
On the Horizon
VUHS October 13th, 2023
Principal Message
School Pictures were on Friday and we were able to get many great shots! If you missed school on Friday Make Ups will be on November 17th. From my perspective, the school feels wonderful. Students are engaging in writing essays, logarithms, the study of clouds, one-point perspective drawings, and so much more. This week I was able to get into classrooms and next week I plan to get to even more. The fall sports season are coming to the championship part of season. Information about those games starts to come out this week so pay attention to the sign out front or check out the VUMHS sports facebook page.
Attention high school seniors and families: Please read the notice in the school counseling updates for a free Financial Aid and Managing College Costs presentation for October 25 at 6:30 pm We also have a Senior Parent Information Night: On Monday, October 16th here at the high school counselors will be hosting a senior parent meeting to discuss the college application process and how they can help support your student during their grade 12 year. The meeting will be held virtually on Google Meets at 6:30 pm - here is the link to join: Meeting ID meet.google.com/wim-pvyb-oha
Some events that are coming up in the next few weeks are:
- Senior Walk-A-Thon - 10/18/23
- PSATs - 10/18/23
- Family Teacher Conferences - 11/1-11/2
- No School - 11/3
Have a great weekend Commodores!
Jody Chamberlin JChamberlin@anwsd.org
Messages from the District
In our continuous effort to enhance the learning experience and ensure responsible use of technology in our school, we are implementing a new procedure. This procedure is designed to establish clear guidelines for handling lost or damaged devices. The full procedure can be found here.
The new procedure covers various aspects, including:
Parental Signatures for 1:1 Devices: Emphasizing the importance of responsible device usage.
Device Tracking and Registration: Maintaining accurate records of issued Chromebooks.
Lost Device Protocol: Outlines the steps to take in case a Chromebook is lost or damaged.
Loaner Devices: Addressing the temporary issuance of loaner devices for educational continuity.
Device Recovery: Procedures for recovering lost devices.
Communication: Keeping open lines of communication with parents/guardians regarding student management of their assigned devices.
By implementing this procedure, we aim to emphasize responsibility, accountability, and educational continuity in the event of device loss or damage. You will be prompted to sign this form in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Directions for accessing these forms will be coming to you via regular mail soon. We need the signed forms returned by November 1, 2023. We kindly request your cooperation and support in adhering to this procedure, as it will help us provide the best possible learning environment for your child. If you have any questions regarding how to access this form please contact Melissa Strong at mstrong@anwsd.org
Should you have any questions regarding the procedure or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s school. We value your partnership in ensuring the success of our students and look forward to your continued support.
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We hope you enjoy this Community Newsletter. We are delighted to share some exciting updates and important information as we begin the 2023-24 school year. It's been a pleasure to see students and staff back in our buildings, bringing a vibrant energy to our educational community.
We appreciate any feedback you may have and can be sent to Glory Martin at gmartin@anwsd.org.
Thank you and have a great weekend!
School Spotlights
School Counseling News
School Counseling Office Upcoming Events:
Monday, 10/16, 6:30 pm, Senior Parent Night via Google Meets (virtual presentation)
Tuesday, 10/17, Hofstra University rep in the cafeteria block 4
Wednesday, 10/18 morning, PSAT administration grade 10 & 11 students who have signed up
Wednesday, 10/25, 6:30 pm, Free online Financial Aid and Managing College Costs presentation
Friday, 10/27 University of Vermont (UVM) rep in the cafeteria block 4 with a Q&A session compass 5&6 in the School Counseling Conference Room. Any student interested in attending UVM is encouraged to attend this session. (This is the rescheduled date, postponed from 10/12)
Reminder - Senior Parent Information Night Monday, 10/16: On Monday, October 16th, the high school counselors will be hosting a senior parent meeting to discuss the college application process and how they can help support your student during their grade 12 year. The meeting will be held virtually on Google Meets at 6:30 pm - here is the link to join: Meeting ID meet.google.com/wim-pvyb-oha If you are unable to attend, the slides will be available after the presentation and if parents have any questions they can reach out to their student’s school counselor.
Attention high school seniors and families - Free virtual Financial Aid & Managing College Costs presentation: Attend an online, free Financial Aid and Managing College Costs presentation. At this presentation, Carrie Harlow from VSAC will provide an overview of how families pay for college costs and the different types of financial aid, as well as the application process and timelines specifically for the 2024-2025 financial aid award year. We will share some resources that can help you research the true cost of colleges and get ready to file financial aid forms. If you would like to stay a bit longer – after the end of the regular presentation – we will share in-depth information about how to create an FSA ID, and you can attempt to create at least one ID for later FAFSA filing with VSAC’s help. This event is on October 25th at 6:30pm. Register here: https://vsac-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAofu2rqzMjH92ycPpS2hs0KRZRgW6ilzpQ
VTeen 4-H Science Pathways Cafes - AI-Designed Robots: Teen science cafe is a free, fun way for teens to explore science, engineering, and technology with local scientists, engineers and technology experts. The cafes are open to all youth in grades 7-12 with free pizza and drinks. This particular cafe, AI-Designed Robots is on Saturday, October 21, 2023, 5-7pm at the University of Vermont Davis Center. This document contains more information and how to register.
Vermonters Gap Year Information Night: Studies show that taking intentional time away from formal learning to focus on personal growth can lead to better outcomes in higher education and even better life satisfaction. Join Vermont-based gap year expert Julia Rogers, President Emeritus of the Gap Year Association, for an exciting presentation that will cover the benefits and opportunities surrounding the gap year option. You'll learn tips and tricks for planning a gap year on any budget and where to go for onward planning resources.
Date: Thursday, October 19
Where: Online! Register here
When: 7-8pm
Vermont State University - Try a Major Day (Lyndon Campus)
Sophomores and Juniors - Are you interested in learning more about Vermont State University majors? Join us on December 1 for Try a Major Day, designed to let you experience, first-hand, programs leading to careers and pathways in many exciting fields. Anticipated sessions include: Business Administration, Communications, Education, Exercise Science, Music Business & Industry, Nursing, Outdoor Education, Leadership & Tourism, Criminal & Restorative Justice, Psychology, History & Global Studies, Animation & Illustration, Graphic Design, Atmospheric Sciences, Undeclared - learn more about Vermont State University. To register please click here. This event is on Friday, December 1, 9:45 am - 1 pm at Vermont State University - Lyndon Campus. Students will need to provide their own transportation.
Vermont State University (VSU) Fall Open Houses: Vermont State University now includes campuses in Castleton, Lyndon, Johnson, Randolph and Williston. What was previously known as Northern Vermont University, Castleton University and/or Vermont Tech are now known as Vermont State University. Additional information can be found here
Open house schedules for specific campuses are listed below:
October 9, Castleton campus
October 21, Lyndon campus
October 28, Randolph campus
November 3, Castleton campus
November 4, Johnson campus
November 11, Williston campus
Boosters, CPTG, Friends of Music
CPTG - Commodore Parent Teacher Group Sign up. Let's work together to ensure that our children have access to a stimulating and nurturing educational environment. Your partnership with VUHS Commodore Parent Teacher Group will help shape the minds of future leaders, innovators, and lifelong learners.
Friends of Music - Consider joining the Commodore Friends of Music for our children, our music educators and our community. Meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm via the Zoom link. For more information please visit our website https://sites.google.com/view/commodore-friends-of-music/home
School Wide Information
Food Services
Nurse Announcements
As cold and flu season arrives, please remember that students must be fever, vomit & diarrhea free for 24 hours without the aid of medication before they return to school after an illness. COVID-19 is still among us, so please continue to test if you have symptoms. We do have a limited supply of tests. If your student is symptomatic and you would like a test, please contact your school nurse. Our nurses will use their clinical judgment and discretion to determine if a student is well enough to remain in school or be sent home. If a student or staff member is not well enough to learn or participate, regardless of whether they are tested for COVID-19, they will be sent home from school. If your student does test positive, contact your school nurse for return to school information. Please refer to the Student and Family Handbook for more details.
TIPS FOR KEEPING HEALTHY
-Keep up to date on all vaccinations
-Washing hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
-Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing-preferably into the inside of the elbow or with a tissue followed by hand washing
-Avoiding sharing drinks, water bottles, utensils and phones
-Avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth
-Stay home when you are sick
-Get the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep a night
Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss your child's illness. Jaime Wells at jwells@anwsd.org or 471-2298
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We have put together a new Community Health and Wellness site that can be accessed from the ANWSD website. The site is updated as new info becomes available.
Athletics and Pete Maneen
The turning of the leaves and the unpacking of warmer clothes brings my thoughts to winter sports. One change with the new registration system is that you can sign-up for sports all at once. So, please use this link to register for winter sports, even spring sports, if you haven't already. When registering, please be sure to complete all information in the links. The sports checklist are the sports you would like to register for, please select any and all sports you plan to participate in.
As we get closer to the season, I'll be sending out more detailed information. In the meantime, here are some dates for your calendar:
Monday, November 27th- High School winter practices begin
Monday, December 4th- Middle School & Elementary (3/4 & 5/6 teams) practices begin
Saturday, January 6th- K-2nd grade basketball starts
As high school & middle school game schedules are released, they are posted on the athletic calendar, here is a direct link.
Fusion
Session 1 has started but you can still join!
Make sure you sign up! Some of the opportunities this session are:
- Commodores Got Talent
- Magic: The Gathering
- Math Labs
- Whiz Kids
- Chess
- Choice Activities in On Deck
- VT History Day
Sign up with this link: https://forms.gle/fWSVcNCoYBrL5A7eA
Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center News (interested and current students)
Check out the most current newsletter for PHCC.
Important Documents
Community Events and Student Opportunities
Contact Information
Vergennes Union High School
Email: JChamberlin@anwsd.org
Website: https://vumhs.org/
Location: 50 Monkton Road, Vergennes, VT, USA
Phone: (802) 877-2938