The Wildcat Week Ahead

Hey Wildcats!

Happy October! Thank you to everyone who came out for Open House! We had 80 kids and their families attend, which was amazing! We had some graduated 6th graders from last year, and everyone loved seeing them 🥰.

This week, on Wednesday, South Burlington High School is sending about 16 kids in grades 9th and 12th to spend some time with our kids. This is part of South Burlington's Slam Community Service Project, and we have some past GIS students attending! Partnering with high schools that our kids might someday attend to support them in their activities, like community service, feels positive and will be fun for everyone.

I started Mrs. H's Morning Message this year, a quick video for homeroom teachers to play for kids. It focuses on kindness and always includes a funny pair of sunglasses and a skill to work on called Mrs. H's Weekly Challenge. In the first two weeks of school, the skill was to find an adult you could check in with when you're feeling sad or angry, and then kids were asked to do something kind for a classmate. Last week, we learned about kindness in the Japanese culture! In Japan, offering any guest in your home tea is kind. It's welcoming and shows you are happy they are there. As you walk down the main hallway in school, the left-hand side fills up with kids recognizing their hard work on these skills. It's exciting to hear them share what kindness means to them and to be proud of their work. This is just a tiny glimpse into our day-to-day!

In other news! Most kids in grades 1-6 have finished their universal math and ELA testing. Please let me know if you would like a copy of those results with a small write-up.

Last week, I asked for some input on the newsletter and more events at GIS. Thank you for all the responses! We have some opportunities for parents and guardians now and in the future! You can see those opportunities below.

Be sure to find all of the important updates below!

Thanks for all you do!

As always, my door and inbox are always open,

Mrs. H