News from the Barstow Memorial School: Parent Teacher conferences will take place on March 17 and 18. Studies have shown that children whose parents are involved in their education do better in school. Parent Teacher conferences are one way to get involved. Every time you attend a parent teacher conference, you learn more about your child and strengthen the bond with your child’s school. Getting to know the teacher and hearing his or her views of your child’s progress actually helps your child succeed. Remember that schools and teachers welcome parent involvement year around, so feel free to call and schedule a phone or in person conference any time you think there is a need.

Middle School will have student led conferences this spring. We believe that student involvement in conferences makes learning active, provides opportunities for students to self reflect and evaluate their performance, and encourages students to accept responsibility for their learning. Students will be putting together a portfolio of sample work and sharing their progress in each class with their parents and teacher advisor during a thirty minute block of time. For parents wishing to meet with a specific teacher, a drop in time will be available during the half hour following their scheduled conference time.

To schedule a time to register your child for 2010 Kindergarten please call the school office at 773-6926 ext. 10 by March 23. Children must be five on or before September 1, 2010. Kindergarten registration will take place on Monday, March 29. The registration process includes a review of your child’s health history, immunization records, and an opportunity to speak with the kindergarten teacher and the speech/language pathologist. Your child is invited to attend registration for an opportunity to meet the kindergarten teacher, other incoming kindergarteners, and to see the classroom. Please bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate and immunization records to the registration.

Regarding the NECAP fall 2009 results for grades 3 through 8, they are very pleased to report that Barstow students continue to exceed State standards on the NECAP assessments. Copies of individual results were mailed out to parents last week.  Reading:83% proficient or proficient with distinction. State average was 72%. Math: 80% proficient or proficient with distinction. The State of Vermont average was 77%.

The Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union is conducting a child find to locate all children birth to age five years, for the purpose of having accurate information to plan for future enrollments. If you know of a child age birth to five years, please contact the Early Childhood Program at 483-2062.

Thanks to all our basketball coaches and helpers for their time and support of our students and programs: James Ashby, Jerry Jurado, George Schaffer, Ken Sanders, Ken Ell, Shelly McGinnis, and timekeeper Kelly Flanders. Thanks also to the refs Tom Cook, and Christian Stevens for their commitment to sports. Thanks to the Bouchard Family for donating clothing to the Health Office.

Important dates to remember: March 17 and 18, Parent Teacher conferences; March 19, no school District In-service Day; April 1, Taiko performance at 6:30pm.  

On Tuesday, March 23 at 7pm the Maclure Library will host Vermont author Vince Feeney to discuss the Irish Wave in the Green Mountains. Beginning in the late 1840s and lasting through the 1860s, thousands of Irish immigrants settled in Vermont. They arrived just as Vermont was undergoing a mini industrial revolution, based on railroad construction, the quarrying of slate and marble, and on textile production. Vince Feeney, author of Finnigans, Slaters and Stonepeggers:The History of the Irish in Vermont, tells the little known story of the impact Irish immigrants had on Vermont life in the mid 19th century. This program is sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council through its Speakers Bureau program. The Vermont Humanities Council is dedicated to creating a state in which every individual reads, participates in public affairs, and continues to learn throughout life. The Maclure Library is located at 840 Arch Street, Pittsford and is ADA accessible. This program is free and open to the public.