First BKL practice 3:15-4:15 this afternoon at TGS!

Father and daughter

VOCO World Music Evening Concert
plus House Blend
Tuesday, January 11
7:00 - 8:45 pm
TGS Theatre
Suggested Donations at the Door: $10/adults; $5/students

VOCO Daytime Concert
All-School Meeting
Wednesday, January 12
2:15 - 3:00 pm
TGS Theatre
Parents are welcome!

Opera Field Trip
On the morning of next Wednesday, January 12th, Grades K, 1, 2, 4, 5, & 7 will journey to the Weston Playhouse for a 10:45 am performance of "The Magic Flute" by Mozart performed by the Opera Theatre of Weston. Parents, please pack an easy bag lunch on that day. There will be NO PIZZA for those grades; only grades 3, 6 & 8 will have pizza available next Wednesday.

CONFERENCE DAY! January 28th from 11am to 7pm.  There is NO SCHOOL on conference day!  Call or email Tammy tamwhite@thegrammarschool.org to set up your appointment.

Student Council News
In an effort to be more environmentally conscious, the student council is asking that all parents and visitors do not leave their cars idling in the parking lot while visiting or dropping off students at school. A new sign asking for "no idling" will be posted in the parking lot. This sign will be moved to various locations. Student Council members will be periodically patrolling and leaving gentle reminders on your windshield.

From the Desk of Steve Lorenz

Soliciting and Fundraising
The Grammar School does not typically solicit, nor encourage solicitation other than for our Annual Fund Campaign, the Medieval Faire, the Spring Event and specific grade level, community and global fundraising activities. We appreciate your participation in these appeals and try to be sensitive to the fact  that we stretch your generosity on a regular basis.

For the last several years we have purposely limited the number of fundraisers a class can sponsor within a year. Also based on the goals of our strategic plan, TGS has increased our community service outreach to local, regional and global organizations.

With this in mind and in an effort to limit fundraising activities, no solicitation within the school community may occur without the approval of the Head of School and the Director of Development.

Steve Lorenz
Head of School

Secret Santa Collection: The many boxes of your donated goods were delivered to the Putney Food Shelf on Saturday, December 18. "Thank you" was repeated many times from the folks I met that morning. So, in turn, to you, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO GENEROUSLY GIVE TO OUR SCHOOL'S LOCAL COMMUNITY. For the month of January the sixth grade is responsible for the collection. Boxes are in their homeroom and, as always, a box sits outside Tammy's office.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Have You Completed Your Application for Financial Aid? Families interested in applying for financial aid for the 2011-12 academic year should start getting organized now.  Planning ahead is key to ensuring that your application is complete, error free, and submitted on time.

If you are currently receiving aid, you should expect a packet of materials with instructions and application to arrive at your home this week.

If you are not receiving aid and would like to apply for next year, please pick up or request a copy of the instruction booklet and forms from Meg Lyons in the Admission Office.

As in the past, all applications for financial aid will be handled through the Admission Office in partnership with the School and Student Services by NAIS (SSS). This is a financial aid management service used by more than 2300 K-12 independent schools throughout the country to help assess a family's ability to pay school costs in a way that promotes objectivity, fairness, and consistency.

The timetable for financial aid this year is as follows:

December - Families receive SSS applications and instruction booklets, carefully review instructions, gather documents and start to complete paperwork.
January 5 - Last day to mail hard copy applications to SSS
January 15 - Last day to submit on-line applications to SSS
February - Financial Aid Committee reviews all applications
March 15 - Award letters sent to families

It's important to note that the application process for financial assistance is confidential. If you need help, please contact Meg Lyons in Admission or Deb Gray in the Business Office.

VOCO, the world music vocal quartet, will be performing on The Grammar School stage in an Evening Concert on Tuesday, January 11th at 7:00 pm.

VOCO is renowned for their rich harmonies and their ability to bring authentic music from all over the world to audiences here in the United States. They are led by Vermont musician Moira Smiley who has been important in groups such as: KITKA and VIDA. This is a rare opportunity for us to see and hear an amazing, world class performance right here in our school.

They will be preceded by House Blend, a community chorus based in Saxtons River that features many local musicians
familiar to us at TGS.  House Blend is also known for its lively musical journeys through the world of global music.

The concert will begin at 7:00 pm sharp, and should conclude by 8:45 pm. Suggested donations of $10/adults and $5/students will be accepted at the door.

VOCO will also be at TGS the following afternoon on Wednesday, January 12th. They will give a choral workshop to our 5th-8th grade students and will then perform a concert for the school during All School Meeting at 2:15 to which parents are invited.

VOCO is known for their celebration of unusual harmonies from all over the world. Here at TGS they will help in our study of the culture of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Please check out these sites for more info:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvWo0JEYEow
http://www.moirasmiley.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xISEWJrs4iU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei3UdGCmKOw

COMMUNITY NEWS!
Skate Ski Clinic Sunday, January 9from10am to noonish at Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center: West Hill Shop and Grafton Ponds present a Skate Ski Clinic for all ages! Guest instruction by Dale Rodgers, PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Level III Examiner, NENSA Coach & Instructor since 2001, National Program Director U.S.Olympic Biathlon Association in Lake Placid from 1984-1988, Collegiate Nordic coaching since the late 70's, and additional instruction by Bill Salmon of Grafton Ponds. Clinic $30 (includes trail pass)/students $10. Limited skate ski rentals available through Grafton Ponds 802-843-2400. To pre-register for the clinic: info@westhillshop.com  or call 802-387-5718.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE CAMPS AND FRENCH CHILDREN'S BOOKS

1. For parents interested in furthering your child's study of French or Spanish: come and see information about Concordia Foreign Language Camps.  I am happy to make available my catalog to parents of Grammar School children. These camps are organized by age or by family camps so that entire families can join in the study of a foreign language. They are located in Minnesota and offer full weeks of immersion with food and lodging. I have heard very good things about these camps.

Check them out at : http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/newsite/, where you can search for French, Spanish, or other language camps.

If you wish to see a catalog, come to Madame Jo's room. I will leave the information on the cubby just to the right of my door. Please just look at them, do not take the catalog with you.

2.  For parents interested in French books to read with your children: I have two catalogs of French children's books I would like to make available to parents. If there is interest, I would be happy to place a group order for books. I will leave the catalogs in the same place as the Concordia catalog (on top of cubby, to right of my door). Come and look at them and if you see books you would like, please email me the titles by the 31 of January and we can coordinate payment and ordering.
Madame Jo
jgardner@thegrammarschool.org