UES Swoop Scoop

• MRPS NO SCHOOL-January 15th
• Attendance Matters
• January Kindness Club
• MRPS Lip Sync
• School Picture Retake Day
• Looking For a Long-Term Sub Music Teacher
• UES Caregivers Council January Meeting
• Save the Date - UES Curriculum Coffee
• District Updates
• Next MRPS School Board Meeting

According to Attendance Works, "The most recent federal data show that in the 2020-21 school year, at least 14.7 million students nationwide were chronically absent. This means that chronic absence has almost doubled from the more than 8 million students, pre-Covid-19, who were missing so many days of school that they were academically at risk. Chronic absence — missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences and suspensions—can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third-grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school."

We have been tracking chronic absenteeism at MRPS schools since Nick Conner, our Community Liaison was hired in 2021. Currently 18% of UES learners are chronically absent. While this number is down from 29% at the end of last school year, we would still like to see it far lower. As we begin 2024, please help us get this number down by making sure learners are on time and in school every day-it makes a huge difference.

Curious to learn more and/or need support with getting your MRPS learner to school? Reach out to Nick Conner directly: nickconner@mpsvt.org or (802) 272-7750.

Kindness Club at UES is a group that meets once a month on Wednesdays after school from 3-4pm in the school library. Our mission is to spread kindness throughout our school community, and beyond. We start each meeting with a light snack, and discussion, and spend the rest of our meeting time engaged in a kindness project. Learners sign-up for each individual meeting that they are able to attend.

Any student in 2nd-4th grade is welcome to attend. Sign Up Here for the January 17th meeting.

The Lip Sync is coming up fast and we are looking for volunteers to support our students in this amazing community event! Please consider signing up for a volunteer position for the Lip Sync on January 19th! We are in need of clean up support for sure and this year, we have a few slots that come with a VIP seating opportunity! See the sign up for more information!

Picture retake day is on Monday, January 22nd ! If you didn’t order pictures the first time around you still have time. Go to mylifetouch.com and use the picture ID code: EVTXCPBFB. If you are retaking your photo, the entire original package (and envelope) needs to be returned to the photographer on picture day. Lifetouch cannot exchange your order with the retake picture until the original order has been returned. For families that ordered a digital download only, Lifetouch will see that a digital download was originally ordered and a replacement download will be sent if a new photo is taken.

UES is seeking a talented Music Educator to join us on a long-term substitute basis, from February to May 2024. Sam Lafleur currently teaches full time music classes to enthusiastic students ranging from Pre-K to 4th grade. The long term position would assume such responsibilities.

During our January meeting on Wednesday 1/3, we reviewed the new MRPS Report Card and supporting documents that will go home to families at the beginning of next month. We also brainstormed further ways to connect families with content and opportunities for learning at home. During our February meeting we will review our new, "Welcome to UES Caregiver Packet" that was recently created for new families. Our agenda is public and can be viewed here. Thanks again to our UES Caregivers Council members for volunteering their time!

• 2024-2025 school budget: Learn more about this year's budget pressures and attend the next school board meeting happening Wednesday, 1/17/24 at Roxbury Village School or virtually via Zoom.

• District Caregiver Council: Learn more about the Council and consider joining. The next meeting is happening Thursday, 1/18/24

The MRPS Board of School Directors is meeting Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 6:30pm at RVS. 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