Dear Families and Colleagues,

Please join me in congratulating Hazel Schuft, first place finisher in the final round of this year’s Wilkins School National Geographic Geography Bee. The final event took place in the multipurpose room at Wilkins School on Thursday, January 10th.  The second place finisher was Andrew Emond.  After completing the school bee, Hazel took an online exam, the results of which will determine if she continues on to the state level competition. Best wishes to Hazel as she forges ahead in the process and congratulations to all of the other finalists who tackled some very challenging questions while they faced their classmates and family members who sat in the audience. The additional finalists included: Gideon Allen, Charles Baeza, Patrick Casey, Jonas Guarrera, Haider Iqbal, Tyler Lupoli, Thomas Purvis, and Ethan Schneider. Thank you to Mrs. Richardson and Mrs. Ladeau who organized the entire event and special thanks to all of our fourth-grade teachers and the families of the finalists who supported the children in reaching this level. The Geography Bee takes place nation-wide and is open to students in grades four to eight. Participation and exposure to this competition at Clark-Wilkins School provides students with an opportunity to experience the competition first-hand and prepares them for future competitions that will take place at Amherst Middle School.

Mrs. Gail Polio, technology integrator and Invention Convention Coordinator, met with our prospective K-4 young inventors this week to introduce the Invention Convention program. A meeting has been scheduled for students and their families on Wednesday, January 16th  at 4:30 PM at Wilkins MPR, to review the new online Intent to Invent registration, and the guidelines and expectations for the annual “Clark-Wilkins School Invention Convention” that will take place on the evening of February 19th. Mrs. Polio will be assisted by Mrs. Strauss, library-media specialist, and Mrs. DeFranco in planning and coordinating all of the details connected to this event that encourages creative thinking, problem-solving, and productive learning. Beginning this year there will be online registration through the Clark Wilkins website beginning at 5:00 pm Jan 16 and closing Feb 8. Adult volunteers are needed to be judges for the big night’s awards. Excitement, creativity, collegiality, and students await! Please contact Mrs. Polio via email to volunteer or participant questions at gpolio@sprise.com.

Mark your calendars as a federal holiday and no-school day on Monday, January 21st, as we all observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in recognition of Dr. King’s birthday. In advance of and following the holiday, many of our teachers will be leading their students in discussions about civil rights, how those rights have been identified, and what steps many groups and individuals have taken to protect our civil rights. The day provides a timely opportunity for all of us to reflect upon many of the rights we possess and that we sometimes take for granted. Our students find themselves very engaged in learning about topics ranging from school segregation to suffragettes that expand and enhance their learning of civics and civic responsibility.

Next week’s edition of The Villager will provide information about our upcoming Kindness Assembly, scheduled for February 15th and The Great Kindness Challenge. Below you will find information about how students and staff at Clark School will be celebrating Kindness and becoming “Bucket Fillers” in the coming days and weeks.

Enjoy your weekend,

Respectfully submitted by Nicola Fraley, Principal