Chester Elementary School will be offering afterschool mini-courses to students beginning this week.
All mini-courses will run from 3:30 – 5 p.m. on their scheduled dates. Classes are first come, first served. Parents must pick students up at 5 p.m.
Ms. Heather Cabral is running a LEGO Club for 24 students in grades 3 and 4. Students will build LEGO robot models from 4 different themes: Simple Machines, Animals, Sports or Adventure. Working in pairs, students will learn different ways to program their models using Wedo software. These projects help students develop skills in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, language and literacy.
Ms. Laurie Jasmin is leading a Gardening Club that is open to 5 students in grades 3 and 4. Together, they will meet to upkeep the garden planted several years ago in memory of Mrs. Nancy Challet, the school’s former nurse, and to beautiful the school grounds. Students will do soil preparation, planting, weeding, create borders, and continue the gardening journal that was started last year. Each student will also design and make a stepping-stone. Students should wear sneakers for this activity, and may want to bring gardening gloves.
Ms. Joyce Hanousek will lead a mini-course called “What’s in Your Back Yard?” The Backyard Club is open to 10 students in grades 1 & 2. Students will explore our local habitats by studying many of the wild creatures that inhabit our own backyards. The club will look at what local wildlife needs to survive and thrive (ecosystems) and how these animals sometimes help their human neighbors.
Ms. Donna Wyman is sponsoring the Go Green Craft Club, which will meet to design interesting projects using both new and recycled items to create beautiful art. Projects will include Tie dyed tee shirts, mosaics, windsocks, dream catchers and paper mache. It will be open to 8 students in grades 3 and 4.
These courses join a mini-course already in progress at the school: students have already begun work on “The Gingerbread Girl” by D.M. Larson, which will be presented at 6 p.m. on May 31st in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. Students have been working afterschool with Ms. Renee Butcher on this project since early March.
Enrollment forms for the new courses were sent home to families before the April vacation, and forms were due back in red folders on Monday, April 23rd. Each student needs to bring a snack. The mini-courses are grant-funded and are offered at no charge to students.
