Thetford Town Newsletter

No. 23 January 2006

TOWN CLERK NOTES

2006 Election & Voter Information

Deadline for Petitions Requesting Articles for Warning:
January 23, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.
Town Hall

Deadline for Nominating Petitions:
January 27, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.
Town Hall

Deadline for New Applications to the Voter Checklist:
February 27, 2006 at noon
Town offices open from 10:00 a.m. to noon

Deadline to Request Absentee Australian Ballots:
(for yourself, or on behalf of another voter)
March 6, 2006 until 5 pm
Town offices open special hours -  10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Annual Town & School  Meeting
March 4, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.
Anderson Hall, Thetford Academy

Australian Ballot Budget Vote
March 7, 2006
Town Hall
Polls open 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE

School Budget Discussion January 10^th: The School Board would appreciate your input for the 2006-2007 budgeting process. We have scheduled time to hear from community members on school budget issues at the 7:00 pm meeting on Tuesday, January 10^th in the TES Art Room. Public participation is encouraged.

Other Items: The most important objective of the Board this year, beyond the regular business of policy and budget, is establishing a 3-year Vision and Strategic Plan for 2006-2009. This committee is being formed and will begin active work in February. Reminder: The School Board regularly meets the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of every month at 7 pm at TES. Meetings are open to the public.

Submitted by Darrin Clement

LATHAM LIBRARY
Do you know Latham Library has wireless internet? Bring your laptop into the library, on the Green or in the library parking lot to do your internet surfing.
We heard your request for more bestsellers, books on tape and DVD's. Stop in and see what new material we've added to the collection.
Submitted by Maureen Morse

HOME WEATHERIZATION WORKSHOP

The Thetford Energy Committee and Sustainable Energy Resource Group are planning
a weatherization workshop, tentatively scheduled for Sat. Jan. 21st.  The
workshop will help teach homeowners the concepts and practical skills for saving
energy through home weatherization.  Those interested in volunteering for the
Thetford Home Energy Assistance Team, which will help install weatherization
measures in homes of folks who need assistance, are also encouraged to attend.

The weatherization workshop will be led by Lee Wood, an Energy Caseworker for
Efficiency Vermont who is implementing weatherization measures in mobile homes,
and Bob Walker, SERG director and a certified Home Performance Specialist.  The
Time and Place of the workshop is to be announced.  If you are interested in participating in the workshop, contact SERG@valley.net or 802-785-4126 for more information.

Submitted by Bob Walker
Sustainable Energy Resource Group

TA NOTES

Wednesday January 4 the biannual presentation of the Sophomore Anthology Reading will take place from 7:35-9:00am in Rooms 1 and 2 in the White Building. First semester 10th grade English students will present their personal anthologies, hand-crafted books of selected works on a central theme. Parents and community members are invited to attend and to join students for refreshments and an exhibit of the anthologies following the readings.

The TA Winter Choral Concert will be held at 4pm on January 7 in Anderson Hall. The snow date is January 8. Enjoy a beautiful performance of TA harmony.

Sunday basketball and dodgeball at TA are happening!   The gym is open for basketball every Sunday from 9-noon and dodgeball from 1-3pm. All ages are welcome. (A small fee is collected.) Keep moving now till spring!!

The next evening of "Talk with TA" will be January 12 at 6pm in the TA library. Join Trustees for a question and information session, followed by the quarterly meeting of the full Board of Trustees. All are invited to attend.

Hurray!! The Ten Minute Play Festival happens again--this time January 12, 13, and 14 at 7:00pm, and a matinee performance on Sunday January 15 at 4:00pm. This is a perennial favorite and often a sell-out; plan to make reservations at 785-4805.

Founders' Day this year will be February 3, with a snow date of February 2. The theme this year is "Styles of Music;" come watch the students and faculty participate in interclass competition and mayhem.

TA, in conjunction with The Vermont Rural Partnership, collected and delivered a huge tractor trailer load of school supplies, furniture, clothing, computers and other equipment, food, and monetary contributions to Varnado, Louisiana, which was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Thanks to all the community members who generously donated to the cause. Our recipients were very grateful.

Happy New Year to everyone - from all of us at Thetford Academy.  We hope you will join us as often as possible -- for a basketball game, a choral concert, a student reading or more.  We welcome community members and friends at our school; we hope to see you in 2006!

Submitted by Wendy Cole

DIVERSITY BOOK GROUP

The next meeting of the Diversity Book Group will be on Monday, January 9 at 6:30pm when we will be discussing Harriet McBryde Johnson’s Too Late to Die Young: Nearly True Tales from a Life.

Latham Library has extra copies of the book, so if you don't have a copy please feel free to check out the book from Latham.

Latham Library Hours

· Monday: 2:00 - 8:30 PM

· Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 2:00 - 5:00PM

· Friday: 9:00 - 5:00

· Saturday: 10:00 - 1:00

Future Meetings:

Monday, February 13: 6:30 pm

Book: A.J. Verdelle, The Good Negress

Monday, March 13: 6:30 pm

Book: Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake

Monday, April 24: 6:30 pm

Book: Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum

Submitted by Jo Ann Woodsum

THETFORD TOWN NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION INFORMATION

The deadline for submissions is the 20th of each month. Send news including contact name and telephone number to Cathee Clement at 785-2668 or turtlepond@netzero.net.

Please list Thetford Town Newsletter in the subject line.