PA Family Communication

We hope to see you this week in the PA Aud!

We are welcoming everyone to join us for the regional festival on March 21st in the PA auditorium. Box office tickets are available for $5 per show or $12 for an all day pass. Show times are as follows:

9:30-10:00 Thetford & Fairfax

1:00-1:30 Lamoille & Peoples

5:00-5:30 North Country

Mar 17-19 - VTCAP Math Testing, 9th Grade

Mar 18 - Softball Team Meeting, 6:00pm

Mar 19-20 - One Acts, P.A.C.S. presents Wild Strawberries

Mar 21 - One Acts Regional Festival, more details to come

Mar 23-25 - VTCAP Science Testing, 11th Grade, Rescheduled

Mar 26 - Noon Dismissal

Mar 27 - No School, Conferences

Apr 1 - Career Exploration Event - P5 & 6 interrupted

Apr 12 - Science Olympiad @ Norwich University

Apr 14 - SAT Testing, In-School

Apr 20-24 - April Break

May 25 - No School, Memorial Day

June 11 - Graduation, 6:30pm @ Peoples Academy

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The lucky students who arrived to school on time today were treated to green & gold chocolate coins.

As part of our continued commitment to substance use prevention and community care, this year we are taking a new approach to how we engage students in meaningful conversations about substance use and its real-life impact. Instead of bringing in an outside speaker, we turned to the trusted voices within our own community.

Last Friday, March 13th, Stories That Stay With Us, was received exceptionally well from students. They heard 5 stories from adults in the PA learning community. They were a captivated and respectful audience. During TA tomorrow we will be discussing their thoughts and takeaways from the event. Next week, we will follow up with you on their thoughts and some of our next steps. If you have not already, it's not too late to ask your student what they heard and the ideas that stood out for them as they listened to these personal stories.

We recognize that this topic can be sensitive and are approaching it with intention and care. Please reach out with any questions. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students’ well-being.

Overview of committee:

Both Elmore-Morristown and Stowe will be facilitating a joint technology committee to review our current use of technology in the classroom and gather community and stakeholder input. We will develop a new Artificial Intelligence Policy that will be recommended to both school boards. We are looking for interested community members that would like to serve on this committee. The time commitment is approximately six (6) meetings that will take place between March and June.

Here are a few examples of questions that will be discussed:

1. What is the role of technology in our two school districts?

2. How can we navigate new research that calls more attention to screen time and the social and emotional impact on our children?

3. What role does artificial intelligence have in our schools and how can we prepare our students for an evolving and uncertain environment while protecting their cognitive and social development?

Those interested can email Tarah Hubbard - tarah.hubbard@lamoillesouth.org

We are excited to offer Family/Teacher Conferences on Thursday, March 26th from 12:30pm to 5:30pm Friday, March 27th from 8:00am to 12:00 pm. Once again we are using the Meet the Teacher program to schedule conferences. If you haven't already, please use this link to schedule your conferences. As a reminder timeslots tend to fill quickly. Contact Michele (michele.walker@lamoillesouth.org or 802-888-4600) for any help needed with conference scheduling.

We look forward to seeing you!

Our VTCAP testing has continued this week. Families play an important role in helping students feel confident, calm, and ready to do their best. You can support your student by ensuring they get plenty of rest in the days leading up to the assessment, stay well-hydrated, and eat a healthy meal before testing. On the day of the test, plan to arrive early, maintain a calm and positive attitude, and remind your student that they are well-prepared and capable. These small but meaningful actions can make a significant difference in creating a smooth testing experience.

To better understand the nature and purpose of the assessment, we encourage families to visit cognia.org for additional information.

Students in the PA TEAL club (Together Empowering youth through Action and Leadership) set up a table last week to share about and celebrate women.

For more than 30 years, parents and community members have come together to give Peoples Academy seniors a priceless gift: a safe, fun, alcohol- and drug-free celebration on graduation night. This year’s Project Graduation will be held at Stowe Bowl, where the Class of 2026 will enjoy bowling, swimming, mini-golf, games, food, transportation, and time together — all completely free to every senior.

While we are grateful for the generous support already received, we are currently $3,000 short of our goal. Our hope is to lessen the fundraising burden on families and ensure every student can attend without cost or hardship. If you would like to help support this special night, donations can be dropped off at the PA office and checks can be made payable to Peoples Academy. Thank you for helping make this celebration possible.

If your student has not yet reserved a copy, they should do so now by making a down payment or paying in full with Michele in the Main Office. Please note that only the number of yearbooks reserved will be ordered, so it is essential to reserve your copy by April 1st. The total cost of the yearbook is $62.

On March 19 we will be bringing 10th graders to VSAC’s College & Career Pathways event at Saint Michael’s College. Students can collect a permission slip from the guidance office (lunch will be provided).

Students and their parents/guardians are also invited to attend the free event for families on Saturday, March 14. Families can participate in-person at UVM or online over Zoom. Attend live workshops on how to choose, apply to, and pay for education after high school; get test prep tips from a professional tutor; discover free local resources to support your teen’s career search; learn about short-term training opportunities for in-demand jobs; and connect with experts on postsecondary options for students who learn differently. All sessions will also be recorded for future viewing. Find out more and register at vsac.org/ccp.

Click the link below for the guidance department resource page. Inside you will find easy links to information about current courses, student opportunities, and preparing for college. Let us know what you think and if there are other resources we can provide for you!

In case you missed it above....it's One Act season. We hope to see you this week in the PA Aud. 7pm March 19-20 (Thursday & Friday night).

If you haven't already, check out the options on gear. Something for the entire family.

Check out the monthly offerings!

It's an original resource and REFERRAL tool for basic needs like housing, food, utilities, and transportation. The emphasis is on referrals, because not only can you find information about hundreds of organizations on the side, you can also refer yourself or others and make a direct connection with those organizations.

The site is free to use and has information about local (e.g. neighborhood food shelf), state (e.g. Department of Health), and ational (e.g. Veterans Affairs) resources. It can also be translated into over 100 different languages.