Mary Hogan Family Newsletter

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

Going into our first real break of the year, I am so thankful for all that has happened this fall, especially the fun we had this week. The week was a culmination of a number of things we have been doing this fall - from practicing math to learning a play and more:

• We had fun with a therapy dog, Cali, and were creative in our writing and drawing.
• 4th graders finished their climbing unit and 2nd graders finished a Fundations unit.
• Preschoolers ate pie and we all enjoyed the Food Nutrition Staff's amazing Thanksgiving meal on Thursday.

It was a good week.

I hope you all have a great week and we will see you next month - on December 1st!

💙,
Jen

Monday 11/24 - Friday 11/28 - Thanksgiving Break

Wednesday 12/3 - Walk and Roll to School Day

Wednesday 12/10 - 9am - All School Meeting led by 3rd graders

We collected over 1,000 items to donate to HOPE in the last 2 weeks. You all are amazing! Thank you for donating!

• These little wingless creatures love a warm cozy head and mainly transfer during head to head contact.
• They do not fly or jump, nor will they survive long on inanimate objects, but avoid sharing hoods and hats!
• Please check your kids' heads every so often at home.
• Call the nurse if you have questions!

If anyone would like to complete the November Reading Challenge over break, there is still time! We will collect papers on Monday, December 1st.

For the November Reading Challenge, we are encouraging students to learn about Vermont! Students can learn about an animal that lives in Vermont, a famous person from Vermont, a book by a Vermont author, or complete a webquest to learn about Vermont facts! We can't wait to see who many students will complete this challenge! This is the link for more information- https://sites.google.com/acsdvt.org/november-library-challenge/home

Thank you to the over 300 people who came to Math Night at Mary Hogan this week! We had a blast having you all for a dinner and some math games. I hope you all had a chance to see your child's math work in the hallways and learn from them about the ways they are learning and practicing their math skills.

There are so many math games you can take out from our library to keep the math going. Families can come in and check them out as well as kids.

After working hard to learn their lines, practice the blocking, and explore the story, the 5th graders performed Romeo and Juliet at the Town Hall Theater on Friday. They worked incredibly hard to get ready. They also wrote their own scene's music with Clint Bierman. They nailed it!

The 4th and 5th grade students have been communicators, thinkers, and risk takers this month as they decided if they wanted to run for student council. The candidates wrote speeches that were vetted by administrators and then were shared with their classmates. Many students had posters and campaign materials.

Elections were this week and the 4th graders got to vote in style - checking in with their name and class, voting in a voting room, and then getting an I voted sticker. It was awesome to watch our little democracy at Mary Hogan at work!

The annual Preschool Pie Eating Contest happened this Thursday with Miss Kim and Miss Deb's classes along with some invited guests. Each person got a slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on it. Contestants were challenged to eat their pie without their hands - or at least try! Everyone did a great job and Miss Katie won the crown this year for fastest pie eater!

Erica McLaughlin of the Vermont Principal's Association brought her therapy dog, Cali, to Mary Hogan on Wednesday. They visited a number of classrooms - from preschool to 5th grade - but not all of them - it would have been too long for Cali. Cali was SO soft and gentle and warmed everyone's hearts. Everyone loved petting her and talking with her, adults and students alike!

Hello Mary Hogan Families! Throughout the school year, MESA sponsors staff appreciation events to show our gratitude to the wonderful staff at Mary Hogan. In December, we will have a Winter Treat Swap on Monday December 15th, 2025! Families can sign up to contribute 1-2 dozen of their favorite holiday or winter baked goods (or monetary donations are welcome to buy local goodies), and each staff member will get to select from the baked goods and bring home a variety of goodies. If you would like to contribute by bringing items for the baked good swap please indicate what you will bring on the sign up below. All items need to be dropped off between 8:00am-8:10am (during school drop off) at Mary Hogan on Monday December 15th. Thank you so much, and here is the sign up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48A5AA2EA2F8C43-60695385-mesa

New Mary Hogan Merchandise is now available for sale! More youth long-sleeve shirt options have been added to the store. Please double check your order for accuracy on sizing as many shirts and sweatshirts come in either adult or youth sizes. The kids' apparel should all be labeled as Youth in the description.

The online store is at https://802print.printavo.com/merch/mary-hogan/. The store closes at midnight, this Sunday. Merchandise will be delivered at school or handed off in person if the purchase is a present. Please email MESA@acsdvt.org with questions on sizing, arranging a merchandise handoff, questions or edits to prior orders. Everything will be printed at 802 Print once the sales are final. The plan is to distribute the apparel before the December holiday break. Thank you for your support. A percentage of proceeds goes back to supporting educational experiences for Mary Hogan students!

Our next meeting will be January (1/15)

No February meeting

Meeting in March (3/19)

No April meeting

Last meeting in May (5/21)

No June meeting.

-All meetings are at 6:30 in the Library (no roundtable, unless a particular topic is brought up in advance that we'd like to discuss).

-There will be links for families to attend virtually if they'd like.

-We'll continue to bring snacks/drinks.

-Children welcome!

-They will only last an hour.

The charge of the Wellness Policy Working Group is to monitor, support, and evaluate the implementation of Addison Central School District’s local wellness policy (C9). The working group will assess the policy’s impact on student health, nutrition, and overall well-being, ensuring alignment with state and federal requirements as well as district priorities. The group will provide recommendations for policy adjustments and implementation strategies to ensure that the district fosters environments that promote healthy lifestyles and student success. We welcome students, staff, families, and community members who are passionate about wellness to join our group. Please reach out to Dr. Sonya Oefelein at soefelein@acsdvt.org for more information or to join our next meeting.

We are so grateful to our family and community volunteers! If you plan to volunteer for an event or activity this year, now is a great time to apply or make sure your paperwork is up-to-date!

• Learn more about the volunteer process here.
• Check in with your front office if you've volunteered in the past to make your paperwork is up to date.
• Fill out this form if you've never volunteered before and plan to this year.

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.