HCS PiE Monthly Newsletter

Hi Everyone,

There's a lot packed in this newsletter so thank you for taking the time to check it out. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and maybe (just maybe!) we'll see you at our next General PiE Meeting in January (where we will be raffling off HCS merch). Stay tuned for details!

As always, we love hearing from you, so email us anytime.

PiE Steering Committee

Thank you to all who have participated in this fundraiser and are sharing it far and wide with family and friends. There are still a few more days to place your Meadow Farms orders online.

The deadline to order is Monday, 11/17- click here

Don't wait...especially if you want the good wrapping paper😉Remember all orders are shipped directly to you and between 40-50% of each item comes back to HCS!

Earlier this week, HCS parent and CVSD SEPAC co-founder Dan Tobin (with his wife, Erin) joined us at a PiE meeting to share information about what a SEPAC—Special Education Parent Advisory Council—does, and to raise awareness about the newly established CVSD SEPAC as a resource for families in both the HCS community and the wider CVSD district.

In a nutshell, a SEPAC gives parents and community members a voice in conversations about special education in CVSD. It listens to community members’ thoughts, concerns, and feedback, and then communicates those needs to school administrators.

The Council focuses on district-level policies and programming, provides mentorship for parents and families involved in special education, and helps raise awareness about the legal aspects of special education. It also encourages caregivers with lived experience—such as navigating IEPs or 504 plans—to participate in advocacy for students receiving special education services.

Click here for a joint statement from CVSD and CVSD SEPAC

CVSD SEPAC meets virtually the 3rd Friday of the month, often during the day, as several CVSD Administrators attend these meetings as well. All are welcome to attend these meetings and we encourage anyone with questions to reach out to Dan and Erin at cvsdsepac@gmail.com

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The PiE grant application is open! PiE volunteers, Kate Jesdale and Mary Hong lead the grant committee and will gladly take any questions you may have at HCSPIEgrants@gmail.com

We are also looking for 1 or 2 interested individuals to take the reins when their kids graduate!

The application and overview document is available now and the grant window will be open from October 15th, 2025 until January 9th, 2026.

2025-26 PiE GRANT APPLICATION AND GUIDLINES HERE

Check out the dedicated and talented HCS cast and crew of The Little Mermaid JR next week, November 21st and 22nd! All ticket sales directly benefit the HCS Theater Program.

Big news....PiE is looking to RE-IMAGINE the Annual Family Dance this year and we'd REALLY love your help. In fact, we need it. With enough help we hope to be able to morph the event into more of a Family Fun Night 🤩

Ideally, a few volunteers could team up to help us execute a awesome event that every kiddo and their family will want to take part in. PiE has received generous sponsorships in the past to help cover some costs for this event, but what we really need are a few creative caregivers who want to think outside the box. We know you're out there, email hcspiechair@cvsdvt.org to let us know you want in!