THE SCHOOL BELL_19/20
Williston Schools /September 4, 2019
Welcome to a New School Year!
Ignite Passion, Embrace Joy
by Lead Principal Greg Marino
What a great start to the school year. The energy in both our schools has been incredibly positive and it has been wonderful to see the halls once again filled with the smiling faces of our students. It truly feels like we are a learning family and we’re so glad to be back together. Of course, the students who are new to Williston in both schools, along with our lively class of 112 Kindergartners, provide a unique new energy to our community that makes it all the more special. In Williston, we understand that it is our individual differences that make our learning community what it is. We celebrate those differences and strive to maintain a culture in which we all feel welcome and safe. (Fun Fact: This year’s Kindergarten class will be the WCS graduating class of 2028, and they will be graduating High School in 2032!)
With the start of the new year I am once again reminded of how lucky we are to be learners and educators in the Williston Schools. We are surrounded by people who care deeply about what they do and embody a mindset of continuous growth and learning. And most of all, we are surrounded by students who remind us how important our work is, and what it’s like to be “a kid”.
Last year, my family had the exciting opportunity to see our oldest child, Cole, perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Next door to the famous performing hall there is a connected facility used for educator, performer, and student workshops. Emblazoned on the door to the space is two very simple directives. IGNITE PASSION. EMBRACE JOY. This is our job as educators, learners, and role models for our students. Our students are the perfect flag bearers for these two edicts. My hope and expectation is that every adult in our learning family is waving this banner as well.
During our inservice time last week the adults in our learning community reaffirmed the things that we want our students to experience and feel. In no particular order, here is the list we came up with: Safe, connected, listened-to, welcome, accepted, included, wholisticly healthy, empowered, competent, resilient, can make a positive impact on community, excited, engaged, joy, hopeful, curious, empathetic, sense of wonder, global awareness / connectedness. I thought you would want to know what the hopes and expectations of the Williston Staff are for your students.
Please take a few minutes to review some important reminders below about Safety, and Parent Expectations During a School Emergency. Also, please enjoy some of the images below captured on the first few days of school.
Williston Wildcat Cafe Staff posing with the CVSD Trike Race Trophy, taking a break from their preparations in the kitchen.
Important Safety Reminders
One key element to maintaining safety in an emergency situation is effective communication to families. With this in mind, the Safety Committee has prepared the informational letter, Parents Expectations During A School Emergency. We are providing this letter again now and are asking you to become familiar with it in advance of possible emergency situations at either of the schools. If you have questions or concerns after reading the letter, please feel free to contact me directly. In terms of school safety, we will never be “done” improving our habits, routines, and procedures in order to help us be prepared and stay safe in different types of emergencies. We take the responsibility of ongoing improvement in this area very seriously. On behalf of the Safety Committee, I thank you for your partnership in this work.
While on the topic of Safety, I would like to thank parents and caregivers for being particularly mindful and attentive to safety in our parking lots, pick-up, and drop-off zones. Your careful driving and attention to safe pick-up and drop-off procedures help avoid accidents and assure student and adult safety, especially pedestrians. Please note that at WCS, there have been changes to the procedures for pick up of students in the afternoon. The most important change to note is that the front of the school is no longer being used as a student pick-up area. Please see details and map here.
CVSD Common Read Sept. 5
In May we shared a letter with information about the CVSD Common Read. We are very excited now to share additional information about the upcoming Common Read Celebration on September 5th at CVU.
Please read this letter for more details and visit the Common Read website.
Morning Start Time / Late Arrivals at Allen Brook School
The school day for students at Allen Brook School starts at 7:55 am. School buses arrive about 7:45, and parents dropping students off are asked to drop off by 7:55.
The front doors will be locked at 8:00 am, and families arriving after that time are expected to stop in the office and sign in.
Students arriving after 8 am are considered late, and will be given a late pass when they stop at the office. Students can then proceed to class and hand the pass to their teacher.
If you need to drop off items for your child after 8:00, please leave it with Laura or Cindy in the office with your child's name and teacher and we will see that it is delivered.
Thank you for helping ensure your child's class can start on time with everyone in attendance.
New Planning Room Director at ABS
I hope this message finds you well, and your child(ren) are off to a great start to the school year. I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself! My name is Nicole Pfende (Ms.Nicole) and I am the new Planning Room Director at Allen Brook School.
Our team met this summer and decided to rename the Treehouse We now call it The Hive. A Hive is a place where people are busily occupied, and we like to think of our work as problem solvers and detectives who help kids be Safe, Kind and Responsible.
I am hopeful my work this year will allow me to be in the classrooms, at lunch and recess and essential arts to work in the moment should a problem or situation arise.
It is important to me to have open communication with families, and thoroughly enjoy collaborating and problem solving. Please know, if you hear from me, it should not come with any negative connotations. It is because I have seen your child to come up with a plan to solve a problem. Please reach out should you have any questions. I can be reached at: 802-871-6255 or npfende@cvsdvt.org.
Be well,
Nicole
Four Winds Nature Institute
Volunteer Information
Is your child interested in science and the world around them? Are you looking for a way to be a part of your child’s classroom experience each month? Consider being a Four Winds Volunteer!
Four Winds is a parent-led program created by the Four Winds Nature Institute. It is designed to give young students an opportunity to study nature both in and around the school. Children learn science concepts and practice science skills such as asking questions, making observations, and communicating information. Using prepared materials and an entertaining puppet show, parents will present a new topic to classrooms each month and guide students through hands-on activities. This year our theme is Patterns in Nature.
Join our classroom teams! The first training is on Wednesday, Sept 11th from 8:30-11:00 in the WCS Community Room. To sign up or get more information email Deb Rosenfeld and Amanda Carr wsdfourwinds@cvsdvt.org
September topic is All Sorts of Insects
Four Winds Training Dates the 2019-2020 School Year
Sept 11, Oct 16, Nov 13, Jan 8, 2020, Feb 12, Mar 11, Apr 8, May 13
The 3rd/4th grade chorus will begin on Wednesday, September 25th, 3:00-4:00 in the WCS music room. More details will be coming soon.
Curriculum Nights/Learning Expo Dates
Thursday, Sept. 19 / grades 3- 4 / Williston Central School / 6:30 pm
Thursday, Sept. 26 / preschool / Allen Brook School / 6 pm
Thursday, Oct. 3 / grades 5-8 / Williston Central School / 6:30 pm
Student Picture Dates
ABS Ice Cream Social
We will be serving up ice cream in the garden space from 5 to 6 pm.
Continental Mathematics League 2019-2020
Registration deadline for grades 3-8 is September 20th
(Registration for grade 2 will be announced in October.)
Continental Math Online Registration 2019-2020
Grade 4-8 Meet dates:
November 15, December 13, January 17, February 14 & March 13
Grade 3 Meet dates:
January 17, February 14 & March 13
Continental Math for grades 3-8 at Williston Central School
CML is a competition in grades 3-8. For students in grades 4-8, there are five tests. They are given at ‘meets’ which are held during school hours, beginning in November and ending in March. Third graders participate in meets in January, February, and March. In each 30 minute meet, students work as individuals on six problems; calculators are not allowed. Medals are awarded to the two students with the highest cumulative scores per grade level. Although this is a competition, the emphasis is on developing a love of mathematics while learning new strategies with other eager mathematicians.
Julie Rogers is the contact person for grades 2-8.
Continental Math for grade 2 at Allen Brook School
Participation in grade 2 is non-competitive. Students work in small practice groups and attend 3 informal meets. Registration for grade 2 will be announced in October.
Spelling Bee Team ~ Qualifying Tests
7th/8th - Friday, September 6th at 8:10 or 12:40 (bring lunch)
5th/6th - Monday, September 9th at 8:10 or 2:00
Qualifying tests are taken in the WCS Enrichment room
Grades 5-8 students interested in trying out for either of the two WCS Spelling Bee Teams should come to the Enrichment room on either Friday, September 6th (7th/8th graders) at 8:10 or 12:40, students may bring their lunch if need be, and Monday, September 9th (5th/6th graders) at 8:10 or 2:00. Each test consists of 30 words. Twenty-five of the words come from the Vermont Principals’ Association list, and 5 are bonus words. The lists are available just outside the Enrichment room door or online at The Vermont Principals’ Association website under Student Activities, Team Spelling (or click here).
Please contact Julie Rogers ~ WSD Enrichment Teacher, jrogers@cvsdvt.org if you need more information.
SEEKING PARTICIPANTS for InterGen - A Monthly Inter-generational Book Group!
Families as Partners (FAP) teams up with the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library to sponsor a fun inter-generational book group that brings together WCS middle school students, seniors from our community and parent volunteers. Each book group will read and discuss 5 books over the course of the school year. Meetings take place during school hours.
The program will kick-off in October with a “Get Acquainted” luncheon. The book groups will then meet during school hours once a month to discuss books in a relaxed and fun setting. 7th & 8th graders will meet from 11:35am-12:15pm. 5th & 6th graders meet from 12:30pm-1:10pm. The program runs from October to March.
If your 5-8th grade child(ren) are interested in being considered for this program, please register by Friday, September 20th. We are also seeking parent volunteers! Use this online link to register your child or to sign up as a volunteer.
If you have any questions, please contact Karen Olson (kao_wolverine@yahoo.com) or your child's Language Arts teacher.
Health Office Notes
Please be sure to have your doctor fax a copy of immunizations directly to your Health Office if your child gets immunizations during the school year. This way we can keep their medical records up to date, especially if they receive a flu vaccine.
ABS Fax: 871-6201
WCS Fax: 871-6101
For ABS students, in addition to spare clothing for outside, please make sure to send in socks and underwear. It can be a long day and we want to make accidents "no big deal" by having changes of underwear at all times.
Box Tops for Education
click for a video explaining the changes and more information
Bus Information
Part 2
Part 2 is offering enrichment classes this fall and there are offerings at ABS and WCS this September.
The link to sign up is on our website, http://www.parttwokids.com/.
Four Winds Volunteers
Monthly Fitness Fun
September Calendar
School Nutrition Program
Please make payment checks out to 'CVSD - ABS' or 'CVSD-WCS'
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
ABS Dismissal is 1:35 pm.
WCS Dismissal 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.
Upcoming Events
Thurs. Sept. 5 / Common Read / CVUHS /
Fri. Sept. 6 / Kaleidoscope Open House / 7:45 am - 8:30 am
Wed. Sept. 11 / Four Winds Training/ WCS Community Rm / 8:30-11 am
Thurs. Sept. 12 / K-2 Curriculum & Learning Expo / ABS / 6-8 pm
Tues. Sept. 17 / ABS Picture Day
Wed. Sept. 18 / WCS Picture Day
Wed. Sept. 18 / ABS Ice Cream Social / 5-6 pm
Thurs. Sept. 19 / gr. 3-4 Curriculum and Learning Expo / WCS / 6:30-8:30 pm
Tues. Sept. 24 / ABS Picture Day Rain Date
Wed. Sept. 25 / WCS Picture Day Rain Date
Thurs. Sep.t 26 / EE Curriculum Night / ABS / 6-8 pm
Thurs. Oct. 3 / gr. 5-8 Curriculum Night / WCS / 6:30-8:30 pm
Fri. Oct. 4 / School Dance (gr. 6-8) / WCS / 6:30-8:30 pm
Wed. Oct. 9 / NO SCHOOL
Thurs. Oct. 10 / District Spelling Bee / 8am - 12:30 pm
Fri. Oct. 18 / NO SCHOOL (parent / teacher conferences)
More Links, More information
DAML Programs
Click here to access the DAML web site listing of events.
Recreation & Parks Offerings
Community Events
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
Allen Brook School and Williston Central School