The Foote School 
E-News
January 21, 2016
In This Issue
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Warburg Visiting Artist Concert

 
Next week, Foote will welcome composer Rob Kapilow as the inaugural guest of the Ellie Warburg Class of 1945 Visiting Artist Program. This new program was established with funds generously donated by the family and classmates of Ellie Bozyan Warburg '45, a devoted Foote alumna and lover of the arts.

Rob Kapilow is an acclaimed composer, conductor, author and music commentator well known for his "What Makes It Great" program on NPR. He will spend three days at Foote working with individual music classes and performing for every grade.

He will give an evening concert for all Foote families on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sandine Theater. This is a very special opportunity for our community and all students and parents are encouraged to attend.

The concert is free but RSVPs are required. Please email concert@footeschool.org.
 
AllSchoolNewsALL SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION
Don't Miss Tonight's All-School Ice Skating Social




Foote Family Ice Skating Social
A chance to have fun and build community

Thursday, January 21
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.



 
Still Time to Sign Up for Scratch Day
Scratch Day
A morning to meet, share and learn about coding and technology

Saturday, January 23
(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.

Questions? Contact Julianne Ross-Kleinmann (jross@footeschool.org) or Debbie Carpenter (dcarpenter@footeschool.org).
  
NOTE: We are keeping an eye on the weather, but we currently expect to hold Scratch Day on Saturday.   
ERB Results Are Now Available


Individual student reports from November's ERB administration are now available. Middle School parents who would like to review their child's results are invited to schedule an appointment with John Turner or Liam Considine. Fifth grade parents may set up a conference with Beth Mello.

To schedule an appointment, please contact Erika Villa at evilla@footeschool.org, or 203-777-3464 x208. 
   
 LSNewsLOWER SCHOOL NEWS
Reminder: Grade 5 Parent Meeting - Jan. 26

Grade 5 Parent Meeting
Tuesday, January 26
8:15 a.m. in the Twichell Room

Head of Lower School Beth Mello and Foote's consulting psychiatrist, Michael Kaplan, will discuss how to support your changing child and three aspects of the fifth grade experience:
  • The Educational Records Bureau standardized tests (the ERBs)
  • Math placement decisions for Grade 6
  • The joys and challenges of pre-adolescence and adolescence

RSVP to Erika Villa at evilla@footeschool.org. 

   
DayInLifeA DAY IN THE LIFE OF FOOTE
Celebrating Dr. King & Other Civil Rights Heroes

The school gathered for a moving Martin Luther King, Jr. Assembly in the gym on Jan. 15. Three eighth graders and two second graders led the assembly, which featured a presentation with drawings and voices of Kindergartners called "We Are All Alike, We Are All Different."

To echo the themes of diversity and inclusiveness, every grade came dressed in a different color so that the entire student body formed a giant, human rainbow when seated on the gym floor. Eighth graders recited excerpts of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech and read essays they wrote about Rosa Parks and the bus boycott, the voter rights march from Selma to Montgomery and the little known summer Freedom Schools in Mississippi.

The assembly ended with a performance of the song "Woke Up This Morning With My Mind on Freedom" by five eighth graders: three vocalists, a pianist and a drummer.
 
 


Sixth Grader Earns Title of Queen Bee

 
Foote held its National Geographic Bee this month and, for the first time, a girl (and sixth grader) was the winner. This was Foote's fifth year holding the competition.

A total of 31 students in grades 4 - 8 participated in this year's bee, showcasing an impressive knowledge of U.S. and world geography. From that initial group, 10 students made it to the final round. 

The winner from each school takes a written test for a chance to compete at the state championships (the top 100 scorers are invited to the state finals). The winner from each state will compete in the national contest in Washington, D.C. in May.

Congratulations to everyone who participated!
 
MOSAIC Event Explores the Art of Persian Storytelling

The Foote community was treated to an imaginative and eye-opening presentation about Persian culture, history and politics on Jan. 14 at an event sponsored by MOSAIC. The storytelling performance, titled "Two-Headed Imagomancy," was an experience unlike anything Foote has seen.
   
From the Faculty Blogs

Grace Peard's first graders worked in groups to make control panels, menus, seat numbers and metal detectors for their "flight" to Africa.

How do Foote third graders learn multiplication? One way is the "continent hop," as Melissa McCormack describes.
 
Adam Solomon's fifth graders created Egyptian hieroglyphic cartouches - and diagrams for decoding them (pictured).

To read more, check out the Lower School blogs and Middle School blogs.
DatesDates to Remember

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

Jan. 23 - Scratch Day - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Jan. 26 - Warburg Visiting Artist Concert - 7:00 p.m. in the Hosley Gym. RSVP to concert@footeschool.org.

Feb. 1-4 - Middle School Parent Advisor Conferences (by appt, via advisor)

Feb. 12-15 - Winter Flex Weekend - NO SCHOOL (Dependent on number of snow days)