Dear Students and Family Members,

I am thrilled to embark on my seventh year of teaching within the EWSD community. I recently received my Master’s in Education through the Art of Education University. Social-emotional learning (SEL) in the Visual Arts was the focus of my coursework. I graduated with a BA in Art from Central Connecticut State University and have a Level II VT Educator's License. 

I strongly believe in SEL and the facilitation of differentiated instruction, academic choice, and arts integration. I adapt Responsive Classroom strategies and approaches to set clear routines and expectations. I look forward to planning meaningful art events and activities inside and outside the classroom. I will celebrate, motivate, and advocate for all students as they grow through the arts and become confident, self-seeking learners.

Building relationships in the classroom will be my focus over the next several months, and I plan to connect and work with families and community members. If you have any questions or concerns or want to discuss specific needs for your child, please email me at cgengras@ewsd.org.  If you prefer a phone call, I am available at Hiawatha on Tuesdays and Fridays and a half-day on Wednesdays.

Thank you, and here’s to another creative year!

Best,

Cassandra Gengras
Art Educator 🎨
cgengras@ewsd.org
802-878-1384 (Extension 4238)

• Class Photos

• Instagram: @ewsd_arts

• YouTube Page

• Remoting Learning Info

Fine Arts Night was a great success! Thank you for supporting the arts and our school. Students love sharing their artwork, and it was an excellent opportunity for our artists to be inspired by others.

In art class, students are finishing up glazing their pottery. The pieces coming out of the kiln are gorgeous! Students worked so hard on their ceramic projects, and it shows.

This week students made solar eclipse-inspired art! They used chalk and blending strategies to create beautiful masterpieces.

The deadline for ordering Square1Art products is Friday, April 19th. You can still order products after the deadline date. However, the profits will only contribute to our fundraiser if ordered before the deadline. Please get in touch with Gillian at Gillian_Bergeron@ca2.uscourts.gov with any questions or concerns about the ordering process. Again, thank you for supporting our students and the arts.

Kindergarten and first-grade artists/scientists are using their color wheels to study color theory. Students started by creating a dot study to experiment with mixing primary and secondary colors. Now, they are using what they have learned in their artistic work.

Second-graders are still working with their puppets and classroom teachers as third graders begin their art integration project. They will combine their knowledge about creatures of the sea with sculpture as they start a paper mache project. Students spent their last session planning their designs, and this week, they will work with the art element, form, as they begin to build their base structure. Then, the paper mache fun will begin!

Grades two and three artists are finishing up their rya knot tapestries. Although some students were excited to bring their tapestries home, many of these masterpieces hang in the Hiawatha hallways. Soon, some will make their way to the town offices.

Hiawatha artists in kindergarten and first grade have been learning about figure drawing. To help them draw the human figure better, students have discovered how to break down each body part into simple shapes- like on the artist's manikin. Then, students take turns modeling as their classmates draw them using those shapes. Some students use a puzzle to help them. Students have had a blast being models and drawing people more realistically.

First-grade students have been learning about how kids worldwide get books in their classrooms. They designed and decorated 'My Free Little Library' boxes to celebrate this learning.

Each student was asked to focus on a specific country and create symbols and ideas to represent how kids get books in that country. They sketched out those ideas and then practiced painting with acrylic paints. Students now are painting the actual wood boxes.

I thank the volunteers who built these boxes and Lowe's for donating the materials!

ROY G. BIV

I wanted to share this link to the ROY G. BIV youtube song/video by They Might Be Giants. Students seemed to really enjoy it when I played it in art class last week! Since we aren't supposed to sing along in school, I thought it might be nice to access the video from home. Enjoy! : )