THE NEWSLETTER
March 23, 2023 (Special Thursday Edition)
NO SCHOOL FRIDAY, 3/24 - GUARDIAN / PARENT CONFERENCES
SPECIAL MENU FOR 3/27 THROUGH 3/31
Monday: BBQ Chicken w/Dinner Roll
Tuesday: Domino's Pizza
Wednesday: Nachos Supreme
Thursday: Grilled Cheese w/ Tomato Soup
Friday: Cheese & Crackers Tray
In addition to those items we will have these choices every day....
Turkey Sandwich, Ham Sandwich, SunButter & Jelly Sandwich, Chef Salad and Garden Salad
ADMINISTRATION UPDATE
Good Afternoon Families, Caregivers and Community Members,
To our caregivers that drop off in the morning at the cafeteria - Beginning next week, some of the staff that would normally be there helping unload kids from cars, will be using that time to run small academic-booster groups with students. We should still be able to roll cars efficiently but wanted to ask your support in preparing students to take some steps toward independence. What strategies might your child need to gather their school belongings from the car? Are they able to unbuckle and exit safely? Thank you for your support in helping our students take steps to independence.
I had a new experience this week…Not really new, but how I thought about the event changed me. I attended Tuesday’s night’s CVSD School Board meeting in-person at CVU. It was a packed agenda that went late into the night (beyond my departure at 8:40). The board members were being oriented to their roles and responsibilities. Newly elected members were welcomed. (Thank you to our Charlotte board representatives Meghan Metzler and Meghan Siket!) Superintendent Sanchez shared about the Strategic plan. There was a presentation from Shelburne Community School DEI coach, LaShawn Sells, about her work with families, staff and students. Retired-CVSD COO Jeanne Jensen brilliantly explained how the changes in school funding laws will impact the communities of CVSD. Audience members shared questions, concerns and celebrations.
What changed from my normal attendance at board meetings was my desire to be there to learn. I didn’t have anything to present or an action item that might impact CCS I needed to monitor. Instead, I went to support CCS kindergarten teacher Sarah Cota and Jensa Bushey. They taught the board about the professional learning some of our educators are involved in this year deepening our understanding of the science of reading and a balanced literacy program. Even how we teach readers has changed in the last few years! What really stuck with me was something our Director of Learning and Innovation, Sarah Crum, said. “Schools are learning institutions. Therefore everyone in our organization is a learner, adults and kids are all growing and learning.” Could we all embrace a mindset of continuous learning? Faculty and staff, parents and caregivers, Charlotte community members, we could all become the model for students to look toward. One of lifelong curiosity and the agency to seek knowledge, understanding and compassion for others.
If you are curious about the learning that was happening at the school board meeting, there is a recording to view (to be uploaded soon).
I wish you all a safe weekend filled with joy.
Kind regards,
Jen
The above link will bring you to a page on the CCS webpage and we will do our best to provide regular updates and information regarding PCBs at Charlotte Central School.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Friday, March 24
NO SCHOOL - Parent/Teacher Conferences. You should have received sign up dates/times from your child(ren)'s teacher.
Wednesday, March 29
Early Dismissal, 1:40 start loading buses, 1:50 car pick up begins. AM & PM, please do not enter the front parking lot until all of the buses have departed.
Bolton Valley Ski & Ride
Wednesday, April 5
Early Dismissal, 1:40 start loading buses, 1:50 car pick up begins. AM & PM, please do not enter the front parking lot until all of the buses have departed.
Wednesday, April 12
Early Dismissal, 1:40 start loading buses, 1:50 car pick up begins. AM & PM, please do not enter the front parking lot until all of the buses have departed.
Friday, April 14th
Wizard of Oz - MPR, 7:00pm performance. More information to follow.
Saturday, April 15th
Wizard of Oz - MPR 2:00pm matinee, 7:00pm evening performance. More information to follow
Wednesday, April 19
Early Dismissal, 1:40 start loading buses, 1:50 car pick up begins. AM & PM, please do not enter the front parking lot until all of the buses have departed.
Monday, April 24th through Friday April 28th
NO SCHOOL - Spring Break!
UPDATE FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
I wanted to reach out as we are seeing an uptick in stomach viruses, strep throat, and general illnesses presenting in school. As a school community, we are all committed to keeping students in school as much as possible, however, we also know that sometimes staying home is best for everyone. We encourage families to follow this guidance when navigating when to keep students home.
COVID does continue to circulate in our greater community, but it does not appear to be the primary source of illness at this time. We continue to have both antigen and PCR tests available to families, please reach out to us if you have a need for these to be sent home with your student.
As a school community, we try to do our best to keep our students and staff healthy and safe while at school. In order to do that, we rely on our families and caregivers to keep students home who are not healthy enough to be in school. Please be mindful of our school guidelines when deciding when to send your student to school each morning and as always, please reach out if you have any questions or contact your pediatrician if/when your student is ill for further guidance.
With Gratitude,
Lauren Calkins, RN BSN
School Nurse
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH THE SPRING MUSICAL PRODUCTION?
Alex Hudson, the Director of CCS’ spring musical (The Wizard of Oz) is looking for parents and caregivers who are interested in helping with set design, set up and other production-related logistics. You can contact her directly at ccstheater@cvsdvt.org.
Last December, CCS received $536 from Hannaford that was used to cover field trip expenses for families who need assistance.
CVSD GRANTS
CVSD benefits from a number of federal grants to support our system. A key factor for some of these grants is the desire and need to engage students, families, and community members in decisions about how to best use these funds to support our students. We invite you to send your feedback to Sarah Crum, Director of Learning & Innovation, at scrum@cvsdvt.org or submit feedback through the Academics Let's Talk button on our website.
You can find information about all of our grants on our website, cvsdvt.org, under Curriculum: Grants. We are specifically seeking input regarding our investments for the Title IV federal grant which is intended to improve students' academic achievement by increasing the capacity to 1) Provide all students with access to a well-rounded education; 2) Improve school conditions for student learning; and 3) Improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.
2023 SUMMER CAMPS
This list of summer camps is provided as a convenience to Charlotte families. CCS does not endorse any particular camp but provides the list as informational only.
CVSD Band Camp - August 14 - 18 - for more information please contact Tim Buckingham at tbuckingham@cvsdvt.org
Jazz Jivin' Summer Camp - June 26 - 30, Isham Family Farm. Available for rising 5th through 9th graders. More information and registration at willistoncommunitytheatre.com. $25 discount if registered by February 15th.
Summer Symphony Camp - June 26 - 30 - learn more at www.VYO.org
Vermont Jazz Camp - July 24 - 28 - for details please visit www.vtjazzcamp.com
ABOUT US
Jen Roth, Lead Principal, Grades K-6
Courtney Krahn, Assistant Principal, Grades 7-8
Beth Slater, Director of Special Services
The Newsletter is published every Friday, when school is in session. It is delivered to our families via email, posted on our website, and on Front Porch Forum. A hard copy is available by contacting the school.