WEEKLY FAMILY FOCUS April 4, 2021
RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL Principal Kathleen Kilbourne
Fifth graders build chip crushers in their Engineering and Design with Pneumatics class.
DATES OF IMPORTANCE- MARK YOUR CALENDARS
April 13th- PTO at 6:30 pm on zoom...all are welcome!
April 19th-23rd SPRING BREAK
Farm to School Lesson- March
Topic: Maple Syrup - we celebrated the sweetest gift of spring in Vermont with some maple-inspired yoga, a discussion about the Sap-to-Syrup process, and an interactive cooking demo.Students learned it takes 40 gallons of sap to make ONE gallon of maple syrup.
COVID HEALTH UPDATES
TRAVEL:
If you have been vaccinated and it has been 14 days since you received your final vaccine dose, you do not need to quarantine when you travel to or return to Vermont. However, because children are not vaccinated, they (as well as all non-vaccinated adults) will need to quarantine if traveling to or returning to Vermont. State travel policies are subject to change.
*If you decide to travel, with your student, please inform the school of your return to Vermont date and quarantine/testing plan.
For more travel information, follow this link.
GATHERINGS
Individuals who ARE NOT fully vaccinated:
may gather with fully vaccinated people or households. You don’t need to wear a mask or stay 6 feet apart, unless someone is at higher risk or severe COVID-19 or lives with someone at higher risk.
may gather with one other unvaccinated person or household at a time. Fully vaccinated people or households can also be at the gathering. Everyone should wear a mask and stay 6 feet apart.
Note: Households with children are not considered “fully vaccinated households” because children are not vaccinated.
Individuals who ARE fully vaccinated:
- may gather with other fully vaccinated people or households and do not need to wear a mask or stay 6 feet apart when gathering.
may gather with up to two unvaccinated people or households at a time. The gathering can also include other vaccinated people or households. If you gather with people from more than one unvaccinated household, or with someone who is at higher risk of severe COVID-19 or lives with someone at higher risk, everyone should wear a mask and stay 6 feet apart.
For more gathering information, follow this link.
Outside No-contact activities:
You can participate with anyone, though you must stay at least 6 feet away from people you don’t live with and wear a mask at all times.
Avoid gathering at trailheads, access areas, or other outdoor facilities before or after the activity.
Hosting Out of State Visitors:
- Hosting visitors is currently considered a social gathering. See above restrictions.
- Visitors to Vermont must quarantine if they are not fully vaccinated. Children who travel with their fully vaccinated parent or caregiver must quarantine.
- If you are hosting visitors who are under quarantine in your home or lodging, you do not also need to quarantine.
COVID VACCINE:
Beginning April 1st, people who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC), including anyone with Abenaki or other First Nations heritage and all household members who are 16 years or older can sign up to get a vaccine. See the for other age brackets.
Visit "Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine" site on the health department's website by clicking here, for information about making an appointment.
First Graders
Explore Shapes and Design
In Mrs.Carpenter/ Ms.Fontana's Class
SCHOOL REOPENING UPDATES FROM SUPERINTENDENT YOUNG
I have heard from many of you over the past weeks regarding a desire for our schools to return to more in-person learning and I wanted to let you know I have been meeting with my administrative team this week to determine how we can safely make this happen. We want nothing more than to have all of our students back in their classrooms in some capacity as soon as possible. The CDC recently updated the physical distancing requirement for students in classrooms from 6 ft to 3 ft and we heard at the Governor’s press conference today that Vermont will be following suit officially at some point next week. In addition to this change in criteria, we are also monitoring COVID-19 conditions closely, both in our schools and statewide. There has been a marked increase in cases in Vermont and this information cannot be discounted as we look to bringing more students back into our schools.
Currently, we have plans to bring tents back to all of our schools April 19 to help create additional space and outdoor classrooms. Our goal at the moment is to have students in grades K-8 return to 5 days per week of in-person learning in early May with grades 9-12 having more in-person learning days as well.
Vaccinations have also factored into my plan. With more staff having taken the opportunity to become vaccinated and many receiving their second dose of a vaccine the week of April 5, this will put us in a better place in terms of virus transmission. This timeline means that staff will reach their full immunity two weeks after their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine(see this information from the Vermont Department of Health) or two weeks after the one shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
As we work through this process in a thoughtful way, allowing time for staff questions and concerns to be heard, I will be sure to keep you updated. Look for my April 9 letter for further details.
Superintendent Young
Gr 3 Reading -Diving into the story
Miss Smith's Teamwork Puzzle
Enjoying a Good Book in Gr 3
FALL 2021 Kindergarten Registration
Registration will open for Incoming Kindergarten students on March 1, 2021. If you would like to register a student who will be 5 on or before September 1, 2021, please visit www.sbschools.net/register .
South Burlington School District Online Registration link
Tour of the NEW South Burlington Public Library
FARM TO SCHOOL
FARM TO SCHOOL
Hi South Burlington Families and Friends!
Spring is in the air here in Vermont! This month in Farm to School, we are celebrating the first spring vegetable that pops up around our neck of the woods - Ramps, or Wild Leeks. This wild member of the Allium family (along with onions, garlic, chives, scallions) is foraged for all over the state. We can thank the Abenaki people for their discovery of the abundance of this vegetable along the Winooski River. The name “Winooski” is derived from the Abenaki name for onion, which is “winos”.
Since we are just on the brink of Ramp foraging season, we decided to go with a springy Leek and Potato soup for our taste test! Give this one a try at home, and if you manage to get your hands on some Ramps in the next few weeks, they would be a great substitute.
Spring Leek and Potato Soup
Makes 3-4 servings.
Ingredients:
● 1 lb potatoes (~2.5 cups diced)
● 2 leeks, thinly sliced
● 3 cloves garlic, minced
● 4 cups water
● 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
● Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
● 1 tsp salt
● 1/4 tsp pepper
● Olive oil, for sauteing
Directions:
1. Cut the potatoes into 1 in cubes and set aside.
2. Next, give your leeks a good rinse. They tend to collect a lot of dirt between the leaves and layers. Cut the dark green leaves off the top and the root end to discard. Take the lighter colored part and slice in half lengthwise. Hold each half under running water to let the dirt flow out.
3. Cut your clean leeks into thin slices.
4. Heat a pot over medium heat with a bit of olive oil. Saute the leeks until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
5. While the leeks are cooking, prepare the garlic and thyme.
6. Add the garlic and thyme to the leeks. Saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
7. Add the potatoes, water, salt and pepper.
8. Bring the soup up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
9. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
10. Use an immersion blender or countertop blender that can withstand hot liquids, and blend until smooth.
11. Stir in the lemon juice and zest to finish.
12. Give it a taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy!
News from the Common Roots Farm at South Village:
Mark your calendars! Farmstand Opening Day is on Saturday, May 1st from 8am-6pm.
Our Farmstand memberships are filling up fast! Join us this summer by purchasing a membership to get great deals on produce grown on our organic farm, along with local meats, cheese, dry goods and other artisan products. Find more info on our website at commonroots.org.
Till next month, Nourish to Flourish!
Lauren Jones, Common Roots - Farm to School Educator
South Burlington Youth Baseball & Softball
South Burlington Youth Baseball & Softball has been providing a safe, healthy way for kids to make friends and stay active for 40 years.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for ages 5 to 12, best of all T-Ball is now being offered free of charge!
Sign up today at www.sbybs.com
- Scholarships available for all league ages
- State and local safety and social distancing recommendations are strictly enforced
- Your child will improve their game and learn important life skills
Twin Day in Ms. Eddy's 4th Grade
Family Resources from Howard Center
Caregiving is hard enough without a global health pandemic! Now more than ever, it is CRITICAL that we encourage our caregivers to practice diligent self-care. Our health depends on it, and the health of our children depends on it. It is difficult for caregivers to put themselves first – and we know they are equally as deserving and in need of it. Please consider using these helpful resources.
The Importance of Care for Caregivers (National Association of School Psychologists)
Parenting During Coronavirus: You are Enough (PBS Kids)
Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
COVID Support VT (from 211)
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