Hello Orchard Parents,

Next Friday, October 8th, is our next Early Release Day. Dismissal will be at 12:30 and lunch will be served. We know this sounds crazy but the district team had to fit in two right away to get all nine scheduled in the school year. Thank you for your support on this.

Also, next Friday - it's Orchard School's 4th Annual Fun Run!

This is our major fundraiser (check article below) but our themes for the run are to support and celebrate each other's accomplishments and to work to meet our own goals (through running and walking). Check our classic Power of Yet music video seen below (also on our website), performed by our current 3rd graders!

Here is our schedule for Friday -

9:00 Zoom Morning Meeting to organize the run and pump our runners!

• 9:20 Kindergarten Run Start (1 lap)
• 9:30 Grade 1 Run Start (1 lap)
• 9:40 Grade 2 Run Start (2 laps)
• 9:55 Grade 3 Run Start (2 laps)
• 10:10 Grade 4 Run Start (3 laps)
• 10:25 Grade 5 Run Start (3 laps)

Parents - you are welcome to join us to cheer on our runners - don't forget your horns & cowbells! We will be doing our best to follow Covid-19 restrictions and ask parents to do their best to avoid physical contact with students and staff. Runners will be starting at the tent.

Please note: There is absolutely no parking. We are sending you positive thoughts to find a way to join us. No dogs, please.

Have a great weekend; take some time to read with your child.

Mark Trifilio

At our Morning Meeting, we celebrated our first read-aloud book to become anti-racists. The book was called, Your Name is a Song, by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow. From the inside cover, "Your Name is a Song is a celebration that reminds us of the beauty, history, and magic behind names."

The Fun Run needs your help making this a successful fundraiser and event:

• Encourage and help your student collect donations. Any dollar amount is greatly appreciated. You can share this link https://bit.ly/3CbhsYI with friends and family so that they can pay online easily. Please encourage family and friends to use our link through Konstella.

• We are all set with volunteers for the day of but please feel free to come cheer on the students!

• Would your business or employer sponsor the event? Our generous sponsors help all student-raised funds go directly back to the school. Email Jessica McCloud jgmccloud@gmail.com below for more information.

PTO Meeting: Join us Wednesday, October 6th at 6:30 pm for our monthly PTO meeting! We will discuss the upcoming Fun Run, other potential events and community-building activities, and ways to support our teachers. Here is the link to join: https://smcvt.zoom.us/j/93110647801?pwd=d3M3UGpQbndoeUlJNGZjY0lLcXBNZz09

Thank you, Hannaford and Hannaford customers! Hannaford selected our school to be the recipient of funds from their bag program on two separate occasions last year, and they raised over $1000 on our school's behalf! We are so grateful for their support.

Masks:

Due to the more transmissibility of the Delta variant, as well as a portion of the population who are unvaccinated, the health department continues to recommend wearing a mask in public indoor settings.

• How to clean: a reminder to wash masks at least daily (or when they get dirty). Wash by hand or washing machine, using regular detergent. Throw away disposable masks after daily use. Cleanse your hands following mask removal. Please send extra masks to school with your student.

• Mask Use and Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Wearing a mask does not increase CO2 levels in the air you breathe. CO2 molecules are small enough to easily pass through mask material. In contrast, the respiratory droplets that carry the virus that causes COVID-19 are much larger than CO2, so they cannot pass as easily through a properly designed and properly worn mask. *source: CDC
  

Keep in mind all of these prevention steps:

• Get the COVID-19 vaccine:
• best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19
• Stay home when sick:
• keep illness from spreading to others
• Hand hygiene:
• wash hands or sanitize to rinse off or kill germs
• Take care when getting together:
• protect unvaccinated children and those who are unable to be vaccinated
• Wear a mask:
• protect you and others from getting and spreading COVID-19
• Consider your travel plans:
• delay travel until fully vaccinated; follow international travel rules

Illness Symptoms:

It is difficult to tell if symptoms are COVID or due to a respiratory virus (or seasonal allergies). Obtain a COVID test if your student has symptoms that last over 24 hours (even a runny nose!).

Please refer to these Return to School guidelines and notify the school nurse of test results.

COVID-19 Testing Options
A PCR test may be obtained by scheduling on the testing site on the VT Department of Health's website or through your student's health care provider. Antigen tests are not accepted tests at this time.

Booster Shots

On Friday, October 1, registration will open for everyone who is now eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot, including:

• if you received your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine six months ago or more
• 65 years of age and older
• people with certain medical conditions
  
• people who are at higher risk due to their work

For more information, click on the links below:

• About booster shot eligibility
  
• Booster FAQ's
  
• To make an online appointment

Be well,

Kara Cassani, RN & Darcy Mazlish, RN

Orchard School Nurses
SBSD Elementary Health Services
p. (802) 652-7303
f. (802) 652-7354

Here is the link to the district transportation. We are thinking the bus routes will continue to be updated so check the transportation website on the district website for changes: https://www.sbschools.net/Page/1260

If you would like to try alternative transportation (AT), please complete this brief survey: https://forms.gle/YRpsk5U2ZCcziotL6