School Year Draws to a Close at AE/MS

The AE/MS PTO showed the community's appreciation for AE/MS staff members in many creative ways during Staff Appreciation Week. Teachers were presented with cards which read "We can see clearly that we have the best teachers and staff around," with a ribbon attached. Those who wanted their windows washed displayed the ribbon on their car. The students had fun washing the car windows, and the staff was thrilled. Pictured are Chloe Methven, Katelyn Barton, Finn Weber, John Maynard, Noah Newton, Aiden Cox, and Principal Jane Slayton, all hard at work. Photo: Carmen Bates — The AE/MS PTO showed the community’s appreciation for AE/MS staff members in many creative ways during Staff Appreciation Week in May. Teachers were presented with cards which read “We can see clearly that we have the best teachers and staff around,” with a ribbon attached. Those who wanted their windows washed displayed the ribbon on their car. The students had fun washing the car windows, and the staff was thrilled. Pictured are Chloe Methven, Katelyn Barton, Finn Weber, John Maynard, Noah Newton, Aiden Cox, and Principal Jane Slayton, all hard at work. Photo: Carmen Bates

It is a bittersweet time at Andover Elementary Middle School as the year starts to wind down and anticipation for next year begins to build. Our eighth grade students are ready and eager to move on to bigger things – Merrimack Valley High School and Proctor Academy. Our kindergarten students are ready to make the transition to first grade. And our fifth grade students are eager to jump further into the middle school. At the end of August, we will welcome a new group of five-year-olds arriving for kindergarten.

End of the school year can also mean a change for the AE/MS faculty. Mr. Paul Hubert, music teacher and band director, will be leaving AE/MS to pursue his own music. Mr. Hubert is a talented musician who entertains locally and throughout New England. Retirement will give him more of an opportunity to enjoy his own music and perform even more often. Mr. Hubert has been sharing his love of music with AE/MS students since 2002. There is a plethora of applicants for the music position, but we realize Mr. Hubert will be a hard act to follow.

Our Middle School Band will once again perform in Wilmot’s Memorial Day ceremony. This has become a valued tradition, and we are honored to be included.

AE/MS yearbooks will arrive in early June!

New York City is the destination on Wednesday, May 29, for the eighth grade students and staff. They will board the bus early Wednesday morning and return Thursday evening. The itinerary includes the September 11 memorial, the Museum of Natural History, and Six Flags. The excursion will be a nice way to end the year with our eighth grade students.

SHARE Day

SHARE Day has come and gone for another year. From all accounts, it was one of the best SHARE Days ever! Workshops were varied and all over town. Our students are very fortunate to have the high level of community involvement in SHARE Day.

This year, many of our high school students came back to AE/MS to offer workshops or volunteer. SHARE Day has been going strong under Gisela Darling’s coordination and creativity since 1989. We all know SHARE Day would not exist without Gisela working behind the scenes. Gisela begins organizing SHARE Day in the fall, sets a timeline, and follows up on all the millions of details. Thank you, Gisela!

SHARE Day brought the Baker Valley Band to AE/MS. The 15-piece band performed as Mr. Hubert conducted. The AE/MS Middle School Band joined them on stage and played a song together. Students, staff members, and SHARE Day volunteers enjoyed the entertainment, although two tuckered-out first grade boys slept soundly through the whole performance. And they were in the front row!

The next few weeks will find AE/MS students out and about visiting a zoo, going to the ocean, exploring Harvard Natural History Museum, hiking through the Flume, and enjoying the view from the top of Cannon Mountain and touring local historical museums.

Graduations

The kindergarten class will officially become first grade students on Wednesday, June 12, at 6:30 PM at a magical ceremony. Come early for good seating!

The eighth grade graduation is Thursday, June 13, at 6:30 PM. This is a semi-formal occasion and is usually before a standing-room-only crowd. Twenty-six students will move on to the secondary education phase of their lives. It is a very special evening, with student involvement in the program. The ceremony ends with a slide show featuring the graduates from infancy to now. Gretchen Hildebrand compiles this sentimental journey every year.

The last day of school for students in kindergarten through grade eight is Monday, June 17. The morning will consist of cooperative outdoor games. Students and staff will enjoy the annual BBQ. A mini-concert by Andover’s number one rock group, Long Tail Monkeys, will be thoroughly enjoyed in the afternoon. Students will be dismissed, and the staff will spend the next few days together planning for the 2013-2014 school year. Be prepared to see some changes when students return in the fall. There are several classroom switches to be made as we accommodate full-day kindergarten and additional classes.