THE NEWSLETTER
September 23, 2022
STUDENT ABSENT / TARDY LINE - 802-425-6688
EARLY PICK UP REMINDER
If you need to pick up your child before the end of the school day, please pick them up no later than 2:15 (1:15 on Wednesdays). The buses arrive in front of school no later than 2:30 (and 1:30 on Wednesday). Coming no later than 2:15 will ensure the pickup will not interfere with the bus arrival and the beginning of our dismissal process. We appreciate your understanding.
MISSING A DISH FROM THE COMMUNITY POTLUCK DINNER?
If you are missing a dish from the Commuity Potluck Dinner last night, we may have it here at CCS. Please stop by or call the main office (425-2771) with a description and if we have it, we can send it home with your child.
ADMINISTRATION UPDATE
Dear CCS Friends, Families and Community Members,
Positive energy and joy filled the school last night for Open House.We are grateful to all of the families and caregivers who participated in the event and for taking the time to connect with our educational teams. One guest shared last night that the school “feels like the heart of our community and the children are our hope for the future.” We couldn’t agree more and that will be a mantra to sustain us this year.
For those that couldn’t join us last night, you are always welcome and very much a part of our community. Parent/Caregiver conferences are coming up. Take time to meet with our educators to hear about the start of the year that is grounded with the intention to make connections and foster a sense of belonging for all. Join in these meetings so we can hear from you about your hopes and dreams for your child(ren) this year.
Positive energy and joy filled the school last night for Open House.We are grateful to all of the families and caregivers who participated in the event and for taking the time to connect with our educational teams. One guest shared last night that the school “feels like the heart of our community and the children are our hope for the future.” We couldn’t agree more and that will be a mantra to sustain us this year.
For those that couldn’t join us last night, you are always welcome and very much a part of our community. Parent/Caregiver conferences are coming up. Take time to meet with our educators to hear about the start of the year that is grounded with the intention to make connections and foster a sense of belonging for all. Join in these meetings so we can hear from you about your hopes and dreams for your child(ren) this year.
We started out the month practicing a fire drill with students and the entire school was masterful at listening to directions and learning what to do if a fire alarm goes off in school. October is Fire Safety Month and we will be working with our local fire department to provide additional learning for staying safe at school and home. We have additional routines to practice this month - bus safety and secure the building in a Lockdown. Whenever possible, our practices are announced to teachers and instruction is given in a manner that is developmentally appropriate. (See additional messaging from CVSD below.)
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Kind regards,
Jen, Courtney and Beth
FIRST DAY OF FALL
There was a significant change in temperatures this morning. It serves as a reminder that Vermont temperatures can be dramatic. Please remember sending layers of clothing is always a good plan - sweatshirt, jacket, rain/mud boots, inside shoes, hat and gloves.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Wednesday, Sep 28
Early Dismissal, 1:40 start loading buses, 1:50 car pick up begins. AM & PM, please do not enter the front parking lot until all of the buses have departed.
Thursday, Sep 29
Picture Day! Beltrami will once again be our photography company for picture day. Order forms were sent home with students on 9/16. You may order pictures using this form or on-line. See inside for when your child(ren) are getting their pictures taken!
Friday, Sep 30
Vision Screening by the Middlebury Lions Club - grades K, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th. See below for information from the CCS Nurse, Lauren Calkins.
Field Trip - Day of Racial Equity & Education, Montpelier State House Lawn, 9:00am - 2:00pm
Tuesday, Oct 4
Field Trip - 4th Grade (Hanf/Grey) to Maritime Museum, 8:30am - 2:00pm
Wednesday, Oct 5
NO SCHOOL, Yom Kippur & Dashian
Thursday, Oct 6
Field Trip - 3rd Grade (Hatch/Poirier) to Shelburne Farms, 9:00am - 2:00pm
Monday, Oct 10
NO SCHOOL, Indigenous People's Day
Tuesday, Oct 11
NO SCHOOL, Parent/Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, Oct 12
Early Dismissal, 1:40 start loading buses, 1:50 car pick up begins. AM & PM, please do not enter the front parking lot until all of the buses have departed.
Friday, Oct 14
Staff Appreciation Luncheon, sponsored by the PTO
Dance! grades 6-8, MPR, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Wednesday, Oct 19
Early Dismissal, 1:40 start loading buses, 1:50 car pick up begins. AM & PM, please do not enter the front parking lot until all of the buses have departed.
Wednesday, Oct 26
Early Dismissal, 1:40 start loading buses, 1:50 car pick up begins. AM & PM, please do not enter the front parking lot until all of the buses have departed.
blloyd@cvsdvt.org or 425-6691.
POWERSCHOOL ANNUAL UPDATES
Please do NOT fill out the annual transportation form. Now that school is once again in session, simply write a note to your child(ren)'s teacher or call/email the front office. We want to make sure that we receive this information in as timely a manner as possible.
Please continue to update the annual contact, permissions, and health forms. We do still need this information to be updated and accurate As Soon As Possible. As of today, we reached 64% of forms filled out. Let's keep going to reach our goal of 100% by the end of next week. This information is critical for us to maintain healthy and safe schools and to keep our lines of communication with you open.
SURVEY COMING FOR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 6-12
ParentIN CVSD is working with the Champlain Valley School District to better understand the perspectives and needs of parents and caregivers of tweens and teens in our district. Those with students in grades 6-12 will soon receive a survey via email.
Your honest opinions on the questions in the survey are appreciated. Your answers are completely anonymous and will not be used to identify individual respondents in any way.
Results will help us evaluate current programs and plan new ways to support youth and families in our area. If you have any questions about this survey, please reach out to Amy Sayre at asayre@cvsdvt.org or 802-482-6290.
SCHOOL SAFETY DRILLS IN CVSD
As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our community safe and in following with guidance from the VT Agency of Education (AOE), CVSD will be practicing a variety of emergency preparedness exercises this month and throughout the year.
One procedure we will be practicing this month is our options-based response to an active threat protocol. This protocol, recommended by the VT Agency of Education, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and F.B.I., empowers staff during an active threat with options based on what they know about the situation. Those options are to stay with students in a secure location inside or to evacuate with students to a safe location outside the building. Staff will have age and developmentally-appropriate discussion-based practice with students coming up next week.
We believe that beginning with a very simple and short classroom discussion led by the teacher is the most appropriate way to introduce this information to students. Staff will be informed of the day and time of the practice session in advance. The practice is outlined as follows and is designed to be as low-stress an activity as possible for both adults and students.
- The principal makes an announcement to the school over the intercom, “In a few moments we will be practicing what to do when we hear the word “lockdown” over the intercom. Your teacher will stop instruction and take a few minutes to talk about what to do.”
- Teachers have been provided with talking points to lead a brief discussion in the classroom. Sample language includes:
"Today we are going to learn what to do when we hear the word, “Lockdown”. Practicing this will help us all stay safe if something unexpected is happening at the school. We all have special and important jobs to do whenever we hear the word, Lockdown. Our first job is to get quiet and keep voices off. The second part of your job is to look at me and listen carefully for my directions. Sometimes we will stay inside ______. Other times, I might tell you that we are leaving the classroom. Remember, your job is just to keep your voices off and follow my directions. Now I will show you where we will go ____ if we stay inside, and we will practice going there, closing the door, and turning off the lights. On another day, we will practice leaving this space and going outside."
- Principal says: “At this time we will begin our practice and discussion of what to do when you hear the word lockdown. Teachers please take this time now to facilitate a discussion with your students.
There will be follow up practices for this procedure in November and January. All practices will be announced to staff and students in advance. No active threat “simulations” will occur.
School violence is not something anyone wants to think about, but we must do the best we can to be prepared for as many different emergency or potentially unsafe scenarios as possible. Thank you for your support in this effort.
LET'S TALK!
Let's Talk! is an always-on communication channel and we welcome your feedback at any time. You may remain anonymous or leave your contact information to receive a direct response within 3 business days. Click HERE to start a conversation.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE SMS/TEXT MESSAGES!
Please enroll to receive text messages from the district and/or our school. If you haven't done this yet or if you are new to CVSD, follow the easy steps on this flyer. We don't overuse this method of communication, but it is helpful for reminders and quick announcements. Don't miss out!
VISION SCREENING AT CCS
Dear CCS Families,
On Friday, September 30th, the Middlebury Lions Club will be at CCS to screen the vision of students in Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grades. The Lions Club is committed to helping our community in the area of sight and hearing and in line with that mission, members of the Club are making themselves available to come to CCS and screen the vision of our students.
The Lions Club members will be using a technology that allows them to simply take a ‘picture’ of your student’s eyes using the Welch Allyn Spot Vision Screener (SPOT) from a distance of 3 feet. This device measures the student’s pupils and alignment from the image. The device then compares the student’s eyes against the same age norms and will tell us if the student’s vision is within comparative norms, or if the student has one of six common vision impairments. If an impairment is detected it will indicate which impairment and make a recommendation to seek a full eye exam from a professional. Eye doctors have thanked the Lions many times for their success in early detection of issues.
The SPOT Screener reliably screens for six amblyopic risk factors. Myopia (nearsightedness); Hyperopia (farsightedness); Astigmatism (blurred vision); Anisometropia (unequal refractive power); Strabismus (eye misalignment) as well as Anisocoria (unequal pupil size). This is possible because it does not require the student to read letters or numbers, but just sit still and look at the 'camera' for about 20 seconds. If a student’s vision is within normal range, the results will be written in their health file and no further action will be required. If a student does not pass the SPOT exam, a printout will be sent home with the results. See the attached information on how to read and understand your SPOT results. No data is retained by the Lions and students will be identified by their student identification number. Please send a note in with your student if you wish them to opt out of this opportunity.
If your student wears glasses or contacts, please be sure to send them to school with your student on the day of the screening as they will need to wear them during their SPOT vision test.
Here is the link on on how to understand your child's vision screeing results by the Middlebury Lions Club.
Kind regards,
Lauren Calkins, RN BSN
CCS School Nurse
425-6644
SCHOOL LIBRARY NEWS
Books can be both windows and mirrors for readers of all ages. Window books let us see the lives and experiences of those who are different from us. Mirrors let us see ourselves in the pages of a book. Reading can validate our own experience and build empathy for that of others. Visit our Hispanic Heritage Library Guide to explore featured picture books, chapter books, informational books, and digital resources. Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month September 15 - October 15 and every day.
ACCESS - COMMUNITY EDUCATION FOR ALL
Access is back in action with another semester of amazing enrichment options for both in-person and online learners. The Fall/Winter 2022 season runs from September – January, and the majority of classes take place at CVU High School, with the exception of online classes offered through Zoom. Class descriptions and details are listed on our website and can be sorted by category, month, week, or online. With over 200 class options and 89 fabulous instructors, there is something for everyone at Access!
ENROLL TODAY! Popular classes fill quickly, and low enrollment leads to canceled classes. To view the complete list of classes and to enroll online, visit our website https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/ (or Google, ACCESS CVU). For questions about classes or to enroll via email or phone, contact us at access@cvsdvt.org / 802-482-7194.
A CALL TO ARTISTS OF ALL AGES AND EXPRESSIONS
2030: Artistic Perspectives on Sustainable Living in Charlotte
Call for Creative Visions, October 2022
What will sustainable living in Charlotte look and feel like in the year 2030? Whether you identify as an artist or not, whether you are 5 or 95 you are invited to join a community-wide project to share your creative interpretations which will be part of an exhibition scheduled for October 1, 2022. We welcome art work from any medium to address the goals of a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (at personal and/or community scale) by 2030.
Please submit up to 4 submissions that include title, medium, and short "artist statement" to info@charlottepubliclibrary.org All works that appropriately address the theme will be included in the exhibition. As we would like to consider having a digital gallery in addition to a physical exhibition we urge you to submit your work with as high a resolution as possible. Deadline for submissions is Friday, September 23. For further questions please contact info@charlottepubliclibrary.org
ABOUT US
Jen Roth, Lead Principal, Grades K-6
Courtney Krahn, Assistant Principal, Grades 7-8
Beth Slater, Director of Special Services
The Newsletter is published every Friday, when school is in session. It is delivered to our families via email, posted on our website, and on Front Porch Forum. A hard copy is available by contacting the school.