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SCS Community Newsletter
Week of February 26, 2024
Principals' Message
Good Afternoon SCS Families and Caregivers,
We hope everyone enjoys seeing a few highlights from a fun and busy week here at school. This week's newsletter is chock full of photos of some of the many exciting happenings from the week. When we return from break, we'll have lots to share about upcoming state assessments, CVSD budget updates, and plans for the solar eclipse on April 8. We hope you all enjoy a restful week and return refreshed in March! School resumes on Monday, March 4.
Take Care,
Alison, Brett & Emily
Mark Your Calendars
2/26 - 3/1 - NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
3/4 - School Resumes
3/6 - CVSD Housing Support Drop-In Office Hours (1:00 pm, SCS Office Conference Room)
3/12 - PTO Meeting (6:00 pm, Green Team Common Space)
3/13 - DEI Community Meeting (5:00-6:00 pm, SCS Library)
3/14 - Coffee & Conversation with Admin (8:00 am, Cafeteria)
3/15 - CVSD DEI Event celebrating Somali community in Vermont (6-8 pm, Williston Central)
3/15 - 5th & 6th Grade Dance (7:00-9:00 pm, Cafeteria & large Gym)
3/19 - CVSD Board Meeting (6:00-8:00 pm, CVU)
Monday, April 8th - Half day for ALL CVSD faculty, staff, and students
CVSD K-8 Calendar
Celebrations
Spirit Week Fun
Thanks to all of the students and teachers who participated in this week's spirit week at SCS!
SCS FoodSmart
This week close to 90 Second Graders honed their life skills and peeled and chopped vegetables with the FoodSmart program for Friday’s lunch.
Becky and her kitchen crew were delighted to have the extra help. The entire school will be able to enjoy parsnips, yams, rainbow carrots and Brussels sprouts thanks to these hard working, focused, respectful and kind kids. And we had a ton of fun! Amazing time with Team Harmony.
If you are interested in being part of the volunteer run FoodSmart program at SCS, email us at scsfoodsmart@gmail.com
Reading to End Racism
SCS hosted readers for Reading to End Racism this week. Reading to End Racism is a national program that promotes cultural respect, social awareness, and literacy by hosting guests who read age-appropriate stories that address diversity and discrimination.
Our students had readers from our neighboring communities such as; VSARN (Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network) share books and experiences. Our students came up with great ideas to ensure all students feel seen, heard and valued in our school by sheer acts of kindness.
Band Concert
Thank you SCS students in concert and stage bands for a great performance last night!
Annoucement: Yearbook Permissions
For families who checked off "no photo" at the beginning of the year on your PowerSchool forms without a note saying the yearbook is okay, please note that your child's photo will not be included in the yearbook. If you would like your child's photo in the yearbook, please email Nancy Nakhleh at nnakhleh@cvsdvt.org to let her know. Please notify Nancy by March 25. If you have questions about the status of your child's permissions, you can check your PowerSchool account or contact Katie Schut at kschut@cvsdvt.org.
Readathon Update: It's the Halfway Point!
Green Team is in the lead for middle school and Mr. Cadwell's 4th grade class is in front for elementary!
We are a little more than halfway through the Readathon. So far 191 readers are signed up on PledgeStar. Together, we have read 62,574 minutes and raised $5,936 for the PTO. WOW!
This event runs through March 7, and there is still plenty of time to read. Can we get 200 readers signed up on PledgeStar so we can reach our goal of reading 200,000 minutes? Audio books, podcasts, and having someone else read aloud to you ALL count!
Are you traveling to visit family and friends during winter break? Send them a quick request on PledgeStar asking them to sponsor your reader(s)-- and our school! And reading is the perfect activity to beat boredom over break. If you've been reading and tracking on paper, now is the time to enter your minutes digitally, or send a tally of your minutes to scsreads@gmail.com and we'll enter them for you. Let's do this, SCS!
Cabaret Night is Back - Attend Our Planning Meeting on 3/4
SAVE THE DATE - Cabaret Night - Fri Apr 12th - 6:30-8:30 PM
This incredibly fun night features student-led, Choral and Stage Band performances. It is a critical fundraiser for travel opportunities for band and chorus.
We need parent volunteers to make this event special. Please join an info session:
Monday, March 4th at 5:30 PM in the SCS Band Room or online at: https://meet.google.com/nhi-jzjn-crt
Parents and Caregivers!! Ready to show off those basketball skills? Or just want to have some fun and laughs on the court? Form a team and join in on the action April 6th with our first-annual 3v3 basketball PTO fundraiser with a special coed adults division (18+)! Whether you're a seasoned player or just looking to have a good time, grab your sneakers, rally your friends, family or neighbors and let's play some ball! If you're interested in joining a team or want more information, please reach out: karib30@gmail.com or hayleyc@shelburnepto.org or simply sign up here: https://www.jotform.com/team/240358418748061/1st-annual-scs-pto-3-v-3-basketball
A friendly reminder that there is a 5th - 8th grade division so encourage your kids to form a team as well, plus a “K-4 half time exhibition” to get the younger kids in on the fun.
Bonus news: All teams will enjoy a free lunch on the day of the tourney and will be automatically entered into a special team raffle. Plus, you’ll have the chance to win a fantastic team prize! Looking forward to hitting the court with you all!
Let's create a memorable experience for our kids and show them the importance of community and collaboration both on and off the court!
CVSD News
Update on CVSD Proposed Budget
At the February 20, 2024, school board meeting, the board voted to adopt the finance committee’s recommendation to move forward with the originally warned budget that they spent more than six months reviewing and evaluating.
We've updated the Budget page of the district's website to reflect this decision and to provide information to help voters learn more about the proposed 2024-2025 budget. Please see the items below on that page, along with additional resources.
- At the meeting, CVSD Board vice chair and finance committee chair Meghan Metzler read this statement to begin the discussion.
- After the meeting, Superintendent Sanchez shared this letter.
- Here are some budget highlights in a Frequently Asked Questions format to help our community understand important elements of the proposed budget.
- On Wednesday, February 21, the district's administration and school board hosted a virtual Budget Town Hall. These slides were shared at that event.
- Here is the recording from the Budget Town Hall
Please contact any of the CVSD School Board members with questions. Send an email to cvsdschoolboard@cvsdvt.org or use the School Board or Budget topics on Let’s Talk, found on the district’s website: https://www.cvsdvt.org/
DEI Event - March 15 at Williston Central School
Join the CVSD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team as we celebrate diversity and connect with the diverse cultures of our community. At these in-person events, we will learn the history of the various communities in Vermont. There will be shared cultural experiences, including art, food, and conversations about educational experiences. At each gathering various groups, community members, and stakeholders will present about their lives, work, and contributions to our state.
The next DEI event takes place on March 15 from 6-8 pm at Williston Central School
where we'll be learning about the Somali community in Vermont.
This event takes place during Ramadan. Come experience a traditional break-the-fast meal.
Community Announcements
Shelburne Farmers Market Winter Ball
Join the Shelburne Community to dance and celebrate a great Farmers Market season with our first Winter Ball, held at Shelburne Town Hall on Sunday Feb 25, from 2-6pm. This is meant to be a wholesome and fun party for the community to dress up & get together, and kids are especially welcome!
It will be a great way to kick off winter break, and will be over in time for dinner and bedtime! If you went to our Costume Ball in October, you know this will be a ton of fun! We hope to see you there, and look forward to shaking off the winter blues with you!
Shelburne Farmers Market Winter Market
Please also join us each Saturday through March 30 from 10-2pm at Vermont Teddy Bear Factory for our weekly Winter Market! Every week there is great food and fine artisan vendors, as well as live music from high caliber musicians from 11-1. There is always seating for you to stay, eat, and enjoy the music! Remember that each dollar spent locally goes three times further in our community, and you uplift a real family when you shop their small business at a Farmers Market! We look forward to seeing you there on Saturday, and all the Saturdays that follow!
SCS Useful Links
CVSD Info
Find information about monthly School Board Meetings, community forums such as the DEI Town Hall, and more on the district website. See the year at a glance on the 2023-2024 K-8 School Year Calendar. See The CVSD Story for the latest blog posts about what's happening across the district.
Let's Talk
Still Need More Information?
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org/shelburne
Shelburne Community School Administration
Brett Cluff, 5-8 Principal
Emily Cogan, Director of Special Education