Sunday, August 26, 2007

 

School Start Up

Updated Sept 4, 2007
=================================

First Middle School Parent Teacher Council (MSPTC) meeting of the year at U-32 is on Thursday, September 6th 6:30-7:30pm in conference room in the back of the library. Please join us if you have a student in grades 7 or 8! (Minutes are posted at http://www.u32.org or request them by emailing Corinne) Next meeting Thur. Oct 11th.
=================================

Berlin Elementary Open House on Thursday, Sept. 27 THIS IS A CHANGE

U-32 Open House on Thursday, Sept. 20

=================================
SCHOOL BOARD POSITION OPEN
There is a position open on the Berlin Elementary school board. If you're interested in becoming involved in the school board, send a letter of interest to the board chair, Linda Beaupre.
=================================

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS after school programs will start the first day of school at Berlin Elementary School. Special Interest Clubs run Monday-Friday Times: 3:35-5:00pm with Extended Care 5:00-5:30pm. Cost: $5 per club, per day* with Extended Care being an additional $2 per day.
*Alternative funding available. Please inquire about subsidies or scholarships.*
Contact Donna Barr, Site Coordinator berlincc@u32.org or for more information visit
http://www.communityconnections.us
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS is also looking for people to lead after school activities for between 1 and 4 afternoons per week from 3:30 - 5:30. Submit a resumé to Donna Barr.

=================================

GIRL SCOUTS at Berlin Elem.

Girl Scout Leaders are needed! Berlin has a Brownie Troop, #801 and a Junior Troop #88 that are in need of leaders. Brownie Girl Scouts are in Grades 1 - 3 and Junior Girl Scouts are in Grades 4 -6. The Girl Scout meetings were after school every other week, but the new leaders will set that schedule. These meetings are a time that the girls are able to earn badges and be mentored as girl leaders. Troop leader training workshops are available and Troop manuals for each level provide direction and activities. In the past, Studio 2-B girls from U-32 have been willing to assist with Troop meetings. For more information about being a Girl Scout leader, please contact the Girl Scout Council at 1800 639 3055.

================================
BERLIN BUSINESS DONATION TO BERLIN ELEM. & BARRE CITY
August 17, 2007 - On behalf of the brand-new Berlin McDonald's and the owner, Charles Coughlin, we were very happy to present two checks from our Grand Opening Weekend to two area schools, Berlin Elementary School and Barre City Elementary School. Each school received $1,750 to use toward their physical education programs. McDonald's has been proud to be a part of the Berlin community since 1970 and looks forward to many more years serving the people of Berlin. We hope that you enjoy the new location. - Debbie Ackley, Marketing Manager

================================

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CHANGE at Berlin Elem.
I wanted to let Berlin folks know that there has been a change this summer. I let Mr. Watson know that I would not be continuing on as Athletic Director or with the Rec Council. This was a difficult decision for me to make as I really have enjoyed getting kids involved in sports and working on the Rec Council bringing us together as a district. I am very appreciative of the support I had from parents. It's parents stepping forward to not only coach, but line the soccer fields, referee the games and more that makes these programs possible. I love seeing the kids excited about participating, working together and developing skills.

This last week a letter was sent home from the school with all kinds of information including a soccer sign-up form (in the spring I was just surveying to see who was interested, but families still need to officially sign-up their students). There is an immediate need to determine who will be coaching soccer teams and who will be officiating games. If you are interested and available, please contact the school right away. There are already dates set for referee and coach training.

==============================
WINTER SWIM

The Central Vermont Swim Club offers competitive and non-competitive swim programs for youth ages 6-18 in the Central Vermont area. All participants must be able to swim at least one pool length (25 yards) without stopping or touching.
In the non-competitive program they stress fundamentals of swimming and stroke development through the use of individual and group instruction, drills, laps and games. Swimmers have the option of participating in two fun swim meets held by the club. This program will meet Monday & Wednesday Oct 22 - Feb 20 from 6pm - 7:15pm at First in Fitness, Berlin. The cost will be $175 ($4.12 per hour).
The competitive program will stress proper stroke mechanics, competitive swimming skills development, and endurance training for all participants through the use of individual and group instruction, timed drills and distance swimming. All swimmers can participate in the two fun swim meets held by the club and have the option of participating in about six New England Swimming sanctioned meets during the season. There one or two day meets are held on the weekends and are generally located at facilities within one hour from Montpelier. All compettitive swimmers have the opportunity to qualify for competition in the regional and championship meets held in Massachusetts in February. The competitive program costs $350 ($457 per hour) and meets Monday, Tuesday & Thursday from 6:30 - 8pm at Norwich Univ. in Northfield. There is a non-competitive option at the Norwich facility which will cost $275 ($3.59 per hour).
Registration for both programs will be held on October 15th from 5-6 p.m. downstairs at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

===============================

Parent University Saturday, September 8th

For every parent who’s ever struggled with the challenges of child rearing or wished their offspring came with an instruction book - Community Connections announces the First Annual Parent University, a free, half-day series of workshops for parents and caregivers.

Parent University will take place at Montpelier High School on Saturday, September 8th, from 9am to 12pm, with five separate workshops offered. All parents and caregivers of any age child at any school, as well as home schoolers, are invited to attend. Free childcare and refreshments will be provided, and a door prize will be awarded.

Recognizing the growing complexities of parenting in the 21st century and the scarcity of parent groups to share insights and field questions, Community Connections and Gillen initiated the Parent University program in Montpelier with an eye to creating an annual parenting education event. Workshops were designed specifically for parents to help them learn and share, and also to provide parents with the assurance that they are not alone. Other parents have many of the same questions and concerns.

Parent University is driven by the needs of local area parents. A local team of development professionals including a nutritionist, a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and a financial literacy instructor (all of whom are also parents) looked the needs of the community to set up the curriculum. Workshop topics will cover adolescent moods, kids & money, body image, and substance abuse. A special youth panel will also discuss a variety of topics affecting teens today.

To register for Parent University workshops and to request childcare, please contact Community Connections at 223-3456.
================================

Thursday, August 02, 2007

 

August Beginning of Month Updates

Make sure to look over previous posts for other current information!


Berlin Community Festival - the town has decided to work toward a spring event next year instead of a fall event this year. If you're interested in helping out (and yes, they do indeed need help!), please contact Pat McDonald. The date still needs to be set and I believe people will meet in September to start planning.


In addition to the http://socialenergy.blogspot.com (be sure to check out all the new links), I've also moved sports information I have to: http://sportsactivities.blogspot.com/


Have any of you visited: http://www.u32.phanfare.com/ - It's U-32 photos and it's not just sports! There are photos from the 2007 8th grade Washington DC trip and the 2006 U-32 graduation! Maybe there are people with photos out there who can somehow contribute theirs to the site also?!


Have you been reading the latest Harry Potter book? I was surprised how quickly everyone in my family got through it! Have you listened to any of them on tape or cd? There is a fun 15 question game to guess the characters after listening to a clip read by Jim Dale
http://www.randomhouse.com/audio/features/harrypotter/ (at the top it says "Play Guess the Voices Game), I must admit I did miss one of them. If you haven't finished HP yet, you may want to avoid HP sites until you're done, but when you're ready there is some interesting reading at: http://www.mugglenet.com/ Do you have a favorite Harry Potter site? Let me know!


I'm not sure that everyone knows about Midstate Regional Library which is located just down the road from Berlin Elementary School. The address is: 578 Paine Tpke N, Montpelier, VT 05602 and they can be reached at: (802) 828-2320. Berlin residents can get a library card there and take out books and also get books using interlibrary loan.


For those of you who have been doing some traveling or plan to, here's a way to share information on free and affordable fun! http://www.stretcher.com/stories/970525a.cfm
The Dollar Stretcher website has a lot of good ideas on many topics you'll want to look at, I've been on their email list for years.


BERLIN REAPPRAISAL STARTED
The Town of Berlin has begun the process of updating values. The Town last completed a full reappraisal in 1989. The base has been used since to place the assessments on all real estate. At the time the 1989 values (3 year rolling average) are roughly two-thirds of current market value. Some recent sales are twice the assessed values.
The Town has contracted with the Vermont Appraisal Company (VAC) to complete this project. The Berlin Listers (Mike Domingue, Carol Fitzpatrick and Maurice Willard) and VAC appraisers (Rich Lewis and Ted Nelson) will be working together over the next year to update all information including photographs, new electronic diagrams and the actual valuation of each taxable property in Town.
At present there are just under 1,500 properties in Berlin. These are mostly residential (over 1,000) with a strong commercial (the Berlin Mall and properties on the Barre-Montpelier Road) and industrial base of roughly 200 parcels. There are also working farms and undeveloped land parcels located in Berlin.
The Town will be individually contacting the residential property owners in advance of inspections. The Listers plan to send a letter to each home-owner asking for their cooperation to inspect the interior and exterior of all principle buildings. The letters will go out to each section of Town and be addressed directly to the owner of record as of April 1, 2007.
Interested people are encouraged to contact the Listers at their office (229-4880). Every effort will be made to accommodate schedules and inspection preferences.
**
LIFEGUARDS NEEDED: Barre Pool is still trying to open for some amount of time this summer and they're looking for lifeguards. http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070803/NEWS02/708030342/1003/NEWS02 If you have the training contact the Barre City Rec Dept at 476-0257 or Dave Pickel at FIrst in Fitness 223-6161.


This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?