December 10- Principal Coffee 8:15 am-9:00 am

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December 22-Cliff Book Giveaway

December 23-January 1- No School Winter Break

January 7- PTO Meeting 6 pm

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January 15- Principal Coffee 8:15 am-9:00 am

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January 18-Martin Luther King Day- 11:30 Dismissal

New Mural at Flynn

Starbase

Flynn Raises Black Lives Matter Flag

Thank you PTO

Lost and Found

Travel Restrictions over the Holiday Break

School Menu

Girl Scout Events

Have you heard the news? After nearly a year-long artistic journey, we now have a beautiful new mural made by our own Flynn Artists! We began the mural last January, when, with the generous support of a grant from Burlington City Arts, we had two visiting artists, Alissa Faber and Kate McKernon come and work with our students to create parts of the mural during art class. Kindergarteners through third graders each made a clay “bubble” with a texture on it. Staff members were also invited to make a clay piece for the installation. Fourth and fifth graders posed for pictures that would later become life-size silhouettes on the mural panels. Once the figures were drawn on the panels, our older students painted them. Unfortunately, the pandemic stalled our efforts at installation, but we are excited to have it finally up and brightening our library hallway. Special thanks to all of our Flynn artists and staff who participated in making this collaborative art piece. I am happy and proud that so many people were able to help create this very special piece of art. I can’t wait for families to be able to see it in person once life gets back to normal and everyone is able to join us in school.

In December, Flynn 5th graders are participating in the Vermont Air Guard's Starbase program for the 18th year! This program is a highlight for students at Flynn; it is especially appreciated even more this year due to so many limitations and missed opportunities. 5th graders get to program robots, carry out chemistry experiments, learn about the physics of flight, and construct and launch rockets. Starbase has been extremely generous, this year paying for transportation to and from the Air Guard site. For that the 5th graders and teachers are very grateful!

In November, Flynn 5th graders organized and held a ceremony to raise the Black Lives Matter flag at Flynn School. The Flynn school community thought we should raise the Black Lives Matter flag to show our support for the Black Lives Matter Movement. We think in the past years Black lives did not matter enough in America, so raising this flag shows how important we all now realize they are. We all need to be part of making the world a safer place for all people, especially our Black friends. All lives can’t matter until Black Lives Matter. We raised this flag with pride, joy and lots of love. But we are not just going to raise this flag, we are going to continue this in our everyday life. Please join us!

Parents may not be able to enter the school yet we feel your presence! Thank you for the bottled water for students, recess equipment for our COVID Zones, and the breakfast muffins, bagels and coffee for staff. We appreciate YOU!

Even though students spend most of their time in classrooms, they still have managed to lose a few items. If your child is missing an item, please remind them to check the lost and found.

A Message from School Health

Thank you families for continuing the challenging work of screening your children each morning to ensure that we all do our best to keep our school community healthy and COVID free. Please continue to review the symptoms for which to keep your children home. Also, please remember that fever-reducing medication, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) will treat and mask a fever, and that students should be fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school. If you have not returned your screening contract, please do. If you need another one, or a copy to keep at home, please contact your school nurse.

We work closely with the Vermont Department of Health to keep our community healthy. The VDOH conducts necessary contract tracing for positive cases by phone call. Please pick up the phone if the VDOH is calling you. Please call the VDOH back as soon as possible if you receive a message from them.

In-person learning is immensely valuable for the academic, social and mental health of our students and school community. As we approach fall and winter school vacations, please partner with us to prioritize remaining in-person in school. Please plan thoughtfully and with the health of our school community in mind. It’s hard to balance the desire to celebrate the holidays or vacation time with loved ones and the growing risk of COVID-19 infection. Travel and gathering increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19, so please think about how you can make your holiday and vacation plans safer.

Make safety a priority for your family and take these steps:

1. Decide if the risk is worth it for your family,

2. Plan to have a safe trip or gathering, remain flexible and get your flu shot and

3. Quarantine when you return.

You can celebrate the holidays and vacation time, but like other aspects of our lives right now, they will likely look different. Take extra precautions when attending or hosting an event and insist that people wear masks, keep gatherings small, and cancel if anybody in your family or group is sick.

If people are coming to visit you:

1. Tell your visitors about the Vermont requirements for quarantining. They will need to quarantine at the place they are staying for 14 days. Or they can quarantine for 7 days, get a COVID-19 test, and end their quarantine after receiving a negative test result. (Check the Health Department website in advance for testing availability). Visitors can also complete these quarantine options in their home state if they are driving to Vermont in their personal vehicle.

2. If you are hosting travelers under quarantine in your home, you do not also need to quarantine. But if you’re sharing space, you should stay at least 6 feet from the people under quarantine. People under quarantine should wear a mask in common spaces. They should eat in separate spaces and use separate bathrooms. Be sure to disinfect commonly touched surfaces, and check yourself for symptoms for 14 days.

3. Discuss your expectations for visitors during their stay. Will people wear masks, stay 6-feet apart, keep the gatherings small?

4. Ask your visitors to get a flu shot two weeks before they arrive.

More information can be found on the Health Department website and you can email with questions: AHS.VDHPublicCommunication@vermont.gov

Please also don’t hesitate to call or email your school nurse with any questions.

Thank you for your care and thoughtfulness this season!

The ACCD Map is no longer in effect per the governor’s press conference on 11/10/20. All travelers who go outside of Vermont’s borders are expected to quarantine upon their return.

Vermont public health officials, University of Vermont infectious disease experts, and local pediatricians HIGHLY discourage travel over the upcoming vacation time and holidays, and advise minimizing the size of all gatherings. Please consider that your personal choice to travel may impact more than just you and your own family members.

Monday- Chicken Patties

Tuesday- Cheesy Breadsticks

Thursday-Cheesy Baked Ziti

Friday-Cheese or Veggie Burgers