The Foote School 
E-News
December 12, 2013
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Remembering Nelson Mandela


Dear Parents,

The world lost an extraordinary human being in Nelson Mandela last week, and the Foote community joins the rest of the world in celebrating the life and legacy of this remarkable man. Mandela was a courageous champion for human rights and racial justice, and he was a role model for all those who strive to make the world a better place.

Watching the many moving tributes over the weekend, I realized that the qualities that made Mandela so exceptional are the same values we try to teach our kids here at Foote: perseverance, respect, integrity, compassion and belief in a purpose higher than oneself. These are the elements of Falco's PRIDE and the guiding philosophy for students volunteering for St. Ann's Soup Kitchen and Columbus House shelter.

Last Friday, students in Sheila Lavey's humanities classes listened to a portion of the NPR broadcast "Nelson Mandela: An Audio History" to try to better understand the realities of life under apartheid. In the discussion that followed, one student mentioned a billboard she saw near Bridgeport that showed a picture of Mandela with the words, "What can one person do?"

Mandela showed us the answer. Perhaps the best way to keep his memory alive is to try to live up to his ideals of treating one another with love and kindness.

Sincerely,
CarolM signature
Carol Maoz
Head of School
AllSchoolNewsALL SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION
2014-15 Vacation Calendar

The vacation calendar for the 2014-15 school year has been finalized. Click here to download a PDF copy.
 
Winter All-School Assembly

Parents are welcome at the annual Winter Assembly next Wed., Dec. 18, in the Hosley Gym. Please remember that Assembly Dress is required for your children. See the Parents page on our website for Assembly Dress guidelines.  

Schedule:
11 a.m. Assembly in the Hosley Gym    
12:30 p.m. All School Dismissal
No After School Program 

Groups Performing:

Mixed Age Group
Sixth Grade
Eighth Grade Handbells
Eighth Grade Steel Drums
Ninth Grade Handbells
Ninth Grade Steel Drums
Ninth Grade Guitars
Jazz-Rock Ensemble
Chorus
Orchestra


ALSO: The PTC will have a lost and found table at the assembly. Any items that are not claimed will be donated to a charity.
Sign Up for Winter Minicourses

It's time to enroll for After School minicourses for the winter term. Courses include Exploratory Art, Model Making, Arts & Crafts, Knitting, Math Enrichment, Around the World, Basketmaking and Beginners' and Advanced Chess. Click here to download full course descriptions and the enrollment form.
Mark Your Calendars: STARS Begins Jan. 11

The 2014 STARS program will begin on Sat., Jan. 11. STARS (Schools Together for Arts ResourceS) is a six-week program that brings together students and teachers from Foote and New Haven public schools for a series of collaborative workshops in cooking, crafts and multimedia. The program runs Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to noon, from mid-January through March. It is free to all participants. Click here for more information on STARS and check our website in early January for course descriptions and other details.
Consider a Year-End Donation to Annual Fund

AF logo
We've had a fabulous first semester of school and lots to be excited for in the second part of the year! We're pleased that over half of Foote families have already given to Foote's Annual Fund, but for those who haven't yet, please consider making your year-end donations by clicking here.

We're also thrilled to announce that a Board member has generously offered a $25,000 Alumni Annual Fund Challenge which will take place from January to May 2014. Our hope is to DOUBLE alumni giving during this period. Stay tuned for more news on this exciting opportunity. 
 LSNewsLOWER SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION
Candle House Celebration - Dec. 16

The fourth grade will be having a special celebration to display the candle houses they made in art class and to recite winter-themed poetry they have written. The ceremony will be held in the Sandine Theater on Mon., Dec. 16 from 2:15 p.m. until dismissal time. Any parents who are interested are welcome to attend.  

PTCNewsPTC NEWS
Movie Outing Cancelled
The movie outing originally planned for next Wed., Dec. 18, has been cancelled due lack of an appropriate movie showing at the right time in local theaters.
Spring Auction - How You Can Help
Mark your calendars for Saturday evening, April 26, for Foote's annual fundraising auction. All proceeds will directly fund field trips, assemblies, educational enrichment, faculty development and other critical school programs. The PTC already has a great team of volunteers, but still needs you. Here are some ways you can help:
  • Volunteer to help on a committee
  • Be a sponsor
  • Purchase an ad
  • Sponsor a teacher
  • Ask for a donation from a business
  • Covert mileage or awards programs
  • Donate new, unused items or gift certificates; share a special skill, hobby or talent (e.g. sewing, home repair, baking desserts); donate use of a time-share or vacation property.

All materials and donations are due by Friday, March 7, 2014.

 

Click here for more information. Click here to download a letter you can give to potential contributors. Click here to download the donation form.  

 

Questions? Email ptcauction@footeschool.org. 

DayInLifeA DAY IN THE LIFE OF FOOTE
Third Grade Early America Day

Third graders have been learning about Early American history and on Wednesday, their studies culminated with an "Early America Day" celebration. Students and teachers wore dress typical of the 1830s and learned to make period crafts: cross-stitch, silhouettes, tin ornaments and thaumatropes (cards with a picture on each side that spin on two pieces of string). Third graders also held a traditional feast and used clues from an "archeological dig" in the Twichell Room to answer the Early America unit's essential question: How do we learn about history? The students also visited the Eli Whitney Museum and Sturbridge Village to experience life in the early 19th century. Find more photos on our Facebook page.

Recreating the Immigrant Experience

Fourth graders concluded their unit on immigration this week by re-enacting Ellis Island. The date was Dec. 9, 1900 and the immigrants had come from all over Europe. Each student was given a job to do for the hour: either Ellis Island processor or hopeful immigrant. Each had a name tag showing their country of origin and age, and all were questioned by students posing as health, vocation or character officials. "Some were granted citizenship, some were deported, and all waited in line!" writes fourth grade teacher John Climie on his blog. Afterward, students were asked to reflect on the experience. Wrote one fourth grader, "I learned how hard it was to become an American." See more photos on John Climie's blog.
Hola, Senora. Wish You Were Here!

Eighth graders in Sally Nunnally's Spanish class created postcards from imaginary vacations to practice using vocabulary words and verb tenses. Students "traveled" to a host of  Spanish-speaking countries - Costa Rica, Peru, Spain - but also to some fantastical locales, such as "Kronos" and "Candyland." Postcards also arrived from Hawaii, Canada, China and Truro, Mass. One student's postcard described bargaining with a jeweler at an open-air market in Capri. The postcards were graded on creativity, and proper use of grammar and eight distinct forms of vacation-related verbs. Using a real-world scenario like postcards helps students learn a foreign language, Sally says, and it encourages them to use Spanish in the world whenever they get a chance.
From the Faculty Blogs

A little snow made recess the "greatest ever" for Sue Delaney's MAG students - and she's got pictures to prove it.

Jake Burt's fifth graders learned about photosynthesis with the help of M&M's, marshmallows and light bulbs. (Pictured)

Chinese teacher Lely Evans' students are learning to make sweet rice dumplings, as well as "animal collages" using Chinese characters.

Foote faculty are preparing to visit other schools as part of curricular review, and Curriculum Coordinator Lauren Goldberg explains how we decide where to go.

To read more, check out the Lower School blogs and Middle School blogs.  
DatesDates to Remember
Dec. 18 - Winter Assembly, All School Dismissal 12:30 p.m. (No After School)
Dec. 19 - Jan. 1 - Winter Vacation
Jan. 2 - Classes resume
Jan. 16 - MOSAIC Talk on India and Pakistan, 7:00 p.m. in the Perrine Library
Jan. 17 - Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly