SCS Community Newsletter

Dear SCS Families, Caregivers, and Shelburne Community,

The highlight of the week here at school was undoubtedly the kickoff of our residency with Burlington Taiko. On Wednesday morning, our teaching artist (Stuart Patton) and two additional drummers demonstrated the power of the drums and shared the history of Taiko as both a ceremonial practice and, more recently, an art form. Students enjoyed the drumming, asked questions, and a few even tried out the instruments. You can see some of the pictures from Wednesday's performance below. Residency classes have begun and will continue through next week. Our school-based partnership will culminate in a 4th-grade performance for the entire school next Friday. On Saturday, 9/27, all families are invited to Shelburne Orchards to watch our 4th graders and dozens of other Taiko drummers as part of the Ringo Matsuri festival. We look forward to sharing more highlights of this incredible opportunity early next week, including details about the performances.

We wish you all a great weekend!

In Partnership,

Antonia, Brett, & Jen

9/24 - 5th - 8th grade Curriculum Night (5:00- 6:30 pm)

9/27 - Ringo Matsuri Taiko event at Shelburne Orchard (10:00 am - 3:00pm)

10/2 - No School - Yom Kippur

10/1 - Dynamic Experience ticket sales end

10/8 - PreK - 4th Open House (5:00 - 6:00pm)

10/8 - School Picture Envelopes Due

10/9 - Picture Retake/Make up day

10/18 - PTO Fall Cornhole Tournament (see details below)

CVSD 2025-2026 Calendar

Here's an important excerpt from the SCS Handbook:

Please let us know of any changes to your child’s normal dismissal plan as soon as possible. Email jgraham@cvsdvt.org or call 802-985-3331 x 101

We must receive a notification by your child’s lunch time, as time is needed to notify teachers about the change in plans.

Starting Friday, September 26, there will be a new system for the late bus.

The late bus leaves school at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.

There will NOT be a late bus on Fridays.

Instead of club leaders telling the office who needs a ride, families must now sign their student(s) up for the bus themselves. Every Friday, the link to sign-up for the following week will be in the newsletter. Families must complete this form by 9 a.m. Monday morning so the transportation team can plan the routes for that week.

The first sign-up link will be available on Friday, September 26 for the week of 9/29-10/3.

We are excited to announce that our first SKAT classes of the 25-26 school year will start next week. Please visit the SKAT website for more information and to register your student(s).

Tuesdays: Nature Art & Eco Journaling with Shelburne Farms

(Grades 3-6, September 23-October 14)

Wednesdays: Ultimate Frisbee

(Grades 5-8, September 24-end date TBD)

Please contact Sarah Sargent with any questions: ssargent@cvsdvt.org

Stay tuned for more SKAT offerings throughout the year!

Personalized custom order forms are expected to be sent home on Friday, September 26th along with your child's class photo.

More information about ordering pictures will be emailed home from the photographer.

Wednesday morning with Burlington Taiko

Get ready for one of the most exciting events of the year! Dynamic Experience is a “fun-for-all” fundraiser where SCS staff and teachers create unforgettable experiences and outings - and your child gets the chance to win one of them!

From epic adventures to special hangouts with their favorite teachers, students can buy tickets and enter to win the experiences they’re most excited about. It’s a fun way for kids to connect with staff, build memories, and support our school community. Let the memories and fun begin!

Tickets are live! Sales Close Wednesday 10/1

Tickets are $1.00 each or 20 for $15.

Each student will receive one free ticket.

There is no ticket limit, though individual students can only win once.

Purchase your Experience tickets online:

Dynamic Experience Ticket Form

or by visiting https://www.shelburnepto.org/dynamic-experiences

If your family needs a paper copy, please request one from your teacher.

All families are invited to join the Taiko Apple Festival (Ringo Matsuri) at Shelburne Orchards on Saturday, Sep 27 from 10:30 to 3:00.

- Rain Location Shelburne Fieldhouse

- Not an official school event, we hope all Grade 4 students will be able to perform in the youth section at this big event! They will be joined by 80-100 professional Taiko drummers from troupes across the North East and Canada. This could be the biggest Taiko Festival in VT history!

Grade 4 Families

For your child to perform please complete the permission form on this Link.

All students must be accompanied by an adult.

Mark your calendars—our Fall Cornhole Tournament is back! Join us for an afternoon of fun, food, and friendly competition on Saturday,10/18. Open to all ages, from students K–12 to adults. Prizes will go to the top teams in each division, but the real win is coming together to support our school community.

Team registration is now open for teams of two! Grab a friend or family member and sign up by Friday 10/10.

Not playing? Come cheer on the teams and enjoy food, fall treats, face painting, and more. Free for spectators!

We’re also looking to borrow cornhole boards for the day—if you have a set we can use, please add your name to this form!

Questions or want to get involved? Reachout to cornhole@shelburnepto.org

Please see below for an important message for any SCS students who spend time at the Pierson Library after school, particularly on Wednesdays during early release. You can click on the image to get a larger version. We are so fortunate to have a robust community library, and we want to do everything we can to support their after school programming. Thank you!

Tired of drafty windows and high heating bills? The Shelburne Climate & Energy Committee is helping organize a WindowDressers Community Build to create low-cost, custom insulating window inserts that can reduce fuel costs by up to 20%. These attractive, removable inserts stop drafts while still letting in sunlight and views. The program’s affordability comes from a cooperative model where all participants help assemble the inserts during the build, which will be held at the Shelburne Town Hall from November 14-19. The deadline to sign up for a free, no-obligation window measurement is September 20th. Financial assistance is available.

To learn more and sign up, visit www.windowdressers.org or contact Judy Raven at ravenvt@msn.com.

We are looking to hire an a.m. and/or p.m. crossing guard to support a safe arrival and dismissal at School Street. Hours would be 7:30-8:00 and 2:30-3:00. If you are interested, please reach out to scsinformation@cvsdvt.org.

Are you interested in having some fun learning alongside our students as a guest teacher (aka sub)? If so, please reach out to CVSDHR@cvsdvt.org or Louise Michaels.

Click here for more information on becoming a sub!

Shelburne Community School Administrative Team

Jen Roth, PreK-4 Principal

Brett Cluff, 5-8 Principal

Antonia Trono, Director of Special Services