THE NEWSLETTER
January 6, 2023
NEW YEAR - NEW NOTES
A new year (2023) comes with a need for all families and caregivers to submit new notes about end-of-day plans for kids. Anything that was sent from August through December will be recycled and we will start the redocumentation of after school plans. Too many documents we were holding onto were no longer relevant and we need to have the most up-to-date details so we can get everyone to the right place after school. The easiest way to submit this is by emailing Cindy claware@cvsdvt.org and your child’s classroom teacher with all plans. Thank you for understanding this process and reaching out with any questions to Cindy.
ADMINISTRATION UPDATE
Dear CCS Families, Caregivers and Community Members,
January brings a unique point in the school year. With the first winter break behind us, students returned this week and demonstrated that the expectations and procedures they’ve been building and practicing since September have solidified and become routine. Although transitions back to school after a long break can come with challenges, it’s fair to say that we found our rhythm as a community shortly after arriving on Tuesday. As we went to open the front doors for arrival, melodious tunes were spilling from the jazz band room, there was laughter in the hallways, colleagues were reconnecting after their time apart, and classrooms were bright. Soon thereafter, students and teachers alike were settled into their morning meetings and advisory circles.
A shout-out of appreciation to our second grade cohort for leading today’s whole school assembly. Structured like a morning meeting, every member of our school community greeted each other and shared a favorite snowflake pattern. We listened to the story Snowy Day by Ezra Jacks Keats, especially enjoying the beatbox sound effects. Our activity stood everyone up to do the Snowky Pokey dance. Whether they were in kindergarten or eighth grade, laughter and cheers showed the joy of this activity. Congratulations Second Graders for spreading JOY throughout CCS.
We hope your child(ren) brings home stories about a joyful start to January. Please look through our photos from This Week at CCS to see highlights of our time together. Have a wonderful weekend! See the kids back here on Monday.
Sincerely,
CCS Administration
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Tuesday, Jan 10
Budget Development Meeting - Topic: Summary & Tax Implications. See below for meeting details.
Wednesday, Jan 11
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.
CVSD January Virtual Town Hall:
Strategic Planning, Zoom Meeting, 6:30pm
Monday, Jan 16
NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
Tuesday, Jan 17
Budget Development Meeting - Final Approval & Warnings. See below for meeting details.
Wednesday, Jan 18
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, Jan 20
Town Party & Community Dinner - see below for more details.
Wednesday, Jan 25
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.
LOST AND FOUND
PTO STUDENT DIRECTORIES ARE HERE!
The PTO Student Directories are here and have been delivered to the classrooms. They are being sent home with the Youngest or Only student. Families with (2) households will have received 1 for each parent.
Thank you to the PTO for covering the cost of these directories and to parent Kristen Hamilton for all of her hard work on the formatting and layout of the data.
RECESS GEAR REMINDER
All grades will go outside for recess year round unless it is a steady rain, thunder and lightening or below zero.
Now that Winter has arrived, please make sure your child(ren) has the following each day:
* Warm Jacket * Snow pants (optional for Middle Level) * Mittens/Gloves * Hat or Hood * Snow Boots
DIGITAL SAFETY
Since our link in the December 19th CCS newsletter about digital safety, we’ve had a number of inquiries from staff, students and families about the consequences of having access to information and activities. While we do our best to have these conversations and teach students how to process the variety of information they have access to with their internet-enabled devices, it’s just as important that you are monitoring your child’s media access (if any) at home. Some students have been insulated from this issue altogether because they don’t have unfettered access to the internet outside of school. Undoubtedly, many of you reading this have already spoken to your children about this issue. If so, thank you! If not, we have compiled resources for those who are just learning about this story, or those who haven’t yet broached the subject with students at home. Please see the suggestions for how to do so below.
THE POWER OF OUR CHARLOTTE COMMUNITY
Spring Theater:
A theater production is something that we feel is important for our students and we did not have the capacity as a school to do it alone. We asked our community for support and a CVSD parent came forward with a vision of making it happen. We are excited to be partnering with Full Circle Theater Production this spring to put on a spring performance at CCS. We plan to hold an informational meeting for students within the next week or so, and auditions will be held shortly after. Historically, our musicals have included our students in grades 6, 7 and 8 and we are not sure at this time what is possible. Once the dates and details are determined, we will email the grade levels who will be involved with additional information.
Spelling Club:
A CCS parent reached out asking about supporting a Spelling Club for kids using materials from the Scripps Spelling Bee. With some research we think it could be a possibility for students in grades 3-8 to participate in a spelling club during their lunch/recess block. Kids in these cohorts who are interested in working with words and rich literature would be invited to join. We are ironing out some details which include a few parents to volunteer to support this endeavor. The commitment would be two days a week from 11:00-1:00 (actual days still being determined). If we can get this underway, students who excel at our local spelling could proceed to a larger arena of students who love to work with words. If you are interested in supporting this, please email jroth@cvsdvt.org with your availability. All volunteers would need to go through the fingerprint process as CVSD volunteers. Volunteering at CCS Website Link
Library News:
In an exciting Library connection to our spelling club project, students were in the library today listening to the first of the Red Clover Books, Stacey's Extraordinary Words, by Stacey Abrams - a story about the power of words and perseverance is the perfect beginning! The Red Clover Award Program is a children’s choice picture book award designed to foster awareness, understanding and appreciation of the picture book. The award encourages readers to enjoy, explore and discuss the pictorial, narrative and design elements of the picture book in order to: sharpen critical thinking and communication skills; heighten appreciation of diverse literature and the visual arts; and nurture enthusiasm for reading and promote lifelong learning. Check here to learn more about the VT Red Clover Books.
TOWN PARTY & COMMUNITY DINNER - ALL OF CHARLOTTE IS WELCOME!
To quote a line that needs no introduction, “There’s no place like home.”
What are the many and varied reasons you love this place we call home?
What drew you here and why do you stay?
We want to hear from you! As we consider the future of our beloved little town, there’s never been a more important time to share our thoughts on what matters to each of us. Please save the date and join us for chili, cornbread, and pie (provided!), live music, and community conversation about our special little town. Community Heart and Soul is a grassroots effort to unite all voices of the community toward a collective future. Let’s gather to share a meal and start the conversation by sharing what we love about Charlotte.
All are welcome- young, old, and everyone in between. Teens, please bring your Charlotte friends!
When: January 20, 2023, Doors @ 5 PM, Conversation @ 5:30
Where: Charlotte Congregational Church
Why: To activate our community and our voices in support of Charlotte’s future
Who: All of us
RSVP: CharlotteCommunityHands@gmail.com
For more information on Community Heart and Soul in Charlotte please reach out to us at CharlotteCommunityHands@gmail.com
PRESCHOOL LOTTERY IS NOW OPEN FOR 2023-2024!
The CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications for a random preschool lottery drawing for the 2023-24 school year. This lottery is for an opportunity to enroll in one of our school-based classrooms which run 10 hours per week. (Note: Any Charlotte drawn eligible students would attend classes at the Hinesburg Community School.) Our school-based preschool classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive setting. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS).
Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar. Children who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2023, who have not enrolled in kindergarten, and live in the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston are eligible to enter the lottery. Families who are selected for the lottery and choose to enroll their child in a CVSD program access their Act 166 publicly funded pre kindergarten funds for the school-based program.
All applications must be received by February 3, 2023, and are located on the CVSD Early Education website under 2023-2024 Preschool Lottery . Paper applications are available upon request.
For additional information, questions about our program, or any concerns about your child’s development, please visit our website or contact Director of Early Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@cvsdvt.org. Our Early Education team is also available for developmental screenings in the areas of communication, social-emotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, and cognition.
A MESAGE FROM THE VERMONT COMMUNITY BROADBAND BOARD
Do you really get the internet service providers say you do on the FCC Map? See this letter that was sent to school districts for more information and the steps to check your address or file a challenge. Correcting it could mean tens of millions of additional federal dollars for Vermont and more affordable service for Vermonters! This must be done by January 13.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE SMS/TEXT MESSAGES!
Please enroll to receive text messages from the district and 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!
LET'S TALK!
Last March, the school district softly rolled out a new communication tool called Let's Talk. Let’s Talk makes it easy for parents, students, staff, and community members to ask questions, request information, and share feedback. Over the summer, we added topics for each of our schools. See this blog post to learn more and view a short video that explains how easy it is to use Let's Talk.
CVSD JANUARY VIRTUAL TOWN HALL: STRATEGIC PLANNING
On Wednesday, January 11, at 6:30 pm, we will host our monthly Virtual Town Hall. This month's focus is on Strategic Planning. We'll share updates about current work and drafts of the priorities the steering committee has developed. We will invite input and feedback during and after the Town Hall and will lay out the timeline for the next steps in the process. Please join us! The Zoom information can be found on the Strategic Planning page of our website and on the website calendar.
22-23 CVSD BUDGET MEETING SCHEDULE
CVSD invites all community members to learn about and join in on the budget development process by attending upcoming School Board meetings. All members of the CVSD community are always welcome to attend Board meetings. See the topics and schedule in the image above and on the Budget page of the district's website. https://www.cvsdvt.org/budget
Links to join the virtual meetings will be available on that page and on the website calendar. We will also post the presentations on the Budget page afterward for those that cannot attend.
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.