Principal's Newsletter

Hello and happy Friday!

It’s been a bit of a roller coaster of ups and downs here at SCS this week. The cold snowy weather continues to challenge us, whether it's the adults driving to and from school or the kids having all the right gear at school to enjoy recess. The approaching holiday is a huge distraction to kids, as you know, and we’re sure there will be more highs and lows in the seven remaining school days as well. Thank you for doing what you can from home to keep kids’ routines as consistent as possible and their bedtimes as early as possible. Sleep is the best medicine this time of year. For all of us!

Thanks to all who have filled out the Ice Skating form already. I’m linking it below to make sure we get as much student specific information as possible regarding skates, helmets, volunteers and dismissal. Next week we are looking forward to the Holiday Store on Thursday, and there will be a short band and chorus concert on Friday at 2PM.

The teachers and I met this week to discuss the mid-year progress reports and winter assessment window. Students will have multiple opportunities to show what they have learned since the start of the year, and we will be sharing that information with families in January and February. Progress reports will be going home in student backpacks on Friday, January 30th.

We also discussed finding more ways to share the great work students are doing every day in and around SCS. We’re going to try increasing our social media presence by posting to Instagram at Salisbury Community School; please follow us to see regular updates. I’ll continue to include pictures and teacher newsletters here in this weekly newsletter as well. We also welcome volunteers to come help out in school and on field trips. I’m looking forward to seeing lots of parents at the school store on the 18th and ice skating on the 23rd!

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend,

Tracey

The VT Department of Health is reporting a significant rise in pertussis (whooping cough), a very contagious respiratory disease that often affects school-aged children. We are not aware of any cases in ACSD, and hope the information below will help prevent and treat any cases that occur.

Symptoms & Treatment: Early symptoms look like a common cold (runny nose, low fever, mild cough) and usually appear 5-10 days after exposure. Later Symptoms can include severe coughing fits with a “whoop”, vomiting during/after coughing fits, difficulty sleeping, struggling to breathe, and rib fractures. Early treatment is crucial to prevent severe symptoms and shorten illness. Students/staff diagnosed with pertussis must complete 5 full days of antibiotics before returning to school; without antibiotics, they must stay home for 21 days from the start of the cough.

Spread & Prevention: Pertussis spreads easily through respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes. Help prevent illness by staying up to date on Tdap/DTap vaccines, washing hands, covering coughs, and keeping students home when sick. Good rest, nutrition, hydration, and time outdoors also support overall health.