January 30, 2024

 Good Afternoon,

I have to apologize for the gap between this post and my last. Between report cards, sickness, and basketball each weekend has been filled with something during the month of January. Tomorrow will mark our third trip up to the mountain (for our winter sports program). I have to say that the kids have been incredible with helping each other get ready and with their behavior up at the mountain. We definitely have some expert ski boot bucklers and our whole group can pack up all the stuff they don't need and bring it to the library, eat lunch, get dressed for the mountain, and be ready to go in less than 45 minutes. PURE AWESOMENESS or in the words of Ms. Korb, "spectacular." 

Over the last three weeks we have started our work on persuasive writing. This year I have taken a new approach to teaching the unit. Some of this was out of me being bored and some had to do with finding a way to make super engaging for the students. I am doing most of the teaching through the use of picture books. To date the kids have written about their favorite kind of pizza, a plea for a redesigned bedroom (to you, from them), and deciding whether or not a tiny little ant should be squished or not. I will be sharing their writing pieces during the spring conferences. Make sure to ask your child about their opinions with these tasks. 

Valentines: It's hard to believe but it will be here in a short amount of time. We will hand out valentines but not be having a party on this day. It is most likely going to be a winter sports program day so it will happen in the morning. All I ask is that if a kid is giving out a valentine, they do it for every student in the class. Here is a class roster:

Ava, Zip, Hazel, Olive, Rowen, Nora, Amelie, Landen, Edie, Ashton, Wiley, Finn, Annabelle, Warren, Miles, Jacob, Patrick, Keagan.

We continue to talk about acts of kindness and giving a valentine is truly a small act that can make a kid feel like a champion.

In science, we have been looking at science investigations and conducting lab reports that have us making a hypothesis, conducting an experiment, collecting data, writing observations and then drawing conclusions. Last week the kids were testing what cookies floated or sank in liquid. This Thursday we will be doing an experiment with coffee filters, vinegar and markers 

That is all for now.  I hope you all have a great week.

Peace,

Tommy

January 7, 2023

Happy New Year to all of you. I hope each of you had a restful break and had a chance to enjoy the time with family and friends. It was great to get back into the swing of things and finish up with the assessments that I couldn't finish before break. All of the assessments that I have done allow me to look at the deeper growth that has happened since the fall, allows me to accurately fill in report card information, and allows me to effectively plan for my differentiated instruction that happens on a daily basis.  

This week marks the start of our winter sports program at the Waitsfield School. The plan is the students will all go boarding or skiing on Wednesday. There are a few things that I need you all to be aware of:

1. Your child's skis and snow boards should not be brought into the school on Wednesday. Instead, please make sure they are labeled and placed against the exterior brick wall by the flag pole (outside wall of gym).  

2.  Please make sure that everything your child has is labeled with their name. There is a lot of clothing and gear and my goal is to make sure you don;t have to search around school for these each week.

3.  When kids arrive at school on Wednesday, the kids should bring their gear, in a bag, and leave it in the hallway outside our classroom. I will help them with this. It is great if their bag is labeled too. 

4.  All of their belongings, not needed for the program, will be left in a spot in the library. There will be a sign with our class' name on it. No bags will be brought to the mountain.  

5. Our academic day is shortened and we will eat lunch at 11:00. There will be no writing block or volunteering on the Wednesday's we have the winter program.  

I will not send home the homework bags on the days we have the sports' program either.

That is all for now.  I hope you all have a great week.

Peace,

Mr. Young