THE SCHOOL BELL
Williston Schools /January 16, 2019
This turn in calendar has prompted the typical annual reflection for me, as it does for so many of us, about resolutions. This year my thoughts have centered around the question of "what's really important?" vs "what am I going to do differently?" For me, having downtime with my family over the break really helps to get the reflective juices flowing. As some of you know, I come from a relatively large family. I'm one of seven siblings and each of us "kids" has between two to five children in our own families. When we get together it makes for a wonderful and boisterous chaos with bodies, food, and laughter everywhere you turn. It's not all fun and games all the time. Like in any family, there are rough spots, underlying family tensions, illness, and loss. I understand how fortunate I am to have my family as a support in my life and am mindful not to take this incredible gift for granted. In addition to a few days with the larger Marino clan (30+ of us), I had a few quiet days with just my own a immediate family here in Williston. Both halves of the holiday break were amazing in different ways, and both experiences served as a good back drop for wrestling with the "what's really important?" question.
Beyond the super obvious affirmation that it is the connections and unconditional love of family that matters most, I had some more nuanced reminders and discoveries, thanks to a combination of small moments that came together. One of these was one that occurred at school, before the break. I was walking in the hallway at WCS and happened to be behind a student and school adult who were walking and talking together. The conversation they were having was about dogs and dog training, but it didn't take me long to realize that I was witnessing some very powerful teaching and learning happening before my eyes, and the learning had very little to do with dogs. The adult was clearly fully present in the moment, making all the moves that show someone they are truly being listened to. After a few moments passed, I began to hear the adult weaving in some big and generalizable life lessons related to the topic at hand that I could see had direct relevance to the student. The student gobbled these up like they were his favorite dessert, not the outcome of some arduous school lesson. This was no accident. The adult was thoughtfully integrating a skill set that simultaneously reflected sophisticated skill and deep caring. He was taking advantage of the moment, being fully present to the student and seizing the opportunity for learning, even if the student didn't realize class was in session. Keep reading
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.", - Maya Angelou
NO SCHOOL MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2019 (in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
3rd/4th grade chorus concerts
Wednesday, February 6th at 2:10pm and 6:30pm in the WCS auditorium.
The musicians are required to wear concert attire* for both concerts.
The musicians need to arrive at WCS at 6:10pm for the evening concert.
*What is concert attire?
Option 1: long pants, shirt with collar, and a tie
Option 2: dress or skirt of appropriate length, or dressy pants, with an appropriate top
Shorts, t shirts, hats, athletic wear, flip flops, and jeans are not appropriate.
Please do not wear them.
What You Should Know About the Tic Tok App Your Children May Be Using
Tic Tok is a new, popular 13+ social media app that allows users to create short (up to 60 seconds) videos, that are then uploaded and shared out. If your child had an account on the Musical.ly app, they will now be able to access the content on Tik Tok.
There are privacy concerns that parents need to be aware of. There is no system in place to verify a user’s age, so anyone can download the app. The default setting is public, so if this is not changed to private, then anything created by the user is shared out to Tic Tok users around the globe. Users can ‘like’ and comment on videos, so there is a risk that strangers will be able to directly contact children.
This is not an app for young children, because of the access to inappropriate content, the use of popular music that may contain explicit language, and a child’s understanding of what is appropriate to post online.
Parents should also be aware of this app’s (and all other apps and websites) privacy policy, which explains what personal information they collect and how they will use this information. The privacy policy can usually be found at the bottom of the page, and it should be noted that privacy policies can be modified at anytime.
Concerned? Here’s what you can do.
To learn more about how to keep your child safe online, check ratings of apps, movies, music, and set parental controls on devices, visit Common Sense Media (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/). This is a very helpful resource that promotes safe technology and media guidelines for parents. See the “Advice for Parents” section offering tips on managing media use.
Big Basket Raffle seeks committee members
Have you heard of FAP’s Big Basket Raffle and Silent Auction School Fundraiser? It’s attended by 300+ community members and last year it raised over $9,500 for educational programs that complement classroom learning. Over 55 themed baskets are raffled off and 25 other items are bid on through a Silent Auction. The Basket Raffle will be held in the evening on Saturday, April 13, 2019.
This fundraiser is the result of the efforts of many volunteers and planning efforts begin next month. AND WE NEED YOU!! Are you good at marketing/advertising? Are you good with computers and formatting documents? Are you creative? How do you feel about approaching businesses you frequent and asking for a donation for your children’s school? These are just some of the tasks that go into planning this significant school fundraiser.
Please contact Emily Downing Ponce at emilydowningponce@gmail.com for further information!
Baskets Needed!
CVSD School-based Early Education Program Peer Lottery Application
Our preschools are 5 STAR accredited licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) and Teaching Strategies Gold. We believe that a diverse classroom offers opportunities for adults and children to practice acceptance and compassion and also provides a broad range of learning experiences.
Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar.
Peers who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2019, but not yet 5 years old, are eligible to
enter the lottery for our programs.
All applications must be received by February 8, 2019. Students will be selected via a lottery.
Health Office
We are staring to see Flu activity in our schools. We check temperatures of all students who come to the health office and this time of year, we are a bit stricter on our return-to-school recommendations.
In an effort to reduce the spread of illness, we ask that you keep your sick child home until they are healthy (fever-free x 24 hours without medicine), reinforce the importance of covering coughs and sneezes with an elbow or tissue, and encourage your child to wash hands often and well. At school, we are reinforcing good hand and cough hygiene and cleaning in work spaces.
Please, let the Health Office know if your child is sick with flu-like illness or if he or she has been diagnosed with influenza. If you have any questions, we encourage you to call your child's pediatrician or refer to the resources we've shared below.
Be well, Maria, Carol and Sylvia
8th Grade Student & Parent Night
CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL
AN INVITATION
To 8th Grade Parents and Students of the Class of 2023
8th Grade Student & Parent Night
Champlain Valley Union High School
CVU Gym, Thursday, January 24, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
This evening will provide you and your son/daughter an introduction to the academic and elective programs they will experience in the 9th grade.
Williston Schools Penguin Plunge
Williston Schools Penguin Plunge Team welcomes you….on Saturday, February 2, 2019 the Wildcats will take the plunge into icy Lake Champlain. We welcome all parents, students and staff to join us in taking the chilly dip.
Now in its twenty- fourth year, the Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge event series supports sports training and competition, health screenings, and leadership opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Vermont. These fundraising efforts support Special Olympics Vermont and our WCS Unified Sports Team. In 2018, Penguin Plunge events raised $542,706, nearly 40% of their operating budget. Register Here
2019-2020 Kindergarten Registration
Pre-Registration for Fall 2019 Kindergarten has begun for Williston and St. George children who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2019.
We start the process by asking families to complete this pre-registration form.
Following submission of the pre-registration form, we'll collect registration forms* and paperwork (copy of birth certificate, proof of residency, and immunizations) in advance of Kindergarten screening in early 2019. *Families with children enrolled in the ABS EE program will only need to provide a copy of the birth certificate and these forms.
Please reach out to Laura (871-6200; lgigliotti@cvsdvt.org) or Cindy (871-6203; cpavlik@cvsdvt.org) with questions.
SPARK Enrichment After School ~ Session 3
The 3rd session of Spark Enrichment, an after-school applied learning program for students in grades 5-8, takes place from January 10 - February 7. These small group classes will be facilitated by school faculty and staff. Please access the link to the sign-up form below by January 8. You will be able to rank your choices for better placement!! read more
CVSD Integrated Field Review
New Math Offerings at CVU for School Year 2019-2020
Mobile App
Download the WSD App and get notifications for groups, sports teams, 3-4 Chorus, etc. to keep informed.
Open App, tap on the 3 horizontal bars in the top right and select Notifications. Tap on the group boxes for those you want.
Families as Partners
Tuesday Early Dismissal
Dismissal at ABS is 1:35 pm.
Dismissal at WCS is 1:55 pm.
The Tuesday schedule for morning Preschool is 8:00 to 10:15 am. Afternoon preschool is 11:15 am to 1:30 pm.
Four Winds Nature News
School Lunch Menus
Monthly Fitness Fun
More Links, More information
Upcoming Events
Fri.Jan. 18 / CVU Counselors present to 8th graders / 2 pm / WCS
Mon. Jan. 21 / No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tues. Jan. 22 / CVSD Board Budget Mtg. / WCS Community Rm. / 6-7 pm
Wed. Feb. 6 / 3rd/4th Grade Chorus Concert / WCS Auditorium / 6:30 pm
Fri. Feb. 8 / 4th Gr. NAEP Testing / 8:30-11 am
Thurs. Feb. 14 / FAP / WCS Community Rm / 8-10 am
Thurs. Feb. 21 / 8th Gr. NEAP Testing
NO SCHOOL Feb. 25-March 1
Fri March 8 / School Dance / WCS / 6:30-8:30 pm
Upcoming Events on the School Web CalendarDAML Programs
Click here to access the DAML web site listing of events.
Recreation & Parks Offerings
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