Bridport Community Newletter

Hello Bridport Families!

I hope everyone had a fun and restful break and were able to spend time with family & friends. We are gearing up at school for a joyful three weeks before our next winter break! There are a few things to know for this week:

1. Tomorrow (Monday) is picture retakes. If you have questions- please call or email Linda

2. It is cold out, with snow on the forecast this week! Please make sure your child has appropriate clothing for the weather including snowpants, coat, boots, hat and gloves. It is an especially good idea to label clothing with your last name in case items get misplaced.

3. Thursday, 12/5 @ 6PM- Friends of Bridport School Meeting

Thank you!

Jenny Urban

Our staff has been working together this fall to think about our shared values, and how they will help us work towards our common goals. Using the work from Brene Brown, we chose four core values that will be our guiding star as we move through the year.

They are:

Belonging

Integrity

Kindness

Safety

The next steps are to create shared definitions, and what they look like and sound like in our community. Thats where you come in! If you have time, to fill out this survey to share your definitions, or thinking around these values- that would help us tremendously.

Take the survey here: https://forms.gle/ogTa91pNPFBEnmBU6

Saturday by Oge Mora

Summary- Ava cherishes Saturdays. On Saturdays she and her mother have adventures and spend quality time together. On this particular Saturday, nothing goes as planned, yet Ava still loves and appreciates the time she is able to spend with her mother.

Links to explore more:

• YouTube reading of Saturday by the author

• Discussion of illustrations with Oge Mora plus puppet making idea from Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library

• Activity ideas from Pittsburgh Public Schools

• Q&A with Oge Mora

• Meet-the-Author Recording with Oge Mora

• Storytime Kit by Hachette Book Group

• Storytime in the Galleries by the Milwaukee Art Museum

• 2020 BGHB interview with Picture Book winner Oge Mora

Monday 12/2- Picture Retakes

Monday 12/2- United Way visits 3/4 for Substance Abuse Prevention lesson (see letter below)

Thursday 12/5- FOBCS Meeting

Wednesday 12/11- Early Release

Friday 12/20- Last Day of School before Break

Dear ACSD Parents & Caregivers,

I hope this letter finds you and your family well. We are writing to inform you about an important topic that we will be addressing with students in third grade in the upcoming months: the harms of vaping/e-cigarette use.

Vaping, which has become increasingly prevalent among youth in recent years, poses serious health risks and concerns. Our students must be well-informed about these dangers so that they can make informed choices regarding their health as they get older.

Starting in November, we will be hosting United Way of Addison County to bring age-appropriate lessons and discussions about vaping into our classrooms. During these lessons, we will focus on the negative effects of vape use, nicotine, and addiction, and the importance of making healthy choices. Our goals with these presentations will be to:

1. Raise Awareness: We want our students to understand the risks associated with vaping, including the potential harm to their developing bodies and the risk of addiction.

2. Promote Healthy Decision Making: We will empower our students to make informed decisions about their health and tools on how to resist peer pressure.

3. Support Healthy Behaviors: We want to create a school environment that promotes healthy behaviors and fosters open communication among students, parents, and staff to ensure that students feel comfortable discussing any questions or concerns that they may have.

United Way of Addison County staff have been working with youth of all ages on prevention education for many years and are well-prepared to present this important information to the students in an age-appropriate manner. The presenters will be using the Stanford Curriculum titled: You and Me, Together Vape Free to guide their lessons and discussions. We encourage you to take a look at the curriculum ahead of time if you would like.

We invite you to actively participate in this effort by continuing these conversations with your child about vaping and its associated risks at home, asking them what they have learned in school, and being a source of support should they have questions. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this topic please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your continued support of our school community.

Presenter Contact Information:

Sylvie Morrison, Director of Advocacy

sylvie@unitedwayaddisoncounty.org

Celia Heath, Public Health Grants Manager

celia@unitedwayaddisoncounty.org

Please join the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Middlebury on Monday, December 2, 2024, 5-7:00 p.m. ACSD Community members will have an opportunity to meet with members of the Commission on the Future of Public Education and answer questions such as: What are the strengths of public education in Vermont? What are some of the challenges of our current system? What suggestions do you have for the Commission? What questions do you have about the finance system? What suggestions do you have about the finance system? Read more about the Commission here. Find the full Agenda here.

Attend in person: Middlebury Union High School Library 73 Charles Avenue, Middlebury, VT 05753

Attend virtually via Microsoft Teams: Click here to join or Call In: 1-802-828-7667 Conference ID: 758 636 780#

As a reminder, all children are entitled to free breakfast and lunch!