Having fun & getting creative while building fine motor skills

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More 2011 Grant highlights… Off to the State Capitol KHS teacher Joseph Lewerk’s grant helped students in three American Citizenship courses participate in a field trip to the Connecticut General Assembly in Hartford. Joseph filed this fascinating report. “One hundred and ten students participated in the trip. Prior to the trip students researched bills proposed by Connecticut legislators and tracked the progress of these law proposals up to and beyond the visit. Based on this prior research many students had insightful questions to ask of their current representatives. Students also visited the Connecticut State Museum and completed an enjoyable and enlightening scavenger hunt that acquainted them with many of the highlights of Connecticut's history. By the end of the school year students revisited the bills they'd been following and discovered that very few actually became law, demonstrating the intentional complexities of the law-making process and the need for citizens to voice their opinions to their representatives when they want to see legal changes effected.” Helping Foster Social Skills KIS teacher Lorraine Mcleish’s FOLK grant was used to purchase a social skills DVD set that is designed to help students’ social competence in everyday situations. Lorraine uses the multimedia materials with her students and also shares them with other teachers. KMS Special Education teacher Jean Hemmig, who also uses YouTube and puppets in her teaching strategy, found the DVD complemented her lesson on “Brushing Teeth and Going to the Dentists”. She reported, “Overall, the videos have been a great enhancement to our program. Thank you FOLK!” Bike Safety Week at KCS KCS teacher Colleen Lugauskas used her grant to support a bike safety initiative, Ride Safe, Ride Smart, for the school’s 3rd and 4th grade students. Colleen reported that Don Dauphinais, owner of Danielson Adventure Sports, taught the children about bike maintenance and how that can impact rider safety. At the end of the afternoon, each student was given Gail Gibbon’s Bicycle Book, which was purchased with the FOLK grant. Students were encouraged to design a bicycle safety poster; and those who did so participated in a raffle for bicycle safety gear. “Through all these efforts, it is our hope that students will ride safe and ride smart,” she explained. Learning about Vampires & Other Captivating Subjects KIS Grade 6 Social Studies teacher Julie Corden used her FOLK grant for a class subscription to the award-winning World History magazine Calliope. She explains how the magazine is engaging her students: “This year our social studies students have greatly enjoyed reading Calliope magazine. We started off the school year reading about "30 Events That Changed the World". It opened their eyes to see that actions of one or a few can and do impact the world. In October, the students read the "Vampires: They're Everywhere!" issue. They were fascinated to learn about the history of vampires, both myths and legends, and gain an understanding that often these myths grew out of a lack of scientific knowledge in the past. For example, "moaning" heard from a corpse does not mean they are alive; rather it is the bacterial gasses escaping the body by flowing over the vocal cords. When the bodies were moved, this allowed the gasses to escape, thereby creating this sound— not the vampire finally dying because you have now jabbed a stake in his heart!” FOLK in the Local News (continued from p. 2) KCS first graders at Mystic Aquarium A Trip To Mystic Aquarium Barbara Porter’s FOLK grant helped defray costs of a fieldtrip to Mystic Aquarium by KCS first graders. Barbara reports on this adventure: “It was a great chance for students to get out of the classroom and experience what they had studied in the area of sea life and animals. The first “ohh” and “ahhs” came as we crossed the Thames River on the Gold Star Bridge on the way to the aquarium. Upon arrival several groups ate their lunches so they were free to explore the inside and outside of the aquarium without having to stop later; plus first graders are always hungry! There was a nice picnic area right outside of the aquarium where we were able to eat the lunches we brought. After lunch, most attended the sea lion show in the Marine Theater where they learned first hand about sea lions and how they differ from seals, and how talented and intelligent the sea creatures are. We were also very fortunate to be the ONLY school group at the aquarium, which meant there was room enough for all at all the exhibits and hands-on learning stations. We also had a close up view of Belugas, sting rays and the penguins (after all, our school mascot is a penguin!). My students’ favorite part was the touch tank where they got to explore starfish, hermit crabs, and a type of small shark. More than one first grader was heard to exclaim, “This is the best day of my life!” “All of the proposed projects had special qualities, so it’s next to impossible to single out any as more noteworthy than the others,” said Ahola- Sidaway “I was particularly pleased and impressed with the fact that teachers are sharing resources with their colleagues and that educational specialists are partnering up to to carry out exciting interdisciplinary initiatives. It’s wonderful to see that teachers are much less isolated from each other than was so often the case in the past in virtually all schools across the country. It is such a pleasure to be associated with the FOLK initiative, which is helping support Killingly educators in these joint endeavors.” Teachers at KIS, Vasbinder and Gauthier, have teamed up to carry out a project called “Killingly Connections.” Gauthier’s classes will research and develop material about the history of Killing- ly; and Vasbinder’s classes will use this material to develop, design, and produce professional style brochures for publication. The $400 grant will be used to purchase a digital scanner and cameras. The project will culminate with the placement of our student-created brochures in the Killingly Town Hall for community use,” Vasbinder explained. Special education teachers Sandra Kelley and Ann McLeish teach multi-handicapped students in Killingly Intermediate School’s Chrysalis program. Kelly, who is Killingly’s 2011 Teacher of the Year, explained that the students have been reading about different modes of transportation. “We recently read The Polar Express, which sparked an interest in trains,” she said. Her $250 grant will help make it possible for their 21 students to take their first ever train ride, a return trip to Boston’s historic South Station. Killingly Memorial School occupational therapist Karen Kent will be using her $250 grant to purchase supplies for “fine motor boxes” for each of the eight kindergarten classes at KMS and KCS. The boxes will contain a range of items that will be used to complete 10 different activities specif-ically designed to develop hand musculature that is important for writing and other life skills. “These activities will be able to be used on an individual basis as well as within small groups,” Kent explained. The boxes will also help the teachers to spot students who may need special fine-motor interventions. Clare Hopkins may be reached at (860) 928-1818, ext. 112, or by email at clare@villagernewspapers .com. Page 4 of 6
Tim KHS Class of ’66 celebrates 45 th Susan, Rich & Joyce Renee, Evelyn, Madelyn & Rita Reunion! It was a clear mid-September evening, and the setting was the informal Gathering Spot at Langevin Tree Farm on Allen Hill Road, overlooking the beautiful Quinebaug Valley. About 70 classmates and guests came from near and far to mark the 45 th anniversary of our high school graduation — many from neighboring towns and states, and others from as far away as Texas (Mikel Fiske), Idaho (Gerry Gibeault), Ontario (Janice Ahola- Sidaway), Florida (Ron Aubin, Joyce Rukstela, & Jay Gould), Georgia (Wally Anderson), South Carolina (George Katsapis), and Montana (Gair Lernould). Susan Rees Jones, our tireless reunion leader, had spent the last year working on and coordinating the myriad tasks that go into an event of this sort — negotiating the locale, drafting reservation forms, preparing the site, tracking down classmates. Cathy Wade had spent months locating addresses of classmates; and Rich Rust and family did the cooking, organized by Rich and Joyce’s daughter, Christy Racine. Thanks to the many donated items from classmates, the raffle was a huge success. Rich & Susan hosted the raffle, which netted $251, which was added to the Class bank account. Barbara Joyce Gair Cathy Lee Jay, Ralph, Louis & Richard Judy, Paul & Gerry Supporting FOLK behind the scenes… Special thanks to all 2011 endowment donors. Your gift has helped strengthen FOLK in its mission to support current and future generations of Killingly students. Class of ’66 2000-2011 Volunteer Grant Reviewers & Advisory Committee Janice Ahola-Sidaway* Walter Anderson III Ronald Aubin* Ann Klein Bryan Christopher M. Burke* Judih Johns Elzholz* Susan Rees Jones* Ralph E. LaChance* Paul D. Lefrancois* Tom R. Martin Pearl Sipila McCahill Richard Rust* Timothy J. Schmidt Barbara Crabtree Simonetta* Deborah Arnold Smith Gary L. Sposato* Paul R. Theroux* Kathy Krajewski Traut Cathy E. Wade* Janice Wippert Williams* * Has also served on Advisory Committee Many ardent FOLK supporters no longer live in Killingly, or for that matter, in Connecticut. KHS Class of ’66 Founding Member Paul Theroux is a perfect example. Despite living in northern NH, each year Paul has served as a volunteer grant reviewer, and some years he has even driven down to Killingly to serve on its Advisory Committee or attend the Awards Reception, Prior to his move to NH and following service in the US Navy, Paul spent three decades in Waterford CT, where he worked for and then owned and operated three Funeral homes in the region (Fulton-Theroux Funeral Service) Throughout his life he has been very active in community service, including a 30-year membership in Waterford Rotary, a volunteer with Boy Scouts, and service on numerous appointed and elected committees, town boards and commissions. He currently owns and operates a True Value Hardware and Lumber store. He is married to Terrill-Ann Sargent, a craftier and artist working in Japanese Embroideries, and is father to two children, a son Christopher and adopted daughter Rebecca, With his numerous and diverse life experiences, FOLK is truly lucky to count him among its supporters. Page 5 of 6
Page 1 and 2: 2012 Edition Volume 12 KHS Class of
Page 3: 2000-2011 Grant Recipients Kelly An

Having fun & getting creative while building fine motor skills

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