04-11 EES Newsletter

April 1, 2011 EASTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EASTON SCHOOL DISTRICT DOGSLEDDING Students in Mrs. Allen’s 3rd grade class had the opportunity to talk to a local musher, Traci Halvorson, to learn more about dog sledding as well as have the chance to go on a dog sled ride. Thank you Traci for the wonderful experience! Aroostook County Art STUDENTS OF THE MONTH Aug/Sep Emma Lamoreau Josh Peers October Austyn Cowley Elise Allen November Eva Callioris Kathleen Haney December Annalynn Fredette Taylor Devoe January Paige Lento Ashley Cowley February Kyle Flewelling Breann Clayton March Kassidy Brewer Cecelia Ferris On March 7th, the Aroostook Centre Mall showcased county student artwork in their annual art exhibition. Elementary students with art in the show included: Grace Flewelling, Maggie McQuade, Eva Callioras, Alysabeth Lamoreau, Mitchell Flewelling, Troy Chasse, Ashley Crowley, Shelliese Mullen, Katelyn White, Isabelle Morin, and Elise Allen. ELEMENTARY LIBRARY NEWS The library started the year off in a great way by receiving a wonderful donation of books from the Presque Isle Rotary Club, and by being approved to form a student team to help create a library website (https:// sites.google.com/site/eastonelementaryschoollibrary/ ). The library staff has also been preparing the library for automation which will take place over the next 18 months. Lastly, a small team has been formed to participate in a research contest called MARVELous May! POETRY ALIVE Poetry Alive! was a high-energy show presented by a team of two professional performers. The performers turned poetry into theater! DR. SEUSS’ BIRTHDAY ECP students get into the spirit by having their faces painted like cats. 5th and 6th Graders at the Olympics Concert BIATHLON K- 8 students recently participated in the biathlon. This was a fabulous event and we can’t wait for the next one! continued on page 2  4TH GRADE March 14th Grades 4-6 celebrated Pi Day (3.14)!  Students in grade 4 were surprised to know that there is another Pi (Pie).  Activities included tracing a Pi pattern around a paper plate, making beaded bracelets with the pattern, and measuring cookies to find the circumference and area before they could eat their treat. Staff singing Blitzen’s Boogie ••• ECP AND KINDERGARTEN ECP students celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday during Reading Awareness Week. Mother’s Day Tea will be held on May 6th. Kindergarten enjoyed skiing through the Maine Winter Sports program. Mrs. Phillips helped all children in the district ski this month. 1ST GRADE 1st graders and kindergarteners have started a cooperative learning activity. “Techy Tuesday” is bringing these students together to help each other with technological skills. 2ND GRADE Grade 2 has enjoyed learning about magnets. Mrs. Chandler from MPS visited our classroom with many activities to review and learn new skills. 3RD GRADE Students from both Kennebunk and Easton have been spending the month reading at home to see who can read for the greatest amount of time as a class. We are tracking the amount of time spent reading and converting it into miles as the two classes race along the Iditarod trail. YOUNG AUTHORS This year Young Authors' will be at UMPI on Friday, April 1. The students chosen to attend from our school are: Wilder Mitchell, Katelyn White, Sydnee Waters, Emma Bonner, Taylor Brown and Kristen West. The featured speaker is Maine author Cynthia Lord. ELEMENTARY MUSIC NEWS Upcoming Events... APRIL 18th - 22nd Vacation 5TH GRADE 5th graders have just finished designing their advertisements for the Star Herald. Look for those to be on newsstands soon. MAY 7th Family Math Day 6TH GRADE 20th Elementary Play After winning the Aroostook Geography Bee, Jake Flewelling will be competing in Augusta in the State Geography Bee. Good Luck Jake! MRS. CONDON Health classes have been working on the BULLY SMART SERIES. Positive, healthy ways of dealing with bullying are being explored. This series also teaches the students behavioral skills needed in everyday situations. PHYSICAL EDUCATION Students raised over $2500 dollars for the American Heart Association in our Jump Rope for Heart program.   Two classes are tied for our Golden Shoe award: 3rd and 6th grade. ELEMENTARY MUSIC The Olympics Concert medalist this year are Bronze: Kindergarden, Silver, Grade 1, Gold: Grade 4. The upper grades are readying for assessments; the younger students are honing their singings skills. The instrumentalists are all doing a great job on recorders and band instruments, and we look forward to a wonderful Elementary Art day in June. STUDENTS ATTEND PROBLEM SOLVING SESSIONS AT UMPI Seminars to encourage problem solving in the areas of math and science were recently held at UMPI. Autumn Gray, Delia Bonner, Paige Flewelling and Katelyn White attended "Girls and Gifts." Boys attending "Guys and Goals" were: Jacob Flewelling, Hunter Brown, Keegan Kinney and Matt Poole, Elise Allen, Jake Flewelling, Katelyn White, and Cecelia Ferris attended Creative Problem Solving Day.    FROM THE PRINCIPAL Our Winterfest on Ma rch 14 was a huge success - thank you to parents who sent in supplies and cookies!  We also had wonderf ul attendance at our Spring Parent/T eacher Conferences - thank you for taking the time to talk abou t student progress.   Grade 5 students wi ll participate in the MEA Science tes ting in May.   We will be offering a Family Math Day on Saturday, Ma y 7.  Please mark your calendars an spending some fun ma d plan on th time with your children at sch ool.   Malcolm Francis Sci ence Center The Malcolm Franci s Science Center will be hosting a fam ily science day on Saturday, April 30 th. For more information, call 488-5451 NEWS FROM THE NURSE Our school recently participated in Wear Red Day to honor heart health. Staff and students all wore red for a group photo which was then submitted to TAMC. We were awarded with a $100 check and those proceeds will go towards the purchase of a Wii for everyone at school to enjoy. A big “Thank You” to TAMC for their generous gift. Keep an eye open for the lovely red tulips planted around our school sign last fall by our students.  Easton Jr/Sr High School Spring News Letter 2011 Math/Physics ENGLISH Mr. Sutherland Mrs. Smith The year is truly flying by. The kids are putting forth a strong effort with their class work and it’s paying dividends. The math team placed first in all five meets this year and captured the Aroostook Small School Division title. Individual winners included Jake Bacon a senior placing third. Juniors, Holden Turner, Megan Frank and Jonah Bacon swept the Junior division placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively. Carla Halvorson placed 3rd as a Sophomore. This years state team finished 12th out I have been looking at the calendar recently, and am dumbfounded by the fact that fourth quarter is on its way! This year has been a good one for me, as the Student Council advisor for the first time ever. The students have been excellent, and they are always coming up with new ideas to improve the school environment. It won’t be long, and we will be helping the Key Club and NHS with the yearly MS Walk and be preparing for the school picnic. It’s wonderful to see students lending a helping hand and taking part in their school community! In British Literature, the juniors and seniors are working on a British author book project of their choice, sophomores are learning about social issues during the French Revolution from A Tale of Two Cities, and the freshmen are experiencing their first Shakespeare play, Julius Caesar. of a field of 23. They had the second highest team score of all Aroostook County teams in attendance. 1  National Honor Society Miss Murchison Sydney Trask is nearing the end of her term as the NHS State President. I have enjoyed working with Sydney, and I am very proud of all of her accomplishments. At the March State Convention, Sydney handed the gavel over to Jonah Bacon. Jonah, a member of the Junior Class, was elected as the 2012 State NHS president. Sydney and Jonah will attend the May transition meeting in Augusta which will conclude Sydney’s duties and begin Jonah’s term. Sydney Trask 2011 State NHS President Jonah Bacon The Northern Region Spring convention will be held at Presque Isle High 2012 State NHS School on April 14. I am pleased to announce that three members will be running for regional offices--Holden Turner, President; Ariana Babineau, Vice President President; and Meghan Frank, Secretary/Treasurer. Once again, Easton Junior Senior High School will be well represented. Music Art History Mrs. Kinsey Miss Hutchison Mr. West The Music Department at the Jr/ Sr High School has been busy. Fine Arts Night was a huge success, showcasing our High School Visual Art, Band, Chorus and Jazz Programs as well as the One Act Play. A fun time was had by all in attendance. GREAT JOB! The Jazz Choir will be heading to Ellsworth on April 2 for the State Jazz Competition. Wish them luck! The Final Concert of the year, in conjunction with the Jr. High Art Show will be Thursday night, May 26 at 7:00. What is new at the high school in arts this year?The high school arts students created some fantastic sculptures. Those figures are fun colorful and whimsical. Come and take a look at them. They are being displayed at the high school library. 2 What an incredible year we are having. This is truly a year of change and many “teachable moments” as world events have continued to dominate the news. Currently the freshmen are studying the French Revolution as well as studying events in North Africa to compare and contrast the two. The sophomores are working diligently on their research papers and the juniors are studying World War II. I must add as the junior class advisor how proud I am of each of them as this class continues to distinguish itself.  English Jr./Sr. Highschool Guidance Library Lynda Furen-Turner Mary Ruth Nichols Polly Burnett 100% of seniors graduating from Easton Jr/Sr High School on June 10, 2011 have been accepted to college and will continue their education at the post secondary level. Junior High students are enjoying classic American novels: The Yearling and Where the Red Fern Grows. Both novels follow the maturation of a boy and focus on their relationships with their beloved pets. Seventh and eighth graders recite poetry. Below is Hannah Ferris reciting “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Junior and seniors are up to the Victorian period of English literature. Their thick anthology Jacob Bacon UMPI/Political Science Brittanee Blodget NMCC/Early Childhood Education Thanks to a generous $25,000 grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, the Easton Elementary and Junior/Senior High School Jeffrey Condon NMCC/Liberal Studies libraries will soon be automated. Katie Cyr UMPI/Elementary Education Our library catalogs will be merged into a centralized web-based online Christopher Flewelling NMCC/Diesel catalog that will allow our patrons Hydraulics to review, renew and reserve library materials they have or want Samantha Fuller UMPI/Biology to check out. Zachary Clark UMaine/Mechanical Engineering Devyn Gray NMCC/Diesel Hydraulics Brooke Hammond UMPI/Social Work Jonathan Kimble NMCC/Computer Electronics text was quite imposing last August and now they are getting towards the end! Most students enjoy the more modern language of this period. Taylor Lawrence UMPI/Undecided Brooke Lunney NMCC/Business In addition, the new automated program called ATRIUUM, will expand our collection beyond the walls of our libraries by giving us access to library resources around the country, anytime, anywhere. Marissa Parlin UMPI/Education/Marines We ask for your patience as the library staff learns the process of Timothy Philbrick NMCC/Residential installation and all the functions Construction of this new system. Our goal is to make the transition as Brittany Tompkins NMCC/Early seamless as possible, without Childhood Education any interruption in accessing our Sydney Trask UMaine/Communication resources or library services. Sciences and Behaviors 3  Tech Prep Biology Mrs. Richardson To the left is Justin Guerette measuring the movement of dyes in an electrophoresis experiment . The class has just completed a unit on DNA, finishing with DNA fingerprinting. Junior High Science Mrs. Richardson On the left seventh grader Clay Plourde is explaining the inheritance of blood type to his classmates. On the right eighth graders Abby Thompson and Ashley Hersey are experimenting with pulleys. Junior High Art Mrs. Richardson On the right Bailee Getchell is completing a negative/positive space project. Shape is one of the elements of design studied in seventh grade art. Below are eighth grade projects showing radial balance. Featured are the creations of Cody Halvorson and Kelsey Frank. Balance is one of the principle of design studied in the eighth grade. Cody Halvorson’s Kelsey Frank’s Physical Education / Health Miss Phillips The junior high students raised over $1000 for the American HeartAssociation. All classes were able to get on skis this winter to cross-country ski. Parents vs. students volleyball night will be hosted before break, students have a chance to earn extra credit. Dance night is planned for late spring so get your dancing shoesready! 4  As my 10th and last year as your Superintendent/Elementary Principal comes to an end, I want to thank the community of Easton for the honor and privilege of serving in this capacity. The ten years have flown by and are filled with far too many fond memories to count. I have been extremely proud to be your Superintendent. The Easton School Department is a shining star among the school districts in Maine. Our Jr/Sr High School has scored among the top ten high schools in the state the last four years on the state assessment exams. Easton High School’s graduation rate was the second highest in Maine on a recent state department report. Your schools are staffed by excellent professionals who are among the best in the state. The Easton community is a wonderful place to raise children. There is such a strong commitment to the well being and support of every child. I hope that as time passes the community commitment to the schools never wavers. The schools are a central part of what makes Easton such an exceptional place for children. Be wary of losing control of your schools in any form of consolidation. Your schools are reflective of this community and that won’t be the case if you become part of a consolidated structure. Communities all over the state are closing their schools in the newly consolidated structures. In almost every case the schools that are forced to close are those in the smallest communities in the consolidated district. The reality of  these arrangements is that smaller schools are expendable in the minds of the new school boards. The sad result is that once these small towns lose their schools, the next stage is the inevitable loss of the community. This is a sad commentary on the public policy of our government that small rural communities are seen as an inefficient drag on the economy of the state and are thus expendable. I hope that Easton will continue to be a bright light among great communities to raise a family and that the Easton School Department will continue to provide a first class education to our students. Your community has much to be proud of, but the success comes as a result of hard work, commitment, and diligent oversight by everyone. I want to thank my staff and all of the students for making my time here so positive. I want to thank the Town Selectmen and the Town Managers for their cooperation and support. I can’t thank the seven school board members that I have served under enough for having confidence in me and giving me the privilege to lead this school district. Thank you Easton for ten memorable years working with your young people and best of luck in the future.       Mrs.  Brewer   Child Find Notice: In compliance with Maine Special Education Regulations the Easton School Department would like to ensure that all students between the ages of 3 and 20 years including state wards, state agency clients, students attending private schools, students attending home schools, and institutional residents who reside within the Easton geographic jurisdiction, who may be in need of special education and or supportive services, are located, identified, and evaluated. If you believe your child is in need of an evaluation or services please call the Special Services Administrator in the Easton School District at 488-7701. Section 504: Students with disabilities who DO NOT qualify for special education services. Section 504 is one part of the federal Rehabilitation Act which was enacted by Congress to combat discrimination against many of the more vulnerable groups in our society. Section 504 is not to be confused with students with disabilities who require special education services. Section 504 generally bars discrimination against students with disabilities in the services and programs that are administered by any entity that receives federal funds. There are three categories under which a student may qualify as an individual with a disability. A student who has a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of that individual” A student who has “a record of such an impairment” a student who is “being regarded as having such an impairment” If you suspect your child may qualify for Section 504 please contact Special Services Administrator in the Easton School District at 488-7701.