Welcome back to school
"It's the first day. Hooray! The waiting's done... school has
finally begun!" Nancy Podar's book, First Day, Hooray!, shares the
excitement and trepidation children experience as the new school
year approaches. These feelings are normal and experienced by most
of us in any new situation. If your child is experiencing some
anxiety over the new school year, consider reading and discussing
this story together. What children do not realize is that adults
experience the jitters too. Whether it's a new job, a deadline, or
embarking on a new activity, it's normal to experience some anxiety
at the onset.
Without a doubt, however, excitement is in the air, and all of
us at Killington Elementary School are delighted to begin the
2012-13 school year. Welcome, everyone!
Welcome to new faculty
Please join me in welcoming Teri Hogan to our school as our new
interim teacher in sixth grade and fifth grade mathematics through
the end of December, while Amy Simonds is out on maternity leave.
Mrs. Hogan comes to us after earning her degree in education
through Castleton State College and working the past two years as a
paraeducator at Clarendon Elementary School while at the same time
working as co-director for their after school program and coaching
Girls on the Run.
Mrs. Hogan is known by her colleagues as a highly qualified and
compassionate teacher and we welcome her to KES!
KES earns recognition as a fit and healthy
school
For the 2011-12 school year, Killington Elementary School earned
recognition as a "Vermont Fit and Healthy School Winner" by the
Vermont Department of Health.
KES earned this award because of many factors that contribute to
the health and wellness of our students, including: school health
policies, lunch offerings, time allotted for physical activity,
health education classes, physical education classes, the hiking
trail behind the school, Trailblazer Ski and Ride Program, and the
" Farm-to-School Project" in its initial stages.
We thank our school nurse, Jamie Sudol, and our staff wellness
coordinator, Sandy Farbman, for submitting information on behalf of
our school.
Farm-to-School Project success
Watch our garden grow! Corn, beans, tomatoes and more are
flourishing in the beds on Sugar Shack island. Our students loved
seeing these plants upon their return to school and many remarked
that they could not wait to eat them!
Many thanks to our Parent Group, to our families who signed-up
to care for the garden throughout the summer months, and especially
Eunice MacDonald Rice, for making the garden happen.
This week, KES students enjoyed delicious, ripe, red tomatoes
and an array of green, yellow, and purple beans.
Plan vacations with school calendars in mind
Please use school calendars to help you in planning family
vacations. While it may be tempting to pull your child out of
school for a family trip, it is not a good idea. Why? First, it
sends your child a message that his/her schooling is not your
priority. Second, when your child misses class work, even if he
receives make-up work, it is never the same as lessons delivered in
school. Students inevitably fall behind when they miss too many
hours of instructional time. They also miss out on being a
participating member of the school community.
Please plan family vacations during the school's scheduled
vacation weeks whenever possible. This will help your child
experience greater success in school and develop an attitude of
responsibility toward his education that will benefit him now and
in the future.
KES Parent Group news
The KES Parent Group meets monthly with Principal Loren Pepe in an
effort to support and enhance the educational programs and
environment for students at KES. The meetings are open to all and
interested parties are encouraged to attend. The next meeting is
Friday, Sept. 7 at 8:15 a.m. in the KES dining hall. An agenda will
be e-mailed along with minutes from the last meeting.
Some of the projects the parent group supports are: fundraising,
Farm-to-School, iPad Initiative, Sherburne Education Foundation,
Harvest Dinner, Spartan Race, Spring Fling Breakfast, Trailblazers,
Tools for Schools, Hannaford Helps Schools, and Smilin' Steve's
Give Back Program. The parent group facilitator is Susan Clarke,
susanc595@gmail.com.
