**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT**

THANK YOU to all who helped with the Battery Blitz Recycling Challenge. We just found out that Mrs. Bernier's class won FIRST PLACE! The group collected an incredible 1330 Pounds of batteries! Everyone did an outstanding job in keeping so many batteries out of landfills! We appreciate all of the community's support throughout the challenge! We can’t wait to see how your efforts have inspired others to protect the environment. The class has earned a pizza party and will have a special ceremony set for a later date! 

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

• April 7th - April 10th ~ VTCAP Testing at UCS

• April 9th ~ Student Early Release (2hrs early)

• April 11th ~ PTO Donuts at Drop-Off

• April 15th ~ PTO Meeting - Virtual (7:00p)

• April 16th ~ Music with Buddy 

• April 18th ~ "Weather at Your School" with Channel 5

• April 21 - April 25 ~ Spring Vacation

• May 1st ~ UCS Music & Art Night (5:00p)

The goal of the placement process is to honor your child's unique strengths and needs as a learner, and to create balanced classrooms in which all students can be successful and learn from one another as dynamic individuals. Your participation in this survey gives us important, key information for determining placement. We thank you in advance for your thoughtful participation.

• Family Letter

• My Child as a Learner form (for students entering grades 1-4)

• Incoming Kindergarten My Child as a Learner form

• Fourth Grade Letter and Links from BRMS (for students entering grades 5)

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: Ms. Poor's Class - Friday, April 4th **

The Vermont Comprehensive Assessment (VTCAP) is happening again this spring. This is the third year of the statewide VTCAP assessment, and will be conducted similarly as last  year. VTCAP is required by the State of Vermont Agency of Education (VT AOE). UCS Students in grades 3 & 4 will be taking the assessment during the week of April 7th; and will be assessed in both English Language Arts & Mathematics. Please make every effort for your child to be at school on time during this testing. An electronic version of the letter that was sent home, can also be found HERE.

Monday, April 7: Math Session 1, 8:30-9:30

Tuesday, April 8: Math Session 2, 8:30-9:30

Wednesday, April 9: ELA Session 1, 8:30-9:30

Thursday, April 10: ELA Session 2, 8:15-9:45 

2025-2026 SY District Calendar

The district has put out the SY calendar for next year over the weekend. There are minimal changes compared to this year’s school calendar. The First Student Day is back on a Wednesday (August 27th).

You can view the full 2025-26 SY Calendar HERE and it was shared in the District Happenings as well! 

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. Any additional student school days added to the school calendar will be repurposed for staff professional development.

• 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.

**Mark your calendars, the next UCS PTO Meeting is April 15 at 7pm. Please hold the time to join us virtually! Link to come**

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week is also around the corner!! We are looking for volunteers who can help us execute a wonderful week. Please email us by April 16 at UCSPTO@MMUUSD.org to be on the Appreciation Week planning and activation committee! We need your great ideas and energetic support! 

If you can't volunteer, but can help by donating something to make the week great, click here to sign up for a list of items we need. Donated items can be dropped off in the main office starting April 28! Of course, we also welcome cash donations to support our annual catered lunch. You can also purchase items from the UCS school wishlists (updated links to come). As always, everything you donate goes to help our school, dedicated team, and amazing students! THANK YOU!

We are looking for a new PTO board member to serve as secretary and lead communications for next year.  We also need a new PTO President-Elect! This person will serve alongside the existing board next year in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year. This is a GREAT role for a kindergarten, first or second grade parent. We need you! Please reach out to us at UCSPTO@mmuusd.org or attend our next meeting (4/15 at 7pm) to learn more!

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.

Please check your children carefully each day for ticks (How To Do A Tick Check) ... Go to healthvermont.gov/BeTickSmart for facts about tick-borne diseases in Vermont and to see a video to learn how to safely remove a tick.

Health Department offers these tips to Be Tick Smart:

Protect

• Ticks live in wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails to avoid contact with host-seeking ticks.

• Take extra precautions in spring through fall when ticks are most active.

• Use an EPA-registered insect repellent on your skin.

• Consider treating clothing with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact and gives protection through several washes. Do not use permethrin on skin.

• Talk to your veterinarian about tick prevention products for pets.

• Wear pants, long sleeves and long socks. Light-colored clothing can help you spot ticks more easily.

Check

• Check clothing, gear, and pets before going inside.

• Put your clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes.

• Perform daily tick checks on yourself, your children, and pets

• Shower soon after spending time outdoors

Remove

• Use tweezers to grab the tick up close to the skin

• Pull the tick straight up, do not twist

• Wash hands and bite area with soap and water

Watch 

• Watch for symptoms of tickborne illness for 30 days after a tick bite.

• Symptoms may include fever, chills, rash, headache, joint pain, muscle aches, or fatigue. Not all people with Lyme disease report a rash.

• Contact your healthcare provider if you develop any symptoms, and tell them about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and your outdoor activities.

• Some tickborne diseases, including Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, can be treated with antibiotics.

• Most people who receive a timely diagnosis and begin treatment early in the course of their illness fully recover. 

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

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

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!