EMES School Newsletter

Like so many schools around the country, EMES has been hit with lots of illness since coming back from break earlier this month. As I write this today, we have 12 staff out and about three times as many students. We're hoping everything will run its course quickly and everyone will feel well soon! Next week looks like it's going to be another extremely cold week, which doesn't help with getting outside for fresh air and airing out the building. Tis the season, I suppose! Despite this, we've had some pretty great learning taking place across our building and spirits remain high.

We are excited to welcome Vermont Family Networks' Puppet Show to EMES next Thursday. All students in K-6 will experience a puppet show focused around how to deal with anxiety, and our 5/6 students will participate in a puppet workshop with VFN. A big thank-you to Mary Beth Langevin for securing a grant to get them to come to EMES!

We are also looking forward to hosting over a dozen U-32 juniors and seniors next Wednesday - Friday for their annual J-Term. These students have an interest in working with younger children and it's a wonderful opportunity for both young and old WCUUSD students to work together.

You will see in Friday Folders this afternoon a letter from me about our upcoming January lock down drill. Twice a year we practice these drills and we will be preparing for the next one this coming week. This drill is one we've practiced many times and students and staff are well-versed on how to respond. At this age, the biggest thing we remind children is to look to the adult for guidance and to follow their direction.

I hope you all have a wonderful long, holiday weekend and we look forward to welcoming your children back on Wednesday, January 22nd.

Best,

Alicia

January 20: MLK Day - no school

January 21: Inservice Day - no school

January 22: WCUUSD Board Meeting at U-32 6:15 pm

January 22 - 24: U-32 J-Term students at EMES

January 23: Vermont Family Network Puppet Show

January 31: Semester 1 Report Cards Mailed Home

February 24 - March 4: Winter Break - No School

March 4: Town Meeting Day at EMES - please come and vote!

Act 139, Vermont's new literacy bill, was passed by the Legislature late last spring and went into effect on July 1.

Act 139 is intended to support strong literacy achievement for all students by focusing on young learners. Specifically, Act 139 focuses on K-3 learners and requires assessment to identify students who might need support, the provision of student support, professional learning for teachers, and caregiver notification when student assessment results are substantially below expectations.

The shifts we've made in our district to the Acadience reading assessment and the Fundations program in recent years are in alignment with Act 139.

We are in the middle of our winter assessment window right now, which means students are taking the Acadience reading assessment again. If your K-3 child scores well below the winter expectations, your principal will send a letter home as required by Act 139. The letter will let you know your child's current strengths and areas for growth along with the supports that are or will be put in place to support your child's continued growth in reading.

In future years we will send the family notification letter after the fall assessment window.

Please reach out to your principal if you have any questions about Act 139.

It is with great pleasure that I share that our very own Arlyn Bruccoli, was the winner of the Rosen Publishing Northern New England School Librarian of the Month for January. This award was presented to Arlyn at the January meeting of the Vermont School Library Association (VSLA) on January 9, 2025. For more information about this award, please see the attached PDF below.

Our community has been so amazing in supporting the Jensen family as they process the terrible loss of Jack. Many people have reached out to ask what else we can do for them. The family is being well taken care of in terms of meals. What would be most helpful to the family is to remember Jack and ask that contributions be made to the U32 music department in his memory. The school is set up to receive these donations.

U32 Music Department

930 Gallison Hill Rd

Montpelier, VT 05602

Please note that your contribution is in memory of Jack Jensen.

The Jensen family is so thankful for the support they have received.

EMES had our first family movie night on January 10th and about 150 students and families came out to enjoy The Wild Robot. It was a perfect way to spend a cold January night! It was great to see so many families snuggled in PJs watching a movie and enjoying popcorn together. We'll be doing another one in March! Stay tuned for more information.

Washington Central allies and caregivers of children exploring and/or identifying LGBTQIA++

(not our official name!)

The SECOND MONDAY every month--- 5-6:30pm.

Beginning February 10th

Location: Room 128 at U-32

We invite all district members with children (preK-12) in their care or in a caring relationship

with kids who are or are exploring their gender expression.

Sometimes the health and well-being of our kids is hampered by the social expectations we have

all been taught-- about what to expect from boys and girls.

As adults we carry our upbringing of such expectations AND we adore our kids who may be

breaking up with those very ideas.

This group welcomes conversations about how our kids are declaring who they are, defying

expectations, how our kids love pink or don't, play with trucks instead of dolls, wear dresses

instead of pants, or both, love everyone and sometimes do not receive such open heartedness

from others.

What do we do about pronouns, bullying, our own 'coming out' as adults who love and adore

kids who tell us they are questioning how they fit in the world? What about LGBTAQ++ and

non-binary? Wondering about gender and as age appropriate, growing into social and emotional

intimate interests?

We want to create a place to share experiences and resources guided by Shelley Vermilya, district

equity scholar and gender studies educator, and parents.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Shelley

Please send questions and RSVP

Shelley Vermilya svermilya@u32.org

We have lent out most of our mittens and gloves from the health office, and we are not seeing many return. Would you please check your house and return any that may belong to us? Also, if you have any to donate, we would really appreciate any mittens or gloves to keep our supplies available to those who need them. Thank you. -Nurse Lydia