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SCS Community Newsletter
Week of September 5, 2023
Principals' Message
Welcome back SCS Families and Caregivers,
However your children are feeling individually about their first three days, from a school-wide perspective it has been an awesome opening to the year here at SCS. Despite the annual adjustments around returning back to school - forging new peer and adult connections, figuring out schedules, and deciding what to do at recess - kids and adults have been working seamlessly together to make our community proud. It's been particularly heartwarming to see our older students acting as role models for our youngers. Holding doors, high-fiving in the hallways, and organizing a game of "4 Corners" during this afternoon's Bus 3 delay might seem like little things, but it's the accumulation of those small moments that create our school's culture. We even conducted our first (alarm-free) evacuation practice drill this morning, and it went off as smoothly as could be.
Thank you all for managing the volume of communication from school that comes with the territory this time of year. We know it can be a lot. Just as we ask the students and staff members to demonstrate flexibility on a daily basis, we know that you have to do the same - particularly during the first few days of school. Your support and questions have helped ensure that we get the 2023-24 school year kicked off on the right foot.
Next week will bring some late-summer heat, so please make sure your kids come in with water bottles, sunscreen, and whatever else they need to be comfortable in mid-80 degree temps. There is no school Monday due to Labor Day. We look forward to welcoming everyone back (including our pre-K students for the first time) on Tuesday 9/5!
Take care,
Alison, Brett, & Emily
Morning Movement Update
We are still looking for a coordinator for our Morning Movement program in the gym each morning. This is a paid position. If you are available to help supervise students from 7:30-7:50 as they play, read, or hang out on the bleachers, please reach out! We are unable to offer early entry to the building until this program gets up and running. Students are welcome to wait by the School Street entrance or use the playground, but we are not able to provide supervision.
Upcoming Dates to Remember
Here are a few of the upcoming events that we'd like to highlight for your September Calendars:
- 9/4 - Labor Day - No School
- 9/5 - First Day of PreK!
- 9/7 - Flynn Theater Playing Fields event at CVU 6-8pm (see below)
- 9/12 - PTO Meeting 6pm in SCS Green Space (pizza and childcare provided)
- 9/18 - School Photos, PTO Dynamic Experiences Ticket Sale Begins
- 9/19 - School Photos, CVSD School Board Meeting at 6pm (Central Office)
- 9/20 - School Photos & DEI Coffee Conversations @ 8am (SCS)
- 9/21 - SCS Open House (5-6pm for last names starting with letters A-L, and 6-7pm for last names starting with letters M-Z)
- 9/25 - Yom Kippur - No School
Get Excited About The Flynn's Playing Fields event at CVU on September 7th!
Join us for this whimsical event - a free back-to-school celebration for the school district and surrounding community. It is co-sponsored by CVSD and The Flynn. All are welcome. Help spread the word to neighbors and friends. Find more information on our blog.
September 7 from 6:00-8:00 pm. at CVU. (Come at 6:00 to make sure you don't miss anything!)
Tech Use Guidelines for Students (TUGS)
Tech Use Guidelines for Students (TUGS) - our teachers and Digital Learning Leader, Leah Joly, will be reviewing this document with our students. Please be sure to review this as well, and sign and return the form to the classroom teacher. Chromebooks will only be distributed after classes have reviewed the TUGS and signed forms have been returned. Thank you for your support with teaching appropriate digital citizenship skills.
Student Data Privacy
We take student data privacy seriously in CVSD. Find out some of the ways in which we do that on the Student Data Privacy page of our Technology site.
Families - you can do your part as well, especially for the first day of school! Consider the ideas presented in this post.
Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Update
All students in grades 3-9 (last year) took the new VTCAP assessment this past spring in math and literacy (and grades 5, 8 & 11 in Science). Results from the assessment were recently shared with districts. We are just beginning to compile those in an effort to send individual student reports to families. We are not anticipating that those will be ready to send until closer to the end of September. When the individual student reports are sent, there will be a guide for families that accompanies the report.
Communications
Front Office FAQ's
One More Form to Fill Out
In addition to the required PowerSchool forms, we also request that all families fill out the Free and Reduced Meal application each year as well. Even though there is no charge for breakfast and lunch, we are asking you to fill out this application for free and reduced-price school meals.
This document provides many of the reasons why it is important to fill out the forms even though meals are free to students this year. Please go to the Free and Reduced Meals page on our website to learn more and to access the online and printable forms.
See-Saw Platform
We are expanding our use of Seesaw this year across all of our PreK-8 classrooms! Seesaw is both a digital learning journal for students and a powerful tool that connects families with student and classroom learning. Seesaw also provides your child with creative tools to capture and reflect on their learning - in real-time. The students’ Seesaw portfolios will collect evidence of students’ involvement in learning, which is designed to demonstrate success, growth, higher-order thinking, creativity, assessment strategies and reflection.
Here’s a video introduction to Seesaw for families and additional resources.
You can download the “Seesaw Parent & Family” app for iOS, Android, or you can use the web to view your student’s learning artifacts. When your child adds new work, you will receive a notification to see, hear and respond to your child’s post. You will only have access to your own child’s work and all of the content is stored securely.
More information will be shared by classroom teachers with families in the weeks to come.
Sign Up to Receive SMS/Text Messages!
Please enroll to receive text messages from the district and/or our schools. If you haven't done this yet or if you are new to CVSD, follow the easy steps on this flyer. We don't overuse this method of communication, but it is helpful for reminders and quick announcements. Don't miss out!
If you've already opted in, there's no need to do it again.
Food Menus
We are excited to share that ALL meals will be FREE for ALL children 18 years and younger. We will provide daily breakfast, snacks, and lunch for any child who requests food.
Click the image for more info.
Community/Family Engagement
Parent Teacher Organization/Partners To Opportunities (PTO)
New PTO Co-Chairs
We would like to introduce Mark Monaghan and Devin Beringer who are the new PTO Co-Chairs. Their work will be divided across supporting different committees and build on the structure Jen Cairns, Amanda, and Ken put in place. We hope this will allow us to expand and grow PTO efforts in the years to come!
- Mark has a son going into Grade 2 and his wife teaches ELL at SCS. His background includes business development, marketing, consultancy, and entrepreneurship, with 15+ years in learning and development.
- Devin and family have spent most of their lives outside the USA and will be new to SCS this year with a rising Grade 5 daughter. Devin has spent 25 years in marketing strategy and consulting for global agencies/brands.
They look forward to meeting everyone at the first meeting!
Co-Chairs: Mark Monaghan (monaghan77@gmail.com) and Devin Beringer (devin@consultap.com)
Treasurer: Ken Scott (kenscottvt@gmail.com)
Secretary: Amanda Broder (abroder14@gmail.com)
Social Media Coordinator: Hayley Cimler (hayley.cimler@gmail.com)
Teacher Reps: Katie Birkett, Alysia Wakeman, and Megan Maynard-Jacob
Additional Members & Volunteer Opportunities
EVENTS:
Sept 12th First PTO Meeting (6:00pm, Green Team space)
Sept 18th Dynamic Experiences Fundraiser Ticket Sales Begin
Sept 21st Open House at Shelburne Community School 5-7pm
Safe Routes to School - NEW Committee - Need Volunteer Leads!
This group is working on sidewalk enhancements, monitoring traffic incident areas, planning out safe routes to walk/bike to school, buddy systems, and much more!
The broader team includes teachers, town committee reps, and Local Motion.
We would love to have 1-2 PTO leads to join this group. If you are interested please Sign Up Here.
Reminder Every Wed (Including 8/30) is Walk/Roll to School. Folks will meet at Pierson Library at 7:30 AM.
Nearby Nature - Needs Volunteers!
Nearby Nature engages K-2 students in place-based science learning in their own classroom and schoolyard. It relies on volunteers to operate and is a great opportunity for family members to be part of the classroom experience. Volunteers have a monthly training on the first Thursday of every month, do a bit of lesson prep, and lead a monthly lesson. Read more: https://nearbynature.fwni.org. If interested, please email Wendy Eberhart at wendy.eberhart@gmail.com.
Attend a PTO Meeting
The first PTO meeting will be on Tuesday, 9/12 at 6 PM. There is free pizza and babysitting for school-age kids! For all other dates: Click Here
Click the image for more info!
Looking for Volunteers in the SCS Library
We would love to see some community volunteers helping out in our library. If you're interested, please email Fiona Kovacik at fkovacik@cvsdvt.org. Thanks!
Everybody Wins! needs a Shelburne Community School coordinator!
This part-time position helps to bring mentors together with children from grades 2-4 each week for friendship, conversation, and reading. Work at SCS and remotely in a supportive environment, with flexibility and autonomy. Love of both books and people is critical, good communication and computer skills are necessary.
For more information, see the Everybody Wins! website: https://everybodywinsvermont.org/about-us/openings/ or contact Beth Wallace, director: beth@everybodywinsvermont.org
Looking to help out SCS, and make some money? We've got a solution for you!
Shelburne Community School is in need of Guest Teachers for the 2023 / 2024 school year. If you're interested in subbing for us, please contact Louise Michaels at SCS at 802-985-3331 x122, or lmichaels@cvsdvt.org and ask to set up an appointment for an interview.
SCS is a vibrant, caring community school with fantastic support staff to aid a guest teacher with transitioning to the classroom environment. Thank you.
Ways to Get Involved at SCS...(the Volunteer Process)
Celebrations!
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. The CVSD Mission is to develop citizens who learn, think, live, contribute, and pursue excellence. See The CVSD Story for the latest blog posts about what's happening across the district.
Let's Talk
SCS PTO
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