Waitsfield Elementary

Above are a few of the fine young people who will graduate from Harwood this Saturday, pictured here when they were in prek here at WES.

Dear families & friends,

Tomorrow, graduating Harwood students will return to visit the elementary schools, reconnecting with the teachers and staff who have been part of their educational journey and helping our younger students envision their own future paths. These community connections that occur within and beyond school are such an important part of the culture of our schools.

A few other community celebrations are slated over the next week.

Wednesday, June 17th 12:45 - 2:15 Field Days Students should come prepared for an afternoon of outdoor fun, including water activities. Water shoes, clothes that can get wet (a bathing suit is fine), a towel, and sunscreen will help ensure your child is ready for the day.

Thursday June 18th, 5:30 p.m. 6th grade graduation This ceremony celebrates our 6th grade students as they transition to a new chapter. Family, friends and the community are invited to join this sweet celebration that concludes with 6th grade students ringing the school bell. Thank you to the 5th grade families & PTA who host the brief reception that follows the ceremony.

While the school year may be drawing to a close, there’s a beehive of activity, learning and reflection going on. Culminating projects are being shared (if you know a 3rd or 4th grade student, ask them about the arcade game they’re constructing), review and reflection on all of the year’s learning is occurring, end of unit assessments are being given and amidst it all, there’s also a little extra hot air being released as we roll full steam ahead!

Respectfully,

Kaiya Korb, WES Principal

p.s. If you'd like to purchase any Waitsfield School clothing, please be sure to put in your order by end of day Friday 6/12. You can check it all out here.

The gaga pit has been a bit dusty recently, leading to this creative recess accessory solution.

Another year is nearly in the books and I couldn’t be more proud of our Waitsfield students. 5th and 6th graders completed a longer-term project where they wrote an original song about the circus arts and learned to incorporate singing, creative movement, xylophones, and unpitched percussion to create a performance piece. It was a learning experience for me too, and there’s more to learn! I posted an informational video about it on my most recent blog post. Check it out at: https://madrivervalleymusic.blogspot.com/

3rd and 4th graders had a too-brief go with recorders after our concert wrapped up. To be continued in the fall so grab some earplugs and get ready for the band experience that awaits in 5th grade! 1st and 2nd graders took a deeper dive into music literacy, mining their repertoire for recognizable symbols and language, while kindergarten continues to experience music through singing, movement, and games, always building their capacity for becoming ever more musical people. Combat that “summer slide” with a healthy diet of singing and musical experiences!

Margaret and Isla introduced the students to oregano last week with a fun taste test. They brought along a character named Stephano and talked about how oregano can be used in cooking and some of its health benefits.

The children sampled lemon sorbet with oregano and oregano popcorn, and shared their thoughts on the different flavors. It was a fun opportunity to explore a new herb and try something different!

WES gear is available to order, for a very short window of time (until next Friday). Check it all out here. Products include tees, sweatshirts, sweatpants and hats for youth and adults.

The online store is open through 06/12/2026. Order now to receive items before the summer break!

The PTA is excited to announce the 3rd annual, "School's Out for Summer Raffle"! This raffle has helped to fund 3/4 ECO, field trips and other enrichment activities.

Here’s how you can help make this fundraiser a success:

1. Purchase raffle tickets on our website!

2. Sign up to sell! Many dates are available and selling is fun! We need people for the following dates: Farmers Market Saturday 5/23, Mehurons 6/5, 6/6, 6/12 and 6/13 and Three Mountain Cafe on 5/30, 6/6 and 6/13.

3. Share our fundraiser posts and links with your friends and family and encourage them to buy tickets!

Together we make this fundraiser a success!

Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff. As always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities.

And Tango Makes Three

Written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Illustrated by Henry Cole

This delightful book tells the true story of two male chinstrap penguins, Roy and Silo,

who live in New York City's Central Park Zoo, and are given the opportunity to hatch

and raise a baby chick.

Mr Gramzay, their keeper, noticed that, “They did everything together. They bowed to

each other. And walked together. They sang to each other. And swam together.” Roy

and Silo also copied the other penguin couples and built a nest of stones. Later they

found a rock that resembled an egg and both penguins took turns sitting on the nest

diligently trying to “hatch” it.

Seeing this, Mr. Gramzay found an egg that needed tending and placed it in their nest. It

had been laid by Betty and Porkey, a couple who often had difficulty caring for more

than one chick at a time. So when Betty again laid two, one was given to Roy and Silo.

And they knew just what to do! With great devotion, Tango was successfully hatched,

raised, and soon swimming together with all the other penguin families.

As always, we would love to have you stop by the library and tell us about your

experience on the StoryWalk® and/or your impressions of the book.

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson and developed in collaboration

with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vermont. Storywalk® is a registered

service mark owned by the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

Want to write a letter to the children of the future? Inklings is excited to be working this summer with the Warren Historical Society, hosting writing workshops for kids to be a part of this year's time capsule project.

Starting June 6th, young writers will craft letters to their future selves, stories, predictions about Warren in 2076, and drawings of their favorite places in town. The best part? Their work goes into the new time capsule, to be opened on America’s tricentennial in 2076.

Inklings is excited to host Miss Gladys for a series of bilingual storytimes and songs.

Saturdays June 13th, 20th & 27th, Miss Gladys will lead children through three weeks of bilingual books, sing-alongs, dancing, and lots of fun!!

FREE & open to all. Time: 11am - 11:45am

Join us Saturday, June 20th, starting at 11am for a day of special guests and musical fun.
At 11am, join Dr. Francois Clemmons, renowned singer and "Officer Clemmons" on Mister Rogers Neighborhood for a very special storytime.
At 12pm, cellist and author Melissa Perley will give children a chance to explore a variety of string instruments.

FREE & open to all!

MAGIC TOYBOX with TRACY MARTIN at PHANTOM THEATER

Open up a magic toy box and discover what’s inside! Zany characters, silly stories, and adventures to far-off places steer our journey through the elements of creative play. In this longtime favorite camp, children use theater, dance, and the power of their imaginations to create characters, simple props and costumes, filling their own magic toy boxes with unforgettable experiences.

* Culminating in a wonderful and whimsical show for family and friends!~

AGES 4-6 years old

AUG. 17-21

Monday-Friday, 9-12pm, Phantom Theater, (Edgcomb Barn, corner of airport and dump roads, Warren)

$275 for the week

sibling rates apply

scholarships available

for more info + to register please contact

tracy@madriver.com

Wed. June 17th: Field Day. 12:45-2:15

Thurs. June 18th: 6th grade graduation 5:30pm

Fri. June 19th: Last Day of School. Dismissal at 11:30am.

2025-2026 School Calendar

Website: https://www.waitsfieldschool.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waitsfieldschool/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=waitsfield%20elementary%20school

Phone: 802-496-3643

Location: 3951 Main Street, Waitsfield, VT