SCS Community Newsletter

Dear SCS Families and Caregivers,

January has been a month of intentional reflection, connection, and direction across classrooms at SCS. As we transitioned back from break, our teachers focused on helping students reconnect with peers through collaborative games and refined routines, ensuring a strong social-emotional foundation for the semester ahead. Our students are currently participating in mid-year literacy and math assessments, and many teams have already finished. You may hear about these “iReady” assessments at home, and they provide an in-depth view into the progress students are making and help teachers set goals for the second half of the school year. In addition to these academic updates in reading and math, the second round of student Engage Surveys help us understand how students are feeling about school.

We had lots of additional celebrations this week: it kicked off with a celebration of the Robocats teams for their performance at the state competition last Saturday. One of our teams advanced to the Northeast Regionals in Massachusetts in June, and the entire crew put in countless hours of teamwork to refine their skills. The 5-6 and 7-8 band and chorus concerts last night showcased the musical talents of our middle schoolers. Individual solos, cup flipping, and freestyle scat singing enhanced the impressive ensemble performances and brought thunderous applause to our gym. Green team students braved the cold today as part of their engineering challenge to test which team could build a structure to keep an egg from breaking when sent down the slide. In PE this week, Ms. Alysia began the process of building an ice structure with her K-4 classes, with some middle school and Part 2 helpers. We can’t wait to see what they come up with after the snow we get this weekend.

Our safety committee also met this week to review and update our emergency procedures, set drill schedules for the remainder of the year, and reaffirm our commitment to being prepared for the unexpected. We would like to share these Reminders for families and a link to the CVSD safety website as well. Hopefully all of our pipes will remain unfrozen through the deep freeze!

We are grateful to partner with you in navigating this year. We hope you find time this weekend to play, laugh, and enjoy your wonderful children.

In Partnership,

Jen, Brett and Antonia

The SCS Administrative Team

1/23 - 7th/8th Grade Dance (7:00 - 9:00 pm, SCS)

1/29 - 1st Grade Walking Field Trip to Shelburne Library

1/30 - Movie Night at SCS for 3rd & 4th Graders (5:00 - 7:00 pm, SCS Band Room) * flier below

1/31 - Shelburne Rec Winter Carnival (1:00 - 3:00pm, SCS Cafeteria & Gym)

2/4 - SCS Readathon Begins through March 4th (see details below)

2/4 - Readathon Free Book Swap (6:00 - 7:30pm, Green Common Space)

2/4 - 1st Grade Field Trip to the Flynn Theater

2/4 - CVU Guidance Couselors visit SCS 8th Graders

2/5 - 5-8th Grade Field Trip to UVM Women's Basketball Game

2/5 - 4th Grade NAEP testing

2/6 - 8th Grade NAEP testing

2/6&7 - 6-8 Gr Musical performance(s) at CVU Auditorium (see info below)

2/10 - PTO Monthly Meeting (6:00 - 7:00pm, Green team common space)

2/12 - SCS Spelling Bee (8:30am until done, SCS Library)

2/12 - 8th Grade Family Night (6:30 - 7:45pm, CVU Gym)

2/19 - Winter Talent Show - Shelburne Shines (5:30 - 7:30pm, Charlotte Central School)

CVSD 2025-2026 Calendar

The Shelburne Community School RoboCats robotics team roared at the Vermont State First Lego Robotics competition at Global Foundries on January 17th. The team won the Rising Stars award and took home third place overall out of 37 teams they competed against and have earned the honor of going to Wooster Polytechnic in June to compete in an invitational against 100 other teams from across the nation! As part of the team’s effort, hard work, and gracious professionalism the RoboCats won $500 as a grant from GlobalFoundries as part of the company’s mission to develop science and technology and potential future employment opportunities for STEM students in the state of Vermont.

To sign up for the late bus for January 26-29, please sign up by 9:00 am Monday, 1/26 if you would like your student(s) to ride the late bus.

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SIGN UP FOR THE LATE BUS.

If your student is signed up for the late bus, we expect they will be on the bus. Please notify the front office if there is an unexpected change in plans.

Rainbow Club - Mondays starting 1/26 with Gina & Sands

All About Corn - Thursdays 1/29-2/19 with Shelburne Farms at SCS

To learn more and sign up, visit our SKAT website.

For more than 25 years, Champlain Valley School District’s Connecting Youth Mentoring Program has served a pivotal role in students’ lives. Our program is the oldest and one of the largest in Vermont, pairing thousands of mentors with local students throughout its history.

Each year, Connecting Youth Mentoring serves more than 150 5th-8th graders at Charlotte Central School, Hinesburg Community School, Shelburne Community School and Williston Central School.

January marks National Mentoring Month. Here are some stories of mentorship in our schools:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoVRb9pzU_Q

A big thanks to SCS's representative pairs, mentees Amelia and Evan and mentors Becky and Kevin for sharing their story.

Interested in learning more about mentoring? Reach out to SCS's program coordinator Alison Duback, aduback@cvsdvt.org

If you are not receiving text messages, please follow these steps in the order they are listed:

1. Opt In: Text “Y” or “Yes” to our district’s short code (67587) to enable text messages. If you have previously un-subscribed, messages will again be enabled.

2. Check your phone’s Blocked List. You may have blocked messages from CVSD on your phone and can unblock these messages through your phone’s settings. If you are unfamiliar with how to unblock contacts in your phone, do an internet search that includes the words “unblock contacts” and your phone type (i.e. iPhone, Android, etc.). Look for and unblock the number: 67587.

3. If the above steps have not worked, please contact Katie Schut: kschut@cvdvt.org, 383-1119 for further assistance.

Movie: The One and Only Ivan Trailer

Date: Friday, January 30th

Time: Doors open at 5 PM. Pick up at 7 PM.

Location: Band Room at SCS. Please drop off at the Band Door on School Street.

RSVP Deadline: Wednesday, January 28th. RSVP Here

Bring: Blanket / sleeping bag and wear something cozy!

Entrance Fee: $5 (this is a donation that will benefit the 3rd and 4th Grade teams. No child will be turned away!)

Food: Each student will receive fresh popcorn. More food and drinks can be purchased at the concession stand.

Follow young Christian as he navigates school, friendships, and his wild imagination - Discover the stories that would become The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, and The King's New Clothes!

Friday, February 6 - 7:00 pm

Saturday, February 7 - 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm

Performances at CVU Auditorium

Purchase Tickets Here

Adults: $10, Children/Seniors: $8

The 2026 SCS PTO Readathon begins Wednesday, February 4th and runs through Wednesday, March 4th.

It’s a monthlong celebration of reading, the PTO’s largest fundraiser and a great way to inspire and build

your child’s love of reading! Our goal is to read 200,000 minutes while raising $12,000 to support our

school!

Here's the Fun Part

The K-4 class and the grade 5-8 class that reads the most will get to Silly String Ms Roth or Mr Cluff in an all-school assembly!

It’s All About The Minutes Read!

We’re using PledgeStar to track minutes. If you choose, you can also use PledgeStar to ask friends,

family, and neighbors to sponsor your child.

Get Ready for the Readathon in 3 steps:

1. Register for Pledgestar HERE

Even if you participated last year you will need to register again. Use the same email address and

you can import past donor contacts. Be sure to use an adult’s name and email. Do not use your

child’s cvsdvt.org email. Start logging your child’s minutes on February 4th!

2. Get Your Books Ready and Attend the Book Swap on February 4th!

Stock up on reading materials at the FREE book swap in the Green Team space from 6 to 7:30 pm. Bring your gently used books for ages Pre-K to adult or drop books in the box in the SCS lobby beforehand. There will be pizza, crafts and a few surprises too!

3. Mark Your Calendar

We have fun events planned all month long. Details will be coming home with your child and will

be on the PTO website soon.

Questions? Email readathon@shelburnepto.org

The 5-8 Student Cabinet is a leadership group with a representative from each of the 15 homerooms in the middle level that meets monthly with Mr. Cluff. We're planning a Career Day this March to respond to some of the data in our student Engage survey that indicated kids want to know more about the different career paths available to them. We would love to invite some community members to come in to help kids understand their careers. The jobs we are looking for are: culinary workers/servers/chefs, healthcare professionals, and artists/writers. Please complete this survey if you are interested, and feel free to share it with anyone in your networks who might fit the bill. Thank you!

Kindergarten Registration for the 2026-2027 school year will begin February 2. CVSD is asking families to register their rising Kindergarteners by February 28, in an effort to get more accurate enrollment numbers for our schools. These enrollment numbers help us to plan our staffing and scheduling needs for the upcoming school year.

Students must turn 5 years old ON or BEFORE September 1, 2026, to be eligible for Kindergarten, per CVSD policy.

Parents of PK4 students receiving Act 166 funding or currently enrolled in the CVSD PreK program will automatically receive an email in the coming weeks with registration instructions.

Please contact Katie Schut: kschut@cvsdvt.org, 383-1119 with any questions.

We are so excited to welcome the class of 2039 to SCS!

The CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications for a random prekindergarten lottery drawing for the 2026-27 school year. This lottery is for an opportunity to enroll in one of our school-based classrooms which runs 4 partial days per week. Our school-based prekindergarten classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive setting. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS).

Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar. Children who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2026, who are not eligible for kindergarten, and live in the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston are eligible to enter the lottery. Families who are selected for the lottery and choose to enroll their child in a CVSD program access their Act 166 publicly funded prekindergarten funds for the school-based program.

All applications must be received by February 5, 2026, and are located on the CVSD Early Education website under PreK Enrollment. Paper applications are available upon request.

For additional information, questions about our program, or any concerns about your child’s development, please visit our website or contact Director of Early Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@cvsdvt.org. Our Early Education team is also available for developmental screenings in the areas of communication, social-emotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, and cognition. More information about an Early Multi-Tiered System of Supports is also available on the website.

We’re thrilled to announce the first annual Shelburne Shines: A Winter Talent Show, now taking place on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at Charlotte Central School’s upgraded stage! While the venue has changed, this remains a Shelburne Community School–only, school-wide fundraiser — and we thank CCS for graciously hosting our group!

SCS students in grades K–8 (and staff!) are invited to perform any talent they love — singing, dancing, playing an instrument, telling jokes, performing magic, gymnastics, martial arts, poetry, skits, theater, or something entirely their own. All talents are welcome!

Registration is extended through January 30 (or until we reach our 50-act cap).

Video uploads of your act are encouraged but no longer required at sign-up.

Details + registration: shelburnepto.org/talentshow

Audience tickets on sale soon!

The CVU Jazz Band and Modern Band will be presenting Midwinter Music Night on Thursday, January 29th at 7:00 PM in the CVU Theater.

The event is free of charge, and all families and community members are warmly invited to attend. We hope you’ll join us for an evening of lively music and student creativity.

Open to all caregivers who live within the Champlain Valley School District—including families whose children attend CVSD schools, private schools, or are homeschooled. Please RSVP so we can plan for attendance and share any updates to the programming.

Purpose & Guiding Questions

This three-night series invites reflection on digital well-being and the role devices, social media, and gaming play in students’ relationships, communication, and daily lives. Grounded in curiosity rather than fear, we’ll explore practical family strategies that support kindness, empathy, and healthy boundaries—online and offline.

Guiding Questions:

• How do devices and social media shape young people’s relationships and well-being at different ages?

• What do young people need from adults to build healthy digital habits and boundaries?

Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age

Wednesday, February 4th | 5:30-7:00 PM

Charlotte Central School Library

60-minute documentary + table discussions (2025 updated film)

Screenagers explores how screen time is shaping kids’ lives—and the tension it can create at home and at school. Through personal stories and expert insight, the film offers practical ideas to help families find balance.

Panel Discussion: Digital Well-Being & Youth Development

Tuesday, February 10th | 5:30-6:30 PM

Charlotte Central School Library

A moderated panel featuring local professionals in youth health and mental health. We’ll explore how devices and social media intersect with development and well-being, with an emphasis on practical insights and shared responsibility.

Panelists: To Be Announced.

Tools, Monitoring, and Partnership: A Practical Conversation

Wednesday, February 18th | 5:30-6:30 PM

Charlotte Central School Library

A practical session led by CCS educators (and caregivers) focused on family strategies and tools for guiding device use. We’ll explore partnership-based approaches that help adults model healthy habits and support kids with clear expectations and ongoing communication, including a look at the Bark Parental Control app.

2026 Green Up Day is May 2. Green Up Vermont’s mission is to promote the stewardship of our state’s natural landscape and waterways, and the livability of our communities by involving people in Green Up Day while raising public awareness about the health, economic, and visual benefits of a litter-free environment year-round. Find more information here: greenupvermont.org

There are a variety of contests, including a poster contest, as part of Green Up Day. Please visit their website for more information.

Join students from across the Champlain Valley School District for an evening of entertainment and celebration, showcasing performing and visual arts from the district’s six schools. This annual tradition returns to CVU on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, transforming the high school halls and theater into a vibrant gallery of learning, innovation and inspiration.

The 14th-annual Celebrate the Arts Night brings together art, music, theater, media, arts, foods, business, design and technology in a one-night-only exhibition of student creativity.

Are you interested in having some fun learning alongside our students as a guest teacher (aka sub)? If so, please reach out to CVSDHR@cvsdvt.org or Louise Michaels.

Click here for more information on becoming a sub!

Shelburne Community School Administrative Team

Jen Roth, PreK-4 Principal

Brett Cluff, 5-8 Principal

Antonia Trono, Director of Special Services