UES Swoop Scoop

As we enter into the last week of September, signs of community & belonging can be spotted all over our building. Learners have been supported in thinking about their identities within our learning community and making meaningful connections with others.

Identity is a sense of who we are as individuals and as members of a group. At UES, everyone has their own unique identities and that’s what makes UES such a special place. We encourage all Wise Owls to be their authentic selves each and every day!

Connection is also such an important part of feeling a sense of belonging and happens when two people share in something common. When connections are made, the positive energy between people allows them to feel seen, heard, and valued. Wise Owls are encouraged to try and make new connections on a regular basis while at school!

• Congratulations Mrs. Reed!
• Learner Agency & Goal Setting Spotted in 4th Grade
  
• Safety Drills at UES
• MRPS Website Updates
• News From Nurse Megan
• Backpack Program
• MRPS Caregivers Council Seeking Members
• UES Caregivers Alliance Updates
• Montpelier Fall Festival Info
• MRPS PIE Is Seeking a Part Time Executive Director
  
• 1st Annual Costume Swap
• Next MRPS School Board Meeting

4th grade learners were spotted playing a card game during a portion of their math block last week. When asked the question, "what are you working on?", multiple students not only articulated the what (logistics of how they were using the cards to practice their multiplication facts) but also added in the why.

• "My goal is to master my 3 times tables by october 5th. It's even written on my desk!"
• "12's are hard. I know I can do this though and I'm aiming for like mid-october. The exact date is on my desk."

Learners across our building are being taught to set a goal, make it visible so they can reflect on it, and then act intentionally to advance their learning. Bob Marzano and John Hattie both put student self-directed goals as one of the highest influences on fast student growth. Our educators are paying attention to the research and being intentional about everything they do.

Learner safety is a top priority for us. We conduct various safety drills throughout the school year so that all students and staff know what to do in case an emergency does happen. You probably remember fire drills from your time in school. In addition, we have developed plans to become better prepared to respond to a variety of other emergencies. By establishing and practicing plans, we are able to manage difficult situations more effectively.

In addition to fire drills, we will practice, twice this year, an options based response to an active threat protocol, Run-Hide-Fight as required by the VT Agency of Education. At the elementary level, we conduct these drills using a discussion based model.

You will always have advance notice of drills. The Swoop Scoop will announce drills on Mondays of the week they will take place, however, please note we will not provide the specific day or time of drills per guidance from the AOE. We hope by having advance notice, this will allow families the opportunity to discuss the upcoming drill with learners should they choose to do so.

This week we will conduct our first drill of the year, which will be a Fire drill.

If you have any school safety related questions, don't hesitate to reach out to Linda Beaupre.

Starting today, families can order 4 Covid-19 antigen test kits FREE to their homes. You can sign up for these free kits through this website:

https://www.covid.gov/tests

If you have yet to fill out an Annual Health Questionnaire, please do so and return it as soon as possible. If you are in need of a new form feel free to contact Nurse Megan or print out a new copy here: Annual Health Questionnaire - 2023-2024

The Backpack Program is available again this year. Each week throughout the school year, the Montpelier Rotary Club provides small bags of non-perishable food for any family at no cost. These bags are distributed to classrooms to go home with students on Thursdays. The Backpack Program is available to all families who would like to participate and those with more than one child can receive multiple bags Sign Up HERE!. For any questions, contact Diana at dianakoliander@mpsvt.org.

Purpose

The MRPS Caregiver Council is composed of caregiver representatives from each school. They meet with the Superintendent, Director of Curriculum & Technology, Director of Student Services, Director of Social Emotional Learning & Wellness, and Communications Specialist on a monthly basis during the school year. Members work together to:

• identify common needs and goals among the caregivers of students enrolled in MRPS;

• provide the District administrative team with feedback and insight from the caregiver's perspective on district processes, procedures, and system development efforts;

• ensure that the needs of caregivers are considered as decisions are made in the district particularly in the areas of special education, social emotional learning, communications, and curriculum and teaching;

• bring to the District leadership’s attention existing and emerging issues expressed by caregivers across the district;

• serve as an advisory, not a decision-making body, that makes recommendations, encourages brainstorming, and provides opportunities for caregiver involvement;

• facilitate communication between and among the caregivers and MRPS PIE;

• serve as a forum for sharing innovations and best practices from around the district.

Basis for Establishment

The Caregiver Council to the Superintendent is composed of caregiver representatives from each school. They meet with the superintendent and other district staff on a monthly basis during the school year to discuss a variety of topics, share information, and broaden understanding of school-related issues.

Meeting Information

For the 2023-24 school year, all meetings will occur on the third Thursday of each month from noon-1:00. Lunch will be provided. Meetings will be held at Montpelier High School, room 126. Meeting dates for the 2023-24 school year are: 10/19, 11/16, 12/21, 1/18, 2/15, 3/21, 4/18, and 5/16.

How To Apply

If you are interested in becoming an inaugural member of the MRPS Caregiver Council, please take a moment to fill out this form. We will be in touch at the end of September with more information regarding the first meeting.

The UES Caregivers Alliance (UESCA) is a collective of caregivers who support a welcoming, inclusive UES community. We provide support for all caregivers, educators, staff, and family-centered school activities. You can access UESCA materials and notes on our webpage, here. Have a question or need? Have an idea you want to share? Email us at ues.families@gmail.com.

Caregiver Social- September 27 (This Wednesday!)
Come gather with caregivers for an evening of connection and play! This will be a great opportunity to meet other caregivers and talk about what’s on your mind while the kiddos play. Bring your own dinner. Light snacks and beverages will be provided. Join us on Wednesday, September 27 beginning at 5:15pm at the UES upper playground.

Caregiver Directory-Sign Up Today!

UES Caregivers Alliance is once again creating classroom directories so that caregivers can connect with the families of other children in their child's homeroom. If you would like to be included in the directory for your child's class please follow this link and enter the information you would like to share. Only those who fill out this form will be included in the directory. Click here to complete the form.

Montpelier Fall Festival: Saturday Oct 1, Noon-4pm State House LawnSign up for the Onion River Outdoors Fun Run (1 mile), volunteer or just come to support and have fun! Listen to parent and student performers and check out which UES celebrities will be waiting at the dunk tank such as your favorite UES Librarian, Mrs. Frey!

We need FACE PAINTERS! www.montpelierfallfestival.com.

Also, remember to bring your WATER BOTTLES! We’ll have filling stations. We are looking for PICK UPS to transport items after the event! Can you help? Contact: festival@mrpspie.org

Thanks to funds raised at the 2022 Montpelier Fall Festival, UESCA was able to support UES Loves Books Week and visit by author Kekla Magoon, staff appreciation events, Lip Sync Battle, Literacy conversations, Jumping Beans, 4th grade graduation gifts, amongst others. Let’s make that possible again! See you on Sunday!

Great opportunity to support MRPS Schools and build a wonderful, nonprofit organization, MRPS PIE (Montpelier Roxbury Partners in Education). https://www.mrpspie.org/

For the first time ever, MRPS PIE is seeking a part time Executive Director to continue to build the organizations day to day operations, support the MRPS PIE Caregiver groups, build and support the MRPS PIE Board, be a strong advocate for our students and develop strong fundraising strategy.

Here is the job description with more information.

Job Title_ Executive Director_MRPSPIE.pdf

Join us for the 1st Annual Costume Swap at Montpelier Fall Festival! Costume donations are accepted at all MRPS Schools between now and Sept. 29th. Come pick out your new costume and enjoy all the MFF activities on Oct. 1st from 12 - 4pm at the State House Lawn. (Donations to MRPS PIE are appreciated but not required.)

The MRPS Board of School Directors is meeting Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 6:30pm at MHS. Everyone is welcome to attend. Find the meeting agenda, minutes from past meetings, information about the work of the various School Board Committees, and more by visiting www.mrpsvt.org/school-board