THE SCHOOL BELL
Williston School District /April 8, 2015
A Message from the Administration
The Vermont-NEA Angelo Dorta Award
by Walter Nardelli, District Principal
Vermont-NEA believes that all students deserve the highest quality education and that the single most essential ingredient is a caring, competent, and qualified teacher who is supported by skilled and committed school support staff. Expert teachers who understand both the subjects they teach and the children they teach make the most important difference in student achievement.
Therefore, Vermont-NEA will select and honor one of its active members each year in order to celebrate teaching excellence, public education, and our dedicated school workforce. The Angelo J. Dorta Award for Teaching Excellence will be presented annually.
The Award, which carries with it a $1,000 cash prize, will recognize, reward, and promote excellence in public school teaching and underscore high standards of service to students and to the teaching profession. The winner will represent Vermont in the national competition for the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, which pays the winner $25,000.
Selection Process:
Selection of the award recipient will be made at the state level by the Angelo J. Dorta Teaching Excellence Award Selection Panel.
Criteria:
Nominations are judged according to the criteria listed below.
1. Professional Practice
2. Advocacy for the Profession
3. Community Engagement
4. Leadership in Professional Development
5. Attention to Diversity
6. Résumé
7. Nominee's Statement
8. Letters of Endorsement
This year’s winner of the Angelo Dorta Award for Teaching Excellence is our own SHARON DAVISON. Congratulations Sharon!
WSD presents GREASE
Placement Process for 2015-2016
It's that time of year when the school starts planning for next year's student placements. If your child is in one of the grades that will be transitioning to a new team and teacher next year (Kindergarten, grade 2 or 4), we would like your input to help us make better decisions on behalf of all the children.
To find information about the placement process and the input form please click on this link 2015-2016 Placement Input, or go to the schools' web site (www.wsdvt.org) and click on the headline link or navigate to the School Counselor page.
We look forward to hearing from you by April 17th.
2015 Graduation Planning Meeting Kick-Off
Calling all 8th grade parents interested in making this year’s graduation a special occasion for all. If you would like to be a part of the Graduation Planning Committee please mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 29th from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM and join Principal Jackie Parks in the WCS dining room for the first 2015 Graduation planning meeting. If you have questions please email Jackie Parks, jparks@cssu.org.
Art Show at DAML
George Russell, Joey Merola, John Kerbaugh, Naysan Camillo-Castillo, Avery Hartman-Ferland, Alex Zuchowski, Julia Lamorey, Emma Allaire, Wylie Tharp, Brianna Armstrong, Poppy Eaton, Bella Trasciatti-Holmberg, Brady Halverson, Henry Eaton, Abe Yandow, Julia Hunt, Caroline Hill, Lilly Schroeder, Sophia Cross, Amelia Lawlor, Izzy Glickman, Toni Blackburn, Abi Jones, Tyler Fieldsend, Morgan Curtis, Mia White, Mark Brodowski, Mia Moshovetis, Briana Lawrence, Christian Surdack, Gage Nulty, Maddie Bunting, Ashleigh Provost, Norah Munn, Robert Nesbit, Makayla Driscoll, Kaitlyn Zoller, Lani Baker, Morgan Blaine, Keagan Paya, Ada Jones, Zoe Zoller, Kassidy Cleveland, Poppy Davis, Katherine Cabral, Jasmine Cousino, Charlie Jennings, Keane Webre-Hayes, Anna Arsovski, Kaiya Kilbon, Zachary Spitznagle, Emmett Saylor, Jaden Ballard, Noah Healy, Ella Rashford, Ava Barron, Marin Hemmett, Aiden Blevins, Betty Buehler, Nicholas Boutin, Scarlet Cotter, Kinsley Sampson, Chloe Boliba, Cleo Miller-Young, Isabelle Varricchone, Elizabeth Parent, Sam Mazza-Bergeron, Samantha Evans, Mitch Niarchos, Nic Menard, Sophia Lawlor, Nate Frazee, Danielle gamelin, Dylan LeBlanc, Naomi Oxender, Ania Moreau, Grace Lovely, Kyle Stewart, Nina Zemakas, Sierra Potter, Riley Paris, Aurora Kenney
The following ABS students contributed art work:
Roman Wolny, Mckena Lesage, Addison Murray, Bill Fidler, Alex Jovell, Valerie Pavlova, Mason Carguilo, Jonah Fisher, TJ Rafuse, Ruby White, Josie Ziter, Evie Duback, Grace Miller, Lucas Tresser, Zoie Aguillon, Chris Morin, Chloe Tomasi, Isabel Docheff, Rhys Hawkins, Stella Soucy, Cayne Newton, Olivia Cieri, Zymir Branicki, Romae Martone, Brendan Ricca, Henry Goldman, Grady Falkenbush, Reilly Saylor, Lucy Dysinger, Jordan Blackburn, Lee Friedman, Sophia Zheng, Grace Steinman, Maggie Lawrence, Mackenzie Yandow, Matthew Gonyea, Mycala Edson, Sophia Martin, Hanna Wolny, Joyce Yodishembo, Allison Biunno
Thursday Spark Academy (grades 5-8)
We are excited to offer your child an opportunity to participate in the Thursday Spark Academy, an after-school applied learning program for students in grades 5-8. Our last Spark session for the 2014-2015 school year will start on April 30th and run for five consecutive weeks after that. Classes are from 3:00 p.m - 4:30 p.m. These small group classes will be facilitated by school faculty and staff. The after-school bus will provide transportation home for our students.
Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities that can be found on the link below. In order to take full advantage of this learning opportunity, students will need to make a commitment to attend all five Thursdays. The dates of the session are: April 30th, May 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th. Students will be placed on a first come first serve basis. If a student has an unexcused absence from a class, we may ask that he/she no longer attend the session, as there are other students who want to participate.
Please access the link to the sign-up form below by April 28th.
Volleyball Club Season Ends
Jenn Oakes, WCS Athletic Director and Coach Julieta Rushford, together with many other volunteers helped organize and run the first ever middle school volleyball program in Williston. Williston Central School was one of 7 schools which participated in the pilot club program this past March. We had a phenomenal turnout of 42 students grades 6-8 participating. A special "Thank You" to parent Maggie Marvin, who help coach every Thursday and most Wednesdays; super PE teacher Lynn McClintock; CVU Varsity Girls Volleyball players Brigitte, Anna, Lauren, Shannon, Olivia, and Aliza; CVU Coaches Jeff Boliba and Gino Johnson; and from Essex - Peter Audette, Ian Audette, Jess, Katie, Marsh, and Karen Chesser (Essex High School Volleyball Coach and chief organizer of the whole program).
Congratulations to all the participants for a fun and very succesful first season of middle school volleyball!
WSD Wifi Network
All students and adults have been asked to turn off personal devices during the school day for the 3 months of SBAC testing or disconnect from our WSDPublic wifi. That way those that are testing can do so with a fully-functioning wifi network.
If your child chooses not to turn off their phone and he/she disconnects from our wifi instead, it may result in the phone accessing your cell phone carrier's 3G, 4G, or LTE networks. This may impact the use of data.
Thank you for your support as we move forward with the new assessment. If you have any questions about the SBAC assessment, please get in touch with your child’s teacher.
WillistonRuns! for Education
Calling all runners, walkers, riders- get into motion and let’s get together for some fun on Saturday, May 16th at the WillistonRuns event!!!
WillistonRuns! is a 5k run sponsored by FAP to benefit all our Williston students. You can run it, walk it or ride it; a new option this year is the 5k team event so get together with some friends and field a team for the day! Awards and a prize raffle will follow the run along with music, a bounce house and some exciting new vendors and displays.
Whether you take it on solo or put together a 3-person team; show your Williston spirit and register today for WillistonRuns! Last year the event raised over $2,700 to support field trips and classroom enrichment. This year we want you to be part of raising even more.
For more info and for online registration, check out the website here: http://willistonruns.org/online-registration/
Paper registration forms are also available at the front office at WCS; remember, the first 100 people to pre-register will be part of our grand prize drawing.
Thanks and let’s get moving Williston!
8th Grade Challenge Collection for Vt. Refugee Resettlement
My name is Prince Yodishembo and I am doing immigration for my 8th grade challenge. For my community connection I presented to some of the houses in the school about my immigration journey. Now for the second part of my community connection I would like to have a donation drive for the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program. The donations needed for the donation drive are any winter gear (boots, hats, mittens, scarves, etc.) that your family doesn't need anymore or that don't fit you or your children. Thank you in advance for all the donations. You can find a box at the front office of WCS or ABS.
8th Grade Challenge - Kid's Night Out
*Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase.*
Sawmill Studio for grades 3-6
A FIVE WEEK COURSE IN WOODWORKING at WILLISTON CENTRAL SCHOOL
Do you like to build things? Want to make something out of wood? Come try your hand at woodworking! This class will teach students the basics of building projects out of wood with hand tools. There are no power tools in this class. Students first learn how to make a toolbox and then move on to create a variety of other great projects. No experience is necessary.
Open to all WCS students – 3rd-6th grade
THURSDAYS after school; 3:00 – 4:30
Five Classes: April 30, May 7, 14, 21, 28
Grades: 3rd – 6th grade
Cost: $120
Sign up: www.Part2Kids.com Contact: Lorien Leyden lleyden@cssu.org
April Fitness Fun Calendar
After School Garden Club
Attention parents of 4th & 5th graders:
After School Garden Club is beginning soon!
3pm-4:30 (after school bus available)
Instructed by Andrew Wolf & Laura Gigliotti
to sign up please email Laura at lgigliotti@cssu.org
ABS ART NEWS
Though it seems like a long way off, please mark your calendars. The ABS annual school-wide Art Show will take place on Wednesday, May 20th, 2015 from 6:00-8:00 pm. Each child will have chosen his or her favorite piece of art to display. This is a fun event for family and friends and we will look forward to celebrating with you.
Sara Beeken, Art Teacher
Art Show to Benefit COTS
Emma Anderson and Jonas Keim of Sterling House are working on an independent project for Mr. Bailey’s Math class. They are having an Art Show with items donated by local artists and Sweet Grass Gallery and Gifts here in Williston.
When: Wednesday, April 29, 2015 from 3:00 - 5:00
Where: WCS Dining Room
Why: All proceeds will benefit COTS
You can purchase art, enter a raffle, or enter in a silent auction.
There will be light refreshments at the show. We would love if you could all come to this wonderful event. For more information contact us at: emmaanderson@cssu.org or jonaskeim@cssu.org
Health Office
Cases of HEAD LICE are crawling up at WCS. At this time we have 3 new cases. All students have been treated and preventive measures have been put in to place. The Health Office staff strongly encourage parents to check your child's head often for Head Lice. For more information about Head Lice, please click on the links below.
http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/lice/headlice.aspx
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/gen_info/faqs.html
Both ABS and WCS are seeing a small number of students with Strep Throat. Strep throat is a common type of sore throat in children and sometimes adults. Healthcare professionals can do a quick test to determine if a sore throat is strep throat and decide if antibiotics are needed. Proper treatment can help you feel better faster and prevent spreading it to others! Please click on the link below for symptoms and more information about Strep Throat.
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/StrepThroat/
Champ Camp for Kids with Asthma
For the second year, YMCA Camp Chingachgook and the American Lung Association of the Northeast are partnering to help children with asthma attend summer camp on Lake George! http://camp.cdymca.org/champ-camp-for-kids-with-asthma/
Northern New England Poison Center
ABS: 871-6248 / Sylvia Love, RN
Upcoming Events
Kindergarten Registration / April 6-9 / ABS
Four Winds Training / Wed. April 8 / 8:30 am- 10:30 am
Synergy Family Showcase / Thurs. April 9 / 6:30 -7:30 pm
School Musical / Fri. April 10 / 7:30 pm / WCS Auditorium
School Musical Matinee / Sat. April 11 / 2 pm / WCS Auditorium
School Musical / Sat. April 11 / 7:30 pm / WCS Auditorium
Horizon Reading Restaurant / Tues. April 14 / 6:15-8 pm / Horizon House
Dance A Rama / Fri. April 17 / 1-2:45 pm / WCS New Gym
April Break / April 20-24
Click here for athletics
April Break Programs
Babysitters Course- Ages 11-15 yrs. This Red Cross Babysitters Training provides individuals with information and skills necessary to provide safe and responsible care for children. Training in leadership, professionalism, basic care, safety, safe play and basic first aid will be covered. Thursday, April 23, 9:00a-3:00p. $95 per. Instructor: Karl Hubrich
- Rec. Dept. website- www.willistonrec.org
- Rec. News- Monthly Youth Newsletter- Click Here
Dorothy Alling Memorial Library Programs for Kids
Click here for the Bell listing of DAML events scheduled for children.
Click here for the DAML newsletters.
Previous Newsletters
Williston School District
Email: cpavlik@cssu.org
Website: www.wsdvt.org
Location: 195 Central School Drive, Williston
Phone: (802) 878-2762
Twitter: @wsdvt