MUHS Community Newsletter

Dear MUHS Community,

Did you know that this week is National School Counseling Week? It's a great time to celebrate the vital role school counselors play in supporting students’ academic, social, and future success. At MUHS, our School Counseling team works tirelessly to guide students through challenges, help them plan for what’s ahead, and ensure they feel supported every step of the way. We are deeply grateful for their skill, care, and dedication, and we thank them for the positive impact they make in our school community every day.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Warmly,

Caitlin Steele, Principal

Ben Weir, Assistant Principal

Sean Farrell, Activities Director

Julie Pettis, Student Response Coordinator

Parents, guardians, and adults responsible for an MUHS Senior: We need you!

Every year Project Graduation provides an entire night's worth of activities to celebrate the senior class. It’s a fun-filled, substance-free night where the class can get together one last time before they head off into the world. But it can’t happen without your help. We need volunteers.

The process of approving volunteers takes some time. If you think you want to volunteer, be sure to sign up on the following form, follow the instructions, and get the process started for the background check. Sarah Johnstone will handle questions about the volunteer approval process. Any questions specifically about Project Graduation should be directed to George Rooney, Project Graduation Coordinator.

Every year VSAC provides thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving students across Vermont. You must apply to be considered and the deadline is: Wednesday February 11th!

Please see Sarah Kemp or Margo Austin in School Counseling with questions

Are you a junior interested in learning more about local Government with peers from across Vermont on a college campus? Come learn about Girls State Tuesday, February 17th during Flex in the School Counseling office. For more information see Margo Austin.

As we make our way through the Winter, we continue to see a variety of illnesses circulating at the high school and in particular, we are hearing about increased cases of those affected by seasonal influenza. Please visit the ACSD Health Page for information on when students should stay home from school. You can always check in with the school nurse as well for further guidance. Your student’s primary care provider may also share guidance on how long to stay out of school and it is always best to follow their advice. If a student is diagnosed with Influenza, it would be helpful for the school nurse to receive an email or phone call from their caregiver to help us track the prevalence of cases.

Symptoms of flu include:

• fever

• headache

• extreme tiredness

• dry cough

• sore throat

• runny or stuffy nose

• muscle aches

• Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, also can occur but are more common in children than adults

Influenza viruses can be detected in most infected persons beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick. People with flu are most contagious during the first three days of their illness. Some people, including young children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer periods of time.

Symptoms typically begin about two days (but can range from one to four days) after influenza viruses infect a person's respiratory tract. It is theoretically possible that before symptoms begin, an infected person can spread influenza viruses to their close contacts.

The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.

• Frequent handwashing is the #1 way to prevent infection

• Remind your student to avoid sharing cups, water bottles and utensils with others

• Get enough rest, stay hydrated, and eat well

• Get some fresh air and exercise daily

For more information on respiratory illnesses and Influenza activity in our greater community, you can visit the Vermont Department of Health Respiratory Illness Activity Page

February 7 - Success Saturday - CANCELED

February 13 - Fire Drill

February 13 - Winter Ball

February 23-27 - February Break

March 7 - Success Saturday

March 28 - Success Saturday

April 11 - Success Saturday/Proficiency Recovery, as recommended

Check out the MUHS Events Calendar online here.

February 13 - Green Mountain Music District V Festival (Auditioned Festival)

Vergennes Union High School -HS Concert Band, MS Chorus, MS Jazz, HS Strings

March 6 - Green Mountain Music District V Festival (Auditioned Festival)

Mill River Union High School- HS Chorus, HS Jazz, MS Concert Band, MS Strings

March 19-21 - New England Music Festival- Gilford, New Hampshire

April 8, 6:00-9:00 PM - Concert Choir and Middlebury Community Chorus Dress Rehearsal

April 11 - Band and Choir Trip to Boston to see The Outsiders

April 14, 7:30 PM Concert Choir and Middlebury Community Chorus Collaboration

April 15 - MUHS and MUMS Band Concert

May 6-9 - All State Music Festival- Missisquoi Union High School

May 13 - MUHS/MUMS Jazz Concert

May 25 - Memorial Day Parades (Band)

May 28 - MUHS Jazz/Camerata Concert

June Discover Jazz Festival

June 5 - MUHS Final Assembly (Jazz and Camerata)

June 6 - MUHS Graduation (Band and Camerata)