Japanese foreign language student-teacher Zee Camp giving third-grade students their first lesson.
10/7/2022
Dear Families,
The Village School will be closed on Monday, October 10, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. I hope you enjoy the long weekend and have a chance to get outside and see the beauty of the fall colors. Many friends and neighbors will be gathering on Sunday, October 9, from 12-2 p.m., at Park McCullough to celebrate the fall and our community with the annual Village of North Bennington Block Party. Enjoy a potluck picnic with hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream! Community organizations are planning live music, art, a bounce house, and other fun activities for kids! Bring a dish to share and a blanket or chair.
As I started writing this letter yesterday morning, Mr. Ulrich and second graders were headed to Merck Forest for two days of camping and experiencing the joy and wonder of being in nature and learning from the land. I am glad that the independence of our school gives us the flexibility for students to have these types of enriching experiences.
While second graders are going far afield to learn about the world, the world is also coming into many of our other classrooms with the instruction of Bennington College foreign language student-teachers. This year, some of our students are learning Chinese, French, Japanese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. While the goal is not for them to become fluent in these languages, they will gain exposure to these languages and cultures. Also, as Japanese language-student teacher Zee Camp wrote to third-grade families: “Research shows that learning to speak a second language can improve memory and multitasking abilities and when children are exposed to second languages while young, it is far easier for them to gain fluency.”
This month is National Bullying Prevention Month, and we started the week with an almost-whole-school assembly (grades 1-6) where we talked about the pillars of the Village School constitution and what it means to “be safe, be kind, be respectful, and have fun.” I showed the students a few video clips. One was from this summer’s Little League World Series, when a Pearland pitcher accidentally struck a batter in the head, and when the pitcher noticed his opponent crying he hugged him in a gesture of kindness and compassion. Another was from “The Present,” a short film by Jacob Frey; and the third was from Sesame Street’s “The Word of the Day: Respect.” These video clips and our follow-up discussions were focused on the values that we are continuing to foster in our students and upholding throughout the school year.
Enjoy your weekend!
Tim Newbold
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Village of North Bennington Block Party -Sunday, Oct. 9, 12-2 p.m.
Friends and neighbors are invited to the annual Village of North Bennington Block Party being held on the Park McCullough lawn on Sunday, October 9, from 12- 2p.m. There will be a potluck picnic with hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream! Community organizations are planning live music, art, a bounce house, and other fun activities for kids! Bring a dish to share and a blanket or chair. Libations will be on sale from Park McCullough.
Track and Treat – Sunday, Oct. 30, 9-11 a.m.
It’s almost time for Track and Treat—our school’s annual family fun run/walk (9 a.m.) and 5K run/walk (9:30 a.m.). The family fun run will be free for participants and the 5K will cost $10 for each runner. Kids of all ages, family members, and friends are invited to enjoy the races, pumpkin painting, music, and more. We are looking for volunteers to help out with the races and to contribute baked goods (homemade or store bought are appreciated). If you can volunteer or contribute a baked good, please email friends@vsnb.org.
Halloween Parade – Sunday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m.
The Vermont Arts Exchange (VAE) invites everyone to the 30th year of the North Bennington Halloween Parade on Sunday, October 30, at 3 p.m. Meet at the VAE (next to the Post Office) at 48 Main St. as the parade meanders down Main St. and returns to Lion’s Park. Bonfire, refreshments by Norshaft Lions Club and live music, PLUS the Halloween costume awards! (Note: this is a walking parade only). Join the fun, get creative, get weird!
Junior Instructional Ski Program (JISP) and KAP (Kids Alpine Program) are now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 ski season.
More information is available on the Bromley Outing Club website: https://bromleyoutingclub.org/boc/programs/jisp/. Registration is at the following link: https://bromleyoutingclub.com/boc/jisp-and-kap-registration/. The deadline for applications is October 31 (after that there are hefty late fees).
Business Partners in Education
The Village School is fortunate to have generous donors that support our school’s mission and model, and we also have a Business Partners in Education (BPIE) program that helps make possible our school’s enrichment experiences, such as field trips and Specials programs, including: Art, Music, Nature, Physical Education, and STEM. BPIE partners include businesses of all sizes that represent a broad swathe of our community. We are now actively reaching out for 2022-2023 partners and encourage you to share this program with any business that might be interested. It’s a win-win for our school and businesses, with partners benefiting from strong year-round promotions, marketing, and recognition within the school and the greater community. Sponsorship levels start as low as $250 for basic benefits, and benefits increase with higher level opportunities. For more information, please visit our BPIE website page at https://vsnb.org/bpie-2022-23.
A tremendous thank you to the Village School’s 2022-2023 Platinum Sponsor Williams Financial LLC and Gold Sponsor D.B. McKenna, & Co.
