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THE NEWSLETTER
March 29, 2024
MESSAGE FROM THE CCS ADMINISTRATION
Dear CCS Families, Caregivers and Charlotte Community,
It is never hard to share the celebrations and gratitude I feel around CCS. They are excited about the opportunity to research and explore their favorite topics.
- Students create code to have bots the size of golfballs complete an obstacle course. (7-8 grade)
- Persuasive essays are being presented about what students see as essential steps to create peace in the world. (3rd grade)
- Our CCS spelling champions attended the statewide championship and took along their own cheering section. (5th grade)
- Middle schoolers are engaging in afterschool activities that they are passionate about- theater or co curricular sports. (6-8th grade)
These opportunities could not be possible without the dedication of our community. The students of Charlotte Central School are the heart and soul of why every member of our support staff, professional staff, administrative team, custodial crew, food service, transportation, after school program and co curricular advisors show up every day and give children their very best.
I feel disequilibrium and fear when the amazing experiences happening within our school are shadowed by the polarized opinions about the budget process. The funding mechanism for public education is broken in Vermont. It is so important for Charlotte to learn more about the budget being voted on or before April 16th. CCS’s PTO will be sponsoring a Q&A Thursday, April 4th from 6:30-7:30 in the CCS Library. Please join us so you can understand the complexity of our CVSD budget in the broader context of the State of Vermont Education Funding.
Please have a wonderful weekend!
Jen
CVSD BUDGET VOTE APRIL 16 OR BEFORE
Ballots are now available in town offices for those who would like to vote early. They will not be automatically sent to you if you voted by absentee ballot on Town Meeting Day unless you had previously requested absentee ballots for all elections for calendar year 2024. You may request ballots by phone, email, or stopping in your town offices. You may request ballots for family members who are eligible to vote as well.
Polls will be open on April 16 from 7am-7pm.
Booklets with a budget update will arrive in mailboxes in the next few days. Please see the Budget page of the district's website for additional information.
BUDGET Q&A OPPORTUNITY WITH CVSD SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR AND PARENT MEGHAN METZLER
On April 4, 2024 from 6:30-7:30pm in the CCS Library, CVSD school board member and school board chair Meghan Metzler has offered to help us all understand the CVSD budget. We encourage all CCS community members to attend this very important meeting in advance of the vote on April 16, 2024. Sponsored by the CCS PTO!
CVSD APPROVED 2023-2024 CALENDAR CHANGE
2023-24 Calendar Last Student / Faculty Day (contingent upon no additional closed days)
Last day of school Friday 6/14/24 - (12:15 dismissal) (no 8th graders)
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Fri, March 29th
Dance! Grades 6/7/8, MPR, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Wed, April 3rd
Early Release, 1:45pm
Family Math Night, MPR, 6:00 - 7:30 (see flyer below for details)
Thu, April 4th
Budget Q&A for the Community, CCS Library, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Fri, April 5th
District 3 Jazz Festival, @ Brown's River
Mon, April 8th
NO SCHOOL - Solar Eclipse (see below for details)
Wed, April 10th
NO SCHOOL - Eid al Fitr
Wed, April 17th
Early Release, 1:45pm
Thu, April 18th
CCS & Community Safety Discussion, CCS Library, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Mon, April 22nd through Fri, April 26th
NO SCHOOL, Spring Break
Mon, May 20th
Spring Concert, 5-8 Band & Chorus, MPR, 6:30pm-7:30pm (change in date)
Thu, May 23rd
CVSD Jazz Festival (CCS Jazz Band will be performing), CVU Auditorium, 7:00pm
Wed, June 5th
Discover Jazz Fest (CCS Jazz Band will be performing), Church Street, 12:20 - 1:00
APRIL 8TH ECLIPSE UPDATE - NO SCHOOL
Given the unpredictable nature of the eclipse’s impact on our region, Champlain Valley superintendents have chosen to prioritize the safety and well-being of students and staff and mutually agreed to close schools on April 8, 2024.
For more information on Vermont’s planning for the total solar eclipse, please visit vermont.gov/eclipse.
MUSIC NEWS
Congratulations to Owen Scriver, Nathaneal Akselrod, Riak Chol, Liam Anderson and Odie Kallock who will be representing CCS at the District III Jazz Festival on Friday, April 5th held at Browns River Middle School.
Please mark your calendars for the following important dates:
CCS Spring Concert featuring 5-8 chorus and bands, Monday, May 20, 6:30 pm in the MPR at CCS.
CVSD Jazz Festival (CCS Jazz Band members only), Thursday, May 23, 7 pm at the CVU auditorium.
Discover Jazz Festival (CCS Jazz Band members only), Wednesday, June 5, 12:20 - 1pm on the Top Block of Church Street, Burlington
8TH GRADE SCIENCE FAIR
CCS SPRING SPORTS APPAREL STORE IS NOW OPEN!
CCS Athletics is excited to announce the opening of a spring sports apparel store! You can gear up your young athletes with a selection of Volleyball, Baseball, Track & Field, and Ultimate Frisbee apparel. All gear is through the local Charlotte company, JV Embroidery. Show your support and CCS Sports pride! The store is open through April 8th. Please see the following link to access the store.
INTRA-DISTRICT K-8 SCHOOL CHOICE - DEADLINE APRIL 1
Children entering grades K-8 who live in the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George and Williston may exercise school choice. Our goal is to both allow options for families and also make balanced class sizes to provide a positive learning environment for all of our children. Processes for intra-district choice of school will be guided by the needs of students, space availability, and existing resources. Given this, we will work to meet as many families’ needs as possible. Guidelines and Application
BeSMART
Safety is always an adult responsibility. Kids will be kids, so it’s always an adult’s responsibility to keep children safe. Always assume that curious or impulsive kids may find and touch an unsecured gun, even if they’ve been told not to. If a child handles a gun, a bad decision can quickly become a fatal one. Be SMART adults protect kids by making sure all guns are stored securely, which means they are inaccessible to kids, and by making sure children are never in the presence of unsecured guns. Learn more on this flyer.
Do you need to secure your firearm? Free cable gun locks are available in our school office, the school district's office, the police station, and public libraries. Stop by and pick one up!
WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
Addiction & Substance Abuse Prevention:
A talk for parents and caregivers with Jessica Lahey
Wednesday, April 10 at 7:00 pm
Lake Champlain Waldorf School
122 Bostwick Road, Shelburne
Join us for a real, facts-based community conversation with an expert on the science of addiction. Drawing from her own personal experience and years of research in child development, education, and addiction, Jessica Lahey sheds light on the roots of substance abuse, identifying who is most at risk and offering practical advice for prevention. Jessica will share actionable steps for parents and educators to communicate about drugs and alcohol, and insight into best practices for prevention of addiction. Come with your questions and challenges, and connect with other parents in a supportive environment of care for our teens.
Tickets are $20 and are required for attendance. Reserve your tickets here. This event is open to the public and we anticipate that it will fill quickly.
DUNCAN HOOPS IS COMING TO CCS MARCH 30TH!
Join us on Saturday, March 30 for a co-ed basketball clinic. Former UVM men's basketball player and now head trainer, Ernie Duncan and staff will be at CCS to train with students in grades 2-7.
Grades 2-4: 10am-11:30am
Grades 5-7: 11:30am-1pm
Register here to secure your spot!
FAMILY MATH NIGHT
Math Night is back for a second year in a row. Families of all ages are invited to this event! You'll find games, raffles, prizes, and fun! If you'd like to attend, an RSVP with your child's name(s) would be helpful for planning purposes! Sponsored and funded by the CCS PTO!
EARTH MONTH CELEBRATION!
The Charlotte Library has teamed up with the Charlotte Conservation Commission, the Charlotte Energy Committee, Lewis Creek Association, Sustainable Charlotte, Charlotte Tree Tenders, Pollinator Pathways, Charlotte Grange, Charlotte Land Trust, and the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge to celebrate Earth Month. Join us throughout the month of April to swap seeds, plant trees, repair things, count frogs, and promote pollinators among other things. Participants can use the Earth Month bingo card/calendar to keep track of events. Everyone is invited to the Earth Month Celebration on April 27 and submit bingo cards for Love Your Earth raffle prizes!
2024 SUMMER CAMP INFORMATION
CVU Athletics - Families should start paying attention to the school athletics website regarding summer sports camp info, captains practices (not mandatory) and info for fall sports especially (tryouts usually start on August 15th). Form Releaf will be live in July so they should ignore that part. Any questions can be directed to the appropriate coach listed on our website or Athletic Director.
CVU Girls LAX Summer Camp - registration is now open! Date: June 18-20, Tues-Thur, 12:30-3:30pm. Who: Players entering grades 5-9. Where: CVU's A Field How much: $125. This is a fundraiser for the girls lax program. CVU coaches as well as current and graduated CVU Lacrosse players will be leading the camp. Questions: tpierson@cvsdvt.org
CVU Summer Camp - CVU summer camp registration is now live. Any questions should be directed to our camp director, Joey O'Brien at cvusummercamp@cvsdvt.org
Horse & Theater Camp - Sentinel Farms, Starksboro. Mon - Thu, 9:00 - 3:00 - weeks of June 24th, July 8th and July 29th. Ages 6-17.
Smugglers' Notch Vermonter Camp Program - Vermonter Summer Programs, ages 7-15.
Summer Symphony Camp - www.vyo.org with Berta Frank
Vt Jazz Camp - www.vtjazzcamp.com with Andy Smith and Tony Pietricola
HELPFUL CCS LINKS
HELPFUL COMMUNITY LINKS
ABOUT US
Jen Roth, Lead Principal
Amanda Riggleman, Assistant Principal
Beth Slater, Director of Special Services
The Newsletter is published every Friday, when school is in session. It is delivered to our families via email, posted on our website, and on Front Porch Forum. A hard copy is available by contacting the school.