Shelburne Community School
Weekly Newsletter
January 11, 2021
Principal's Message
SCS Families,
I know that in these situations, those who are directly impacted receive an immense amount of communication, while those less directly impacted get hardly any. (I can't imagine the text/social media chatter that spirals from it) This is due to our need to be efficient in our processes, but also the need for confidentiality. I hope that this message can provide parents and caregivers with an accurate summary of the facts. Any parent or caregiver whose child was deemed a close contact in any of the cases was contacted yesterday afternoon by the school. Similarly, any family whose student will experience remote instruction this week was also notified yesterday afternoon and into the early evening.
Like in the previous 1-2 cases we have experienced, the number of students and faculty deemed close contacts (and thus needing to quarantine) was successfully limited to a reasonable number in each case. But, due to the need for certain faculty and staff members to quarantine, often the need for remote learning stretches to a much larger group of students (entire classrooms and teams). We apologize for the instructional disruption and overall inconvenience of having students learning remotely for 1-2 weeks. But, showing caution in making these decisions is how we will continue to stop transmission from occurring in school.
The positive cases we experienced this week impacted students in the 3rd, 6th, and 8th grades. Over the next five days, pockets of those grade levels will need to be fully remote in order to provide the opportunity for students and staff to quarantine. We have provided greater detail in our direct communications to impacted families.
As in our previous experiences, this is an example of the virus being contracted outside of school. We have yet to experience school-based transmission of the virus at SCS. In every case, our families and staff members have made responsible decisions to support the health of our school community. Students and staff have consistently stayed home when they had any symptoms associated with COVID-19 and that has probably had a larger impact on the lack of community spread than any other precaution we've taken. These cases were no different, as logical and responsible precautions helped limit our exposure. It shows the type of personal responsibility that has, to this point, helped Vermont to combat this pandemic as successfully as any other state in the country.
We will obviously be both vigilant and cautious in the coming week. We ask you to do the same.
As I mentioned in some of my correspondence last night, the ability to contact trace, and communicate around these individual cases is a huge effort. Jocelyn Boutea, Kellly Marcus, and Alison Celmer do not even pause when being asked to put in a full day on a Sunday. Our teachers and staff, with 12-hours advanced notice, do not even fret when we ask them to transition from being in-person to fully remote. And, parents and caregivers being called with the news that their student has been directly impacted are consistently kind, cheerful, and thankful when receiving that difficult call from the school.
Yesterday, when being thanked for her hard work, Jocelyn said "It's a team effort, and I wouldn't want to be on any other team."
Even in the face of this pandemic and all the anxiety and challenges it has brought us...we hope that you and your students feel the same way. I know I do.
Have a wonderful week!
SCS Basketball Season
Today's planned start of SCS basketball has been postponed.
With the need to move some 6th-8th graders to fully remote learning this week, we will pause for the week and reassess at the start of next week.
If you have any questions, please email Leigh.
NBN hopes SCS families are enjoying the lengthening days. We're happy to share a new collection of ideas for exploring nearby nature in winter. We hope it will inspire everyone to put on winter gear and head outside to discover the beauty of nature in winter!
Also attached is the Four Winds 2020 year-in-review which celebrates the excellent work taking place in schools and communities during this tumultuous year.
Being a teen can be tough. Parenting teens isn’t exactly easy, either.
That’s why we created ParentIN – to empower parents and caregivers of Champlain Valley School District students with the support they need to help their children make healthy choices. Reported substance usage among CVSD students drastically increases each year from 6th to 12th grade. We want you, and your child, to be prepared for what’s to come. ParentIN offers evidence-informed educational tips and resources, community engagement events, and facilitated meet-ups aimed at helping our kids live substance free lives.
You know a lot about your child; we know a lot about preventing substance abuse. We are IN this together. Have you seen our brand new video with Seven Days featuring members of the
Champlain Valley School District sharing on raising kids, being a part of a community, and all that #ParentIN has to offer? Check it out now!!
We are so grateful to Shelburne Village Mobil Mart for nominating SCS to receive the 2020 Education Alliance grant. Exxon Mobil has a long history of supporting educational programs that focus on improvements in math and science. They believe it is fundamentally important to encourage the next generation to pursue studies, and careers, involved in these fields. This $500 grant is extremely generous and we once again thank Shelburne Village Mobil for their annual support.
5th-6th grade families may have heard from their students that there has been a change to 5-6 recess. As we have brought back the entire 5-6 (over 130 students) we have quickly realized that a whole group recess (combing both teams in the same outdoor location) is a risk we are unwilling to take. The ability to address and maintain mask-wearing and social distance in a group this large is just too challenging.
We have decided to run a "Blue" and "Green" recess in separate locations. This will create a safer and better-controlled health environment for students. This was not an easy decision and we hate the social impact it has on students who look forward to this daily opportunity to mix outdoors. But, at this moment, the health implications outweigh the social ones. We hope that our students will understand and respect the new format.
Champlain Valley School District School-Based Early Education Programs
Preschool Lottery is coming soon!
The CVSD School-based Early Education Programs are now accepting applications for a random preschool lottery drawing for the 2020-21 school year. Our part-time, partial days, preschool classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive setting. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) and Teaching Strategies Gold. We believe that a diverse classroom offers opportunities for adults and children to practice acceptance and compassion and also provides a broad range of learning experiences.
Our programs closely follow the CVSD school calendar. Students who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2021, but not yet 5 years old, are eligible to enter the lottery for our programs.
All applications must be received by February 5, 2021. You can download an application here: Early Education Lottery Application. More information is available on our CVSD Early Education Website also. Students will be selected via a lottery and families notified in early March.
SCS Theatre Arts in 2021
We are excited to share our hope that SCS Theatre Arts Director Amy Riley and her team will run a modified theatre production experience for all interested 6th-8th grade students starting in April. Our hope is to run the program from April - June and utilize outdoor spaces as soon as they become available. We would target the week prior to graduation for an outdoor performance.
We are so thankful for Amy's willingness to shift course. We are especially thrilled at the possibility of offering our 8th grade students this experience before their graduation.
A Reminder About Masks
Wet/soggy masks cannot help to protect us and must be changed throughout the day (ie sweating, spitting, sucking, precipitation (rain/snow), etc.). We go out daily for recess and/or PE, and most likely students will need to change masks each day. Please be sure to send your student(s) to school with at least two clean/dry masks daily. Thank you for your help!
Emotional Support Resources
We have faced many, many challenges since last March. CVSD School Counselors want all families to be aware of the support available for mental/emotional health. Read more...
Have you tried Sora yet?
Research has found that "active" screen time--time spent using the creative side of our brains as opposed to passive, unengaged scrolling or viewing--is beneficial to overall health. Encourage your student to read in Sora! Learn more here.
Food Service
We are so happy to share that the USDA has announced it is allowing schools to continue to provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all children 18 years old and younger. CVSD will be offering in-school meals, pickup, and delivery. To read about our program, see our menu, and place your order, go to our district website at https://www.cvsdvt.org/ and scroll down to "Foodservice." Our amazing food service team is excited to continue to serve the children of our community meals that are safe, nutritious, and delicious!
Your child will have the opportunity to order breakfast and lunch each morning when they arrive at school.
CVSD COVID-19 Reporting Dashboard
Buses/Transportation
Hybrid Bus Routes for the 2020-2021 School Year
We have had to design bus routes based on the information we currently have about who will be regularly accessing bus transportation. If you do not see your street being served and need bus transportation daily, please contact Lead Bus Driver, Pam Weber.
Positive Staff Shout Outs - Let Us Hear Your Positive Experiences
We love to share your appreciation with the adults that work so hard for your children. Please think about sharing those good vibes, as it goes a long way in promoting a positive and productive culture here at SCS.
A Note from Ms. Celmer
Important Upcoming Dates
(A complete calendar can be found on the SCS website)
Jan 12th - SCS PTO Virtual Meeting (6:00pm)
Jan 18th - No School - Martin Luther King Jr Day
Shelburne Community School
Scott Sivo - Lead Principal (5-8)
Email: ssivo@cvsdvt.org
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org/shelburne
Location: Shelburne, VT, USA
Phone: 802-985-3331
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShelburneCommunitySchool/
Twitter: @SCSLearns