Gertrude Chamberlin School
Family Newsletter October 23, 2020 Volume 15 Issue 15
Reminders:
All Grades will return for in person learning for 4 days a week beginning on October 26th.
Green Day Wednesdays on the District Calendar will continue to be home learning days, including a Zoom Morning Meeting.
there is no school on Tuesday, November 3rd, due to voting. students will attend school on wednesday, November 4th.
picture retakes will be on Tuesday, November 10th, beginning at noon. VTVLC students are welcome to come between 12:30-1:00 PM.
Continuing the Tradition of Our Annual Food Drive - October 26th - November 18th
A statement from our Food Shelf partners: We are "recognizing a need in our community, a small group of South Burlington residents and community leaders formed a coalition to help address the problem of food insecurity in Vermont’s second largest city. Inspired by their faith and by a commitment to their neighbors, the group is leading the effort to build a food shelf that will serve South Burlington’s food-insecure individuals and families. We’re called to love each other, take care of each other and serve each other.”
Please join our Food Drive efforts by donating food this year. Thank you.
The South Burlington Food shelf is located on:
356 Dorset Street / South Burlington, VT 05403
Hours: Thursday 5:15 – 7:15 PM / Friday 8 – 10 AM / Saturday 8 – 10 AM
Family Conversation With Joelle VanLent
For four years, we have been working with Joelle VanLent, a clinical psychologist, on how to foster resilient learners in our district. Joelle has supported our work in social emotional learning, including self-regulation, and trauma informed practices. Each of our elementary schools has staff that have been trained by Joelle in resiliency strategies, and these "trainers" support other staff members in our schools. We know this is a very stressful time for families as well, and Joelle is able to create a tailored video to support our South Burlington elementary families. Instead of a live question and answer, we thought it would be best to get your questions and then record Joelle answering them so you could access the presentation for whenever it works for your schedule. If you would like to share your thoughts and questions, please feel free to complete whatever parts of the attached questionnaire that you would like.
Also, here is a great article on building resilient children during a pandemic from Joelle.
Congratulations, PBiS Teams at Chamberlin School!
Box Tops For Education
This year families are able to send in any unexpired box tops directly to General Mills. You can find step by step instructions on the website: www.boxtops4education.com. As a reminder only the old version of unexpired Box Tops clipped can be sent in. With products that have the new Box Tops logo, the only way the school can get credit is if you download the free app and scan your physical receipts within 14 days of purchase. If families have any questions regarding this, please email Marie Andalora msandalora@gmail.com. Any families sending in box tops must have them postmarked by November 2nd. Thank you for supporting our schools with Box Tops!
All Students Returning For Arrival and Dismissal
Starting Monday, we will have ALL of our students back for 4 days, and we anticipate a very busy parking lot. Family drivers will need to be especially patient, as we anticipate a longer wait time for arrival and dismissal. Please remember that 2:30 is the earliest that you can arrive at dismissal, as we are focused on getting the students to School's Out and on the correct busses from 2:15-2:30 PM. For everyone's safety, we ask that family members refrain from talking on their cell phones - both drivers and walkers. Thank you for helping us keep students and staff safe during arrival and dismissal.
We have some gentle reminders for arrival:
- Please remember to slow down and drive through the bus lane.
- All families with a PreK or K student (even if you have a student in grades 1-5 as well) will always go to station 3 in the small parking lot.
- For families with older students, our traffic controllers will let you know if you should go to station 1 or 2. Please roll down your window so they can direct you to the correct station.
- We really appreciate that so many of you have your card visible on your dashboard. Please remember that the card is for grade level, not your arrival/dismissal station.
Please do not arrive before 7:50, and 7:55 is the official start time for arrival. Please do not arrive before 2:30, including walkers, as we are getting busses loaded and out to stagger the process. The last dismissal group ends at 2:50. Staff have meetings to go to at this time, so we appreciate that you arrive by this time so they are not late to their next commitment. Thank you for all of your help with this new process!
Arrival for cars and walkers:
Students in PK, 1, and 5 will arrive between 7:55-8:10am.
Students in K, 2, 3, and 4 will arrive between 8:10-8:25am.
Dismissal for cars and walkers:
2:30pm-2:40: Car and Walkers dismissal out the by grade level
PK, K, and older siblings of those grade levels out the kindergarten door (stop #3)
1st grade and older siblings of first graders out the main door (stop #2)
2:40-2:50: Car and Walkers dismissal out the front main entrance by grade level
2nd and 3rd grade and older siblings of those grades out the kindergarten door (stop #3)
4th and 5th graders out the main door (stop #2)
Below is the link to the SoBu Spooktacular through the South Burlington Recreation Department
Health Updates From Mrs. Farrell
Information for Families: Return to School Following Illness
Thank you to everyone for helping our school stay healthy by adhering to The Return to School Following Illness Guidance from the Vermont Department of Health. I recognize it can be challenging for families and it is a shift for me as well.
Here are the links to the information in multiple languages:
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
English
English
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Arabic
العربية
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Burmese
မြန်မာစာ
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Chinese
中文
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
French
Français
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Karen
ကညီကျိ
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Kirundi
Kirundi
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Nepali
नेपाली
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illnes
Somali
Soomaali
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Spanish
Español
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Swahili
Swahili
For Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness
Vietnamese
Tiếng Việt
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is tomorrow, Saturday, October 24th.
This twice-yearly event provides a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of prescription and over-the-counter medications. Local drop off spots are at the University Mall or anytime at the S.B. Police Dept; find other locations by scrolling to the bottom of the page here.
Halloween and COVID
Being safe during Halloween: the Health Department reminds us that when trick-or-treating or making plans, lower the risk of getting COVID by maintaining:
SIX-FOOT SPACES, MASKS ON FACES & UNCROWDED PLACES
The CDC outlines low, medium and higher risk activities to review when considering Halloween festivities. See the recommendations here.
It's Still Tick Season!
Check your body for ticks after being outdoors.
Check out the CDC website for: tick identification, prevention, removal, symptoms.
This fall and winter, flu viruses and COVID-19 may both spread.
Get your flu vaccine to protect yourself and your loved ones.
October 16th Update from Superintendent Young
Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Community Members,
The mid-October weather, although unseasonably warm late this week, offered us a few more opportunities to enjoy our outdoor classrooms before they are taken down for the season in early November. This week, we welcomed back our Grades PreK-2 students to four days per week of in-person instruction beginning Tuesday, October 13. We are so glad to have more of our students back in our classrooms. Thanks to all of the staff, students, and families who have helped make this happen safely!
Honoring Kathy Buley
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that our long time educator and friend, Kathy Buley, passed away after an incredibly courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Kathy was an educator in our District for over 40 years, primarily at Gertrude Chamberlin School. Today, to honor her memory, staff and students were encouraged to wear purple, the official color of pancreatic cancer awareness. Gertrude Chamberlin Principal Holly Rouelle wrote, “We are incredibly saddened by her loss and will remember her as a loving, dedicated teacher and a strong advocate for children and education. We are incredibly grateful to have had Kathy as a teacher and colleague at our school and as a resident of South Burlington. We know that she has positively touched hundreds and even thousands of lives and made a difference in our community.” I wish you all strength in the days and weeks ahead and please don't hesitate to reach out to your families, school principals, and colleagues for support as we process this loss in our own ways.
Reopening Update
I wanted to extend a warm welcome back to our PreK-2 students to four days per week of in-person learning which began October 13! Our plan remains to bring back Grades 3-5 October 26 and we are in preliminary conversations to bring middle school students (Grades 6-8) back to four days per week hopefully in November. I will keep you updated on these discussions.
I wanted to reassure families that even as we have increased capacity in our schools, we continue to enforce protective measures such as mask wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing. Physical distancing guidance remains at 3-6 ft.for students in Grades PreK-5 to the extent possible according to the current language in the state's Strong and Healthy Start Guidelines. The state task force is currently reviewing this language to allow for more flexibility within our schools. In addition, the District purchased 205 air purification units with grant support from Efficiency VT for all classrooms this year. Most large offices that support several people in the same space also have one. The purifiers have a true HEPA filter and UV-C lamps. Also, the District HVAC equipment has been serviced with 80 percent of filters having been converted to MERV-13 filters, the remaining 20 percent are on the way due to high nationwide demand.
Travel Guidance
As holidays and vacations approach, families and staff may be considering traveling out of the area. This is a gentle reminder that the care and safety of our school community depends upon all of us following federal and state travel guidelines.Prior to traveling, be sure to check the cross state travel map from the State of Vermont which is updated every Tuesday. Areas that are in yellow and red require quarantines upon return to Vermont, so plan your getaways accordingly. You can find more detailed information about travel and quarantine at the Vermont Department of Health website. In addition, the CDC recently released a helpful guide for safely celebrating upcoming holidays.
All employees who plan to or who have traveled out of state are expected to fill out this FY21 Covid Travel Notification Form. Thank you all for your compliance!
School Happenings
Tomorrow, from 4:00-5:00 pm on the SBHS Munson Turf Field, the UVM Student-Athletes of Color, in conjunction with South Burlington and Burlington High School Athletic Departments, have invited coaches, teachers, administration, and community members to share their experiences and perspectives of being people of color in Vermont. This is a ticketed event and has SOLD OUT! However, the event will be livestreamed on the Burlington School District Athletics Facebook page. There will be no tickets at the door.
The evening will be capped off with a “Fight Racism” girls' soccer game vs Burlington High School under the lights at 7: 00 pm. The inspiration for the game came from SBHS junior and varsity soccer team member Josie Oliveira. Oliveira became motivated over the summer, after observing national events related to racism, to take action. “We live in Vermont, but not in a bubble,” Oliveira said, “This is a way to take a small step forward to let people know they are heard and not alone.” Please note that the SBHS athletics spectator policy, including physical distancing and mask wearing will be enforced. The game is not open to the general public. Read more about the event and see the speaker lineup in this Burlington Free Press article.
In a related note, the FHTMS group, SOAR (Students Organizing Against Racism), began meeting again (virtually) in late September.We look forward to continuing to support and be inspired by these middle school students’ antiracism work again this year!
Gertrude Chamberlin School(GCS) has received an award for their PBIS work! The school received their official certificate of recognition this week for maintaining and sustaining the PBIS framework during COVID-19 school building closures. GCS was one of nineteen schools that was recognized during the Annual Vermont PBIS Leadership Forum held October 7th and highlighted in the 2019-2020 VTPBIS Annual Report. In this video shown at the virtual PBiS Forum, you will see some familiar sights from Gertrude Chamberlin School. Principal Rouelle gave shout outs to Lisa Finlayson and the Universal and Targeted teams for supporting a positive climate at GCS, even during closure.“It is a beautiful video, highlighting the strength, love and perseverance we have shown to reopen our schools” Rouelle noted.
Rick Marcotte Central School students are looking forward to the next Common Roots Farm to School lesson on sweet potatoes and garlic next week. Yum!
At Orchard School, after an extended period of warm weather, it was finally time to put the school gardens to bed and it was truly a team effort. Check out the photos of staff hard at work (and having fun!) on Orchard School's Twitter.
Transportation
Our transportation staff has been working incredibly hard during challenging circumstances to ensure students are transported to and from school in a safe manner. We have appreciated your patience during this time. The South Burlington School District is following all Vermont Department of Health (VDOH) guidelines around transportation and at Step III, that means there are no capacity restrictions on our buses. Currently, we are using a maximum capacity of 50 students per bus (2 students per bus seat) for our transportation planning purposes. At the moment, we have kept riders at the minimum number that our transportation resources will allow, while continuing to enforce universal precautions, including mask wearing on our buses.
In addition, since the school year began, we have been encouraging and continue to ask parents and guardians to transport their students, walk, or bike to school whenever possible.
Please communicate any questions or concerns to Kathy LaRock at klarock@sbschools.net or (802) 652-7479. If unable to reach Kathy, please contact Christa Chambers in the Office of Operations and Finance at cchambers@sbschools.net or (802) 652-7053 for assistance.
National Principals Month
October is National Principals Month and I wanted to give thanks for our amazing school principals: Gertrude Chamberlin Principal Holly Rouelle, Rick Marcotte Central School Principal Kathleen Kilbourne, Orchard School Principal Mark Trifilio, Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School Principal Karsten Schlenter and Assistant Principal David Hyatt, South Burlington High School Principal Patrick Burke and Assistant Principals Lissa McDonald and John Craig. Read more about National Principals Month here.
Thank you all for your continued support and have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
David
Family Resources:
Travel
Family Support with Technology/Chromebooks
How Can I Get Library Books During Hybrid Learning?
Here's the link to the breakfast and lunch menus.
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