Husky Highlights
Hinesburg Community School - August 14, 2026
SAVE THE DATE!
Monday, August 24: Classroom Sneak Peek (4:00-4:30) and Ice Cream Social (4:30 - 5:00)
Wednesday, August 26: First Day Of School and Early Dismissal Day (1:40 - 1:43)
Wednesday, September 2: Early Dismissal Day (1:40-1:45)
Friday, September 4: NO SCHOOL
Monday, September 7: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day Holiday
Wednesday, September 9: Early Dismissal Day (1:40-1:45)
Wednesday, September 16: Early Dismissal Day (1:40-1:45)
Monday, September 21: NO SCHOOL - Yom Kippur
Wednesday, September 23: Early Dismissal Day (1:40-1:45)
Friday, September 25: Student Picture Day!
Wednesday, September 30: Early Dismissal Day (1:40-1:45)
SCHOOL DAY INFORMATION
MORNING ARRIVAL & DROP-OFF
- 7:30–7:59 a.m. Parents and caregivers may drop students off at the side entrance. Please do not drop students off at the front/main door.
- After 8:00 a.m., students should walk around the side of the school and enter through the front entrance. We will provide them with a late pass before they head to their classroom.
A Reminder About the Front Bus/Fire Lane
Please do not park in front of the school in the bus drop-off/fire lane during the following times:
- 7:30–8:30 a.m. each morning
- 2:00–3:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- 1:00–2:00 p.m. on Wednesday
AFTERNOON DISMISSAL
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
2:40 p.m. – Grades K–2 dismissed
2:43 p.m. – Grades 3–8 dismissed
2:50 p.m. – Buses depart HCS
Parent/caregiver pickup takes place at the side entrance.
Wednesday Early Dismissal
1:40 p.m. – Grades K–2 dismissed
1:43 p.m. – Grades 3–8 dismissed
1:50 p.m. – Buses depart HCS
Parent/caregiver pickup takes place at the side entrance.
GETTING HOME SAFELY
To help keep our youngest learners safe, HCS follows a long-standing practice for how Kindergarten students get home. Students in Grades Kindergarten will only be let off the bus if an adult is visible to the driver or if they are with an older sibling (Grade 3 or above). For Kindergarten students walking home, we expect they do so only with an older sibling (Grade 3 or above) as well.
This expectation reflects Hinesburg's rural geography, where many homes have long driveways that make it difficult to see the house from the road, and where bus stops are often group drop-offs rather than individual residences.
While we discourage it, if your family would like your Kindergarten student to get home on their own, you may submit a written request to the school. Please send the request to: HCSAttendance@cvsdvt.org. After approval by the principal, we’ll keep a copy in the student’s record to ensure everyone is on the same page.
A REQUEST FROM THE OFFICE
ATTENDANCE & LATE ARRIVALS
To report an absence or late arrival, please contact the HCS office by 8:00 a.m. using one of the following:
- Email: hcsattendance@cvsdvt.org
- Call: 802-482-2106 and select option 1
You do not need to notify your child’s teacher if they will be late or absent, but you do need to notify the HCS office. Please include your child’s first and last name, grade or homeroom teacher, and the reason for the absence or late arrival.
CHANGES TO END-OF-DAY TRANSPORTATION
If your child’s end-of-day transportation plans change, please notify the office using one of the methods above by:
- 1:00 p.m. on early dismissal days
- 2:00 p.m. on regular dismissal days
This gives us enough time to process bus notes, notify classroom teachers, and make sure students have the appropriate change-of-transportation information before dismissal.
PICKING UP YOUR CHILD DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
If you need to pick up your child during the school day, please call 802-482-2106, option 3, approximately FIVE MINUTES before you arrive at HCS. This gives us time to locate your child, have them gather their belongings, and send them to the HCS office, where you can sign them out. You do not need to let the teacher know or send an email.
Welcome back from the Health Office!
We hope everyone had a restful, fun and safe summer! Please read the following updates to help keep everyone healthy at HCS this year.
Annual Emergency Information forms need to be completed for all students. Please be sure to fully complete and submit the ‘Annual Student Health Update’ form through Powerschool as soon as possible. Having complete information on your child’s health, and how to reach you in case of injury or illness is essential. If this information changes during the year, please be sure to update your PowerSchool account. If you need assistance with PowerSchool please reach out to Libby at lkoch@cvsdvt.org
If your child will need medications (including inhalers) during the school year, please have your child’s physician complete a Medication Permission Form, or an Asthma Action Plan. A new form is required EVERY school year. If your child will carry their own inhaler or Epi-pen, the prescription permission form MUST indicate this, so that they are in compliance with our medication policy. All medications must be delivered to school by an adult, in its original container.
When your child is sick, please have them stay home from school to promote healing and to reduce the spread of illness. If students become sick at school we will notify the family. If your child is not well enough to fully engage with their school day expectations we will contact the family to have them picked up.
The health office is located at the end of the preschool/world language wing so your ill or injured child will be dismissed directly from the exterior door adjacent to the health office (by the flagpole). You will need to sign them out at the main office before picking them up from the health office entrance. When you are picking up your child due to illness or injury, please be sure your child calls from the health office rather than their classroom or their own phone. We ask this as a safety precaution so children do not call for a pick-up or leave without notifying adults. Anytime a student leaves the school, they must be signed out at the main office.
In addition, when your child is absent from school, please let the main office know the reason for their absence so that we can track illness trends. The office will let us know about illnesses or injuries and we will be able to appropriately care for your child when they return to school. Finally, if a child is to have any restrictions in activity during the school day due to recovery from injury or illness, please send a physician’s note with the child informing the teacher and nurse of the nature of the problem, requested restrictions, and duration of restrictions.
We want to remind parents that we have students (and adults) at school who are allergic to several different foods or food groups - peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, sesame, wheat, dairy, soy, and seafood. Reactions can range from mild to life-threatening. If students come into contact with or eat these products they could have a life-threatening allergic reaction that would require immediate emergency medical treatment. Strict avoidance is the best way to prevent an allergic reaction. We are asking you to remind your child to please not share food with their friends in the classroom or cafeteria, and to not eat or share food on the bus. Since students eat snacks in classrooms please be aware of what you are sending to school if your child is in a room with a student with food allergies.
If your child received any immunizations over the summer please send/email a copy of their vaccination record so that their health record can be updated. If you need more information and necessary forms regarding medical or religious exemptions, it can be found at http://healthvermont.gov/hc/imm/schoolentry.aspx. A new religious exemption form is needed each school year.
We will work on vision and hearing screenings in required grades throughout the year. If you have a concern about your child’s vision or hearing and would like them screened earlier in the year please let us know.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call the health office at 482-6237. We are available during the school day (7:45 AM-3 PM). Immunization records or Medication Permission/Asthma Action Plans can be dropped off at school or faxed to 482-2003.
Thank You,
Shelley Torrey BSN, RN, NCSN
Kelly Marcus, BSN, RN
School Nurses
WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOLUNTEER AT HCS OR GO ON A FIELDTRIP?
Would you like to attend a HCS fieldtrip with your child or volunteer to read in their classroom? If so, now is an excellent time to fill out your paperwork for clearance though the District. Once your paperwork is received, please allow 10 business days for approval. Once approved, the clearance is valid for 3 years. If you would like to check on your registry status, please email Amy Janetti.
Dear Prospective HCS Husky Athletic Families,
The new school year is quickly approaching, and we are excited for another great year of HCS Husky Athletics!
Fall sports offerings include:
- Boys’ Soccer (Grades 5–8)
- Girls’ Soccer (Grades 5–8)
- Cross Country (Grades 5–8)
- Field Hockey (Grades 5–8)
Registration is currently open! Families may register now for Fall sports, as well as Winter, March Madness, and Spring sports. If your child decides later in the year that they would like to add, drop, or change a sport, you can simply complete a supplemental registration form at that time.
You can register here.
Please remember that all Husky athletes must have a current medical/wellness form on file.
Medical/wellness forms are valid for two years from the date they are submitted.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions. We look forward to seeing our Huskies back on the fields, trails, and courts this year!
Thank you,
Denise Farmer and Kerri Wallis
Co-Athletic Directors
In order to have the most up-to-date information when school starts on August 26th, please make sure you complete the annual forms update through the PowerSchool Parent Portal site. Click here to review where to find the forms once you have logged into your parent portal account. Each form should be reviewed and updated, then submitted ASAP. This will ensure that our staff has enough time to review and input your information into our system before the first day of school. Please note that the health form and permission form must be submitted before a student is allowed to go on any field trips. Contact Libby if you need assistance.
SIGN UP FOR THE HCS LEGO ROBOTICS TEAM!
TITLE 1 UPDATES
In order to provide all children with significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational gaps, Hinesburg Community School receives Title I, Part A funds. We would like to draw your attention to the Title I-related content in the HCS Handbook (page 29). These materials include a Parent and Family Engagement Procedure document, developed with parents and family members of participating students, which outlines how the school will involve parents and family members in procedure development and build capacity for parent and family engagement in order to improve student academic achievement. The Procedure also includes a School-Parent Contract that outlines the goals and shared responsibilities of students, parents, and the entire school staff in improved student academic achievement. Also included in the handbook is a Parental Notice outlining parental rights to information about their child's teacher's qualifications.
SHREK AUDITIONS
PARTNERSHIP in EDUCATION (PiE)
Partners in Education (PiE) is HCS’s parent–teacher group dedicated to supporting our students, teachers, and school community. From funding enrichment programs and classroom supplies to organizing fun events like Movie night's, The Family Dance, and HCS apparel. PiE helps make HCS an even better place to learn and grow!
We’re always excited to welcome new ideas and extra hands—whether you have five minutes or a few hours to give, there’s a place for you in PiE. Have questions or want to get involved? Email us anytime at HCSpiechair@cvdsvt.org. We’d love to hear from you!
PiE STEERING COMMITTEE
Chair: Kathleen Rivard
Treasurer: Emily Alger
Secretary: Jess Mason
Teacher Liaison: Alyssa Lasher
Staff Liaison: TBD
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE SMS/TEXT MESSAGES
Please enroll to receive text messages from the district and/or our school. If you haven't done this yet or if you are new to CVSD, follow the easy steps on this flyer. We don't overuse this method of communication, but it is helpful for reminders and quick announcements. Don't miss out!
FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS
Children learn better if they start their day with free breakfast. We offer a variety of delicious and nutritious breakfast options every day. All of our free breakfast meals meet the USDA requirements and come with a whole grain rich breakfast entrée such as a bagel, muffin, pastry, cereal or breakfast bar, ex. Zee Zee Bar, Nutri-Grain bar or Pop Tart. Those are served with a cheese stick or yogurt cup, fresh, canned or dry fruit and an ice cold milk. Some breakfast entrees are sweetened and contain between 6g and 24g of sugar depending on items selected and serving size. Any pre-packaged items that we use meet the USDA requirements for school breakfasts, they are whole grain rich, lower in sugar and calories than the equivalent items from the grocery store.
We provide options so that all students can find something that appeals to them and meets their needs. Our free breakfast meals make great snacks even if students are able to eat breakfast at home.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY IN K-4 CLASSROOMS WITH THE HCS FOUR WINDS PROGRAM
Want to learn more about nature? Eager to share the joy of discovery with your children and their classmates? Become a Four Winds classroom volunteer at Hinesburg Community School!
Adult volunteers (HCS parents, grandparents, or community members) generally meet the second Friday morning of each month, for a workshop taught by a naturalist from the Four Winds Nature Institute staff. At each of these seven workshop, we learn about a fascinating natural science topic with activities designed to teach children in grades K-4. Then, later in the month, two volunteer partners bring these lessons to the classes and take the children outdoors, leading them through the activities.
Our first volunteer training workshop is Friday, September 18th at HCS. The workshops are held September-May, with no workshops held in December or February.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Sara Lovitz, Volunteer Program Coordinator at hcsfourwinds@gmail.com
You can also find our more about the Four Winds Nature Program here - https://fwni.org/the-nature-program/. This year's theme will be Cycles in Nature.
EVERYBODY WINS
After a fantastic first year we are excited to announce that Everybody Wins! Vermont and the Hinesburg Community School will continue their partnership in the 2026/2027 school year.
Do you know someone who can spare an hour a week to connect one-on-one with a student at our school? Reading books, playing games and talking over lunch build meaningful connections and enrich our community. Help us grow the program by spreading the word and contacting Janet Gray if you are interested!
Find more information about Everybody Wins! Vermont here
About Us
Tim Trevithick, HCS Principal
Alexis Kelly, HCS Assistant Principal
Alicia Kurth, HCS Special Education Administrator
Email: hcsinformation@cvsdvt.org
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org/hinesburg
Location: Hinesburg Community School, 10888, Route 116, Hinesburg, Vermont, USA
Phone: 802-482-2106
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hinesburg-Community-School-125786304154731/
Instagram: @hinesburgcommunityschool
The Husky Highlights Newsletter is published weekly, when school is in session. It is available on our web site and is also delivered via email. If needed, a hard copy can be provided for your child to bring home. Husky Highlights includes upcoming events, after school opportunities, notes of interest for parents and the community and updates from our school administration.