THE SCHOOL BELL
Williston Schools / May 6, 2022
A Message from the Williston Schools Leadership Team
By Angela Filion, ABS Building Principal
Signs of Gratitude and Hope
As this week comes to an end I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of hope and gratitude for the work we do as community partners to education and shape our future...our children! We kicked off the week with teachers arriving to school with vibrant messages from the students on the sidewalks as they entered the building. A huge thanks to Amanda, our after school director, for taking my idea to action with the students from Part 2! (Picture below) Throughout the week we had daily drawings, lots of delicious food and desserts, a beautiful floral arrangement from our school board of directors, find the mascot scavenger hunts(teacher finds the mascot and earns a break from the principal), coffee, cookies, and breakfast from our food service department....the list goes on and on! These acts of gratitude come to us at a time where we are winding down from one of the most challenging school years we have ever experienced! So thank you to those that have stayed the course with us as hard as it has been, and also taking pause to provide our educators with appreciation. There was a newfound energy in the building this week that felt hopeful and encouraging! THANK YOU!
Dessert Day Thank You!
WCS and ABS would like to deeply thank all the families that helped make Dessert Day a success during Staff Appreciation Week! It was wonderful to bring back that tradition from the pre-pandemic days! We wish everyone could have seen the smiles we saw as staff picked out their desserts.
Thank you so very much!
Sincerely, The Williston Schools Leadership Team
Parents/Caregivers - Share Your Insight about Equity
The Champlain Valley School District wants each student to have a school experience that allows them to get what they need every day to learn and feel successful. The district also wants each student to be prepared with the skills and tools to pursue whatever they want once they graduate.
As a part of our equity audit partnership with Mass Insight, we want to hear from you. Our partner, Mass Insight, is offering a 10-minute survey for family members and caregivers to learn about your experience and that of your child/children. Additionally, families may receive a phone call in the month of May which should last no longer than 10 minutes. We hope you will participate and share your thoughts.
We value family and caregiver input as we continue to create a more inclusive environment for teaching and learning, and we hope that you will participate in the survey. A high response rate will enable us to confidently take the necessary steps to make CVSD a more inclusive and equitable place for all. Please use this link to take the survey.
Students in grades 5-12 are also encouraged to fill out a similar survey and have a different link provided by their teachers.
CVSD's COVID Recovery Plan Phase III
Four Winds is looking for help!
** Poppy Playtime featuring Huggy Wuggy **
All families have different expectations around video games, movies, shows and even holidays that they expose their children to. Often these trickle into school, and for the most part, they help students start conversations and connect with others.
There are times when children are talking about characters that may scare or make others feel uncomfortable. We are asking that if your children play the game Poppy Playtime, or know of
this game/character, that you talk with them and ask them NOT to talk about it at school.
If you are unsure what this is, here is a link.
Thank you for your help and cooperation
Seeking Summer Early Education and School Age Program Intensive Paraprofessionals
Allen Brook School and Williston Central are seeking energetic, intensive paraprofessionals to join our summer school teams. We are looking for skilled, caring individuals to provide support for individual and small groups of students in academic areas, personal development/behavior, and social cognition. Ideal candidate will be an advocate of inclusive education, problem-solver and strong collaborator, and a positive team member. Ability to promote child growth and foster independence are essential. Please note that lifting is a requirement of this job.
Early Education Program is July 5- July 28, 2022, Mornings Monday through Thursday
School Age Program is July 11- August 4, 2022, Mornings, Monday through Thursday
If interested in early education, please contact Shelley Henson at shenson@cvsdvt.org for more information. If interested in the school age program at Williston Central, please contact Cindy Morin at cmorin@cvsdvt.org for more information.
CVSD is an equal opportunity employer. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), women, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
If interested please apply online at www.schoolspring.com.
All ABS Library Books need to be returned by May 27th please to wrap up the school year!
Mosaic Art News
Grades 3 and 4 attend art in rotations this year. Some have completed their classes while others have their second rotation in the coming weeks. All artists are exploring a variety of mediums including clay, weaving, painting, drawing and in some cases sculpture as seen in these photographs of a large papier mache insect, a coil pot, a complementary color value study and a weaving using tapestry, soumak and rya knot weaves.
Wishing everyone a healthy and happy spring!
Sara Beeken, Art
Upcoming Events & Reminders
WCS Needlework Club Raffle
Do you want a chance to win a knitted scarf or stuffed animal? The WCS Needlework Club is holding a raffle! May 5th through May 31st, come to the front office to buy a one dollar ticket. One dollar!! All the money collected will go to Outright, VT. Outright, VT works to help LGBTQ+ youths grow up safely in the state of Vermont. Again, you can buy tickets in the front office, May 5-May 31.
Thank you,
The WCS Needlework Club
WCS Garden For Life - Family Clean-Up Days
As our garden expands we are in need of a few additional hands. We have a significant tree trimming project that we need help with cutting and stacking downed limbs and trunks and some new areas to dig out that includes removing large roots and items that have been buried. There are also some large boulders in the woods that we would like to drag out and position as seating.
Dates are Apr 30, 2022 and May 14, 2022 and timing is flexible based on participant availability. Please direct all questions and/or RSVP to Lynn Brown at lbrown@cvsdvt.org
WCS Chorus Concerts - Save the Date!
5th & 6th Grade Chorus
7th & 8th Grade Chorus
Students may not ride another bus
May 18, 2022 from 6:00-7:30 pm with How can we make Vermont more welcoming and inclusive for our diverse community? With panelists Jacob Bogre, Association for Africans Living in Vermont, Dr. Marissa N. Coleman, University of Vermont Medical Center, Yasamin Gordon, City of Winooski, Tino Rutanhira, The Vermont Professionals of Color Network, and moderator, Dr. Jude Smith Rachele, Howard Center and Abundant Sun. Register here.
For more information www.howardcenter.org; 802-488-6912.
Announcing 1st Annual CVSD Summer Band Camp
Summer enrichment program for current band instrumentalists entering 7th or 8th grade in the CVSD schools
Play in the camp band, collaborate in small ensembles, and receive individual coaching from high school mentors
Daily non-musical electives & activities
Informal concert at the end of camp
Limited capacity of 60
10:1 camper:counselor ratio
Family Fun Day (previously Family Formal) to support Vermont Make-a-Wish Foundation!
When: Saturday, June 4th from 4-7pm
Where: CVU High School
What: Music, yard games, face painting, group activities, guest speakers and more!
Tickets: $12 for adults and $6 for youth (12 & under) if pre-purchased online (link below), $16 for adults and $8 for youth if purchased at the door. Each ticket includes a voucher for one food item and one drink!
All proceeds directly benefit the Vermont Make-A-Wish Foundation
Link to pre-purchase tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/make-a-wish-family-fun-day-tickets-322143258157
Event is put on by CVUHS students, with support from the CVU Business Program. Please direct any question to Logan Vaughan at loganvaughan@cvsdvt.org.
CVU Summer Camp
A Reminder from Dorothy Alling Memorial Library
DAML Programs
Click here to access the DAML web site listing of events.
Recreation & Parks Offerings
Community Events
Four Winds
Nature's News Newsletters
December - No Newsletter
Slides Presentations
Lesson 1: Leaf-Eaters
Lesson 2: Life in the Dirt
Lesson 3: Snags and Rotting Logs
Lesson 4: Squirrel Tales
Lesson 5: Staying Warm
Lesson 6: White-tailed Deer
Lesson 7: Forest Birds
Williston Four Winds Program
Contact Us: wsdfourwinds@cvsdvt.org
FAP Information
We are looking for volunteers in all areas, our council, house representatives, and event volunteers! Please fill out this form if interested in helping!
https://forms.gle/AvVx1EHUGWWAikWn9
ABS Safe Drop Off & Pick Up
It is very important to stay in your vehicles during arrival and dismissal. We appreciate all you can do to ensure a safe and smooth transition in and out of school!
Please do not stop in the handicap parking spot or the crosswalk in front of the school - this creates safety and accessibility challenges when these areas are blocked.
Students being driven to ABS in the mornings can arrive between 7:30-7:55 for all 1st and 2nd grade students. 7:50-8:00 for all Kindergarten and PreK students. Walkers are welcome as early as 7:30. School begins at 8:00.
Please refer to this map for the correct location to drop off/pick up your student:
ABS Dismissal Update
*Please note: we did not shorten learning time for our students, we are just making the time students are waiting to leave and waiting outside less.
Family Resources
Resources to keep accessible:
Help Desk Portal for Technical Issues
INTRA-DISTRICT K-8 SCHOOL CHOICE
Children entering grades K-8 who live in the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George and Williston may exercise school choice. Our goal is to both allow options for families and also make balanced class sizes to provide a positive learning environment for all of our children. Processes for intra-district choice of school will be guided by the needs of students, space availability, and existing resources. Given this, we will work to meet as many families’ needs as possible. Guidelines and Application
Internet Connectivity for Families
CVSD has been awarded a federal grant that provides assistance for Internet connectivity for families that qualify for the free and reduced-price meals program.
The Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) is designed to help students who currently lack Internet access that they may need to connect to classrooms. It is funded through June 2022.
If you have any questions about the program, please send a note to CVSDECFProgram@cvsdvt.org . If you have questions about your student’s eligibility for the Free and Reduced Meal program, email Stephanie Hurlburt at shurlburt@cvsdvt.org
Upcoming Events
May 11 - Final Four Winds Training for the year, 8:30 - 10:30am, WCS Community Room
May 13 - Graduation Ticket Request Form deadline
May 19 - WCS Concert, Band & Chorus
May 26 - WCS Concert, Beginner Band
June 6 - Step-Up Day for grades K, 2, & 4
June 8 - 8th Grade Graduation Cruise, Spirit of Ethan Allen, 6 - 9pm
June 9 - 8th Grade Graduation @ 6:30pm
June 10 - Last day of school, Grades K-7/ Half-Day
CVSD School Board
CVSD's COVID Recovery Plan
Learn more about CVSD's Strategic Response Plan and provide feedback at this link.
More Links, More information
Williston Schools
Email: wsschoolbell@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