The Newton News
September 27, 2019
K-2 News
Anmari Kicza, Alyssa Marzot & Marie Robinson
Kindergarten, first, and second grade students made apple prints in art classes. They will be on display at the Justin Morrill Homestead Apple and Cheese Harvest Festival this Sunday. 
Students making apple art
3/4 News
Denise Cot é & Lauren Lacasse
We have had a busy week of wrapping up Star 360 Reading and Mathematics assessments, finishing Fountas and Pinnell reading assessments, and exploring the woods in the rain! Thank you so much for all of you who were able to purchase books through our last Scholastic book orders—from our cluster September book orders we were able to add 28 new books to our classroom library! We are very excited to continue building and filling our classroom libraries with high interest books for your readers through the use of book orders; if your child purchased books, they should be in next week! 

In Outdoor Education we used our sense of sound to create sound maps in the forest classroom. We created a whole group soundmap upon returning to the classroom to try and find similarities, differences, and keep a record of how the sounds may change throughout the seasons. We are continuing to talk about being prepared to be outside on Outdoor Education days, regardless of the weather (unless unsafe). 

Third graders have been learning patterns in the addition table. They also have been practicing their addition and subtraction facts. These facts need to be memorized to make way for the learning of multiplication. Fourth grade mathematicians have continued working on factor pairs, creating arrays, and finding the sum. Please continue practicing multiplication facts at home! We have also been working on learning math games so we can continue to practice and master our multiplication facts. 

Third grade readers have begun talking about the books they are reading with partners, and we have begun guided reading groups—it is wonderful to see their love of reading! Fourth grade reading has been busy with reading assessments, individual reading of “just-right” books, and some small group reading. A beloved part of class is the read aloud, and students have been learning about another culture with an array of new vocabulary. 

Next week we are looking forward to 4th graders first visit to the Hood Museum on Wednesday and the Hike for Hunger on Friday! 
7/8 News
Colin Breen & Erik Reimanis
Student working on science project
Science students have been busily working on a project, of their own creation, to show that the change in motion of an object is dependent on the sum of forces on, and mass of, that object. Their creativity is booming! 

The 7th grade math class is working on scaling an axis, and there is a 90% chance that they will be investigating probability. The 8th grade math class is investigating proportional relationships by comparing graphs and tables. "Gravel" has been of particular enjoyment for many students during recess.

Social Studies is studying the creation and purpose of the American government, and Literature is investigating the ways in which tradition intertwines with and affects our lives.
Library & Technology News
Simone Pyle
Banned Books Week

September 22-28 marked Banned Books Week, a time to celebrate our right to read, and to educate all library users to be mindful of their rights as readers, as well as the importance of keeping diverse and challenging books on our shelves.

This week always prompts interesting and insightful conversations with students about censorship, discrimination, and the importance of representation in literature. Every year, students are outraged when they learn that books are still actually banned in some places, and stunned when they hear some of the reasons why. ( Harry Potter's annual presence on the banned and challenged lists of the 2000's is always particularly shocking!)

I have been fortunate to have never had a book challenged in any library I've worked in, and am grateful for our school community and its students who read broadly, widely, with open minds and open hearts.
Music News
Julia Waswo
THIS MONTH IN MUSIC…

We’ve started the school year warming-up our voices and bodies. All grades have also been reviewing the classroom rules and consequences.  

In addition, each class has begun to focus on different elements of music:

  • K: Learning to sing together and incorporate body movements
  • 1/2: Establishing steady beat and exploring ways to move our bodies to the steady beat
  • 3: Beginning to learn about Instrument Families, starting with the Voice
  • 4/5/6: Listening to recordings of the chorus songs we will be learning and performing this year
Lunch Room News
Gret Hewes
We had our Farm to School Taste Test on Tuesday and we tried honeydew melons.

What a hit!!! You can find the results in the Farm to School section of the Newsletter.

Next Friday will be our Hike for Hunger. Before we set out on our trek we will have a variety of snacks for the students to choose from. Snack will be provided to students at no charge.  

Please remind kids to bring their water bottles. Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the crisp beautiful fall air and the amazing kaleidoscope landscape.  
Farm to School News
Alyssa Marzot & Gret Hewes
Farm to School hosted their first taste test on Tuesday! Gret served honeydew melon in honor of melons being the Vermont Harvest of the Month for August. 

Sixty-five students participated in the taste test and it was a hit! Fifty-five students gave it a smiley face meaning that they liked it; 6 people were not sure about it yet; and 4 students did not like it. We were particularly impressed by the Kindergarten students’ eagerness to participate and try something new. Due to the melon being so successful, it went onto the salad bar as an option for the rest of the week.

We will hold a taste test on the last Tuesday of every month. If you have any ideas, questions or concerns please let Mrs. Marzot or Gret know. Our next Farm to School Meeting will be on Thursday, October 10 from 3:15-4:00. We will be putting the gardens to bed for the winter. Hope to see you there!
Athletic News
Laura DeCapua
soccer_goal.jpg
Soccer Updates

K- 1/2 continues practice on Wednesdays at the Field of Dreams from 3:15-4:30 in preparation for the first game on October 12 at 9:15 in South Royalton! Thetford Jamboree is October 19 with times TBD, followed by a home game on October 26 at 11 a.m.

The 3/4 team defeated First Branch last Friday, 6-2, and lost in a close match up against Bethel, 2-3. Next week, 3/4 practices on MONDAY after school from 3:15-4:45, and battles SoRo in a rematch at the Field of Dreams on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. The 3/4 team will also practice Thursday, October 2 after school from 3:15-4:45.

The 5/6 team takes on Barnard Academy tonight at 5 p.m. Next week, 5/6 has practice after school on Monday and takes on South Royalton on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. AT THE BETHEL REC. FIELDS.

Go Roadrunners! As always coaches request players arrive 20-30 minutes before game time.
PTA News
Christine Bailey-Kellogg
Flower Power Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who placed an order for our Fall Bulb fundraiser. We don't have the final numbers yet, but we raised at least $500 which the PTA will use to support arts programming and other enrichment opportunities for Newton School students. Today (Friday, September 27th) is the deadline, so if you hurry, you can still place an online order by following this link. Fifty percent of the proceeds will go to the PTA. Thanks again!

Next Meeting

Next meeting is this coming Tuesday, October 1st at 6:00 at the Newton School Library. One of the main items on the agenda will be planning for all the Halloween Activities. We will needs lots of volunteers to help, so please come to the meeting if you can. And mark your calendars for Thursday, October 31st for a wonderful community event.
Community Events

19th Century Apple & Cheese Harvest Festival

This Sunday at the Morrill Homestead, engage in fun activities for all ages AND see original artwork by our K-4 students!
Students making apple art