Mary Hogan Family Newsletter

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

Happy New Year! It was wonderful to see your children at school this week after such a long break. The week was full of reconnection and joy. This was most evident outside of our building as students enjoyed the snow that we had over break and the first part of the week. Students built forts, sculptures, people, tunnels, and more outside. They also went sledding - at school and at the Middlebury Rec Dept. The snow also led to great wonders by students. My favorite comes from a 5th grader who asked me and a peer "What do you think snow would feel like if it wasn't cold?" What a great question to ponder, especially amidst this January thaw.

Have a great weekend. I hope it is filled with joy and curious questions!

💙,
Jen

Wednesday 1/14 & Thursday 1/15 - 1st and 2nd Grade Swimming (HERE is the full schedule and letter)

Monday 1/19 - No School - Martin Luther King Jr Day

Tuesday 1/20 - No School - Inservice

Wednesday 1/21 & Thursday 1/22 - - 1st and 2nd Grade Swimming (HERE is the full schedule and letter)

Friday 1/23 - Kindergarten goes to visit Wonderfeet Museum

Wednesday 1/28 & Thursday 1/29 - - 1st and 2nd Grade Swimming (HERE is the full schedule and letter)

Friday 1/30 - Progress Reports go home with students

The January Reading Challenge is to read past and present books from the Vermont State Book Award Lists. The Kindergarten -3rd graders are being asked to read and respond to four Vermont Red Clover Books and the 4th and 5th graders are being asked to read one book from the Vermont Golden Book Award list. We hope students will discover new books that they will enjoy. All the books were selected by librarians across Vermont as the best books published each year!

We are busy getting ready for the 2026 Readathon. Next week, there is a group of 5th graders who will be recording the new theme song for this year. Kurt Broderson from MCTV will be in the building taking video clips of students reading so that he can put together a music video for our 2026 Readathon Kickoff!

Many 4th and 5th grade students are busy designing bookmarks for the 2026 Bookmark Competition. Students are coming home with the rules (also shared below). Entering the bookmark contest is optional and the bookmarks should be created WITHOUT adult help. They should include the theme, "Books Color Our World." Students should be sure to be creative, use bright colors, check their spelling, and have fun!

The deadline for submitting the bookmarks is Thursday, January 15th. We can't wait to see what the students come up with for designs.

Whether students were sledding behind Hawk Zone or at the Middlebury Rec, they had a blast zooming down hills. Others chose to build - forts and snowmen - together. It is always more fun to build together! Check out some of what happened out in the snow this week.

Preschoolers took it up a notch this week with thier play in the snow by going skiing and snowshoeing on the field by school. They got skis and snowshoes over the past few years and love using them. Look at this fun!

Students in 1st grade had a treat this Friday when VINS came to Mary Hogan to help our students learn about animal adaptations. Students met a hawk, a falcon, and an owl and they learned about how the animals each have adaptations that help them survive in our environment. Students wondered if they could touch the animals and learned that the birds are wild animals and haven't been trained over centuries to be pets like their dogs and cats. It was a really cool experience for all the students - and there were a number of staff who also joined the 1st grade team to learn more!

Jena, Mrs Lubaszewski, Xanthe, and Emily (counselors and behavior consultants) started teaching social skills classes in 1st grade this week. We are working to help all students learn and practice crucial social skills for their grade and developmental level this winter and spring. We are starting with 1st grade and Kindergarten but other grades are coming soon.

MESA has partnered with UVM Athletics again this year to sell tickets to select hockey and basketball games. A portion of the ticket sales goes to MESA.

Men's Basketball 12/20 2pm vs Iona

Men's Hockey 1/10 7pm vs Northeastern

Women's Basketball 1/24 2pm vs Bryant

Women's Hockey 1/31 1pm vs Providence

Please use this link to purchase tickets: https://uvmathletics.evenue.net/promotions/MESAMHS

Help shape the future of education in our community! The ACSD Board will have open School Board seats this year in Bridport, Middlebury, and Salisbury. If you're interested, gather signatures* on your nominating petition and submit the petition and your Candidate Consent form to your Town Office by January 26, 2026.This is also a great time to reach out to encourage someone you think would be a great candidate! Board elections occur on Town Meeting Day, March 3, 2026. Terms are 3 years. You must be 18 or older and a resident of the respective town to run. You'll play a crucial role in enhancing our schools and advocating for every student. Learn more on the Running for School Board page of the Vermont School Board Association website.

* Petitions must be signed by 60 voters or one percent of the ACSD checklist—whichever is less. Petitions and the Candidate Consent Form are available with the links above, at your Town Hall, or the ACSD District Office (49 Charles Ave, Middlebury). ​​​​​​​

We are so grateful to our family and community volunteers! If you plan to volunteer for an event or activity this year, now is a great time to apply or make sure your paperwork is up-to-date!

• Learn more about the volunteer process here.
• Check in with your front office if you've volunteered in the past to make your paperwork is up to date.
• Fill out this form if you've never volunteered before and plan to this year.

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.