BFA Loves Animals
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BFA Students Create Animation
Target 3. Flexible Learning Environments – FWSU will maximize flexible learning environments by redefining the school day, promoting learning experiences that extend beyond the school classroom, and fostering creativity, innovation, and differentiated learning opportunities for all.
Action Step – Highlight, create and model innovative learning opportunities that promote collaborative inquiry, problem solving and creativity for students and staff.
Students in Mr. Choiniere’s animation class have already made cel and cut-out animations. Now they are learning how to use chroma key technology, also called green screen, to make stop-motion animations. Stop-motion creates the illusion of movement by first taking individual pictures of moved objects and then playing them back quickly at a rate of fifteen frames-per-second.
The green screen allows students to place any background that they want while editing on the computer. Students are using iPads, iMacs and webcams with iMovie and iStopmotion software to create these magical productions. Look for postings of these films in the near future.
Here is the final product created by our students:
BFA 6th Graders Explore the Lamoille River Ecosystem
Target 3: Flexible Learning Environments – FWSU will maximize flexible learning environments by redefining the school day, promoting learning experiences that extend beyond the school classroom, and fostering creativity, innovation, and differentiated learning opportunities for all.
Action Step – Develop opportunities for students to collaborate, innovate, create and conceptualize in all learning settings.
Students in Mrs. Carpenter’s 6th Grade Science classes are learning about living things and the environment. The classes used the Explain Everything app on their iPads to demonstrate the living and non-living factors in the environment.
The next portion of the unit of study will see students investigating how all the mentioned above factors interact. Students also spent time outside of the traditional classroom for an up-close experience of our beautiful surrounding environment. While out collecting photos, the students were fortunate to see a bald eagle, which was very exciting for all of them!
Class activities such as this directly correspond to the FWSU Action Plan targets and action steps for student learning in the 21st century.
Day 161 – Morning Calm at GEMS
It is a fresh new day at GEMS as students celebrate Day 161 of learning. It is morning – one of the very best times of the day at school! Students, staff, and parents arrive, anticipating with excitement all the possibilities of what the day may bring.
The halls are generally quiet early in the morning, but not for very long. Most students at GEMS will pass through this hall by the end of the day.
Painting in Ms. Crosby’s Art Class is a great way to find inner calm first thing in the morning and focus creative energies while the day is fresh and new.
Parents await the performance of self-written plays by Ms. Sullivan’s fourth grade class.
A nutritious breakfast is served in both the elementary school and the middle school, and students are lined up and waiting for a tasty and healthy morning meal.
Students are completely awake and full of lively humor as they perform an original production this morning.
It’s only 8:45am. Already, Principal Emery has enjoyed more personal interactions than many of us enjoy in a full day.
It is going to be another great day of learning at GEMS!
BFA and FWSU Educators Present at Dynamic Landscapes Conference
Target 2 – Leadership in a Student Centered Learning Environment
FWSU will foster development of teacher & student leaders who provide innovative opportunities for local and global student-centered learning.
Action Step - Provide multiple avenues for students and staff to lead, advocate, and serve within the school and community
Each spring teachers, librarians, technology integrationists and administrators gather for a learning event sponsored by the Vermont School Librarians Association and the VITA Learn Vermont. The goal of Dynamic Landscapes, the name of the conference, is to explore topics related to 21st Century technology applications in modern educational settings.
BFA Fairfax and FWSU were active participants at the conference sharing our learning with other educators from our region. Here is a sampling of the sessions led by our esteemed group:
The Journey to Mastery - John Tague
It started with a few “flipped” lessons in one class. Over the next to years,
my classroom changed from traditional to flipped to mastery based. In this
workshop, you will learn the “why’s”, “what’s” and “how’s” of the
transformation to an asynchronous learning environment where “no one is
left behind or held back!”
Creating a Digital Age Culture with iPads - Rhonda Siemons, Jen Skerret, Kendra Myers and John Tague
Bellows Free Academy teachers share our iPad journey starting with 1:1
devices for middle school students, moving a 1:1 into the high school and
adding iPad carts in elementary classrooms. What have we learned? What
practices have evolved? What’s changed? Panel consists of classroom
teachers from the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Sign up for iTunes U - Angelique Fairbrother and Rhonda Siemons
Looking for a free interactive LMS for blending learning or flipped
classrooms? iTunes U provides a platform to deliver content to students’
devices (even without internet at home!) Come learn how to incorporate
iTunes U courses into any curriculum. Will share how to access materials
already created, or how to design courses that meets you and your students
needs. Will provide resources that can help you get started immediately for
your next lesson.
One sign of a true learning organization is when the organization shares its knowledge with others in the field. We are very proud that our organization is now regularly part of the educational professional development community of educators throughout Vermont.
GEMS Parent Dialogue Night a Success!
Target 4: Engaged Community Partners - FWSU staff and students will collaborate, innovate,create and conceptualize ideas and learning with local, regional, state, and global partners to make a difference in their community, state, and world.
Action Step - Plan and manage instruction around problems relevant to students and their community and develop solutions for authentic audiences.
GEMS was pleased to welcome over 75 participants to the Middle School Parent/Student Dialogue Night held on May 9th. This important event was presented and facilitated by the school’s Youth Empowerment Group (YEG) which is comprised of 20 student leaders in grade 6-8. The evening was aimed at engaging the community in conversations and sharing information and ideas about middle school student trends, strengths, concerns, and behaviors.
The YEG group met three times in the fall/early winter to review and discuss 2011 data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The YRBS measures the prevalence of behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disease, and injury among youth. The survey is part of a larger effort to help communities increase the “resiliency” of young people by reducing high risk behaviors and promoting healthy behaviors. The statewide report is based on representative samples of high schools and middle schools and is weighted to reflect all public school students in six through twelfth grades.
The students of YEG also participated in training as a group to better understand their school needs. Students discussed various strengths and concerns before identifying the top 3 to 4 priorities. These student leaders group then created an Action Plan to address the specific areas of concern as they prepared to present their ideas before a broader audience. They targeted risky behaviors in their plan which included physically inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, self destructive behaviors and alcohol use.
The parents of middle school students who attended the Dialogue Night enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the students about their ideas. Please click here to view their ideas for addressing risky behaviors among their peers. With the help of supportive staff, parents, community members, and outside resources, the YEG group is excited to move ahead and put some of these ideas into action.
Thanks to all who made Dialogue Night a success!
BFA Students Explore Brain Science – Then and Now
Target 1. Student-Centered Learning - Students will engage in innovative learning opportunities that promote collaborative inquiry and creativity for students.
Action Step - Highlight, create and model innovative learning opportunities that promote collaborative inquiry, problem solving and creativity for students and staff.
Students in Emily Wills’ 7th Grade Language Arts class at BFA Fairfax have been reading the non-fiction text Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science. This text follows Gage from his tragic accident while working on the Vermont railroad in 1848 (in which his tamping iron was shot through the frontal lobe of his brain) to his death eleven years later.
Gage was a key player in the early development of brain science. As a result of the accident Gage’s personality changed, though he was able to speak, walk, and function physically as he did before the accident. This led doctors to begin to question their previous understanding of how the brain worked.
On Monday in class, Mrs. Wills’ students donned swim caps and took turns drawing brains on each other’s heads.
An illustration of our modern understanding of the brain.
One half of the cap was done as phrenologists believed brains worked in the 1850′s, and the other half was done as scientists understand the brain to work now.
A depiction of the 1850′s knowledge of the brain.
Students were fascinated and intrigued to learn how brain research and science has changed over time.
Examples of innovative learning opportunities at BFA, as well as other FWSU schools, are pushing our students to think creatively like never before.
BFA Student Artwork Featured in Franklin County Annual Art Show Exhibit
Target 4: Engaged Community Partners - FWSU staff and students will collaborate, innovate,create and conceptualize ideas and learning with local, regional, state, and global partners to make a difference in their community, state, and world.
Action Step - Plan and manage instruction around problems relevant to students and their community and develop solutions for authentic audiences.
BFA Fairfax Art Students recently participated in the Franklin County Annual Art Show, which is hosted at Collins-Perley Sports Complex in St. Albans. Student artwork for grades K-12 was proudly featured during the show held May 6th-May 13th, with an Artist Reception on May 8th.
25 pieces of student work were selected to go in the exhibit by BFA Art Teacher Emily Garland. It is always difficult to select just a few, with so many amazing student artists to choose from! The show is intended to showcase exceptional pieces, but consideration was also given to students who showed great enthusiasm, creative energy, and modeled positive studio behaviors. Ms.Garland selected artwork that represents a range of different mediums to showcase BFA’s program.
“Spray Paint Print” – Kiley Ashley, Grade 12
“Escher Drawing” – Emily Pomichter, Grade 10
“Plaster Sculpture” – Jud Veren, Grade 11
“Still Life Drawing” – Mikayla St. Germain, Grade 10
One of Mrs. Garland’s favorite pieces this year was the life-sized mermaid, which was saved as part of the Little Mermaid fall set to put in this county show. She is still spectacular! Seniors Veronica Palermo and Sally Parizo worked very long hours to put the Mermaid together. It was great fun for these young artists!
“Mermaid Sculpture” – Veronica Palermo & Sally Parizo, Grade 12
All of the pieces were amazing and we are proud of all of our talented student artists!
GEMS Loves Moms!
Target 1. Student-Centered Learning - Students will engage in innovative learning opportunities that promote collaborative inquiry and creativity for students.
Action Step: Highlight, create and model innovative learning opportunities that promote collaborative inquiry, problem solving and creativity for students and staff.
Friday, May 10th, was a very special day for mothers of first grade students attending Georgia Elementary School. The students’ moms were invited to a special breakfast at school where each had the honor of spending the morning with their child.
During breakfast, video clips were projected with special messages to each mom from their son or daughter. The children’s heartfelt explanations describing why they love their mothers were written, narrated, and shared for all to see. Students were very happy to have their moms at school for this very special day.
Click the following image to view the presentation:
Emotionally, mother’s were impressed and proud of their children for their outstanding work. The students in Mrs. Matas’ first grade classroom did a great job showing their appreciation for moms!
BFA Takes 2nd Place in Vermont Treasury Cup Challenge
Target 2: Leadership in a Student-Centered Learning Environment - FWSU will foster development of teacher and student leaders who provide innovative opportunities for local and global student-centered learning.
Action Step - Ensure students and staff take an active role shaping their learning using rich, authentic questions, problems they identify, and diverse resources.
Bellows Free Academy Fairfax finished second place in the 2013 Vermont Treasury Cup Challenge held in Montpelier by the State Treasurer’s Office on May 3rd. Team members were each presented a trophy by State Treasurer Beth Pearce.
Pictured with the State Treasurer (left to right) are Austen Carpenter, Aman Saini, Ben Tague and Courtney Meunier. (Photo by Scott Baker)
This one-day academic competition gives teachers a way to challenge their students in a fun game-show-style event. High School student teams competed to determine which had the best grasp of economics and personal finance knowledge and skills.
High School Math Teacher John Tague coached the BFA team in preparation for 2013 Championship.
The team was coached by High School Math Teacher John Tague. (Photo by Scott Baker)
Students greatly enjoyed this exciting event which highlights the importance of personal financial literacy and understanding of economics. Congratulations to the BFA team!
