Spring is finally in the air!
After a brief hiatus due to SBAC testing, our MVU Thunderbirds Learn newsletter is back! This edition is packed with a month's worth of great things happening here at 'the big round happy house.' It has been a busy month!
Blue and White Day
Our third annual Blue and White Day was a great success on Wednesday, April 27th. Thank you to the MVU Student Council, Vanka Menard, Jean Gagne, and Bob Corey for coordinating this event. Also a big thanks to our community partners including RISEVT, NMC, NCSS, Missisquoi Valley Rescue, the Vermont Department of Corrections, the VT National Guard, the US Attorney's Office, Caring Communities of Franklin County, the Greeno Foundation, Lindsay DiDio, and Henry "Skip" Gates. We appreciate the support of the staff on this important day.
The Swanton Arts Council sponsored the first annual Youth Community Art Show on April 29th and 30th. Approximately 200 pieces from district schools were on display at the Swanton Municipal Building which was transformed into a great gallery space! MVU was represented by Ms. Abraham’s middle and advanced art students, who contributed 75 pieces. Her students also assisted with set up, hosting and serving refreshments. The event was a huge success! A wonderful time was had by all!
All State Music Festival
On May 4th-7th, MVU hosted the All State Music Festival. Aaron Garceau, Danielle Turner, Jay Hartman, our Custodial Staff, our Kitchen Staff, and numerous student, staff, and community volunteers put in countless hours to host this tremendous event. Feedback from the festival was extremely positive and there was an overwhelming turnout for Saturday's concert.
Vt. musicians set to perform in statewide music festival
Happenings:
Foreign Language
Before April vacation, 4th grade students from Swanton School visited our upper level Foreign Language classes. In Señora Salemno's Spanish 3 class, our students helped the fourth graders learn about colors and papel picado. In Madame Tanner's French 4 class students learned a French song.
Also this week, our foreign language department has hosted cultural music assemblies. On Friday, May 13th, Madame Ingham and Madame Tanner's French students enjoyed a fantastic concert by the Québécois folk-traditional music group "Les Poules à Colin."
On Thursday, May 12th, Jon and Sarah from DSantos VT joined Spanish students from Sra. Cibula's and Sra. Salemno's classes on Thursday afternoon to give a lesson on merengue, bachata, and salsa dances.
Visual Arts
Students in Lindsay DiDio's Art 1 class have been working on Heather Hansen kinetic drawings. These pieces are huge, colorful and engage the artist's entire body. Enjoy them now on the walls of our theater.
Also, this week, members of the National Arts Honor Society have been working on a new mural for our Commons.
Google Expeditions
On Tuesday, May 10th, students were able to take part in a virtual reality experience through Google Expeditions. The technology involves the use of smart phones, a cardboard viewer, and an app. With the direction of their teacher, students were able to visit exotic locations such as Paris, Machu Picchu and under the ocean. Thank you Rich Ballard for coordinating this unique opportunity.
Updates:
- Following Dr. Anthony Muhammad's visit and faculty meeting on Thursday, April 28th a focus on climate and culture has continued to permeate our Department Leader, Administrator, and SU Leadership meetings.
- The SBAC testing season is drawing to a close. Students in grades 7, 8, and 11 completed testing in ELA and Math over the past few weeks. We have been extremely pleased with student attendance for these tests and the time and care that our students are taking as they work. We will close out the testing season this spring with Science NECAP for grades 8 and 11 on Wednesday, May 18th. Though attendance for testing has been stellar, we still have a few make ups that we will continue to scoop up over the next couple of weeks. Thank you to our proctors for ensuring such a positive testing environment and all of our staff for their flexibility during this busy time of year. If you have 7th, 8th, or 11th grade students, please take a minute to thank them for their participation, they have been troopers.
Looking Ahead:
Wednesday, May 18th Science NECAP for grades 8 and 11. 11th Graders will not be attending their classes.
Wednesday, May 18th will be a Technology Collaboration Meeting 2:45-3:30. Rich will be in touch soon with more information.
Wednesday, May 25th will be a Faculty Meeting in Commons from 2:45-3:30
Wednesday, June 1st will be a Study Group Meeting 2:45-3:30
Wednesday, June 8th will be a Department Meeting
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