SCS Weekly Newsletter 9.16.22
September 16, 2022
Principals' Message
Dear SCS Families and Caregivers,
Our first full week of school was quite the rollercoaster. Tuesday brought with it an absolute downpour at dismissal, and Wednesday wasn't much better. The past two days, however, provided the perfect preview of fall in Vermont. The weather was ideal for team walks, our second evacuation drill of the year, and finishing up school picture days outside. What a joy it was to see our students smiling for the cameras this week! If you are interested in getting a sibling photo taken, please come to the breezeway between 9:00 and 11:00 tomorrow morning for sibling photo day.
We are incredibly appreciative, as always, of our PTO for recruiting volunteers to help out with school photos throughout the week. Embodying the idea that there is no rest for the weary, next week kicks off Shelburne PTO's first fundraiser of the year. It's a favorite of teachers and students alike, our annual Dynamic Dates raffle. Last year, 85 students and their friends won one-of-a-kind adventures led by teachers and staff across SCS. Highlights included a rare chance to get a behind-the-scenes peek at the kitchen while decorating cookies with our beloved kitchen crew, circuitry crafts with Leah Joly, shooting and editing a video with Tim O'Leary and countless creemee trips. This year promises more adventures, more volunteers and most importantly, more connection time. All of the money raised from the sale of raffle tickets goes towards the PTO's grant program which has funded dream projects from the raised garden beds you see next to the bus circle to the brand new sensory pathway in the breezeway. If you have a child in K-4, look for the Dynamic Dates packet to come home in a backpack. If you have a child in 5-8, watch for the electronic version from PTO to your email inbox. We love this fundraiser because it brings so many smiles to our community and empowers our teachers and staff to dream big.
Speaking of dreaming big, we've continued to adjust our approach to some key systems at SCS to keep things running as smoothly as possible during the school day. Our ongoing staffing shortages make this an even greater challenge than usual, but we are persevering. Kindergarten dismissal will now start 5 minutes earlier to allow our youngest students to get settled on buses and in Part 2. First through eighth grade bus riders and Part 2 students will continue to be dismissed at 2:45, with students who are walking/biking home or being picked up being released as soon as all bus and Part 2 students are accounted for. We started trying this out yesterday, and dismissal has been noticeably more punctual in the two days since the change. Thank you all for your patience and flexibility as we work to improve this system.
A friendly reminder that our arrival and dismissal times have shifted this school year by 10 minutes. Our school day begins at 7:50am, and our doors open at 7:48am. All students should be in classrooms starting at 7:50am daily. Thank you for helping us to get our day started on time, so that we can get a full day of learning in. Dismissal begins at 2:45pm (1:45pm on Wednesdays), so that our buses can leave SCS by 2:55pm (1:55pm on Wednesdays) and do a second bus run for other schools within CVSD.
We're also working to make getting breakfast and lunch more efficient for all students. We've adjusted the timing of some lunch periods to give younger students more time to eat and transition. Releasing our 7/8 graders from the cafeteria a few minutes earlier has also helped alleviate traffic backups by the gym. Finally, we are going to resume breakfast service in the cafeteria for middle-level students next week. Middle level students who are getting breakfast should head to the cafeteria before going to their team spaces in the morning. This will also help hallway congestion, save our food-service team some time, and allow for us to offer a hot breakfast option in the weeks to come. PK-4 breakfast will still take place in classrooms as it has throughout the year.
Take care,
Alison, Brett, & Emily
Much More To Follow - Please Continue Reading!
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Engineering and Robotics Opportunity
CVU's robotics team, the RoboHawks, is offering a First Lego League (FLL) workshop and support for CVSD students, teachers, parents, and coaches. We are in the process of seeking coaches and volunteers to form and support a First Lego League team at each of our PreK-8 schools, primarily focused on middle school, though that might be flexible in some schools. To learn more, please join the Robohawks at their first workshop at CVU on Tuesday, Sept. 20th from 3:45 to 5-ish in the robotics lab (room 154). See this flyer for additional details.
Access is Back in Action!
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!
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CVSD Update
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Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org/shelburne
Access Information on the CVSD Website
See the year at a glance on the 2022-2023 K-8 School Year Calendar.
The CVSD Mission is to develop citizens who learn, think, live, contribute, and pursue excellence. See The CVSD Story.
Shelburne Community School Administration
Brett Cluff, 5-8 Principal
Emily Cogan, Director of Special Education