Kate Roberge

Dear Families,

This is such an exciting time of year for us all! My hope is that this letter will provide you with some information about myself, as well as the expectations I have for the students throughout the year. 

My Background:

I was born and raised in Essex, Vermont. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Educational Studies, unsure of what exactly I wanted to pursue in the realm of helping kids. After five years as a full time nanny, I decided I wanted to be a teacher and pursued my Vermont Licensure at Saint Michael’s College. I’ve happily been teaching since 2017, previously coming from the lovely town of Jericho, Vt. When I’m not teaching I love being outside, especially when it includes my dog, Bodhi. From skiing, mountain biking, hiking, camping, paddling, doing yoga and running half marathons, I’m constantly on the move! I am excited to continue growing within this community and feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to bring my energy to this space. 

Classroom Community and Academics:

Classroom community is something I am extremely passionate about. If students do not feel like they belong or are unsafe, their brains are unable to take in necessary information to grow. I dedicate a lot of time getting to know students as well as providing activities for students to grow their teamwork skills. As a former collegiate athlete, I have experienced how beneficial it is to connect with a group of individuals and how that builds a person up to be successful. Student’s not only have an opportunity to grow their social skills, but also have agency within their education. I ensure the student voice is heard, as we need all voices on deck to be a successful unit. 

In addition to the importance of community, I believe that students should and need to be challenged in their academics. It is important to offer just the right amount of support so that they attain success, but have attained this success through their own efforts. Experiencing failure is perhaps just as, or even more, important. I try to help students understand that failure is a part of the learning process by providing ways to work through it and reflect on it. This will be something we loop back to time and time again throughout the year. 

Planner: 

Weekly/Daily Assignments - All assigned work will be recorded in the student planner by the student and will vary from week to week. As a Fifth grade team, our goal is that you are discussing the planner with your child on a daily basis so there are no surprises. I will be checking for nightly reading progress at the start of each day. Your child is expected to read 5 nights a week for a minimum of 45 minutes each of those nights. (we will start the year at 35 minutes)

Snacks and Water Bottle:

We have growing bodies! It is important that we are nourishing our minds and bodies throughout the day. This is done through snacks and water breaks throughout the day. Please send your child to school with a healthy snack and water bottle (no glass please) for them to fill. 

Communication:

The best way to contact me is by email: katie.roberge@lamoillesouth.org. I typically check my email first thing in the morning, when the students have left for specials and at the end of the day. You are welcome to send a note with your child or write to me in the daily planner. I am always happy to schedule a time to meet with you about any issues as needed. I find communication to be a very important part of our time together. 

Parent Volunteers:

I find so much value in parent volunteers! I will notify you of volunteer opportunities as they arise. 

I look forward to a great year together!

Warmly,

Kate