Moose Memo

January 11- All School Field Trip to UVM Women's Basketball Game

January 14- RMCS Family Night at UVM Hockey vs. AIC

January 16- MLK Day, No School

January 27- Early Release and Bag Lunches

January 27- PTO Math Night

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Happy 2023! We've had a smooth start to the new year, and students have settled back into the routine nicely. I have to admit that while I enjoyed the rest over break, I really missed everyone and it's great to be back. This year is flying by!

In December I communicated with 5th grade parents about classroom read alouds related to the 5th grade curriculum. Since then, I've engaged in multiple conversations, in person, on the phone, and via email, to answer questions and address concerns. I continue to work with 5th grade teachers to carefully consider the feedback we have received. To bring clarity from the administration to the greater community, I'm sharing information about the 5th grade curriculum in this week's issue of the Moose Memo.

Separate from the Beginning with Books program, the 5th-grade team will introduce texts about racism and gender identity as read-alouds and teachers will facilitate guided, restorative conversations about the topics they represent.

• Refuge, by Dina Nayeri
• Melissa, by Alex Gino
• Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You, an adaptation by Sonja-Cherry Paul of Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning (for adults)

Why are we introducing these topics to our students? Members of our community are represented in these texts. To ignore this fact is to ignore the mission of our school. If everybody is truly somebody, we must reach all the way out to the margins of our school population and acknowledge the stories, experiences, culture, and history of all represented. Research shows a connection to kids' healthy self-esteem when they see themselves represented in text, especially when the portrayals are positive and hopeful.

I assure you our teachers are prepared to facilitate guided conversations about these topics with empathy, understanding, compassion, respect, dignity, and love. When we approach topics from this perspective, we teach critical thinking skills that support creating communities of belonging and acceptance for all identities and we honor our school’s mission by truly acknowledging that at RMCS, everybody belongs…is seen…is somebody.

Respectfully,

Lissa McDonald

Interim Principal

• District’s Global ENDs Policy (1.4 Citizenship)
• SBSD Office of Equity and Anti-Racism
• SBSD Equity Monitoring Report, Approved September 7, 2022
• The Prevention of Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying of Students
• Report 2.10 Curriculum Development, Approved September 21, 2022 (pp. 5-6) (excerpt provided)
• Continuing Best Practices for Schools Regarding Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students

Parents and caregivers may contact me directly to request their child opt out of the experience.

We have been invited to attend a University of VT Women's Basketball game on Wednesday, January 11th. We'll be joining other elementary school students from across Chittenden County to cheer on the Catamounts! Our K-5 classes will travel by bus to Patrick Gymnasium to see the team play against the University of Massachusetts Lowell at 11:00 AM.

Kindergarten and grade 1 students will return to school after halftime for lunch. Grade 2-5 students will carry a bag lunch from home or select a bag lunch from the RMCS cafeteria to take to the game. Thank you to the University of Vermont Women's Basketball team for this invitation. We look forward to cheering for the UVM "Hoop Cats!"

Please welcome our student teachers from Saint Michael's and Champlain College. They will be with RMCS students from January-May. Our talented teachers are their mentors and I can say with confidence that these young educators are learning from some of the best!

Ms. Liguori’s 3rd graders learned about becoming a “Percussion Ensemble” this week. We learned that an ensemble is like a “team” of musicians. We learned that sometimes we take turns and wait to play while other times we all play together. We used Rondo Alla Turca HOME EDITION as our conductor. Kids learned that “home edition” meant that you can turn everyday household items into percussion instruments. You might want to try your own “home edition” as a family!

I am SO excited to share that GOTR will be returning to RMCS this year for girls in grades 3-5!!!! Girls on the Run has fun, evidence-based programs that inspire all girls to build their confidence, kindness and decision making skills. Dynamic lessons instill valuable life skills including the important connection between physical and emotional health. In order for GOTR to work, WE NEED YOU!!!! We need a minimum of 2 coaches per group (15 girls per group). The more coaches we have the more girls we can take in our groups! Can you help???? YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A RUNNER OR HAVE PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE!!! All you need is a positive attitude, a willingness to bring your best self to practices and a desire to help teach and reinforce healthy habits for these amazing girls!!

If interested, please contact GOTR directly by emailing Stephanie Dorgan at stephanie@girlsontherunvermont.org. You can also sign up to volunteer on the GOTR website, www.gotrvt.org. ALL volunteers MUST register with GOTR and have a background check (found on the GOTR website) prior to our first practice at the end of March (starting date and session days, 2 times a week, are still TBD).

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, hsales@sbschools.org. GOTR is SUCH an amazing program! Thank you in advance for volunteering!!!

Girls on the Run is SO MUCH FUN!!!!

Hilary Sales, Music Teacher and Head Coach GOTR

As you know, UVM Hockey players have been visiting RMCS classrooms and making connections with our students. I'm excited to announce that we have been invited to participate in an RMCS Family Night at the UVM versus AIC hockey game on January 14. Students will be admitted for free!

Here's the link to sign up for your student's complimentary ticket. The password is wolves (case sensitive). This link also allows parents and caregivers to purchase tickets for $10.00 each. If you are purchasing a combination of free and purchased tickets, the system won’t let you choose two offers for one “cart.” There is a limit of 1 comp per order, so parents and caregivers who are claiming for multiple students should place a second (or third, or fourth) order if you have more than one child. This is UVM's first attempt at ticketing like this, so please be patient. The comp tickets (free tickets for students) will all be at the Will Call booth. Please reach out to athletic.tickets@uvm.edu if you have questions.

These are general admission tickets in sections 9-12, so your family members and friends will be able to sit together no matter the number on the ticket.

As always, reach out to a member of the care team (counselors, nurse, princiPALs) if you need financial assistance for this event. See names and emails above. We hope to fill the rink with RMCS families!!!

We continue to welcome volunteers to help us at recess. We are fortunate to have a large playground and appreciate the parent volunteers who sign up to help us with supervision from time to time. If you have availability, please visit the Sign Up Genius to schedule the times you are available to join us in January and February (the next winter break). Thank you!

On Wednesday, January 11, K-1 students will return to school for the meal listed above. Students in grades 2-5 will carry a bag lunch to the UVM basketball game. Bag lunch choices are Bagel with Cream Cheese, Chicken Salad Sandwich, or Tomato Sandwich. All bag lunches will come with veggies, fruit and milk.

INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESS (ILL)

According to the Vermont Department of Health: Influenza-like Illness activity level has increased from high to very high in Vermont.

Reminders:

Get vaccinated! Per the health department, everyone six months and older should get a flu shot.

Avoid those who are sick.

PLEASE STAY HOME WHEN SICK!

Stay home 24 hours after fever is gone (without fever-reducing medicine)!

Cover your cough (cover your mouth and nose).

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Wash hands often.

Clean/disinfect commonly touched surfaces.

COVID-19

State-wide COVID-19 community levels are considered to be at a medium level.

Walk in clinics will be closing by January 31st.

Updated vaccines for children ages 6 months- 5 years are available in Vermont.

Contact your health care provider directly for details on available vaccines and scheduling.

Stay healthy, be well~

Join us Friday, January 27th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the gym for Family Math Night! Come play lots of fun math related games, such as building Lego Marble mazes, Rubik’s cube mosaics, chess, art, Lego marble mazes, estimation, and many more games that even the most reluctant math student will enjoy! Prizes and games will be raffled off at the end of the night. This is a FREE event!

Please RSVP with the number attending to sutherland.erinc@gmail.com .

Don't miss a single edition of the Rick Marcotte Central School Yearbook!

Order forms have been sent home, but if you would like purchase your yearbook online, please click here:

https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1140092/Rick-Marcotte-Central-School/

Then select Order My Yearbook to make your purchase and check out. Please put your teacher name under 'Homeroom' All yearbooks are shipped to the school then delivered to your child's classroom the last week of school.

Any questions, please contact Holly Young or Carrie Rice.

RMCS is still hiring. Please contact us about joining our team if you qualify for these openings. Training will be provided for all new hires.

• Clerical Assistant
• Special Educator

• Interventionists - working 1:1 with students who have Individualized Education Plans
• Recess Monitor

Email: ssumner@sbschools.net; lmcdonald@sbschools.net
Website: https://www.sbschools.net/Domain/11
Location: Rick Marcotte Central School, 200 Market Street, South Burlington, VT, USA
Phone: 802-652-7200
Twitter: @lmcdvt