THE NEWSLETTER

The late bus reservations link will now be sent on Sundays at 10:00am (as necessary) in order to coincide with the weekly coaching schedule emails so that parents can be more informed of when to reserve a seat for their child(ren). Thank you.

Check out this week’s CCS Newscast- Friday edition. It is exciting to see our own students gathering news and updates from around the school to create a broadcast for us all to enjoy. Don’t forget to watch the bloopers at the end of the clip. Thank you Steve Flint for encouraging these future reporters.

Charlotte Central School has once again been named the # one middle school in Vermont. To achieve this accolade, it takes dedicated educators, caregivers and your support. We are committed to taking care of each other. We are committed to making our community and the world a better place.

This morning our K-8 students were treated to a comedic skit performed by 8th-graders on the importance of effective handwashing at our December All-School Assembly. The skit was in the style of a sports competition with broadcast commentary, please check out a few clips from the assembly below

Join us for the CCS PTO Holiday Market - Saturday, December 7th from 10:00-2:00. Both gyms will be filled with local artisans and small businesses to provide our community with some options for gift-giving or self-indulgences. Join us for crafts, food, a silent auction, and raffles.

We wish you a wonderful weekend,

CCS Administration

Saturday, December 7th - PTO Holiday Market, MPR & Gym, 10:00 - 2:00

Wednesday, December 11th - Early Release

Wednesday, December 11th - Winter Concert, MPR, 6:30pm - see below for details

Wednesday, December 18th - Early Release

Monday, December 23rd through January 1st - NO SCHOOL - Early Winter Break

Wednesday, January 8th - Early Release

Thursday, January 9th - Save The Date! - Celebrate the Arts & Community Night, CVU, 5:00 - 8:00 - watch for more details

Wednesday, January 15th - Early Release

Monday January 20th - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Wednesday, January 22nd - PTO Mtg, CCS Cafeteria, 8:00 - 9:00

Wednesday, January 22nd - Early Release

Wednesday, January 29th - Early Release

Wednesday, January 29th - Math Night sponsored by the PTO, watch for more details

Friday, January 31st - Winter Ball (grades 7/8 only), MPR, 7:00 - 9:00

Just a reminder that students should be prepared and dressed appropriately to be outside! Hats, gloves/mittens, jackets, pants, and boots are all highly recommended. Students will be outside as long as the temperature is zero or above.

For the last few winters, we’ve started out the sledding season with about twenty sleds for classes to sign out of for students to use during recess on the back hill. As you can imagine, with hundreds of students using these sleds weekly, they need annual replacements. If you are interested in contributing to our closet of sleds, we would welcome very specific donations that can be found at Costco. These foam-based sleds with a polished plastic base have held up longer than any other sled we have purchased in the last eight years. They cost between $15-18 a piece. It was reported they are on sale now. Thank you in advance to anyone able to help!

This time of year can be challenging for all of us. If you are feeling overwhelmed there are a lot of great things you can do to bring yourself to the present and connect with your loved ones in a way that feels supportive and meaningful. Have you ever felt frantic, like there is too much to do and not enough time? It is ok to take a pause. Practice some mindful breathing, take a walk or use any tool that helps you to bring yourself back to a calm, rational place. We can help our kids by modeling what it means to take care of ourselves!

If things are feeling heavy or you need support to get through a tough moment, there are people to help. You can call First Call for Chittenden County at 488-7777 and they will provide you support to get through the tough moments. FREE SUPPORT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, 24/7- Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support and information via the medium people already use and trust: text.

1. Text "VT" to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis.

2. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds quickly.

3. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.

For more information please visit http://vtcrisistextline.org/.

The CCS Music Department will present a winter concert on Wednesday, Dec 11, 2024 at 6:30 pm in the MPR. This concert will feature the 5 - 8 concert bands, the jazz band and the chorus.

Students should arrive at 6:10 pm and meet in the band room. Concert Attire - Dressy casual. No blue jeans, tee shirts or hoodies please. This performance is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!

Save the Date: January 9, 2025, 5-8 p.m. at CVU

Join students from across the Champlain Valley School District for an evening of entertainment and celebration, showcasing performing and visual arts from the district’s six schools. After a six-year break, this annual tradition returns to CVU on Thursday, January 9, 2025, transforming the high school halls and theater into a vibrant gallery of learning, innovation and inspiration. The 13th-annual Celebrate the Arts Night brings together art, music, theater, media arts, foods, business, design and technology in a one-night-only exhibition of student creativity.

On December 14, Shelburne Community School will be hosting the First Lego (Robotics) League Northern Vermont Qualifier. All of CVSD’s K-8 schools have teams and many will be participating. So will teams from across Northern VT.

To operate the event, we are seeking 40+ volunteers including judges, resetters, scorekeepers and more. Not all roles require a technical background. If you are interested in volunteering please complete the initial sign-up form here FIRST.

After completing the initial form, please register for specific roles HERE.

The second form is a little more complex and requires multiple steps. Please contact Sarah Samuelson, volunteer coordinator, with any questions or concerns. Thanks for considering volunteering!

The University of Vermont Medical Center is currently conducting its annual Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) of Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. Results will be used to better understand and respond to the top community health needs in these counties. Those who live in these Chittenden or Grand Isle counties and are 16 years of age or older are encouraged to complete this survey, which takes less than 10 minutes.

Connecting Youth Connects Caregivers

If the upcoming weeks are a time for gathering, celebrating, and family connectedness, we wish you joy and happiness. Those moments are precious. If this time of year brings up challenging emotions - stress, loneliness, or missing loved ones - please be kind to yourself.

For those whose celebrations involve alcohol, be mindful of the young people who are present and watching. The way adults model responsible drinking behaviors significantly influences the risk perceptions and actions of young individuals. We recognize that not all aspects of holiday celebrations involving alcohol are within our control. However, many situations are preventable, particularly concerning underage [binge] drinking and impaired driving.

For a little more on the topic, check out this take from Jessica Lahey, a renowned NYT bestselling author, parent educator, and prevention coach.

This time of year is also a prime opportunity to have a conversation about alcohol and substances with your kids. Just try starting from a restorative place about their safety and genuine concern rather than a restrictive "don’t get caught" mindset. We know that when we have open, honest and curious conversations about substances, our words can have a more significant impact on their choices and behaviors.

For more prevention resources, check out our library for parents and caregivers here.

Have a wonderful break!

• 2025 Dates: 2/12, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26 make up date.
• Register at Charlotterec.com
• For grades K-8th
• Volunteers needed to chaperone!
• Equipment and monetary donations welcome
• Scholarships available, please reach out to recreation@townofcharlotte.com
• Participants can get equipment 1 of 3 ways: from CCS stash (Free); Full season from BV ($89); or for program dates only from BV ($80).
• When registering, please add all items to your cart that apply to your participant.

For questions or more information, please contact:

Zac Farnham-Haskell

Recreation Director

Town of Charlotte

(802) 989-2929

recreation@townofcharlotte.com

Last spring, the CVSD Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) was formally launched. CVSD’s SEPAC is currently made up of a dedicated group of parents and administrators and is open to all. Please see the mission statement below, which explains the purpose of this parent-led group. For more information or to join, please contact Erin Bingham at bingham.erin@gmail.com

CVSD SEPAC Mission

The mission of the Champlain Valley Union School District Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is to facilitate authentic and effective communication, understanding, and mutual respect that is meaningfully inclusive of all students, caregivers, educators, administrators, school board members, and the community at large to guide the school district in providing access to and delivery of high-quality equitable services and instruction for students who qualify for additional support.

We welcome your feedback at any time. Please select your topic below and send your thoughts our way. If you don't see your topic listed, choose "General Questions." All feedback will be routed to the appropriate district team members, who will follow up with you within 3 business days. CVSD is committed to connecting with students, families, staff, and community members to provide exceptional and equitable experiences.

Even though free and reduced meal applications are no longer required for free meals, the Vermont Agency of Education asks that all families complete the Household Information Form. Thank you.

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Jen Roth, Lead Principal

Tim O'Leary, Assistant Principal

Beth Slater, Director of Special Services