CVU Celebrations

*Guest Opener: Superintendent Adam Bunting*

Dear CVU Community,

It’s been a minute since I’ve had the chance to write a lead for Celebrations, and I’m grateful to Katherine Riley for handing over the mic so I can share two things:

First, since officially stepping into the superintendent role, I haven’t had the chance to properly thank this smaller community within the larger CVSD family. I was incredibly fortunate to serve as principal and work with and for such amazing people.

Second, just as we did for the Interim Superintendent position, we now need to run a process to select the next CVU principal—and we need your input (students, staff, and caregivers alike!). Please take a moment to complete this survey to share the leadership qualities you value and to express your interest in serving on the hiring panel.

Finally, I want to extend my gratitude to Interim Principal Katherine Riley for her steadfast leadership this year—and for all the years we’ve worked together at CVU. I continue to learn from her every time I watch her lead.

Adam

Congratulations to Heather Morley, who has received the Presidential Award for Excellende in Mathmatics and Science Teaching. This is the nation's highest honor for teachers of math and science. A well deserved honor!

"This Presidential Award is not just a recognition of one educator, but a reflection of what happens when a community supports learners and pairs them with a passionate teacher. Our community consists of dedicated families, committed special educators, trained paraprofessionals, knowledgeable colleagues, trusting administration, and a staff full of caring adults that welcome and get to know each student. Furthermore, this award honors my commitment to teaching toward a sustainable future for all."

**Parking at CVU: Important Information**

We understand that parking at CVU can be tricky due to the number of licensed student drivers. To help manage this, we have a parking system in place to ensure fairness and safety for everyone.

**Seniors**: All seniors are guaranteed parking and must purchase a pass to park in the Senior Lot.

**Juniors**: Parking for juniors is determined by a lottery system, and only a limited number of passes are available for the Junior Lot.

**Sophomores (Grade 10)**: Unfortunately, sophomores are not permitted to park on campus.

**Students**: If you are not eligible to park at CVU, we kindly ask that you refrain from doing so.

**Parents and caregivers**: You can support our community by encouraging your student(s) to follow these guidelines.

Thank you for helping us keep parking at CVU safe and organized for everyone!

1/20 - No school - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

1/22 - Juniors - Virtual College Panel Night

2/8 - Penguin Plunge and Winter Ball

2/21 - Winter Carnival

2/24-2/28 - February Break

Happy Friday CVU! This week in Student Council we broke into our normal groups working on the Talent Show, Winter Activities, Anti-Bullying Campaign, and 8th Grade Student and Family Night. Unfortunately, the Talent Show has been postponed and did not occur this Thursday. This was due to lack of sign ups as well as a lack of advertisement on our part. Though we are disappointed we had to delay this events in the words of Ms. Riley, “Sometimes plans don't work out as we envisioned them, but there's learning to take away from the work you've done.” Though this event didn’t go on as we initially imagined it was still worthwhile to plan and we are hopeful our progress can be redirected to make it happen in a different way. Additionally, students working on the anti-bullying campaign are truly inspiring me, showing that Student Council is not just for building community but also improving our community by dealing with issues head-on. I’m very proud of Student Council this week. Have a great weekend Hawks!

GRADUATION TASK:

Seniors, in preparation for graduation on June 13, 2025, please stop by the Direction Centers as

soon as possible to check the spelling of your name and how you want it to appear on your

diploma. It is important that your name appears just the way you want it! Is your name spelled

correctly? Do you want your middle name or just your initial? Should there be a “JR or lll”

attached to your last name?

Parents, please encourage your graduating senior to verify the spelling of their name as soon as

possible. If you prefer, you can email the appropriate spelling directly to our Registrar, Colleen

McSweeney at cmcsweeney@cvsdvt.org.

The deadline for making changes is Thursday, January 30th . Once the order is placed with

the printer, changes can only be made at your expense.

From Cari Causey: Travis, Dani, and Mitchell, participating in the Ready Set Work Program at ReSource in Williston.

News from Volunteer Outreach Club

CVU students fit many things into their busy lives, and these members of the CVU Volunteer Outreach Club performed 15 or more hours of community service over the past semester! These students have helped at organizations like the Charlotte Food Shelf, Rock Steady Boxing, Habitat for Humanity Restore, the Charlotte Senior Center and Unified Sports. They have also spent time working on events like the Polar Express, the CVU Craft Fairs and Fall Clothing Swap. We are so proud of our "VOC-Stars": Hadley Auster, Harper Doris, Jackson Dubois, Anna Fieldsend, Emma Hamble, Katie Lahiri, Kathryn Lewis, Theron Main, Mamta Rimal, Jonas Tajbl, Lila Webster, Jackie Whittier, and Cassie York!

On Thursday, we hosted 5 CVU alumni who are current college athletes to come speak to ALC.

Turner Elliott ‘22, Jess Klein ‘21, Travis Stroh ‘24, Josie Pecor ‘21, and Grace Ferguson ‘23 came to our ALC meeting yo share their experiences of playing college sports, covering topics like time commitment, school/sports balance, and preparation, and how high school sports compare with college sports.

We are grateful to them for coming in and sharing with our current student athletes.

This year, a group of CVU students and staff have served as part of CVSD's Restorative Practices Student-Adult Advisory Board in partnership with UP for Learning. Together, this dedicated group has spent the year with youth and adults from across the district developing an understanding of the why, what, and how of restorative approaches in school; engaging in action research and collecting data; and brainstorming how we can foster more restorative approaches across CVSD schools. Pictured meeting during C3 this week (left to right) are members Peter Langella, Sabina Sedic-Lawton, Hailley Hem, Olivia Cieri, Ally Gutierrez, Ethan St. Amour, Kevin Chiu, Willcox Elliott, Malashie Tonoki, and Arthur Chiaravalli.

This morning's CVU Inspirations ceremony celebrated some of the incredible students who make our CVU community so special. This quarterly tradition recognizes students for their resilience, creativity, kindness, learning, growth, and dedication to others. Teachers and staff nominate students who inspire them and share their stories with the gathered students, caregivers, faculty, and staff. Thank you to everyone who attended, and congratulations once again to our CVU Inspirations!

The Snelling Team and the entire Snelling community would like to wish our House Administrative Assistant Jill Kiedaisch the best of luck on her new adventure! We already miss you, Jill!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Warm regards,

Sandy Bermanzohn
Signature Event Coordinator
Office of the Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence

University of Vermont, 85 South Prospect St., Burlington, Vermont 05405, United States

The Winter/Spring 2025 Catalog is now open for registration, and classes are starting soon!

Taking an ACCESS CVU class, at CVU High School, is a great way to connect with like-minded community members while you explore new passions, discover new hobbies, and enjoy a judgmental free, fun-filled evening! This semester starts with 160 classes for all interests and ages. Check them out on our website HERE or view the online catalog, by category, HERE. Don't stop there, sign-up for our newsletter, and follow us on Instagram @accesscvu.

New classes added monthly!

Register early to reserve your spot as popular classes fill quickly. Invite your friends, family, neighbors, and cohorts to join us! Also, if you have a testimonial or recent photo from an ACCESS CVU class, please help us by sharing it on Front Porch Forum and social media. Posters with class listings, by month, are available to download from our website's home page. Print and post in your favorite grocer, coffee shop, or bulletin board! Thank you for supporting community education!

Connect, Learn, and Grow at ACCESS CVU!

Parents and students are invited to our Virtual College Panel Night for Juniors on Wednesday, January 22nd from 6:00-7:00pm. College admissions representatives from a variety of colleges including UVM, Middlebury, St. Lawrence, Champlain, Vermont State University, Saint Michaels and Rochester Institute of Technology will provide a panel discussion. We will offer a question and answer session about the college application process, campus life and more. Hope you can join!

Here is the YouTube link for our presentation (1/22 @6pm).

Connecting Youth Celebrates 25 Years of Mentorship

January marks National Mentoring Month, and CVSD is celebrating 25 years of Connecting Youth’s mentoring program. The program, founded in 2000, has paired thousands of mentors with local students, providing support during pivotal moments in their lives.

This year, CY Mentoring serves 184 5th-12th graders across Champlain Valley School District. According to Mentor National, one in three young people will grow up without a trusted mentor to turn to for support outside of their immediate family; CY Mentoring exists to foster meaningful relationships and help close that gap.

“These interactions help students regulate emotions, feel safe and seen, practice effective communication, make good choices and benefit from the guidance of well-trained, compassionate mentors," says Tony Moulton, CVSD Director of Wellness & Prevention.

Studies consistently show that youth with mentors are more likely to graduate, pursue higher education, and become active, engaged citizens in their communities. These relationships have proven to be invaluable, offering stability, confidence, and opportunities to young people who often face barriers to success.

As we celebrate this milestone year for Connecting Youth, we invite community members to join in recognizing the profound value of mentorship. If you’re interested in contributing to your community now and in the future, our Mentor Coordinators are skilled at the matching process, training and scheduling a time that works around your personal time.

For more information about mentoring opportunities contact a CVSD Mentor Coordinator:

Hinesburg Community School, Livy Bulger, lbulger@cvsdvt.org / 802-482-6248
Charlotte Central School, Kate Rooney, krooney@cvsdvt.org / 802-425-6682
Shelburne Community School, Alice Brown, abrown@cvsdvt.org / 802-734-9845
Williston Central School, Becky Martell, rmartell@cvsdvt.org / 802-871-6046

Champlain Valley Union, Alison Duback, aduback@cvsdvt.org / 802-482-8921

Governor's Institutes of Vermont Welcomes High School Students for the Summer Learning Adventure of a Lifetime!

The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (GIV) is now accepting applications for the 2025 offerings of its residential summer programs. Passionate and curious Vermont 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students are invited to apply for the learning adventure of a lifetime. At GIV, students learn from industry professionals, participate in hands-on projects, and explore career options; all while having fun and making friends!

This summer, GIV will be offering eight different summer Institutes including:

• Arts (June 22 - July 6 @ Vermont State University Castleton)

• Engineering (June 22 - June 28 @ Norwich University)

• Entrepreneurship (June 22 - June 27 @ Champlain College)

• Global Issues & Youth Action (July 10 - July 20 @ Champlain College)

• Health & Medicine (offering two Institutes, choose based on preferred date/location!)

• July 6 - July 12 @ Vermont State University Lyndon

• July 13 - July 19 @ Vermont State University Castleton

• Mathematical Sciences (July 13 - July 20 @ University of Vermont)

• Technology & Design (June 21 - June 29 @ Champlain College)

• Weather & Climate Science (July 6 - July 12 @ Vermont State University Lyndon) [new for 2025!]

Students can attend for as little as $10, and each Institute offers a life-changing experience of content, community, and collaboration.

Learn more at GIV.org. Online applications are open now through March 31st, 2025.

Interested in hosting students from East Asia for a short exchange students this Spring? The students are visiting Vermont from April 19th-May 5th. They are visiting to learn about youth leadership, conflict resolution, and environmental sustainability. All participants speak English. PH international, a nonprofit based in Waitsfield, is coordinating the exchange. Please contact Drew.Diemar@ph-int.org for more information.