Thetford Elementary School

News and Views

 September 22, 2006                                                                                              Issue  3

 

FROM THE PRINCIPALÕS DESK:

1.      Reminder of the parent curriculum night next Thursday September 28th at TES.

6:00-6:30     Kindergarten: Program Presentation and Questions.

New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP): A presentation for parents of children in grades 3-6 in the art room. Sharon Boffey and I will discuss the when, what and why of the testing program and also share some information on how we will use the results for program planning.

6:30-7:00     Grades 1-3: Program Presentation and Questions

7:15-7:45     Grades 4-6: Program Presentation and Questions

 

Course of Studies booklets will be sent home today in preparation for this night.

 

2.     The Hike for Hunger will take place this Monday September 25th with a start time of 1:30 PM. Parents interested in hiking are welcome to join us. Please make sure students are dressed appropriately and have the right foot wear for this event.

 

3.     We are so pleased to have David Kelman back with us this year as an Òartist in residenceÓ.  In this role he is directing and producing two Shakespearean plays with the fifth and sixth grade students.  The cast and technicians are well underway and preparing for two community productions of Julius Caesar and The Twins (A Comedy of Errors) on November 16th and 17th.  Mark your calendars now for this spectacular TES event!

 

For families of fifth and sixth grade students: Its that time of year when 5th and 6th grade students at TES are traditionally thinking about Friday night ÒsocialsÓ.  These evenings, which usually happen 3 or 4 times a year, are planned by the students with some guidance and direction from Keith Thompson and me and with the help and support of parents.  We know that there are always questions from parents and welcome dialogue and collaboration so that we can all make these events age appropriate and fun for the kids. With that in mind, Keith and I are available to talk with parents about the 5th and 6th grade socials on the evening of October 12th during open house. We will plan to convene in the art room at 7:15 for this purpose and welcome your attendance and participation. 

 

School Announcements:

Bus Evacuation Drill: There will be a bus evacuation drill for all those children who ride the bus to school on Wednesday September 27th (rain date the 28th). This will occur when the buses arrive in the morning.  It is advisable that girls wear slacks, as they will be exiting from the back of the bus.  In the spring we will hold another evacuation drill that will include all students.

 

Shakespeare News: There is a bulletin board outside of the art room, which is dedicated to the Shakespeare play activities. Please check is now and then for updated information.

 

 

 

 

From the Health Office:

     Nutrition is an important part of every student's well being, and a good breakfast and a healthy morning snack are vital to a productive school day.  Children who come to school without having had breakfast (and who do not take advantage of the TES breakfast program) may have a harder time settling into the school routine and concentrating on their studies.  We encourage students to eat breakfast each day, either at home or at TES.  Please contact the school if you'd like more information about the breakfast program.

     A healthy mid-morning snack also helps enable students to make the most of their learning experience during the day.  A list of healthy snacks includes the following:  peanut butter and crackers; cheddar cheese; sliced apple, banana and oranges and other fruits; graham crackers; mixed nuts, fruit leather.  Certainly there are many other nutritional choices; these few are offered as suggestions.

     If you'd like more nutrition information or healthy snack ideas, please contact Joette or Wendy in the Health Office.  We would be happy to work with you and your child to promote sound eating habits and a healthy diet.

 

 

Dates to Keep in Mind:

 

1.      Thetford Board of School Directors meeting Tuesday September 26 7:00 PM at TES.

2.     TES PTO Wednesday September 27 at 6:30 PM.

3.     Curriculum Night Thursday September 28th beginning at 6:00 (see schedule above).

4.     Thetford Board of School Directors meeting Tuesday October 10th 6:30 PM at TA.

5.     TES Open House Thursday October 12th 6:30-7:30 PM.

 

Community Announcements:

 

On Saturday, October 7 there will be a grand celebration in Barre Vermont for Katherine Paterson and her newest book, Bread and Roses, Too!  The book is about the Bread and Roses strike in Lawrence, MA in 1912, and tells the story of the 35 children sent from Lawrence to Barre, VT to stay until the strike was over. This celebration will include:

§          2:00 p.m. Local children reenact the arrival in Barre of the children from Lawrence at the Barre Depot in downtown Barre. They will be met by townspeople and a band, and will then parade to the Old Labor Hall on Granite Street.

§          2:30 p.m. Celebration at Labor Hall There will be welcomes, a short talk by Katherine Paterson, dramatic readings, soup and bread, bookselling and book signing.

Also, help a neighbor by bringing old, clean, good-quality  coats you have. They will be distributed on Sunday at the Labor Hall 2:00-4:00.