The Grammar School
Wednesday Notice

April 11, 2012

From the Desk of the Head of School
Professional Development Inservice Day  
Professional Development for our faculty comes in many forms: attending seminars and workshops; taking graduate level courses; and visiting other schools to observe classes and teachers, ask questions, and learn about new programs and curriculum. At least once a year, the faculty and staff visit a variety of independent and public schools. These days are invaluable. When we return we share our experiences verbally in meetings and in writing for our Professional Development Portfolios.

This past Monday faculty and staff, individually and in teams, visited the following schools: St. Paul's Early Childhood Center, Concord, MA; Maple Street School (K-8) in Manchester, VT; Vermont Academy (9-12) in Saxtons River, VT; Stoneleigh Burnham (7-12) in Greenfield MA; Hinsdale High School in Hinsdale, NH; Sharon Academy (7-12) in Sharon, VT;  Shady Hill School (prek-8) in Cambridge, MA; and Greenfield Center School (preK-8) in Greenfield, MA. The excitement among faculty and staff on Tuesday morning was evident.

In a future note, I will share with you the various workshops, visits, and courses our faculty and staff have participated in this school year. Thank you to Eve McDermott, Assistant Head of School for Professional Development for her help and encouragement. Many thanks to our parents for having your children home for a long weekend.
 

Steve Lorenz
Head of School 
CANCER AWARENESS WEEK AT TGS

Cancer Awareness Week - From Phil Blood: Student Council Cancer Awareness Week leaders, Isabel, Aly, and Tyler, are bringing cancer awareness to TGS in a gentle, meaningful, and intentional manner. They visited classes, faculty, and staff on Tuesday to describe the week's events and to offer an art-based project for children to honor or memorialize someone touched by cancer.   

 

Wednesday at 1:30pm: With Steve's guidance, the students decided to ask cancer survivors Cindy and Phil Blood speak to the 5th-8th graders on Wednesday at All School Meeting. Cindy and Phil have spoken to school and civic groups and will have a message of hope to bring to the children.

 

Thursday: Posters with information about different types of cancer, and their corresponding colors, will be placed around the school. Students and teachers are encouraged to wear a color of clothing to honor and support family members and friends who have had cancer. There will also be bracelets available to celebrate cancer awareness at TGS. Donations will be given to a charity chosen by Isabel, Aly, and Tyler.

 

Friday: Luminary Event: This event is for everyone to come together and honor their loved ones who have had cancer. About 2:30 pm, classes will come down to the field by the basketball court with decorated bags in hand. A table will be set up with a bucket of sand and a bag of candles, and classes will come by the table and have each bag filled with sand and a candle. The plan is to have all of the bags make the shape of a heart at the end. Parents are welcome to join us.

 

Many thanks in advance for celebrating cancer awareness.

SPORTS
Spring After School Sports
Spring sports at TGS will begin the last week of April.  Based on the Student Council's survey of students last week, we will offer the following sports:

Zumba for 7th-8th graders - Mondays from 3:15-4:30
Coach Pauline O'Brien

Mountain Biking for 4th-8th graders - Wednesdays from 3:15-4:30 - Coaches Charlie Boswell and Mary Heller Osgood

Yoga for K-8th graders - Thursdays from 3:15-4:30
Coach Paul Hopkins

We are looking for coaches for soccer, lacrosse, and/or game days (coach's choice of activities). Please let Mary know if you are interested in coaching an after school sport for six weeks!  

 
Children may participate in as many activities as they like, at a total cost of $20 for the spring. Please contact
 Mary if you would like your child to participate. 
MONTREAL STUDENTS VISIT TGS
This Saturday-Monday a group of 5th grade students from Coll�ge Stanilas in Montreal will be hosted by their TGS 4th, 5th, and 6th grade penpals. The activities will include a trip to the cheese factory at the Lovell-Smith farm, a potluck at the Zindel home, and sightseeing in our beautiful area. Thanks to all the hosting families for making our Qu�becois neighbors welcome!

Johanna
TGS Composers Selected for Opus 24
Congratulations to our three Opus 24 selected composers!

5th Graders Miranda Fuller and Ivy Dall's piece 'Dream Stream' and 6th grader Molly Durling's piece 'Grand Jig' have been chosen out of 97 entries statewide to be performed live by professional musicians at the Opus 24 Concert, on Wednesday, May 2nd, at the Ludlow Town Hall. The concert is free of charge. Check the VT Midi Project (soon to be renamed Music-COMP) website for details. http://www.vtmidi.org/

Miranda and Ivy wrote of their piece: "'Dream Stream' is a clarinet and oboe duet in the key of F major. We named it 'Dream Stream' because it reminds us of an orchestra of pond or stream critters. It came from a dream about a beautiful stream."

This will be Molly Durling's third Opus concert! Her piece description reads: "I love Northern traditional music, music used in contra dances, fiddle music from Ireland, Scotland, Canada, even Norway. I know some people don't think of it as important music, but it was important to the people who gave emotions to their songs. They found courage, joy, and comfort in the simple tunes that have remained a part of their culture for hundreds of years. When I go to traditional music camps and workshops, a tune starts out slowly, with just one or two players. Then other instruments join in as the song is repeated four or five times. Not every instrument is in tune, not everyone is at the same level of talent, some play a harmony part or drone, but it all comes together and sounds good. Even the stomping feet, clapping hands, and dancers' laughter create part of a great romping joy. This is the sound I am looking for in this jig. I named this piece the 'Grand Jig' because I want it to be a thank you to my grandparents, great grandparents, and all my ancestors who came from different countries, played different instruments, and remembered the old songs. Each of them added something to the tune we call family and each gave a musical gift to me."

Many thanks to everyone for participating,
Alli


WORK DAY APRIL 28 9AM-NOON!
WORKDAY REMINDER

Workday at The Grammar School is Saturday, April 28 from 9-noon with a BBQ to follow. Hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, chips and beverage will be provided.

 

Please bring rakes, shovels, gardening tools, painting clothes, chain saws and weed whackers.  A small wheelbarrow is also helpful. Make sure you clearly mark your tools so we can return any that may be left behind.

 

There will be tasks for everyone, young and old, rain or shine, which will include gardening, raking, transplanting, pruning, and mulching. We have some painting as well. There are plenty of jobs for those who are comfortable with chain sawing and weed whacking.

 

This is a fun and productive morning with results we can all take pride in. Thank you in advance and remember, many hands make light work.

Chris Harlow

 

FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

Ken Burns Presentation 4/20/12: Please join The Grammar School and Landmark College for a special evening of entertainment and discussion with award winning filmmaker Ken Burns as he presents footage from his highly acclaimed film, The National Parks: America's Best Idea. A question and answer session will follow the presentation. This event will be held at Landmark's Fine Arts Center, River Road, in Putney, VT, at 7:00pm.

 

Ticket prices: $8.00 students/seniors, $12.00 general admission. Seating is limited. Pre-event tickets are available for purchase by contacting Pauline O'Brien at The Grammar School, 802-387-5364, Ext. 106, [email protected]. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door. All proceeds benefit The Grammar School.

 

Our Student Council will be manning the concession sales and we are looking for adult volunteers to help with directing traffic to designated parking lots, prior to the event. Please contact Pauline if you can offer your assistance.

 

Annual Fund '12 Update: Thank you to all who have generously contributed to this year's Annual Fund. We have reached a total of $65,000, which is nearing 2/3 of our $100,000 goal! Please help us keep this great momentum going by encouraging members of our community who have not yet given to make an Annual Fund contribution. We have received 100% participation from our Board and hope to reach the same percentage rate with parents, staff, and faculty.

 

Spring '12 Dinner/Auction May 18: Planning is well underway for this final parent-driven fundraiser for the 2011-2012 school year. This is truly a fun event and there are many areas of opportunities to contribute. Your Class Parent will be communicating with you to provide information on the specific function your class has been assigned. If you have an item or service to donate to the auction (thank you!), please contact Alyson Opsahl or Nancy Brooks with your information. For any additional information, please contact your Class Parent or Pauline O'Brien, [email protected] or 802-387-5364, ext. 106.

 

PUTNEY FOOD SHELF

PUTNEY FOOD SHELF: The kindergarten crew and Libby are heading the April collection! Please feel free to bring items to their classroom or to the box outside Tammy's office. Happy Spring and Many Thanks!    

SUMMER IS COMING!
SAVE THE DATES FOR TGS SUMMER CAMP!


SAVE THE DATES! TGS SUMMER CAMP WILL RUN JULY 9 THROUGH 27! THREE ONE WEEK LONG PROGRAMS TAUGHT BY LOCAL ARTISTS AND OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS!

ORDER TGS T-SHIRTS AND SWEATSHIRTS!

dragon sweatbwnewlogo

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

COMMUNITY NEWS

Zumba Classes at TGS:  Certified Zumba instructor Pauline O'Brien is offering a Zumba class on Tuesdays and Fridays through May 11, from 4:30 to 5:30pm. It's a great way to unwind after a busy day! The first class is free and $8 per class thereafter. For more information, please contact Pauline at [email protected] or 802/387-5364, Ext. 106

    

SAVE THE DATES for Vermont Academy's Spring Musical: Crazy for You, a light-hearted musical featuring several Gershwin tunes, will run at Vermont Academy's Horowitz Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, April 29 at 3pm. Tickets are available at the door. 

 

TGS graduates Eamon O'Keefe and Molly Brennan lead the show with several other familiar TGS faces in supporting roles. 

 

The show is directed by Julia Tadlock, step-daughter of TGS' own Laurie Fichter!

 

Host a student from Spain - Host a student from Spain this summer with Home Stays USA. Every year students come to this area from Bilbao, Spain. "The experience for us was excellent. Our student was easy going, helpful, very pleasant and very motivated to learn English. We also really liked her as a person and became friends. We'd like her to come back! This was also such a great experience for my daughter to see how brave our student was to come here for a month. I hope that my daughter will consider a program like this to learn Spanish!" 

Host mother Karen from Vermont

 

This year the dates of the program are June 29- July 30. The students range from 13 years to 17 years. Visit the organization's website at homestaysusa.org.   

 

The host family receives a $600 stipend and the head leaders of the program will be here during the summer as well.

   

Please feel free to contact Liz Jackson (parent of Nathaniel in 1st grade). She has been working with this organization for a few summers now and can answer some of your questions.

!Gracias!

 

Liz Jackson ([email protected])   

Unearth Your Passion! Putney Earth Day 2012
The Putney School is hosting a community Earth Day on April 22, 2012 in collaboration with the Putney Co-op to celebrate the earth and raise awareness of the environmental movement. There will be numerous workshops on a variety of topics taught by members of the community including vermiposting, compost bin-building, bike maintenance, nature walks, bird banding, foraging for wild foods, permaculture, wool spinning, energy education, net-zero building tours, writing letters to our Representatives, grass-roots organizing, and meditation. There will also be workshops geared for children and families, including gardening, environmental games, art and music, bird songs and making birdfeeders, ecology, ocean ecosystems, and kite making. A pamphlet outlining all of the workshops will be made available by mid-April. Additionally, the Co-op will be hosting an area to highlight local farms and their services and will organize a seed swap. The festival will also feature local vendors who will provide us with food, crafts and information. There will be music and speakers throughout the day, including our keynote speaker, Tom Wessels. The day will wrap up with an uplifting sing. There is a check-in time in the morning for those who'd like to stay the whole day, or participants are encouraged to stop in at their leisure to join a workshop, meet a farmer, listen to some music, or peruse the many booths that will be set up. Please spread the word!

 

CELEBRATING OUR 52nd YEAR!
colornewlogo

April 20 
Friday
Parent-Teacher Conferences 12:30-4:30
NOON DISMISSAL

April 20 
Friday
Ken Burns Event
Landmark College
7 pm

April 28 
Saturday
All School Work Day
9:00-Noon

May 2-5 
Musical
7pm 
 

Quick Links
TGS Homepage

 TGS Calendar

TGS Together
Shutterfly Website
Photos of TGS Events
Password Protected