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Region In Review
December 22, 2022
Students and staff across all elementary schools were cozy and comfortable on December 9th! PJs of many colors and characters were worn to school to support kids with cancer at the Connecticut Children’s Hospital.
Each year, the hospital encourages schools and organizations to wear their pajamas and donate one dollar. The commitment to this cause was amazing with representation from every town in Connecticut! Our schools showed care and support by raising approximately $775.00 to honor the many children who are fighting cancer.
Cultures Around the World
Region 12’s elementary schools have been celebrating Cultures Around the World this month. This was a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about a new culture with students from multiple grades.
Burnham School students were active participants in the learning activities pertaining to the celebration of Hanukkah. There was so much excitement while students created menorahs during a STEM activity. It was wonderful seeing the different ways students used materials to create their menorahs. Students also played dreidel and had a scavenger hunt looking for items that are symbolic of the holiday. In addition, some of our students took on a leadership role by sharing their family traditions and how they celebrate Hanukkah at home.
Booth Free School celebrated the Festival of Lights, Diwali. Diwali, or Dipawali, is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. Students learned about why Diwali is so important and some of the fun traditions. They danced to traditional songs while playing a game, which is a variation of musical chairs. Students also made their own “diyas”, which are clay bowls with a candle in the center, so that they could celebrate the Festival of Lights at home. There were also art activities where students decorated mandalas and took a virtual field trip to India to learn more about their culture and Diwali traditions.
Washington Primary School students “traveled” to Mexico. PreK through fifth grade students explored culture and traditions as they rotated through several learning activities. Students learned important facts about Mexico and delved into traditional activities like La Prinola and danced the Mexican Hat Dance. Some students became chefs by learning how to make tortillas and guacamole from scratch while others learned to be architects and built pyramids with blocks and boxes to represent the Mayan Ruins. Learning about the language was also a high point. Students used simple Spanish words and phrases and practiced communicating with one another.
Through these many experiences, students broadened their understanding and appreciation of the rich diversity that our world offers to all of us. Special thanks to all the staff and volunteers whose creativity and support made learning about new cultures possible for our elementary students.
High School Winter Concert
On December 6, 2022, high school band and chorus students from Shepaug Valley School performed the Winter Concert.
Middle School Winter Concert
Shepaug’s talent-filled middle school chorus and band students staged a wonderful Winter Concert, performing festive classics and pop hits. Thank you for a fantastic evening of uplifting music, beautiful voices and holiday cheer!
Quadratic
Students in Mrs. Blum's Algebra II class worked on a Performance Task after completing Chapter 1 on Quadratic Functions. The task related to a real-world application of quadratic functions. Students examined the path of a projectile and modeled its motion with a quadratic function.
Students investigated the relationship between the path traveled by projectiles and quadratic functions. In nature, projectiles such as catapults and tossed footballs follow a parabolic path. This path can be explained mathematically by a quadratic function.
Students worked in groups launching a tennis ball an unknown distance and determining the quadratic function that describes the path of the ball knowing only how long it took. The quadratic function determined was compared to the theoretical model to see how closely they resembled one another.
A Year In Review
Students from Region 12 started the 2022-23 school year with an abundance of energy for learning and a passion for positivity and friendship.
Engineering Health
Sixth-grade students design, build and test orthotic devices for patients with cerebral palsy as they explore biomedical engineering.
Senior Project Spotlight
Andre Gamelin - To Be a Successful Outdoorsman
Andre Gamelin's senior project is called "To Be a Successful Outdoorsman." He is building on existing knowledge and skills in camping, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor pursuits. Andre is creating a test plot for deer activity on his family's property in Roxbury. He is studying how to optimize the management of the space, and this involves removing invasive plants, bringing in "deer-friendly" plants, and modifying the landscape for bedding. Andre says "he just likes being outside," and he's looking forward to improving his hunting skills during turkey season. He will also conduct an archery demonstration at Shepaug in the spring.
Nick Sibbitt - Buying & Selling for Charity
Nick Sibbitt's senior project is called "Buying & Selling for Charity." Nick has helped his father manage an eBay site for many years. So it was a good fit for Nick to launch his own account, with the proceeds of sales going to support a local animal welfare society. Nick sells collectibles such as figurines, books, video games, action figures, etc. He specializes in niche pop-culture domains, such as Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, and others. Nick has a lot of strategies for obtaining inventory with quick resale value. He says his job at Savers helps him spot good items. He also goes to estate and tag sales, The Elephant's Trunk, and online vendors. Nick says he enjoys "the mystery" of his project, because "you never know what you're going to find." Check out his eBay account to support his work.
Fliers & Upcoming Events
Region 12 Calendar
December 22nd - Early Dismissal for Students Only
December 23rd - January 2nd - Holiday Recess
January 9th - Curriculum & Educational Programming Committee Meeting, SVS, 6pm
January 9th - SVS PTO Meeting, 6:30pm
January 9th - Board of Education Meeting, SVS, 7pm
January 10th - WPS PTO Meeting, 6:30pm
January 12th - Burnham PTO Meeting, 3:30pm
January 12th - Unified Elementary Concert, SVS, 7pm
January 17th - BFS PTO Meeting, 4:30pm
January 23rd - Finance & Operations Committee Meeting, SVS, 5:30pm
Follow Region 12 on our social media channels for updates and information!
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