SCS Community Newsletter

Dear SCS Families and Caregivers,

We recognize this week’s newsletter is packed with information for you to peruse and we have a few special highlights from the week to make you smile.

• Our PreK and first grade students took a stroll to the Town hall to experience a planetarium. This special event was a culmination of our EA and classroom teachers creating an integrated unit on space.

• Students across the K-4th grades are working together to build a beautiful ice structure, showing the power of inspiration, perseverance and collaboration.

• All of the preparations are ready for tonight’s Grade ¾ Student Leadership Council’s movie night. All participants have RSVPed, picked out cozy PJs and are ready for some time together.

• In the fall, 5th and 6th grade students proposed ideas to improve the school then discussed and voted on them to simulate how a bill becomes a law. After some passed their committees, Mr. Cluff joined the group to learn more about the proposals and decide whether to approve or veto them. Currently, we are working through differing interpretations of the “more movement breaks” law in an attempt to strike a compromise that works for all parties! It’s a healthy and vigorous debate, with Superintendent Bunting sliding in to play the role of Supreme Court next week.

• Our 7th and 8th grade Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability student leaders are working to organize our first middle-level “Winter Field Day” in February. Stay tuned!

Warm wishes to you all!

Jen, Brett and Antonia

The SCS Administrative Team

1/30 - Movie Night at SCS for 3rd & 4th Graders (5:00 - 7:00 pm, SCS Band Room) * flier below

1/31 - Shelburne Rec Winter Carnival (1:00 - 3:00pm, SCS Cafeteria & Gym)

2/4 - SCS Readathon Begins through March 4th (see details below)

2/4 - Readathon Free Book Swap (6:00 - 7:30pm, Green Common Space)

2/4 - 1st Grade Field Trip to the Flynn Theater

2/4 - CVU Guidance Couselors visit SCS 8th Graders

2/5 - 5-8th Grade Field Trip to UVM Women's Basketball Game

2/5 - 4th Grade NAEP testing

2/6 - 8th Grade NAEP testing

2/6&7 - 6-8 Gr Musical performance(s) at CVU Auditorium (see info below)

2/10 - PTO Monthly Meeting (6:00 - 7:00pm, Green team common space)

2/12 - SCS Spelling Bee (8:30am until done, SCS Library)

2/12 - 8th Grade Family Night (6:30 - 7:45pm, CVU Gym)

2/17 - CVSD School Board Meeting (6:00 - 8:00pm, CVU)

2/19 - Winter Talent Show - Shelburne Shines (5:30 - 7:30pm, Charlotte Central School)

2/20- Readathon Character Day - Dress like your favorite book character

2/23-27 - NO SCHOOL - Winter Break

CVSD 2025-2026 Calendar

To sign up for the late bus for February 2-5, please sign up by 9:00 am Monday, 2/2 if you would like your student(s) to ride the late bus.

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.

Follow young Christian as he navigates school, friendships, and his wild imagination - Discover the stories that would become The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, and The King's New Clothes!

Friday, February 6 - 7:00 pm

Saturday, February 7 - 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm

Performances at CVU Auditorium

Purchase Tickets Here

Adults: $10, Children/Seniors: $8

If you are not receiving text messages, please follow these steps in the order they are listed:

1. Opt In: Text “Y” or “Yes” to our district’s short code (67587) to enable text messages. If you have previously un-subscribed, messages will again be enabled.

2. Check your phone’s Blocked List. You may have blocked messages from CVSD on your phone and can unblock these messages through your phone’s settings. If you are unfamiliar with how to unblock contacts in your phone, do an internet search that includes the words “unblock contacts” and your phone type (i.e. iPhone, Android, etc.). Look for and unblock the number: 67587.

3. If the above steps have not worked, please contact Katie Schut: kschut@cvdvt.org, 383-1119 for further assistance.

A cold and snowy view of SCS Tuesday morning.

PreK and 1st graders had a fantastic field trip to the Pierson Library where the Planetarium lady taught them more about the changing sky in her mobile planetarium. While at the library, they also spent time in the gallery of moon & sky art they had created at SCS.

Students are enjoying working together to build an igloo during their PE unit. Construction was on hold Friday due to the extreme cold temperatures, but the creation will continue next week.

The Readathon begins next Wednesday, February 4th.

Get excited to celebrate reading as a community!

Kickoff event: Book Swap

Stock up on reading materials at the FREE book swap in the Green Team space Wednesday,

Feb. 4 from 6 to 7:30 pm. Donations of gently used books for ages pre-K - adult are welcomed,

but not required. (Feel free to drop books off sooner! Just look for the drop box in the SCS

lobby.) There will be free pizza, crafts, and a few surprises!

Quick Links:

Register now directly in PledgeStar!

Learn more about how the Readathon works!

Get the full info packet!

The 5-8 Student Cabinet is a leadership group with a representative from each of the 15 homerooms in the middle level that meets monthly with Mr. Cluff. We're planning a Career Day this March to respond to some of the data in our student Engage survey that indicated kids want to know more about the different career paths available to them. We would love to invite some community members to come in to help kids understand their careers. The jobs we are looking for are: culinary workers/servers/chefs, healthcare professionals, and artists/writers. Please complete this survey if you are interested, and feel free to share it with anyone in your networks who might fit the bill. Thank you!

Kindergarten Registration for the 2026-2027 school year will begin Monday, February 2. CVSD is asking families to register their rising Kindergarteners by February 28, in an effort to get more accurate enrollment numbers for our schools. These enrollment numbers help us to plan our staffing and scheduling needs for the upcoming school year.

Students must turn 5 years old ON or BEFORE September 1, 2026, to be eligible for Kindergarten, per CVSD policy.

Parents of PK4 students receiving Act 166 funding or currently enrolled in the CVSD PreK program will automatically receive an email Monday, February 2 with registration instructions.

Please contact Katie Schut: kschut@cvsdvt.org, 383-1119 with any questions.

We are so excited to welcome the class of 2039 to SCS!

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.

Children entering grades PreK-8 who live in the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George and Williston may exercise school choice. Our goal is to both allow options for families and also make balanced class sizes to provide a positive learning environment for all of our children. Processes for intra-district choice of school will be guided by the needs of students, space availability, and existing resources. Given this, we will work to meet as many families’ needs as possible. Guidelines and Application

We’re thrilled to announce the first annual Shelburne Shines: A Winter Talent Show, now taking place on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at Charlotte Central School’s upgraded stage! While the venue has changed, this remains a Shelburne Community School–only, school-wide fundraiser — and we thank CCS for graciously hosting our group!

SCS students in grades K–8 (and staff!) are invited to perform any talent they love — singing, dancing, playing an instrument, telling jokes, performing magic, gymnastics, martial arts, poetry, skits, theater, or something entirely their own. All talents are welcome!

Registration is extended through January 30 (or until we reach our 50-act cap).

Video uploads of your act are encouraged but no longer required at sign-up.

Details + registration: shelburnepto.org/talentshow

Audience tickets on sale soon!

The Shelburne Food Shelf offers additional food for families and children during the upcoming February and April school vacation weeks as part of the Food Is In When School is Out (FIIWSIO) program.

What's different:

• There are more shopping dates and hours available to families

• There will not be a dedicated single shop prior to the vacation weeks for families.

• Specific hours for February school vacation FIIWSIO shopping are:

Tuesday, Feb 24 - 4pm to 7 pm

Thursday, Feb 26 - 9 am to 11 am

Saturday, Feb 28 - 9 am to 11 am

What's the same:

• Families are invited to shop during SFS regular hours throughout the year, in addition to shopping for school vacation week

• There will continue to be child friendly food available (lunch food, snacks, etc) that is in addition to the inventory available to all shoppers..

• It is very helpful to have families sign up before the shopping dates they select

-- Families who already signed up for DEC and NOV 2025 FIIWSIO are on our list of shoppers already and can sign up for regular shopping hours.

-- Families already on our list of shoppers still need to sign up online for the specific date they select by going to the SFS website, shelburnefoodshelf@gmail.com then go to SIGN UP TO SHOP

-- We welcome New families! Contact the Food Shelf:

Texting is encouraged

shelburnefoodshelf@gmail.com

802-622-3313

We look forward to seeing you and your children!

Each year, Shelburne celebrates longtime Town Clerk Colleen Haag's 35 years of outstanding service to the community via the Colleen Haag Public Service Award. The Award Team is now calling for nominations for the 2026 awardee.

Nominations must be made by a Shelburne resident. The Award Team will consider nominations based on the following criteria:

• "recognize one of its own" : The nominee should be a resident of Shelburne. However, the committee recognizes that some of Shelburne's volunteers live in neighboring towns, so exceptional volunteer service by those living outside the community will be taken into account.
• "someone who by his or her actions exemplifies the spirit of public service" : The nominee should be someone who values and exemplifies the values of our community.
• "who has shared his or her time, talent and energy for the betterment of our community" : The priority will be to select an individual who has volunteered their time, but others who have served in other capacities may be considered.
• "who inspires purpose, who drives lasting solutions, someone who makes a difference" : The nominee will most likely continue to serve the community by inspiring others.

The Award Team prefers nominations to be sent via email to HaagAward@gmail.com. If you do not have access to email, you may mail your written nominations to: Haag Award Team, c/o Shelburne Town Manager, P.O. Box 88, Shelburne, VT, 05482.

The deadline for submissions is February 9, 2026.

Please use the above criteria when nominating your candidate. Please also provide as many details about the candidate's contributions as possible, so that the Award Team has a complete understanding of the nominee.

The 2026 Colleen Haag Public Service Award Team is composed of the past three Haag Award recipients: Peggy Coutu, Pam Brangan, and Alice Brown.

For more information, contact the Award Team at: HaagAward@gmail.com

Open to all caregivers who live within the Champlain Valley School District—including families whose children attend CVSD schools, private schools, or are homeschooled. Please RSVP so we can plan for attendance and share any updates to the programming.

Purpose & Guiding Questions

This three-night series invites reflection on digital well-being and the role devices, social media, and gaming play in students’ relationships, communication, and daily lives. Grounded in curiosity rather than fear, we’ll explore practical family strategies that support kindness, empathy, and healthy boundaries—online and offline.

Guiding Questions:

• How do devices and social media shape young people’s relationships and well-being at different ages?

• What do young people need from adults to build healthy digital habits and boundaries?

Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age

Wednesday, February 4th | 5:30-7:00 PM

Charlotte Central School Library

60-minute documentary + table discussions (2025 updated film)

Screenagers explores how screen time is shaping kids’ lives—and the tension it can create at home and at school. Through personal stories and expert insight, the film offers practical ideas to help families find balance.

Panel Discussion: Digital Well-Being & Youth Development

Tuesday, February 10th | 5:30-6:30 PM

Charlotte Central School Library

A moderated panel featuring local professionals in youth health and mental health. We’ll explore how devices and social media intersect with development and well-being, with an emphasis on practical insights and shared responsibility.

Panelists: To Be Announced.

Tools, Monitoring, and Partnership: A Practical Conversation

Wednesday, February 18th | 5:30-6:30 PM

Charlotte Central School Library

A practical session led by CCS educators (and caregivers) focused on family strategies and tools for guiding device use. We’ll explore partnership-based approaches that help adults model healthy habits and support kids with clear expectations and ongoing communication, including a look at the Bark Parental Control app.

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