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EMS Newsletter

March 16th 2024 Edition #12

EMS NewsletterMarch 16th 2024 Edition #12

Letter from the Principal

Hello Edmunds Caregivers and Community!

Happy Spring! Sap is running, crocuses are coming up, and I feel like we are well and truly into a new season, though I have enough New England winters under my belt (all of them) to know that snow is almost certainly still in our future.


In our immediate future are our EMS Spring Conferences! This Thursday and Friday, May 21st, and 22nd, your students will be once again leading a presentation of their learning and growth, hosted by their Community Time teachers. Many of you will have already received a letter from your child’s teacher, and if not, check your inboxes at the start of this week. You can also sign up directly using this link.


I want to take a minute to reiterate why we are hosting Student-Led Conferences, as opposed to more traditional parent-teacher conferences. First and foremost, in everything we do here at EMS, we strive to keep students at the center. School is for kids. Perhaps that sounds obvious, but it’s an essential reminder of why we do the work that we do. It guides both what we do and how we do it. Secondly, giving students the opportunity to periodically reflect on their learning and present their growth helps them to take ownership and direction over their educations. This is especially important at this formative age, where young people are writing the narratives of who they are as learners. The skills and knowledges your children gain in school everyday are important. They are creating the foundation for success in high school and beyond. But this sense of who they are, as learners and as people, this will be foundational for the rest of their lives.


So schedule a conference! Listen intently to what your kid has to say. Ask them questions. The person doing the talking is the person doing the learning. These conferences are times for learning too.


John


The Edmunds Literary Magazine Is 25 This Year!

The Edmunds Literary Magazine (The ELM) is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year! To mark this special moment, The ELM staff will be printing a hardcopy edition and would like to ensure there is a copy for every EMS student. To do so, The ELM needs to raise an additional $1000.


Throughout all these years the publication of The ELM would not have been possible without the generous support of Engage EMS. If you would like to contribute, please send your donation to Engage EMS and include a note that it is intended for The ELM. You may use the following QR codes.


Art News!

Our students have been busy, not only with art collage and art competitions, but busy spreading messages that matter. The Burlington School District Office of Equity has asked middle school students to create art that sends a message about how important it is to stop hating, and instead, start loving each other. They, of course, knocked it out of the park once again.


EMS Artists in the News!

https://m.sevendaysvt.com/guides/teen-tweets-burlington-middle-schoolers-make-colorful-avian-collages-40413569

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EMS Olympics

We have started our Olympic Unit in P.E. classes. EVERYONE at Edmunds (from teachers/staff to the students) is assigned a random country, and we participate in some ‘friendly competition’ in all P.E. classes for the next month and a half - playing some of our favorite PE games. What country will win the annual Edmunds Olympics this year?!!! It’s certainly a close ‘race’ so far!! Ask your student about it and feel free to check out the Olympic Calendar click here (you will see next week we have Olympic Dress up day/Jeopardy on Wed./Thurs. - so show up wearing anything that relates to your country to earn bonus points - colors, flags, etc.)

Design and Technology

Spring has arrived in the Hydroponics lab! At the beginning of the third quarter, fifty seven 7th grade Design & Technology students planted four varieties of lettuce in our hydroponics lab. During this unit of study the students have learned how hydroponics systems work, they have learned about the efficiency of growing food hydroponically, as well as how people have built their own business around this technology. Over the past 6 weeks the students have witnessed the growth cycle of plants and next week we will harvest the lettuce and have an opportunity to try some of our lettuce in class. Students will also have a chance to bring fresh produce home to share with their families.


The students were amazed that we could cultivate fresh food in the middle of the winter in Vermont! My students also know that food does not come from a grocery store....


-Schoembs

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Iron Chef

Congratulations to Cumin Resources and E.M. yeS Chef our Jr. Iron Chef teams that completed last weekend. Both of our teams truly shined, delivering outstanding performances. They showcased impeccable teamwork, professionalism, and impressive culinary skills that left me incredibly proud.


A huge round of applause for to team E.M. yeS Chef for winning the prestigious Mise En Place (everything in its place) Award, recognizing their commitment to teamwork, organization, and professionalism.

EMS YPAR Presents at VAMLE’s Beyond Bullying Conference

We are thrilled to share that our 8th-grade YPAR students (Dona Bishula, Sheena Chifamba, Mae Dery, Britta Fitzgerald, Baylee Lefebvre, Leandro Rodriguez, Ace Rossi, Kaya Rubin, Habiba Siidi, Aven Smith, Belise Umutoniwase, and Zola Wager) recently presented at the VAMLE Beyond Bullying Conference. They represented our school with excellence and demonstrated their commitment to creating a more inclusive environment for all by teaching students from across the state how to identify the root causes of systemic issues that impact historically marginalized students. Their work was well received and each of the students that attended identified their presentation and walked away with an issue that they would like to take action on in their school setting. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication.


When they are not presenting at state-wide conferences, they are busy working on issues of mental health, retention of teachers of the Global Majority, advocacy for our New American students, and an infusion of queer identity in the school curriculum. Go YPAR!

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New After School Clubs Coming

  • Lego Robotics: Starts Thursday March 28th 4pm in the Library

  • Future Me Explorers: Starts Friday April 5th 3-5pm. Learn about careers you've never even dreamed of—like engineering for a Formula 1 race car or designing the software for Roblox. "Future Me Explorers" isn't just about showcasing cool jobs; it's about uncovering what brings you joy and sparks your interests.

  • Ultimate Frisbee Team: We are starting a joint EMS & HMS Ultimate Frisbee Team. Starts Monday April 8th. Practice will be M,Tu,Th,F at Roosevelt Park, transportation to the park will be provided.

If you are interested in any of these clubs or have any questions please email Mr. Nick at nchmura@bsdvt.org

Equity Workshop

Upcoming Equity Workshop: Neurodivergence; Celebrating Unique Minds – Wednesday, March 20, 6-7 pm via Google Meet or in person at the Integrated Arts Academy Library – Instead of focusing on problems and deficits, this workshop will focus on neurodivergence as a strength. We will review terms and definitions and share tools for educators and families to support students on the autism spectrum. This workshop will be co-facilitated by BSD Equity Instructional Leader Autumn Bangoura and BHS alumni and Disability Advocate Eva Edwards-Stoll.

John Oliver
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