EMS Newsletter

February 12, 2021

Picture
Dear EMS Families,


Happy February. :-)


Winter break. This school year is moving along so rapidly. It is hard to believe that we are coming up to winter break, which will last from February 22 through March 2. After Friday, February 19, the students' next school day will be the remote day on Wednesday, March 3. Then, on Thursday March 4, we will resume the "A/B" on-site schedule that we have used throughout this school year. As we enter winter break, please stay safe and healthy. Please continue following the Vermont Covid guidelines with respect to prevention and travel as we continue to work to keep our school a safe place to learn and grow.


Report cards. You should have received report cards for the second quarter. If there is an "Incomplete" grade for any class, please reach out to the teacher as soon as possible. The incomplete grade is utilized in order to accommodate any family that may have had an urgent or unexpected situation arise at the end of the quarter -- it offers additional time for students to complete missing work, in agreement with their teachers. We still want students to complete the learning targets that were missed. If students do not resolve missing work, incomplete grades will turn to "F" grades after 2 weeks.


Spring conferences. March conferences that were scheduled for March 18 & 19 will be switched to normal student contact days instead of conference days. Families are still encouraged to contact teachers whenever there are concerns, needs, or celebrations that they would like to share.


Engage EMS. I am grateful for the monthly opportunity to meet with families through the Engage EMS meetings. The meetings occur the second Wednesday of every month. I look forward to meeting with you all on March 10 at 6pm.


Title I. This year, all BSD schools are Title I Schoolwide schools (not targeted assistance), so Title I funds can be used to serve all students, consistent with the school's CIP.


Districtwide, Title I funds support:

  • Multilingual Liaisons and Multilingual Liaison Coordinator

  • Summer programs

  • Homeless students

  • Personalized Learning Specialist - embedded PD, grades 6-12

  • Technical and leadership team support for developing CIPs

  • Online tools for reading assessment, digital student portfolios, math, informational articles

  • BSD Coordinator of the Office of Engagement

  • Parent Engagement materials (at each school)


At EMS, Title I funds support:

  • A 1.0 FTE interventionist

  • $2000 for parent engagement resources

  • GoGuardian internet safety tool

  • Instructional content tool Newsela


Please join our next Title I meeting Wednesday, March 10. Details will follow in the next EMS Family Newsletter. We will discuss the above and answer any questions. Attached is the parent and family engagement: https://education.vermont.gov/documents/edu-cfp-parent-and-family-engagement-toolkit


With respect and gratitude,

James Kiefer

Picture
Big picture

Watercolor Art

From Judy Klima: Seventh & eighth grade art students have moved into a watercolor unit. We are busy exploring all of the ways you can mix colors and manipulate watercolor paint. The winter color palette is lovely and I can't wait to see the students' winter landscape paintings.
Transition Time

Transition Time

When we return from the vacation we will begin 8th grade course selection during PE times for all eighth graders going to BHS. The dates will be March 4th and 5th. If you have questions, please contact Pat Hulbert phulbert@bsdvt.org or 864-8486 ext 41011. Thank you and enjoy vacation!

Transition Time
Big picture

COVID Reminders

As we approach February break, here are a few reminders about the State of Vermont’s directives around COVID that we all must follow:


Travel and Hosting Travelers

  • “Visitors to Vermont cannot gather with Vermonters or with people from another household. This includes sharing lodging with another household. Travelers may not stay with a Vermont host or stay in a Vermont lodging establishment or short-term rental with another household. Even if they have completed quarantine, or intend to quarantine with another household, they may not gather with another household in Vermont."

  • Gathering with other households includes weddings, funerals, sleepovers, playdates, or any other activities done with those in another household. If you do any of these high risk covid-spread activities, quarantine is required afterward.

  • Even if you have had COVID-19 OR received the vaccine, travel and quarantine guidelines are still in place and applicable to all Vermont residents.

    • CDC and other states are saying that once vaccinated, quarantine guidelines do not apply, but Vermont is saying differently. This is partially due to the high transmission rate we have at the moment. Vermont is the leading state for transmission at the moment. Here’s a link for more statistics.

  • Travel guidelines remain that anyone who travels outside of the state must quarantine for a total of 14 days from the day they return to Vermont OR get a test on or after Day 7 and quarantine until a negative test result returns. Day 15 would be the first day you may leave your home without testing.


Masks

  • At this time, the CDC has just recommended double masking, but our Vermont epidemiologists are recommending 2-ply cloth masks that fit correctly over your face. The important thing about masking is not how many you are wearing but that there are no gaps in your mask. It should fit snugly around your nose, across your cheeks, and under your chin. If this VDOH recommendation changes, we will let you know. If people choose to double mask, that is fine but it is not currently required.


Here are some BSD procedures we would like to remind our school community about:


Food Celebrations at School

Classroom Celebrations:

Please think about non-food options when planning or contributing to classroom celebrations. In addition to students with severe food allergies, we also have students with food intolerances, religious dietary preferences/practices, and chronic health conditions that exclude them from participating in food-based celebrations. Please be mindful so that ALL students can be included fully in classroom celebrations! If your celebration must have a food item, please contact the BSD food service department to arrange for options that can be purchased through and delivered by the school kitchen team. (Click here to review the whole procedures document.)

Big picture

Intramural Sports

Hello, EMS Students!

There is still time to sign up for our Intramural Sports Program! It begins next Monday, February 15th, and will run through May 28th, after school on your A-days or B-days, from 3:00 - 3:45 pm!

Participants will be cycled through a variety of sports, playing each for about 2-week periods of time. You will play basketball, dodgeball, volleyball, Ultimate, Wiffle ball, and kickball! CLICK HERE to sign up today!

(If you have already signed up, you will need to turn in your completed Parent/Guardian Athletic Permission Slip and Student Athletic Contract before you will be able to participate. More information will be sent to participants this week.)