The Summer Count

The Lakota Sioux had a tradition of closing out their year in the cold time with what they called a “Winter Count.” Here on the cusp of summer, we have a natural vantage point from which to count all the things that have happened in a school year. Here goes:

This was the year of…. The Barn Raising in August, The New Playground,100 cubic yards of Bark Mulch…and a trench in the street; Opening Day: Bagpipes and a parachute on the common, Ringing the attic bell, New playground Balls; Chompy, Lisa and Rosemary on photo day; Jim Moulton and iBook animation; The shingle mill at HOME; The Dirt Mountain Men; Fire drills and Open House; The Candy Corn Harvest; Sailing on the Bowdoin; Chicken Little; The legend of Byron “Ricky Bobby” Dossett; Puppet Shows and student council speeches; Bottles on the Argo, heading for the northeast channel; Baba Kevin; Shingling and decking the nature shed; Monarch Butterflies; Soccer round-robin, “Rock and roll over dead,” Pirates of the Bagaduce; The Cupola leaves, The Cupola Returns; The Bell arrives; the bell leaves; the bell rings in the cupola!

Elm stumps from downtown; Soccer ice cream sundae night; Knitting, Baking pies, taking canned food to a homeless shelter; Trains in kindergarten; Lizard catapult, Big Bertha the Lobstah; Thanksgiving lunch at Emerson; Smorgs, Smorgs, Smorgs; Birdhouses, Chess Club, Karate (“Hai-ya!”), Broom Hockey (“Kick save Lameyer!”), Asian Fusion and Sensei Uncle David-san. (“Bow to your sensei”), Planting giant pumpkins, growing grass on the rink; Masks and fish and right whale models; Singing for the women’s club; Wreath making with the Garden Club; Ms. P’s Holiday Auction; Haircuts, hair colors, hair curls and hair straightening. Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Gingerbread houses; Winter concert, Spring concert; The Sagas of Byron’s Cat; Conferences, Conferences, Conferences; In-services, Loose teeth, skinned knees; The Mystery of the X-fish, Amahl and the night visitors, Lemons, Middle Day, 100^th Day, 1,000^th Day—Beach Day; Hat Heads, Snow Day, PE Day, Earth Day, Birthdays, Burns Day; Sliding, Skating, Sledding, Snow forting; Ice Skate Lacing. Finger knitting all the way to the Variety. Rolling Snowballs down the Common; Spaghetti, soup, teriyaki and roast pork fund-raising dinners; Spelling bees, Zero the Hero; Chedder the Mole…and the rest of his family; Lego Robotics, Yoga! Jazz Fest, A New Stove! Pancakes and bacon, The Ion Flux Capacitator, Cheering rally, the Great Basement Flood; MEA testing, Late Winter stories and multi-cultural tales, “Miss Nelson is Missing,” Figures of Speech, Flamenco Guitar, Joan MacCracken and “Trisba and Sula”; Senator Susan Collins visits: Big stump stores, and construction crew and Calvineers; The Cell play at Emerson, MDI watershed symposium, The Legend of Bubba "Dyron" Bossett, IV. The Birthday Hat; Golf and soccer and basketball and baseball; Homework club, golf clubs; State of Maine departs: Bon voyage. 8^th grade trip to Boston—Blue man, Fenway, Duck Tours, Guitars, The Tomb, Skywalk, mammals and lobsters; Sparks Island; Mail the Box to France; letters from and for St. Castin; The Book Fair; Science Sleepover; Pancakes! Multi-Cultural Stories; Step-Up Day; Hardcover Yearbooks! Graduation…

And yet to come….Calvineers and Endangered Species to Brooksville Holbrook Island, Field day and Beach picnic.

And somewhere amidst all of this great stuff, we managed to hold a few classes….Whew.

The Whoosh Zone is every day at Adams School. Time for a break in the action. See you in September for the start of the next count. It should begin: “Dolphin Returns from France.” Bon vacances.

—Todd

Thank you Lance and Lisa Burton, and all of the community advertisers, who made our wonderful yearbook possible. Every student received one--hardcover this year--at no cost. Community pride and school spirit? Priceless.

Last Call for Lost and Found: Next week it goes away! Check the bin in the lobby.

The Adams School Box has arrived in St. Castin: On Thursday morning (afternoon, St. Castin time), I received an e-mail from Herve Alexandre, the principal at the school in St. Castin. “Les enfants vont etre impatients de vous recevoir!” Not long now. I’ll be opening the box with them on June 28^th. Which means, the kids in France have two more weeks to imagine what’s in the box! (TRN)

Cheering Camp: Join us for NCA cheer camp in Bangor at Husson College. This day camp is open to K-8 and runs from Wed July 25-Fri July 27 from 9am to 3 pm. The cost is $110. Please contact coach Jennifer Henderson at 326-4615 or aescougarcheer@yahoo.com ASAP if you would like more information.

August Letter: News for the next school year will come in an August e-mail letter, also posted to the web site. All information for the first day of school, etc. will be included. And if you or community organizations have information to share, send it along via e-mail by August 1.

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ADAMS SCHOOL MENU June 18^th & 19^th

Monday – Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas, Tortilla Chips, Salsa, Sour Cream, Salad, Strawberry Shortcake, Milk

Tuesday – Field Day/Bag Lunch: Ham & Cheese Wraps, Baby Carrots, Goldfish, Granola Bars, Oatmeal Cream Pies, Milk

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Upcoming Summer Programs:

Free Sailing Lessons Week: The annual free sailing week will take place the week of June 25-29 at the Castine Yacht Club. Please stop by the Town Office to sign up. This program is co-sponsored by the Castine Recreation Committee and the Castine Yacht Club.

Sailing Scholarship Program: Forms are available at the Town Office for the Sailing Scholarship Program. The deadline to submit paperwork is Friday, June 22nd. If you have any questions, please call 326-4502.

Girls Summer Basketball…for girls going into 7th, 8th, or 9th grades. There will be basketball on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Tuesday, 5-6:30 at GSA; Wednesday, 6-7:30 at Bucksport High School; Fridays, 5-6:30 at GSA. Starts June 12th and ends at the end of July.

Summer jazz Camp at GSA: Steve Orlofsky will be conducting Summer Jazz Band Camp at GSA on Monday-Friday, June 25-29 at 9-11:00am and invites students entering grade 7-9 to attend. Registration forms are available in Adams School office. The cost per student is $85.00. To register, please mail a completed registration form and check or money order for the total to: Summer Jazz Band Camp at GSA, 23 Union Street, Blue Hill, Maine 04614. Registration closes on June 22, 2007. No refunds on tuition will be paid once the camp begins. Information:

stevorlofsky@george-stevens.pvt.k12.me.us or 374-2808.

Bend it like Beckham! Once again the Major League Soccer camp will be offered at Deer Isle Stonington Elementary School. Three enthusiastic, well-trained coaches from England will be here the week of July 23. Camp for younger players will be from 9am to noon each day. Older players will meet from 5:00 to 8:00pm. On Tuesday or Wednesday there will also be a one and a half hour evening session for coaches and potential coaches. Brochures will be arriving shortly and I will deliver them to area schools. The fee is $96.00 and includes a soccer ball and MLS t-shirt. Questions? Call Jo Jacob at 348-6997 or email at jjacob31@verizon.net.

MLS Bucksport: Major League Soccer camp will also take place in Bucksport on July 9-13. Contact: Denise Gordon, 469-6069…brochures in our office. Registration deadline: June 24.

Summer Music Lessons at Tamarack Farm Music Studio: During the summer months, music lessons will be offered on all school wind instruments, piano, percussion, guitar and recorder. This year there will be two four-week sessions beginning June 25^th and July 30^th. It’s a great time to improve your music-reading ability and technique, start a new instrument, or dust off that instrument in the closet. For more information: Luki Hewitt, 326-8789.

Summer Art & Theatre: Amy Grant, former GSA teacher and administrative assistant, has founded a new company! Peninsula Metamorphic Arts & Learning (P.M.A.L.) will run two performing arts camps this summer at the Brooklin School.

 ARTS PLAYHOUSE, a performing arts camp for next year’s 2nd-9th graders, will run July 16-20 from 9am-3pm with classes in drama, music, dance, and visual arts.

 The TEEN THEATRE WORKSHOP, a theatre camp where students will write and produce an original script, will run weekdays from 5:30pm-9:00pm, July 9-26. Performances will be July 27 and 28.

Registration forms are available on-line at www.peninsulametamorphic.com or in the GSA office. For additional information, please call Amy at 479-6382.

Kneisel Hall Summer Program for young musicians:

When: 10-11:30 Saturday Morning from June 30^th -through August 4^th

Who: Students grades 3-5

Where: On the Kneisel Hall Campus, Blue Hill

What’s this all about: Learning, listening, playing and composing

Do I need to play an instrument? No, there will be plenty to do and learn.

You will be given a MUSIC LAB pass which will allow you to attend the six Saturday sessions, six Wednesday Library concerts, master classes, young artist concerts, as well as faculty dress rehearsals on Friday mornings.

We’ll explore music through the perspective of scientists, detectives, architects, athletes, actors and other such careers. We’ll look up close at the music that Kneisel Hall Young Artists are working on and we’ll even make our own!

Each Saturday session will focus on the music being performed each Wednesday afternoon at the Blue Hill Library where you’ll have the chance to make a journal of your observations and interview the musicians.

How do I sign up? Just email Beth: elizabeth.weisser@gmail.com

How much: $50