The Hornet Buzz

January 27: Internship Mandatory Virtual Meeting at 6:30PM
January 30: Coffee House at 7PM
February 10: Band Concert at 6:30PM
February 13: Polarpalooza
February 17: Choral Pops Concert at 6:30PM
February 23 - March 3: No School - Winter Break

Dear Hornet Students, Families, and Caregivers,

As we begin Semester 2, we are excited to welcome students and families back for the second half of the school year. The progress our students have made so far is a direct result of their effort, resilience, and the strong support they receive both at school and at home. We are proud of the learning, growth, and accomplishments we’ve seen and look forward to building on that success together.

The start of a new semester is a fresh opportunity for students to set goals, stay engaged, and continue developing both academically and personally. Our staff remains committed to providing a safe, supportive, and challenging learning environment where every student can thrive. Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. We are excited for all that Semester 2 will bring!

Best,
Donald S. Van Nostrand

Principal

Important Update From Child Nutrition
Yearbook Personalization Deadline
Hall Pass And Cell Phone Reminder
Rotary Club Speech Contest
Governor's Institute Of Vermont
Advisory, PLP, BTC/CTE, And Course Registration In January
Personal Care Item Donations
Struggling To Compare College Financial Aid Letters?
Vermont Highway Safety Alliance's Annual PSA Video Contest
EHS Internship - Mandatory Meeting
Updates From The Career Center
Audubon Youth Naturalist Program
Military Information Meeting - 3/31
The Hive
No School: 2/23 - 3/3
Important Links
Administrator Assignments

Beginning Wednesday, January 21, the Essex High School cafeteria will begin using student PINs at the point of sale for all meals. This is going into effect at Essex High School ONLY and no other schools will be using PINs in the cafeteria.

Students have received an email with their individual PIN. This change helps us:

Maintain compliance with federal and state child nutrition program requirements
Ensure meals are accurately recorded

During the first few days of implementation, cafeteria lines may move slightly slower as students become familiar with the new process. Students will be asked to remain at the point of sale until their transaction is complete. Cafeteria staff will be available to assist students who forget their PIN or need additional support.

Thank you for your patience and support as we implement this change at Essex High School.

Order your EHS yearbook today! Order at www.jostens.com/essexhighschoolvt

The start of Semester 2 offers us a great time to remind students of expectations regarding hall passes and cell phones. When working well, these expectations help keep students in classes and more attentive to their learning. Please support us in talking to your student about these expectations. Reminders will also be happening in Advisory.

Hall passes are required whenever a student leaves the classroom. Students without passes will be sent back to class. Cell phones are expected to be put in caddies during all classes, Advisory, Flex, Study Hall, and in the Library. Students in study halls are allowed to bring their cell phones to the library, but must turn them in at the desk upon arrival.

Students with phones in the hallways during classes will be met with a variety of responses depending on if it’s their first time or repeated behavior including: phone kept in the office for the remainder of the day, Main Office check in/check out at the start and end of the day, guardian notification, Community Call Backs, etc.

Thank you for your support regarding these expectations. When we all work together consistently it makes a big difference in school climate and culture.

EHS students in grades 9-12 are eligible to compete for cash prizes in the annual Rotary Club speech contest.

This year's prompt is: How can we be instruments of peace?

Prepare and deliver a five minute speech which relates this topic to your life, school, neighbors, and Rotary values.

See Mrs. Frisbie for more information by January 23rd. The first round is February 4th.

Governor's Institute of Vermont

Applications are now open for the summer 2026 Governor's Institute of Vermont (GIV). GIV offers 8 different topic specific summer institutes and the cost can be as little as $10.00 based on a sliding scale fee. To learn more about GIV and to apply visit their website www.giv.org.

Reach out to Siobhan Barber sbarber@ewsd.org in the school counseling office if you have questions.

Students will have advisory scheduled every day from Thursday, 1/22 through Monday, 2/2 in order to complete course registration for next year, work on Personalized Learning Plans (PLP) (grades 9-11), facilitate 9th and 10th grade CTE/BTC program awareness, and to attend class meetings.

Please check in with your student to see how they are doing with registration, PLP work, and awareness of CTE/BTC programs they may be interested in.

There is an ongoing personal care items drive here at the high school to benefit veterans in need.

The drive will run until the end of January, the following new items are being collected:

Body wash, shampoo, and conditioner
Dental care products (toothbrushes/toothpaste)
Deodorant
Feminine hygiene products (tampons/pads)
Hand soaps
Lotion
Tissues

Donations can be dropped off at the blue box on the table in the main lobby. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Comparing financial aid packages can be overwhelming, but VSAC has launched a free tool to simplify the process.

Their new app allows students and families to easily compare multiple award letters side-by-side. By uploading your offers, you can get a clear breakdown of how each school’s costs stack up, helping you identify which institution offers the best financial fit for your future.

Key Features:

Completely Free: No subscriptions or hidden fees.
Side-by-Side Comparison: View multiple offers in one dashboard.
Clear Insights: Quickly identify the most competitive financial package.

Click Here To Learn More!

Vermont Highway Safety Alliance’s Annual PSA Video Contest is open to high-school students with the goal of encouraging you, your friends, and your classmates to avoid distracted driving.