Owls!

This week we had a terrific presentation by the Audubon Society about owls. We learned many interesting facts about owls.  We learned that their eyes don't move and they have twice as many bones in their neck as we do.  We met three different owls.  The first owl was a Barred Owl named Chapin who weighs two pounds.  The Barred Owl is the only owl with dark brown eyes and has a very distinctive call that sounds like "who cooks for you".  Chapin had a broken wing and can't fly well anymore.  We also met Carson and Alfred who are both Screech Owls. Carson had a broken wrist and Alfred is missing an eye.  They were both injured when they were hit by cars. When we return from Spring Vacation we will be working in pairs to dissect owl pellets, and will be learning more about this topic during Hands On Nature.
We finished our opinion pieces about our collections this week by revising our work and getting it ready for publishing.  When we return from break we will begin writing other opinion pieces.
We have been using a Hansel and Gretel theme to practice counting by 5's and 10's into the hundreds during math. We have been solving crumbs on the path problems, focusing on 5's and 10's.
With the Spring weather finally upon us, we have been spending more time outside.  We ran a lap around the track several days this week to get some of our "extra" energy out.
I still have an extra ticket for our Flynn field trip on May 11th.  If you would like to join us for that field trip, please send me an email.  First come first serve:)
There is no homework this week!  Have a terrific Spring Break!
:)Deb

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April PTO Minutes

PTO minutes--April 14, 2015 

Treasurer's Report/Fundraising & Fund spending

•   Dynamic Dates raised over $1600 (very popular with k-5.  How can we increase 6-8 participation?)

•   Hannaford’s Helps Schools--earned $576 (no $1,000 bonus this year, as we came in 2nd)

•   Bowl-a-thon--raised just over $3,600

•   Amazon--earned another $300 (even though we thought this money was no longer available to us due to change in VT tax laws.  Perhaps we are earning this through Amazon Smile program?)

•   Red Wagon Plants sale--orders are in, plants will be distributed 5/15

•   Good Comida Mother's Day treat sale--flyers go out 4/17, orders due 5/1

•   PTO Spring Grants--we distributed $4,700 total to fund:  graphic novels, author visit, tools for library Maker space, steam table pans, VT Maple Syrup, puzzles, chair pockets, guest speaker, 25 ukuleles, science equipment, and light blocking material for sky lights! 

Help Wanted

•   Teacher and Staff Appreciation Lunch--contact valerie@estimated.com if you can bring in an item for the lunch (she will send you a link to the sign-up)

•   Jog-a-thon--May 26th: Looking for a k-2 coordinator for this year.  Also looking for someone to coordinate the jog-a-thon next year.  Contact sweeneyrs@gmail.com

•   Coordinator for Holiday Food Baskets next year (approx. 3 hrs) Contact sweeneyrs@gmail.com

•   Coordinator for Potluck Dinner next year.  Contact sweeneyrs@gmail.com

Other Business/Discussion Items

•   Playground Committee update--remember to watch the progress and contribute to the fundraising site:  youcaring.com/SCSplayground .  Fundraiser deadline is May 31!  Currently, plans are coming together for the play equipment and site work.  Help us make the most of this project!  Every donation counts towards making this a great place to play in Shelburne!   *PTO will check income at end of year, and perhaps make another donation to the playground.

•   Kit Antinozzi shared her experience from the state Geo Bee competition (her son, Peter Antinozzi finished in a tie for 8th).  Students were on stage in the spotlight, while the audience watched in a stadium setting--very intense setting and competition!  Lots of educational/life skills value in this competition! 

•   Next year on fall forms, families will have the opportunity to "opt in/out" for PTO List Serve!

Principal's Report

•   Grand Rounds math night was a great success!  Thanks to John Madden, Patty Pauza & Carol Specht for an informative evening!  Also thanks for Becky Mashak for dinner and Part2 for childcare.

•   Snelling Playground Update!  The project was recently awarded $60,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund!  We are working to raise $50,000 to meet our goals.  Thanks to Lisa Williams, Barbara Comeau and other volunteers for their tireless commitment to create a wonderful outdoor recreation site for our school and community!

•   Kindergarten orientation--79 students are registered for the fall.  There will be 5 K classes.

•   5th grade Student Leadership Council--8 peer-elected members (2 students per team), led by John Madden, work to develop skills to become effective school leaders.  Projects include writing for The Shelburne News, advocating for changes in cafeteria (real VT maple syrup), and raising money to make blankets for COTS families.

•   Middle school poetry slam--April 15-17--each team will host a poetry slam.

•   SBAC testing--Middle school and 4th grade students have completed testing.  3rd & 5th graders will begin testing after spring break.

Teacher Shares—a quick peek at what’s happening around SCS:

•   Preschool visits the art room!

•   Peter Antinozzi tied for 8^th place in the state Geo Bee!

•   Holden 6^th graders presented biome projects & are now preparing persuasive speeches to convince people to move to South American Countries.  7^th graders are researching and preparing famous explorers activity books.  8^th graders preparing world war II speeches

•   Believe 3^rd graders—Shelburne history.  Acted out formation of Lake Champlain, learned about Native Americans who lived here, and are now writing historical fiction narratives

•   Wonder 5^th grade working with Flynn to: create nonfiction scripts about planets & reenacting American Revolution scenes

•   Infinity 5^th grade created radio plays about Constellation Myths

•   Kaleidoscope 1^st grade started a plant unit—growing and observing bean seeds and plants

•   Middle School teams preparing poetry slam series with help from Flynn

•   7^th & 8^th grade Spanish students are creating either stop motion films or movie trailers in various genres

•   Team Dreams 2^nd graders celebrated their Opinion Writing with an author share for families

•   Thanks to Dan Boomhower (long term sub for Diana Burritt) for keeping students singing, laughing and learning!  Diana will return April 27^th

•   SCS Band and Chorus—spring concert season will be underway in May!

•   Enterprise & Endeavor 4^th graders shared their informational reports on famous Vermonters

•   Ms. Nakleh’s class has been learning about ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’

•   Shannon Baird’s 2^nd grade hosted a month of giving back to our community.  Participated in ‘The Big Change Round Up’ and provided a meal at ANew Place in Burlington.

•   Treehouse Kindergarten is using a great online portfolio program to provide easy access for parents to view class activities and student work

•   Library—32 popular books are facing off during March Madness—check the bracket on the SCS library homepage or in the library

Mark your calendars

April 17-May 1   Shelburne Community Days--Good Comida Mother's Day Treat Sale

May                  Walk to school every Wednesday--meet at The Town Green

May 12             Teacher & Staff Appreciation Lunch

May 15             Red Wagon Plants distribution

May 26             Jog-a-thon (May 27th rain date)

May 30             Shelburne Community Days--Furniture Sale at Burlington Bedrooms

June 22             Shelburne Community Night at the Lake Monsters

Thanks to:

Shannon Baird and Sherry Senior for the beautiful bulletin board

Kim Schmitt and Valerie Richardson for coordinating Dynamic Dates

Everyone who attended the PTO Spring Grants meeting

A Great Week!

Firefly First Grade has had a great week!  We have been continuing our writing about our collections during Writer's Workshop.  Today we wrote about our "booby prizes".  Yes... that is part of the first grade curriculum!  We learned several new games for our Math Workstations that will help support our learning about numbers greater than one hundred.   We also had a fun time playing "Sparkle" to practice our trick words.
I hope everyone has a terrific weekend.  Warmer weather is supposed to be on its way!
:)Deb

Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk!

We began a new unit in Math this week that focuses on numbers to one hundred and beyond.  Today we made estimations about a big pile of craft sticks and then used efficient ways to count them.  We revisited our estimates after they were counted to see which estimate was closest and spent time justifying how we know that.
Our Opinion Writing Unit is going well.  Everyone is excited to write about their favorite piece in their collections.  We have been learning more about how to write strong opinion pieces and how to explain judgments in convincing ways.
We will be going to the Flynn on Monday, May 11th to see "Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk!"  Each classroom has three extra tickets for this show.  If you would like to join us, please send me an email and let me know.  It will be first come first serve!
Have a super weekend!
:)Deb