Friday, September 30th, 2016

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE:  Jeff Boudreau, PAML Climate Coordinator, and Jessica Dambach, PAML Guidance Counselor, will be taking a group of twenty-two PAML 7/8 grade students the final training that will prepare them to be peer leaders in the Anti-Defamation League’s A World of Difference Peer Training Program at PAML. Friday, October 14, 2016 (8:00am-2:00pm)  

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR:  If you were unable to attend the Book Fair in person, we invite you to visit our online Book Fair at scholastic.com/fair.  Our online Book Fair is available from September 22nd to October 5th.  Remember, all purchases benefit our school!

PROGRESS REPORTS:  Friday, September 30th

"CYBER SAFETY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL" PARENT MEETING:  Cpl. Ryan Bjerke from the Morristown Police Department, and Jessica Dambach, PA Guidance Counselor, will be at the PA Library on Tuesday, October 11th, 6:30-7:30pm to discuss ‘Cyber Safety in Middle School.’  Cpl. Bjerke will answer questions along with providing education and safety measures which parents can take to reduce the likelihood your family can be impacted by this widespread practice.  Jessica Dambach will also address ways to have honest conversations with your student around the pressures they may face and consequences they may not fully realize.

MEADOW FARMS FUNDRAISING:  Please ensure your student’s fundraising envelopes have the exact amount of money to match their sales when they hand these envelopes in to their TA no later than Tuesday, October 4th.  

YRBS GROUP TRAINING FIELD TRIP:  Peter Hathaway will be taking his ‘YRBS Group’ to the Capital Plaza Hotel in Montpelier on Thursday, October 13th for YRBS training.  Students will depart PAML by bus at 8:00am and will return  at 3:30pm.  Please arrange pick-up with your student at PAML.

LAMOILLE COUNTY YOUTH CENTER (Formerly known as Youth Rocks Cafe) will be opening Monday, October 3rd.  The Youth Center is located in the lower level of the First Congregational Church, and will be open Monday through Thursday after school until 5:45pm.  Two staff members will be present every day, and all middle and high school students are invited to stop in during this time for food and snacks which are available every day.  The Youth Center offers a safe and fun space for youth to hang out with their friends, play games, listen to music and have access to WiFi.  

Updates: Grading, Progress Reports, and More!

This year we continue with our Student-Led Parent Conferences on October 20 which focuses on the beginning of this year's Personal Learning Portfolios (PLPs). You can set up an appointment for this at Open House (September 29th at 5:30 - 7:00pm), or call Megan at 888-1401.  The portfolios are just one component of Vermont's Act 77 of which you may be aware calls for a transition to a more personalized education system in Vermont.  At PAML we have been working hard for several years to prepare for the shifts that have been called for and are well positioned as we move forward.

Grading and reporting is a component that we have been working on.  You may have heard your students talk about learning scales which are a part of a proficiency-based learning system (PBL). The idea behind grading and reporting based on profiencies is that we look at evidence of where students are and compare that to the particular profiencies they are working on. We still look at students' effort and work habits, but those skills aren't involved in the evaluation of a specific proficiency.  We need to report on what students know, what they can do, and where they need to go in moving forward.  This allows students to show us growth over time, and they will be able to redo and refine their work after feedback.

In order to do this effectively, we are now using a Learning Management System (LMS) called Schoology to track and assess learning.  It is a technology tool designed to help shift from the idea of grades as something that always comes at the end of learning, to the idea that grades or, rather assessment, is part of learning. Schoology is a tool for us and it will be capable of sending grades to Parent Portal. By now you may have experienced the fact that your student's grades are not appearing in Parent Portal. We hope that by Friday, September 30, 2016, progress reporting will be seen through Parent Portal as usual. Be assured teachers are assessing students and grades are being recorded.

It may be of interest to you to sit down with your student and view their Schoology accounts with them. Each student has an account/password and they should be able to share that with you on their iPad. You can chat about grades as well as interests, goals, and plans. These are some of the conversations we are having with students as they work on their portfolios. We envision students understanding their learning, creating learning goals, and reflecting on their evidence of learning; all going together in this proficiency environment. I'll have more information on this in future posts. Please plan to attend Student-Led Parent Conferences on October 20th to learn more about your child's year at PAML.

Here are two more links for further information about PBL for you to peruse.
10 Principles of Proficiency Learning
     Act 77:AOE - EQS Annotated.pdf

Friday, September 23rd, 2016

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE:  Jeff Boudreau, PAML Climate Coordinator, and Jessica Dambach, PAML Guidance Counselor, will be taking a group of twenty-two PAML 7/8 grade students to downtown Morrisville locations (Morrisville Centennial Library, Morristown Village Offices, and River Arts Center) to participate in a four-day training that will prepare them to be peer leaders in the Anti-Defamation League’s A World of Difference Peer Training Program at PAML.  This Peer Training Program will provide these students the opportunity to increase their understanding of the causes of prejudice and its manifestations such as name calling, bullying and cyberbullying.  These students will then take an active role in leading workshops for their peers during school to promote inter-group dialogue and understanding as well as respect for individual differences.  These students will be attending their field trip as follows:

Monday, September 26th (8:45am-2:00pm)

Wednesday, September 28th (9:45am-2:30pm)

Thursday, September 29th (8:45am-2:00pm)

Friday, October 14, 2016 (8:00am-2:00pm)  

MEADOW FARMS FUNDRAISING IS IN FULL SWING!  PAML’s annual fundraising program is happening now!  Please have the packets with the money they have raised to their homeroom teacher (TA) no later than Tuesday, October 4th.  

**You can also order online at www.meadowfarms.com

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR:  The Scholastic Book Fair will be held in the school library September 27th-29th, 8:00am-4:00pm, and September 30th 8:00am-2:00pm.  The Book Fair will also be open during PAML Open House on September 29th, 5:30-7:00pm.  Before you visit the Book Fair, be sure to download the Book Fairs app to help you find the right books for your child.  For more information, visit scholastic.com/apps/bookfairs.  If you are unable to attend the Book Fair in person, we invite you to visit our online Book Fair at scholastic.com/fair.  Our online Book Fair is available from September 22nd to October 5th.  Remember, all purchases benefit our school!

PAML OPEN HOUSE:  Thursday evening, September 29th, 5:30-7:00pm.  Visit your student’s classrooms and chat with faculty in their classrooms, and local community businesses in the gymnasium.  Parent portal information will also be available in the PAML Lobby.  Also, during PAML Open House, parents/guardians may schedule a student-led parent conference which will be held on Thursday, October 20th; please visit Mrs. Herman’s table in the lobby to schedule a time.  Should you be unable to attend Open House but wish to schedule a student-led parent conference, you may contact Mrs. Herman at 888-1401.

PROGRESS REPORTS:  Friday, September 30th

REMINDER:  Act 46 Self-Evaluation Process Begins ... Over the summer, the State Board of Education published draft rules for school districts seeking an alternative to merging under Act 46.  This week, the Elmore-Morristown and Stowe school boards met to begin the self-evaluation process required for an “alternative governance structure,” and, in our case, two separate school districts operating collaboratively under the umbrella of the Lamoille South Supervisory Union (LSSU).  This process will continue for months to come and, as always, the meetings are open to the public.  The LSSU Board will continue the self-evaluation process at their next meeting on November 30, 2016.  Elmore-Morristown and LSSU minutes and agendas can be found on the new Elmore-Morristown District website at:  https://sites.google.com/a/lssuvt.org/emuu/school-board

See the postcard below for some suggestions should you be looking for after-school ideas ...

DIgital Safety Presentations

Last week students from 7th and 8th grade presented information to the 5th and 6th graders about Digital Citizenship.  The older students were fabulous presenters and the younger students loved learning from the students.

Friday, September 16th, 2016

Progress Reports:  September 16th and September 30th

7/8 “Sustainability” Team Field Trip:  On Wednesday, September 21st,  the 7/8 “Sustainability” Team will be going to Shelburne Farms.  Buses will leave PAML at 8:30am and return at 5:00pm that afternoon.  Please arrange to pick up your student when they return to PAML at 5:00pm.

Meadow Farms Fundraising is in Full Swing!  PAML’s annual fundraising program is happening now!  Please have the packets with the money they have raised to their homeroom teacher no later than Friday, October 14th.  **You can also order online at www.meadowfarms.com

Scholastic Book Fair:  The Scholastic Book Fair will be held in the school library September 27th-30th, 8:00am-4:00pm, and also during PAML Open House on September 29th, 5:30-7:00pm.  Before you visit the Book Fair, be sure to download the Book Fairs app to help you find the right books for your child.  For more information, visit scholastic.com/apps/bookfairs.  If you are unable to attend the Book Fair in person, we invite you to visit our online Book Fair at scholastic.com/fair.  Our online Fair is available from September 22nd to October 5th.  Remember, all purchases benefit our school!  

SAVE THE DATE!  PAML Open House will be on Thursday evening, September 29th, 5:30-7:00pm.  Visit your students’ classrooms and chat with faculty and local community businesses in the gymnasium.  Parent portal information will also be available in the PAML Lobby.

Progress Reports:  Friday, September 30th

Act 46 Self-Evaluation Process Begins:  Over the summer, the State Board of Education published draft rules for school districts seeking an alternative to merging under Act 46.  This week, the Elmore-Morristown and Stowe school boards met to begin the self-evaluation process required for an “alternative governance structure,” and, in our case, two separate school districts operating collaboratively under the umbrella of the Lamoille South Supervisory Union (LSSU).  This process will continue for months to come and, as always, the meetings are open to the public.  The LSSU Board will continue the self-evaluation process at their next meeting on November 30, 2016.  Elmore-Morristown and LSSU minutes and agendas can be found on the new Elmore-Morristown District website at:  https://sites.google.com/a/lssuvt.org/emuu/school-board

Thursday, September 8th, 2016

PAML Picture Day:  Tuesday, September 13th.  Picture envelopes were sent home with students earlier this week.  Each student MUST return their completed picture envelope whether you wish to have their photo taken or not as all students will have their photo taken for their school I.D. card.

PAmazing Race:  8th graders will participate and compete against each other outside on the PA grounds to outplay, outwit, and outlast each other on Thursday, September 15th, from 10:00am-2:00pm.  Let’s see who wins this year’s coveted “PAmazing Race 2016” title!

Meadow Farms Fundraising Kick-Off:  Thursday, September 15th

SAVE THE DATE!  PAML Open House will be on Thursday evening, September 29th, 5:30-7:00pm.  Visit your students’ classrooms and chat with faculty and local community businesses in the gymnasium.  Parent portal information will also be available in the PAML Lobby.