1. Grade 1 & 2 Heart Challenge registrations due by 02/07

2. Kindergarten registration begins 2/03/25 for students turning 5 before 9/1/2025

3. Keep the school informed- contact ABSattendance@cvsdvt.org or WCSattendance@cvsdvt.org with absences and daily changes.

Important Upcoming Dates to Note

02/03 - Kindergarten Registration begins

02/04 - WCS Grade 4 Chorus Concert, 6:30pm @WCS Auditorium

02/07 - Deadline to register for the Grades 1 & 2 Heart Challenge

02/13 - Williston Families as Partners Monthly Meeting, 8:30 - 10:30 @WCS

02/13 - CVU Family Night for 8th Graders

02/20 - WFAP Sponsored Parent Speaker Night, details below

02/24 - Winter Break Begins

02/28 - Last chance to order a yearbook

03/05 - Welcome Back from Winter Break

03/13 - WFAP Monthly Meeting, @8:30am, WCS Community Room

03/31 - No School

by Greg Marino, Williston Schools Lead Principal

Dear parents and caregivers,

I hope you and your students have found creative and fun ways to embrace and enjoy this Vermont January weather. This could be just my own personal perception, but it seems this January has perhaps lived up to its reputation more so than in some recent years.

I wanted to take the opportunity this week to provide caregivers with Williston-specific information related to the budget, and more specifically, proposed reductions and the impact of those reductions on current class and team structures. If that topic causes some of you to skip to the next section of our newsletter, I ask that you consider reading on and want you to be aware we are seeking your input through a brief survey found further down the page. Your input is extremely important to us and I encourage you to take a few minutes to review the information below and complete the input survey provided.

• It’s essential to begin by acknowledging the difficulty of the current budget and fiscal climate. It’s important to name that the information and related work outlined below has happened in an atmosphere in which schools must continue to provide high levels of services and supports with diminishing resources. First and foremost, this reality will impact students. It also impacts us directly as caregivers and citizens, and of course, has a profound effect on our educators - meaning everybody who works in our schools to help our children to learn, be happy, and be healthy.

• I strongly encourage you to become as informed as possible about the current budget. I realize that means something different for all of us. The school budget directly affects us all as caregivers, taxpayers, and citizens. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to interact with and engage in the process. CVSD has done an excellent job providing comprehensive information about the budget at this website, including a helpful section entitled, “Budget explainer and Frequently Asked Questions”. You can also find zoom recordings of every budget meeting here. I strongly encourage you to explore these resources.

• On January 21st, the CVSD School Board adopted the proposed budget in the amount of $102,764,062, which represents a .9% increase over the current school budget. This approved amount was the culmination of months of work and is reflective of a target set by the Board intended to provide a responsible budget in challenging times. This is the budget number that you, and all taxpayers in CVSD, have the opportunity to vote on on March 4.

• To achieve this budget target, reductions were made across all facets of the budget, from operations, to administration, to instruction, impacting all CVSD schools as well as Central Office.

• In Williston, the proposed budget will result in reduced staffing in Physical Education by .3 positions (K-8), World Language by .5 positions (6-8), Enrichment by .4 positions (3-4), Math / literacy Intervention by .7 positions, Paraeducator / Team Assistant by 1.0 positions (5-8), and four classroom teachers across our PK-8 system.

• The classroom teacher positions include one position at ABS, one at the 3-4 grade level, and two positions at the 5-8 level.

• While these reductions were informed by gradual reduced enrollment in Williston, they will result in slightly larger class sizes in numerous grade bands. Exact class sizes will depend on class and team structures, but will be within average ranges provided by the Vermont Education Quality Standards (EQS)

• As suggested in the previous bullet, these reductions in classroom teacher positions will also require some changes to classroom and team structures, particularly at WCS.

• To arrive at the best possible outcomes from these structure shifts, we are leveraging our collective creativity and intelligence. Faculty / staff has had and will continue to have the opportunity to provide input on structures through a variety of mechanisms, including surveys, facilitated brainstorming sessions, and building-level committee discussions.

• We would also appreciate your input as parents and caregivers to inform our decision making. With this in mind, we hope you will consider completing this brief survey by Monday, February 10.

• There are many factors that will go into final decisions on classroom and team structures, including grade level enrollment numbers, future enrollment projections, classroom and team balance, teacher licensure, faculty / staff input, 5-8 student input, and of course, caregiver input. Ultimately, decision making will be the responsibility of the leadership team, with guidance and oversight from Central Office.

• Assuming a passed budget, we expect for decisions on structures to be made shortly following the budget vote day, and communicated to faculty and staff by mid-March. We plan to communicate with our caregivers after faculty and staff have been appropriately informed. A failed budget will extend this timeline.

• It is important to note that once the classroom and team structures are determined, we will then have to begin the work on staffing the particular structures. This means we will not know the particular assignments of teachers within the structure until later in spring, especially at WCS.

On behalf of the leadership team, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this information. I’ll again encourage you to become as informed as possible about the budget. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email or phone, or anyone on the Leadership Team listed below. There is also contact information for the School Board on the website shared above.

Greg Marino, gmarino@cvsdvt.org, 802-871-6102

Angela Filion, afilion@cvsdvt.org, 802-871-6202

Jackie Parks, jparks@cvsdvt.org, 802871-6103

As January closes, so does National Mentoring Month. But that doesn’t mean we take away the spotlight. Today, Connecting Youth pairs 184 5th-12th graders with caring and trusted adult mentors. And there are more students on our waitlist than adult mentors available to pair them with. According to Mentor National, one in three young people will grow up without a trusted mentor to turn to for support outside of their immediate family; CY Mentoring exists to foster relationships and help close that gap.

Zack Ackey, a former WCS student, has returned to his school in a new capacity as a mentor to middle school student Quinn Rogers. Here’s a little more about what their mentoring relationship means to them:

Zach - “I find mentoring to be a centering experience. My mentee is kind, funny, competitive, intelligent to name a few of his many great qualities. Spending consistent time with him is a highlight of my week as is. But getting to be there for him as he goes through the middle school experience is something that feels very important in a world where that can sometimes be hard to discern.”

Quinn - “What I get out of being in mentoring is a break from school and anxiety to be with a friend that makes me laugh and is like me. We play games a lot, ping pong and we are the best cooks in the school. I feel more free at mentoring than in regular school, because I can do more with my time and we like doing the same things.”

CY Mentoring welcomes all community members to explore our program. If you’re interested, please contact one of our school Mentor Coordinators to coordinate an informational meeting.

Hinesburg Community School, Livy Bulger, lbulger@cvsdvt.org / 802-482-6248
Charlotte Central School, Kate Rooney, krooney@cvsdvt.org / 802-425-6682
Shelburne Community School, Alice Brown, abrown@cvsdvt.org / 802-734-9845
Williston Central School, Becky Martell, rmartell@cvsdvt.org / 802-871-6046

Champlain Valley Union, Alison Duback, aduback@cvsdvt.org / 802-482-8921

On or before Tuesday, March 4, 2025, residents of Shelburne, Williston, Charlotte, St. George, and Hinesburg will vote on the FY26 budget for all public schooling in Champlain Valley School District. More information about this budget, its impact on CVSD schools and taxpayers, and where, when, and how to vote is available at www.cvsdvt.org/budget.

You’ll also find a schedule of upcoming informational meetings, where administrators and school board members will be presenting about the budget and its impacts on schools and taxes.

www.cvsdvt.org/budget

Registration Begins Monday, February 3rd

- Is your student receiving Act 166 funds? If yes, you should receive an email with login details and instructions. If no, follow New to CVSD/Williston link below.

- Has your student received Act 166 funds through CVSD in the past? If yes, you should have received an email with the login info you need. If no, follow New to CVSD/Williston link below.

- Is your student in the Allen Brook School PreK classes? If yes, be sure to check your email and forward the paperwork requested.

- New to CVSD/Williston Schools? Register on-line here.

* All registration forms need to be completed on-line. If you do not have internet access or need technical support do not hesitate to reach out to vfrancis@cvsdvt.org

Stay informed with our Gearing Up for Kindergarten Information page

Mark your calendars for the Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge on Saturday, February 8th, at the Burlington Waterfront! Students, staff, and parents/caregivers are invited to join the Williston Schools Wet Wildcats team or support us by making a donation. Our team is currently in 9th place, and we have raised $2130! We are aiming for first place and hope to raise $17,000!

All funds raised will benefit Special Olympics Vermont. Please help us make a splash for a great cause!

Join or Donate Here. To join our team click "join a team", scroll to Williston Schools Wet Wildcats and follow the prompts.

Any questions? Ask Mr. Marino (gmarino@cvsdvt.org) or Lynn Camara (lcamara@cvsdvt.org).

We hope to see you there!

Be sure you see all there is to see...

Williston Rec, DAML, Community Events, Buzz at ABS, WCS Wildcat What's Up, Bus Information, WFAP & Four Winds, and more! Don't see it all? click VIEW ENTIRE MESSAGE at the end of your email

The Kids Heart Challenge is an event to support the American Heart Association. We will be doing our Kids Heart Challenge event this year at the Allen Brook School with the first and second graders in early February. The purpose of this event is to teach children about their own heart health while helping raise money to help others who have heart or stroke issues. The money raised goes to research, education, and support for people dealing with cardiovascular issues.

click to continue reading and for permission form...

Submit Your Own Story to CVU Story Sharks!

All students at Allen Brook School are invited to submit a story of their own writing to Story Sharks, a new literacy and theatre group! CVU high school students will transform our young authors’ stories into songs, skits, raps, and dances, celebrating their creativity. Any ABS students who wish to be considered may submit one story to their classroom teacher before February 14th. Adults are welcome to scribe sentences for younger authors. Even if a story only has one sentence per page, the words help us honor the author's imagination. Don't forget to illustrate! There is no page limit, but stories should be under two minutes when read aloud. The Story Sharks will visit ABS one day in late April or early May to perform about ten stories from our Allen Brook authors. Please email our school librarian Mrs. Clopton cclopton@cvsdvt.org with any questions.

Parent Resources including:

Workshops - Therapy and Counseling - Support Groups

Visit this resource for regularly updated information

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 24/7 - 365 for call or text
• 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.