The Bobcat Den
February 7, 2025
February 7, 2025
February is off to a great start with exciting activities and special visitors at UCS! Mrs. Bernier's class is continuing their Battery Blitz, having already collected close to 1000 pounds of batteries! They are still accepting more, so keep sending them in. (See details below.) On Wednesday, we were thrilled to welcome Dan Abdo, a graphic novel author, who spoke to students about the writing process and what goes into creating a book. A huge thank you to our PTO and the VT Council on Literacy for making this visit possible! We also celebrated the 100th day of school with fun activities and reflections on how far we’ve come this year. We also had our first SNOW DAY of the school year; hope the students were able to enjoy the fresh snow and get outside for some fun.
A reminder that there’s still a lot of sickness going around—please encourage frequent handwashing, and if your child isn’t feeling well, keeping them home helps prevent further spread.
Looking Ahead:
Early Release Day – Wednesday, February 12th. Bus dismissal will begin at 12:20p and students will arrive home 2 hours earlier than their normal time
Mrs. Jones' class will lead our All-School Meeting next Friday, February 14th
Spirit Week is coming up the week before February Break! (Themes for Week)
Thank you for your continued support—stay warm, stay healthy, and we look forward to another couple great weeks here in Underhill!
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
February 12th ~ Student Early Release / Staff PD
February 13th ~ Snow Motion #2 @ Cochran's
February 14th ~ All-School Meeting (Mrs. Jones' Class)
February 17th - 21st ~ UCS Spirit Week
February 20th ~ Snow Motion #3 @ Cochran's
February 24th - March 4th ~ Winter Vacation - NO SCHOOL
March 6th ~ Snow Motion #4 @ Cochran's
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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!
SNOW MOTION INFORMATION
With the last TWO 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.
UCS HAPPENINGS
Battery Collection Drive by Mrs. Bernier’s Class!
Mrs. Bernier’s 3rd and 4th grade class at Underhill Central School is partnering with Call2Recycle to lead a Battery Collection Drive from January 20 to February 18! This is a wonderful opportunity to recycle old batteries, help protect the environment, and support our class in the running for a pizza party and a special prize!
Here’s how you can help:
Collect old batteries from your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors.
Drop them off at Underhill Central School in our designated collection bin.
Help us spread the word—every battery makes a difference!
Need Ideas or Want to Help?
We’d love assistance with placing collection boxes at local businesses to gather even more batteries. If you have suggestions or are able to help coordinate, please reach out! You can email Mrs. Bernier with questions or ideas at abigail.bernier@mmuusd.org
Thank you for supporting Mrs. Bernier’s class. Let’s recycle, protect the planet, and work together to win!
Parent Information Regarding Student Belonging Survey
All students in grades 3-12 will be provided an online survey in the next week or so related to their sense of belonging in school. This brief (four question) online survey aims to collect data on student sense of belonging to inform our efforts to better support student well being. If you would like your student to opt out or if you have any questions, please connect with the principal of your child's school.
State Mandated Health Curriculum Unit
In January and February, our School Counselor (Jennifer Erickson) will be teaching lessons from the Care For Kids program. This is the portion of our health curriculum that teaches students how to recognize and prevent child sexual abuse. All Vermont schools are required to cover this important topic as outlined in Vermont state legislation known as Act 1. Mrs. Erickson is teaching the students about keeping their bodies safe and private. She has said that they can ask any questions during their guidance lessons and that they can talk to any adult in the building at any time about keeping their bodies safe and private. A letter explaining this unit was sent home with your child earlier this week and can be found HERE for your reference. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Erickson at her email, (jennifer.erickson@mmuusd.org).
ALL-SCHOOL MEETING UPDATE
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 **
From the District
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.
NEWS FROM THE PTO
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!
NEXT MEETING: MARCH 11th @ 6:00p (in person)
------------------------------------------------------------Here is a link to the meeting minutes:
September 10 PTO Meeting Minutes
October 3 Virtual PTO Meeting Minutes
Buying labels for your family's gear? Use our school's name to help support the PTO's fundraising efforts for opportunities such as Math through Art, visiting authors and artists and more. All families need to do is click the link, under support, type in our school (Underhill Central School) in the search bar in the middle of the screen, and start buying!
UCS PTO will receive 20% of each sale.
Despite the snow and frosty temps, it's not too early to start planning your garden! Be on the lookout for the High Mowing Seeds Fundraiser information coming home this week with your student. You will find a handout with some general information and a catalog/order form. Completed order forms and payment are due by Friday, February 21, 2025, so we can make sure seeds arrive in early March. Please reach out to the PTO with any questions at ucspto@mmuusd.org. Thanks for your support!
Y PROGRAM INFO/UPDATE
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.
GIRLS ON THE RUN -> RUNNERS NEEDED!!!
If your 3rd or 4th grader is interested in participating in Girls On The Run this Spring, please fill out this form: GOTRVT Participant Interest Form. This is not the registration, but will give us information about numbers for the Spring.
Our tentative schedule for the Spring will be:
Practice on Mondays and Thursdays (when school is in session) right after school until 3:45. *This is subject to change, but we will have it solidified closer to registration in February.
We will start meeting with Girls the week of March 17th.
The 5K celebration is on Saturday, May 31st. Every runner will need a running partner on this day.
FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
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
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
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!!!
FREE FAMILY SUPPORT/EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Ongoing Support Groups (can join any time)
❖ Single Mom’s (Thursdays at 5:15pm via zoom)
❖ Children with Special Needs (Tuesdays at 12pm via zoom)
❖ Circle of Fathers (Mondays at 8pm via zoom)
❖ Circle of Parents of Adoptive Parents (1st Wednesday of month at noon via zoom)
❖ Perinatal Circle of Parents St. Johnsbury (1st Wednesday of month at 5pm)
❖ Perinatal Circle of Parents Zoom (2nd Monday of them month 10am via zoom)
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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
Upcoming Nurturing Parents Programs Available:
All programs are offered virtually and FREE!
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!
Nurturing Program® for Families in Substance Use Treatment & Recovery
-> Thursdays at 10am starting January 30th
-> Wednesdays at 5:00pm starting February 19th
-> Tuesdays at 5pm starting March 11th
-> Wednesdays at noon starting March 12th
-> Thursdays at 5:30pm starting April 24th
-> Tuesdays at 10am starting May 6th
-> Tuesdays at 5:30pm starting June 10th
Nurturing Skills™ for Families
->Thursdays at 1pm starting January 16th
-> Mondays at 6pm starting January 20th
-> Tuesdays at 10am starting February 4th
-> Wednesdays at 6pm starting February 5th
-> Mondays at 10am starting March 17th
-> Mondays at 5pm starting April 7th
-> Thursdays at 1pm starting May 8th
-> Mondays at 6pm starting June 2nd
-> Tuesdays at 5:30p, starting February 25th
Strengthening Families Program for Families with Teens
-> Thursdays at 1pm starting January 30th
COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS
Mount Mansfield Girls Lacrosse offers girls in grades 3-8 the ability to learn and play lacrosse. Third graders will participate in practice but not games. The season starts at the end of March through the first week of June. Practice is held at Browns River Middle School on Monday and Wednesdays from 6-7:30pm and Games are played on Sundays starting the first Sunday in May through the first weekend in June. Please contact melisamutolo@icloud.com for details. Registrations will be accepted through March 15th!
Registration is open for Poker Hill Arts summer Fairy Camps.
See their camp web page for dates and info:
Camps are a partnership between MMUUSD and Richmond Elementary school PTO. Profits from camps go towards supporting the Snow Motion Program and increasing lifetime fitness to kids in MMUUSD. Our goal is to get as many kids as possible at least one week of camp. If you need a scholarship please email Brian at brian.godfrey@mmuusd.org.
Registration will open February 1st at 8am. You can register at vtoutdooradventures.com.
Mr. G's Adventure Camp Schedule 2025
Week #1 June 23th-27th Outdoor Adventure Camp
Week# 2 July 7th-11th Bike Camp
Week #3 July 14th-18th Survival Skills Camp
Week #4 July 21st-25th Bike Camp
Week #5 July 28th-August 1st STEM Outdoor Science Camp
Week #6 August 4th-8th Water Adventure Camp
Week #7 August 11th-15th Outdoor Adventure Camp
Radiate Art Camps Schedule 2025
Week #1 June 23th-27th Fiber Arts: Stuff Creations Camp
Week# 2 July 7th-11th Animal Art Parade Camp
Week #3 July 14th-18th Community Art Camp
Week #4 July 21st-25th Nature Art Camp
Week #5 July 28th-August 1st Puppets, Prints, and Pop-ups Camp
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!