THE SCHOOL BELL

By Sarah Crum, Director of Student Services

When I was growing up, our house was always full of guests through the holiday season. We had visitors with various religious backgrounds and lots of birthdays (the 26th, the 28th, the 29th - now add the 15th and the 21st). Throw in New Year’s Eve and it was certainly a packed schedule of celebrations. Little by little, the house would empty as the week went on and once again, we would be just us: dismantling the decorations, boxing things away for next year, and taking a deep breath. The house always felt so empty. We were like a deflated balloon: stretched and worn with a glimmer of former joy. I wonder if this is why we are so quick to promise ourselves a new start, resolutions that would change us for the better. I read somewhere recently that only 8% of us will keep those promises we made.

Although, perhaps we make those promises now because in our hearts we know that change is not about the promise, but rather about all the incremental steps along the way that in the end become transformative. And, let’s be honest, that takes at least 365 days! I am struck by that very reality that is happening all around us in school. Our readers, writers, mathematicians, artists, musicians, and thinkers don’t become those overnight. And they don’t become those just because we say it will be so. Our resolutions, and theirs, to keep growing are essential to the process. Equally important are strong teaching practices that promote growth:

Start Small:

you want to set goals that are within reach and achievable

Articulate Goal:

make sure the goal is clear and that you’ll know what it looks like when you’ve reached it

Track Progress:

be sure to check in frequently and adjust as needed

Celebrate Achievements:

be proud of the achievements along the way

Accept Setbacks:

we are all human and there will be obstacles and challenges along the way, part of achieving the goal will include persevering through those and being kind to yourself

This is a great time to look back and reflect on all the progress we’ve made this year. It took lots of little steps to come this far. May your 2019 also be made of many steps toward your goals!

*To order “general admission” tickets fill out this linked form (or below)/$10.00 per tkt.

*Return to House TA or drop off in school front office with your payment.

*TAs will deliver tickets to students to bring home.

*Tickets purchased after Friday, January 4th, will be available at the check-in desk the night of the show.

*Make check payable to CVSD.

*Tickets are also available for purchase in the WCS and ABS front offices.

*Questions call Lisa Barland, Swift House TA #871-6130

*Show is from 6:30 to 8:30, snacks will be available to purchase (cash only).

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Marko Tickets

Student Name________________________________________________________

House_______________________ Number of Tickets _______

Amount enclosed ($10/ticket) _______ Ck#________ Cash$ _______

FAP Speaker Series - Practicing Happiness

January 15th, 2019

6:30pm-8pm WCS Community Room

Andy Rosenfeld is a parent in the community and works as a psychiatrist at the University of Vermont. He will share some of the research and practices related to cultivating wellbeing in families - what concepts like gratitude, optimism, compassion, and others have to do with brain health and physical health.

Have you heard of FAP’s Big Basket Raffle and Silent Auction School Fundraiser? It’s attended by 300+ community members and last year it raised over $9,500 for educational programs that complement classroom learning. Over 55 themed baskets are raffled off and 25 other items are bid on through a Silent Auction. The Basket Raffle will be held in the evening on Saturday, April 13, 2019.

This fundraiser is the result of the efforts of many volunteers and planning efforts begin next month. AND WE NEED YOU!! Are you good at marketing/advertising? Are you good with computers and formatting documents? Are you creative? How do you feel about approaching businesses you frequent and asking for a donation for your children’s school? These are just some of the tasks that go into planning this significant school fundraiser.

Please contact Emily Downing Ponce at emilydowningponce@gmail.com for further information!

Were you one of the lucky winners of a basket at last year’s Big Basket Raffle fundraiser? Did you receive a gift basket filled with goodies over the Holidays? Do you have empty baskets in your home that need a new purpose? The Big Basket Raffle Planning Committee needs empty baskets to fill and decorate for the Big Basket Raffle fundraiser, which is on Saturday, April 13th. Please drop empty baskets off in either the ABS or WCS Main Office soon. Thanks so much.

The CVSD School-based Early Education Programs are now accepting applications for a random peer lottery drawing for the 2019-20 school year.

Our preschools are 5 STAR accredited licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) and Teaching Strategies Gold. We believe that a diverse classroom offers opportunities for adults and children to practice acceptance and compassion and also provides a broad range of learning experiences.

Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar.

Peers who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2019, but not yet 5 years old, are eligible to

enter the lottery for our programs.

All applications must be received by February 8, 2019. Students will be selected via a lottery.

Click here for the application

The ABS Art Studio is filled with bisque fired clay which kindergarten through second graders are glazing. Our kindergarten friends have sculpted clay flowers, many of which are designed to hold a tea candle. Similarly, first and second graders are creating snow people and other fantastic creatures, some of which will also hold a small candle. Clay is an important medium for young children to explore as it encourages healthy motor skill development and is a great vehicle for the imagination. Over the course of their elementary education, children discover where clay comes from and become familiar with the properties of clay using slab, coil and pinch techniques. They learn of chemical changes that occur as clay is fired at high temperatures. Finally, the wonder of matte glazes melting to a bright and glassy finish is the ultimate reward for their efforts.

Looking forward, thanks to our FAP, we are privileged to again welcome artist-in-residence Sally Duback who will guide all K-2 students in creating an indoor mural for our cafeteria. The general focus will be gardens and healthy foods. Construction will take place during art classes from Mon. 3/11 - Fri. 3/15. We are asking for specific donations. It would be great if these could arrive at ABS by February break, but we will gratefully accept after that. Following is a list from the artist of acceptable items. Pre-sorting types of objects wherever possible would be most appreciated.

• Broken or unwanted ceramic or colored glass dishes (NO plastic or metal please)

• Broken/unwanted costume jewelry

• CDs

• Mirror glass

• Keys

• Plastic bottle tops

• Small hardware items for ex., curtain rings, washers and hinges

• Shells and stones

• Buttons and beads

Thank you in advance!

WCS – Equinox Art News

Through painting and drawing, third and fourth graders have explored color values and tones as well as 3-dimensional forms, highlights and shadows. Currently, they are working in clay to create masks of animals they find compelling. They are practicing throwing slabs as well as the importance of proper attachment techniques. They will experiment with alternative approaches to painting in order to achieve unusual surface design.

Sara Beeken – 871-6281 sbeeken@cvsdvt.org

The 3rd session of Spark Enrichment, an after-school applied learning program for students in grades 5-8, takes place from January 10 - February 7. These small group classes will be facilitated by school faculty and staff. Please access the link to the sign-up form below by January 8. You will be able to rank your choices for better placement!! read more

Registration form

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL

AN INVITATION

To 8th Grade Parents and Students of the Class of 2023

8th Grade Student & Parent Night

Champlain Valley Union High School

CVU Gym, Thursday, January 24, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

This evening will provide you and your son/daughter an introduction to the academic and elective programs they will experience in the 9th grade.

According to a recent advisory from the US Surgeon General, "E-cigarette use among youth has skyrocketed in the past year at a rate of epidemic proportions. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration’s National Youth Tobacco Survey, the percentage of high school-age children reporting past 30-day use of e-cigarettes rose by more than 75 percent between 2017 and 2018. Use among middle school-age children also increased nearly 50 percent." Read more

Pre-Registration for Fall 2019 Kindergarten has begun for Williston and St. George children who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2019.

Champlain Valley School District (CVSD) is asking families to register their Kindergartners earlier this year, in an effort to get more accurate enrollment numbers for our schools. These enrollment numbers help us to plan our staffing needs for the upcoming school year.

We start the process by asking families to complete this pre-registration form.

Following submission of the pre-registration form, we'll collect registration forms* and paperwork (copy of birth certificate, proof of residency, and immunizations) in advance of Kindergarten screening in early 2019. *Families with children enrolled in the ABS EE program will only need to provide a copy of the birth certificate and these forms.

Please reach out to Laura (871-6200; lgigliotti@cvsdvt.org) or Cindy (871-6203; cpavlik@cvsdvt.org) with questions.

Please read more about an upcoming visit to all of the CVSD schools on January 17th in this letter. We are honored and excited to have a team of education professionals tour our buildings, observe in classrooms, ask questions, and provide us with feedback.

Read about the upcoming shift to math at CVU for the fall, which will impact 8th graders moving on to CVU.

Williston Schools Penguin Plunge Team welcomes you….on Saturday, February 2, 2019 the Wildcats will take the plunge into icy Lake Champlain. We welcome all parents, students and staff to join us in taking the chilly dip.

Now in its twenty- fourth year, the Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge event series supports sports training and competition, health screenings, and leadership opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Vermont. These fundraising efforts support Special Olympics Vermont and our WCS Unified Sports Team. In 2018, Penguin Plunge events raised $542,706, nearly 40% of their operating budget. Register Here

Graphic Novels have consistently been in the top 25 titles checked out from the WCS Library over the last 3 years. Even though they made up just 2% of our overall library collection, they accounted for 16% of all the books checked out!

With a generous grant from our Families As Partners (FAP), we were able to order over 100 hardcover graphic novels for the library, perfect for 3rd-8th graders! They will be read over & over by Williston students.

Thank you, FAP!

• WSD Mobile App Flyer
  
• Williston Facebook Page
• CVSD Facebook Page
• Did you know CVSD has a blog? http://cvsdstory.blogspot.com
  
• CVSD Handbook
• WCS Library Audiobooks

Thurs. Jan. 10 / FAP mtg. / WCS Community Rm. / 8-10 am

Fri. Jan. 11 / Marko the Magician / WCS Auditorium / 6:30 pm

Tues. Jan 15 / FAP Speaker / WCS Community Rm. / 6:30-8 pm

Mon. Jan. 21 / No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Tues. Jan. 22 / CVSD Board Budget Mtg. / WCS Community Rm. / 6-7 pm

Fri. Feb. 8 / 4th Gr. NAEP Testing / 8:30-11 am

Thurs. Feb. 14 / FAP / WCS Community Rm / 8-10 am

Thurs. Feb. 21 / 8th Gr. NEAP Testing

NO SCHOOL Feb. 25-March 1

Click here for athletics

Upcoming Events on the School Web Calendar

Allen Brook School and Williston Central School

Email: cpavlik@cvsdvt.org
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org
Location: 195 Central School Drive, Williston
Phone: (802) 878-2762
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Williston-School-District-1483758238612170/timeline/
Twitter: @wsdvt