THE SCHOOL BELL
Williston Schools /September 20, 2017
A Message from the Administration
By Jacqueline Parks, WCS Principal
Good People, Good Citizens and Good Learners
WCS is off to a great start in the midst of the renovation work! As part of our regular foundational work with students, teachers are focusing on teaching routines and expectations across the different settings in the school. All of our expectations are framed around SMART behaviors and all of our SMART behaviors flow from the mantra of being a “good person, good citizen and good learner.”
SMART behaviors stand for: Safe, Mindful, Accepting, Respectful and Truthful. SMART behavioral expectations help the school run smoothly and with predictability for our students.
All WCS students attended a Wildcat Expectations assembly during the first week of school. The link to the slide show will be available on our new website. This was our first opportunity during the year to educate students on what SMART behaviors look like in the school and we spent time providing education around bullying, harassment and hazing.
Other amazing opportunities have already taken place at WCS too! Some teams attended a special assembly titled NameTags with Chris Waddell which focused on persevering through challenges and setting goals. Chris is an American Paralympic sit-skier and wheelchair track athlete. He was injured in a ski accident while attending Middlebury College. His inspirational story focuses on the idea that “It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do with what happens to you!”
All middle school teams attended a Connecting Youth assembly featuring Jared Campbell, a singer and songwriter, that focused on kindness and contributing good to the world through small actions. He shared many personal stories of middle school students across the country that have experienced unkind behavior from others. He talked about the power of the bystanders and how to use that power to take care of each other.
Finally, in the spirit of being a good citizen of the world, many students and staff expressed a desire to support the hurricane victims in Texas and Florida. After a collaborative brainstorm, WCS kicked off a house-based change challenge which will run for two weeks. Students are encouraged to bring in loose change and put it in their team’s container. Half the proceeds will go to Belle Terre Elementary School in Florida. This is an elementary school that has been damaged and where Vanessa Munt, Margaret Munt’s daughter teaches. The other half will go to All Breed Dog Rescue in Williston which has already been in Texas and brought back dogs to be adopted. All dogs were surrendered by their owners and already in shelters that needed to be emptied out.
All and all, it has been a great start to the year! Thanks for your support!
Grades 5-8 Curriculum Night/Learning Expo
Child care is available. Click here to sign up.
Fall Fest & Community Breakfast
Please join us at WCS on Oct. 7th from 8:30-10:30am!
Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, coffee, & juice for breakfast!
Music! Touch-A-Truck! Crafts!
Adults $8 / Seniors $6
Students $5
Under 4 FREE
ABS starts at 7:55
Morning arrival: Supervision is provided in the cafeteria beginning at 7:30. Please do not drop your child off earlier than this. Parents and students can head to classrooms after the first bus arrives (about 7:45). Students arriving after 8:10 am need to sign in at the office and pick up a late pass to be sure they are removed from the absentee list.
Dismissal: Students not taking a bus are dismissed at 2:35 (1:35 Tuesdays). Parents/guardians who are picking children up sign the children out on the clipboards and wait in the lobby for their children.
Dismissal for students taking the bus is at 2:40 (1:40 Tuesdays).
WCS starts at 8:10 am
Morning: Students arriving before the first bus (7:55) wait in the cafeteria (3rd & 4th grade) or the front lobby (5th-8th grade) unless your child’s teacher has given permission to enter their house. Supervision is provided for 3rd & 4th students in the cafeteria beginning at 7:30 am. If your child arrives after 8:10, he/she will need to stop by the front office for a late slip.
Dismissal: We dismiss 3rd & 4th grades at 2:50; 5th-8th grade at 2:55 pm. 3rd & 4th grade students who are being picked up by a parent will be in the front lobby dining room UNLESS you have made a different arrangement with your child’s teacher. 5th-8th grade students exit all doors of the building, make a plan with your student as to where they will meet you if they are being picked up.
Early Pick Up / Change of After School Plans
Students who are getting picked up before the end of day must be signed out at the Main Office. Adults should wait in the office for their child.
If you expect to pick your child up early for an appointment, or if there is a change to a student’s after-school destination, please call, email, or send a note to inform the teacher and office.
Williston Central School Procedures and Practices
Please read the procedures and practices linked here in order to help us create the best learning environment for your children.
Way to Go - Ride the bus, walk, bike/roll, or carpool
Way to Go is designed to get EVERYONE at school (students and staff) out of private cars and practicing healthier and more efficient travel choices. Ride the bus, walk, bike/roll, or carpool (with more than one family)
Allen Brook School will participate on Friday, September 29, 2017!
Will you please ride the bus, walk, bike/roll or carpool with more than just your family to school on that day (really any day would help reduce carbon pollution and help make cleaner air for everyone)?
Several school teachers/staff will be at TWO Williston locations (*Coyote Lane and Talcott Road) on 9/29 at 7:30 a.m. ready to meet you and will begin walking to school at 7:40 a.m. and again in the afternoon leaving school at 2:40 and arriving to meet a parent about 3 p.m.
*Coyote Lane where it meets the bike path and Talcott Road at the bench/entrance to the plaza at Cornerstone Drive.
Flu Information
It's that time of year again. Below are some CDC links for
parent guides and information about the Flu:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/family/flu-guide-for-parents-2017.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/pdf/seasonal-flu/advice_for_parents_english_508.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/pdf/seasonal-flu/what_to_do_english_508.pdf
Recommendations for outdoor school activities from the Health Office
This applies when students go on outdoor field trips to hike, camp, have a day of fun at the beach, outdoor classrooms, “Forest Fridays”, “Monday in the Woods” … etc.
· It is best to send children in long sleeves and long pants especially for activities that take place in the woods. This will help keep mosquitoes and ticks at bay, especially if pants can be tucked into socks.
· Bug / Tick repellent of your choice, applied at your home, is also recommended, but not required. Please, note that bug spray should be applied at home and not brought to school in student’s backpacks.
· We recommend that you check your child for ticks as soon as they get home after time outdoors.
SPARK Enrichment After School ~ Session 1
The 1st session of Spark Enrichment, an after-school applied learning program for students in grades 5-8, takes place from September 21 - October 19. These small group classes will be facilitated by school faculty and staff. Please access the link to the sign-up form below by September 19th. Read more.
Continental Mathematics League 2017-2018
Registration deadline for grades 3-8 is September 22nd (Registration for grade 2 will be announced in October.) Continental Math Online Registration 2017-2018 Grade 4-8 Meet dates: November 15, December 20, January 17, February 14 & March 14 Grade 3 Meet dates: January 17, February 14 & March 14 The Enrichment Program administers the Continental Mathematics League (CML) for motivated students seeking an additional math challenge. Interested students in Grades 2-8 participate in the Euclidean Division, which means “students participating require average reading comprehension and analytical reasoning capabilities. Their computational skill should be appropriate to their grade level.” Click here for more information.
Intergen Reading Program / A Monthly Book Group
What is it? FAP teams up with the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library to sponsor a fun book group that brings together WCS middle school students, seniors from our community and parent volunteers. Each book group will read and discuss 5 books over the course of the school year.
When? The program will kick-off in October with a “Get Acquainted” luncheon. The book groups will then meet during school hours once a month through April to discuss books in a relaxed and fun setting.
If your 5th-8th grade child is interested in being considered for this program, please register by Wednesday, September 20th using this online link: https://goo.gl/forms/bZnLoUydvV0Es6df1
if you have questions, please contact Karen karen@willistonruns.org
Hannaford Helps Schools
For every 4 qualifying Hannaford Helps Schools items that a customer buys at any Hannaford, they will receive a printout for 3 school dollars at the register. This means that:
- 4 products purchased = 3 school dollars
- 8 products purchased = 6 school dollars
- 12 products purchased = 9 school dollars
- 16 products purchased = 12 school dollars
Note: All products must be purchased in a single transaction.
Customers who earn a school dollars printout at the register with their qualifying purchases will place the printout in the appropriate slot for their local school in the Hannaford Helps Schools collection tower, located at the front of the store that their school is registered with. Your school will receive a check next spring for the total number of school dollars that were inserted into your school's slot. Additionally, Hannaford will donate $1,000 to the school that earns the most school dollars at each store!
Program Information
HANNAFORD HELPS SCHOOLS Special Promotion
As a member of Hannaford Helps Schools, you are eligible to participate in a special promotion brought to you by TerraCycle®, Tom's of Maine®, and Hannaford®.
Between September 1st and November 28, your school has the opportunity to win an outdoor garden made from 100% recycled waste! The participating school that gets the most votes will win the Grand Prize.
WCS 3rd/4th Grade Chorus
When:
Wednesdays after school, 3:00-4:00.
Rehearsals begin on Wednesday, September 20th.
The first two rehearsals are “open.” Students can come to check it out with no obligation.
Starting Wednesday, October 4th, students need to make a final decision to be a chorus member or not. Chorus members must attend all rehearsals. (Absences from school are excused.) Non-members are not permitted to attend rehearsals.
Where:
WCS Chorus room (Mrs. T-H’s and Ms. Kennedy’s music room)
Students should bring a snack to eat between school dismissal and the start of chorus rehearsal. No food is permitted in the rehearsal room. Only water is permitted.
There is a 4:30 activity bus available to take students home.
Other Information:
The 3rd/4th grade chorus will give performances in early February and in early June.
The chorus sings a variety of music from different time periods, cultures, and styles. The students will be singing in different languages, meters and tonalities. The songs range in level of difficulty.
No audition- just a love for singing!
No cost.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Danielle Trasciatti-Holmberg (Mrs. T-H)
How can I join the band program at WCS?
If you are a 4th grader
You can join the program in October. All 4th graders will attend a “Beginner Band Demo” in October where they will learn about the different instruments. Sign up information will be available at this time.
Gr. 5-8 wishing to continue playing an instrument
Easy! Start attending rehearsals.
Symphonic Band- Tuesday, Thursday at 11:50
Concert Band- Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 11:50
Wind Ensemble- Daily at 7:30 (am) with lots of days off built into your schedule.
Gr. 5-8 wishing to start an instrument
You may begin taking lessons as soon as you have an instrument. Here are some important steps to take:
Decide which instrument you wish to play. You may choose from flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone, euphonium/baritone, and sometimes (if there is room) percussion.
Job Openings in Williston Schools
Paraprofessionals:
Williston Schools are seeking energetic paraprofessionals to join our Special Education team. We are looking for skilled, caring individuals to provide support for individual and small groups of students in academic areas, personal development/behavior, and social cognition. Candidates will be an advocate of inclusive education, problem-solver and strong collaborator, and a positive team member. Ability to promote child growth and foster independence and a willingness to learn are essential. Please note that lifting may be a requirement of this job. If interested please email cmorin@cvsdvt.org.
Bus Aide
Allen Brook School is seeking an energetic paraprofessional to ride the bus with students in the Early Ed. program (M, W, & Th 10:45 - 11:45 and Tues. 10:15 - 11:15).
If interested please email cmorin@cvsdvt.org.
Food Service Subs
Join our Food Service Team.
Flexible hours, Training provided, Fun and Friendly atmosphere.
Pick up an application at WCS or ABS
Contact Scott Wagner (871-6198 /swager@cvsdvt.org) if you have any questions.
Four Winds Nature News
School Lunch Menus
Please make payment checks out to 'CVSD'
Monthly Fitness Fun
More Links, More information
- PDF version of this week's Bell
- WSD Mobile App Flyer
- Williston Facebook Page
Upcoming Events
Wed. Sept. 27 / gr. 5-8 Curriculum Night & Learning Expo / 6:30 pm / WCS
Sat. Oct 7 / Fall Festival
Wed. Oct. 11 / Four Winds Training / 8:30-10:30 am / ABS Cafeteria
Thurs. Oct. 12 / FAPAC Mtg. / 8:15 -10 am / WCS Dining Room
Mon. Oct. 16 / Beginner Band Demo / 11 am -11:40 am / WCS Auditorium
Tues. Oct. 17 / CVSD Board Mtg. / 6-8 pm / CVUHS rm. 160
Wed. Oct. 18 / Equinox Open house/breakfast / 7-8 am
Wed. Nov. 1 / Intergen Reading Program / noon -1:30 pm / DAML Library
Click here for athleticsUpcoming Events on the School Web Calendar
DAML Programs
Click here for the Bell listing of DAML events scheduled for children.
Recreation & Parks Offerings
Tuesday Early Dismissal Times
Dismissal at Allen Brook School will be at 1:35.
Dismissal at Williston Central School will be at 1:55.
The schedule for Preschool on Tuesdays will be altered. Morning classes will be from 8:00 to 10:15, and afternoon classes will be from 11:15 to 1:30.
Williston Schools
Email: cpavlik@cvsdvt.org
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org
Location: 195 Central School Drive, Williston
Phone: (802) 878-2762
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Williston-School-District-1483758238612170/timeline/
Twitter: @wsdvt