Region In Review

At Washington Primary School, students created artistic pizzas and topped them with some of their favorite toppings, including pepperoni, mushrooms, and some with spaghetti and meatballs.

Meanwhile, at Shepaug, middle school students completed their studies on blending, using pastel chalks to create smooth bands of color that transition seamlessly from one bright color to the next.

Shepaug Plant Science students studied transpiration and the process of water movement by growing bean plants, measuring the rate of absorption and release of water vapor from the leaves.

For his senior project, John is developing a video game titled Dawn. Set in an open "world", Dawn is a first-person, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, exploration and survival game that takes place in a universe where magic has always existed, and is used primarily in warfare and industrial production.

John has spent a considerable amount of time not only designing and building the game but also developing the story, characters, and plot of Dawn. In his story, at the peak of a second industrial revolution, a new species of flower blooms and spreads deadly spores across the globe, leaving the world extinct. After 17 years of being unmaintained, the large reactors containing the magic finally explode, spreading the magic across the environment, changing it drastically, and granting a primal instinct to hunt to now sentient plants that inhabit the skeletal remains of past humans and can only survive during daylight. After being the sole human to be resurrected by the magic, Persephone now suffers from amnesia and must explore, fight, and survive this new world to uncover her lost memories and attempt to restore humanity.

Charlie DaCunha combines his artistic skill with animation technologies to create an exploration of the struggles one faces with anxiety and panic attacks. After completing extensive research regarding the process of creating an animation, Charlie has created his script, designed an original character, and produced a completed scene for his film. Charlie describes his process: "I researched symbolism – such as yellow for suicide awareness – to incorporate into my design.

Because my animation is frame-by-frame, the addition of linework means if the rendering – or the movement created when my frames are combined – is not completely seamless, my film will look messy." As a beginner animator, Charlie felt he did not initially have the skill to animate at a level that would compensate for the challenge of linework. For this reason, he made the decision to remove the linework and have a softer design. "This allows me to better ignore the laws of physics in my animation because my character isn’t limited to the rigid nature of linework. This problem was a bit exhausting to deal with, but I feel that my divergent thinking helped me find a solution.” Once finished, the film will be posted to a site for all to see - stay tuned for more information!

Eighth grade students worked together to conduct script readings for their original films for peer feedback in their Digital Design Lab classes.

Agriscience students planned, cooked, and plated a full course meal using only ingredients from local sources. The carrots and beets in the meal were grown in Shepaug’s own raised beds and the steaks were acquired from nearby Toplands Farm.

The very first images from Shepaug’s brand new, state-of-the-art planetarium began to be projected this week as the improvements to the facilities near completion. The 360-degree view in the dome will be able to show images of the solar system, panoramic feature films and allow users to fly through the galaxy using a remote control.

January 28-31 Kindergarten Registration continues

February 7 - BOE / Curriculum Committee Meeting, SVS Library, 6pm

February 7 - BOE Meeting at SVS Library, 7pm

February 8 - PTO Meeting, WPS, 6:30pm

February 9 - Early Dismissal for Students

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The Region 12 community educates, challenges, and inspires all learners to become compassionate, creative, and courageous individuals who are empowered by the knowledge, character, and perseverance to achieve their greatest potential within the global society.

Email: rir@region-12.org
Website: www.region-12.org
Location: 11A School Street, PO Box 386 Washington Depot, CT 06794
Phone: 860-868-6100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shepaug-Regional-School-District-12-153899298123985/
Twitter: @Region12Schools