IAA Newsletter
May 2019
Principal's Message
I told this story recently at a Monday Morning Meeting:
Once upon a time on a beautiful summer day, Elephant was walking through the forest. As we walked along he notices the smallest of movements on the edge of the woodland path. As he went to investigate, he saw, flat on her back with her tiny feet sticking straight up in the air, the smallest of the forest’s creature, Ms. Hummingbird.
As he approached to get a closer look, Elephant asked, “Hummingbird, what are you doing?”
"Oh," said Hummingbird. "I heard that the sky was going to fall, so I decided I'd better get down here and put my feet up in the air so I'll be ready to hold it up when it falls."
Elephant thought this over for a minute. Elephant began to smirk. The smirk turned into a giggle, and the giggle turned into a laugh and the laugh into a big, bellowing guffaw. "Oh, Hummingbird," he said when he was done laughing, "How are you the smallest animal in the forest going to hold the sky up with those tiny little legs ?"
Hummingbird looked up and replied. "I can’t do it by myself," she said. "But I'm ready to do my part." With that Elephant promptly rolled on his back and joined the hummingbird. By the end of the day every animal in the forest was laid down, feet in the air, ready to his or her part.
Look at the calendar of events on this page. So much to do! All this will get done, so much does get done, because everyone, from the smallest kindergartener to the biggest fifth grader and all the parents, school staff and community partners in between, do their part.
I like to tell this story this time of year, because it is a perfect time to reflect on how much we have accomplished as a community. Most importantly, we recognize that each of us played a role in our successes.
So, Thanks from the bottom of my heart for the part you played in supporting IAA this year. IAA is a truly a collaborative experience like no other and you all make that possible and this such a special place.
Artfully,
Mr. Bobby
Upcoming Events and Important Dates!!
IAA Fun Run: Thursday May 9th, 9:30am (before early release at 11:30am)
IAA Variety Show: Friday May 10th, 6:30pm
Arts Take Out Night: Thursday May 16th, 6pm
- Come see student work, eat ice cream, participate in workshops with Flynn Teaching Artists, and create art and take home projects with The Davis Studio.
- We are looking for parent volunteers, so please contact Ms. Jen jpeake@bsdvt.org or Mr. Scott showard@bsdvt.org
- Come celebrate 10 wonderful years of collaboration, art and learning! Enjoy some refreshments and stay to watch The Creative Brain a documentary that showcases IAA. It should be a night to remember!
Arts Field Day: Friday June 7th
- We are in need of parent volunteers, so please contact Mr. Mike mgersten@bsdvt.org
Arts Take Out Night & Student Art Show
An arts filled evening full of fun! Artful workshops for the whole family, refreshments+ ICE CREAM, plus takeout containers chock-full of art supplies for each family. 6pm-7:45pm
Science Fair & Invention Convention
It's bound to be a fun evening! Come out and see all sorts of nifty inventions created by our young scholars!
5:30-7pm
10 Year IAA Magnet Celebration
Come celebrate 10 years of IAA.
6pm at BHS
Student performances, refreshments and a special showing of the new documentary THE CREATIVE BRAIN.
Library
We are trying to finish reading the rest of the Red Clover Nominees with K-4th so we can vote on May 15th, and 5th grade is starting work on creating some READ posters that argue the pros of reading banned or challenged books.
As we near the end of the school year it's a good time to take a look around your home for any missing library books that may be hiding. Also, if you are looking for a way to commemorate another fabulous year at IAA, think about donating a book to the library. There is always an Amazon wishlist just waiting, filled with wonderful books that the students would love!
Ms. Jen
@iaa_library on Instagram
Art
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
Greetings from the art studio! 1st grade students have been studying French artist Rosa Bonheur and her favorite subject to paint: animals! Taking care to draw what they see instead of what’s in their head, they have created extra large and extra expressive drawings of animals. This week, students will be adding chalk pastel to their drawings, taking note of what colors would make their drawings realistic.
PE
Dear Families:
As we wind down our year, I wanted to make sure you knew how much I love seeing your children be active and mature in their skills as a mover! I have been here for eight years and have tried to provide opportunities for all children to get their 60 minutes of physical activity. Please find ways to encourage your son or daughter to be active and eat healthy this summer and beyond. There have been so many times that I have witnessed an amazing moment when a student has achieved some success whether it’s jumping rope, riding bike or some other activity. It brings joy to my heart and I thank you for sharing them with me. This week we will be joining together as a community to be active and have fun while encouraging others to do the same at the Fun Run on May 9th. Please feel free to join us and let’s share some activity time!
As you may know, I am moving with my family to Colorado this summer but will forever keep in my heart this very special fun loving community!
Danielle Vierling
@dlvierling
Music
Congratulations to the 5th graders on presenting their 2 plays, Pushing Up The Sky and How The Birds Got Their Feathers. In the music room, we created original music to accompany the actor’s interpretations of these 2 Native American folktales. The musicians were focused, creative and right on cue! Well done!
4th graders have been studying composers in music class and are creating a “Composer Collage” that includes pictures, facts and a musical example from their composer.
3rd graders have started learning recorder in the music room! All of their skills learned earlier in the year (fraction & music) are being put to good use as they are now reading music and playing an instrument!
Iaamusic.weebly.com
@IAAmusicvt
EL
It’s Testing Time!
We will be doing a lot of tests with our English Learners (ELs) this May. 4th grade ELs will be taking the SBAC tests in Reading, Writing and Math. They will be taking tests May 6 - 17. 3rd grade ELs will be taking SBAC tests the last two weeks of May. We will also be testing all of our students to show how much great progress they have made in reading this year. All of these tests are used to help us improve our teaching so that our students learn more. Individual student scores on tests are not used to advance students to the next grade. To help your child do well on these test here are some things you can do:
Make sure they get a good night’s sleep before their test days
Make sure they get to school on time
Encourage them to do their best
Praise them for working hard and doing their best even if the test was hard
Drama
Mark Stein
Health
Measles in the News
Even if you’ve had your 2 doses of the measles vaccine (MMR), you could be at risk of getting the disease because we have lost the protection of “herd immunity.” (IAA rates are only 94%) The measles virus spreads easily through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs and someone nearby inhales the infected droplets. It is one of the most infectious agents known to man because the virus can live for up to two hours on surfaces infected patients have touched or in the air where they may have coughed or sneezed. As a result, anyone in an airport or crowded venue (theatre in CA) has a chance of coming into contact with measles. Patients are considered to be contagious from 4 days before to 4 days after the rash appears, so they wouldn’t even know they are spreading the virus.
High immunization rates in a community protects those who are too young to be vaccinated, including infants under 12 months of age. These infants are at the highest risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and death due to measles. Folks that are immunocompromised are also at high risk
From January 1 to April 26, 2019, 704 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 22 states. This is the greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 1994 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. NY, MA and NH have all had cases, so it’s just a matter of time for VT to experience the same.
CDC suggests that adults who are born after 1957 and do not have evidence of immunity against measles should talk to their doctor about getting vaccinated.
IAA/Flynn Partnership
Free Family Saturdays continue on Saturday, May 11 at 10 am, when the Flynn Center lobby transforms into a lively, beats-filled, disco space for a Family Rave dance party with DJ Kermit and on Saturday, June 1 at 10 am, when the Flynn joins with Burlington Discover Jazz Festival to welcome locally beloved jazz quartet Birdcode to make the lobby swing with the joy of experiencing live jazz together! Both events are a part of the Flynn’s Free Family Saturdays series where families are invited to experience the performing arts in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
Arts Take Out Night returns to IAA on Thursday, May 16 from 6-7:45 pm. Co-devised by the Flynn Center and IAA, the evening is designed to offer all IAA families fun ideas for ways to integrate the arts into their home and life together. Over the course of the evening families will be free to explore and choose from a number of dance, theater, and music workshops taught by Flynn Center teaching artists; including Comic Improvisation Games, Family Hip Hop, Movement “Conversations”, Fun Family Sing, and Puppets! Puppets! Puppets! There will also be a student art exhibit, food, and wonderful art making activities.