CBMS Community Newsletter

Dear Crossett Brook Community Members:

We are so excited to have all the students in the building. We are seeing relationships flourish and new routines being learned. We really want to thank everyone for an amazing start to the school year. Below we have added the updated (sent out on August 29) Cell Phone Expectations for CBMS. We will be listening to our teachers about how things are going and about whether we need to amend things moving forward around smart watches. We appreciate all the support we are getting around this. Our students are engaging in their learning in profound ways.

Sincerely,

Jen and Duane

Dear CBMS Community,

I hope the school year is off to a great start for you and your student(s). As you know, we all share the common goal of ensuring our students are fully present and engaged in their learning. Recent research has highlighted the significant impact that cell phones can have on students during the school day. Studies show that when students store their phones in secure locations without access during school hours, they are more present, more engaged in learning, and more likely to make authentic connections with their peers and the world around them.

In response to this growing body of research, and in line with the recent policy updates at our sister school, Harwood Union Middle and High School, we have made slight adjustments to our existing cell phone policy to better support student engagement. Our original policy already prohibited cell phone use during the school day, but we are now taking additional steps to ensure this policy is consistently followed.

These changes are not only supported by educational research but also reflect practices that have been successfully implemented in other nearby districts. We believe that these adjustments will help reduce potential conflicts between students and staff, creating a more focused and respectful learning environment.

Here is how the updated policy will work:

First Instance: If a student is seen with their phone out, it will be collected and sent to the office. The phone will be returned at the end of the day.

We understand that these changes may be an adjustment, but we are confident that they will lead to a more positive and productive school experience for all students. We appreciate your support in helping us create an environment where students can thrive academically and socially.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education.

Sincerely,

Jen Durren and Duane Pierson

CBMS Co-Principals

Food and drink sales in the building need to go through an approval and fundraising process, which includes permission and prior authorization from the administration. If students are bringing in items to sell to each other without this permission (soda, candy, food, etc), we will unfortunately have to confiscate the items and have students return the money to those they sold to. This is necessary to keep all students safe and healthy as some illness and allergies may be unknown or can even develop over time.

If students have fundraisers for outside groups, please have them check in with us first to talk about appropriate places and times to sell those items.

The front loop is reserved for Bus 1 and HS transfer student pick up. Please use the regular pick up loop around the back of the building to the gym when picking up your student(s).

Please remember to put in the Dismissal/Bus note if student's plans are changing for the afternoon. Please make changes as soon as you are able. We do understand unexpected things come up and changes may occur, however if calls or notes come in after 3, it can be difficult to get information to students in time due to the buses arriving and dismissal times.

Check the website for this month's menu.

We have solidified the dates for this year's Winter Sports Program at Sugarbush. More information coming soon on times. Please check out the website for more information. There will be forms going out soon for program sign ups and rentals as well.

If interested in volunteering, please make sure you are a Level 3 volunteer and approved by the district. This requires both a background check and fingerprints. More information on how to do this can be obtained from Meg Libby at Central Office by emailing mlibby@huusd.org.

Please fill out the google form for your student(s). We need everyone to fill it out, so that we can prepare for the upcoming Sugarbush ski/ride/snowshoe program starting in January.

Process for getting fingerprinting completed

How to Volunteer at dances, fun nights, and our upcoming ski program

Harwood Athletes -

As many of you know, our Athletic Trainer, Danni LaFlamme, stepped down last spring. We are actively advertising and looking to fill our Athletic Trainer position. Please help spread the word!

To continue to ensure the safety of our student athletes, and to assist with the efficiency of navigating the broader health care system where appropriate, we are partnering with VASTA Performance Training and Physical Therapy.

The team of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers at VASTA will be offering injury screening and triage services to Harwood Union Middle and High School Students.

WHO

VASTA Performance Training and Physical Therapy

Waterbury Office 802-882-8538

Courtney Kaup (clinic manager) - courtneykaup@vastasports.com

WHAT

Athletes will be able to:

- Have their injury screened by a Sports Rehabilitation Professional.

- Get basic/acute management education to begin their recovery ASAP.

- Be Provided an expedited referral for further treatment/care when needed (Physical Therapy referral, Orthopedic referral, Imaging referral, etc).

- Be provided with return to sports clearance under the guidance of a Sports Rehabilitation Professional.

WHERE/WHEN

Thursday afternoons - Harwood Union HS

Monday mornings - VASTA’s Waterbury PT Clinic

For the Fall term, a Vasta Physical Therapist or Athletic Trainer will be on site at Harwood most Thursdays from 12:30 - 2:30. Monthly schedules will be shared electronically & posted outside the training room so that athletes can know when they can be seen. This will be on a first-come bases (no need to schedule ahead of time).

Additionally, VASTA’s Waterbury location will have ‘Training Room Hours’ every Monday from 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM. Again, this will be on a first-come basis (no need to schedule). Our providers will NOT be able to see any athletes past the 8:30 time slot (so please consider showing up early).

*** The services during these time blocks will be free of cost to all Harwood HS students.***

WHY

The purpose of these blocks of time will be to screen injured athletes and facilitate a timely referral (if appropriate) and assist in making a safe return to play decision. VASTA Physical Therapists, in collaboration with local orthopedic speciality providers, will be working to ensure the safety of all Harwood Union HS athletes.

* If further treatment is required beyond the scope of basic screening and triage services, that care can be arranged and would be outside of the scope of this arrangement.

Additionally, please note that all Harwood coaches will have medical kits during practices and games and have the required training per the VPA.

Finally, in case you were not able to attend the Fall parent meeting for HU Athletes here is the slide show - Parent Presentation Slide Show. Please notice the slides on Sportsyou for communication, and Arbiter for the schedule.

As we return to school, we wanted to share recent information from the Vermont Department of Health regarding COVID-19. Here is an explanation of the signs and symptoms, along with the current guidance from the Vermont Department of Health on when to return to normal activities. If you choose to test, you can access test kits at local ambulance services, grocery stores, or pharmacies. The Vermont Department of Health requests that anyone who test positives report to this website: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6507748/Vermont-COVID-19-Self-Test-Result-Reporting-Form.

Update: Slight Change to the Musical Performance Schedule.

The Little Mermaid Jr. will occur this December 6 at 7PM and December 7 at 3pm to accommodate for the River of Lights Parade in Waterbury.

5TH GRADE BAND SIGN-UPS

The deadline for signing up for 5th grade band is 9/11/24. If you have any questions please email Sam Mishkin at smishkin@huusd.org

JAZZ BAND

Jazz band for grades will be starting mid-September. More information to come!

Team Prodigy has enjoyed our first weeks back to school. We have spent time building our caring, curious, and connected team and we are excited for a wonderful year!

Team Titan has had a fun and productive start to the year. It’s been great to welcome back our 8th graders and to get to know our 7th graders more.

Dream team has had a busy couple of weeks! We are having fun getting to know each other and our new school.

The Wizards are off to a spectacular start in our 2-year journey together! We’ve been building connections, learning routines and successfully navigating the building independently!

Team Phoenix is off to another great year together.

Team Quest was happy to be back together for our 6th grade year! We were busy reconnecting with one another and getting ready for lots of learning ahead!

Trish Feld Library welcomed students with a chance to look for, check out and read books! CBMS staff and students also shared where they have been during the summer months on the library door.

Here is the information about both clubs and how to sign up.

Bike club will be on Wednesday's 3:30-5pm (roughly 7 weeks)

Bike club links (all grades 5-8):

Bike Club Sign Ups

Flyer is on the Clubs Bulletin Board.

Bee club will be on Thursday's 3:30-5 pm (roughly 6 weeks)

Bee club Links (this is for 7/8th only):

Bee Club Sign ups

Bee Club Waiver (MUST BE PRINTED AND SIGNED)

Flyer is on the Clubs Bulletin Board.

Both are dependent on weather.

The Crossett Brook Middle School Climbing Club 2024-2025

This will be the eleventh year that an introduction to technical indoor and outdoor rock climbing has been offered to middle school students at Crossett Brook. We rebuilt the gym climbing wall to modern standards in 2019 and did some remodeling this summer. There are now five different climbs ranging from easy to hard, all the equipment needed, and even fellow student climbers who have gone through the program and are helping as “assistant coaches.” They have become skilled climbers and excellent mentors. Dr. Richard Katzman, a local physician, coordinates the program with help from Kathryn Delay, a fellow climber and CBMS math instructor as well as parent/grandparent volunteers. We teach young people the basics of this now popular and multifaceted sport.

During the school year, we climb at the CBMS gym Wednesdays after school (3:30-5:30 PM) and on Saturday afternoons (1:00-3:00 PM). For those interested who have developed some basic skills, we take trips to the Metrorock climbing gym in Essex Junction and outdoors to local climbing areas in Bolton. There is no cost to participate in this program except for a $14/session fee at Metrorock; scholarship funds are available if needed. Email sign up for each session is sent a few days ahead so we can keep the groups small and be sure everyone who wants to climb has a fair chance to do so.

To begin, we need to know how many students may be interested when we get underway a few weeks after the start of the school year. Your response is not a commitment, and it is understood that students often have other activities going on, so that the climbing club can certainly be occasional or seasonal. Last year 35 students expressed interest. The two hour sessions at CBMS are ideally done in small groups of 2-3 climbers, so it takes several weeks to give everyone a chance to start climbing, get fit with the right harness and shoes, and see if they want to continue the activity when they have time.

Please reply to Dr. Katzman (rkatzman@uvm.edu or 802.793.3661) if you’d like your student(s) to be on the climbing club list. *** I need to know if your student is a returning climber or new to the CBMS Climbing Club, his or her name, current grade, parent(s) name(s), BEST PHONE NUMBER and BEST EMAIL to use!!!*** Include any other information you think helpful and any questions you have which I shall try to answer promptly. Parents are welcome to be involved in the program if they have time or interest. Over the years a few have become as excited about climbing as their kids!

There will be a skate night for grades 5/6 and 7/8 separately on September 21. More information on times coming soon.

Please remember to complete returning student or new student registration on the district website.

Returning Student Registration. A new requirement is the residency requirement. We are asking families to upload proof of residency. The website lists acceptable residency documents.

Need help: Contact us and we can give you a hand with navigation or what you need to do, 802-244-6100.

CBMS Calendar

Website:https://cbms.wwsu.org/

Phone: 802-244-6100

Location: 5672 VT Rt. 100 Duxbury, VT 05676