Program Newsletter

Pencils sharpened in their case. Bells are ringing, let's make haste.

School's beginning, dreams to chase. All are welcome here.

No matter how you start your day. What you wear when you play.

Or if you come from far away. All are welcome here.

In our classroom safe and sound. Fears are lost and hope is found.

Raise your hand, we'll go around. All are welcome here.

Gather now, let's all take part. We'll play music, we'll make art.

We'll share stories from the heart. All are welcome here.

-Excerpt from "All Are Welcome Here" by Alexandra Penfold & Suzanne Kaufman

You are invited to join us at our next Multilingual Family Fun Event at Maple Street Park! This event is hosted by the EWSD Multilingual Advisory Council. All families and friends of the multilingual community are welcome to join in the activities.

Date: September 23rd

Time: 11 am-4 pm

Admission cost: Free

Address: Maple Street Park 75 Maple Street, Essex Junction

Activities: Henna, face painting, food, music, soccer, corn hole game, potato sack race, raffle, and more!

Translated Flyers: Click here

The Welcoming Library: Traveling Collection, is a pop-up conversation on immigration, and is designed to lend to classrooms, schools, public libraries, and community organizations at no cost to the borrower. Thanks to Christine Sealey at EHS for sharing this information!

The EWSD is hiring!

The EWSD is hiring! There are many benefits to working for the EWSD, including paid time off, medical and dental insurance, and retirement savings.

Did you know that full-time support staff employees also receive up to $3,000 per year for professional development in addition to their regular pay? You can choose which classes and/or workshops you take and when you take them! We also provide translation and interpretation support to job applicants and new employees. You can apply for jobs through School Spring, or by contacting our team directly using the number at the bottom of the job posting. Click here to see jobs

If you need translation support to apply, please call Tamara Parks at (802) 878-8168 Ext 2008 and leave a message in the language you are most comfortable using.

We are searching for a Kiribati translator. Please help us by sharing this job posting widely. Thank you!

The EWSD Multilingual Advisory Council held a small Sushi Cooking event to learn how to make this amazing edible art.

A big thanks to Reiko Kida for being our teacher during this event!

Spectrum provides a Multicultural Help Desk at EHS, EMS, and ADL. This summer, Spectrum took a group of 28 students to Six Flags. Click here for photos. Each student participated in the summer programs that we held through these few months and some were celebrating their high school graduation. They were able to go on rides and enjoy each other’s company while having some fun.

This year we will be distributing backpacks to students receiving EL services who could benefit from some school supplies.

Each backpack has a water bottle, book, sketchbooks, lined notebooks, folders, pencil case, pencils, erasers, pens, crayons, markers, hat, scarf, and gloves.

Please let your EL teacher or translator know if you know of a child who could benefit from a welcome backpack.

A big thanks to our Multilingual Liaisons for their help developing the welcome bag plan!

Are you interested in being a part of the EWSD Multilingual Advisory Council? Please contact Tamara Parks at tparks@ewsd.org to request an application. The council meets monthly to provide guidance on the direction of the Multilingual Program. You can also ask any Multilingual Liaison or translator to help you apply. We hope you can join us!

Would you like to learn more about the EWSD Multilingual Program?

Here are a few links you may find helpful:

• EWSD Multilingual Program Home Page
• Eligibility for EL (English Learner) Services
• Resources for Families
• Translation Services

The Internationals Network has released a one-pager for school leaders about how to welcome newcomers. Click here to see the resource!

As we welcome back returning families and welcome new families here are some reminders for registrars and EL teachers.

In this podcast, Jen Stromsten and Alex Beck talk about how a Welcoming Initiative has breathed life into their rural town in Vermont.

Are you interested in learning about programs that will help refugees come to Vermont? Here are some programs mentioned by our Vermont State Refugee Office:

1. Welcome Corps

2. Uniting for Ukraine | USCIS

3. Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans | USCIS

Email: tparks@ewsd.org
Website: https://www.ewsd.org/page/multilingual-learner-program
Phone: (802) 878-8168