Wildcat Buzz

1. Picture Day @WCS - Monday, September 16

2. Picture Day @ABS - Tuesday, September 17

3. Middle School Open House - 9/19, 6:30 - 7:30

Important Upcoming Dates to Note

09/16 - WCS Picture Day

09/17 - ABS Picture Day

09/19 - Walk or Roll to School Day

09/19 - Middle School Open House, 6:30-7:30pm @WCS

09/26 - 3rd & 4th Grade Open House, 6:30-7:30pm @WCS

09/30 - Fall Book Fair by Phoenix Books, WCS Community Room

10/01 - K - 2 Open House, 6-7pm @ABS

10/09 - Four Winds Training, WCS Community Room @8:30-10:30

10/10 - NO SCHOOL for Students /Conferences & Faculty/Staff In-service

10/11 - NO SCHOOL

10/17 - Williston Families as Partners Monthly Meeting - WCS Community Room @ 8:30am

10/25 - 7th & 8th Grade Dance

10/28 - Multilingual Celebration

11/01 - Diwali / NO SCHOOL

by Angela Filion, Allen Brook School Principal

Happy September and the start of the new school year! At Allen Brook we were very busy over the summer cleaning, painting, and reorganizing our school to make it ready for our amazing students and teachers. I wanted to shout out the crew who worked during the hot summer months to prepare for the opening of school. They did an amazing job and it felt really great to welcome our students and families back to a cleaner, fresher building! I apologize in advance for the length of my first memo as there is a lot in the beginning of the year to share with you so you feel informed for the year ahead.

Every year we have a new theme for us here at ABS. This year our focus will be on hellos and goodbyes. As a school community we have said goodbye to some things when we restructured and reorganized our school spaces and we have said hello to some new ideas and ways to work together in the building. Changes can be both hard and refreshing and it’s important to acknowledge that both with students and adults. In our opening faculty meeting we discussed the importance of hellos and goodbyes for students as well. One commitment we have made this year is to intentionally greet every student at the door and to also close out our day with students in a meaningful way as they transition to the next part of their afternoon. This brings a positive and purposeful way for us to connect with our students more intentionally.

I have gotten into all of the classrooms to do a common read aloud related to our theme of hellos and goodbyes. Here is the book I read to the students should you want to learn more about it and talk with your kiddos about the changes they are making every day as they grow and learn. I also take this opportunity to share with students what my job is as the principal. Hopefully if you ask them who Ms. Filion is and what her #1 job is they will be able to say, “she is our principal and she keeps us safe.” As part of our safety protocols, we practice fire drills, clear the halls, and relocation drills. We do this in an age appropriate and developmental way for our youngest learners. Here is our safety site you are welcome to review to keep yourself informed of the work our safety committee is doing to ensure best practices in safety.

Every year I like to reshare our philosophy and approach of meeting and understanding the different needs in our learning community. We believe it is important to help students and adults understand that some student transitions can be hard and that when someone is struggling we use empathy and restorative practices to help us feel safe and cared for. We invite you to start conversations in homes, as well as in the community about the diverse needs in our world. Please keep in mind we are talking about developmental needs of 5, 6, and 7 year olds, who are learning and growing, and also looking to us, as the adults, to model appropriate reactions and ways of communicating, especially when the topics are difficult. Please remember this before posting on social media, calling a friend, or talking with a neighbor.

Our hope is that when students walk through our doorways, they feel safe, supported and cared for. We hope they can leave any negative feelings at the door, and carry on with a positive and successful day. We strive for ABS to be a place where students feel safe and comfortable to share their truths. For some, they may be able to verbalize their feelings in what we would call “expected” ways such as talking with a teacher, school counselor or friend. Other students may communicate in ways that we would call “unexpected”. This may look like bolting, hitting, biting, throwing items, etc. or sound like yelling/screaming, name calling, or swears.

At ABS, we work extremely hard to protect student’s privacy, and integrity. There are times where classrooms may be cleared, to remove the audience and keep others safe. There are other times where a student may walk out of a classroom yelling threats and swears. Sometimes students leave class without permission and run around the hallways. Some students make noises, cry loudly, or climb tables/chairs. Whatever may be the external behavior we are seeing or hearing, what we know is that students are doing what they think is the BEST choice for them at that moment.

Allen Brook School has an incredible behavior support team who is available to respond to these behaviors to support students and teachers. We use a variety of restorative practices such as restorative conversations which helps identify what happened while discussing replacement behaviors, opportunities to repair the relationship(s) (such as an act of kindness, meeting, or written apology for a student, a class, a teacher, etc.), as well as a restorative circle for the student(s) and adults who experienced an unexpected situation. Our entire faculty and staff is currently working with Jon Kidde(clink link for his bio) each month around the use of restorative practices and being more trauma informed in our approaches. We will continue to share our work together throughout the year. One area Jon is working with us on is the use of restorative circles.

A restorative circle involves an adult asking open-ended questions to the group. Every student has an opportunity to respond or “pass” using a “talking piece”. The “talking piece” moves around the circle one more time to check in with those who may have “passed” during the first round. This ensures that all voices are heard and valued by the group. Once the “talking piece” has made its way around to everyone in the circle, the adult asks another question to the group, and the process continues. Here are a few typical questions asked during these circles;

1. How are you feeling right now?

2. How were you feeling during the unexpected situation?

3. What do you think that person might need from us to feel welcome in our classroom?

4. What do you need from us to feel safe and respected? What can we do for you?

So what does this mean for you?

Ask your student(s):

• How was your day?

• What did you do to be kind today?

• Who did you play with at recess?

• Do you ever see or hear things at school that are unexpected?

• If the answer is Yes, ask more questions: How did you feel? How do you think that student was feeling? What repair was done? What can I do to help you feel OK?

• If the answer is NO, remind them that they have safe adults at school and home that they can talk to.

We recognize this is heavy information, and can cause some anxiety and strong emotions. Please know we are here to support students in all capacities of learning which includes both academic and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) by teaching, modeling and reinforcing expected behaviors such as keeping hands and feet to self, positive self talk, taking a break, and listening to their body. We believe in open and honest communication and rely on that to keep our partnership between home and school strong and collaborative. We look forward to a great year ahead!

WCS PHOTO DAY: MONDAY 09/16/24

Click to order on-line

Password: WCS324

ABS PHOTO DAY: TUESDAY 09/17/24

Click to order on-line

Password: ABS324

Dear Williston Families,

We are starting to see cases of head lice in both Williston Schools. Head lice require direct head to head contact to be transmitted. Often slumber parties, some sports or other out of school activities where kids are in close contact for extended periods of time seem to be a common route for transmission. Please talk to your child about the importance of not sharing hats, brushes, helmets or other items that come in direct contact with their head. We also recommend talking with the parents of your child’s friends to see if they have been dealing with head lice. We often find that when parents disclose that information to others, cases are identified and resolved in a much quicker time period. Weekly checks at home are a great way to detect head lice early and to keep them from spreading. If you suspect or find head lice on your child, please contact your school nurse for assistance and advice. We can check heads at individual request if you feel that you are unsure of what you are looking for.

Click here for guidelines to follow

I am writing today to provide an update and closure regarding the bus accident in Hinesburg on August 30. While the Hinesburg Police Department conducted an external investigation, CVSD also completed an internal review to enhance safety protocols immediately. Our review examined the contributing factors to the accident, including the routes, safety history, and driver training. As a result, we implemented a route change the following Monday to ensure that drivers no longer turn from Lavigne Hill onto Route 116, further safeguarding our students.

I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to Andrew Bacon, the driver of the dump truck involved. His quick thinking and selfless actions undoubtedly prevented further harm to our students. Andrew, you risked your safety and livelihood to protect our children, and we are profoundly grateful.

Adam Bunting

He/Him/His

CVSD Interim Superintendent

802.985.1900

Connecting Youth CVSD is seeking interested adult community members to join our amazing team of volunteer youth mentors. Not only will your mentoring relationship provide support, encouragement, trust, and guidance for a young person in your community, you’ll find substantial reward in being a person who is making a difference in someone’s life. Learn more here!

Why Mentor?

• Build empathy and understanding for today’s young people

• Contribute to the connectedness of your community

• Experience joyful purpose from impacting a young person’s life

• Be a trusted adult who cares and shows up

• Explore new activities, experiences, and passions!

The Commitment

• One hour a week during the school year

• We work around your schedule

• Continuous training and support provided

Middle school mentors connect over fun activities like cooking, crafts and games, while high school mentors help guide students through goal-setting, resilience building, and career exploration.

If you’re fun, caring, and trustworthy, your simple presence can make a difference.

Contact a CVSD Mentor Coordinator to learn more.

Hello School and Community Partners!

The Champlain Center for Play Therapy and Family Counseling in Williston has multiple group offerings for kids starting NEXT WEEK!

We still have openings for the following groups:

Sunday Scaries Anxiety Group (grades K-2)

Sunday Scaries Anxiety Group (grades 3-5)
Lego Lab Social Skills/Perspective Taking Group (grades 1-4)

*Registration for these groups closes on Friday evening, September 13th.

My colleague Christina Pasnick, LICSW at Keen Mind Counseling is also partnering with us to offer a therapeutic role play game group beginning in October for grades 6-7. Please see the attached flyer for more info!
*Registration will remain open all month for this group.

We are also offering two single reflective sessions for educators using sand tray!
Wednesday, Sept. 18th 4-5:30 PM
Thursday, Oct. 3rd 6-7:30 PM

*Registration closes three days prior to the session.

Here is the link to register for any of the above group offerings:

https://www.kidstherapyvt.com/group-signup

Thanks!

Bus Doors Open - 7:35 am

Start of School Day - 7:50 am

* Early Arrivals: Any students arriving between 7:25 - 7:35 must remain in the cafeteria where they will be supervised until the first bus arrives.

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Kindergarten Dismissal begins at 2:25pm (1:25 on Wednesdays)

First & Second Grade Dismissal begins at 2:30

Buses depart at 2:35 pm

Any time a student is going to be absent, or has a change to their dismissal/end of day plan,

please notify the following:

1. The classroom teacher

2. Front Office: absfrontoffice@cvsdvt.org or this form

3. ABS Team Assistant Celeste Plouffe: cplouffe@cvsdvt.org

4. School Nurse (if due to illness): slove@cvsdvt.org

Reminder: If there is any change to your student's typical end of day plan, please be sure to contact the school BEFORE 1:00PM (or 12:00 pm on Wednesdays). Changes in your student(s) schedule will not be accepted after this time unless it is an emergency.

We are excited to offer your child an opportunity to participate in Spark Enrichment, an after-school applied learning program for students in grades 5-8. Sessions will run for 5 weeks from 2:50 p.m - 4:20 p.m. with our 1st session starting September 26 and ending October 31st.

Click here for full details and signup links

Like to read? Join us! WCS 5th-8th grade students, seniors from our community and parent participants are part of an "inter-generational" book club that meets once per month during school hours from October - March.

The program kicks off on October 8th and meets the second Tuesday of each month from October - March. Please register by September 20th.

If your 5th-8th grade student is interested in being considered for this program, please register now. We are also seeking parent volunteers and participants! Use this online link to learn the details and to register your child or to sign up as a parent participant.

If you have any questions, please contact Karen at ws_intergen@cvsdvt.org.

(Here is the online link: https://forms.gle/1DkVoTE3C7MevRyUA)

Williston Central School is offering school-wide academic support sessions for both 5th/6th grade students and 7th/8th grade students every Tuesday starting on Tuesday, September 17th. Students from every house are welcome to attend! Classroom teachers and Interventionists will staff these sessions and provide support for completing assignments and reviewing concepts for which students need further instruction.

These Tuesday After School Academic sessions are well suited for students who:

• are motivated learners who need some extra support

• Come with a plan to complete specific work/assignments

• are working on completing assignments they have missed

• are able to maintain focus and be relatively independent during the session

We would love to have students commit to coming regularly so that we can be sure to have an appropriate ratio of teachers to students. That being said, some students are welcome to drop in as needed. If you think your student will be coming consistently, please sign up using this registration form.

When:

Tuesdays starting 9/17 from dismissal until 4:20 when the late bus leaves.

Where:

5th and 6th grade sessions will take place in Clover House.

7th and 8th grade sessions will take place in Summitt House.

While it is super helpful to have folks sign up as soon as possible, the deadline for signing up is Friday, September 20th.

Please be in touch with Cris Milks (WCS Math Interventionist, cmilks@cvsdvt.org) with any questions.

In order to maintain our learning environment, electronic games, cell phones, Airpods, smartwatches etc. are expected to be put away for each school day. They are allowed on the bus to and from school. Students may keep them in their backpack at their own risk or put them in a locked location provided by their team. We highly recommend students use the locked boxes as we are not responsible for stolen items.

When:

• Tuesdays after school, 2:50-4:00.

• Rehearsals for Session 1 begin on Tuesday, September 24th.

• The first two rehearsals are “open enrollment.” (9/24 and 10/1) Students may come to sit in and check it out with no obligation.

• Starting Tuesday, October 8th, students must make a final decision to be a chorus member or not. Chorus members must attend all rehearsals. Absences due to medical, religious, or family reasons are excused.

• Non-members are not permitted to attend rehearsals.

Where:

• WCS Music/Chorus room

• Students should bring a snack to eat between school dismissal and the start of chorus rehearsal. No food is permitted inside the rehearsal room. Only water is allowed.

• There is a 4:20 activity bus available to take students home. Supervision is provided between 4:00 and 4:20.

Other Information:

• The chorus performances for session 1 will be on Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 at 1:00pm and 6:30pm.

• The chorus sings a variety of music from different time periods, cultures, and styles. The students will be singing in different languages, meters, and tonalities. The songs range in level of difficulty.

• No audition- just a love for singing!

• No cost.

• Sign-up forms will be coming home in your child’s take-home folder. (Or use this online form instead!)

Please contact Danielle Trasciatti-Holmberg (Mrs. T-H) with any questions or concerns. dtrasciatti@cvsdvt.org

Bus Doors Open - 7:45 am

Start of School Day - 8:00 am

*Early Arrivals: If an early arrival is necessary (starting at 7:30 am) 3rd & 4th graders must wait in the lobby near the west entrance and 5th-8th graders will be in the lobby near the main entrance.

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Students will be dismissed at the following times

2:35 - 2:45 - Grades 3 & 4 Dismissed (1:35-1:45 on Wednesday)

2:40 - 5th thru 8th Dismissal for buses only

2:40 - 2:45 - Buses load and depart

2:45 - 2:50 - Grades 5-8 Dismissal for all students not riding the bus

Any time a student is going to be absent, or has a change to their dismissal/end of day plan,

please notify the following:

1. The classroom teacher

2. Front Office: wcsatttendance@cvsdvt.org or this form

3. Your student's Team Assistant(TA)

4. School Nurse (if due to illness): WCShealthoffice@cvsdvt.org
   

Reminder: If there is any change to your student's typical end of day plan, please be sure to contact the school BEFORE 1:00PM (or 12:00 pm on Wednesdays). Changes in your student(s) schedule will not be accepted after this time unless it is an emergency.

Communication with parents and caregivers is a key component in maintaining family engagement and support. Currently, every teacher/team and school communicates regularly in some way to families. Emails, blogs, newsletters, websites, and Facebook are a few of these methods. If you reach out to a person who works in the district, you can expect a response to your communication within two (2) school days (keeping in mind that weekends and the days school is not in session are not included). In the event that a response will take more time, district employees may acknowledge receipt of your email, call, or otherwise contact you with information about when they will be able to provide resolution to your request. Please remember that if you have a concern, please go to the person most directly involved first. You are also encouraged to use the CVSD Connect With Us page.

• First Call - 488-7777: phone support, crisis intervention, assessment and referrals
• In Crisis: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) (National Hopeline Network: USA)
• National Suicide Prevention Life line- 1-800-273-TALK (8255), call or chat online
• Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
• Outright Vermont - support for LGBTQ+ community
• UVM Breathe In Breath Out - How to deal with stress due to COVID-19
• Vermont 211 -Vermont database of resources and services
• Vermont Support Line (833) 888-2557) - peer support warmline open 247 - 365 for call or text
• COVID Counselors @ VT-211
• Teen Crisis Text Line - Crisis Text Line provides free emotional support and information to teens in any type of crisis, including feeling suicidal. You can text with a trained specialist 24 hours a day. Text “HOME” to 741741.
• Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide - Website where you can find information to help yourself or a friend who may be having thoughts of suicide.
• Trevor Lifeline - 1-866- 488-7386 - provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. It offers free, 24/7, confidential counseling. TrevorText—text START to 678-678; TrevorChat—instant messaging at TheTrevorProject.org/help. It also runs TrevorSpace, an affirming social networking site for LGBTQ youth at TrevorSpace.