Flynn PTO Update 10/27/13

Hey There Flynn Families - Exciting week ahead for the kiddoes (and all us big kiddoes!).  Good luck trying to contain all the enthusiasm until Thursday night...  Can't wait to see our munchkins all dressed up and parading around at Birchwood.  Flynn school has been doing this for many years and the residents at the nursing home look forward to this special tradition.  A little human kindness goes a long way - so fortunate that we get to spread a little joy. 



Daylight Savings time Fall Back Bottle Drive this coming Saturday! Bring your returnables to Merola's on North Avenue, tell them that you are from Flynn school and that money goes to us for opportunities like trips to the Flynn theater, chess club, playground improvements, the school play...  Tell your friends and neighbors - we're not too proud to ask for bottles/cans!

Can You Help?  (yes, please!) Please contact Karen Carr if you can help put out school messages on the black signs OR  if you might be able to come in to school and clean out the recess cart (recess toys need to be sorted, broken stuff tossed and a list of replacement toys compiled for the PTO to restock)  Karen can be reached at kcarr@bsdvt.org

Halloween parade this Thursday at the Flynn Campus. 
Grades 1 and 2  will leave St. Joe's at 1:30 with costumes on. The parade begins at 1:50.  Students will exit near the cafeteria out to Starr Farm Rd and the Birchwood Nursing Home.  There will be an all school assembly following the parade just prior to dismissal.  Parties are at the discretion of each teacher and if happening, will take place prior to the parade.  Contact your room parents for more info regarding parties and whether they need volunteer help in the classroom.  Parents are welcome to come for the parade at 1:50 on the South side of the school (Starr Farm side).  As always, school costumes cannot be terribly gory (save those for the evening) and there is no makeup at school or devices of torture/violence (sabers, toy guns, scythes, daggers, swords...)

Fundraising Success at Flynn thanks to YOU!  The Meadow Farms fundraiser netted $4,923 to fund PTO initiatives this year.  As well, families have contributed $831 so far for Pay It Forward fund.

As always, the Book Fair and Pasta Dinner enjoyed a huge turnout last week.  On the Dinner end, a big public thank you to the following folks who organized, cooked, cleaned, moved tables, collected money and donated their time to pull off a successful dinner yet again this year:

Janet Green,   Tammy and Jon Kuypers, Scott Hook, Kate Wheeler, Kate Belluche, Betsy Ward , Miranda Purvis,  Lisa Tulkop, Shanta Eastman, Karen Carr, Mary Mitchell, Jessica A. Foerst-Bilodeau and Jon Ward. 

More thanks to the families that donated the raw materials for the dinner and yummy stuff for the bake sale.  Your generosity allowed us to turn a profit of $650.  Of that, $166 from the bake sale will go to the Library Staff to purchase items for their reading nook.  Yay for us - we win all around - books, food and fellowship and an inviting place for our kids to read!


Don't Miss this!!! Burlington/Winooski
 Partnership for Change: Community
 
Learning Conversation Saturday, November 2, 20139:30 am - 1:00 pm, Winooski High School

IMAGINE A SCHOOL SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR ALL LEARNERS

Winooski and Burlington are remodeling the education system to ensure that all learners will be successful- and that both communities will be strong and dynamic in the years ahead. We’re moving toward a more personalized learning environment that puts students at the center. Come help us envision a school system that allows all of our young people to reach their learning potential, meet their college and career goals, and contribute to a brighter future for our community. All voices are welcome!

9:30  Welcome Reception, Coffee and Pastries Served
10:00  Large Group Presentation
10:50  Student-Led Small Group Discussion
12:00  Lunch

CHILDCARE available at no cost to participants for children ages 3 and up. Please RSVP by email to info@partnershipvt.org

INTERPRETATION provided in Nepali, Burmese, French, Kirundi, Swahili, Somali, Maay Maay, Arabic, and Vietnamese.

Burlington Graduate Expectations  (just a preview of one of the new things you might learn about at the above meeting on Saturday...)
               

After several months of shared learning, engaged conversation, and deep thought on the part of students, educators, parents, business leaders, and community partners, the Partnership for Change is excited to share the Graduate Expectations for Winooski Middle/High School and Burlington High School.
Graduate Expectations are the habits, skills, and knowledge that our community decides are most important to the success of all students in college, careers, and civic engagement. These are proficiency-based Graduate Expectations, meaning students must demonstrate that they have learned each one in order to graduate. For more than 100 years, Burlington and Winooski schools, along with most schools across the country, have measured students’ readiness for graduation according to seat-time or how many classes they have taken in each content area. But our world has changed significantly over the past century. In moving toward proficiency-based Graduate Expectations, we can ensure that our young people are fully prepared for the rapidly changing, complex world they will soon inherit.
Our Process
Our journey toward Graduate Expectations began back in December 2012 with 35 neighborhood learning conversations that engaged more than 400 students, teachers, parents, and community members in a conversation about what our graduates need to succeed. Participants in these conversations helped to generate a list of 19 possible Graduate Expectations. On February 2, 2013, more than 300 Winooski and Burlington residents gathered in the Burlington High School cafeteria to learn about the work being done to redesign our schools and to rank which of the 19 Graduate Expectations were most important to them.
In March 2013, two teams of diverse stakeholders-one in Winooski and one in Burlington-were formed with the charge of delving deeper into this work. Guided by Sarah Bertucci, the Partnership’s Personalized and Proficiency-Based Learning fellow, each team combed through the community’s input and relevant research to create first drafts of Graduate Expectations for each city.
This spring, these drafts were shared widely with the public at a second round of 32 neighborhood learning conversations and on the Partnership’s website. We asked the community to provide feedback on the drafts as well as to help us envision how students might learn and demonstrate these Graduate Expectations in our schools. Between the online feedback form and the neighborhood learning conversations, nearly 150 people provided input on the draft Graduate Expectations for Winooski and another 250 provided feedback on the Burlington drafts.
Over the past two months, the Winooski and Burlington Graduate Expectations (GX) teams reconvened, once for a cross-district work retreat and later as individual teams, to finalize the drafts of Graduate Expectations for each city. Although the GX teams took the lead on analyzing the data, synthesizing the research, and writing the drafts, these Graduate Expectations are truly the product of our entire community’s best thinking and hard work.
Next Steps
While these drafts are exciting steps in our process, the journey toward proficiency-based Graduate Expectations in Winooski and Burlington schools does not end here.
“It is critical to understand that these Graduate Expectations are not going to be carved in stone and forgotten,” Sarah said. “There will be continued opportunity for learning, reflection, and feedback about these Graduate Expectations and their implementation next year.”
To start, during this summer’s School Development Institute (SDI), WMHS and BHS faculty will explore and plan how to incorporate the Graduate Expectations into their teaching next year. In July, a group of educators, students, and community partners will visit Eagle Rock School in Colorado to learn from their exceptional example of proficiency-based education. Then, throughout the 2013-14 school year, the Graduate Expectations will be piloted in certain lessons, classes, and programs, beginning with those areas in which students are already learning these critical habits. In conjunction with these pilots, the Partnership will continue to support targeted research and reflection. From this learning, we will be able to add more detail to the Graduate Expectations, particularly about what each means and encompasses.
As the work moves into the piloting and implementation phases, the Partnership will again turn to all of Winooski and Burlington’s parents, teachers, students, business leaders, and community partners for engagement and input. This confidence in the wisdom that exists within our own community is what gives our work the power to endure. With the continued participation of the whole community in the school change process, we can ensure bright and prosperous futures for our young people and, in turn, our cities.

Learn more about the thought process behind each Graduate Expectation for Burlington.

 

Save the date...

 

October 31 - Halloween parade to Birchwood Nursing Home - 1:50 pm - Students will exit for the nursing home out the back doors adjacent to the parking lot on Starr Farm.  All students will be at Flynn for the parade.
November 2- Flynn Bottle drive at Merola's!(9am-5pm)
November 2 - Partnership for Change - Community Learning Conversation - Winooski HS
November 3 - Daylight Savings - set those clocks back an hour!
November 7 - PTO meeting

Flynn PTO Update 10/20/13

Hey There Flynn Families - Hopefully most families had the opportunity to come in and meet with teachers on Thursday and Friday.  Flynn school sets a goal for 100% participation in parent teacher conferences- developing that student-teacher-parent relationship is critical to academic success at school and at home.  If you were unable to make your scheduled conference, it is never too late to reschedule.


Success on the Gift Wrap Fundraiser!!  Thank you to all who participated in the gift wrap fundraiser.  We made close to $5000 which will go towards our childrens' enrichment and towards  new materials for them at school.  We are lucky to be part of a community who is so invested in our childrens' well being and who wants to provide our children with meaningful experiences that they will remember in the future.  Thanks, Flynn community!!
Delivery will be on THURSDAY, October 24th. Please come into the Flynn Stage gym to pick up your orders that day after school at 3:00. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Editor Note:  THANK YOU Theresa G. for single handedly leading this very lucrative fundraiser!

Book Fair and Pasta Dinner this Tuesday!  Thank you in advance to all the families that have already sent in foods for the Pasta Dinner on Tuesday.  For those of you who still have stuff to send in, we will take all non perishables on Monday and Tuesday morning, but items like vegetables, baked goods and bread should not be sent in until Tuesday morning.  There are bins set up in the office to put your donations.

Please note that the book fair opens at 5pm and dinner will start serving by 5:30.  There is a suggested donation for the dinner, but no one will be turned away - pay what you can. 

October Staff Appreciation was sponsored by the 1st grade families and included a delicious brunch for teachers on Thursday so they could re-fuel between parent teacher conferences.     Thanks for the organization and all your delicious goodies - the staff was thrilled as usual!

New and Improved Library space reopens  Hi Friends!  Isn't it exciting to have our new Flynn Library Learning Center open and ready for students and families? We're eager to make this space a welcoming, cozy center where curiosity can peak!

We are seeking some gently used or new furnishings for our library.  A large area rug (or two) for our story time space, a kid-friendly couch by the large windows, and some colorful beanbag chairs could really add to the warm, happy feel at Flynn. Do you happen to have any of these items, or might you have a lead to help us?

 

We thank you for your help!

Cara Clopton and Corey Wallace

Flynn Library

11 Ways to Foster Independence :Developing Skills, Grit and Resiliency Through Trial, Trust and Failure.  From Vivkie Hoefle's parenting blog

This post is inspired by the famous Free-Ranger, Lenore Skenazy, a “Simple School Project” that is basically genius and the notion that kids perhaps, aren’t feral enough.

After reading and agreeing with popular, recent articles explaining how losing is good for kids, that grit is essential for success and that a 4th R – resiliency- has been added to child-rearing, it seemed like the next logical, large scale conversation might be:

• How do we allow failures to occur naturally in our child’s life?
• What will it look like to foster independence?
• Can my child handle what comes along?
• What can I do to encourage and show trust in my child?

Well, folks, here’s something that Lenore, Joanna Dustin (the teacher implementing the project) and@georgemonbiot -and of course all of you Duct Tape Parents- are onto:

Failures occur naturally when we allow our children to take a more active role in their own lives by providing them with ample opportunities to choose.  Young children, with not much life experience are bound to choose to play with a favorite toy instead of getting their snack or lunch ready for school resulting in a hungry belly at snack time.  The result is a learning experience that provides good information for the following day and a chance to develop resiliency as they experience a minor failure.

As children grow and mature, parents can foster independence by allowing children to  make choices, learn from them, make necessary course corrections, experience failure and success and develop the resiliency they require to tackle any of life’s challenges and obstacles.  As the Buddhist Quote says, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.

 

Here are 11 Ways to Put Trying, Failing and Recovery into the Everyday

 

1. Send the kids outside.

Often, we send the kids outside when we’ve decided we’ve had enough.  Enough screen time, enough rough-housing, or enough whining because they are “bored.”  Instead of using outside time as a reaction to enough of something, get creative and spin it. Show the children how you used to make teeter-totters out of scrap wood. Or better yet, leave a pile of wood, nails and a hammer and see what happens. If your child is younger, allow for time to play in a puddle, pile of leaves or muddy zone. There are countless ideas out there.

2. Ask the kids.

As Lenore mentioned, the middle-schoolers are ASKED to identify one thing they have never done, then they are encouraged and enabled to try. The end result is not the goal. The process is! As parents, we can take this “simple school project” and bring it into our homes by asking our kids, What is one thing you have never done but would like to try? Ok, TRY IT!

Then plan how and when, and simply be there without commentary, as they give it a go.

3. Start small.

After we ask, we have to allow our kids to make toast, knowing it will lead to making eggs and pancakes one day. We have to slow down and say, try it. Even if as Lenore says, “Maybe they seem small, even silly, but in a culture that has created mountains of fear around every childhood experience, these kids (who are encouraged to try) have started their climb. Pretty soon, they’ll be ready to fly.”

4. Share stories.

When we look to other people, to our own childhood stories and success stories from other children, it becomes easier to put it all in perspective. For example, Ringo Starr, a surviving Beatle, was chronically ill as a child and never finished school, in fact he spent many years in the hospital. It keeps things in perspective to think one of the most famous, beloved drummers in history discovered his own talent while tapping sticks to pass the time in his hospital stay. This certainly wasn’t a picture perfect- mom-and-dad-will-make-it-happen-route and he turned out pretty successful on his own, don’t you think?

5. Encourage other parents.

Parents talk. Parents want what is best for their children. Avoid showing off what your child can do, but rather encourage other parents to discover for themselves that their children CAN handle more than they think.

6. Identify your fears.

After your child has chosen a task, it’s helpful to write down the fears you have. Once you do this, you can plan for how you will respond if your worst fears actually come true.  (Example: If I let my child pack her bag, she will forget her boots. I am afraid the school with think I am a bad parent. Plan: I will send a note saying I am encouraging my child and if she forgets her boots, we will work on ways to remember them at home).

7. Get the facts.

After writing down your fears, get the facts. If you’re afraid of the bigger, “what- ifs” like abduction, find out the real stats and then plan accordingly. See Protecting the Gift by Gavin de Becker. Bottom line: instead of putting the axe on an idea altogether, find another way to create the same experience through alternative planning and enabling.

8. Let go.

Here’s where we, as moms and dads, have some work to do on ourselves as we develop the habit of letting go. We can try to control the outcomes and direction of our children while they are young, but as our children get closer and closer to leaving the nest, it is imperative that they learn and practice staying afloat and recovering in the wake of mistakes and mishaps.  If we impede their progress neither you or the child will be prepared for what the real world will deliver from 18-80.

9. Practice, practice, practice.

In order for kids to experience and garner meaning and develop resiliency from the lumps and bumps, the ups and downs, the oopsies and flops that go hand in hand with all learning, kids will need oodles of practice time.  And as parents, we have our own job to practice stepping out of the way and trusting our children.  No parent I know is likely to wake up one day saying, “Alrighty kiddo- this time you’re on your own.” Likewise most kids won’t wake up one day saying, “No problem, I didn’t make the team or I forgot my lunch, I’ve got this,” without some practice. Baby steps and practice it’s good for everyone in the family.

10. Keep track.

When parents keep track of the efforts and outcomes, it becomes very clear that over time, these “simple” tasks add up. They also keep motivation high and evidence in hand that yes, children do benefit from us backing off and staying quiet (grab the duct tape) and showing our kids that we have faith in their abilities to tackle new things and overcome failures.

11. Celebrate!

If your second grader made eggs for the first time (after 4 failed attempts with shells in the scramble), he’s a rockstar because he’s taking on more responsibility and he did it. He made it through the failures, as minimal or as grand, as they may seem to us. This is progress! Have a big breakfast and make it a celebration.

About The Simple School Project

“Every year, Joanna Drusin, an English teacher at a magnet school in Manhattan, has her students, age 11, do a “Free-Range Kids” project. That is, they can pick one thing that they think they are ready to do (that’s legal!) that, for some reason, they haven’t done till now. Once they get their parents’ permission — and some kids can’t, which is why this project is extra credit and not a requirement — off they go to do the kinds of activities that might sound simple or scary, depending on how much local news you watch. Some walk the dog — alone. Some walk to school — alone. One made toast — alone..

YOUR Simple Home Challenge

Parents, let’s extend this into a “simple home project” challenge -and see if you can provide one opportunity to trust your child to do something he or she has never done!

Don't Miss this!!! Burlington/Winooski Partnership for Change: Community Learning Conversation Saturday, November 2, 20139:30 am - 1:00 pm, Winooski High School

IMAGINE A SCHOOL SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR ALL LEARNERS

Winooski and Burlington are remodeling the education system to ensure that all learners will be successful- and that both communities will be strong and dynamic in the years ahead. We’re moving toward a more personalized learning environment that puts students at the center. Come help us envision a school system that allows all of our young people to reach their learning potential, meet their college and career goals, and contribute to a brighter future for our community. All voices are welcome!

9:30  Welcome Reception, Coffee and Pastries Served
10:00  Large Group Presentation
10:50  Student-Led Small Group Discussion
12:00  Lunch

CHILDCARE available at no cost to participants for children ages 3 and up. Please RSVP by email to info@partnershipvt.org

INTERPRETATION provided in Nepali, Burmese, French, Kirundi, Swahili, Somali, Maay Maay, Arabic, and Vietnamese.

TRANSPORTATION available at no cost to participants from several Winooski & Burlington locations. See ride schedule for details.

RIDE SCHEDULE  Vehicles will depart from the following locations at the specified times on the morning of November 2:

New North End
Flynn Elementary- 8:45
Franklin Square- 8:50
Bessery’s Market- 8:55
Bagel Cafe & Deli- 9:00
BHS- 9:05

Old North End
Sustainability Academy- 9:00
Boys and Girls Club- 9:05
Riverside Health Center- 9:10

South End
Champlain Elementary- 8:45
King Street Youth Center- 9:00
Edmunds Elementary- 9:05

Winooski
O’Brien Center- 9:15

 

Save the date...

 

October 22 - Book Fair Dinner 5:30-7, Bookfair opens at 5!
October 31 - Halloween parade to Birchwood Nursing Home - 1:50 pm - Students will exit for the nursing home out the back doors adjacent to the parking lot on Starr Farm.  All students will be at Flynn for the parade.
November 2- Flynn Bottle drive at Merola's!(9am-5pm)
November 2 - Partnership for Change - Community Learning Conversation
November 3 - Daylight Savings - set those clocks back an hour!
November 7 - PTO meeting

Flynn PTO Update 10/13/13

Hey There Flynn Families -  Not sure how many of you made it to the Calendar 2.0 meeting last Wednesday at BHS, but if you weren't able to attend and you don't get the Free Press, word is that there will be no major changes to the school calendar for 2014-15.  Superintendents will be sorting through all the feedback parents provided about the proposed changes. 

Not sure if this proposal will resurface, but it did get me thinking...  My hunch is that if the District had just asked for input on a proposal without the looming calendar change, most would have just ignored it.  Forcing the issue has engaged a lot more families to think about why not all of our students are succeeding at school and what we as a learning community can do to rectify this.  I am a firm believer in the "It takes a village" approach to parenting/schooling and I am happy to be having this discussion.  It is never too late to share your thoughts on education/Calendar 2.0 and how we can meet all students where they are at.  Superintendent Jeanne Collins will always take your comments at jcollins@bsdvt.org.

 Walk/Bike/Scooter/Run/Skip to school day this Wednesday!!!  Parents and kiddoes, we encourage you to take a people powered approach to school this Wednesday.  Volunteers will have  a table by the Starr Farm entrance to snap photos of green commuters and give stickers to participants. 

BOOKFAIR PASTA DINNER  Come enjoy a wonderful Pasta Dinner and browse through a terrific selection of books.  Top the night off with a yummy treat from the bake sale table!!  Flyers went home on Friday with more information about what each class is providing for the dinner - if you haven't seen it, take a peek in the backpack...

When: Tuesday, October 22 5:30-7pm

Where: Multipurpose room at Flynn

Why: To have a great time and help support your school

Who: Everyone!!!!

Suggested Donation:  $3/student, $4/adult, 0-3/free, $15/family

HOW TO HELP??- If you are still interested in donating food, baked goods or time on the day of the event please contact your room parent or e-mail Flynn School at flynnschoolpto@gmail.com !!  Thanks so much!!!

Can you Help with Bookfair Set/Breakdown???  Corey and Cara are looking for  5 helpers in the afternoon  (10/22) to set-up books in the multipurpose room and 5 helpers to pack up books at the end. Come alone or come with kiddo helpers - just say you'll come help!!!  If it sweetens the deal, helpers are encouraged to pick a free book as thank you (up to $7 value).  See volunteer times below:

Set-up: 3:45-5:00
Breakdown:7:30-8:30(ish)

Contact Corey at cwallace@bsdvt.org to volunteer

Movie Viewing/Discussion As a part of our commitment to National Bullying Prevention Month the Burlington School District presents Bully as

the first event in a series as a party of our educational campaign to foster a safe, inclusive environment for all our students.  Stay tuned for more ways to join us as we work to eradicate bullying and harassment in our schools and community!

 

"Bully is a wrenching, potentially transformative

look at an epidemic of adolescent cruelty and adult

paralysis in the nation's public schools.” -NPR

Questions? Contact Kat:

Phone: 802-363-3716
E-mail: kmontero@bsdvt.org

Snacks! Raffle!
Discussion and plans for action to follow!

 

Burlington High School Cafeteria-  October 22, 2013 -6pm

 

 

3Tips for Creating New Habits : Q & A with Vicki Hoefle        

 

Question: My husband and I are sold on this less is more approach to parenting.  We have implemented Family Meetings, replaced praise with encouragement, are trying to foster independence and get real with our expectations.  How do I transition between my old style of parenting and my new improved style?  Habits are hard to break and I am really struggling.

Answer:  The truth is, there is no easy way to break an old habit and replace it with a newer, healthier habit.  But there are a few things you can do to make the transition a little more enjoyable for everyone.

Here are my top 3 tips for making the switch from an old habit to a new, more effective one:

1. Identify the old habit you want to replace (choose the easiest to break) and the new habit you will replace it with. For example:  My old habit is to give my kids to many choices for breakfast and that leads to fights and power struggles.  This week my new habit is to give my kids two choices and I will make sure they are food choices I know they will eat. Or, another example might be:  My old habit is to nag my kids to get moving in the morning.  This week my new habit will be to trust that they can take care of everything on their own if I give them a chance and to wait in the car quietly until it is time to go.
2. Focus on that one new habit for no less than 2 weeks.  It’s easy to feel bombarded with all the changes you want to make, but take it from me, focusing on one habit and sticking with it will create crazy momentum that will make future changes easier and more enjoyable.
3. Track and CELEBRATE your progress and improvement. We live in a world that tells us to buy the new wardrobe AFTER you drop that 60 lbs, by a new car AFTER you get the corner office (you currently work in the mail room), and take that big vacation AFTER you have $200K in your saving account. REALLY?  Instead, find an easy way to track your progress on a regular basis (I recommend either daily or ever other day) and then find simple and meaningful ways to celebrate them.  This is guaranteed to keep you inspired AND you are modeling for your children that the process is as important as the goal.

 

Common Core Information for Parents The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.  What Elementary School Parents & Guardians Need to Know:

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) provide a practical way to prepare children for the challenges of a constantly changing world – by learning step-by-step the real-world skills they need for career and college. Like an orchestra learning a challenging new symphony, bringing these standards to life in our schools will take time and energy, and costs that must be managed over time. These standards are intended to provide all students regardless of geographical location with the same sheet music – that is the clear goals of career and college readiness.

What are the 6 Key Shifts in the Math Standards?

 1. Focus: learn more about fewer, key topics
2. Build skills within and across grades
3. Develop speed and accuracy
4. Really know it, Really do it!
5. Use it in the real world
6. Think fast AND solve problems
Will There Be New Tests for the New Standards?

Yes, Vermont is a governing member of the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). The consortium is developing new tests that will measure student progress toward career and college
readiness. The new assessment will be administered in the spring of 2015. You may learn more about the new tests at: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents-students/

How Will the Transition to the Common Core State Standards Impact Communication with
Families?

During the 2012-2013 school year we implemented a new math report card at Kindergarten and Grade 1. This past summer teachers with support from the BSD Curriculum Office and The Vermont Math Institute revised the report card for grades 2-5. This new report card template is part of a pilot and is intended reflect our shift to the Common Core. A new tool for reporting to families is a necessary step as we revise our curriculum and instructional practices. To review the updated report card templates visit: BSD K-5 Report Cards (www.bsdvt.org – select Curriculum Department).

Common Core Resources for Parents:

Council of the Great City Schools Parent Roadmaps: http://www.cgcs.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=244
National Parent Teachers Association Guides http://pta.org/parents/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2583
Video Overview of the Common Core Standards (3 minutes) http://vimeo.com/51933492

 

 

Save the date...

October 17 - Early Release at 11:30 - Parent Teacher Conferences

October 18 - No School - Parent Teacher Conferences
October 22 - Book Fair Dinner 5:30-7
October 31 - Halloween parade to Birchwood Nursing Home - end of day - stay tuned for exact time!
November 2- Flynn Bottle drive at Merola's!
November 3 - Daylight Savings - set those clocks back an hour!
November 7 - PTO meeting

 

Flynn PTO Update 10/6/13

 Hey There Flynn Families -  Hope you had a great weekend. Here's the skinny for the week...

Picture Day at Flynn and St. Joe's had lovely Fall weather.  If your child was absent, there will be picture retakes.  It is not too late to order a picture package - there are forms in the office at both Flynn and St. Joe's. 

Room Parent Orientation this Tuesday at 6:30.   There will be childcare provided if you need to bring your kiddoes.  You can still sign up to be a room parent for your child's classroom - most classrooms have 2-3 room parents to help.

Calendar 2.0 Meeting Wednesday, October 9, 6:30 p.m. - Burlington High School   The meeting is designed to provide an opportunity for families and educators to connect directly about how time could be used to further the quality of education in this region of Vermont.

Minutes from the PTO meeting last week and the approved budget can be found at the end of this post.

Parent Teacher Conferences coming up Oct 17/18 - all families can register on Monday at http://ptcfast.com/schools/John_J_Flynn_Elementary_School

Burlington/Winooski Partnership for Change monthly team meetings this Thursday from 6:00-7:30 at BHS.  It is never too late to join a team of teachers, students, parents and community members.  For more information about the different teams, click the link  http://partnershipvt.org/approach/implementation-teams/   The opportunity for serious educational change at the high school level is in our hands - and in your child's near future.  Consider being part of this exciting shift that will have a profound impact on your child's high school experience. 

 Enrichment at Flynn school  A large portion of the money the PTO raises each year goes directly into enrichment opportunities at Flynn school.  It breaks down to about $2500 for grades K-2, $2500 for grades 3-5 and an additional $1500 earmarked for the 3rd grade Camp Abnaki overnight (3rd grade gets the extra as their role in the Flynn play is much smaller the first year)

Below is a breakdown of existing projects and a list of ideas for additional opportunities at Flynn.  The Enrichment committee is soliciting your feedback on the ideas generated, would like to hear YOUR ideas and is looking for parents/guardians that might have a special interest in getting one or more of these ideas off the ground. 

What opportunities do you want for you child?  How can you help?  To inquire, contact Kate Belluche at flynnschoolpto@gmail.com

Current Enrichment Projects:
 

Project	Organizers/Info
JJ Flynn Theatre	Kate Belluche, Kim Hunt
K-2 Enrichment	Kate B./teachers - K all set with trip to Flynn theatre and buses ordered, ½ still deciding on their enrichment
Chess Club	Shanta Eastman, Jon Kuypers
Flynn Family Nights	Christine Leithied
Spelling Bee	Ms. Burdick, PTO Money
Geography Bee	Mr. Brown, PTO Money

Ideas for additional enrichment opportunities:

Idea	Potential Partners
VSO (Vermont Sym Orchestra) Petting Zoo	Mr. Reynolds?  Kate contacted - this year Burlington schools get 1 free visit - we would need two for all students and would have to pay the 2nd day.  Proposed dates in January to Graham - waiting on him
STEM/Science Night	STEM committee/Mrs. Dee? Mrs Noble?
Afterschool Science Club/Lego robotics	Shanta looking into, Flynn owns 14 sets of WeDo Legos (younger grades), Middle school might have more advanced sets
Mindfulness	Teachers - Tenenbaum, Hodgson, Brown, Noble, Brooks, Lessard, Fitzpatrick, Cronin, Bloomberg and possibly more!  Do they need any support now or in the future?
Service Learning- tacked onto other projects/activities (like welcome back potluck, Springfest, Martin Luther King Day)
Girls on the Run (grades 3-5)
Tech Club (produce for Flynn TV, learn different applications like SCRATCH, Google Sketch up, Glogger, video production)
Literary Journal
Geography Club
Spelling club/team
Project Based Learning on a regular basis (one afternoon a week during a session - kids are offered exploratory classes and meet with their multi class, multi age/grade group to explore deeper (like SchoolHouse)	Teachers, Paras and parents

Sibling Rivalry: A Parent’s Role advice from parent educator, Vickie Hoefle.           

Many parents suspect that they have something to do with all the fighting, but they simply can’t figure out what that something is. If they knew, they’d avoid it all together.
Well, here’s the deal. Your kids are often fighting for you. Hard to believe, but true. Think about it – how many times have you left the room when the kids were fighting and they were kind enough to bring the fight to you? Exactly. They fight for you.
And as they follow us around the house, the fighting escalates, and as a reaction to the rising level of agitation, our (likely unconscious) idea of the “right” parenting strategy is to start talking to them about stopping. And because they generally ignore us, we start to get frustrated and then angry and then downright ticked off at them and before long, our voices have escalated into a scream (and, huh, that sounds just like their fighting, doesn’t it?). Exactly. They wanted us to join the party. And here we are wearing a party hat, waving our hands at the tiny little hosts.
And so we go from wanting nothing to do with this little shindig to dressing up and responding, YES! When we join in like this (even though we didn’t want to), we say “I will give you my undivided attention when you fight. I will stop what I am doing, start yelling at you to stop and even allow my emotions to get the best of me.”
What kid wouldn’t fight for the chance to control mom or dad— not only into attending but becoming the entertainment? Silly right? Ready to RSVP “No” to the next invitation? 

Save the date...

October 8 - Room Parent Orientation - 6:30
October 9 - Calendar 2.0 meeting at BHS - 6:30pm
October 10 - Partnership for Change team meetings - 6:00pm
October 22 - Book Fair Dinner 5:30-7
November 2- Flynn Bottle drive at Merola's!
November 3 - Daylight Savings - set those clocks back an hour!

MINUTES

Flynn School PTO

Learning Center

October 3, 2013 - 6:30-8:00 pm

Free Pizza and Childcare were provided

Meeting called to order at 6:45pm

WELCOME – Jessica Hook, PTO President

Principal’s Corner- Graham Clark

• Caution tape removed from new playground!
• Cameras in the front of school have been installed- once each school has completed this then the additional playground cameras will be installed (possibly end of Oct)
• Conference sign-up available online
• Oct 16 – UVM Landscape design students will be at Flynn- parents are welcome to attend

Treasurer’s Report- Betsy Ward   

• 2013-2014 Budget passed by vote- see bottom of document for details

Spending Requests The Finance Committee has advised to table the following request until more funds have been raised and alternative funding vetted (grants):

• Library request for seating to make new space cozy (pee-proof couch, bean bag chairs, area rug for story time, coffee table)

• Replacement dimmer for stage gym was removed from the spending request list be Graham

   

Fundraising- Tammy Kuypers

• School Pictures- estimated this year’s revenue will surpass last year!
• Wrapping Paper- initial estimate is $3,800!
• Pay It Forward already at $780
• Pasta dinner needs volunteers- this year it will be “suggested donation” $5 per person, $15 per family
• Bottle Drive on Nov. 3rd- last year brought in $250

Enrichment- Kate Belluche

• K-2 will be going to 2 Flynn performances
• First grade has asked for assistance with transportation
• Beth Bloomberg is researching possible grant to assist with funding
• Chess Club- was a huge success last year- Shanta Eastman and Jon Kuypers have volunteered to run it this year- more info to come
• Additional ideas discussed: MLK give back day, Tech Club, Science Club, Girls on the Run, Maker fair, Lego robotics club, VSO “petting Zoo” where children get to explore instruments

Landscape/Garden- Sarah DeShaw

• Sarah will connect with the newly formed staff “Partnerships for outdoor learning” committee and will reach out to the parents who have expressed interest

Flynn School/Family Partnership- Shanta Eastman

• 5 staff members have joined the FSP committee

Room Parents- Lisa Tulkop

• Meeting for all room parents on Tuesday Oct. 8th

STEM- Tracy Truzansky

• This committee and the Partnerships for outdoor learning committee will join together and work towards providing stem related learning through the evolving outdoor environment at Flynn

Teacher Suggestion Box – Christine Leithead

• The box will be set up soon

OPEN FORUM

• Walk to school day is Oct. 9th – John Dorwart expressed interest but it was also discussed that it might happen at a later date- more info to come!
• Volunteers needed for message board outside the school

FLYNN PTO 2013-2014 BUDGET SUMMARY (approved)

 

Total Budget $17,500.00

Budget Breakdown Amount % of Budget Examples

 

 

Operating Expenses $1,300.00 10%

Copies, materials, food for PTO meetings  $650.00 5%

Reserve (for Maintenance) $650.00 5%

Future playground or garden maintenance

Activities* $10,400.00 80% (See breakout below)

 

Earmarked Funds

Garden $2,000.00

Security Cameras $2,500.00

 

Available Funds (as of 9/29/13)

 

 

 

Checking $2,178.63

Savings $3,253.59

 

* Activity Sub-Categories Amount Examples

 

 

Enrichment $7,500.00

Teacher Mini-Grants $1,500.00 Educational support/enhancement

Community Building Events $800.00 Back-to-school potluck, Spring Fest, family nights, etc.

Educational Support $400.00

Staff Appreciation $200.00