Shelburne Community School
Weekly Newsletter
October 15, 2021
Principal's Message
SCS Families,
My message today is a bit complex and weighty. It is in direct response to the reporting that many of you have read about the current stresses being felt in our nation's public schools. While I do not pretend to offer up any conclusive answers to the questions being asked across our state and nation, I do think I can provide some helpful local context. I believe that we can name and own these challenges without being consumed by them. In fact, I believe that in naming them and shining a light on them we gain a sense of control and purpose.
Even in the face of the pandemic and all of the limitations that come with it, so many great things are happening at SCS. Most of these outstanding student outcomes emanate from the endless work of our faculty and staff. They come to our school every single day to meet the variety of needs and wants that our students and their families bring to our school community. I am always amazed by the lengths our faculty and staff are willing to go to assure that all of the students they serve feel cared for and supported. But, even a quick glance at local and national news this week will cue you into the fact that educators across the nation are experiencing a real sense of struggle in the current environment. A sense of struggle that seems unique to this moment in our history.
The role of the public school has expanded wildly in the last 10-20 years. No longer are our schools just places for students to acquire the academic and social skills needed to succeed in our society. Our schools have become community centers that are expected to be the primary hub for academics, nutrition, physical health, mental health, prevention, and social services for our students and their families. We are expected to be in the vanguard of social movements around equity and inclusion in all aspects of our society. These expectations to grow our mission and our reach were daunting prior to the pandemic, but as you have been reading in the news, schools are feeling an acute sense of struggle to meet this ever-growing mission that just feels different this year. But, what is the cause?
The negativity and concern in the news over the last week is not hyperbole. This school year has had a number of challenges that are unprecedented and have really taxed our systems. I'd like to focus on two in particular.
Obviously, we all braced ourselves for the challenges of students returning to the structures of public school from almost two full years of disruption and adjustment. But, if I am being honest, even our most well-intentioned preparations have fallen a bit short of meeting this expected yet underestimated need.
A current 7th-grade student in a public school last experienced a full and unabridged school year when they were in 4th grade. Think about that! The amount of social and academic development that would normally occur during that period cannot be understated. (I would personally emphasize the impact of the social and emotional development over the academic) Instead, students are trying to reacclimate to the rigors and expectations of a full school day and a full school week, on the fly. Our children are trying to adapt back to a system that is built to support the collective good after so many months of experiencing days that were built around only their own needs and their own isolation. This is a challenge for every adult member of our society as we emerge from this odd and unique period of relative solitude, but for our children, in the midst of their social development, this is a major hurdle. We have experienced more anxiety and overall school reluctance with our students. We have seen bigger behaviors and more prevalent classroom management needs. We never stop trying to meet the unmet basic needs of students and families who have experienced food or housing insecurity due to the pandemic. We are “all in” on this work, and we are better resourced than most to do it, but the challenges are real. What may be a real challenge for CVSD or SCS, is likely downright crippling to less developed and resourced organizations across the nation.
The far more unexpected challenge we have faced this school year is the labor shortage across the nation. Without overstating it, I would go as far as saying that this may have had an even larger impact on our system than the student needs I described above. Because, while we are all trained and experienced in meeting the needs of children, we often feel powerless in the face of these types of larger systemic/economic challenges.
This last week was the first week of the year that SCS has had a fully-staffed evening custodial crew. Teachers, staff members, and administrators have pushed more vacuums and brooms than ever before to help meet this need. Our substitute teacher list is almost non-existent. Often our wonderful team paraprofessionals, who are hired to support classrooms, are forced into teaching roles in order to keep classrooms open when faculty members are sick or forced to quarantine. While they are often the best and most skilled people to fill this sub role, the role they are meant to serve can go vacant when they sub. Or, they stretch themselves to an unhealthy level by trying to fill both roles on the same day. This impact is felt greatly in less structured environments like lunchrooms, playgrounds, and hallways where their presence is essential. Beyond para leadership, we have been unable to hire a full array of staff to supervise lunch and recess this year. What has traditionally been staffed by 4 dedicated lunch/recess staff members is currently staffed by 1.6 staff members. By the start of November, that number will fall to .6 as we experience another staffing loss. We have stretched and reworked our systems to meet these needs, but all systems reach a limit. Our HR department has worked tirelessly to post jobs and recruit new candidates in creative ways. But, the bottom line is that non-salaried positions more often than not get zero applications in this current economic environment.
What could you do to help us?...help us identify a few quality candidates for these recess and lunch roles! There is nothing that impacts the climate and culture of a PK-8 school more than a well-run and well-organized system of recess and lunches. It sounds silly, I know, but it is the absolute pulse of the school day. These recess and lunch supervisor roles are the literal crossroads between the two challenges I have described above. We need more than volunteerism, we need 2-3 quality individuals who want to make a real difference and help us overcome the acute challenges I have described. You can find the active postings for these roles here on the CVSD website (they are dated October 4th). These are unique roles that allow a person to stay active, get outdoors, start their work later in the day, and make a huge impact on an already great school community. Share the posting with someone or consider applying yourself. Perhaps you will consider taking on this work not because you need it, but because WE need it. It is perhaps the greatest support a community member could afford us in these unique times.
I appreciate your willingness to read this message each and every week. I always fear that it trends too negatively and highlights more problems than it does celebrations. But, at the end of the day, I hope you find it to be always aimed at what really matters, which is the well-being of our children and our community. These are challenging and different times, and so I guess school communications should feel different. As always, we thank you for your trust and support, because it emboldens us to meet all of these unique challenges and to continue to push forward to meet the ever-growing mission of the public school.
Have a wonderful week!
Sharing Gratitude
I wanted to end this weekend's message with a number of quick-hitting shout-outs to celebrate some of the small victories our community has been experiencing in recent weeks. We are grateful for the efforts of so many, but here are a few timely thank yous:
A huge thank you must go out to all of the parent/caregiver volunteers that have made outdoor lunches possible over the last month. The weather has afforded us the opportunity to have a large number of K-8 students opt to eat outdoors each and every day. This volunteerism has allowed our faculty and staff the opportunity to enjoy their own lunch rather than stretching their days even further to make this opportunity possible for our students. I cannot forget Alison Celmer and Garrath Higgins who have been so active in scheduling and communication with this network of volunteers. Last, but not least, I must recognize Ms. Lucy Cooney has given up a huge portion of her day to eat lunch with our 5-8 students every single day.
I wanted to thank all of you who read last week's email and have taken care of your PowerSchool account setup and the associated school forms that we have delivered through that system. Any family that has not set up their account should have an email from Patty with all of the necessary information to complete it. Please get that done ASAP. While I do not have the updated completion rate for the school, I know this has been a week of great progress on this front. A huge thank you goes out to Patty Spagnolo for her endless behind-the-scenes work on PowerSchool. Our school and our district would not have been able to make this huge leap forward without her efforts.
We want to thank Athletic Director Leigh Petrucelli and all of our coaches for a successful fall athletic season. We are so pleased to have these essential outdoor programs up and running for our students. Basketball sign-ups are out (see below) for students in grades 6-8. While we do not have an absolutely clear picture of what basketball will look like this year, we have our coaching staff in place and are ready to make adjustments as needed. Don't delay and sign up your 6th-8th grade student today.
A special thank you to Alice Brown, Miranda Dalton, Jenna Mazur, Andrew Cervini, all of our faculty and staff, and all of the parents and caregivers who have made drop-off and pick-up as successful as ever this year. Each morning, we have been able to offer a modified outdoor waiting space for students that has felt safe, orderly, and built a real sense of community. Each afternoon, we are getting students quickly and safely off of the property. With so many families making use of our buses once again, these two processes have been easier, safer, and more enjoyable this year.
Finally to our PTO and our DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) Community Group, thank you for persisting through the pandemic and continuing to support our school in the face of so many logistical challenges. Both of these groups have outstanding leadership. They hold their meeting times sacred and provide vastly different, but equally important, platforms for families to interact with their child's school. Both groups welcome EVERYONE, which makes them such a nice way to get involved at SCS. If you want to support either group, you will always find their next monthly meeting dates and times in this newsletter.
OK, that is just some of the gratitude that I have felt the need to share more widely within this community. But, without a doubt, I could have come up with dozens of additional bullet points without much effort.
Request for Help from our PreK-4 Families
- Please make sure your children keep personal toys at home. This is one of our schoolwide expectations so that the toys don't get lost, stolen, or broken. If we see toys from home, we'll keep them safe until an adult can pick them up at the school. Thank you for your help with this, we all really appreciate it!
- We are noticing a considerable amount of debris, clothing/water bottles, and graffiti out on our playground, pavilion, and recess area when we return from weekends and long breaks. Please be sure to Leave No Trace and help us take care of our school (even during the off-school hours).
- If there are any changes to your child's afterschool plans, please communicate these changes to Jane Graham, the Classroom Teacher, AND Part2 (if the change impacts Part2). We need to know about dismissal plans no later than 1:45pm (12:45pm on Wednesdays).
SCS News
Basketball Registration
SCS basketball registration is now OPEN for any 6-8 grade student-athlete. Please complete the registration form by Friday, October 29.Any questions can be directed to our Athletic Director, Leigh Petrucelli via email: lpetrucelli@cvsdvt.org
AMV Photography will return to SCS on Tuesday, October 19th. The intended schedule for the Make-Up / Re-Take Day was sent to all families on October 6th, via School Messenger. Students who missed photo days, as well as those who desire a re-take, should let their classroom or prime teacher know that they wish to participate in this opportunity. If you have questions, please contact Garrath Higgins.
Portrait Ordering
Families, with students who participated in photo days, should have received their order forms by now. Order forms may be returned to the SCS Main Office until Thursday, October 28th.
AMV has graciously offered to support reduced price photo-packages for families who are income-eligible. Interested families can reach out to one of the three contacts listed below, for information about obtaining a 50% OFF voucher.
- Courtney Close, School Counselor, at cclose@cvsdvt.org or 802-985-3331 ext. 152
- Rachel Petraska, School Counselor, at rpetraska@cvsdvt.org or 802-985-3331 ext. 273
- Rusty Surprenant, School Social Worker, at rsurprenant@cvsdvt.org or 802-878-1009
The order form has the URL to the digital photo gallery and student-specific password printed on it so that you may view the photos online as well. Please note, when ordering online you are ordering as an individual and no longer receiving the benefits of volume ordering with the school. Prices online are higher than envelope pricing. AMV is offering a 25% online ordering discount until Friday, November 12th. Please use the discount code: Shelburne25. Online orders are mailed directly to your home. There are also additional products available online. If you have questions about ordering online, please contact AMV directly.
Substance Prevention Month
Recently there was a letter sent out to all Middle School parents and caregivers about the trends we are seeing state and nation wide regarding alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use. October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month and I want to take this time to highlight ways that we, as a community, can practice prevention across all grade levels at SCS. Substance prevention includes more than the “talk” discouraging your student from using substances, it incorporates building skills to navigate peer pressure, increasing a young person’s self-esteem, substance education, proper disposal of leftover medications, and the adult’s keeping any substances (including some over the counter and prescription medication) out of reach and locked up from the young people in your household.
As mentioned, proper disposal of medications is another important prevention measure for young people misusing substances. Annually, Vermont participates in “Take Back Day,” where there are designated locations that will take all leftover medications and dispose of them properly for you. Last year, Vermonters disposed of 4,498 pounds of medication! Take Back Day will occur on Saturday, October 23 this year and you can find more information about locations near you here.
At SCS, we are offering age appropriate substance prevention curriculum and lessons to all K-8 classrooms throughout the year. Those lessons range from learning about healthy and unhealthy things to put in our bodies, including the consumption of familiar foods and beverages, to learning the short term and long term effects of using different substances. We also offer the program ParentIn district wide, which is a great resource for parents and caregivers interested in getting more support with facilitating tough conversations with students about a wide range of topics.
Below are more resources that you can use when talking to your student about substances (at all ages) and engage in early prevention strategies. “Talk early and talk often.”
Drug prevention tips for every age
Talking to kids grade K-6 about alcohol and other drugs
Why you should talk to your child about alcohol and other drugs
Shelburne Recreation: Bolton Valley Afterschool Program Announced
Shelburne Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce the return of the Bolton Valley After School Program this winter! This year we will be offering the choice of 2 sessions, both of which are on Wednesdays (early release day). Students in grades 5th – 8th are eligible to participate and may choose one of the two sessions. Registration will open at 9:00 am on Oct. 20. Please see the Shelburne Parks and Recreation website for detailed information about the program and registration. http://www.shelburnevt.org/184/Bolton-Ski-Ride-Program . Questions about the program should be directed to Shelburne Recreation at 802-985-9551 or email: bcieplicki@shelburnevt.org
CVSD News
Digital Citizenship Week is October 18-22
All CVSD schools will participate in Digital Citizenship Week later this month. Using many resources, including those from Common Sense Education, we will focus on one strand collectively across the district: Privacy and Security.
From Common Sense:
We care about everyone’s privacy. Students learn how to protect personal information and gain a deeper understanding of their data privacy rights so they can advocate for themselves and others.
We will share more information as we get underway. Here are some resources for families related to Online Privacy and Security from Common Sense.
If you are not familiar with Common Sense Media, it's a fabulous resource for families on all topics related to technology in the lives of our children. (reviews, forums, and much more!)
CVSD Community Input Welcomed
The CVSD School Board encourages you to get involved and share what’s on your mind as we begin the budget process for the 2022-2023 school year. This budget will be presented to voters before and on Town Meeting Day, March 1, 2021. We invite you to join us in the process.
Your voice is important and valued. There are at least 3 ways to get involved.
- A Thoughtexchange - open now through October 31
- A virtual community budget forum on October 27
- School board budget meetings held November - January
Please see this document for more detailed information. We hope to hear from you!
CVSD's COVID Recovery Plan
CVSD schools have re-opened for the 2021-2022 school year following the guidelines provided by the Vermont Agency of Education. Vermont school districts are working to meet the needs of all students, especially after a pandemic year. We were required to create a Recovery Plan for the Vermont Agency of Education for approval. CVSD is calling this our Strategic Response Plan. Learn more about the plan and provide feedback at this link. Click here to view Superintendent Sanchez's message about CVSD's COVID Response Plan.
Important Upcoming Dates
(A complete calendar can be found on the SCS website)
Oct 19th - Student Portraits Make-Up / Re-Take Day
Oct 21st - DEI Community Meeting (6:00-7:00pm)
Nov 9th - SCS PTO Virtual Meeting (6:00-7:30pm)
Nov 9th - Music Boosters & Curriculum Meeting, NEW DATE, details TBA
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