MUHS Community Newsletter

Dear MUHS Community,

We were thrilled to welcome parents and caregivers of our current 8th graders to an information night on Thursday. This event marked the first of many opportunities we offer to help welcome our rising 9th graders to MUHS. A big thank you to the teachers and staff who were on hand to share information, answer questions, and take the time to connect with families. We’re also grateful to the upperclassmen stationed throughout the building, helping new families navigate our maze of a school!

There’s been a lot of buzz about the extreme cold expected this weekend. As of now, school events—including Proficiency Recovery and athletic contests—are still scheduled to take place. Several organizations have shared resources with school leaders to help families prepare for and manage the icy conditions, and you’ll find those included below.

Stay warm and safe this weekend!

Warmly,

Caitlin Steele, Principal

Ben Weir, Assistant Principal

Sean Farrell, Activities Director

Julie Pettis, Student Response Coordinator

Cold Weather Resources

In anticipation of this weekend's bitter cold, we wanted to forward along these resources shared by the Vermont Department of Health:

Warming Shelters: Current Shelters and Warming Centers | Vermont Emergency Management

Winter Weather Safety in English and Spanish

Winter Safety Tips: Winter Safety Tips | Vermont Department of Health

How to Stay Safe in the Very Cold Weather (video): English, Mandarin, Español (Spanish)

Carbon Monoxide and Generator Safety: 中文 (Chinese), English, Español (Spanish)

Housing and Fuel Assistance: Living in a cold home can increase your risk for heart and respiratory diseases, make arthritis worse, and increase stress and depression. Older adults and babies tend to suffer most in a cold home. If you need assistance with your fuel costs, weatherization services for your home, or help finding housing this winter, please contact Vermont 2-1-1.

Preventing Hypothermia:

English Preventing Hypothermia | Winter Weather | CDC

Spanish Cómo prevenir la hipotermia | Winter Weather | CDC

School Safety

Throughout the year at MUHS we practice safety drills designed to ensure that our students and staff are familiar with how to be safe in an emergency, and to test the security systems in our building. Some months we practice what to do if we need to evacuate the building. Other months we practice what to do when unsafe people or hazards enter our school.

We had an options-based drill planned for January 14, but we had to reschedule it because our public announcement (PA) system was malfunctioning. The PA system is up and running again, so we will conduct our drill on Thursday, January 29.

Options-based drills introduce students to various strategies to respond to a threat, such as evacuating from the school or barricading in a classroom. Please know that all options-based drills are trauma informed and age appropriate. This means the drills are performed in a way that is sensitive to the emotional well-being of our students.

You can read much more about ACSD's approach to school safety online here. Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Morning Announcements

Student Council Suggestion Form

Language Acquisition

During our February Break in 2028, students in Spanish 3 and up will have the opportunity to travel to Colombia! There will be a parent meeting on Thursday, February 5th at 6:00 PM in the Commons. A few things to note:

Students must have taken Spanish 3 previously or be currently enrolled at the time of travel; it is an immersion trip
We will run one fundraiser this year, one next year, and one the following year
There are some financial scholarships available ($1000 and $500). Please reach out to Ms. Bailey if you are interested.
Raffle Opportunity: The trip is open for enrollment now, and anyone who enrolls with their $50 deposit between now and the night of our meeting on Thursday, 02/05, will be entered into a raffle for an additional $50 off of their tuition!

Please find more information at http://program.worldstrides.com/Bailey-4781

Trip ID: Bailey-4781

Coaches vs. Cancer

MUHS boys basketball Team Riley - Tigers take on Cancer event is happening now! We are coming together to raise money in order to support Riley Fenster and her fight against Leukemia.

Riley is an MUHS alum who currently lives in Colorado. Her mother Katree is an ACSD employee and coached in the basketball program for many years. Riley's family is traveling back and forth from VT to support her.

All proceeds will go directly to Riley and her family. In order to donate, you can write a check to MUHS boys basketball, donate cash at the game on January 28, or use this link to donate.

MUHS Course Registration for the 2026-2027 Academic Year

Course registration for the 2026-27 academic year is wrapping up for the class of 2027 and about to begin for the class of 2028! Please refer here for the important information about the process for each grade level, registration timeline, the MUHS Course Description catalog, Hannaford Career Center information and more! If you have any questions, please reach out to your school counselor.

Course Add/ Drop Period

Students are allowed to make changes to courses that begin semester 2 (not year-long courses) until Wednesday, February 4th when the Add/Drop period ends. Teacher change requests, or changes so that students can be with friends will not be honored, though students are welcome to reach out to their school counselor to discuss changes to elective courses. After February 4th, students are not permitted to make course changes except under extenuating circumstances with administrator approval.

The Governor’s Institutes

The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (GIV) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Summer Institutes. Passionate and curious students who live in Vermont or go to school in Vermont are invited to apply for the learning adventure of a lifetime! Each Institute takes place on a college campus and offers a residential program filled with content, community, and collaboration. Since 1983, students at GIV have attended Institutes and made new friends, learned new skills, and experienced career pathways and opportunities that expanded their horizons... just like it did for me, when I attended GIV in 1994 and 1995!

This summer, GIV will be offering eight different Institutes including Arts, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Global Issues & Youth Action, Health & Medicine, Mathematical Sciences, Technology & Design, and Weather & Climate Science.

Students can apply online at GIV.org/apply. If they are accepted, students can attend GIV for as little as $10 through our sliding scale tuition, and several Institutes offer embedded college credit that can help kickstart careers and postsecondary opportunities.

College & Career Pathways Event: April 8th Castleton College Campus for Juniors and Sophomores

On Wednesday, April 8, we will be bringing interested juniors and sophomore students to the VSAC’s College & Career Pathways event at the Vermont State University Castleton Campus. Students will attend the event from 8:45am-2pm, engage with 70+ colleges and training programs at the fair, and participate in two workshops of their choosing. Workshops will include how to choose, apply to, and pay for college and career training programs, and pathways to skilled trades, apprenticeships, and great careers that don’t require a degree. If your student is interested in participating, they should pick up a permission slip in school counseling. Space is limited, Juniors will be given priority and returned permission slips secure a spot.

Students and their parents/guardians are also invited to attend the free event for families on Saturday, March 14, with options to participate in-person at UVM or online via Zoom. All sessions will also be recorded for future viewing.

You can find more information and additional college and career planning resources for families at vsac.org/ccp.