nichols news

May 22, 2026

Hello (and Goodbye) Nichols Families!

As we wrap up another great school year, the Nichols Core wants to extend our deepest gratitude to you. It has been an absolute joy having your students on our team this year. Thanks to your unwavering support and partnership, we’ve shared a year filled with wonderful memories, a lot of laughter, and immense growth. Your students worked incredibly hard, made great academic and personal strides, and it has been a true privilege to watch them mature into thoughtful young adults. We had so much fun learning alongside them, and honestly, we learned quite a bit from them, too! Thank you for trusting us with your children this year. We are so proud of everything they have accomplished, and we wish them nothing but the best as they officially step into the 10th grade!

Thank you so much!

-The Nichols Core

Here are some pics from the Pot Luck and Awards Ceremony!

Check out the Daily Announcements for more details on upcoming events.

May 20th - May 27th Wrap-Up Week - Click the link for the schedule

May 25th - No School - Memorial Day

May 28th - June 10th - RISE

Environmental Science - Sam Parker

This week in Science class we...

Students practiced modeling or reasoning and received feedback on their work

Students are taking their final assessments in either modeling OR reasoning this week.

If you have any questions please feel free to communicate with at sparker@cvsdvt.org

Math 1: Mark Pogact

The Last Week of Math 1:

Review
Summative(s)

Next Week

RISE!

Thanks for ending on a high note!

This week, students reviewed solving equations, solving systems of equations, and writing and graphing linear equations in preparation for their summatives. Some students review older material as well, preparing for reassessments. Students then took their tests Thursday and Friday.

Thanks for a great year! I had such a good time with this group of kids. It was great to witness each students' growth and accomplishments. I look forward to hearing from students as sophomores about their new adventures and achievements!

Next week, after wrap-up week ends, students will begin their RISE courses. I hope they have a blast!

Questions? Email me at mpogact@cvsdvt.org

Math 2

The Last Week of Math 2:

Review
Summative(s)

Next Week

RISE!

And we're done!

This week, students reviewed writing quadratic equations for tables and graphs. Some students also reviewed previous material in preparation for reassessments. Students then took their tests Thursday and Friday.

Thanks for a great year! I had such a great time with this group of kids. I think everyone enjoyed learning new topics, like Trig and Quadratics. Students really grabbed onto these new concepts and ran with them! It was fun to watch! I look forward to hearing from students as sophomores about their new adventures and achievements!

Next week, after wrap-up week ends, students will begin their RISE courses. I hope they have a blast!

Questions? Email me at mpogact@cvsdvt.org

Wellness: Project Adventure

Students wrapped up their final class in PA with a reflection on this semester. They were asked to reflect on the 4 targets they were assessed on throughout the course.
Students gave examples of how their participation impacted their learning. The importance of following safety procedures for themselves and others. They acknowledged that it can sometimes be challenging to work in a group setting, but it is an important skill. Lastly, they reflected on how taking positive risks can lead to self-growth.
Students did a great job this semester in both personal health and project adventure!
Have a great summer!!

Any questions or concerns, feel free to email kdavis@cvsdvt.org

Humanities

English

Students have made so much progress with their speaking assessments! It's been awesome to see them use body language, increase their eye contact with the audience, and change up their tones when they're giving their presentations. We finished our last speaking assessments this week, and next week students will take their final Humanities assessment during wrap-up week. It's been a great year for Nichols Core, and we're all looking forward to RISE!

Social Studies

We are in the home stretch — ninth graders are about to complete their first quarter of the high school experience, which is pretty amazing to think about.

We wrapped up our Silk Road maps this week. They took a while, but the final products look fantastic. I have been really impressed with how engaged students have been throughout the entire Silk Road project — from the research, to their creative logbooks, to the maps themselves.

Next week, during our last regular classes, we will hold our final discussion of the year focused on the Silk Road. Prompt: How did the interdependence of the Silk Road create both opportunities for exchange and vulnerabilities to control, instability, and disease across civilizations? (Pros and cons of global trade) Students completed the readings and prep sheets this week, but it would definitely be helpful to review and prepare a bit over the weekend. I am looking forward to our discussion.

During English and Social Studies assessment blocks next week, students will also be writing a reflective essay about the school year.

Thank you all for a wonderful school year. It has been a pleasure working with this group of students, and I appreciate all of their enthusiasm and willingness to try new things and take risks.

Dinner Table Talk

How are you feeling about your final speaking assessment?
What about public speaking has been the most difficult for you?
How did your map turn out?
Are you feelinhg ready for next week's discussion?
Are you seeing the connections between global trade during the time of The Silk road to today?

Reading Corner

Garett is Currently Reading

Other Nichols Core Contacts

The Nichols Core - A way to email all of the Core teachers at once

Email: nicholscore@cvsdvt.org

Sam Callison - Nichols Student Engagement Lead

Email: scallison@cvsdvt.org

Julie Bevins - Nichols House Admin Assistant

Email: jbevins@cvsdvt.org

Deirdre Kelly - Nichols Core Special Educator

Email: dkelly@cvsdvt.org

Jen Bickel-Hayes - Nichols House School Counselor

Email: jbickelhayes@cvsdvt.org

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