Hunt PTO Update, 2/14/14

Hoping that everyone enjoyed the day OFF today!

 Hunt PTO Update

February 14th, 2014

Don't forget! This Saturday Night's Dance Party

at the St. John's Club

When: Saturday, 2/15 from 7-11pm

Where: St. John's Club, 9 Central Avenue, Burlington (Take Pine St. Take a right at Cumberland Farms, cross over the RR tracks and you will see the club at the end of the street. Free parking in the lot or on the street.)

Who: Any adult can attend, even those in no way associated with the drama program at Hunt. This is a dance party and anyone can dance and party!

What: A fundraiser for the Hunt Drama Program to raise money for this year's production of West Side Story and hopefully to raise money for much needed light and sound equipment.

Cost: There will be a suggested donation of $20 per person or $30 per couple. Ticket price includes appetizers, desserts, and entrance into the club. Bring your ID for a cash bar with very reasonable prices. There will be a 50/50 raffle and terrific silent auction. Don't miss this great yearly event.  (just show up - tickets at the door!)

Contact: Susanrutherford@hotmail.com or 951-2571



Conversations with Amy Mellencamp and 9th grade teachers concerning "earned" Honors classes vs. Honors classes and the 9th grade Academy:  February 17th, 7pm and March 6th at 5pm at the High School

More info on the changes being piloted this year and plans for next Fall:
http://bhs.bsd.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/2383201/File/The%20Ninth%20Grade%20Experience%20-%20Talking%20Points.pdf?sessionid=2521ffdede5a8cf494b2bd9f9ffa3de2



Meet the Hunt Principal Candidates on February 17th!

Full Schedule on this googledoc:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0OT5BU2b--4VVdLUEs0UV9oX0U/edit

Interviews:

February 17, 2014: 

PSAC 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Principal Search Advisory Committee

Faculty/Staff 3:15 PM – 5:15 PM

Parent/Comm. 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

February 19, 2014:

PSAC 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Principal Search Advisory Committee

Faculty/Staff 3:15 PM – 5:15 PM

Parent/Comm. 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

You may attend any of the interview sessions. Established questions will only be asked by the moderator.

There is now an email for questions about the Hunt Principal Search. Your questions will be answered on the website’s FAQ page. Please note there are instances where we cannot answer questions for legal reasons or concerns about the impact on the hiring process. You will be informed of this by email.

The email address is :  hunt-principal-search-questions@bsdvt.org.





PTO meeting this Thursday at 6:30pm in the Library - It is never too late to get informed and get involved... Hope to see you there.  The agenda is included at the end of this post.

North Ave. Corridor Study

North Avenue Reimagined – by you!

The North Avenue Corridor Study’s second community meeting is right around the corner, and we need your participation during this exciting phase of the project. We’ve collected data, observed the corridor, identified issues, and established a vision.

The fun and interactive phase is now launching, so join your friends and neighbors for a hands-on workshop as we begin to develop the improvements that will remake North Avenue into a more walkable, bikeable, and safe corridor for all users. We’ll supply the maps, markers, and information to answer questions; you bring your creativity and collaborative energy!

Join us on Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of St. Mark’s Church (1251 North Avenue)! Questions? Call Diane at 865-1794. If you can’t attend or want to learn more visit http://bit.ly/north-ave.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS -

BEST FRIEND OR WORST ENEMY

How do we keep ourselves and our children safe in the emerging world of electronic communication and social media?

Join Detective Nash of the Burlington Police Department for an evening of discussion in the Hunt Library on MARCH 26th from 6-7:30 PM.

Hunt Pancake Breakfast & Silent Auction Coming Soon!

Are you a housepainter, gardener, knitter, electrician or child care provider? Do you own a vacation property, work for a restaurant, clean houses, or decorate birthday cakes that your family just loves? Do you have a closet full of holiday gifts you couldn't use, but just know someone will love? Then we want you and your goods and services for the PTO's silent auction!

On March 22nd from 8:30-11:30a.m., in the Hunt Gymnasium, there will be a delicious pancake breakfast and Silent Auction.

Save the date and plan to bring the whole family to this grand event! 100% of the proceeds from the breakfast and auction will cover expenses for programs and activities your Hunt PTO provides. This year's 8th grade graduation, next year's 6th grade orientation picnic, field trips, and many other valuable enrichment activities can only happen with your support!

The PTO fundraising team and others have already secured dozens of gift certificates to local restaurants, salons, jewelers, and galleries for this fantastic event! We want this auction to be spectacular and with your help, it will be!

To offer your goods or services, or to be a part of the team of parents who are contacting local businesses, please contact Gabi Baumann at 660-9189 or gamabaumann@burlingtontelecom.net Eager to get started asking local businesses for donations? Great, but please contact Gabi first so all donations can be coordinated.Your kids and the parents on the fundraising team thank you in advance for your support!

Box Tops due before February break!!

March 1st is the last submission deadline for Box Tops for the 2013-14 school year. Please send you Box Tops 4 Education to the main office as soon as possible, so student council members have enough time to count, bag and mail the Box Tops by the March 1st deadline.

We earn .10 cents on each Box Top submitted and it really adds up, so send them in!! Box Tops labels can be found on hundreds of products including clothing, frozen foods, paper goods, snacks, school and office supplies, produce and so many more. 

All proceeds from the Box Tops 4 Education program at Hunt goes directly to the Hunt Student Council. Questions about the Box Tops program? Contact Susanrutherford@hotmail.com or visit 

The Hunt Student Council 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”

West Side Story to be performed April 3rd - 5th at Hunt!  Mark your calendars TODAY!

More Adolescent Parenting from parenting guru, Vicky Hoefle...

Let’s Talk About Sex  Disclaimer: This post isn’t going to be for everyone, but because I am teaching an adolescent class and because the topic of sex, sexuality, intimacy, body image, and gender roles along with plain old “So how DO you talk to kids about all of this?” comes up during every class, I wanted to provide a quick tip list that will help parents address these sensitive subjects in a reasonable, rational and respectful way.

1. Start early. The sooner you start talking to your kids about sex, intimacy, pleasure, body image, and gender identification, the better chance you have of raising a thoughtful, well informed educated teenager who understands all of these subjects and feels comfortable talking about them – openly and honestly. Take into consideration your child’s age, and take into consideration the level of curiosity your children display. Use their questions as a way to gauge how much information to share. If they seem satisfied with your answer, stop. If they ask more, keep answering. Parents wait too long to talk to their kids about sex, intimacy, pleasure, responsibility and healthy relationships and miss the opportunity to establish honest conversation when kids are in the curious stage of life.

Most children are exposed to pornography by the age of 9. The sooner you start the education process, the better informed your kids will be which means they will make smarter, safer decisions when it comes time to decide whether they are ready for sex or not and with whom they want to have a sexual relationship with.

2. Use real language, not pretend words for real body parts. If you are uncomfortable using the word penis or vagina, intercourse, homosexuality, and so on there is no way you are going to be able to talk to your kids about sex and their sexuality. One of the ways you can determine whether your children are ready to explore their sexuality is by how comfortable they are talking about their bodies and how they work. After all, if they can’t say the word penis or vagina, they probably aren’t ready.

Using made up, immature names only confuses kids and lets them know that you are uncomfortable with the entire subject. This means they will rely on other people for information and their education.

3. Get educated. Chances are your parents were not a wealth of information and you grew up with some questions and faulty beliefs of your own around the subject of sexuality and sex. Blow these limiting beliefs open and do the work necessary to be a viable resource for your kids. It is our responsibility to talk to our kids about difficult subjects. Particularly subjects that will affect them their entire lives. Find experts who resonate with you. Practice talking about things that make you uncomfortable and nervous. You want your kids to come to YOU, not the other 9 year-old on the bus, with questions. Be honest and provide accurate information. Don’t confuse education with values. Being educated often makes it easier for kids to live into the value of delayed sexual intimacy.

4. Make it a regular conversation, not a conversation that happens once a year. Sex and intimacy, gender identification and body image are a big part of life as an adult. There are many aspects to a healthy sex life with a life partner. It will take dozens and dozens of conversations, some light, some serious in order to educate our children on relationships, intimacy, sexuality, pleasure, monogamy, and so on. Put it on your calendar and take advantage of every opportunity to talk about sex.

5. Education breeds confidence. Children who are confident about what constitutes a healthy sexual relationship (and that starts with the relationship they have with themselves), are better able to navigate healthy relationships when that becomes an integral part of their lives.

6. Encourage your kids to develop a healthy relationship with their own body. Yes, I know this is awkward, but studies show that people who are comfortable in their own skin, who understand their own bodies and can communicate openly about their own wants, needs and desires, are more likely to enter into healthy relationships. If you can’t bring yourself to talk to your kids, find someone you trust who feels comfortable and make that personal available to your child.

We are sexual beings. Whether you like it or not, it is your responsibility to teach your children about sexuality, sex, intimacy, healthy relationships and the time to start is when they are young and you have time to cover every aspect of what it means to be in a physical relationship with another human being.

Be Brave. Be Courageous. And have FUN.

Save the Date!

• February 15 - Annual Dance Party @ St. John's Club (adults only) 7pm-11pm
• February 17 - 9th Grade Humanities Program Information @ BHS, 7 pm
• February 17 - Principal Interviews - see times above
• February 19 - Principal Interviews - see times above
• February 20 - Hunt PTO Meeting - 6:30pm in the library
• February 20 - North Ave. Corridor Study meeting, 7 pm @ St. Mark's Church
• February 24th through March 4th - NO SCHOOL.  Classes resume on Wednesday, March 5th.
• March 6th - Meeting about 9th Grade Humanities Program, 5 pm
• Tuesday, March 11th - Family Book Discussion Evening
• March 22nd - Hunt Pancake Breakfast & Silent Auction
• March 26 - Electronics Communications talk - 6pm
• April 3-5 - West Side Story at HMS
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• January PTO Meeting
  2/20/14, 6:30 pm
  
  
  AGENDA
  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Volunteer secretary for Feb. meeting
  OPEN FORUM:
  What’s on your mind?  Questions?  Comments?  Concerns?
  UPDATES
  • Treasurer’s report - 5 min –Brian Pine
  • Principal’s Corner – 10 min - Rich Amato
  • Fundraising Update  - 10 minutes – Gabi Baumann
  • Team/UA Grant Update – 5 min- Kate Belluche
  • World Languages- transition to HS – 5 min - Gabi Baumann
  • International Week Update – 5 minutes- Jen Sutton
  • School Sign Update – 5 minutes – Brian Pine
  • Mindfulness training Proposal – 5 minutes – Kate Belluche
  • Misc Issues
  -When rooms are scheduled for night meetings, doors our often locked and a janitor must be located (sometimes this takes 10-15 of banging on doors)  How to ameliorate? 
  -Thinking Ahead - What happens to projects run by Jen Sutton?
  -Blog –Possible Improvements – Susan Rutherford
  -Locker improvement project?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Next Meeting:  Thursday, 3/20/14,  6:30-8pm
   Agenda Items: