THE SCHOOL BELL
Williston Schools /December 20, 2017
No School Dec. 25 - Jan. 2
Students return to school Wednesday, January 3.
A Message from the Administration
By Jacqueline Parks, WCS Principal
School climate is an ongoing conversation as it is the foundation of our school and we want our students to have a positive and safe experience. As a PBiS school we have crafted clear behavioral guidelines for each area within the school. In addition, we begin each school year reviewing these with our students in large group and smaller group gatherings and revisit these expectations throughout the year.
Currently, we are circling back around to all teams to review these expectations and to provide additional education in some critical areas. Our educational focus for these assemblies include understanding what constitutes harassment and how to stay safe on social media.
The nine (9) protected categories embedded in the harassment law can be difficult for students to grasp and some are more relevant to the school setting than others. The protected categories include: race, creed, color, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation and gender.
The two part student training focuses first on education about harassment law and understanding the protected categories. The second part of the training occurs in a smaller community circle setting during which we explore what types of harassing language they have heard at school and talking about how to support each other if this occurs.
Staying safe on social media is the other area of focus. Once again, WCS is partnering with the Williston Community Justice Center and co-sponsoring parent and student trainings on this topic. Social media is everywhere and students are regularly faced with decisions about how to use it productively and safely.
We hope parents will mark January 9th on their calendars, so they can attend this training from 6:30-8:30 pm. In addition to the school and the Community Justice Center, there will be representatives from the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office, Williston police officers, a communications expert, child psychologist and defense attorney. This is open to all parents who have an interest in helping their child navigate the use of social media.
Williston and Charlotte 7th & 8th grade students will have a similar training on Wednesday, January 10th during the school day. This should help facilitate a conversation between the students and parents about staying safe online. Our 5th & 6th grade students will have some instruction in a smaller group setting on January 9th and 11th.
This is important learning for our students and for our families. We encourage parents to talk with their children about the harassment law and protected categories. We also sincerely hope that many parents will join us on January 9th at 6:30 pm for the social media presentation.
Lyn Porter to receive Physical Education Distinguished Service Award
The Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America) selected Lyn Porter to receive the Margie Hanson Elementary Physical Education Distinguished Service Award at the 2018 National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. One Physical Education instructor in the US receives this award each year. This PE instructor: demonstrates service to physical education for early childhood or elementary level; provides leadership at local, state, and national levels; makes educational contributions of national significance in physical education for young children. Major kudos to Lyn Porter for earning this award and bringing national recognition to Williston schools!
Shop with Amazon Smile this Holiday Season!
Click Here to support Williston Families as Partners with Amazon Smile. For every purchase you make this holiday season, a portion will be donated to the FAP!
FAP Speaker Series: Children's Mental Health
January 30th, 2018 6:00 PM at WCS Dining Room
Kristen Vogel, MS, LCMHC, LADC
"My framework stems from a client centered lens, while utilizing evidence based practices including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness based cognitive therapy. I specialize in working with adolescents, young adults and families in a variety of issues including: trauma and PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance use. With Riverstone Counseling since 2012, I received my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Vermont. I am a dually licensed clinical mental health counselor and substance use counselor."
Helping Others
Eighth Grade Challenge Bottle/Can Drive
My name is Nolan and for my eighth grade challenge, I’m doing a bottle/can drive. There is a big brown container in the parking lot. You can bring your weekly bottles from your home and put them in the bin and I will bring them to the Corner Quick. The money from the cans goes towards the end of year trip for the eighth graders. So, when you drop off your kids in the morning, please bring a bag of your cans and bottles. That would help a lot.
Thank you!
Eight Grade Challenge - Singing
Hi my name is Demi Godbout and I am an 8th grader at WCS and for my 8th grade challenge I chose singing. For my community connection I am going to lead a group of 3/4 students in rehearsals and give a concert with a few songs for us to sing. The first fifteen 3/4 graders are in.
Rehearsals begin 1/8/18 in the Music Room at WCS. The concert is on Monday, April 9. The times are 1:20pm for the 3/4 houses and Swift House and 6:30pm for parents. The concert will feature full group songs and solos.
Please email me to sign-up: demigodbout@cvsdvt.org
5th-8th Grade Concerts Wed., 12/20/17
Evening concerts: Please wear concert dress.
- Grades 5 and 6: 5:00 call, 5:30 concert
- Grades 7 and 8 (and Stage Band) 6:50 call, 7:15 concert
Holiday gift ideas for your band student
Reed players can always boost their reed supply. (generally speaking, grades 4 and 5 use strength 2 ½, grade 6 uses strength 3 and grades 7 and 8 use strength 3 or 3 1/2) Feel free to check in with Mrs. Thompson if you want some guidance.
Reed guard or reed case
a music stand for home practice
Part 2 Holiday Food Drive at WCS
Part 2 is holding a Holiday Food Drive to benefit WCS school kids in need during December break. There are donation boxes in each "house" as well as the cafeteria. Please send in kid-friendly & non-perishable food donations before December 22nd! A grand prize will be going to the house that brings in the most food!
Food Offered during School Vacations
The Williston Community Food Shelf is providing vacation bags of food to Williston and St. George families who might need some support over the holiday break. Bags include breakfast and lunch foods and can be picked up from the food shelf during regular operating hours, which are Tuesdays 5-6:30pm, Thursdays and Saturdays 9-11:00am. Vacation bags will also be available before the December, February and April breaks. For more information visit our website at
http://www.willistonfoodshelf.com or call (802) 735-6303
ART NEWS
ABS K-2 and WCS Mosaic Team
During this semester, kindergarteners through second graders have been creating works with a focus on using shapes, lines and colors in a variety of ways and with a range of 2-dimensional media. Chalk and oil pastels, watercolor paints and collage materials are some of the mediums explored. In Kindergarten classes, we are reading about and noticing similarities and differences between people and creating character puppets with a focus on expressive qualities of the human face. First and second graders have created experimental painted papers, some of which they have shared as “community paper”. With these, they are making hand painted weavings while learning relevant vocabulary and learning a bit about important purposes for weaving throughout the world. Grades three and four in Mosaic House made paper hats to kick off the year and are currently completing their lively self-portraits. The emphasis in this lesson has been on close observation using mirrors with attention to proportion, placement and personal expression. They also have practiced color blending and/or shading in this piece. Upon return, they will be collaborating in teams on painted murals that will depict aspects of Abenaki culture. This project will integrate with their classroom curriculum.
Wishing you all a peaceful holiday!
Sara Beeken
Unlocking the Mysteries of Middle School Math An Informational Workshop for WCS Parents of 5th and 6th Graders
Join us for a chance to learn first-hand about common practices and elements of classroom culture in WCS middle school math classes. During this workshop, you will work with our math coordinator, Caitlin Bianchi, and one of our middle school math teachers, Colleen O’Brien. We’ll talk about how we determine the goals and activities of a lesson, the instructional practices that we typically use, and the habits of mind and interaction that we work on with students. The workshop will include a preview of the lesson, observing a 5th grade lesson, and a debrief. There will be plenty of opportunities for questions and answers throughout the workshop. Light morning refreshments will be served.
Who: Parents of 5th & 6th grade students from all houses are invited to join us.
Please register to attend by January 3 by emailing Caitlin Bianchi at cbianchi@cvsdvt.org .
Tuesday, Jan 9, 2018, 07:45 AM
Williston Central School Dining Room
Norovirus Facts
Key facts, what it is, how it spreads, how to prevent spread, and more.
Visit CDC’s Norovirus Web site at www.cdc.gov/norovirus
for more information.
ABS Receives PBIS Recognition
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a school-wide, systems approach to improving social and academic competence for all students. School staff, administrators, and family members work together to create positive and safe learning environments by teaching and supporting behavioral expectations in all school settings.
Allen Brook School was one of 27 schools recognized by the VTPBIS State Team as VTPBIS Exemplar Schools for the 2016-2017 school year. These schools show evidence of implementation fidelity and demonstrate that sustained implementation has had positive effects on learners’ academic and behavioral performance.
This acknowledgement is the result of a significant commitment on the part of school staff as well as the recognition that school culture and climate is an important contribution to the overall success for all learners.
Penguin Plunge Team
WCS Wildcats Penguin Plunge Team welcomes you….on Saturday, February 3, 2018 WCS Wildcats will take the plunge into icy Lake Champlain. We welcome all parents, students and staff to join us in taking the chilly dip.
In 2017, Cool Schools raised a record $185,189 to support Unified Champion Schools around the state to promote whole school engagement activities, youth leadership, and Unified sports. Last year we crushed our fundraising goal, and this year set a new goal of $20,000. Please consider joining our team or making a donation to our fundraising page. Money raised directly supports our team and WCS Unified Sports.
To learn more or join our team, https://give.specialolympicsvermont.org/team/146871
Thank You From All Breed Rescue
In response to the hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico this fall, the students of ABS and WCS collected change and made a contribution to All Breed Rescue in support of their work. All Breed Rescue went to these locations ahead of the hurricanes and emptied the shelters of dogs that had been given up, in order to make room for logs displaced during the hurricanes. On December 9th, we received a thank you from them for our efforts.
"Thank you for your generous donation of $1,114.05 to the dogs at All Breed Rescue! 2017 is winding down and what a year it has been! Here at All Breed Rescue, we are incredible grateful for the opportunities we have been given, proud of the work we've done and excited for the new year to come. We cannot thank you enough for your support and hope that you are proud of the part you've played in saving lives."
Mobile App
Download the WSD App and get notifications for groups, sports teams, 3-4 Chorus, etc. to keep informed.
Open App, tap on the 3 horizontal bars in the top right and select Notifications. Tap on the group boxes for those you want.
WCS Yearbooks
Tuesday Early Dismissal
Dismissal at ABS is 1:35 pm.
Dismissal at WCS is 1:55 pm.
The Tuesday schedule for morning Preschool is 8:00 to 10:15 am. Afternoon preschool is 11:15 am to 1:30 pm.
Four Winds Nature News
School Lunch Menus
Monthly Fitness Fun
More Links, More information
Upcoming Events
Wed. Dec. 20 / WCS Concerts / Gr. 5/6: 5:30 pm / Gr. 7-8, Stage Band: 7:15 pm
Mon. Dec. 25 through Tues. Jan. 2 / School Break
Wed. Jan. 3 / Intergen Reading Program / 11:35 am - 1:10 pm
Fri. Jan. 5 / gr. 5-8 Dance / WCS / 6:30-8:30 pm
Tues. Jan. 9 / Math workshop for parents of gr. 5&6 / 7:45 am / WCS Dining Room
Tues. Jan. 9 / CVSD Budget Board Mtg. / 6 pm / Shelburne Community School Library
Tues. Jan 9 / Social Media Presentation / 6:30 pm / WCS Dining Room
Wed. Jan. 10 / Four Winds Training / 8:30 -10:30 am / ABS Cafeteria
Thurs. Jan. 11 / FAPAC Mtg. / 8:15-10 am / WCS Dining Room
Mon. Jan. 15 / NO SCHOOL
Tues. Jan. 23 / CVSD Budget Board Mtg. / 6 pm / Williston Central School Dining Rm.
Click here for athleticsUpcoming Events on the School Web Calendar
DAML Programs
Click here for the Bell listing of DAML events scheduled for children.
Recreation & Parks Offerings
Community Events
Williston Schools
Email: cpavlik@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