HTS Newsletter of May 24, 2012

NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who has in one way or another contributed to this school year. We would not be able to do what we do without the generous donations of time and monies that everyone has given to this school. These children are so fortunate to have the whole community working for them! It brings tears to my eyes as I reflect on this year and think of the thousands of hours this community has put into our school. What really defines this school is the loving care that our community so willingly gives to ensure that we have the best school possible for our students and your children! Thank you for your support.
Lynn M. Izzi
Principal

Upcoming Events
May
25th: District Art Extravaganza, 3:00 - 7:00 at GAHS
28th: Memorial Day, no school - Meet at 9:30 at Gardiner Armory to march in the parade!
29th: Budget Validation meeting at GAHS, 6:00 pm
30th: Band to GAHS for rehearsal, 9:00 - 11:30
30th: All Band Concert, GAHS Gym, 6:30 pm

June
1st: Grade 4 to Boothbay
1st: “Welcome to 6th Grade” event, 5:30 - 7:00 at GRMS followed by 5th & 6th grade dance
4th: All library books are due today!
5th: Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed visits 4th grade, 12:10 - 1:50
5th: Grade 5 Parent Informational Mtng with GRMS staff, 5:00 at HTS
6th: REACH Showcase, 6:00 - 7:30 at GRMS
7th: Grade 2 to Wiscassett for “Rockhounding,” 8:30 - 1:30
7th: Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed visits 4th grade, 12:10 - 1:50
7th: PreK Family Fun Day, 9:00 - 10:30 - Last day of school for Pre-K
8th: Grade 1 to Arboretum, 8:30 - 11:30
8th: Grade 5 to Plimoth
11th: Field Day, AM - volunteers needed!
12th: Voting Day, WG Fire Station, 8:00 - 8:00
12th: Kindergarten to Gray Animal Park, 9:00 - 2:30
12th: PTA meeting, 6:00 p.m. in library
14th: 5th Grade Celebration - 10:30
14th: Last day of school! Students dismissed at 12:30

Memorial Day Parade
Our students are invited to walk in the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 28th at 10:00. Children who would like to participate should wear red, white, and blue, and meet at the Gardiner Armory at 9:30. Look for the group with the HTS banner. Students must be accompanied by an adult. (This is not an MSAD #11 sponsored event.)

Field Day Volunteers Needed
Monday morning, June 11th, is the annual HTS Field Day. Volunteers are needed to help with activities. If you are able to help, please contact the school to sign up!

Library News
The end of school is fast approaching! The last day for students to borrow library materials is Friday, May 25th. All items should be returned by Monday, June 4th. Thank you for helping your student remember to return all library books by that date! Mrs. Wentzell needs time to make sure the library is in order and ready for next year. Thank you for your help with this!

PTA News
Once again, the Peter Pan Fair was a great success! Thanks to all who attended, volunteered their time or items for our raffle and everyone who worked behind the scenes. A special thank you to Cindy Smith for being our greatest event coordinator ever!

There will be a “Welcome to 6th Grade” event for 5th graders and their families at the Middle school on June 1st. If you would like to volunteer for that evening please send an email to Katherine Kollman at katherinekollman@gepta.org.

Field day is Monday June 11th and we can use volunteers for that day. Please contact Mrs. Mazerolle if you are willing to help.

If you would like to make nominations for our 2012-2013 PTA Executive Board please send them to Angela Goulette at lvmyfam6@google.com. Please have them in before our last meeting on June 12th.

Our final meeting of the year is June 12th at 6:00 in the library. We will be voting for our Executive Board and snacks will be provided. Please be aware that you must be a paid member in order to vote.

Greetings from the Cafe
I would like to thank you for your support this year with our Foodservice Program here at Helen Thompson School. We have made some changes and, I am proud to say, the kids are gracious with their acceptance of them.

As we draw the final 13 days of this school year to a close, I will remind everyone that we have stopped allowing children to charge lunches. Please have money in your students’ accounts for meals or ala carte. Any money, positive or negative, will carry over to next year’s start of school. If you still have not signed up for mynutrikids, it isn't to late. If you need help with this, please feel free to contact me here at school.

Again, thank you for your continued support of our Foodservice Program. It has been a pleasure serving the students and working with you.

Happy Summer!
Vicki

District Art Extravaganza - Tonight!
Join the students of MSAD #11 to celebrate creativity and originality at the annual “Art Extravaganza” at the Gardiner Area High School cafeteria, 3:00 - 7:00 on Friday, May 25th.

Make it a Night of the Arts...
After visiting the Art Extravaganza, come on over to see the talents of teens of the Middle School at the GRMS Talent Show
Friday, May 25 from 6:00-8:00pm
in the GRMS Gym

Congratulations and Thank You
to Our Peter Pan Fair Winners
Mrs. Jessop’s class brought in 225 items for our grocery raffle!
Mrs Nickerson’s & Ms. Hanley’s classes brought in 117 items each!

Guidance Notes
As another school year comes to a close I think of all the lessons that were taught in Guidance class. As always we focused on the “Super People Skills” of: Respect, Responsibility, Teamwork, Pursuit of Quality, Effective Communicator, Problem Solving, Caring, Positive Attitude, and, most recently, Citizenship. In all the grades we have talked about how using the “Super People Skills” at home and at school make us better students, friends, and community members; and how we can do our part to make our homes, neighborhoods, and world better places with simple words and actions. Please check in with your child about what they remember on these topics and remind them to be “Super People” on a daily basis.

To wrap up the year I talk with all the grades about summer safety. With the younger students I talk about water and sport safety as well as what to do if you get lost in the woods or in a public place. We also talk about how to deal with strangers and the students in grades K-3 receive a short take home packet with information for parents regarding keeping their children safe. I hope you will read it and discuss it with your child. In the 4th and 5th grades, we also discuss these things but I add in Internet safety skills as well. They have papers to bring home, too.

This is the end of my sixth year at your school and “my” class is graduating. On the day they were nervous kindergartners I was starting as a nervous school counselor! I wish them the best at the Middle School and in life. I have enjoyed working with them and all of the students and I look forward with excitement to what next year will bring. I hope you have a safe and fun summer!!

Sincerely,
Joan Tourtelotte

Ongoing Fundraiser Updates
Please remember to collect and send in your empty printer and toner cartridges, Box Tops for Education, Campbell’s logos, and pull tabs from canned items! This year we collected nearly 10,000 Labels for Education points, and earned over $1200.00 in BoxTops for Education! Thank you for participating and please keep saving over the summer months!