Cornwall School News 1.16.26

Dear Cornwall families,

Last week, MUHS math teacher and Cornwallian Dan Comar reached out to me. He has trail cameras around town in an effort to identify wildlife travel corridors. There’s a one-eyed fox that has been frequenting one of the cameras on Cider Mill Road; this same fox is rumored to be responsible for the downfall of some Cobb Corner chickens, but we don't spread rumors at Cornwall School...

Cornwall School is home to many creatures, including Chippy the chipmunk(s), the bunnies that hide under Pete's Playhouse, and of course Corny and Wally. (Today I spotted Wally in a classroom, but I won't say which one). Dan has invited Cornwall School students to name this fox! Can your family brainstorm a good name?

In partnership,

Nadya

Mon, 1/19 No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

Tues, 1/20 No School, Inservice

Wed, 1/28 Cornwall School goes XC Skiing at Rikert Outdoor Center in Ripton - 1st of 3 times

Fri, 1/30 Progress Reports go home in backpacks

Wed 2/4 February Early Release

Fri, 2/6 Cornwall School goes XC skiing at Rikert - 2nd of 3 times

Mon, 2/9 Ted Scheu "that poetry guy" comes to Cornwall, grades K-2

Thurs, 2/12 Grades 3-5 go downhill skiing at the Middlebury Snowbowl

Wed, 2/18 Cornwall School goes XC skiing at Rikert - 3rd of 3 times

When there is a 2 hour delay due to snow, we do not serve breakfast at Cornwall School.

Students who ride the morning bus and students who are dropped off before 7:50 are outside, playing in the snow. Please help us start the day well by ensuring that your student is dressed for the weather, including boots. Thanks!

One of our focus areas as a staff this year was mathematics learning in grades 3-5. We created a position of math instructional specialist and were lucky to get Mindy Harvey for this role. Ms. Harvey has been co-teaching math with our 3-5 teachers. This means that they plan the math learning together, and sometimes Ms. Harvey leads the lesson, or part of the lesson, and other times the classroom teacher does.

Students are learning math in ways that might feel pretty unfamiliar to many grown-ups! Students talk a lot about different strategies for the math. Their work includes lots of visuals, pictures, diagrams, charts and tables, which they use to tell the story of their thinking. We look at different ways to solve a problem, and often compare what’s similar and different between strategies. Math lessons also include lots of “A and B” partner work. During a lesson, students are often spread out across the room with their A and B partners, sitting "Elbow-To-Elbow and Knee-to-Knee" (Mrs. Benjamin calls this EEKK). They’re learning to compare strategies with their partner, and to retell the story of how their partner solved a problem.

It’s busy, sometimes messy, joyful learning!

Cornwall School is going skiing! Do you love to be outside in the snow? Have you cross country skied more than 3 times? Are you available on the dates below?

Wed, 1/28

Fri, 2/6

Wed, 2/18

If you answered yes to all three of those questions, we have a volunteer opportunity for you! We're looking for family volunteers to help with boot tying, mitten wrangling, and equipment. We also need volunteers who will ski alongside our kids. Each group also has an instructor and a staff member.

Contact Nadya and complete the ACSD volunteer process if you're interested.

CORA (Cornwall Outdoor Recreation Area) is the pickleball court project going in next door to our school. Later this winter, they will sow native plants.

To prepare for that, they need clean gallon jugs. They're hoping Cornwall School can help out! Send your clean gallon jugs to school. No need to cut - they'll take care of that.

In November, the ACSD Board voted to educate Shoreham and Bridport together at Bridport school beginning in August 2026. The Shoreham building will also begin a new chapter, educating preschool students. We want to share the principal update with all members of our community:

• Jenny Urban will continue as the full-time principal at Bridport Central School, and Lashawn Whitmore-Sells will join her as a 0.5 principal.

• Principal Whitmore-Sells will also be the preschool administrator at Shoreham, working with our preK team to stabilize and grow our early childhood programming by relocating our Bridport PreK classroom to Shoreham Elementary School, expanding preK offerings, and exploring birth-to-3 partnerships to best serve our communities.

• Principals Urban and Whitmore-Sells both bring exceptional care for our students and staff, and we are incredibly lucky to benefit from their expertise as we move forward.

Help shape the future of education in our community! The ACSD Board will have open School Board seats this year in Bridport, Middlebury, and Salisbury. If you're interested, gather signatures* on your nominating petition and submit the petition and your Candidate Consent form to your Town Office by January 26, 2026.This is also a great time to reach out to encourage someone you think would be a great candidate! Board elections occur on Town Meeting Day, March 3, 2026. Terms are 3 years. You must be 18 or older and a resident of the respective town to run. You'll play a crucial role in enhancing our schools and advocating for every student. Learn more on the Running for School Board page of the Vermont School Board Association website.

* Petitions must be signed by 60 voters or one percent of the ACSD checklist—whichever is less. Petitions and the Candidate Consent Form are available with the links above, at your Town Hall, or the ACSD District Office (49 Charles Ave, Middlebury). ​​​​​​​