The Howler: April 3, 2026

Message from the (Acting) Principal:

Hello OQS Families! I am wrapping up week 3 of filling in for Ms. Donahey while she is out and I wanted to (finally) take a moment to share with you some of my observations of the comings and goings at OQS. First, I am truly thrilled to be here helping out in any way possible. I spent 11 of the past 15 years as an OQS parent as my own children went through the school. I enjoyed the OQS experience tremendously and always thought so highly of the staff and the school. Given the opportunity to pitch in and repay the folks at OQS is a great way to give back, even if only in some small part. One of my favorite aspects of OQS was the sense of community. Just driving down the long twisty driveway gave hints of a special place. Log stools and stumps in the woods…the trail to the Outdoor Classroom…the Amphiteater…all the smiling faces. People felt good about dropping their kids off and confident they’d have a great day of learning and growth experiences. The chatter in the parking lot was almost always about how amazing OQS was and how fortunate we all felt to get to be part of it. If we were ever complaining it was probably about the long lines at the concert, the parking disaster that is any big event on the OQS campus, or the obstructed views at assemblies and concerts. In my 3 weeks as acting principal at OQS I have found that the kids, staff, and parents are still proud of OQS and are working hard to maintain OQS as the place I experienced as a parent and described above. The staff has been incredibly welcoming and have allowed me to come and go in their classrooms without any issue. The instruction I have witnessed is mind blowing! The lessons are so carefully planned and executed flawlessly. The kids are working super hard to soak it all in and all of them are doing their (current) best to learn as much as possible while also navigating the very age appropriate dilemmas of the day. Do I raise my hand or just shout out the answer? Do I walk down the hallway or sprint to catch up to my friends? Do I protect my feelings by saying something mean to the person who just hurt me or do I sit silently wondering how to manage the negative emotion inside me? Do I make my trip to the bathroom a quick one or do I milk it a bit and walk back super slowly and visit with friends along the way? Do I bug my teacher to go see my favorite support adult / counselor when I really don’t need to or do I push through the desire to escape classwork a bit? Do I listen to the driver or do I lean across the aisle to chat with my friend on the bus ride home? The students at OQS are facing age-old and very age-appropriate dilemmas all day everyday and it is refreshing to see that elementary school life still resembles what I experienced at White River School several decades ago. I believe that kids do well if they can and the behaviors we see are a reflection of where each kid is at in their developmental journey. I also believe that behaviors can be explained - but not excused - by so many factors in a kids’ life, most of which are well out of their control. The kids deserve grace and patience but also a firm and consistent (and fair) response from us here at OQS. It has been my goal to respond to every indiscretion, large or small, directly or indirectly, to help provide this critical feedback to the students as they navigate their day. Sometimes it goes well and resembles a quick touch-up conversation and sometimes it doesn’t always land as intended and takes multiple interactions to build some trust and understanding. Sometimes it requires me to contact you at home to seek some help and support. I have found in my 20 years as a school administrator that when the home-school partnership is strong we can move the needle on pretty much any academic, social, or behavioral challenge we are facing. The conversations I have had with you all at drop-off, in my office, or over the phone have reinforced that for me and I am grateful for the partnership. I realize getting a call from me while you are at work or about to eat dinner is not what you are necessarily looking for…but you have been there to pick up the phone and talk through the issues and the resulting improvement the following days is evident. In short, your partnership has been noted and is very much appreciated. I am scheduled to be at OQS for next week and then I am back to spending my days at the high school where I serve as the Athletic Director. With the spring season rapidly approaching my work there has begun to pick up and my afternoons, evenings, and weekends are about to be filled with track, tennis, softball, baseball, lacrosse, and my absolute favorite, Unified Basketball. I will remain a resource for OQS as long as is desired (and helpful) and I hope to be able to come back and visit frequently to check in on all the kids. This place truly is special.

Please do not hesitate to reach out or stop by if you have any questions or concerns or just need to check in about anything. I am at OQS Monday mornings and afternoons, all day Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, and mornings and afternoons on Fridays. I am also available via email anytime (morenoj@hartfordschools.net).

I hope you have a great weekend.

Jeff / Mr. Moreno

Upcoming Events

4/10: Counselor Corner: Phone/Internet Safety 8:00-8:45

4/13: Late Start Monday: K-5 drop off 9:45-10:00; no school for PreK

4/20-4/24: April Break

4/29: SPARK! Community Science Night 5:00-6:30

5/1: Better World Day

5/7: PTO Meeting 6pm in the OQS Library

5/13: OQS Student Art Show: 5:30-6:30

5/18: Late Start Monday: K-5 drop off 9:45-10:00; no school for PreK

5/25: No School (Memorial Day)

5/26: Non-attendance day for kindergarten only (for incoming K orientation); Spring Performance (4th-5th grades)

5/27: SPARK! Community Science Night 5:00-6:30

6/3: Spring Concert (K-3)

6/4: PTO Meeting 6pm in the OQS Library

6/11: International Day of Play

OQS Calendar

Click the button above to go to all HSD calendars. Once on the district website, remember to use the drop down arrow in the top right corner of the calendar to select the OQS calendar. Our events are marked in red.

Counselor Corner:

Come join the school counselor to chat and learn more about phone/internet safety

Friday April 10th 8:00am-8:45am in the counseling office at OQS!

Key topics to be discussed:

How to talk about internet safety with your kids
Internet safety tips for kids
Setting and enforcing expectations

Nurse Notes

OQS families, we still have illnesses going around. Here is a reminder of when to keep your student home and when they can return.

Your child SHOULD NOT come to school with any of the following symptoms and will be sent home if exhibiting these:

Fever: temperature of 100 degrees F or greater. Note: Your child MUST be fever-free for 24 hours without medication (i.e. ibuprofen, acetaminophen, Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, etc.) before he/she can return to school.
Sore Throat: with fever and/or swollen glands in the neck (this should be evaluated by the child’s healthcare provider). NOTE: If your child is diagnosed with strep, he/she MUST be on antibiotics for a full 24 hours before returning to school.
Eyes: thick mucus/pus draining from one or both eyes or “pink eye” (symptoms include white or yellow discharge, eyelids matted together after sleep, eye discomfort, and/or redness). Note: If diagnosed with bacterial pink eye, your child MUST be on antibiotic drops for a full 24 hours before returning to school.
Vomiting: 1 or more times at home within the last 12 hour period. NOTE: Your child may be sent home from school after a single episode of vomiting if the nurse deems it in the best interest of the child and/or the rest of the school population. Your child MUST stay home until it has been 24 hours since they last vomited.
Diarrhea: 1 or more times within the last 12 hour period. Your child MUST stay home until it has been 24 hours since their last episode of diarrhea.
Rash: significant body rash accompanied by itching and/or fever
Lice/Scabies: MUST be treated prior to returning to school

Your child CAN BE SENT to school with the following symptoms:

Runny/stuffy nose and/or mild cough WITHOUT a fever
Vague complaints of aches, pains, or fatigue WITHOUT a fever
Ear infections WITHOUT a fever
Sore throat with hoarse voice WITHOUT a fever

Students with potentially infectious symptoms (such as cough, sore throat, or copious nasal drainage) who are well enough to attend school may be asked to wear a mask in order to help limit the spread of the illness to others.

Week 26: Declarative Language

Have you ever struggled to get a child out the door for school, an appointment, or anywhere else where you had to be on time? What did you say to them?

Often, we will use imperatives- a question or sentence that demands a response. For example, “Put on your shoes” or “Look at me” are common imperative statements. Imperative responses are either right or wrong. If a child does not respond “correctly” it is seen as non-compliance.

The brain may interpret imperative demands as threats, which can trigger the fight/flight/freeze/fawn response, especially in children with social learning challenges.

Fight responses (aggression): yelling, throwing, kicking, hitting, swearing, talking back

Flight responses (escape): bolting, hiding, changing the subject, saying “no”

Freeze response (immobilization): not answering, shutting of eyes, putting head down

Fawn response (appeasement): excessive compliance, over-apologizing

If we want the child to put on their shoes or pick up their toys without triggering their fight/flight/freeze/fawn response, we can communicate using declarative language.

Declarative language is a communication style focused on sharing observations, thoughts, and feelings rather than issuing direct commands. It promotes independence, social engagement, and reduces power struggles by inviting collaboration instead of demanding compliance. Common examples include statements like "I wonder what we need to put on before we go outside" instead of "Put on your shoes.”

If you simply start with the statements “I wonder” or “I notice,” you’ll invite others to engage in a conversation that builds self advocacy and empowerment rather than shame. It will lower your own frustration levels and may even help get your child to school on time!

Resource:

Murphy, L. K. Declarative Language Handbook.(2020). [Self Published]

Kindergarten Registration

Dear Hartford Families,

The Hartford School District has started the registration process for the 2026/2027 kindergarten class. Early enrollment is important because it gives the schools time to prepare for your child’s kindergarten experience.

If you have a child who is 5 years old on or before August 31, 2026, they are eligible to enroll.

Children who are currently enrolled in a Hartford School District Pre-K program do not need to complete the registration process.
Families who already have a child who is actively enrolled within the Hartford School District go to https://hsdvt.com/enroll-new-student and scroll down to the section entitled Existing Families-Pre-K to 12th Grade.
Families who do not have an actively enrolled child, go to the section entitled New Families-Pre-K to 12th Grade

If you are not able to complete the registration process online, please contact one of the schools. We are happy to help you complete the process.

The Hartford School District assigns students to a school based on your family’s physical address. The district’s catchment area map is available on the right hand side of the Hartford School District’s website (hsdvt.com).

For planning purposes, note the following important dates:

Prior to May 8th–Registration Completed Online
May 15th–School Placement & Kindergarten Orientation Times Emailed
May 26th–Incoming Kindergarten Orientation. Your family will receive a time slot that will occur between 8:30 and 2:00.

If you have a friend or neighbor with a child in this age range, please share this information or have them call their local elementary school.

Thank you for your assistance and please feel free to contact the school with any questions.

Sincerely Yours,

Patrick Peters, Dothan Brook School - 295-8647

Amelia Donahey, Ottauquechee School - 295-8654

Doug Kussius, White River School - 295-8650