The Magna Charter
News from Surry Village Charter School 
February Fantasies
February 21, 2014
 
In This Issue (click to jump to article)
Dates To Remember
SVCS Supporters
Curriculum Night
Sign-up
NECAPs
Bald is Beautiful
Pancake Breakfast
Calendar on Website
Open Houses
Announcements
Bragging Rights
Parent Council
SVCS Annual Fund
Thank you!
Quotable Quotes
Advertisements
Quick Links

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2013-2014
Events
&
Fundraising 
Calendar

October:
-Fall Festival
-Pumpkin Festival Booth
-Annual Fund Drive Kick-off

November:
-Woodland Dwelling Workshop
-SVCS Logo Item Sales
-Citrus Sale

December:
-Family Night
-Holiday Concert

January:
-Contra Dance/Talent Show

February:
-Curriculum Night: February 18th
-Ski Day (Grades 1-8)

March:
-Pancake Breakfast: March 8th

April:
-Charter Chef Event:  April 17th.

May:
-May Day Concert

June:
-Field Day
-8th Grade Graduation

Dates to Remember

Click here to view SVCS public Google Calendar

 

Art with Jean Mann: Tuesdays (Grades K-4), Wednesdays (5-8).

 

Charter Chef Culinary Club: Meets Thursdays at 3:30 p.m., Surry Campus Kitchen.


SVCS Band:  Meets Thursdays at 3:30.

SVCS Sectionals: Fridays, don't forget your instrument.

 

SVCS Curriculum Night! Tuesday, March 4. See article for times.
 

Open House: March 9th, 1:00-3:00 p.m., Keene Campus.


Parent Council Meeting: March 11, 6:45 p.m., Keene Campus.

 
SVCS Board Meeting:  March 13th, 7:00 p.m., Keene Campus.

 

Open House:  March 15th, 1:00-3:00 p.m., Surry Campus.


These entities 
support SVCS 
 
Please support them with your business and thank them for their support!

Antioch University  
New England 

 


 



Surry School District



Let us know if we inadvertently left you off
the list!


VERY IMPORTANT EVENING - NOW MARCH 4!!

Due to New Hampshire's moving above the Arctic Circle, our annual Parent Night ("Curriculum Night") has been postponed until Tuesday, March 4 for all grades. Come see what your voracious learners have been up to! Impressive expertise and good feelings guaranteed! 

 

Your students really like it when you attend. They're very proud of their hard work and finished products, and look forward to impressing you with some special work. Bring siblings and proud grandparents, too!

 

We will be utilising the Town Hall to showcase the talents of some classes, and the Surry Campus for the others. Here are the details:

 

Surry Town Hall, 1 Village Rd.
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Grades K-2 performance on upper floor
Grades 7/8 exhibit on first floor
Feel free to attend even if your children aren't in these grades!
 
Surry Campus
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Grades 3-6 in their respective classrooms. 

 


Pancake Breakfast Sign-up

Parent Council needs your help!  Please consider signing up for a shift at the March 8th Pancake Breakfast.  We need as much help as we can get, AND this is a fun way to get those volunteer hours before the end of the year.

 

Sign-up online:  Click Here

 

Or see the sign-up sheets in Keene or Surry.

 

Questions?  Please contact Erin Bowen at cairbear_916@yahoo.com

SVCS Students Do Well on NECAP Tests

We feel good about what and how our students learn at SVCS. We put a lot of thought into our curriculum and our teaching, and we place student engagement at the top of our priority list. Learning is supposed to be FUN! It's a welcome validation when we get standardized test results that reflect our efforts. The annual statewide NECAP test results arrived recently, and the news was good. This is from the Keene Sentinel:

  

"Across the region, eight of 14 districts plus Surry Village Charter School either met or surpassed the state reading average...Six area districts and the Surry school at least met the state average in math...Local districts were less successful in the writing category, with four meeting or passing the state average."

  

At Surry Village, our results have consistently been similar to the state averages. That holds true again this year. In math, 72% of SVCS students ranked "Proficient" or "Proficient with Distinction." The state average was 70% of students.

  

In reading, our students ranked Proficient or above 82% of the time; the state average was 77%.

  

In writing, our 5th-graders were particularly strong writers and our 8th-graders a more mixed group, with the result that SVCS students were Proficient or above 50% of the time, while NH students were Proficient or above 55% of the time.

  

These are pleasing results and we are proud of our students and teachers. Our grade sample sizes are so small - and therefore their averages so quirky - that drawing conclusions about instruction or curriculum is nearly impossible, but the scores do highlight where students may struggle. This test was administered early last fall, and many student challenges have been addressed in the interim. What we do know is that we have some very strong math students, and others who find math particularly challenging. We can tease out that often new students arrive with gaps in their learning or unidentified challenges, which we hasten to address. We know that most of our students are strong readers.

  

We also know that our focus on our writing curriculum is paying off, as our younger writers are coming up stronger. And we know that our Investigations math curriculum needs supplementation and, ultimately, replacement as we complete our transition to the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core demands more rigorous math skills at younger ages, while the Investigations curriculum is known for its slow, gradual start and increased challenge in the older grades. Our teachers are working hard to ensure that this year's students are experiencing a rigorous math curriculum beginning in the early grades.

  

Families will receive their students' NECAP scores today in their Friday folders. Area schools' results (without individual names) are at http://reporting.measuredprogress.org/nhprofile/.

 

Please let Sharon or Matora know if you have questions about the scores. And let your child know that you value his/her hard work, and look forward to seeing his/her progress, too! If we set the expectation that our kids can meet challenges and improve their skills, they will.

Bald is Beautiful - A Student Fundraises for Cancer

SVCS 6th-grader Keanan J. will be shaving his head in the near future to raise funds for the "Bald is Beautiful" fundraiser that supports cancer research. Keanan's grandmother had two kinds of cancer and his grandfather currently has cancer, so Keanan wanted to lend his support to this important cause. There is a collection box just inside the Surry campus's front door, and Keanan would be delighted to receive contributions big and small. What a great opportunity to teach your own children about supporting others through fundraising (have them drop in your contribution), and to support a young man who believes in taking action! Way to go, Keanan.

Pancake Breakfast
  
  

 

New Calendar on Website
Check out the new look to our calendar on the SVCS home page at www.surryvillagecharterschool.org.  Keep up to date on all the happenings at our school, visit the website often!
2014-2015 - New Applications & Open Houses

SVCS will be accepting new applications for the 2014-2015 school year from January 27th through March 21st, so tell all your friends, family and neighbors!

 

Click here to apply now.  SVCS families with incoming kindergarteners must apply, so save a space by applying!

 

We will be hosting Open Houses on the dates below.  Parents, please let Matora know if you can help during any or all of these dates.  It's really fun to show off our school!  Interested parents like to hear about our school from other parents.

 

3/9/2014 Sunday        Keene Campus 1 pm-3 pm

3/15/2014 Saturday    Surry Campus 1 pm-3 pm

Announcements! Announcements!

 

Ooh la la! 

The Charter Chef Evening is coming April 17th!

  

It's that time of year - time to start planning this year's Charter Chef Fundraiser. Yahoo! The Charter Chef event is our spring fundraiser, where four local chefs prepare elegant fare to be judged by our guests and designated food connoisseurs. During the meal, SVCS representatives showcase our school to over 120 guests. At the end of the evening guests are asked to give to the school because they have been so INSPIRED! They do give, and give generously. The event serves so many purposes...fantastic food, excellent school and chef PR, and typical fundraising of over $10,000!

 

There are three main ways our SVCS community can participate in the event: as a server, a table captain, or set-up/clean-up crew. 

 

As a server you get the opportunity to "take care of" a table, bringing the dishes to the guests and adding your own enthusiasm to the festivity. As a table captain, you invite guests, sit with those guests, and "talk up" the school. Both servers and table captains get training before the event so that you feel comfortable with your job. 

 

We need approximately 20 servers, 20 table captains and 10 people on set-up/clean-up, which is a lot of people! Doing some quick math, with about 60 families at the school, we need most of the community to participate! If you haven't volunteered for this in the past, let Matora know if you are able to help. We promise you will enjoy yourself! Save the date for the evening of April 17th!

 

Bragging Rights

 

Two SVCS parents, one a theatre veteran and the other brand-new to the stage, are performing in The Edge Ensemble's production of the romantic comedy Almost, Maine this week! See Lindsay B. and husband Dan strut their stuff at Heberton Hall (next to the Keene Public Library) this Weds. through Sat. @ 7:30 pm, and Sunday @ 2 pm. Adults $15, seniors/students $12. If you'd like to attend but finances are tight, Lindsay encourages you to contact her so she can work something out. 

 

This show is about love and the many ways we practice it. It's a very sweet play, and Lindsay reports it is kid-appropriate, fast-paced, and great for those who don't think they like live theatre!

 

Parent Council Corner - Fun Stuff Below!
Cape Cod Raffle- All proceeds benefit SVCS!

 

The prize is a one-week stay on Cape Cod in Wellfleet, Massachusetts!

 

Rental dates June 15th-22nd

Retail value is $1200

                                                                     

Attached apartment is one bedroom with a queen bed, and a pull-out couch available in the living room; full kitchen; bath with shower; satellite TV; private back deck with outdoor shower. 2-minute walk to the ocean (in the National Seashore)!

       

$10/ticket OR $25/3 tickets; maximum number of tickets sold is 300. Drawing will be held on March 21st.

 

For more information and to see photos, go to www.surfsidecottages.com/dunecrest

 

Click Here to purchase tickets or submit a check made payable to "SVCS" to the office. Please designate "Cape Raffle" on the note portion of the check.

 

  
 
Next PC Meeting:  March 11th, 6:45 p.m., Keene Campus.

  

 

Fundraising:  Our parents are busy! Here's how much has been raised so far.

Yard Sale: $1,700 (for field trips)
Pumpkin Festival: $3,100 (for school)  

Woodland Dwelling:  $600 (for Nature's Classroom)
Tree Lighting: $400 (for DC trip)
Fruit/Citrus: $900 (for school)
Box Tops:  $80

Spaghetti Dinner:  $340

  

Family Nights:

March 8th
:  SVCS Pancake Breakfast, 8:00-11:00 at the Surry Campus. It's wonderful! It's cozy! It's delicious! Don't miss it!

April 11th:  Book Bingo - 5:30-7:00 with potluck. 
May:  Contra Dance/Art Class? 

 

 

Track Your Volunteerism:

If you've volunteered, don't forget to Click Here.

Suggestions?

       Click Here

 

Raffle Your Way to Riches!

The raffle is coming soon!  Be thinking of friends and family who want a chance at winning $5,000! (Who doesn't want a chance at winning $5,000??)

 

And...please visit our website or our facebook page to learn more about the AmazonSmile program. These little fundraisers add up! And we are easy to please. (Tell a teacher she has $50 more to spend on her classroom, and see what happens. Stand back.)

Thank You!
...to Margo and Aaron O., who left a big Valentine's bag of goodies for the staff this morning! You wouldn't believe how much a thank you (and food) makes us swoon. Why do teachers like to eat so much?? So thoughtful of you....thanks so much.

...to all the parents who brought in treats, drinks, paper plates, games, and activities for our belated Valentine's Day parties today. As we write this, the school is filled with red outfits, high spirits, and chocolate. The number of cupcakes and heart-shaped cookies waiting in the kitchen says a lot about the forthcoming spirit of SVCS parents. These are kids having happy childhoods. They know they are loved.

                               

 

Quotable Quotes: Love is in the Air (and Fashion, Too)

Nicole: "Tomorrow is the Valentine's party!"

Kindergartener: "Your mouth is going to hang open when you see my special dress!"

 

8th grader to friend:  "Don't you know how lucky we are to be able to go to school?  Lots of kids don't get that chance!"

 

Our Kinders answer the question "What does LOVE mean?"

  • Love means a wedding.
  • Love is when you kiss somebody. 
  • Love means someone likes you.
  • Love means you love someone, like giving them a hug.
  • Love is making lots of valentines and putting love on them.
  • When you love someone you feel so happy.
  • When you love someone you feel happy and you give them an apple.
  • Love is when I kiss my Mom.
  • Love means you give love to people, you kiss them, and you feel happy.
  • I love my Mom; every time I'm near her, she gives me hugs and kisses.
  • Love is when you give someone ice cream. 

  

Advertisements

 

 

The Monadnock Localvores are proud to announce:

 

The Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Scholarship Program is now accepting applications and donations for 2014. To apply, please print out the application here: Application

 

Does your child have an interest in farms or gardening?

Would he or she like to explore these interests this summer?  

  

The Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Scholarship endeavors to connect young people with agriculture and the natural world around them.  We hope to inspire the next generation of local farmers and local food supporters, by giving regional children an opportunity through summer camp, after school programs, or membership to NOFA NH, to experience sustainable farming practices firsthand and watch their efforts "bear fruit."

 

Click here for more information.

 

 

Oneness Awakening Course at the Taproot Healing Institute 

March 29 and 30, 2014

 

This Oneness Awakening Course is designed for accelerated spiritual growth. This course can bring about total spiritual awakening within each participant; flower your heart, heal your negative repetitive family and relationship patterns, release conscious and unconscious blocks, and liberate you from the duality of the ego-based mind. Deeksha (Blessing) initiations will be offered, and you will be become a certified Blessing Giver. 

 

The two-day course will be held from 9 AM to 5 PM on both Saturday and Sunday at the Taproot Healing Institute in Keene, NH. The Course is $195 for people taking it for the first time, registering by February 27th; $215 for people registering after February 27th; $125 for Blessing Givers taking the course as a deepening; and $50 to Blessing Givers bringing a new person. Register at the link at taproothelaing.org.

 

 

Fly-Tying Classes 

The Monadnock Chapter of Trout Unlimited will offer Fly-Tying Classes at the Cheshire County Fish and Game Club in Keene, NH. Fly-Tying is directly related to the education mission of Trout Unlimited. We use fly-tying to teach people about natural resources, entomology, and of course how trout relate to their primary food source. We use fly tying as a social event, and as a way to connect with youngsters and adults alike. Most of all, we do it because it's fun!

 

The Fly-Tying classes will start by teaching basic techniques on simple patterns for the first few weeks. The remaining class time will be determined by the participants and their choices. This could involve tying zonkers, dry fly patterns or classic New England streamers for example. The chapter will supply materials and have tools available for class use. The first five-week session will be a Beginners' session and will run from Monday, February 10 to March 10. We'll start at 6:30 pm and be done by 8:30 with pracitce time until 9:30 or so. An Advanced session of 5 weeks will follow. 

 

The second session will be Monday, March 17 and  March 24, then Mondays from April 7 to April 21. Each session will have a range of tiers and we will work with each student to help them along. The fee for each 5-week session is $75 for adults, $50 for CCF&G members, $25 for students and veterans.The cost for one session only is $15 for adults, $10 for CCF&G members and $5 for students and veterans. 

 

Contact Mike Elkavitch, melkavitch@gmail.com, to sign up or to get more information.

files/Fly Ty Poster 2014.pdf

 

 

The 2014 Cheshire County Conservation District Plant Sale is Now Accepting Orders 

(which means spring can't be that far away!) 

  


We are offering a variety of top quality...  

 

-evergreen and deciduous trees

-mushrooms 

-fruiting trees and shrubs 

-wildlife and landscaping shrubs 

-tender summer bulbs 

-perennials  

-medicinals 

  

 

CALLING ALL KIDS! DO YOU LIKE TO READ?  DO YOU LIKE DOGS?  HAVE YOU EVER MET A GREYHOUND?

 

  Our greyhounds need people, just like you, to read to them this year.  We are having a special reading day every other Saturday at 11:00 a.m. Next dates: Feb. 22 & March 8.

  Ask your parents if you can come to Fast Friends to help the greyhounds by reading to them. Just drop in every other Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  Bring your book or read from one of the books we have here. 

   

Raw Goat Milk and Fresh Chevre Goat Cheese:

 

Now available from Goats Rock Dairy in Gilsum, NH - both Plain and Flavored Cheeses available. Purchase and pick-up available at our farm in Gilsum or make arrangements to meet at the Surry Campus. Contact Terra or Evan at 355-1866 or email evandlaurie@gmail.com.

 

 

Violin Lessons:  Cornelia Schwartz is offering private instruction for all ages. 

  

Ms. Schwartz has a wealth of experience both as a performing artist and as a teacher. A recipient of an Artist Opportunity Grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, she has taught at the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, the San Francisco Conservatory's Preparatory Division and the Chamber Music Institute at the University of New Hampshire. She is a Lecturer of Music at Franklin Pierce University and has maintained a private studio in Peterborough for over a decade.  

  

Contact Cornelia at schwartz.c@franklinpierce.edu: (603) 563-8354.