Current Announcements

3/25/22

Dear Families,

Award-winning author and artist Sandra Magsamen visited our school this week for two inspiring days of sharing with students her World of Wishes Campaign, which has grown out of her book I Wish, Wish, Wish For You.

Students in each class were prompted to finish the sentence, “I wish…” and draw a picture of a wish that matters to them. There were the fanciful wishes you would expect from elementary school students for more cake, ice cream, and unicorns—but there were also MANY heartfelt wishes for world peace, protecting the Earth, kindness to all, and an end to Covid.

Magsamen’s hope is to inspire, energize and empower all who read these wishes so that they too can make an important and lasting impact in our world. I encourage you to view a 1-minute video that she put together of some of our students’ wishes and artwork. It is posted on our school’s YouTube site.

On a different note, we sent home a letter informing families that Kindergarten and Pre-K are now enrolling students for the 2022-23 year. Children who live in North Bennington and Shaftsbury District 1 and who will be five years of age on or before August 31, 2022, will be eligible to attend Kindergarten at the Village School. Please help us spread the word! Interested families should reach out to Director of the Pre-K and Head Kindergarten Teacher Lori Elwell at lelwell@vsnb.org or 802-442-5955.

Lastly, we are gearing up for our school’s first-ever Online Fundraising Auction. We had to suspend all of our traditional fundraisers this year due to Covid, and we are excited to try out this new format to raise funds in support of un-budgeted classroom activities and enrichment for our students. Every class came up with a theme for class gift baskets, and Friends of the Village School volunteers reached out about suggested donations for these baskets. You should have received an email this week about your class’s basket from the Friends of the Village School. Whether you can give an item valued at $2 or $20, or a donation that is new or used (in excellent condition), all contributions will make a difference! If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s teacher or friends@vsnb.org. There are collection boxes in each classroom so that students can bring in the donated items by April 5. Thank you for your support!

This week’s community announcements are below, and I encourage you to read more about the Third Graders’ relief maps of Vermont in this week’s Class Notes.

Have a good weekend!

Tim

Class Notes

Village School Third Graders have been studying Vermont. In their classroom, they learned about the physical and political borders of our state and how to identify the basic elements of a map. They also learned how to use systems to locate places on a map.

Then they took their knowledge into the art room and made beautiful relief maps using papier-mache clay and paint. They added signs to show important places in Vermont and drilled their own holes to place them. They even learned how to draw a compass rose. Several of the students’ maps are on display at the Southern Vermont Arts Center Art from the Schools exhibit.

Lake Paran’s Spring Break Camp

Students can spend April vacation, from April 18-22nd (8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.), at Lake Paran’s Spring Break Outdoor Camp. Outdoor education is healing and fosters social emotional connections among children and their fellow campers. Camp activities will include participating in a BioBlitz, nature exploration, meet and greet lambs, planting seeds, discovering insects, and more! The camp will have 15 spots available for K-6th grade students. The cost is $225 for the 1st child, and $200 per additional child. To register or for more information, please visit this link: https://lakeparanvt.org/programs-and-camps. If you have questions or concerns, contact: lakeparanvista@gmail.com

Spring and Summer Vacation Arts and Wellness Programs and Camps for Kids in SoulSpace at the Sage Street Mill

Students, ages 6-12, can spend April vacation, from April 18-22nd (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.) at the beautiful “Soul Space” in the Sage Street Mill enjoying yoga, art, wellness activities, and outdoor programming along the nature trails and creek. For more information on the spring break program, go to: sagestreetmill.com/spring-break.

For more information about summer camps, go to: sagestreetmill.com/summer-camps

Reduce Heating Costs and Carbon Dioxide Pollution With Free Insulating Window Inserts

WindowDressers brings community volunteers of all economic and social situations together to improve the warmth and comfort of interior spaces, lower heating costs, and reduce carbon dioxide pollution by producing low-cost insulating window inserts that function as custom, interior-mounted storm windows. The grant for this opportunity runs out in June and it is recommended you reach out to the local Bennington coordinator at (802) 234-3050 or benningtoncountywd@gmail.com if you are interested in participating. >> Click here to see the Window Dresser Flier.