THE CCS NEWSLETTER
Charlotte Central School - June 12, 2026
A Celebration of This Year and a Bridge to What’s Next
CCS Community,
It has been both incredibly fun and a lot of hard work to better understand the many strengths of CCS, as well as the opportunities that lie ahead. I feel lucky to be a caretaker in this space and be joined by an incredibly strong team of caretakers, too. I truly believe this is the best school in the best district in the state.
At the same time, I see endless opportunities to continue expanding and strengthening the experiences we offer students, both inside and outside of the classroom. As a bridge from that thinking into some concrete plans for next year, we will be holding onto several newer initiatives from this past year.
We plan to continue C3, our middle-level Wednesday morning clubs program. C3 stands for Clubs, Community, and Connections, and the name is borrowed from CVU. We will also continue our SPARK after-school clubs program, which brought more than 50% of the CCS student body into one or more clubs this past year. We have a GREAT team of kindergarten chess players! We will continue Morning Movement to help our K-4 students start their days by giving them the choice to move their bodies in order to settle their minds. We also added a wonderful 8th-grade send-off yesterday afternoon, with every student and staff member cheering on our 8th graders as they headed toward their final dismissal. Not because we were happy to see them go, but because we were so grateful for the time we had with them.
We are also going to hold onto and continue to evolve meaningful professional development for our staff, centering their ideas, collaboration, and professional spirit. And we are going to re-engage Very Merry Theatre to continue our 5-8 musical production, with early April performances once again.
And... we are going to try new things, too!
This summer, we are building a beautiful 20' x 40' pavilion, fully ADA accessible and adjacent to the playground, funded entirely through grant and private funds. From students who like to read at recess, to teams looking for a shady place to have a snack or drink, to classes gathering for outdoor learning, to weekend birthday parties, this will be a community asset for decades to come. (photos below)
We are also engaging Very Merry Theatre to run a second production, most likely in the fall, at least for our 3rd and 4th grade students, possibly younger, but the design is still emerging! We are going to try out a brand new Morning Music offering that will allow K-4 students another choice to start their day and to sing, dance, and feel the rhythm. We are adding Music Enrichment for every K-4 student next year, an extra music class every other week, aimed at thinking differently about what that space can offer. Maybe it will be karaoke. Maybe it will be dance. Maybe it will feel like chorus. We will see!
In mid-September, we are hosting a full five-day Circus Artists in Residency program with Troy Wunderle, who visited for a few days this year and was a smashing success. We are also considering another artist-in-residence opportunity as well.
I am excited to be on this journey with all of you, and I am committed to not simply doing what has always been done. Instead, we will continue to iterate, evolve, and test out new ways to engage our students, staff, and community.
Thank you for a wonderful year at CCS. I hope the summer ahead brings rest, joy, adventure, and plenty of time with the people you love. We look forward to welcoming students and families back next year for all that is ahead.
All the best,
Tim O’Leary, CCS Principal
Congratulations to Our CCS Graduates!
Lilah Akselrod * Eli Albertson * Caden Anderson * Aven Armstrong * Reagan Bohlin * Felix Boyce * Carson Calkins * Colbie Curler * Kaya Dailey * Griffin Daley * Norah DeFranco * Sadie Devoid * Georgia Dorsey * Morgan Fletcher * Skylar Gallese * Jessie González * Sharon González Alvarez * Sherlin González Alvarez * Khalil Graceson * Ezra Graczyk-Picard * Leola Guterres * Bea Horikawa * Robert Janetti * Harper LeBlanc * Theo Lyons Judge * Emerson MacPherson * Caitlin Metzler * Mason Montgomery * Ben Novak * JaKobe Paquette * Logan Rushford * Ansel Schwartzman * Arne Siket * Chenzy White * Stone Williams * Nathan Woldow
Our final days with the CCS Class of 2026 were filled with celebration, reflection, and joy.
On their last day of school, students and staff lined the hallways to cheer on our graduates during a special send-off parade. (Be sure to check out the video on our Instagram and Facebook pages!)
That evening, families and friends gathered for a beautiful graduation ceremony, followed by an 8th-grade dance where graduates laughed, danced, and celebrated together one last time as CCS students.
Congratulations, Class of 2026! We are proud of you and excited for all that lies ahead.
Field Day Fun!
Our final day of school for K–7 students was a fantastic Field Day filled with games, laughter, teamwork, dancing, and plenty of opportunities to cool off on a warm June day. Students rotated through a variety of activities, cheered each other on, and enjoyed one last chance to be together before summer vacation begins.
A huge thank you to our staff and volunteers who helped make the day such a success. We hope these photos capture some of the joy, energy, and community spirit that made Field Day such a memorable way to close out the school year.
Have a wonderful summer, CCS!
A Final Note from Mr. Smith
On Tuesday, members of the CCS band ensemble performed the National Anthem at the Lake Monsters game, marking a meaningful final moment for Mr. Smith as a conductor at CCS. As he heads into retirement after a 33-year career in public education, we are so grateful for the music, care, and joy he has shared with students and our school community over the years. Congratulations to Mr. Smith and to all of our CCS musicians for such a special performance!
See the video on our Instagram & Facebook pages.
CCS Pavilion - Expected Arrival in the Summer of 2026
Please see the opening of this week’s newsletter for more information about our planned pavilion project. These photos are from Shelburne Community School and show the same design, structure, and size of the pavilion we plan to build this summer for the CCS community!
CVSD’s Free Summer Meals Program
CVSD’s Free Summer Meals Program runs from Thursday, June 25, through Thursday, August 13. Meal box pickups will begin on Thursday, June 25, at St. Jude’s Church in Hinesburg, from 7 to 11 a.m. or until all meal boxes are gone.
The first order window will open Sunday, June 14, and all families and caregivers will receive weekly emails to place orders.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Colleen French: cfrench@cvsdvt.org
Mark Your Calendar
Saturday, June 13th through Tuesday, August 25th - Enjoy the summer and family time!
Wednesday, August 26th - First day of CCS 26-27 school year
Wednesday, August 26th - Early Release, 1:45pm
Wednesday, September 2nd - Early Release, 1:45pm
Friday, September 4th - No School
Monday, September 7th - Memorial Day, No School
Wednesday, September 9th - Early Release, 1:45pm
Wednesday, September 16th - Early Release, 1:45pm
Monday, September 21st - Yom Kippur, No School
Wednesday, September 23rd - Early Release, 1:45pm
Wednesday, September 30th - School Picture Day (watch for more details)
Wednesday, September 30th - Early Release, 1:45pm
School Library News
Keep reading this summer! Encourage your students to read what they like. A happy reader is an engaged reader! Remember to visit the Charlotte Public Library and Sora to access loads of good things both in-person and digitally. If you need reading inspiration, here are some places you can go:
American Library Association Summer Reading Lists
Includes recommendations for grades PreK - 8.
Vermont's kids' choice book award for grades 4-8.
2026 Summer Camp Information
It's that time of year again where we begin to share with you summer camp information that we are asked to pass along to our community caregivers. CCS does not endorse the following camps, this is shared with our community as informational only.
- Buckeau Farm Camp - Charlotte farm camp, ages 6-12, 9am-4pm, June 29th-July 24th
- CVU Lacrosse Summer Camps - August 3rd-6th, 9am-1pm
- Junior Redhawks Running Camp - kids finishing grades 4-8
- Livery Horse Farm - horse / pony day camp for ages 1st grade and up
- Sentinal Farms Youth Camps
- Vermont Youth Dancers - various dates and ages
Be A Substitute / Guest Teacher at CCS!
Are you interested in being a part of the CCS community and get paid? Consider being a substitute / guest teacher? Interested individuals should reach out to CVSDHR@cvsdvt.org.
CCS Caregiver Frequently-Used Resources
Charlotte Community Resources
Tim O'Leary, Principal; toleary@cvsdvt.org
Beth Slater, Assistant Principal & Director of Special Services; eslater@cvsdvt.org
The Newsletter is published every Friday, when school is in session. It is delivered to our families via email, posted on our website, and on Front Porch Forum. A hard copy is available by contacting the school.