OCTOBER 3, 2014
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Monday, October 6
School Committee Meeting – 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 7
School Picture Day
Wednesday, October 8
Open House – 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 9th
PTO Meeting – 5:30 p.m.
Monday, October 13
Columbus Day – NO SCHOOL
Friday, October 17
All-School Assembly – 2:15 p.m.
Saturday, October 18
Harvest Festival
Friday October 24
Curriculum Day – NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, October 28-Friday, October 31
Scholastic Book Fair
Wednesday and Thursday, October 29 and 30
Parent/Teacher Conferences -1:05 Dismissal
Friday, October 31
Book Character Day
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IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE
Learning Outside the Schoolhouse
With school in full swing, classes are beginning to go on field trips. These trips provide children with experiences that enhance the learning that goes on every day in the classroom. Sometimes, the learning doesn’t seem that obvious, but think about what our preschoolers and kindergartners learned as part of their apple-picking expedition yesterday. In addition to counting the apples that they had picked, they sliced open the apples to find the seeds, identified the different parts of an apple, and sketched apples. In between the learning, they were also developing their motor skills (bending, running, picking up apples) and their social interactions.
Older grades have recently spent a day at Morse Hill, where they did a variety of activities that are an extension of the adventure program here at the school. I heard fifth students talk excitedly of building rafts and flying through the air (attached to a rope!) during their excursion last week.
Over the next several months, other students will engage in such diverse trips as attending theatre programs, visiting an aquarium and climbing Brushy Mountain. LES students are fortunate to have such wonderful opportunities to expand their horizons.
These opportunities cost money, however, and we have had several serious conversations recently about how we are going to be able to fund these trips. PTO has always been very generous, but recent fundraising has not been successful in accumulating the amounts that are needed to fund trips at their current levels.
What does this mean to LES parents?
The transportation costs for these trips is quite expensive. You may be asked to pay more for your child’s field trip. Previously, children were usually only requested to pay the admission fee, but we may need to ask families to share in the transportation costs. Please know that no child will ever be excluded from a field trip because of financial need.
How can you help?
If you know of a person or business that would like to contribute to the Field Trip fund, please let PTO know! A contribution of $250 will allow a class to attend an event in Amherst. A contribution of $150 will cover the travel costs for a class to spend the day at Morse Hill. Buses to a venue as far away as Mystic Seaport can cost about $1000. If you have ideas about how we can continue to ensure these wonderful opportunities to our students, please let me know.
-Margot Lacey
SPOTLIGHT ON . . .
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
The next meeting of the School Committee will be on Monday, October 6th, at 6:00 p.m. The agenda for the meeting is attached to this Post. All interested members of the community are welcome to attend.
TERRA NOVA TESTING
Next week, Grade 3 will take Terra Nova tests.
SCHOOL PICTURE DAY!
Our school picture day is next Tuesday, October 7th. An order form was attached to last week’s Post. You may use the paper form, or order and pay on-line if you prefer. To do that, go to mylifetouch.com and enter Picture Day ID MC014585Q0, print out the receipt and send it into school for the photographer. Please be sure your payment is submitted before picture day!
PTO SPOTLIGHT ON . . .
Leverett Community Interview of the Week
Bethany Politylo
School Psychologist
What are you looking forward to at LES this year? Getting to know the students and their families.
What do you like to do outside of school? Horseback riding, baking and spending time with friends and family.
PTO News
Genevieve packets went home last week. This is our big fall fundraiser. Remember LES will keep up to 50% of all purchases. Please consider taking this opportunity to help the school by participating in the fundraiser or donating to the school. PTO funds support field trips, the Pebble Go database and teacher appreciation. If each student in this school considers selling $100 worth of merchandise or donating $50, we will be close to our annual fundraising goal!
LEVERETT LIBRARY NEWS AND EVENTS
The Leverett, Shutesbury, Wendell and Erving Libraries will offer 36 S.T.E.A.M. programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) to children ages 3-6 during this school year. The programs are free and open to all. Here is the schedule through October:
October 4: Magnifying Magic,
Saturday, 11:00 - Noon Wendell Free Library
October 8: Seeds Are Everywhere!
Wed. 1:30 – 2:30, Shutesbury Town Hall
October 25: LEGO DUPLOTMCreative Construction
Sat., 11:00-noon, Erving Library
DON’T MISS HARVEST FESTIVAL!
Harvest Fest: The Place to Meet.
6th Grade Lasagna Dinner: The Place to EAT!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th
5:00-7:00 PM
in the LES CAFETERIA
Hold the date and invite family and friends to the LES annual 6th grade Supper! Look forward to delicious food, several types of lasagna, salad and bread, beverages, desserts, outstanding entertainment, warm atmosphere and exceptional company! Plus, support the LES sixth grade class trip!
LOOK FOR YOUR SIXTH GRADE LASAGNA DINNER TICKET ORDER FORM IN THE WEEK’S POST, AND RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY!
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Fifth Grade
Canoe Trip Fundraiser!
Burritos Especiales: Grande: $5
Pequeño $4
Quesadillas: $3
Hot Mulled Cider: 50¢
Cold Cider 50¢
Chips & Salsa or Guacamole: $1
¡Bienvenido!
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Buy a slice or a whole delicious pie at the Fourth Grade's Pie Table
Greenhouse Greetings
Well the greenhouse program has been up and running for four weeks now on Mondays and Tuesdays, this includes programs for ALL grades. However, the Pre-K and Kindergarten meet in the courtyard for their “garden” time.
First grade has been focusing on insects in the garden and the greenhouse is full of ALL kinds! We have been discovering “good bugs and not-so-good bugs” for the garden. We certainly have plenty of cabbage butterflies to observe in all stages, as well as dragonflies and a praying mantis up close.
The second and third grades have been focusing on leaves and how they help make food for the plant as well as come in all sizes and shapes. We have incorporated the leaves into an art project. Soon we will be addressing the question of where the fall colors come from and why do some plants die in winter and some come back.
Fourth grade has been assigned to help create a border garden along the South side; they have been busy weeding and turning soil for this project. They also have been helping to keep the cafeteria beds harvested and seeded with greens. This week, lots of young kale went to the cafeteria.
Fifth graders are totally in charge of designing, building, and maintaining the compost area. They are going to demonstrate 3 methods of creating compost, “hot” “cold” and “tumbled”!! We have been spending time learning about the Carbon/Nitrogen ratio necessary to build a “hot” compost pile. They have been learning to recognize a high Carbon substance vs. a high Nitrogen substance. Once this area gets established, we may investigate “vermi-composting” for the winter months. There may be a bit of a compost “competition” being started soon!
The sixth grade has been focusing totally on soils with some experiments on soil make up, components, particle size, texture, pH, and tilth. They have a challenge of building up a sandy, depleted soil that will not support much life right now. Their eventual goal is to amend the poor soil and plant a butterfly garden outside the greenhouse.
Many thanks for all the support many families have expressed for the greenhouse program, I invite you ALL to visit the greenhouse on the Open House evening.
Most sincerely, Dawn Marvin Ward - greenhouse coordinator
We do have a wish list for the greenhouse projects:
Fall bulbs for spring bloom
Chrysanthemums & pumpkins
Hay bales
Bird bath (sturdy)
Short handled turning forks
Garden ornaments & flags
Shade umbrella for our picnic table
Wheelbarrow (big and small)
Wooden Tool shed to store everything in!
Financial donations are always accepted!
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
(Items listed here are not school sponsored)
Responsible Leverett alum looking for after school or evening babysitting/parent helper job in the east Leverett area. Good with kids and has a flexible schedule. Willing to negotiate pay. For more information please call Gaelen Murray at 413-549-9960 or email her at [email protected].
The Enchanted Forest: A Non-scary Halloween Event
"Sounds of the Night" Friday & Saturday, October 24 & 25,
5:00-8:00pm. Come to the Hitchcock Center for a magical treat! You will be led along our pumpkin lit forest trails where creatures will emerge to share their stories. This year we will meet nocturnal critters whose sounds fill the night. Fun for all ages! Adult: Members $10 / Non-members $12
Children: Members $5 / Non-members $8
Under 3 years free
Registration required, please call to sign up for a walk time, space is limited. Call: 256-6006
Great Falls Coffeehouse – Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center present the Tin Pan Valley Trio on Friday, October 10th, 7:00 pm in the Historic Great Hall of the Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls. Delicious refreshments available. Doors open at 6:30. Suggested donation $6 to $12 – children FREE. For mor information, call 863-3221 or greatfallsdiscoverycenter.org.
Boy Scouts Troop 500 Amherst Open House for prospective scouts (grades 5-12; ages 11-17) and their families Tuesday, Oct. 7 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the South Congregational Church, 1066 South East Street, Amherst. Troop activities are organized and run by the boys, including weekly meetings, monthly campouts, and projects in the community. Our Scouts learn practical outdoor skills and develop leadership skills while having a lot of fun. Troop 500 does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, or sexual preference. For more information, contact Scoutmaster Michelle Chandler at (413) 256-5412.
If you would like to put a notice in the Community Bulletin Board section of the Friday Post, please submit notices to be published no later than Thursday at noon. The easiest way to do that is by e-mail to [email protected]. Flyers for non-school sponsored events can be attached to the Post. They must contain a disclaimer “This is not a school-sponsored event” and a sufficient number of copies (125) should be provided to the office by the end of the school day on Thursday.