Principal's Newsletter

Hello and happy Friday!

It was another great week at Salisbury Community School, full of mounting anticipation and excitement about the upcoming holiday and break. Kids and adults alike are surprised we have two more days of school before vacation, but we’re determined to make the most of it. The culminating activity of ice skating on Tuesday will be a fun way to wrap up 2025 together. Please note, due to the ice skating field trip, lunch on Monday and Tuesday will be flipped. Monday will be grilled cheese and tomato soup, and Tuesday will be penne pasta and meatballs.

Enjoy the pictures below of some of what students and staff have been up to this week. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram as well, at @salisburycommunityschool. I want to give our parents a HUGE thank you for coordinating and pulling off a wonderful Holiday Store this week. The variety of donated or purchased items was impressive, and students had a great time selecting gifts for their loved ones. There were at least 10 parents here yesterday to sort, set up, and manage the store, plus wrap, wrap and wrap all the items for each student. It was a fantastic example of a joint community effort intended to create a positive experience for students. Thank you, again!

I also want to thank the many individuals and local organizations who have provided gifts and food for children and families this holiday season. Tammie Johnson, our school counselor, Haysal Jones, our school nurse, and Kristen Clark, FOSCS parent volunteer extraordinaire, are three people in particular who went out of their way to do things for others this month. We are inspired by the generosity and good will of so many others --and feel grateful our families will have a little extra this holiday.

I can’t believe 2025 is coming to an end, but I’m excited to see what 2026 will bring.

Have a wonderful weekend and see you soon,

Tracey

The VT Department of Health is reporting a significant rise in pertussis (whooping cough), a very contagious respiratory disease that often affects school-aged children. We are not aware of any cases in ACSD, and hope the information below will help prevent and treat any cases that occur.

Symptoms & Treatment: Early symptoms look like a common cold (runny nose, low fever, mild cough) and usually appear 5-10 days after exposure. Later Symptoms can include severe coughing fits with a “whoop”, vomiting during/after coughing fits, difficulty sleeping, struggling to breathe, and rib fractures. Early treatment is crucial to prevent severe symptoms and shorten illness. Students/staff diagnosed with pertussis must complete 5 full days of antibiotics before returning to school; without antibiotics, they must stay home for 21 days from the start of the cough.

Spread & Prevention: Pertussis spreads easily through respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes. Help prevent illness by staying up to date on Tdap/DTap vaccines, washing hands, covering coughs, and keeping students home when sick. Good rest, nutrition, hydration, and time outdoors also support overall health.