Hunt Middle School Blog - January 22, 2017

Hunt Middle School Blog 

Principal’s Report January 2017

Title I

At Hunt Middle School we utilize federal Title I funding to address multiple needs. This funding is used to support:

• The purchase of instructional materials.
• The licensing fee for IXL Math accounts for every HMS student so they may access this web-based mathematics skill-building resource.
• Salary for our Literacy and Mathematics interventionists and some paraprofessionals.
• Mathematics and reading assessments that we use to track student academic need and growth.

These efforts support the academic success of Title I students, but also every HMS student.

The purpose of Title I under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.

On Thursday, January 18, Hunt Middle School faculty and staff members participated in a day-long professional development session. The activities that the faculty and staff worked on included:

• BSD Strategic Planning
• Digital Storytelling with our partners from Digital Promise
• An examination of student achievement data and SBAC English Language Arts tasks and achievement levels

HMS Makerspace

We are moving forward with the development of our Hunt Middle School Makerspace. This installation is being made possible by a $20,000 grant from the Verizon Charitable Foundation.

In addition to the Makerspace, which will be located in our Library-Media Center, we will have traveling carts which will enable our teachers to run maker activities in any location in our school building. The HMS Makerspace and materials will also be accessible to our after school and

summer programs.

MLK Observance

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Day students participated in a discussion of his “I Have a Dream” speech and created a reflection that they posted on a banner that was placed on display at the ECHO Center for their MLK Day celebration. This activity was developed in partnership with the Burlington Community and Economic Development Office. 

Three HMS students, Lani Keomanyvanh, Moneja Grant and Kelemua Summa read Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech at ECHO during the celebration following Mayor Weinberger’s greeting.

Respectfully Submitted,

Leonard H. Phelan, Principal

PTO meeting minutes 1/19/2017

President’s Report – Paula Henry

A few volunteers are needed to work on the Principal Profile document from the District.  Each school community is to prepare one.  The profile from the Hunt community has not been completed.  Please contact Paula if interested in participating.

Note:  This was our first meeting since October, and only one other parent attended.  We need more participation and involvement at the monthly meetings.  

Treasurer’s Report – Paula Henry

A Treasurer’s apprentice has stepped forward. Parent Jorden Blanchard will train this year, in preparation for Paula leaving the HMS community.  Thank you Jorden!

As of 12/30/2016, checking account balance is $7,798.  Unrestricted funds available for use are $3,952.  We raised $372 in our Christmas wreath sale, and $902 to date on HMS t-shirt sales.  (Cost of initial inventory was $696).  

At this time, there are no concrete plans for a Winter pancake breakfast, although there has been an interest by a small parent group.  Paula will reach out to see if this might go forward.

The only remaining budgeted fundraising are the Spring concert bake sales, with a budgeted income of $300.  The plant sale is not confirmed, based on unconfirmed parent volunteer commitment.

We still have another $1,000 budgeted expenses.  This will mean using existing account funds.

The Aterschool program (Junior Iron Chef (2) and Odyssey of the Minds) is asking for $340 versus $200 budgeted.  Paula will ask Rebecca Reese if parents will kick in funds to offset this difference.  Will revisit the request based on outcome.

Peggy Weaver has asked for $300 versus our $250 budget for the International week school assembly. The group approved the request.

New Business – Paula Henry

1.     Willy Wonka movie to be shown after school tomorrow at 3:15.

2.     Play production kick-off meeting is Tuesday Jan 24 @ 6:30 in the library.  Many prop items needed. See Paula for list.

3.     Parents of 8^th graders are invited to a dinner and informational meeting at BHS Wed Jan 25 @ 6:30.   See more details on the HMS website and the blog.

4.  Anyone interested in learning about the budget process can attend a meeting on Wed Jan 25 @7pm, location TBA.  The meeting will be run by a BEA representative, especially for the PTO communities.

Principal’s Report – Len Phelan

See above.

 Next PTO meeting is Thursday Feb 16^th at 6:30 pm.

BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

8th Grade Parent/Guardian Information Night

Wednesday, January 25th, 2017

We hope to get as many 8th grade parent/guardians as possible at this ‘first contact’ with the high school. We have made several changes to the format to this event, to make it more user-friendly for parent/guardians. One important change is that we will serve supper beforehand and provide childcare, so parents/guardians can feed the whole family and then attend the meeting while their little ones are looked after. Here is the schedule:

6:30 - 7:00
 Dinner (cafeteria)

7:00 - 8:15
 Meeting for 8th grade parents/guardians (auditorium)

We’re hoping that you can help us to talk this event up in your conversations with
students and families. We're also hoping that principals, assistant principals
and guidance folks will join us for the evening, or at the very least for the 7:00 - 8:15
portion.  

We sincerely hope to see you here at BHS on January 25th.

For help with transportation to Burlington High School, please contact: seahorsepride@gmail.com

To help us plan for dinner and childcare, please call us to let us know if you’re coming and how many you’re bringing. Leave a message with your name, phone number, your students name and middle school. Let us know if you’re coming by calling 802-865-5329.



 

Hunt Play Production Meeting

Just a reminder of our production meeting on January 24th from 6:30-8:00pm in the Hunt library.  We will provide an overview of the production and all the ways parents can get involved to help.  

Also--sign-ups are beginning now.  All students must sign their name on the sign-up sheet outside the front office and then get a sign-up packet from Mrs. Virun.  If you prefer to have the sign up packet electronically we have attached it.  The first two pages must be turned back into the office no later than Monday January 30th.   Encourage your child to spread the word to their friends.  Mrs. Virun and Mr. Phelan will be making a daily announcement but the best way to get the word out is for Hunt students to encourage each other to get signed up!   

Please note, that even if your child is planning to do stage crew we need a signed permission slip turned in.  Stage crew does not need to attend auditions and will start up after February break. 

If your child would like a part in the play but has a conflict on the 31st and 1st, please let us know right away so we can let Don and Ashley know.  

Another note,  Hunt drama club uses a system of  "voluntary registration" fees as part of the sign up process.  All of the costs related to the play must be fund raised by parents.  There is information about this in the sign up packet including our budget break down.  We have found that the funds we are able to raise through voluntary registration fees greatly offsets the amount we need to fundraise which helps us focus on other aspects of the production.  Thank you for your support of this and also please know that full scholarships are always available, as well as a sliding scale option.  

We can't wait to start this production--it's going to be a lot of fun for the whole Hunt community!  

Your Production managers,

Colby, Kacey and Kate

Can you help out with supplies for the play?

Our stage craft class has started and the students have come up with some amazing ideas for cool props, and set pieces.   We are looking for donations of items that you might have around the house and would like to have reused to help bring the Chocolate Factory to life!

Here are items we are looking for:

·  Cardboard

·  PVC Pipe

·  Pool Noodles

·  Clear or Colored Cellophane Wrap

·  Fake Halloween Spiderweb or Cheap Quilt Batting

·  Wooden Dowels

·  Toilet Paper Tubes

·  Plastic Soda Bottles (any size)

·  Styrofoam balls / bouncy balls / sports balls (any size)

·  Ribbon

·  Small/medium orange sports cones

If you have any of these items they can be sent into school via the front office.  We will be storing them in two large trash cans that will be kept in the Storage Closet.  You can also bring them to the after school movie viewing this Friday January 20th, or to the production meeting on January 24th.  Thanks for your assistance!