FNESU Community News

The FNESU School Board has prioritized early literacy proficiency by setting a goal for the organization.

FNESU Board Goal #1: By June of 2027, all students will be reading on grade level by the end of grade 3. It is critically important for us to prioritize students reading on grade level by the end of grade 3 because reading proficiency by this age is a strong predictor of future academic success. Students who are not reading on grade level by the end of grade 3 have a higher risk of falling behind in other subjects and may struggle academically throughout their educational journey. Early intervention and support for reading proficiency can significantly impact a student's overall academic trajectory. In FNESU we are in the process of selecting a new literacy program that will be aligned with the most up to date science of reading research. We will be ready to implement our new literacy program in the Fall of 2024. In the meantime, we are using our current Units of Study resource along with the Fundations structured literacy program (K-3) as our main resources to teach literacy. Our literacy instruction is aimed at students being able to demonstrate proficiency in the FNESU Literacy Priority Standards. Fundations provides a systematic and explicit approach to teaching reading and spelling, focusing on phonics and logical awareness. Fundations uses a multi-sensory approach to learning including tapping out sounds and using magnetic letter tiles, to engage students and reinforce learning. We will prioritize ongoing professional learning for new and returning educators around effective evidence based literacy instruction. Additionally, we will continue to work to strengthen the Multi-Tiered System of Supports in each of our schools. This includes a focus on highly effective universal classroom instruction, data driven reteaching in the classroom for those students who need it, data driven targeted interventions for students who have lagging foundational skills, and targeted specialized instruction for those students who have identified specific learning disabilities in literacy.

Parents can play a crucial role in supporting their child's success in early literacy. Here are some simple yet impactful ways for parents to support their child's literacy development:

1. Read Aloud: Regularly read aloud to your child, exposing them to a variety of books and stories. Encourage discussions about the characters, plot, and their favorite parts of the story. Children who are regularly read to at home tend to have larger vocabularies and more advanced early language development.

2. Create a Literacy-Rich Environment: Surround your child with books, magazines, and other reading materials at home. Establish a cozy reading nook or area where your child can enjoy quiet reading time.

3. Encourage Writing: Provide opportunities for your child to practice writing, such as creating shopping lists, writing letters to family members, or keeping a journal.

4. Engage in Conversations: Have meaningful conversations with your child, asking open-ended questions and encouraging them to express their thoughts and ideas.

5. Visit the Library: Take regular trips to the library and allow your child to choose books that interest them. Some libraries also offer storytelling sessions and literacy activities for children.

6. Model Reading: Let your child see you reading for pleasure. Children often mimic behaviors they see in adults, so modeling a love for reading can have a positive influence.

By incorporating some of these activities into their daily routines, parents can significantly contribute to their child's early literacy development and academic success.

This is a visual of the habits students practice. Social emotional learning is an embedded part of this program.

We are delighted to shine a spotlight on Courtney Fletcher, who serves as the FNESU Communications Coordinator and Superintendent Cota's Administrative Assistant. Courtney holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications-Broadcast Journalism from Lyndon State College and has a diverse professional background that includes experience as a substitute teacher within FNESU schools and as a Behavior Interventionist at Northwest Counseling and Support Services, where she was frequently assigned to work in FNESU schools. Courtney is a mom to three children who attend, or will attend, one of our FNESU schools. Joining the FNESU Central Office team in January of 2019, Courtney has been a valuable asset to our organization.

In her role, Courtney has been instrumental in enhancing communication across FNESU. She is responsible for producing a weekly newsletter for leaders, a monthly FNESU Staff Newsletter, and a monthly FNESU Community Newsletter. Additionally, she plays a pivotal role in maintaining and updating our website, our social media pages, and is contributing to the transition to a new and improved FNESU-wide aligned website design.

Additionally, Courtney provides essential support to the superintendent by assisting with board meeting preparation, policy work, annual reporting, scheduling, communication, coordinating events, calendars, meetings, inservice trainings, and assists with administrator hiring processes. Her meticulous attention to detail has been instrumental in helping many of our leaders remain focused on their other leadership duties.

We consider ourselves fortunate to have Courtney Fletcher as part of our team. Her enthusiasm, outstanding communication skills, positivity, approachability, and meticulous attention to detail have made a positive impact throughout our system, and her support has been invaluable in helping many of us succeed in our respective roles.

Being a contributor means actively participating and making meaningful contributions to a group, organization, or community. It involves offering one's time, skills, resources, or ideas to help improve or support the collective well-being of others.

Ways Kids Can Contribute to Their Community:

Volunteer Work: Kids can participate in community service projects such as cleaning up a local park, volunteering at a food bank, or assisting in community events.

Fundraising: Children can organize fundraising events or participate in existing ones to raise money for local charities or community improvement projects.

Environmental Initiatives: Encourage kids to participate in activities that promote environmental sustainability, such as planting trees, recycling programs, or organizing cleanup efforts.

Supporting Local Businesses: Kids can support local businesses by shopping locally, promoting them on social media, or participating in community events organized by local entrepreneurs.

Sharing Knowledge: Children can contribute by tutoring younger students, sharing their skills and knowledge in areas such as art, music, or technology.

Kindness Initiatives: Encourage children to perform random acts of kindness, such as helping a neighbor, writing thank-you notes to community helpers, or creating positive messages for their community.

Advocacy: Kids can raise awareness about important issues by writing letters to local officials, participating in peaceful demonstrations, or creating educational materials about important causes.

These activities not only help the community but also teach children the value of empathy, responsibility, and citizenship. This may be an opportunity to contribute together.

We will be hosting Family Math Nights at FNESU elementary schools beginning in January, 2024. Keep an eye out for flyers with more information from your child’s school.

Enosburg Elementary January 18

Berkshire Elementary January 31

Montgomery Elementary February 8

Bakersfield Elementary & Middle School February 21

Sheldon Elementary School March 14

Richford Elementary School March 28

Melissa Wood, Director of Early Education

Early childhood recognizes the importance of developing the whole child. One of the most important domains in early childhood is the social emotional.

Positive social and emotional development in the early years provides a critical foundation for lifelong development and learning. Social development refers to a child’s ability to create and sustain meaningful relationships with adults and other children. Emotional development is a child’s ability to express, recognize, and manage his or her emotions, as well as respond appropriately to others’ emotions. (The Office of Headstart’s Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, 2021)

In Sheldon, Ms. Karen and Ms. Holley’s Preschool and PreK classes have been focusing on self regulation and other social emotional skills. Children have spent time identifying different emotions: how they feel and look for themselves and others. Along with this social and self awareness, they have begun implementing different strategies for calming down, accepting disappointment, initiating play with others, sharing, and other basic classroom skills. This self regulation and self awareness work can be seen in their ever progressing social skills as well as in their artwork. They have worked on self portraits and are becoming more aware of the different parts to include when drawing themselves and others. These skills are crucial to future success throughout school. They are the foundation for healthy relationships and coping.

RJSHS began as a new LEAPS site in the spring of 2019. The program quickly grew and now offers a full variety of programming for students in grades 6-12. Last year students performed their first play, “The Thief of Oz”, with plans for a second play this spring. Over the summer, students enjoyed a five-week summer camp where some students participated in a careers exploration program sponsored by the McClure Foundation and Vermont Afterschool.

This year, RJSHS is entering into the Junior Iron Chef competition at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds, where they will compete with youth from around the state on making their own signature dishes. RJSHS LEAPS is also hosting a youth Council that has nearly $20,000 in grants to spend on community projects designed, voted on, and actualized by RJSHS students. Students also participate in activities such as Dungeons and Dragons, workout club, and gift making where they learn to make lip balm, hand scrub, hot cocoa bombs and more and are able to share their projects as gifts with loved ones. RHSHS LEAPS Site Coordinator, Sharron Rotunno, works closely with the youth at RJSHS to offer clubs and activities that meet their needs and interests. Students should be on the lookout for the Quarter 3 brochure in mid-January.

RES students are creating connections by engaging with community partners. Walking trips to the Arvin A Brown library for story hours, activities, and exploration of resources. NOTCH & Main Street Market visits to learn about nutrition, healthy eating, & smart grocery store trips. Engaging with the residents at Our Lady of the Meadows and creating connections through activities and service. RES students are learning and making a difference in our community.

Definition of Educational Equity:

Success is not predictable

Based on identity characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion, family economics, class, geography, ability, language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or initial proficiencies.

Universal Access

Every student in every school has access to high quality, culturally responsive programming to meet the needs of every student

Unequal Distribution of Resources

May be necessary to ensure needs of all students are being met

Acknowledging and Disrupting Inequity

Acknowledging biases, employing practices that reflect the reality that all students will learn, and creating inclusive multicultural school environments for adults and children.

-Identifying and removing systems that reinforce inequities, and create a mechanism to ensure we have adequate resources in the right places.

-Developing and retaining high quality teachers that are culturally diverse and a curriculum that is inclusive, culturally relevant and historically accurate.

-Promoting a sense of belonging, dignity and justice between students, parents, teachers and community members by enacting antiracist/anti-bias practices and policies, and by providing opportunities for connection and communication.

Callie Goss, Social Emotional Learning Coordinator

@SELfnesuVT

Social-emotional learning (SEL) teaches us how to manage ourselves, our emotions, and our relationships with other people. At school, programs like Second Step and Leader in Me teach these skills in teacher-led lessons– but how can you use these practices to level up your caregiving at home? After a child demonstrates an unexpected or undesired behavior, our responses typically fall into one of two categories:

• Verbal reminder– “Stop!” or “Please don’t do that.” or, “That’s not safe.”

• Consequence– “Take a break.” or “Let’s go calm down.” or “Time out.”

These responses may STOP 🛑 the behavior in the moment, but they’re not BUILDING ⬆️the skill your child should be using instead. So, how can you shift your responses to also develop your child’s social & emotional skills over time? Consider these examples:

Remember, logical consequences (like time away from an activity, or needing to repair a relationship after they hurt someone) can and should exist alongside SEL. We want to keep our kids safe, and we also want to ensure they’re accountable for their actions– but we can do that while we support the skills they’ll need to exist in the world and maintain quality relationships. So next time you’re faced with your child’s (developmentally normal) misbehavior, ask: how can I respond in a way that also develops social & emotional skills they need?