Skype with a Scientist

Cancer biologist and biophysicist Dr. Krishna Mudumbi of Yale joined Mrs. Benoit's class of first and second grade students at the Allen Brook School for an interactive event. Dr. Mundumbi shared a bit about his work and answered some thoughtful student questions! Now all of the students want to be scientists! The class was matched with Dr. Mundumbi through "Skype A Scientist."

Dr. Mudumbi talked about super-resolution microscopy- the newest microscope and techniques allowing scientists to see small details in cells and cell biology - what cells are, how he takes pictures of cells to collect data about how normal cells work an what happens with cell mutations. Wow! 

This is quite a lot for first and second graders, but according to Mrs. Benoit, he did a nice job of bringing it down to the kids' level. We are thankful for this kind of opportunity. 

From Our Houses to Yours

We came across this article earlier, celebrating a high school in California. They are doing a terrific job looking out for the well-being of their students by creating a house structure for their ninth graders. This helps to ease them into life at high school by creating smaller communities to build relationships and provides support. Teachers work in teams to truly meet their students’ needs. Advisory groups are in place to offer further support and relationships.

Sound familiar? Upon further research, we determined that the ninth grade house system at CVU was put in place 34 years ago! We often pride ourselves on leading the way, and this is a perfect example. Our ninth graders are settling in, building relationships, and have started classes within the core and are exploring a few electives beyond as well. The house system also continues in many of our K-8 schools, which has been a part of culture for years for many of the same reasons.

Thank you to the forward-thinking educators who made this happen 34 years ago and to those in CVSD today who keep us on the leading edge.

Time to Connect with Your Schools

It’s that time of year, the time where parents and guardians have the opportunity to connect, learn, and meet the educators who make a difference in lives of their children. Curriculum Nights are upon us and we hope you take advantage of these offerings. Here’s a rundown of what’s happening in our schools.

CVU: Please join us on Thursday, September 13, for our annual open house, CVU at a Glance! Starting at 6:30 pm and running until 8:30 pm, you will get a chance to move through your child's advisory and schedule, getting an overview of the curriculum and meeting teachers.

Charlotte: Fall Open House and Potluck Picnic, Thursday, September 13. Join us as we celebrate the beginning of a new school year at CCS. Open House: 5;00-6:30, Potluck Picnic: 6:00-7:30.

Hinesburg: We hope those of you who were able to attend the middle school curriculum night earlier this week found it helpful. The K-4 Essential Arts & Open House/Curriculum Night is on September 20th from 5:30 -7:00 pm.

Shelburne: Please look over the community calendar for details. We have taken care to list all of our upcoming Open Houses and Curriculum Nights. You will find that all of our teams and grade levels will be holding some type of event in the coming weeks. If you have questions or concerns about one of these events, please reach out directly to the teacher/team.

• The 5th Grade Curriculum Night happened earlier this week.
• September 13th - 3rd Grade Curriculum Night - SCS Library 6:00-7:00pm
• September 17th - Holden Curriculum Night - common area 4:45-6:00pm
• September 20th - 4th Grade Curriculum Night – classrooms 5:30-6:30pm
• September 25th - Alpha Team Curriculum Night – common area 5:00-6:00pm
• September 25th - Winton Curriculum Night – common area 5:00-6:00pm
• October 4th - Kindergarten Open House – classrooms 6:00-7:00pm

Williston: Curriculum Nights and Learning Expo Dates

• Thurs. Sept. 13 / Grade 3/4 Curriculum Night & Learning Expo / 6:30 pm / WCS
• Thurs. Sept. 20 / ABS Curriculum Night & Learning Expo / 6:00 pm / ABS
• Thurs. Oct. 4 / Upper House Curriculum & Learning Expo / 6:30 pm / WCS