Hazen Happenings

Good news! Our electric bill for the month of December has decreased since last year. During the past month we used 32997 Kilowatt hours. During the same period last year, we used 39996 Kilowatt hours. That is a 17.5% savings in electricity usage. In dollars, we saved $1190 worth of electricity this month.

In three months we have saved $2251 worth of electricity. We have already exceeded Superintendent Ford's goal of $2000, which means the student council should be seeing a nice fat $500 check this spring. Lets not forget the other part of the challenge....we receive an additional $500 if our savings exceed $3000. Keep up the great work Hazen!

Jay Modry
Science Department Chair

Graduating from High School IS a big deal. It is an event worthy of an all out celebration. Graduates from Hazen deserve to celebrate and to be celebrated in a form that allows all to celebrate smartly and safely.

Members of the class of 2008 and their parents are invited to an organizational meeting for Project Graduation 2008 on Tuesday, February 19 at 6:30 PM in the Hazen Library.

Graduation celebrations take many forms. Some will have big family parties others will have no party at all. While some will be rushing from party to party, many will not be invited anywhere. For many of our youth, drinking alcohol is a major part of celebrating big events. They have not been taught or shown how enjoyable a substance-free party can be. Sadly, some of these events end in tragedy.

Project Graduation began in Maine in 1980 after a community experienced a tragic death following a graduation party. Its initial focus was on providing a drug and alcohol free party for graduates so all would survive their special night. Over the years it has evolved into more than that. Organizers came to realize that this was a culminating event for the graduating class. It provided not only a safe place from the temptations of alcohol and drugs but also a safe place for every member of the class to enjoy each other in a relaxed setting.

While cliques, teams and clubs share memorable times together throughout the high school years many in the class miss out. Project Graduation has become the place where everyone gets to party together. Where everyone is celebrating the same accomplishment.

Project Graduation is not a school function. It is planned and conducted by the senior class and their parents. All seniors and their parents are encouraged to attend this initial meeting on Tuesday, February 19, at 6:30 PM to find out what is involved and to begin planning. Parents from the class of 2007 will be available to answer any questions and to share helpful tips and ideas.

We are elated that Hazen Union was recently reported by U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s Best High Schools for 2008! Out of 18,790 schools that were rated nation-wide, Hazen Union was given a Bronze Medal rating, which means that it was among the 1,086 schools that were cited. Only 6% of all of the schools rated met the criteria for the Bronze rating, as one of the best in America for 2008! We are very proud of this distinction and it confirms that everyone’s hard work is being duly noted at the national level! We will continue to improve and this award is just the beginning of what can be and will be achieved at Hazen Union!

With the continued improvement in the NECAP scores at or above the state level, with the SAT scores soaring above the state and national levels in June 2007, our Bronze Medal is the crowning jewel on Hazen Union! Our hats are off to the families and community members for their continued support of educating our students, our future!

It goes without saying that people do make the difference in a successful organization.
Matt Dickstein, Chairperson of our English Department, was recently nominated for the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Teacher Award by a former Hazen Union student.
What an honor! Congratulations, Matt!

Amanda Pruden, teacher of English, was hired to teach during the first semester and we are sorry that the time has come to say farewell to her. We thank her for all that she has done, in such a short time, for our students and for Hazen Union and we wish her well!

Erin Mosher, has just joined the Hazen family as a paraeducator and she will be working with our students and teachers at both the 7th grade and high school levels. Welcome, Erin!

As one can observe from the above, Hazen is a dynamic organization that has high standards and outstanding professionals supporting those standards. One of the necessities of maintaining a strong educational system is a budget that is fiscally sound and responsible. We are in the process of creating the FY ’09 budget and you will be hearing more about it in the near future.

The library has been a busy place! Students are doing research on a variety of topics, from Vermont history to the Holocaust to pollination! Students are learning/practicing research skills, from how to find material in our library using our online catalog to accessing VOL (VT Online) to using the Library of
Congress website. In our information rich world, it is crucial that students learn how best to search for the information they need.

New books are always coming in, both fiction and nonfiction. A few recent arrivals include:
Nonfiction

-Seven books which are part of the IN THE NEWS series. They present current issues in a “user-friendly” format.
OIL: The Economics of Fuel
GREEN TECHNOLOGY: Earth-Friendly Innovations
CLIMATE CHANGE
NUKES: The Spread of Nuclear Weapons
DOPING: Athletes and Drugs
DARFUR: African Genocide
STARVATION IN AFRICA

-Dateline Vermont: Covering and uncovering the newsworthy stories that shaped a state-and influenced a nation by Chris Graff

-Red Glass by Laura Resau. “In poetic, memorable language, Resau offers a rare glimpse into an indigenous culture, grounding her story in the universal questions and conflicts of a young teen.” Booklist review

-Vanishing Act by John Feinstein. This popular author combines mystery, sports,
teens, and a well-told story. The result? A popular read!

We hope you see your students reading regularly. He/she might even have a book or two to recommend to you!

February 8 – Pasta Dinner 5:00-6:30
Hazen Union cafeteria
Boys senior night basketball game against Lyndon
Tickets will go on sale soon. See any member of CLOSEUP or the TRAVEL ABROAD GROUP or call Hazen for tickets. Advance tickets are recommended due to the many dinners we sold last time. You may call Hazen @472-6511 and ask for Helen Willey or Marvin Pritchard to reserve
tickets.

March 9 Travel Abroad Group will have their annual SUPER BINGO. Cost is $25.00 for initial cards. More cards may be purchased at the door. Tickets will go on sale soon.

PIZZA HUT cards are still being sold by the Travel Abroad Group and may be purchased by contacting any member of the group or calling Helen Willey at Hazen Union @472-6511 EXT 159.

Hat hair is back in season. The snow is finally falling, and skiers and snowboarders at Hazen could not be happier. Some dug out their gear in November and hit the slopes during Thanksgiving break. We’re so excited to kick off our season this year together on Mt. Mansfield in Stowe. “I can’t wait for [the ski and ride program] to start!” says skier Sierra Klotz.
In the ski and ride program at Hazen, students travel with the school by bus to Stowe 10 times starting after winter break. One of our greatest turnouts, 45 students will be participating this year in the program. Outside of school trips, the pass allows students to ski or ride on Sundays, vacation days, and snow days. The pass only costs $90 which is the best deal Stowe has ever offered. A half-day pass at Stowe is more than $50, and a day pass at Stowe is more than $70. This season pass is great for students (and parents or instructors) who cannot afford to buy a regular season pass at Stowe which costs close to one thousand dollars.
Not only do the students score a cheap pass for the amount of snowboarding/ skiing they get to do, they also get to use one of the best mountains in Vermont. Mt Mansfield is a very large mountain with lots to offer for beginner level students to experts. Spruce is the smaller mountain of the two at Stowe and is great for beginner students. Spruce is mainly made up of green (easy) and blue (intermediate) trails. Mt. Mansfield is the larger mountain which offers a wide variety of trails and multiple terrain parks. One great feature at Mt. Mansfield is that one lift takes you to the top, whereas at other mountains, it takes two or three lifts to get to the top.
“I think the ski and ride program is a positive thing at our school because it encourages students to continue a Vermont tradition. It’s a way to tie kids to their home state and have pride in one of the most awesome things Vermont has to offer,” says snowboarder Emma Simmons.
A great thing about this program is that it feels like one big family. Some teachers are instructors in the program, which is actually pretty cool because we get to see our teachers in a different way than just how they are in the classroom. The ski and ride program ties everyone together. “In the program, kids hang out with other kids they normally wouldn’t [hang out with] at school. It’s a relaxing environment,” says Hollister Kipp, a skier in the program. “We all share one passion. It’s easy to hang out with new people when we all share the same interest,” says snowboarder Ryan Kreis, who is new to the program this year. George Coultas, another snowboarder also comments, “It stops cliques; everyone hangs out with one another.”
It’s hard to get bored when skiing or snowboarding at Stowe because the mountain is like one big playground with endless possibilities. Skiing and snowboarding are very easy to get wrapped up in; we’re all with nature doing what we love to do together. We tend to forget that we have an essay to write over the weekend or that there is a big test to study for on Monday. Out of our hectic and stressful lives filled with school work, sports, and after-school jobs, skiing and snowboarding is one escape Hazen students look forward to. Our stresses and problems go flying out the window when we’re all riding the mountain and having fun together.
Here’s to lots of snow and an awesome season to come. I can’t wait!

Congratulations to all participants in last month’s “Hoops for Heart” event, which is designed to raise money and awareness for the American Heart Association and its causes. Special recognition goes out to Alex Holbrook and Mallory Greaves, our two top fundraisers. The middle school basketball unit culminated with the “Hoops” event; currently 7^th and 8^th graders are working on their bumps and sets (and even an occasional spike!) as part of their volleyball unit. The second semester senior high classes are now underway, featuring team games, lifetime activities, or a fitness program, depending on what students pre-selected. Enjoy the longer days!

Monday afternoons: Odyssey of the Mind - 2:45 to 4:15 (There are positions open. Please encourage your student to join.) Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Kids apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and World level. Thousands of teams from throughout the U.S. and from about 25 other countries participate in the program.

What makes Odyssey different?
Odyssey of the Mind is a competitive program, but it's nothing like your typical sporting event. The competitive element encourages kids to be the best that they can be, but it's a friendly competition. Kids learn from and even cheer on their competitors. Odyssey of the Mind is not a college bowl or a competition about knowledge. It's all about creativity, an often overlooked element in the growth and development of many students. Kids are rewarded more for how they apply their knowledge, skills and talents, and not for coming up with the right answer. In fact, in Odyssey of the Mind problems, there isn't one right answer. Ever.

How do students benefit from participation?
In Odyssey of the Mind, students learn at a young age skills that will last a lifetime. They work in teams so they learn cooperation and respect for the ideas of others. They evaluate ideas and make decisions on their own, gaining greater self-confidence and increased self-esteem along the way. They work within a budget, so they learn to manage their money. They see that there’s often more than one way to solve a problem, and that sometimes the process is more important than the end result.

How does it work?
Schools or community groups purchase a membership and form teams of up to seven students. Each team chooses one of five competitive problems to solve. The problems appeal to a wide range of interests; some are technical in nature, while others are artistic or performance-oriented. Under the guidance of an adult coach, teams work on their solutions throughout the school year and, if they choose, present them in organized competitions in the spring. The "friendly" competitive aspect encourages students to be the best that they can be.

Tuesday Afternoons: Crafter's Edge: 3:00

This craft club has made seasonal decorations, paper roses, and are looking forward to learning how recover their run down notebooks. Cheryl Vance and our students have really enjoyed exploring old world as well as new craft ideas.
Japanese Art: 2:45 to 3:45
This is our second student lead group. Elianna Hendricksen-Payne approached me a few months ago with a desire to share her talent with other students. They have been having a great time.

SAT Prep. Group: 3:00 - 4:00
Our students have reported that their first meeting was incredibly helpful.

Wednesday Afternoons: Are You Smarter... Committee 3:00-3:30
Our middle schoolers are attempting organizing a special evening for families. Please read the Hardwick Gazette for upcoming announcements and ways you can participate.

Thursday Afternoons: READ IT AND WEEP: 3:00 to 4:00
Meet is Rose Nash. They began a book called The Clique during their last meeting.

Wilderness Club: 3:15 to 4:30
Students will be exploring how to survive if your caught outside and unable to get help. How can you create a fire and build a shelter from items you have close at hand.

It's really exciting at Hazen in our After School REACH! programs.
I'll see you after school

Darlene M. Miller
AFTER SCHOOL REACH! Site Coordinator
Hazen Union School
802-472-6511 ext. 317
dmiller@ossu.org

The Music Department Announces its 5^th Annual Citrus Fruit Sale Fundraiser!

The students of the Hazen Union Music Department will be selling high quality citrus fruit during the first 2 weeks of February. Orders are welcome from anyone in the community. The fruit comes in Large or Small Boxes of Valencia Oranges, Indian River Red Grapefruits or mixtures of both.

Florida Valencia Oranges:

Small Box (28-40, 20 lbs) $23.00 Large Box (56-80, 40 lbs) $32.00

Indian River Red Grapefruits:

Small Box (28-40, 20 lbs) $23.00 Large Box (56-80, 40 lbs) $32.00

Valencia / Grapefruit Mixed:

Small Box (10-20 Oranges, 6-8 Grapefruits, 20 lbs) $24.00

Large Box (24-40 Oranges, 14-18 Grapefruits, 40 lbs) $35.00

Information from the company indicates that unlike the weather problems in California, Florida’s citrus fruit crop is doing very well! A great feature of this sale is that the produce is shipped to us direct from the growers in Florida immediately after it is picked. The fruit will be delivered to Hazen sometime between March 5^th and March 14^th . All customers will be notified of the exact delivery date as soon as the growers notify the school.

This is a “win win” event for everyone. The fruit is great, the prices are great, and the profit is used to directly offset the cost of the Middle School and High School music trips. Last year's sale was a great success. Please help us to make this year even better!

The Music Department Announces its 5th Annual Citrus Fruit Sale Fundraiser!

Small Box (28-40, 20 lbs) $23.00 Large Box (56-80, 40 lbs) $32.00

Small Box (28-40, 20 lbs) $23.00 Large Box (56-80, 40 lbs) $32.00

Small Box (10-20 Oranges, 6-8 Grapefruits, 20 lbs) $24.00

The Music Department Announces its 5^th Annual Citrus Fruit Sale Fundraiser!