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Monday, December 17, 2012

Hunt PTO Update 12/17/12




From Superintendent Jeanne Collins:

Our Hearts and Prayers Go Out to the Newtown, CT Community

Dear Burlington Parents, Guardians, and Community Members: 

We were deeply saddened to hear the news of the school shooting Friday at a Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Our thoughts are with the members of that community. The safety of our students is always the top priority in our District. We take seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety of your child every day.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind all of our families that we have a plan in place at each of our schools to handle emergency situations. We work with the Burlington police and fire departments to prepare for emergencies and regularly practice our safety procedures with students and staff through discussions and emergency exercises. While no amount of planning can guarantee that a tragedy such as this will not occur, we are doing everything we know to keep students and staff safe while at school. We need your continued help in keeping our schools safe by asking you to check in with school offices whenever you enter a school, and direct anyone you see without an ID or visitor's badge to the office to get one.

We have been working over the weekend to prepare for students returning to school on Monday. Due to the extensive media coverage, we cannot assume even our youngest students are protected from this story. We will have resources available to help teachers respond to statements by children or to lead conversations, as age appropriate. We will also have counselors and school psychologists ready to respond to students as needed. We will also get together on Monday afternoon for our regular safety planning meeting with Burlington Police and Fire to discuss our safety needs in light of this tragedy further.

As we learn more details about this tragic incident in the days ahead, it will be important for you to spend time talking with your children and helping them cope with this news. I would like to share with you a list of tips from the National Association of School Psychologists about what parents can do at times like this:

1. Reassure children that they are safe. 

Emphasize that schools are very safe. Validate their feelings. Explain that all feelings are okay when a tragedy occurs. Let children talk about their feelings, help put them into perspective, and assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.

2. Make time to talk.

Let their questions be your guide as to how much information to provide. Be patient. Children and youth do not always talk about their feelings readily.


3. Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate. 

• Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them.

• Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance separating reality from fantasy. Discuss efforts of school and community leaders to provide safe schools.

• Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in schools and society. They will share concrete suggestions about how to make school safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. Emphasize the role that students have in maintaining safe schools by following school safety guidelines communicating any personal safety concerns to school administrators, and accessing support for emotional needs.

4. Review safety procedures. 

This should include procedures and safeguards at school and at home. Help children identify at least one adult at school and in the community to whom they go if they feel threatened or at risk.

5. Observe children’s emotional state.

Some children may not express their concerns verbally. Changes in behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns can indicate a child’s level of anxiety or discomfort. In most children, these symptoms will ease with reassurance and time. However, some children may be at risk for more intense reactions. Children who have had a past traumatic experience or personal loss, suffer from depression or other mental illness, or with special needs may be at greater risk for severe reactions than others. Seek the help of mental health professional if you are at all concerned.


6. Limit television viewing of these events. 

Limit television viewing and be aware if the television is on in common areas. Developmentally inappropriate information can cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children. Adults also need to be mindful of the content of conversations that they have with each other in front of children, even teenagers, and limit their exposure to vengeful, hateful, and angry comments that might be misunderstood.

7. Maintain a normal routine.

Keeping to a regular schedule can be reassuring and promote physical health. Ensure that children get plenty of sleep, regular meals, and exercise. Encourage them to keep up with their schoolwork and extracurricular activities but don’t push them if they seem overwhelmed.


As parents and teachers, we are troubled by events like what occurred in Connecticut. However, events such as this tragedy also provide us with the opportunity to help our children to understand, also reminding them that, as the adults in their lives, we do everything we can to keep them safe. As we learn more details about today’s events, we will discuss and debrief with administrators and staff accordingly and be ready when your children return to school on Monday.

                                                                    




 


   News


Newsletters were sent home with every student this week.   


Students, did you show it to your parents? 

Parents, did they show it to you? 

You can also check it out at http://hunt.bsdvt.org/ and click on Newsletters.



The Hunt December newsletter is also available online.  
Read on to catch up on all of the news!

http://hunt.bsd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=244755&sessionid=a81b540f1a91703eb18c32dd347cf5bb



Also check out the latest edition of the Hunt Newspaper! 
Student written, edited and formatted - Enjoy!





BSD recently announced to Hunt families that they would keep interim Principal, Rich Amato and interim Vice Principal, Lashawn Selles in place for a 2nd year. The search for permanent Hunt administrators will begin in January 2014.




The 2013-14 proposed school budget has been announced with a 4.7% increase in spending and cuts totaling over a million dollars. Click the link below to see a table of proposed cuts in the District. Public comment sought! (that's us!)


http://www.boarddocs.com/vt/bsdvt/Board.nsf/files/92VKUC52E818/$file/Board%20proposed%20reductions121012.pdf

Public comment hearings are scheduled for December 18th and January 7th, both at 7 p.m. at BHS. 

A public comment on January 8th at 7 p.m. at BHS will also be held prior to final budget decisions.

For detail on the 2012-2013 Budget, visit www.bsdvt.org—School Board/Meeting Agendas, on the left side.





Word in the Free Press is that BSD Superintendent, Jeanne Collins is a finalist in the search for a new Superintendent in the Addison County Supervisory District. No word on when their final selection will be and whether Jeanne will remain at BSD or be leaving at the end of the school year.





This just in from the 
desk of Doug Davis
 BSD Foodservice Director.



There has been a change in the new meal pattern regulations that will allow us to make the following changes to school lunches:



Additions to the salad bar:


- lowfat/fat free cottage cheese

- yogurt

- diced egg

- shredded cheese


Additions to the service lines:

(pertains mostly to the high school)

- rice and beans

- hot pasta sides

- heartier soups with meats and/or whole grains


Good news for our students!


One more Hunt Winter Concert coming Wednesday!




7 pm, Wednesday, December 19 - Band Concert

Please come and support our budding musicians --
  You will be in for a real treat!  


At each concert there will be a bake sale table with a variety of goodies, fresh  fruit and water.  The proceeds of these sales goes to the 
Hunt Theatre committee. 
Your generosity helps keep the arts alive at Hunt.  
Here is what we need:


        Yummy baked goods – brownies, cookies, cupcakes, dessert bars, cups of pudding, slices of cake wrapped up with a fork…Be Creative and remember that frosting sells!  On the healthier side, cups of washed grapes, raisins/dried fruit, clementine oranges, gluten free (yes, please!) wrapped snack, small bags of chips/crackers
Items can be brought to the event and dropped at the bake sale table around 6:30 (same time your kid will need to get to Hunt).  Many folks will buy a goodie to eat before the show while they wait for the start at 7.  If you can let us know that you will send something in, it helps with our planning.  You can reply back to this email.  Either way, we will happily accept your donation without RSVP.
Thanks in advance for your participation and enjoy the shows!  Kate B.


UNO Dough Raiser for DC
Fundraiser For DC/Philadelphia trip 

 Every OTHER Thursday, 
December 6th, 2012 - March 14th, 2013

That means THIS Thursday, December 20th!

Every other Thursday (through March 14th) bring in one of the special HUNT coupons and  UNOs will donate 20% of your bill (food AND drink) to the Hunt school trip fund. 

Please contact Chris at cj.mitchell@ge.com to receive an electronic copy of the coupon.  Thanks for supporting our DC Travelers!


Hunt Middle School is partnering with Shoe Box Recycling to recycle paired, wearable shoes. The shoes will be reused for individuals here in the U.S. and throughout the world.

This program provides affordable shoes to those in need such as those suffering from Hurricane Sandy and many others. This will keep used shoes out of the landfill, creating a cleaner and greener planet. Recycling shoes also creates micro-enterprises for individuals throughout the world, fueling local economies here and abroad.  
Shoes We Accept:
* All paired men’s, women’s and kids shoes that are still usable. That means no holes in the soles and no wet or mildewed pairs. This includes athletic shoes, dress shoes, timberland type work boots, sandals, heels, flats

Shoes We Don’t Accept:
* Heavy Winter Boots, Skates, Blades, Flip-Flops, Slippers, Singles, Unusable, and Thrift Store Shoes.

Where to bring your reused shoes?
Place your reused shoes in the specially marked box ShoeBox Recycling found in the main lobby of Hunt School. 
Questions or for larger pick-ups, contact Susan Rutherford at 951-2571 or susanrutherford@hotmail.com
 “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”
Want an easy way to support your PTO that doesn’t require volunteering and won’t cost you a dime? 

Save Box Tops for Education! 

Here’s how to help:

**Box Tops for Education are on the packages of hundreds of participating products that you probably use every day. All you need to do is cut them off the box they are on, stick them in a baggie, and send them to school with your child. There is a container for the Box Tops in the main office. 


**Did you know that Box Tops are dated and cannot be used if they are past this expiration date?? 

Make yourself a note on your home or electronic calendar to send in those Box Tops!! Saving them is the first step. Sending them in before they expire is the next.

We will be collecting Box Tops all year long, so start saving and sending in your Box Tops today! The collection box will be located in the main office.

Thanks for choosing to support our school by collecting Box Tops!
Sincerely,
Susan Rutherford
Volunteer Coordinator for Box Tops for Education
Hunt Middle School PTO


Are you a Health Care Professional?



Hunt Middle School is looking for speakers 
in the following areas:


                      Neurology

                      Digestion

                      Respiration and circulation

                      Reproduction


Contact Jennifer Sutton, Hunt Middle School Outreach Coordinator, if you might be interested in presenting to a class. Phone:  310-4998 or jsutton@bsdvt.org



Save the Date.... 
  • December 19 - Band Concert
  • December 24 - January 1st - No School
  • January 2nd, 2013 - School starts up again
  • January 11 -- School Dance
  • January 21 - No School, MLK Day
  • January 25 - Ghost Out Assembly (Drunk Driving Awareness)
  • February 2nd - Jr. Iron Chef

Monday, December 10, 2012

Hunt PTO Update 12/9/12



Two more weeks until 
Break...

(also remember THIS Wednesday, 12/12, is an early release day.)

Here's what's happening in our 

school community:

The Hunt December newsletter is now available online.  
Read on to catch up on all of the news!

http://hunt.bsd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=244755&sessionid=a81b540f1a91703eb18c32dd347cf5bb


Also remember you can stay on top of school activities through Hunt Middle School's Facebook and Twitter accounts!  Interested Hunt community members or school supporters can go to the school website and link to either/both of these accounts:  http://hunt.bsdvt.org/



If you "like" these pages, you will get notifications of events happening at the school, such as early closures, no school, sports cancellations, etc.  The Hunt middle school team is very excited to offer these new communication tools.  Their success depends upon families using them -- Please "like" these pages today to stay connected!  This is a GREAT way to get regular updates from your child's school.  


HUNT MIDDLE SCHOOL

December 3rd to 14th
Please bring your 
non-perishable food items 
to help our community.

Monetary donations also gratefully accepted.  
Checks can be made out to Hunt Middle School.  


Food items will also be collected at 
the upcoming Hunt Music Concerts noted below.  
                               
Hunt Play Committee raised $173 last week at the Chorus concert bake sale, to help fund the 2013 play, The Pajama Game.  Many thanks to the parents who donated water and baked goods for us to sell and to the volunteers who staffed the table.  There will be bake sales at the next two concerts - Strings this week and Band a week later.  We will happily accept donations if you have the baking bug!  Bring your sweet tooth and save room for dessert. 

We also welcome help manning the table before and after the shows - 6:30-7 for pre-concert and then ~10 minutes after the concert.  Can you help?  RSVP to the PTO email at huntmiddleschool@gmail.com.



Hunt Winter Concerts the next TWO Wednesdays!




Hunt Middle school has two more Winter concerts scheduled, 
both starting at 7 pm - 

  Wednesday, December 12 - Strings Concert
Wednesday, December 19 - Band Concert

Please come and support our budding musicians --
  You will be in for a real treat!  


Hunt Middle School is partnering with Shoe Box Recycling to recycle paired, wearable shoes. The shoes will be reused for individuals here in the U.S. and throughout the world.

This program provides affordable shoes to those in need such as those suffering from Hurricane Sandy and many others. This will keep used shoes out of the landfill, creating a cleaner and greener planet. Recycling shoes also creates micro-enterprises for individuals throughout the world, fueling local economies here and abroad.  
Shoes We Accept:
* All paired men’s, women’s and kids shoes that are still usable. That means no holes in the soles and no wet or mildewed pairs. This includes athletic shoes, dress shoes, timberland type work boots, sandals, heels, flats

Shoes We Don’t Accept:
* Heavy Winter Boots, Skates, Blades, Flip-Flops, Slippers, Singles, Unusable, and Thrift Store Shoes.

Where to bring your reused shoes?
Place your reused shoes in the specially marked box ShoeBox Recycling found in the main lobby of Hunt School. 
Questions or for larger pick-ups, contact Susan Rutherford at 951-2571 or susanrutherford@hotmail.com
 “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”
Want an easy way to support your PTO that doesn’t require volunteering and won’t cost you a dime? 

Save Box Tops for Education! 

Here’s how to help:

**Box Tops for Education are on the packages of hundreds of participating products that you probably use every day. All you need to do is cut them off the box they are on, stick them in a baggie, and send them to school with your child. There is a container for the Box Tops in the main office. 


**Did you know that Box Tops are dated and cannot be used if they are past this expiration date?? 

Make yourself a note on your home or electronic calendar to send in those Box Tops!! Saving them is the first step. Sending them in before they expire is the next.

We will be collecting Box Tops all year long, so start saving and sending in your Box Tops today! The collection box will be located in the main office.

Thanks for choosing to support our school by collecting Box Tops!
Sincerely,
Susan Rutherford
Volunteer Coordinator for Box Tops for Education
Hunt Middle School PTO


Are you a Health Care Professional?



Hunt Middle School is looking for speakers 
in the following areas:


                      Neurology

                      Digestion

                      Respiration and circulation

                      Reproduction


Contact Jennifer Sutton, Hunt Middle School Outreach Coordinator, if you might be interested in presenting to a class. Phone:  310-4998 or jsutton@bsdvt.org



HUNT MIDDLE SCHOOL 
WINTER ONE-ACT
The Hunt/EMS/Very Merry Theatre winter One Act Festival is Jan 11-12. Hunt Middle School 6th, 7th and 8th graders will be performing a yet TBD show (announced early next week) to be directed by Trish Denton. They'll rehearse 3:30-4:45 on Mondays and 2:25-3:45 on Wednesdays.

There's a $50 participation fee payable to Hunt Drama but, as always, no student will be turned away so scholarships will be provided on request. Contact Don at 355-1461 or 
donwrightvt@yahoo.com with questions.


Save the Date.... 
  • December 3 -14 - Hunt Food Drive
  • December 12 - Early Release
  • December 12 - Strings Concert
  • December 19 - Band Concert
  • December 24 - January 1st - No School
  • February 2nd, 2013 - Jr. Iron Chef


Monday, December 3, 2012

Hunt PTO Update 12/2/12


         Hope everyone has remembered 
to change the calendar to...



and is ready for some snow!



Here's what's happening in our school community:


The Hunt December newsletter is now available online.  
Read on to catch up on all of the news!

http://hunt.bsd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=244755&sessionid=0c9bfb2fd981fb65fb216274165d20d4

Hunt PTO Wreath Sale a Huge Success!!



We wanted to say THANKS to all the great volunteers who participated in the PTO Wreath Sale. Thank you for all your help and support during this very successful fundraiser. We appreciate the time and energy you put into selling the wreaths by making phone calls, sending out emails, and going door-to-door. Huge thanks as well to the volunteers who delivered  all those wreaths to our customers!

We sold a record 342 wreaths, kissing balls and center pieces and made $4000.- in profit. This is already half of our PTO General Fund budget for this year!

Thanks go to Susan Rutherford and family, Jane Earley, Kathy Olwell and Brian Pine for their outstanding efforts in sales. Huge thanks as well to Megan Peek, Chris Horton, Bella Nadworny, Ann Arcovitch, Kate Belluche, Jenny Tomczak, Brook Martenis, Rebecca Kaplan, Anne Williams, Siobhan Donegan, Kathleen Lynch, Martine Gulick, Dasha Zentrichova, Tammy Kuypers, Kerry Holway, Staci Lasker, Kate Trombly, Dorsey Hogg and Michele Bottino. For everyone else I missed on this list...Thank you! 

We would like to send out a warm and grateful THANK YOU to Gabrielle Baumann for her leadership on this fundraising event and all her hard work and energy in this and all Hunt Fundraising Events in her position as chair of the Fundraising Team.

HUNT MIDDLE SCHOOL


December 3rd to 14th
Please bring your 
non-perishable food items 
to help our community.

Monetary donations also gratefully accepted.  
Checks can be made out to Hunt Middle School.  Food items will also be collected at all Hunt Music Concerts:  

  • December 5 -  Chorus Concert
  • December 12 - Strings Concert
  • December 19 - Band Concert




The PTO survey results can be accessed via the link below.   PLEASE READ THEM!!!! 

Thank you to all the parents who took the time to fill out the survey - it was enlightening and will help Hunt school and the PTO better serve families.  If you have ideas for improvements at Hunt, we will be tickled to hear them.  Email the PTO at huntmiddleschool@gmail.com
https://docs.google.com/open?id=1qMvZh0iqb6eITf-bDoKUEPDS5BgG_wrGdPTO-05PlgdSqZfkcitnvuv86p2T




There will be no December PTO meeting.  

The PTO Board will be getting together to review the results of the survey and plans for the new year.  If you have burning issues that need to be discussed before the January meeting, please email us at huntmiddleschool@gmail.com.



Common Core is Coming...

You may have read in the paper or heard your child's teacher talking about Common Core Standards and how BSD is aligning its curriculum to Common Core Standards.  Wondering what that's all about?  The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort to establish a shared set of clear educational standards for English language arts and mathematics that states can voluntarily adopt. 

The standards have been informed by the best available evidence and the highest state standards across the country and globe and designed by a diverse group of teachers, experts, parents, and school administrators, so they reflect both our aspirations for our children and the realities of the classroom. 

These standards are designed to ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to go to college or enter the workforce and that parents, teachers, and students have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. The standards are benchmarked to international standards to guarantee that our students are competitive in the emerging global marketplace.

Click on the link for Common Core FAQ's:  http://www.corestandards.org/frequently-asked-questions
Click on the link for the Common Core List of books:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000025.html



Burlington New American Parents for Change Student Placement Research Report   
November 19, 2012


Members of the Burlington New American Parents for Change, representing families from Bhutanese Nepali, Somali Bantu, Vietnamese, Burundian and Somali communities, met Monday evening at Cathedral Church of St. Paul to talk about student placement within the Burlington School District. / EMILY McMANAMY/Free Press

Immigrant families have been resettling in Burlington throughout our city’s history. In the past few years, new refugee families have come to Burlington from Somalia, Burundi, Bhutan, and many other countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Today, in Burlington Schools the home language of about 20% of our students is not English.  Click on the link below to read the report - good reading!

http://www.bsdvt.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/2383192/File/Main%20Page/2012-2013/Burlington%20New%20American%20Parents%20for%20Change%20Student%20Placement%20Research%20Report.pdf?sessionid=976e1006f16dd23d7257793a51391b98



Hunt Winter Concerts coming right up!





Hunt Middle school has three Winter concerts coming up, all starting at 7 pm - 

  • December 5 -  Chorus Concert
  • December 12 - Strings Concert
  • December 19 - Band Concert
At each concert there will be a bake sale table with a variety of goodies, fresh fruit and water.  The proceeds of these sales goes to the 
Hunt Theatre committee . 
Your generosity helps keep the arts alive at Hunt.  We would love for you to send in goodies, cups of fresh fruit and/or water for one or more of these events.  We would also love to sell some of these goodies back to you and your family! (shameless, I know...)
Here is what we need:

·         Yummy baked goods – brownies, cookies, cupcakes, dessert bars, cups of pudding, slices of cake wrapped up with a fork…Be Creative and remember that frosting sells!  On the healthier side, cups of washed grapes, raisins/dried fruit, clementine oranges, gluten free (yes, please!) wrapped snack, small bags of chips/crackers
Items can be brought to the event and dropped at the bake sale table around 6:30 (same time your kid will need to get to Hunt).  Many folks will buy a goodie to eat before the show while they wait for the start at 7.  If you can let us know that you will send something in, it helps with our planning.  You can reply back to this email.  Either way, we will happily accept your donation without RSVP.
Thanks in advance for your participation and enjoy the shows!  Kate B.


UNO Dough Raiser for DC
Fundraiser For DC/Philadelphia trip 

 Every OTHER Thursday, 
December 6th, 2012 - March 14th, 2013

Every other Thursday (starting this week and continuing through March 14th) bring in one of the special HUNT coupons and  UNOs will donate 20% of your bill (food AND drink) to the Hunt school trip fund. 

Please contact Chris at cj.mitchell@ge.com to receive an electronic copy of the coupon.  Printouts will also be sent home with students.  Thanks for supporting our DC Travelers!







YARD SALE FUNDRAISER 
for the 5 day DC/Philadelphia trip in April

Saturday, December 8th from 10 am - 4pm
at the BHS Circle on North Ave.

                            We need DONATIONS this week 
                               and SHOPPERS on Saturday!
                  Please come out to support our travelers! 



 Organizers are looking for high quality, gently used items to sell.  If you have household items, games, toys, furniture, kitchen supplies, camping gear, sporting equipment or any other good quality sell-able items, please let us know.  

We’ve got the truck and the manpower to pick up items if necessary. Proceeds will benefit the Close Up Washington program at Hunt Middle School, which is sending 15 students to Washington D.C. in April. For donations or other questions, contact J.P. at jpgagnon@bsdvt.org.

 
I

Are you a Health Care Professional?


Hunt Middle School is looking for speakers 
in the following areas:


                      Neurology

                      Digestion

                      Respiration and circulation

                      Reproduction


Contact Jennifer Sutton, Hunt Middle School Outreach Coordinator, if you might be interested in presenting to a class. Phone:  310-4998 or jsutton@bsdvt.org



HUNT MIDDLE SCHOOL 
WINTER ONE-ACT
The Hunt/EMS/Very Merry Theatre winter One Act Festival is Jan 11-12. Hunt Middle School 6th, 7th and 8th graders will be performing a yet TBD show (announced early next week) to be directed by Trish Denton. They'll rehearse 3:30-4:45 on Mondays and 2:25-3:45 on Wednesdays.

There's a $50 participation fee payable to Hunt Drama but, as always, no student will be turned away so scholarships will be provided on request. Contact Don at 355-1461 or 
donwrightvt@yahoo.com with questions.


Save the Date.... 
  • December 3 -14 - Hunt Food Drive
  • December 5 -  Chorus Concert
  • December 6 - DC Fundraiser Night at UNO
  • December 8 - Philly/DC trip yard sale at BHS Circle
  • December 12 - Early Release
  • December 12 - Strings Concert
  • December 19 - Band Concert
  • December 24 - January 1st - No School
  • February 2nd, 2013 - Jr. Iron Chef