THE CCS NEWSLETTER
Charlotte Central School - June 5, 2026
CCS Community,
Today’s Carnation Ceremony was a tear-jerker.
This twice-annual tradition begins in the fall, when our 8th graders give our Kindergarten students a carnation as a way of welcoming them into the CCS community and as a symbol of the power of a nine-grade community school.
Today, the roles were reversed. Our Kindergarten students gave carnations to our 8th graders as a way of saying goodbye and offering well wishes for all they have given to CCS as they set their sights on high school. One kindergartener I interviewed explained that he was giving flowers to the 8th graders because, “They are the smartest. They know everything.” And while that may be true in the eyes of our youngest learners, today was also about honoring the time, growth, leadership, and community our 8th graders have shared with all of us.
Next Wednesday brings another important annual tradition at CCS: Looking Ahead Day. That morning, at about 8:30 AM, students in grades K–7 will learn their homeroom or core teachers for next year and spend about 45 minutes visiting those new spaces. It is a meaningful moment in the passage from one school year to the next, and a sneak peek at the classrooms and communities where students will spend so much of their time next year.
Current K–4 students should bring home information about their placement for next year. For our current 5th–7th grade students, we rely on them to communicate that information to caregivers. We believe in the power of students finding out first, and this has long been an important part of the end of the school year. It helps students begin imagining themselves in the year ahead.
Looking Ahead Day unfolds while our current 8th graders head into the cafeteria to unpack yearbooks, gather signatures, reminisce, and celebrate the community they have built before they embark on their next journey.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend, even if this stretch of beautiful weather brings a bit of rain. We need that, too.
With appreciation and a few tears in our eyes,
Tim & Beth
CCS Administrative Team
The Final Lost & Found Photos of 25-26
Come one, come all, these and all items in the lost and found will be donated at the close of school on Friday, June 12th.
2025-26 Family/Caregiver Engage Survey
Caregivers, Please take a few moments to complete our 2025-26 Family/Caregiver Engage Survey.
Collective data from this survey will be used to evaluate and improve our system and to build more meaningful experiences for students, families, and caregivers. Please complete one survey per student by Friday, June 5.
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 6th, CVSD annual PRIDE Rally, Shelburne Community School, 10:00-Noon(rain or shine)
Monday, June 8th - Wednesday, June 10th - Graduation Flower Donations needed - see details below
Tuesday, June 9th - CCS Band to perform National Anthem at Centennial Field - 6:00pm
Wednesday, June 10th - Early Release
Wednesday, June 10th - Looking Ahead! - 8:30 - 9:15
Thursday, June 11th - 8th Grade Graduation - 6:15pm / Graduation Dance - 7:00pm - 9:00pm (last day of school for 8th graders)
Friday, June 12th - Last Day of School for K-7, Early Dismissal 11:45am
July 6-10, 2026 - Save the Date! - Student Summer Learning (more information below)
Graduation Floral Donations
The Graduation Decorating Committe will be collecting floral donations beginning Monday, June 8th, through Wednesday, June 10th.
Collection buckets will be located both at the front of the school and at the flagpole for families who would like to contribute flowers or greenery to help decorate for our 8th-grade graduation ceremony.
We are so grateful for the incredible generosity of our CCS community each year, and we hope families will be willing to help us make the space feel extra special for our graduates.
Middle School Art Spotlight
8th Grade Mini-Museums: Head down to the Charlotte Town Library to view our 8th graders' amazing miniature museums! Each unique gallery houses a personal collection of the student's own artwork crafted throughout this year. Class 8C’s exhibits are on display right now, with Class 8D’s collection to follow as soon as they are completed.
7th Grade Design Prototypes: A huge shoutout to our 7th graders, whose final projects were showcased at the recent Fun Run! Students stepped into the role of Lead Designers in fields ranging from automotive and fashion to culinary arts. They built professional-grade prototypes, applied the Elements of Art, and learned how to plan like engineers and problem-solve like entrepreneurs.
Grade 4 Service Project
🌊Grade 4 headed to Charlotte Beach yesterday for a service project! 🍃🧤
They were assisted by our 5/6 Student Council and Gary from Charlotte Park and Rec. It was a great day of helping care for one of our beautiful community spaces—and having fun together while doing it.💚
Thank you, Grade 4, Student Council, and Gary! 🙌
CVU Hosts Fourth Grade Track Meet
Every fourth grader from across CVSD spent the day at CVU today participating in a district-wide track meet. The event was organized by CVU students as part of their RISE (Reflective Interest-Based Student Experiences), and the meet was equal parts competition, camaraderie, connection, and celebration. Click here for photos.
School Library News
It's time to round up those library books! All library books are now due!
Can't find those pesky books? Here is a handy list of places that students have told me they have found missing books:
- backpack
- car (especially under seats)
- under the couch
- your bookshelves
- between the bed and the wall
- closet
- top of fridge
- laundry hamper
- in the classroom
- school locker
- school hallway
CCS Plastic Recycling Initiative
As we approach the end of the school year, we want to express our deepest gratitude to all the families, students, and staff who participated in our CCS Plastic Recycling Initiative. All year long, your dedication to bringing in plastic for recycling has been nothing short of amazing. Thanks to your daily efforts, we’ve kept an incredible amount of waste out of landfills and taught our students the power of collective environmental action.
📆Important End Date
Please note that our school collection will officially wrap up this Friday, June 5th.
🌎Keep the Momentum Going!
While our school collection is ending, we strongly encourage all CCS families to keep up the fantastic habit after June 5th. You can continue dropping off your recyclables at these nearby places, including The Charlotte Library, Shelburne Market, Hannaford's, Market 32, and other participating grocery stores. Link
CVSD 6th Annual Pride Rally
Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Shelburne Community School
CVSD’s Annual Youth Pride Rally is back for its sixth year! The event is happening rain or shine, and students, staff, families, and community members are welcome to come and celebrate alongside us.
The Pride Rally is an opportunity for our larger community to come together and celebrate our diversity, as well as support our LGBTQ+ community members in feeling seen, celebrated, and protected. Come ready to eat, jam out, and hear from queer activists, students, and educators.
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
CCS Parent-Teacher Organization
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.