The Bobcat Bulletin
15/June/2021 - Last Day of School!
Happy Summer! See you on August 25th for the First Day of School!
The Last Day of School...
Dear Founders Families, I am writing this message as I reflect on the end of another school year at Founders, one that has been like no other before it. None of us could have ever imagined the challenges and complexities we would all face. Virtually everything we do in school had to change on a dime, from how we walk in the hallway, to which doors we enter, to how we greet each other, eat lunch, and play on the playground. How students experience learning changed, as well as how teachers taught lessons, assessed learning, and collaborated with each other and with families. I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank families for all that you did to help us have a successful year. Sadly, this year we’ve missed many of our long standing family traditions at Founders. The Open House & Spaghetti dinner night, concerts, family reading, ice cream social, and the 5th grade moving on ceremony, to name only a few. Next year we hope to bring back some old traditions as well as create some new ones. I thank you for your support and patience as we navigated all of the ups and downs this year. Founders student success depends on all of us and you are a primary partner in our work. We have missed having you in our school this year. We look forward to seeing you back in the halls and classrooms at Founders. Seven years ago, I came to be the Founders Memorial School principal. As you all know, in the coming year my role will be shifting. I will no longer be the Founders principal. Instead, I will be focusing on working across EES and FMS, with a specific focus on special education, supporting our intervention teams, and working with instructional assistants. I am going back to focusing on my passion for supporting students who have learning differences and working directly with specialists to bring the best learning experience to all of our students, with consistency across both of our schools. I will continue to be there for students and families in that capacity as well. Soon, Matt Melaugh will begin his reign as the new principal of Founders Memorial School. I’m excited for you to get to know him. Ashley Gray (EES principal), Matt Melaugh, and I will be working as a team to bring the very best learning experiences to our students, PreK-5. We have already been meeting and have plans to continue our work together this summer. We will be developing a clear outline regarding each of our roles and responsibilities and will share that with you as the new school year begins. I know Mr. Melaugh is excited to get to know students and families. You can expect to be hearing from him very soon. I am very much looking forward to collaborating with Mr. Melaugh and Ashley Gray, as well as all of you as we move into the 2021-2022 school year. All that being said, summer vacation, rest, relaxation, and fun is what we all want and need to be focusing on as we say good-bye in the coming week. We are almost there everyone! I am so proud to have been the Founders principal over the last seven years. We have done some great work together. I look forward to continuing my work with the Founders community as well as getting to know the EES community better. My profound thanks to you for helping your children and all of us to get through this difficult year. Have a great summer! See the attached link for a slide show that begins way back on March 17, our last day of being in our building before going remote last year. With Much Gratitude and Respect, Wendy
A New Plan...
Dear Essex Town Families,
First, I would like to thank all of you for the many kind words and well wishes on my (until recently) upcoming retirement.
As many of you may or may not know, I have lived in Montpelier for twenty plus years. I began my principal career as the assistant principal at Union Elementary School, also in Montpelier. My children graduated from the Montpelier school system. While Essex Town has become my adopted community, Montpelier has been my family’s community.
So, when I heard they were at a loss in their search for a new principal at Union, (a position that only recently opened up) and Superintendent Libby Bonesteel (a former colleague) approached me about serving in that capacity for a year, I felt a strong sense of duty to help out.
Long and short, I will not be retiring next year, but will instead serve as principal at Union Elementary School. I just want everyone to know that I am not leaving here to go there. I have loved working at ETSD and EWSD, and had fully intended to retire from here. But as they say, “The best laid plans…”
Keep up the amazing work!
Peter
Founders Memorial School Library Summer Reading 2021
Dear FMS Families,
The purpose of this letter is to share information about a variety of summer reading programs happening in our area this summer.
On the FMS Library Website you will find the FMS Summer Reading Hub, which contains links to a variety of summer reading programs, including:
Phoenix Books “Bunk with a Book” - earn a free book
Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program - earn a free book
Read & Win at the Champlain Valley Fair - earn a free ticket to the fair
...and much more!
Attached to this letter are the Phoenix Books Summer Reading Log and the Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Log for your convenience.
Please remember that our Sora library is open all summer long and students may enjoy three ebooks and audiobooks at a time!
Lastly, many students have checked out FMS summer books this week. Those items are due on Friday, August 27, 2021.
Please contact me with questions!
Sincerely,
Sara Jablonski
FMS Librarian
802-857-6306 (direct)
Our Digital Library is Open all Summer Long!
FMS Library password information for families (home use)
ALL links available on the library website https://www.ewsd.org/fmslibrary
Essex Free Library Summer Reading Program - Tails and Tales
Registration begins on Tuesday, June 15th. Sign up online, and then visit the library lobby to pick up your reading adventure pack and reading journal!
Visit: https://www.essexvt.org/944/Summer-Reading-Program
Summer highlights include: Live Animals with the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum, stories and songs with Michael Caduto, Dance With Ashley, kite making and flying, model and paper airplanes, storywalks, storytimes, balloon animals, unicorn art, and more!
Ongoing Programs:
- Monday - Storytime at 10:30. Outdoor storytime begins in July.
- Wednesday - Crafts and STEM activities
- Take 'n' Make Crafts - Every Friday
Stay tuned for more details and our full schedule in June!
Founders Memorial School
Website: www.ewsd.org/fms
Location: 33 Founders Road, Essex Junction, VT, USA
Phone: (802) 879-6326
Facebook: facebook.com/https://www.facebook.com/Founders-Memorial-School
Twitter: @FMS_Essex