The Foote School 
E-News
February 11, 2016
In This Issue
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A Message from the Head of School


Dear Parents,

I am very sad to report that longtime Foote maintenance staff member Clyde Bennett died on February 8 after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He passed away surrounded by his family.

Clyde was a beloved and hard-working member of the Foote School staff for 25 years. His kindness and warm smile always brightened the days of students, teachers, parents and everyone else who met him. We will all miss Clyde and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family.

Clyde's memorial service will take place in North Carolina. His family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Smilow Cancer Hospital in Clyde's name.

Sincerely,
CarolM signature
Carol Maoz
Head of School     
Clyde Bennett
AllSchoolNewsALL SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION
Vacation Program Available Feb. 12 & 15


As a reminder, Vacation Program will be available on Feb. 12 & 15 during Winter Flex Weekend. Click here to download the enrollment form. All grades will be located in L1 and L2 (Cara Hames' and Grace Peard's rooms)

Questions? Contact Bill Manke at [email protected].

Book Swap & Book Drive


Two book-related events have teamed up to spread the joy of reading!

The Book Swap is Foote's decades-old book exchange event. Students bring in books they have outgrown, exchange them for chits, and then use the chits to 'buy' different books to take home.

The Book Drive for Horizons is the community service club's project to help Foote's summer program for low-income New Haven public school students by building its library.

Here is how you and your children can contribute to one or both of these events:

1. Sort through your children's bookshelves and set aside the books they've outgrown.

2. If your children want to exchange their books for different ones, bring the books directly to the Book Swap (February 29 - March 4 in the Sturley room). Hardcover books are worth two chits, and paperbacks and board books are worth one chit. Then use the chits to 'buy' different books.

3. If  you want to donate directly to Horizons, you can place them in the Horizons collections boxes in classrooms or at the front desk. There will also be a collection box for Horizons at the Swap itself, in which you may donate some of your books or chits.
 
Parent volunteers are needed in the Sturley Room from February 29 to March 4 to make the Book Swap a success. Click here to sign up.

Donate to the Foote Fund, and Have Your Gift Matched


Despite the school being closed for snow on Monday, we had a very fruitful Foote Fund calling night. Another BIG thank you to those families who have already contributed, and to our Foote Fund Class Captains who have been reaching out to you. We really hope to achieve our goal of 100% parent participation by the 100th day of school, next Tuesday, Feb. 16
   
There is still time to make your gift online by clicking here, or email Amy Caplan in the Development Office regarding your donation.

Remember that any NEW or INCREASED gifts will be matched as part of our $100,000 Centennial Challenge - but only until Feb. 16.

Here are the latest Foote Fund parent participation percentages:

Grade                        TODAY        as of last Thurs.
9th Grade                   83%              70%              
 
8th Grade                   81%              61%
 
7th Grade                   70%              63%  
 
6th Grade                   74%              67%
 
5th Grade                   71%              61%
 
4rd Grade                   71%              66%
 
3rd Grade                   80%              72%
 
2nd Grade                  76%              70%
 
1st Grade                    69%              66%        
 
Kindergarten              79%              76%
 
TOTAL                      73%              67%  
Mark Your Calendars: Spring Assembly March 11


The Spring Assembly will take place on Friday, March 11, at 11:00 a.m. in the Hosley Gym. We want to remind parents that musical performances are an important part of the music curriculum and support our school community.

Here are the grades performing:

Kindergarten
Grade 2
Grade 4
Grade 5
8Z Handbell Ensemble
8Z Steel Band
Jazz Rock Band
Chorus
Orchestra

   MSNewsMIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Middle School Community Leadership Workshop for Grades 7-9


The F-Stand (Foote Students Together Against Negativity and Discrimination) Club will be sponsoring a Community Leadership Workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 2:15 - 4:00 p.m. This workshop will include different activities having to do with being inclusive, being an ally and building a respectful community. 

It is presented by the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL works against prejudice and hate of any kind.


If students are interested in developing leadership skills and helping our Middle School to be a welcoming and supportive environment for all students, this would be a great workshop to attend. There will be sign-up sheets in Ms. Hansen's and Ms. Williams' rooms.
 
Meeting on 8th Grade Washington Trip - Feb. 29


Washington, D.C. Trip
Informational Meeting for 8th Grade Parents & Students
Monday, February 29
5:30 - 6:30 p.m., Twichell Room

This meeting is for parents and eighth graders participating in the class trip to Washington, D.C. We will review the itinerary, discuss what to pack, discuss the school's policies and rules for overnight trips, and answer any questions you might have.

We need all students to register through our tour hosting company, Grand Classroom. If you haven't already, please take a moment to register by clicking here.

 
6th Grade Math Night - Feb. 17


RSVP to Erika Villa at [email protected], or 203-777-3464 x208.
   LSNewsLOWER SCHOOL NEWS
Grade 4 Parent Meeting - Feb. 23


Grade 4 Parent Meeting 
Tuesday, February 23 
8:15 a.m. - Twichell Room

Join Head of Lower School Beth Mello for a discussion on two aspects of the fourth grade experience: study skills and learning about puberty.

RSVP to Erika Villa at [email protected], or 203-777-3464 x208.
 
DayInLifeA DAY IN THE LIFE OF FOOTE
Celebrating Chinese New Year - and Foote's Centennial



To celebrate the Chinese New Year - and Foote's centennial - fifth graders in Wenyan Witkowsky's Chinese class made 100 red paper lanterns. Traditionally hung for the annual Lantern Festival during Chinese New Year, the student-made lanterns now hang in the main hallway, adding a celebratory feel to the school.















In another Chinese New Year celebration, teacher Lely Evans taught her students how to make traditional Chinese dumplings. Gathered around a table in the Twichell Room, Lely demonstrated how to spoon the filling into wrappers and carefully pinch them closed. And then students made and enjoyed eating their own dumplings.
 
 







Congrats to Our Poetry Recitation Winners!



The poetry recitation contest in the modern and classical language classes is a longstanding Foote School tradition. Beginning in seventh grade, students from each language class memorize and recite a poem in that language: French, Spanish and Latin. This is the first year we welcomed students of Chinese to the contest!

Students are evaluated in three categories: memorization, pronunciation and interpretation. The winning students will go on to compete at the CT Council of Language Teachers' state competition in April. All the students did an incredible job!

Grade 7 winners:
Chinese: Mia Sloan
Latin: Nick Perkins
French: Sylvie Moran
Spanish: Grace O'Keefe
Heritage Spanish: Paula Santoro
 
Grade 8 winners:
Latin: Jake Nadzam
French: Fenn Suter
Spanish: Serena Levin

Grade 9 winners:
Latin: Sam Curtis
French: Omid Azodi
Spanish: Elena Miko

From the Faculty Blogs
When does wood sink? Alexandra Wittner's Kindergartners experimented with paper clips to find out. (pictured)

Mindfulness...turns out there's an app for that, and Grace Peard's first graders used it for a guided meditation.

Third and fifth grade buddies enjoyed some Valentine candy hearts together - but only after using them for a tower-building challenge, Amanda Diffley blogs.

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

Feb. 12-15 - Winter Flex Weekend - NO SCHOOL - Vacation Program Available

Feb. 29 - March 4 - Book Swap

March 1 - 4 - Ninth grade play: Hobson's Choice

March 11 - Spring Assembly, 11:00 a.m. in the Hosley Gym

March 11 - 27 - Spring Vacation