THE VIKING
Hinesburg Community School - May 15, 2020
"To you a smile is just a twist of your mouth, but to the person you are smiling at, it is worth a million dollars." ~ Jordan Kramer Nison
The Principal's Corner
Dear HCS Families:
We want you to know that we are working with our staff to make the end of year traditions like move-up and graduation happen in a remote fashion. For move-up, along with notifying families about the teachers their children will have next year, we also plan to provide opportunities for students to meet their new teacher(s) digitally. We are still in the planning stages and will share those details soon. Our focus will be to find ways for your child to connect with their new teacher(s).
As you also know, we are planning to have a remote graduation for our students and we are also planning on giving 8th graders the chance to come pick-up their graduation certificates, and any awards they might have won in person. More details will be forthcoming, but our plan is to schedule pick-ups in a staggered fashion so the 8th-graders can come to get their certificates outside while still following social distancing protocols. We will have teachers on hand to verbally say goodbye to the kids. Our goal is to give 8th-grade students and staff closure for this crazy year.
We will also be planning through the summer to make next year as normal as possible understanding that we will also want to "catch many kids up" academically. We do have a few folks retiring or leaving HCS and we will sorely miss them. We will announce their names towards the end of the year, but the good news is that our hiring process has again revealed that a number of very high-quality candidates want to come work at HCS, in large part because Hinesburg is such a wonderful and supportive community. Thank you!
We hope you all have a chance to get outside this weekend to play in the sunshine. Have a wonderful Saturday and Sunday.
Warmly,
Suzan and John
Virtual Appreciation
Each day, show your appreciation in a new way. Be creative! Go big or small, and keep it virtual! Use video, pictures, photos, or words! Spread the love to teachers, Essential Arts teachers, para-educations, support staff and administration. You can find HCS staff email addresses in the CVSD staff directory.
Show Appreciation and Win Spirit Wear Store Credit!
Ten lucky students will get school Spirit Wear Store credit. Mrs.Locke and Mr. Pontius will pick from staff's favorite student appreciation submissions.
School-Home Partnership on Behalf of Student Safety
With students online even more during remote learning, it is critical that we all join together to support them. When Chromebooks went home with students, our district added a filtering and monitoring program to student school-issued Chromebooks that is similar to what we have in place when in the buildings. We are viewing data about sites that students attempt to access and we can truly say that they are focused primarily on educational content. That being said, some students have tried to access other sites, most of which have been blocked by our system. There are going to be occasions where a site may not be blocked and should be. We do count on parents and caregivers, whether during this time of remote learning or at any time, to partner with us to help monitor your child’s activity online. Please see the resources on the Technology page of our COVID-19 site. There, you will find not only information about getting tech support, but also more about digital citizenship, digital wellbeing, and a new podcast, “Parent Trapped,” from Common Sense Media designed specifically for parents at home with children during the pandemic. Here’s a link to the flyer that went home with Chromebooks as a reminder for how to get help. We hope you find something that is useful and informative. Thank you for working with us to support student learning.
Family Wellness Links
First Call - 488-7777: phone support, crisis intervention, assessment and referrals
In Crisis: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) (National Hopeline Network: USA)
1-800-273-TALK (8255) (National Suicide Prevention Lifelife: USA)
Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
Outright Vermont - support for LGBTQ+ community
UVM Breathe In Breath Out - How to deal with stress due to COVID-19
- Vermont 211 -Vermont database of resources and services
CVSD School Choice Information
Because of the COVID19 situation, we have adjusted the timeline for CVSD School Choice Applications for this year. Applications are due by May 15. Applications will be stamped with their received by date and will be reviewed by the Superintendent. Determinations will be made by May 20 after discussions between Superintendent and Building Administrators. Parents will be notified of approvals/denials via email.
For questions, please contact Sandy Raymond, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent at sraymond@cvsdvt.org.
Student Support
We realize that parents and caregivers are all working hard to support students with remote learning. With more time online, additional challenges arise around behavior and etiquette in an online environment. Classroom teachers are setting expectations, especially for class meetings. Parents and caregivers are also doing a lot! The district and school truly appreciate your involvement as well. Here are a few resources for families that we've compiled that you may find helpful.
Common Sense:
Common Sense Media (ratings, reviews, tips, common topics for parents, guides, how-to)
Common Sense Media Plus ($3/month, $30/year - access to more resources)
Resources for Families During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Resources for Family Engagement (family activities, media agreements, discussion guides)
Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)
Brainpop Videos (contact your school’s digital learning leader or librarian for login details, where needed)
The full collection of videos related to Digital Citizenship
Brainpop Jr. - Internet Safety
The Hinesburg Food Shelf is Here for You
We want everyone in our community to think of the Food Shelf as a resource that's available whenever you need it, especially during these difficult times. If it's your first visit, just bring an ID or piece of mail to show us you're a resident from one of the towns we serve. It's as simple as that, and you don't even have to leave your car. Offerings include canned and boxed pantry items, meats, cheese and dairy items, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, diapers, personal care items, pet food and more. Hours are Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and Fridays from 10:00 am to noon. If you are ill or home-bound, please call us at 482-4946 for a delivery. The Hinesburg Food Shelf is a program of the Hinesburg Community Resource Center. More info can be found at www.hinesburgresource.org.
Do You Need to Find Child Care?
Part 2 has put together this Part 2 staffing database of people looking to pick up hours during the school hiatus. Schedule, rate, payments, responsibilities, expectations, etc. will be up to you and the person you choose to employ.
Community Summer Camps & Classes
About Us
Suzan Locke, HCS Co-Principal, Grades K-4
482-6299, slocke@cvsdvt.org
John Pontius, HCS Co-Principal, Grades 5-8
482-6298, jpontius@cvsdvt.org
Alicia Kurth, HCS Special Education Administrator
425-6285, akurth@cvsdvt.org
Email: hcsinformation@cvsdvt.org
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org/hinesburg
Location: Hinesburg Community School, 10888, Route 116, Hinesburg, Vermont, USA
Phone: 802-482-2106
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hinesburg-Community-School-125786304154731/
The Viking Newsletter is published bi-weekly, when school is in session. It is available on our web site and is also delivered to email via Blackboard Connect. If needed, a hard copy can be provided for your child to bring home. The Viking includes upcoming events, after school opportunities, notes of interest for parents and the community and updates from our school administration.