Moretown Messenger, Blood Drive, Study Circle Opportunity and more January 28

Hello Moretown School Families, 






Here is the link to our most recent Moretown Messenger.  Be sure to take minute to explore their site. There are many links on their site that provide some great information and entertainment!

https://sites.google.com/a/wwsu.org/moretown-messenger/home

BLOOD DRIVE - REMINDER FOR NEXT WEEK

A reminder that we'll be hosting a "Pint Size Hero" Blood Drive here at MES on Thursday, Februray 4th in the gym.  You can sign up to donate online at www.redcrossblood.org.  In the red "Find a Blood Drive" tab enter "MoretownElem" then click on Moretown Elementary in the left hand tab on the following page to sign up.  Walk-in donors are also welcome. Please encourage friends, family and other eligible donors to join us to help make the drive a success! This Thursday, Bill Scannell, who is a Red Cross blood drive coordinator and educator will be joining me in my health classes to teach the students about blood and the importance of donating blood.  He does a wonderful job so this should be a great experience for our students. Thanks for your support with this worthy cause!  Thanks Nurse Kelly!!!  

WWSU hosts 

A STUDY CIRLCE PROCESS

MARCH 2016

Regarding Conversations about the future of Education

Your Voice Is Important!!  The Washington West Supervisory Union Community Coalition invites you to participate in a discussion about the future of learning in WWSU through a series of Community Conversations taking place in March 2016.

Community Conversations, also known as the Study Circle process, is a forum for community discussion, debate and feedback regarding teaching and learning in the schools of WWSU.  Come prepared to talk about ways for students to be prepared for the future, find ways the community can engage to support our learners, and have a voice in the future of educating all of our children.

Each “circle” will consist of a group of 10 individuals from various segments of our community (students, teachers, parents, business owners, community members, etc.) and be facilitated by adult and youth partners from our school and community.  

These circles will work as a team over the course of four (4) meetings:

March 7, March 14, March 21 and March 28 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Harwood Union High School. Please sign up in advance so we can have an adequate number of student and adult facilitators.

It is critical that all participants commit to attending all four sessions, as each discussion builds upon the previous one.  Thus, by committing to participate in this process you are agreeing to come to all four meetings. The ultimate purpose of this initiative is to develop and make recommendations to the WWSU Leadership Team to be utilized in the WWSU action plan.  This process is modeled after successful community dialogue programs in other organizations and schools across the country.

Please fill out the enclosed form to indicate whether you are available to be a part of the study circle process.  We hope that you will lend your voice to this exciting process!

Community Conversations/Study Circles Sign Up Form

Please register online here: http://bit.ly/WWSUConversations

Ski Program Update

After many years of discussion and debate a very dedicated group of parents and school staff came forward to turn this idea of a Moretown School Ski Program into a reality for the first time. Our first mountain experience received a thumbs up from ski participants and our mountain hosts. Given we are trying to get this program off the ground, the decision to cancel a school ski day is not a popular or fun one to make. Cancellation decisions are based on safety and access issues that occur primarily due to weather conditions that exist on the mountain. We are hopeful that the current trend of poor conditions will subside and allow for us to ski next Tuesday, February 2, 2016. In the event of any future cancellations we will do out best to send out messages to families the evening prior to the ski day or at 9:30 am the day of the program. We hope for a successful February! Thanks for your understanding.

Moretown School Loves Sledding

The Moretown School has the best sledding hill in the valley!
We love it!

Moretown School Updates - January 21, 2015

Mrs. Hartshorn's Kindergarten Class reading about Rhinos
A perfect winter morning for reading to a class.   

Community Conversations about the future of Education

Your Voice Is Important!!  The Washington West Supervisory Union Community Coalition invites you to participate in a discussion about the future of learning in WWSU through a series of Community Conversations taking place in March 2016.

Community Conversations, also known as the Study Circle process, is a forum for community discussion, debate and feedback regarding teaching and learning in the schools of WWSU.  Come prepared to talk about ways for students to be prepared for the future, find ways the community can engage to support our learners, and have a voice in the future of educating all of our children.

Each “circle” will consist of a group of 10 individuals from various segments of our community (students, teachers, parents, business owners, community members, etc.) and be facilitated by adult and youth partners from our school and community.  

These circles will work as a team over the course of four (4) meetings:

March 7, March 14, March 21 and March 28 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Harwood Union High School. Please sign up in advance so we can have an adequate number of student and adult facilitators.

It is critical that all participants commit to attending all four sessions, as each discussion builds upon the previous one.  Thus, by committing to participate in this process you are agreeing to come to all four meetings. The ultimate purpose of this initiative is to develop and make recommendations to the WWSU Leadership Team to be utilized in the WWSU action plan.  This process is modeled after successful community dialogue programs in other organizations and schools across the country.

Please fill out the enclosed form to indicate whether you are available to be a part of the study circle process.  We hope that you will lend your voice to this exciting process!

Community Conversations/Study Circles Sign Up Form

Please register online here: http://bit.ly/WWSUConversations

Community Announcements

Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff; as always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities.

Rwanda Fundraiser and Live Music!

Event: Jan 22, 2016

Big Picture and Live Local Music supports Harwood Rwanda Trip Fundraiser!

Come join us at 7pm on Friday, January 22nd at “The Big Picture” for an evening of dancing and frolic accompanied by live local music. With songs from Neil Young and The Stones to Ray Charles and Janis Joplin, "Scared by Dolls" will provide an array of classic rock, blues, and R&B covers pulled right from the 70’s and 80’s. While the eight –piece band primarily consists of educators and administrators from Moretown Elementary and Harwood Union High School; lending his talent on the keyboards this evening will be very special guest, Bruce Sklar.

The best part? All proceeds from the event will benefit Harwood students who will be traveling to Rwanda on their school trip this February. While this event is free to the public, suggested donation price is ten dollars per person. Hope to see you there and don’t forget to forgo your winter boots for dancing shoes!

Helping Children Develop Healthy Sleep Patterns      This workshop is free and open to the public with childcare and light snacks provided.  The workshop will be offered Thursday, January 21, 5:30-7:00, at Fayston Elementary School.  To preregister for childcare, contact Amy Yavitz at Fayston School(496-3636). 

 

Parenting your 1 to 4 Year Old Workshop     A free three-part workshop that focuses on the Active Parenting Method which emphasizes open communication and how to raise confident and cooperative children will be offered on February 2,9, and 16th at the Aldrich Public Library, 6 Washington Street, in Barre, at 6:00-7:30pm. Topics include: how to prevent tantrums, how to childproof your home, and how to care for yourself during the stressful toddler years. Advanced registration is required. For more information and to register and reserve child care call: Christopher Robertson at the Family Center:  262-3292 x 115.

HUHS PROJECT GRADUATION MARDI GRAS MYSTERY THEATRE DINNER & SILENT AUCTION Jan. 29 at SUGARBUSH    In a blink of an eye, you will find your student in 12th grade speeding towards graduation. You’ll wonder where the time went and you’ll be planning the celebrations. For now though, consider coming out on Friday, Jan. 29 to Sugarbush Resort for a fun night out that will benefit this year’s seniors. The HUHS Project Graduation Mardi Gras Mystery Dinner & Silent Auction starts at 6 p.m. at the Gate House Lodge at Sugarbush. This is a key fundraiser for Project Graduation, an annual event organized by parent volunteers to provide a safe, fun, substance-free celebration the night of graduation. The entire cost is fundraised and parents chaperone. This year’s goal is $100 per student for transportation, food and associated fees.

        Doors open and auction starts at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. While guests arrive and check out the silent auction items, actors from the the Valley Players theater group mingle and share clues to the mystery that will unfold during the theatrical presentation. Audience members during dinner and dessert help solve the mystery with prizes awarded along the way. Tickets for the event are $25 per person before Jan. 29, $30 at the door. Student tickets are $15. Purchase tickets online at: https://ticketriver.com/event/18604. A nominal processing fee (under $2) will be added to adult tickets.
        Project Graduation owes much of its success each year to the generosity of local businesses and individuals who donate goods, services, or make cash contributions. To donate an item to the Silent Auction, contact Anne Greshin. Cash donations are greatly appreciated. Checks may be made to Harwood Union Project Graduation; mail to: Harwood Union High School, 458 Vt. Route 100, Moretown, VT 05660. For more information: Anne Greshin, 802-583-3223 or Greshin@madriver.com.

It’s that time to think Spring Soccer with Mad River Valley Soccer Association. You are getting this email because you have had a U8 Player (grades 1 and 2) play with us during the Fall 2015 season.

 

MRVSA(Mad River Valley Association)SPRING SOCCER For the Spring Season at this age level, there are two options for play: Recreational and Travel. Recreational is more like the fall - but a shorter season (about 5 weeks); generally 1 practice and 1 game a week against another local Valley team. The cost for rec soccer is $25. Travel soccer has a longer season, 1-2 practices a week and 1 game a week (and I’m sure you can guess by the name, it may not be played locally). The cost for travel soccer is $60.

If you are interested in playing, please email the following address with the following information:http://registrar.mrvsa@gmail.com

1. Player name
2. Male or female
3. Grade
4. Town
5. Indicate your preference for Recreational or Travel
   by Jan 31st at 5pm, as we have deadlines to meet with the Vermont Soccer Association. Once we have gathered all the above information, we will be in touch at a later date with team placement and further information.

We will also be running a Pre-K and Kindergarten program this spring, that information will be coming closer to the start of the program in the Spring.

Students work on Anansi art projects in their
Integrated Art class with Mrs. Harvey.   

Moretown's Goes to the Mountain! January 12, 2016

Hello Moretown School Families,

Here are some pictures from our first Sugarbush Ski Day.  Thanks to everyone who made this possible. Ski equipment (skis, poles and snow shoes) will be transported back to the school. Equipment will be kept outside until 5:15 then moved inside. The school is open for basketball so you can pick up your equipment afterwork) We can't wait until next Tuesday! Thanks again

WWSU hosts a film viewing regarding schooling and learning

WWSU hosts a film preview "Most Likely to Success" on Thursday evening, January 14, 2016.  There will be brief discussion after the film.  Let us know if there are any questions.  

Reminder about Movie Night

Don't forget about our PTN sponsored movie night
January 8th
6:30pm
Two movies playing at the same time
Home
and a StarWars Themed movie - either episode 5 or 2.

Popcorn and Admission is Free

Welcome to 2016!

WELCOME TO 2016!

Moretown Staff and Students get right back into
learning on the first day back 

Hello Moretown School Families,

Welcome to 2016 and a beginning of a real Vermont style winter.   Here are a couple of updates for the beginning of January.

1.  Due to the forecast of low temperatures and poor ski conditions we will not begin our ski season tomorrow.    We will start our season next Tuesday, January 12.   If you have not completed your paperwork or need help with completing it there is still time to do so.  Laure Murphy (our PTN co-coordinator)  will be at school tomorrow helping students will sizing ski helmets.  Please let us know if you have any questions.

2.  There will be a school/community meeting held this Wednesday evening beginning at 6:30 in the library.  We will focus on the 2016-2017 budget process and give a brief overview of some of the initiatives actively underway at our school.   Please contact Duane Pierson at dpierson@wwsu.org if you have any questions.

3.  MOVIE NIGHT!  The Moretown PTN will host a Movie night this Friday evening beginning at 6:30pm.  We hope to have two movies running at the same time.  One will be for a younger audience - "Home" and one will be for an older audience - some Star Wars Themed movie... .  Admission and Popcorn is free!  

4.

Winter Clothing Reminder:  The winter snow and cold temperatures are here - and we want to make sure our students spend plenty of time outside during recess enjoying sledding, and just having fun in the snow. Please make sure your children have all the necessary winter clothing - and an extra pair of socks and mittens to help them stay warm and dry this winter. Please let us know if you need any assistance with clothing for your children.

 Outside/Inside Recess/ECO/Ski Program:   Please note that recess, ECO, ski program and other winter outdoor activities are held outside unless temperatures are zero or below (wind chill is taken into consideration)    The school will make decisions regarding sending students outside dependent on wind chill, precipitation or a combination of both.