FAMILY FRIDAY FOCUS Dec 4, 2020
RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL Principal Kathleen Kilbourne
DATES OF IMPORTANCE- MARK YOUR CALENDARS
5th Grade Food drive now until Dec 17th
Dec 8,10, 12 -Farm to School w grade K and 1
Dec 9th- 1:00 Prevent Child Abuse VT- Healthy Relationships (must pre register) FREE via zoom
Dec 16th- TECHNICOOL Parent presentation via zoom 6:00- 7:30 pm , Prevent Child Abuse VT
Dec 21 to Jan 1st- Winter break- NO SCHOOL
Free Virtual Caregiver Event on Healthy Relationships
Please join Prevent Child Abuse VT for an hour long virtual presentation and conversation about the Healthy Relationships Project on Wednesday, December 9th at 1pm. Topics covered will include information regarding student lessons, faculty and staff involvement, and what caregivers can do. Please reach out to Kirstie Grant at kgrant@pcavt.org for more information, or register to attend here.
Internet Safety Event for South Burlington Elementary Parents and Caregivers
TECHNICOOL: Keeping Kids Safe on the Internet ©
Presented by Prevent Child Abuse VT
Virtual Caregiver and Parent Event
December 16th, 2020 |6-7:30pm
Topics discussed during this event will be keeping kids safe in digital environments and addressing children exhibiting concerning digital behaviors. For more information please contact Kirstie Grant at kgrant@pcavt.org or 802-498-0622. This event is sponsored by Rick Marcotte Central School and open to all South Burlington Elementary School parents/caregivers.
Please click HERE to register.
"FAQ: Guidance for Schools Related to Limits on Multi-Houshold Gatherings"
NURSE NOTES FROM SBSD
Social Gatherings:
- Why are social gatherings prohibited right now?
- You are not allowed to gather with people you don't live with; this includes playdates or visiting family or friends from different households.
- How can I celebrate the holidays safely?
Travel:
- Can I travel to Vermont? Are out-of-state visitors allowed?
- I have parental shared custody. Can my child and I travel without quarantining?
PCR Test:
Only PCR test results are accepted at school when your student is being tested for COVID-19. Rapid antigen test results will not be accepted.
If your student needs to get tested, please contact their health care provider. There are a variety of places to get tested; see this link to find a COVID-19 test site.
Some local PCR Testing Sites:
- NEW: Burlington City Arts Studio, 405 Pine Street, Burlington: by appointment through the Vermont Dept. of Health website.
- UVM Drive-Through at Fanny Allen: #847-5440
- Kinney Drugs, So. Burlington: #860-0714
- ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care, So. Burlington: #448-8205
Dress For the Weather
The cold weather is here! Please be sure you send your child with long pants, snow pants, boots, jacket, hats, and mittens to wear at recess every day. Remember to label your child’s outdoor gear.
Please label all your children's winter gear with their name or initials for easy return to the correct child if it should get misplaced.
HEAD-TO-TOE TIPS FOR DRESSING FOR WINTER WALKING TO SCHOOL
- Keep your hands and head covered to prevent heat loss
- On really cold days, wear a scarf over your face and mouth
- Wear a warm coat that deflects the wind
- Wear warm, waterproof boots
- Woolen clothing helps to retain the heat
- Wear clothing or carry knapsacks with reflective material - it's important to be seen
- If possible, change wet clothes at school - tuck an extra pair of socks and mitts into knapsacks
Below -13oF is considered too cold for walking--move your walk indoors, or select another day for outdoor activities and walking to school.
PLEASE CLICK BELOW TO SEE WHICH GRADE LEVELS ARE CONTRIBUTING WHICH ITEMS TO OUR ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE
The Mitten Tree Project... Giving this season
This year due to COVID, we are asking people to donate the gift cards listed below and deliver them to school, so that we may redistribute them to families who benefit from some support and assistance for their children.
Simply click the ink below to contribute what you can:
School Nurse Updates
COVID-19 TESTING
Rapid Antigen Test versus PCR Test:
- Rapid Antigen Test: Detects specific proteins from the virus. The Health Department indicates that antigen tests are less sensitive than PCR tests and therefore a negative test generally requires a PCR test for confirmation.
- PCR Test: detects the virus's genetic material. This test is highly accurate.
Only PCR test results are accepted at school when your student is being tested due to COVID-19 symptoms or when your student is testing out of quarantine. Rapid antigen test results will not be accepted.
If your student needs to get tested, please contact their health care provider. There are a variety of places to get tested; see this link to find a COVID-19 test site.
Some local PCR Testing Sites:
- UVM Drive-Through at Fanny Allen: #847-5440
- Kinney Drugs, So. Burlington: #860-0714
- ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care, So. Burlington: #448-8205
Travelers Must Quarantine
- Quarantine for 14 days. Quarantine guidelines are here.
- If your student has not experienced COVID-19 symptoms, a PCR test may be an option, on or after day 7, to end quarantine early (with a negative test result).
Please also notify the school of your travel, return date and test results, as well as indicating "travel" on the health screening app.
Common Roots in Dec....Tea Time!
Hello South Burlington Families and Friends!
As the temperatures get cooler and the days get shorter, some of us take comfort in cozying up on the couch or by the fire with a warm cup of tea. In Scandinavian countries, people call this hygge (hyoo-guh). Hygge is a practice that helps us cope with the winter blues, and almost always involves drinking a warm beverage, evoking feelings of happiness and warmth.
For this round of Farm to School, we brought hygge to the classroom with a warm cup of herbal tea. We practiced mindfulness through movement and shared the story of Shennong, a Chinese farmer who is credited with the discovery of tea itself. This was a well loved caffeinated tea yet folks around the world, including Vermonters, have been finding their way into the wild spaces to gather restorative herbs from fields and mountaintops that provide balance to our overactive lives. Your children can suggest some local herbal teas that they explored in the farm to school lesson or you can find an alternate sunshine land recipe below.
Mindfulness can be practiced at home as we celebrate a holiday season that may feel a bit different or strange this year. Try having a ‘mindful’ snack time by describing the smell, texture, and taste of the food. You can make this simple Lemon Ginger tea and get cozy on the couch for a moment of inner warmth, calm, and stillness.
Lemon Ginger Tea
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
2 slices organic lemon, ¼ inch thick
1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1-2 tsp honey
8oz hot water
Directions:
- Place lemon and ginger slices in your mug.
- Pour boiling water over the fruit and roots and let steep for at least 5 minutes.
- Once the water has cooled slightly, stir in the honey - letting the water cool first will preserve the honey’s nutritional benefits.
- Remove the lemon and ginger slices with a spoon or leave in your mug to enjoy the beauty!
- Get cozy with a blanket, feel the hygge as you sip, and enjoy!
Be sure to check out the our first educational video, Episode #1 Apples, if you haven’t already! Our next episode is coming out very soon, featuring Winter Squash and Abenaki traditional foods. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our new episodes.
Farmer Fae has the Farm at South Village all tidied up for the winter ahead. Although there is not much growing this time of year, the farm is still a beautiful space to take a walk in the fresh air. Come stop by and see what there is to explore! We hope to see you there.
Till next month, Nourish to Flourish!
Lauren Jones, Common Roots - Farm to School Educator
GRADE 5 Gratitude Scavenger Hunt ...Give it a try!
Attendance on Wed. is taking during Morning Meeting on Zoom
Elementary School Attendance
We wanted to make families aware that morning meeting in the three elementary schools is when we will be taking attendance (Wednesdays). We believe it is important to make these zoom connections with students as we continue to work in the Covid period. The main focus is to connect with students and their other classmates for our cohesion and connections.
No Additional (Friends) Riding Buses At This Time
Health Updates
When your student has an illness symptom:
Yes, even a runny nose or complaints of a sore throat constitute staying home for 24 hours and returning only with symptom improvement or resolution. Please follow the Health Department's fact sheet: Information for Families: Return to School Following Illness* when deciding about whether to keep your student home or send to school.
We continue to connect with families, whose student is home with a reported illness, to help navigate next steps and determine when to return to school safely.
Thank you again, for your patience and follow-through. We know this is not an easy time for families as we continue to ask for your support in striving to keep our community safe.
*Click here for translations.
BUDGET PROCESS FY 22
PREVENT CHILD ABUSE VERMONT -SHARES PARENT & CAREGIVERS GUIDE AND RESOURCES
COVID-19 Parent & Caregiver Guide
No matter how prepared you are, an outbreak can be stressful. Here are some recommendations to promote your family's well-being during COVID-19.
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