Wildcat Buzz

1. Early Winter Break/NO School - Dec 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, Jan 01, 02

2. School is open Monday 12/22 & Tuesday 12/23

3. PreKindergarten Lottery for 2026/2027 is open

12/24 - 01/02 - Early Winter Break, NO SCHOOL

01/05 - Happy New Year, Welcome Back

01/08 - Williston Families as Partners / January Meeting @WCS, 8:30-10:30am

01/12 - Auditions for WCS Musical - Matilda Jr, Grades 6-8 @3-4:30pm

01/13 - Workshop: Managing Youth Stress, presented by Jill Everett - hosted by WFAP, @6-7:30pm

01/15 - Auditions for WCS Musical - Matilda Jr, Grades 6-8 @3-4:30pm

01/15 - SPARK Session 3 Begins

01/16 - Callback Auditions (if needed) for WCS Musical

01/19 - Martin Luther King, Jr Day - NO SCHOOL

01/28 - Middle School Open House & Celebration of Learning, Gradesa 5-8 @6:30p-7:30p

02/02 - Kindergarten 2026 Registration Opens

02/03 - 4th Grade Chorus Concert

visit the CVSD food service page on our website for additional information and resources

by Greg Marino, Williston Schools Lead Principal

I hope the simple act of reading this note and newsletter provides you with the excuse to be sitting in one place for a few moments. December never fails to provide a pace that resembles some sort of foot and vehicular race to just about every destination criss-crossing a 15 mile radius from wherever you are at a given moment. I’m not sure it felt this way as a kid, which is one of the joys and privileges of being around kids each day. Younger people remind us that we adults are sometimes just victims of getting sucked into the busy adult vortex. Maybe you are better at resisting the gravitational pull of this than I am, but for me, it takes a deliberate mindfulness to notice that my “engine” is running faster than it should and I need to take a breath. One practice that I sometimes use in these moments is called, “Two Feet, One Breath”. This is the simple practice of stopping where you are, whether you are sitting or standing, and taking just a few moments to recenter yourself. Here’s a very short description of one version of the practice: Placing two feet firmly on the ground, take a deep breath in. Hold the breath for a count or two and then slowly exhale. With the inhale consider something positive or hold a grateful thought, and with the exhale, imagine something that's stressful leaving your body with the air. This very simple practice can be surprisingly grounding and help to clear the head before moving on to the next thing. I encourage you to take a few seconds and give this a try right now …

What did you notice? Science tells us that humans, big and small, are influenced by the mood and energy of the people around them. Even before we say or do anything, our energy level and mood impacts those around us, as they impact us. This time of year I try to be extra mindful and attentive to that energy. We know that it’s not the easiest time of year for many of us, so I encourage you to pay attention to those feelings and that energy, and take a moment to breathe in and out when you can - for your benefit, and the benefit of those you care for.

Now that our heart rates are a few clicks slower, I want to take some space here to congratulate all of our 5th-8th grade musicians and their amazing directors, Kim Thompson (Band), and Emy Berger (Choir), on some very impressive concerts this week. Singers and instrumentalists delighted audiences with the results of their hard work over the last two months. The absolute best part for me was to see how much fun the students were having as they performed. It is wonderful to see the choral risers and stage so crowded with these young musicians as they learn and grow these special musical skills. Just like with our athletics experiences, these students are also learning what it means to be part of a team. Parents and Caregivers - we appreciate all the support you provide at home to our young musicians.

Whatever tradition you and your family may celebrate this time of year, on behalf of the Williston faculty and staff, It’s my privilege to wish you moments of peace, joy, and laughter, over this coming school break as well as a very Happy New Year!

Dear Williston School Community,

We would like to take a moment to acknowledge all of the hard work that our Williston teachers, educators, assistants and staff members have done to help our students learn and grow in 2025.

While it is in no way expected or required, we know some individuals like to show their appreciation and thanks during the holiday season by sending cards, drawing pictures, writing notes, making small tokens or giving gifts. If this idea interests you and you would like some helpful and meaningful suggestions, please take a look at the information provided.

Thank you for helping us recognize, acknowledge and support these incredible educators, assistants, staff members and heroes during this time of year.

Happy Holidays,

The Williston Families As Partners Group

Link to wish lists

- Parking is not permitted behind the building or in the back driveway of the school.

- Your patience is appreciated as we ask all vehicles to use the lot during dismissal. Please walk with your child to and from the building - students will not be dismissed to cross the parking lot without an adult.

Spark Enrichment is an after-school applied learning program for students in grades 5-8. Sessions will run for 5 weeks from 2:50 p.m - 4:20 p.m. with our 3rd session starting January 15.

The dates of the session are: January 15, 22, 29, February 5, and 12. When registering, students will be able to rank their choices for better placement! Every effort is taken to place students in their first choice as well as ensuring that students do not repeat workshops unless there are open spots.

Please use this registration form and a list of workshop descriptions. Contact Julie Rogers (jrogers@cvsdvt.org) with any questions.

The CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications for a random prekindergarten lottery drawing for the 2026-27 school year. This lottery is for an opportunity to enroll in one of our school-based classrooms which runs 4 partial days per week. Our school-based prekindergarten classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive setting. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS).

Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar. Children who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2026, who are not eligible for kindergarten, and live in the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston are eligible to enter the lottery. Families who are selected for the lottery and choose to enroll their child in a CVSD program access their Act 166 publicly funded prekindergarten funds for the school-based program.

All applications must be received by February 5, 2026, and are located on the CVSD Early Education website under PreK Enrollment. Paper applications are available upon request.

For additional information, questions about our program, or any concerns about your child’s development, please visit our website or contact Director of Early Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@cvsdvt.org. Our Early Education team is also available for developmental screenings in the areas of communication, social-emotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, and cognition. More information about an Early Multi-Tiered System of Supports is also available on the website.

Whether you’re spending time at home or traveling to visit family, secure any firearms in your home and ask how guns are stored in the homes you’re visiting. Do you need to secure your firearm? Free cable gun locks are available in our school office: Stop by and pick one up!

Williston Central School Athletics are open to all students grades 6th-8th. All practices start at 2:50 and end around 4:20. Students can be picked up at the rear entrance to the school, or take the activity bus.

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Unified Sports starts January 5th. Register on WCS Athletics.

Open to 5th-8th grades. Email Coach Heather with questions. Hscandale@cvsdvt.org

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Visit the athletics website for everything you need to know about playing on a sports team at WCS. WCS Athletics

The WCS Drama program is open to grades 6, 7, and 8 and currently includes a Fall Play and a Spring Musical.

Visit the drama webpage to learn more about upcoming productions and the WCS Drama program.

In the event that weather and/or road conditions make it unsafe for our buses to travel hill roads, we will notify parents and/or caregivers of students on those routes with as much notice as possible.

When hills are closed for afternoon bus runs, if no one arrives to meet younger students, they will be brought back to school until arrangements are made for them to be picked up. Please talk with your bus drivers to let them know if you are comfortable letting your child walk home from the drop off location.

We will use the automated SchoolMessenger system to notify families on the hill roads.

Williston Rec & Parks Continued...

Snowperson Building

All Ages. There’s SNOW reason to be bored this January! From January 1 – January 31, anytime the snow flies, get outside and show off your snow-building skills. Build a snowperson, a snow creature, a snow animal, or any snowy creation in a local park or in your own yard! The more creative, the better! How to Enter: Take a picture of your creation and Email your photo to: recreation@willistonvt.org. All entries will be posted on Williston Recreation Facebook page (Facebook), and the picture with the most likes wins a prize! Thank you to the Prize Sponsor: Turner toys

Family Skate & Cocoa/S'more Night

All Ages. Grab your skates and the whole family for a fun evening of skating at Village Community Park! Glide across the ice, enjoy the wintery weather, and warm up with some hot cocoa, S'mores, and a bonfire! Note: This event is free to attend, and pre-registration is not required; just come and enjoy the fun! Saturday, January 17, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Village Community Park, 250 Library Lane.

Dangerous Girls- Age 14+. The program offers a combination of kickboxing and grappling. You’ll learn real fighting while bouncing to sweet tunes and laughing with new friends. Dangerous girls can change the world! Great program to take with a friend or a mother/daughter combination. Wednesdays, January 14-February 4, 6:30-7:30 pm. $95 Res. Instructor: ONTA Studio.

Matrix Workshop- Age 14+. An Introduction to Matrices and Transformations. In this workshop, you will discover what a matrix is and how they are used on your computer. We will look at images and simple geometric shapes as matrices, go over how they interact with each other and are used by the computer and more. Mondays, January 5- February 2, 3:30-5:00p. $30 Res. Instructor: Michael Opperman

Vector Workshop- Age 14+. An Introduction to Vectors and Motion. In this workshop, you will discover vectors and some basic use cases for games and animation. You will learn how to create various objects and shapes with vectors, as well as a projectile with accurate collision effects using math. Thursdays, January 8-February 5, 3:30-5:00p. $30 Res. Instructor: Michael Opperman

Ninja Intro Programs- Ages 4-15. There are separate programs for different age levels. Come try a four-week introduction to Kids Martial Arts. The programs help girls and boys realize their full potential in an environment that is playful, supportive, and fun. Instructor: ONTA Studio Staff. Programs begin the week of December and are offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays.

• First Call - 488-7777: phone support, crisis intervention, assessment and referrals
• In Crisis: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) (National Hopeline Network: USA)
• National Suicide Prevention Life line- 1-800-273-TALK (8255), call or chat online
• Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
• Outright Vermont - support for LGBTQ+ community
• Vermont 211 -Vermont database of resources and services
• Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide - Website where you can find information to help yourself or a friend who may be having thoughts of suicide.
• Trevor Lifeline - 1-866- 488-7386 - provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. It offers free, 24/7, confidential counseling. TrevorText—text START to 678-678; TrevorChat—instant messaging at TheTrevorProject.org/help. It also runs TrevorSpace, an affirming social networking site for LGBTQ youth at TrevorSpace.