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Welcome to Hinesburg Community School Parent/Family/Community Blog!!
We are very excited about this opportunity to connect with our families and community members through this blog.
We hope you will visit often to see our postings about meetings, upcoming events and opportunities to get involved.

Thank you!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

April 2 Meeting Notes

In attendance: Jeff O’Hara, Allegra Miller, Alesia Depot, Ali Douglas, Jen Roth, Kim Hopwood, Tanya Jones, Paul Marino, Susan Lepple, Anne Broussard, Kate Dodge, Kim Gordon, Kristen Miskavage, Stacey Riley, Carla Wuthrich
Grants
Science Discovery Kits for all 4th Graders: Request for $500 to purchase “kits” of consumable and durable science materials which will be used by 4th grade students to enhance our science inquiry discussions.  The kits will include materials such as owl pellets, circuit kits, and other items to allow students to conduct hands-on STEM-type experiments in building/engineering, testing, and exploring methods and outcomes. 
Summer Camp Scholarships: Request for $500 to help cover or supplement scholarships for summer camps for children from families with limited financial resources.
Dreambox: Request for $1,750 to purchase 60 licenses to Dreambox Learning, a web-based resource for mathematics that could be accessed from home.  The program adapts to each individual learner no matter where they fall on the mathematics learning spectrum.  Looking to “pilot” the use of the program in younger students, an emphasis on 1st and 2nd graders the first year.  No other schools in CSSU have it, not in budget, but if becomes needed school wide then would go in budget.   Teachers already trying it out with 60 day trial.  If can get training for free, would use unused $ for training. Tracks 60 behaviors simultaneously.
Microphones: Request for $500 to purchase a few good quality microphones of various styles for musical, theatrical and special performances.  Strategically can do more for sound system than just microphones, but microphones will go with any sound system.
Budget: $3,300, total of all requests =$3,250
Kate Dodge—motion to vote on all 4 grants
Alesia Depot—seconded
Voting – the motion passed.

Presentation
Jen Roth “Helping Your Student at Home” presentation link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19Hx_0NZl8jvcWYjeMMdLoftNaTbjkZZw5fj1j0D2o6I/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000&slide=id.p
Reading for 20 minutes = great results
Homework created for practice, not debate
New philosophy around learning, Angela Lee Duckworth, need to understand motivation and basis of success better—one characteristic emerged—grit (stamina, live life like marathon, not sprint).  Shocking the lack of knowledge how to build grit.  Growth mindset: believe ability to learn not fixed, can change with your effort.  Children believe that failure not the end.  Need to be willing to fail and start over with lessons learned.  “Need to be gritty with getting our kids grittier”. 
“fixed mindset” versus “growth mindset”
Teaching mindset self-talk.

Good reference books:
·   The Talent Code
· Habits of Mind by Across the Curriculum edited by Arthur L. Costa & Bena Kallick
· Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph. D.
Habits of Mind: Transdisciplinary—the connection from classroom to home to create culture to support children’s growth.  Habits of Mind integrates with best practices.
Not always easy at home, but always support the children.  
Seeds planted for growth mindset as early as Kindergarten. 
Garden Needs
Garden grit.  5 years ago quick meeting in library with 5 people idea of HCS garden and connection with children and curriculum.  During 5 years planted 21 raised beds.  Have gotten very far with garden: practical hands on learning—what keeps plant alive, etc.  Seen growth with integration with classroom.  Second grade incorporate math and sciences with garden.  Came out with science books to determine how to tell what edible and not.  Support of social and emotional wellbeing.  When kids out in garden are so happy.  Moving soil, playing games, doing investigations, engaging in natural world, making connections, ie. eating carrot where did come from?  Linking hard work and growth.  Opportunity to do walking field trips.  Enjoyment and education of new fruits/veggies. 
Garden needs help.   A lot of great things have happened, but a lot more still could happen.  Email to teachers as to what they want to do.  Some people interested in growing for more civic opportunities (ie: food shelf) and some for flowers, here, or for meals on wheels, etc. 
Fourth and second grade use. 
Needs:  biggest need seed plant day on Tuesday, April 14th.  Student planting in flex space, need volunteers to help out.  Happens all day long, busy time, classes at a half hour at a time, try food first and then planting.  Need extra hands throughout day!
Resources: facebook, front porch forum (customize for HCS parents)
Other big need is summer, great time as not rushed.  Have set up outdoor kitchen garden and made pesto and ate pesto, kids love it.
Grant at school set up to teach kids pay it forward, may be an option for meals for wheels, etc.
A lot that has been done, but still much to be done.  Program has been established but still need more work. 
Past Helpers: Susan and Drew Lepple, Kelli Brown, Dan Opton, Andrea Morgante, Heidi Simkins—THANK YOU!!
Need help with blueberry bushes, need professional weed mat placed over the grass and then mulch on top.
Gardening camp at Part II?  Gardening incorporated in general.
PiE budget includes money to garden.  Also a Lowe’s grant for the past two years.
2nd graders will have compost available.

Principal's Report
Middle school science fair already happened.  4th Grade Science Fair--Thursday, April 16 at 5:30-6:30 pm.
Dig it huge success.  Approx. 53 students participated.
Kindergarten orientation next week.  Approx. 50 students.
SBAC coming.  Fourth grade start next week with 7 & 8. 
HCS has hired two long term substitutes at HCS: Carah Deal will be teaching in Audrey Hubbell’s 1st grade classroom and Kristen Couillard (who has been a 5-8 para specialist at HCS) will be teaching in Paul Rocheleau’s room.
Sport teams.  Baseball with Charlotte because of numbers.  One softball player joined us from Charlotte. 
Jump Rope for Heart—most students ever. 
Art shows:  one at University Mall already happened, April 27 art reception at Carpenter-Carse, artwork on display through May 8.
Family Dance was a great success! 
Activity night for K-2 put on by 8th grade for money for Montreal trip.  Did one for 6th last week that was very good. 
8th grade sleep over if anyone wants to chaperone.
Placement process starting, K-4 get parent forms, hoping to get parent input.  June 8 notice of placement. June 11 is move-up day. 
April 14th decision when last day of school is.  One day wiggle room.  16th or 17th of June is the last day.

End of Year Opportunities
May 12-Duct Tape Parenting speaker as HCS
May 5 staff appreciation week—Nancy Wood, lead person, but would like another person to help out.
Four Winds next year, volunteers, discuss at Kindergarten registration.
Fundraising Update

Family Dance was a great event, over $4,500 raised and a lot of fun!!  HUGE thanks to all who organized and helped.

Future events:

*Flower Power sales: 4/1-4/15.  Shop online through May 1 through this link: http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/i/t/470578/XqQAE42Z5d15
*Lake Monster ticket sales: anticipated in May 
*Box Top Spring Raffle turn in date: Tues. May 26, raffle during announcements Fri. May 29
*Hike & Picnic: Sun. 5/31
*Lake Monsters Game: Sun. 6/28

We also discussed next year's events a bit and already have the Hinesburg Public House PiE night set up for Tues. 10/6.  







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