THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL WEDNESDAY NOTICE

   February 12, 2014



 
GREETINGS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL  

Dear TGS Parents and Families,

 

Today we all gathered together in our beloved Library to celebrate the time honored tradition of the TGS Library Birthday! Led by Ponnie, and supported by many parents, students, and faculty, we squeezed in and sang a rousing round of Happy Birthday, followed by skits and games led by the second, fifth, and eighth grades. Our last activity was led by the eighth grade, who opened each book and card that were given to the Library. It was a wonderful time and it was refreshing to see so many smiling faces and students who enjoyed the act of giving back by providing books to our Library, and the cupcakes that were provided by parents, faculty, and classes, were amazing and thoroughly enjoyed by all!

We are bracing for another winter storm this week, and please stay tuned for any information about potential cancellations. It is a bit ironic that we have ended our six week ski program at what feels like the high point of winter, but, there are still many opportunities for students to enjoy winter through our nordic ski program for, hopefully, many weeks to come! Next Tuesday afternoon we are planning to hold our traditional All School Ski Day. We will likely ski on our trails here on campus, which are excellent, and parents are more than welcome to come and enjoy the afternoon with us. We will also hold an afternoon Winter Olympics in the next two weeks, playing fun games together in friendly inter-school competition.

Many of you have likely noticed that Kathy Richardson has been away this week. Kathy is in South Africa visiting a school and investigating how TGS can further support SheWins, a non-profit that works to empower young women through sports. TGS hosted a road race in the fall to support SheWins, and we are grateful to Kathy for working on our behalf to explore the potential for a continued and enhanced relationship between TGS and SheWins. We look forward to welcoming her back and hearing about all of her adventures at All School Meeting very soon!

Enjoy the snow!   

Dan

Dan Marchetti

Head of School

  

NATURAL ART SUPPLY DRIVE FOR ECUADOR

The community service component of our study of Ecuador is getting underway. Liz and the eighth graders are conducting an art supply drive to take two big suitcases of art materials with them when they go to Ecuador in early March.They will be working on an art project with children in an indigenous school in the village of San Clemente.The school has very few art materials and could really use paper, crayons, colored pencils, glue, scissors, paints (in tubes, not plastic), paint brushes, tape, etc.

TGS will have collection boxes for art supplies in the lower school and the upper school, and Liz asks that items that could open or spill be put in a ziplock bag. Please send your donations in by
March 1. PLEASE keep in mind that there is no recycling or trash disposal in Ecuador. Donate art supplies that are not plastic! The disposable art supplies will end up in water supply and on the street!  The more natural the better! 
GRACIAS, Liz 
 
 

   

  

 

TGS ONLINE AUCTION 
Wednesday, February 19 - Wednesday, February 26
 

www.biddingforgood.com/tgs 

 

SPORTS  BKL race at Putney School this weekend! For more information and updates, check the the Putney Bill Koch Ski League Facebook page. Contact Jennifer Robb at [email protected] with questions. 

  

ART UPDATES ON NEW ART PAGE   

I am collecting paper towel rolls, cardboard shipping tubes, and any similar tubes for an upcoming project - please save yours and send them with your students for art class!  
 
Here are some class updates for the week:
 

PUTNEY FOOD SHELF 

Thank you very much for donations made to the Putney Food Shelf during the first month of 2014. For February, Eve and the 2nd graders are leading the collection of non-perishable food items. There is a basket in their classroom as well as the box outside Tammy's office. All are so appreciated by our local community.

   

POWER OF DISCOVERY SESSION II IS UNDERWAY! 

There is still room in the FIRST Lego Robotics Club for students in grades 4-8. The 6 week session will meet on Wednesdays, March 5 - April 16, 3:30-5pm. Tuition is $150 -
Scholarships are available.

Register by clicking here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j7oA_VnNxUvPIfhlsToP0KzD90TJzfa6Lfzyk78a6Bc/edit?usp=sharing

Contact Suzanne Rubinstein, [email protected], or David Hull, [email protected], for more information.  
   

  

TGS SUMMER CAMP
The Grammar School's 2014 Summer Camp will take place during the weeks of July 7, 14, and 21. The Preschool Camp, for four- and five-year olds, features three themed weeks of arts, crafts, movement, and exploration. Children ages 6 to 14 experience the arts, nature, outdoor adventures, and optional supervised swim time. Full- and partial-day options are available.
 
To inquire about teaching in the 2014 Summer Camp, contact Madeline Bergstrom at [email protected]. For more information about The Grammar School, please visit www.thegrammarschool.org.

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CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 

12 LIBRARY BIRTHDAY!
28 Bell Bottom Bash!

MARCH
 6 Parent Info Night
10-21 Spring Break NO SCHOOL




COMMUNITY NEWS

 

 

Calling all 6th - 8th graders to join Tracy Rodriguez for some Insanity!

No equipment necessary for this fast-paced workout using one's own bodyweight for some fabulous interval training.

*squats *push-ups *jumps

 

Free demo class: Thursday, February 6th   3:30-4:30 in the gym

$8/class beginning Thursday, February 13th

 

Please fill out the Informed Consent/ Liability Waiver and return to Tammy or Tracy BEFORE Thursday, Feb. 6th


Weekend Family Class - Learn Spanish with your kids! 
Elissa McLean of Escuelita Spanish School (name changing to Express Fluency) is offering a weekend Spanish class for families. (Recommended for ages 8+). Participants will learn Spanish through stories, movement, and engaging discussion. Materials will be shared to help keep Spanish alive in your household beyond the course. Our engaging and innovative methods get students understanding and speaking Spanish in the fastest way possible. An entertaining and fun experience to share as a family!

Course Schedule: February 15-16, 9am-12pm Saturday and Sunday
$80 + $15 registration fee (waived if paid by Feb 1) for first adult, second adult $60, children $40 (accompanied by adult). Alternative payment options available.
For more information, call 802-275-2694 or email elissa@escuelitaspanishschool.org.

Our winter session begins Jan 30. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced evening classes. Intermediate weekend immersion Feb 1-2, and more. Visit www.escuelitaspanishschool.org for more info.

Snowshoe Animal Tracking Hike in Dummerston on Saturday, February 8

Lynn Levine will present "Snow Secrets: Exploring Mammal Tracks" on Saturday, February 8, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This workshop is offered by The Nature Museum at Grafton and will take place in Dummerston. The easy to moderate animal tracking hike will likely require snowshoes, depending on weather conditions. It is open to adults and to children age 10 and up. (Children must be accompanied by an adult.)

 

Registrants will meet in Dummerston and will carpool to nearby Nature Conservancy land, where there are relic red cedar trees. The group will tramp into the winter woods with Levine, who will demonstrate how to identify signs of wildlife. The group will reconvene at Levine's home after the hike for a presentation and a question and answer session.

 

Levine is a noted tracking expert and a licensed forester. She is the co-author of Mammal Tracks and Scat: Life-Size Tracking Guide and the author of Snow Secrets. She holds a master's degree in forestry from the University of Massachusetts.

 

The snow date for this event is Sunday, February 9. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. Early-bird registration (by Wednesday, January 29) costs $20 per person. After January 29, if any spaces remain available, registration will be $25. There will be no registration on the day of the event. To pre-register, visit http://www.nature-museum.org/Register-for-Tracking-Hike.html or call (802) 843-2111.  

 

2014 SUMMER CAMP IN SPAIN - Culture and Language Immersion Program June 28 - July 12, 2014 (15 days) Led by Liz Jackson with Gogi Abroad - Ages 13-16

  

Immerse yourself in Spanish language and culture this summer in Cadiz, Spain, the oldest city in Europe. Explore the cobblestone streets, friendly faces, and vibrant culture that Cadiz has to offer. In the afternoons, experience beautiful beaches and historical sites of the city and the region! Each afternoon will be filled with fun activities for teens (such as instruction in surfing, sea kayaking, Spanish cooking, sunset boat excursions, and tons of time exploring the many unspoiled beaches). We will travel to typical white Andaluc�an villages and soak up all the sites and different foods of the region. You will grow your Spanish skills through real world interactions as you speak with locals, your host family, and new friends. At K2 Internacional School you will not just be another student. You will receive personal attention due to the small class sizes (around 10 per class) with friendly teachers who create interesting, interactive classes. You will enjoy three hours of classroom Spanish and have the opportunity to utilize phrases and idioms in real life situations and expand your knowledge in a comfortable setting. After class is the time you can really apply your Spanish. The classroom provides you with more confidence to go out into the world and use what you know!


Sinceramente, 

Liz Jackson  

[email protected]      

 

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
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