Dinosaur Footprint 

A trace fossil of a dinosaur’s footprint is on display in the fourth grade. Millions of years ago, a dinosaur stepped in the mud. Over millions of years it rained and the mineral-rich water flowed through the ground. The minerals went to the footprint, then the minerals crystallized and turned the footprint to stone, which perfectly preserved it in a rock state.

PTO Corner

The next PTO meeting will be on May 15, from 6-7 p.m. We hope you can join us.

Spring Fundraiser

The Mixed Bag Fundraiser seemed to go well. Veronica Poland collected all forms submitted and will send them off to the company. All orders that have been received by April 14, will be back for Mother’s Day. If you still have orders you can turn them in after vacation and they will come later in May. Thank you, Veronica, and all parents for making this a successful fundraiser.

Outdoor Classroom

We have exciting news about our classroom. Building will begin during vacation week at a location in West Bethel. The framework will then be brought to Agnes Gray and put together in early June. Permits and ground work need to be finished before the building can come. We have raised $4500 of the $6000 we need to complete the building. A few items still needed on our wish list are:

? 2 exterior doors

? 8 windows (roughly 24 x 36)

? A utility sink

? 4 picnic tables

? Live edge siding (pine) for 16’ x 20’ building

? Polycarbonate roofing panels

? Bags of cement (enough to fill 8 holes, 4 feet deep)

? $ for seed starting

? $ for straw /hay bales for planting

? donations/sponsors for trees

Please help us spread the word about this project.  Talk to neighbors, friends and family.  Donations can be brought into the school.

PreK Fun Friday

On Fridays the PreK class has a fun activity. They were making lemon scented, glitter play dough for the Fun Friday activity recently. The students really enjoyed putting in an ingredient and watching Mrs. McMichael mix it up. When it was finally mixed, they had a chance to play with it.

PreK PJ Day

On March 28, the students in PreK wore their PJ’s to school. They had filled their jewel jar and voted to have a PJ Day. Nice job!

Working on the Trail

On Monday, March 27, the first graders came into their room to discover Mrs. Chafin had turned their tables into covered wagons. For the duration of the One School, One Book: “Ranger in Time: Rescue on the Oregon Trail, first graders were assigned families and had to work in their wagons as if they were traveling along the trail.

Kindergarten, PreK Registration

Once again we are looking for PreK and Kindergarten students for the 2017-2018 school year.

If you have a child or know of a child who is planning on coming to Agnes Gray School for either PreK or Kindergarten for the coming school year, would you please let us know.

Registration will be coming up in May, and we are starting our lists now.

For PreK, your child must be four by October 15, 2017,  Please call Marj Scribner at 743-8972 to have a packet mailed to you.

For Kindergarten, your child must be five by October 1, 2017.  Please call 674-2332 to schedule an appointment.

The Pre-Kindergarten program is a collaboration of Oxford Hills School District and Community Concepts.  The program is a full-day, full-week program and all children in the program will receive comprehensive services, including nutrition, family engagement and support, mental health, culturally and linguistically responsive outreach and communication services and will engage parents and families as decision makers in their child’s education.  Children must be four years old on or before October 15, 2017.  The program is an income-basked program and priority is given to families that meet the income guidelines but all families are encourage to apply as there will be some spots available for families who are over the income guideline.  At this time we are not able to accept students who are not residents of Oxford Hills School District unless their resident school district also offers a PreK program.  To request an application packet, please call Marjorie Scribner at 743-8972 and a packet will be mailed to you.

One Book

The students have enjoyed the events for the book. OnMarch 29, the classrooms had some visitors! Several students and staff dressed as pioneers for the day.

On April 3, students had a chance to carve their names in Independence Rock. The rock has been on display in the cafeteria. Thank you Mrs. Storck, for making it for the students to sign.

April 5th brought some quilters to the school. Each student made a quilt square.

All classrooms decorated their doors using the One School, One Book, “Ranger in Time: Rescue on the Oregon Trail.”

The winners were Mrs. Biggers’ Kindergarten for PreK to 1st and Mrs. Coopers’ 3rd grade for  2nd to 4th grades. All students did a great job creating the different themes on the doors. Congratulations to all!

The ending event was held on April 12.  Much fun was had with all the activities.  Activities included games from the period in history, cornbread making, butter making, clothespin dolls, mining for gold and sitting around the campfire and listening to a story from the era. 

If your student enjoyed reading this first book in the series, they might enjoy the series. Other titles in the Ranger in Time Series that are out are:

Book #2 – Danger in Ancient Rome

Book #3 – Long Road to Freedom

Book #4 – Race to the South Pole

Book #5 – Journey through Ash and Smoke

Assembly

First grade shared reviews of their favorite restaurants, games, stores, and books from the Opinion Writing Unit of Study.

They also talked about strategies they use for developing a positive mindset. They recited their class pledge, performed a song about the power of yoga, and taught the other classes how to take a “Moment of Peace” and self-regulate our emotions in order to help us learn.

Fourth Graders 

The fourth graders earned their multiplication crowns at the last assembly. The way you earn a crown is hard work, and you have to make a goal for how many multiplication facts you can do in six minutes. Then if you reach your goal or smash it, you get a crown. If you already have a crown and you reach your new goal for the new month, you get a jewel on your crown. In order to reach your goal, you need to practice your multiplication facts. Knowing your facts is

important because when we work with big numbers, or with fractions, it’s much more efficient if we know our facts.

Achievement Certificates

All 3s and 4s in Behaviors That Support Learning:

K — Lillian Bailey, Gracie Cooper. Chloe Seams, Skylar Tanner, Ezra Thompson and Alan Hatch

Grade 1 — Brenna Angevine, Zelia Boutilier, Zachary Brennan, Ava Campbell, Cole Dehire, William Foresta, Owen Gaul, Meshia Lee, Skylar Mack, Addison Rice, Lillianna Stearns and Izzabella Powell

Grade 2 — Julia Powell, Brooks Merrill, Linda Jennings, Julia Graham, Jackson Chase, Ervin Brown III and Amelia Bisson

Grade 3 — Hunter Brown, Jes Bernier, Nevaeh Buck, Emma Cooper, Mackenzie Henderson and  Courtney Walker

Grade 4 — Ian Brown, Emma Gardner, Yvette Gould, Claire Henderson, David Jennings, Evan Thompson, Chalets Stearns and Landen Stanfield

Academic Achievement Fourth Grade 3s and 4s in all Academic Areas:

William Brown, Gabriel Damon, Sophia Green, Chalets Stearns and Ewan Thompson

Great Helper Award:

Brayden Aboshar, Oliver Bisson, Baylee Cote, Josephine Foresta, Davin Hatch, Keira Hodgkin, Isaac Irons, Nevaeh  Lizotte, Liberty Rand, Serenity Rand, Molly Reed and Zebediah Rolfe

Anti-Bullying 

Newly formed anti-bullying committee whose members include Amelia Bisson, Courteney Walker, Jes Bernier, and Ivy Howe sacrificed many recess hours in order to present an anti- bullying presentation to the whole school assembly on April 6. Their presentation included anti-bullying posters and a video filmed by fourth grade students, Ewan Thompson and Ian Brown, with help from Mrs. Timm. After presenting their message, the students of Agnes Gray have agreed to be working towards making Agnes Gray School a bully-free zone.

Most Improved

Eight students were selected as the most improved students from the beginning of the year to the end of Trimester 2. Each student received a certificate and a ticket to the Portland Sea Dogs. A big Thank you to the Portland Sea Dogs for their continued support of student improvement.

Counselor’s Corner 

When I was a child many, many years ago, it was customary for parents and grandparents to say, “You’re a bad boy, or girl,” whenever a child did something the elder didn’t want the child to do. Still today, it’s common for me to hear students say, “I’ve been a bad boy (or girl)” or “I was bad, so I didn’t get to…”

Over the years, I’ve learned that there can be a danger in using words this way. When children are told that they are bad whenever they do something wrong, it is easy for them to believe they are “bad boys or girls.” In their mind”being a bad child” is a condition over which they have no control and cannot change. This can have very negative effects for the child.

Therefore, I have developed a way of helping children understand the differences between “being” and “doing.” I explain to them that you are people and you do actions and behaviors. As people, you are good and nothing can happen to change that. Also as people, you do things all the time. Most of the time, your actions are positive or okay. Because, like everyone else, you’re not perfect, you make mistakes or do some things wrong. Of course, this is a “doing” and cannot change your “being,” which is always good. And of course, we can learn from our mistakes and take actions to do things better the next time.

For children to believe at their core that they are good people, and for them to be able to forgive themselves, and for them to know that they can take charge of making positive changes in their behavior, is crucial in their development. Using words carefully, such as “you made a poor choice” or “you did the wrong thing,” is very helpful when talking to children about their mistakes.

Milk Consumption

Mrs. Todd was presented with the certificate for Agnes Gray being one of the top five for most milk consumption during National Breakfast week. She received a hat, scarf and apron for helping promote drinking milk.

Mrs. Clarke

On March 31, the following students met with Mrs. Clarke: 

Alan Hatch, Amelia Bisson, Owen Gaul, Skylar Mack, John Winningham, Elizabeth Manjourides, Keira Hodgkin, Kallista Stearns, Bailey Henderson, Julia Powell, Caleb Lockard, Michael Cerrato, William Johnston, Gracie Cooper, Chloe Seams, Meshia Lee, Zenon Lewis, Nicholas Basso, Lydia McAlister, Gabriel Martinez, Addison Rice, Liberty Rand, Nevaeh Lizotte, Karrah Walker, Ava Campbell, William Foresta, Baylee Cote and Isaac Irons.

On April 6, the following students met with Mrs. Clarke: 

Owen Gaul, Elizabeth Manjourides, Nevaeh Lizotte, Kallista Stearns, Lydia McAlister, Emma Cooper, Zenon Lewis, David Jennings, Gracie Cooper, Claire Henderson, Zachary Brennan, Skylar Tanner, Ezra Thompson, Kadence Walker, Texx Luce, Brenna Angeline, Alan Hatch, Chloe Seams and Izzabella Miller

On April 14, the following students met with Mrs. Clarke: 

Skylar Tanner, Ewan Thompson, Kadence Walker, Caleb Lockard, Bailey Henderson, Ezra Thompson, Alan Hatch, Lillyona Bailey, Kallie Buck, Michael Cerrato, Zenon Lewis, Serenity Rand, Sawyer Poland, William Foresta, Parker Yap, Meshia Lee, Nevaeh Lizotte, Molly Reed, Zebediah Rolfe, Oliver Bisson, Owen Gaul, and Josephine Foresta

Touch a Truck

This event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at Oxford Hills Comprehension High School on 256 Main Street in South Paris.  The event is being sponsored by Community Concepts.

Kids of all ages are invited t0 touch and learn about all kinds of vehicles and enjoy games and food, a 5o/50, cake walk and more. The entrance fee is $5 per family, rain or shine.

For more information, call Jenny Johnson at 333-6441 or visit facebook.com/CommunityConcepts.

5K Run/Walk

Help support our senior project to raise money to fund playground equipment for the students at Agnes Gray PreK School.  

This event is on Saturday, April 29, at 10 a.m. at the Gouin Athletic Complex on Alpine Street in South Paris.  Registration opens at 9 a.m.  Water will be available and there will be prizes for first, second and third place.

Donations are welcome and all proceeds to directly to Agnes Gray PreK School 

Sign up and pay using paper registration or electronically at Running4Free.  A $25 preregister includes a free T-shirt.  $30 registration on race day and Kids ages 6-12 are $10, kids 5 and under participate for free.  Leashed and friendly dogs are welcome.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 11 — 4th Grade Mile Run

Thursday, May 18 — Maine Wildlife Park

Thursday, May 25 — All School Gathering, 9:15 a.m.

Monday, May 29 — Memorial Day.  No School

Wednesday, May 31 — Whole School Writing Celebration, 1-2 p.m.