PTO Meeting Minutes - 2/16/17
President’s Report – Paula Henry
Jen L’Ecuyer has agreed to be the HMS representative to the
District PTO group, to attend district level meetings concerning the budget and
other financial issues. Thank you Jen!
The next meeting is March 16th @7:30 pm.
BHS announced that there will be a school community
meeting on scheduling which will occur Monday
February 20, 6-7:30pm @ BHS. The
District is considering starting school at 7:15 am for BHS. If this affects your family for next year,
you may want to attend.
The Hunt PTO will need a new President for 2017-2018. Parents of 6th and 7th
graders should be thinking about filling this role for next year.
Treasurer’s Report –
Paula Henry
Treasurer’s report presented. Checking account balance (eff 1/31/17) is
$7,799 with $3,953 of this unrestricted/available for use.
Request made by Librarian Hughes for the PTO to contribute
to the cost of bringing in Kwame Alexander, author of “The Playbook”, to Hunt
on March 14. PTO approved the donation of $400 for this worthwhile event, if we
are successful in scheduling an on-site visit.
Request made by Josh Safran to cover some cost for HMS to
have a team participate in the National Geographic GEO Bee. Clarifying
information forthcoming from Len before a final decision is made. PTO will donate an HMS logo tshirt for all
students participating on the team.
We still have about 20 shirts to sell. Len will connect with the Student Council to
set up a time to sell at school. Looking
ahead to next year, an opportunity exists to have people order them directly
online, with no investment by the PTO to carry inventory. JJFlynn school was successful doing this.
New Business – Paula
Henry
The play, Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory, will be performed April 6, 7, 8. Anyone interested in helping with the play production,
please contact huntdramaclub@gmail.com. Any adult interested in playing in the pit
orchestra as a non-paid volunteer, contact Ashley O’Brien at ashleyobrienmusic@gmail.com. 45 students are in the cast, and another 8-10
in the stage crew. Fundraising continues
with a chocolate promotion coming out soon!
New fundraiser just
announced! Pancake breakfast and silent
auction, scheduled for Saturday morning, March 25!! Mark your calendars now! All are welcome
& encouraged to attend! Prices for admission still to be determined, but
will be reasonable & no one will be turned away due to ability to pay. We'd
welcome help! If you are interested in helping with cooking, welcoming guests,
set-up, clean-up, serving, communications, or silent auction, please email
Helen Rock at rockjonesvt@gmail.com
or call/text 802-999-7574.
If
you have items to donate to the silent auction, please email Rebecca Padnos
at rpadnos@gmail.com.
Principal’s Report –
Len Phelan
Geography Bees:
HMS recently participated in the National Geographic Bee.
This competition, held annually at over 10,000 schools across the United
States, is designed to inspire and reward students’ interest in geography.
19 HMS students volunteered to participate in the
preliminary round of our school bee. 8 students advanced to the final round.
Our two finalists, sixth graders Julia Hondal and Robbie Safran answered
several rounds of questions with Julia Hondal winning the competition. Julia
then completed an online test and we are awaiting word on whether Julia will
advance to the state level of competition.
Given the level of interest in the National Geographic Bee
we are sending a Hunt Middle School Geography Team to the Vermont StateGeography Bee sponsored by the Vermont Principals’ Association and AAA. The
state bee competitions will be held in May.
Algebra at HMS:
We will be continuing with our Algebra Seminar for HMS
students in eighth grade. 2016-2017 marked the first year of an algebra seminar
available to 8th grade students at both Edmunds and Hunt Middle Schools. The district elected to pilot the seminar
model as a way to offer algebra in a stand alone course for middle school
students who wanted the academic challenge and rigor in addition to 8th grade
math. Based on feedback from teachers, students and community members the pilot
is considered a success. Students
entering 8th grade will have the option to select the seminar for the 2017-2018
school year.
International Week at HMS:
Next week is International Week at HMS. Students will
participate in cooking and taste testing of international foods, homeroom
activities and our culminating International Week Assembly. The assembly will
feature an international fashion show, dancing and a performance, funded by the
PTO (Thank you!) by the performing group A2VT.
February Vacation is Approaching:
We will go on our annual February Vacation at the close of
school next Friday, February 24. We return to school following vacation on
Wednesday, March 8.
Respectfully Submitted,
Leonard H. Phelan, Principal
Next PTO meeting is Thursday March 16th at 6:30
pm.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Hunt Middle School PTO
Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction
Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction
You are invited to the Hunt Middle School PTO Pancake Breakfast & Silent Auction on Saturday, March 25th from 8:30am - 11:30am.
All welcome!!
Mark your calendars now! Prices for admission still to be determined, but will be reasonable & no one will be turned away due to ability to pay.
We'd welcome help! If you are interested in helping with cooking, welcoming guests, set-up, clean-up, serving, communications, or silent auction, please email Helen Rock at rockjonesvt@gmail.com or call/text 802-999-7574.
If you have items to donate to the silent auction, please email Rebecca Padnos at rpadnos@hotmail.com.
Thank you for your support!
Helen Rock, Event Chair
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FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY HOSTS A TRAVELING SMITHSONIAN EXHIBITION:
“EXPLORING HUMAN ORIGINS”
The Smithsonian has brought an awesome exhibit to the Fletcher Free Library. Some HMS students will be touring the exhibit with their class. Other students not going on the formal tour may wish to visit the exhibit with their families. The “Paleolithic”-themed opening reception on February 22 at 5:30pm is followed by a talk with Dr. Rick Potts, who is Director of the Smithsonian’s Human Origins Program.
FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY HOSTS A TRAVELING SMITHSONIAN EXHIBITION: “EXPLORING HUMAN ORIGINS”
Burlington, VT — Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human?, a national traveling exhibition of the Smithsonian Institution, will be on display at the Fletcher Free Library from 18 February 2017 to 17 March 2017.
Through panels, interactive kiosks, hands-on displays and videos, Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human? invites audiences to explore milestones in the evolutionary journey of becoming human — from walking upright, creating technology and eating new foods, to brain enlargement and the development of symbolic language and complex societies — advancements that define the unique position of humans in the history of life.
Based on the Smithsonian’s What Does It Mean to Be Human? permanent exhibition hall at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human? seeks to shed light on what we know about human origins and how we know it. The exhibition welcomes different cultural perspectives on evolution and seeks to foster positive dialogue and a respectful exploration of the science.
“The topic of human evolution is fascinating, we are proud that the Fletcher Free Library can help encourage a constructive, informative discussion on the subject,” said Mary Danko, Fletcher Free’s Library Director. “We encourage people of all beliefs to explore the exhibition and participate in associated programming, and delve into human origins in a way that is captivating and relevant.”
Please visit the exhibit website for a complete calendar of programming and events. Core partners in this initiative are the University of Vermont (UVM) and the University of Vermont Medical Center, St. Michael’s College, Champlain College, RETN, and the Friends of the Fletcher Free Library.
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Get Your Hunt Tee Shirts!
You can purchase anytime by contacting the PTO at huntmiddleschool@gmail.com.
All proceeds go toward funding student activities.
Thank you for supporting HMS!