Good Evening,
What a great first week back to school. Our January Assembly on Friday was the perfect way to kick off 2023! Our Student Council, led by Ms. Buckman, took the lead to plan an efficient and energizing agenda. Partner-up classes (see list below) sit together during the event. This was a bit awkward during our first assembly. Since then teachers have coordinated a number of activities from gingerbread cookie decorating and snowflake making to card games and story time. As a result, our partner-up classes are getting to know one another, with older students looking out for their younger counterparts who can’t wait to say “hi’ in the hallway and sit together at the Assemblies. Student council challenged all Partner Up classes to get together for some group games and to report on their winners at our next Assembly. We also finally distributed our “Connected through Kindness T-shirts!” Please make sure your students bring them for our February Assembly on 2/18.
The following announcements were made at our Assembly:
- Passports to Winter Fun will be going home this week. Katie from the Upper Valley Trails Alliance shared a video detailing how students in grades 1 through 6 will track their winter activity to earn prizes, including a chance to win passes to area attractions such as the Montshire. I have also challenged our 7th and 8th graders to get together with friends to document their healthy winter activities and exercise through videos and/or slideshows. We will select two favorites to post to our website and those groups will join me for a (healthy) pizza party.
- FAST (Friday Afternoon Special Time) is a perfect way to add outdoor activity to your lists! We are tentatively set to start this Friday at Whaleback and Willow Brook Farm. The Horsemanship session is optional and available only if arrangements are made to pick students up from the Farm at the end of the session (2:45 pm.) Student Rosters are available here.
PLEASE NOTE: If temperatures do not cooperate, we may have to postpone one week in order to allow Whaleback to make enough snow for plenty of skiable surface area. We will make this call by Tuesday but wanted to give folks a heads up so they can make back-up plans for the early release on Friday. All programs are set to run on 1/20. Please watch for announcements/confirmation about this Friday throughout the week.
- The PTA is hosting a Winter Carnival on February 5th. They are soliciting entries for a chili cook off and will also, once again, have loads of outdoor fun and activities such as snow sculptures, “human dog sled” races and flag football in the snow (hopefully :).) This is another great opportunity to log outdoor activity on your passports and is also just a really good time.
- Early this week, we will be sharing information about a new “School Store” program. This is a way for families to have a percentage of their online purchases come back to Plainfield School. It’s similar to past programs through Target and Price Chopper. Stay tuned!
OTHER SCHOOL NEWS:
Board Retreat: The Board had a really productive 5-hour retreat on Saturday. Topics included budget priorities; investments in student learning outcomes; next steps for a capital campaign; a progress check on the District Strategic Plan, and the future of the FAST program. They plan to finalize the draft 23/24 budget at their next meeting, this Wednesday at 5:30 pm.
Afterschool Art Club is starting when we return from break. There have been a few changes to dates for the art club. See the changes below. Here is the signup link
You can also find these dates on Ms. Wolfinger’s web page. Click here for the link
Grades 2-4: 1/11, 1/25, 2/8, 3 /8 , 3/22, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24, 6/7
Grades 5-8 : 1 /4 , 1/18, 2/1, 2/15, 3/1, 3/15, 4 /5 , 4/19, 5/3, 5/31
Turning Points Network - Healthy Relationships Project
TPN in collaboration with our school counselor, Mrs. Foley, held a forum for first grade parents to learn about the Care for Kids program beginning in first grade this week. We are so pleased to expand these offerings for our students. Beginning last year, students in grades 7 and 8 participate in the Safe-T curriculum with TPN Educators. Please reach out to Mrs. Foley if you have questions - ffoley@plainfieldschool.org
COMMUNITY NEWS:
Willow Brook Farm Youth Mini 3 Day Camp over MLK Weekend - flyer forwarded to you on Wednesday 1/4/23 from Liz Guaraldi
New Art News
Art Competition Opportunity for 14-22 year olds
- The Tidal Shift Award is a juried competition held by the Portland Museum of Art in Maine that aims to showcase, amplify and elevate youth perspectives and art to highlight climate change solutions.
- Now open, the competition seeks artists ages 14 to 22 to submit artwork related to their perspective on climate change.
- Winners will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2023. Division 1 winners will receive $2,500 each and division II winners will receive $5,000 each.
- Deadline: Participants can submit any medium or combination of media (within official rule guidelines) by February 28, 2023.
- Those interested in official rules and details on how to apply should visit www.tidalshiftaward.com.
- The Portland Museum of Art was founded in 1882 by artists and community leaders, and has a strong history of positioning itself as a cultural leader. Learn more about the museum’s history and mission here.
To learn more about past winners' artwork, visit this page. Also, feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any questions: kchild@marshallpr.com.
We appreciate your consideration to spread the word about this opportunity for young people to use their voice for good – and be compensated for their art. Please share with anyone who would benefit!
See you in the morning!
Audra
Partner Up Classes
- 8P & 3/4Evans
- 7M & Culligan
- 7B & Taber
- 6H & 2E
- 6B & 2D
- 5C & 1K
- 5H & Kinder ‘
Please find an updated calendar below. Note the correction to the Friends of the Meriden Library Soup and Good Books starts at 6:30 pm on the 23rd (not 6 pm.)
Also, please note there is a PTA meeting this Tuesday. The Winter Carnival will be the main focus of the meeting. You can attend in person or via zoom. Babysitting is available here at PES.
To Join via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83577992662?pwd=VEJKMHdzWGFBMFVVL2NXUWFWMHVUZz09 Meeting ID: 835 7799 2662 Passcode: 669290
JANUARY EVENTS/MEETINGS
9 Safety Committee Meeting 3:10 pm
9 4 Winds Training at Cornish 8:30 am
10 K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby – Parents/Guardians Welcome
10 PTA Meeting – 6 pm - Library
11 PES School Board Meeting, 5:30 pm – Music Room
11 PES XC Skiing 2:50-4:15 pm
13 Early Release Day - Professional Development, 12:50 pm
13 FAST – Friday Afternoon Special Time - Horsemanship (optional) and Whaleback only.
16 No School - Martin Luther King Day
17 K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby – Parents/Guardians Welcome
17 MLK Recognition during Advisory/Morning Meeting
18 PES School Board Public Hearing, 5:30 pm
18 PES XC Skiing 2:50-4:15 pm
19 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Meeting – 6 pm - Library
20 FAST – Friday Afternoon Special Time
23 Friends of the Meriden Library, Soup and Good Books 6:30 pm
24 K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby – Parents/Guardians Welcome
25 Professional Development Committee Meeting – 3:10 to 4:30 - Library
25 PES School Board Meeting, 5:30 pm – Music Room
25 PES XC Skiing 2:50-4:15 pm
26 8th Grade to HACTC 8:45 am
27 FAST – Friday Afternoon Special Time
31 K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby – Parents/Guardians Welcome