Kristen Getler

Educational and Therapeutic Gardens

Program Design and Facilitation

Kristen@wholesystemsdesign.com/802.498.8786

What’s the GARDEN buzzzz all about? Tis’ the season to sow seeds and grow our gardens! A new Sowers and Growers Schoolyard Garden Club is coming to the Moretown Elementary School. We will create raised bed gardens on the MES campus that nourish healthy diets, attract beautiful-beneficial pollinators, and give young gardeners an opportunity to develop their green thumbs. Sowers and Growers will work together to build garden beds and decide what crops and flowers to grow. Members will learn about plant life cycles, the living soil web, Vermont agriculture, and the sheer joys of gardening by creating a special place with their peers.

The Sowers and Growers Schoolyard Garden Club will be offered to 1st-4th graders and meet Mondays 3-5pm for 8 weeks, from May 5th-June 26th. The cost of the program is $80 per student. The program fee covers project materials in addition to a healthy snack each session. Please e-mail your interest to Kristen@wholesystemsdesign.com by no later than May 2^nd. Please make checks payable to Kristen Getler. Feel free to call Kristen at (802) 498-8786 with any questions.

May 5th-June 16th (7weeks)

Mondays 3-5pm

Ages: 1st-4th grade

Goal: 15 kids/day

$80/7-week session

Services offered will include:

Plan and lead activities that engage students in designing, planting, and maintaining a garden of their own. Gardens can be designed according to a theme (i.e., pizza garden, butterfly habitat garden, eat-a-rainbow).

Participants gain a range of gardening skills, including seed starting, tool use and safety, composting, plant families, annual and perennial plant care.

Emphasis on developing student leadership and sense of empowerment through the garden experience.

Participants will be provided a healthy snack during each session. These snacks will incorporate locally grown and produced foods, with an emphasis on healthy fruit, vegetable, dairy and grain consumption. Project materials may include compost, seedling starts, wood, hardware, stone, pavers, paint, and food preparation equipment.

As promised, here are some non edited student comments from the Climate Survey…

I don’t like when we have to do a lot of writing in one day. Sometimes true books are boring.

School teaches me a lot of thenigs. I really work hard.

I have fun with books.

My school is always making sure were out of the school during fire drills. The teachers are always kind and respectful of students and they are very helpful. Students are usaiy kind to others. Teachers always watch out for us. Some students watch out for others. Our school is nice. Some students look after some teachers. I think my school is asome.

On the bus there are 100 swares per day and all of the people who say them are in 5 and 6 graders, but in school they pretent do be nice.

I think that in school students should have more opartunatys with mess ups.

School is one of the nicest places that I have ever ben. School is like a home to me because I have lots of ferends that I love as a ferend. So that is all I want to say.

I think that my school is good…but could be better! To be truthful, since they changed the lunch, it’s been worse. Way to healthy. The recess is really boring!!! We can’t do anything. Our school is in better shape than last year…our ceiling isn’t leaking stuff anymore! I’ve been in this school for almost 8 years…and it’s been GREAT, but I can’t wait for Harwood!!!!

The school lunch has really improved this year.

I like that we have 1,2,3,4 and 5,6 classes together. I Love Moretown School!!!

I sometimes feel safe here because the teachers are watching us, there are good teachers here because when someone does something here they tell them to stop. Sometimes teachers are not fair and take other peoples sides. The edcation here is good because the teacher will help you under stand things. When you need help on any thing the teachers will help you.

I’m glad I go to this school because it doesn’t have as much bullying as other schools

Some times I love the school other times I don’t but over all it is nice being here and I will miss it next year a little when I go to harwood.

I think that school should not only be a place strictly for direct learning but conversing with others helps to develop social skills. Without conversation, school would drag on for what feels like forever instead of just seven hours.

Surveys will continue to be accepted through Friday, April 18th

*Gymnastics for Kids Ages 4-18~ Beginner-Advanced

Session I: July 7^th-10^th Grades Pre-K- 7^th

Session II: July 14^th-17^th & 21^st-24^th Grades 8-12

Session III: July 28^th-31^st & August 4^th-7^th Grades 8-12

Session IV: August 12^th-15^th Optional Week depending on number of participants

* Please Register by June 1^st to avoid a late registration charge

Please email Camp Director Anissa Touchette at:

HUMS Musical Club presents Disney's Alice In Wonderland
A fun-filled musical adventure for the whole family based on the Disney cartoon movie!
Friday, May 2 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 3 at 1:30 and 7:30 pm
In the Harwood Auditorium
Tickets $6 adults and $4 students, children, and seniors
Tickets available at the door; the show is approx. 90 minutes including intermission.
Info: 496-6318

Sincerely, Nathan Russell and Nathaneal Kuzio

We have begun taking registrations for this years Kids and Critters Camp!  Once again we will have a week just for younger children (4 and 5 year olds) beginning June 23rd.  The weeks of July 14th, July 21st and July 28th will be for children 6 to 10 years old.  The camp runs from 8 to noon Monday thru Thursday and cost $125.  We do many activities with animals from horseback riding to holding bunnies, nature crafts, hikes, swimming and archery!  For more information or to register please call Karen Crowley at 496-3043 or Lisa Moreno at 223-4164, or email plnmdj@comcast.net .

ANNOUNCING: KidsACT! Spring Play Workshop for students in grades 3-6!
WHEN: Tuesdays from 3:30-5 pm, May 6 through June 10
WHERE: The Bundy Center for the Arts, off Rt. 100 in Waitsfield
PERFORMANCE: Thursday June 12 at 6:30 pm at the Bundy
COST: $60 per child, $40 for additional siblings

SHOW: "Nothing Beats a Royal Flush", a non-musical contemporary fairy tale about 5 basketball-playing princesses who play a championship game to save their father's kingdom from a greedy Baroness. Lots of fun! Limited to 15 participants, so sign up today!

REGISTER: Call Ruth Ann Pattee, during the day at the Bundy, 496-4781, or in the evening at 496-6318.

This is open to all children, in all towns.

Hours: 7:30am to 5:45pm

Program Start Date: June 23, 2008.
Program End Date: August 15, 2008

Rate: $1,160 ($29/day) 2 snacks / day provided. Campers to bring their own lunch.
$100 Deposit due May 1st, Balances due June 15th($530) and July 1st ($530).  

Location: Fayston Elementary School and surrounding natural environment (Mill Brook, Mad River Path, etc.)

Description: a full summer, full day program offering an abundance of indoor and outdoor activities. Themes will be explored with flexibility, as the children will share in the responsibility for planning daily activities. Our program strives to allow "free play" time. Recent studies have shown that children need play time to explore themes on their own and have their own discoveries. We guide children through their explorations and are just as surprised as you to find what treasures they uncover.

The Responsive Classroom approach is used to engage all children, and promote a safe environment.

Contact: OHAFDirector@faystonelementary.org, 802 496 3636 x111 for more information and details. We recommend a visit to the After School program to see examples of projects the children may work on. Recent ones include candle making, knitting, playdough sculptures, soap making, musical instruments, indoor gardening, and fort building.

Vermont SAFE KIDS is a chapter of the National SAFE KIDS Coalition. This partnership allows us to offer bicycle helmets at reduced prices. All helmets meet the Consumer Products SAfety Commision (CPSC) standards. To order helmets, please fill out the order form below and make checks payable to Karyn Kaminski by Monday May 5. The MINIMUM order is 12 helmets.

Thank you and RIDE SAFE!

April 21 – 25 NO SCHOOL, Spring Recess

May 14 Early Release

May 26 Memorial Day, NO SCHOOL

June 13 Field Day activities

June 18 6^th Grade Graduation

June 19 Last day of school for students