SCS Community Newsletter

Don’t forget to join the fun and swing by to cheer on the teams, get your face painted and decorate some mini pumpkins! We’re still looking for volunteers to help out and food donations for the bake sale - sign up here! Every bit helps — thank you for supporting this great event!

Dear SCS Families, Caregivers, and Shelburne Community,

The goats are baa-aaaaack! For our fourth consecutive year, we are excited to welcome our four-legged friends from across the road at New Village Farm (NVF). We’ve had NVF staff members onsite leading orientation visits and expanding our goat pen, which is a bonus as the goats are helping prune back our overgrown flower beds in preparation for re-planting this spring. Thanks to a Farm-to-School grant through the Vermont Department of Agriculture, we’ve been able to continue offering goat visits and field trips this fall for classes to revisit the farm. Trips were a big part of the week, with both 5/6 teams spending time at Shelburne Farms and our 7/8 “Wellness Wednesday” bike rides to the labyrinth at Meach Cove kicking off.

This week also included a variety of Dynamic Experiences, from walks to the Country Store for a creemee (PSA: this is the last weekend for those!) to guest announcers on the PA system to competitive games of H-O-R-S-E with some middle schoolers. We’ve got plenty more to come, and we are grateful to all of our faculty and staff experience donors and our PTO volunteers Kari and Iveta for stepping up to make sure this fantastic tradition could continue for another year. Our PTO has been as busy as ever so far this year. Thanks to everyone who came out to the monthly meeting on Tuesday and to the mixer on Thursday evening. Tomorrow is also the second annual cornhole tournament, and it’s shaping up to be a perfect fall weekend all around.

While these memorable experiences stand out, it is the consistent, positive interactions and deep learning within our classrooms each day that form the foundation of our strong school community. The heart of our school is the exceptional teaching and learning that happens every single day. The engaging lessons, the thoughtful discussions, and the moments of academic discovery are what truly make our school a fantastic place to be. We are incredibly proud of the dedication of our educators and the curiosity of our students, who together create a vibrant learning environment that is the true cornerstone of our success.

Given the short week next week and the voluminous amount of communication that we’ve all experienced this year, it feels like a good time for a break. We will share the next SCS newsletter on Friday, October 31. Please be on the lookout for a separate communication next week about expectations for Halloween.

In partnership,

Jen, Brett, and Antonia

10/18 - PTO Fall Cornhole Tournament (see details above)

10/20 - Mr. Cadwell's 4th grade class Field Trip (12:30-2:20 pm, New Village Farm)

10/21 - CVSD School Board Meeting (6:00 pm, CVU Library)

10/22 - Red 8th grade Field Trip (11:40-1:40, Meach Cove)

10/23 - No School - Diwali

10/24 - No School - Conferences

10/27 - Community Engagement Conversation (8:00 - 9:00 am, SCS Library)

10/27 - Ms. Bartell's 4th grade class Field Trip (12:15-2:15 pm, New Village Farm)

10/27,28,30 - 6th/7th/8th Musical Auditions (see flyer below for details)

10/28 - 7th/8th Grade Concert Choir Field Trip (9:25-10:45, The Arbors)

10/28 - CVSD Community Budget Forum (6:00 pm, CVU Library)

10/29 - 3rd grade (Giles & Moore classes) Field Trip (9:10-1:20, Shelburne Farms)

10/29 - Yellow 8th grade Field Trip (11:40-1:40, Meach Cove)

10/30 - 3rd grade (Adams & Newman classes) Field Trip (9:10-1:45, Shelburne Farms)

10/30 - Ms. Emerson's 4th grade class Field Trip (12:00-2:30 pm, New Village Farm)

10/31 - Kindergarten Field Trip (Baird & Kendrick classes) (8:30-11:00, Shelburne Farms)

10/31 - Kindergarten Field Trip (Hazen & Pinillos classes) (11:00-1:30, Shelburne Farms)

11/9 - Sibling Photo Day (9:00 - 10:30 am, SCS Breezeway)

CVSD 2025-2026 Calendar

Please sign up by 9:00 am Monday if you would like your student(s) to ride the late bus next week on Monday, Tuesday, &/or Wednesday. There is no school on Thursday & Friday next week.

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SIGN UP FOR THE LATE BUS.

If your student is signed up for the late bus, we expect they will be on the bus. Please notify the front office if there is an unexpected change in plans.

We are excited to offer a new SKAT class - Open Art Studio for students in 3rd-8th grades. The class will be Tuesdays from October 21-December 16.

We will have open studio space where students can work independently or with a group. With a focus on upcycled and repurposed materials, students will be able to participate in the project of the day, or bring their own ideas to life!

More information and the registration form can be found on the SKAT website.

Ultimate Frisbee on Wednesdays will continue as long as the weather permits!

Please complete the 25-26 Choral Ensemble Shirt Size & Order Form to indicate:

1. What size shirt your student needs this year for performances.
2. Whether you prefer to purchase, borrow or swap a green SCS music polo.

Upcoming Performance Opportunities

Costumes optional, but encouraged by the Arbors!

Shelburne Halloween Parade

Sunday, 10/26/2025, meet in the Shelburne Supermarket parking lot @ 1:30

We have been invited by the CVU High School Choir to march in the annual Shelburne Halloween Parade and sing on the green at this annual community celebration! Costumes optional.

Please email lmarino@cvsdvt.org with any questions.

If you have a student in 6th - 8th grade who would like to participate in our basketball program, you will need to complete our registration for SCS athletics. The registration link is located at the top of the athletics website.

Winter sports (Boys Basketball - grades 7-8 and Girls Basketball - grades 6-8) will begin on November 17.

In addition, you will need to submit a Wellness Exam - Sports Participation Form if your student athlete did not participate in a Fall sport.

Student-athletes WILL NOT be allowed to participate until their registration and wellness forms have been completed and submitted.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Leigh Petrucelli, SCS Athletic Director.

The Health Office began vision and hearing screenings for students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grade this week and will be contacting families of students who need additional follow up in the coming weeks.

We wanted to give a huge "thank you" to the volunteers from the Champlain Valley Lions Club who help make this possible each year. If you find yourself cleaning around the house and have old prescription glasses that you don't know what to do with, please consider sending them to us at school and we can give them to the Lion's Club who redistributes glasses to people in need.

Please contact Jocelyn or Emily in the Health Office with any questions at 383-1108.

We are excited to welcome the New Village Farm goats back to SCS this year. The goats will be with us through the first week in November. Students, staff, and teachers have the chance to get to know the goats with NVF staff and trainings. Groups of 7/8 students are in charge of mucking, feeding, watering and ensuring the goats have all their needs met. It has been a great first week - the goals have had so many visitors. The enlarged enclosure is allowing for even more viewing options from both inside and outside. Stop by and visit the goats while they are here!

SCS joined the other CVSD schools in a field hockey jamboree. A fun filled night culminating in all four sending schools joining together for a quick photo. What a great way to meet some future teammates and build a positive and collaborative culture.

Lots of smiles and fun times as Dynamic Experiences kicked off this week.

Yellow Team 7th Graders had a beautiful day biking and exploring at Meach Cove on Wednesday.

Does your student have the purr-fect idea for this year’s SCS Directory cover? Now’s their chance to show off their artistic talents and represent the Catamount spirit in a big way!

Download the Design Template Here!

All submissions due by October 20.

Shop from 150 local artists and crafters, and enjoy lunch and treats from our local food vendors.

The CVU Craft Fair was voted a finalist in the Seven Daysie Awards again this year! Mark your calendars, and come experience the heart and excitement of this family-friendly fall event!

Free Parking and Free Entry!

See you at at CVU High School in Hinesburg- rain or shine!

Are you interested in having some fun learning alongside our students as a guest teacher (aka sub)? If so, please reach out to CVSDHR@cvsdvt.org or Louise Michaels.

Click here for more information on becoming a sub!

Shelburne Community School Administrative Team

Jen Roth, PreK-4 Principal

Brett Cluff, 5-8 Principal

Antonia Trono, Director of Special Services