BLACKHAWKS BULLETIN

Good Morning,

I hope you all had a wonderful week off. As we settle back in, we are excited to welcome Storyteller Simon Brooks (Simon Brooks, storyteller) and Artist in Residence Kailee Larkin who are joining us to explore the art of sharing our stories. The residency begins with a kick-off assembly on Friday, February 28th and culminates with a Multi-Generational Storytelling Celebration to be held on the evening of April 10th at the Plainfield Town Hall. Simon and Kailee will be working primarily with students and teachers in grades K to 4 over the coming weeks and will also hold a community workshop on April 5:

Community members of all ages are invited to join a storytelling workshop led by storyteller Simon Brooks. No preparation or experience required - come join the fun! Our workshop will be a participatory series of exercises in how to take a tale, and form it into a story that is unique to you, the teller. We will help you find a story to share, based on your youth and/or childhood; or, you may already have one in mind that you’d like to work with. We will edit these stories on the fly in pairs and triads, polishing them, and go over forms of presentation, discussing ‘spin,’ and audience. These fun exercises will keep you moving and thinking and will include time for Q & A. We will focus on stories of our youth with the idea of sharing them at a community gathering as part of a Multi-Generational Storytelling Celebration to be held on the evening of April 10th at the Plainfield Town Hall, although participation with this April 5th event is not mandatory!

This opportunity was made possible with a grant from the Tasker Covered Bridges Fund. Speaking of Tasker, I have included information about their latest round of grant opportunities below. They prioritize programming that brings our community together so if you are affiliated with a non-profit considering a community event, be sure to check them out!

If you have not already done so, please be sure to fill out the FAST Survey below. We would love your feedback.

Finally, please enjoy some photos of our 5/6 girls team (courtesy of Betsy Underhill.) What they lacked in numbers they more than made up for in poise and skill. Kudos to Rhett Darak and the 5/6 girls' team on a terrific season!

Best,

Audra

Audra Bucklin, Principal

603.469.3250, ext 223

abucklin@plainfieldschool.org

February

"COLD" Options: (offered daily)

Assorted Pre-made Deli Sandwiches, ham and turkey. Sunbutter/Jelly sandwiches

Yogurt Parfait with Fruit and Granola

Fresh Fruit and Veggie Bar with Dinner Roll

See Abbey Group Website for full details and to upload funds.

We hope you will join us for this year's Beaupre Community Service Day. Teams of teachers, students, parents, and community members will work on a variety of projects including our community garden (we're adding fencing and raised beds!) and tree planting. Every student will have the opportunity to plant a tree somewhere on our grands. To reserve your child's tree, please follow the instructions below.

IMPORTANT - The deadline for registering your child to receive and plant a tree in their name is March 15. No $$ required but when you register, the site will give you the opportunity to submit a donation towards the organization that sends us the saplings.

• Lower grades prize for participation throughout the week goes to Ms. Kondratowicz' class.
• The upper grades prize goes to Ms. Mellow's 7th grade homeroom!

Parents of students in Grades 5 to 8, join Mrs. Foley and Turning Points Network to learn about upcoming programming in health & guidance classes. You will learn about the content covered and how best to support your child(ren) through continued discussions at home.

Time: Feb 27, 2025 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88119538887?pwd=JLOk9v2O8xhbtpwjwa5FjDbbU0GpzD.1

Meeting ID: 881 1953 8887

Passcode: 656221

Several students have noticed a large yellow box mounted on the wall next to the front door of the school. This box is a locked and heated cabinet for our AED which used to have to come indoors for the winter months. Cold weather not only depletes the batteries but it also degrades the gel in the defibrillation pads and renders the machine useless. With the heated cabinet it can stay outdoors and remain in a warm and ready state. A second cabinet is on order and, when it arrives, it will be mounted on the outside wall by the back middle school doors.

WE WISH TO THANK KIMBALL UNION ACADEMY STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATION WHO RAISED FUNDS TO PURCHASE ONE OF OUR NEWEST AEDs!

If you need an AED in an emergency, call 911 and they will direct you to the nearest AED and provide you with the code to access the machine.

NOROVIRUS

Norovirus is a highly contagious stomach bug that can spread easily in schools.

Wash hands: Wash hands with soap and warm water often. Hand sanitizer does not kill the norovirus!

• Restrict sharing: Limit sharing of food, utensils, and cups.

• Clean frequently touched surfaces: Use an approved disinfectant on surfaces like door handles, tables, and counters.

• Students and staff should stay home for 48 hours after symptoms have subsided.

In health,

Beth

Scholastic Book Fair, March 18-20th (one of our main fundraisers for the year). Mark your calendar if you are interested in volunteering at this popular event. Signups to follow. Such a fun way to interact with kids from all grades.

1st Thursday & 3rd Friday & Saturday of each month at the Christ Community Church; Route 12A Plainfield. Nutritious pre-packaged bags of nonperishable food items, frozen meat, bread, eggs, milk and fresh veggies & fruit. This is a drive thru pantry for Plainfield & Cornish residents. Free Cat & Dog food on the 3rd Friday & Saturday provided by the Upper Valley Humane Society. Please stop by between 9-10:30 a.m. to help stretch your grocery budget.

WHAT: FREE Clothing for all ages, Home goods, Toys etc.

WHERE: Christ Community Church; 1259 Route 12A Plainfield - 1-603-675-5673

WHEN: Tuesdays 9-11 a.m. Everyone is Welcome!

A box of nutritious food is delivered to your home each Wednesday afternoon to help fight hunger. The box contains a variety of foods for the entire family to help stretch your grocery budget.

FREE Fresh veggies, fruit, milk, eggs, bread & proteins Every Wednesday from 11:45-12:15 p.m. Cornish Town Hall is located on the fairgrounds. Everyone is welcome!

Providing Heating Fuel & Electrical Assistance. They also have Rental or Mortgage Assistance programs. Completed applications for eligibility are needed. These programs are open to all Sullivan County Residents please call 542-9528 for more information.

Providing Plainfield Residents with the following:

• Heating & Electrical Assistance
• Food Pantry resources
• Holiday Gift Baskets
• School Supplies Drive
• Community Dinners
• Housing Helper Grants
• Summer Camp Scholarships
• Thrift Store Vouchers for clothing & furniture.

Located at 60 Hanover Street, Lebanon

Call for an appointment to discuss individual needs: 1-603-448-4553

Any Plainfield or Meriden resident requiring assistance for housing, heating fuel assistance, electricity assistance, medication assistance and or nutritional support from the Town should contact the Community Resource Director, Stephanie Schell. Contact information: 603-469-3201 or email sschell@plainfieldschool.org. All information is confidential.

Food Pantry

Residents of the Town of Plainfield can access the following local services.
Note: The food pantry and clothing swap rooms are located in the Christ Community Church on Route 12A (across from the Plainfield Fire Department). The Food Pantry is open the 1st Thursday and the 3rd Friday and Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and warmly welcomes all Town residents.

Free Clothing Rooms

The Christ Community Church has (2) very well organized rooms that contain FREE clothing for adults and children. All clothing is donated and in great condition. In addition to clothing there are also Free household items, toys & books as well. These rooms are open to the Public each Tuesday morning from 9-11 a.m.

Free Fresh Veggies & Fruit

Free fresh produce provided by Willing Hands: please check the Town calendar for dates and times.

Email ewessling_34@yahoo.com to be added to the email list for updates on conditions/open and close notifications

Shovels, bonfire pit, and wood are available. BYO ice skates. Partial lights overhead. THANK YOU to our local volunteer firefighters for filling our rink each year, and to the Tabers for hosting the rink at their park.

New England School of the Arts will be offering an April camp focused around LEGOs and Robotics. Camp will run 8am-4pm and programming will vary depending on elementary or middle school cohort (elementary will be more LEGO focused and middle school Robotics focused). NESA's summer camp registration is also open and each summer camp has a different theme. We can't wait to meet your camper in 2025! https://www.nesarts.org/about-springcamp https://www.nesarts.org/about-summercamp