Bridport Community Newletter

Happy Sunday!

This upcoming week, our school is proudly participating in The Great Kindness Challenge, a week-long program dedicated to creating a culture of kindness and compassion in communities worldwide. To help our students practice kindness and put their compassion into action, they will receive a Great Kindness Challenge checklist which came home on Friday. We will encourage all students to complete as many acts of kindness as possible at school and hope they feel inspired to continue them at home. This week each day we will do something fun each day, and culminate with an ice skating party on Friday afternoon!

We also have spirit week this week- check out more info below.

Stay Warm,

Jenny

Dear Families,

Earlier this year, our district shared an overview of our ACSD safety practices and our efforts to keep our community safe. You can find that information here. At BCS, we practice safety drills designed to ensure that our students and staff are familiar with how to be safe in an emergency. Some months, we practice what to do if we need to evacuate the building. Other months we practice what to do when unsafe people or hazards enter our school - the response to these events are called “Options-Based” responses.

We are required to practice two options-based drills - one in September and one in January. Options-based drills introduce students to various strategies in response to a threat, such as how to respond to cues and listen to and follow safety directions from a trusted adult at school. Please know that all options based drills are trauma informed and age appropriate. This means the drills are performed in a way that is sensitive to the emotional well-being of our students.

We will be holding our 2nd options-based drill on Wednesday, January 29th.

During an options-based drill, all of the perimeter doors to the school building will be locked and will remain locked until the drill has been completed. To enable everyone to remain safe, no one will be allowed to enter the building or leave the building until the drill is completed.

We know that this is an emotional topic for parents and caregivers and want to assure you of a few things:

• The adults in our building work together to plan and ensure students feel safe and we remind them that the drill is practice.

• We talk with students in a developmentally appropriate way before and after each drill and our practice is developmentally aligned.

• We are available to support families. We will share resources below to help you talk with your child about these experiences and invite you to reach out at any time.

I want you to know about this safety exercise in advance so you can talk with your children about it when they come home. Here are a few resources to support those conversations:

1. Talking with Your Children about Safety Drills (Johns Hopkins)

2. Talking with Children about Violence: Tips for Parents and Educators (NASP)

If you have questions or would like to connect please reach out to me directly

Dear Parent or Guardian of Bridport Central School,

The BCS community has had some cases of sickness with vomiting and diarrhea. One possible

cause of this illness could be norovirus as it is a common cause of vomiting and diarrhea.

Fortunately, people with norovirus usually recover quickly with rest and hydration. There are

actions you can take to help limit the spread of the illness, even if your child is not experiencing

symptoms.

The two most important things you can do:

1. Make sure your child washes their hands properly with soap and water

2. Keep your child at home if they are sick.

What is norovirus? Norovirus is a virus that spreads quickly from person-to-person in closed

environments and group settings. Most people with norovirus get better within 1-3 days. There

is no specific medicine to treat norovirus but it’s important to drink plenty of liquids to prevent

dehydration.

Symptoms include: abrupt onset of diarrhea, Vomiting & nausea, stomach cramping and

sometimes fever

How does norovirus spread?

● Direct contact with someone who is sick, for example, sharing food.

● Touching a contaminated surface (like faucets, toys or doorknobs) and then touching

your mouth/eyes/nose.

● Eating food or drinking food and liquids contaminated with the virus.

How can parents and guardians help prevent norovirus from spreading?

● If your child is sick, keep them home from school or child care for 24-48 hours after

vomiting and diarrhea have stopped.

● Make sure members of your household wash their hands often, especially after using the

bathroom, cleaning, changing diapers, or before making or eating food.

● Ensure everyone is washing their hands properly: Cover all parts of hands with

soap, rub lathered hands together vigorously for at least 20 seconds, and thoroughly

rinse with water.

○ Cleaning with hand sanitizer does not remove norovirus.

● Do not share food or drinks with others if you have vomiting or diarrhea.

● Clean and disinfect surfaces and areas when someone vomits or has diarrhea.

○ Use a mix of ¼ cup household bleach and one gallon of water as a disinfectant.

● Immediately remove and machine wash and dry any clothing or linens soiled by vomit or

diarrhea.

Please notify the school nurse if you suspect your student has norovirus. For more resources,

please visit www.healthvermont.gov/norovirus.

Thank you,

Dani Girard MSN RN dgirard@acsdvt.org

One of the BCS traditions I am most looking forward to this year is Day of Play! Bridport has been participating in the Global Day of Play for over a decade- and I've heard that it is a highlight of the year.

Check out this link for more details: https://globalschoolplayday.com/about

Everybody Wins! Mentors in Bridport get to spend one hour each week with a student during

their lunch/recess time on either Tuesdays or Thursdays. During this time, mentors and

students will read books, play simple and quick games together, and build a positive adult/child

relationship to help strengthen our growing community, all within the safe and familiar school

environment.

If this sounds like you or someone that you know, spread the word! Talk to our Everybody Wins!

Coordinator Chris Allen. He is at Bridport Central School during lunch and recess on Tuesdays

and Thursdays. You can also email him at bridport@everybodywinsvermont.org or

Call him at (802)999-6874 (or text)

And please visit our website to learn more about Everybody Wins! Vermont.

www.everybodywinsvermont.org

Additional Resources

• Teacher’s Guide by Penguin School

• Lesson Activity by Library Lessons

• NPR A Boy Named 'Milo' Reminds Us To Choose Imagination Over Impressions: Interview with the authors

• Read aloud by The Lit Kid Corner

• Behind the Book by Stenhouse Publishers

• Reading Comprehension Activity

January 27th-31st- Global Kindness Challenge Week

Friday January 31st- Progress Reports are sent home

• Do you have a 3-5 year old ready for preschool? Every preschool age child in ACSD is eligible for 10 FREE hours of preschool at a pre-qualified preschool program and NOW* is the time to begin thinking ahead to the 2025-26 school year. Visit https://mbaker61.wixsite.com/uprek/partners for a list of preschools and more information. Reach out to Ashley Bessette, Universal Prek Coordinator, at abessette@acsdvt.org for support or to ask questions.
  *Most preschool programs will begin enrolling in February/March for the 2025-26 school year.

• Do you have a child who plans to start Kindergarten in 2025-2026? Make sure they are on our incoming student list! If your child will be 5 years old by September 1, 2025 (or you know a friend or neighbor whose child will be) please reach out to our front office at [your school #]

Please note that report cards will be sent home in students’ backpacks on January 31st. Parents should anticipate a phone call from their child’s teacher shortly thereafter. The purpose of this phone call is to follow up on students’ first semester progress reports and see if families have any questions. Thank you.