Mary Hogan Family News

It has been a busy but great week at school. Of all the days of the week, Thursday was a definite highlight for me. The day started with everyone looking so spiffy for picture day. Kids really did their best to make sure their photos were good. (But don't worry if they missed school or the photo wasn't perfect. There is a make up day later this fall.)

Thursday was also Constitution Day. On September 17, 1787, the US Constitution was signed and the day became a holiday in 1952. All classes taught about the Constitution - in developmentally appropriate ways. The 3rd graders went to Town Hall Theater to hear some poetry and songs about the Constitution. They were great audience members and most of all enjoyed the singing.

The day ended with Back to School Night. It was so great to see so many of you and your family. I hope you found your way around the building and got a sense of your child's routines this year. Many students seemed a bit tired today from the later day at school, so I hope they get some good sleep this weekend.

Have a great weekend!

💙,
Jen

Friday 9/18 - 6pm - Playing Fields at MUMS

Monday 9/21 - No School

Tuesday 9/29 - 9am - All School Meeting

Friday 10/2 - Apple Orchard Field Trip - See below for info

Please join us on Friday September 18th for a special welcome back event hosted by the Flynn Center and ACSD! This Whimsical interactive back-to-school party will feature PEARL by Plasticiens Volants. FREE and open to everyone in the ACSD Community.

6pm at Middlebury Union Middle School

Third grade went on the first field trip (beyond just a walking field trip) on Thursday to the Town Hall Theater. The performance marked the culmination of America 250: Expressions of Liberty, a statewide student poetry and art contest exploring the question: “What Does Freedom Mean to Me?” They had a lot of fun.

When you were here for Back to School Night, I hope you had a chance to check out the awesomeness happening in all of our hallways. They are filled with student work and learning in ways that engage those walking down the hall. Here is a small sampling of the hallways!

Students in 5th grade art were hard at work this week on a printing project that asks them to create a design - in reverse. Then to draw that design on a small eraser, then to carve out the design - all in preparation for some printing. What will they create? I can't wait to see.

The 4th and 5th grade Chorus has started practicing and had their second session this week. They are a big group and so excited. Ms. K had them all doing warm ups to practice a long exhalation that will help them with their songs. They are super excited to keep learning their songs.

Kindergarteners have been doing a lot of play and integrated into it are many skills that they need in other parts of the day. This week, I got to see kindergarteners at the start of the day experimenting with scissors with different patterns for cutting. They were creating structures and just shapes. They were using those cutting skills as well as working on sharing the limited resource - scissors - amongst themselves. They rocked it!

We will be running a Monday LAMS (Library, arts, movement, Spanish) schedule on Thursday 9/24. The goal of this change is help ensure that all students have the same number of days of these classes over the course of the school day. There will be a few more adjustments and I will announce them in advance.

On Friday 10/2, the whole school will have a chance to visit a local apple orchard. Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, and 4th grades will be going to Sunrise Orchard. 2nd and 5th grades will be going to Champlain Orchards. Each student will have a chance to pick a small bag of apples to bring home!

If you are an approved volunteer for field trips, we would love to have your help on this field trip. Please email Lorrie Fundis (lfundis@acsdvt.org) by Friday 9/25 to let us know your interest. We will then send more information to you about the timing, etc. Thanks for your consideration!

We are looking for toys for our sandbox that folks may have at home and not be using. If you have some toys we could use that are in good working condition, please bring them by the office.

A common concern parents have is that their child only likes to read Graphic Novels. However, it is okay! Jodi Esposito wrote a short blog for RIF (Reading is Fundamental) explaining why.

Do Graphic Novels Count as Reading for Kids? Yes, graphic novels count as reading for kids. They are real reading, not a shortcut around it. Kids build vocabulary, practice inference, and improve comprehension while reading them. For many reluctant readers, graphic novels make reading something they want to do.

How Can Families Support a Child Who Only Reads Graphic Novels?
Drop the qualifier. If your child wants to read, encourage whichever format gets them reading.
Treat graphic novels like chapter books. Ask your child to summarize what happened, talk about a favorite character, or explain a plot twist, the same way you would after they finish a novel.
Let age and format grow together. Just as picture books lead to early readers, and then chapter books, graphic novels have their own path. It runs from early reader comics up to denser, more text-heavy titles. Model reading. Let your child see you reading and discussing about what you are reading, whatever the format.

The Bottom Line
A child engrossed in a graphic novel is reading, thinking, and inferring. They are building essential skills. The best book for any child is still the one they will actually pick up.

More information can be found at this link- https://www.rif.org/blogs/do-graphic-novels-count-reading-kids

It's time for our annual MESA Staff Appreciation Fall Brunch! The fall brunch will be Monday October 5th, 2026. This is a great way to celebrate our wonderful staff with a delicious brunch buffet. If you would like to contribute by bringing items for the brunch, please indicate on the sign up below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48A5AA2EA2F8C43-65802121-mesa

Alternatively, if you would like to contribute financially to the fall brunch (to help us buy any needed items) you can donate via MESA's Venmo: @MESAMaryHoganSchool , or by using this link:

https://www.paypal.com/qrcodes/venmocs/533ad668-3f21-4644-adec-ad1562395437?created=1696248105

Thanks so much everyone! Looking forward to spoiling the wonderful staff again this fall.

Maureen Hill

Across our district, we are facing significant transportation challenges caused by driver shortages on multiple bus routes. You can find revised bus routes here based on Week 1 changes, and also in your principal’s newsletters. We hope the changes we made in Week 1 will offer stability moving forward and we will continue to make adjustments as needed and hope to get back to our normal bus routes as quickly as possible. However, we are also working to capture the full impact this challenge has had on our families as we escalate this situation to the the Secretary of Education and BetCha’s parent company, STA. Please use this form to document the impact any bus disruptions had on your family so that we can act on and/or pass along the information as we seek resolution.

This is an awesome opportunity to see the Omya quarry right in Middlebury. You can get a tour of the quarry, check out the trucks and equipment, and more!

Borrow outdoor gear for free and discover new ways to explore. Hosted by Middlebury Parks & Recreation in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health and Come Alive Outside, the Gear Library offers camping equipment, outdoor games, fishing gear, trekking poles, e-bikes (coming soon) and more!

Whether you're trying a new activity or planning a family adventure, borrowing gear makes it easy and affordable to get outside. Gear pickups and drop offs are available at the Middlebury Parks and Recreation (154 Creek Rd, Middlebury, VT) on Wednesdays from 11am-2pm. Visit https://comealiveoutside.com/gearlibrary/ and click the location bar on the left, choose Middlebury Parks and Rec, and view the items available at this pickup location! For more information email sbourne@townofmiddlebury.org or betty@comealiveoutside.com. Please feel free to print or share the attached flyer.