CVSD Update

Hello CVSD Families and Caregivers,

It’s Day 2 of the school year for our students and we are thrilled to have them and you, in our buildings! We have many exciting things planned for this year, some of which are coming up soon. Please see the announcement in this newsletter about next Tuesday’s Playing Fields Project, a collaboration with the Flynn.

For today’s letter, I’m including an excerpt of what I shared with the CVSD faculty last week at our first in-person Convocation in three years. I hope it helps to explain the graphic below, which you will see in various communications this school year.

Our district and campus leadership met several times over the summer to distill the many initiatives, requirements, and expectations on our collective and individual plates. This way, we could arrive at a common set of priorities for the year that would be broad enough to encompass returning to a sense of normalcy while considering the change that the pandemic has wrought.

We determined that the two priorities of growth and belonging were the most critical concepts to guide our teaching and learning this year.

The meaning we have attributed to growth is the academic achievement and progress students will make this year. Belonging starts with the idea of what engagement looks like in a learning environment. Then, belonging transcends from mere engagement to a feeling or a sense of ease, safety, honor, joy, and love. Finally, belonging is developed and supported when we know each person's story. For a teacher, a school, or a district to engender belonging, it takes time to get to know that story.

Student and staff stories can be developed and monitored through the lenses of identity, connection, direction, and proficiency. (see our definitions below) Our district's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion can be further implemented through these four concepts. Knowing who we are as educators and knowing our individual students will bring more belonging – that feeling or sense of ease, safety, honor, joy, and love – to more staff and students.

Our priorities of growth and belonging will light the way for our students both this school year and in those to come. If we are successful, I believe our students will continue to light the way for the Champlain Valley School District, Vermont, and the world.

Thank you for taking the time to read this portion of my remarks shared with the faculty. I look forward to a fantastic school year!

Rene Sanchez, Superintendent

Champlain Valley School District

Identity is developing a sense of one’s self with respect for the uniqueness of others.

Connection exists when all individuals see themselves in others and in their environment. It is the feeling that our individual and collective story is known. We learn and appreciate new perspectives. Connection is committing to the time and effort to build shared experiences and understandings.

All learners find direction by discovering purpose and exploring passions or interests. We honor where learners are and support their growth, helping them navigate pathways and empowering them to reach their fullest potential.

Proficiency: All students and staff members demonstrate progress and develop capacity toward CVSD student and educator learning targets.

The Flynn is excited to present a new community project called Playing Fields, a free multimedia event held at local schools. Playing Fields is a "welcome back" party after the summer months that also celebrates schools as community centers.

This project brings together music and public theater in an open field to create an exciting, communal atmosphere where students, teachers, staff, administrators, families, friends, neighbors, and anyone else in the community can join in the fun. This inaugural event features live music by the energetic world-music band Red Baraat and a simultaneous performance by the mysterious, luminous Birdmen, a large-scale street theater exhibition from the Dutch company Close-Act.

September 6 from 6:00-9:00 pm. at CVU. Join in on the fun!

We had a very productive kick off meeting on August 25. We wholeheartedly welcome anyone who would like to participate in the strategic planning process. Fill out this short survey to let us know if you're interested in getting involved.

Please view the Strategic Planning page of our website for the latest updates, including the slides and minutes from last week's meeting.

If you would like to provide input, we will be hosting forums on these dates:

• October 13, 6-8pm
• October 15, 9:30-11:30am
• October 17, 9:00-11:00 am

(more information to follow)

The Vermont Agency of Education and Department of Health recently shared updated considerations for schools for the start of the new school year. We have summarized those on this document. We will keep all staff, families, and caregivers informed if there are any changes.

In order to keep them safe, it is important that we have updated and accurate information about each and every student. All parents/caregivers, please take the time to log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal account and navigate to the “Forms” icon on the left-hand toolbar to review, update and submit the following forms for each of your children as soon as possible. Click here for detailed instructions, if needed.

Please note that your submission of the Health and Permissions forms are required before your child may participate in any off-site field trips.

1. Annual Student Contact Updates

2. Annual Student Health Update (required for field trip participation)

3. Annual Student Permissions Update (required for field trip participation)

4. Annual Student Transportation Update

(PreK is for those students physically attending our schools.)

If you have questions about how to access your Parent Portal account or how to submit the forms please contact your school directly.

Please complete your school meal application today!

While meals are free for students this year, your school still needs you to complete a school meal application. When you return your school meal application, you are helping your student, your school, and our entire community. When more students turn in school meal applications, that means more money for education in the cafeteria and in the classroom.

Did you know, there are many benefits to submitting a meal application? School meal applications can help:

• Students qualify for waived testing fees, low-cost internet, and discounts to some community programs
• Your school meal program bring in more federal dollars to invest in local food and farm-to-school programming
• Your schools qualify for important federal education funding
• Your community qualify for summer and afterschool meal programs

Read more about how it benefits you and the district in other ways.

CVSD Families and Caregivers: Here's a great opportunity!

If your child participates in the free or reduced-price lunch program at school, then your family is eligible for the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)! It's another reason to fill out the Free and Reduced Price School Meals form. https://bit.ly/cvsdFRmeals

Learn more about qualifying for affordable internet service through the ACP at https://getmyinternet.org/

Please enroll to receive text messages from the district and/or our campuses. If you haven't done this yet or if you are new to CVSD, follow the easy steps on this flyer. We don't overuse this method of communication, but it is helpful for reminders and quick announcements. Don't miss out!

CVSD recently rolled out a new feature on our website in the spring. This is a communication tool for faculty/staff, students, families, and community members.

Let’s Talk! makes it easy for you to engage with school and district leaders on the topics that matter most. Unlike an email, your inquiry is automatically routed to the person or team best suited to respond, ensuring you receive timely and accurate responses every time.

We've just added topics specific to each school. Please use this method to share your questions, feedback, suggestions, and compliments.

We invite folks from all of our communities to share kudos for a teacher, staff member, administrator, or anything or anyone having to do with our schools. These can be shared at any time and will be forwarded to the appropriate recipient. Look for the CVSD Kudos topic!

Look for the Let's Talk tab or page on our district's website.

Here are some upcoming times when we'll be in the community for job interviews and hiring for paraeducator staff.

• September 3, Shelburne Farmer's Market
• September 13, Isham Farmer's Market
• September 27, Isham Farmer's Market
• October 1, Shelburne Farmer's Market

Resources to keep accessible:

• First Call - 488-7777: phone support, crisis intervention, assessment and referrals
• In Crisis: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) (National Hopeline Network: USA)
• National Suicide Prevention Life line- 1-800-273-TALK (8255), call or chat online
• Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
• Outright Vermont - support for LGBTQ+ community
• UVM Breathe In Breath Out - How to deal with stress due to COVID-19
• Vermont 211 -Vermont database of resources and services
• Vermont Support Line (833) 888-2557) - peer support warmline open 247 - 365 for call or text
• COVID Counselors @ VT-211
• Teen Crisis Text Line - Crisis Text Line provides free emotional support and information to teens in any type of crisis, including feeling suicidal. You can text with a trained specialist 24 hours a day. Text “HOME” to 741741.
• Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide - Website where you can find information to help yourself or a friend who may be having thoughts of suicide.
• Trevor Lifeline - 1-866- 488-7386 - provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. It offers free, 24/7, confidential counseling. TrevorText—text START to 678-678; TrevorChat—instant messaging at TheTrevorProject.org/help. It also runs TrevorSpace, an affirming social networking site for LGBTQ youth at TrevorSpace.

Serving the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston.

Reach out using any of the methods below or visit our Let's Talk page. Please use Let's Talk rather than email.

Let's Talk: https://www.cvsdvt.org/page/268
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org/
Location: 5420 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT, USA
Phone: (802) 383-1234
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChamplainValleySchoolDistrict
Twitter: @cvsdvt