THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL WEDNESDAY NOTICE
December 4, 2013
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GREETINGS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
I hope you all enjoyed the Thanksgiving vacation and a little extra time with your children and loved ones. We are back in action here at TGS for a quick three week sprint before our next holiday break. I'll be speaking about the frenetic pace of this three week stretch at All School Meeting today, in an effort to give students a goal setting tool to help stay focused. Feel free to ask your children about SMART Goals after today and ask them what goals they have set for themselves for this month, or this year?
Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on this latest iteration of the Strategic Plan. As always, I am impressed and encouraged by the talent and insight of our community, and the STP feedback has been excellent. This Thursday, during my monthly Head of School Coffee, I will field questions about the plan, and we also will hold an evening event on Thursday, December 12th at 5:00 at TGS to discuss the plan. I look forward to seeing many of you at these events and to your continued input and guidance as we shape this important plan!
We also are nearing the season where you will receive academic reports on your children.This year, for the first time, we will distribute these electronically. We are excited to take one more step to reduce our reliance on paper, and at the prospect of getting these reports to you in a timely fashion.
Lastly, I hope you will all join me in wishing for some SNOW!
Dan
Dan Marchetti
THANK YOU TGS, FROM THE PUTNEY FOOD SELF!
Foodshelf recipients were so thrilled with the baskets you put together...all of the delicious food AND the wonderful cards and notes. Thank you so much for supporting us and helping us help our hungry neighbors.
We handed out 60 turkeys and baskets/harvest bags the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. No one should go hungry ANY time of year, but especially not at Thanksgiving. Do you know of anyone who could use some extra food? Tell them about the Foodshelf. Everyone is welcome who needs some food. We are open Tuesdays 6-7pm and Saturdays 9-10am at the Putney Community Center on Christian Square. Thank you so much for helping us out, not only with the baskets but throughout the year with donations. Susan Kochinskas for the Foodshelf
ALL SCHOOL HOT LUNCH DAYS CONTINUE INTO DECEMBER! The hot lunches have been such a big hit we will be continuing into December, with December 6 being nacho day and the 13 being build your own burrito day! December lunches will be $6 each to benefit the 8th grade trip to Ecuador! Thank you!
ART HAPPENINGS
You can now search by class to see new posts about what is happening your child's art class! Scroll down on the right sidebar of the TGS Art Page and you'll see a list by grade. Hopefully this will make browsing easier, though I hope you'll still check out what other grades are doing!
Updates this week and last:
The annual Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (for grades 7 and 8) December deadline is quickly approaching. I hope you will encourage your 7th and 8th graders to submit work! The VT winners in each category will have their work displayed at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center. More information can be found at http://www.artandwriting.org/the-awards/categories/ and http://www.artandwriting.org/affiliate/VT001A
Lastly, we are also still in need of old pantyhose (holes are OK!) for an upcoming art project.
Please bring skis, skates, and clean apparel to Deb's office as soon as possible. Mark items with your name and percentage you want/percentage to donate to TGS. Questions? Contact Mary or Deb.
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Tuesday, Dec 3 4-6pm Early Sign up and Info Night at Putney Public Library from 4-6pm. We'll be there to answer your questions.
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Wednesday Dec 4 3:15-5pm FUN LAND TRAINING at the Grammar School
- Dec. 6 3:15-4:30pm: Ski/Skate sale at TGS - donations needed! Please check with Mary or Deb.
- Dec. 9 3:15-4:30 Putney Bill Koch Ski League sign up/uniform and rental equipment pick up at TGS
WINTER SKI FORMS DUE DECEMBER 9 - Ski season is approaching quickly and we would like you to think about which ski program your child will be choosing over the Thanksgiving break. Attached below are forms for both Grafton and Okemo, a TGS winter sports instruction letter from Deb Gray which everyone should read over carefully, and a quick explanation of all winter sports offered at TGS and what your child will need for equipment/clothing to participate.
Please have your forms and fees returned to Tammy no later than December 9. If we don't have your Okemo form by December 9 your child will automatically be put into the Grafton program. If you have any questions please email Deb or Mary directly.
Winter sports forms and information
Winter Sports Program at TGS
Winter Sports Instructions
Grafton Nordic Program
Okemo Alpine Program
BKL Form
TGS SECRET SANTA 2013
Holiday Fun! The eighth grade is organizing the annual TGS Secret Santa draw, in conjunction with a food drive for The Putney Food Shelf. This is a school-wide activity that involves all faculty and staff, as well as students from K-8th grades.
Each person draws the name of someone in the school: From December 13 until December 19 we write notes to the people for whom we are Secret Santas, giving hints as to who we are, and, perhaps, including a little surprise, if it is convenient. Remember not to tell anyone whom you have drawn, as it is secret! The week of December 16 everyone brings in a gift with a value under $6 for the person he or she drew, AND an item to donate to the Putney Food Shelf.
On the last day of school,December 20, we have a Secret Santa assembly when gifts are distributed and the food we have collected is presented to Putney Family Services. If you have questions, please email Laurie.
Thank you, Laurie
PLEASE SIGN UP AND BRING YOUR HOLIDAY TALENTS TO THE FACULTY/STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
On Friday, Dec. 20, around 12:30pm right after the Secret Santa (which should not be missed!), there will be a special luncheon for the faculty & staff at TGS. The theme is ENCHANTED WINTER WOODLAND. Laura Zindel is in charge of the decorating, so it is sure to be amazing! The Luncheon is a long and wonderful holiday tradition to show our appreciation to the hard working faculty and staff! The set up, clean up, decorations, food, and drink will all be provided by parent volunteers. This is a great way to kick off the holiday of giving!
Signup sheets are on the bulletin board outside of Tammy's/Suzanne's offices and in the upper school cubby room. We are encouraging at least one parent for each grade level to sign up for cleanup, because those are the most difficult slots to fill (Dads are welcome and encouraged)! If you cannot make it to the signup sheets, (or have any questions), please email Natalie Thomson, natalieathomson@yahoo.com and I will put your name and dish/task on the sheet for you! Food should be dropped off at or before 12 noon on Dec. 20, lunch will start around 2:30pm, and clean up is from about 2-3pm. THANK YOU, in advance, for all of your help! Thanks, Natalie THE POWER OF DISCOVERY SESSION II REGISTRATION DEADLINES COMING UP SOON! Don't miss out on these amazing after school opportunities for your children in K-8th grade!
PUTNEY CENTRAL IS LOOKING FOR 6TH - 8TH GRADE GIRL AND BOY BASKET BALL PLAYERS!
Mon-Thurs Girls - practice 3-4:30. Boys - practice 4-5:50 at the Putney Central School. TGS bus will drop the kids off if they are interested. Call Jack Millerick today 802-490-0779.
PUTNEY FAMILY SERVICES - PUTNEY FOOD SHELF: THIRD GRADERS ARE COLLECTING NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. PLEASE BRING ITEMS TO BOX OUTSIDE MAIN OFFICE OR BASKET OUTSIDE THE THIRD GRADE CLASSROOM. Happy Holidays and many, many thanks!
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION - Box Tops Marketplace
The holidays are upon us! f you plan to do any shopping online this season, please consider using the Box Tops for Education Marketplace. Once you register, you can shop for all kinds of items on the site, which operates like Amazon.com. For each purchase you make, up to 15% of the money you spend is donated to the school! Free money for TGS! To register, go to
http://www.boxtops4education.com/marketplace/browsestores. Thanks to everyone who donated box tops for the fall submission. We earned $35 for the school! Keep clipping (and ripping -- box tops don't have to be cut to size), and place your box tops in the container in the entryway. Ask for help from grandparents, too! If you have questions, please contact Clare Mundell at cemundell@gmail.com
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DECEMBER
6 Ski Skate Sale 3:15-5pm 8 Community Tree Lighting at Landmark College 5:00pm 9 BKL sign up/uniform and rental equipment pick up at TGS 3:15-4:30pm
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COMMUNITY NEWS
BKL Team Night at West Hill Shop, Wednesday, December 4th at 6pm
This is a great opportunity for any Bill Koch junior team athlete to get quality racing equipment at special early season pricing. Zach Caldwell will be joining the West Hill crew to evaluate your current equipment and advise athletes on which equipment is the best match.
Hats, gloves, and other soft goods will be 20 percent off. It's an all-around win! Don't miss out!
YOUNG SHAKESPEARE PLAYERS
Suzanne Rubinstein would like to invite everyone to Macbeth, performed by the Young Shakespeare Players. Performances are at Hooker Dunham Theater, 139 Main St, Brattleboro, VT on Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8 at 11am and 6pm. If you would like to catch all the TGS kids involved (three Rubinsteins and Roselle), the best performances would be:
Saturday, Dec. 7 at 6pm
Sunday, Dec 8 at 11am
Performances are free! The play runs approx. three hours, with two intermissions (delicious concessions available).
Macbeth, of course, is a tragedy. The themes (and length of the play) may or may not be appropriate for all children (murder, witches, ghosts, more murder, bloody ghosts, etc...). However, the play is performed by young people ages 7-18 who are thoroughly enjoying the material, language, humanity of the play. Just a heads up!
At YSP young people perform original works of Shakespeare, unedited! They do so with full understanding thanks to a wonderful process developed by the founders, Richard and Anne DiPrima. There are no auditions or rejections, every young person receives challenging (multiple) roles, every YSP actor takes on every aspect of a production (acting, directing, tech jobs), there are two casts. The actors have been working on this project for 11 weeks (8-9 hours per week together, and countless hours at home). Their hard work and dedication to this production is impressive and inspirational!
MAIN STREET ARTS in Saxtons River, VT is offering several new classes from hula-hooping to conversational Spanish. Check them out online at www.mainstreetarts.org
MUSIC LESSONS - Jared Stolper, who teaches music here at TGS, is giving private lessons on either the guitar, the banjo, or the ukelele. He works with ages grade four and up. If you are interested, you can reach Jared at 603-756-4010.
VINYASA YOGA and PILATES at TGS - Treat yourself to a great holiday gift right here at TGS.Two fabulous classes, yoga with Amanda Upton on Mondays at 4:45pm ($14 drop-in, $60 for 5-class card, $100 for 10-class card. Please bring a yoga mat) and Pilates with Hilary Famolare on Thursdays at 5.00pm (10 class card only $100.00, drop in $12.00). I highly recommend both of these classes and their therapeutic benefits have
eliminated all my back issues. Don't wait to get in shape, sign up now!
Deb Gray
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