NOTE FROM THE MAIN OFFICE -Please check your child's backpack. Last Friday a new Directory with an updated calendar and class list and this year's phone tree were sent home. Please look over the phone tree and make sure you are on it and that we have your correct phone number. Thanks, Tammy
 PUTNEY MOUNTAIN ALL-SCHOOL HIKE, Thursday, October 1 - All are welcome to join us. Buses boarding at 11:15. The traditional all school hike will take place this Thursday, October 1. The entire school community will once again hike to The Pinnacle in Putney to eat lunch, sing songs, take in the views and maybe catch a glimpse of some of the many migrating raptors. Parents and community members are invited to join us. Buses will be leaving at 11:15 am and 11:30 am from TGS. The hike up is approximately 30 minutes and is rated as easy, while coming down takes 20 minutes or so. The preschool, kindergarten, first, second and fifth grades will leave at 11:15 am followed by the remainder of the school at 11:30 am. It is our intention to return to school by 1:30 pm. Steve Lorenz
The Grammar School has always treated the school buses as an extension of the school, with all the same rules and expectations. There was a policy prohibiting the use of electronic devices at school and on the buses. Over time and because of requests from some parents we have relaxed that policy and allowed electronics to be used on the buses. As technology has crept deeper into our everyday world and new devices with greater capabilities become available we are forced to look at that policy again. We have had many issues with these devices on the buses ranging from isolation, children standing to view others' electronics, picture taking and manipulation of those pictures, to downloading inappropriate material. The abuse of these devices and the disruption they cause on the buses has created a safety issue. We therefore have decided to return to our previous policy of NO use of electronic devices on the buses. This includes, but is not limited to, phones (emergencies only), I-pods, computers, gameboys etc.. We encourage children to socialize, read books, bring travel games and do homework.
This new policy will become effective starting Thursday, October 1st, 2009. We will announce this new policy in the classrooms and at all school meeting. Thank you for your support. Feel free to call me at school with any questions at ext. 113.
Chris Harlow
Transportation Supervisor
MEDIEVAL FAIRE NEWS: OCTOBER 10th SATURDAY
WE NEED YOU!
CALLING ALL ADULTS! FRIDAY DROP OFF UNTIL WE ARE FINISHED - Medieval Faire work day. Please come help paint signs and rebuild the climbing wall. Please bring your hammer and your brush. Thanks!
PLEASE SIGN UP FOR A SHIFT - We really need people to sign up for the 2-4 shift! THANK YOU!
WE ALSO NEED:
RAFFLE ITEMS: Questions email Barb Silbey
PONIES FOR RIDES: email Mark Green
DECORATIVE ITEMS: email Jenn Donovan
Thank you! Mark and JaJa
The COSTUME CLOSET
(upstairs in the gym) is ready for you to browse and choose a costume.
Please remember to sign out your costumes on the designated sheet and
please leave things as you find them. Note: children may not be in the
costume closet
unsupervised. Thank you!
FLU REMINDER - This week we began to see our first cases of colds, runny noses and flu-like symptoms. Please be vigilant about keeping your child home if they have any of the following symptoms: sore throat, fever, achy body or fatigue. Try and be sure your child gets plenty of rest, eats well and washes his/her hands frequently. We will do the same here at school. We have also set up Purell pumps throughout the school. If you have any questions about the protocol for the flu, please review the information sent home or check the link on our website.
Chaperoning and Driving for Field Trips
The Grammar School believes that there are many learning opportunities off campus. In order to achieve our goals of providing varied and valuable educational experiences in and out of our region, we often ask parent volunteers to provide transportation. When possible we do use our buses. Use of our buses is limited as we need them at the end of the school day to transport students home.
Chaperoning and driving brings many responsibilities. Please find below the section from our Student-Parent Handbook (on our website in Parent Resources) relating to chaperoning. We ask parents who accept the responsibility of chaperoning a trip to review and follow the guidelines below for assisting on field trips. With field trip season upon us I encourage you to review our guidelines.
1) Parents must abstain from using any alcohol or drugs prior to or during the trip.
2) Parents must not smoke in the car with children in it.
3) Parents who help us by driving students must carry a minimum of $300,000 per accident liability coverage and are required to provide a copy to the Office Manager. Parents who are driving students should also provide the Office Manager with a copy of their current driver's license. Should there be an accident while driving children on a school trip in their own automobile, the parent's auto insurance would provide primary coverage and the school's insurance secondary coverage.
4) All children must wear a seat belt.
5) Parents should feel free to maintain a reasonable noise level in their vehicles.
6) Children should be within sight and sound of an adult at all times.
7) Parents should expect courteous behavior from children at all times, and should feel comfortable addressing any child's behavior deemed inappropriate.
8) Once back at school, parents should keep their group together until they can release students to the classroom teacher. Children are expected to help clean up the vehicle in which they ride.
9) Parents are asked not to deviate from the planned transportation route or program.
10) Please make other arrangements for very young siblings.
11) Parents share the full responsibility of caring for children while on field trips.
12) Parents shall use discretion if allowing children to watch a video in their vehicles.
Once again thank you for volunteering to chaperon and drive. If you have questions please feel free to call !
Steve Lorenz
Head of School
The Grammar School Library
BOOK FAIR
Thursday, October 8th - Friday, October
16th
Mark
your calendar for the Library Book Fair to be held in the Library, Thursday,
October 8th, through Friday, October 16th.
Today you will receive a
Scholastic Book Fair promotional piece, which highlights just a few of the
books available at the Fair. So
please set aside a time to visit the library to select from the exciting books
that will be on display.
Proceeds
benefit our library program.
This
year our Book Fair will differ in that we will only have books, school supplies
and posters. If you have never
seen our Book Fair, the variety and number of items available will amaze you.
It's a great way to choose gifts for the holidays, birthdays, trip entertainment,
vacation reading, and just for fun for your children and you. Also, the Book Fair is an opportunity
to donate books to your child's class.
Teachers will submit a wish list of books that will enrich their
classroom libraries. Gift
certificates for teachers to redeem at the fair will also be available. Each
donated book will be recognized with a bookplate identifying your child or
family as the donor. Students will also have an opportunity to visit the Book
Fair to make their own selections or wish lists.
The
best times to stop by the Book Fair will be during the Medieval Faire and mornings and after
school Thursday, October 8th and Friday morning, October 9th, and the week
of October 12th through 16th (closed all day Tuesday and Friday
afternoons). If you have any
questions, or if you would be willing to volunteer to help, please contact
me. In particular, I could use
volunteers to help at pick up or drop off times on Tuesday, October 14th and drop off time on Friday,
October 16th, that way we could have it open on Tuesday and all
Friday too.
Your support of the library is always greatly appreciated. Ponnie
Come and visit the new TGS ART BLOG. This blog has links to local and regional art museums, student artwork, Art News issues, and announcements of relevant gallery shows. Please come and visit. http://tgsartpage.blogspot.com
Teacher's Pages/Class Blogs - from the TGS website click on Program>Classrooms>select your classroom page - the link to the teacher's page is at the top of each class page.
TGS Website/Parent Resources Link - The Parent Resources page now contains links to the following sections: The Student and Parent Handbook,
Flu Information, Technology Acceptable Use Polices, our complete
2009-2010 PreK - 8th Grade Curriculum Guide and a copy of our Social
Skills and Health Curriculum Map (Framework) plus links to all the teacher's pages/class blogs.
TGS TOGETHER: our private website to share photos - We have recently created a private, password protected Shutterfly website named "TGS Together", to enable us to securely share photos of TGS school and community life for viewing, downloading, printing and ordering. To view the share site, please email Alli for an invitation: alubin@thegrammarschool.org
Once you receive your invitation, you will need to become a member of Shutterfly by creating a login and password for yourself.
Please consider joining and browsing. Once you are a member, in addition to viewing, saving and printing photos, you can create albums and upload photos of your own.
INTERESTED IN SUBBING FOR TGS? - if you are, please email Tammy at tamwhite@tgs-putney.org.
COMMUNITY SERVICE- The September collection for the Putney Food Shelf ends today. Thank you to all who contributed from the THIRD GRADE!
COMMUNITY NEWS!
NEYT upcoming events!
The True Story of Pinocchio! This decidedly un-Disney production reconstructs the characters and flavor of the original Italian comedy. Director Eric Bass combines a unique collection of shadow puppets with music, actors and visual imagery that allow Pinocchio's misadventures to come alive with humor and true emotion. The show appeals to audiences of all ages. Performances are Thur-Sun, Feb 5-15. Visit www.neyt.org for more info and ticket reservations or call NEYT at 246-6398.
NEYT workshops October 9-11, Columbus Day weekend, brings an exciting fall weekend of clowning, baseball, theatre, and dancing at New England Youth Theatre for students ages 4 and up. There will be three workshops: Clowning Around; Exploring Story, Sound, and Costume; and Learn Folk Dances from Around the World. You can also come and see Cinderella at the Ball Game for a morning matinee or evening show. For information on workshops and performances go online to www.neyt.org or call 802-246-6398.
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If
the design elements of this message fail to open in the body of your
email message, try viewing them in your web browser by simply double
clicking on the html file attached. If you are still having difficulty,
let us know at alubin@thegrammarschool.org
tel: (802) 387-5364, main office ext 101
fax: (802) 387-4744
http://www.thegrammarschool.org
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Quick Links
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CALENDAR
October 1
PUTNEY MOUNTAIN
ALL-SCHOOL HIKE
All are welcome
Buses leave 11:30
October 10
Medieval Faire!
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