September 25, 2015

Homework Club

Good News! Swift can start homework club on Monday 9/28. Claire Hanafin a para-educator from Harbor House has agreed to host our homework club on Mondays and Tuesdays from 3-4:30. Students can stay either or both days and are able to take the late bus home.

Wednesday and Thursday afternoons will be available if core facilitators are available.  We will check in week by week to determine availability.  This week we are available to supervise Thursday after school.

Supermoon Eclipse- Sunday Night

We shared the following video in kiva this week.   Hopefully students will be looking for this rare supermoon eclipse, with a total eclipse starting at 10:11 on Sunday night.  The weather forecast even predicts clear skies for the night!

Fun Night Sign-Up~ October 2nd

Student and Parent Volunteers Still Needed

Our October 2, Fun Night is quickly approaching (click here for School Bell announcement)!! This is a very successful fundraiser for Swift House. We need volunteers to help facilitate a fun evening for the kids. Please take a look our sign-up sheet for the many areas in which you and your student can volunteer & donate items. Add your name(s) in the designated spot to sign on. We could not pull this off without the wonderful support from all Swift families.

The funds raised through Fun Night go towards our NYC trip in June. All families attending the trip are asked to help with multiple fundraisers before the trip. Fun Night is honestly a fun way to start this process. We also need small toys, gently loved stuffed animals, stickers and various trinkets for our prize table. What a great chance to clean these things out of your house! Please leave in WCS front office or Swift House project room.

Swift House Theater Festival- Save the Date 

Save the date for our annual Swift House Theater Festival: Thursday, November 5th at 6:30 pm in the Al Myer's Theater. There will be two performances: Twelfth Night and Alice in Wonderland. Twelfth Night is an adapted version of Shakespeare's classic. Alice in Wonderful is adapted from Lewis Carroll's classic novel and holds true to the characters and plot.

Auditions will be held on October 5th (or even at the end of next week). Students choose whether or not they audition for a speaking role. Either way, all students will have a part on the stage. They may also apply to have a technical role, helping with costumes, sound, lights, directing and stage managing. Rehearsals will begin on Tuesday, October 6th.

For the first three weeks of the Theater Festival the bulk of rehearsals will take place during our literacy block, as reading, analyzing and rehearsing a script is the ultimate performance task! Student directors and those with large speaking roles will start rehearsing full time on October 6h, while those with smaller roles will spend their first weeks completing a literary study of the plays and themes. This is always an exciting time of the year and we thank you in advance for any help with rehearsing lines and sending in costume pieces!

Tessellations

While studying angles and patterns, seventh grade math students explored tessellations.  They discovered a mathematical rule behind all shapes that tessellate, whether they are polygons or something much more intricate.  They went on to apply these rules while creating their own tessellations worthing of displaying proudly!

Shahin A

Shelby H

Maggie B

Matt Y

Dylan L

Claire G

Ruben S

Lilly L

Jupiter Grades

We have attached Jupiter Grades passwords to your child's Greensheet this week.  Jupiter Grades serves as the on-line gradebook for all WCS students.  When you log in you will have access to grades posted by your child's teachers.  You can also have the site alert you when an assignment is marked as missing.  The World Language teachers ask that parents and students log-in to Jupiter Grades weekly to check on work completion.  

Here in Swift House the Greensheet is still our first level of communication between home and school, letting you know that work is complete.  Also, logging into Google Classroom with your child will give you a very detailed look at the work s/he has completed and the work s/he has due as well.  Finally, as we build e-portfolios, you will have access to student-selected work that supports their goals.  In short, we provide the Jupiter Grades log-in to add to give you options and access.  Please e-mail your child's core teacher with any further questions.

Student Leadership Opportunities

There are a number of excellent student-leadership opportunities at WCS, facilitated by our guidance counselors.  The paragraphs below provide detailed descriptions of the groups.  We have asked 7th and 8th grade students interested in AWOD or LEAD to e-mail their core teachers about why they would be a great candidate.  New members will be selected next week.  Any 6th, 7th and 8th grade students interested in supporting younger students should get an application for WiSH from the Direction Center.

AWOD - A World of Difference (Houses choose reps for this group) 
The group is made up of 7th and 8th grade students from each house (4 per house, 8 from Harbor) and is an opportunity for your students to learn leadership skills, help keep our school climate positive, and work to eliminate bullying and harassment in our school. The AWOD program is a part of the Anti-defamation League (ADL) and provides students with the training and resources to combat prejudice, stereotyping, and all forms of discrimination in schools. In addition, students will learn skills to facilitate interactive anti-bias classes with 5th grade students in the springtime. This group meets on Fridays at core time. In addition, students get formal training from the ADL at the end of october 27-29 (4.5 hours each day). Our first meeting will Friday, Oct. 2nd,

LEAD - Leadership Education, the Anti-Drug (Houses choose reps for this group) 
The group is made up of 7th and 8th grade students from each house (4 per house, 8 from Harbor) and is an opportunity for students to learn leadership skills, be positive role models, and educate others about an relevant teen issue. This group identifies an important teen issue, takes time to research and learn about the issue, and then prepares 3 classes that they facilitate to their 6th grade peers in the Spring. This group meets on Tuesdays at core time and our first meeting will be Sept. 29th.

WiSH - Williston Student Helpers (open to anyone that is interested) 
The WiSH program is a community service program for students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. The program places students in PreK-4 classrooms (including RA classes) as a teacher helper. Students make a commitment to work once per week, all year long, in this classroom. Students can work in either WCS or ABS. For those students wanting to work at ABS, a bus will take kids over on Wednesday afternoons at 1:20 through the end of the day. Parent and Teacher permission is required. In addition, new WiSH students need to attend an after school training to learn more about the program and expectations. Students previously in the program will get a letter asking if they would like to participate again. New students can pick up a registration form in the Direction Center.

 

Continental Mathematics League 2015-2016 

Registration deadline is extended to encourage more participants!
Continental Math Online Registration 2015-2016 
Grade 4-8
Meet dates: Nov. 12, Dec. 10, Jan. 14, Feb. 11, and March 17
Grade 3 Meet dates: Jan. 14, Feb. 11, and March 17

 he Enrichment Program administers the Continental Mathematics League (CML) for motivated students seeking an additional math challenge. Interested students in Grades 2-8 participate in the Euclidean Division, which means “students participating require average reading comprehension and analytical reasoning capabilities. Their computational skill should be appropriate to their grade level.”

CML is a competition in grades 3-8. For students in grades 4-8, there are five tests. They are given at ‘meets’ which are held during school hours, beginning in November and ending in March. Third graders participate in the meets in January, February, and March. In each 30 minute meet, students work as individuals on six problems; calculators are not allowed. Medals are awarded to the two students with the highest cumulative scores per grade level. Although this is a competition, the emphasis is on developing a love of mathematics while learning new strategies with other eager mathematicians. Julie Rogers is the contact person for grades 2-8. jrogers@cssu.org

Parent Volunteers Grades 5-8: In order to limit interruptions to regular academic classes 5-8th grade practices and meets will be held first thing in the morning at 8:00 or during lunch/recess time. Volunteers will need to contact the teams to set up times and a practice space. The success of this program depends on volunteers who work with small groups of students, during school hours. Ideally, all students will participate in a parent-led weekly practice group. These groups begin in October for grades 4-8 and may begin in November or December for 2-3rd graders as their first Meet isn’t until January. The Enrichment Program provides materials and training, while the time and place are determined by the teachers and volunteers. The practice groups provide an important component of the Continental Math program. This gives the students a chance to explore different solutions to problems, gain support from other group members, and benefit from small group instruction.

We encourage both veteran and novice volunteers to attend the Volunteer Leader Training on Friday, September 25th at 7:45 AM in the Enrichment room at WCS. Volunteers can indicate their interest on the student registration form and will be contacted with more information in mid September. This training will provide valuable information about the Williston math initiative, Best Practices in Mathematics, which is being used in all of our math classes. To register your child using the online registration link here.

September 19, 2015

Save the Date

Please take note of these upcoming evening or weekend Swift House events for your future planning.  Thanks!

• Friday, October 2nd- Swift House hosts Fun Night- see below
• Thursday, November 5th @ 6:30 pm- Swift House Theater Festival
• Sunday, December 13th, 11:30-3:45- Swift House volunteers as elves for the Polar Express (more info to come)
• Thursday, January 28th @ 6:30 pm- Swift House Open House for all students and parents
• Friday, March 4th @ 6:30 pm- Swift House sponsors WCS dance- volunteers needed

Our First Fundraiser ~ Fun Night~ October 2nd

Our October 2, Fun Night is quickly approaching (click here for School Bell announcement)!! This is a very successful fundraiser for Swift House. We need volunteers to help facilitate a fun evening for the kids. Please take a look our sign-up sheet for the many areas in which you and your student can volunteer & donate items. Add your name(s) in the designated spot to sign on. We could not pull this off without the wonderful support from all Swift families.

The funds raised through Fun Night go towards our NYC trip in June.  All families attending the trip are asked to help with multiple fundraisers before the trip.  Fun Night is honestly a fun way to start this process.

We also need small toys, gently loved stuffed animals, stickers and various trinkets for our prize table. What a great chance to clean these things out of your house!  Please leave in WCS front office or Swift House project room.

Curriculum Night

We had a great turnout for Curriculum Night, where we discussed our schedule, technology, communications, portfolios, and parent involvement.  Click on the image below to see our slide show. Please contact your son or daughter's core teacher if you would like additional information.

8th Grade Challenge Kick-Off

Ms. Laberge introduced Swift House 8th graders to the 8th Grade Challenge Project last week.  They reviewed the major components of the project, which include the following:

• Research and Writing: Students gather a wide variety of resources to research their topics, including interviews, then write an in-depth report on their topic
• Mentor: Students identify and access a mentor who is an expert in their topic to support them throughout the year
• Community Connection: Students develop a project related to their topic that provides service to an audience beyond the classroom

When brainstorming topics, students should consider if their topic will encompass all major aspect listed above.  For example, a topic too broad or narrow can make researching difficult.  Previous projects have included everything from sports medicine, book publishing, baking, graphic design, emerging technologies and much, much more.  

Each 8th grader now has an "8th Grade Challenge" class within Google Classroom.  The first due date is the "Kick Off Form," on October 30th.  They need a parent signature and their mentor's name in order to complete this.  Students will then collect resources and begin their research throughout the fall.  Their report and visual will be due during the Independent Project unit in January.  

The spring provides a chance for further research and making connections for an interview in NYC if they are going on the field trip.  The community connection component can happen throughout the school year, based on what works best for the project.  The 8th Grade Challenge Project will culminate with a 20 minute presentation to community members the last week of school.

To see the "Kick Off Form," rubric and the due dates through our January Open House, click here.  To read the full "8th Grade Challenge Handbook" click here.

September 12, 2015

Events this Week...

Picture Day- Wednesday, September 16th

If you would like to order photos, be sure to complete the order form and send it in to your child's core teacher, preferably before picture day.

Curriculum Night- Thursday, September 17th

• 6:00 pm- Auditorium
• 6:30-7:30 pm- Swift House
• 7:30 pm- Learning Expo (in front hallway)

The school-wide presentation in the auditorium will address the new Personalized-Learning Plans and portfolios that all Vermont 7th and 9th graders are starting this year.  To learn more about this new state Law, Act 77,  see the WCAX article from last year.  We're anticipating a smooth transition for Swift House students because we have been making personalized learning plans and portfolios for the past 25 years.

At 6:30 parents will head to their children's respective house(s).  In Swift we will review Google Classroom, Chromebook and homework expectations, curriculum for the year and our end of the year field-trip.  If you are new or newer to Swift House, please try to attend.  We totally understand how busy fall schedules are, but would love to be able to answer questions in person!

The Learning Expo provides an opportunity to speak with enrichment, music, sports and other teachers.  It is open-ended opportunity to see the many opportunities available at WCS.

Peace One Day

5th-8th grade students in Social Studies classes have been participating in Peace One Day activities.

"Peace One Day’s objective is to institutionalize Peace Day 21 September. Throughout the years, millions of people have been active on Peace Day in every country of the world, and hundreds of organizations have carried out life-saving activities in areas of conflict. Jeremy Gilley, the founder of Peace One Day, is an actor turned filmmaker, who in the late 1990s became preoccupied with questions about the fundamental nature of humanity and the issue of peace. He decided to explore these through the medium of film, and specifically, to create a documentary following his campaign to establish an annual day of ceasefire and non-violence.

In 1999, Jeremy founded Peace One Day, a non-profit organization, and in 2001 Peace One Day’s efforts were rewarded when the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September – Peace Day." ~PeaceOneDay.org

Students are researching peace makers as part of a school-wide project which will culminate them making pinwheels for peace and putting them in the ground outside on the 21st.

September Science

Fifth-eighth graders have been studying the rock cycle and fossils.   Fifth and sixth graders experimented with replicating the rock cycle using crayons to create "sediment" and then applying heat and pressure to transform them into sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks.  The results looked something like this:

Seventh and eighth graders reviewed key vocabulary related to the rock cycle and are exploring why it is that we have fossils of a coral reef in Isle La Motte, Vermont!  To see their reading assignment on the topic, click here.

Please Remember...

*To ask your son or daughter about his or her Greensheet this weekend.  If a class has a circle instead of a signature, there is work missing that needs to be made up.

*To donate to the Williston Schools Annual Fund.  It paid for our campout and will pay for future trips to the Flynn!

September 4th

Swift Campout

Thank you, chaperones, for making this campout possible! Thank you to all parents for supporting this annual team-building event.  Students worked well together, making new friendships and developing old ones.  The thunderstorms held off, though the humidity did find us.  Swimming and water games kept us cool and the campfire was still welcome despite the warm temps.

For more photos of the campout, see our team photo sharing site here.  The password remains flyforever.  There will be more photos added soon from other Swift facilitators.  If you have great ones to share, please send them in to Amy Skapof at askapof@cssu.org.

Watching skits...

Balloon toss

Catching balloons

The "Lap Sit"

Lap sit continues

Campfire

Williston Schools Annual Fund 2015 

Our campout was entirely funded by the Williston Schools Annual Fund.  This fund supports other team field trips as well as educational grants.  If you have not contributed already, please make your donation online by clicking here.  For more information or to print a donation form, visit the FAP website here.

From the School Bell: 
Why do we do an Annual Fund?

• Equal funding for all students in each grade level; Every student per grade is allocated the same amount of money to be used toward field-trips and house activities 
• Significantly cuts down on the fundraisers families would be expected to participate in each year 
• Community Events that are fun and beneficial for families 
• 100% of money collected goes to FAP Tax deductible donation

Google Classroom

Please ask your son or daughter to show you their "Google Classroom."  Swift Facilitators use this platform to post ALL assignments.  Students work on and turn in many assignments through this platform as well.  If an assignment is turned in on paper, students will select "Mark as Done" in Google Classroom.  If you are ever wondering about what your son or daughter is working on in school, this is the place to go!

Students can access Google Classroom from any computer with internet access. They simply go to G-mail and log-in using their CSSU-provided username and their password (firstnamelastname@cssu.org). Once they're logged into G-Mail they can access the Classroom using the "Apps" associated with their account. Students log into their school G-Mail using their CSSU account.

 The screen shot below shows the home page for an individual user. Upcoming assignments are listed on this front page. Using the icon in the upper left hand corner, students can also see all of their assignments in a list, both "To Do" and "Completed." Students can view, complete and turn in their assignments using this one interface. Teachers add comments, scores or rubrics and then "Return" ownership to the students. All of this happens through use of Google Docs.

We expect that students will log-in and share their Google Classroom work with parents. This is a great way to see what they are working on and get a sense of how this platform works. Currently there is no separate parent log-in however students know that this a tool to be shared with those involved in their learning!

WCS Picture Day

Wednesday, September 16th

Students were given the photo forms in their mailboxes on Friday.  Swift House students will have their photos taken between 1:10 and 1:40 that day, outside in the courtyard again.  We were excited about the great new look of the school photos from our local photographer!  As always, there will be a picture make-up day at a later date.

WCS Spelling Team Qualifying Test

Thursday, September 10th @ 12:35, make up Friday, 9/11 @ 12:35
Eat lunch in the Enrichment room day of test 

It's time for those super spellers to begin memorizing the list of 500 words from the Vermont Principals' Association (VPA)! Lists are in a bin outside the Enrichment room door and labeled 5th/6th or 7th/8th. Anyone interested in participating should pick up a list of words, and show up for the qualifying test time. If you have a son or daughter who is unsure please have them stop by and speak with Julie Rogers, Enrichment teacher and Spelling Team leader.  To see the spelling lists on line head to the VPA website and scroll down to the "Study Words" for the appropriate age group.

Spark Academy (from School Bell)

We are excited to offer your child an opportunity to participate in the Thursday Spark Academy, an after-school applied learning program for students in grades 5-8. Sessions will run for 5 weeks from 3:00 p.m - 4:30 p.m. with our first session starting September 10th and ending October 8th. These small group classes will be facilitated by school faculty and staff. The after-school bus will provide transportation home for our students.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities that can be found on the link below. In order to take full advantage of this learning opportunity, students will need to make a commitment to attend all five Thursdays. The dates of the session are: September 10th, 17th, 24th, October 1st and 8th. Students will be placed on a first come first serve basis. If a student has an unexcused absence from a class, we will ask that he/she no longer attend the session, as there are other students who want to participate. Sign-up form

Intergen Reading Program / A Monthly Book Group (from School Bell)

What is it? FAP teams up with the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library to sponsor a fun book group that brings together WCS middle school students, seniors from our community and parent volunteers. Each book group will read and discuss 6 books over the course of the school year. When? The program will kick-off in October with a “Get Acquainted” luncheon. The book groups will then meet during school hours once a month to discuss books in a relaxed and fun setting. If your 5th-8th grade child is interested in being considered for this program, please register by Friday, September 11th using this online link.