THE CCS NEWSLETTER
Charlotte Central School - May 1, 2026
CCS Community,
Next week is Education Staff Appreciation Week, and we’re excited to celebrate the incredible staff at CCS—partners who help make this such a special place for our students and community.
Before we get to next week, I want to pause and thank the CCS PTO for their organization, generosity, and constant focus on creating meaningful opportunities for both students and staff. This week alone, parent volunteers have been running rehearsals for the CCS PTO Variety Show (don’t miss the performance next Thursday at 6:30 PM in the MPR!), organizing students to write thank-you notes to staff during lunches, leading hikes up Pease Mountain, and launching communication around the June 9 Lake Monsters fundraiser (see more details below in the newsletter).
Looking ahead, the PTO—along with the CVSD School Board, our PATH Wellness Coordinator, our admin team, and others—has put together a wonderful week of appreciation. A few highlights include:
A fresh pancake breakfast to kick off the week
Flowers and coffee carts throughout the week
Chair massages and a CCS Spirit Day
And a Baba’s Tacos lunch to wrap things up
You can view the full schedule here.
We really do live and work in a special place, surrounded by people who care deeply about one another and this community. No one’s perfect—but together, we come pretty close.
With gratitude,
Tim & Beth
CCS Administrative Team
First Grade Leads the Way: Learning, Inclusion, and Arbor Day in Action
The first graders crushed it at this morning’s All-School Morning Meeting! They taught all of us how to use sign language, invited us to greet our elbow partners with a sign to show how we were feeling, shared a story in sign language, and led a fun game to help us learn even more. We’re so grateful for their inclusive approach and the new learning they offered our whole community today—thank you, first grade!
We also welcomed Charlie Proutt from Horsford Nursery for a brief Arbor Day message to close the assembly. Afterward, our first graders and their fifth-grade buddies headed outside to plant a new tree and care for others in our backyard. Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen!
Girls in STEM SPARK Club Launches
Our Girls in STEM after-school SPARK Club (open to all identities) launched on Tuesday along and is being led by Emma, a student at CVU. Many other clubs launched this week, too. Here is one action shot from Tuesday afternoon 🍬🧬
In the beaker is DNA extracted from strawberries! Students mashed strawberries, filtered the pulp, and added dish detergent, salt, water, and alcohol—then used a paperclip-like hook to scoop out the DNA “goop” 🍓🔬
Looking forward to next week’s fun! 🙌
Mark Your Calendar
Wednesday, May 6th - Early Release
Wednesday, May 6th - A Celebration of Languages, 5 - 7 PM, CVU Library - see flyer below
Thursday, May 7th - CCS Variety Show, MPR, 6:30-8:00 PM - see below for rehearsal schedule
Monday, May 4th through Friday, May 8th - Staff Appreciation Week - many activities planned sponsored by the CCS PTO
Wednesday, May 13th - Early Release
Wednesday, May 13th - PTO Mtg, CCS Cafe, 5:30 - 6:30
Tuesday, May 19th - CVSD School Board Meeting, 6:00pm
Wednesday, May 20th - Early Release
Wednesday, May 20th - 26-27 Kindergarten Visiting - 2:00-4:00 registered times
Friday, May 22nd - Dance! Grades 6-8, MPR, 7:00-9:00
Monday, May 25th - Memorial Day - No School / School Closed
Wednesday, May 27th - Early Release
Wednesday, May 27th - 26-27 Kindergarten Visiting - 2:00-4:00 registered times
Wednesday, May 27th - Spring Concert (band and chorus), MPR, 6:30pm
Tuesday, June 2nd - CCS Fun Run & Raffle - 4:00-7:00 PM (rain date Wed, 6/3)
Wednesday, June 3rd - Early Release
Tuesday, June 9th - CCS Band to perform National Anthem at Centennial Field - 6:00pm
Support the CCS PTO - Buy your Lake Monster fundraiser ticket by June 2nd - see below for purchase information & link.
Wednesday, June 10th - Early Release
Wednesday, June 10th - Looking Ahead! - 8:30 - 9:15
Thursday, June 11th - 8th Grade Graduation - 6:00pm / Graduation Dance - 7:00pm - 9:00pm (last day of school for 8th graders)
Friday, June 12th - Last Day of School for K-7, Early Dismissal 11:45am
July 6-10, 2026 - Save the Date! - Student Summer Learning (more information below)
4th Graders Meet the Author of Brave Like That
Our 4th graders wrapped up Brave Like That and got to celebrate in the best way—with author Lindsey Stoddard herself 📚✨
So grateful she visited to share writing tips and the real-life experiences behind her characters. Such a special connection for our readers 🙌
School Library News
During the school year, we do our best to figure out students’ “what’s next” reads. That special something that books have – or don’t have – really depends on the reader! Maybe that special something is that it lets us experience something new or challenges our thinking. Maybe it is all about a topic that we are passionate about. Maybe it is something we’ve already read a million times but it provides us with comfort. Maybe it is just filled with awesome silliness and it makes us feel good! Whatever that special something is, it often brings us together.
Voices of the Valley: A Celebration of Language & Culture
On the evening of Wednesday, May 6, join us for a celebration of language and culture from across CVSD. Voices of the Valley brings together our community to learn about the languages spoken in CVSD through food, music and activities.
Learn greetings, songs and proverbs in Swahili, Spanish, Marathi, and Arabic at this interactive cultural event. Join us!
Wednesday, May 6, 5-7 p.m.
CVU Library
CCS PTO Variety Show - Thursday, May 7th, 6:30pm
Additional information is on the PTO website.
Dress Rehearsal
Date: Tues, 5/5
Time: 2:45 PM - 4:25
Place: MPR/ Music Room
Performance
Date: Thursday, 5/7
Time: 6:30- 8:00
Place: MPR/ Music Room
The CCS Lake Monster Ticket Fundraiser is Back!
It’s that time of year again—an exciting opportunity to have some fun while supporting the CCS PTO! The Lake Monsters are back, and we’re selling tickets for the June 9 game, where the CCS band will perform the national anthem.
All students will be selling discounted tickets, and you can purchase yours using the provided link or QR code. Even better, 50% of every ticket sold goes directly to the PTO. These funds support a wide range of valuable programs at CCS, including recent theater upgrades with new sound, lighting, and curtains; the outdoor pavilion initiative for flexible learning; the Fun Run; staff appreciation events and quarterly lunches; Math Night, Open House, STEM Night; the Angel Fund; and much more.
CCS Band To Perform National Anthem At Centennial Field - June 9th
When: June 9, 2026 (6:00 - 6:35 pm)
Where: Centennial Field, Burlington, VT
Attire: Please wear a solid color top (red, white or black to represent CCS), solid colored bottoms and comfy shoes.
Student performers are responsible for their own transportation to and from the game.
We will meet behind the fence by the Lake Monsters clubhouse (on the first base line) at 6:00 pm for warm-ups and a run through. The performance will take place just prior to first pitch (approximately 6:30 pm). Students will receive a complimentary ticket to the game (parents will have to purchase a ticket).
If you are interested in having your child play in the band please email Andy Smith at asmith@cvsdvt.org. We will sign up your student and email you the details as the date gets closer.
Thank you!
2026 Summer Camp Information
It's that time of year again where we begin to share with you summer camp information that we are asked to pass along to our community caregivers. CCS does not endorse the following camps, this is shared with our community as informational only.
- CVU Lacrosse Summer Camps - August 3rd-6th, 9am-1pm
- Junior Redhawks Running Camp - kids finishing grades 4-8
- Livery Horse Farm - horse / pony day camp for ages 1st grade and up
- Sentinal Farms Youth Camps
- Vermont Youth Dancers - various dates and ages
Be A Substitute / Guest Teacher at CCS!
Are you interested in being a part of the CCS community and get paid? Consider being a substitute / guest teacher? Interested individuals should reach out to CVSDHR@cvsdvt.org.
CCS Caregiver Frequently-Used Resources
CCS Parent-Teacher Organization
Charlotte Community Resources
Tim O'Leary, Principal; toleary@cvsdvt.org
Beth Slater, Assistant Principal & Director of Special Services; eslater@cvsdvt.org