March 10th Meeting Notes

Attendees: Ali Douglas, Tanya Jones, Kristin Miskavage, Anne Marie Vannucci, Jim Goldsmith, Ainaka Luna, Sonny Sammut, Zalfa Kasti, Cindy Fay, Cindi Stanley, Allegra Miller, Jeff O’Hara.

Unified Arts Presentation

World Language Overview:

• Power Point presentation will be made available on the PIE website
• World Language is offered equally (French and Spanish) from grades 1-5. In middle school, the students opt for one language.
• A placement test is given in 8^th grade to discern whether students could go to a 200 level class at CVU. This is done in all schools in the SU, but the assessment process is slightly different based upon school/instructors.
• Suggestion was made for language teachers to share with parents what their doing in the classroom.
• Talk about doing a world language summer enrichment camp…stay tuned for more details.
• Grades and assignments are posted on Jupiter grades for middle school students.

Physical Education:

• Work on motor skills (different ways of moving), fitness (cardiovascular health), social interactions (navigating teamwork, conflict resolution, etc), affective qualities (finding what you like to do and moving), and knowledge (how to apply skills to fit into the rules of games).
• Students have P.E. 40 minutes, twice weekly.
• Health Blog on HCS website (under Mrs. Stanley’s page) so you can see pictures and learn about what’s happening…check it out!
• http://msstanleype.blogspot.com/
• Please remind your students to wear sneakers on PE day!
• *n middle school, students need to wear t-shirts and sneakers, but do not need to change their clothes. (They can do this, but it is not mandatory)

Health:

• Here is a link for Health Class. Edmoto is used for tracking grades as well and you can track this from the link posted.
• http://www.hcsvt.org/domain/293

Music:

• Click here to see the PowerPoint presentation.
• There is no general music class for grades in 7^th and 8^th grade; however, they can choose chorus, band (beginner or advance), and jazz band.
• 5^th grade beginner band and chorus begins, with options expanding from here through 8^th grade.
• 48% of students are in band, 43% of students are participating in a choral program. (This is all up from last year!)

Art:

• Building on concepts while fostering creativity.
• Curriculum is based on the elements of art; this changes over the grade levels and is strongly integrated with material the students are learning in other subjects. i.e. drawing the solar system when they are learning about space.
• Talked about installations being put in around the school (the new mural in the entry way).
• Multiple grade levels are currently supporting a new flower installation for the outside and Katie O’Brien is supporting a Kindergarten collaborative project.
• There is so much out there (social media, Pinterest, etc), their mission is to make sure that projects are age appropriate and engages them.

The UA teachers agreed to explore how PiE might assist with an Artist-in-Resident program.

PIE Working Meeting

Kindergarten Registration

• Friends and Families is providing books for incoming kindergartners.
• Orientation is being done differently this year.  For the kindergartners entering in 2014, there will be different skill stations, screening, and play areas to help get to know the kids and help build class lists.
• While the children play, there will be a school tour, Allegra will talk, PIE will do a short presentation, and 8^th graders will present.
• Registration is March 26^th and 27^th.
• In addition, there will be a Kinder-Social in the summer to make connections (July 8^th and 9^th) and play on the playground and visit the library.

Pancake Breakfast/Basket Auction and PiE Sale:

There is a Sign Up Genius going around for volunteer help… please sign up!

Next Meeting is from 6:00-8:00 on April 7^th