Catamount Connection

February 2: Sutton School PTG Meeting (6:30pm)

February 2-9: 8th Grade Carnation Fundraiser

February 5: Winter Activities (All Day)

February 6: Sutton PTG Father-Daughter Dance (6:30pm-9:00pm)

February 9: 8th Grade Bottle Drive Fundraiser

February 12: Winter Activities (All Day)

February 13: Early Release for Professional Development (12:10pm)

February 23-March 2: February Break- No School

March 3: Town Meeting Day- No School

March 4: Students return to school from February Break

March 6: Trimester 2 ends

March 9-13: Scholastic Book Fair at Sutton School

March 9: Sutton School PTG Meeting (6:30pm)

March 10-11: Dental Days at Sutton School

March 13: 6th-8th grade Dance at Lyndon Town School (6:30pm-9:00pm)

March 18: LI Dance Tour at Sutton School

March 19: Evening Conferences at Sutton School

March 20: Early Release for Conferences (12:10pm)

March 20: 8th Grade Pizza Bingo Fundraiser (5:00pm-7:00pm)

March 27: 6th-8th grade Dance at Burke Town School (6:30pm-9:00pm)

April 2: Catamount Night Student Showcase (5:00pm-6:45pm)

April 3: Early Release for Professional Development (12:10pm)

April 6: Sutton PTG Meeting (6:30pm)

April 17: Early Release for Professional Development (12:10pm)

April 20-24: April Break- No School

Dear Sutton School Caregivers,

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our first trimester student and caregiver surveys. Your feedback matters to us. We read every response carefully and use what you share to guide our decisions and improve our work. This letter is meant to both celebrate what is going well and share the specific steps we are taking in areas where we can grow.

First, there is a great deal to celebrate across our school. Student responses show strong connections with adults, a clear understanding of our school wide behavior expectations, and high levels of reported safety. Across grade levels, between 92–100% of students say they feel safe at school, and the vast majority report that adults treat students with respect and follow our shared expectations. Students also report that positive recognition and praise are meaningful and happening regularly. These are powerful indicators of a healthy school climate and caring relationships.

Below are a few highlights and next steps by grade band.

K–2 Strengths
Our youngest students reported very strong results in several areas:
• Over 90% say school wide behavior expectations are meaningful
• 100% say adults follow the expectations and treat others respectfully
• 100% report feeling safe at school
• Over 95% say they like their teachers and feel connected to adults

K–2 Growth Focus & Action Steps
Some of our younger students shared that they feel a bit unsure in places where adults are not present — especially on the bus and in bathrooms. This is not because there are ongoing problems in those spaces, but because younger children often feel more comfortable when an adult is nearby and visible.

Caregiver feedback also showed that while school wide communication is strong, classroom communication and positive outreach can be more consistent.

Our action steps:
• Increase and track intentional positive contacts with every family
• Ensure regular positive acknowledgment and praise for students is visible and frequent
• Continue reviewing supervision, routines, and student reassurance around bus and bathroom procedures

Grades 3–4 Strengths
This grade band reported some of the highest positive climate indicators in the school:
• 97–100% say expectations are meaningful and followed
• 100% report feeling safe at school
• 100% say they like their school and teachers
• Nearly all report strong connection to adults

Grades 3–4 Growth Focus & Action Steps
Students raised questions about bathroom privacy (worried there were cameras in the bhatroom). Similar to K–2, this reflects student worry — not reports of bathroom problems — and we want to address those concerns clearly and directly. Students also noted that peer respect is an area we can continue to strengthen. Caregivers asked for more communication about social-emotional learning.

Our action steps:
• Clearly reassure students that there are no cameras in bathrooms and review privacy and safety expectations
• Teach and review what respectful student behavior looks and sounds like
• Send home Second Step SEL newsletters with each unit, both in print and through Seesaw

Grades 5–8 Strengths
Our middle grades students showed strong results in fairness and adult support:
• 95–100% say teachers are respectful and fair when addressing behavior
• Nearly 90% report having an adult they can talk to if they have a problem
• About 90% say they like their teachers
• Caregivers reported very high confidence that staff work hard for student success and that communication from the office is timely

Grades 5–8 Growth Focus & Action Steps
Students identified safety concerns in the bus area, pick-up line, and hallways. Some students also reported lower overall enjoyment of school and connection to adults compared to younger grades. Caregivers asked for more consistent communication about learning and SEL.

Our action steps:
• Provide monthly caregiver updates about SEL, science, math, and humanities learning
• Survey middle school students more deeply about their school experience
• Partner with students to design improvements based on their input
• Review and strengthen supervision and routines in identified safety areas

A Final Thank You
We are grateful for your partnership and your honesty. The overall picture from this data is very positive — students feel safe, respected, connected, and supported by adults — and that is something worth celebrating. At the same time, we are committed to listening closely and improving where needed.

If you ever have questions, concerns, or ideas, please reach out. We want every family to feel heard, welcomed, and connected to our school community.

Warm regards,

Rachel Robillard

Principal

We know mornings can be busy, kids get tired, and life sometimes throws curveballs. When children are truly sick or there’s an emergency, staying home makes sense. But when it comes to learning, showing up really matters — and even a few missed days can add up more quickly than most of us realize.

Research from Attendance Works shows that students who miss 10% of the school year — about 18 days — are considered chronically absent, and that level of absence is linked to lower reading and math achievement and greater difficulty staying on track over time. That’s just about two days per month, which can happen before families even realize it.

Being at school regularly helps children build routines, stay connected to their teachers and friends, and keep pace with daily instruction that can’t always be recreated at home. So much of learning happens through discussion, collaboration, and practice in the classroom.

Across the country, millions of students miss this amount of school each year — and schools that partner closely with families to support attendance see real improvements in student success.

Get ready for an enchanting evening at our upcoming Father-Daughter Dance! Mark your calendars for Friday, February 6th, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, at the Sutton School (in the Multi-purpose room). DJ Medina will be spinning tunes to make the night even more memorable, and light refreshments will be available for purchase.

While this event is traditionally called a "Father-Daughter" dance, we warmly welcome all families, regardless of their structure. The cost is $15 per caregiver, which includes all their children. The tickets can be conveniently purchased by contacting the school directly or through the Sutton PTG Facebook Page and Venmo Account. Don't miss out on this magical opportunity to create lasting memories with your loved ones!

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! Get ready for the newest gotta-read books, bestselling series, and favorite characters that students love. Plus, every purchase supports our school. We can’t wait to have you join us for the Best. Week. Ever!

Learn more: Spring Book Fair

With cold and flu season around the corner, we want to keep everyone feeling their best! To help with this, we’re sharing our updated illness guidelines for the year. Please use these when deciding if your student is ready for school, and our school nurse will also follow them to decide if a student needs to go home. Thank you for working together with us to keep our school healthy and safe!

Winter is here, and Vermont’s cold weather is settling in! At Sutton School, we value time outdoors for both recess and learning, even during the colder months. To ensure all students stay safe and comfortable, it’s essential they come prepared for the weather.

Please make sure your child brings boots, warm layers, a winter coat, gloves, a hat, and any additional items like snow pants, neck warmers and/or scarves to help them stay cozy. For middle schoolers, we especially ask for your support in ensuring they bring their gear each day.

We’ve included our outdoor guidelines in this newsletter so you can see how we decide when it’s safe to head outside. Thank you for partnering with us to keep your child warm, safe, and ready to explore the outdoors as part of their learning experience!

The Sutton Parent Teacher Group (PTG) is looking for new members to join them this school year! The PTG meets the first Monday of each month starting at 6:30pm in Becky Jenkins' 3-4 classroom. The PTG helps fundraise and organize important community events for the students and families in Sutton. If you would like to join the PTG reach out to Becky Jenkins, the PTG president, rjjenkins@kingdomeast.org.

This month, students will participate in a fire drill as part of our regular safety preparedness practice. The drill which will take place the week of February 16th, allows us to practice evacuating the building in the case of a fire. To ensure the safety of everyone, we do not share the specific date and time in advance. This drill will occur during the school day, and students will return to their regular schedule afterward.

As always, the purpose of our safety drills is to ensure that students and staff know what to do and feel confident in the case of an emergency. We appreciate your support in helping us keep everyone safe and prepared.