CCS Newsletter
February 09, 2018
ADMINISTRATION UPDATE
Dear CCS Families,
Happy 100th Day of School!
February is an important month in terms of assessing student progress toward learning benchmarks and progressions. While families in K-4 recently received student report cards and families in grades 5-8 have access to Jump Rope to check in on their student’s performance, our teachers are engaged in Winter Data Reviews. Throughout the school year, teaching teams engage in Data Reviews at four times. Data Reviews are led by our Math and Literacy Coordinator/Coaches. During a data review, teachers and coaches look at classroom and benchmark assessments to analyze performance as related to class trends, progress over time, progress as related to expected benchmarks at each particular time of year and also look at the performance of each individual student. This data analysis is used to plan for and differentiate classroom instruction - whole group, small group and individual - as well as to plan for intervention services.
Data Reviews are part of CCS’s multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) - the systematic framework that we use to support the academic and social-emotional learning of all of our students. Data Reviews are just one layer of team meetings and processes used to support students. Within our MTSS at CCS, teams also engage in period Behavior Data Reviews and KidTalk meetings. These collaborative endeavors allow us to respond to the needs of the whole child in order to best meet the needs of all students at CCS. Data Reviews and Kidtalk meetings are part of layering supports for teachers and students at CCS. However, the foundation of our MTSS is the delivery of best first instruction in an environment where all students feel welcome and safe for all students by our highly expert teachers.
While all of these important collaborations are going on behind the scenes, our students not only continue learning in their classes, they also benefit from experiences offered by CCS to broaden their horizons and complement their learning experiences. Here are a few current highlights:
The Scholastic Book Fair was at CCS this week;
Our CCS PTO is sponsoring the annual Variety Show this Friday night, February 9th at 7:00 p.m. - many CCS students will be sharing their talents!
CCS students in grades 3-8 are invited to participate in our school’s preliminary grade-level bees and School Bee as part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Practices are being offered during lunch and recess by parent volunteers during the week of February 12th, with Grade Level Bees happening on Monday, February 19th and the School Bee taking place on Thursday, February 22 at 1:30 p.m. in the MPR.
Our CCS basketball teams are finishing up their regular season and entering the CVSD tournament next week!
Planning for March Madness Volleyball is in the works for middle-school students!
Rehearsals for this year’s musical Annie are up and running! Show dates are April 12th - 14th.
We celebrated the 100th day of school today!
On a daily basis, we are impressed by and proud of the endeavors of our students, staff and teachers!
Kind Regards,
Stephanie, Jen and Cassandra
100TH DAY OF SCHOOL CELEBRATION
FIRST GRADERS CREATING SQUISHY CIRCUITS, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE TECH SKILLS STUDENTS DESIGNING THEIR OWN HOMES WITH SKETCHUP FOR SCHOOLS.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Friday, February 9th
Variety Show, MPR, 7:00 - 9:00pm
Tuesday, February 13th
Early Dismissal, 1:55pm
Bolton Valley Ski & Ride, 2:00 - 7:00pm
Friday, February 16th
Staff Appreciation Luncheon, sponsored by the PTO, Staff Rm, 11:00 - 1:00pm
Monday, February 19th
Family Mentor Dinner, Cafe, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Tuesday, February 20th
Early Dismissal, 1:55pm
CVSD Board Meeting, CVU Rm 160, 6:00 - 8:00pm
Wednesday, February 21st
Q & A with the Principals, 2:00 - 2:30pm
Monday, February 26th thru Friday, March 2nd
NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
LOST AND FOUND!
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
The library was bustling even more than usual this week, with the arrival of the Scholastic Book Fair!
MUSIC NEWS!
Last weekend the following students represented CCS at the District III Music Festival: Benjamin Fox, Molly Milne-Gerlaugh, Jasmin Townsend-Ng, Finnegan Mittelstadt, Neika Haire, Heidi Beal, and Isabella Hackerman. They performed with musicians from surrounding schools and put on an amazing concert!
The Small Ensemble Concert is coming up soon in March. More details will follow.
In addition, please be sure to add these upcoming concert dates to your calendar! If your child cannot attend a concert due to illness or an emergency, Mr. Smith and/or Mrs. Littlefield should be notified prior to the performance. All other absences from concerts will be considered unexcused.
March 20th - 4th and 5th Grade VMEA Festival in Fair Haven
April 11th - CCS 7-8 Jazz Band at the VTAJE Festival in Middlebury
May 4th-5th - ACDA Children’s Honor Festival in Burlington
May 14th - CCS 7-8 Jazz Band at the CVSD Jazz Festival at CVU - 7 PM
May 24th at 7 PM: 5/6 Concert
May 30th at 7 PM: 7/8 Concert
June TBA - CCS Jazz Band at the Discover Jazz Festival, Church St., Burlington
June TBA - CCS Musicians at the Lake Monsters Game performing the National Anthem
CCS DIVERSITY TEAM UPDATE
The CCS Diversity Team is excited to announce our POP UP Library in room 211! This library celebrates “Mirror and Window Books.” “Books that provide children with the opportunity to develop self-awareness through seeing reflections of themselves in the text are referred to as mirrors, while books that provide children with the opportunity to develop social awareness through exploring and experiencing the lives of others are referred to as windows.” Source: https://www.cityyear.org/blog/books-build-empathy-through-mirrors-and-windows
The CCS Diversity Team is committed to promoting the respect and inclusion of individuals representing socio-economic differences, gender and sexual identity, religion and global cultures of the CCS community.
Current Committee Members are: Jen Roth, Stephanie Sumner, Marley Evans, Heidi Huestis, Jeff Martin-Smith, Jeanne Kaczka-Valliere, Lydia Clemmons, Vicki Nelson, Joe Ng, and Matt Lutz
*Please contact Jen Roth (jroth@cvsdvt.org) or Stephanie Sumner (ssumner@cvsdvt.org) - or at 425-2771 - if you are interested in joining this Committee or want to find out more. We would love to have you join us!
STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON - 3RD & 4TH GRADE FAMILY SIGN UP
Dear 3rd & 4th grade parents,
It’s time to show your appreciation for the CCS staff! Please use the link below to sign up for the Staff Luncheon on 2/16.
Thanks,
CCS PTO
CONNECTING YOUTH MENTORING NEWS
Congratulations to CCS Connecting Youth mentor, Jim Hyde, who accepted the Vermont Mentor of the Year award in front of 170 attendees at the Vermont Statehouse Mentoring Celebration last week! Included in attendance were his two mentees: Sam Zinner (they began together in middle school at CCS), and Noah Culver (current CCS 6th grader).
Jim has been a mentor at CCS for 4 years and has been an integral part of founding the new Connecting Youth program at CVU. Please take a moment to read the Charlotte News front page article about Jim’s honors here: http://www.charlottenewsvt.org/2018/02/07/jim-hyde-voted-mentor-year/
Congratulations Jim, and a warm thank you to each of the 160 dedicated mentors who walk through the doors of our CVSD schools each week!
Wendy Bratt, CY Mentoring Coordinator
IMPORTANT INFORMATION - FLU SEASON
CCS is seeing some cases of the flu. If your student is diagnosed with the flu, please communicate that to the school, so that we can track our flu activity.
From the VT Department of Health:
It is not too late to get your flu shot, and this is especially important if you are someone at high risk of complications from the flu. People at high risk include: pregnant women, young children, adults 50 years and older, and people with chronic health conditions like asthma and diabetes.
“Some protection is better than zero protection,” said Dr. Mark Levine, Vermont Commissioner of Health. “While the vaccine is less effective against H3N2, it works well against other flu strains that are circulating. Getting vaccinated will also help those who have more trouble handling the flu if they were to get it, especially babies too young to be vaccinated and those who have weakened immune systems.”
Flu can hit older adults particularly hard. Vermonters age 65+ are encouraged to contact their health care provider to discuss getting vaccines that are designed to give older people a stronger immune response. Dr. Levine recommends that older Vermonters contact their doctor as soon as they suspect they may have the flu. “If you start having flu symptoms, talk to your doctor about antiviral treatment right away. Antiviral drugs are most effective within the first 48 hours of the onset of illness.”
Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
The Health Department is recommending that Vermonters take steps to prevent flu and to know what to do if they become ill:
Get vaccinated. Everyone over the age of 6 months should get a flu shot.
Keep germs from spreading: Wash hands, cover coughs and sneezes, stay home if you’re sick.
If you are at high risk of complications from flu, call you doctor as soon as you become ill.
Find more information about flu prevention and treatment:Healthvermont.gov/flu.
CCS SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE
CCS will be getting ready for our School Spelling Bee as part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee - open to all students in Grades 3-8.
- Practices offered week of 2/12
- Grade Level Bees - Monday 2/19
- School Bee - Thursday 2/22 at
If you are interested in helping out with practices during the lunch/recess periods during the week of February 12th, please contact Stephanie at ssumner@cvsdvt.org.
Our lunch/recess schedule is:
11:00 - 11:30 - Grades 7/8 recess; Grades 5/6 Lunch
11:30 - 12:00 - Grades 3/4 lunch
12:00 - 12:30 - Grades 3/4 recess
12:30 - 1:00 - Grades 5/6 recess; Grades 7/8 lunch
This document has links to this year’s study lists: 2018 Scripps Study Lists
CCS LUNCH MENU
CHARLOTTE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Check out our website.