Dear HUUSD Community,
Last Thursday, September 26, the Waitsfield School was one of many schools in Vermont and around the country that experienced a "swatting" threat--a false report of a threat of violence intended to prompt an immediate law enforcement response and cause fear among students, staff, and families. Such incidents remind us why it is necessary for schools to regularly practice our responses. Fortunately, the Vermont State Police provided quick and helpful information to Principal Kaiya Korb, who was then able to respond in an appropriate manner to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
It is important for you to know that all of our schools continue to review and revise procedures to make our schools a safe place for children to learn. All of our school buildings have a security plan and safety procedures that are regularly practiced and reviewed with students and staff. While there are no absolute guarantees for safety, we continue to improve security procedures, practice emergency responses, and learn from instances like the one at the Waitsfield School.
While the school was able to handle last week's hoax with minimal disruption, if your child is ever upset or has questions, please reach out to the school. Also, encourage your child to speak with their teacher, school counselor, or principal. Finally, while this specific incident was a hoax, it still reminds us to be vigilant and to immediately report to local law enforcement and school officials any suspicious activity in and around our community and school buildings.
I also want to remind families that our former rapid notification system SwiftReach is no longer supported by PowerSchool, and as a result, we had to transition to SchoolMessenger. Such transitions always require that we update data and certain notifications. We have experienced some issues with the text notification tool and we sent out another reminder for signing up for texts last week. If you are experiencing any issues receiving messages from the school or district, please reach out and let us know. You will find additional information in this eNewsletter on this topic.
As a long-time educator who has worked in schools for the past 34 years, last Thursday's incident serves as a reminder to me of the important work of our schools in this community. We will all continue to work diligently to help ensure that our children have a safe and nurturing environment to learn and grow. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mike
The school board is developing an equity policy to help guide the school district's work in this area, and we would like community input. We invite you to review the draft policy at this link and provide your feedback to the questions in this survey.
The survey will close at 4:00 PM on Friday, October 25, 2024.
As a reminder, guardians and staff MUST sign up to receive texts from the HUUSD.
You may sign up by following the instructions in this flyer.
Waitsfield
K-6 grade students hiked Mad River Glen on 9/20 in beautiful almost-autumn conditions. This annual hike is a great example of how--with the company of encouraging peers--we can achieve things we never thought we could do and have fun doing it. Each child hiked a minimum of 2 miles, with more than a 1000 ft vertical climb--and with joy!
Moretown
Fayston
"The mountains are calling, and I must go." – John Muir
During our recent All School Hike at Mad River Glen, we were reminded of the gift nature provides us. By connecting students with the outdoors, we help them develop emotional intelligence and find peace amidst life’s demands.
CBMS
- October 9: School Board Meeting
- October 23: School Board Meeting
- October 11: No School/Staff Development
- October 14: No School
