CCS Newsletter
September 7, 2018
ADMINISTRATION UPDATE
Dear CCS Friends and Families,
We have weathered another hot week (pun intended) with lots of learning, fun and happiness throughout the halls of CCS. It is always nice when we can take advantage of our natural surroundings. Kindergarten had their read-aloud of Sunflower House, written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt, outside at our gardens this week. Sunflower House tells the story of sunflower seeds becoming a home for three friends and their imaginations. Reading this amongst the beautiful sunflowers thriving on our CCS campus was magical for our Kindergartners and their teachers, with one student asking “Is this book about CCS?” We like to think that CCS is indeed a home for friendships and growing imaginations! This also makes us think of the common phrase “What you water grows.” Right now, in all classrooms at CCS, routines and relationships are being watered so that they grow into valuable learning experiences for our students throughout the year!
With the CCS middle level students, our focus has been building trusted learning communities in a variety of groupings. During morning meetings/advisory and core classrooms, students are growing stronger relationships through positive communication and feeling empowered when successful with a “Challenge by Choice”. From the scavenger hunts and limbo in 5th grade to the ropes course in Omega 7/8, students are modeling cooperation, a growth mindset, and a dedication to making this their best year yet!
Warm Regards,
Stephanie, Jen and Cassandra
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Tuesday, September 11th
Early Release, 1:55pm
Wednesday, September 12th
Vision Eye Screening (more information to follow)
Thursday, September 13th
Fall Open House & Potluck Picnic (see below for details)
Friday, September 14th
Fire Safety Day
Tuesday, September 18th
Early Release, 1:55pm
CVSD School Board Meeting, CVU Rm 160, 6:00pm
Wednesday, September 19th
NO SCHOOL - Yom Kippur
Tuesday, September 25th
Early Release, 1:55pm
Wednesday, September 26th
Picture Day! (order forms and flyers to be available soon)
Friday, September 28th
Dance! MPR, grades 6-8, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
PLEASE RETURN THOSE CCS OFFICE FORMS
- Student Information Sheet (SIS Form)
- Video/Photo Exception Form (only if you do NOT want your child's picture or video displayed)
- Driver Responsibility Form (we must have a new form on file each year ) - this form is used in CONJUNCTION with the Volunteer/Chaperone form. Call Cindy LaWare at 425-2771 for more information.
- Athletics Forms
If you have any questions about any of these forms, please call the CCS office at 425-2771.
PICK UP AND DROP OFF LINES
Reminders: Please do not leave your car when picking up your child(ren) and please do not pass other vehicles in the line. These things hold up the line and make for unsafe conditions. We truly appreciate your cooperation with this matter.
BUSES AND DISMISSAL PROCESS
This year, CCS has joined the CVSD transportation system. We appreciate the patience of all families as we continue to pin down specific stops and times. We anticipate that this will be getting better each day and settled into a consistent routine by the week of September 10th. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Naomi Strada, Assistant to the Principals, at 425-6600.
Afternoon dismissal is a very busy time! We send envelopes with student notes back to classrooms at 2:40 p.m. Please follow our request for no plan changes in student dismissals after 2:30 p.m. to ensure that we can guarantee that children go where they are supposed to! All families are asked to communicate changes in plans to teachers AND Cindy LaWare at the Front Office.
We would also like to remind families of of pick-up locations at the end of the day. If you are picking up your student, please indicate whether you are picking up at the west Library Side of the building (new clarifying language from the "cafeteria side" in the past as student now exit out through the library) or the east Flagpole side of the building. Your student should only go to the cafeteria if they are participating in the Part 2 Afterschool Program.
CONNECT5 VOICE MESSAGES VERSUS EMAIL MESSAGES
- Email messages are sent out for information, it's important that you read this but not necessarily timely. Examples of this are things such as: Health Office Information, The Newsletter, or upcoming special events.
- Voice messages are sent out when it is something CCS needs to let you know about now or important enough in nature that it needs to go out in a voice message. Examples of this are things such as: early school cancellation, sports being cancelled, or bus issues.
We appreciate your cooperation in this protocol.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT CCS!
Charlotte Central School seeks energetic paraprofessionals, full time and part time, to join our outstanding special education team. To learn more please visit: https://www.schoolspring.com/job.cfm?jid=3002946
PBIS
Our school-wide expectations are: Take Care of Ourselves, Take Care of Others, and Take Care of This Place!
Our school will continue to encourage positive student behavior and support local organizations through our PBIS program. At the end of last year, our PBIS “Be the Change” efforts added up to a donation of $207.29 to the Chittenden County Humane Society (that was 20,729 pennies given to students for demonstrating positive behaviors!). To learn more about PBIS please review our PBIS Brochure. Click HERE for an activity that you can do with child(ren) to help them learn our school-wide expectations.
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
We have had a great start to the 2018-19 school year! We hope that you had an enjoyable and relaxing summer. It is great to see all the returning students and new faces at CCS!
As part of our developmental counseling program, we continue to provide instruction, support and intervention for student in grades k-8. Our skill-based approach may include teaching topics such as diversity, conflict resolution, coping with transitions, career exploration, adolescent issues, and emotional resiliency depending on grade-level. We support students individually, in small groups, or in a classroom-based setting.
As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions or comments about the Counseling Program, or concerns related to your child. School Counselor offices are located on the second floor in the "Direction Center." Please note, we have shifted caseloads and have new scheduled work days this year.
We are looking forward to another wonderful year!
Vicki Nelson (K-2) @ CCS on Wednesdays and Thursday mornings: vnelson@cvsdvt.org 425-6631
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Just as a reminder - at Charlotte Central School, School Counselors Kathy Batty and Vicki Nelson are the point people for families in need of financial assistance.
We provide need-based financial assistance for field trips and backpacks/school supplies. Also, we can arrange for families to obtain vouchers for school pictures and new sneakers. During the holidays, we coordinate with local agencies to help provide holiday gifts to CCS students. For those who wish to volunteer in classrooms, we have funds available to cover finger-printing as part of the CSSU background checks.
If you are in need of any of these supports, please feel free to contact your child’s School Counselor.
Vicki Nelson (K-2) vnelson@cvsdvt.org 425-6631*
Kathy Batty (3-8) kbatty@cvsdvt.org 425-6613*
WELCOME REINA!
SCHOOL COMMUNITIES
By Tanya Vyhovsky
As a social worker I am always thinking about relationships. What is the relationship between the person I am sitting with and the people in their lives, their community, their school, their struggles? Sometimes we can get caught up in thinking someone's struggles indicate some kind of personal deficit, I see this instead as a challenge of relationships. As I start the school year in Charlotte I am thinking a lot about this school community and its many relationships. What are this school community’s relationships internally and externally? How does this community impact each parent, family, teacher, staff person and child and how can we strengthen these relationships?. What is your child’s relationship to their school community?
So what do I even mean when I talk about a strong school community? For me I want to see a community that ensures every child is seen and knows that they have value in their school and their larger communities. This can be a hard thing to do with the many stressors on these communities. I think one place where we really can build this is in our schools and classrooms. Finding places each day to stop and make space for each person, for this I like the structure of a circle because each face can be seen. I like to ee these community building circles a part of every day at least once, though they can be used more frequently and with different purposes, so that there is space every single day to see each student. I like to involve adults in the circle to hold the space, though as the structure becomes more familiar children could also hold the space, and fully participate as a way of minimizing hierarchy and this allows space for each person to talk and be heard if they choose. There are many ways these circles can be used to learn and build school community. For more information about the structus of and the use of community building circles or different kinds of circles you can access (The Whole-School Restorative Approach Resource Guide on the Vermont Department of Education Website at http://education.vermont.gov/sites/aoe/files/documents/edu-integrated-educational-frameworks-whole-school-restorative-approach-resource-guide_0.pdf)
Communities are important for a lot of reasons, some that seem obvious and others that maybe don’t seem so obvious. The relationships in our young years often go on to inform the way will engage in relationships as adults and community relationships are no different. We want to be welcomed, loved, accepted, and thriving members of whatever communities we choose. We begin to learn the skills to be in community when we are young. Less obvious maybe is that strong communities decrease instances of violence, depression, and anxiety, they can make us healthier and increase student performance! The importance of a strong welcoming community is highlighted in research from many different disciplines. The old adage goes that it takes a village to raise a child came about for a reason and it certainly only seems reasonable that it would take a community to educate one. I will be working hard this year within the school to ensure we are helping every student has the relationship they need with their school community.
SCHOOL LIBRARY NEWS
Hello Readers!
Our website is just two clicks away from the CCS home page. Simply click the link for “Families” and then click “Library Resources”.
· About
A bit about Mrs. Huestis and the nature of her work with the CCS community.
· Destiny Library Catalog
Search for books and other resources from home!
· Library Blog
Gives an overview of the types of teaching and learning that happen in
the library or through the library program.
· Digital Reference
Our digital collection, selected with care and aligned with curriculum. Contact
Mrs. Huestis for passwords.
· Library Schedule
In case you need a reminder!
· Parent Resources
Just for you, this page also includes links to book recommendations.
Be sure to visit the library during Open House on Thursday, Sept. 13!
MUSIC NEWS
Welcome back! We look forward to an amazing year of musical growth and opportunities for our CCS musicians!
Beginning Band info. (attention grade 5 parents): In the Spring of 2017, all incoming 5th grade students completed an “instrument choice survey” where they indicated the instrument they would like to study this year. You will receive communication (phone call or email) confirming your choice within the first week of school. If your child already has an instrument, please be sure it is in good working order. You may obtain an instrument however you would like but we do work with two outstanding companies that visit CCS regularly. They are Ellis Music, www.ellismusic.com and Advance Music www.advancemusicvt.com. If you choose to rent from one of these businesses, please visit the appropriate website and fill out the rental agreement. If renting from Ellis Music, there will be an instrument pick up night on Monday, September 10 at 7 PM in the band room. Please plan attending this short and exciting evening to receive the instrument and instructional book. If renting from Advance Music, please be sure to order The Standard of Excellence book I for the instrument of choice. The Advance instruments will be delivered to Andy Smith and distributed at their first lesson. Please place all orders before Friday, September 6 to guarantee your timely delivery.
Please contact Andy Smith at (802) 425 - 6653 or asmith@cvsdvt.org with any questions.
Thank you!
SPORTS SCHEDULES
WELCOME CCS FAMILIES
The CCS Parent Teacher Organization Board is excited to welcome you to kick-off another great year of providing enriching programming and involvement for you and your children.
This year’s board members are as follows:
Carol Blanshine---President
Jessica Lucia---Vice President/Treasurer
Jen Novak---Secretary/Communications
Planning to provide many great opportunities has begun, and we will have more information for you soon. Everyone is encouraged to get involved however you can. Many hands make light work! J The Board takes care of all of the administrative work, but parents are needed to organize and help out to make our events happen. Our first immediate need is for someone to coordinate the Staff/Teacher Appreciation Lunches. This involves setting up the signup form and emailing it out to the parents. Please take this quick volunteer survey to let us know how you would like to be involved in this or any other activity, and how to get in contact with you: Here is the form
We look forward to seeing you all at our Community Picnic Potluck, Thursday, September 13th (Open House 5-6:30, BBQ 6-7:30pm). Please feel free to email us at any time throughout the year with any questions or ideas at ccspto@cvsdvt.org.
Sincerely,
Your PTO Board
PTO FALL COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE AND PICNIC POTLUCK
VERMONT STANDARDS BOARD SURVEY
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FALL COMMUNITY EDUCATION SERIES, PLEASE CONTACT TANYA VYHOVSKY AT 425-2771, X310
SEPTEMBER LUNCH MENU
CHARLOTTE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Check out our website.