Bridport Community Newletter

Hello, BCS Community!

Happy Friday! We had a FABULOUS first week of school. We played, ate lunch, connected with new and old friends and practiced so many routines and procedures! Our school community felt joyful this week as we came together to start our year of learning.

We are using an approach called Responsive Classroom at BCS again this year. "Responsive Classroom is a student-centered, social and emotional learning approach to teaching and discipline. It is comprised of a set of research- and evidence-based practices designed to create safe, joyful, and engaging classroom and school communities for both students and teachers."

At BCS this week it looked like:

1. Morning Meeting every day

2. Predictable Routines and Procedures that are modeled and practiced

3. Creating classroom essential agreements

4. Setting student-led goals

5. Recognizing positive actions, and celebrating achievements.

As a school community today, we had our first community time of the year! We got together and had all school meeting which followed the morning meeting format of greeting, share and activity. We played simon says, and then talked about what we want BCS to look like, sound like and feel like. Some answers were: "We want to have fun!", "We want it to feel safe", "We want it to sound kind". We will use their hopes to create school-wide rules in the next few weeks. This is where you come in! We would love your feedback about your hopes for what this year will bring. If you have time to fill out the form linked below- that will help us in our creation of our school-wide rules and expectations.

Survey

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Best,
Jenny

Library at Bridport Central School

2024 - 2025

Welcome back to another school year!

• We are excited to be offering library class once a week to Bridport students. Library class will be on Thursdays this year.

• Please help your child remember to bring their books back every week. You can tell a library book because it will have Bridport Central School / Bridport Library stamped in the front.

• All students can borrow up to 3 books every library class.

• If a student forgets to bring back their books (or are still reading them) they may be allowed to borrow up to 5 books total. Books can be borrowed for one week. Students should return their books to the library on the day they have library class.

• Sometimes, students may take home other giveaway books. Giveaways always go home with a note telling you you can keep them. If you want to return giveaway books, that’s also fine.

• Questions? Comments? Concerns? Feel free to send me an email at aadams@acsdvt.org

My name is Dani Girard and I am so excited to be joining the Bridport Central School community! This is my fourth year of school nursing and I’m happing to be joining ACSD where I went to school. I love hiking, sailing, reading and being apart of the great Vermont community. Looking forward to meeting you all!

Remember for the first day of school that if your student has an emergency medication that needs to be at school (inhaler or epipen) or takes a daily medication at school, then the school needs a signed medical note from the students PCP to accept it and give it to your student. Medications must be in original packaging and brought in by an adult.

Please review the 2024-2025 health guidelines and let me know if you have any questions!

Updated health information can be found on the health tab on the ACSD website.

General Illness Guidance

In order to prevent the spread of communicable illnesses and to help recover from illness, we require all employees and students to stay home if they have any of the following:

• fever of 100.4 or higher-can return once fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication
• diarrhea-can return once symptom free for 24 hours
• vomiting-can return once symptom free for 24 hours
• persistent cough that interferes with learning or work and is not asthma related. Can return once symptoms are resolved enough to be able to engage in work/learning
• infection requiring antibiotics-may return after taking antibiotics for 24 hours
• rash of unknown origin-may return once a healthcare provider determines the rash is not contagious
• Influenza and COVID-may return once fever free for 24 hours and feeling well enough to be at school/work.

COVID

• Per the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Vermont Department of Health, there is no longer a requirement for 5 days of quarantine when you have or suspect you have COVID-19

• You should feel well enough to be at school/work and be fever free (<100.4) without the use of medication for at least 24 hours prior to returning to school

• Please visit the Vermont Department of Health website for more information on current guidance for COVID-19 including testing

• Schools no longer have test kits available, but they can be found at the Ilsley Library and in the foyer at Middlebury Regional EMS (55 Collins Drive). You can also order a free supply from the postal service at this link.

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Monday, September 2nd- No School- Labor Day

Tuesday, September 3rd- First Day of School for Preschool!

Thursday September 5th, 6PM- FOBCS (PTO) Meeting

Thursday September 12, 6-7PM- Open House

Do you volunteer in our schools? Join Superintendent Wendy Baker for a discussion about how to streamline, strengthen, and improve our volunteer program at ACSD schools. We will schedule a time to meet this fall to gather your feedback. Interested?

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1H6laR0CJwNAVk9RKvXDYd2kvHeiw0vzwBb_9qcRNwg4/edit

As a reminder, all children are entitled to free breakfast and lunch!

All school meals will be free again for ALL students.

But, it's still VERY IMPORTANT to complete the free and reduced meal application form. Our district gets $475,000+ each year based on the % of students who qualify for free/reduced meals. So, if you fill out the form, you help us qualify!

A paper application will come home with your child, or apply now online.