I hate to be a bumper but...any news famartin? All of mine recovered completely; by late summer you have had no idea anything had happened to them. Am increasingly concerned about this winter as the "polar vortices" seem never to have retreated this year. OTOH, NOAA CPC is not calling for a colder than normal winter. So maybe there's a ray of hope. The northern tier of states getting snow covered so early does not bode well though...and apparently the Great Lakes never really warmed up to normal temp. levels this summer.

Matt, My wife agrees with yours about the lack of normality. She doesn't like snakes at all, the other herps she's okay with. I think I've got my 2 yr. old son on my side. He seems to have already developed an interest in herps. But he and I have a hard time convincing her that we're normal. Thanks for your posts, always enjoy them. Evan

The report structure is as follows : we have 14 criteria.. when we receive a task ( eg essay), we are graded on 2-4 criteria on that particular task... after the criteria have been assessed various times, a trend is set for those selected criteria.. at the end of each month, the 14 criteria trends ( A-F) are examined and a ratings are given accordingly ( oustanding, high achievement, satisfactory, needs improvement, failure to complete, ) The critiria we are assessed on ( for the letter grades are) 1> Can use key terms and concepts 2> Recall and understand facts and information 3> Plan, organise and undertake activities 4> Present a reasoned opinion ( in essay format usually) 5> Collect, analyse and organise information 7> Work with others in teams 8> Commmunicate ideas effectivly 9> Understand the influence of culture upon the construction and interpretation of texts 10> Use technology to access information and compose text 11> Set and achieve goals through reflection and negotiation 12> use correct spelling, punctuation and grammer 13> speak and listen effectivly 14> Evaluate conclusions in relation to evidence The report contains a checklist of skills and learning behaviors... This is discussed in the parent /teacher / student interview. During the meeting short time goals are set, ( such as working on particular criteria or developing vocabulary or improving writing clairty).. If the student successfully meets this goal and improvement has been made encouragement is given. If a parent finds a discrepancy between how the student performs in the classroom and during tests, it is discussed immediatly.. Not all kids at my school agree with the parent intereaction... ( generally students who do not endeavour to obtain good grades )... When teachers spend time thinking about the student when they write reports, they develop a greater understanding of how individual student learns.... Before acceptance into the school parents are made aware of the high interaction. Not all parents want to ( or have time to) attend the meetings, and in this case the student and teacher do this alone and a letter is sent home containing what was discussed) Our school genuinly believes in promoting parental involvement and participation... This has raised expectations for student, who now knows that more eyes are on them....

2014 - March 30 in Dartmouth, MA Zone 6b, reported by rockman 50. - April 2 in S.Eastern, MA Zone 5a-6, reported by ontheteam. - April 2 in Westport, CT Zone 6, reported by bebe_ct. - April 3 in Redding, CT Zone 6, reported by bebe_ct. - April 4, just a few isolated peeps, in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - April 5, almost full chorus, in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - April 6 in New Fairfield, CT Zone 6, reported by bebe_ct. - April 6 in Sherman, CT Zone 5, reported by bebe_ct. - April 7 in Shelton, CT Zone 6, reported by diggerdee. - April 8 at Manchester, NH Airport Zone 5, reported by thyme2dig. - April 16 or 17 in Canterbury, NH Zone 5, reported by nhbabs. - April 16 or 17, more or less, also in in Canterbury, NH Zone 5, reported by defrost49. - April 29 in Northfield, VT Zone 4, reported by squirejohn. Wood frogs - April 3 in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - April 22 in Northfield, VT Zone 4, reported by squirejohn. 2013 - January 30 in Shelton, CT Zone 6, reported by diggerdee (a little hesitantly) in a very warm spell. - March 27 in one part of Centerville, MA Zone 6ish, reported by girlcat36. - March 28 in Lexington, MA Zone 6, reported by Michael Bliss in the UMass Extension Landscape Message (March 29, 2013). - March 29 in another part of Centerville, MA Zone 6ish, reported by girlcat36. - right before Easter (March 31) in North Central CT, reported by webe. - March 31 in South Weymouth, MA Zone 6a, reported by rich_manure. - April 1 in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - April 1 in Shelton, CT Zone 6, reported by diggerdee. - April 5 in Canterbury, NH Zone 5, reported by nhbabs. - April 8 in Concord, MA Zone 5b, reported by terrene. - April 10 in Danby, Vermont Zone 4, reported by spedigrees. - April 22 in Northfield VT Zone 4, reported by squirejohn. Wood frogs - April 8 in Canterbury, NH Zone 5, reported by nhbabs. - April 17 in Northfield, VT Zone 4, reported by squirejohn. 2012 - March 8 or 9 in Weymouth, MA Zone 6a, reported by rich_manure. - March 11 in South Weymouth, MA Zone 6a, reported by rich_manure. - March 12 in Shelton, CT Zone 6, reported by diggerdee. - March 12 in Glastonbury, CT Zone 6a, reported by ctmike. - March 12 in Northampton, MA Zone 5 (one peeper) reported by amysrq. - March 12 in North Dighton and Avon, MA Zone 6b, reported by ontheteam. - March 13 in Eastern NY Zone 5, reported by mad_gallica. - March 13 in New Fairfield, CT Zone 6, reported by bebe_ct. - March 13 in South Dartmouth MA Zone 6b, reported by rockman50. - March 13 in Bridgewater, CT Zone 5, reported by cloud_9. - March 14 in Somers, Tolland County, CT Zone 6a, reported by gardenweed_zone 6a. - March 18 in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - March 18 in Warwick, RI Zone 7, reported by briggszilla. - March 18 in Southern VT near Brattleboro Zone 5a, reported by cdo_and_doug. - March 18 in Concord, MA Zone 5b, reported by terrene. - March 20 in Centerville, MA Zone 7a, reported by girlcat36. - March 20 in Danby, Vermont Zone 4, reported by spedigrees. - March 20 in Canterbury, NH Zone 5, reported by defrost49. - March 22 in Wakefield, MA Zone 6b, reported by ohsillyme. - April 15 in Northfield VT Zone 4, reported by squirejohn. 2011 - March 18 in CT Zone 5, reported by cloud_9. - March 30 (one peeper) in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - March 30 in Northampton, MA Zone 5, reported by amysrq. - April 2 in South Weymouth, MA Zone 6, reported by rich_manure. - April 3 in Concord, MA Zone 5b, reported by terrene. - April 4 in New Fairfield, CT Zone 6, reported by bebe_ct. - April 10 just north of Concord, NH Zone 4b-5a, reported by nhbabs. - April 11 also north of Concord, NH Zone 5, reported by defrost49. - April 11 in Shelton, CT Zone 6, reported by diggerdee. - April 12, maybe 11, in Hillsboro, NH Zone 4, reported by sagesmoke. - April 26 in Danby, VT Zone 4, reported by spedigrees. - April 26 in Central VT Zone 4, reported by squirejohn. 2010 - March 16 at the CT shore in Clinton, CT Zone 6, reported by sooey. - March 17 to 21 start-up 15 miles WSW of Boston, MA Zone 6, reported by learn2turn. - March 19 in Danbury, CT Zone 5/6, reported by gardnerwannabe. - March 19 in Northampton, MA Zone 5, reported by amysrq. - March 19 in CT Zone 5, reported by cloud_9. - March 19, maybe earlier, in Wilmington, MA Zone 5, reported by terrene. - March 20, maybe earlier, on the RI shoreline Zone 7a, reported by carol6ma_7ari. - March 20 in Concord, MA Zone 5b, reported by terrene. - March 20 in Shelton, CT Zone 6, reported by diggerdee. - March 21 in South Weymouth, MA Zone 6, reported by rich_manure. - March 21 (one peeper) in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - March 23 (full chorus) in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - March 24 near Skaket Beach in Orleans, MA Zone 7, reported by sooey. - March 28 in Canterbury, NH Zone 4b-5a, reported by nhbabs. - March 30 in Portsmouth, NH Zone 5, reported by sue36. - April 1 in Hillsboro, NH Zone 4, reported by sagesmoke. - April 1 in Webster, NH Zone 5, reported by defrost49. - April 1 or 2 in Vermont Zone 4, reported by spedigrees. - April 2 in Eliot, ME Zone 5, reported by sue36. - April 3 (maybe earlier) in Brunswick, ME Zone 5a, heard by neighbors of lynn. 2009 - March 5 on Martha's Vineyard, MA Zone7, reported by Vern Laux (MV Times), read by runktrun. - March 18 in Marion, south coast of MA Zone 6, reported by drippy. - March 26 in Little Compton, RI Zone 7, reported by carol6ma. - March 27 in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - March 27 in Swansea, MA Zone 6, reported by suecirish. - March 27 in Concord, MA Zone 5b, reported by terrene. - March 27 in Northampton, MA Zone 5, reported by amysrq. - March 28 in Weymouth, MA Zone 6, reported by rich manure. - March 28 in Monroe, CT Zone 6, reported by diggerdee. - March 29 in Orleans on Cape Cod, MA Zone 7, reported by sooey. - March 31 in Falmouth on Cape Cod, MA Zone 7, reported by diggingthedirt. - April 1 in southern Maine Zone 5b, reported by veilchen. - April 2 in central NH along the Merrimack River Zone 4b-5a, reported by nhbabs. - April 7 in Buxton, ME Zone 6, reported by evaf555. - April 10 in Hillsboro, NH Zone 4, reported by sagesmoke. - April 10, more or less, in Webster NH, NW of Concord Zone 5, reported by defrost49. - April 14 in Alton Bay, NH - near the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee Zone 4, reported by pamcleod. - April 16 in Orford, NH Zone 4, reported by franeli. - April 20 in VT Zone 4, reported by spedigrees. - April 24 in Saugus, MA Zone 6 (maybe earlier) reported by ohsillyme. 2008 - March 14 at the Connecticut shoreline zone 6, reported by helpseeker. - March 14 in Marion, south coast of MA Zone 6, reported by drippy. - March 26 in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - March 27 in Franklin, MA Zone 6, reported by stoloniferous. - March 31 in CT Zone 6, reported by diggerdee. - April 1 in Trumbull, CT Zone 6, reported by cloud 9. - April 1 in MA Zone 5b, reported by terrene. - April 1 or 2 in Seabrook, NH Zone 5, heard one time only by a co-worker of chelone. - April 2 at the Orleans/Brewster line on Cape Cod, MA Zone 7, reported by sooey. - April 5, more or less, in central MA Zone 5 (on the warm side of the river valley), reported by ellen_s. - April 8, just beginning, in southern Maine Zone 5b, reported by veilchen. - April 11, full force, just north of Boston Zone 6, reported by mdoats (some peeping earlier). - sometime during the week leading up to April 12 in Metrowest Boston Zone 6a, reported by hostasz6a. - April 12 in southern coastal ME Zone 6, reported by chelone. - April 12 in central MA Zone 5 (on the cold side of the river valley), reported by ellen_s. - April 15 in Rindge, NH Zone 5, reported by bernergrrl. - April 17 or maybe earlier in Hadley, MA zone 5, reported by sunshineboy. - April 17 in Fairfield, ME Zone 3(?), reported by friends of claire. - April 18 in the upper connecticut river valley of NH Zone 4, reported by franeli. - April 21 in central NH Lakes Region, near Lake Winnipesaukee, Zone 5a, reported by pamcleod. 2007 - March 14 on Martha's Vineyard zone 7a, reported in the Martha's Vineyard Times and read by runktrun. - March 15 at the Connecticut shoreline zone 6, a lone preview was heard by sooey, but it retreated due to snow. - March 22 in Seekonk, MA Zone 6, reported by shannoxx. - March 23 at the Connecticut shoreline Zone 6, reported by sooey. - March 23 in Brewster, MA Zone 7, also reported by sooey. - March 26 in Marion, south coast of MA Zone 6, reported by drippy. - March 27 in Woods Hole, MA Zone 7, reported by diggingthedirt. - March 27 in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - April 2 in Trumbull, CT Zone 6, reported by cloud 9. - April 15 in southern ME Zone 5b, reported by veilchen. - April 18 in MetroWest Boston Zone 6a, reported by hostasz6a. - April 20 in south central MA, just north of the CT border Zone 5b, reported by circa1825. - April 21 in southern coastal Maine Zone 6, reported by chelone. - April 22 in a cold valley in central MA Zone 5, reported by ellen_s. 2006 - March 13 at the Connecticut shoreline Zone 6, reported by sooey. - March 13 at the Connecticut shore, Westport Zone 6, reported by mskee. - March 13 in Old Mystic, CT, Zone 6, reported by peregrinekt. - March 13 in CT, Zone 6, reported by diggerdee. - Week of Mar. 16 in Milford and Waturbury, CT, Zone 6, reported by jen288. - Week of Mar. 17 in San Jose, CA, Zone 9, reported by terryboc. (I know it's not New England, but the ears belonged to a NH resident). - March 29 in Acton, MA Zone 6, reported by jenfahita. - March 29 in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by claire. - March 29 in Cheshire, CT Zone 6, reported by wystiria. - March 30 (maybe earlier) in Wayland, MA Zone 6a, reported by hostas6a. - March 30 (approx.) in southern MA Zone 6, reported by drippy. - March 31 in Saco, ME Zone 5b, reported by veilchen. - April 1 in Hollis Center, ME Zone 4, reported by costumecarol. - April 1 in southern coastal ME Zone 6, reported by chelone. - April 1 in the Berkshires, reported by ly25. 2005 - March 29 at the Connecticut shoreline Zone 6, reported by Sooey. - March 29 in Little Compton, RI Zone 7a, reported by Carol_6MA_7aRI. - March 30 in Hurd Park, CT Zone 6, reported by GreatbluebabyCT. - March 30 in Trumbull, CT Zone 6, reported by Cloud_9. - March 31 in Griswold, CT Zone 6, reported by janl62. - March 31 in Rockland County, NY Zone 6, reported by LynneNY. - March 31 in Easton, CT Zone 6, reported by LynneNY. - March 31 in Middletown, CT Zone 6, reported my macarius. - April 1 at Skaket Beach, Cape Cod, MA Zone 7, reported by Sooey. - April 1 in Concord, MA Zone 5b, reported by Belle Isis. - April 1 in Franklin, MA Zone 6, reported by Virginiaz6. - April 1 in CT Zone 6, reported by TimCT. - April 2 in Worcester, MA Zone 5, reported by bmchan. - April 4 in RI Zone 7, reported by NavyMom2226. - April 4 in Plymouth (Ellisville), MA Zone 6b, reported by Claire. - April 5 in NE MA Zone 6 (Hamilton), reported by didan. - April 5 in Central MA Zone 5 (east of Worcester), reported by Scampi. - April 5 in Andover, MA Zone 5, reported by sullicorbitt. - April 7 in Eliot, ME Zone 5, reported by Sue36. - April 8 in NH Zone 5, reported by lahtay. - April 8 in south ME Zone 6, reported by Chelone. - April 8 in south ME Zone 5b, reported by veilchen. - April 9 in Meredith, NH Zone 4/5, reported by aspringer. - April 10 in Center Sandwich, NH Zone 4, reported by Franeli., - April 19 in Vt Zone 4, reported by DorothyA. 2004 - March 24 at the Connecticut shoreline Zone 6, reported by Sooey. - March 25 in Zone 5 New York, reported by linnea2. - March 27 in inland Massachusetts Zone 6A, reported by Cady and Hostasz6a. - March 27 at the southern coast of Massachusetts, reported by drippy Zone 6. - March 27 in Zone 5 MA, reported by CStaas. - March 28 in north central Massachusetts Zone5?, reported by Terryboc. - March 29 in east central Massachusetts zone 6, reported by JohnMur. - March 29 in New Hampshire Zone 4, reported by NHBabs. - April 7 in southeast Massachusetts Zone 5, reported by Nayla_MA. - April 7 in southern New Hampshire Zone 5, reported by Terryboc. - April 8 in northern Massachusetts Zone 5/6, reported by ginny12 and Fireliz. - April 11 at the south coast of Maine zone 6, reported by Chelone. - April 12 in central Massachusetts Zone 5, reported by Zootjs. - April 12 in northeast Massachusetts Zone 5, reported by Punkineast. - April 12 in New Hampshire Zone 4, reported by Franeli. - April 13 in northern Massachusetts Zone 6, reported by peregrinekt. - April 14 at the southeast coast of Massachusetts zone 6b, reported by Claire. - April 15 in southern Maine Zone 5b, reported by veilchen. - April 16 in central New Hampshire Zone 5, reported by narcnh. - April 19 in central Maine Zone 3/4, reported by chicken_lady.