May 21, 2021 Everyone Succeeds Here!
Dear Families,
As the weather has gotten nicer, we are seeing many more students walking down to the park in Richmond after school. It’s great that our community has such a nice place to gather, and we’re so glad that students have an opportunity to socialize in a way that feels normal. We have been hearing, though, about some activities that students have been engaging in while there that have caused some concern - doing backflips off the bridge, taking clothes off under the bridge, vaping and smoking marijuana. These are things we’re hearing from a wide variety of sources, and we feel it’s important that you are aware. We encourage you to take some time to talk with your students about using the park safely and appropriately so that it can be a place for all to enjoy.
SBAC testing will be taking place during the month of May for all students.
5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students will be given the assessments during the weeks of May 17th through the 28th. These tests will be focused on the areas of ELA and Math. 5th and 8th Grade students will also be given an assessment in science. SBAC testing was canceled last spring due to the pandemic. The information gathered from these tests will be helpful in guiding our student instruction when we return to school in the fall.
Please make sure students have a good night's rest and a healthy breakfast!
Mark your calendars!
8th Grade Recognition Night
Wednesday, June 9th
6pm
More information forthcoming...
Dear Families,
New AOE and VDH School Health and Safety Guidance
Yesterday afternoon, we received revised school health and safety guidance from the Agency of Education (AOE) and Vermont Department of Health. These revisions are outlined in the Strong and Healthy Start publication. There are several changes to the guidance, such as social distancing for 7-12 grade students, cleaning and disinfecting, mixing of pods and health screenings. These modifications are interconnected and will influence what learning looks like as we enter the last weeks of the school year. The District's administrative team and Reopening Committee will be meeting next week to closely examine all of the changes and determine next steps for 7-12 grade in-person learning and consider making changes to school-based health and safety procedures and logistics. We will offer our plan for 7-12 grade in-person instruction as well as other modifications based on the new state level guidance to students and families on Friday, April 16, 2021.
Out Of State Travel
As part of Vermont's phased reopening plan, there is new travel guidance, effective April 9, 2021. CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated, because travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.
TESTING UPON RETURN
Unvaccinated Vermonters who have traveled outside the state must be tested within 3 days of returning to Vermont.
The test you get must be for a current infection (like a PCR test), except it cannot be an antigen test (also known as a rapid test).
Find free and fast testing near you.
You do not need to quarantine while you wait for a result. But if you have any symptoms, stay home and away from other people.
Vaccinated Vermonters do not need to get tested or quarantine. People who had COVID-19 within the last 3 months and have recovered do not need to test or quarantine unless they develop new symptoms. Rules for Vermonters who have traveled to other countries are different. Learn more.
We are asking students, families and staff members to follow these Vermont Department Health instructions.
Thank you and I hope you are getting a chance to enjoy this beautiful spring weather.
Sincerely,
Wilhelmina Picard, Assistant Principal, CHMS
John Alberghini, Ed.D., Superintendent, MMUUSD
Return to Play After Illness--from the MMUUSD Nurses:
All children and adolescents diagnosed with COVID-19 infection, regardless of symptom severity, may not return to play (this includes physical education) until asymptomatic and evaluated and cleared by their primary care physician. Children and adolescents who meet clinical criteria will need to undergo the graduated Return-to-Play protocol overseen and monitored by the patient, their family, and their health care provider with input from the school nurse and/or athletic department. Children, less than 12 years of age can return to activity as tolerated after medical clearance by their primary care physician.
Vermont Works for Women is excited to offer Rosie's Girls Summer Camp this year in six communities across the state!
Rosie's Girls is open to girls and gender non-conforming youth who will be entering 6th, 7th or 8th grade in the 2021-2022 school year. Sign up for camp TODAY!
Rosie’s Girls® is a career exploration program that introduces participants to a variety of jobs, skills and passions that are nontraditional for women through a combination of hands-on projects and a safe, supportive and fun environment. In addition to projects and technical learning, Rosie's Girls includes a social and emotional curriculum called "Power Skills" that creates a space for participants to understand, discuss, and build skills to navigate the life and societal issues they face. Camp also incorporates art, team building, and other fun and games.
Rosie’s Girls staff is highly trained in creating a space that is both physically and emotionally safe and empowering for all, and which encourages participants to lift each other up while trying new things and taking risks.
To maintain the health and safety of campers and staff, we have made some modifications to the traditional Rosie's Girls model for this year. Each camp will meet in person for one week of half-day programming and follow state Covid-19 safety guidelines. All campers will receive an individual kit full of projects to complete together at camp, in addition to empowering activities and games. Projects will focus on a variety of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) concepts using materials comprised of wood, metal, and natural resources.
Registration is now open for Rosie’s Girls camps in Barre, Essex, and Winooski. Please note that VWW is not accepting payment for camp at this time as we await news of funding that could allow us to provide camp at no cost to all participants. The cost of camp will not be more than $165/week, and regardless of this additional funding, scholarships will be available.
You can still sign up for camp TODAY! We will notify families of the final cost of camp by June 1. If you have questions about this process, please contact VWW's Youth Program Manager Caelan Keenan at ckeenan@vtworksforwomen.org.
Essex: July 26 – 30, 8:30am – 12:00pm
Winooski: August 2 – 6, 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Barre: August 9 – 13, 8:30am – 12:00pm
Sign up for Camp!
Vermont Works for Women is honored and excited to join community partners across the state to also offer Rosie’s Girls Summer Camps in these additional locations this summer:
Swanton: Dates/Times TBD
Barnet: Dates/Times TBD
Bellows Falls: Dates/Times TBD
To learn more about Rosie's Girls Camp in these three communities, please contact VWW's Youth Program Manager Caelan Keenan at ckeenan@vtworksforwomen.org.
Vermont Technical College Summer Youth Camps are Back!
Boys Coder Camp - for campers who identify as boys entering grades 7-12.
July 12-16, 2021 | 8:30 am-4:30 pm – Williston Campus
Work with Vermont Tech faculty to learn the basics of code in a supportive environment.
$175 includes all activities, lunch and snacks
https://www.vtc.edu/academics/high_school_students/youth-camps/coder-camp-for-boys/
Girls Coder Camp - for campers who identify as girls entering grades 7-12
July 26-30, 2021 | 8:30 am-4:30 pm - Williston Campus
Work with Vermont Tech faculty to learn the basics of code in a supportive environment.
$175 includes all activities, lunch and snacks
https://www.vtc.edu/academics/high_school_students/youth-camps/coder-camp-for-girls/
Partial scholarships available for both camps.
For all VTC camps visit: https://www.vtc.edu/academics/high_school_students/youth-camps/
For summer Dual Enrollment options visit: https://www.vtc.edu/academics/summer_courses/
Champlain Game Academy
The Champlain Game Academy is a summer pre-college program for students who are interested in the field of Game Development. This program is designed to use Champlain's award-winning Game Studio curriculum to introduce game development to students who are passionate about games. This year we are offering a middle school component for the first time. For more information: https://www.champlain.edu/game-academy
Hannaford Helps Schools
Now through May 29, 2021, families can earn money for CHMS. Look on the store's shelf tags for more than 1, 500 products that when purchased, gives CHMS school dollars. Place your receipt in the CHMS collection envelope at Hannaford. In 2020, CHMS raised nearly $700!
Thank you for your continued support of CHMS!
If 100 families buy 4 products each week (3 School Dollars) for the entire program, CHMS will raise $3,300!
TDI@Home 2021—
This is our second year offering our virtual Talent Development Institute.
We are a summer camp/academic program for advanced and gifted students entering grades 4-9.
Held on-line M-F for two weeks: June 21-25 and June 28-July 2, 2021.
Morning and/or afternoon options are available for one or both weeks; cost is $230 per morning or afternoon session.
On-line Zoom classes—including Minecraft Blockitecture, Visual Stories, Build Your Own Dream Business, Digital Detectives, Settle in Space, Untold American History, Linguistic Archeology, and Design and Draw—nurture students' creativity and their love of learning.
Campers have a virtual blast learning alongside other smart kids.
We strive to help our brightest kids virtually "find their people," and provide them with fun engagement, learning, and laughter.
Go to http://www.tdivermont.org/registration for more information.
June 8th is the deadline for registration.
Scholarships are available.
We look forward to celebrating our 25th anniversary of TDI on the Northern Vermont University campus in 2022!
The Talent Development Institute (http://www.tdivermont.org) is under the umbrella of the Green Mountain Center for Gifted Education, and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with the mission of affirming, educating, and supporting Vermont's gifted and talented youth and their families. We welcome participants and staff of all colors, creeds, ethnicities, nationalities, orientations, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Wood4Good
Wood4Good, LTD. is a VT based non-profit whose mission is to supply Vermonters with free firewood. There is no criteria for the families we give wood to, when people ask, we give. Wood4Good started as a family with some extra wood in their yard and is now giving away more than 50 cords of firewood seasonally. We are looking for more families to give to, is there anyone in your community or that you know who could use a hand next winter. We would love to help them, please have them send an email to wood4goodvt@gmail.com
Please check out our website: www.wood4goodvt.org or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wood4GoodVT/
We need your help in spreading the word to get more volunteers to increase our ability to give;
Trucking help, we need people who can lend their time and their trucks to bring wood to the people who need it.
Volunteer help at our Jericho woodlot; we need help with processing our firewood, running splitters, stacking wood etc.
Funding assistance, we give away all the wood with no charge, we need help paying for our operations
https://www.gofundme.com/f/wood-4-good-needs-additional-resources
Please have anyone you know email and or contact Eric Axelrod, CEO of Wood4Good, LTD.
Wood4Goodvt@gmail.com
802.310.1949
FOOD PICK UP TIME
Pick up food time is 12:45-2:30 pm on Wednesdays!
5 Reasons to Pick Up FREE Meals from MMUUSD
1. The food is free to all kids 18 and under, no questions asked. Regardless of your level of need, it saves you money on food for your kids. Also, note that need can be financial, situational, or emotional.
“I want to save meals for those who really need it.” We have heard this comment throughout our community and we want to assure you that we have enough food for all.
2. When the food is not picked up, the Mount Mansfield Nutrition Department may receive less funding, which can lead to not being able to offer as much food, as well as employee layoffs. The food is reimbursed by the federal government on a per meal basis. The more kids we feed, the more reimbursement we get. The fewer we feed, the less we get. Plus, even with all kids now being eligible for the free food, fewer meals may actually be served than during a typical school year, leading to potential shortfalls in the future.
3. It can save the food from turning to waste. In some cases, if the food isn’t picked up, it has to be thrown away!
4. It’s comforting to kids to have familiar foods from their school. Kids love eating foods they would normally get at the school, and drinking milk from the little cartons they only get there as well. It’s hard enough missing normal school life – this gives them a little “taste” of it at home, and reminds them every day that the school misses them and wants to still take care of them.
5. It saves you some stress of feeding your kids, as most of the food is ready-to-eat. There are typically individual servings of cereal, milk, sandwiches, fruit, veggies, snacks, and more. Kids can just grab it and eat it.
“It has saved me a lot of time and hassle so instead of cooking or trying to figure out what to feed them, I can focus more on helping my kids learn!”
School food service guarantees healthful options for your kids, and it can be fun for kids to drive up to their schools and see some familiar faces, if even just through their car windows!
Go to THIS link to sign up. 5 and 7-day options available.