IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

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

• March 6th ~ Snow Motion @ Cochran's

• March 11th ~ PTO Meeting -> in-person (6:00p)

• March 14th ~ Trimester 2 Report Cards Sent Home

• March 21st ~ Half Student Day

• March 31st - April 4th ~ UCS Spring Book Fair 

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!

With the last three weeks of SnowMotion getting postponed, we will be making them up on February 20th and March 6th! If you are able to volunteer for these two dates, please email Mrs. Cowan at Amanda.Cowan@mmuusd.org so we can plan accordingly. 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.

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. Ferreira's Class - Friday, March 21st **

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.  

• The last student day of this school year is June 18th. 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.

Please help us host an epic dance party in March. On Friday 3/21, we will raising money for Girls on the Run and Kids on Bikes with a Spring Fling family dance! Mark your calendars — all are welcome! And please volunteer in any way you can. Sign up here to volunteer at the event with set up or clean up. Sign up to bake something for the bake sale. If you have an item or service you can donate to the raffle, please email the PTO (ucspto@mmuusd.org). Lastly, if you are an amateur or professional DJ and want to volunteer to help us take our tunes to the next level, please email the PTO (ucspto@mmuusd.org). We are so grateful for any help you can provide! 

The Y will no longer be running after-school at Underhill following the break. I completely understand the inconvenience. We are excited to announce a collaboration with the Part2 program out of Richmond to provide after-school care for the remainder of the school year! Starting the week of Monday, March 17th, students will take bus #24 from UCS and transfer to bus #22 @ BRMS before arriving at RES each afternoon. Here they will participate in the Part2 after-school program. Pick-up will be at RES no later than 6:00p. 

Registration Link: https://part2afterschool2.campbrainregistration.com/

Contacts for Questions

• Program Questions: Kaitlyn Bertelsen (Coordinator) – assistadmin@part2kids.com

• Registration Questions: Jess Lamorey (Registrar) – registration@part2kids.com

• Payment/Subsidy Questions: Katie Fieldsend (Bookkeeper) – bookkeeper@part2kids.com

STEAM After School at Poker Hill Arts has spots available right now on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Dan DiFranco leads this fun and diverse after school enrichment program. His music program has expanded to new areas of interest for students in after school for the 2024/25 school year at Poker Hill Arts!

Dan has led many after school programs over the past fifteen years in both South Burlington and Middlebury as the program director and program administrator. He also was the program director of the YMCA Summer Camp program at UCS three summers ago.

The core of the STEAM program will continue to be teaching music from many angles. Students will learn to play various instruments, learn about different types of music around the world, play fun and immersive games related to music, as well as helping students find their creative sides when playing and listening to music through arts and crafts.

After School STEAM will offer hands-on activities that revolve around nature, art, science, and technology. Some examples of activities will be; birdwatching and identification, science experiments such as creating a milk jar xylophone, leaf breathing (shows how leaves breathe with bubbles they produce underwater), learning about gardening and tree planting (we will have easy DIY projects that students can take home!), creating gliders, making a solar oven, sundials, looking at the world of science in both an inquizitive and artistic mindset, and MANY more activities throughout the year. Technology related activities will also be offered by creating music, digital art, and computer building!

In addition, most days there are multiple choices of activities for students! Outside play time is also a big part of this program, as being outside and getting out energy is one of the most crucial elements for child development.

Students who attend STEAM can get bussed from UCS directly 

Cost:

Wednesdays $175/Month (early release days are picked up by the STEAM Program so there is an extra two hours of STEAM programming once a month on Wednesdays via the MMUUSD Calendar.)

Thursdays $150/Month

Here is the link to the Google Form if you would like to sign your child up: STEAM After School Program Registration Form

OR you can contact Dan DiFranco if you are interested in signing up for the 24/25 School Year at email: timbolandusa@gmail.com OR you can call or text at (802) 404-7626.

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!