Day in the Dirt at the C.P. Smith School Orchard, Saturday April 27, 2013

The Friends of Burlington Gardens & the Vermont Community Garden Network are sponsoring a Day in the Dirt.  One of the sites is the C.P. Smith School Orchard, so join us on Saturday April 27, 2013:

• 9am: Individuals and teams meet at garden sites
• 9:30-noon: Get Dirty!
• Noon-1:30pm: Garden celebration, lunch, and prizes at the Intervale Center Community Barn, 180 Intervale Road

School Community Dinner, Thursday, April 18, 5:30-7:00pm

The school community dinner this year celebrates the Thai New Year (the new year also occurs this week in other Asian countries) with an Asian meal.  This is a free event sponsored by the Family-School Partnership team.  Please RSVP, either by returning the slip of paper that comes home on the flier with your child on Friday, or at the Smith front office, noting the number of family members attending (and if you forget to RSVP, come anyway).

Where: Smith School Cafeteria/Gym
When: Thursday, April 18, 5:30-7:00pm

5th grade Bingo Night, Thursday April 11, 6:00-7:30pm

The 5th grade class will be having its annual Bingo fundraiser this Thursday to raise money for their end of the year day trip to Camp Abnaki and family picnic at Burlington Tennis Club. We are looking for donations of cakes, baked or bought, for the musical cakes event. This is a fun event that all the students love and is a great time to show your creativity through cake! Cakes can be brought in to the office on Thursday morning, after school, or directly to the event. Thanks for your support. If you have any questions, contact Shireen Hart or Jessica Story-Huston.

Next PTO meeting April 8

Our next CP Smith PTO Meeting will be held on April 8th from 6:30-8:00pm in the learning center. The ward 7 school commisioners, Linda Deliduka and Greg Jenkins will be present (the ward 4 commissioners have also been invited) and to speak about the school district proposal regarding possibility of an early for an release day for district elementary schools, how this proposal came about, where the district/school board is in the planning and discussion process, and to open it up to discussion and questions from parents. Please come out for this important meeting. If you will be coming and may need childcare please let Jennifer L'Ecuyer know. Also please spread the word.

Proposal for Wednesday early release

There is a proposal from the district curriculum committee being presented to the school board regarding a change in the schedule for all Burlington elementary schools next year. The proposal is for an early release every Wednesday at 1:30. The purpose of the early release is for professional development. This proposal was on the school board agenda for March 19 but because there was a snow day it will be rescheduled. We will let you know when that meeting is rescheduled.

To find out more information about this proposal please attend the school board meeting or to give feedback you can contact your school board members: Ben Truman btruman@bsdvt.org and Bernie O'Rourke borourke@bsdvt.org.

School Play: Alice in Wonderland

ALICE IN WONDERLAND 

An original Very Merry Theatre musical adaptation by Don Wright and Mark Ransom

 

CP Smith’s 4^thAnnual musical collaboration with Very Merry Theatre is in the works.  All 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students are encouraged to participate. 

Here are some of the songs included in the musical.  This is a great way for participants to learn the music and a great way for K -2 students to learn the music, so they can follow along when they watch the school performance.  Songs by Bill Mullins & Don Wright.    

 

Here are some important dates you should mark on your calendar:

Cast Auditions

o        Monday, December 17^th  and Tuesday, December 18^th during lunch/recess

Rehearsals

o        Daily rehearsals during lunch and recess begin: Wednesday, January 2nd and continue Monday through Friday until the week of February 11th

o        Mandatory Tech/Dress rehearsal for cast and crew:

Sunday, February 10th, 2013, 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

o        Mandatory dress rehearsal for cast and crew: Monday, February 11^th, 2013, 3:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.

o        Mandatory dress rehearsal for cast and crew: Wednesday, February 13^th, 2013, 3:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. 

 Performances

o        Performances: Thursday, February 14^th, 2013, 12:30 p.m. (during school), Friday, February 15^th, 2013, 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, February 16^th, 2013, 4:00 p.m.

Minutes of 9/10 PTO meeting

C.P. Smith Elementary School PTO
September 10, 2012

The meeting was called to order by Jennifer L’Cuyler at 7:10 p.m.
 
Principal’s Report
Principal Thom Fleury presented his report.

Staff Representative

• Dale Pecor will be the staff rep for the fall. Carolyn Pallutto and Patty Kissell will be back in the spring

Enrollment

• Smith gained + 56 kids in the school- enrollment now stands at 336
• 21 in each kindergarten class
• Flynn preschool is on site due to construction

New Family Orientation

• Great turnout at New family orientation- suggest using PA system; suggest having activities for the kindergarteners; new parents did not know if they should bring children; suggest having high school kids that need volunteer hours to provide childcare

• Parents felt it was very important for kids to meet the teacher before school starts and to see the classroom to enable a  supportive transition

• Dissatisfaction from parents that they couldn't meet teachers ahead of time

• Thom suggested 1/2 of one of the inservice days can be for parents and kids to come in to see the classroom

• Is it true that staff don't want students to see the classroom prior to the first day? Parents getting mixed messages about whether or not to come into the classroom

• Keep it informal was suggested, no appointments but do it informally

Ice Cream Social

• Nice to see teachers; also nice that our new librarian went around introducing herself to parents and children
• Some felt that it was better to have the ice cream social the same week that school starts; others like the fact that it was held the second week of school

BSD Goals- District goals- 3 year plan

• Student achievement
• School climate
• Family community engagement

• In services will be taking place this year for teachers around the "common core" to be implemented next year.

Holiday Policy

• On days that we know that attendance will be low BSD closes the schools.

PTO President’s & Treasurer’s Reports

• The PTO currently has $12,000 in the bank; this is slightly less than where we were last year.
• Staff report- concern about fairly empty classrooms- clarify the process for mini-grants for classrooms. We currently provide $7 per student for field trips, $150 for teachers, $120 for specials

Help Wanted

• Room parent coordinator - need someone- Room parents form will go out, if more parents are available and want to volunteer, at will be possible, if you have more than 2, it's nice to have alist of people who are willing- we will share

• Outdoor sign- need someone to update
• Garden- need someone to weed, etc.

Fundraising Ideas

• Discussion about bingo nights and fundraising?
• National costume swap day fundraising ideas, Sat October 13th is the national swap day, asking people to donate costumes that we could then sell. Amy Livingston will coordinate

Four Winds

• Lesson plans, activities, etc. training 9/19 6 to 8 pm on Wednesday in library
• Negotiating with teachers when Four Winds will be able to get into the classroom.
• Need additional parent volunteers; Alex Reutter will coordinate

PTO Communication Methods

• PTO mailing list
• Smith Times Newsletter - Newsletter submissions need to be in by Wednesday to Tina
• Front Porch Forum
• Facebook

Miscellaneous

• PTO Urns, coolers, and paper goods are available in cafeteria for use
• If making copies in the teacher’s lounge, never double side things in the copier
• CP Smith Pantry will be gearing up for the last Friday in the month of September. Bring donations for the pantry.
• Tee shirts- school based – looking into the possibility of ordering these

Next Meeting
Monday, October 8, 2012, at 6:30 p.m., school library