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The Foote School
E-News
January 16, 2014
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Details on Tomorrow's
Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly
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Tomorrow's Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly will feature tributes to the life and legacy of the slain civil rights leader by eighth graders and MAG students. The all-school assembly begins at 11:45 a.m. in the Hosley Gym and parents are welcome to attend. Students will honor the spirit of Dr. King with poems, songs and a reading of his "I Have a Dream" speech. A note about dress code: Because students will be seated on the gym floor, and because the school day will continue afterward, assembly dress is not required. Eighth graders, however, are asked to wear special assembly dress. Information about that went home in an email Thursday morning. If you did not receive it, please email Director of Communications Andy Bromage at abromage@footeschool.org. |
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 ALL SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION |
Don't Miss Tonight's MOSAIC Event
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Parents and their guests are invited to tonight's talk sponsored by MOSAIC, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Perrine Library. "Divided Homelands, Unfriendly Homes" will explore the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.
Leading the discussion will be two members of the school community: Dr. Fasih Q. Zaman, a Foote grandfather who was just seven when his family migrated to the newly created state of Pakistan; and Dr. Steven Wilkinson, a Foote parent and Yale University professor of India and South Asian Studies, Political Science and International Affairs.
The talk is geared toward adults, but older children are welcome to attend if parents feel they can handle the mature content. RSVP to Carol Poling at cpoling@footeschool.org.
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Winter Minicourses Are Still Enrolling
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| It's not too late to sign up for after-school minicourses for the winter term. Click here to download full course descriptions and the enrollment form.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION
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China Trip Meeting - Jan. 23
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| Reminder: There will be an information session for ninth grade parents and students about the China trip next Thurs., Jan. 23, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Twichell Room.
Because there is a great deal of information to impart, an adult from each family must attend this meeting. A light supper will be provided. Questions? Contact Deb Riding at driding@footeschool.org. |
LOWER SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION
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Fifth Grade Parent Meeting - Jan. 29
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A meeting will be held for parents of fifth graders on Wed., Jan. 29, at 8:15 a.m. in the Twichell Room. Consulting psychiatrist Michael Kaplan will join Head of Lower School Beth Mello to discuss three aspects of the fifth grade experience: Education Research Bureau standardized tests (ERBs); math placement decisions for grade 6; and the joys and challenges of pre-adolescence and adolescence. RSVP to Erika Villa at evilla@footeschool.org.
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PTC NEWS
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Save Your Stuff for the Spring Tag Sale
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The Spring Tag Sale is May 18 and the PTC is asking everyone to "save your stuff." Gently used clothes, household items, furniture and books are all wanted for the tag sale. Collection will begin after March break. Questions? Email ptc@footeschool.org.
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF FOOTE
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How Liam Won the National Geographic Bee
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|  Fifty-two Foote students in grades 4 through 8 participated in this year's National Geographic Bee. The winner was seventh grader Liam Podos, who earned a chance to compete in the state finals by correctly answering the question: "The Taklimakan Desert, home to the Uyghur people, is located north of the Kunlun Mountains in which Asian Country?" Liam knew the answer was China - and it wasn't a wild guess. He read a book about China in Deb Riding's class last year, Adventures on the Silk Road, in which the main character traveled through the Taklimakan Desert. Liam remembered that detail and confidently scratched the answer on his clipboard. This year's runner-up was seventh grader Amelia Berk. Liam will now take a written test; the top 100 scorers from around Connecticut will compete in the state finals. The top state finisher will then go to the national bee. Congratulations to all the students who participated!
(Pictured from left: Trevor Rosenthal, Liam Podos and Deb Riding).
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Big Turnout for MATHCOUNTS Contest
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Foote participated in the nationwide MATHCOUNTS competition this year for the first time. Twenty-eight students answered written math problems in the Sturley Room on Jan. 14. Foote has a new MATHCOUNTS club this year, but the contest was open to any student in grades 6 through 8. The top 10 finishers, who will go on to compete in the chapter finals at Yale on Feb. 1, are: David Metrick, Dani Zanuttini-Frank, Jonah Berman, Evan Schott, Clara Li, Neal Sarin, Anjali Mangla, Khelan Parikh, Dylan Sloan and Adin Jennings. The first four in that list will compete as a team, and the other six as individuals. The three highest-scoring teams at the chapter contest will go on to the state finals in Hartford on March 8, and vie for a slot at nationals in Orlando in May. Congratulations to all who participated!
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Cracking the Code at 'Scratch Day'
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|  Five third graders traveled to Greenwich Academy on Sun., Jan. 12 to participate in Scratch Day at GA, an event that drew students from all over Connecticut to learn about and explore computer coding. Third graders started a unit on computational thinking in December, and Scratch Day at GA gave them a chance to expand their skills by building LEGO robots and programming them to move using Scratch code. Lower School Technology Coordinator Julianne Ross-Kleinmann presented at the conference on her work with LEGO WeDo robots. Pictured with Ross-Kleinmann are, from left, Elias Theodore, Alex Labadia, Geffen Waterman, Ehsaan Sabooh, and J.P. Freeman.
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Dates to Remember
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Jan. 16 - MOSAIC Event: "Divided Homelands, Unfriendly Homes." 7:00 p.m. in the Perrine Library
Jan. 17 - Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly, 11:45 a.m. in the Hosley Gym
Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL (No Vacation Program)
Feb. 3-6 - Middle School Parent Adviser Conferences (by appointment)
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MAG students began their study of Africa with a "flight" to Nairobi, and