January 10, 2025

Dear Hartford School District Learning Community,

I hope you all had some restorative, joyful time with loved ones over the holiday break.

As the New Year has arrived, lately I have been hearing a lot about New Year's resolutions and the various approaches one can take in envisioning what the year will hold and the dispositions we can adopt to maintain hope and aspiration throughout this bright, fresh year and the constellation of years to come.

There is much to reflect on in carefully laying out the year ahead of us like a beautiful textured tapestry containing the fibers we've woven throughout the years, and the vision of what it will all look like when the masterpiece is complete and others have the privilege of gazing upon it like the precious piece of artwork it is.

My hope for the district is also something that I know we are all resolute in weaving into the tapestry for everyone to behold and enjoy: through our work together in telling our stories, in laying out our tapestries, that we may learn from our experiences and one another in order to provide our students with the best, most thoughtful and purposeful and comprehensive education we can give to them. A piece of fine art for us all to revel in.

Welcome, 2025!

Warmly,

Caty Sutton

Interim Superintendent

Hartford School District

suttonc@hartfordschools.net

On Wednesday evening, the HSD Board heard from the HSD Instructional Coaches, who shared a fabulous presentation to explain their role and impact in the district.

Please check out their presentation to learn more about their work!

HSD Coaching Program

This year the DBS teachers practicing using learning targets to actively engage students in their learning. On the Thursday before December break, teachers took time out of their schedules to visit other classrooms to see how we are using learning targets across all of the grades. We will discuss the teachers' observations at an upcoming staff meeting and use the information to inform how we move forward with this important work.

Screenagers: Elementary School Edition. This movie is geared towards parents, but is appropriate for ages 10 and up (in our humble assessment - you know your family best!).

After the film, consider signing the “Away for the Day” pledge and share ideas with us about how to de-emphasize screens for the young people in your lives.

Trailer here: https://www.screenagersmovie.com/about-screenagers-elementary

This new version of the original Screenagers movie addresses issues that elementary school aged kids, parents and educators are facing, i.e., smartwatches in class, unhooking from and monitoring video gaming, social media pressures, exposure too young and what research shows is a healthy amount of screen time. With many solutions to these and other challenges. ‍

The Ottauquechee School welcomed Troy Wunderle of Wunderle's Big Top Adventures for an artist residency December 16-20, 2024. All of our students from PreK through 5th grade had a chance to try out a variety of circus arts, from balancing acts and unicycles to comedy and clowning. Most of all, students had a rich immersion in our Wolf Way character strengths of perseverance, courage and joy, as they attempted novel challenges and shared their new skills with a live audience. Thank you to all the families who joined us for a wonderful culminating performance on the Friday before winter break. And a huge shout out to our P.E. teacher Kaleigh Rhoades for organizing a literal circus, to her related arts colleagues for giving their time and energy, and for the whole staff for being part of the magic!

Seeking adventurers for a new D&D club! D&D is a pen and paper role playing game where players create their own characters and embark on an adventure through collaborative storytelling. We are inviting 4th & 5th grade students to join our roleplaying adventure, Thursday afternoons in January and February. You can learn more about D&D from this video, and students can sign up here. For more information, contact Ms. Amick at amickk@hartfordschools.net.

White River School: January 9, 2025

"Broken Windows" Mission Statement:

Our mission is to help HMMS look and feel like an inviting and well cared for space. We contribute by cleaning, fixing, and organizing the physical spaces in and around HMMS that need attention due to wear or mistreatment by others. We do this so that all may find a sense of pride and belonging in the place they come to each day to learn, work, and play. We are hopeful that our acts might encourage other members of our HMMS community to join us in taking care of the spaces within and around our school."

Quote from the crew members:

"We do things that people don't want to do, or don't have time to do. We do this to help the building look and feel better. We are trying to build a better community for us and future classes as well as serve as role models for our peers."

List of things we’ve done SO FAR to help our school

• Picked up trash outside

• Scrubbed outside walls

• Moved furniture

• Removed graffiti in hallways, bathrooms, classrooms

• Hung pictures

• Taken down unwanted wall hangings

• Fixed Coach A’s window

• Fixed desks

• Tightened table legs

• Fixed yondr pouch magnet

• Moved soccer nets inside, then outside

• Inventory of shades needed in classrooms

• Organized bookshelves and repainted

• Collected classroom recycling

• Swept bleachers in gym

• Fixed broken sports equipment

• Food drive

• Creating name plates for teachers

Please use this link to access the HMMS Athletics page.

Macy will be one of three finalists performing in NYC at 54 Below on January 19 to determine the winner of Broadway World's "Next On Stage" competition! We wish you the very best on this incredible journey, Macy!!!

Please tune in on January 19 at 12:00PM for the live event!

Congratulations to student journalist, Lyla Metheny, for having an article published in the Valley News on December 25!

Please check out the link below to read Lyla's article!

Hartford High Lites: January 10, 2025

Highlights from the HACTC: December 20, 2024

Please see the graphic below to find out why!

Please enjoy the Equity Newsletter for December!

A link is here for your convenience!

Hartford Athletics

Jeff Moreno, CAA

Athletic Director

morenoj@hartfordschools.net

The girls ice hockey team won the 2nd annual Kay & Bob Mariotti Tournament to start their season. A week later the boys ice hockey team defeated Lebanon and Burr & Burton in the Bouthillier Holiday Classic to win that tournament. Great start to the season for the hockey programs!

On Wednesday, January 8th, Charlotte Jasmin became the first girls basketball player in the history of Hartford High School to score 1000 points. The gym was packed with young girls basketball players from all grade and age levels who got to see their role model hit this incredible milestone on her home court. This is a remarkable accomplishment for Charlotte especially considering she is only a junior! She still has the rest of this season ahead of her and her entire senior season too. Who knows how many points she will have by the end of her time at HHS. Simply amazing!

Spring sports registration is open! Families may go on Infinite Campus to register for tennis, track & field, softball, baseball, or lacrosse. Information and instructions can be found on the athletic webpage (https://hhsvt.com/athletics-2). Pre-season starts on March 17th (pitchers / catchers) or March 24th. Plan ahead and register today! Please contact Burke Farrell (farrellb@hartfordschools.net) if you have any questions about your child’s physical.

Records are falling all over the place for the indoor track team! Ayodele Lowe set new state records in the High Jump (6’-6”) and Long Jump (21’-8”) in December, and Bennett Moreno set new state records in the 600m (1:24.09), 1000m (2:29.99), and 1600m (4:28.24). It is rare to break a state record for any athlete so to have 5 state records broken by Hartford athletes in a 2 week span is absolutely bonkers. Ayodele is currently ranked 14th in the nation in the High Jump. Bennett is currently ranked 7th in the nation in the 800m and 8th in the nation in the 1000m. Both have qualified to compete in the Indoor Track National Championships in Boston in March, which is also unprecedented in Hartford track history. Amazing performances!

Lacey TanCreti is back on the sidelines for the girls basketball program and we are thrilled to have her new assistant, Gia, helping her coach the JV girls program this winter! Lacey was a star player in high school just up the road at Rivendell before playing college ball at Norwich and Castleton. She has been a coach in the HHS girls basketball program for the past 5 years.

Please join us!

Vermont Public Radio provides a good explanation of how Vermont schools are funded in THIS piece. The article and the video work well to bring clarity to a confusing system.