School Newsletter
Quarter IV - 2019
VSAC Day with the Governor
Newly Minted Sports Sign
Superintendent of the Year
MESSAGE from the SUPERVISORY UNION
In His Words: Thank You
With the passing of our FY2020 budget on May 14, we are now over all major hurdles to become operational as the Barre Unified Union School District on July 1, 2019. With that said, there are still a lot of meetings between now and then, and a lot of work for our central office staff to make the transition a reality.
As we continue with the transition through this summer and beyond, we greatly appreciate your patience, your help, your questions and suggestions, and your positive attitude.
Lastly, I want to share some of what I said when I received the Frederick H. Tuttle Service Award on May 16, not because I like to or want to talk about myself (I do not) but because it is about you.
I did not prepare anything in writing for that evening, but this is my recollection of some of what I said:
"I may be receiving this award, but no leader earns an award like this alone. There are 600 people who earned and deserve this award. That includes our school boards, of which the four chairs are here tonight, because they have guided and supported me for four years, and I could not ask for better support. It also includes our administrative team of 20 strong, who work day in and day out to support our staff and students through thick and thin.
It includes 280 teachers and as many support staff in a variety of capacities who work their butts off every day with a passion and dedication that is humbling to witness. These people pour their hearts and souls into their jobs as they serve 2700 students and their families, some with seemingly insurmountable odds, to make our community a better place every day.
I accept this award on behalf of every one of those people." - John Pandolfo
** John Pandolfo has served as our superintendent for four years. Prior he held the Curriculum Instruction and Assessment position for the district for three years and his former training is in mathematics as a high school teacher. In the words of Paul Malone, Chairman of the Board, "John is invested in our community and he is truly deserving of this award."
Congratulations!
STUDENT and PARENT RESOURCES
Fall Athletics
Back to School Information
Summer Reading 2019
SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS
A Dash of Luge, Perhaps?
flat on your back and fly down a slope of ice at breakneck speed.
Yes, things can end poorly, but they never did for Emily Cetin. “Oh yeah, I crashed some, but never got wiped out; just a couple bruises on my knuckles and legs, and ice burn.”
Emily Cetin fell in love with the sport as a 7th grader and competed (with her father’s ever present help) for four years in places like Lake Placid, Utah, and Calgary, eventually making the Junior Olympic C Team.
“I’ve always been drawn to speed,” she said, “but I’m not a crazy driver. I went 70 mph in Calgary, but usually I stick to 60 mph. I love it. It’s very exhilarating and competitive.”
Now sled-less, Emily finds her exhilaration through a sport she has played since 2nd grade and has less of a chance of ending poorly – softball. She’s been Spaulding’s pitcher all four years and co-captain the last two. She’s also garnered a handful of awards along the way.
“I may play in college next year, but certainly club or intramural.” she said.
Speaking of college, that will be the University of Maine-Farmington. “My mom went there, and I’ve got a scholarship that allows me to pay in-state tuition rates.”
Emily will arrive as an undeclared major, but eyes opportunities in both education and business. “Business because I think there’s a lot more I can do with it, and education because I discovered through softball clinics for kids that I love working with young people.”
Right in line with her creative and independent streak (e.g., luge!), Emily has volunteered for seven years as a member of the Haunter’s Guild in Barre. Every Halloween a group of adults and older students organize a special event for area kids, last year being a “haunted forest” near the Barre Town bike path.
For the past three years she has also volunteered to help set up the annual Powder Puff Football fundraising games, and her membership on the Student Council and Key Club is always getting her out into the community with various projects.
Academically, Emily calls herself “more of a numbers person.”
“As much as I am an independent person,” she says, “I have really appreciated how helpful the teachers are in this school. They have made it possible for me to keep up with my work. And the math teachers! I love them all!”
Harkening back to her bold foray into the world of luge in faraway places, and her willingness to always try new things, Emily brings that spirit to her academic challenges. “Every day I think, if I can do it then, then I can do it now.”
When asked what advice she would give her younger sister, Mattie, when she enters high school, Emily said: “Avoid procrastination, stay on top of work, but also make a lot of friends with as many people as you can. Have a lot of fun and don’t be afraid to try new things.” Touché! -Jim Higgins
Inventive, Theatrical, and Likes to Throw Things
But Emma Poirier and three of her classmates on the SPARK team traveled to Stanford University in May to demonstrate their concussion-related invention. Just eleven other scholastic teams were invited and none from the East Coast.
“We spent all school year trying to solve an aspect of the concussion problem,” Emma said. “Our BetaBand reads a post-concussion victim’s brain waves and logs that into a computer as a way to track their healing.”
They went out there hoping to qualify for a grant to continue product development, but alas, not to be.
Being what she calls “a science-math gal who likes English enough,” Emma will bring her SPARK-type aspirations to Quinnipiac University in Connecticut next year. There she’ll begin the “three-plus-one” program in biology, which will earn her both a BS and an MS degree in four years.
But Emma, one of three class salutatorians, is hardly a one-trick pony with her science-math proclivities. She’s also a four-year veteran of the school’s famed Drama Club with eight plays on her resume and the club presidency this past year. For the past three years Emma has been the stage manager, which, of course, plays to her inventive strengths. As the Stagehand’s Creed states, “We can do virtually anything with nothing!”
On stage she’s had plenty of practice in such creativity (although if you actually see her on stage something has gone epically wrong!)
Emma enjoys telling the tales of her various “epics.” On the fail side there was the continuing problem in Pride and Prejudice where one flimsy prop after another broke onstage, including the time when pastries flew off the tray. On the success side, she recalls The Drowsy Chaperone where she had to pull off eleven costume repairs as the show went on.
Emma’s love for the stage runs deep. She’s already recruited her three younger siblings into the theater. “I’ve trained my youngest brother to be a stage manager, my middle brother is acting, and my sister likes backstage work.”
When it comes to sports, this improvisational genius stage manager/science-math whiz kid follows a path that in some universe would probably be considered logical: Emma throws things and jumps long.
“I’m not the most athletic person,” she admits. But she’s participated in indoor track all four years, and this year she even made it to Individual States. “I recently achieved my best shot put throw ever,” she proclaims, “just over 25 feet with the four kilogram weight.”
What advice did Emma give to her sibs about survival in high school? It’s breathtakingly simple: “Find a group of people that you actually enjoy hanging out with.” -JH
Running with the Stars
He will take that pearl with him to the University of Vermont next year where he’ll embrace a double major with the two academic loves of his life: math and music.
This is not to say David is not a highly likable guy – he is – but it’s to say he clearly understands, perhaps earlier than most young people, the key differences between respectability and likability.
A seasoned performer after eight productions with the Drama Club, David was most affected by his role as Mister Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.
“That role showed me more about myself as an actor and a person,” he said.
“Jane Austen’s Mister Darcy showed me a more mature side of life; how important honesty and integrity are to a person’s character, and also what a reasonable amount of pride is and where the line is.”
David’s special talents and interests are all over the map, which is to say that his high school years were well spent.
Example 1: David loves video games, online geography quizzes, solving calculus problems, and baseball. He also loves when athletes show their human sides to the world, like former Mets’ shortstop Wilmer Flores. Having been with the Mets organization since he was signed out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old, in 2015 he actually cried on the field when he heard a rumor that he was being traded to the Brewers. Later that season in a fairy tale moment he hit a walk off home run in an extra inning game against the Nationals which swung the division in the Mets favor.
Example 2: David loves music. He plays the clarinet and sings, bringing his basso to Connecticut for the New England Music Festival for the past three years. He has especially enjoyed being in the Winooski Valley Jazz Choirs those same three years. (The music part of his double major at UVM will likely, he says, be split between performance and music education.)
Example 3: David loves to run cross country, and both indoor and outdoor track. In track he specializes in relays and middle distance events, such as his favorite event; the 1000, and events he holds school records in, the Indoor 1500, and Outdoor 4x800 Relay. The school’s teams have enjoyed recent success, having built a winning culture which David is proud to have helped build. They’ve made it to the New England Championship, set numerous school records, and placed highly at State Championships. David leaves Spaulding with two second place in the States, in addition to two third place finishes and two fourth place finishes in various events.
This summer David will once again be following his running muse which took him over a 400-mile journey last summer. “It’s kind of my summer hobby,” he says. “I’ll be running all around Barre and all of its trails, and even the Spaulding track.”
David’s sage comment mentioned above about respect and likability came with its counterpart moments later.
When asked what advice he’d give his younger brother coming up through high school, he replied, “Do what you love and don’t worry about the outcomes, because if you follow what you desire and achieve your goals, everything should turn out alright.” -JH
ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS
Aubrey Benoit, Jilian McGary, & Kyle Proteau
Photograph entitled, Brother
Honored by Representative Welch
Budding Artists Honored at Congressional Art Show
Since 1981, students across Vermont have participated in the annual Congressional Arts Competition that 'recognizes and encourages young developing artists' to pursue their artistic
interests.
This year thirty six high schools were in attendance at Vermont College of Fine Arts, along with Aubrey Benoit, Jillian McGary, and Kyle Proteau. Mr. Eaton and Mrs. Reardon joined their students and they were incredibly proud of their work.
However, they were thrilled for Aubrey because her entry entitled, Brother was selected among 157 entries by a group of local panelists.
According to Aubrey, Brother will be showcased in the United States Capitol and House office buildings for a year.
In response to her being selected, Aubrey and her family had the honor to meet Representative Welch of Vermont who commended Aubrey's talents.
Congratulations, Aubrey!
Leaders Among the Program
Fostering Friendships
Instilling Collaboration
Midnight Mountain Builds Healthy Skills
Serving over 200 students since 2010, Georgie Stapleton and Peggy Roy Portelance continue to act as a guiding light for many students who pass through the Midnight Mountain Transition program.
The goal of the program is to build healthier skills for 8th graders transitioning to 9th grade at Spaulding High School. Participating students are challenged to think outside of their usual “comfort zone” by engaging in activities that provide them strategies to be successful.
These activities help with self esteem and building relationships with others, such as with their peers and Freshmen teachers like Ms. Brizzolara, Mr. Dunlea, Ms. Mishkit, and Mr. Moore.
Their mission was reinforced in the expressions of Student Ambassadors Eleanor, Tiffany, and Delaney (see photo above) who are in agreement: "Midnight Mountain alleviates any anxieties about transitioning to high school."
Tiffany strongly noted, "this high school is not like in the movies... yes, there are cliques, but not like how they are portrayed on television." For her, the Spring meeting in 2018 combined with a Summer retreat gave her the confidence to meet new people.
Like Tiffany, Eleanor and Delaney both cite a friendly and supportive environment that gives others the ability to be themselves, learn from each other, but more importantly have trust in the transition of leaving middle school.
SPREADING TIDE PRIDE
Embracing Cacophony
Roll Tide Tour
Promoting Music in the District
Roll Tide Tour Rolls into Our Sending Schools
Music is an universal expression of the human spirit — a basic human need. It allows us to communicate our deepest ideas and feelings, to explore and preserve our cultural heritages, and to celebrate the realms of emotion, imagination, and creativity that result in new knowledge, skills, and understanding.
And that is exactly what Mr. Booth's and Mrs. Elgood's Roll Tide Tour did with both sending schools.
According to Mrs. Elgood, the tour came about when Bobby and Mrs. Elgood 'were looking for ways to build a greater connection between the high school music department and the middle and elementary schools.' She cited a previous experience doing this type of performance and believed the Roll Tide Tour would add value to the community.
Barre City Elementary & Middle School and Barre Town Elementary & Middle School teachers concur and they look forward for their return next year.
HONORING OUR COMMUNITY
Supporting Our Students
Through our partnership with Ana Kohlbach and Rocko Gieselman from VocRehab & VABIR, Ana and Rocko are here to provide additional services to our students in terms of career counseling, job exploration, work readiness training, and assistance as they transition beyond high school.
According to Rocko, ... "we are here for the students and we want to know the students interests and abilities by building a relationship with them, so we can better serve them."
Ana also echoes this sentiment and enjoys working one on one with students. She notes, however, "scheduling and finding time can be a challenge throughout the school day, but the investment is worth it." Worth it in terms of students experiencing success with learning who they are and where their interests lie, along with the amazing resources and support from the Department of Labor.
Rocko cites ONet as a wonderful resource enabling students to explore their interests and figure out occupations that exist within their own community and beyond. They also cite Jayson Capobianco, Spaulding's Employment Specialist as another resource that is valuable to their mission.
Jayson is in his third year with Spaulding High School and he has been a positive force working collaboratively with Ana and Rocko. He has a heightened awareness of our students needs and how they would be a good cultural fit for Rocko and Ana. But more importantly, he cares and he wants our students to be empowered with their choices, specifically around career exploration and opportunities.
For more information, feel free to contact Rocko at Rocko.Gieselman@vermont.gov
or Ana Kohlbach at Ana.Kolbach@partner.vermont.gov about their programs.
CONGRATULATIONS
Abby Haigh Science Award
G. Max Sanborn & Trustee Merit Scholarship from Norwich University
Dr. Reynolds Memorial Scholarships
Recognizing Academic Achievement
The spirit of Tide Pride is always present whether it be in a classroom, during an athletic competition, school function, or among the alumni and community members who continue to invest in our school.
In particular, without the support of the alumni, service organizations, members of the community, local businesses, and other friends of Spaulding, it would not be possible for Spaulding High School to issue generous awards to Seniors who applied for In House Scholarships.
According to Dave Lacroix, the Spaulding High School Scholarship Trust was created in 2015 due to the sizable contributions over the years. It's mission is to "provide financial support for graduates of Spaulding High School and Central Vermont Career Center, helping students pursue post-secondary education and workforce training in wide-ranging career fields."
This is echoed by John Lewis, House Scholarship Committee Chair, who is also head of the History and Social Sciences Department. Mr. Lewis has been a faculty member and he has served this district for over 34 years. He understands the significance of his role. He notes how careful his committee is to adhering to the criteria of each scholarship and the Scholarship Trust's mission.
He too believes in administering awards to graduating Seniors that are either merit based, need based, career specific or non specific in nature, depending upon the terms of the gift. He appreciates how diverse each one is and honors student achievement.
For more information on the Scholarship Trust, please feel free to contact Mr. David Lacroix, Spaulding Alumnus, Class of 1973 at lacroixdavid05@gmail.com or feel free to click on the link to learn more: https://spauldingscholarship.org/about-the-trust/
Bianchi - Fisher Family Scholarship
Thurman Dix Award
Joseph Livendale Memorial
SAVE the DATE: Fall Sports Meeting
For more information leading up to Pre Season, feel free to contact Mrs. Soffen at nsoffshs@u61.net