Gertrude Chamberlin School
Family Newsletter May 14, 2021 Volume 15 Issue 38
Wednesday, May 26th - 12:30 Dismissal. Early Release for Staff Professional Development
Monday, May 31st - No School - Memorial Day
Wednesday, June 9th - 12:30 Dismissal. 12:30 Dismissal. Early Release for Staff Professional Development
Friday, June 18th - Last Day of School, 11:30 AM Dismissal
Annual Registration for ALL STUDENTS is Open!
- Click on the big "P" icon in the blue ribbon on the top of the Gertrude Chamberlin home page.
- If you have forgotten your Username or need a password reset, please contact Mrs. Baechle at 652-7403 or Chamb_Reg@sbschools.net
- If more than one student is linked to the portal account, choose the appropriate student at the top left corner
- Choose the Forms link from the left navigation bar
- Under the Annual Student Update category, click “Update A. Getting Started: Annual Student Update 2021-2022” to begin completing the forms packet
The Registration website (www.sbschools.net/register) has helpful, translatable, information for parents/guardians. Instructions to register their students, lists of required documents, and guides to creating parent portal accounts and linking student(s) can be found there.
If you need assistance, please contact Mrs. Baechle at 652-7403, or Chamb_Reg@sbschools.net.
Arrival and Dismissal
Enhancing Communication: Texting Coming Soon!
In order to enhance our communication and engagement with families and staff, we will be adding SMS/text messaging to our SchoolMessenger notification system (the system the District uses to send phone and email communications to families and staff) with a target start of the end of May. Further details regarding the precise date and time this will "go live" as well as where to send questions/concerns will be shared over the coming weeks. Ready to opt-in now to receive text messages when they become available? Text the letter “Y” or the word “Yes” to the number 67587.
Poetry Contest Winner at GCS!
April was national poetry month, and our fifth graders entered a national poetry contest through Creative Communications with Ms. Balk. One of our 5th graders, Leela, entered a Haiku into this contest and her poem, Cherry Tree was chosen for publication! Cherry Tree is a haiku, which is a 3 line poem that follows the syllable pattern "5, 7, 5". Congratulations, Leela! Here is her poem:
Cherry Tree
Oh great cherry tree
You are so pink, so pretty
A light in the dark
The book will be available for purchase this coming October. How exciting to have a published student author from GCS!
PTO Officers for 2021-2022 School Year
President: Jennifer Doig
Vice President: Cathy Wisloski
Treasurer: Heather Osborne
Secretary: Marie Andalora
Thank you to these wonderful parents for volunteering to serve on the PTO board!
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Assessment for Grades 3, 4 and 5
3rd Grade
Week of May 3rd - English Language Arts
Week of May 10th - Math
4th Grade
Week of May 17th - English Language Arts
Week of May 24th - Math
5th Grade
Week of May 10th - Science
Week of May 17th - English Language Arts
Week of May 24th - Math
VTVLC Students
Week of May 17th
5th Grade at Gertrude Chamberlin School
4th Grade at Rick Marcotte Central School
3rd Grade at Orchard Elementary School
If you have questions about SBAC, please contact your child's teacher or the VTVLC liaison, Olivia Kane.
Preschool Florist Shop
Preschool Spring Art
Building Together in Preschool
Are you moving or making a transition of schools for next year? Please call Mrs. Baechle at 652-7403 to let us know your updated information so we can plan for your child's transition. This will also help us with our own planning for teacher and student placement for the upcoming school year. Thank you!
News from the South Burlington Public Library
Our temporary location at the University Mall is now open for browsing, using computers and checking out materials. Curbside pickup will continue, but we hope to see many of you inside the Library. We’ve missed you! This is a great time to renew your library card, or even better, to get library cards for everyone in your household. Any legal resident of South Burlington over the age of five may obtain a resident library card with identification that clearly shows name and current legal address. We encourage each household member to get a card, as we do not have “family” cards. Please come to the library to sign up. We plan to be open at the Mall location through Friday, June 11th and then, re-open in mid-to late
July at the NEW LIBRARY on 180 Market Street at the New City Center. We can’t wait to share this amazing community space with our patrons. Our updated policies regarding behavior and safety at the library will be available on our website in June.
In the meantime, we have exciting events planned in preparation for this move. Our 2021 Summer Reading Program, designed to encourage and celebrate reading throughout the summer, features all kinds of animals. “Tails and Tales” begins on June 1 with Summer Reading Kits available through curbside or by visiting the library. Readers of all ages can log their reading through a new online tracking program called BEANSTACK. Read for fun and earn digital badges; once the library has reopened, enter your raffle tickets for the chance to win prizes. More information is coming soon, so keep checking the library website. This program is FREE and open to readers of all ages.
On Sunday, June 13 at 10am, we will kick off the move to our new library with a “Bag 'n Wagon Parade” It’s your chance to say “Good-bye!” to the old, and “Hello!” to the new, as we begin our move to the new library. After grabbing a bag of books, we will parade across Dorset Street led by Mike Randall’s “The Big Blue Train.” Readers can also pick up their Summer Reading Kits at the end of the parade. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Check out our library website for more details.
Celebrate with us at the official ribbon cutting and Open House on July 23rd. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to seeing you soon!
For more information, please contact us at 846-4140 or email sbplinfo@southburlingtonvt.gov.https://southburlingtonlibrary.org
Open hours:
Monday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 11 am – 3 pm
Tuesday & Wednesday 2 pm - 6 pm.
Chalk the Walk - South Burlington Parks and Recreation
South Burlington Recreation and Parks is holding a Chalk the Walk event at Veterans Memorial Park Saturday, May 15th from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Families are welcome to decorate a sidewalk square or two.
Chalk is provided by Vermont Federal Credit Union.
Look for the SBRP blue tent near the park entrance.
https://www.facebook.com/events/858804398063001?active_tab=about
Health Office Updates
Vermont's Easing of Mask Requirement:
Masks are only required outdoors in situations* where a 6-foot distance cannot be maintained. According to Dr. Levine with the health department: “This is why, now when you’re outdoors, masks will only be required when you’re in a crowd or with multiple households, where you can’t keep a 6-foot distance from others. This is regardless of whether you are vaccinated or not.”
Examples of when you do not need a mask include:
- if you’re outside on a run, your family is on a hike or out for biking,
- if kids are having an outdoor playdate,
- if you’re on the sidelines watching a baseball game or
- if you are heading to the beach with plenty of space around you.
*Students and staff will continue to wear masks while on school property.
Travel:
If you are unvaccinated (including children) and traveled outside the state, you must have a COVID-19 test within 3 days of returning to Vermont. For more details, visit COVID-19 "Frequently Asked Questions" on the health department's website.
People who have returned from international travel should follow the "After International Travel" guidance from the CDC.
A message to parents/guardians: if you have any symptom, no matter how mild, such as a headache, cough, fatigue or a runny nose, it’s best to get tested. It’s also important to avoid going to work, school or other places until you receive a negative result. COVID-19 is a highly transmissible virus, and this is how we can each protect our loved ones and our communities. If you have symptoms, talk to your health care provider. They can refer for testing.
COVID Vaccine:
People 12 and older can make appointments. Part-time Vermont residents, including college students, are also eligible to get vaccinated. The health department is arranging for more walk-in clinic opportunities. Visit the "make appointment" link above to find a walk-in near you!
The Vermont Department of Health is offering a series of online town hall meetings with local pediatric providers for parents who may have questions about the vaccine. Here is the DOH link to these meetings:
https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine/about-covid-19-vaccines-vermont#vaccinesforchildren
May 8th Update from Superintendent Young
May 8, 2021
Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff,
The clouds have cleared and May is here! There is so much to celebrate this week and month, it’s becoming hard to keep track. One of my favorite aspects of the warming temperatures and this gradual return to more in-person activities is hearing and seeing students participating in opportunities that were suspended or held virtually for nearly a year. From the sound of conversations held in the parking lot after school to catching a glimpse of play practices in progress, these moments mean we are slowly and safely moving forward.
This week was National Teacher Appreciation Week and what a year it has been for our teachers and staff. Each school found ways to honor their teachers this week from catered lunches and breakfasts to thank you notes, both physical and virtually at SBHS. In addition, Vermont Vita-Learn is inviting anyone to submit a brief shout-out video to honor a teacher in their school district! They will create compilation videos of the shout-outs and share them over social media to publicly recognize the great work and dedication of our teachers! Look to their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts and for the hashtags #vted & #TeacherAppreciationWeek for highlights. Submissions are open now until May 14, 2021!
Additional In-Person Learning for Students Begins May 10
Since Current COVID19 activity continues to show a very promising downward trend, the District is still on track to welcome more students back to additional in-person learning time effective May 10. What will this look like? It will vary based on grade level. At the elementary and middle school grades, students will attend school in-person five days per week, while the high school will follow a modified in-person schedule. Details regarding the high school plan will be communicated via the high school administration. Students enrolled in VTVLC remote learning will continue with their program through the end of this school year.
To be clear, we will be following the state's updated Strong and Healthy Year Guidance along with our established protocols around masking, physical distancing, and hand washing as well as making ample use of our outdoor spaces where constant air flow decreases the risk of virus transmission. I held my first open conversation for families this past Tuesday where individuals with questions or concerns regarding this change “popped in” to learn more and shared their thoughts. I found this to be extremely valuable and plan on holding more of these in the future. I will keep you posted!
Impact on Transportation: Bus Schedule Changes
There will be changes to the bus schedules for the middle and high school beginning Monday, May 10. These adjustments have been posted to the transportation page of the District website. We are still encouraging parents/guardians who have been driving their students to school, especially at the elementary and middle school level to continue to do so in order for us to maintain 3 ft distancing requirements. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy LaRock at 652-7479, klarock@sbschools.net or Gary Marckres at 652-7052, gmarckres@sbschools.net.
Celebrating our School Lunch Heroes!
Friday, May 7 was National School Lunch Hero Day, a great time to thank our nutritional services staff, custodians, and bus drivers who have made getting meals to students possible all year (including over the summer and on vacations). Director of Nutritional Services Rhonda Ketner said, “The Nutritional Services staff, Transportation and Custodial Staff have worked tirelessly to ensure our students have access to nutritious meals in a safe and sanitary environment, regardless of the learning modality and service constraints. Some have worked for over a year without a break and will continue to work through the summer. Not all Heroes wear capes, some wear aprons, hair nets, deliver meals, and clean the cafeterias.” Thank you all today and every day! We could not have a thriving District without each of you!
National Nurses Week is May 6-May 12
Yesterday kicked off National Nurses Week and we are so thankful for our school nurses. This year, in addition to their regular duties, they have taken on the responsibility of keeping track of the latest COVID information and have deftly adapted protocols that have seemed to change almost daily. Thank you for being a critical part of our District team.
Enhancing Communication: Texting Coming Soon!
In order to enhance our communication and engagement with families and staff, we will be adding SMS/text messaging to our SchoolMessenger notification system (the system the District uses to send phone and email communications to families and staff) with a target start of the end of May. Further details regarding the precise date and time this will "go live" as well as where to send questions/concerns will be shared over the coming weeks. Ready to opt-in now to receive text messages when they become available? Text the letter “Y” or the word “Yes” to the number 67587.
“Pop-in” Chats with School Board Members
Our school board wants to connect with you! Although they have regular bi-monthly meetings, we understand that the dates, times, and even the format are not ideal for everyone in terms of participation. If you are looking for another way to ask questions, express concerns, or maybe just get to know your board members a little better, please join individuals for their upcoming Zoom chats! The board will begin piloting these virtual pop-in sessions beginning next week. Board members are in the process of developing their initial schedules. Next week, you can join Board Chair Bridget Burkhardt Monday, May 10 from 9:00-11:00 am and Rebecca Day beginning Tuesday, May 11 from 10:00-11:00 am. Check out the School Board's Facebook Page and the District website for the latest dates and links!
You can also watch this past week’s board meeting via the Media Factory website and see the meeting minutes and backup information on the District website.
Caring for Mental Health
The stress of this pandemic has affected us all in a variety of ways and that’s why I wanted to take a moment, during Mental Health Awareness month, to provide you with some helpful resources from the Vermont Department of Mental Health as well as links to these wellness and mental health apps. Please be sure to take some time to care for yourself, lean on friends and family, and reach out to connect, even if it’s virtually, through a phone call or email. Let’s show one another compassion.
School Happenings
SBHS Student Justice Union and Culture and Geography Club Educate on AAPI History
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Student Justice Union and Culture and Geography Club have been working to educate individuals on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history. This week, via the daily announcements, they began answering questions and celebrating the cultures, traditions, histories and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the United States and to the Forest Service. On May 5, the two student groups hosted a Zoom for individuals to learn more about Ramadan and what it means to some of our Muslim students. Next week, students will have the opportunity to hear from some SB students about their experience as Tibetan-Americans in Vermont. More to come!
FHTMS Spring Play this Weekend!
After navigating the twists and turns COVID has presented to the performing arts this year, thanks to perseverance and ingenuity, the FHTMS spring play is ON! Director David Bailey said that FHTMS drama began the year with the intent to do a full production of Jane Eyre on the high school stage in early January, but after two months of rehearsals, the production had to be cancelled due to COVID restrictions. An impromptu drama club, held 2-3 days per week was developed and in late March they decided to try to put together a performance of their work using the only space available, the Tuttle Cafeteria. That evolved even further to the “Collection” individuals can enjoy Saturday night!
Some of the plays students are using material from include: A Midsummer's Night Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Our Town, Odd Couple, The Crucible, The Miracle Worker, Jane Eyre, Waiting for Godot, Man of La Mancha, The Glass Menagerie, Almost, Maine and more.
Because of Covid restrictions, the audience has been limited to immediate family members of cast and crew, but good news! The performance will be livestreamed beginning at 7:00 pm Saturday night, May 8!
Gertude Chamberlin Students Develop Teamwork Skills in PE
PE classes have been busy working on all kinds of skills this winter/spring related to developing skills and personal responsibility. All classes, K-5 have had a taste of a variety of movement skills from dance, basketball, floor hockey and striking skills with rackets and bats. This week they honed their dodging and teamwork skills. Students in grades 4 and 5 are learning to play different games using their volleyball skills The teamwork and cooperation skills keep getting better every day. Way to go GCS students! See photos in Principal Rouelle’s weekly newsletter.
Rick Marcotte Central Students Earn a Celebration
Lizzy Appleby’s 4th grade class recently celebrated earning 100 Marky Marks which are attained by being respectful, mindful, and cooperative. Students voted on what kind of celebration they wanted and decided upon a "create with cardboard" event. Appleby wrote, “Students brought in boxes of all sizes and had about 45 minutes to build. We had houses, a microwave, TV, bodysuit, helmet, and much more created!”
Orchard School Students Build and Launch Rockets!
Thanks to a collaboration with Starbase Vermont, 5th graders at Orchard School recently developed and launched their own rockets! Teacher Monica Petzold reported that before April break, “students video called the Starbase instructors to safely build their rockets.The Starbase teachers were very helpful in making sure every rocket was launched, even if it had problems on its first try! The teachers each got to launch a rocket as well, but they had stronger engines in them so they went twice as high. Ms. Petzold's rocket went all the way across the street! We were so glad to be able to safely have this experience this year!” See photos and video of this project on the Orchard School Instagram page.
Thanks for reading and on a final note, if you are looking to be inspired as you move into the weekend, check out the work of the Young Writers Project mid-April featured poet, FHTMS student Julia Todd.
Sincerely,
David
Family Resources:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Family Resources from our Howard Clinician
Caregiving is hard enough without a global health pandemic! Now more than ever, it is CRITICAL that we encourage our caregivers to practice diligent self-care. Our health depends on it, and the health of our children depends on it. It is difficult for caregivers to put themselves first – and we know they are equally as deserving and in need of it. Please consider using these helpful resources.
The Importance of Care for Caregivers (National Association of School Psychologists)
Parenting During Coronavirus: You are Enough (PBS Kids)
Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
COVID Support VT (from 211)
Apps for Self-Care and Wellness
Your School Services Clinician,
Sharon Davis
Here's the link to the breakfast and lunch menus.
Gertrude Chamberlin School
Email: hrouelle@sbschools.net
Website: https://vt01819219.schoolwires.net/Domain/10
Location: Chamberlin School, White Street, South Burlington, VT, USA
Phone: 802 652 7403
Twitter: @hrouelle