Wednesday Notice from The Grammar School

The Grammar School

Wednesday Notice

September 28, 2011

FROM THE DESK OF STEVE LORENZ

The Student and Parent Handbook is on our website in its entirety. This document contains very important information including procedures and protocols and I strongly urge you to read it and review it. If you would like your own hard copy of this document, please let Tammy know and we will send one home with your child. Each new parent receives a hard copy. You may also download the handbook directly.

I will be using the Wednesday notice to highlight areas of the Student and Parent Handbook I think need extra special attention.

Student and Parent Handbook Highlight: Field Trips and Chaperoning

Class Trips - Class trips are an integral part of the curriculum. Generally parents are called upon to assist with transportation needs. Throughout the year, students in all grades can expect to take two full-day field trips connected with classroom studies. In addition, local trips (i.e. to ponds and streams, to libraries, to historic or work sites) may be scheduled as appropriate, depending on the balance between the curricular needs of the class and respect for other scheduled subjects. Overnight trips may be a part of the students' curriculum. Overnight and longer trips are generally funded through activity fees, which are delineated on tuition bills. Trips that take place during school days contribute to curriculum goals and are previewed, planned, and led by the teachers. Class trips for pleasure usually occur at the close of the year.

Chaperoning - We ask parents who accept the responsibility of chaperoning a trip to review and follow the guidelines below for assisting on field trips.

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 the 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.

Your chaperoning makes many of our trips possible and I thank you!

Steve

Head of School

SPORTS

FALL SPORTS - Today is the first Kurn Hattin race at Kurn Hattin Homes in Westminster. Course walk begins at 3:30. Please pick your child up from school promptly at 3:05 pm.

Wednesday, Oct. 4 is our first home XC meet. Course walk begins at 3:30. Parent helpers needed - please contact Mary or Deb.

NO PRACTICES ON FRIDAY, OCT. 14 (Medieval Faire setup). Please check the calendar for games, meets, and schedule changes. Parents are responsible for transporting their children to and from games and running meets.

MEDIEVAL FAIRE UPDATES

PRE-FAIRE TICKET SALES

For your convenience, you may purchase game and ride passes in advance from Tammy in the main office, and then pick them up on Faire Day at the ticket booth. All day passes are available for $20 per child, individual game and ride tickets are $1 for 1, $10 for 12, and $20 for 26 tickets. Please contact Alyson with questions: nh.opsahls@gmail.com

THE MEDIEVAL FAIRE NEEDS YOU!!!!!!!
1)You have another chance to come help with getting ready for the Faire!! We still need to build the haunted house - we're looking for help Friday the 30th at drop off. Please see Chris Harlow if you are able to help.
2)There are still some shields looking for someone to paint them (stored in the cubby room). To those who have already taken some to paint, we are hoping to have them back by Monday, October 3 at drop off. If you have shields, contact Julie Jensen asap to tell her when you will have them available.
3)We are still looking for a fortune teller. If you have any skills or know someone who does that might do it for a nominal fee, let Jaja know.
4)We need a few 10 by 10 tents. If you have one to loan for the day of the Faire, please contact Jaja.
5)Do you have mums or cornstalks or greenery that you can donate for decorating the Faire? Please contact Jaja.
6)Please make sure you sign up to help the day of the Faire!! Sign ups are in the front hallway outside Tammy's office.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!!!!

ORDER TGS T-SHIRTS AND SWEATSHIRTS!

Order your TGS dragon or school logo apparel by today, Wednesday, Sept. 28! Order forms are available on the school website on the school store page. Please email Mary if you have any questions.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NIGHT

Foreign Language Night is coming to TGS on Wednesday, November 2. Mark it on your calendars! We will be celebrating Spanish and French at TGS, as well as the Day of the Dead. Please come and enjoy an evening of song and performance with your children.

Grades K-6 will perform from 6:00 to 6:45 pm in the auditorium.

Grades 7 and 8 will give presentations from 7:00-7:45 pm in the Upper School.

We hope to see you there!

Johanna and Susan

PUTNEY FOOD SHELF

PUTNEY FOOD SHELF: This is a school-wide, yearlong community service we instituted a few years ago. Each month a class leads the collection of donated non-perishable food items and toiletries. All are welcome to donate at any time. There is always a box outside the main office for your donations. FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER THE SIXTH GRADE IS THE CLASS COLLECTING. A box is in their homeroom should you wish to bring items there. Thank you for your generous support of our school's local community.

Wednesday Notice Submissions

Please email Tammy with any submissions for the Wednesday Notice by 11 am on Tuesday.

A QUICK GUIDE TO COMPOSTING, RECYCLING, AND TRASH AT TGS

Through our waste disposal vendor, Triple T Trucking of Brattleboro, TGS composts all food, paper, and cardboard waste. We recycle plastic, metal, and glass containers.

Classrooms and common kitchen areas are equipped with food compost, paper compost, and trash containers. A container for plastic, metal, and glass recyclables is located on each floor of our buildings. Homeroom teachers discuss sorting waste with their students, and we ask you to help us by sorting your trash when you're visiting TGS. We are always looking for ways to cut down on what we send to the recycling center or landfill. We ask for your support by using re-usable containers whenever possible. Thank you.

PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTS

Parent Information Nights

On October 4th and 6th The Grammar School will host our annual Parent Information Nights, formerly called Curriculum Nights. We have renamed and refocused these evenings for two reasons. First, the faculty has realized that our curriculum, in whole and in part, is available and well spelled out in our Curriculum Guide on our website and via Teacher Pages.

Secondly, a Parent Information Night allows the faculty to disseminate important, timely, and topical information related to, and in some cases beyond, the curriculum and allows for questions and answers.

This year's Parent Information Nights will be as follows:

*On Tuesday, October 4 at 6:30 pm, teachers of kindergarten through 5th grade will focus on mathematics in their classrooms. We hope you will come join us for an informational evening that will provide a hands-on opportunity to experience a math lesson in your child's class, as well as an overview of mathematic topics at your child's grade level. Classroom time will be followed by an opportunity to listen to short presentations by the teachers of Art, French, Music, and Library.

*On Thursday, October 6 at 6:30 pm, the 6th-8th grade teachers will host parents in your child's homeroom. This evening will allow our Upper School Team to discuss expectations, grading, progress reports, entertain questions, and more. We are hoping that our new Life Skills teacher, Karen Blumberg, will be available to join each class to introduce herself and give a brief overview of her program.

*On Thursday, October 6 at 6:30 pm, Ken Brautigam will host preschool parents. Ken will share an overview of his program, talk about specific upcoming events, and leave time for questions, answers, and discussion.

COMMUNITY NEWS!

NEYT Flood Relief Festival Cabaret on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 1 pm. TGS 2nd grader Jorgen will perform on the piano. More info: http://neyt.org/onstage/flood_relief_fundraiser.html

F L O R A L I - A new shop in Putney! Beautiful Things to Wear - 133 Main Street, The Tavern. Florali will offer a 10% discount to anyone who mentions that they heard about Florali through TGS.

MAA'SAI JEWELRY SALE TO SUPPORT TANZANIA Leyeyo and Paul Weber will be selling Maa'sai jewelry outside of Beadniks in Brattleboro during October Gallery Walk (October 7th). Many beautiful necklaces, bracelets, key rings, and earrings for sale at great prices (possibly some Tinga Tinga too). All the profits go back to Tanzania to support our many projects. Thanks, Paul

FREE TO A GOOD HOME - 5 laying hens and one very nice, very beautiful rooster, Karen 869-1637.

TRUMPET NEEDED - We are looking for a trumpet to borrow for fall term to be kept at school and used during fall term. If you can help, please email Alli.

Harlow Farm is offering a Winter CSA this year!

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a program that benefits the farm and the members who participate. Harlow Farm CSA members secure a local, organic food source for their families, provide long term care and security of agricultural land and open space in Westminster, and provide funds to the farm. As a community, the risks and rewards of farming are shared. This was most recently illustrated in the devastation caused by The Flood. Although some crops were lost, this was a banner year for tomatoes! Harlow Farm CSA is a little different, it is a debit style CSA, meaning that members join at a comfortable level, then twice a month, members choose the product and amount they want for their families, then come to the farm to pick up. As this is a Winter CSA, it will include frozen vegetables such as beans, tomatoes, and peppers, berries, poultry, pork, stored veggies such as potatoes, carrots, and cabbage, fresh eggs, processed foods such as jams and pickles, baked goods, and fresh winter greens grown on the farm in a new greenhouse. The next deadline for a 10% credit is September 30, employee group membership benefits include an additional 3% credit and delivery to your work place. If you are interested in becoming a CSA member, email jeanettestaley@myfairpoint.net or call me at 376 0038.

Save the date! Windham Child Care Association is hosting the first annual Fall Into Art celebration on Friday, October 21 at the River Garden in Brattleboro, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, live music, a gallery of beautiful art work by area artists and children, and the chance to own a framed piece of art work. Tickets are either $35, which includes a beautiful piece of framed art to take home, or $10, which includes food, fun, music, and gallery browsing! Tickets can be purchased from Ken Brautigam here at TGS, or at Baker's, Vermont Artisans, and Windham Child Care in Brattleboro. Call 254-5332 for tickets or more information. Come Fall Into Art on October 21!

FOUND - White crocheted poncho left in theater at graduation. Email Alli if it's yours.

NEXT STAGE CINEMA - Come out and support Putney's own movie house!!!!! Next Stage Cinema @ 15 Kimball Hill is in full swing, showing films every Tuesday and Saturday on a 22' screen with surround sound!

CELEBRATING OUR 51st YEAR!