November 28th, 2016

Shelburne and Williston "Mix-it-Up" Dance!

Students in grades 6-8 from Williston Central School have been invited to participate in a student organized middle school dance / activity night -the Snowflake Mix-It-Up - that will take place this Friday, Dec. 2 from 7-9 PM at SCS. Proceeds from this event will be donated to ccThrive, a non-profit committing to supporting youth cancer survivors including one of Shelburne's own middle schoolers at SCS. Here is a short screencast that was made by SCS 8th graders to help advertise the event - Snowflake Mix-It-Up promo video 

All WCS students will be required to arrive with a WCS dance permission slip (information regarding drop off and pick up times and locations on permission slip). There will also be 10% coupons available to Chef Lu's restaurant and Archies if parents would like to enjoy a dinner out in Shelburne during the Snowlake Mix-It-Up.

We hope to see a packed house this Friday - entry fee will be $5 and there will also be a great concession stand as well as some raffles throughout the night. If you have any questions - please do not hesitate to contact SCS principal Allan Miller akmiller@cssu.org or 383-1106

Elf Instructions- Polar Express on December 10th

Soon we transform into elves as part of our annual volunteer job for the Vermont Children's Trust.  If anyone in your family has signed up to participate, here are the details you need:

Printable Directions

We have had some lovely contributions to our "Elf Fund" as well.  Keep sharing the link to friends and family who might be interested in supporting our endeavor!

Washington DC Updates

The Washington DC fundraising is on a roll now.  We are asking that students and parents of students attending the trip participate in at least 4 of our 6 fundraisers.  We now actually have 7 fundraisers because of the Shelburne school dance!

To help with our long term planning, please sign-up to chaperone on the general form below:

Swift Fundraising Sign-Ups

We will send out specific event sign-ups for the Fun Nights and Marco as the time draws closer.  Speaking of which we have the latest one below.  We were able to get the new gym and dining room for Friday the 16th instead of returning to school on the 17th to host.

Friday, December 16th Fun Night Volunteer Sign-Up

We will soon start sending announcements specifically to families participating in the DC trip so be sure you have forms in and up-to-date e-mail addresses shared.

Thank you for your support!

Engineering Challenge

Rubberband Cars on display for judges

Rylee, Ethan and Sedira working their ramp

Nick Peach, Ayden and Ruben watch their Rubberband Car

Congratulations to our prize winners:

• Tristan, Aiden G and Shahin : 3rd place in Zipline Challenge
• Lily, Ella and Nick Parker:  2nd Place in Rubberband Car 
• Manny, Liz and Shane: 2nd place in Ballramp Challenge
• Sedira, Rylee and EtahnL 1st Place in Ballramp Challenge

7th and 8th Grade Ballramp Winners

7th and 8th Grade Rubberband Car winners

FAPAC November 2016 Meeting Highlights Information

To:  Swift House Parents
From:  Shelly Masson, FAPAC Representative

cc: Kevin Hunt, Amanda Laberge, Amy Skapof, Deborah Donnelly and Stephanie Bliss

The FAP Advisory Council held its monthly meeting on November 10th.  FAP is Williston's equivalent of a parent-teacher organization.  We meet each month, our meetings our open to all, and you will receive an email like this every month with highlights of the meeting and a link to the FAP website for the full minutes.  Check the full minutes in a PDF format by clicking here.  

You can now follow us on  Facebook and Twitter (@FAP_Williston)!

Below are the meeting highlights: 

FAPAC Meeting Recording

The November FAPAC meeting was recorded and is available at this link online.

Financial Report

Taxes have been completed.  The Annual Fund is doing well, but we need to keep promoting the fund.  It has been suggested that we reach out to the entire Williston Community via word of mouth and Front Porch Forum.  A reminder that the Annual Fund directly funds house accounts for field trips, guest speakers and other activities your child participates in.  EVERY student, in EVERY grade receives a direct benefit from the Annual Fund!

#FAPAnnualFund - We want to make the Annual Fund more visible.  When Tweeting about a trip covered by this fund, please use the hashtag #FAPAnnualFund to get more visibility. 

The link to donate to the Annual Fund can be found here.

Administration Update
We had about a 65% percent turnout for Election Day this year. Thank you to the town and staff and students for being flexible and vigilant.  We will continue to collect information on how to make this day smoother.   Thank you so much for the passage of the bond!

Decision packets were reviewed and voted on by FAP members.  Many other constituency groups will also vote.  This process is unique to Williston and anyone can submit a packet to be considered.

Upcoming Events

Scholastic Book Fair: November 28^th – December – 2^nd in the Williston Central Dining Room

Big Basket Raffle: March 25^th

Please contact me at shelly@birchtreeleadership.com if you have feedback or questions on FAP.  Thanks.

November 11, 2016

Washington DC 

An Biannual Tradition- Swift students meet with
Congressional Representatives on Capitol Steps

Forms

Remember, all permission slips and the deposit were due on November 11th.  Please contact Stephanie Bliss if you have any questions.  Chaperone forms were published in last week's Swift Flyer (see below). Permission slips are printed and available in Swift House (or in Swift Flyer on October 28th).

Fundraisers

We had a successful Fun Night in October, raising more than $1800!  We will continue to need all "hands-on-deck" for the remaining fundraisers throughout the year.  Please mark your calendars for future fundraisers:

• Saturday, December 17th- Fun Night (Change of Date- Spaces were not available Friday)
• Many student and adult chaperones needed
• Concession and prize donations needed
• Saturday, January 7th- Bottle Drive
• Drivers and runners needed
• Friday, January 27th- Marko the Magician
• Concessions needed
• Set-up, clean-up and ticket sales needed
• Saturday, February 11th- Bottle Drive
• Drivers and runners needed
• Saturday, March 25th- Big Basket Raffle Fun Night
• Many student and adult chaperones needed
• Concession and prize donations needed

We ask that parents and students attending the trip help with 4 of the 6 fundraisers (counting the Fun Night we already completed).  We will send out a sign-up form shortly asking for general commitments.  

Engineering Challenge

All WCS students are busily preparing for the Engineering Challenge this coming Thursday (5th and 6th graders) and Friday (7th and 8th graders).  Students are working in groups to build a machine for one of four challenges:

• Rubberband Car
• Zipline Challenge
• Marshmallow Catapult
• Ramp and Ball

All challenges require students to build an adjustable machine as their final target distances or time will not be reveled until the day of the challenge.  The competitions are school-wide, so all WCS students competing in the same category will meet up in the theater.  We'll share the results after vacation!

Jagger's "Zipline" Data- Testing the effects of smartcells on speed

Zipline Car- Grace L, Logan M and Aliyah K

Philip working on catapult 

Claire, Nora, Maggie adding data to science notebooks

Calibrating a catapult

Delia, Charlie and Gunner of their third version of a rubberband car

Poppy and Ava reinforcing their ramp

Veterans Day

Swift facilitators recognized Veterans Day this past Friday by sharing stories of veterans in our lives.  Click on the image below for names and photos.  

Bookfair Schedule

Sorry, our first e-mail was two weeks early...

Monday, November 28th- 1:15 Mr. Hunt and Ms. Skapof

Thursday, December 1st- 1:15 Ms. Donnelly and Ms. Laberge

Send your son or daughter in with money if they would like to purchase a book.  They may also choose to browse.  All sales benefit our school.

Holiday Gift Workshop

November 4th

Polar Express Elf-Fund

Thanks to all who have volunteered to be elves at the Polar Express on Decemeber 10th.  If you're still interested and didn't sign up, please e-mail Amy Skapof directly.

Once again, the Vermont Children's Trust Foundation is hoping that us elves can help with the fundraising efforts.  Please see our fundraising page here.  Donate if you'd like and send it on to friends and family who might like to sponsor us.  Thank you!

Theater Wrap Up

Thank you so much for your support of our Theater Festival!  We were proud of these 93 students for putting together 1000s of lines, lights, costumes, props, pinrails, sets, and sounds on stage.  Our evening performance is the ultimate performance assessment, so thank you for being a great audience!  We also asked students to write a reflection about their experience.  Just a few costume pieces linger in the kiva, but we otherwise celebrated and moved right on into our new literature unit on Monday.

Please see the Swift Shutterfly Site for many more photos, thanks to Ms. Bisbee.  Passwork: flyforever

Phantom Tollbooth

Midsummer Night's Dream

Nick Parker in the light booth, with the stage reflected in the glass

Thanks to Ms. Bliss, we had a customized celebration.

Our cast party = cake and reflections

Seeking Cassette Players- Really!

Crazy as it sounds, Swift House needs cassette players! We have many audio books that are still on cassettes. Students who struggle to stay up to date on their literature reading listen to these tapes of the literature book. We have one player, but we have multiple students who are trying to access it at core time. If you have a working cassette player (or CD player) that is gathering dust in your attic, please send it in! You can help a student who wants to catch up on reading! Thanks!

Youth Theater Group Performs Henry IV

Please consider the following...

My name is Lauren Palmer. I live in Williston, and I graduated CVU this past year. Within my gap year, I am directing/running an adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part One performing at the Off Center for the Dramatic Arts in Burlington on November 17th, 18th, and 19th (7:00, 7:00, and 2:00 respectively). All my actors/actresses are youth (ages 12-15) from the surrounding communities. As this is a unique opportunity for students in the area to go to (especially for Swift since you do a Shakespeare play as well), I am wondering if you would be interested in passing on the word within Swift House? You can go to the website: hourglassyouththeatre.weebly.com for more information. Thank you, Lauren

Washington DC

Reminder: Washington DC Permission Slips are due Friday, November 11th.  See last week's Flyer for details.

Having many chaperones each year allows us to visit a wide variety of locations with small groups.   If you are interested and available, please complete the following forms to initiate the background check process if you have not already done so.  Contact Stephanie Bliss with further questions.

Chaperone Forms: 

• Overnight Chaperone Procedures
• Abuse Registry Form
• Record Check Release Form
• Confidentiality for Volunteers
• Fingerprint Authorization Form

Swift House Election Results

Students voted on Monday using real ballots (voided out, but real ballots), thanks to April Pillsbury.  With much help from Ms. Granoff, who completed the counting by hand, we have our official results summarized here:

While there were a number of write-ins, such as Bernie Sanders for president, and Kesha for VP, our results are often an interesting view into the town and state in general.  It certainly looks like a tight race for governor.

Penguin Plunge

Fri 12/2 Grade 5-8 Recess/lunch assembly in auditorium from 12:30 to 1:10 to learn more about and sign up for the Penguin Plunge on 2/4/17

Join the WCS Penguin Plunge Team! We need YOU to join our Williston Wildcats Penguin Plunge Team! This is our 7th year having a school team participating in the Penguin Plunge. The Penguin Plunge is a fundraiser for the Special Olympics and all the participants jump in Lake Champlain! It is very cold but lots of fun. The date is Saturday, February 4th and it takes place at the Burlington Waterfront. We want students, teachers, staff, parents, and siblings on the team! Please email Jodi Bartley at jbartley@cssu.org or Jessica Haskins at jhaskins@cssu.org or if you have questions. Go to our Special Olympics page to register with WCS Wildcats

WCS Musical~ The Sound of Music

See details in last week's School Bell

FAPAC October 2016 Meeting Highlights Information

To: Swift House Parents
From: Shelly Masson, FAPAC Representative
cc: House Teachers and Teaching Assistant

 The FAP Advisory Council held its monthly meeting on October 13th. FAP is Williston's equivalent of a parent-teacher organization. We meet each month, our meetings our open to all, and you will receive an email like this every month with highlights of the meeting and a link to the FAP website for the full minutes. Check the full minutes in a PDF format by clicking HERE. Below are a few meeting highlights:

 FAPAC Meeting Recording
 The October FAPAC meeting was recorded and is available at this LINK online. 

Administration Update
 Greg Marino spoke about the upcoming Election Day, which will take place at Williston Central School again this year. Due to the expected increase in voters, the main entrance will be at the front door of the school, with an additional entrance in the band room. Community member volunteers will be at the entrances directing voters along with uniformed police officers. Greg also discussed the school budget. Decision packets were due on October 15th. FAP will be reviewing the packets before the November meeting. Approvals will be moved up this year due to the school budgets being consolidated.
 Upcoming Events

•  Craft Show: Saturday, November 5th, 2016 from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm (We are still in need of more volunteers for the day of the show. Please consider and Sign up here!) 
• Families and Technology – Digital Citizenship: Thursday, November 10th from 7:00 – 8:30 pm (More information here.) 
•  Scholastic Book Fair: November 28th – December 2nd 

 Educational Grants
 Some portion of FAP funds go to educational grants that teachers or staff submit to FAP. These grants cover items not included in the school budget, but that would enhance the learning environment. The Grant Committee reviewed all grants that were submitted and provided recommendations on funding. The recommendations were reviewed in the meeting voted on. The grant package was approved as presented. Letters have been sent to all applicants.