We are in the home stretch of school and there is a lot going on, between trips and end-of-year assessments, our students and staff are busy, busy, busy. I hope everyone enjoys the three day weekend and comes back ready to finish strong.

Several members of our staff met today to do the After Action Review on the lockdown incident last Thursday. I want to share a few key points that we took away from our conversation and the feedback that we got from students and staff:

• The lockdown announcement said that this was a drill. With this language students and staff were not fully sure how to respond other than to follow the lockdown protocols, which was the right thing to do. The event was not a drill, since that would have been announced prior. We are still unsure of how the alarm was set off and we are not sure that we will be able to make that determination. We will be changing some of the systems for how we announce a lockdown to make sure this will not happen again.
• We need to practice what to do in a lockdown from a variety of situations, such as lunch, on the fields, etc. We can train by talking through the situations in class and in TA, and we can practice with a drill.
• We know that this was a moment of crisis and people sometimes struggle with the response. Moving forward, we will create clear and concise language that informs teachers, staff and students of what to do and say so that all students are receiving the same message no matter where they end up in a lockdown.
• There were a few spaces where communication with individuals and rooms was difficult and we are already making sure those items are addressed.
• 
  

We have other security changes that we will be making that we cannot share in the interest of safety. Our safety team will continue to evaluate our response and revise areas where we need to improve. We know that the alarm and lockdown was emotionally difficult for some of our students and I remind you that support is always available through TA or School Counselors. We encourage families to have a conversation about the events and to contact Administration if there is anything we can help with.

Have a great weekend,

Steven

U-32 INC is teaming with Paul Dayton from BIG GEAR COFFEE ROASTERS to bring you some of the finest coffees you can buy. Check out our five roasts, which are available for $15 a bag (whole beans). Check (payable to "U32") or cash would be appreciated upon pick up. Order this week, and we will keep you updated on our super speedy delivery! Click the link below to submit your order:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftp9hp18lgglqKeHo6MWio6QOh4tpmvGQpOTvDud_mM3cUWg/viewform

On Friday May 17th, Adelaide Dumm, a guest from the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (WNRCD) visited our school to help the MS Seeking Social Justice/ Green Team plant trees. The middle school Seeking Social Justice (SSJ), and high school students in Green Team have been working together on some of our projects. The middle school students in SSJ helped out the high school with their various planting projects around the school by planting saplings with our guest from WNRCD. We planted 57 saplings, during our afternoon classes and callback last Friday. We planted trees near the track, where there is a water drainage system.

Adding more trees to our U-32 campus is one great step we can take by doing our part in helping to solve climate change, and add more beautiful trees to our campus. But there are so many more benefits to planting trees, particularly near water. Planting trees near any water body helps the banking stay in place and decreases erosion. Another benefit is that the root systems from the trees help filter the water. Especially in Vermont where we use road salt, or any other unnatural substance that could leak into a water body, the roots help filter some of that out so that the microinvertebrates, or anything living in the water have clean water to live in. Some animals that live in water cannot survive with chemicals or road salt in the water they live in, while others don’t mind it. Even if some don’t mind it, it’s best to keep our waters clean, and trees is one great way to do that.

-Anna Cotterill, 7th grade

Summer EBT Program

Vermont is among the first states to launch the new permanent Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (SEBT) program to help feed eligible school aged children during the summer vacation months.

The benefit is $120 for the summer per eligible child. Families can use the benefits to purchase groceries. The Department for Children and Families will be issuing a preloaded EBT card to those who don’t have one yet. If your household is already receiving 3SquaresVT benefits, SEBT benefits for your school-aged children will be loaded on the same card.

You will receive these benefits automatically if your child is:

Between the age of 6 and 16 at any point since July 2023 and lives in a household that receives or that received at any time since July 2023:

-3SquaresVT

-Reach Up, or

-Medicaid while the family’s income was below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level

Outside of the age 6 and 16 but attends a Vermont Public School or an Independent School that participates in the National School Lunch Program and lives in a household that receives or that received at any time since July 2023:

-3SquaresVT

-Reach Up, or

-Medicaid while the family’s income was below 185% of the Federal Poverty Limit

Children participating in several other assistance programs may also receive the benefit automatically.

Families who meet income guidelines but do not automatically qualify will be able to apply for the benefit in August Benefits will be mailed out starting July 15, 2024 and continuing throughout the summer.

We encourage families to wait until August before asking about eligibility as most eligible children will receive the benefit automatically. If a child is found eligible, a notice will be mailed to the household. Please keep the EBT cards as they will be used each summer for children who are eligible.

The EBT card can be used at grocery stores, farmers markets and online where EBT is

accepted.

Notification and cards will be mailed to the address on file for the program that qualified the child automatically. If you get 3SquaresVT, Reach Up or Medicaid and have recently moved, we recommend updating your mailing address with these programs. This will ensure that you receive the benefit. If you don’t currently participate in these programs, your children could still get the benefit automatically if you apply for them and are approved this summer.

The Summer EBT program is different than the Pandemic EBT program. The Summer EBT program is a permanent program that has income requirements and is only available during the summer, unlike Pandemic EBT where benefits were available throughout the school year and all students were eligible regardless of income. Receiving Summer EBT benefits does not affect the family’s immigration status. Additional information, including the application which will be available in August will be posted on summerebt.vermont.gov

If you have questions about the program, please contact DCF’s Economic Services Division at 1-800-479-6151, option 7.

Summer Meals for Kids

For information on receiving meals this summer, call 2-1-1, the United Way-run resource hotline, or go to the USDA Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder: https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder. All sites listed are open to all children, 18 and under. Information is available beginning mid-June and updates are made on a weekly basis. Some sites may provide grab-and-go meals that can be consumed off-site.

Congratulations to Avery Cochran, Elsie Pawul, Olivia Serrano, Ethan Neimark, Eliza Gilbert, and Mayla Landis-Marinello for representing U-32 at the Vermont All State Music Festival May 9-11 at Spaulding High School! They worked hard to rehearse their repertoire and put on a fantastic performance Saturday afternoon. Avery was also selected to perform their scholarship piece at the concert Thursday evening, playing Jaques Ibert's Flute Concerto.

Registration is open for Natural Resources Management Academy! This event is for youth entering grades 7-11, who are interested in the environment and ready to explore, in depth, their passion for Vermont's natural resources. NRMA will be held July 12-14 and takes place at Green Mountain Conservation Camp in Woodbury. Registration is $130. The workshops dive into topics like soils, wildlife, water ecosystems, forestry and more! Space is limited to 30 people.

More information can be found here. Registration can be found here.

A few spaces remain!! - Applications Now Open for FREE Agriscience Summer Academies at UVM

UVM Extension’s 4-H Program invites rising 8th-12th graders to apply for one of three, free, residential summer academies held on the UVM campus June 23-29.

AgroTek Innovation, now in its third year, exposes students to agriscience innovation skills by diving deep into one of three topics; Culturing Cells for Healthier Soils, Shifting the Waste to Value Paradigm (converting agricultural waste into value added products), and Using Virtual Reality for More Precise Agriculture. In addition to learning content, participants will build important relationships with undergraduate student mentors along with faculty and staff.

More details, including the link to apply, can be found here. Individuals who identify as BIPOC, female identifying or LGBTQ+, humans traditionally under-represented in agriculture, are encouraged to apply. Contact: Sarah Kleinman at sarah.kleinman@uvm.edu or 802-656-7637.

Bonjour!

A trip to Paris, Normandy and a homestay in Langres, France, is happening in April 2025. Students enrolled in a French class and who will be either in 10th, 11th or 12th grades have the opportunity to join this trip.

A meeting with interested students has already happened during a Call Back. The next meeting is a chance for students and families to get more information and any questions answered.

THIS MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON JUNE 10TH AT 5:00 PM IN CAROLINE'S CLASSROOM (114), right before the Spring sports banquet.

Please feel free to email me at cgrace@u32.org with any questions.

Merci,

Caroline

Beginning in the fall semester of 2024, qualified Vermont residents can attend Vermont State University tuition free!

Delivering high quality and affordable education is our number one priority. With locations spanning across the entire state, Vermonters can be sure to have greater access to our programs going forward. VTSU will close the standard tuition* gap with institutional aid after all federal, state, institutional, and employer supported aid is applied to a student’s account.

Who is eligible?

• Vermont residents of any age enrolling as new students in degree programs starting in the fall semester of 2024 or spring semester of 2025.
• Student/family adjusted gross income of $50,000 or less as reflected on their FAFSA.
• Students seeking their initial undergraduate degree. Those with previous bachelor’s degrees do not qualify.
• 
  

How do students apply?

• Apply and be admitted to Vermont State University for a standard tuition program.
• Submit a FAFSA (School Code: 003698).
• Submit a Vermont Grant Application through VSAC.
• 
  

What are further requirements for eligibility?

• Register for a minimum of 12 credits each fall and spring semesters (does not include summer).
• Maintain good academic standing (2.0/4.0) and satisfactory academic progress towards degree completion.
• Eligibility will be reviewed each academic year based on the current year FAFSA.

* The Vermont State University Free Tuition Guarantee covers standard program tuition only. Program tuition for Engineering and Technology; Nursing and Respiratory Therapy; and Dental and Radiologic is not covered by this program.

2024-2025 VTVLC Course Registration Information

Priority registration for VTVLC (VT Virtual Learning Cooperative) courses opens May 1st. These are free online courses for students in grades 7-12 for courses offered “traditionally.”

Click here to see the courses available to U-32 students. Students are eligible to register for courses that are listed as traditional enrollment. See information regarding On Demand enrollment below.

Who are successful online learners? VTVLC recommends that students who enroll in their courses are strong readers and writers, possess good time management skills, are self-motivated and self-disciplined, committed to spending five to ten hours a week on the course, and have the ability to use technology properly.

Process for students opting to take course(s) through VTVLC to have coursework count towards U-32 Graduation level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

***Students who request to take an online class due to a teacher or classroom conflict need to participate in a restorative circle prior to enrolling in a VTVLC course. ***

Process for enrolling:

1. Meet with your school counselor to discuss options.

2. Go to VTVLC.org and create an account.

3. Log into VTVLC.org and complete Student Profile.

4. Request enrollment in class.

Grading & Transcripting:

Coursework with a final grade of C- or higher will “satisfy course specific Graduation level SLOs through transfer.”

1. Course will be listed on U-32 Transcript under Additional Course section with actual grade awarded

2. Grade / course score is NOT factored into U-32 GPA

3. Students may need to work with content level departments to determine which Performance Indicators (PIs) the course addresses.

4. Student may need to present evidence (portfolio, assessments, essays, labs, etc.) to a small committee to demonstrate proficiency in specific Graduation level SLOs through transfer

Failure to successfully complete a VTVLC course may prohibit a student’s ability to enroll in future courses.

VTVLC also offers On Demand courses that allow students to have flexible start and end dates. These courses offer a personalized pace. Like the other VTVLC courses, these are taught by Vermont licensed educators (HQT where applicable). These courses cost students $275 per semester length course. On Demand courses start on either the 1st or the 15th of each month.

For further questions about VTVLC courses or to sign up, students should see their school counselor.

Student schedules for the 2024-2025 school year

Students in current grades 8-11 are now able to view their 2024-2025 tentative schedules. Current 7th graders will receive their schedules closer to Move Up Day on June 11th.

If you or your student has questions or concerns about his/her schedule for next year, the Student Services Office will be available to assist as follows:

• Incoming seniors: Immediately once you have received your schedule

• Incoming juniors: May 20-23

• Incoming sophomores: May 24- 28

• Incoming freshmen: May 29-31

Our plan is to work with all students and parents who have concerns prior to school closing. We encourage you and /or your student to make an appointment with his/her adopted counselor if needed.

Please know that students can make changes to their schedules for semester 1 until August 22nd. Scheduling changes for semester 1 will not be allowed after August 22nd.

Students can make changes to their semester 2 classes until Jan 17, 2025

MOVE UP DAY

June 11th – Move Up Day (students in current grades 6-11 will follow their school schedule for the 2024-2025 school year.) Current 6th graders will come to U-32 to meet their 7th grade teachers, participate in classes and Unity day activities.

DUAL ENROLLMENT/EARLY COLLEGE

As a current Vermont high school junior or senior, you are eligible for two Vermont Dual Enrollment Vouchers, allowing you to take one free college course in your junior year of high school and one in your senior year of high school.

It’s called Dual Enrollment because your free college courses will also earn you credit towards graduation from high school.

Dual enrollment is offered through all VT public colleges/universities and some private colleges too. Go to http://www.vtdualenrollment.org/ for a list of participating colleges and to request a dual enrollment voucher.

High School Seniors are also eligible for Early College- got to http://education.vermont.gov/student-learning/flexible-pathways/early-college for more information.

UPCOMING SAT & ACT TEST OPPORTUNITIES

SAT: Test Date- June 1 Registration Deadline May 16

ACT: Test Date July 13 Registration Deadline June 7

SAT / ACT Testing Tips

On the Test Day:

• Give yourself plenty of time to get to the test center. Consider traffic, weather conditions, flat tires, and anything else that could slow you down.

• Be sure to test at the center indicated on your Admission Ticket. You will need your Admission Ticket and photo ID for admission to the test center.

• Even if you’re scheduled to test at a center that was not your first choice, you are only guaranteed admission to the test center listed on your Admission Ticket. Seating is very limited at other test centers.

• Use breaks to eat or drink any snacks you have brought with you. You will have several breaks during the test. Use them to relax and eat a snack, so you can stay focused.

• Make sure you use a No. 2 pencil. You must fill in the entire circle darkly and completely. If you change your response, erase it as completely as possible. It is very important that you follow these instructions when filling out your answer sheet.

• Pace yourself during the test. Remember, each question counts the same. If you find yourself spending too much time on one question, move on to the next questions.

TEST PREPARATION

JUNIORS: If you are not yet pleased with your PSAT scores use Khan Academy for SAT prep as an on-line course to help you build your math, reading, writing, and SAT test prep skills. Log into Khan Academy and link your PSAT scores.

If you have any other questions, please contact your school counselor for more information.

Currently there are over 30 scholarships posted on Naviance. Go to your Naviance account, click on the College tab then Scholarship List to view each scholarship. While there, click on National Scholarship Search to look for additional scholarships.

Please frequent the Scholarship page often as new scholarships appear as soon as we receive them.

$10,000 (7 Awards)

Jessi Combs Foundation Scholarship Program

Deadline: June 1, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

$2,000 (8 Awards)

HFA Eric Delson Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

$2,000 (2 Awards)

Shane R. Kadlec Public Service Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

$1,000 (1 Award)

Louise Tumarkin Zazove Foundation Scholarship

Deadline: May 27, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

$25,000 (1 Award)

Be Bold Scholarship

Deadline: June 1, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

$2,000 (12 Awards)

SM Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

$25,000 (1 Award)

Niche Scholarships

Deadline: May 31, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

$1,000 (50 Awards)

No Essay Smart Owl Scholarship

Deadline: May 29, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

$2,500 (12 Awards)

SP Scholarships

Deadline: May 31, 2024

For Eligibility: Click Here

May

• AP Exams are administered. Be sure to send the AP Grade Report to your college.

• Send thank-you notes to your teachers, coaches, TA, and anyone else who helped you on the way.

• Fill out housing-preference forms, and check out any special living centers.

• Wait-listed students can expect more information about their status after May 1.

• Complete Graduation Survey on Family Connection

June

• If you plan to compete in Division I or Division II college sports, have your transcript sent to the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse. More information is available at ncaaclearinghouse.net.

• June 14: Graduation…. Congratulations!

• June 30: Final deadline to submit FAFSA.

Interested in knowing more about the U-32 Booster Club?

Email Melissa at u32boosterclub@gmail.com