Archive for 'Notes From Francie'
Note from Francie 12/16/11
I’m still basking in the warm glow of the Winter Concert. Congratulations to the students and thanks to Charlene for her dedication and hard work in pulling it all together. Such an extraordinary variety of music, dance, and drama! Students learn a tremendous amount about teamwork and collaboration as they practice for the Sword Dance (and the Tinikling Sticks and Morris Dance). Many of the songs have lyrics that send a great message for this (and any!) time of year. And the queens in the Primary play taught us all a lesson about giving and receiving. It’s such a challenge to be a parent at this time when children are inundated with media messages about all the stuff they should want. If you’re trying to promote values of caring and simplicity at home, maybe the songs at the concert can help.
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Posted: December 16th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 12/9/11
Within the past weeks several students have taken it upon themselves to improve our social climate. In one instance a group of students in Erica’s class organized games on the Primary playground and encouraged younger students to join in. These olders had noticed that several students were sometimes at loose ends and Judy confirmed this as it often came up when they previewed recess. The games have been enjoyed by all and the teachers will be encouraging more of this.
Posted: December 11th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 12/2/11
The first Friday of the month snuck up on me with the Thanksgiving holiday! Let’s plan on the parent coffee next Friday and I’ll also focus that note on an aspect of School Social Climate.
Posted: December 2nd, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 11/18/11
There are lots of reasons for you to drop by school and, right now, the front hall is a very good one. Sometimes the hall bulletin boards are just a holding space – they welcome us back to school or remind us of community events. Right now, they tell you a lot about our students and what they’re up to.
Posted: November 18th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 11/11/11
This morning at Sing Rachel gave us an overview of Veteran’s Day, its origins and how it’s changed over the years. Did you know that it started at the end of World War I as a celebration of peace breaking out? We sang “The Strangest Dream”, a song that describes the excitement people must have felt on Armistice Day.
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Posted: November 11th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 11/4/2011
I’ve had several conversations this week that highlight the importance of our belief in educating the “whole child”. And this fits right in with my monthly social climate note. We integrate our beliefs about social climate into every aspect of the curriculum. When we think about learning we are thinking about social and emotional learning as well as academic and intellectual.
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Posted: November 4th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 10/28/11
Snow before Halloween! What does it mean for this winter? One thing it means is outdoor fun at Marlboro School. Dig out those boots, mittens, hats, and snowsuits so that your child can be part of the fun.
Congratulations to Rose! Marlboro Ventures’ first week of activities was great. There are still some openings in several of the activities so send in a note if you would like your child to participate.
Posted: October 28th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 10/14
Junior High Cider Sale, Fall Fiesta, bus driver appreciation at Sing, and conferences for K-4 next Thursday – as always, there’s lots going on!
The Junior High had a very successful weekend of fundraising. This is a labor intensive project from picking the apples to pressing the cider. Students and parents worked hard and added over $3500 to the Costa Rica trip account.
Posted: October 14th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 10/7/11
On the first Friday of each month my note will be dedicated to some aspect of School Social Climate. One of the most powerful factors in creating a caring school community (and promoting each child’s learning) is by knowing each other well. At Marlboro School we build that in with lots of multi-age activities ranging from weekly Sing and daily all school recess to special events. This past week Jen, Judy, and Erica’s classes went to Hogback and hiked up Mt. Olga. Olders were buddied up with youngers and encouraged each other on the steep climb. Later in the week, I overheard one of Erica’s students check in with one of Jen’s students, “You’re Isibeal, aren’t you?”
Posted: October 7th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 9/30/11
What a lively P&F meeting! Although we were a small group, our energy and numbers expanded as Kelly Salasin created a Facebook Marlboro Elementary P&F Group right there while we were meeting. Making it to evening meetings is a challenge and we’re exploring other ways to meet in person and, maybe, virtually. Next Friday I will host a First Friday Tea after All School Sing. Please join me. We can continue the discussion of possible events and fundraising for P&F to promote. And, of course, talk about other topics of interest to you.
Posted: September 30th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 9/23/11
All School Sing is my favorite part of each week. Singing, whether singing myself or listening to others, lifts my spirits. This year, with Ellen away, Erica joins Tim in leading All School Sing and they have decided to include as many musicians as possible. Today Judy joined in with her guitar. Charlene played piano and led the Contra Dance Band (Izzy, Sequoyah, Mason, and Aidan) in some fiddle tunes. Last Friday Junior High student Calvin added his guitar to the mix. There are many kinds of intelligence. Music is one and Marlboro School has a delightful abundance.
Posted: September 23rd, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie – 9/16/11
A week before school was supposed to start I received an e-mail from a reporter for Vermont Public Radio. She was working on a story about how schools were responding to the 10th anniversary of 9/11. What did we plan to teach the children about the attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon? How would we help students make sense of this defining moment in recent history?
Posted: September 16th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 9/9/11
We are off and running. I do believe we fit at least seven days worth of activity into these first four days of school – almost making up for the three days missed last week. We are all glad to be back!
Posted: September 9th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 6/16/11
Although it’s almost a week ago, I’m still smiling when I think of Erica’s class musical, Alice in Wonderland on Trial! Each child shone and, as a class, they supported each other magnificently. Many thanks to Charlene, who gave untold extra hours to this performance, to Terence Purtell, who volunteered his time to come from NYC to play the keyboard, to Paula Lavender, who made the costumes, to Erica, who pulled it all together, and to all you wonderful parents, who supported your children in so many ways.
Posted: June 16th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 6/10/11
A belated THANK YOU to families who helped on our first annual Spring Spruce Up. We weeded the flower garden, moved dirt and wood chips, trimmed bushes, rototilled a new area for the garden, and mounted the weathervane on the roof of the ramp. Tim Burns does a great job tending our outdoor spaces and your efforts support his.
Posted: June 13th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 6/3/11
Well, we were almost blown away on Hogback Day but at least we weren’t pelted by hail – and the wind made kite flying very exciting. Students participated in activities of their choice in the morning and then divided into multi-age groups to pursue a Quest, hike to the fire tower, walk the labyrinth that had been created in the morning, play nature games, and eat lunch. Thanks to older students for helping the youngers have fun and stay safe. This is our third annual Hogback Day and we feel as if we are really getting to know the area. One of our goals in this activity is for students to grow up to be stewards of the natural environment and Hogback, in particular. During the year almost every class has gone to Hogback and used its resources, from vernal pools to cellar holes, to enhance student learning.
Posted: June 3rd, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 5/27/11
What a great turnout for the Spring Concert and Art Show. Thanks for bringing family and friends to enjoy the strings, band, and guitar music and take in the wide variety of artwork created by your children. Please join me in thanking Linda, David T., Michael, and Charlene! In these times of budget cuts and focus on assessments we are lucky to have such a strong art and music program. Your children’s artwork and their musical performances are powerful demonstrations of their learning. That’s real assessment!
Posted: May 27th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.
Note from Francie 5/6/11
It was good to see so many of you at the Learning Fair! I particularly appreciated the level of engagement as you asked students about their work, listened to their answers, and tried out some of the activities they’d prepared for you. Your interest in their learning is the best support we can ask for.
Posted: May 6th, 2011 under Notes From Francie.