Fifth graders at Keewaydin Environmental Education Center. More photos are at this link: https://vsnb.org/class-notes-10-6-23/
Dear Families,
As a reminder, the Village School will be closed on Monday, October 9th in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Hopefully many of you have been able to schedule a conference with your student’s teacher. I’d like to thank both families and teachers for making the time to have this key meeting in support of your child’s academic and personal development. It’s a great opportunity for our teachers to get to know you and your children better, and there’s an abundance of research about the importance of parental/guardian/caregiver involvement in a child’s education.
Our school also makes an effort to bring students, families, and faculty and staff together outside of the classroom through field trips and events. One community event coming up is Track and Treat, our school’s annual family fun run/walk and 5K. For those who don’t want to walk or run, there are also seasonal festivities to enjoy like decorating pumpkins, face painting with “Oh Hello Face Painting,” and delicious baked goods! All activities are free except for the 5K.
Track and Treat details are posted on our website, along with links for registration: https://vsnb.org/track-and-treat-2023/.
As mentioned last week, I also wanted to share a bit about the fifth grade’s experience at Keewaydin Environmental Education Center (KEEC). Fifth Grade Teacher Carrie Gardner wrote: “As September came to a close, we were able to learn more about functioning not only as a team but also as a class and as human beings with nature.” In helping our students understand their interconnectedness with the environment, KEEC also furthered our school’s mission “to help our children grow into their best selves—responsible citizens and stewards of the greater world.” It was wonderful to see students engaging in activities that were outside of their comfort zone and that some had never had the opportunity to experience before.
On the Class Notes page of our website are photos from some of the lessons and activities that the fifth graders enjoyed as part of their outdoor learning experience at KEEC.
Have a good weekend,
Tim
P.S. We are excited to share that Hiland Hall Gardens (HHG) is Hannaford’s Program of the Month! With the purchase of a bouquet of flowers from Hannaford anytime during the month of October, the garden will receive $1 in funding from each bouquet purchased! If you have had the chance to experience HHG’s beautiful gardens or know about our gardening programs that teach our children at the Village School how to grow fresh foods and eat for wellness, we hope that you will make it down to Hannaford to buy one of their beautiful bouquets!
School Announcements:
• Monday, October 9 – School will be closed in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day
• Friday, October 20 – Early Dismissal for students at 11:30 a.m.; In-service afternoon for staff
• Sunday, October 29 – Track and Treat Family Fun Run and 5K, as well as free, festive activities!
• Sunday, October 29 – Save the date for the VAE Annual Halloween Parade, which will start in North Bennington at 3 p.m.
Four Winds Nature Program Volunteer Opportunity at the Village School
The Village School is looking for one more volunteer for the 2023-24 school year to teach the Four Winds Nature Institute’s Nature Program for the 5th grade. Although the program means a great deal to the school and children, the time commitment for volunteers is minimal while the rewards are plenty, and no previous experience is necessary! The Nature Institute provides five 2-hour natural science training workshops for the volunteers over the course of the school year. Volunteers then go into the classroom, schoolyard, and/or Hiland Hall Gardens to share what they’ve learned that month. The classroom schedule is determined by the volunteer and the teacher, and is generally flexible. Time in the classroom is normally no longer than one hour. Click here for more details https://vsnb.org/four-winds-volunteers-2/ and/or contact Judie Brower, our Four Winds Volunteer co-coordinator at jbrower@vsnb.org.
Community Announcements:
The McCullough Library – October Events!
Check out upcoming events happening at The John G. McCullough Free Library, including Saturday Storytimes, an Eclipse Party (Part 1), a Halloween Make-A-Mask Workshop, and a Youth Advisory Council Meeting for students in grades 5-8 to help choose books and programs for the library’s Youth Services Department. Visit this library’s website for more details: https://mcculloughlibrary.org/events/.
