THE SCHOOL BELL
Williston Schools /March 27, 2019
SBAC Assessments
by Jacqueline Parks, WCS Principal
All students in grades 3-8 will be taking the SBAC assessment in the upcoming months. This is a nationally required assessment that measures how students are doing in literacy and mathematics. It provides families with test results in these areas and compares your child’s score to the national average. It also helps us look at our school programming as we analyze the trends for strengths and weaknesses and make curriculum adjustments.
Your child’s teacher will let you know when the SBAC is being given. Generally, teachers spread the testing sessions out over the course of a week. In the weeks prior to the assessment, teachers will take their students through some guided practice sessions, so they can become acquainted with the format of the test. This assessment is taken on the chromebook, so having solid technology skills is critical.
The Common Core curriculum aligns with the SBAC assessment, so tasks that students are asked to do on the test should feel quite familiar to students. However, each testing session can feel lengthy to students, so teachers are helping students build up the stamina to sustain their focus. Teachers will also talk with students about the importance of persevering and doing their best work.
As a parent you can help ensure we have a smooth testing process by minimizing appointments during the testing week. This will result in fewer make-up sessions. In addition, talk with your child about the importance of doing their best on the test. We appreciate your support as we implement this required assessment.
CAMP ROCK
WCS Drama Club is pleased to announce the upcoming presentation of Camp Rock!
Performances Friday April 5th at 7pm
Saturday April 6th at 2pm and 7pm
Tickets available through http://willistoncentral.seatyourself.biz
Enjoy the Show!!
Help Needed with Basket Raffle
Creating beautiful baskets for the raffle, setting up and decorating, selling raffle tickets, making a food item for guests to enjoy – all of these are opportunities that are available between Friday, April 5th and Saturday, April 13th.
We depend on you to help us with one of the largest community fundraisers.
Please check out this SIGN UP LINK for information on how you can help with the Big Basket Raffle and Silent Auction, as it takes the support of many.
Classroom baskets are now in place for family donations. Here is the LINK to the list of all basket themes.
Baskets are only in classrooms until April 5th!!
Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 13th for the Big Basket Raffle and Silent Auction fundraiser – an event for grown ups only. If you have children in grades K-5th there is a Fun Night that same evening at WCS with Swift House!
Planning Committee Members: Rebecca Ashford, Karen Boutin, Emily Downing Ponce, Mary Jo DuBois, Sheri Gates, Stacie Morris, Julia Nesbit, Pam Niarchos, Kristin Patten, Lyn Porter, Christina Sicard, Brooke Thomas, Shani Varricchione, Michael Wayman
Any questions, please email
Substance Use & Prevention Forum
April 10
6-8:30 pm
Williston Central School
The Town of Williston is hosting a substance use and prevention forum with a focus on our community's youth. This will be the first in what is hoped to be an ongoing dialogue about the brain chemistry of addiction and strategies for prevention. Please sign up here:
Williston Community Substance Use and Prevention Forum
The forum will include the latest data from Christine Johnson, the Executive Director of the Chittenden County Opioid Alliance, new educational videos, break out group discussions and a facilitated full group discussion.
Dinner Provided: Come at 6 PM for a free meal and to network with members of our community before the main program starts at 6:30 PM.
Child Care Available: Please reserve ahead of time by contacting Erik Wells at ewells@willistonvt.org or 876-1168.
Sponsored By: The Town of Williston, Champlain Valley School District, Williston/Richmond Rotary Club, Chittenden County Opioid Alliance and the Williston Observer
FAP Speaker Series Presents Appreciative Parenting
Wednesday, April 17th from 6:30-8pm
WCS Communy Room
This is a date change from April 9th, same time.
Intro to Appreciative Parenting
Join us for this interactive session where we will begin to explore your personal character strengths and how you can leverage them as a parent. We will also discuss key questions to help identify and develop your child’s individual strengths and help you both have a conversation worth having.
Shelly Masson Bio: Shelly is currently part of the faculty of practice at the David Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry at Champlain College and also teaches in the Positive Organizational Development certificate program. She has been working with the concepts of Appreciative Inquiry and Parenting for the past 7 years.
Nicole Morris Bio: Nicole has been a faculty member at the Stiller School of Business at Champlain College, teaching in disciplines of accounting and management, for the last decade. Nicole holds a Appreciative Inquiry Certificate in Positive Business and Society Change from Case Western University and has taught Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry.
Meet & Greet (for children entering Kindergarten in the fall)
Allen Brook School has scheduled a Meet & Greet (previously referred to as Registration/Screening) for families with children who will be in kindergarten this fall.
There are six sessions on three days in April. Please select a day and time on April 3, 4, or 5 (10 - 10:45 am or 1:15 - 2:00 pm).
During each session small groups of children will visit kindergarten classrooms while parents meet with staff and learn about the upcoming year.
Please follow the steps below to select a date and time for your Meet & Greet.
1) Click this link to see our SignUp on SignUp.com: http://signup.com/go/JVUWqow
2) Review the options listed and choose the date and time you like.
3) You will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.
Contact Laura Gigliotti (871-6200 or lgigliotti@cvsdvt.org) or Cindy Pavlik (871-6203 or cpavlik@cvsdvt.org) with questions.
Camp Ta-Kum-Ta Donations
My name is Sawyer Falkenbush and for my 8th grade challenge I am working with Camp Ta-Kum-Ta. I am collecting items that the camp would have to go get on their own time with their own money.
Camp Ta-Kum-Ta is a non-profit organization where kids who have or had cancer can go to camp and be a normal kid. ALL FOR FREE!!! They stay for a week or weekend.
Any items you can donate will be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for your time and support. Drop of will be near the front office in WCS. You can drop it off anytime in between March 13- March 27.
Job Opportunity at Allen Brook School
Allen Brook School is seeking an energetic, child-centered adult to assist with supervision to our elementary students during lunch and recess. We are looking for candidates who love to work as part of a team, will provide positive reinforcement and redirection, and follow established protocols to keep children safe. This position is Monday through Friday 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM when school is in session.
Interested candidates should submit an application or contact Cindy Pavlik, cpavlik@cvsdvt.org, 871-6203.
Girls Science Discovery at the UVM College of Medicine
The University of Vermont College of Medicine’s Chapter of the American Women’s Medical Association will be hosting their annual Girls’ Science Discovery Day on Saturday, May 11th, 2019 from 9:00am to 3:00pm at the UVM College of Medicine in Burlington, VT. Williston Central School has been invited to bring three seventh or eighth grade girls to the event.
The day consists of a keynote address, interactive workshops run by faculty and medical students, and an ice cream social. Workshops from previous years have included learning about the immune system, medical imaging, and anatomy. Activities have included viewing human organs, casting an arm and drawing blood from a dummy. For more information, click here.
Any girls interested in attending should complete the Google Survey found here before 3:00 pm on Thursday, April 5th. Further questions can be directed to Amy Skapof at askapof@cvsdvt.org. If we have more than three interested and enthusiastic candidates we will draw names on Friday, April 5th. Those chosen to attend will be contacted by April 8th with more details.
Doing some Spring Cleaning?
The WCS Library is looking for gently used, hard cover books from the following series:
Warriors by Erin Hunter (Any/All Series)
Diary of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce
DK Eyewitness Books
Lego, I Spy, and Minecraft Books
Books can be brought to the WCS Library. Thank you!
8th Grade Challenge
Hi my name is Isabella Nash and I am doing my 8th grade challenge on premature birth since I was born 4 months early. I am doing a fundraiser for March of Dimes. Please use the link to donate to March of Dimes. Your donations can help create more medical advances to help keep premature babies alive. Thank you so much.
https://www.marchforbabies.org/Fundraising/Personal?PersonId=7012851&u=23-3Ion&Participantid=8785169
Seeking Indoor Garage Sale Donations
Voyager House is holding its annual Indoor Garage Sale Saturday, March 30th in WCS's cafeteria 8:00am - 2:00pm! It's a giant indoor Reuse/Resale that raises money to benefit Voyager House.
If you have any quality, sell-able items to donate to this sale we'd be most appreciative!! We are looking for furniture, household items, athletic equipment, working electronics, artwork, toys, rugs or anything that could be a treasure to someone new!
We are asking for items that can be sold! If the things you have to donate are really worn out, please bring them to Goodwill instead of our sale. The trips to Goodwill at the end of our garage sales have been really big! Just do you best to consider the shape of the products you donate.
Goodwill does not take the following items. Please refrain from bringing them to our sale, as we will not be able to dispose of them, if they do not sell. Click for list
Drop off donated items from 6:30pm - 8:30pm Friday, March 29th in the WCS cafeteria. Students will be available to help unload your donations. Contact Ted Milks at Tmilks@cvsdvt.org with questions. And THANK YOU for your support!
K-8 IntraDistrict School Choice
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
Dismissal at ABS is 1:35 pm.
Dismissal at WCS 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.
Four Winds Nature News
School Lunch Menus
Please make payment checks out to 'CVSD - ABS' or 'CVSD-WCS'
Monthly Fitness Fun
More Links, More information
Upcoming Events
April 3-5 / Incoming Kind. Meet & Greets / ABS / am & pm sessions
Fri. April 5 / Camp Rock / WCS Auditorium / 7 pm
Sat. April 6 / Camp Rock / WCS Auditorium / 2 pm & 7 pm
Tues. April 9 / 4th gr. Parent Mtg. / WCS Auditorium / 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Wed. April 10 / Four Winds/ WCS Community Rm / 8:30-10:30 am
Thurs. April 11 / FAP / WCS Community Rm / 8-10 am
Sat. April 13 / Big Basket Raffle & Fun Night / WCS / 6-8 pm
Tues. April 16 / CVSD School Board Mtg. / CVUHS rm. 160 / 6 pm
Wed. April 17 / Synergy Family Event / 5:30 - 7 pm
Tues. April 17 / FAP Speaker Series / WCS Community Rm. / 6:30 - 8 pm
Thurs. April 18 / Horizon Reading Restaurant / 6 - 8 pm
April 22-26 NO SCHOOL
Fri. May 3 / School Dance / WCS / 6:30-8:30 pm
Thurs. May 9 / FAP Mtg. / WCS Community Rm / 8-10 am
Upcoming Events on the School Web CalendarDAML 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