IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

• January 30th ~ PTO Meeting (7:00p)

• February 5th ~ Author Visit @ UCS

• February 12th ~ Student Early Release / Staff PD

• February 14th ~ All-School Meeting (Mrs. Jones' Class)

• February 17th - 21st ~ UCS Spirit Week

• February 24th - March 4th ~ Winter Vacation - NO SCHOOL

Are you interested in volunteering for Snow Motion, Field Trips, or any class events at UCS? Please take a moment to complete the quick and easy VOLUNTEER FORM ... Note that the form is valid for 5 years, so if you previously filled it out for older siblings, it may have expired. If you'd like to volunteer, please submit the form again. Thank you!

We are very excited to be starting our Snow Motion program at Cochran’s this week!  All students will be participating on Thursdays:

Grades 3-4 from 9-10am

Grades K-2 from 10-11am

If your child is using their own equipment, please bring it to school Thursday morning.  There will be large containers near the drop off for you to put skis/snowboards into.  Please note: skis and snowboards are not allowed on the bus, they must be dropped off. **Please label your child’s equipment, including helmets!**  Ski boots and helmets will go to your child’s classroom.  If your child is borrowing equipment, but has their own helmet, please send them with it!!  We will have some helmets for students to use if they don’t have their own.  Equipment will be outside at end of day during dismissal for pick up.  Any equipment not picked up then will be left in the hallway inside main entrance (outside multipurpose room).  It can be picked up any time before 6pm.

If you are volunteering at Cochran's, please arrive 15 min early.  Thank you so much to all of you who have volunteered your time to help our students.  We couldn’t do this program without you!!  Please email Mrs. Cowan at Amanda.Cowan@mmuusd.org if you have any questions.

UCS is seeking an experienced and patient academic tutor to work with a primary-grade child for 2 hours a day. The ideal candidate will provide personalized support in foundational subjects such as reading, writing, and math, fostering confidence and enthusiasm for learning. If you’re passionate about helping children succeed academically, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact David Marlow at david.marlow@mmuusd.org.

Throughout the rest of the school year, each class at UCS will lead a Friday All-School meeting 1x a month.  The meetings are on Fridays from 8:00-8:30.  When your child's class is leading the meeting, families will be notified ahead of time, invited to join and be in the audience. Stay tuned for when your child's class will be leading a meeting so you don't miss out on this great opportunity!

** NEXT UP: Mrs. Jones' Class - Friday, February 14th **

School Choice, Spanish Immersion and Kindergarten Registration links, documents and information have been updated on the MMUUSD website. If you have ANY School Choice related questions regarding the process, please do not hesitate to contact Andrew Jones at andrew.jones@mmuusd.org

We know that registration for camps and summer childcare will be taking place soon, therefore, we want to share the following information that may be helpful.  

• Currently, we have had no cancelled school days this year and the last student day of this school year is June 13th.  In the event, we do need to cancel school for weather or an emergency, we will add these days to the end of the school year.  However, in an effort to help parents/caregivers plan for the summer months, we implemented a practice 2 years ago that the last student day will be no later than June 18th.  Any additional student school days added to the school calendar will be repurposed for staff professional development.  Please note, we will update the school year calendar on the schools' websites if the last student day changes due to school cancellations.  

• The 2025-26 Champlain Valley Regional School Year Calendar has not been approved, but the initial drafts have the tentative first student day scheduled for August 27, 2025.  The District will inform the school community when the first student day of 2025-26 has been approved by regional superintendents and when the MMUUSD 2025-26 School Year Calendar has been finalized.

I met with the Y Program Director last week, and they have informed me of a new policy regarding after-school programming. Moving forward, if the school or district closes after-school activities early, the Y Program will also cancel its after-school programming. To keep families informed, an email will be sent to currently enrolled families regarding any closures. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Y Program will aim to make closure decisions no later than noon on the day in question.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work to improve communication and coordination. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out directly.

There have been a lot of unsafe situations in the parking lot at morning drop-off. Please follow these safety items:

• If you are in the drop-off lane, students need to get out curbside

• If you choose to park your car, be sure to walk your student all the way to the curb

• Wait for cars or busses ahead of you to move, do not drive around them

• Only pull into the parking lot through the entrance (not the exit)

• DRIVE SLOWLY

It is important that your student is dressed appropriately for the weather and is prepared to play outside every day.  During the winter season, students should have a jacket, gloves or mittens, and a hat. If there is snow on the ground, snow boots and pants are necessary.  Also please remember to pack an extra set of seasonal clothing in student backpacks, including socks, for slips and spills.

Illness is on the rise across the country.  We are seeing it here at school as well.  Please review with your child the importance of good hand-washing

How can I prevent the spread of germs?

There are many ways you can prevent the spread of germs. The best thing you can do is wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 

Other ways to prevent the spread of germs include:

• Using hand sanitizer that contains at least 70% isopropyl alcohol. This works in a pinch if you can’t access soap and water to wash your hands.

• Sneezing or coughing into your elbow or covering your nose or mouth with a tissue.

• Staying home if you’re sick.

• Avoiding people who are sick.

• Practicing good food handling when cooking and storing food.

• Frequently cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that are touched often.

Source: Cleveland Clinic.orgma

Current COVID-19 Guidance

 If a person is COVID-positive, they may go back to normal activities after at least one day (24 hours) if:

• Symptoms are getting better overall and

• No fever for at least 24 hours (and are not using fever-reducing medicines).

• In addition, it is recommended to take extra prevention steps for the next 5 days after resuming normal activity: Practice good hygiene. Wear a mask. Keep physical distance. Improve air quality. Any of these prevention steps can help limit the spread of respiratory viruses. The more steps you take, the lower your risk of getting others sick. 

• The district has a supply of masks and antigen tests (limited supply) if requested.

• Please report all positive cases, student or staff, to the school nurse. 

District guidelines remain in place - If you are sick, please stay home.  Please read this link District Illness Guidelines. 

Additional Resources

Respiratory Virus Guidance Snapshot

Preventing Respiratory Viruses

We will keep our WEBSITE updated on a regular basis. We also invite you to follow us on our two main social media pages: TWITTER (X) and INSTAGRAM. I also encourage you to reach out to the classroom teachers as they all communicate in a variety of different platforms!