Brookside Blast

1/24/25

Principals' Message

We hope you are staying warm during this cold stretch! Students have been psyched for indoor recess this week but we know they need outdoor time as much as possible!

Last Friday was the conclusion of the first semester and report cards were sent home yesterday via email. Should you prefer a physical copy, please reach out to us at the school.

These progress reports serve as a snapshot of a child's development and are just one facet of our communication regarding their growth. Report cards provide a comprehensive overview, highlighting both strengths and areas for further development, setting the stage for the latter part of the academic year. Before talking about the report card together, we suggest families take time to reflect on strengths and opportunities for growth from the child and adult's perspective -- and share perspectives on how things are going for your child at school. The way in which we approach these discussions significantly influences our students' outlook. We emphasize viewing areas for growth as opportunities rather than weaknesses; they serve as gateways to our next phase of development. Talking about the information in the report card can be folded into this conversation.

The TED talk by Carol Dweck, the author of "Mindsets," which delves into the concept that growth truly happens when we set our sights on the next point to strive for, is a great resource for helping frame feedback as a springboard for growth.

The HUUSD's Learning Outcomes are also a useful tool when reviewing the information in the report cards. The learning outcomes describe the skills, knowledge, and abilities students are expected to develop in each grade level. They can serve as a companion to the report card, outlining in greater detail what we mean when we say a student is "proficient", at 2nd grade, in reading comprehension. These learning outcomes also include goals for creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving, which are essential for lifelong success.

As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.

In partnership,

Sarah & Chris

Important Dates

Monday 1/27: Third and fourth grade Sugarbush ski day
Monday 2/3: Third and fourth grade Sugarbush ski day
Wednesday 2/5: 2nd grade XC ski day at Trapps
Thursday 2/6: 1st grade XC ski day at Trapps

Family Literacy

Ski Program Reminder

If you have not already, please review the document below for important information regarding the 24-25 ski program for first through fourth grade students.

Ski Information 24-25

Dear First, Second, Third and Fourth Grade Parents and Guardians, We are excited to announce the dates for nordic and downhill skiing this winter for our first through fourth grade students! Please review the dates, required forms, and FAQs below. Third and fourth grade families: please note ...

docs.google.com

Community Announcements

Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff. As always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities.

Everybody Wins! Quilt Raffle

Everybody Wins! Vermont is a statewide reading mentoring program. Here at Brookside Primary School, children read with their mentors every week throughout the school year.

In honor of National Mentoring Month, Everybody Wins! is raffling off a gorgeous quilt made and donated by Claremont coordinator Toni Williams. The drawing is Friday, February 14th.

Tickets are $5 each and 5 for $20, available online: https://bit.ly/QuiltRaffle25

Funds raised through the quilt raffle support children and mentors around the state.

Thank you, and good luck!

Jeannie Randall (she/her)

Site Coordinator

Brookside Primary School
802-585-9049 (cell)

Everybody Wins! Vermont www.everybodywinsvermont.org

Waterbury Rec: Summer Camp Registration

Waterbury Recreation is excited to announce the details of our Summer Day Camp 2025. Most importantly, registration begins on February 4.

Every year, we aim to improve our camp. We listen to feedback from families and staff, and have taken the time to update our program with many of these requests, while continuing to emphasize building a safe, fun, and enriching child care option for our community.

In 2025, we will continue to offer themed camps: themes are a terrific way to cater activities to campers’ interests. We will make sure that pool time happens nearly every day, weather and field trip schedules permitting. We will continue to offer swim lessons to all campers in 2025, but will be moving them later in the day to make drop-off less stressful and (hopefully!) have warmer swimming conditions.

This year’s camp prices will increase to allow us to run a high-quality camp, yet we will be keeping our camp as affordable as possible. The full session camp (8 weeks) will cost $1,325 for residents and $1,825 for non-residents. And we will continue to offer scholarships for families via an application process.

You can learn more about camp and the updates for 2025 on our website: https://waterburyvt.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30094