Vermont School Guidance Counselor of the Year Mary
Hoag
To a standing ovation, our guidance counselor, Mary Hoag, accepted
an esteemed award as Vermont School Guidance Counselor of the Year!
We feel tremendous gratitude to Mary as she helps our students
combat life's many stressors, both internal and external, allowing
them to remain open to learning opportunities at school. As one
student put it, "I'm like a steel trap, but somehow Mrs. Hoag is
able to untie me like a knot."
We thank Mary for giving our students tools and strategies to
cope, not just on the days she is with us, but tools and strategies
they take with them as they move on in life's journey. Please join
me in extending a warm and well-deserved "Congratulations" to Mary
Hoag!
Student assessments approaching
Killington Elementary School (KES) students in grades three through
six will soon participate in the New England Common Assessment
Program (NECAP). Reading and mathematics are the main areas of
focus in this assessment. Written language is an additional focus
for students in grades five and eight. Please encourage your child
to put forth good effort during these assessments.
Parents can help. Make sure your child has adequate rest and a
good breakfast every day, and especially on test administration
days. Please mark your calendars for October 9-18, with two
additional days for 5th graders: October 8 and 15. If you have any
questions, please contact Mrs. Pepe or your child's teacher.
KES kids at the Spartan Race
Sixty-three KES students participated in the kids' Spartan Race at
Snowshed in Killington on Saturday, Sept. 22. Many of our students
emerged from the race with dirt and dust from head to toe and great
big smiles on their faces. The feeling of success and newly formed
confidence in themselves filled the air! Great job, KES Kids!
Meanwhile, throughout the day, KES parents worked the lemonade
stand fundraiser, doling out water and lemonade to the adult
Spartan racers. Funds earned are earmarked for the following school
initiatives: Trailblazer Ski and Ride Program, KES Technology Fund,
and the Principal's Sunny Day Fund (to help students in need).
Thank you to everyone who made this fundraiser a success,
especially Joe and Courtney Desena, the KEEPERS (our KES Parent
Group), and all of the parent and school volunteers able to join us
on this day!
Parent group extends warm welcome to all
We are hoping to welcome some new faces at the next meeting of the
KES Parent Group, the KEEPERS, on Friday, October 5 at 8:15 a.m. An
agenda will soon be emailed to all, and everyone is encouraged to
join us. Agendas and meeting minutes are also available at the KES
front desk. The KEEPERS carefully scheduled meetings last year in
both the morning and evening hours to determine what worked best
for our parent community. It became clear at mid-year that we had
greater participation from our parent community with the morning
meeting schedule. Therefore, the KEEPERS planned this year's
meetings to be held on the first Friday of each month at 8:15 a.m.
in the KES Dining Hall. We ordinarily host these meetings with
coffee and muffins available to all.
Program presentation night
Thank you to those parents in attendance at Program Presentation
Night on Tuesday, Sept. 18. Children know when their parents and
teachers work closely together. This teamwork serves as a
motivating force for children at KES to reach their
potential.
Environmental learning continues at KES
The magic and mystery of life cycles will unfold as students study
cycles in nature throughout the upcoming year in their Four Winds
Environmental Learning lessons with parent volunteers. The
following titles will establish focus for each monthly lesson
presented to students: Insect Life Cycles, Traveling Seeds, Birds
on the Wing, Animals' Winter Ways, Maple Sugaring, Trees in Winter,
Galls Galore, Songbird Songs, Flower to Fruit, and Dandelion
Cycles.
Thank you to Beth and Peter Hike for coordinating all efforts
and thank you to the following individuals for preparing and
delivering new and exciting lessons to our students: Jennifer
Iannantuoni, Jennifer Page, Mary Hogstrom, Courtney Desena, Laura
McKenna, Mona Colwell, Shari Borzekowski, Annie Masillo, Susan
Clarke, Wilbur Abrams, Mary Sell, Jane Aiken, and Michelle
Coates-Girard.
Here's to your health: A series of five
seminars
The first of five seminars sponsored by the Ottauquechee Health
Foundation will begin at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the Norman
Williams Library, Woodstock, Vt. Confident Parents, Remarkable
Kids-From Defiance to Cooperation, presented by Bonnie Harris, MS
Ed. and the director of Connective Parenting, is free and open to
all. This talk is appropriate for parents of any aged children as
well as any professional who works with families and children.
Light refreshments will be served.
Future seminar dates are: Nov. 3, March 12, Apr. 9, and May 14.
For more information contact the sponsor at 802-457-4188 or email
ohf@sover.net.
Mini Mud Variety Show auditions
Calling all students between the ages of 7 and 18! Come audition
your talent-singing, dancing, a skit, magic tricks, a story (well
rehearsed and up to three minutes in length). Auditions will be
held on Thursday, October 4 at Chandler Music Hall. The performance
will be Saturday, November 3 at 7 p.m. Please contact Janet Watton
at president@chandler-arts.org or 728-9402 to sign up for an
audition time.
