The Foote School 
E-News
September 22, 2016
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Parents Night & Fall Dinner Tonight


Parents Night & Fall Dinner Schedule
Thursday, September 22
5:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Grades K-5
5:30 - 6:15 p.m. - Meet with Specialists
(Presentations begin at 5:30, 5:45 and 6:00 p.m.)

6:15 - 7:00 p.m. - Classroom Presentations

7:00 - Dinner and presentation by Head of School Carol Maoz in the gym, homemade dessert buffet

Grades 6-9
5:30 - 5:45 p.m. - Meet with your child's advisor

5:45 - 7:30 p.m. - Class Visits

7:30 - Dinner and presentation by Head of School Carol Maoz in the gym, homemade dessert buffet


Helpful information:
  • Middle School Class Schedules: Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9 (Schedules for Middle School parents were sent home and are available at the front desk.)
  • Dinner menu, catered by L'Orcio and sponsored by the Foote PTC
AllSchoolNewsALL SCHOOL NEWS AND INFORMATION
Join Us to Discuss Whistling Vivaldi

 
Over the summer, the entire Foote faculty and staff read Whistling Vivaldi by social psychologist Claude Steele as professional development. The book "sheds new light on how pervasive stereotypes can actually influence behavior and performance and how these stereotypes, if left unexamined, perpetuate themselves." We are using the book this year in our ongoing efforts to achieve an inclusive, supportive, nurturing environment for children, families and teachers. (Read more about our efforts on our Curriculum Conversations blog).

In June, we invited parents to read the book along with us. We will host a book discussion on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 8:15 a.m. in the Sturley Room. All parents are welcome. Curriculum Coordinator Lauren Goldberg and school counselor Kossouth Bradford will facilitate the discussion.

Several copies of the book are available for checkout in the Perrine Library.

RSVPs are not required but would be helpful (email Silvia Gee at sgee@footeschool.org) We hope to see you on Oct. 6.

Sign Up for After School Minicourses
 
It's time to sign up for After School minicourses for the fall term. Courses being offered include Yoga, Model Kit Club, Chess (beginners and advanced), Cartooning, Multi Sportz and Fall Arts & Crafts.

Students may participate in a minicourse even if they are not enrolled in the After School Program.
Questions? Contact Dawn Walsh (dwalsh@footeschool.org) or Bill Manke (bmanke@footeschool.org) in the After School Program.

School Photo Day - Oct. 18

 
All Foote students will have their photos taken on campus on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Class photos will also be taken at this time.
  • Every child's photo will be taken for the yearbook.
  • If you would like copies of the photo, you may order a photo package. Please complete the order form inside your school directory (you'll get them at Parents Night). A copy of the order form is also available here.
  • Please enclose the exact amount for the photo package you are ordering, in the form of cash or check made out to "David Frost Photography." If ordering for more than one child, please fill out one order form for each child and pay separately.
  • There is a pocket on the PTC bulletin board in the Main Building for completed order forms, or you may deliver your form to your child's teacher. Please return them by Oct 4.
Questions? Contact Photo Day coordinator Sandra Curran
at shelena2002@yahoo.com or 203-907-6045.

Important Information About Grandparents Day

 
Grandparents Day is Friday, Oct. 7. Invitations have been mailed to Foote grandparents and special friends, who are invited from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to visit grandchildren's classes, participate in a minicourse or school tour, and enjoy an all-school assembly.

Invitations
If your child plans to bring a special friend in place of a grandparent, let us know so that we can send an invitation. Please email the special friend's name and mailing address to Amy Sudmyer in the Development Office, at asudmyer@footeschool.org.

Grandparents or special friends can also register from our homepage or by clicking here.

Please Volunteer
Grandparents Day volunteers are still needed! If you can donate a few hours of your time - either on Thursday, Oct. 6 from 12:00-3:00 p.m., or Friday, Oct. 7  from 8:30-12:30 p.m. - please contact Amy Sudmyer at asudmyer@footeschool.org.

LSNewsLOWER SCHOOL NEWS
Grade 5 Parent Meeting - Sept. 29

 
Grade 5 Parent Meeting

Thursday, Sept. 29  
8:15 a.m. 
Sandine Theater

To discuss important details of the Deer Lake trip (Oct. 19-21). It is important that at least one parent from each family attend. RSVP to Erika Villa at evilla@footeschool.org.

 
 MSNewsMIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Grade 8 Parent Meeting - Oct. 5


Grade 8 Parent Meeting

Wednesday, Oct. 5 
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. 
Sandine Theater

To discuss the unique benefits and opportunities of The Foote School's ninth-grade program and provide an overview of the secondary school placement process. We will be joined by recent graduates and their parents, who will share their perspectives on the ninth grade experience at Foote.

Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to Erika Villa at evilla@footeschool.org.


PTCNewsPTC NEWS
Earn Rewards for Foote at Stop & Shop

 
Please help Foote earn cash rewards every time you buy groceries at Stop & Shop. Simply register your frequent-shopper card to earn points for Foote through Stop & Shop's A+ School Rewards program. Signing up is easy and costs nothing; it won't affect Gas Points; your purchases cannot be seen by Foote.
To register, start by clicking here. Under "Already know your school's ID?" enter 08832 in "School 1." If you registered within the past few years, you do not have to re-register. Last year, Foote earned more than $3,000 through this program--money that will be used this year for field trips or summer reading books. Thank you in advance for your participation.

 
There is another no-cost way to support Foote!  Use "Cash for Causes" Stop & Shop gift cards, purchased through the PTC, for all your Stop & Shop grocery or gas purchases. For every $100 gift card you buy, you get $100 worth of groceries, and Foote earns $5. Gift cards are available at the front desk or by contacting the PTC's Stop & Shop coordinator, Vicki Murphy, at vgmurphy1848@gmail.com.

 
Show Your Appreciation for Foote Faculty


Dear Parents,

We would like to extend an invitation to parents interested in showing their appreciation for the faculty over the course of the school year by bringing breakfast refreshments for Friday morning faculty meetings. About once a month, we bring food and drink to say thank you for the amazing work the teachers do with our children. The food can be dropped off the afternoon before or by 7:30 on Friday morning. If you are interested, please contact us (cbrown.koff@yahoo.com, preethiav@gmail.com) or sign up on our Google form by clicking here. Our first breakfast is Friday, September 30. We hope many of you will sign up and help make this a success.

Thank you,

Camille Koff & Preethi Joseph 
 
Volunteer with the PTC

 
Each year, members of the Foote community are asked to select the PTC committees that they would like to join for the upcoming year. Participation levels and time commitments vary. Volunteers are always needed and appreciated. Please review the committee descriptions and select any you would like to join. We will contact you as the events you have selected approach. Thank you!

Amy Sudmyer & Melissa Castleman
PTC Co-Presidents
 
DayInLifeA DAY IN THE LIFE OF FOOTE
Pausing for Mindfulness in Kindergarten


Kindergarten students at Foote participate in full and stimulating days: reading, music, math, drama, art, physical education and outdoor play. Pausing for short yoga and breathing exercises helps the children center themselves as they transition to the next activity. Kindergarten teacher Alexandra Wittner has been incorporating short, child-friendly yoga sessions since attending a professional development conference on yoga and mindfulness last year. "Having them practice breathing and being aware of their bodies and their space makes them more centered and ready to learn," she says. And it's obvious the children love it!


Three Ways to Explore a Summer Reading Book

For their summer reading book, fifth graders read Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald, a story about two girls who try to solve a mystery. Each fifth grade class has explored themes from the book in different, interdisciplinary ways.

Jake Burt's class held an "Under the Egg Salon," sipping rose petal tea as they discussed questions presented by the book.



Adam Solomon's class used a passage from the book (about finding beauty in unexpected places) for a project that incorporated their study of ecology. Students took photos of nature in unexpected places around campus, then wrote paragraphs in the voice of those plants.




Jim Adams' students produced Under the Egg movie trailers and used VoiceThread to narrate them.
 

Fall Family Fun Day


Despite a few drops of rain, Fall Family Fun Day was a wonderful gathering of the Foote community. Families enjoyed a cookout courtesy of 116 Crown, whose owners are Foote parents, while children played in a bounce house, on the playground and engaged in Lego building, arts and crafts. While PTC volunteers sold Foote apparel and gear, parents made new friends and connected with old ones. Special thanks to the PTC and Fall Family Fun Day co-chairs Danielle Ginnetti and Laurie Sweet for organizing the event. Find more photos on our Facebook page.






Looking Back: The Foote Archives blog




Foote's centennial year may be past, but we're still discovering great old photos in the Anna Huntington Deming '35 Archives. Check out the  Archives Blog for a look back at 100 years of gladly learning and teaching at Foote.

From the Faculty Blogs
Margy Lamere's first graders graphed the towns they live in by decorating and posting little paper houses.

Third graders in Melissa McCormack's class read a book about inventors, then were given simple materials to create their own inventions with partners (pictured).

School counselor Kossouth Bradford posted a podcast about the value of self compassion in relation to one's sense of well being.

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

Sept. 27 - Oct. 1 - 9th Grade hosts Yali delegation

Oct. 3 - Rosh Hashanah - NO SCHOOL - Vacation Program available

Oct. 7 - Grandparents Day - 12:30 All-School Dismissal - After School Program available

Oct. 10 - Fall Weekend - NO SCHOOL - No Vacation Program