SCS Community Newsletter

Dear SCS Families, Caregivers, and Shelburne Community,

School is back in full swing, kicking off with a brief three-day week that gave students and staff a chance to build up their stamina. From the moment the doors opened, the building was buzzing with positive energy, huge smiles, and the joy of reconnecting with friends and former teachers. Every adult in the building stepped up to lend a hand, ensuring a smooth transition back into the school day.

Thank you to all families that have entered default plans and are using PUP. This has assisted in our smooth transition. Please read below for helpful tips on entering changes to a student's day.

Our main focus has been helping students get to know one another and feel right at home. Through team challenges, shared discovery, and playful activities, classrooms quickly settled into new daily rhythms. Teachers and students worked side by side to establish routines for learning, play, and transitions, laying the groundwork for what it means to grow as readers, writers, mathematicians, and valued community members. Connection and Belonging are key pillars of student engagement, and it’s been incredible watching our entire school come together to build it. One way we’re trying to build engagement with our broader community this year is through our revamped Instagram account. If you use social media, feel free to give us a follow at @scs_cvsd.

We were busy last spring and summer recruiting wonderful new talent to our team! Please join us in giving a warm SCS welcome to new educators working throughout our building:

• Kim Audette, Math Coach

• Kaylah Benoit, ATLAS Program

• Allison Dabica, Grade 2 Teacher

• Kylie Cleanthes, 7/8 Special Educator

• Tania Hayes, Special Services Director

• Mabel Kitchen, Kindergarten Team Para

• Tucker Kolasch, ATLAS Program

• Amanda Laberge, Yellow Team ELA Teacher

• Michelle Lewis, Kindergarten Team Para

• Ally Monohan, Special Ed Para

• Emily Reid, Grade 4 Teacher

• Anastassya Sells, Grade 2 Teacher

• Becca Taudien, K-4 Art Teacher (Long-term sub for Ms. Costes)

• Katie Taylor, Red Team Para

• Matt Vachon, Kindergarten Team Para

• Samantha Ziencina, Behavior Team

We hope you all enjoy a restful weekend, and we look forward to seeing your students back at school next week!

In Partnership,

Brett, Jen, and Tania

PLEASE READ THE DIRECTIONS BELOW FOR ENTERING CHANGES TO A STUDENT'S DAY

If you need assistance with PUP, please review the caregiver guide linked below. If you still require assistance, please contact Jane Graham at: jgraham@cvsdvt.org or 383-1101.

SCS PickUp Patrol Caregiver Guide

• Default Plan: Your child’s regular way of getting home from school/camp each day. Example: Kate rides Bus #2 on MWF and is a Pickup on TR.
• Plan Change: When your child's dismissal plan deviates from the Default Plan. Example: Kate is leaving early to go to the dentist on Monday or Kate is taking the bus on Tuesday this week.

How do I enter that my child will be absent?

• On the Change page > Select the date > Click the Dismissal Plan option > Select the Absent plan option from the drop-down> Submit.

* YOU MAY NEED TO SCROLL UP/DOWN TO SEE ALL OPTIONS ON DROP-DOWN MENU

How do I enter that my child will be arriving late?

• On the Change page > Select the date > Select the Late Arrival option > Enter the time & any additional information > Submit.

How do I enter that my child will be leaving midday & then returning to school for an appointment?

• On the Change page > Select the date > Select the Leave & Return option > Enter the time & any additional information > Submit.

How do I enter that my child will be dismissed early?

• On the Change page > Select the date > Select the Dismissal Plan option > Select the Early Dismissal plan option from the drop-down> Enter the time & any additional information > Submit.

• 9/1 - PreK Orientation
• 9/1 - PTO meeting (6:00-7:00 pm, SCS Green Team space) * pizza & babysitters provided *
• 9/3 - PreK First Day of School
• 9/4 - NO SCHOOL
• 9/7 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
• 9/8 - Beginning Band Night (6:30, SCS Cafeteria)
• 9/15 - CVSD School Board Meeting (6-8pm, CVUHS)
• 9/16 - 5-8th Grade Curriculum Night
• 9/21 - NO SCHOOL - Yom Kippur
• 9/22-24 - School Photos (details to follow in future newsletters)

• As a reminder, students should not be dropped off in the bus circle or parking lot by the gym. All morning dropoffs should take place at the School Street entrance.
• We are pleased to start offering Morning Library starting Monday 8/31. For students looking for a calm and quiet start to the day, the library will be open starting at 7:25, in addition to the gym.

Important dates for beginning band members are included in the registration form linked above.

The enrollment deadline is Tuesday, September 1.

Physical forms are also available at the school if needed.

I am looking forward to an amazing year full of concerts, community connections and Festivals in the Choral Program this year! All students in grades 5 - 8 who are interested in signing up for the Choral program, regardless of whether they have participated in the past, should read through the SCS Choral Program Handbook with a caregiver for clarity around expectations and events. Please find a sign up linked above. I look forward to a harmonious and musical year ahead!

RoboCats get ready to roar this fall. The award winning RoboCats (a First Lego League Challenge program for grades 4th-8th) will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-4:30pm starting in late September or early October. As the season progresses towards December and potentially (pending qualification to states) January competition dates we sometimes practice later on Tuesday and Thursday as needed. If your student is into having fun, engineering and solving complex problems in a supportive atmosphere this is the team for them. No experience necessary - just a willingness to try new things, meet new people and be part of a team. Co-coaches Mr. T. and Joey have many new things planned to start this season and make it the strongest year ever for this team.

If you have not pre-registered please use this link - the official registration and confirmation will come out in early September in the SCS newsletter as well as to people who have already pre-registered. We look forward to a great season ahead!

• SCS is transitioning to Arbiter Registration, a new online athletics registration platform for families this year. This is the same platform that CVU has been using over the past 2 years, so many families may already be familiar with it. This is new, but once we get everything established, registration for Athletics will be a lot smoother!

• Families should create one (1) Arbiter account for their household and complete a separate registration (under the one family account) for each participating student.

• Each student’s most recent well visit/physical documentation needs to be uploaded directly to Arbiter.

• During registration, families can select the sports their student may be interested in playing throughout the 2026–2027 school year. Registration for SCS athletics only needs to be completed once per student each school year.

• Questions/need assistance? Please contact Leigh Petrucelli: lpetrucelli@cvsdvt.org

A big thank you to everyone who brought in food for our Staff Welcome Back Breakfast, and to those who joined us for our PTO gathering Wednesday morning. We loved seeing so many new and familiar faces!

Don’t forget: Our first PTO meeting is Tuesday, September 1, 6–7 PM in the Green Team space at SCS (we’ll have signs out!). Pizza and babysitters will be provided.

We’d love to see you there!

SCS’s Connecting Youth Mentoring (CY) seeks adults like you to join our team of mentors for 5th - 8th grade students. This is an opportunity to be engaged with the school community and truly make a difference in the life of one great kid!

• Mentors and mentee pairs meet weekly for 45 minutes during the school day. We work within mentors' personal/professional scheduling needs.

• 1 school year commitment with the option to continue

• Mentor training and continual support provided by CVSD mentor coordinators.

• Mentoring pairs have access to dedicated spaces to play basketball and other sports, cook, craft, enjoy board and card games and develop a friendship.

If you consider yourself fun, caring and trustworthy, your consistent presence can enhance a young person’s self-confidence, improve their academic performance, prevent substance use, and help them discover new passions. All while enriching your own life.

Learn more by contacting SCS CY Mentoring Coordinator Alison Duback, aduback@cvsdvt.org or 802-383-1176

For more info, visit our website: https://connectingyouth.cvsdvt.org/what-we-do/mentoring-programs

Nearby Nature is seeking new volunteers for the 2026-2027 school year! This wonderful program brings place-based natural science lessons into our K-2 classrooms. Students will engage in hands-on inquiry while learning about this year’s theme, Earth—Exploring Our Physical World. Each month volunteers attend a training, do a bit of lesson prep, and lead a lesson alongside other volunteers. It’s a great way to be part of your child’s classroom community, explore the world around us, and have fun together.

No experience in science or teaching is necessary, and scheduling is flexible. For more information or to sign up please email wendy.eberhart@gmail.com. You can also read about the program at https://nearbynature.fwni.org.