FAMILY FRIDAY FOCUS Dec 18, 2020
RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL Principal Kathleen Kilbourne
Filling their "Giving Bags"
Kindergartners at RMCS
To share with their families
DATES OF IMPORTANCE- MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Dec 21 to Jan 1st- Winter break- NO SCHOOL
JAN 2021
Jan 4th, Monday, First day back at school
Jan 12th- PTO meeting on zoom at 6:30 pm -All are Welcome
Jan 18th. NO SCHOOL MLK DAY
Please enjoy this amazing song/video to let you know we are all doing a "GOOD JOB", sung by One Voice Children's Choir!
Thank you to all of our Parents, Families, Teachers, and Community Partners
Grade 5 Community Service Project
With YOUR HELP
Donated 661 Pounds of Food to the food shelf!
SB Nurse Updates
FLU and COVID-19 may both spread this winter:
Consider getting your flu vaccine over the break to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Visit the CDC to find out: Similarities and Differences between Flu and COVID-19.
PCR Testing Sites:
- If you/your student are sick, please contact your health care provider.
- If you/your student are not sick, but need a test, consider scheduling a test at a pop-up site on the Health Department's website: "Where to Get Tested" or call the Health Department @ 863-7240.
Health Department Resources: (click the links to learn more)
for people
Timeline for people who test positive and do not have symptoms.
Timeline for people who test positive and have symptoms.
Video: How contact tracing works in Vermont.
Return to School Following Illness Guidelines.
Safe Community = Safe Schools:
Thank you for your awareness and adherence to the state's travel and multi-household guidance. If you decide to travel or if you decide to participate in multi-household gathering, please follow the state guidelines and quarantine. Please also let the school know the dates your student will be out of school.
Vision and Hearing Screening:
Screenings are conducted in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, 1st, 3rd and 5th grade (per State of VT guidelines). We have started our screenings and will continue in those grades for the next several weeks. You will be contacted ONLY if we determine that your student requires further (out of school) assessment by their provider or specialist. Students can also be screened upon request. Please call if you have any questions.
"FAQ: Guidance for Schools Related to Limits on Multi-Houshold Gatherings"
Markey the Moose...
PRESCHOOL AT RMCS
Happy 5th Birthday Markey!
Dress For the Weather
The cold weather is here! Please be sure you send your child with long pants, snow pants, boots, jacket, hats, and mittens to wear at recess every day. Remember to label your child’s outdoor gear.
Please label all your children's winter gear with their name or initials for easy return to the correct child if it should get misplaced.
HEAD-TO-TOE TIPS FOR DRESSING FOR WINTER WALKING TO SCHOOL
- Keep your hands and head covered to prevent heat loss
- On really cold days, wear a scarf over your face and mouth
- Wear a warm coat that deflects the wind
- Wear warm, waterproof boots
- Woolen clothing helps to retain the heat
- Wear clothing or carry knapsacks with reflective material - it's important to be seen
- If possible, change wet clothes at school - tuck an extra pair of socks and mitts into knapsacks
Below -13oF is considered too cold for walking--move your walk indoors, or select another day for outdoor activities and walking to school.
Common Roots in Dec....Tea Time!
Hello South Burlington Families and Friends!
As the temperatures get cooler and the days get shorter, some of us take comfort in cozying up on the couch or by the fire with a warm cup of tea. In Scandinavian countries, people call this hygge (hyoo-guh). Hygge is a practice that helps us cope with the winter blues, and almost always involves drinking a warm beverage, evoking feelings of happiness and warmth.
For this round of Farm to School, we brought hygge to the classroom with a warm cup of herbal tea. We practiced mindfulness through movement and shared the story of Shennong, a Chinese farmer who is credited with the discovery of tea itself. This was a well loved caffeinated tea yet folks around the world, including Vermonters, have been finding their way into the wild spaces to gather restorative herbs from fields and mountaintops that provide balance to our overactive lives. Your children can suggest some local herbal teas that they explored in the farm to school lesson or you can find an alternate sunshine land recipe below.
Mindfulness can be practiced at home as we celebrate a holiday season that may feel a bit different or strange this year. Try having a ‘mindful’ snack time by describing the smell, texture, and taste of the food. You can make this simple Lemon Ginger tea and get cozy on the couch for a moment of inner warmth, calm, and stillness.
Lemon Ginger Tea
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
2 slices organic lemon, ¼ inch thick
1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1-2 tsp honey
8oz hot water
Directions:
- Place lemon and ginger slices in your mug.
- Pour boiling water over the fruit and roots and let steep for at least 5 minutes.
- Once the water has cooled slightly, stir in the honey - letting the water cool first will preserve the honey’s nutritional benefits.
- Remove the lemon and ginger slices with a spoon or leave in your mug to enjoy the beauty!
- Get cozy with a blanket, feel the hygge as you sip, and enjoy!
Be sure to check out the our first educational video, Episode #1 Apples, if you haven’t already! Our next episode is coming out very soon, featuring Winter Squash and Abenaki traditional foods. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our new episodes.
Farmer Fae has the Farm at South Village all tidied up for the winter ahead. Although there is not much growing this time of year, the farm is still a beautiful space to take a walk in the fresh air. Come stop by and see what there is to explore! We hope to see you there.
Till next month, Nourish to Flourish!
Lauren Jones, Common Roots - Farm to School Educator
Health Updates
When your student has an illness symptom:
Yes, even a runny nose or complaints of a sore throat constitute staying home for 24 hours and returning only with symptom improvement or resolution. Please follow the Health Department's fact sheet: Information for Families: Return to School Following Illness* when deciding about whether to keep your student home or send to school.
We continue to connect with families, whose student is home with a reported illness, to help navigate next steps and determine when to return to school safely.
Thank you again, for your patience and follow-through. We know this is not an easy time for families as we continue to ask for your support in striving to keep our community safe.
*Click here for translations.
BUDGET PROCESS FY 22
PREVENT CHILD ABUSE VERMONT -SHARES PARENT & CAREGIVERS GUIDE AND RESOURCES
COVID-19 Parent & Caregiver Guide
No matter how prepared you are, an outbreak can be stressful. Here are some recommendations to promote your family's well-being during COVID-19.
Need Help with Technology? Use this link to access Tech supports!
https://sites.google.com/sbschools.net/sbsdedtechforstudentsfamilies/home
Rick Marcotte Central School
Email: kkilbourne@sbschools.net
Website: sbschools.net
Location: 200 Market Street, South Burlington, VT, USA
Phone: 802 652 7200
Twitter: @rmcschool