The Foote School 
E-News
December 17, 2015
In This Issue
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A Message From Head of School
Carol Maoz


Dear Parents,

As we celebrate this season of giving, I have been reflecting on the unique gifts that each child brings to our school. We are a community of individuals - diverse in our backgrounds yet coming together to share in the common purpose of joyful learning. I am proud and grateful that in the uncertain times in which we live, Foote stands out as a community that values and celebrates differences.

Over the past two weeks, school counselor Kossouth Bradford and I have been meeting with Foote parents to hear about their families' experiences with diversity at our school, and I welcome all parents to meet with us. Each conversation has been enlightening. Our community is committed to the concept that hearing and valuing different points of view will help us see the world more compassionately, and recognize our common humanity.

I feel very lucky to lead a school where respect and kindness guide our daily interactions. I believe that is our best hope for creating a more humane world. Thank you for being engaged partners in your children's education and for all the ways you support the Foote community. I look forward to more joyful learning and a wonderful Centennial Celebration in 2016, and I hope that you enjoy a happy and restful holiday.

Warmly,
CarolM signature
Carol Maoz
Head of School
AllSchoolNewsALL SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION
Winter Assembly Schedule


Parents are welcome to attend the Winter Assembly tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 18 at 11:00 a.m. in the Hosley Gym. 

*Please remember assembly dress.*
  • Long pants (no jeans, sweatpants or warm-up pants)
  • Dress/skirt of an appropriate length (no shorts, jeans or sweat pants)
  • Collared shirt (button-down, golf or polo)
  • No T-shirts or sweatshirts, no writing on shirts
  • No flip-flops
Schedule
11:00 a.m. - Assembly in the Hosley Gym
12:30 p.m. - All-school dismissal
No After School Program

Groups performing: 
Grade 1 
Grade 3 
Grade 6 
8Y Handbell Ensemble 
8Y Steel Band 
9th Grade Handbell Ensemble* 
9th Grade Steel Band* 
Jazz Rock Band 
Chorus

*(if your child is in handbells or steel pans this trimester, they will perform) 

Please Note: The PTC will have a lost-and-found table at the assembly. Any items not claimed will be donated to a local charity.
   
2016-17 Vacation Calendar

The vacation calendar for the 2016-2017 school year has been finalized. Click here to download a copy. 
 
The 2016-2017 school year will begin on Tuesday, September 6, 2016. 
 
As in the past few years, the weekend of February 10-13, 2017 is considered a "Flex Winter Weekend." It is dependent on the number of weather-related school closures (snow days) we have. Details will be included in the 2016-2017 Parent Handbook, available next August.
   
Yale-China Program Seeking Host Families for Visiting Artists

The Yale-China Association is looking for families who might be willing to host two female artists visiting from Hong Kong between January 16 and February 4. This is an opportunity for a stimulating cross-cultural experience, and a chance to support the Yale-China Association, which has done so much to support Foote's China Program over the years.

If you are interested in being a host family, please contact Annie Lin at the Yale-China Association at annie.lin@yale.edu.
   
Looking Ahead: Special Events in January

Wednesday, January 13
Parent Education Night
The Science of Lifelong Learning

Doug Lyons, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools, will present research and anecdotes from his 40-year career about how students become lifelong learners, and the value of an independent school education.

7:00-8:30 p.m.
Sandine Theater
RSVP to Silvia Gee at sgee@footeschool.org.

(Please note: Doug's talk is geared toward parents of students in grades K-3)
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Thursday, January 14
MOSAIC Event: 
Two-Headed Imagomancy
A storytelling performance of Persian culture, history and politics by Iranian-born artists Shahrzad Changalvaee and Iman Raad

7:00-8:30 p.m.
Sandine Theater
Reservations required (RSVP to mosaic@footeschool.org)
Please note: this event is appropriate for all parents and students in grades 8 & 9

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Thursday, January 21
Foote Family Ice Skating Social
A chance to have fun and build community

5:00-7:00 p.m.
Ralph Walker Ice Rink
1080 State St.
New Haven

$5 per skater, or $20 per family. Skate rentals $2/pair.

Bake sale, pizza and hot cocoa additional
All proceeds benefit the PTC, supporting enrichment for classrooms. Sign up for small-group skating lessons (by age) by clicking here.



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Saturday, January 23
Scratch Day
A morning to meet, share and learn about coding and technology

(Snow date January 24)
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Open to students in grades 3-7

Click here to view the program and register.
(Registration to the general public opens Jan. 11; space is limited.) Questions? Contact Julianne Ross-Kleinmann (jross@footeschool.org) or Debbie Carpenter (dcarpenter@footeschool.org).

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Tuesday, January 26
Warburg Visiting Artist Concert

The inaugural performance of the Ellie Warburg Class of 1945 Visiting Artist Program, featuring Rob Kapilow (of NPR's "What Makes It Great" fame), pianist Andrius Zlabys and the Haven String Quartet
 
7:00 p.m.
Hosley Gym
Admission is free


For all ages - students, parents, grandparents and siblings
   
Sign Up for *STARS* & After School Minicourses

*STARS* is a Saturday morning program for children in grades K-5 that brings together students and teachers from Foote and New Haven public schools for fun activities and shared learning. This year's classes are "Cooking With Stories," "Hello/Hola," "Exploring the Arts" and "Acting Out Stories." The program runs from January 16 through March 5, and there is no cost to participate.

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After School Minicourses give children a chance to learn something new and have fun in a relaxed setting. Children who are not enrolled in the After School Program can still participate in a minicourse. Courses offered for the winter trimester include "Basket Making," "Baking With Kathy," "Minecraft for Beginners" and "Chess" along with many others. Please note: "Shining Stars" is full. 


  
  PTCNewsPTC NEWS
Volunteers Needed for School Store Tomorrow


The Foote School Store will be open before and after tomorrow's Winter Assembly, from 11:00 to 12:30 in the Hosley Gym. Orders placed online may be picked up at those times.

Please consider helping the PTC by volunteering to set up or staff the store before or after the assembly. Click here to sign up for a shift on VolunteerSpot (you will not need to create an account).

Questions? Contact Alex Mena at footeschoolstore@gmail.com.
 
Support Foote with Amazon Holiday Purchases


Are you shopping online this holiday season? You can give back to Foote while you shop! Amazon will donate 1 percent of your purchases to the charity of your choice through the Amazon Smile program. Sign up here and choose to support Foote School.

DayInLifeA DAY IN THE LIFE OF FOOTE
Foote Chess Team Wins 2nd at Tournament
 
The Foote chess team won second place in the Greater New Haven Open Chess Tournament held at Foote this past Saturday. In all, 49 players participated in the competition. Foote ended the tournament tied with Hartford STEM School, leading to a speed playoff which Foote won. Congratulations! 


4th Graders Shine at Candlehouse Ceremony
 
Fourth graders and parents gathered in the Sandine Theater this week for the annual candlehouse ceremony, a Foote School tradition in which students display their ceramic creations and recite original winter-themed poetry. Students spend weeks sculpting, firing and glazing their candlehouses in art class, and writing poems individually and as a class. For a few brief seconds, the theater lights went down and the warm glow of the candlehouses illuminated the darkness. Click the still frame to watch that moment...the oohs and ahs say it all.

 
Talking With the Author ...Virtually


Adam Solomon's fifth graders recently finished reading Eric Berlin's novel The Puzzling World of Winston Breen and had the opportunity to speak with the author over Skype.

The class used the novel to learn about character development, dialogue, setting, foreshadowing and other literary elements. During the Skype session, students took turns asking the author questions about his writing process and the book's plot.

Among the students' questions:

"Where did you get the idea for the book?"

 

"Are you similar to any characters in the book?"

 

"Did your editor ask you to make a lot of edits? Did they want you to change anything you didn't want to change?"

"How has your life changed since you published the book?"

"If you had to write the book over, would you change anything?"

All of which prompted the author to remark, "What great questions you guys are asking!" Eric passed along some advice to the aspiring writers: "Don't worry too much about what you are writing on the first draft. And listen to what your book is saying to you as you are writing it."

9th Grade Biology, From the Field to the Lab


Ninth graders have spent the fall studying aquatic life in New Haven's West River and Long Island Sound as part of biology class. Recently, they took their investigation from the field to the lab, dissecting specimens to learn about their anatomy. Under the guidance of science teachers John Cunningham and Kim Birge-Liberman, students worked carefully in pairs to dissect an invertebrate (a southern crayfish) and a vertebrate (a white perch), both species that they have collected and studied in the field. The dissections introduced students first-hand to comparative fish anatomy, complementing their study of taxonomy, ecology and water chemistry, and providing a hands-on experience for students interested in pursuing a career in medicine or the sciences.

From the Faculty Blogs
What are your family holiday traditions? Kim Yap's first graders have been learning about Hanukkah, Advent and other customs from a series of visitors.

Margy Lamere's second graders marked the winter solstice by making sun-catchers, writing haikus and picture poems about the changing light (pictured).

Jim Adams' fifth graders put together an anthology of poems to cap off a poetry unit that focused on reading, writing, revision and illustration.
 
To read more, check out the Lower School blogs and Middle School blogs.
DatesDates to Remember

Dec. 18 - Winter Assembly - 11:00 a.m. in the Hosley Gym - 12:30 p.m. All-School Dismissal - No After School Program

Dec. 19 - Jan. 3 - Winter Break - NO SCHOOL - No Vacation Program

Jan. 4 - Classes Resume

Jan. 13 - Parent Education Night: The Science of Lifelong Learning

Jan. 14 - MOSAIC Event - Persian storytellers

Jan. 18 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL - No Vacation Program

Jan. 21 - Foote Ice Skating Social - 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Ralph Walker Ice Rink