Hey There Flynn Families - HUGE thanks to all the very generous families that helped to make the staff appreciation luncheon a great success. As you can see, there was a wide variety of yummy foods to choose from, scrumptious goodies and great conversation. Staff especially appreciated the parents who were able to cover recess duty, allowing them to have a leisurely lunch with friends and colleagues.
PTO Pizza forms went out with the last Flynn Flyer. Forms are due back on May 22nd and Pizzas arrive on May 29th. Thank you for your participation. This will be the last order of the school year.
Spring Fest is this Sunday!!!!! Come rain or come shine (though it appears that we are due for some shine...) there will be a fun run, bouncy house, capture the flag, foods for sale, facepainting and a dance party between the hours of 2-5pm on May 20th. This is a fundraiser, so we will be asking for small donations at some of the activities - nobody will be refused!!!! Come out and play with Flynn families this weekend - hope to see YOU there! (also, can you bake something for the bake sale????) Contact Jen DeBedout for more information- jkdebedout@burlingtontelecom.net
I SCREAM (no, really, ice cream...) Looking for a great upper body workout to firm up those floppy triceps???? Regardless, we need you! Looking for some scoopers extraordinaire to help scoop the cold stuff for the annual Sundaes at Lunch on June 5th. This is a yearly tradition at Flynn and parents always come through for us... Help is needed between 11-1pm on 6/5. Interested? Contact Edith Ducharme at educharm@bsdvt.org to get on the list - hurry, there are limited spots!
Diversity/Equity/Racism in Burlington schools has been in the news lately. Below is a link to the BSD webpage with recent articles about BSD in the local press. There is a very vocal group of Burlington folks asking for the resignation of our Superintendent, Jeanne Collins and the BHS Principal, Amy Mellancamp. What do you think? I encourage you to educate yourself about the issues facing our schools, talk about it with BSD families, think about where you stand on the issue and let someone know. I am including all the contact information for our school Board Representatives and the next full School Board meeting will be held on June 12th.
Recent Press: http://district.bsd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=268284&sessionid=384acf0ba81b8510251bafd8d4393500&sessionid=384acf0ba81b8510251bafd8d4393500
Board Members: http://bsdweb.bsdvt.org/Board/BoardDirectory.php
Recent Press: http://district.bsd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=268284&sessionid=384acf0ba81b8510251bafd8d4393500&sessionid=384acf0ba81b8510251bafd8d4393500
Board Members: http://bsdweb.bsdvt.org/Board/BoardDirectory.php
RECESS TOYS are being purchased by the PTO to help keep everyone active after lunch. Coming soon are some new kickballs, basketballs, soccer balls, individual and long jumpropes and frisbees. Do you have any fun recess toys at home that no longer get used? We can take them off your hands and put them to good use... Also looking for equipment for flag football. Contact Kate at akbelluche@aol.com if you have items to share.
Picture Taker(s) needed to help take picutures of incoming Kindergarteners thsi Friday the 18th. Times between 8:30-12 - Can you help any/all of that time? Camera and instructions provided. Cntact Karen Carr at kcarr@bsdvt.org
Picture Taker(s) needed to help take picutures of incoming Kindergarteners thsi Friday the 18th. Times between 8:30-12 - Can you help any/all of that time? Camera and instructions provided. Cntact Karen Carr at kcarr@bsdvt.org
Green Dishes The dishes are literally and figuratively green! The PTO recently purchased several cases of reusable plates, cups and bowls to be used at Flynn events throughout the year. We are very proud of our new purchase and excited to continue challenging ourselves to live lightly on this earth. Other ways the PTO has made changes is that we purchased washable tablecloths at the beginning of the year, provided sticker calendars that could be affixed to our old calendar magnets, we project PTO agendas/finances at PTO meetings to cut down on paper use and use a paperless blog to replace frequent handouts. Got any good ideas for us???
The Flynn Olympics is coming up on June 4 Contact Lida Dvorak to help with one of the events. Big kids compete in the morning from 9-11 and K-2 goes from 12-1:45 Lida can be reached at ldvorak@bsdvt.org.
Homework - Friend or Foe????? Tammy Kuypers will be raising the topic of Flynn Homework at the next Principal's coffee on May 24th. Below is some information she sent to get folks thinking about homework and an example of what one school decided. We'd be happy to hear about your experiences. Feel free to email Tammy with your thoughts/experiences at kuypers5@yahoo.com. Read Below:
Wyoming Elementary School Eliminates Homework
I just learned from the principal of Grant Elementary School in Glenrock, Wyoming, that her school is implementing a no homework practice. The school came to that decision after examining homework and having discussions with Kim Bevill of Brain Basics, who provided them with materials about homework. Kim, a dynamo, teaches social studies and psychology in a Colorado high school, owns and operate Gray Matters (whose goal is to “re-ignite learning in every classroom using brain-compatible curriculum to further academic achievement”), hosts a yearly conference entitled Brain Basics, and, most importantly, is a passionate advocate against homework. I have enjoyed many conversations with Kim this year.
Here’s the principal’s letter to the parents explaining the new policy:
Dear Parents,
Over the years we have seen that with the increased pressure in meeting AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), homework has also increased. This increase may have come in response to the call for higher expectations, comparisons of American student performance with the children from European and Asian countries, and the pressures created with state testing programs such as PAWS.
With that being said, the research is unable to produce evidence that homework improves student performance. The research is telling us that if we want to improve attitudes, mental and physical health and academic performance, we as parents need to promote the following 5 things:
• Children need to play outside for at least an hour after the school day. They should be at the point where they are almost sweating.
• Dinner with your family every night or at least 4 times a week. This is shown to decrease eating disorders in females, decrease smoking and drug abuse rates in males and recent research suggests it teaches life-long good eating habits—more fruits and vegetables.
• Early to bed. Research suggests that children need 10-12 hours of sleep a day to be ready to learn.
• Limited television, video games and computer time, especially an hour before bed time.
• Reading time every evening. This is a great time for the whole family to sit and read together.
At Grant this semester we are trying something new. Homework will only consist of work students did not finish during the school day. However, if a child is bringing homework home on a regular basis then we will have a parent meeting to see why the child is not getting the material done during school. At semester our staff will review how our students are doing with these new guidelines.
We are going to ask that parents help us promote reading at home. Our school wide reading program, “Splish Splash,” will be a great way to encourage reading and will provide monthly reading incentives. Our children are making great gains in the area of reading. A key component to making these gains is the work that parents and children do at home. We do thank you for your help.
We would love to hear from you on your thoughts about homework as we explore some new guidelines. Again, thanks for everything you do to help our children, staff and school be a great place for learning.
Sincerely,
Christine Hendricks, Principal
Grant Elementary Teachers and Staff
Homework - Friend or Foe????? Tammy Kuypers will be raising the topic of Flynn Homework at the next Principal's coffee on May 24th. Below is some information she sent to get folks thinking about homework and an example of what one school decided. We'd be happy to hear about your experiences. Feel free to email Tammy with your thoughts/experiences at kuypers5@yahoo.com. Read Below:
Wyoming Elementary School Eliminates Homework
I just learned from the principal of Grant Elementary School in Glenrock, Wyoming, that her school is implementing a no homework practice. The school came to that decision after examining homework and having discussions with Kim Bevill of Brain Basics, who provided them with materials about homework. Kim, a dynamo, teaches social studies and psychology in a Colorado high school, owns and operate Gray Matters (whose goal is to “re-ignite learning in every classroom using brain-compatible curriculum to further academic achievement”), hosts a yearly conference entitled Brain Basics, and, most importantly, is a passionate advocate against homework. I have enjoyed many conversations with Kim this year.
Here’s the principal’s letter to the parents explaining the new policy:
Dear Parents,
Over the years we have seen that with the increased pressure in meeting AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), homework has also increased. This increase may have come in response to the call for higher expectations, comparisons of American student performance with the children from European and Asian countries, and the pressures created with state testing programs such as PAWS.
With that being said, the research is unable to produce evidence that homework improves student performance. The research is telling us that if we want to improve attitudes, mental and physical health and academic performance, we as parents need to promote the following 5 things:
• Children need to play outside for at least an hour after the school day. They should be at the point where they are almost sweating.
• Dinner with your family every night or at least 4 times a week. This is shown to decrease eating disorders in females, decrease smoking and drug abuse rates in males and recent research suggests it teaches life-long good eating habits—more fruits and vegetables.
• Early to bed. Research suggests that children need 10-12 hours of sleep a day to be ready to learn.
• Limited television, video games and computer time, especially an hour before bed time.
• Reading time every evening. This is a great time for the whole family to sit and read together.
At Grant this semester we are trying something new. Homework will only consist of work students did not finish during the school day. However, if a child is bringing homework home on a regular basis then we will have a parent meeting to see why the child is not getting the material done during school. At semester our staff will review how our students are doing with these new guidelines.
We are going to ask that parents help us promote reading at home. Our school wide reading program, “Splish Splash,” will be a great way to encourage reading and will provide monthly reading incentives. Our children are making great gains in the area of reading. A key component to making these gains is the work that parents and children do at home. We do thank you for your help.
We would love to hear from you on your thoughts about homework as we explore some new guidelines. Again, thanks for everything you do to help our children, staff and school be a great place for learning.
Sincerely,
Christine Hendricks, Principal
Grant Elementary Teachers and Staff
Check your Calendar...
- Fridays in May - Back by Popular Demand - Freezy Pop Fridays!!! $.25/pop (right after school)
- May 18 - Kindergarten Orientation 8:30, 10, 12
- May 20 - Flynn SPRINGFEST - 2-5pm on the Flynn playground
- May 21 - Chess Club at 2:30 - Last one of the Year!
- May 22 - Orientation at Hunt Middle school for 5th grade PARENTS - 7pm
- May 24 - Principal's Coffee, 8:15 in the Library - Everyone is invited!
- May 24 - Flynn Chorus Concert at Hunt MS (Kids to Hunt by 6:15
- May 26 - Plant and Yard Sale at Hunt Middle School (formally the Flynn Perennially Green Sale)
- May 28 - No School
- May 30 - School Tour, St. Joe's campus on Allen St. at 3:30, 6:30 pm - 3/4/5 Families
- June 4 - Flynn Olympics - Parent help needed!
- June 6 - 5th Grade Bridging Ceremony, 6:30 pm
- June 8 - Early Release @11:30
- June 11 - Last Day for Flynn!!!! Early release w/ parade at 11:30
I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to make the principal's coffee, but here is a blog entry from a writer for The Atlantic where he ponders the homework issue, and it contains some further reading, as well as a lively discussion in the comments.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2009/09/does-homework-work/26545/