WEEKLY FAMILY FOCUS Oct 2, 2021
RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL Principal Kathleen Kilbourne
Drop OFF Times in the Mornings- Class begins at 8:10 am
Now that we all know how to drop off safely by pulling up to the curb, after the busses leave at 8am....we are starting classes promptly at 8:10 am. Please drop off your child(ren) by car between 8am and 8 :08 so they have time to pick up FREE Breakfast and get to class by 8:10 am.
Anyone coming in after 8:10am is marked tardy, and has missed out on the announcements about the day. Thanks for helping us to get started all together!
David Young's Zoom chat with Families Oct.5th
David Young will be having his next Zoom chat for families October 5 from 6-7 pm. Violet Nichols, Director of Learning will be on at the start to give an update/overview of ESSER, but then we're going to dive right into COVID information and Q and A regarding vaccines for children and the test to stay program among other items. We will have at least one special guest, Dr. Rebecca Bell, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Larner College of Medicine at UVM Pediatric Critical Care at UVM Children's Hospital, and President of the Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Here is the link:
Meeting ID: 840 3096 3269
Passcode: 121872
RMCS PICTURE DAY is October 6th. Please order online or send your envelope back into school BEFORE the this Wednesday the 6th if you wish to order.
From Superintendent Young:
Surveillance Testing Update
As many of you know, we have been planning to roll out a voluntary Covid-19 Surveillance Testing Program for students and staff beginning in mid-October. At the Governor’s September 28 press conference, Secretary of Education Dan French discussed several other testing strategies to help schools reduce the time they spend contact tracing and to keep students in school via a “Test to Stay'' program which would use rapid antigen tests for asymptomatic and unvaccinated students who have been deemed close contacts. An antigen test would be conducted each day for 7 days after the last possible exposure. We are considering this as well as our surveillance testing program and are awaiting further information from the Vermont Agency of Education prior to deciding how to proceed with these testing methods. The test to stay method is supported by the Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and has been used widely in Massachusetts with success. Our goal is always to keep students and staff safely in school. Testing is one of the best ways we can mitigate the spread of COVID-19. More information to come.
COVID Update in SBSD
We have not had any new COVID-19 cases in our District this week! Thank you for continuing to practice mitigation strategies in and outside of school including staying home when sick, hand washing, and physical distancing in addition to masking and taking extra precautions when gathering indoors. We continue to carefully monitor the VT COVID dashboard, the current VT PreK-12 COVID data, and guidance around travel and quarantine.
COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters
Next week, on Thursday, October 7, SBHS will host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic from 9-5 for those aged 12 and above. To be clear, this pop-up site is NOT for those seeking a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine. However, we wanted to make staff and families aware that On Friday, October 1st, registration will open for those who are eligible for a booster. This includes certain age groups, those with underlying health conditions, and those who work in high risk, public facing professions including education. Eligible individuals who received the Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months ago will be able to make an online appointment through the health department here. Important notes:
- You must wait 6 months before registering.
- You can get the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines at the same time or close together (i.e flu and booster).
- Bring your COVID-19 vaccine card to the appointment.
Booster shots are only available, at this time, to those who received the Pfizer vaccine. To determine which vaccine you received (and the dates), look at your vaccine card. Lost it? See these directions for replacement. You can find a full list of FAQs about the booster shot from the VT Department of Health here.
SCHOOL NURSE UPDATES
Masks:
Due to the more transmissibility of the Delta variant, as well as a portion of the population who are unvaccinated, the health department continues to recommend wearing a mask in public indoor settings.
- How to clean: a reminder to wash masks at least daily (or when they get dirty). Wash by hand or washing machine, using regular detergent. Throw away disposable masks after daily use. Cleanse your hands following mask removal. Please send extra masks to school with your student.
- Mask Use and Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Wearing a mask does not increase CO2 levels in the air you breath. CO2 molecules are small enough to easily pass through mask material. In contrast, the respiratory droplets that carry the virus that causes COVID-19 are much larger than CO2, so they cannot pass as easily through a properly designed and properly worn mask. *source: CDC
Keep in mind all of these prevention steps:
- Get the COVID-19 vaccine:
- best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19
- Stay home when sick:
- keep illness from spreading to others
- Hand hygiene:
- wash hands or sanitize to rinse off or kill germs
- Take care when getting together:
- protect unvaccinated children and those who are unable to be vaccinated
- Wear a mask:
- protect you and others from getting and spreading COVID-19
- Consider your travel plans:
- delay travel until fully vaccinated; follow international travel rules
Illness Symptoms:
It is difficult to tell if symptoms are COVID or due to a respiratory virus (or seasonal allergies). Obtain a COVID test if your student has symptoms that last over 24 hours (even a runny nose!).
Please Refer to these Return to School guidelines and notify the school nurse of test results.
COVID-19 Testing Options
A PCR test may be obtained by scheduling on the testing site on the VT Department of Health's website or through your student's health care provider. Antigen tests are not accepted tests at this time.
Booster Shots
On Friday, October 1, registration will open for everyone who is now eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot, including:
- if you received your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine six months ago or more
- 65 years of age and older
- people with certain medical conditions
- people who are at higher risk due to their work
For more information, click on the links below:
ZOOM AROUND THE ROOM- VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE
SAVE THE DATES NOW
Monday, October 18th:
5:00-5:30 PRE K
5:30-6:00 K
6:00-6:30 1
6:30-7:00 2
Thursday October 14th:
5:30-6:00 3
6:00-6:30 4
6:30-7:00 5
October 20st Open House: Creative Arts: Format TBA
5:30-7:30 pm
NEW TEACHER FEATURE:
Laura Standard is our new K - 2nd grade school counselor and is excited to be here at RMCS. She worked at Thatcher Brook Primary School in Waterbury, VT for the past 13 years, and was in several Burlington middle and elementary schools before that. She lives in Burlington and has a 21 year old son and 18 year old daughter. One of her favorite things to do is hike somewhere she's never been before with her husband and rescue mutt Murphy. Originally from New York State, Laura has been in Vermont longer than anywhere else. She's also lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, France, Holland, and Bali, Indonesia!
Favorite children's book: Andrew Henry's Meadow by Doris Burn
Favorite pastimes: getting lost in a good book, cloud-gazing
Favorite thing about Vermont: maple creemees
Favorite thing about RMCS: the friendly, welcoming staff
Important Dates to Note:
Wed. Oct 6th - RMCS Picture Day- Must order this day or before!
Fri. Oct 8th- Half day, early release at 12:30pm
Mon. Oct 11th- NO School - Indigenous People's Day
Oct. 14th, 18th and 20th- Virtual Open House/Zoom Around the Room
Fri. Oct 29th- Half Day, Early Release at 12:30pm
Nov .2nd- NO SCHOOL Election Day
Nov. 22nd/23rd- Parent Teacher Conferences- NO SCHOOL
Nov. 24-26 Thanksgiving Break- NO SCHOOL
PTO MEETING DATES: PTO Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month.
10/12-6:00 under the tent outside at RMCS
11/9 -Zoom (too cold outside)
NO Dec meeting
1/11/22
2/8/22
3/8/22
4/12/22
5/10/22
Common Roots- Farm to School Updates
Hello South Burlington Families and Friends!
Farm to School is back in session and we couldn’t be more excited to be working with all grades this year! As we learn about different foods each month, we will be thinking a lot about these three questions: “How do we nourish ourselves?”, “How can we help our neighbors?”, and “How can we reduce food waste?”. This month we are celebrating the apple harvest while making some delicious apple butter. The apple butter that we make in class is then being donated to the Common Roots Farmstand at the SB Food Shelf.
Another great way to enjoy the apple season is to visit your local orchard! Pick some apples, support our local farmers, and check out the wild ecosystems that surround an apple orchard. Humans aren’t the only ones that enjoy a good apple - deer, skunks, squirrels, birds, bees, and worms.
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apple Butter
Makes ~ 1 pint.
The recipe is very simple - just two ingredients! - we hope you give this one a try at home.
Ingredients:
5 lbs of apples
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Combine apples and cinnamon in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, for 5 hours on high.
3. Set the lid ajar and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the apples are almost broken down, about 2 hours more.
4. If desired, puree in a food processor until smooth.
Come visit our Farmstand at South Village - We have lots of pumpkins, winter squash, tomatoes, corn, watermelon and more! We are open Monday - Saturday, 8am-6pm.
Till next month, Nourish to Flourish
Lauren Jones, Farm to School Educator for Common Roots
Fifth graders in Mrs. Kavanagh's class LOVED the apple lesson! Students are showing their "yum" faces in these photos.
PTO asks that you click the link below if you can help make POPCORN at the back of the gym entryway at RMCS one Friday a month.
Sibling connection walking into school- Smiles under the masks
5K RUN WALK FOR CANNON
Please remember to label your children’s clothing so that we may easily identify them when they end up at lost and found.
RMCS HIRING- Current Open Positions
Interventionists- Full time
Recess/Lunch Supervisors (3 hours a day)
Substitute Teachers (2 full time floating sub, 5 days a week, now through Dec.)
Substitute Teachers- Flexible scheduling
Please apply via SchoolSpring.com or call Kathleen Kilbourne for more information at 652-7200.
First Graders
Read Rainbow Fish Together
Learn how we are all unique
Safe Use of Technology
Students are reviewing expectations on how to use technology in our district! In grades 2-5, each child has a chromebook that they use at school for learning. In the event that we have to quarantine a class/grade level, chromebooks will come home (with grades 2- 5) so students can access their learning online. Please view the SBSD Elementary Chromebook Responsibility Agreement below and have a conversation with your child about using technology safely and responsibly - and feel free to use the same expectations on devices at home.
Daily Health Screening - Ruvna App
Families will again be required to complete the daily health screening questions about your child's health status through an email or text through an app called Ruvna. Please be sure to complete it daily before your child comes to school. Nurse Cannon follows up by phone with families who have not completed the health screening questions. Thank you!
Need Help with Technology? Use this link to access Tech supports!
https://sites.google.com/sbschools.net/sbsdedtechforstudentsfamilies/home
Rick Marcotte Central School
Email: kkilbourne@sbschools.net
Website: sbschools.net
Location: 200 Market Street, South Burlington, VT, USA
Phone: 802 652 7200
Twitter: @rmcschool