THE CCS NEWSLETTER
September 18, 2026
CCS Community,
Wow—Circus Week ended with a bang! All 340 CCS students rehearsed throughout the week and performed for their peers today. Hundreds of people also joined us for an amazing Circus Night on Wednesday, with students and families trying new things, taking positive risks, and having fun together.
It was a wonderful reminder that new things can feel hard at first—and that with practice, courage, and a willingness to take risks, we can build confidence, fluency, and joy.
Please enjoy the recording of today’s livestream. You may need to jump ahead in the video to when the show begins.
Have a fantastic three-day weekend. We can’t wait to see everyone back on Tuesday!
With care,
Tim & Lauren
Tim O’Leary, Principal; toleary@cvsdvt.org
Lauren Goracy, Assistant Principal & Director of Special Services; lgoracy@cvsdvt.org
A Few Moments from Circus Night
CCS Newscast
They did great for the first video (and the first time doing anything like this for all but 1 member of our cast). They accidentally took pictures instead of videos during the interview portion so we only have 1 this week. Enjoy!
PUP Quick Tips! - Plan Changes & FAQs
What’s the difference between a Default Plan and a Plan Change?
- 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 T and TH.
- 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.
*You may need to scroll up/down to see the full list of dismissal plan options*
How do I enter that my child will be absent? * This must be entered by 8:15am*
- On the Change page > Select the date > Click the Dismissal Plan option > Select the Absent plan option from the drop-down> Submit.
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.
*NEW OPTION* How do I enter that my child needs a reservation on the Late Bus?
- On the Plan Changes page > Select the date > Select the Late Bus option > Enter the sport or activity, bus route color & street address > Submit.
Mark Your Calendar
Every Wednesday School Is in Session — Early Dismissal, 1:45
Mon., Sept. 21 — No School: Yom Kippur
Sat., Sept. 26 - *Save the Date* Spirit Day at CVU - full day of sports, food, and fun
Tues., Sept. 29 — Open House, 5:00–6:00 - The CCS PTO Potluck will be scheduled for another date this year, rather than be combined with the Open House. Potluck Date TBD.
Wed., Sept. 30 — Picture Day at CCS (details will be sent to families from Beltrami Bsnap)
Fri., Oct. 2 — Dance! Grades 6–8, MPR, 6:30–8:30
Wed., Oct. 14 — CCS PTO Back-to-School Potluck, CCS Playground, 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Tues., Oct. 20 — CVSD School Board Meeting, 6:00 - 8:00
Fri., Oct. 23 — No School: K-12 Conferences
Picture Day at CCS - Wednesday, September 30th
Beltrami Studios is once again out photographer for CCS for Picture Day.
Order forms have been sent home with your child(ren) and Beltrami will be sending ordering information directly to caregivers via email. Naomi Strada has a limited number of extra paper copies in the Main Office if needed.
Every student will have their picture taken whether a package is ordered or not and every student will receive a free class picture.
Counselor Connection with Betsy Lloyd
My hope is to connect with families each week through the newsletter to provide information and resources to support kids and families. As always, please reach out if you need anything, have questions, or if I can help in any way.
Here is an upcoming FREE Webinar:
GPS Parenting Series FREE Virtual Events Coming Up! World-renowned authors and clinicians present relevant, research-based teaching to empower and strengthen families, individuals and communities by sharing practical strategies to help humans of every age thrive. GPS is *free* and open to all. No registration, no subscription!
When Kids Say, "I Hate Myself": How to Respond - with Blaise Aguirre, MD and Ross Szabo. Wednesday, September 23 at Noon and 7pm (click on the link for more information and to register)
Resources, Food for thought (and maybe some conversation starters)
Chittenden County Food Resources - list of free food resources throughout Chittenden county, with information about hours, location, accessibility and eligibility requirements.
Calm and Connected Podcast - This is a great resource on all topics related to children and families. Whatever the age of your child, there are topics to support you - ways for kids and teens to practice coping skills, self regulation and ways to connect, make friends and work on social skills. It will help guide you through all the stages of child development. There are also many resources and tools to dive into as well!
Get in touch with me!
(802)425-6604
One Hour a Week. Become a Mentor
Connecting Youth at CCS is seeking trusted and caring adults to become youth mentors. If you are interested in being more connected to your community, have one hour a week to give during the school year, and a willingness to show up consistently to get to know a young person, mentoring could be the right fit for you.
For more than 25 years, Connecting Youth Mentoring has brought students and community members together through one of Vermont’s largest school-based mentoring programs. And those connections matter: in MENTOR Vermont’s 2025 survey, 96% of mentees said their mentor makes them feel like they matter, and 96% said having a mentor has made a positive difference in their life.
Mentoring builds belonging, creates connection and strengthens a community. And sometimes the simplest thing is the most impactful: an adult who chooses to show up, listen and be in a young person’s corner.
Could that be you?
Contact CCS Mentoring Coordinator, Jessica Phelan jphelan@cvsdvt.org
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE SMS/TEXT MESSAGES
Please enroll to receive text messages from the district and/or our school. If you haven't done this yet or if you are new to CVSD, follow the easy steps on this flyer. We don't overuse this method of communication, but it is helpful for reminders and quick announcements. Don't miss out!
Ways to Get Involved at CCS
CCS has several opportunities for caregivers and community members to be part of our school community.
- Volunteer at CCS: Please complete the required volunteer forms and return them to Cindy LaWare at any time. Questions? Contact Cindy at 425-2771 or claware@cvsdvt.org.
- Mentor a student: If you are interested in mentoring a student in grades 5–8, please contact Jessica Phelan at jphelan@cvsdvt.org.
- Substitute at CCS: We are always looking for positive, energetic individuals to substitute teach in grades K–8. Please contact Naomi Strada at 425-6600 to learn more. You can also find additional information about substituting on the CVSD website.
CVU Spirit Day — Saturday, September 26
Champlain Valley Union High School
Come cheer on your hometown athletes at CVU’s annual Spirit Day, a celebration of Redhawk pride featuring a full day of home games, fans and festivities!
Soccer, field hockey, volleyball and football games will take place throughout the day, while food trucks, concessions, music, face painting and a CVU merchandise booth will round out the festivities.
All are welcome!
Access CVU - Fall Classes are Open for Registration!
The Fall/Winter Catalog of classes is open for registration!
This season we’re proud to launch with over 200 classes taught by 85 instructors. Whether you want to explore a new hobby, learn a language, unleash your creativity, take a cooking class, join an exercise class, or simply connect with the community, Access CVU offers a wide range of community classes for all ages and is open to all towns!
Newly Added! English as a Second Language (ESL) with Deborah Miuccio. With an increase in our growing New American population in Vermont, and at our schools, we are offering this opportunity to help families integrate into the community with ease and confidence. This 6-session course will run on Wednesday evenings at CVU, starting Sept 30th. If you know someone or a family that could benefit from this course please reach out!
Browse courses & register using our new and improved registration software- Arux: Visit https://accesscvu.arux.app/ (or Google, Access CVU, and select the "Arux Software" site). Log in with your previous credentials, or follow the prompts to sign up!
- New classes are added weekly - check back often! Tip: Adding access@cvsdvt.org to your address book will avoid us landing in your spam/junk folder. Sign up for our weekly NEWSLETTER to see what classes are running each week, and what's new!
- Prefer to register via email or phone? Contact us access@cvsdvt.org / 802-482-7194.
Interested in teaching or know someone? Complete the New Instructor Form or email us at access@cvsdvt.org. Currently seeking instructors for the following classes, and open to all suggestions/requests:
- Basket Weaving
- Drawing
- Quilting
- Holiday Wreaths
- DIY Home Repairs
- Macrame
- Baking
Charlotte Library Upcoming Events
August/September Menu
CCS Caregiver Frequently-Used Resources
CCS Parent-Teacher Organization
Charlotte Community Resources
Tim O'Leary, Principal
Lauren Goracy, Assistant Principal & Director of Special Services
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.