THE SCHOOL BELL
Williston Schools /November 14, 2018
No School Monday, November 19 through Friday, November 23. Happy Thanksgiving!
By Angela Filion, ABS Principal
We are approaching the brisk days of fall that will soon emerge into the cold days of winter. This transition to more darkness and less hours of light remind us all to appreciate the sunny days we have and how our bodies tend to slow down their pace. I imagine more nights at home cuddling with loved ones-and when doing so why not curl up and read a book together as a family? My family and I have been trying to complete the Harry Potter series together for quite some time now-maybe this winter we will achieve that goal!
Cally Ruess, our Howard Center clinician, shared some great resources around how the dark and colder months have an impact on our health. Click here for a great article on ways to ensure that your kiddos are healthy for learning.
We have had many great traditions and celebrations this fall season! Mr. Andrew our gardener helped organize our annual Stone Soup event. Families contributed by bringing in items from home to add to the items from our school garden. We had community and parent volunteers come to help serve the delicious meal. The moral of the story of Stone Soup is: by working together, with everyone contributing what they can, a greater good is achieved! We definitely felt that energy during this collective event. Thanks to all who participated to make this happen!
The children filled the beehive two more times and earned a pumpkin decorating contest. Each class brainstormed and created their own masterpieces (see pictures)! Our second school wide celebration was a conga line-please enjoy some shots of this fun event!
Our school safety team welcomed visitors in to share updates, ask questions, and share concerns about safety. One thing we are noticing at ABS is the drop off/pick up time becoming unsafe. We will be repainting and putting up signage to reinforce safety. Please refrain from dropping off the students or parking at all along the yellow area, crosswalk, or handicap spots. Please also refrain from stopping in the driving lane to drop off. Drop off should occur only along the sidewalks where the kids can get out safely and not be in any travel lanes or areas where they can be hit. Thanks for your help with this matter of safety!
As you know we are on break next week from November 19th-23rd. We hope you enjoy some much needed time with family and friends!
FAP Speaker Series Presents Stress Reduction Strategies
Life can be stressful sometimes! Kids and adults experience increase levels of stress and worry. Come learn some easily accessible techniques to help everyone in your home reduce stress and worry, and increase relaxation and calmness. A variety of topics will be introduced including using mindfulness, breathing techniques, body movement and more. We use our time together to tailor towards what the group is most interested in and will practice some techniques during the workshop.
November 15th
6:30-8pm
WCS Community Room
Scholastic Book Fair Coming!
All students in first through eighth grades will be visiting the Scholastic book fair in the Williston Central School dining room with their class during the week of November 26th. Pre-K and Kindergarten students can also access the book fair at any time during the week with an adult. This year' theme is Enchanted Forrest! Let Your Imagination Grow! You can access the book fair online from November 18th through December 8th at http://www.scholastic.com/bf/williston
We are always in need of volunteers the week of the book fair! If you can spare an hour or two, please go to: http://signup.com/go/toHvsrW
Can't wait to see you there!
Lost & Found at ABS
Thanks to our volunteers who search the items for names or initials and try to find the owner of things that are labeled. If anyone knows they’re missing something, they can email a description of what we should keep an eye out for, and the student’s name and house where it should be returned if we find it. The lost & found email is wcslostandfound@cvsdvt.org
Attitude of Gratitude and PBIS
Did you know an attitude of gratitude is good for your health!? Taking time to reflect on what you’re thankful for, and feeling grateful for those things, leads to greater happiness, stronger relationships and a more positive outlook on school and life.
Within the PBIS framework, we strive to create and maintain respectful, responsible and safe climates in our schools. Adults in our schools have a responsibility to teach and model the pro-social skills and expectations necessary to make our learning environments kind and positive. Gratitude and thankfulness are no exception to this.
The following are examples of gratitude happening within our schools:
Kindness walls in classrooms with personalized acknowledgments highlighting kind gestures done for others;
Class meetings that focus on appreciations;
Acknowledgement systems for following school-wide expectations (smart cells at WCS and buzzies at ABS);
Student acknowledgement systems on houses highlighting hard work and respect;
Staff acknowledgment systems appreciating the actions/gestures of colleagues;
Students’ and adults’ daily display of positive social skills: active listening, please and thank-you’s, praise, compliments, encouragement, helping others;
Student volunteer opportunities
Seeing each day with an attitude of gratitude enables us to be more aware of the many opportunities to be kind to others. Rather than focusing only on our own needs, we have a greater awareness of the needs of those around us. That’s when kindness can become contagious! I encourage you to talk to your child(ren) about what they are grateful for and how they may approach each day with a kind attitude of gratitude.
Physical Education Notes
We would like to share ways to see what your students are doing in Physical Education.
blog for the 3 - 8th grade program.
Allen Brook School PE Fun Facebook Page
Community Budget Information
The Champlain Valley School District (CVSD) School Board is eager to hear your thoughts about our schools as we begin the budget development process for the 2019-2020 school year. For those unable to attend the recent Community Budget Forum, please complete this 3-question survey by November 16th to share your thoughts. Some responses thus far include comments on class size, transportation, essential arts, and extra-curricular activities. What are you thinking about? bit.ly/CVSDCommunityInputOct18
For a full list of upcoming School Board Budget meetings, view the flyer here:
Williston Drama Club Spring Musical
Williston Drama Club is pleased to announce CAMP ROCK as the spring musical. The performances will be April 5 - 6, There will be an informational meeting on Monday, Dec 10 at 6:30pm in the auditorium. Students can attend either of 2 workshops on Dec 11 and 12 after school until 4:30, At these workshops you will learn the songs and practice readings for the auditions. Auditions will be held January 7 - 11.
SPARK Enrichment After School ~ Session 2
The 2nd session of Spark Enrichment, an after-school applied learning program for students in grades 5-8, takes place from November 8 - December 13. These small group classes will be facilitated by school faculty and staff. Please access the link to the sign-up form below by Oct 9th. You will be able to rank your choices for better placement!!
Swift House Bottle Drive
Saturday, December 1st
9:00 am-12:30 pm
Please save bottles and cans
We will be collecting in many Williston neighborhoods!
All proceeds benefit the Washington, DC trip
Pleasant Acres, Maple Tree Place, Brennan Woods, Lefebvre Lane, Southridge, Meadow Run, Talcott Rd, Seth Cir., Isham Dr, Katie Ln, Ledgewood Dr., Chelsea Place, Southfield Dr., Wildflower Cir., Oak Knoll Rd., Nob Hill, Porterwood, Golf Links, River Cove Rd, Palmer Court, Shady Ln., Shirley Cir., Twitchell Ct., Terry Ln, Hillside Dr., Sundown Dr.School Buses and hills when roads are difficult
On the occasions it is determined a Williston school bus will not be driving on a hill* road during the morning pick up, we hope to be able to contact families early enough for you to get students to a stop at the start of the hill to catch the bus. Alternatively, during the afternoon bus runs, we will contact families to advise you that the bus will need to drop children off at the start of the hill, and you can meet the bus there if necessary. If no one arrives to meet younger students, they will be brought back to school until arrangements are made for them to be picked up. Please talk with your bus drivers to let them know if you are comfortable letting your child walk home from the drop off location.
We will use the Connect 5 automated calling system to send a voice message to families on the hill roads.
*These are the hill roads: Butternut, Highlands, Porterwood, Oak Knoll, Rabbits Run, Evergreen, Fortier, Douglas, Yantz Hill, lower River Cove, Meadow Ridge, Ledgewood, Bayberry, Terrace, Jasmine, Wild Ginger, French Hill**, Sunrise Drive**, Sunset (Sunset is included only when icy).
**Students who live on or off Rt. 2 beyond the 4-way intersection at the Federated Church should be picked up from school, as the bus will not drive toward French Hill in bad weather.
Williston School Safety Committee Seeking New Member
Board Games Needed for Indoor Recess
WCS is in need of short board games to use during indoor recess for 5th & 6th grade students. Potential games include: Spot It, Elementos, Scattegories, Checkers, Connect Four, Uno, Cards, Jenga, Trouble, Boggle, Telestration or other games designed for a 15-20 minute span. Thank you! Please drop them off at the WCS front office.
Parent Resources
The best way to protect your kids online? Talk to them. While kids value the opinions of their peers and may tell you your input isn't welcome, on the issues that matter most parents are the #1 influence on their teen's decisions.
To receive an online newsletter, parents can opt in to the CY ParentIN campaign about how to help our kids use technology successfully and safely. Sign up here
Library Books to Unwrap and Share this Season
This gift-sharing season, consider checking out library books to unwrap and read together!
Perhaps you'd select 8 books for Hanukkah or 24 books for Advent.
Families can check out as many items as they would like from our Allen Brook School collection.
Cozy up in pajamas, grab a hot cocoa, and share some library stories!
Then return them in January when we return to school.
Season's Readings!
Williston Schools Wildcat food service program
Welcome to the Williston Schools Wildcat food service program. Enrollment is automatic for all students to access the meal program or use their lunch account. Accounts are created when students enroll.
New students at ABS are issued a meal card that will stay in the kitchen and cafeteria for their use during meal service time. Students find their cards in the card pouches hanging on the cafeteria wall. They hand their card to the cashier to purchase a milk, breakfast, or lunch.
WCS students come to the cash register with their meal and give their last name and first name to the cashier. At both schools we will confirm the identity of the student verbally or by looking at the picture on the screen.
read more about
Adding restrictions to account use
Scott Wagner, Food Service Director
swagner@cvsdvt.org 871-6198
Yearbooks
Order your student a yearbook before they run out!
Order at www.jostens.com
Contact ABeauregard@cvsdvt.org with questions.
ABS Start time
Students arriving after 8:10 am should check in the office and pick up a late pass. They are considered tardy, and their arrival time will be recorded.
Supervision is provided in the cafeteria for students arriving between 7:30 and 7:45 am.
FLU SEASON IS COMING FAST
Below are links from the CDC for your information.
If your student receives the Flu vaccine please be sure to let your schools Health Office know.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
Mobile App
Download the WSD App and get notifications for groups, sports teams, 3-4 Chorus, etc. to keep informed.
Open App, tap on the 3 horizontal bars in the top right and select Notifications. Tap on the group boxes for those you want.
Families as Partners
Tuesday Early Dismissal
Dismissal at ABS is 1:35 pm.
Dismissal at WCS is 1:55 pm.
The Tuesday schedule for morning Preschool is 8:00 to 10:15 am. Afternoon preschool is 11:15 am to 1:30 pm.
Four Winds Nature News
School Lunch Menus
Monthly Fitness Fun
More Links, More information
Upcoming Events
Fri. Nov. 9 / District Jazz Festival
Fri. Nov. 9 / School Dance (gr. 6-8) / 6:30-8:30 pm / WCS
Wed. Nov. 14 / Four Winds Training / 8:30-10:30 am / WCS Community Room
Thurs. Nov. 15 / Stress Reduction Speaker / 6:30-8 pm / WCS Community Room
Fri. Nov. 16 / Harmony Breakfast / 7:30-8:30 am
Thanksgiving Break - Nov. 19-23 - No School
Tues. Nov. 27 / CVSD Budget Board Mtg. / 6:00 pm / CVUHS Rm. 160
Sat. Dec. 1 / Swift Bottle Drive / 9 am to noon
Tues. Dec. 4 / CVSD Budget Board Mtg. / 6:00 pm / CVUHS Rm. 160
Thurs. Dec. 13 / FAP / 8-10 am / WCS Community Room
Upcoming Events on the School Web CalendarDAML Programs
Click here to access the DAML web site listing of events.
Recreation & Parks Offerings
Williston Schools
Email: cpavlik@cvsdvt.org
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org
Location: 195 Central School Drive, Williston
Phone: (802) 878-2762
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Williston-School-District-1483758238612170/timeline/
Twitter: @wsdvt