This morning we were treated to a marvelous presentation of Beuty and the Beast by the Heartwood Theater group.  It was great to have them, their energy and expertise back in the building to share with us. After the play 2-5th graders had morning workshops with members of the cast that taught skills of the stage. 

The AVS basketball teams have just headed out for their game on Islesboro. Fun ferry ride and game ahead for them. Good luck to our teams out there. 

The term ends this Friday so keep an eye on the grades as the week ends and get any late work turned in. 

Next week we have the Veterans panel on Wednesday, Nov. 10th.This will involve middle school students in an interview process and panel presentation followed by a lunch. We might be looking for some volunteers to bring in some muffins for the veterans to have with their morning coffee. This is always a great day here at AVS and I am looking forward to this tradition continuing this year. 

Yearbook team is getting geared up and they are getting assistance from 7th and 8th graders who will be getting ads for the yearbook this year. Thanks to all of them and thanks to those of you who are able to take out an ad in this year's yearbook. 

photo: flickr cc ,  bozdoz

We are working hard during study hall as there is an away basketball game this afternoon and there is plenty for students to be working on as the term is coming to a close this Friday. 


The Hunter's Breakfast was a financial success this Saturday. Thanks to all that came out and had breakfast, to those who helped get the word out and to those who did the work to get the event organized. Special thanks to Ashley and her work that morning to get the job done! 

This week we have a performance from the Heartwood Theater @ 9:00am on Wednesday for the whole school. Looking forward to this performance an the work that they will do with our students later in the year. 

So basketball season has it's first game this evening. Tonight the games are @ Great Salt Bay. The first home games will be next Monday against Hope. 

Today 8th grade did have to do more "equations" which is difficult for those that feel there should be no equations in math. 8th grade is also finishing up their podcasts. Their final  versions are due Wednesday. 

7th grade had a good day on Wall Street today. One team sold and bought  shares and another one felt that their investments were fine and they bought other shares. 7th also worked on explaining why fungi is more closely related to animals than plants. Who would have guessed?

6th grade looked at the size of a cell, a molecule and an atom. Great work today as we straightened out some misconceptions around these three items. Heading toward the periodic table!

Enjoy what is left of the candy.

Today is day two with our new schedule and from my point of view it seems to be on the right track. My 7th grade and 8th grade has  a schedule that allows them to basically have the same academic classes every day. So each day 7th has math and science at 9:20 and 10:05 respectively and 8th grade has science and math at 11:05 and 11:30 respectively. This consistency is a real help to students and teachers alike.

8th grade is working on their geology podcasts. I am hoping that they will be available for your listening pleasure the beginning of next week. Keep your ears tuned!

7th grade has been working on classification and have found an interest in the fungi kingdom at this moment. With so many mushrooms in everyone's yards they are investigating mushrooms and spore prints. A few students found some a recess time and brought them in today. Thanks Grace and Nicole! I look forward to see what others bringing tomorrow and where our discussion takes us.

6th grade was finishing up their work on density and are beginning to ask questions about elements and what they are and where they come from. Great day today in class.

The reports from the dance were that we made a nice sum of money but that there were issues that need to be worked out before the next dance. Clean up being the big sticking point but also start timing and how to deal with larger groups. We had an informative discussion about their experience and ways to improve it for the next time.

Wow, it is Friday already and before I know it the term will be ending (Nov. 5).  Yesterday the middle school had a great trip back in time with a reading from letters of John Richardson and his sisters as he took part in the Civil War. Jack and Katie did an outstanding job with their characters and giving us a glimpse in time of both life at war and on Appleton ridge during the 1860's. 

The story of these letters that were found at the Pitman house on the ridge is quite amazing. Both sides of their correspondence was found in a barn  and has been transcribed by the present residents of the house, who are related to the letter writers 150 years ago. There are copies of these letters at both the Appleton School library and the Appleton town library. It was a great history lesson brought to life with local resources and stories. Thank you all for bringing those letters to life for all of us.

For those of you who were wondering a rod is a unit of measure that is 16.5 feet long and is based on a unit measure in surveying during that time period.

Basketball practices are finishing up now and then the dance will be getting underway in a few hours. Thanks to Amanda Boyington, Mr. Caron for helping get this dance up and running and hugh thanks to Toni Clark for chaperoning this one. Trusting that all goes well and there are plenty who attend. Looking forward to the stories on Monday morning.

Next Saturday, Oct 30th is the Hunter's Breakfast so get your appetite up for that one.

On a school related note the schedule will be changing on Monday so student's days will be slightly different from what we have become used to these first two months. The schedule looks much like the schedule that we have had for the last few years.  I am looking forward to some constants in our routines and get the learning rolling. 

I am also looking forward to what appears to be a very "fall weekend" coming up.

With a strong finish from parents signing up for conferences it looks like we will have full afternoon today. Thank you all for finding time in your day to sit down and meet with teachers and students to help in the education of your children. 

8th grade has spent the last 20 minutes creating some more raffle tickets so I hope that you can find an 8th grader, or even better an 8th graders can find you and give you an opportunity to get your name in for the FIREWOOD raffle.

7th grade has done a clean up on the tank today and have noted with their chemistry tests that the nitrate level is higher than last week which might explain the loss of one of the crabs yesterday. I also feed them fish yesterday and some of the left over fish might also have contributed to the high nitrate level as the fish starts to decompose. It also explains the aroma in my classroom yesterday. 

Just a link to a post that got me thinking about snacks, school and more.

Well this was only the second Monday this year that we have not had testing or some other activity interrupt the class schedule. Amazing, but not out of the ordinary in this testing fever that is education.  Parent student teacher conferences are happening this Wednesday. Check your conference time.

Well 7th grade got started on a Stock Market Game in math class and will be working once a week on their financial plans, trades, and hopefully profits for the next few months.  

For 8th grade half the class was working on NECAP makeups and then we reviewed the tasks that needed to be completed for the dance this Friday. 

As I sit here now I am hearing the squeak of sneakers on the gym floor and realize that the basketball season is swinging into action. They are working on the intro drills and before we know it they will be underway with some game activity. 

8th graders are going to be finishing up assembling the FIREWOOD raffle tickets tomorrow and will be selling them over the next few weeks. Find an 8th grader for a chance to when a cord or two of firewood.  

Also the yearbook staff is going to be getting organized this week with members selling yearbook ads in the near future.

cc photo from horia varlan

What a wild Friday it has been!  Wind and rain and no power and leaving school early and finished NECAP tests and basketball sign ups are on the wall and 8th grade fundraisers and dance next week and soccer is over (well done team) and X country had a meet on Thursday and the tank did fine with the power outage and ...  and ...  and ...

8th grade is trying to get their fundraising ramped up with a raffle for cord wood and the hunter's breakfast at the end of the month. So be looking for the raffle tickets for the wood and if you are an 8th grade parent you might want to check with Amanda to see how your child can help out with the hunter's breakfast. On another note the 8th grade class did a great job over the last two weeks putting forth their best efforts on the NECAP tests that we finished today. Maybe their reward was the early release this afternoon.

7th grade has been working very well with the tank, feeding, cleaning and making observations. We have been working along on our algebra work and some of us are finding moments when the challenges are interesting enough that they don't want to stop for science class. Good work all round!

Parent - Teacher conferences will be next week. Wednesday the 20th is early release and conferences start shortly after that release. If you have not signed up please give the school a call and schedule for a meeting.  Thanks.

Any other news or topics that you think I should be noting here let me know in the comments link at the top right. 

photo cc license from eflon

Ending a sports season is never easy, especially when the rain come as often has it has these last few game days. Good luck to AVS tomorrow in their playoff game against Camden. 

Today we sent home with every middle school student a brief notice that on Tuesday, Oct. 12 @ 6:00 pm there will be a parent meeting to go over the laptop take home procedures. We will begin with a welcome and internet safety talk in the gym for all and then break into groups in the classrooms to go over the paperwork and answer any student or parent questions. These include insurance, the parent's roll and responsibility of the use of the machines at home, and guidelines and consequences.

NECAP tests in math on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week and writing on Thursday and Friday.