MUMS Family Newsletter

We hope this message finds you well! We had a great day today with our Sixth graders at Orientation and we can't wait to welcome our seventh and eighth graders on Monday!

This newsletter will include lots of helpful information as you situate yourself within the school year. I plan to send newsletters weekly on Friday morning throughout the year and welcome any dialogue about they can be more useful in the weeks ahead.

If you have questions generally, please reach out to us at mwisell@acsdvt.org (Michaela)

or zjerome@acsdvt.org (Zach) or dhunt@acsdvt.org (Dustin) or by calling the MUMS office at 802-382-1600 or by visiting the MUMS website for more information.

We are so excited to welcome you and your children to MUMS and build our community together,

- Michaela, Zach & Dustin

Michaela Wisell, Principal

Zach Jerome, Assistant Principal

August 26th - All Students Return

September 2nd - No School (Labor Day)

September 19th - Back to School Night

Congratulations to Preston Bergeron, our 2024-25 Whittemore Staff of the Year and one of our phenomenal custodians. MUMS Art Teacher, Lisa recognized how Preston has transformed the hallways by hanging student artwork and has brought the building to life with his positive, problem-solving attitude. Gage, a former MUMS student, joined Lisa to share how Preston goes beyond his custodial work to support students. He saved tasks to do together because he recognized Gage’s interest and always took time to talk and help reset a hard day. Thank you and congratulations, Preston!

As a community, we know that smart devices interrupt connection and engagement. Removing these devices helps students become more active, productive, and able to foster relationships with peers and teachers. MUMS has worked to become a cell-phone free school for the past two years. Our cell phone expectations within our handbook reads:

As this school year begins, I want to reiterate our commitment to being a cell-phone free school and share several things we’re doing to enhance this expectation.

• Devices: Smart watches and airpods/headphones are now included in the Cell-Phone Free expectation. This means if brought to school, smart watches and airpods/headphones must remain in lockers for the school day. In the past we only confiscated cell phones, but smart watches and airpods/headphones have proved to be a similar distraction.

• Enforcement: If a student has a cell phone, smart watch, or airpods/headphones out during school hours, the device will be confiscated by an adult and remain in the front office for the remainder of the day. The student can pick it up at dismissal. In the past, students were asked to put the device in their locker, however, it often re-emerged throughout the day.

We forecasted both of these changes with students at the end of last year, so this shouldn’t come as a complete surprise to our 7th and 8th graders. However, your partnership is crucial. Here are four things you can say to support our Cell-Phone Free expectation:

• Reinforce this simple message: You can bring your smart device to school, but it must remain in your locker for the entire school day.

• Smart devices can help children communicate with adults to develop healthy independence. However, it’s important to use the devices respectfully and not let them be a distraction at school.

• If you need to reach your child during the day, please refrain from texting or calling them during school hours. You may call our front office at 802-382-1600 and we will gladly deliver the message.

• Encourage your child to visit the counseling office if they need to make a call home.

Lastly, we recognize that there are some caveats which might warrant a student carrying a device on them during the day. Those caveats are always developed and situated in a plan (IEP, 504 or Medical) and agreed on collaboratively with the appropriate team.

Below is some important information as we head back to school:

Annual Health Forms

Please complete the annual health update form that is sent home at the start of the year. It is important for us to have any updates to your student’s medical history, medications, permission for over the counter medications, and permission for emergency care. Reach out to the school front office if you lose yours.

Student Medical Concerns and Emergency Medical Plans

If your student has a medical condition that may require treatment, monitoring, or other needs at school, please reach out by email or phone to make us aware of the issue. If you have an emergency plan from a healthcare provider for concerns such as asthma, allergies, seizures, or diabetes please share these with us as well.

Student Illness

We ask students and staff to stay home with any potentially contagious illnesses or symptoms including the following:

1. Vomiting/diarrhea-must be 24 hours symptom free before returning to school

2. Fever 100.4 or greater -home until fever free without use of medication for 24 hours

3. Any infection requiring antibiotic-keep your student home until they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours

4. Persistent cough that disrupts normal activity

5. Unexplained rash

6. Influenza -stay home until fever free without medication for 24 hours and symptoms are improving

7. Any other symptoms or illness that impedes a student’s ability to learn or staff’s ability to work.

You may return once feeling well enough to be at school and fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications. There is no longer any isolation/quarantine requirement for COVID. If you suspect your student has COVID, please follow the guidelines above for all illnesses.

Vaccine Information

If your student has received any of the school-required vaccines since last year, please send us this info. We do not need dates of flu or COVID vaccines. If your student has a religious exemption, please complete and send us an exemption form yearly.

By clicking on this link, you can access the most updated information and resources on vaccinations through the Vermont Department of Health. This includes annual vaccination rate data, school vaccination requirements, information on exemptions and exemption forms.

Prescription and Over-the-counter Medications

We do not allow students to carry prescribed or over the counter medications on them at school. Exceptions to this include students who carry an inhaler, EpiPen, Benadryl, diabetic supplies or other approved emergency medications.

Daily medications that need to be taken during school hours can be kept in the nursing office. These require orders from the prescribing healthcare provider, caregiver permission for administration at school and should be sent to school in the original pharmacy bottle. We ask that any medications be dropped off by an adult and not sent to school with a student. We have a variety of over-the-counter medications in the health office for students to access for daily concerns such as headache, cramps, upset stomach, seasonal allergies, sore throat, etc. We do need signed permission on the annual health form to administer these.

Vision and Hearing Screening

Per Vermont state requirements, the school nurse will complete vision and hearing screening on MUMS 7th graders. If these screenings are abnormal you will receive a letter with the screening results to review and share with your student’s healthcare provider.

Wishing everyone a great new school year. Please reach out anytime!

Liz Palko, BSN RN

MUMS School Nurse

epalko@acsdvt.org

(802) 382-1270

ACSD Health Services webpage

Please use this link to access Fall Athletics information including the following:

-When do practices begin?

-How do I sign up?

-Who do I connect with about questions?

The Friends of the Union Meeting Hall will be hosting a Frederick Douglass-themed art contest for students in grades 6th-8th. The contest will be held inside the Union Meeting Hall, located at 41 Middlebrook Road in Ferrisburgh, during Ferrisburgh Day celebrations on September 15th from 11am to 3pm. There will be cash prizes for 1st ,2nd, and 3rd place winners. The first-place winner will also have their art framed and displayed inside of the Union Meeting Hall.

For full contest details or to enter click here . The deadline for registration is August 30th. Submissions must be dropped off at the Town Hall on Wednesday, September 11th from 8am to 4pm.

Please contact us at unionmeetinghall@gmail.com with any questions.

Linked here is the 2024-2025 supply list. Please remember that if your family is not able to purchase the recommended supplies we are happy to help. Please contact your child's counselor for more information.

• Lauren Daley ldaley@acsdvt.org - Teams 1&2
• Laura Emilo lemilo@acsdvt.org - Teams 3&4

To view monthly school menus click here.

Here is a list of the 2024-2025 ACSD Bus Routes.

We are so excited to welcome parents and community members back into our buildings this year! If you are interested in substitute teaching or volunteering this year, please start an application now!

If you are interested in joining our new Friends of MUMS group, email friendsofmums@gmail.com