THE SCHOOL BELL

by Allen Brook School Principal Angela Filion

People often ask me lately, "How are you doing all of this and running a school during a pandemic?" The answer often is something along the lines of, "it's what's best for our students and families!" Not only do I truly believe this, but I see examples each and every day of faculty and staff dedicating and devoting their hearts to ensuring that our students are safe in school, learning, and growing!

For example, take a look at the photo above of our Kindergarteners seeing a rainbow from the library window and rushing outside to enjoy this magical moment. It is these little moments that remind us why we are making sacrifices to stay home and be safe. It is so our children can go to school and have these rich experiences together. As we move into the next holiday season I am reminded of the sacrifices we all face, not seeing our loved ones and coming together as families in our more traditional ways. Some people are getting creative and scheduling zoom holiday parties and staying connected through social media. Others are creating new family traditions in their immediate households and finding new things to do together as a family.

As we move through the coming days I encourage you to look for light and joy around you. We can very easily find ourselves focusing on the things we can't do which can lead to discouraging thoughts and feelings. Should you find yourself feeling this way, refocus your lens and look for those positive things that remind you of the sacrifices we are making for the greater good. We are all essential, we are all humbled and impacted by this pandemic, and we are all in this together!

I leave you with some photos of light and joy I have been finding around our school and in my community to keep the focus on my purpose-schools staying open and safe so children can learn and grow together. Thanks for your partnership and continued support as we move through the year together one day at a time. Be well and have a lovely holiday break with your immediate loved ones!

TAKE OUT & DELIVERY ON MONDAY 12/21 ONLY

In an effort to provide as much food for families as we can going into this winter break, we will be sending out Winter Break Bonus Meals on Monday 12/21. Please sign up on the Remote Meals Order Form that you normally use for your students who are learning remotely. The link to the order form for your school can be found here. There will only be one Remote Meal Distribution, so please sign up early. These meals are available FREE to all children 18 and under. Delivery is available to anyone in our district from your local school.

TAKE OUT & DELIVERY ON MONDAY 12/21 ONLY. Winter Break Bonus Meals will be distributed with all meal orders on Monday. If you do not need remote meals on Monday and / or Tuesday, but want Winter Break Bonus Meals, check the box on the order form. All Winter Break Bonus Meals will go out on Monday 12/21.

We hope you have a safe and happy early winter vacation. See you in 2021. Normal remote meals will start up on Monday 1/4/2021, when school resumes.

Our local Food Shelf programs have been stocking up to help families and if you need food assistance during the break, please contact them.

If you have any questions please contact Scott Wagner at swagner@cvsdvt.org or call your school's food service director.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Thanks!

Your hardworking CVSD Food Service Program

The Winners of Our First Annual ABS T-Shirt Design Contest were:

Ajla Osmancevic and Anna Dagesse.

We will be using these 2 designs for our new Allen Brook School shirts and sweatshirts.

Orders must be placed by January 8th. Any questions, please email Nicole Pfende at npfende@cvsdvt.org.

Click here to view the t-shirt/sweatshirt design

Click here for the order form

Budget Season is Underway!

The Champlain Valley School District's Board of Directors invites all members of the CVSD community to join us for the budget process. Please mark your calendars for these upcoming School Board budget meetings.

January 5: Summary and Tax Implications

To best understand the process, try to attend all meetings, the information shared builds across the sequence of meetings. Online meeting information will be posted on the website. www.cvsdvt.org/budget

We are saddened to announce that due to the pandemic there will be no spring musical this school year. However, the WCS Drama Department is still very much alive and well and looks forward to putting on a production next year, either in the fall or in the spring! Please stay tuned for more information coming this spring about next year's production!

Important: Changes to Student Pick-up Procedures at WCS

SPECIAL NOTE: New pickup time for STERLING HOUSE and new pick-up location for KALEIDOSCOPE HOUSE

TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC FLOW AND AVOID THE BACK-UPS WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING, please be sure to arrive at the designated pick-up time for your WCS student. Your help with this is greatly appreciated. If everyone chips in with this effort, we will all be rewarded with a safer and quicker experience. THANK YOU.

The School District has adjusted the Hybrid group attendance for Monday, 12/21 and Tuesday, 12/22, so that both A and B groups get an in-person day during our last two days in session. Students in Group 1 (Group A) will attend school in-person on Monday, 12/21; students in Group 2 (Group B) will attend in-person on Tuesday, 12/22. Each of the groups will participate remotely on the corresponding off-site day.

The Ice Rink at Williston Community Park (beyond Williston Central School) has undergone updates and improvements thanks to Recreation and Parks Director, Todd Goodwin, and his staff.

Please respect the rink and the guidelines while enjoying your activities and time outdoors!

· New rink area is 60x60 feet with boards and liner.

· Be mindful and careful of the liner and clips; the plan is to reuse them each year.

· Temporary fencing has been put up around the rink. There is an opening for the entrance to the rink near the warming hut.

· When the entrance is open this indicates that the ice is safe and ready to use.

· When the fence is closed, the rink MUST NOT be used!

· Please be patient. The weather and temperature may fluctuate and compromise the ice.

· Hockey goals are in the warming hut for your use. Please put the goals back in the warming hut after use to prevent them from freezing in the ice.

· Lights are on a timer until 9:30pm. A panel with a button to turn on the lights is on a pole next to the rink.

Help us spread the word to all students and families. Respecting this new space (the making of ice, the boards, liner and temporary fence) will ensure fun and longer use for all!

Thank you, and happy skating!

-Williston Physical Education Staff

Adobe is no longer supporting Flash at the end of 2020. Some computer applications and websites may no longer work. FasttMath is one example. We are shutting it down and it will no longer be available after 12/22. We are reviewing other applications with our vendors to see what else may be impacted. This information may be helpful to know about sites that you and your children possibly use at home.

With the colder weather, having the right clothes for recess and outdoor learning is necessary. Please ensure your children come to school with jackets, gloves, hats, snow pants and boots .

A big reminder to parents to send in an extra mask because masks are getting wet at recess.

With cold, wet weather and so much time spent outdoors, we hope families can ensure all students have a spare set of clean, dry clothes at school, as we are not able to share clothing safely this year.

As the weather changes and gets colder, we want to remind families that the Physical Education staff is planning to be outside with PE classes as a first priority. PLEASE DRESS APPROPRIATELY FOR THE TEMPERATURE AND CONDITIONS... (jackets, hats, gloves, etc).

We recommend bringing in or keeping a few extra pairs of socks, gloves, or mittens in a cubby or backpack. Additional layers (snow pants or boots) would be acceptable for PE if needed. If younger students need snow pants for recess, they should wear snow pants to PE. Fresh air and movement is good for us all; let's be safe and prepared for the weather!

- Cathy Kohlasch, Lynn McClintock, Dustin King, Lyn Porter

On the occasions it is determined a Williston school bus will not be driving on a hill* road during the morning pick up, we hope to be able to contact families early enough for you to get students to a stop at the start of the hill to catch the bus. When the hills are closed in the morning, it includes hills on the preschool bus routes.Alternatively, during the afternoon bus runs, we will contact families to advise you that the bus will need to drop children off at the start of the hill, and you can meet the bus there if necessary. If no one arrives to meet younger students, they will be brought back to school until arrangements are made for them to be picked up. Please talk with your bus drivers to let them know if you are comfortable letting your child walk home from the drop off location.

We will use the Connect 5 automated calling system to send a voice message to families on the hill roads.

*These are the hill roads: Butternut, Highlands, Porterwood, Oak Knoll, Rabbits Run, Evergreen, Fortier, Douglas, Yantz Hill, lower River Cove, Meadow Ridge, Ledgewood, Bayberry, Terrace, Jasmine, Wild Ginger, French Hill**, Sunrise Drive, Sunset, Lincoln, Chaloux, and Walker Hill.

**Students who live on or off Rt. 2 (Williston Rd) east of the 4-way intersection at the Federated Church should be picked up from school, as the bus will not drive toward French Hill in bad weather.

We have had some incidents when students bypass the Health Office, either calling home from the classroom or texting/calling from their cell phones and then going home sick. We just want to remind WCS families and students of our school procedure for going home sick.

If a student is feeling sick in school, they first need to see the nurse. If students want to call parents and go home, this has to be done from the Health Office. They cannot use their cell phones to arrange to be picked up without the nurse knowing.

If students are going home sick, they will be asked to present a pink Nurse’s pass at the front office that indicates that they have permission from the Health Office to go home. If they don't have a pass, the front office will send them to the nurse to complete a health assessment and obtain the pass even if parents are already waiting for them in the car. A nurse might then call parents to develop a plan.

Thank you for your support and understanding and please reach out to us if you have any questions.

WCS Nurses: Maria, Carol and Samantha

Maria Kapetanovic, RN, BSN, MSN/Ed

mkapetanovic@cvsdvt.org

ph: 871-6170

fax: 871-6101

Carol Albertelli, RN, BSN

calbertelli@cvsdvt.org

ph: 871-6171

fax: 871-6101

Samantha Usher, RN, BSN

susher@cvsdvt.org

ph: 871-6171

Click on the links below! You will find fun facts, diagrams, photos, activities, and even the videos of the beloved puppet show!

The theme for the year is Structure and Function.

Our first unit explores Spiders.

The second unit investigates Tremendous Trees.

This time we are comparing Predators and Prey!

We will also offer an outdoor, socially-distant (but in-person!) lesson, including the puppet show and related activities, at ABS once a month on a Wednesday at 10:30am.

See the dates below if you are interested in joining us!

1/27 - Skulls

2/17 - Birds of a Feather

3/17 - Calling All Owls

4/21 - Defenses

5/19 - Bees

Feel free to email, visit our website, or share your findings and photos on our Padlet.

Be curious!

Deb & Amanda, Your Four Winds Williston Coordinators

Visit the Williston Four Winds Blog

Dec. 15 - Budget Meeting

Dec 23-Jan 1 - No School / Early Winter Break

Jan 5 - Budget Meeting

Jan 18 - No School/Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Feb 22-26 - No School / Winter Break

Champlain Valley School District (CVSD) is required by federal law to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities. The process of locating, identifying and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find.

CVSD schools conduct Kindergarten screening each spring, but parents may call to make an appointment to discuss their concerns at any time. As the school district of residence, CVSD has the responsibility to identify and provide services to any child with special needs who may require special education and related services in order to access and benefit from public education.

If you have, or know of any CVSD resident who has a child with a disability under the age of 21 or a child who attends a private school located in Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George or Williston, Vermont, we would like to hear from you. Sometimes parents are unaware that special education services are available to their children.

Please contact the School Principal, (Williston Central/Allen Brook Schools – 878-2762) or the Director of Student Support Services, Meagan Roy at 383-1234 or mroy@cvsdvt.org.

Please visit the Food Service website for the remote learning days order form and more information.

We are excited to be able to serve your children hot food at school once again as well as continue to offer grab and go and delivery of meals for those students who are learning remotely. CVSD will be able to continue to offer free meals for all children 18 years of age and younger as we start school.

If your student has special dietary requirements please let us know. We will be happy to make reasonable accommodations (prepare a vegetarian version, substitute gluten free grain, bread or crust, soy milk or offer an alternate meal) to make sure they can have something nutritious and delicious to eat.

December Menu

• Williston Facebook Page
  
• CVSD Facebook Page

• CVSD on Twitter
  

• CVSD on LinkedIn
• Did you know CVSD has a blog? http://cvsdstory.blogspot.com
  
• CVSD Handbook
• Bus Information
• Technology Help Desk

Allen Brook School and Williston Central School

Email: cpavlik@cvsdvt.org
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org
Location: 195 Central School Drive, Williston
Phone: (802) 878-2762
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Williston-School-District-1483758238612170/timeline/
Twitter: @wsdvt