The Waterford Eagle

Welcome to our school! This purpose of this blog is to communicate and celebrate Waterford School with the Waterford community and beyond.

To view the 2020-2025 version of the Waterford Eagle please follow this link.

To view the Waterford School website follow this link.

Thank you for your interest and support of our school!

Chris Miller

Principal

This will be the last Waterford Eagle Update I write as Principal of Waterford School.

As with many endings there are bitter sweet emotions that accompany it. It has been an honor to serve your community. I will miss you all, especially your children for whom I have had the pleasure of getting to know, support and watch grow. They will no doubt shine a bright light wherever they may go, especially with me as I start a new chapter.

Thank you for your support and trust over the last six years. I will miss you all and hope our paths cross in unexpected ways in this small world.

Sincerely,

Chris

Tuesday June 16th

• Last student day
• Field Day
• Early Release/12:00 Dismissal

Yesterday we ushered our 8th graders into the next chapter of their formal education. This right

of passage is an important one for this group of students every year. The transition to high school

is a step towards more independence and greater responsibility over their education. It is clear

they will leave their mark. They will leave tokens of their time in the spirit generated in our

school through the many events they led this year including the Haunted Hallway, Spirit Week, Craft

Fair, Rootbeer Float, Pie in the Face and Hot Chocolate fundraisers. Raising money for Davies Memorial Library and Waterford Volunteer Fire Department, The Veterans Day Breakfast, carving pumpkins, updating the marquee as you enter the school and mentoring elementary students through book buddies to name a few. They have excelled on our sports fields and courts, musical stages and in our classrooms.

We have spoken plenty over the last month of the importance of finishing their time at Waterford

strong and they have risen to that challenge ready to take on high school! We are proud of you

and look forward to following your continued accomplishments over the next four years of high

school and beyond. Always know there is a place for you at Waterford School. Congratulations

to the Class of 2026!

This years 8th Grade Class is:

• Alden Balch
• Poppy Beniash
• Andre Call
• Derek Chase
• Whitney Gingue
• Ethan Johnson-Safford
• Christopher Knights
• Pagan Norrie
• Liam Peters
• Owen Tucker
• Abigail Wood

Important end of year dates:

June 9th - Pre-K Last Day

June 11th - 8th - Grade Graduation

June 16th - Early Release/Last student day 12:00 Dismissal

At Community Meeting today our 8th Grade Class announced that Mrs. Reardon, our Middle School Humanities Teacher, was chosen by the class as this years Yearbook dedication. Here is what they had to say about her impact on them:

This year, we dedicate our yearbook to Mrs. Reardon.

• Mrs. Reardon is “scary” — but only in the best possible way. She challenges us to work hard, do our best, and push ourselves further than we thought we could go. At the same time, she incorporates laughter through her funny stories and unforgettable tales about the Spartan races she has completed. Her determination inspires us, and her sense of humor keeps every day interesting.
• One of our favorite 7th grade traditions was Tournament Tuesday. Each month, we formed teams, chose a game, and competed for bragging rights and a prize. It brought out our competitive spirit, strengthened friendships, and made mornings something to look forward to.
• Mornings with Mrs. Reardon were the best. We watched CNN 10, stayed informed about the world, and sometimes even got to “miss class”.
• She also brought learning to life in creative ways — especially when we acted out court cases to better understand what happened. Instead of just reading from a textbook, we became part of the lesson.
• Mrs. Reardon made humanities fun, challenging, and memorable. For her energy, creativity, and the way she pushes us to be better every day, we chose to dedicate this yearbook to her.

Important end of year dates:

June 9th - Pre-K Last Day

June 11th - 8th - Grade Graduation

June 16th - Early Release/Last student day 12:00 Dismissal

Important end of year dates:

May 26th - Spring Concert

• Pre-K - 4th Grade 1:30
• 5th - 8th Grade 6:00

June 9th - Pre-K Last Day

June 11th - 8th - Grade Graduation

June 16th - Early Release/Last student day 12:00 Dismissal

Over the last 5 weeks our student have engaged in a theatre arts residency working with Kaille Larkin, courtesy of WSA and grant writer Cait Fitzwater. Students in grades K-3 have been working on actors' toolbox skills and story theatre, grades 4-5 have been working on pantomime and clowning, and middle school students have been working on improv theatre. We have some budding actors and actresses on our hands, and we look forward to finding ways to continue incorporating theatre arts into the school culture!

Important end of year dates:

May 26th - Spring Concert

• Pre-K - 4th Grade 1:30
• 5th - 8th Grade 6:00

June 9th - Pre-K Last Day

June 11th - 8th - Grade Graduation

June 16th - Early Release/Last student day 12:00 Dismissal

Thank you to WSA for their creativity and hard work they put into the "Live from Waterford" Teacher Appreciation event this week. It was a fun way to honor our amazing teachers!

Next week we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you to the WSA and all who contributed coordinating efforts to honor our teachers. We all appreciate their support.

Teachers are the ultimate decision makers. Regardless of role, by choosing to be an educator they

have committed to making at least 1500 decisions each day. From deciding how to group

students to meet their instructional needs to making adjustments to groups based on most recent

data to managing a classroom full of students to selecting instructional materials educators are

constantly “on”. If students are in school for 175 days then educators are making minimally

262,500 impactful decisions each school year in the best interest of their students' learning and

growth. Not just any decisions, decisions that shape our collective future.

We all see the effort our educators consistently put forth for our students and the Waterford

School community every day. I truly could not imagine working with a more committed group of

people in the important work of educating our children. They are all exceptional in their

commitment to their students and to bring their best each and every day. Their work has been

coined as “heroic”, “superhuman” and “inspirational”. Even though it is heroic, it can also be a

heavy load to carry at times. Even though our educators make the weight they carry look easy

doesn’t mean it’s light. This is, in my estimation, what makes our teachers “heroic”.

May 8th - Pre-K Screening

May 26th - Spring Concert

• Pre-K - 4th Grade 1:30
• 5th - 8th Grade 6:00

June 9th - Pre-K Last Day

June 11th - 8th - Grade Graduation

June 16th - Early Release/Last student day 12:00 Dismissal

When we return from spring break we return to a busy end of the year schedule. Here are some early dates you should be aware of.

April 27th - May 1: Teacher Appreciation Week

April 28: Kindergarten Screening (No school for current Kindergarten and 1st Grade)

May 8: Pre-K Screening (No school for current PreK)

May 15: Early Release Day

May 26: Spring Concert

June 11: 8th Grade Graduation

June 16: Last of School ** Tentative

Live from Waterford… it’s Staff Appreciation Week!
May 4 to 8, we’re rolling out an SNL inspired celebration for our amazing teachers and staff, and we need a strong supporting cast to make it happen. We’re looking for donations and a few volunteers to help bring the week to life. Whether big or small, every contribution helps keep the show running.

Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FAAA622A3F5C43-62464704-staff

Thanks for helping us make this week a hit. Cue the applause!

As spring approaches I wanted to make my annual call to awareness on the impact social media and devices have on our children.

In the last year, legislation banning cell phones in all Vermont schools. At school our policy is that all students check their cell phones at the main office where we safely store the devices during the school day. This is not a new conversation, in fact in 2023 the Surgeon General issued an Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. While they do indicate that for some youth social media can be an important connection to other children the advisory also outlines concerns with social media access for children. Some of the concerns include:

● Perpetuating body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, social comparison, and

low self-esteem, especially among adolescent girls.

● Access to hate based content

● Use of screens late at night and sleep quality impacting mental health

This advisory raises many issues I have personally experienced as a parent raising my children. I

encourage you to read through the report and consider how you and your children can establish

healthy and safe habits around technology use and screen time. I have included the Executive

Summary for you to read (picture is linked). If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at the school.

Chris

Waterford School and the Waterford School Association are thrilled to bring professional theater into our classrooms this spring! Made possible through a Vermont Arts Council grant, this six-week in-school residency runs from April through mid-May and gives K-8 students the chance to learn, create, and perform with instruction from a professional teaching artist. This is expanded arts access right here at Waterford, and we can't wait for students to experience it.

Parent conferences are next Tuesday and Wednesday.

We value your partnership in educating your children! Conferences are an important time to update you on your children's progress towards proficiency in their academic classes and in their social emotional development. If you haven’t yet, please schedule time to meet with your child's teachers.

Housekeeping

No School Friday April 3

Winter Activities Fee's

Burke Mountain - $150 student, $15 per session for parent chaperones

Other Activities - $120

Yearbook Orders Due Friday April 3

Please see the order form below.

Community Announcements/Events

The Community Announcements/Events tab below has updates from community partners on winter break camps for kids at Burke Mountain and Northwoods Stewardship Center. Check them out!

Your child's Trimester 2 report card will be in the mail early next week. Below is some information that might help you when reading the report card.

What the report card reflects.

Your child’s report card reflects Common Core State Standards in Reading and Math, national science, and essential arts standards. All students from Kindergarten through 8th grade receive grades on a 1-4 scale. This system focuses on what students know and can do, allowing us to track their growth on essential concepts and skills. The report card is a snapshot of student progress at the end of each trimester.

What the grades mean.

• 4 - EXCEEDING the standard
  Your child demonstrates a deep understanding of the material and can use what they've learned in new ways.

• 3 - MEETING the standard
  Your child consistently demonstrates they understand the key ideas and skills. Some guidance may still be helpful, but they generally meet academic expectations.

• 2 - APPROACHING the standard
  Your child is working on understanding the material but may be inconsistent in demonstrating it.

• 1 - EMERGING towards the standard
  Your child is beginning to understand the basics but needs additional support and guidance to fully understand and achieve proficiency.

What you’ll see on the report card.

• Each content area/class has a heading. Under the content area, you will see the end-of-year standards for that class. Next to each standard is room for grades for each Trimester.

• It's important to note that standards are taught at various points throughout the school year. If your child is "Approaching (2) or Emerging (1)", it could be because the skill or concept was recently introduced. As students practice and become more familiar with the material, we expect them to deepen their understanding and progress toward proficiency. Our goal is to support your child along this learning journey so that they can meet and exceed expectations by the end of the school year.

• You may see standards that have a blank space next to them for T1 ot T2 where a grade would be. This is because the standard has not yet been taught or assessed. Expect to see these blank spaces filled in during the third trimester report cards.

• Comments. You’ll see a comments section, where teachers can provide more detail on your child's progress.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the school. Together, we can support your child’s learning journey.

Thank you for your ongoing support!l

We are excited to announce that the Bike Smart program will return to Waterford School next week! This program is made possible by Local Motion. We’ll be dedicating PE classes to bike skills and safety during the Bike Smart program. Students will be learning how to check that a bicycle is safe to ride, as well as how to brake safely and effectively, turn smoothly, avoid road hazards, be alert for vehicles on the road, and more.

For more info about this program, please review the attached parent letter and follow the link below for additional resources.

A Parent’s Guide toSafe BicyclingEssentials: http://bit.ly/Parents_Guide_Bicycling

Here are some important details to consider:

• We will have plenty of bikes and helmets to provide students.
• Students can bring their own helmet and/or bike.
• Personal bikes can be parked by the office door and stay for as long as families feel comfortable leaving them.
• Every person needs to wear a helmet (think about hair choices: no high buns or ponytails)
• We will be outside unless it's pouring. In years past we have biked in snow and sprinkling rain.

See link below to print the order form.

Thank you Waterford voters for approving our school budget for the 2026-27 school year. The Waterford vote alone was 68% in favor of our budget. We appreciate your support!

Housekeeping

Bus Update - Bus 2 Driver Returns

We have been informed by Butlers Bus Company that Jessica will be returning to drive the 2 bus routes again, beginning Monday, March 9th. This means that starting next week, we will return to two bus routes operating in the morning and afternoon, and the bus rotation will end next week. Attached are the routes Butler’s has provided us for each bus.

Having reliable transportation to and from school for our children is critical, especially in our rural area. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and advocacy for equitable transportation for Waterford School students.

Inservice and Early Release Dates

March 20th is a Teacher Inservice day. There will be no school for students on this day.

March 27th is an Early Release day with a 12:00 dismissal.

This years Spelling Bee was an epic event where all student participants demonstrated their best spelling skills and tremendous courage to spell in front of the school and parents!

Congratulations to all participants!

Teacher Appreciation Week: We’re getting ready to celebrate our AMAZING teachers & staff in May! Planning begins at our next meeting: March 11th, 6pm, in the school library, or online: meet.google.com/zvh-tjgg-kkv (Reminder: we provide free babysitting at every meeting!)

Membership Competition: Running through May, each new member is entered into a raffle for a special prize. The class with the most new members will earn a special experience, and Kindergarten is currently in the lead! Want to get involved? Join a meeting or volunteer at an event; reach out to us by email at waterfordschoolassociation@gmail.com for more details.

They say it takes a village.

Last week, we wrapped up our Winter Activities. Approximately 110 Students in grades K-8 participated in 6 Thursdays, either at Burke Mountain or in other activities, including Hulburt, Craftsbury Outdoor Center, and Evergreen Gymnastics. The impact of activities can be life-changing and not always reflected in classroom seat time or paper-and-pencil tests. These activities are made possible by Emily Davis and Heather Ranney, who coordinated all aspects. In addition, this would only be possible with significant community volunteer support and effort.

Thank you to all who supported our Winter Activities this year! – Chris

Chaperones and volunteers include:

Emily Davis

Roxanne Roberts

Jennifer Wood

Jenn Robinson

Jessi Hudson

Andy Barrett

Courtenay Lahey

Deb Doyon

Ian Brausser

Kim McBey

Shawn Gingue

Jay Miller

Mike Barrett

Laurie Roberts

Sam D’Leon

Jessie Lanham

Tiffany Lasnier

Lesley McLeod

Jennifer Hemond

Tiffany Santy

Chelsey Beland

Michael Marchand

Kate Reardon

Sean Donovan

Eva Goetz

Becky Koeppl

Dan Gingue

Mike Deterling

Jenelle Noble

Georgette Moyse

Emily Robarts

Kirsten Grace

Emily Makelky

Eric Makelky

Patrick Kennedy

Melissa Leo

Heidi Toney

Lily Dunbar

Sandy Sherburne

Janice Trottier

Weston Davis

Jess Williams

Aaron Little

Sam Laferriere

Katy Rossell

Kyle Morrison

Becka Valdez

Jesse Kittredge

Emily Grass

Carl Eschmann

Ashley Murray

As we continue to navigate arrival and dismissal times with one bus, I wanted to share helpful procedures for dropping off your children at the start of the day and picking them up at the end of the day. Please read and follow the steps outlined.

One change that will occur when we return from break is at dismissal time. We will continue to dismiss students at 2:40, with the following adjustments to the pickup order.

1. From 2:40 to 2:50, students who get picked up by parents will be picked up. If you plan to drive your vehicle up to the school, please begin lining up in front of the gym entrance. Staff will help students get to the proper vehicle.
2. At approximately 2:50, once all the parent pickup students have been picked up. The bus will drive up to the school and load all the busing students.

You will find the procedure linked below.

When we return from break, we will be on the Bus 1 route. Below is a link to the bus route rotation.

Please join us at Waterford School for our Annual Meeting and a meal!

Good afternoon Waterford School Families,

As many of you are aware, the Legislature is working to advance Act 73, passed last session, including redrawing school district maps. These proposals, if enacted, have a direct impact on what it means to be a student in Waterford and the Caledonia Cooperative School District (CCSD). Below is a message from Jay Miller, CCSD Board Chair, outlining the steps our district is taking to address concerns and how you can get your voice heard.
​

Hello CCSD families —

At this week’s school board meeting we reviewed the latest map presented on 2/5 by Representative Peter Conlon. The proposed map raises serious concerns for our district—most importantly that it would remove access to school choice and limit families’ ability to attend independent schools—and the board has developed an action plan that will require community support.

What we’ve done so far:

• The board submitted a formal letter with our comments to the House Education Committee (attached).
• Waterford Board Member Erin Hill has submitted an additional letter (linked here).
• Tomorrow, Jay Miller will testify to the House Education Committee about the map, either in person or by submitting his letter. (linked here)

How you can help:

• Next week we will send a template and instructions for submitting your own comment to the Committee.
• Please use the template to send letters—your voices must be heard loud and clear about protecting school choice and independent school access.
• email any questions to Jay Miller at jason.miller@ccsuvt.net

Thank you for standing with the Caledonia Cooperative School District.

Here is a list of the House Education Committee members emails if you would like to reach out to them directly:

• Rep. Peter Conlon, Chair
• Rep. Chris Taylor, Vice Chair
• Rep. Erin Brady, Ranking Member
• Rep. Jana Brown, Clerk
• Rep. Joshua Dobrovich
• Rep. Leanne Harple
• Rep. Robert Hunter
• Rep. Emily Long
• Rep. Kate McCann
• Rep. Leland Morgan
• Rep. Beth Quimby
• Matt Sorensen, Committee Assistant

Important Busing Update

Good afternoon, Waterford School busing families,

I’m writing to share an important update about bus transportation and what to expect over the coming weeks.

At last night’s Caledonia Cooperative School District Board meeting, concerns were raised about the impact the ongoing bus driver shortage is having on Waterford families—particularly those who rely on school transportation. While we continue to work toward a more stable long-term solution, we need to make a temporary adjustment to expand access as fairly as possible.

Beginning next week, bus routes will operate on a week-by-week rotation.

• This week: Bus 1 (Danielle’s route) will continue to run
• Next week: Bus 2 (Jessica’s route) will run
• Routes will continue to alternate weekly through April 17

• Current bus routes with pick-up and drop-off times
• A calendar showing which bus will run each week through April 17

• If your child rides Bus 1, they will receive bus service this week and every other week, according to the attached schedule.
• If your child rides Bus 2, service will begin next week and continue every other week according to the rotation.
• On weeks when your route is not running, families will need to arrange alternate transportation.

This morning during the Community Meeting, Mrs. Miller-Brown discussed books. As the Library Media Specialist, this came as no surprise to anyone. The theme of her talk was that books can serve as both mirrors and windows, allowing us to see ourselves in the stories we read and to learn about others who differ from us.

Below is a link to her slideshow, which includes a clip from our 3rd graders, the top 10 books checked out of our Library and much more!

CCSD Board Meeting

Monday February 9th at Walden School and on Zoom. You can find the agenda here:

Community Announcements/Events

The Community Announcements/Events tab below has updates from community partners on winter break camps for kids at Burke Mountain and Northwoods Stewardship Center. Check them out!

Greetings Waterford School Families,

I wanted to provide you with an update on busing. As you know, we have been without a bus driver since we returned from the holiday break. Butler's Bus Company and I have been in regular communication regarding their search for a replacement driver. As of this writing, they have not received any applications interested in the opening.

The consistent impact of not having a driver on one bus route is a concern that I share with families in this predicament. I have requested from Butlers a plan to provide bus transportation for all students and families who need it, in the most equitable way possible. Given that we have only one driver, I will keep you updated on the development of measures to ensure equitable access to busing for all of our students, and when you can expect action on these changes.

Greetings Waterford School Families,

Monday we celebrate the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Dr. King was a champion of civil rights and the role education plays in strong inclusive communities. In his essay "The Purpose of Education" he is famously quoted as saying:

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."

Have a nice long weekend. We look forward to welcoming student back to school Tuesday January 20th.

Greetings, Waterford School Families, and Happy New Year!

We had a busy and exciting week back at school with Winter Activities and the Hot Chocolate fundraiser being a couple of highlights.

Another big highlight was our Barred Owl friend paid us a visit today outside Mrs. Wood's classroom, causing quite a ruckus with the resident crows and cardinals. This owl lives in our woods, and we speculate it is the same owl we found injured on the parking lot pavement back in 2021. At that time, we called Fish and Wildlife, who brought the owl to VINS where it was rehabilitated and returned back to our school in January of 2022. In a school-wide event VINS came to Waterford and released the owl back into our woods!

Owl's symbolize wisdom, guidance, protection and transformation. Perfect qualities to begin a new year with!

WSA Update

WSA does not have enough volunteers to hold our Enchanted Forest family dance on February 7th. If we fill the remaining slots by this coming Monday, we can move ahead with the family portion of the dance from 5-6:30pm; if not, there will only be a middle school dance from 7-9pm. View the sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FAAA622A3F5C43-60954040-draft

CCSD School Board Meeting

The Caledonia Cooperative School Board will be on Monday January 12 at 6:00 p.m. at Waterford School and on Zoom. Here is a link to the agenda for the meeting.

On behalf of the Waterford School community I wish you and your family a Happy Holiday and New Year!

We look forward to welcoming student back to school on Monday January 5, 2026.

Housekeeping

Bus 2 Dismissal Changes

I'm sorry to report that Jessica will be leaving us to attend to family needs out of state. This will mean that beginning January 5th, 2026 Bus 2 routes will not run until further notice. In an effort to organize changes to dismissal plans for Bus 2 student please email Heather before January 5th.

Winter Activities - Ski and Ride Payment Update

We are still waiting for Burke to provide us the invoice necessary to calculate this year's cost for the ski and ride program. Therefore as originally communicated we will not be expecting parent payments on January 5th. Stay tuned fir updates when we return from vacation.

Please follow this link for Winter Activities details. Our first Winter Activities day is Thursday January 8th.

Greetings Waterford School Families,

Last Saturday's Craft Fair was a huge success! We had a steady stream of people and vendors did

very well. Our 8th-grade class earned $700 for their class. I want to thank WSA for taking on the coordination of vendors, 8th-grade parent/student signup for shifts, and donations for food and silent auction. I also want to recognize everyone who contributed food, time, and energy into making the craft fair a success.

One thing that was especially impressive was the number of students, and Waterford School

families involved! Between 8th grade volunteers and students leading their own tables, our

Eagles were strongly represented!

This week, we celebrated our music program with concerts at the school. Our students, under the

direction of Mike Errickson and Scott Foote, gave an inspiring band, chorus, and Modern Band

performances. Thank you to our students and teachers for all of their hard work.

We always see tremendous growth this time of year and look forward to our spring concerts!

Housekeeping

CCSD Board News - "Get on Board!"

Date & Time: Dec 17, 2025 06:00 PM
Description: The VSBA’s annual “Get On Board!” campaign aims to recruit civic-minded individuals who are passionate about improving public education for all students in Vermont. If you or someone you know is interested in serving the community, school board service just might be the right opportunity for you. More than a volunteer role, serving on your local school board is a chance to make a lasting impact on Vermont’s education system. It provides a platform to advocate for public education and actively contribute to the improvement of local schools.We invite you to attend our annual online event, “Get on Board! Pre-Candidate Training”. During this event, we will give a general overview of the school board’s essential work and guide you through the process of filing and running for a seat. We will explain the next steps and provide an opportunity for you to have your questions answered.

Our February dance is on the calendar and WSA needs YOUR help to make it happen. We’re looking for volunteers to assist with planning and décor in the coming weeks and at the event on February 7th. Donations are appreciated, but in order to host the family portion of the dance, we need volunteers signed up by December 19th. View opportunities here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FAAA622A3F5C43-60954040-draft#/

Greetings Waterford School Families,

Please join us on Tuesday December 9th for our Winter Concert and Arts Celebration. Here are the details!

• Pre-k - Grade 4 Performance is at 1:30 in our Gym. Please join us after the concert for a reception that includes student art work on display with cookies and juice. Parents can sign their children out of school and take them home after the event if they choose!
• Band and music students in grades 5-8 will perform at 6:00 in our gym. Mr. Errickson's students in grades 5, 6, and 7 and Mr. Foote's Band students are part of this performance.

Housekeeping

CCSD School Board Meeting - Monday December 8

The CCSD Board will be meeting Monday December 8th at 6:00 p.m. at Walden School and on Zoom.

Trimester 1 Report Cards

Report Cards will be mailed early next week for Trimester 1.

Winter Activities Updates - Burke Mountain Registration ASAP

If your child is planning on going to Burke Mt. with the school you must register them ASAP through Burke. Please follow this link. If Burke does not receive the registrations by Sunday December 7 your child may not be able to ski with the school this year. Registrations can only be completed through computers or Chromebooks and not be completed through your cellphone.

For all parents of ski and ride students, if you will be renting equipment with Burke please double check your account to make sure you have chosen both of the following options:

1. 6 Day Waterford School Pass
2. Rental Products

Thank you for your patience as we are receiving updates from Burke on their new systems.

For more details on our Winter Activities Program please follow this link.

Our afterschool Theatre Club starts Monday in the Library! Please complete the permission form that went home with Friday Folders and let Heather know of any dismissal changes for Monday afterschool.

This year we have adopted a set of school wide expectations. These expectations help to clarify what it means to be a Waterford Eagle in 5 main areas:

• Being Safe
• Allowing Learning
• Respecting People and Property
• Showing Kindness in Actions and Words
• Perseverance

Teachers recognize students who they have observed demonstrating these values. Each month during the 1st trimester we have been recognizing students at our community meeting that have embodied the value of "Respecting People and Property". During the 2nd trimester we will be recognizing students "Showing Kindness in Actions and Words".

To view our School Wide Expectations follow this link.

Highlights

Thanksgiving Break

We will not have school November 26-28 in honor of Thanksgiving. We welcome students back to school Monday December 1.

Trimesters

Trimester 1 ends on Tuesday November 25th. Report Cards will be mailed out the week of December 8th. Trimester 2 will begin Monday December 1st.

Winter Concert/Arts Day - December 9

Please join us on Tuesday December 9th for our Winter Concert and Arts Celebration. Here are the details!

• Pre-k - Grade 4 Performance is at 1:30 in our Gym. Please join us after the concert for a reception that includes student art work on display with cookies and juice. Parents can sign their children out of school and take them home after the event if they choose!
• Band and music students in grades 5-8 will perform at 6:00 in our gym. Mr. Errickson's students in grades 5, 6, and 7 and Mr. Foote's Band students are part of this performance.

Winter is on the way and with it brings our Winter Activities Program! Please see the insert in your child's Friday Folder or follow this link to information about Winter Activities.

Important items for families of skiers and riders!

• Reminder to families in need of renting equipment through Burke Mt. The last fitting day is this Saturday at Burke Mt. If you are in need of rentals and would like to rent through Burke Mt. please attend the fitting session on Saturday!
• Deadline to register for passes with Burke is December 1st (see paperwork that was send home and the link above for more information). Here is the link for registration.

Housekeeping

Thanksgiving Break

There will be no school November 26-28 in honor of the Thanksgiving Holiday. We return to school on Monday December 1.

The Craft Fair is December 6th in our Gym. We are looking for a few more vendors.

WSA will hold a dance planning meeting on Dec 3rd (online). The dance will be held on February 7th, but we need a co-chairperson and volunteers to commit by December 19th to make it happen!

Under the guidance of Mrs. Murray, our 5th graders participated in the Kid Governor program, a civics initiative that empowers students to learn about democracy, leadership, and community action. Student candidates focused their campaigns on issues such as bullying and kindness, being outside, homelessness and hunger, and environmental protection. Each student created a three-point action plan and learned first-hand how young people can make a positive difference in their communities. After a close election Levi Gingue was elected as the Waterford School Kid Governor representative joining student candidates from across the state.

Levi’s campaign centered on homelessness and hunger, and he went above and beyond by researching what Vermont is already doing to address these issues. He used this research to shape his three-part plan to encourage student action and community awareness. His three-part action plan is:

• Start a program that accepts donations and delivers non-parishable food for Vermont residents.

• Fundraise to help support food shelves and shelters financially.

• Volunteer to help prepare meals for local communities.

Congratulations to Levi and all 5th Graders for their thoughtful platforms!

Housekeeping

Trunk or Treat a Success!

In spite of the weather, we had another successful WSA sponsored Trunk or Treat this year. We had 18 trunks decorated and handed out candy. Mike Barrett brought the haunted musical DJ to the event and our WSA sponsored Scholastic Book Fair raised a totalled $3,114.25 earning the school earned $1,245.70 in Scholastic Dollars that can be spent on books for our students. An example of how the money is used is for our Birthday Book program.

This year book buddies carved approximately 70 pumpkins together that were lit at Trunk or Treat.

Additionally, our 8th grade class put on their leadership hats and created a Haunted Hallway. They did a great job adjusting on the fly when the weather moved our Haunted Trail indoors. The Hallway was a huge hit with a line out the main entrance waiting to walk through. The 8th graders also organized a bake sale during the event. In total the class raised nearly $500!

Ski and Snowboard Rentals - Burke Mt. and Kingdom Kids

Burke Mt.

Please note! If you are planning on having your child/children rent skis or snowboards directly through Burke Mountain you need to have them fitted for their gear at Burke. The fittings are scheduled for Saturday November 8th and Saturday November 15th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Sherburne Base Lodge.

Kingdom Kids Rental Scholarships

Attention anyone renting ski and snowboards this season!
Kingdom Kids is excited to offer full scholarships to students interested in season rentals for skis and snowboards this winter. If you're interested please complete the scholarship link and attend the pop-up at Lyndon Outing club on November 15th for a fitting (sign up for your fitting here). Reach out to the Kingdom Kids board of directors with any questions at kingdomkids2003@gmail.com

Thanksgiving Break

There will be no school November 26-28 in honor of the Thanksgiving Holiday. We return to school on Monday December 1.

With carving pumpkins, the book fair, parent conferences and Trunk or Treat this week is one that represents the power of our school and community partnerships. Thank you to WSA for sponsoring the book fair and trunk or treat, all the parents and teachers who participated in our conferences, the Gingue Farm for providing us the pumpkins and our 8th grade class for taking a lead on the haunted trail and bake sale. We head into November with momentum and spirits high!

Housekeeping

PBIS Fall Family Climate Survey

Each year we provide parents an opportunity to provide us feedback. Please find this years PBIS Survey at the following link. We appreciate your feedback.

No school Friday October 31

Early Release Monday November 3

Dismissal is at 12:00.

Greetings Waterford School Families,

This month six student leaders presented our The Eagle: Waterford School Newspaper to the Caledonia Cooperative School Board. Addison Hill, Quinn Miller, Gannon Wilkins, Scarlett Deterling, Kaila Call and Layla Mosher began the newspaper as 5th graders. Now as 7th graders the newspaper has grown in popularity with many 6th grade students joining the club!

Here is a link to the latest edition!

Housekeeping

PBIS Fall Family Climate Survey

Each year we provide parents an opportunity to provide us feedback. Please find this years PBIS Survey at the following link. We appreciate your feedback.

Parent Conferences - Next Week

We will host our fall parent conferences on Tuesday October 28th and Wednesday October 29th from 3:30 - 7:30. If you haven’t yet please schedule time to meet with your child's teachers.We thank you for your partnership with us in educating them! Conferences are an important time to update you all on the successes of your children.

No school Friday October 31

Early Release Monday November 3

Student dismissal is 12:00.

We’re getting ready for one of our favorite weeks of the year: Trunk or Treat and the Fall Book Fair!

The Book Fair will be open Wednesday and Thursday in the library and again during Trunk or Treat in the gym, where it transforms into a Harry Potter–themed evening of magic and a special treat for trick-or-treaters! Visit https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/waterfordelementaryschool8 for eWallet info, book previews and more.

There's still time to volunteer, donate candy, or decorate a trunk. We are looking for people to sell food. Please visit https://linktr.ee/waterfordschoolassociation for links to our Trunk or Treat and Book Fair sign ups!

Greetings Waterford School Families,

Today we recognized Fire Safety Week with our annual visit from the Waterford Volunteer Fire

Department. Students learned how to recognize hazards at home that may be fire dangers. We are lucky to have a Volunteer Fire Department that is committed to serving our school community and teaching us how to prevent fires in our homes as well as what to do if we experience emergencies in our lives. We talked about what volunteers are and how important our volunteer firefighters are as first responders in our community. In addition to the valuable information and experience students received they learned that the volunteers teaching them were all once Waterford School students!

We would like to thank the following firefighters who took their time to work with us:

• Lieutenant Ryan Aremburg
• Firefighter, Kevin Colby
• Firefighter, Mc Kenna Beben
• Firefighter, Howard Jones
• Cadet, Waylon Stacy
• Firefighter, Brayden Payeur
• Firefighter, Scott Gingue
• Colleen Kozlowski
• Noah Hallisey

Have a nice weekend!

Chris

Housekeeping

Winter Activities Survey: Kindergarten - 8th Grade

Last week we sent home a survey about Winter Activities. I am sharing this again and asking that the survey is completed by this Friday. This is an important step in our process and one that Burke Mt. needs a soon as possible in order to plan for ​our lessons.

The survey can be found at this link - Winter Activities Survey.

Thank you for your attention to this and your support of our Winter Activities!

PBIS Fall Family Climate Survey

Each year we provide parents an opportunity to provide us feedback. Please find this years PBIS Survey at the following link. We appreciate your feedback.

Parent Conferences - October 28th / 29th

We will host our fall parent conferences on Tuesday October 28th and Wednesday October 29th from 3:30 - 7:30. If you haven’t yet please schedule time to meet with your child's teachers.We thank you for your partnership with us in educating them! Conferences are an important time to update you all on the successes of your children.

Trunk or Treat is tentatively planned for Friday October 31st. In order to make this event happen WSA is in search of volunteers to help. Please email WSA if you can support this effort in any way at waterfordschoolassociation@gmail.com. The deadline to volunteer is Friday October 31st. We thank you for your consideration and help.

Please see the flyer for more information.

Good afternoon Waterford School Families,

Last spring, our 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Robarts wrote and received a place based learning grant through the Vermont Rural Education Collaborative. Through the grant we have been working with parents, led by Paul Weaver, to develop an outdoor classroom space for our students to access and learn in. This year Mrs. Robarts class will be working with the North Brach Nature Center to facilitate nature based lessons and units utilizing our larger school campus including the outdoor classroom. This program is called ECO (Educating Children Outdoors) and is a standards based program designed to help children and schools develop connections with the natural world and foster a sense of place. We are excited to plant this seed of place based/outdoor education at our school and see how it can grow!

I hope you have a nice long weekend!

Chris

Housekeeping

Friday October 10th/Monday October 13th No School

On Friday October October 10th there will not be school due to teacher inservice. On Monday October 13th there will be no school in observation of Indigenous Peoples Day. Student return to school Tuesday October 14th.

School Board Meeting Monday October 13th

The Caledonia Cooperative School District Board will meet at 6:00 on Monday October 13th at

Waterford School and on zoom. Please join us to learn about the work of the board and what’s happening in our schools!

Fire Prevention - October 17th

Next Friday we welcome the Waterford Volunteer Fire Department to our school for our annual Fire Safety and Prevention day.

Winter Activities Survey - All K-8 Parents

All K-8 parents must complete this survey for their child. Survey are due by next Thursday October 16th.