THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL WEDNESDAY NOTICE
February 26, 2014
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
GREETINGS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear TGS Parents and Families,
While the official Olympic Games wound down in Sochi last Sunday, TGS was alive with Olympic spirit yesterday afternoon as students in grades K-8 assembled on the lower field for an engaging afternoon of friendly competition. From biathalon events where students tossed yarn balls through hula hoops, to the two man bobsled, to our own slalom, students demonstrated their individual skills and enthusiasm for winter sports and winter fun. What a wonderful day. Please join me in thanking Mary, Linda, Chris, Deb, and Jen Robb, for all they did to make it a success!
Today at All School Meeting we will officially wish the eighth graders who are traveling to Ecuador a safe journey. We look forward to all of the enriching stories and connections they will bring back with them after they have completed this valuable service learning opportunity.
Bidding continues on our online site for our Bell Bottom Bash Spring Auction. However, the bidding closes this evening, so we look forward to a strong last minute push as bidders look to secure their prizes. This year's BBB celebration promises to be an incredible evening and I look forward to seeing everyone on Friday!
There are seven full days of school left before a much anticipated and needed vacation. I will speak to this at ASM, but, it is very important that students stay focused and engaged as we approach this exciting time, so that we all get the most out of these final days.
Sincerely,
Dan
Dan Marchetti
Head of School
This annual fundraiser provides much-needed monies to benefit TGS students and programs, helping to close the budget gap between student tuition and annual operating costs, and to provide important scholarship aid.
COFFEE WITH DAN THURSDAY, MARCH 6 AT 8:30AM IN THE LIBRARY
TGS VARIETY SHOW - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5 at 2:15! EVERYONE IS INVITED!
GIRLS ON THE RUN STARTS TUESDAY, MARCH 4
Girls on the Run online registration is now open! Please go to girlsontherunvermont.org to register your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade girl. Practices will be held after school on Tuesdays and Fridays, starting on March 4 - NEXT WEEK! If you have questions, please contact Jen Robb (jenrobb@gmail.com) or Clare Mundell (cemundell@gmail.com).
BILL KOCH LEAGUE FESTIVAL
 Congrats to Bill Koch Festival ski racers! This past weekend, teams from Southern Vermont rocked the Bill Koch Festival in Waterville, Maine. Putney was well represented (including Maddie and Emmett Aho and Gunnar Caldwell!) and our team made a huge contribution to the overall standings. Well done, guys!
Jen Robb
THANK YOU FROM THE LIBRARY!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the 54th Library Birthday Party. Once again, the entire school filled the library with enthusiasm for books and reading. Second graders entertained the school with a homonym game, fifth graders gave us a fun literary guessing game, and eighth graders performed literary charades. Wonderful books given to the library were opened and announced by eighth graders.
In all we received over forty books with more coming. The party ended with students offering their favorite book titles, authors, and series while waiting their turn to choose a cupcake. Parents and teachers provided an impressive number and variety of yummy cupcakes much to the delight of partygoers.
Thank you all so much. Your support greatly increases our ability to provide quality literature for our children. If you would like to give a book to the library, an updated wish list can be found at http://thegrammarschool.org/library/.
Ponnie
Our library can use your help! We need help shelving, processing, checking books in, creating crafts, sewing and more during school, after school, or even at your home. The library volunteering is a fun and easy way to be involved in the school. And, your help will be gratefully appreciated! Please let me know if you are interested. Ponnie (387-5364 or pderby@thegrammarschool.org)
 We are excited to announce that Upper School student work from their six weeks of art electives will be on display at the Hooker-Dunham Theater and Gallery in March, and we could use some parent volunteers for setup and take down. Please email Hannah at
Art electives are a wonderful opportunity for seventh and eighth graders at The Grammar School to pursue in-depth studies in their choice of four mediums. For six weeks during the winter term, the students take one three-hour art class each week. They are excited to have the opportunity to discover new art processes and follow their interests, while building connections and deepening their skills. This year, we have two electives off campus. Nine students are learning black and white 35 mm film photography and darkroom processing at the InSight Photography Project, and six students are learning wheel-throwing pottery at Clayworks Studio, a new offering this year. On campus, parent and local artist Rachel Portesi is teaching film/video to eight students, where they shoot and edit their own music videos, and seven students are learning oil painting on canvas with art teacher Hannah Richards.
The students' work will be on display at the Hooker-Dunham Theater and Gallery for the month of March, with a public opening and reception on the evening of March 7, 2014 at Gallery Walk from 5:30-8pm, and another community reception with music video screenings after our spring break.
Here are some class updates for the week:
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
GRAMMAR SCHOOL STUDENTS ENTER OPUS 28
Eleven fifth grade composers from The Grammar School, working with their teacher, Alli Lubin, are currently entered in Music-COMP's Opus 28 competition. The instrumentation for Opus 28 is for woodwinds and strings. The selected pieces will be performed live by professional musicians in the Opus 28 Concert on Wednesday, April 30 in Ludlow.
KATHY'S VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA - Read more on her teacher's page!
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.
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR LEGO ROBOTICS!
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, suzanne@thegrammarschool.org, or David Hull, dhull@thegrammarschool.org, 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 camps@thegrammarschool.org. For more information about The Grammar School, please visit www.thegrammarschool.org.
|
|
|
|
28 Bell Bottom Bash!
MARCH
5 Variety Show 2:15
6 Coffee with Dan
@ drop off
6 Parent Info Night
10-21 Spring Break NO SCHOOL
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMMUNITY NEWS
COMMUNITY XC SKI DAY Sunday, March 2 - Putney Community XC Ski Day! Green Mountain Orchards and West Hill Shop invite you to a FREE community-wide cross country ski day at Green Mountain Orchards. Sunday, March 2 from 9:30-2:30pm. Free XC ski rentals available, but they must be reserved in advance.
Here are the details. Hope to see you there! NANCY CALICCHIO ART OPENING - Former TGS Head of School Nancy Calicchio will have an art opening on Saturday, March 8 from 2:00-4:00pm at the West Village Meeting House in Brattleboro.
NEXT STAGE - Check out the exciting entertainment coming to Putney each week at http://nextstagearts.org/
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 Andalucían 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!
NEYT AUDITONS - Calling all future Broadway stars! NEYT announces auditions for two musicals this spring and summer.
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
|
|
|
|
