picture taken in his Dad’s former seat. They ate lunch in the cafeteria, and were introduced to a number of legislators, current and former. Also, they talked with some of the pages who are 8th graders serving as messengers from all around the State. Pretty cool day!
Go Team! Congratulations to our CES Cheerleaders on their 1st place, youth division wins in the VCCA, CVCA and Green Mountain Invitational competitions! These hard working cheerleaders represented our school and our school district with pride and confidence . Great Job Ladies!
Go Spartans!
A handful of enthusiastic fans (Clarendon Students and Parents) were present for the Castleton Hockey game on January 16. Five of our students received hot chocolate for attempting a slap-shot on the ice between periods. One of our superb athletes got her puck into the net. Yea for Karina!
Bike Tune-Up Service The Holden House bike mechanics are offering bike tuneups to prepare you for spring. The tune-up services we offer include the following:
Adjusting Brakes Correcting Shifting issues Straightening Wheels Adjusting Wheel Bearings Replace/Installing Parts-(NEW-USED) Patching Tires Adjusting Crank Bearings Cleaning and lubricating
If you are interested in making an appointment, you may contact us at
[email protected]. The price for the tune-up alone is $15.00. If your bike needs new replacement parts it would be extra, or we have many used parts on hand that we offer to use as replacement parts for free. Sincerely, James, Ethan, Connor and Tim.
Clarendon Elementary School 84 Grange Hall Road, North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 P: (802) 775-5379 F: (802) 747-7584 Fred Valastro, Principal •
[email protected] www.rssu.org
Every Student, Every Day, Our Personal Best in Every Way!
Sun
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Fri 1
Sat 2
Talent Show 6:00 Chaffee Student Art Show Reception 4—7
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5 Lifetouch Pictures
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7 Grade 2, 3 & 4 Math Night 5:30
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13 6th Grade Meeting 6:00
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18 NO SCHOOL Spring Vacation
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26 CES Board Meeting 5:30
27 Drug Free That’s Me Speaker Sports Banquet 6:30
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