Dear Academy Community,

I hope this week’s Caller finds you all well!  It’s been a busy few weeks here ar Academy School.  Classes are starting their end of year activities, our forest areas and playgrounds are bustling with activity, we’re prepping for end of year trips and 6th grade graduation.  It’s been such a welcomed experience to become invested in some of our typical traditions at the end of a very atypical year. 

Kelly and I had the opportunity to present at the WSESD school board meeting this week about our approach to student and staff wellbeing here at Academy School.  The process of preparing and delivering our presentation served as yet another poignant reminder about how proud of our community we are.  We have consistently embraced this year and the hurdles that it provided, and reframed our thinking of what is possible and most beneficial in school.  Extended periods of outdoor learning, classes constructing outdoor learning spaces, cooking outside, our school bike program, expanding our school garden and the learning embedded in that, our commitment to project-based learning, while necessary this year, will undoubtedly become a consistent part of our community for years to come.  We couldn’t be more proud.

Looking ahead, while we will not host many of our traditional end of year activities again this year, we will be hosting an in-person ceremony celebrating our 6th graders on Friday, June 11th.  We are looking forward to hosting those students and families to honor their achievements and accomplishments over the years here at Academy.

In addition, every Thursday morning for the rest of the year we will be hosting Coffee with the Counselors from 8:30 - 9:15, under the tent off of the pathway along the side of the school. Donuts and coffee will be served.  Also, please remember that there is no school for students on Monday, May 31 in observance of Memorial Day.

Thank you as always for sharing the young people in your lives with us.  It’s a privilege and an honor to work with them every day.

Jon

COLLECTING OLD ACADEMY SPIRIT GEAR

We are looking for gently used Academy spirit gear that students might have grown out of. If you have any at home that no longer fit your child, please think about donating it to our share shed. 

Watch this video to learn how to make Maple Vinaigrette for mixed greens (harvest of the month).

Please click on the link below to learn about the Harvest of the Month (Mixed Greens).

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO SIGN UP!

Emily Marker's Kindergarten's had maple vinaigrette over butter lettuce that they got from their field trip at Lilac Ridge Farm. 

If you happen to be dropping off or picking up your kiddos take a look at the kiosk in front of the school. Mr. Sessions has been updating our Academy Bike Program FUNdraiser. We are getting closer everyday to hitting our goal! Read more about this amazing program down below!!

Dear Community Member,

We are writing in hopes of soliciting support for the Academy School Bike Program, whose mission is to provide opportunities for more youth in our community to access bikes and learn to ride.  It is our belief that riding bikes is an integral part of childhood; a fun way to develop healthy habits, get outside in our community, develop self-confidence and establish a life-long love of outdoor sports.  We have found that many youth in our community, for a variety of factors, do not have this opportunity.

We have developed an organization connected to Academy School, but in support of our entire community that aims to do the following:

• Develop the Brattleboro Community Bike Park, which is a network of trails including a pump track, located on the Academy School playground and Smith Family property directly behind the school.

• Establish a bike-recycling program in which Academy School students work with local bike mechanics to refurbish donated bikes to be given away to families in our community.

• Purchase a fleet of bikes to be stored and maintained at Academy School for students to use throughout the school day, and during a variety of after school clubs and summer camps.

Any funds donated will go directly toward achieving these initiatives.  The following levels of support will be recognized in these ways:

• $500 - $1000: 

  • Naming rights of an individual bike in the purchased bike fleet. (we will inscribe a small metal label to be permanently attached to the bike, and list your name and organization as a sponsor of the bike program).  

  • Name listed as gold-level partner in the Academy Bike Program and the Brattleboro Community Bike Park

• $400 - $500

  • Naming rights of an individual bike in the purchased bike fleet. (see above)

  • Name listed as silver-level contributing partner in the Academy Bike Program and the Brattleboro Community Bike Park.

• $200 - $400

  • Name listed as a Silver level contributing partner in the Academy Bike Program and the Brattleboro Community Bike Park.

• $50 - $200

  • Listed as a contributing partner of the Academy School Bike Program. (name on a plaque attached to the bike building)

Please see the attached flyer with more detailed information.  Any contribution that you are willing to make will be tax deductible, and will be greatly appreciated by youth in our community.  

If you have specific questions, please contact Jon Sessions by email at jsessions@wsesdvt.org or by phone at 802-254-3743.

Click on the link below to view the Academy menu for the month of June.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST EPISODE OF NEBULA NEWS. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS IT! Click on the picture below to check it out.