The Adams School  
P.O. Box 29
27 School Street
Castine, Maine 04421
326-8608
www.adamsschool.com


Adams School goes to the Common Ground Fair Sept.19, 2008

ADAMS SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

 

Fair…and Fowl

    It had been a glorious morning for an outdoor fair drawing hundreds of kids from all over Maine (Machias!) to the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association grounds in Unity. The parking fields were choked with yellow buses and happy hordes of students and teachers traipsed to and from the Rose Gate on the North side of the big open fair area.
    It had been a wonderful morning—though not nearly long enough. There was plenty more to see. The sun was out, the temperature was warm but not hot, and there was a lot to look at, touch, explore, and especially taste. One group began with maple sugar candy and apple cider, and proceeded to find straight fries, curly fries, popcorn, bloomin’ onions, fried dough, honey comb, tickleberry smoothies, lemonade, and raspberry honey—all organic, of course.  Then more maple sugar candy. More fried dough. More cider. Was this just a food fair?
    No. There were canoe makers, blacksmiths, fireman with the test-of-strength pole (Gabe hit the top), knitters, finger puppeters, weavers, basket makers, stone and wood carvers. There were sheep, goats, horses, oxen, chickens, rabbits, alpacas, and dogs to pet or observe. Mrs. Pelletier liked the baby oxen best. Hannah preferred the hayride. Edward and Emilio got Llama hats. John loved the Indian crafts tent. And there were free-range vocabulary words, fresh from the 7th and 8th grade lists, like “yoke,” “rotors,” “intrigued,” and “amateur.”
    It sure was tempting to try and bring a few things home. Those apple-picking ladders were exquisitely made. How about some raw wool for the K-2 knitters? A couple of bonsai trees made it onto the bus, and plenty of cider and maple sugar candy. But wouldn’t a goat or a lamb look nice grazing on the town common? Couldn’t we keep a few chickens in back of the nature center…as long as we didn’t have a rooster? And those bunnies were so cute.
    By noon, all the Adams School teachers and students were back on the Castine bus, preparing for departure. Mrs. Schamle took the opportunity to stow some hay in the luggage compartments underneath—for her readers theater performance—and then it was time for Mr. Nelson to make sure everyone who was supposed to be on the bus, actually was on the bus. So he began reading down the list of students, one-by-one. He would leave no child behind.
    “Chad, Madison, Molly, Bess, Nadyia…”
    “Here, here, here, here.”
    “Brandon, Khristien, Hannah, Hanna, Ben, John, Liam….” Mr. Nelson called out toward the back of the bus.
    “Here, here, here, here, here, here….baaaaaaa!”
    “What?” Mr. Nelson said, straining to locate the “baaaaaa” coming from the rear.  “Who said Baaaaa!” The kids just looked blank and shrugged. “We didn’t hear anything.”
    “Alex, Nicholas, Meredith…”
    “Cluck. Cluck. Cluck.”
    “Who?” said Mr. Nelson.
    “Cluck, cluck, cluck,” said Morgan. Or was it Morgan? It was coming from the direction of Morgan. Suddenly, Mr. Nelson felt something nibbling at his socks. He looked down. A pair of big, brown eyes and very long ears peered back. Phoebe came to the front, smiled, gathered up the large angora bunny and brought him back to her seat. “Sorry.”
    “I don’t remember that rabbit on the bus on the way over,” said Mr. Nelson.  
    Just then, from the middle seats, there came another odd sound: “Quack!” Then another “Cluck!” And some curious scratching and plucking and pawing. Curiouser, and curiouser.
    “All right, now everyone stay in your seats until we get back to school,” said Mr. Nelson.  “Keep it quiet back there. Let’s go Charlie.”
    “Moooo,”  said the baby oxen in the last row.
    “Ms. P, is that what I think it is?” said Mr. Nelson. “Quiet means everyone.”
    “Oink!” said the pig.
    “That’ll do pig,” said Mr. Nelson, putting on his head phones. Charlie picked up the reins, released the brake, and started the bus rolling towards home.
    “Giddy-up.”
                                                                                           —Todd

Monday is All-School photo (at Nature Center, 7:30am) and class photos taken at Castine locations throughout the morning. K-2: Library; 3-4: Emerson Hall; 5-6: Eaton’s Boatyard; 7-8: Manor Lawn. Faculty: Civil War Monument. And we all know that there is a long-standing tradition of popsicles on photo day….

Cougar Café for Breakfast!: The 8th graders are going to inaugurate a small breakfast store on Monday. Students who need to dash out the door in the morning can still get a healthy breakfast snack (granola bars, cereal, juice) when they get to school for a nominal fee: Juice is 25 cents; granola bars are 50 cents. Fresh fruit will also be available if students will eat it. This is not intended as a fund raiser…just making sure everyone starts the day with a little “fuel” on board. (Mr. Nelson will see that everyone who wants food, gets food.)

Tokyo, France, Turkey Calling. Next Tuesday morning at 8:00am (8:00pm Tokyo time) we have a Skype date to video conference with Katusige Murai, the 6th grader who will be arriving here in November! Last week, we gave our friend Monsieur Jean Renault, of Escout, France, a video tour of Adams School using a laptop as our camera. Jean lives a few kilometers away from the birthplace of The Baron, and has been instrumental in organizing our France trips. And Gurdeniz may be on-line from Turkey some morning!

Kilowatt Ours: The Earth Care Team, Blue Hill Congregational Church, presents An Alternative Energy Evening on Friday, October 3, 6:30 at the church.  The documentary film Kilowatt Ours will be shown, followed by a brief slide presentation and discussion by Professor Paul Villeneuve, UMO School of Engineering & Technology.  Frank John of Brooklin will also discuss the Maine Solar Tour taking place on Saturday, Oct. 4.  Refreshments will be served.  Info. 359-2168, 374-5224.

 
Déja Lu:
Bus Notes: A reminder that we need to have bus plans in writing from parents in order for kids to be dropped off in locations other than home (Home is always the “default” destination for bus riders). In addition, if an adult other than the parent is meeting the bus, please let us know about

the plan. Also, please know that Charlie will not drop children at a house where he does not see an adult waiting for them. If he sees no one home, he usually continues the route and then circles back to try again.                                                                                                              

Readers Theater “Animal Stories:” Don’t miss the first readers theater performance of the year….September 30 at 4:30 on the Nature Center porch. Performances during the school day for students.

Fire Drill with Castine Fire Department—October 15. This is our annual drill testing the CFD response time and search tactics. Good training for them and for us! It will be “toned” out through Hancock County Emergency as a drill.

 

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ADAMS SCHOOL MENU     Sept.29th – Oct. 3rd

Monday – Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Garlic Bread, Mixed Veggies, Jello w/Fruit, Milk

Tuesday – Chicken Tacos, Salad, Muffin, Pineapple, Milk

Weds. – Beef Stew, Biscuits, Crackers, Peaches, Milk

Thursday – Roni Calzones, Pizza Sauce for Dipping, Salad, Graham Crackers, Fruit, Milk

Friday – Chicken Burgers, Smiley Fries, Orange Slices, Cookie, Milk

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Soccer next week:

9/29    @Brooksville (by car)
10/1   @ Penobscot (by Castine school bus)
10/2    Practice.

Calendar Update

October

1   Sports physicals for boys
2   Sports physicals for girls.
9   Open house and Nature Center dedication.
10   Teacher inservice day (Union 93)
13   Columbus Day: No School
20-24   Scholastic Book Fair in Ms. P's room.
31   Halloween Parade, 1:00pm.

 

A community opportunity….

September 15, 2008

Fund Appeal to send Juna to Otter House for School Year 2008-2009                                                                                    

Juna is 3 and a half years old. She was born in the US and has lived here in Castine with her family for the last two years.  Juna speaks her parents’ native language, Russian,  perfectly and is a very smart and very sweet little girl.

 

Juna will be attending Adams School in 2010.  Right now, Juna has only a few words of English.  We want to give her opportunity to learn English and experience the social development of a school environment.  We are currently attempting to raise $3,380 for Juna’s first 6 months of tuition at the Otter House and are asking the folks and organizations of Castine for their help.

 

Juna’s mother works in Castine, at MMA.  Her father cannot work in the United States because of immigration problems not dependent on the family.  Juna’s mother supports her family on her salary from the college and also supports two other family members, one of whom is disabled.  Juna’s mother cannot afford to send Juna to Otter House and the “coupon program” is out of funds for another year.

 

Eighteen months ago, my son, Phil Donaghy, brought his family to Castine from France to give his son the opportunity to attend Montessori School and perfect his English.  The trip was planned for a month. As many of you know, Phil was diagnosed with Leukemia the week they arrived and died eight months later here in Castine.  I am making this appeal in Phil’s name in the spirit of supporting bilingual children. Phil’s children were supported by the community in so many ways during their stay here.  Liam and Mila Donaghy returned to France a few weeks ago and are starting school this week where they will be perfecting their French.

 

So, this project is for Phil: Something he would fully support.

 

If you can help, please make a check out to Jennifer Donaghy with “Juna Fund” in the memo line.  I have opened an account at Union Trust Company, a Division of Camden National, exclusively for this project.  Please mail your donations directly to Union Trust Bank at Box 277, Castine, or deposit at the branch.

 

Thank you so much in advance for your generosity.  Contact info: 207-326-8959

 

Jennifer Donaghy

 

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Castine Recreation League Pee Wee soccer starts on Thursday, September 25th.  Lisa Burton and Cheryl Ashmore will be coaching.  Children in classes K-4 are welcome to participate.  Please speak to Sue Macomber at the town hall as you must preregister your child(ren) to participate.  If you have any questions or an interest to assist with the program in any way please contact Lisa Burton 326-4246, or  lisa@mainelysolutions.us

Pee Wee Soccer Information:  Thursdays – Ft. George,  2:20 - 4:00  p.m.

Dates:        Sept 25, Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30