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SCS Community Newsletter
Week of December 4, 2023
Principals' Message
Dear SCS Families and Caregivers,
The time between the November and December breaks always flies. December is here, and in the blink of an eye it will be January. If you would like to pause, reflect, and share any feedback or wonderings about how the year is going so far for your child(ren), we would love to hear it. We hope you can join us for Administrator Coffee & Conversation #2! This meeting will be virtual, and it will take place from 5-6 on Thursday, December 7. We appreciated getting to speak with several parents directly back in October, and we hope to hear from even more people next week. There's no agenda - we'll be there to listen and answer questions. The conversation in October focused largely on school-home communications, and we've made several changes that we hope have strengthened that partnership. The link for the call is available here.
For our middle-level families, Trimester 1 progress reports are going home today. We hope that the scores and comments, in conjunction with fall conferences and updates through SeeSaw, paint a detailed picture of your child's school experience. The first of two K-4 report cards will be shared in January. They may look slightly different than in years past, as K-4 report cards will be using the same system as 5-8 across the district. That won't change any of the information shared with families - just the way in which it's presented. We will share more details about the K-4 reporting system in the weeks to come.
Good luck to all of our First Lego League participants this weekend! There's a tournament at SCS tomorrow with 200+ people expected to attend and another competition in Rutland on Sunday. Thanks to Joey Adams, Connor Adams, and all of the volunteers who are working to make this possible. Basketball is also underway as of this week, and we had more than 200 students participate in the qualifying exam for the Scripps Spelling Bee - a new school record. If you're looking for other ideas for your weekend, stop by the Pierson Library and check out some of the amazing SCS student artwork on display! Pictures are below. Have a great weekend, everyone.
Take care,
Alison, Brett, & Emily
Mark Your Calendars
Upcoming Dates:
12/6 - CVSD Housing Support Drop-In Hours (1:00 pm, SCS Conference Room)
12/7 - Coffee & Conversation with Administrators (5:00-6:00 pm, Virtual, join with Google Meet)
12/12 - PTO Meeting (6:00 pm, Green Team Common Space)
12/13 - DEI Community Meeting (5:00-6:00 pm)
12/13 - CVSD Virtual Town Hall (6:30-7:30 pm, Zoom details here)
12/15 - 7/8 Winter Dance (7:00-9:00 pm, gym)
12/20 - DEI Community Coffee (8:00 am, cafeteria)
12/22 - Last Day of School before Winter Break (regular 2:45 dismissal)
12/25-1/1 - Winter Break
1/2 - School Resumes
SCS Announcements
Spelling Bee Qualifying Exam Results
Congratulations to the following students who will be moving on to the next round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and kudos to everyone who took the qualifying exam!
Winter Recess - Dress for the Weather!
Even with the global climate emergency, it's bound to be cold out at recess for the next few months. Please help remind your students to be prepared and dress appropriately to be outside! Hats, gloves/mittens, jackets, and pants are all highly recommended. If you need help getting any warm winter gear, please connect with a school counselor (Courtney, Kiah or Rachel). Students will be outside as long as the "real feel" is above zero degrees. As we like to say here in Vermont, there's no such thing as bad weather - only unsuitable clothing.
SCS Yearbook Orders
Orders can be submitted to your child's classroom teacher with the order form that went home today. You can also order online anytime until April 5th. All students at SCS are included in the yearbook. The cost is $32.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Nancy Nakhleh
Student Leadership Spotlight
The WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) Leaders group includes 8th graders who practice leadership by welcoming 5th graders into middle school in various ways throughout the year. Below are pictures of a November scavenger hunt put on by WEB Leaders. We celebrate all ways SCS students practice leadership day in and day out. This is just one awesome example!
Student Artwork on Display at Pierson Library
Here's a preview of some of the amazing artwork by our students on display at Pierson Library.
Shelburne Food Shelf - Sign Up Now for December Break
If you would like to receive supplemental food for your Shelburne school-age children during the December vacation please complete this form. This form will close on Friday, December 15.
Supplemental food includes milk, eggs, fruit, yogurt, cereal, cheese and various shelf-stable items. Fresh produce is included as well when available. Your phone number and email address will be used for text reminders &/or updates.
Food will be available for pick-up THURSDAY (12/21) between 3:00-6:00 pm at the Shelburne Food Shelf (located on the 1st floor of the town office building at 5420 Shelburne Rd). If you are unable to pick up your food, please reach out to an SCS School Counselor.
Food is purchased for each child signed up, so if your plans change and you will not require food for a school break, please let us know.
You will receive a confirmation email or text to remind you of the dates you signed up for. If any of your contact information changes after submitting your form, please let us know.
Contact: schoolfoodSFS@gmail.com
802-622-3313 ext 3 and leave a message
SCS Angel Fund - help support students and families at SCS
Angel Fund assists families at SCS with children’s clothing, food, school supplies, and items
needed to participate in school-sponsored activities. The fund distributes $20,000 or more of
goods or services in a single year and needs are increasing. Learn more about the fund here.
How to Donate?
Checks are payable to Shelburne Community School. In the memo line write “Angel Fund”.
Please mail to the school at 345 Harbor Road Shelburne, VT 05482. The PTO can receive funds via Venmo at Venmo.com/scspto. Or PayPal at PayPal.me/scspto. Please be sure to write “Angel” in the subject when sending digitally.
Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run superstars in your community need mentors like you! Will you join us for this opportunity and support participants as they deepen their healthy habits, form meaningful friendships, and learn vital life skills? Sign up today and give girls the confidence to shine in their own way.
Our 10-week season begins the week of March 18. Our team will meet twice weekly for 90 minutes each session to connect, move, learn and have FUN! No running or coaching experience is required. Coaches are provided with comprehensive training, a curriculum that maps out each session, supplies and support from GOVT for an enriching season.
Visit gotrvt.org/coach to learn more or sign up to volunteer. Questions? Contact GOTRVT at stephanie@girlsontherunvermont.org or 802-871-5664.
SCS/DEI Community Monthly Meeting
Please Join Us!
When:
Wednesday , December 13th
Where:
SCS Library
New Time:
5:00 - 6:00
Light Refreshments
The gym is available for students if needed. We have a few middle schoolers helping to engage students in basketball.
Feel free to join us virtually as well
Meeting ID
Next Meeting is on January 10, 2024
Fall Fundraiser Deliveries - Coming Soon & Help Needed
Thank you, SCS community, for making our Fall Fundraiser a success! Once all of our accounting is complete, we'll be able to distribute over $6,000 to classroom teams for teachers to spend on special events, field trips, classroom needs, etc!
Our last step will be to deliver the orders of local products and spirit wear to those who purchased them, and we're looking for volunteers to help! The details and sign up form are linked here
CVSD News
CVSD Early Education Programs News
PreKindergarten Lottery is now open for 2024-2025!
The CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications for a random prekindergarten lottery drawing for the 2024-25 school year. This lottery is for an opportunity to enroll in one of our school-based classrooms which run 10 hours per week. Our school-based prekindergarten classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive setting. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS).
Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar. Children who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2024, who are not eligible for kindergarten, and live in the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston are eligible to enter the lottery. Families who are selected for the lottery and choose to enroll their child in a CVSD program access their Act 166 publicly funded prekindergarten funds for the school-based program.
All applications must be received by February 5, 2024, and are located on the CVSD Early Education website under 2024-2025 Preschool Lottery . Paper applications are available upon request.
For additional information, questions about our program, or any concerns about your child’s development, please visit our website or contact Director of Early Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@cvsdvt.org. Our Early Education team is also available for developmental screenings in the areas of communication, social-emotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, and cognition. More information about an Early Multi-Tiered System of Supports is also available on the website.
CVSD's Virtual Town Hall December 13
Mark your calendars for December's Virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, December 13 from 6:30-7:30. We'll share updates about the budget development process and our strategic plan and engage in conversations with those attending. This is a great way to connect with Superintendent Sanchez and other district leaders! The Zoom information is posted on the CVSD website calendar
Community Announcements
For Grades 7+: Upcoming Science Cafe with UVM Extension
When: SATURDAY December 9
Time: 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Topic: Exploring the Ocean With Our Ears (Learn more here)
Make sure to register ahead of time so we know how much pizza to order.
About our speaker....
Laura May-Collado is an assistant professor of biology at the University of Vermont and a research associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. In her ONDAS (“waves”) lab, students use acoustic remote underwater technology to assess the health of marine communities and to study the communication of marine mammals. Her work has been featured in NPR Science Friday®, BBC Earth, Scientific American and Newsweek.
She was just on Across the Fence (WCAX) last week - check it out!
Part 1
https://youtu.be/XINaVaYE49o?si=54uBU8SZEH7be9J7
Part
SCS Useful Links
CVSD Info
Find information about monthly School Board Meetings, community forums such as the DEI Town Hall, and more on the district website. See the year at a glance on the 2023-2024 K-8 School Year Calendar. See The CVSD Story for the latest blog posts about what's happening across the district.
Let's Talk
Still Need More Information?
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org/shelburne
Shelburne Community School Administration
Brett Cluff, 5-8 Principal
Emily Cogan, Director of Special Education