CCS Newsletter
October 12, 2018
ADMINISTRATION UPDATE
Dear CCS Friends and Families,
Over the past few weeks, many CCS teams have taken their learning on the road! Field trips and place-based learning offer unique opportunities for students, as they provide a social experience in which students can explore novel artifacts, ideas, and phenomenon in authentic settings. CCS encourages its teachers to identify and pursue opportunities for field trips that encourage students to make connections and deepen understanding within their units of study as well as trips that provide exposure to content and experiences that are not a frequent or consistent part of the lives of our students. These opportunities not only reinforce learning that has originated in the classroom but they also frequently spark a great deal of curiosity for students, laying the groundwork for personalized and collective future learning opportunities.
Here is a sampling of recent and upcoming CCS field trips:
● Grades 3 & 4 Field Trips Supporting Vermont Studies
○ Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
○ Shelburne Museum
○ Shelburne Farms
● Grade 1
○ Whitcomb’s Land of Pumpkins and Corn Maze
● Grades 7/8
○ Flynn Theater - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Sometimes, the learning from outside comes to CCS! A recent great example of this has been our participation in Global Read-Aloud within Mrs. Huestis’s K-4 Library classes. Students are enjoying current literature and learning and practicing digital citizenship skills while participating in a global reading community. Learn more about this by checking out Mrs. Huestis’s blog. Students in 5-8 were also invited to participate in a Journalism Club with our Charlotte News editor, Melissa O’Brien. This club boosts the excitement of school and community events and offers opportunities to document and share with a broader audience. We are proud of the curiosity and learning that our students engage in, both at CCS and while they are learning out in our greater local and global communities!
Warm Regards,
Stephanie, Jen and Cassandra
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Tuesday, October 16th
Early Release, 1:55pm
CVSD School Board Meeting, CVU Rm 160, 6:00pm
Thursday, October 18th
Field Trip - Omega 7/8 to Flynn Theater, 9:15am
Friday, October 19th
NO SCHOOL - Parent / Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, October 23rd
Early Release, 1:55pm
Thursday, October 25th
Field Trip - Navigators to Shelburne Museum, 8:30am - 1:00pm
Friday, October 26th
Staff Appreciation Luncheon, Staff Room, 11:00am - 1:00pm - Sponsored by the PTO
PTO Q & A Social, 2:00pm - 2:45pm
Tuesday, October 30th
Picture Re-Take Day, 8:30am - 9:30am
Early Release, 1:55pm
ESSENTIAL ARTS CONFERENCE TIMES
Andy Smith, 5 - 8 Band and 4th Grade Music:
Monday, October 15th - 3:30 - 5:30 PM
Thursday, October 18th - 3:30 - 5:00 PM
Monday, October 22nd - 3:30 - 5:00 PM
Wednesday, October 24th - 3:30 - 4:30 PM
Please email asmith@cvsdvt.org or call (802) 425 - 6653 to schedule a conference.
**
Matthew Kent, 3 - 8 Physical Education:
Monday, October 15th - 7:00am - 8:00am
Tuesday, October 16th - 7:00am - 8:00am or 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Wednesday, October 17th - 7:00am - 8:00am
Thursday, October 18th - 7:00am - 8:00am
Please email mkent@cvsdvt.org or call 802-345-6696 to schedule a conference.
Of course, if none of these times work for you, please feel free to suggest some alternatives.
**
Monica Littlefield, General Music K-8, Choral Music 5-8:
Monday, October 15th 8:00-9:00
Thursday, October 18th 7:30-8:30
Please email mlittlefield@cvsdvt.org or call (802) 425-6629 to schedule a conference.
**
Ash Cotton, Art K-8
Monday, October 15th 7:30-8:30
Wednesday, October 17th 7 - 8:20 am
Friday, October 19th, 10am - 11am
Please email Mr.Cotton at acotton@cvsdvt.org or call (802-425-2771) to schedule your conference.
Of course, if none of these times work for you, please feel free to suggest some alternatives.
**
Nihad Cekovic, Physical Education K-2
October 15th - October 18th
7:00 A.M- 7:30 A.M.
4:00 P.M- 5:30 P.M.
If any of these times do not work for you please email me at ncekovic@cvsdvt.org or call (347)-260-1157 to schedule a conference time.
REMINDER - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
Friday, October 19th is reserved for Parent-Teacher Conferences in all CVSD schools. There is no school for students on this day.
CCS LIBRARY NEWS
We are in week two of Global Readaloud!
Third and fourth graders have created a digital postcard about Vermont that has been sent to 70 other classrooms all around the world that are reading the same book, A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold. We have received many postcards back and have enjoyed guessing where in the world each postcard is from! See if you can guess where this one is from and be sure to visit the library blog at booksliveon.wordpress.com to read more about our Global Readaloud adventures in learning.
CCS TAKES SECOND PLACE - CVSD SPELLING BEE
On Wednesday, CCS 5th and 6th graders traveled to Williston Central School to participate in the annual CVSD Spelling Bee. CCS spellers put up a strong performance, leading into the final round. Ultimately, Hinesburg Community School caught up and passed CCS, who finished with a proud second-place finish. Our CCS team included Sarah Stein, Deirdre Higgins, Jenny Blanshine, Shana Mester, Sam Moore, and Erin Caldwell, with coach Christa Duthie-Fox.
CCS RECOGNIZED AT VTPBiS LEADERSHIP FORUM!
On Thursday, at the annual VTPBiS Leadership Forum, CCS received a Merit Ribbon for our school-wide effort in fostering a positive and safe learning environment where the values of Take CARE of Ourselves, Take CARE of Others, and Take CARE of This Place are explicitly taught, encouraged, and practiced.
OCTOBER - NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH
October is National Bullying Prevention month. Our next several YOU Skills activities will focus on what it means to be an ally, UPstander, bucket filler, and “includer” to ourselves and others.
Although giving our children the tools and skills to navigate tricky situations is constant work, I wanted to share some of my favorite resources with you. Please feel free to follow up with school counselors directly if you have any questions or would like any other specific information. Click on the following link and take a peek at the great work our students are doing in You Skills in Grades K-2 related to bullying prevention: https://spark.adobe.com/page/Se4vmmERZ0Zlc/
Heidi Heustis added several wonderful books to this collection:
CCS bullying prevention picture booklist
Websites:
https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/index.html
https://www.schoolcounselor.org/magazine/category/for-parents
CCS NUTRITION PROGRAM
CCS Food Service Director, Elizabeth Skypeck, works hard to provide over three hundred hungry students and teachers with great, nutritious food including fantastically fresh Vermont farm vegetables. Check out what came in this week and learn more about our Farm to School program.
Story at this link: https://spark.adobe.com/page/q5Z0BoWbGgCs0/
THERAPY DOGS!
The connection between dogs and humans is buried so deeply within our evolution that they have become known to simply be a part of human life; as service providers, alert animals, farm help and loyal companions. Studies have shown that interacting with dogs can lower blood pressure, lower stress hormones, increase oxytocin (the hormone responsible for love, bonding and feelings of belonging), decrease anxiety and increase cognitive capacity. So it seems natural that these creatures who have evolved alongside us would be so well suited to support us when we struggle.
Therapy dogs have seen a rise in popularity and are being used in many settings; hospitals, long-term care facilities, colleges, jails, and elementary schools to name a few. Using the innate human/dog connection with dogs who have been trained and evaluated for suitedness to do this work we are able to capitalize on these healing aspects of interacting with dogs. A therapy dog’s place in the school setting requires a dog who is pretty flexible and adaptable because there are so many different ways and types of interactions they could have. The work that I do can range from short visits to a whole classroom to one on one intense co-regulation work with an upset child. The non judgmental nature of the dog can create a space to talk, feel and explore in new ways. The deep human-dog connection can help to build strong healthy attachment and provide much-needed stress relief when things are hard or overwhelming.
I have worked with my dog, Laika, providing animal-assisted therapy for over a year which is a little bit more specific than some therapy dog work (though she is a certified therapy dog). Laika has been a member of our family for over 5 years and spent many years unofficially being a support to my staff and co-workers in a variety of roles and settings and now she gets to come to school and officially offer her support. Anyone can go through the training and certification with their dog to become a therapy dog team. Where my team is a bit different is in my education in social work and animal-assisted therapy. Laika is very intuitive by nature and very well suited for working with children due to her demeanor and training. As a team, she and I work in a variety of settings and use a variety of methods; sometimes she is just hanging out being a safe spot to talk, read or calm down and other times our work is more targeted co-regulation or even processing difficult feelings. Sometimes it is just easier to talk to the dog!
If you want more information about therapy dogs in school you can check out this great article https://therapydogs.org/news-articles/benefits-therapy-dogs/dog-goes-school/ if you are hoping to become a therapy dog team yourself you can connect with Therapy Dogs of Vermont, and always I am here and happy to answer any questions.
Tanya Vyhovsky, MSW
CCS & CVU GROUP PRACTICE
SPORTS SCHEDULES
BILL KOCH NORDIC SKI PROGRAMS
Sleepy Hollow Bill Koch Ski League-
A kid’s program (ages 6-13) that teaches the fundamentals of cross country skiing and also includes fun relays, races and games. Bill Koch Ski League meets Friday afternoons at Sleepy Hollow Ski Center from 3:45pm-4:45pm in January and February. **For registration forms and payment information check out the website at http://www.skisleepyhollow.com/bill-koch-kids-ski-program.html. If you have specific questions please email our Bill Koch Director: Jean Tufts at jeantufts456@gmail.com
Sleepy Hollow Junior High Nordic Racing Program-
A ski program for 6th -8th graders meets on Tuesday/Thursdays starting December-February at Sleepy Hollow Ski Center in Huntington. It is geared towards kids wanting to race in High School. **For registration forms and payment information check out the website at http://www.skisleepyhollow.com/bill-koch-kids-ski-program.html. If you have specific questions please email our Bill Koch Director: Jean Tufts at jeantufts456@gmail.com
OCTOBER LUNCH MENU
CHARLOTTE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Check out our website.