The Bobcat Den
October 18, 2024
October 18, 2024
The past two weeks have been filled with lots of fun and community building traditions and activities! It was great to meet families and share more about our daily activities here at UCS during this year's Open House. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the projects we’ve been working on. The sense of community was really inspiring! Talk about inspiring, the turnout for the Harvest Market Parade was incredible! It was so great to fill the float and see the smiles and positive energy from all involved!!
We kicked off last week with the Zucchini Relay Race, which was such a fun and quirky event! Teams raced while holding on to their zucchinis, and the whole event brought out a lot of laughter and teamwork. It was definitely a memorable experience! Thanks to Mr. Weber for giving us Team #14 POV perspective of the race!
As the weather continues to change, we wanted to remind you of the Parking Lot Safety at Morning Drop-Off
In the drop-off lane, please wait until you get to the curb (past the yellow pole) before letting your child out. Additionally, please make sure your child gets out on the curbside only.
If you are parking, please be sure to walk your child to the curb.
Busy Week Ahead
This upcoming week will be packed with exciting events and don't miss events. As a reminder, we have Early Release on Wednesday (dismissed at 12:20p) and NO SCHOOL on Thursday and Friday!
Music with Buddy: We're looking forward to a fun music session with Buddy in the classrooms.
Visit from Recycle Rhonda: We have a special visit from Recycle Rhonda to teach us more about sustainability.
Looking forward to more community building opportunities and learning! I hope you are able to enjoy this beautiful weather we continue to have!
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
October 8th ~ Recycle Rhonda Visits UCS
October 9th ~ Music with Buddy
October 9th ~ Student Early Release Day/Staff PD
October 10-11th ~ NO SCHOOL for Students
October 18th ~ PTO "Donuts at Drop-Off"
October 19th ~ PTO Fun Run @ Mills Riverside Park --> REGISTRATION LINK
FROM THE ART ROOM
In preparation for our upcoming lantern making project, the art room is seeking fresh willow branches. Third and fourth grade students will be using these as the base for their lanterns. Please connect with Kim Aucter at kim.aucter@mmuusd.org if you have any branches you'd like to donate. Thank you!!
NEWS FROM THE PTO
The PTO hosted their 2nd meeting of the year on Thursday, October 3rd virtually. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to get involved, meet fellow parents and teachers, and contribute to the success of our school community. We encourage all parents and guardians to attend and bring any ideas or suggestions you may have.
We are also looking for volunteers to help organize with a variety of events throughout the year. If interested in helping with this fun event, email ucspto@mmuusd.org ... Thank you for your continued support and involvement. We look forward to seeing you there!
We are also seeking a School-Garden Liaison - We are looking for a person to partner with others who would be the person on-site to help when teachers bring their students out to the garden, could organize the UCS community for work projects.
Here is a link to the meeting minutes:
The UCS PTO also creates a student directory every year. This is an opportunity to share your contact information with other students in your child's class and around the school to organize play dates, birthday parties, or just create a community. Please only share information you are comfortable sharing with the school community. If you have previously filled out this form (i.e. your child is in an older grade), you do not need to fill out a new form unless you have new contact information or you want to update what is shared. The directory will be updated as needed and shared with you in Dave Marlow's newsletter, so check it out!
Please use this form to submit your information. (Link is: https://forms.gle/FSNBZuTY3N9wnWXH6 ) Thanks!
UCS GARDEN HELP
Help Needed Fall & Winter Prep for the UCS Garden - We have a few remaining infrastructure projects for the Garden's renewal we'd like to finish before hard frosts set in. The projects require point people. If you're able to work with 3rd Grade Parent, Kristyn Achilich, to source, purchase (at least prior to reimbursement), and lead a project, please email Kristyn at kdachilich@gmail.com. The PTO leadership is working on finding a date to do this work and will send an update as soon as we have one. Our goal is to get these projects and resources set up prior to the work day so we can tackle them with many hands one weekend soon. For a quick look at all we need to do, read on!
Trellis System for Grapes and Raspberries - we need 8-10 cedar 4x4 posts, some cable and cable tensioners to be ordered and picked up. A donation of supplies would be appreciated, but we do have some funds! This team would also need a couple of post hole diggers and drill sets.
ADA Accessible Raised Beds - The Farm at Saint Michael's College donated many raised beds 3 years ago. The cedar lumber was rotted but the metal corners are still very good. We have three beds to build and add to the garden for our students with mobility support needs. The beds should be 3'x5' and about 36' high. Koenig Cedar on Limekiln Road is a great partner/source. In addition to the wood, we will need many many tiny screws. This team would also need drills and a skill saw to square some of the ends.
A Deck Platform between the Maples - Students from MMU's day of service planned and measured for this structure. It will require a skilled deck builder's eye and planning for pressure treated lumber. The team will need some build experience, drills, squares, and skill saws. It is roughly 10'x14'.
Welding the Metal Garden Gate/Structure Back Together - As the grape vine grew and grew over the last few years it pulled this metal structure apart. We believe we have found all the pieces in the soil but it could use some TLC! Welding skills and materials needed!
Tractor Work to Move Soil to Cap the Hugelkultur - in the spring, then custodian, Doug Spofford, did an excellent job digging out the earth for all the old garden materials to become the base of a new ecologically diverse hugelkultur. In the spring, the 1/2 and 3/4 students loaded all that old materials into the giant hole with the help of the summer fellows from the Leahy Institute for the Environment at Saint Michael's College. There's a small amount of old wood to toss in, then a little tractor work to move the soil back on top of all the old wood.
Rebuild the Stone Border - On the playground side of the garden, there was a stone border around those beds outside the fence. We dug up and reclaimed lots of the rocks this spring, but with only 3 folks weren't able to complete the project. This team would need many hands, a point person, and many shovels and wheelbarrows. We'd also finally transplant the lillies and rhubarb Rhonda Drake dug out in the spring for this area as well as add the raspberries from inside the garden!
A School-Garden Liaison - We are looking for a person to partner with Kristyn who would be the person on-site to help when teachers bring their students out to the garden, could organize the UCS community for work projects.
FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
Please read the District Illness Guidelines. This will help you to decide whether or not to send your child to school. Please feel free to contact the health office if you have questions about sending your child to school after an illness. You can contact us at 802-858-6316 or ucshealthoffice@mmuusd.org
Periodic Reminder to Check Your Child for Lice and Nits
This notice serves as a reminder to check your child’s head for lice periodically. Consider checking weekly. Head lice are tiny, crawling insects that live in the human hair. They do not fly or jump. The females lay eggs called nits on the hair shaft close to the scalp, often at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. The nits are small, oval-shaped specks that can vary from whitish to brownish in color, and are firmly cemented in place and cannot be brushed or flicked away.
Persistent itching of the head and back of the neck can indicate head lice. Most important is the examination of the hair and scalp, especially the nape of the neck and behind the ears, for nits. Lice outbreaks are common in school-aged children. Even the cleanest child can become infested. It is not a sign of poor health habits or being dirty. If you discover lice or nits, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider about treatment options. School nurses can also answer questions about head lice
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
ONLINE SCHOOL STORE
Welcome to the UCS Bobcats Online Sideline Store, the place to score personalized Bobcat Swag and accessories from all your favorite brands 24/7/365. For a limited time, enjoy 20% OFF during your UNDERHILL CENTRAL SCHOOL store’s Grand Opening Sale with code SPIRIT20 ...
**Profits do go back to the UCS** Happy shopping!!!
SCHOOL SAFETY DRILLS
Starting in September, UCS students and staff will be practicing our Emergency Safety Response plans. These drills are evaluated regularly by our UCS Crisis Response Team and follow all state and local guidelines. Here is the UCS Parent/Caregiver School Safety Letter outlining the importance of these drills we conduct throughout the SY.
FREE FAMILY SUPPORT/EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Free VIRTUAL/Online Parent Education Programs to any parent/caregiver in Vermont who wants support and/or to learn new parenting skills. Do you or someone you know want to learn more about the programs offered?
Visit the website at: www.pcavt.org/family-support-programs
Email at familysupport@pcavt.org
Call 1-800-CHILDREN
All programs are 2 hours per week for 14-18 weeks. Want to enroll in any of the programs offered?? Please complete THIS FORM to enroll today!
Upcoming Nurturing Parents Programs Available:
Nurturing Skills™ for Families (14 weeks)
Nurturing Fathers Program (13 weeks)
Nurturing Program for Families in Substance Use Treatment & Recovery (16 weeks)
Prenatal Nurturing Program (9 weeks)
Strengthening Families Program for Families with Teens (14 weeks)
Strengthening Families Program for Families Birth - 5 (14 weeks)
Circle of Parents Support Groups (ongoing)
Y AFTER-SCHOOL SERVICES
The Y provides after-school programming at UCS. HERE is additional information about the program. The director this year is Harrison Griffith (HGriffith@gbymca.org). Harrison will alternate days between UCS and JES as we share such an overlap in the community. When Harrison isn't on site at UCS, Nick Irwin Testa, Assistant Program Director, will be at UCS.
COMMUNITY NEWS
STAY CONNECTED with WHAT'S HAPPENING @ UCS
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!