MUHS Community Newsletter

Dear MUHS Community,

Apologies for our delayed newsletter! We're more than halfway through Quarter 3 already. This is a great time to log into PowerSchool to check on students' progress so far. You can find directions to do that below.

We hope you are appreciating a bit of sunshine and warmer weather.

Warmly,

Caitlin Steele, Principal

Ben Weir, Assistant Principal

Sean Farrell, Activities Director

Julie Pettis, Student Response Coordinator

Addison County Parent & Caregiver Survey (Grades 6–12)

United Way of Addison County is inviting parents and caregivers of students in grades 6–12 to complete the Addison County Parent & Caregiver Survey, open through March 31. This survey will help local organizations and schools better understand the experiences, concerns, and needs of families across Addison County. Parents who complete the survey can choose to enter a raffle for one of three $100 gift cards to a local restaurant.

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8683816/2026-Addison-County-Parent-Survey

Please note: To prevent survey spam, this survey is being shared through direct channels rather than social media.

Checking on Student Progress in PowerSchool

To get to the PowerSchool Student/Family Portal, click on this link: PowerSchool Public Portal (students and parents).

STUDENTS: Click Student Sign In box at the bottom of the page. Make sure you are logged into your ACSD Google account. Follow instructions.

PARENTS/GUARDIANS: See account setup information online here.

On the Grades and Attendance tab, you can see information for each of your child’s classes, including teacher names and contact information. If teachers have entered summative assessment scores, you will see current grades in the Q3 column. If no summative scores have been entered yet, you will see an [i]. Note that these scores are just a snapshot of how your child is doing now. The letter grades are built based on scores across 4 criteria, which you will see on another tab.

Click on any letter grade or [i] in the S1, S2, or Y1 column. That will bring you to a page showing class score details. There you can click on links to view criteria rubrics for this class. All current assignments are posted on this page. There may be symbols by each assignment. Look to the legend at the bottom of the page to see what these symbols mean. For example, green check marks mean an assignment has been turned in.

Click on the blue bar graph in any assignment line. This allows you to see how your child scored on any criteria assessed through this assignment. Click on the word “view” to learn more about that assignment.

Click on the Standards tab (next to the Grades and Attendance tab near the top of the page). Here you will see how your child is doing on each criterion overall, and you will see a Work Habits score. Work Habits are scored holistically using the MUHS Work Habits Rubric.

Adding up the four criteria scores creates a Criterion Levels Total (CLT). Check out the table on pages 8-10 of the MUHS Teaching and Learning Guide to see how CLTs are converted into grades.

Questions?

As you explore student progress in PowerSchool, if you find something missing, ask the teacher about it.
Remember, this is a new grading system for us. If you have feedback for us, please share that with MUHS staff.
If you are struggling to log on to PowerSchool, please connect with Chris Johnstone, cjohnstone@acsdvt.org.
If you have general questions about how grading works at MUHS, please connect with Eileen Sears, esears@acsdvt.org.
We will mail paper report cards at the end of each quarter.

PROJECT GRADUATION 2026

Parents, guardians, and adults responsible for an MUHS Senior: we need you! Every year Project Graduation provides an entire evening’s worth of activities to celebrate the senior class. It’s a fun-filled substance free night where the class can get together one last time before they head off into the world. But it can’t happen without your help. We need volunteers. The process of approving volunteers takes some time. If you think you want to volunteer, be sure to sign up on the following form, follow the instructions, and get the process started for the background check. Sarah Johnstone will handle questions about the volunteer approval process. Any questions specifically about Project Graduation should be directed to George Rooney, Project Graduation Coordinator.

Morning Announcements

Student Council Suggestion Form

Governors Institute of Vermont (GIV)

GIV hosts several amazing summer institutes on College Campuses across Vermont. These programs are open to 9, 10, and 11 grade students. Applications for GIV Summer Programs are due March 31st. Please see Margo Austin for more information.

Middlebury Environmental Action Club

MEAC is accepting any and all formal wear to donate to Mt. Abe’s free formal wear swap! We’re looking for dress shoes, collared shirts, ties, dresses, heels, and suits. Donations will be accepted up until Thursday, March 12th. Please drop off items in Ms. Manley’s room, H-207. The formal wear swap will take place on March 14th from 10am-2pm at Mount Abe, please consider participating!

Final Push for College & Career Pathways Next Weekend!

It's not too late for high school families to sign up for College & Career Pathways, taking place next Saturday, March 14, in person at UVM or online via Zoom. Online registration closes on Thursday, March 12, but walk-ins are welcome on the day of the event.

Also being offered at the in-person event is a Resource Fair, 1-2pm, before the workshops start. Two dozen exhibitors are scheduled to be onsite, including several area colleges.

Find all the details and the link to register at vsac.org/ccp.

SATs at MUHS

MUHS will be hosting the SAT on the morning of Saturday, May 2nd. This will be the final SAT testing date at MUHS this school year. Interested students should visit collegeboard.org to create an account and register. The last day to register without an additional fee is April 17th. See your school counselor with questions!

For Sophomores

The local Middlebury Rotary Club invites interested MUHS sophomores, our Class of 2028, to apply to participate in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), a weekend long summer program focused on leadership training and group activities with other students from Vermont. Rotarians will visit our school on Tuesday, March 10th at 1:25 pm (during advisory) in the School Counseling Office's conference room. Interested sophomores should join us to learn more about this opportunity. Current juniors who participated last summer will attend and share insights about their experiences when they attended RYLA. There is no cost to attend RYLA, the Middlebury Rotary covers the enrollment/participation fees. Please see Margo Austin with any questions.

Try a Major Day at Vermont State University’s Randolph Campus

Are you interested in the following areas?

Architectural Engineering Technology
Automotive & Diesel Power Technology
Business
Civil & Environmental Engineering Technology
Construction Management
Electrical & Electromechanical Engineering Technology
Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Nursing
Veterinary Technology

Then join the School Counseling Team for a field trip to VTSU’s Randolph campus for Try a Major Day! Get hands-on experience in your area of interest, tour the campus, eat lunch in the dining hall. The field trip is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15th Spaces fill quickly, so come to School Counseling to pick up your permission slip and register. This trip is open to 10th and 11th grade students.