The Beating Drum   June 13, 2008 Chester-Andover Elementary School    caes.wswsu.org/beatingdrum HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!  SEE YOU ON AUGUST 26TH    AT THE BACK TO SCHOOL CELEBRATION! DATES TO REMEMBER 6/13            Family Picnic 5 to 7:30 p.m. 6/14            CHS/GMUHS Alumni Parade 11:00 a.m. 6/16            6th Grade Graduation, 7 p.m. 6/17            Last Day of School, 11:45 a.m. dismissal 6/18 & 6/19     Teacher In-Service Days ONGOING ACTIVITIES  @ CAES Everyday:       ASPIRE, White House CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PRINCIPAL'S EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENTS!Mrs. Kraft congratulates the most recent recipients of the Chester-Andover Elementary School Principal's Excellence Award.  Congratulations to: SHANE VERESPY in Grade 1, for volunteering to help a student during Homework Club CARISSA BAILEY in Grade 1, for excellence in writing CASSIE SPAULDING in Grade 1, for excellence in writing MACKENZIE LACOSTE in Grade 1, for excellence in writing PETER FREDYEMA in Grade 1, for excellence in writing TIFFANY GORDON in Grade 1, for excellence in writing MARINA KELLEY in Grade 1, for excellence in writing JESIE FISHER in Grade 1, for excellence in writing MARLEY GREENSLET in Grade 1, for excellence in writing ERIKA KNOCKENHAUER in Grade 1, for excellence in writing BAILIE CAREY in Grade 1, for excellence in writing KHUSHMINDER BANGA in Grade 1, for excellence in writing EWAN MCGRATH in Grade 1, for excellence in writing KASSIDY CUMMINGS in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project RILEY KARL in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project MACI PRESCOTT in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project TOMMY KNOCKENHAUER in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project ROSE JACKSON in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project CHAD CAREY in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project IAN KEHOE in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project TUCKERMAN WUNDERLE in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project JILLIAN TRACHTE in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project JON LITTLE in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project SARAH BAKER in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project CALEB JOHNSON in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project MOLLY VERESPY in Grade 3, for a terrific State's Fair project CAES PLAYGROUND Please note that the CAES Playground will be closed from July 6 to July 12 for maintenance. A FAREWELL FROM MR. MORSE With mixed emotions, I am writing to inform all students and parents that I will not be returning to Chester-Andover next year as Assistant Principal.  I have accepted a Principal position at Wallingford Elementary School.  I am excited to begin in Wallingford, and at the same time I will truly miss CAES.  I have been able to get to know many parents in the community, and we are lucky to have such supportive and caring families.  We have a very talented faculty and staff and I will miss working with each of them.  They, along with Mrs. Kraft, always put students first.  In the past two years, as decisions are made, I have often heard the following question ÒWhat is best for the students?Ó  Last but not least, I will miss the students at CAES.  They are the reason we have all chosen to work in education.  I have enjoyed every minute of it - the assemblies, games at recess, field trips, spelling bees, field days, and the day-to-day interactions that put a smile on my face.  Thanks for all of the memories! WELCOME OUR NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Hi my name is Holly Morse. I am proud to be part of the wonderful Chester, Andover School community.  My Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and Environmental Sciences is from Keene State College and my Masters Degree in Educational Leadership is from Castleton State College. I have taught in several schools in Vermont over the past twenty years. Some include: Barnard Elementary School, where I taught grades one through three for fourteen years. I was the Principal of Reading   Elementary School for four years.  Recently, I taught Science at  Springfield High School. I live in Reading, Vermont with my husband, David.  My two wonderful children are now adults.  Richard, a University of Vermont Graduate lives in Vermont with his enjoyable dog, Muddles.  Kaitlyn is living  in the state of Washington and is working toward her Doctorate Degree  in Immunology. When I am not at school, I am usually working on projects at my house.  I enjoy gardening, sewing and playing outdoors with my family. A FAREWELL FROM MRS. REED To all the students at CAES, I have really enjoyed teaching art at CAES for the past nine years. You have been creative, enthusiastic and just plain ÒfunÓ to work with.   We have built kites, drawn and painted ÒmasterpiecesÓ, sculpted figures, painted murals and explored together the works and styles of many artists. I have truly enjoyed the adventure and challenge of learning with you. I look forward to  having time to pursue my own work as an artist. I hope you stop by and visit my studio/gallery in Chester. I would love to see you and your artwork and to show you mine.                                                                                                                                                                  Love to all, Mrs. Reed A FAREWELL FROM MRS. TOBEY I would like to thank the faculty, staff and families of CAES for giving me the opportunity to share my areas of expertise with the students of this community. As many of you know, I have moved to Plymouth recently and have accepted a special education position at Mount Holly Elementary School. I will miss working with the children and families, but will certainly keep in touch with CAES in the years to come. A FAREWELL FROM MS. CONNOR Dear CAES Community, I'm sure by now most of you are aware that I will not be teaching next year.  I am moving to Schuyler, New York and donning a tool belt to build a new home for my daughter and I. I will truly miss watching the students I've had in my past classes grow into young adults.  I will miss the interaction I have had with CAES families and of course it goes without saying I will miss all of the faculty and staff I have worked with the past four years. It has been such a joy being a part of the Chester-Andover community and I will truly miss everyone!  I wish all of you the best.  Have a great summer!                                                                                                                                                                                                  Love Tina Connor CAES 2008 FIELD DAY CAES Field Day is on Monday, June 16th. Students will participate in a variety of fun activities. The starting time is 12:30 p.m. at the CAES soccer  field. We are asking student to wear bathing suits under their clothing. They will not be allowed to wear just their suits. There will be several activities where students will be getting wet. It is recommended that students bring a change of clothes and a plastic bag for wet items. It is also essential that students wear sneakers, as they will be running during the activities. YEAR END REMINDER FROM THE MED ROOM Just a reminder that ANY medication you have here for your child needs to be picked up by Tuesday, June 17th at noon.  I must throw any leftover medications out by the end of the school year.  I am not allowed to keep it during the summer.  Also a reminder that your child may not transport medications, an adult must pick them up. Also a reminder, if your child will need medication in the fall I will need a signed Order and Permission form from the doctor before I am able to administer the medication.  All med orders must be renewed each fall. PTA FUNDRAISER TO HELP SUPPORT KEEWAYDIN When you do an internet search you can make money for Keewaydin. All you have to do is search through Goodsearch.com. This is a Yahoo search engine that works like any other only this one works to support a charitable cause. When you type in Chester Andover Elementary School PTA as your charity of choice you will be contributing to the Keewaydin fund. So, remember GOODSEARCH.COM, next time you do an internet search. FIRST TEE GOLF PROGRAM - TATER HILL FIELD TRIPOn Thursday, June 12, we went to Tater Hill. It was a great experience. We had a lot of fun. They showed us their golf course and we got to throw some golf balls. We learned about the different names of the golf course and got to meet the pro, John. He took us on a tour. You should go to that amazing golf course sometime. Mrs. Ferro's and Miss Kane's class would like to thank Mrs. Lisle for planning this amazing trip so THANK YOU Mrs. Lisle! PONDERING FOR PARENTS Maintain limits for TV viewing during the summer vacation At the end of the summer, what will your child remember?  Hours spent reading, playing and being outdoors?  Or hours spent staring at the TV?   It's all too easy to let TV-viewing hours creep up during the vacation.  But the American Academy of Pediatrics wants parents to limit TV time to two hours a day-or fewer.  Here are some ideas about how you can make that work during the summer months:  Make a schedule.  Set aside a time each day for TV viewing.  To make your schedule work, you'll also need to schedule time for activities like reading.  While you're at it, schedule times for snacks so your child doesn't eat out of boredom.  Stock up on other things to do.  Create a costume box for plays.  Collect art supplies.  Buy a few board games.  Take TVs out of bedrooms.  Plan Trips.  Go to museums, parks or on neighborhood walks.  Elementary Parents make the difference! Bring reading materials with you everywhere. Want to do your child a wonderful favor? Push the message that reading is one of the best ways to spend any moment of free time. Your child can read when he is:  Waiting in line with you at the market.  Waiting at the doctor's office. Waiting for the school bus.  Riding in the car.  Encourage your child to always have some reading material with him.  Keep it in the car, in his backpack, in his coat.  Don't worry if it's a book, a magazine or part of the newspaper-even the comics.  Take it a step further by going to the library, checking out some books you think he'd like and keeping them in the car for him.  Boys, especially, need encouragement to read. They tend to like reading material about sports, the outdoors, collecting and hobbies. They also like science fiction, mystery, adventure, and fantasy.  Be sure to have reading material for yourself, too.  Your example is a powerful motivator.  Middle School Parents still make the difference! CHESTER-ANDOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 5 p.m., CAES Library 1.      Call to order 2.      Approval of Minutes of June 2, 2008 3.      Reports:                 a.      Superintendent                 b.      Principal                 c.      Assistant Principal                 d.      Board 4.      Retreat planning 5.      Capital improvement fund approval - Joan 6.      Appointment of new board member 7.      Hiring 8.      Activity account signature approval 9.      Public discussion 10.     Other business 11.     New agenda items 12.     Executive session - Anticipated 13.     Adjournment CALLING ALL PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS Volunteers are still needed for Enrichment Day.  This is a morning commitment of 8:30-11:00 with a planned time for snack and a break.    We need people who will lead workshops for grades 1-4, you choose the age group and the activity, maximum number of students per group is 12.  We will supply the materials and you will have a staff member from the school for help. Suggested activities: candle making, soap making, sculptures from recycled materials, bead making, weaving, dance, gardening, etc.  Please call or email Sarah Fonseca if you are interested.  875-2108 ext. 119, sfonseca@wswsu.org   GROW A ROW FOR HEALTHY SCHOOLS Help support the C.A.E.S and G.M.U.M.S/H.S healthy lunch initiative by planting a row of vegetables in your garden this summer for the schools. There will be a community Grow a Row drop off day on Saturday, August 23, from 10-12, in the GMUHS cafeteria. The produce collected will be cleaned and frozen for future use. If you have produce available before or after this date Jack Carroll, Head of Food Services, would be happy to schedule a drop of time with you. For more information please contact Anne Lamb or Jack Carroll at 875-2416. RESPECT CLUB LOOKING FOR HELP If you have some talent laying tile or doing woodwork we need your help.  We are trying to get the Peace Wall up sometime during the summer months so that it is ready for the beginning of school.  Please contact Becky Plunkard if you are able to help or if you just have questions.  875-2108 ext 142 or 226-7157 RESPECT CLUB COLLECTING DICTIONARIES The Respect Club will be collecting  paperback dictionaries until the end of the school year. These books will be going to inmates at the correctional facility in Springfield.  If you have a paperback dictionary that you would like to donate, there will be a drop off bin near the school office.  Thanks so much. COMMUNITY NEWS FUN WITH FITNESS Fitness Solutions in Springfield will host a summer exercise class for 3rd through 6th graders for six weeks this summer. The classes will meet for 90 minutes, once a week, each Thursday, starting on the 10th of July and continuing for the next five weeks. Classes will be conducted by Bill Cole, a personal trainer for Fitness Solutions. The classes will stress the pleasure and importance of a healthy body and will look at a variety of approaches to exercise. There will be two classes offered.  One class for current 3rd and 4th graders and one class for current 5th and 6th graders. Each class will be limited to 10 students with a minimum of six. For more information please contact Bill Cole at Fitness Solutions at 885-5814. ST. LUKES FUNDRAISER St. Luke's will be selling pieces of pie to go, fresh lemonade and packaged homemade salads for evening barbecues from 10 a.m. To 2 p.m. on Alumni Day, June 14 on the front lawn of the church. The funds raised support outreach like camp scholarships, Vermont Food Bank, mitten project, etc. THE CHESTER COMMUNITY GARDEN IS GROWING! Last Thursday, with help from community members and teachers, kids from CAES planted each garden bed with veggies and flowers to grow all summer long. Our next garden workshop will be held (at CAES next to the play structure) on Monday, June 16 from 8:30am to 11:30am. Please come to help tend to and plan for maintaining the garden throughout this summer. Please bring your garden tools and any other garden donations. We will continue planting ideas and enthusiasm on how to make this garden grow for the kids and for our community. At this time The Chester Community Garden needs donations of: watering cans; organic compost and mulching materials; garden tools (adult and child sized); and volunteers to come to the garden for one week this summer to water, weed, tend and harvest the garden. If you cannot attend this workshop, have any questions or you want to help, please call Lew Watters at 875-2114 or email webmaster@ourchester.org or Carrie Roy King at 875-5153, nigeldenali@yahoo.com. For more information go to www.ourchester.org and the breaking news page. Please pass this scoop on to a friend. SUMMER READING SPECTACULAR Misty Valley Books is offering a summer reading spectacular  from June 15 - 21. All childrens and young adult titles will be 20% off.  Come in and find books to read for the summer.   SUMMER FUN WITH VALLEY QUEST! Looking for some unique adventures to go on with your family this summer? Try Questing. Valley Quest is a program designed to get people out and appreciating many of the wonders of the Upper Valley. There are more than 160 Quests or treasure hunts spanning across the 50 towns in the Connecticut River Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire. The Quests consist of hand drawn maps, rhyming clues and a hidden treasure box at the end. Many Quests are available on-line at our website. Follow this link and try one out for yourself: http://www.vitalcommunities.org/valleyquest/onlinequests.htm. Also, look for our new book, Best of Valley Quest, Treasure Hunts to Special Places at your local library or favorite bookstore. It will be available by mid-June and contains some old favorites and some soon to be new favorites. For more information about Valley Quest, email us at laura@vitalcommunities.org or call 802-291-9100. STATE PARK DAY For two days, June 14 & 15, 2008, all State Park day areas, Historic Sites and the Vermont Historical Society Museum are open to the public at no charge.  Plus, June 14th is FREE Fishing Day throughout Vermont. For one day only, the whole family can fish statewide without a license. There will be family fishing clinics Saturday and performances, interpretive programs and events in parks throughout the state, as well as Vermont dairy products served in selected state parks. For more information on these events, please go to: http://www.vermontdays.vermont.gov 2008 ENVIRONMENTAL ADVENTURE CAMPS If you're looking for a great kids camp this summer, look no further. Grafton Ponds' camps are loaded with exciting outdoor adventure and lots of hands-on learning. Grafton Ponds and The Nature Museum at Grafton are offering six camps full of mountain biking and environmental adventure, where pure fun and active education is key. Each day is filled with a diverse mix of challenging activities where kids experience the richness of Vermont's backyard.  Our summer camp cost per students has been kept to a minimum to encourage participation. Grafton Ponds will also make scholarship money available if necessary. Please contact Bill Salmon at Grafton Ponds for more information. Camp flyers are available at Chester-Andover Elementary School, you can download the registration form at www.graftononponds.com or contact by phone at 802-843-2400. SUMMER SWIM Strength, endurance & cardiovascular training.? Great training for fall athletes; flexible practice times to fit most work schedules; certified swim coaches; builds confidence. There are no losers in swimming! All swim levels accommodated, from ages 4-19; parent-run team. Become involved in your kids' activities. One Team, one practice, one meet at a time for the entire family. Low Family Rates: $90 for the first child, $80 for the second, additional discounts apply. Need-based financial aid available. We are members of the Vermont Swim Association. We are a parent run team.  We are also a non-profit organization.  We will practice almost every day and have 10 meets during the month of July.  Kids who qualify will participate in the state meet held in the Burlington area the weekend of August 2-3.  We are looking at establishing swim times and locations to accommodate multiple schedules.  The contact in Vermont is Mary Bissell at 802-463-4237.  We will be registering and practicing at Kurn Hattin the week of June 9-13.  If there are any questions or concerns, I can be reached by cell or at home or via email.