OSSD Safe and Healthy Schools

Dear OSSD Community,

On October 13, Superintendent Layne Millington held a well attended OSSD Community Forum event at Randolph Union High School. You can read more about the event in The Herald. Many students and community members spoke about the importance of kindness and empathy for all students. In addition to the overwhelming support for our LGBTQ+ students, we also heard a request for more comfortable locker room spaces at Randolph Union High School. We want you to know we have heard you on this matter.

I met with the OSSD Building and Grounds department on Friday, September 23 to begin the conversation about providing more comfortable changing spaces for students. Since that date, Wes Gibbs, Bob Worley, Layne Millington, and I have met on several occasions to plan for remodeling and improving both the Middle School and High School locker rooms. We plan to create more changing spaces and make the locker rooms more comfortable. We will keep you updated on this remodel as it progresses.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and across our schools we are taking care of one another and finding positive ways to deal with issues. If you or someone you know has experienced bullying either at school or outside of school that impacts your ability to learn or attend school, please report it! You can report bullying to any school staff member you trust and they will help you connect to the building principal or director. You can also report bulling directly to the building leader. Here are the Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying contacts for each school:

• RUHS - Co-Principal Lisa Floyd and Co-Principal Caty Sutton
• RTCC - Director Felicia Allard and Dean of Students Gary Clark
• RES - Principal Melinda Robinson and Assistant Principal Cara Houston
• Braintree - Principal Pattie Sprague
• Brookfield - Principal David Roller

Wishing you a safe and healthy weekend,

Heather Lawler

Assistant Superintendent

This past week was National School Bus Safety Week. Danny Bellevance, our Transportation Director, led students at each of our elementary schools in school bus safety drills. He spoke with students about the importance of school bus safety.

Tips for a Safe Ride

At the Bus Stop:

• • Arrive early at the bus stop
  • Stand back from the curb while waiting for the bus
  • Stay alert

  Around the Bus

  • Cross in front of the bus giving the bus plenty of distance and make eye contact with the driver before crossing so you know they see you
  • Never walk behind the bus

  Getting On/Off the Bus

  • Wait until the bus has stopped and the door opens before approaching the bus or standing up on the bus
  • Use the handrail

  Behavior on the Bus:

• Stay in your seat keeping head, arms and papers inside the bus, and keep any talking to a quiet level
• All school rules for behavior apply on the school bus - for example remember to keep your hands to yourself, use kind words, wait for your turn, and respect others & their property.
• Keep aisles clear of books and bags
• Do not distract the driver
• Follow the drivers directions

Remember to keep the ride safe for everyone!

Sarah Natvig, OSSD Food Services Director, has made significant improvements in our school nutrition program. We celebrated National School Lunch Week from October 10-14.

OSSD School Nutrition Program

We are excited to introduce a whole new, healthier lunch menu, sourced as often as possible from local farms and producers. Healthier eating leads to healthier living which, in turn, leads to children making healtheir choices. Please take a look at our October menus below. We hope to see your student joining us for lunch soon!

MS - High School Lunch Menu Oct 22

Elementary Lunch Menu Oct 2022

For information about - or to sign up for - Free or Reduced School Meals, please click on the links below and return your application to Sarah Natvig, Director of OSSD Food Services, as soon as possible. If you have questions or need assistance, feel free to contact Sarah at snatvig@orangesouthwest.org

Application for Free Meals Instructions and Cover Letter

Application for Free:Reduced Meals 2022-23

Reasons for Completing Free Meals Forms 2023

Thank you,
Sarah Natvig,
Director, OSSD Food Service
Orange Southwest School District

October is Farm to School Month. The Diversified Agriculture program at RTCC has fresh Apple Cider and Maple Syrup for sale. The price is $8.00 per gallon for the fresh pressed apple cider. Maple Syrup prices are half pint $5, pint $8, quart $15.

They can deliver to Randolph Elementary School, Randolph Union High School, or you can pick up at the Randolph Union Technical Center.

Thank you.

Ryan O'Malley and the Diversified AG Crew

Update from Jeff Green, Elementary STEM Teacher:

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) classes are starting the first big projects next week (Oct. 24-28) in Braintree and Brookfield grades 5 & 6 will be creating an invention using Littlebits and using the design cycle. Grades 4/5 will be learning about electricity and creating their own board games with a digital interactive component using the Makey Makeys. Their creations need to be themed around their current science units in geology and paleontology. Third graders will be writing narratives about their current ocean science units. We will be creating interactive stories with those narratives using Scratch. K-2 students will be learning about different bird beaks and the mechanical and functional differences between them. After we learn about the different beaks we will be making bird masks.

In Randolph, we will be starting the morning STEM club next week. I am beginning to work with the RES teachers on collaboration efforts to bring STEM into their classrooms. We are working to coordinate tours of the RTCC STEM programs for all 4-6 grade students. Students from Randolph Elementary School will visit RTCC next week. Braintree and Brookfield students will visit in early November.

Braintree will hold an all-school STEM celebration on November 8 to commemorate National STEM Day.

Jeff Green

OSSD Elementary STEM teacher

November 4 - Garifuna Collective live music performance for OSSD students at Chandler

November 8 - National STEM Day

November 10 - 1/2 day for students with Professional Development for teachers & faculty

November 11- Veteran's Day - no school

Here are some national months, weeks, and days:

• National Bullying Prevention Month - October
• National Farm to School Month - October
• LGBT History Month - October
• Native American Heritage Month - November
• Family Stories Month - November
• National Gratitude Month - November
• World Kindness Day - November 13
• International Stand Up to Bullying Day, November 18

OSSD is comprised of Braintree Elementary School, Brookfield Elementary School, Randolph Elementary School, Randolph Union Middle High School, and Randolph Career and Technical Center. We are committed to providing safe and healthy schools where students have the opportunity to learn and grow.

2022-2023 District School Calendar

Location: 24 Center Street, Randolph, VT 05060
Phone: 802-728-5052