Friday, September 25, 2015

Friday Notes 9-25-15

If you are not receiving Friday Notes by email and would like to or if you would like to be removed from the Friday Notes email list, please email fridaynotes@lelandandgray.org Thank you.


SCHOOL INFO:


Rocktober Fest:

ROCKTOBERFEST 2015 will take place on Friday, October 2nd from 7:00 - 10:00pm open to all students in grades 7 - 12.

This is an all-school event sponsored by the Spirit Team.  Classes who have the best percentage of their class attending will also win Spirit Points!  

The Outdoor Dance/Bonfire will set up on the parking lot closest to the soccer field.  If inclement weather we will move the dance indoors!  Admission to the event is just $5.00.  Concessions will be available for purchase from the L & G Sports Boosters Club.  If you would like to volunteer to help set up for this event please see Mrs. Claussen.

8th Grade Parents:

8th grade homework assignments build on what has happened that day in class.  The lesson is taught and assignments are typically begun in class.  They need to be completed before the next class.  Without completed homework, students will not be as successful in the next day.  This design is intended to help 8th graders become more independent learners, a skill needed for high school.  Please check Power School daily to see what the day's homework assignment is, and ask to see your child's homework when it is completed.


7th Grade:

Field Trip:  Monday, October 5th:  We will be hiking the Long Trail to the summit of Bromley Mountain and riding the Alpine Slides down!  We will depart from school at 8:00 and return for buses at 2:30.  Cost is $5.00. Email jliskowsky-doak@lelandandgray.org with any questions or concerns.

7th grade Family Night:  Tuesday, October 20th, 6:00-7:30 pm:  Families of 7th graders are invited to join us for a free pizza dinner to celebrate the start of the school year and build the 7th grade community.  Local experiential education consultant, Jennifer Stanchfield, will lead activities and games, and describe her role as a year-long facilitator with the middle school students.  The 7th grade core classroom teachers will be available to answer questions, and families can network and enjoy an evening of fun with family and community. 

Virtual College Fair:

Hey Juniors and Seniors!!

September All Access is one of only two virtual college fairs left this fall!  Don't miss out!! log in today at:  www.collegeweeklive.com/CWL2015!


Parent Conferences:

Attention all Parents:  Please e-mail pbrissette@lelandandgray.org and make your reservation for Parent Conferences which are on October 15th!  Middle School parents:  you have the choice of team conferences between noon and 3:00 or individual conferences from 3:30-7:00.  HS conferences are 3:30-7:30 only.  


From the Music Department:

Samba Band has begun and all are welcome to join. Come to the music room at 2:40 on Thursdays. Practice goes until 4PM. Talk to Mr. Kelley if you have questions.


A Cappella will be starting soon. Get the audition piece from Mr. Kelley.

Music Night is tonight, Friday, September 25 at 7 PM in the Dutton Gym!!! Come enjoy some music in an informal setting.

The next Friends of Music meeting will be on October 7th at 5:30 PM in the music room. All parents of L&G musicians are encouraged to come.

Refuse to Use:

Refuse To Use Stratton Ski Pass registration is open.  To register, go to the Leland and Gray website and click on the Refuse to Use tab found on the home page under QUICK LINKS.  You can also find the link here.

When registering, please have a student photo saved in a file ready to upload.

Registration closes on Oct 10th.  There is an added late fee for any registrations after Oct 10th- so register TODAY.



Optional Make up Event:
Friday, September 25.  Movie night at Wardsboro Library. 7pm

FREE TEEN & ADULT PROGRAMS PBS Documentary: 
Drug Addiction -The Opiate Effect on Friday, September  25th at 7pm at the Wardsboro Public Library.
Wardsboro Public Library teamed up with Jamaica Memorial Library, PBS, Vermont Thrives, and The Connection to bring this program to the community. Experts from the community will here to answer your questions. Refreshments will be provided.

Winter Activities:

Karren Meyer is looking for JISP snowboard and ski instructors.  If you are interested, please email Karren at kmeyer@lelandandgray.org

Free/Reduced School Meals:

If your family was eligible for Free /Reduced school meals last year and we have not received an application for the current year you must submit an application by 9/25/2015 or your child(ren) will have to pay the full price. If you have a letter approving you for VT 3Squares, SNAP, or Reach-Up we can approve your student(s) for free meals. Please send a copy of the letter.


As of 10/7/2015, your child(ren) may have to the pay the following prices for school meals:
Breakfast:  $1.75

Lunch:  $2.75

You may call Deborah Mears at 802-365-9510 if you want to discuss this matter.


From the Nurse:

The WCS School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) will be meeting on October 7th from 3:30- 4:45 at Leland and Gray in room A14. All parents and community members are welcome to join us as we discuss wellness priorities for our schools.

Tech Tip:

You Can Now Compose Google Docs With Your Voice / Read&Write for Google Chrome




PSAT Information:

The sign up sheet for the PSAT is in the front office. The test in on October 14th in the Leland and Gray gym The cost is $15.00. Checks should be made out to Leland and Gray. Fee waivers are available for eligible 11th grade students.


Juniors & Seniors & Their Parents/Guardians:

Every week Sarah sends out an E-newsletter containing all things college and career. Many of you are on the list to receive it, but many are not! There is so much information pertaining to life after high school, this is the most effective way to communicate it to you. If you do NOT get this e-letter, please email Sarah and request to be added to the list. sgrasso@lelandandgray.org

Career Expo:



Copy of the flyer can be found here.

Travel Opportunity:

Ms. Landenberger will be at school Monday, September 28 from 4 to 6:30 to meet with all parents and students who'd like to learn more about this trip (details below).  If you sign up by midnight on September 30 with a $95 registration fee, the fare will be the same.  From Oct. 1 on, the fare will be $75 or $100 more.  If you CAN'T come by Monday, please feel free to call or write Ms. L.: school: 365-7355 X 204; home: 348-7156. E-mail: alandenberger@lelandandgray.org.

The cities of the British Isles can take you back into the distant past, from Dublin’s thousand-year-old Book of Kells to the 17th-century St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. In between, appreciate the timeless beauty of nature—marvel at the scenic shores of Holyhead in Wales, the green hills along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way and England’s pastoral countryside. Visit the Blarney Castle and kiss the Stone; tour Dublin and catch a sheep dog demo; visit a castle in Wales and the place where the Bard (yes, Shakespeare) was born. See Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and much more! How?


Join Ms. Landenberger and several great students and adults for a sight-filled, relaxing, super-fun experiential learning tour through Ireland, Wales and England. The deadline for signing on to the trip is October 30.  Please note the important info below:

TOUR ITINERARY: England, Ireland and Wales 9 days
Day 1: Fly overnight to Ireland
Day 2: Shannon • Killarney
Day 3: Killarney: Ring of Kerry, Bog Village Museum, sheep dog demonstration
Day 4: Killarney • Dublin: Blarney Castle, Cashel Rock
Day 7: Stratford • London: tour Stratford and Shakespeare's birthplace; travel to Lon
Day 5: Dublin: guided tour with expert local guide
Day 6: Dublin • Holyhead • Coventry: ferry from Dublin to Holyhead, Welsh castledon
Day 8: London: guided tour with expert local guide and have to explore on your own with an adult

COSTS:
If you've traveled with EF before, you're entitled to another discount. The fee includes all air transportation and ground transportation abroad, entrance fees, guides, breakfast and dinner daily, lodging. Not included: transport to and from airport; lunches; beverages other than water at dinners.

And we WILL do fundraising. Dates are approximate thus far:  We'll be traveling during February break.

QUESTIONS?
Call or write Annie Landenberger at alandenberger@lelandandgray.org, 348-7156 and see:

Word of the Week:



The Year of Magical Thinking:

Grief is a shared human emotion.  But the experience can only be yours. 

This is the essence of Joan Didion’s play, The Year of Magical Thinking,  to be presented at Leland and Gray Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30 PM.  The piece explores how Dideon coped with the sudden passing of her husband—author and producer John Gregory Dunne—while their only daughter was in a coma after being hospitalized just five days earlier.

Fort Collins Bas Bleu Theatre Co. artistic director Wendy Ishii, Leland and Gray ’65,  transforms Didion’s own grief and unexpected loss into a stunning and award-winning one-woman play. Bas Bleu was recognized for its artistic achievement at the 2013 Colorado Community Theatre Coalition (CCTC) festival with the company winning first place show and Ishii being awarded the best actress award. Ishii also received Culture West’s “True West Award”for Best Solo Performance and Westword’s “Best One-Person Show Award” for her portrayal of Joan Didion.

Didion and Dunne—married 40 years—were each New York literary and Hollywood screenwriting giants.  “They made a mint on the movie A Star Is Born starring Barbra Streisand,” wrote John’s brother Dominick Dunne in a 2004 Vanity Fair article. It’s fitting that Bas Bleu’s production of Magical Thinking features its own Hollywood-New York connection.

Award-winning director Oz Scott (The District, CSI, NCIS, For Colored Girls, The Unit, Ironside, Gotham) and Ishii met at Vermont’s Marlboro College, where they worked together on several productions. Decades later, the two reconnected on Facebook and talked about doing a play together.  Scott says he has become the “king of one-person shows,” and Ishii wanted a challenge.

And this play is indeed a challenge. The subject matter is sensitive; but in the capable hands of Didion, one can understand why her memoir by the same title—upon which the play is based—gained immediate acclaim as a classic in the genre of mourning literature. Didion won the 2005 National Book Award for Nonfiction and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for biography/autobiography.

According to Scott, the play reflects the story of a woman who experienced a tragic year, and how she persevered to reach a more accepting place. While the story may be specific to Joan Didion, the theme is universal. Didion wants the audience to understand her experience, because it will happen to you—and you will survive it. But it will be hell.

For instance, Didion recounts, “Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it. We know that someone close to us could die. We might expect to feel shock. We do not expect this shock to be obliterative, dislocating to both body and mind. We might expect to be prostrate, inconsolable, crazy with loss. We do not expect to be literally crazy -- cool customers who believe that their husband is about to return and need his shoes.” And the author concludes, “I know why we try to keep the dead alive: we try to keep them alive in order to keep them with us. I also know that if we are to live ourselves, there comes a point at which we must relinquish the dead, let them go, keep them dead.” 

Ishii said one thing Didion taught her was to be able to let go—let your loved one become the photograph on the table—and then enjoy the memory.

One performance only is offered Wednesday, October 7, 7:30 PM at Leland and Gray’s historic Dutton Gymnasium to launch the Players’ 20th anniversary season with a celebration of alumni in the performing arts.   Admission at the door is $10 for adults and $5 for students.  Advance sale tickets are $8 and $4. Write verbatim@svcable.net to reserve and for more information.  L&G Players and Players alumni are invited to attend free of charge.

Leland & Gray Players:

We need to engage lots of new parent volunteers to help not only with the fall musical,  The Mystery of Edwin Drood, but also with upcoming shows this year  and beyond --and with the celebration of the Players’ 20th this year.

To that end there'll be a parents and friends –alumni, community members, siblings, etc—of the Players meeting  Monday, October 5  from 6:30 to 8 in Dutton in the Gould wing. This'll be a great chance for adults to learn more about how the Players work and how you can fit in. We will have refreshments, fear not. J The areas in which we need parent help include, but are not limited to:

·       videography and photography
·       costume—scavanging, adapting and making
·       makeup, hair and hats
·       set building (lots of construction help needed!)
·       publicity
·       volunteer coordination
·       backstage and house-management volunteering
·       ticket sales
·       publicity 

AFTER SCHOOL INFO:


After School Conduct:

Students who are in an activity must arrive by 3:00.  You are not allowed on A or B Level unless you are participating in an After School Activity.  If you leave the activity before it concludes, you must go to C-Level or outside.

If you are not participating in an after school activity and violate any rules in the Student Handbook, you will no longer be allowed to stay after school.

LEAF Program:

L.E.A.F. - L&G Environmental Action Force and Outdoor Club
What we do:
-hike, snowshoe, and learn  wilderness skills
-L&G School Community Garden
-make and teach upcycled crafts
-attend Youth Environmental Summits
-educate ourselves and others on the outdoors, environmental issues and model sustainable practices

When? Every Friday HS lunch C4 *** H.E.Y. - On Wednesdays after school - starting soon! 

 Please see Ms. Davis or Ms. Nyzio, your LEAF co-advisors.

Junior Iron Chef:

"Jr Iron Chef Vermont is a statewide culinary competition that challenges teams of middle and high school students to create healthy, local dishes that inspire school meal programs." (http://dev.vtfeed.org/).  The teams will meet every Tuesday afternoon throughout the school year to plan and practice for the state-wide competition held in the spring.If you enjoy cooking, are an aspiring chef, enjoy working with food and creating recipes... please join us on Tuesdays! Contact Susan Jones  for more information. sjones@lelandandgray.org or 365-7355, ext 128.


Late Bus:

The late began running on Monday, September 14th.

The late bus runs Monday - Thursday.  The late bus does not run on half days or on Wednesdays during Winter Sports.

You can access the full late bus schedule here.


After School Programs:

After School programs began running on Monday, September 14th.  Please see or e-mail Dale Stevens with any questions.

Opportunities:

Students:  interested in being a Peer Tutor?  a counselor at the Elementary Schools during their after school programs?  interested in running your OWN after school program?  These are all paid opportunities offered through the After School Program.  See Dale if interested.

Community Members/Teachers/Staff:  The After School programs are looking for another staff member to assist students with homework during afternoon HEY! Help.  Please see or e-mail Dale if interested.

COMMUNITY:


If you have any community events or information you would like to be listed in Friday Notes, please e-mail fridaynotes@lelandandgray.org


Paid Child Care Opportunity:

West River Valley Thrives is going to be offering a 6 week program for families and they are looking for people to provide child care during the program.

It will be held the following Thursdays in the Leland & Gray Library from 5-7pm:  October 1, 8, 22, 29 & November 5, 12

It's a paid opportunity of $12/hour.

If you're interested, please contact Katelynn from West River Valley Thrives at:  wrvtdirector@gmail.com


Free Class, Active Parenting of Teens:

This fall, West River Valley Thrives will be hosting a new program for local parents. This parent education curriculum, called Active Parenting of Teens, is an engaging, evidence-based program for parents of children ages 11-18 where parents learn about the issues unique to adolescence and the skills needed to parent their “tweens” and teens most effectively. This curriculum is an excellent opportunity for parents of teens entering 7th grade who are looking for information and guidance to help their child transition, as well as any parent interested in connecting with other parents and enhancing their parenting skills. 

The program has six sessions, including information about styles of parenting, problem solving and communication, responsibility and discipline, building courage and self-esteem, drugs and violence, as well as development and sexuality. Classes will be held Thursdays October 1st, 8th, 22nd, 29th and November 5th and 12th from 5-7pm at the Leland and Gray Library. Snacks will be provided and childcare will be made available with advanced notice. Interested parents should contact Katelynn Venne, Program Manager for West River Valley  Thrives, at wrvtdirector@gmail.com or 802.365.4700. Check out Thrives’ new website, wrvthrives.com, for more information about upcoming West River Valley Thrives opportunities!




Job Opportunity:

The Jamaica Cottage Shop is hiring.  Please see website for more details:  http://jamaicacottageshop.com/employment-opportunities/  

Newbrook Fire and Rescue Walk/Run 5k:

Please join us September 26th for our second annual Newbrook Fire and Rescue Walk/Run 5K! 
Registration: 8:00-9:30 
Walk/Run: 10:00 
Adults: $20, or $15 with proof of fire/rescue card 
Kids 12 and under: $10 
Family of four or more: $10 each


Community Service Opportunity:


There is an Empty Bowls Dinner on October 10th in Brattleboro.  The even is a major fundraiser for the Brattleboro area homeless shelter and food shelf now known as Groundworks Collaborative.  They need around 15 student volunteers to help with the meal preparation and serving.  

Here's the details:

Students should arrive at the dining hall of Landmark College at approximately 2:30 pm on Saturday October 10.

During the afternoon there will be a variety of things to prepare for the dinner like setting tables, washing apples, cutting cheese, etc.  Before the supper begins all the volunteers have some soup and then the meal begins. The biggest job is between the seatings when the tables must be cleaned and set up again for the second seating.  By the time 7:30 or 8 pm arrives the jobs are primarily done when the clean up crew arrives. 

If interested, please contact Ruth Wilmot at RWILMOT@landmark.edu

ATHLETICS:


Upcoming Schedule:

Please check Digital Sports and the Leland & Gray website for updated information or schedule changes.


DayDateTimeEventSportH/AOpponent/TitleFacilityResultBus Depart
Fri9/25/157:15PMGameGirls (7th-8th Red)A@ Twin Valley Middle High SchoolWilmington/Hayford Field6:00 PM
Sat9/26/1511:00AMGameGirls (V)HVs. Green MountainSoccer Field
Sat9/26/1511:00AMGameGirls (JV)HVs. Green MountainSoccer Field
Sat9/26/152:00PMGameBoys (JV)A@ Brattleboro UnionTBD12:15 AM
Sat9/26/152:00PMGameBoys (V)A@ Brattleboro UnionTBD12:15 AM
Mon9/28/154:00PMGameBoys (JV-B)HVs. Burr and BurtonTBD
Mon9/28/154:00PMGameGirls (JV-B)HVs. Burr and BurtonSoccer Field
Tue9/29/154:00PMGameBoys (7th-8th Green)A@ Westmoreland Middle SchoolTBD2:30 PM
Tue9/29/155:15PMGameGirls (MS)A@ Westmoreland Middle SchoolTBD2:30 PM
Wed9/30/154:00PMGameGirls (V)A@ Otter Valley UnionTBD1:30 PM
Wed9/30/154:00PMGameBoys (7th-8th White)HVs. Manchester Middle SchoolL&G MS Soccer Field
Thu10/01/154:00PMGameGirls (MS)A@ Hinsdale High SchoolTBD2:45 PM
Thu10/01/155:15PMGameBoys (MS)A@ Hinsdale High SchoolTBD2:45 PM
Thu10/01/156:00PMGameBoys (V)A@ Mill River UnionSoccer/Football Field3:00 PM
Fri10/02/154:00PMGameGirls (V)HVs. Windsor Jr/SrSoccer Field
Fri10/02/154:30PMGameGirls (JV)HVs. Windsor Jr/SrSoccer Field
Sat10/03/154:00PMGameBoys (JV)HVs. Green MountainSoccer Field
Sat10/03/154:00PMGameBoys (V)HVs. Green MountainSoccer Field
Mon10/05/154:00PMGameBoys (V)A@ Windsor Jr/SrTBD1:45 PM
Mon10/05/154:00PMGameBoys (JV)A@ Windsor Jr/SrWindsor Fairgrounds1:45 PM
Mon10/05/154:00PMGameBoys (7th-8th White)HVs. Dummerston Middle SchoolTBD
Wed10/07/154:00PMGameGirls (V)HVs. Bellows Falls UnionSoccer Field
Thu10/08/154:00PMGameGirls (MS)A@ Chesterfield Middle SchoolTBD2:45 PM
Thu10/08/154:30PMGameGirls (FR)A@ Mt. AnthonyHS Voc. Field2:15 PM
Thu10/08/154:30PMGameBoys (FR)A@ Mt. AnthonyVets Home Field2:15 PM
Thu10/08/155:15PMGameBoys (7th-8th Green)A@ Chesterfield Middle SchoolTBD2:45 PM
Fri10/09/15TBATournamentBoys (8th-Green)HTVMS TournamentHayford Field/Wilmington4:45 PM
Fri10/09/154:00PMGameBoys (JV)A@ Arlington MemorialTBD2:00 PM
Fri10/09/156:00PMGameBoys (V)A@ Arlington MemorialArl. Park2:00 PM
Fri10/09/157:30PMGameBoys (7TH-WHITE)A@ Twin Valley Middle High SchoolWilmington/Hayford Field4:45 PM
Sat10/10/15TBATournamentBoys (8th-Green)HTVMS TournamentHayford Field/Wilmington5:00:00 PM
Mon10/12/156:00PMGameBoys (JV)A@ Twin Valley Middle High SchoolWilmington/Baker Field4:00 PM
Tue10/13/153:45PMGameGirls (MS)A@ Putney Middle SchoolTBD2:45 PM
Tue10/13/154:00PMGameBoys (7th-8th Green)HVs. Putney Middle SchoolL&G MS Soccer Field
Tue10/13/154:00PMGameBoys (jv)A@ Burr and BurtonDT Rec Park2:00 PM
Tue10/13/154:00PMGameGirls (JV)A@ Green MountainGr.Mountain2:15 PM
Tue10/13/154:00PMGameGirls (V)A@ Green MountainGr.Mountain2:15 PM
Tue10/13/156:00PMGameBoys (V)A@ Burr and BurtonApplejack Field2:00 PM
Thu10/15/154:00PMGameBoys (7th-8th Green)A@ Dummerston Middle SchoolTBD2:45 PM
Thu10/15/154:00PMGameGirls (MS)HVs. Dummerston Middle SchoolL&G MS Soccer Field
Fri10/16/154:00PMGameGirls (V)HVs. Otter Valley UnionSoccer Field
Fri10/16/154:15PMGameGirls (JV-B)HVs. Brattleboro UnionSoccer Field
Mon10/19/154:00PMGameBoys (7th-8th White)HVs. Westmoreland Middle SchoolL&G MS Soccer Field
Tue10/20/153:45PMGameBoys (7th-8th Green)HVs. Kurn Hattin HomesL&G MS Soccer Field
Thu10/22/154:00PMGameGirls (MS)HVs. Walpole Middle SchoolL&G MS Soccer Field
Thu10/22/155:15PMGameBoys (7th-8th Green)HVs. Walpole Middle SchoolL&G MS Soccer Field
Tue10/27/153:45PMGameGirls (MS)HVs. Westmoreland Middle SchoolTBD
Tue10/27/155:00PMGameBoys (7th-8th Green)HVs. Westmoreland Middle SchoolTBD