“ S M A L L S C H O O L S E N C O U R A G I N G B I G D R E A M S ”

Mrs. AllenGrade three is off to a great start this year! We have 14 students in our class with two new students joining our group. I would like to give a warm welcome to Zacharey Mills and Lawrence Pelkey.

As part of our study in science over habitats, grade three went to visit our local pond. Vaughn Martin, the nature educator from the Science Center, led our class as we explored the pond community. Students became limnologists for the day as they worked in small groups to gather data and collect samples from the pond to see whether or not it was healthy. We discovered our pond to be healthy with many organisms found within and around the pond. Students enjoyed the afternoon especially with so many frogs that were captured and released! I would like to say a special thank you to Julie McDowell, Calvin Arnett, and Karen Hayes for helping with this field trip.

Mrs. KinseyWell, Harvest break already? It seems like we are just settling into our routine! Students in the Elementary School are off to a great start in Music! The entire school has learned a Patriotic Medley that we have been singing at our Friday Morning Meetings, and this week they will all sing the preamble to the Constitution. The students have also learned a song all about Bus Safety! Ask your student to sing one of these songs for you. Fourth grade is off to a great start on Recorders, and fifth and sixth graders are hard at work on band instruments and Veteran’s Day songs in Chorus. Of course, we have also started to think ahead to Christmas…YIKES! I am sure you will be pleased with all of the music our very

EASTON ELEMENTARY

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We are off to a great start at Easton Elementary School!   We had a wonderful turnout at our Open House, and students had a great time throwing water balloons at staff as a finale to our Fall Fun Day.  :)  

We have been busily preparing for NECAP testing and look forward to seeing how our students do this year.   Our EPCO is already making plans for the Harvest Party, to be held on Saturday, November 3rd. 

Please remember to contact Meg in the office to give her a current email address for our files.  Our hope is to send all progress reports via email this year.   Please stay involved in your children's education, and feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Here's to a another great year at Easton

A WORDFROMOUR

PRINCIPAL

Mrs. GouletSixth graders have enjoyed 3 days of science camp at the coast at the end of August. They were able to explore tide pools, use GPS units, and learn about unique animal adaptations. They learned some marine chemistry, tidal information and lots of geology. This was a great experience for these students!

Fifth and sixth grade science students have started their Earth science units and fourth grade will be starting using microscopes after harvest.

Mrs. GilesGrade 5 and 6 students have been reviewing, reviewing, reviewing for NECAPs coming up right after Harvest break.  Please put your students on Study Island to practice so our school can continue to shine:-)  They can access Study Island directly from the Easton School Department website and your student knows how to log-in to practice.  

Also, be aware that you can access your students grades daily on Jupiter Grades.  If you would like more information please don't hesitate to contact me for log-in information.  This is a wonderful way to keep up with your child's grades, assignments, and home/school communication.

Mrs. LavwaySecond grade has been working hard over the past few weeks learning their first cursive letters, getting to know all the fun and exciting characters in theirhealth unit “Nutrition Expedition,” and making pages to put into a classroom book entitled “The Magic Pot”…a mathematics book about doubling! Watch after harvest for the finished copy of this book in your child’s backpack. The students are all very excited that they are part of this special project and will be anxious to share their special math story page with you!

Recently grade two traveled to the science center to spend some time with Mr.Martin to learn about maps and how to use a real compass! Mr. Martin took them ona special treasure hunt to show off their compass skills. We were not disappointed!Second grade successfully executed their newly found skills that lead them to aspecial yummy

treasure! Great job grade two....keep practicing with

SCHOODIC POINTA c a d i a N a t i o n a l P a r k6TH GRADE

Miss PhillipsWe have had an exciting start to the school year in the PE classes.  We are hosting at student teacher this fall, Justin Fereshetian, who joins us from the UMPI physical education program.  He has been involved in the class activities to get to know the students and will be taking over the classes after harvest.  He hopes to teach some juggling and various other skills to the elementary school students.  We started off with a soccer unit, building up dribbling, passing, kicking, shooting and defending skills, and learning the different positions.  We are looking forward to a great school year and are interested to see what Mr. Fereshetian has planned for us!

Easton Parent Community OrganizationThe EPCO is off to another busy year and would like to invite you to our regular meetings scheduled for 6:30 pm at the elementary school on the following dates: October 9th, November 6th, December 4th, February 5th, March 5th, April 2nd, May 7th

The Annual Harvest Party will be held on November 3rd, 2012 from 2-4pm. Information will arrive home with students after Harvest Break.

We will continue to collect BoxTops for Education – please send in boxtops with your child's name, grade and number of tops in the envelope for them to be counted toward individual awards. We are able to support educational programs, including field trips, with these funds. Ask family & friends to save their BoxTops for you – last year we earned over $700! This year's goal is $850.

We will again participate in the Hannaford Helps Schools program until early December. Information can be found at www.hannaford.com. Receipts from any Hannaford store can be sent to school or deposited in the box labeled “Easton” at Graves Shop N Save. We collect Ink Cartridges and Cell Phones for recycling. We are planning to provide the Christmas Bazaar for students to shop in December and will be holding a book fair in the spring. Be on the look-out for more information!

Look for us on Facebook – Easton PCO - for current information as well as the EPCO page on the school website.

No one can do everything, everyone can do something.

Mrs. WhiteKindergarten had the opportunity to study Seeds with Mr. Martin at the Science Center before Harvest Break. We now understand what seeds are, where we can find them, how they travel and what they will grow into! We sorted seeds and explored outside to collect seeds to take home. We found out that two of our favorite vegetables are seeds: corn and peas! Who knew? We also enjoyed touring Goughan’s Farm to observe fresh farm vegetables and search for the greatest pumpkin ever! We enjoyed homemade ice cream to celebrate the season!

In honor of Hero’s Day, Kindergarten students made homemade pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for our local Firefighters to enjoy. Cards and posters were designed to show our appreciation for all that the Volunteer Firefighters do each and every day to keep us safe. We will be working on Fire Safety

and Prevention when we return from Harvest Break.

Early Childhood Program students have been very busy getting used to their new surroundings. We currently have 15 students and they have all done an amazing job learning the routines of the classroom, bus and playground. They too, experienced a wonderful trip to Stewart’s Farm for locally grown vegetables and pumpkin picking! To thank our Volunteer Firefighters, these students made a large Dalmatian firedog poster with their own black and white photographs as the spots. I am sure that it will become a keepsake for the station!

Food ServiceThis fall, our cafeteria had to meet tough new federal nutrition standards for school meals, ensuring that meals are healthy and well balanced and provide students all the nutrition they need to succeed at school. We had to go through a certification process that evaluated our ability to created menus and produce meals that meet the USDA standards. As of August 28th we have been certified by the State and have met these standards. The USDA requires strict limits on saturated fat and portion size as well as meeting additional standards requiring:

• Age-appropriate calorie limits• Larger servings of vegetables and fruits (students must take at least one

serving of produce)• A wider variety of vegetables, including dark green and red/orange

vegetables and legumes• Fat-free or 1% milk (flavored milk must

be fat-free)• More whole grains• And less sodium

There are 5 components in a school lunch. Meat/Meat Alternate, Vegetable, Fruit, Grain, and Milk. Students must take AT LEAST 3 of these components; one of them must be a ½ cup of FRUIT OR VEGETABLE. Our menus are marked with letters to identify the food item. Students are doing a great job with the changes. If you have any questions please feel free to contact our food service staff.

Mrs. JamesGrade one has been very busy during the first few weeks of school. We have completed all of our initial AIMSweb testing and have been working hard in reading and math. We also studied our vegetables and took a trip to the PIHS school farm. We had lots of fun on our trip around the farm and even took time to pick some delicious apples! On the way to the farm, we stopped at Crown ambulance and delivered donuts to our local heroes! They were very happy to see the first graders and gave them a special tour of the new ambulance.

Mrs. McQuadeFourth grade students are working hard to learn their class schedule and are enjoying some more independence. Language Arts classes (English, Spelling, Writing) have been focused on review skills. The students are doing well, working hard, and are willing to try some more challenging tasks, especially in their writing. Fifth graders are reading and studying the book Bridge to Terabithia. This is a popular unit every year and one of the few stories in which the movie is equally as wonderful as the book. Grade six has been working with the story Hatchet, by Gary Paulson. The class will soon be preparing diorama projects to present their favorite scene from the book. Finally, all students are working on grade level material to prepare for the upcoming NECAP testing.

Mr. HayesCHILD FIND NOTICE: In compliance with Maine Special Education Regulations the Easton School District would like to ensure that all students between the ages of 3 and 20 years including state wards, state agency clients, students attending private schools, students attending home school, and institutional residents who reside within the Easton geographic jurisdiction, who may be in need of special education and or supportive services are located, identified, and evaluated. If you believe your child is in need of an evaluation or services please call the Special Services Administrator in the Easton School District 488-7701.

Mr. DoarOn Wednesday September 12th, Hunter Dudley, Isaac Currier, Joe Anderson and Elijah Tarbox went to UMPI for a career focus entitled Guys and Goals.  They had the opportunity to listen to four presenters talk about their specific careers.  John Bonner spoke to them about a career in the Border Patrol,  Jim Flavin spoke on the rewards of a career in nursing, Joe Zubrick explained what a career in drama and directing was like, and Andy Leblanc gave the students a view of a career in Martial Arts.  The students thoroughly enjoyed their day at UMPI; and (who knows?) perhaps some may begin working toward one of these careers.

Easton Elementary SchoolPO Box 126, 33 Bangor Road

Easton, Me 04740(207) 488-7701

Mrs. CondonHealth:  What health issues are associated with excess sugar intake?  What are added sugars? Two-thirds of Americans weigh more than is healthy.  Why?  These are just a few of the questions being answered this fall in health class. 

The topic of bullying is heard everywhere.  Millions of students around the country are bullied, but students who are overweight are often treated with particular cruelty.   In a recent study, weight was at the top of the list of reasons why people were bullied at school.

If you would like to take a deeper look at the risks of unhealthy sugar habits, check-out the following Scholastic site:http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/health_risks.htm. 

If you have a child/grandchild in this health class and they haven't grossed-you-out with sugar details, ask

Ms. HutchisonI can’t believe that harvest break is here. The Easton Website has an Art Gallery link that will display samples of the elementary and high school students’ works. Take a look! You will enjoy the students’ wonderful art pieces.

Its great to see the students return from their summer vacation and they are always eager to share their summers experience with the class and me. The elementary students continue to create exciting art works. They are engaged in a multitude of different mediums and are learning and having fun creating art.

Middle school students are creating self-expressive words and drawing cool looking monsters. Cannot wait to see them complete their assignments and to showcase them in the hallway.

At the high school level, Art I students are introduced to the Multicultural Unit. The students are investigating the art and writing used by various cultures from the Ancient Civilizations to create works of art. That i includes Egyptian hieroglyphics and illuminated manuscripts from the Gothic Period.

Art II and Art III students are currently creating more difficult art works that will further enhance the students’ artistic knowledge and technical skills. Later on, the high school art students will have the opportunity to visit the Orono’s Art Museum in Bangor, Maine in November of 2013.

Easton Jr. / Sr. High School Fall 2012 Newsletter

Mr. Shaw, Superintendent Anyone who has ever resided in Central Aroostook County knows of the outstanding Easton Schools and the longstanding pride and commitment the entire Easton community has demonstrated to them. Since joining your staff as Superintendent on October 2, I have enjoyed the opportunities to meet staff and students, become familiar with the facilities and experience first-hand the extra-ordinary qualities that make our schools so special. During times of unexpected change when the only certainty seems to be uncertainty, it is essential that we all focus on our shared responsibilities as parents and school staff and give our very best efforts for your children, our students. There needs to be a strong bond between parents and their child’s teachers in order to ensure that the past successes of Easton Schools will continue both now, and in the future. It is not so much about what the schools can “give” students, but rather “who your children become” as a result of our collective and determined endeavors on their behalf. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Easton School Board, staff and students and look forward to assisting in the continuation of the excellence and success of our schools. Mrs. Tateishi

Our building welcomed 21 bright and shiny seventh graders – the Class of 2018. It’s always an exciting time and students are keen to take their education to a new level. English language arts students will develop three grammar skills: parsing, diagramming, and conjugating. It’s a big undertaking! All students are spending part of their week honing their test-taking skills because they all have to take some sort of standardized test, i.e., NECAP, SAT, or PSAT. This fall we will be reading a novel. Seventh graders read The Call of the Wild by Jack London. The wintry setting is the perfect backdrop to our own dropping fall temperatures. Eighth graders will read Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. Who doesn’t enjoy an animal story that also is a coming-of-age story? Mr. Wright

Earth Science- We have been studying astronomy these past four weeks. Students have been learning about galaxies, constellations, the “lives” of stars, and the Doppler Effect. We have been using the program Red Shift to show the heavens. The program allows one to move back and forth through time to see the changing star patterns. Orion will soon be high in the sky, signaling winter.

College Biology- So far this quarter, we have been learning how to use the microscope, studying the chemistry of living things, and learning about the cell. Students have been involved with numerous lab activities and used the microscope to view plant and human cells to observe differences. They will soon be conducting experiments dealing with the processes of diffusion and osmosis using dialysis membrane as a model cell membrane.

Tech Prep Chemistry- Students have completed a unit about water and its properties. They have conducted experiments including water density, the heat of fusion of ice, the specific heat of water, the solubility of gases in water, water analysis for nitrates, phosphates, pH,

dissolved oxygen & carbon dioxide content. We will begin to study the periodic table when we return from harvest.

Human Biology- We have been studying anatomical terminology and biochemistry, including enzyme activity. Presently we are reviewing the cell. We will soon be viewing, sketching and labeling prepared slides of human body tissues.

Computer Applications- Students are presently learning important features of Microsoft Word. After harvest we will be using Excel and PowerPoint. Then we will be turning our attention to HTML and web design using Dreamweaver. Miss Hutchison

I can’t believe that harvest break is here. The Easton Website has an Art Gallery link that will display samples of the elementary and high school students’ work. Take a look! You will enjoy the students’ wonderful art pieces.

It’s great to see the students return from their summer vacation and they are always eager to share their summer experiences with the class and me. Middle school students are creating self-expressive words and drawing cool looking monsters. I cannot wait to see them complete their assignments and to showcase them in the hallway.

At the high school level, Art I students are being introduced to the Multicultural Unit. The students are investigating the art and writing used by various cultures from ancient civilizations to create their own works of art. This includes Egyptian hieroglyphics and illuminated manuscripts from the Gothic Period. Art II and Art III students are currently creating more difficult art works that will further enhance their artistic knowledge and technical skills. In November the high school art students will have the opportunity to visit the University of Maine Art Museum. UMO’s art museums consist of the Lord Hall Gallery and Hudson exhibitions. The galleries feature traditional and contemporary artworks from various artists. I am excited about the trip. Our students will have the opportunity to see and to be exposed to many different kinds of artwork.

Overall, I will continue throughout the year to give students opportunities to work with as many different mediums and art enhancement opportunities as possible. The curriculum will be created to fit the appropriate age of the student and it will be progressively more challenging for each grade level. The goal is to make art class educational as well as fun.

Mrs. Smith – Student Council

This year’s student council is off to a great start! We have newly elected officers who are making a commitment to represent their classes well. Our student council officers for the 2012-2013 school year are: Carla Halvorson, president; Jared Hafford, vice president; Blake Bradley, treasurer; and Mindy Desmond, secretary. Our first order of business for the school year will be to plan for Red Ribbon Week activities to promote healthy decision-making and help students understand the importance of saying no to drugs.

Mrs. Trask

Grade 7 science students are studying a unit on cells learning about the parts of the compound light microscope. Students have learned the proper technique when making wet mounts and viewing specimens. After harvest, we will study the differences between plant and animal cells. We will also learn about the structure and function of cell organelles. The Grade 8 science students and I have been working on a STEM project with Mrs. Giles called Vital Signs. Students are searching for invasive plant species on our school grounds and around the town of Easton. Once an invasive species is identified, the students will use GPS technology to send data to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Students will make observations, take

measurements, and photograph the specimen to send to the research institute for confirmation on the identification. For more information on the project go to http://vitalsignsme.org/

The students in Environmental Studies class are studying Aquatics. We started the year out by doing water quality testing with water from streams and lakes in Aroostook County. Students tested the water for phosphates, nitrates, dissolved oxygen levels as well as pH. Students have been learning about nonpoint source pollution and how it affects water quality in our community. We were fortunate to have Bill Sheehan from the Department of Environmental Protection come to our classroom to discuss his job and the quality of water here in Aroostook County. Envirothon students will be attending a fall field day at the Monticello Fish and Game Club on October 11 to help prepare for the regional competition in the spring.

Grade 10 Biology students are studying a unit in ecology, and are learning about the importance of diversity in our biosphere. The students are focusing on the terrestrial and aquatic biomes in our world and how living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) factors affect the variation in the species that can live in these different biomes.

Miss Murchison

EASTONIA Under the leadership of Editor Carla Halvorson, the Eastonia Staff is off to a great start on the 2013 edition of the Eastonia. At the staff’s first meeting, Cassie Buck was elected Assistant Editor and plans began immediately on the Annual Yearbook Advertising Campaign. The staff was dismissed from school on Wednesday, September 13, to visit area businesses and organizations selling advertisements in the Eastonia. Although this activity’s main focus is on raising money for the production of the 2013 Eastonia, this is also a valuable learning experience. The staff is expected to dress professionally and is instructed on how to approach potential advertisers in a business-like manner. The staff members are:

Seniors—Harvey Brown, Mindy Desmond, Tyler Gadaire, Jarrod Hafford, Carla Halvorson, Acacia Kimball, Carl Mullen, Abagale Stewart, Logan Sutherland, Lauren West, and Kennedy Young

Juniors—Haley Ambrose, Cassie Buck, and Hunter Turner. ATTENTION PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF THE SENIOR CLASS OF 2013 Senior Portraits will be due on Friday, December 7, 2012. It is very important for all seniors to have a quality portrait for the senior section of the Eastonia. If more information is needed, please get in touch with Pamela Murchison at 488-7702 or pamela.murchison@eastonschools.org.

CARLA HALVORSON BEGINS HER TERM AS STATE NHS PRESIDENT Carla Halvorson conducted her first state meeting on Tuesday, September 11, in Augusta. The National Honor Society State Executive Committee meets throughout the year to plan the NHS State Convention held in March. The Executive Committee selected Stop Hunger Now as the State Service Project. Funds will be raised in each chapter across the state to finance meals to end world hunger. For more information, please visit http://www.stophungernow.org/site/PageServer.

MINDY DESMOND AND LAUREN WEST BEGIN REGIONAL OFFICERS’ DUTIES Mindy Desmond, Northern Regional President, and Lauren West, Northern Regional Secretary/Treasurer attended their first meeting in Fort Fairfield on Thursday, September 13. With Mindy’s leadership, the region’s chapter presidents and advisers discussed the year’s future events including the two conventions and charities for the year. Guest speaker Dixie Shaw, Program Director of Catholic Charities Maine, spoke to the NHS members about sponsoring a clothing drive in their local chapters to help the Food Bank raise money. As she explained, the food bank supplies the food to the many pantries in Aroostook County, but before that can be done, money must be raised to buy the food. Many chapters left the meeting planning for their events.

EASTON NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY CHAPTER ELECTS NEW OFFICERS The following NHS members were elected as officers for the 2012-2013 school year: Kennedy Young, President Mindy Desmond, Vice President Harvey Brown, Secretary Lauren West, Treasurer STATE NHS WINS THE KYKER AWARD Mr. West

Social Studies

It is indeed hard to believe five weeks of school has gone by so fast! Students have jumped right back into school and really seem glad we are back. Sophomores are working very hard on the issues surrounding the American Revolution and just finished reading the book April Morning by Howard Fast. This details one young man’s experience at the battle of Lexington. Freshmen have finished their study of early river civilizations and ancient Greece.

The juniors have been very busy as well. They have completed their research papers and, as of this writing, finished Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. Juniors will also be gearing up for their Little Caesar’s pizza fundraiser once we come back from harvest. Mr. Sutherland Math / Physics The beginning of my eighth year here in Easton has been great so far. All of my classes are doing an excellent job. Here are a few newsworthy things that are happening: -The SAT results that were released recently showed that last year’s Juniors performed in the top 10% of the state for mathematics. Congratulations to this year’s Seniors for this fantastic achievement. -The math team came in first in the small school division at the first meet held in Presque Isle, September 12th. Great work math team! -A grant I wrote to expand the Wind Blade Challenge was funded by Sandy and David Perloff in the amount of $2,500. The money will be used to purchase equipment and supplies so that students can make fully functioning wind turbines. They will then take the blades from the turbines and compete against other Maine schools in the Fifth Annual Wind Blade Challenge held in May at the University of Maine at Orono. -My physics students will be testing their bass wood bridges on January 11th. It's always interesting to see the engineering and creativity the students put into this project.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

Easton School Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, genetic information, or physical or mental disability, in admission to, access to, treatment in or employment in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:

Wendi Malenfant Affirmative Action Coordinator

PO Box 126 Easton, ME 04740

(207) 488-7701