Dear MUHS Community,

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving Break is just a week away. There is much to be thankful here at MUHS including amazing students and staff and a ton of fun activities and opportunities for families to engage in the days and weeks ahead. Scan this newsletter for the highlights.

Warmly,

Caitlin Steele, Principal

Ben Weir, Assistant Principal

Sean Farrell, Activities Director

ACSD is working toward joint accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and International Baccalaureate (IB). NEASC and IB are independent nonprofit organizations that support schools with best educational practices, guidance, and resources. They each offer their own process to evaluate schools. (Read more details here). Now we are in the assessment and evidence gathering phase of accreditation. We are seeking parent and community involvement! There are two main actions this year:

1. Evidence gathering: We will assess the ACSD community on 5 of NEASC’s Learning Principles. Our teachers and staff will submit evidence toward the 5 Learning Principles. Later this year we will also introduce opportunities for students, caregivers, and community members to submit evidence.

2. Learning PrincipleTeams. We will create 5 Learning Principle Teams made up of ACSD teachers, staff, students, parents, and community members. They will assess the evidence that is submitted and present back to the ACSD community how we are doing toward each standard. They will meet from December-April. All team members will be compensated $40/hr. If you are interested in joining a Learning Principle Team, please fill this form out by November 30th, 2024.

MUHS is a wonderful place to work, and we are hiring. For the spring semester, we need a math teacher and a science teacher (both temporary positions). Additionally, we are looking for a Data Systems Manager. For this permanent position, the ideal candidate could begin this school year or next. Please reach out with any questions, and help us spread the word.

You can find a full list of open positions in ACSD here.

Are you interested in hosting a student from France this spring? We are still in need a few more host families! A group of French students is coming for 2 weeks, from April 18th to May 3rd. They are excited to improve their English and see what life is like in the US. For the first week, you’ll incorporate them into your April break plans. The second week they will attend classes at MUHS. No proficiency with French is required on your part, just an interest to share your culture! A small stipend is available. Bonus if you have a student enrolled in a French class, but not strictly necessary. Please email Michelle Steele for more information if interested msteele@acsdvt.org

Note: The Grade 10 exhibition is a drop-in event; you do not have to stay the whole time. Come whenever you can between 1:30-2:30. (We ask that you do not arrive before 1:30 so we can dismiss students from lunch and minimize traffic in the hallways during this transition.)

Students in Mrs. Martin’s 20th Century History class welcomed Shelburne resident Tom Glaser into class last Friday where he shared his parents' experience and survival during the Holocaust. His many stories from their experiences in nine different concentration camps were horrific, as well as inspiring and hopeful. He reminded the class that he is here today to share his story thanks, in part, to his parents' resilience and perseverance. At the end of the presentation, students were asked to leave messages of remembrance on leaf cut outs in honor of the estimated 1.5 million children who were murdered by the Nazis. We look forward to partnering with Tom Glaser in the future so more MUHS students Never Forget the atrocities of the Holocaust.

National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is November 18-22. In recognition of this, SCOHR is holding a canned food drive, where all donations will be given to HOPE and distributed towards the community. For the week of the 18th-22nd, boxes will be set up by the front entrance of the school and students can drop off any non-perishable goods for donation.

Specific items that HOPE is most in need of:

• Fruit Juice

• Dry Pasta

• Baked Beans

• Baking Mixes

• Canned Chicken

• Hearty Canned Soups

Students and staff are invited to celebrate Community at our first Tigersgiving on Wednesday, November 20th from 3:30-5:30. Support SCOHR’s food drive, peruse the MEAC clothing swap, compete in the HHH cornhole tournament, and enjoy refreshments with your friends. Clothing will be available for everyone to take, free of charge. We have a wide selection of shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, and sweatshirts in many sizes. Come and get yourself some new clothes or pick up some gifts for friends and family. A sign up sheet for the cornhole tournament will be emailed on Monday. Please bring a non-perishable food item donation for the food drive if you are able.

Tuesday, November 19th @ 7:00 PM, MUHS Auditorium

This meeting is an opportunity for student athletes and their parents/caregivers to meet with their winter coaches and discuss expectations and philosophies for the season.

Winter sports begin on Monday, December 2nd

MUHS Winter Athletic Programs

Boys Basketball

Girls Basketball

Dance

Gymnastics

Boys Ice Hockey

Girls Ice Hockey

Nordic

Wrestling

All students who participate in MUHS clubs, activities, and athletics must complete a set of required forms annually. We encourage you to take a few minutes to sit down with your student and do these forms as soon as you can.

All forms are submitted electronically through our Rank One forms site (https://middleburyunion.rankonesport.com/New/NewInstructionsPage.aspx) which can be accessed via a link on the MUHS website under Activities/Athletics.

If you have questions about your child's schedule, please reach out to their School Counselor for help.

November 14-16 - Fall musical

November 16 - Success Saturday & Proficiency Recovery

November 19 - Winter Parent/Athlete Meeting @ 7:00

November 20 - Tigersgiving @ 3:30-5:30

November 25-29 - Thanksgiving Break

December 5 - Camerata, Jazz, and Band Concert @ 6:30 pm

December 7 - New England Music Festival Auditions - Departure TBD

December 12 - Personal Project Exhibition

December 13-14 - Dido and Aeneas Project - Choir Concert @ Mt. Abe Union High School 7pm

December 21-January 1 - Winter Break

January 11 - All State Auditions- Hartford High School

Check out the MUHS Events Calendar online here.

For students who fall behind in coursework, Success Saturday is an opportunity to spend some time catching up with the support of MUHS educators. This year's Success Saturday dates are: September 28, October 19, November 16, December 7, January 11, February 8, March 22, April 12, and May 31.