Just a quick hello and a few tidbits. First of all, what a great turn out for Open House! It was enjoyable meeting so many parents and seeing such a great interest in I-Leap and all of our middle school teams and programs. We are looking forward to a great start next year, and to the big move into the middle school! 

 Just a quick reminder that UVM consent forms were sent home last week. We would like all students to have these filled out, even if they opt not to take part in the research. So far, we are still waiting for 8 students to respond. 

 Also, the Boston fieldtrip is coming up on June 3rd. We will be sending home permission slips and a lot more information this Tuesday.

 Lastly, I-Leap students who would like to participate in the Bike to School Event this Friday, May 16th are welcome! All you need is a bike and a helmet (a lock if possible). Mrs. Siddle will be traveling south on Rte 7 toward the school and will take a short cut around the main road (and big hill) by going up Main St. and across Railroad. Mr. Keblin will be traveling north on Rte 7 toward the school. We are more than happy to meet students along the way! More information will be provided by email.

   For the past month the I-Leap Team has been focusing their study and projects using a thematic approach. In Language Arts we have listened to Native American stories and myths using a PBS website. The students created their own myths that focus on a Native American moral and use the same style as many of the myths we've read. All of the myths were impressive and entertaining. By the end of the quarter we will be welcoming a Native American storyteller to our classroom to share his songs, myths and stories with us.

  In Life Studies, which combines Social Studies and Science, students are studying Native American culture groups and ecosystems. The activities and lessons focus on "Life in a Natural World". Students are looking at how culture is impacted by the environment we live in, how cultures change over time, and how tension is created between a clash in beliefs. We will discuss cause and effect and simmilarities and differences as we explore the culture groups of the Native Americans.

   In Science students are studying ecosystems. They will explore how energy flows in an ecosystem, and what it takes to sustain balance. We are also hoping to do a quick local river study to reinforce the idea of whether or not it is sustainable and what factors could be effecting it.

  I've noticed what a difference it makes when we continue to make things connect across the curriculum for students. Students have made great points, bringing into discussion things they are learning in other classrooms and the things they observe in the larger world! That's the big picture!

Dear Parents and Students,

            Welcome to the I-Leap Team! We are extremely excited about this upcoming year and about being a new complete team. We hope to be able to build on many of our successes of the past year and offer students more opportunities to get involved in their learning in new ways. 

            As your teachers, we believe that being a part of this team is being a part of a tight knit community. While it is our goal to involve you in projects that not only spark your individual interests and allow you to grow as an individual learner, it is also our belief that working together we can not only do more but also feel proud of who we are.

As your teachers we will strive toward making your learning (whether it is in Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, or Science) integrated and relevant to your life and connected to the larger world. As part of this team you will use technology in a way that is meaningful and promotes creativity and learning to a greater degree.

            Students will meet daily for a Math and Language Arts class. The rest of the day will allow for more integrated work where Literature, Science and Social Studies will connect to themes and projects that we will be exploring. We hope to expand this exploration by connecting our learning outside the classroom and into the larger community (yes, that means fieldtrips!). We also value the time it will take to become unified and will participate in activities that will help us get to know each other and work cohesively as a team.

            We are planning on doing research, taking fieldtrips and presenting our learning publicly. Last year we discovered that getting permission to do so each and every time was cumbersome for everyone involved. So, we have decided to attach a few permission forms that will allow us to schedule trips and publish work more frequently. We are also thinking that parental involvement would be very helpful and enriching throughout the year, so please let us know if you are available to volunteer and/or be a resource for our community of learners. Please read the attached forms and fill them out as soon as you can. You will also find a list of student supplies and some other items that would help us out as a team.  

Looking forward to a great year!

Elisabeth Siddle                                    Tom Keblin                                          Joseph Smith