Solon Salutes

• MHS continues to collect snack donations. Individual wrapped is best please. Please drop off any donations to the MHS office.
• March 12 at 6:00 PM is meet the Spring Coaches night at MHS.
• On March 14th MHS will be sending you two emails to be sure you receive the information to register for Caregiver Conferences on the 21st and 22nd of March. One email will be from me in the form of a smaller Solon Salutes and one from Diana Koliander through Naviance. It does not matter which email link you use.
  Conference Dates:
  Thursday, March 21, 2024 - 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Friday, March 22, 2024 - 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Caregiver Sign-ups Start: March 14 at 9:00 a.m
  Caregiver Sign-ups End: March 20 at midnight
  Caregivers will be able to sign up online for 15-minute conferences with their student's teachers.
• Privileges Grades will be re-checked on 3/25, and if students are still not eligible for privileges, privileges will be revoked and a Work Lab will be added back into their schedule.
• The MHS Student Council is looking for chaperones for the second annual Spring Fling! The Spring Fling is a semi-formal dance that brings together students in our Central Vermont community to foster connection and camaraderie between different schools with a night of dancing, music, and fun!

This year the event is being held in conjunction with Harwood Union High School, U-32 High School, Spaulding High School, and Twinfield Union School, and is open to students from grades 9-12. The dance will happen at the VCFA Alumni Hall on Saturday, March 30th, from 8pm to 11pm.

If you are interested in participating as a chaperone or volunteer, please email MHSStuCo@gmail.com with your preference of chaperoning the actual event (on 3/30 from 7:45pm to 11:15pm), helping with either the setup of the event (on 3/30 from 10am to 12pm) or cleanup (on 3/31 from 12pm to 2pm), or any combination of these responsibilities.

If you have any further questions, please reach out and we will be happy to answer!

Thank you for your interest, we value your time and engagement with our school event.

MRPS is announcing the attached documents which describe the process for the Winooski Valley School Lottery Program.
If you have any questions please reach out to Valerie Belanger at valerie@mpsvt.org

Dear MHS Community,

Hello All,

I hope you are well. You had a lovely weekend, and despite the recent snow (soul-crushing for me- bring on Spring!), all is well. As always, a lot of activities are happening at MHS this week.

Meet the Spring Coaches night is on Tuesday, rising 9th grade parent night is on Thursday, and one of the most important events this week is Tuesday's MRPS Board Meeting at 6:30 PM.

You can see how to join the meeting virtually or attend in person at Roxbury Village School (information provided below), and most importantly, the opportunity for your voice to be heard. We know Superintendent Bonesteel's letter on Friday provided you with an opportunity to speak up and also pointed out the immense pressure many schools/districts are under right now figuring out how to solve the budget challenges.

We will figure this out. We have faced challenges before; in life, we will face many more, some of which are in and out of our control. Our staff will continue to do great work, mentoring and providing valuable opportunities for students to grow and learn. I also know and believe in our students. Regardless of the budget outcome, our students will continue to thrive, learn, and connect with peers and adults to explore their options during and after high school.

What can you do in the meantime? Stay informed, read up on the budget challenges, and allow us to have some grace, as this is a stressful and challenging time. And remember, we are a community. We are working on this together and will continue to grow even after the next vote. Thank you for your countless support and encouragement of our staff and willingness to understand there are difficult choices ahead.

Sincerely,

Jason

Click the buttons below for your class! Review to-dos and helpful info!

How to play:

1. March 6-8:

1. You should read at least one book on the list in order to play.*

2. Click on this link, or scan the QR code below, to create your own GMBA Book Madness bracket. Add your name to the file name.

3. If it's been a while since you read any of these books, or if you haven't read any/or all of them, familiarize yourself with the books on this year's list by reviewing this slideshow. Here's a link to information on last year's winner: Iron Widow.

*We have multiple copies of this year's list, so check some out to read over this vacation!

1. Complete the bracket.

• Use the dropdown arrows to select your favorite of the two titles from the first set of matchups.

• Do the same for each set of matchups. Each time you complete a set, the options for the next set will auto-populate.

• Select your top choice for the winning book.

2. Submit your completed bracket by 3:00 on March 8 by saving it as a PDF and emailing it to susanm@mpsvt.org.

1. March 11-13: Voting forms for Week 1 matchups will be sent out to all MHS students and staff; submit by March 13.

2. March 18-20: Voting forms for Week 2 matchups will be sent out; submit by March 20.

3. March 25-27: Voting forms for Week 3 matchups will be sent out; submit by March 27.

4. April 1-3: Voting forms for the winner will be sent out. Complete the form by April 3 by 3:00.

5. The winning book will be announced on April 4!

6. Bracket winner(s)* will be announced, and prizes will be awarded on April 5.

• March 13th Green Mountain Film Festival at MHS during Solon Block.
• March 14 Rising 9th Grade Caregiver Night 6:00-7:30 PM
• March 19 Options Based Safety Drill in the afternoon
• March 20 MHS Soup for the Soul Event & Enrichment afternoon
• March 21 Early Release for All Students
• March 22 No School / Caregiver Conference Day/No CVCC School.
• March 30 MHS Spring Fling Dance at VCFA
• April 1 Poet Steven Willis will be at MHS during Solon Block to present and speak with students.
• April 2-4 VT State COGNIA Testing- ELA and Math for 9th grade, Science for 11th grade
• April 4-6th- MHS Robotics at New England Championships!
• April 8th Early Release for All Students 1:00 PM Dismissal
• April 9 Winooski Valley Concert at MHS
  
• April 10 Teen Jazz Performance during Solon Block (Will be adjusted Schedule)
• April 15 Guest Speaker for all MHS Seniors on Consent Block 3 and Solon Blocks
• April 22 - 26 No School - Spring Recess
• May 1 Norwich Early College Application is due
• May 1 CCV Early College Priority Application is due
• August 7th CCV Early College Deadline
• May 2 University of Vermont College Visit for grades 10 & 11 if interested

• May 6 AP US Govt Exam 8:00-12:00
• May 7 AP Stats Exam 12:00-4:00
• May 8 AP English Exam 8:00-12:00 & Comp Science Exam 12:00-4:00
• May 8-10 All State Music Festival
• May 8 VPA Spelling Bee at MHS 4:00-7:00 PM
• May 9 AP Psychology Exam 12:00-4:00
• May 10 AP US History Exam 8:00-12:30
• May 11 or 25th Race Against Racism
• May 13 AP Calc Exam 8:00-12:00
• May 15 AP Music Theory Exam 12:00-4:00
• May 16 AP Spanish Exam 8:00-12:00
• May 20 Early Release for All Students
• May 27 No School - Memorial Day
• June 7th- Senior Grades are due and finalized for graduation eligibility
• June 8 Junior Prom (At Farm House Flowers)
• June 14 MHS Graduation
• June 19 Anticipated Last Day of School

• District Calendar
• School Events Calendar
• School Website

• Athletics Calendar
• Athletics Website
• Student Handbook
• Cell Phone Policy
• Bell Schedule
• Program of Studies
• Power School How to Access Student Grades Video
• Where do I go for Solon Block?
• Caregiver Handbook for Special Education Services
• MHS Hazing, Harassment and Bullying Information and reporting form

• Please check out these important updates from the district

• Link to the district newsletter: https://www.smore.com/u/mrps
• Link to our calendar webpage for the 2024-2025 district calendar
• Link to our homepage for the 2023-2024 annual report (PDF of the final report)
• Tuesday, March 12th Special School Board Meeting: The MRPS Board of School Directors and MRPS Administrators will be discussing possible scenarios to reduce the FY`25 school budget. WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU! Join us in person at Roxbury Village School or virtually via Zoom. Visit https://www.mrpsvt.org/school-board for more information.

MRPS administrators have been working to improve our website for students and families! Please check out the recent updates made to the curriculum, social emotional learning and wellness, and student support services webpages. Also, a reminder that all MHS air quality testing results are posted to our facilities webpage.

Greenway Institute is hosting an event for girls and gender expansive youth in 9-11th grade on Friday March 15th (more information on the attached flyer). We are inviting students to spend the day at the Greenway campus engaging in hands-on engineering challenges and networking with a panel of Vermont womxn in engineering. Participation is free, and all students need to bring is a bagged lunch from school. Check in with Matt McLane.

GO TO COLLEGE FOR FREE AT CCV

Virtual Events:
Monday, March 11th at 6:00 PM
Monday, April 8th at 6:00 PM

In-Person Events:
Thursday, March 28th at 4:30 PM at CCV Winooski
Wednesday, April 3rd at 4:30 PM at CCV Upper Valley

These events are free and open to students, families, friends, and school personnel.

Join local youth filmmakers and media artists in this pre-festival event at Montpelier High School for a conversation around using film making and media production to engage with the communities they live in and explore authentic storytelling. Panelists include participants from the Vermont Youth Documentary Lab, Conversations from the Open Road, Central Vermont Career Center, and the U-32 Pilot program.

Wednesday, 3/13

1pm – 2pm

Montpelier High School Auditorium

*FREE*

Public must RSVP HERE with GMFF

UVM- Summer Learning Programming

At UVM Summer Academy Your Students Will:

Earn College Credits: Students can choose from a wide variety of 3-credit courses that not only contribute to their high school achievements but also offer a glimpse into their future college careers.

Experience Campus Life: Living on campus, students will cultivate independence, adaptability, and the soft skills vital for college readiness.

Grow Personally and Build Confidence: Students gain time management skills and the confidence that they can succeed in college level courses.

UVM Extension’s 4-H Program invites rising 8th-12th graders to apply for one of three, free, residential summer academies held on the UVM campus June 23-29. AgroTek Innovation, now in its third year, exposes students to agriscience innovation skills by diving deep into one of three topics; Culturing Cells for Healthier Soils, Shifting the Waste to Value Paradigm (converting agricultural waste into value added products), and Using Virtual Reality for More Precise Agriculture. In addition to learning content, participants will build important relationships with undergraduate student mentors along with faculty and staff. More details, including the link to apply, can be found at:

https://go.uvm.edu/agrotek24

Deadline to apply is April 5. Individuals who identify as BIPOC, female identifying or LGBTQ+, humans traditionally under-represented in agriculture, are encouraged to apply.
Contact: Sarah Kleinman at sarah.kleinman@uvm.edu or 802-656-7637

Cosmic Play: An Adventure Game Theater Spring Retreat

April 20-23, 2024

Ages 13-19

This four-day experience interweaves role-play activities and creative workshops with emotional processing using psychodrama and other therapeutic techniques. Activities include lots of play, music-making, meditation, group sharing, cooking, crafting, ceremonies, and opportunities to connect with nature on 80 acres in the foothills of Mt Mansfield. Role-play experience is helpful but not necessary; all are welcome! Learn more and register at https://www.retribe.org/cosmic-play

Summer Rite of Passage Retreats:

Adventure Game Theater (Ages 12-19), July 4 - 13

Inner Journeys (Ages 14-19), July 21 - August 4

Questions? Contact ReTribeTransformation@gmail.com.

Public Roads is pleased to announce its second annual Student Writing Competition! Out of the 52 applications for the first competition, nine outstanding articles—three from each of our three student categories (high school, undergraduate, and graduate)—were selected to be published in the Winter 2024 issue. If you have not read the issue, I highly recommend that you do: https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/home.

Interested students should review the full deadline calendar available online and read the guidelines carefully before submitting their application.

Download the guidelines (link to PDF)

Download the application (link to PDF)

Important Dates:

• Date the competition opens: March 1, 2024.
• Date applications are due: 11:59 p.m. (EST) on April 1, 2024.
• Date articles are due: 11:59 p.m. (EST) on May 1, 2024.
• Date applicants are notified: December 2024.

Applications, questions, and final entries should be submitted to publicroadsswc@dot.gov.

The dates and times of each show:

March 14, 15, and 16 starting at 7:30 (so get there a little before)

Location:

Norwich University Mack Auditorium:

Mack Hall, Webb Hall, Harmon Dr, Northfield, VT 05663
Please support Norwich University’s spring production of Heathers. Sophia Sevi and Diya Kulkarni who are Early College students are in this production. Sophia is playing Veronica’s mom and the Coach, and is the main person in charge of costumes as well as other technical things. Diya is playing Heather McNamara and have helped with the choreography of the show.

While we are excited to support our students about this production, it is a heavy show and not intended for children. The show includes subject matter such as suicide, drugs, sex, and guns.

This school year, youth vaping is as big an issue as ever, especially given growing mental health challenges among youth. Behind the bright colors and sweet flavors of e-cigarettes are harmful chemicals and nicotine addiction. Join us to learn the essentials for helping kids avoid or quit vaping. Our virtual presentation Dangers of Vaping: What Parents Need to Know in 2024 will be held on Tuesday, March 12 at 6:00pm Eastern Time. At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Understand and recognize tobacco industry tactics targeting youth
• Explain the dangers of nicotine e-cigarettes/vapes, non-nicotine vapes, and other new tobacco products
• Know the steps to protect youth and how to advise others to get involved
• Take action in their own communities
• Registration

If you can't make it, don't worry! We will be offering this presentation throughout the rest of the year on May 12, September 10, and November 19.

Make sure to register for our event on March 12 using the button below. This event is FREE and open to all, including parents, people who work with youth, and others. The recording will be available to all registrants after the webinar.