G. STUDENT ACTIVITIES
(1)ARTS IN EDUCATION
The Arts in Education Committee of the Green Mountain Festival Series promotes the arts in schools of the Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union including Cavendish Town Elementary, Chester Andover Elementary, Flood Brook Union School, and Green Mountain Union High School. This committee arranges school performances, awards mini-grants to teachers to bring artists into classrooms, writes grants for arts programs and performances, helps to fund residencies in the schools, and awards scholarships to the Governor's Institute for the Arts. These programs are partially funded by the Green Mountain Festival Series with support from corporate and community sponsors, school budgets, school booster clubs (including the Chester Andover PTA) and the Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union Medicaid Fund.
(2)ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
The school offers students opportunities for involvement in a variety of enrichment activities at various times throughout the year, such as: Circus, Dance, Spanish Club, Art Activities or Drama.
(3)FIELD TRIPS
Field Trips provide excellent opportunities for teachers to expand and enrich the learning opportunities of their students. Parents will be informed of field trips by their child’s teacher or by an announcement in The Beating Drum unless the field trip is in the immediate area of the school.
Field trips that are outside Chester or Andover will require a permission slip signed by parents. Occasionally classes take trips to places requiring a fee. No student will be excluded based on ability to contribute financially. Students are responsible for their behavior. Inappropriate behavior may jeopardize future field trips for the child. Chaperones above the required number are responsible for their own expenses.
(4)GRADUATION
Sixth grade is a special year for our students that culminates with a graduation ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of every student. Traditionally, sixth grade parents have also planned a variety of social activities to which all graduates are invited.
(5)HOME PAGE - INTERNET
Our school maintains a website that contains a wide range of information about our school, school events and activities, announcements (including school closing due to inclement weather) and current and back copies of our weekly newsletter, The Beating Drum, Each staff member maintains a web page that contains biographical and program information. Our website also includes many connecting links that may be of interest to teachers, parents and students. The Chester-Andover Home Page can be found at: http://caes.wswsu.org
(6)KEEWAYDIN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER
Keewaydin is an environmental education camp located on Lake Dunmore, near Brandon, Vermont. CAES has been sending students to Keewaydin for over thirty years. Every other year, fifth and sixth graders attend Keewaydin for one week in the Spring. The funds for Keewaydin are raised by the students and their parents through a variety of events. It is hoped that every student and parent will be involved in these efforts.
(7)RESPECT CLUB
IF YOU ARE A 4TH, 5TH OR 6TH GRADER AND WOULD LIKE TO HELP OTHERS THE RESPECT CLUB MAY BE FOR YOU.
The Chester Andover Elementary School Respect Club meets at school on Friday afternoons to do community service projects. We also meet other days to participate in projects outside our school. Last year some of our projects included :
*helping at the Winter Special Olympics in Stowe, Vermont
*participated in making and serving the Senior Community Dinners
*helped at the Family Picnic and Keewaydin Bazaar
*collected clothes and school supplies for children in Tibet
*wrote letters and collected supplies for soldiers in Iraq
*sewed fleece hats for the homeless
*helped our local food shelf
*helped CHABA by purchasing bicycles for children in Africa whose families are affected by AIDS,
*read to younger children through the CAES Books for Breakfast Program,
*helped the Heifer Project and Habitat for Humanity, Chester Rotary and Chester Chamber of Commerce
*visited the local nursing home and elderly housing center
*raked leaves for elderly and disabled in our community in fall and spring
*led a workshop for the Foundation for Excellent Schools Student Summit
(8)SCHOOL ACTIVITY CALENDAR
A calendar of school activities such as Parents’ Nights, Concerts, Parent-Teacher Conferences, Keewaydin Bazaar, etc. is maintained by the main office and is posted on the school website.
(9)STUDENT COUNCIL
Our student council is open to students in grades 4-6. Students may apply for the privilege of serving on the student council. Meetings are held throughout the year with the goal of improving CAES through student voice. Past activities have included student theme days, attending a leadership conference, starting a vegetable garden, and helping with recycling.
(10)WINTER SPORTS PROGRAM
The CAES Winter Sports Program is offered on Thursday afternoons (weather permitting) during the months of January, February, and early March. Various program options are offered when there is adequate and skilled supervision. Schedules, program offerings and registration information is published well in advance in The Beating Drum.
(11)YEARBOOK
Chester-Andover has a student / teacher created yearbook. The Yearbook staff is open to any 5th or 6th grade student. This group meets either at recess or after school. The Yearbook staff takes photographs, designs, edits, and works in a collaborative way to make decisions and ultimately produce a book.
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