Unified Arts
Presented by Bob Goudreau
·
A copy of the Vermont School Quality Standards
was shared with the group; focusing on the Unified Arts class. Unified Arts
(UA) includes, foreign language, art, music, library, physical education,
media/technology, family consumer science, and health education.
·
Currently HCS has the following framework for UA
subjects:
o Physical
education is offered in 2 forty-minute blocks (K-8).
o Art
Class is offered for one forty-minute art block per week for all students.
(K-8)
o Foreign
Language:
§
Grades K-2, students have one forty minute block
per week.
§
Grades 3-4, students have two forty-minute
blocks per week.
§
Grades 5-6, students have three forty-minute
blocks per week.
§
Grades 7-8, students have four forty-minute
blocks per week.
§
Primary grades K-5 get half a year of French and
half a year of Spanish. This includes cultural education as well as
language/vocabulary.
§
Grades 6-8 students elect which language they
want to take; French or Spanish. When students go to CVU, they will enter
directly into French 2 or Spanish 2.
o Family
Consumer Science (formerly Home Economics) is primarily for middle school
students and offered in 12-week sessions.
o Health
Education is also primarily offered to middle school students.
o Technology
Education is computer based.
o Music
Class is offered twice a week in forty-minute blocks per week for all
students K-6. In grades 7-8, there is not enough time in the school day to have
a compulsory music class, but students often continue in chorus and band within
the music program.
§
Classroom music program is teaching kids about
various types of music, music notation, keyboarding.
§
Choral music and band programs are also offered,
but are voluntary. These programs begin in the fifth grade.
§
Lesson times are alternated week to week to
minimize the amount of time a student might miss from any one class to
participate in band/chorus.
§
There is discussion happening about extending
the school day to accommodate these programs.
o There
is some talk about having a separate unified arts open house or community night
for students to share what they’re working on with their parents and
families. The group met this idea
with positive feedback!
o In
the past there was an enrichment teacher. In the past 4 years, HCS has not had
a teacher filling this position.
§
Parent volunteers have risen to the occasion
with curriculum such as Four Winds to fill some of the void left by the
dissolving of this teacher position.
§
Bob suggested that if PIE is interested in
helping take on some of this work with staff to create bridges and be on the
same page regarding needs, wishes, and priorities.
PIE Committee Updates:
·
K-2 (Primary Grades):
o Kindergarten
is easing back into school from the February break.
o First
graders were writing about “What would you do if you were President?” and doing
video presentations with their results.
o Before
break it was the 100th day of school. Each class did projects and
celebrated.
o The
kids are getting excited about composting. Before break, there was 60 pounds of
landfill waste per day. Yesterday there was only 19.
·
Grades 3-5 (Intermediate Grades):
o Third
grade is studying explorers, magnets, and electricity.
o The
third grade has a volunteer who is a retired math teacher from CVU. The
students enjoy his enthusiasm and support.
o Before
the vacation, all the students in third grade chose a president and made a
power point presentation about them. They are learning how to do research and
how to use Power Point. They have had fun sharing them with classmates.
·
Middle School:
o Before
the break, the science fair was held. It was a successful night.
o Paul
Lasher’s class has made contact will a local author Chris ____. As part of
this, students were able to Skype with the host of the show Survivor (who
supported the book the author wrote).
·
Fundraising Committee:
o This
weekend (March 9th) is the PIE Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser. Thanks
to the many volunteers who are already helping this event happen from behind
the scenes. Details here: http://hcspiefundraising.blogspot.com/
o There
are 34 baskets and 3 Burton jackets to support the fundraising efforts at the
breakfast.
o Box
Tops last round made a new record. 5,800 tops were collected! So far this year
$1200 has been raised for HCS…well done!
·
Wellness Committee:
o HCS
is part of the Nutrition Education Institute (we’re one of ten schools who
received training and continued support for improving nutrition and food
services). As part of this, we received a mentor and many improvements have
been made.
o Composting
started this week. Parent volunteers are helping children in sorting their
waste into the appropriate bins. (E-mail Kelli Brown if you’re interested in
helping out).
§
Currently, waste compost scraps are going to a
local chicken farmer. This spring, there will be composters and food scraps
will help support the garden.
o Area
schools have been identified to look at their models and to see how parts of
their systems might work within HCS.
o The
school’s Wellness Policy is being re-worked and improved to help guide and
support future goals and work. The policy draft will be reviewed by the nurse,
administration of the SU, made available for public comment, and then approved
by school board. Ideally, this would then be reviewed or incorporated into a
more global policy by the SU.
o HCS
won the Fuel Up to Play 60 grant! This grant gave $1000 that will be split
between nutrition (healthy snacks for all) and the physical education program
(materials to support classes).
o Applying
for the Healthy US Kids Challenge at the bronze level. If this is awarded to
us, HCS will get further money and nutritional support. Increased education to
staff about this from the Wellness Committee was requested. Kelli will follow
up on this for the next school staff meeting.
·
Staff Appreciation:
o In
May, teacher appreciation day will be celebrated the entire week. Each day the HCS community will honor a
different segment of the staff. Stay tuned for more details and requests for
help in making this event a success in the near future!
Upcoming Events:
·
PANCAKE BREAKFAST - Saturday, March 9 from 8:00-11:00am
·
March 11th at 7 pm will be the school
budget meeting. Please come, join in the conversation and be part of the
process. Reminders will go out to
parents in the Viking and as an Alert Now.
PIE Meetings to be held on
the first Monday of the month at 6 pm (Next meeting April 1st)
