IN THIS ISSUE OF E-NEWS
December 18, 2009


• Week at A Glance

• Update on the Building Project/Parents Can Meet Architect on January 5

• Education About Healthy Choices

• Mini-courses for Grades K- 6 Begin in January

• January Hockey Game with Olympian Alumna

• Help Keep Foote Strong

• Events & Notes

UPDATE ON BUILDING PROJECT/MEET THE ARCHITECT IN JANUARY


The Building Committee is making good progress toward new science and technology facilities for Foote School. While the construction is specifically intended to enhance the Middle School science program, the plans include renovated spaces that will benefit the entire school. The building project will provide top-notch facilities to support our existing program and our excellent faculty. We do not intend to increase Foote's enrollment. The impetus for the project came from both the school's strategic plan and unmet facility needs noted during the last building project.

The budget for the new project is $4.5 million. In addition to three new science laboratories, the project will likely include additional classroom space, administrative offices, and perhaps additional meeting space. The nature of the project and the program have not been fully determined, and we want to seek input broadly from the school community as we start.

The Building Committee is delighted to have begun work with architect Maryann Thompson of Cambridge, Mass. At an open meeting for parents on Tues., Jan. 5, Maryann will introduce herself and solicit comments on the building project. Please put this date on your calendars now. While there will be other opportunities for parents to meet with Maryann, it is particularly important for her to hear your thoughts early in the planning process.

After Maryann has spoken with faculty, administration, maintenance staff, students, parents, Board members, alumnae/i, and Foote's neighbors, she will post an on-line survey device called "Wish List," which will provide an efficient way to gather additional thoughts about the project from members of the Foote community.

We look forward to hearing from as many of you as possible as we begin this exciting process. Please put Tues., Jan. 5 at 5:00 p.m. on your calendars now!

Best wishes for the holidays,

Melanie Ginter & David Moore,
Building Committee Co-Chairs

As part of Foote School's commitment to our students' wellness and growth, we have again invited health educators from FCD Educational Services to visit our community from Jan. 5 – 8 to work with Grades 5, 7, and 9.

FCD, which stands for Freedom from Chemical Dependency, is a nonprofit organization based in Newton, Mass., that provides alcohol and other drug prevention programs for schools and colleges. FCD educators are highly trained health professionals, each of whom has achieved long-term recovery from alcohol and/or other drug addictions. Having experienced the destructive effects of chemical dependency, these educators bring an effective level of honesty, compassion and care to their classes. FCD states that its mission is to:

• Provide students, parents, teachers and school administrators with up-to-date information on the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol and other drugs
• Empower young people to make healthy, responsible choices regarding alcohol and other drug use
• Encourage and support the nonuse of alcohol and other drugs during adolescence
• Teach students and adults how to recognize the early warning signs of chemical dependency and to intervene appropriately.

The FCD educators will host an informal discussion on Wed., Jan. 6 from 7 to 8:00 p.m. in the Perrine Library to offer parents of students in all grades support and guidance in helping their children enjoy a drug-free adolescence. Some of the topics to be covered are:

• Effective ways to communicate with your child about drugs and drug use
• Up-to-date facts about current drug use and trends
• What to say about your own experiences with alcohol and/or drug experimentation
• How to spot early warning signs of trouble and effective ways to respond.

We urge all parents to take advantage of the evening workshop to pose any questions or concerns they may have to experts in the substance abuse prevention field. We hope our community's interaction with FCD this year will serve to foster further communication between our students and the adults in their lives regarding adolescent drug use and healthy lifestyle choices.

Sincerely, 
Patty Chamberlain and John Cunningham

... begin in January and run through early March. Each course is offered one day per week. Click here for complete course descriptions and a downloadable enrollment form.

BE PART OF THE EXCITEMENT

Lots of good things are happening at Foote and the annual fund is running ahead of previous years, with parent participation climbing. Our goal is the highest rate of parent participation in the fund ever!

If you haven't already made your contribution to the Anual Fund, it's quick and easy to make your gift on-line, via our secure server. Just click here. Or send your check to the Development Office, Foote School, 50 Loomis Place, New Haven, CT 06511.

Remember, tuition covers just 88 percent of the cost of educating each child. The Annual Fund bridges the "gap," allowing Foote to continue offering an extraordinary educational experience.

Also, a high rate of parent participation in the Annual Fund shows that those who know the school best actively support it. That's an important signal to foundations and other major donors from whom Foote seeks support.

We will continue to follow up during the course of the school year to reach every family. Please help save time and money by contributing now!

If you have questions or would like more information about the Annual Fund, contact Director of Development Ann Baker Pepe.

EVENTS & NOTES

Mountain of Warmth continues through Jan. 29, 2010. Please bring any donations of coats, scarves, gloves, hats, etc. to the box in the Front Office.
Adult clothing is the primary need, but children's items would also be greatly appreciated.

Check out Footereads, the new Perrine Library blog, for what we are reading now, new books and audiobooks, and other Library news.

Read Together. Over the winter break, the 6th graders will be reading The Giver by Lois Lowry.  Their parents are invited to read along with them and join their child at school in a discussion of the book in January.  Watch for dates and times.

STARS [Schools Together for ArtsResourceS] programs will begin on Sat., Jan. 16.  Be on the lookout for the announcement for these free and enjoyable enrichment opportunities on E-News in early January!

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This communication was sent to all parents who provided the school with an e-mail address. To be removed from this list, please e-mail cmurphy@footeschool.org and put "remove" in the title.