September 8, 2017

Picture Day: Picture day will be held on September 13th for all middle level students.  Packets will be going soon!

Meadow Farm fundraiser:  Meadow Farm fundraiser will start on September 14th. Students will be bring home fundraiser packets.  This supports field trips for PAML.  Thanks!

Open house: Open house this year will be in conjunction with the High School on September 28th, from 5:30-7pm. Be sure to come!

Website: Make sure you check out the new school website at www.morrisville.org. From there you can receive updated information, view the calendar of events and locate details as it relates to school.

Parking: Just a reminder that there is a designated parking area for drop off and pick up in the main parking lot. Please utilize this area to avoid the bus lanes.

Managing Worries and Anxiety

Counselor's Corner - from Jessica Dambach

As we end our first week of school it has been quite impressive to see so many nervous students visibly begin to relax and enjoy themselves at school.  The smiles and connections are very inspiring to see as the students begin to embrace the opportunities in Middle Level.

Many students feel anxious and overwhelmed during the school year and allowing them to talk about it without trying to solve it for them allows them to understand their own reactions.  If they do need help managing these feelings, here is one strategy that give them a guide.  It is a good practice for all of us!

Name the feeling: "Sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed, etc"

Normalize it for them: "Most people feel this at one time or another"

Notice where they feel it:  "My stomach feels sick"

Have them take a deep breath:  This can shift it in their body - it may take a few.

Have them talk to themselves:  "I can do this, it is uncomfortable, but I can do it"

If these feelings are causing distress to the point of disrupting sleeping or eating patterns, it may be helpful to meet with a counselor to work on additional strategies for managing.  Please reach out if you have questions or concerns with your child.  

Thank you, Jessica Dambach

August 31, 2017

No school: There will be no school September 1st and September 4th (Labor Day). School will resume on September 5th at 7:55.

Lower house field trip: The 5th and 6th grade will be going to Elmore State Park for a day of team building activities on September 8th from 8:30-2:15pm.

Instrument rental night: On September 7th there will be an instrument rental night at 6:00pm in the PA music room. All students interested in renting an instrument are encouraged to attend.

Picture Day: Picture day will be held on September 13th for all middle level students.  

Meadow Farm fundraiser:  Meadow Farm fundraiser will start on September 14th. Students will be bring home fundraiser packets.

Open house: Open house this year will be in conjunction with the High School on September 28th, from 5:30-7pm.

E-Registration

E-registration: This year we are doing our annual school registration online again.  This is for your convenience as you only have to review and sign-off on existing data and make changes as necessary.  It is also quicker if you have multiple students in our EMMU school system.

If you are having difficulty with e-registration, please call Melissa Gillen at 888-4541 or 802-279-7791.  She can easily walk you through the process.

If you do not have access to a computer to do this, come by the PAML office and we can provide one for you to use and help you through it.

E-registration Link

Thanks, 

Karen Weeks

Friday August 25, 2017

First day of school: The first day of school is Monday, August 28th. Please also note that starting this year we will be starting school at 7:55.  

Website Transitions: We are moving to a new website, this will include a new sign-up for News and Announcements blog. More information about this will be forthcoming.

Student and parent sport night: The PAML sports meeting will be August 28th at 5:30 in the high school auditorium. Students wanting to play a fall sport should attend. Fall sports consist of: soccer for 6-8th grade and cross country for 5-8th grade.

Instrument and Chorus demo: 5th grade students will have a chance to meet the new chorus teacher, Ms. Leopold on August 28th.  Students will also have an opportunity to attend a demo of the various instruments with Mr. Bruce on August 29th.

No school: There will be no school September 1st and September 4th (Labor Day). School will resume on September 5th at 7:55.

Lower house field trip: The 5th and 6th grade will be going to Elmore State Park for a day of team building activities on September 8th from 8:30-2:15pm.

Picture Day: Picture day will be held on September 13th for all middle level students.  

Meadow Farm fundraiser:  Meadow Farm fundraiser will start on September 14th. Students will be bringing home fundraiser packets.

Open house: Open house this year will be in conjunction with the High School on September 28th, from 5:30-7pm.

Friday, August 18, 2017

Beginning of the school year mailing: Parents and students should have received or will receive the beginning of the year mailing. Enclosed in this mailing you will find the E-registration, Unbound brochure and the free or reduced hot lunch form. If you have not received your mailing please don’t hesitate to call the PAML office at 888-1401.

First day of school: The first day of school is Monday, August 28th. Please also note that starting this year we will be starting school at 7:55.  

Student and parent sport night: The PAML sports meeting will be August 28th at 5:30 in the high school auditorium. Students wanting to play a fall sport should attend. Fall sports consist of: soccer for 6-8th grade and cross country for 5-8th grade.

No school: There will be no school September 1st and September 4th. School will resume on September 5th at 7:55.

School calendar: You can stay up to date by checking out our school calendar on our website at: https://sites.google.com/a/lssuvt.org/emuu/home

Open house: Open house this year will be in conjunction with the High School on September 28, 2017 from 5:30-7:00 PM.

Capital Project Committee Is Seeking Input

PHASE 2 CAPITAL PROJECT SURVEY NOW AVAILABLE

Two major facilities projects have been identified for consideration within the Elmore-Morristown Unified Union: a Morristown Elementary School project and a Peoples Academy/Peoples Academy Middle Level project.  To narrow the options for consideration by voters, the Capital Project Committee is seeking input from the community.  A short, two question survey on your preferences for each of the options is available and can be completed at any school or either Town Clerk’s office.  The survey, as well as additional information including comprehensive videos, is also available online at the following location: https://sites.google.com/a/lssuvt.org/emuu/capital-projects. 

The Committee would like to hear from you by September 22, 2017.

"Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?"

Counselor's Corner - from Jessica Dambach

I would like to share my thoughts after reading a fascinating and sobering article titled "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?" which appears in the September issue of The Atlantic.  The San Diego State University professor and author,  Jean Twenge,  has studied generational trends for 25 years and has noticed some big differences in "IGen",  children born between 1995 and 2012 and  who don't remember a time without smart phones as part of their everyday life.

The bottom line is that the more time that teens spend on social media sites, the more likely they are to report symptoms of depression, loneliness, feeling left out and sleep deprivation.

This generation has much less interest than previous generations in going out, having independence from their parents, working for pay, dating, getting their driver's license and even earlier sexual experiences.  Instead they are spending more times in their homes on their phones, which in turn causes them to be more isolated and unhappy.  

Professor Twenge advice for a happy adolescence is straightforward: Put down the phone, turn off the laptop when not doing homework, and do something—anything—that does not involve a screen. She warns that these analyses don’t unequivocally prove that screen time causes unhappiness; it’s possible that unhappy teens spend more time online. But recent research suggests that screen time, in particular social-media use, does indeed cause unhappiness.

What I have noticed is that adolescents feel pressure to respond to, post, check their likes, check out other people's stories, keep up the streak and be visible on social media, but when we limit this, it is actually a relief.  As parents we can give them the out by limiting their use and/or checking their sites.

This article is food for thought, the blog is a reminder to all of us, adults included, to keep balance in our lives.  Do something outside every day, talk together face to face, turn off the wi-fi or have a no -phones at the table rule.  As much as we all love our phones, I felt a surge of relief last year in the Middle Level when phones were no longer allowed.  

The link to the full article is below:

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

Feel free to email me with any questions or concerns you have, thank you.  Jessica

Jessica Dambach, LCMHC

Peoples Academy Middle Level School Counselor 

ESS Coordinator

jessica.dambach@lssuvt.org

802-888-1401 ext. 6144

Tarrant Blog Post

Check out this blogpost from Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education, highlighting the bridge competition that was held earlier this year.

Tarrant BlogPost

Maple Leaf 2017

We had a wonderful Maple Leaf experience with our 6th graders.  A slideshow was created to share some of the fun.  Link to slideshow  Enjoy!

June 9, 2017

iPad Turn In day: June 12th, All students will be turning in their iPad for the year. Please be sure that the iPad is in its black neoprene case and that the charger cord and cube are included. There will be a fee for any unreturned or broken items.

Spring Fling: June 12th the whole middle level will be participating in Spring Fling starting at 12:00.

Team Apollo/United Field Trip: The 7th grade will be taking a field trip to Shelburne Museum and Ben & Jerry’s on June 14th. The bus will depart school at 8:30am and return back at 2:40pm.

8th Grade Field Trip:  Students on team Apollo and Quest will be going on their annual field trip to Burlington on June 14th. The bus will depart from school at 9:00am and return at 6:30pm.

Lockers: The last day for lockers will be June 15th. Students will be emptying and cleaning out their lockers, as well as turning in their padlocks for the school year. There will be a $10.00 fee for any unreturned padlocks.  

PAML Last Chapel: Please join us on June 16th to celebrate our 8th graders accomplishments and moving up to the 9th grade.  PAML Last Chapel will start at 9:30 in the gymnasium. Immediately following Last Chapel the outgoing 8th graders will meet with Mr. Grant in the gymnasium. All students will be dismissed at 11:30.

Lost and Found: Please have your son/daughter check the lost and found bin in the cafeteria before the end of the school year. All items left will be donated to Goodwill.

School Board Brief - May 31, 2017

In a joint meeting with Lamoille South Supervisory Union’s and Stowe School District’s s boards, the Elmore-Morristown Unified Union Board continued work on our Act 46 Alternative Governance Proposal. Consultant Peter Clarke reviewed the portions of passed legislation that are relevant to our proposal, as well as additional guidelines from the State Board of Education. The boards reviewed achievement data pursuant to both our Alternative Governance Structure Proposal and our continued goal of providing a strong education for all students in the Supervisory Union.

The next Act 46 meeting will be Monday, July 10, at 6:00 PM at Stowe Elementary School.

June 5, 2017

Unbound BBQ: Please come join us for a barbecue on the evening of June 7th, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the PA Cafeteria. Instructors and students will be there to share their work.

Team Adventure/Quest Field Trip: June 9th the 5th and 6th graders will be going to Jay Peak. They will depart school at 9 a.m and return at 2:30 p.m.

iPad Turn In day: June 12th, All students will be turning in their iPad for the year.

Spring Fling: June 12th the whole middle level will be participating in Spring Fling starting at 12:00 p.m.

Team Apollo/United Field Trip: The 7th grade will be taking a field trip to Shelburne Museum and Ben & Jerry’s on June 14th. The bus will depart school at 8:30 a.m and return back at 2:40 p.m.

8th Grade Field Trip: Students on team Apollo and Quest will be going on their annual field trip to Burlington on June 14th. The bus will depart from school at 9:00 a.m and return at 6:30 p.m.

PAML Last Chapel: Please join us on June 16th to celebrate are 8th graders moving up to high school.  PAML last chapel will start at 9:30 a.m in the gymnasium. Immediately following Last Chapel the outgoing 8th graders will meet with Mr. Grant in the gymnasium. All students will be dismissed at 11:30.

Lost and Found: Please have your son/daughter check the lost and found bin in the cafeteria before the end of the school year. All items left will be donated to Goodwill.

PAML at the Geo-Bee

5 Students attended the VPA Geo-Bee recently and their team came in 3rd place!  This was the first time in a long time that PAML has had a Geography Team.  It all came about due to a tenacious 6th grade student named Mary Fowler. She had interest, and pursued it during her Opportunity Time.  Congratulations to all, and especially Mary for making this a reality for our school.  Mrs. Magoon was the faculty member who accompanied these students to Barre for the event.  

Mary and "the team"

KEEC

Interested in this year's Keewaydin Environmental Education Center adventures?  Check out the blog:

http://pamlcampkeewaydin.blogspot.com/

iPad Turn-in Day!

iPad turn in day: June 12th all students will be turning in their iPads for the year. All iPads may be erased before next school year, so please have your son/daughter copy any photos, videos they would like to keep to their Google Drive.

Please make sure that your son/daughter have the following items:

• Fully charged iPad with its protective case
• AC adapter (white block that plugs into the outlet)
• Charging cord (thin white cord with plug-ins on both ends)
• Neoprene carrying case (black with handles)

Should your son/daughter be missing any of the following items (or if they are broken), you will be asked to pay for any iPads and/or accessories that are not returned. Prices listed as follows:

• iPad and protective case - $350
• AC adapter (white block that plugs into outlet) - $20
• Changing Cord (thin white cord with plug-ins on both ends) - $20
• Neoprene Carrying Case (black with handles) - $20

                                

Friday, May 26, 2017

NO SCHOOL - MONDAY, MAY 29TH:  In observance of the federal Memorial Day holiday.  Students will return to school on Tuesday, May 30th.

MAPLE LEAF PROJECT:  The PAML 6th grade will participate in this annual event May 30th-June 1st from 9:00-11:30am each day, and students will return to PAML in time for lunch.  Local community businesses have invited our students to join them and learn what their business is about, how the business is run, and how products are made.  Students will have hands-on experience each day during their participation.  Be sure to enjoy a dialogue with your student about their experience!  

CAMP KEEWAYDIN:  PAML’s 5th grade students will attend and stay overnight at Camp Keewaydin May 30th-June 2nd where they will learn about caring for their environment.  Students will depart PAML by bus on Tuesday, May 30th, at 8:30am and will return to PAML by bus on Friday, June 2nd, at approximately 2:30pm.  

High Note Festival: Dan Bruce and Kim Beckley will be taking students from 6-7-8th grade band/chorus to participate in the High Note Music Festival at the Great Escape in Lake George NY on June 2nd. The bus will depart from school at 6:00am and arrive back at 8:00pm.

Team Adventure/Quest Field Trip: The 5th and 6th graders will be going to Jay Peak on June 9th. They will depart school at 9am and return at 2:30pm.

iPad Turn In day: June 12th, All students will be turning in their iPad for the year.

7th Grade Field Trip: The 7th grade will be taking a field trip to Shelburne Museum and Ben & Jerry’s on June 14th. The bus will depart school at 8:30am and return back at 2:40pm.

8th Grade Field Trip:  Students on team Apollo and Quest will be going on their field trip to Burlington on June 14th. The bus will depart from school at 9:00am and return at 6:30pm.

Friday, May 19, 2017

PAmazing Race:  All 8th graders will participate in this activity-filled event on Thursday, May 25th, 10:00am-2:00pm.  Action-packed activities will take place outside on the PA fields where each student will each attempt to outwit, outlast and outplay each other for prizes.  Students are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing and footwear in case of inclement weather.  Packing an extra set of dry clothes/shoes in their backpack along with a plastic bag to put any wet clothing in is encouraged.

MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE:  Friday, May 26th, 10:00am at the PA Band Shell.  In case of inclement weather, this event will take place in the PA gymnasium.

NO SCHOOL - MONDAY, MAY 29TH:  In observance of the federal Memorial Day holiday.  Students will return to school on Tuesday, May 30th.

MAPLE LEAF PROJECT:  The PAML 6th grade will participate in this annual event May 30th-June 1st from 9:00-11:30am each day, and students will return to PAML in time for lunch.  Local community businesses have invited our students to join them and learn what their business is about, how the business is run, and how products are made.  Students will have hands-on experience each day during their participation.  Be sure to enjoy a dialogue with your student about their experience!  

CAMP KEEWAYDIN:  PAML’s 5th grade students will attend and stay overnight at Camp Keewaydin May 30th-June 2nd where they will learn about caring for their environment.  Students will depart PAML by bus on Tuesday, May 30th, at 8:30am and will return to PAML by bus on Friday, June 2nd, at approximately 2:30pm.  

High Note Festival: Dan Bruce will be taking students from 6-7-8th grade band/chorus to participate in the High Note Music Festival at the Great Escape in Lake George NY. on June 2nd. The bus will depart from school at 6:00am and arrive back at 8:00pm.

Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability @ PAML

Some of the PAML Sustainability team members
just before their presentation at the
May 12th conference.

From Kate Toland: 
On Friday, May 12 four groups of students got together at Peoples Academy Middle Level to celebrate and share their work related to sustainability. The day was inspiring and left me feeling incredibly hopeful about our future. We designed the meeting to reconvene the students and teachers who attended the Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability Conference at Shelburne Farms last September so they could share their projects with one another. The teachers asked the students to identify what worked well and what they would like to see added to next year's Cultivating Pathways work. They sat and talked in groups for about 10 minutes; they chatted easily together and produced some helpful and exciting lists. Here they are:

Things we have enjoyed/things that went well: 
-working well with people
-going to Shelburne Farms
-helping around the school
-cleaning out compost bins
-hearing other people
-creating a better world
-sharing what we have done
-excited and enthusiastic about projects which made it go well
-communication with the different schools
-feedback
-communication and how everyone worked well together
-different ideas from different schools coming together and the ability to build off of each other
-schools being helpful and building off the other to create better ideas
-good--stayed focused
-student passion and freedom
-self determined (not driven by teachers)
-Presenting
-Everything was connected and went together
-we were all engaged and comfortable
-presenters got good feedback
-projects seemed successful
-everyone was a respectful audience
-we learned it is not hard to make a change
-we learned many more things need to be fixed than we realized
-we learned that sustainability can mean a lot
-we learned if you see a problem, act on it


What we want to do next year:
-chickens
-more sustainable milk consumption (recyclable cartons)
-expanding more into community
-solar panels
-create a better world and help people
-greenhouse (actually use it)
-involve more goals
-try to expand and involve more schools
-during presentations to groups try to add even more hands on like the Kahoot
-have a bigger group discussion and have the different schools try to suggest more things for the other schools to do or improve on
-sustainability class?
-set aside time (whole school would participate, more work would get done)
-meet in January? Google Hangouts?
-more funding
-more icebreakers (games)
-organized schedule
-invite more students
-show projects not just in a powerpoint
-meeting space that's closer to everyone
-better space
-more hands-on activities
Our hopes for future of this work: 
-more schools will come
-more schools will be sustainable
-the projects we talked about will be accomplished
-bigger goals, better ideas or what can be done/accomplished


From Leah Bronner - our PAML Sustainability Team Leader:
The Sustainability Team was thrilled with the support they got from other participants at the conference. This is the first year of working as the Sustainability Team and they were feeling that they had not accomplished much.  Other schools were very impressed with their work especially since they don't have a specific class to complete projects.
Here is what they highlighted from their work this year:

• Working with Chef Jeff on reducing milk carton waste
• Educating 5/6 graders in AT about recycling and composting
• Developing and leading the 5-8 grade community gathering
• Taking care of the compost and recycling in all the middle school classrooms

We were excited to participate in the conference and energized by the ideas and inspired by the accomplishments of other schools. At the end of the conference each participant made a flag and they are now displayed in the hallway. It was a wonderful opportunity. 

Bus Announcement

We wanted to inform you that Lamoille Valley Transportation is in the process of updating their fleet of buses. They recently purchased three new buses that are now in use on some routes. These buses have seat belts. Students will be informed and trained on proper use and expectations. During this transition, please encourage your children to use the seat belts and follow procedures. Please call us if you have questions.  Thank you for your support and understanding.

School Board Brief - May 08, 2017

In a joint meeting with the Stowe School Board and the Lamoille South Supervisory Union, the Elmore-Morristown Unified Union (EMUU) interviewed Peter Clarke, a consultant who specializes in Act 46. After discussion, the Stowe and EMUU boards voted to hire Mr. Clarke to help structure the process of our Act 46 study and response.

The boards added two new meetings to discuss Act 46. The next three Act 46 meetings are:

• May 31. 6:00 PM, Morristown Elementary School
• July 10, 6:00 PM, Stowe Elementary School
• August 16, 6:00 PM, Morristown Elementary School