SBAC and Conferences

Hello Families!

A huge thanks to everyone who has come in for conferences this week. It is always a joy to witness students taking pride in their hard work!

We are also grateful to the students' flexibility and resilience this week during SBAC testing. All testing sessions went smoothly and most students completed the Language Arts SBAC. We will have another week of testing the week after next, April 10th- 13th, for the Math portion. As with this last session, we welcome students to bring in a healthy snack to share with their classmates on testing days!

Upcoming dates:
Friday & Saturday, April 7 & 8 @ 7:00 PM: SME play production of "Fractured Fairytales."
Monday-- Thursday April 10th- 13th SBAC testing continues
Saturday, April 15: April Break begins

We are hoping to schedule another Activity Afternoon in the near future. Stay tuned for a letter home about the exact date!

Various 6th grade students and parents have been working hard to support fundraising for the new 6th grade end of year celebration. One of the many opportunities for kids to get involved is a bake sale and car wash on Saturday, April 15th in the Wings parking lot. There are other opportunities coming up as well-- if you would like to get involved, please contact myself or Mr, C!

I hope you all enjoy this last blast of wintry weather!

-- Miss K and the 5/6 Team

It's Officially Spring! Never mind the mounds of snow...

Welcome to Spring!!!

Dates to Remember:
Tuesday, March 21: RISD Annual School District Meeting @ 6:30 PM.
Friday, March 31: SME Three Way Conferences & (Report Cards go home at the end of your                                           student's conference.)
Friday & Saturday, April 7 & 8 @ 7:00 PM: SME play production of "Fractured Fairytales."
Saturday, April 15: April Break begins...  

Waiting for the Fairlee Annual Town Meeting to begin...
          

As the meeting began, our sixth-grade students were attentive during the meeting and took great notes for the hour we were there. Following our visit, they wrote summaries of their observations of the town meeting.

                                                           

Happy March 13th Everyone!

Happy March 13th Everyone!

     No, today isn't a holiday but, the students have been doing such a good job lately. They have been busy in all of their classes doing fun and exciting things. The 5th grade science class got to take home the crystals that they grew this week. Their pictures can be seen below.

     Some reminders about things that are going on.

     * The play is in full swing with students staying after school working hard on their lines.
     * The "Sound Garden" is being designed. If anyone would like to help Mr. Christie-Maples would be happy to have the help.
     * The new 6th grade end of the year celebration is being planned. If you are interested in being part of the group that is selecting the alternatives please feel free to contact Mr. Christie-Maples or Ms. Klinkenberg.
     * Report cards will be coming out soon and three way conferences will be shortly after that.

     With so many cool things going on feel free to contact your student's teachers about any ideas that you might have.

Have a great day Everyone!

Sincerely,

The 5th and 6th Grade Team :)

Wrapping up Trimester Two, and more...

Trimester Two ends on March 14th!
At SME, Trimester Two is coming to a close on Tuesday, March14th. Report cards will go home on Friday, March 24th. This is a great time to ask your fifth or sixth-grade student about being caught up in all academic classes. What with illnesses and vacations, it is easy to forget assignments that need completion in order to receive full credit academically.

Dates to Remember:
Tuesday, March 7: Fairlee Town Meeting @ 10:00 AM (Sixth Grade Bake Sale Fundraiser)
Wednesday, March 8 @ 6:00 PM: Sixth Grade "Celebration" Committee meeting.
Thursday, March 9 @ 6:00 PM: SME Musical Garden Committee meeting.
Tuesday, March 14: SME Trimester Two ends.
Tuesday, March 21: RISD Annual School District Meeting @ 6:30 PM.
Friday, March 24: SME Report Cards are sent home.
Friday, March 31: SME Three Way Conferences.
Friday & Saturday, April 7 & 8 @ 7:00 PM: SME play production of "Fractured Fairytales."
Saturday, April 15: April Break begins...

We are seeking baked goods donations for the Sixth Grade Bake Sale Fundraiser on Tuesday, March 7th at the Fairlee, Vermont Town Meeting.

Sixth Grade end of the 2016-17 school year "celebration" Committee beginning...

            In Sixth Grade, we are in a unique situation. We have an opportunity to create a new “end of the school year field trip” on behalf of our sixth-grade students, one that commemorates their elementary school experience. We would like to propose the formation of a committee made up of students, parents, and teachers in order to brainstorm and select possibilities for such a field trip.  Secondly, this committee will develop and coordinate fundraising avenues to help fund the field trip.

            We are presently beginning the fundraising process by advocating for the participation by our sixth grade students and families in this Saturday’s VerShare Snow-Shoe-A-thon; and hosting a bake sale during Fairlee’s Town Meeting next Tuesday, March 7^th. Kathy Hooke has kindly reminded us that it is possible to apply for a grant from VerShare to benefit a worthy cause.

            We need to get our committee organized quickly. Let’s hold an initial organizational meeting for our committee at SME this Wednesday evening, March 8th at 6:00 PM in Mr. Christie-Maples’ classroom. We invite all students, parents, and guardians to come who are willing to give their time to help create this new adventure. Questions: Contact your sixth-grade advisors, Gordon or Link at:

gchristie-maples@rivendellschool.org or sklinkenberg@rivendellschool.org

SME "Musical Garden" Committee beginning...

            Last spring, with the help of a grant from the Vermont Rural Partnership and many generous student and parent volunteers who volunteered their time and talents, we built a beautiful “outdoor classroom” together at SME.

            This past fall, our SME 5-6 Student Council wrote an impressive 1,800-word grant application to the Vermont Rural Partnership proposing that we create an “outdoor musical garden” on our playground at SME. This garden would be a made up of a variety of instruments, some made professionally and installed in the ground by volunteers, and some “repurposed” instruments for an instrument wall, (Bang on a can, anyone?). In our application, we noted that we wished to dedicate this garden to the memory of Angela Ricker and Dylan O’Hearn. Well, our grant was approved!

            We would like to organize a committee made up of students and parents who are willing to give of their time to help us finish the design process for our musical garden and make our “musical garden” a reality in April of this year.  In addition, it is our hope to build and install several additional outdoor benches on our playground. We have several slabs of wood for bench tops left over from the construction of our outdoor classroom to use for this purpose.

            If you are willing to be a part of this “musical garden” committee, please join us at SME on Thursday, March 9^th at 6:00 PM in Mr. Christie-Maples’ classroom. Questions? Want to be involved but can’t come to the meeting? Please e-mail Mr. Christie-Maples at: 

gchristie-maples@rivendellschool.org