Some Fireside Entertainment

WCS band students, working with band teacher Kim Thompson, have continued to adapt and find new ways to perform remotely. Musicians were empowered to choose, rehearse and record winter songs for the community, families, and friends to enjoy. In the video below, you will hear a variety of musical styles, content, and developmental levels spanning grades 5-8. There are some surprise guest performances from teachers and staff as well. Music is alive and well at Williston Central School!

CVSD Update: December 22, 2020

Dear CVSD Families and Friends,

In 2020, we took care of our families and each other. We collaborated and made connections in new ways. We adapted to change. We now look to the future and imagine, in a positive light, what 2021 may bring.

Please take a moment to view our latest newsletter. You'll find information about staying healthy and having fun over the break, a new video celebrating 2020, and an updated version of the Health Screener Questions.

You'll also notice a new format. Our hope is that it is more accessible to all viewers in our community. if you would like it translated or more easily accessible for reading, see the options on the top right panel.

I wish you a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season and winter break.

Elaine Pinckney,
Superintendent

Congratulations to CVSD Leaders!

The Champlain Valley School District celebrates and benefits from many previous participants in the Snelling Center for Government's Vermont School Leadership Program (VSLP). We are proud to recognize four leaders who recently completed the program under very different circumstances. According to this article in Vermont Digger, this cohort endured unusual challenges. 

The VSLP Class of 2020 experienced many unique elements over the course of the 17-month program. Most notably, the program was interrupted by the COVID-19 shutdown in the spring, but associates soon adapted to new ways of meeting, both in-person and virtually, that allowed momentum to gather over the summer and fall.

The 2020 cohort includes 22 Vermont educators, four of whom are leaders in CVSD:

• Jeff Evans, CVSD's Director of Learning & Innovation
• Alicia Kurth, Director of Special Education, Hinesburg Community School
• Stephanie Sumner, K-4 Co-Principal, Charlotte Central School
• Scott Sivo, Lead Principal, Shelburne Community School

Our district is fortunate to have motivated leaders who strive to learn, enhance their skills, and challenge themselves in order to best support our students.

CVSD Food Service Important Announcement for the Break

 

In an effort to provide as much food for families as we can going into this winter break, we will be sending out Winter Break Bonus Meals on Monday 12/21. Please sign up on the Remote Meals Order Form that you normally use for your students who are learning remotely. The link to the order form for your school can be found here. There will only be one Remote Meal Distribution, so please sign up early. These meals are available FREE to all children 18 and under. Delivery is available to anyone in our district from your local school.

TAKE OUT & DELIVERY ON MONDAY 12/21 ONLY
Winter Break Bonus Meals will be distributed with all meal orders on Monday. If you do not need remote meals on Monday and / or Tuesday, but want Winter Break Bonus Meals, check the box on the order form. All Winter Break Bonus Meals will go out on Monday 12/21.

Our local Food Shelf programs have been stocking up to help families and if you need food assistance during the break, please contact them.

We hope you have a safe and happy early winter vacation. See you in 2021. Normal remote meals will start up on Monday 1/4/2021, when school resumes.

If you have any questions please contact Scott Wagner at swagner@cvsdvt.org or call your school's food service director.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Thanks!

Your hardworking CVSD Food Service Program

CVSD Update: December 13, 2020

 

December 13, 2020

Dear Friends and Families,

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday, and I appreciate the steps everyone took to stay safe and healthy. We were able to keep our schools open for in-person learning because of your efforts and are hoping that a similar commitment to adhering to the Governor’s orders will enable us to reopen in-person on January 4th. We understand that we are asking you to make enormously heart wrenching decisions. On behalf of all the Champlain Valley School District, thank you in advance for your vigilance.

I had the great fortune of observing early elementary students participating in an engaging and exhilarating physical education class last week and it reminded me that an eventual snow day is just around the corner. As I’m sure you know, there has been much discussion about whether or not we need to take snow days now that we have a fully remote option available to us. As you can imagine, there are individuals on both sides of this issue.  Some say, “save our snow days”; others say, “we’ve already lost enough student days”. In the end, there is more than just the ability to provide remote learning that comes into play when we make these decisions. Therefore, we will be using a combination of traditional snow days and remote learning days when faced with inclement weather. The timing of the weather event and the forecast will guide our decisions. 

• If the severity of the weather event is not known until the wee hours of the morning, we will have a traditional snow day. This will be a snow day for all of our students - in person, in hybrid, and VLA.

• If the severity of the weather event is known to us by noon of the previous day, we will prepare for a remote learning day. This will ensure that students have the materials and devices with them when they leave for the day.

We will communicate with you about any weather event in all of the traditional ways: by phone and email notification, the district’s website, CVSD social media channels, and local media outlets.

Celebrate! Starting this week, all of CVSD's PreK-6 students will be in school, in-person four days a week. We can’t wait to have them all in. Our experience to date confirms what we all know - students are best served by in-person schooling. They thrive and so do their teachers. Our Grades 7-12 students will continue in the hybrid model for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, we are unable to meet the social distancing requirements that would allow us to bring back these older students.

Reminder: December 21 and 22 Schedule

Families of 7th through 12th-grade students should be aware that the final two days of school before the holiday break will be divided between the A and B cohort. This is taking place across the district to ensure equitable access to in-person instruction for all students in grades 7-12.   

Winter sports

We’ll keep everyone informed if/when any updates are available from the Governor and the Vermont Principals Association. 

Important Information

CVSD Reopening Site

CVSD Positive Cases Guide

CVSD Reporting Dashboard

Contact us with any questions using this form

Tis the season, and I wish you all love, light, and happiness.

Take good care-

Elaine

Emotional Support Resources

We have faced many, many challenges since last March, things we never anticipated, and some that were compounded by the stresses of the pandemic. One of those is taking care of ourselves and our mental and emotional health. We must consider the toll that the pandemic is taking on all of us, adults and children alike. 

At last week's press conference with Governor Scott, Mental Health Commissioner Sarah Squirrell talked about the strain COVID-19 has placed on our daily lives. People are struggling with isolation, unemployment, financial pressure, housing and food challenges.

“My message to Vermonters today, is that you are not alone, it’s OK to not feel OK right now,” Squirrell said. “Do not be afraid to talk about it, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.” 

If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7:

• Call your local mental health crisis line.
• Text VT to 741741 to talk with someone at the Crisis Text Line.
• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.  For more information visit healthvermont.gov/suicide.

• Visit our Coping With Stress web page.
• Get connected to Alcohol and Drug Support Services at VT Helplink.
• Get self-help tips and connect to mental health services at COVID Support VT.

Last week, CVSD's Director of Integrated Wellness, Tony Moulton, shared a 1-minute meditation exercise with faculty and staff. We thought we'd pass it along to others as well. 

1-Minute Resiliency Building Meditation

A. 10 seconds align posture: This does not require a quiet place. It can be done in a busy environment or a room where you are alone. Ideally it is done sitting but this can also be done standing. It is wonderful for waiting in a physically distanced line at the grocery store. First consider your posture. Straighten your back and neck, soften your shoulders, relax your jaw allowing a space to open between your teeth, and close your eyes if you are sitting and it feels comfortable to do so.

B. 50 seconds environment-awareness: Bring your awareness to the noises around you. Observe them without judgement or commentary. Move from one to the next with interest and curiosity. When your mind wanders, which it will, to thoughts and plans that might involve work, home or loved ones, gently invite your attention back to what you are hearing. Those sounds could include: conversations, the clattering of dishes, a fan from a heating system or your own stomach grumbling. Regarding conversations try not to focus on the words being said, but instead the sounds and tone being conveyed. Then gently move on to observe what other noises you can find in your environment.

C. Wrap Up: Take a few moments to reflect on what you heard. Take an inventory of the sounds that brought your attention back to the present moment and withdrew it from the stories, plans and internal dialogue we can all get lost in. Like other healthy habits, if you repeat this daily it will soon become a normal and welcome respite and will help build your resiliency.