SCS Weekly Newsletter 3/21/25

Dear Salisbury Community School Families and Friends,

It doesn't feel like it was that long ago that I was getting serenaded by geese taking off from the fields and lakes of Salisbury while I stood welcoming students every morning. Well, they are back, and I have to admit I am excited for spring! In fact, I can hear the sound of geese as I write this, which is pretty cool.

We had a good week-plus at Salisbury Community School, with the whole school going Nordic Skiing last Thursday, and Natalie Kinsey-Warnock continuing her work with our students on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of last week and Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Students have enjoyed sharing family stories (and a few pictures!) with me, as they have been inspired by their work with Natalie- and those stories have been so cool to hear!

This week

It was also a couple of weeks that included a little ACSD news that affects Salisbury. As a result of very low enrollment in the Ripon Elementary Kindergarten and 1st grade classes, RES will not have a K or 1st grade class next school year. The three students who would have been in those classes have been assigned to Salisbury Community School, as Salisbury is the closest school. We look forward to welcoming our new friends to SCS, and warmly embracing them into our school community.

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, and we have celebrating! Along with some ACSD events (see later in the newsletter) Students read some common books relating to neurodiversity in Library Class, individual classes spent time in related activities, and next week we will be coming together in an "All School Meeting" to discuss our own neurodiversity, and to really celebrate how each of us is beautifully unique.

There's a lot to read in this newsletter, so I will stop here. Please have great weeks, and please plan on coming to our Title 1 Family Literacy Night on Wednesday, March 26th. Dinner, activities, a book give-away, and presentations by author Katy Farber and herpetologist Jim Andrews! Not bad!

Best,

Bjarki

Wednesday, March 26th: Title 1 Family Literacy Night. SAVE THE DATE!

Thursday, March 27th @ 2:15: American Heart Challenge Celebration.

Monday, March 31st: Professional Development Day- No School

Tuesday, April 1: 5th Grade Puppetry Performance with Barbara Paulson: 2:00.

Mr. Sears' favorite night of the year is coming up next week! It's Title 1 family literacy night next Wednesday (the 26th), and we are bringing two AWESOME presenters to school! Katy Farber, the author of "Salamander Sky", and Jim Andrews, our noted local herpetologist, are coming to teach our kids (and adults!) all about salamanders, about salamander migration, and about writing children's books!

But we have even more going on than that! Here's the schedule:

5:30-6:15: Free Dinner!

5:45-6:15: Literacy activities with SCS teachers! (Activities scattered around the school as kids and families finish eating).

6:15-7:15: All about Salamanders (and writing about them!) with Katy Farber and Jim Andrews.

Our great hope is that this will fire students up for our local salamander migrations, and about getting outside into ponds and streams this spring and summer!

PLEASE COME! The more the merrier!

Our students (and adults!) had a WONDERFUL time with our CLIf Author-in-Residence Natalie Kinsey Warnock. Over the last few weeks students continued to learn about their own families and their histories, and both children and adults have shared their learning! They were vary proud to share family artifacts, and dig into the past. Thank you SO MUCH, Natalie, for a wonderful time. SCS will not wait long to try to bring you back, for sure!

Last Wednesday Jenn Larocque's 2-3 class went to Williams Maple Farm and Sugar House in Cornwall to see the operation. They were very impressed by how big and professional everything was, and how well-taken care of too! They had a ton of fun. Thank you Williams Maple! And thanks for our parent drivers for volunteering to get our kids there!

Since October, the 5th grade class has been working with Barbara Paulson of No Strings Marionettes once a month to study a fable, write and perform a script, build their own puppets, learn to manipulate different puppets, build sets, record a dialogue soundtrack, and practice performance skills. In music class, they have been composing their own music to accompany their show. They will share their hard work with our K-4 students, friends, and family on Tu. 4/1 at 2:00.

Starting on Wed. 4/2, each class K-5 will be working with Barbara to create their own puppets and performances. This will culminate in a sharing with our community on Tu. 4/15 at 2:00. We hope you can join us on both Tu. 4/1 and Tu. 4/15!

Many thanks to the Vermont Arts Council, ACEEF (Addison Central Educational Endowment Fund), and Neat Repeats in Middlebury for funding the 5th grade and K-5 residencies.

802 Smiles Dental Hygiene Program is returning this Spring to offer free dental screenings and preventative care to all ACSD students.

Please complete the forms below if you would like your child to participate in this event. Any student that was enrolled in the fall will automatically be on the list to receive services and does not need to fill out the forms again, but if you do not want your student to receive services in April, you should reach out to the school nurse to take them off the list.

Enrollment deadline is April 1st.

ACSD 802 Smiles Letter

802 Smiles Consent Form

802 Smiles Enrollment Form

As we have for the past few years, ACSD school will be administering the "VTCAP" Standardized testing in grades 3-5. Please read the letter that can be accessed using the "button" below regarding VTCAP.

1. Preschool Screening for 3 & 4 year olds

If you have a child who will be 3 or 4 before September 1st, 2025, they are invited to attend our free developmental screening days. You can attend any of the following screening dates:

• Friday, April 4, 2025 at Bridport Central School, 3442 VT 22A. Contact Linda Barrett with questions 802-758-2331. Or;

• April 4, 11, or 18, 2025 at Mary Hogan Elementary School, 201 Mary Hogan Drive, Middlebury. Contact Deb Martin with questions 802-382-1761.

What to expect: Come and play with the ACSD Early Education team! They will engage in activities to help observe your child’s physical, social-emotional, speech/language, and cognitive development. Observations will be shared with the family/caregiver.

1. ACSD Preschool Interest Survey

If you are interested in having your child attend one of our ACSD preschool programs, please read the informational letter and fill out our preschool interest survey.

The VT Dept. of Health confirmed the first measles case in Vermont in 2025. Measles is an extremely infectious, airborne illness that can cause severe illness and even death. Babies, young children, and people with weak immune systems are at higher risk of getting very sick from measles.

Important facts to keep your family safe:

• Symptoms usually start with high fever, cough, runny nose, and red/watery eyes. The characteristic rash usually appears 3-5 days after first symptoms. Call your healthcare provider with any symptoms.

• Measles is one of the most contagious diseases. It is airborne and spread through direct contact with infectious droplets.

• Vaccination is the best way to prevent and protect your family against serious illness. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective. Two doses are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective.

• Contact your health care provider to ensure your family is up-to-date or to get vaccinated. Measles vaccines are free in Vermont.

Learn more about measles symptoms, spread, and prevention in the full update from our ACSD nurses and at HealthVermont.gov/measles

Substitute teachers are crucial for our students, staff, staff, and schools! We are increasing our daily substitute teaching rate to $160/day for unlicensed subs and $200/day for licensed subs. This flat rate replaces our sliding rate of pay for subs depending on the number of days worked. To apply, email HR@acsdvt.org with subject: "Substitute Position". Or visit this listing.

This year, we thought it would be fun to chronicle the changes of the season at Salisbury Community School by taking the same picture, at the same time, from the same spot, every week. At the end of the year it will hopefully be a fun thing to look at and share!