Upcoming Event: Youth Vaping Panel

Here's a message from ParentIN

According to an October 2022 ParentIN survey, 87% of CVSD caregivers viewed smoking/vaping as a big problem or somewhat big problem among our youth. ParentIN is addressing this health concern head on with a community education event for caregivers.

The virtual discussion with expert panelists will share what you need to know about vaping and actionable ways to prevent our children from starting.

Learn more and register today! 

CVSD Update, March 31, 2022

 

Dear CVSD families and caregivers, faculty and staff,

The distribution of this newsletter marks the end of March and hopefully the beginning of spring-like weather. Here are some highlights from the newsletter: 

• A letter from Superintendent Sanchez
• Information about COVID notifications and testing
• Notices about upcoming standardized tests
• An introduction to Let's Talk
• Celebrating some recent school accomplishments
• and more!

Let us know if you have questions, comments, or compliments using our new Let's Talk form.

CVSD Update January 21, 2022

 

January 21, 2022

Dear CVSD PreK-8 Community,

Since we last wrote to you on Monday, we’ve been working on systems to incorporate the new protocols that will best support our students and staff. Some of you have shared further questions about how we will implement the new guidance from the Agency of Education directing schools districts to stop contact tracing and adjust current testing protocols. For us, that means shifting from Test to Stay to Test at Home.

We hope that this letter outlines the next steps as clearly as possible and that it provides reassurance to staff and families in yet another time of change about how we can mitigate the spread of the virus. While we have received some test kits to distribute, we’ll need more to fully implement the program. We are communicating with the Agency of Education and the Department of Health to secure more test kits.

This letter is for parents/caregivers of students in our PreK-8 schools. For those who also have CVU students, please continue to follow the protocol previously outlined by the school.

Many families also know that free rapid test kits can be ordered through the USPS or at COVIDtests.gov. Tests are limited to 4 per household and are anticipated to ship out later this month.

Positive Cases:

• Please report results (positive or negative) to the Health Department using this online form, Vermont COVID-19 Self-Test Result Reporting Form.
• Our school nurses also need to know about positive cases. Please contact your school’s nurse to share that information with them as well.

Starting on Monday, January 24, this will be our procedure:

When the school learns of a positive case in a student or staff member, the school will notify students/families that there is a case in their class or team. Classmates and associated staff are considered “presumptive contacts.” They will all receive a notification from the school. In the notification, families of presumptive contacts will be given a link to a Google Form to request COVID antigen test kits. Kits will be distributed based on the form responses and availability.

• If our schools are notified over the weekend of a positive case that was infectious while in school the previous week, one notification will go out on Sundays. Presumptive contacts who are unvaccinated will be asked to Test to Stay at school on Monday. At that time, they will receive test kits for the following days.

• In the notification letter from your school, families will see a daily cutoff time for submitting the form to request test kits. That will enable staff adequate time to fulfill the requests and arrange for the kits to be distributed to the students. Our nursing staff will be the only ones who see what is shared on the form.

• Presumptive contacts receive a different number of kits depending on their vaccination status. It is important to note that it is still unclear how consistent our supply of kits will remain, and availability may impact kit distribution.
• If individuals are fully vaccinated (and have received a booster for adults), they would receive 2 tests and use them on the fourth and fifth days after learning of their presumptive exposure.
• If individuals are not fully vaccinated, they would receive 5 tests and use them for the next 5 consecutive days after receiving them.

We have been informed by the Agency of Education that if we run out of test kits, students should continue to come to school. For individuals with continuous household exposure or who are close contacts to a case outside of school, it is recommended that you follow the guidance from the Department of Health.

Returning to School
After an individual has tested positive with a PCR, antigen, or LAMP test, regardless of vaccination status, you should…

1. Notify your close contacts that you have tested positive, including your school nurse. Visit this page to find your school nurse’s contact information.
2. If you took an at-home test, use this link to report the positive test results
3. Stay home and isolate for 5 days. Call your physician to notify them of the test results.
4. You can leave your home on (or after) day 6 if:
1. You never had symptoms, or your symptoms have improved and you feel better
2. AND you have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medicine that reduces fevers
3. AND you wear a mask around others through day 10
4. AND it is required that you have two negative antigen tests performed at least 24 hours apart, beginning no earlier than day 5. The 2nd antigen test will be performed at school on the person’s first day back to school, prior to attending classes. Please communicate with your school’s nurse to make a plan for that.
5. If you are not feeling better, are not fever-free, or are unable to provide negative results with antigen tests, you should remain in isolation at home through Day 10. You can return to school on Day 11.
6. It is recommended that students who participate in athletics should seek clearance from a physician prior to actively participating in athletics after testing positive for COVID.

For further information, consult the Vermont Department of Health website.

https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/symptoms-sickness/what-do-if-you-test-positive-covid-19

If you have not already, please consider getting your child vaccinated or, if eligible, get a booster. There are vaccine clinics at Williston Central School on January 26 and February 16, at CVU on February 2, and at Shelburne Community School on February 9. These clinics will include Pfizer for ages 5+, first and second doses, and boosters for ages 12 and up. The clinics are available for registration on the Dept of Health’s website. If parents/caregivers are having trouble signing up online, they can make an appointment by calling the Health Department at 855-722-7878, Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Sat. and Sun. 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Important COVID-19 Prevention Measure - Stay Home When Sick
Students and staff who are sick should stay home. This is the most important prevention measure. All students and staff should stay home if they:

• Show symptoms of COVID-19;
• Have a fever (temperature greater than 100.4°F); or
• Are currently in isolation due to testing positive for COVID-19.

Information and Resources from Health Professionals

• Vermont Pediatricians Support Adapting Policies on Testing & Contact Tracing to Keep Schools Safe
• Chittenden County School Staff COVID Policy Changes
• Vermont State School Nurses Association Town Hall
• AAPVT Conversation with Families on COVID-19 Vaccine - Leah Costello
• QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test Instructional Video
• BinaxNow COVID-19 Self Test Instructional Video

Guidance from the Agency of Education and the Vermont Department of Health continues to evolve quickly. We will do our best to inform you of changes in a clear and timely manner. Thank you for your continued support as we adjust to the next stage of the pandemic.

Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm,

Rene Sanchez, Superintendent

CVSD Update About COVID Protocols and Precautions

 

January 9, 2022

Dear CVSD Families, Caregivers, and Staff,

This letter is part of our effort to keep you informed about COVID-19 and provide updates from the district. CVU families and caregivers - there will be another communication coming from Adam Bunting with specifics for the high school.

Please keep in mind that things continue to change daily, and we are doing our best to streamline communications. The Vermont Agency of Education released new announcements about COVID-19 and schools late on Friday. That news was a precursor to a more official announcements coming this week. Since the announcement does not provide guidance on implementing the changes, we will follow our current processes until we receive communication from either the Vermont Agency of Education or the Vermont Department of Health.

Additionally, you may hear about schools closing in districts near us, around the state, and in other locations around the country. It is our intent to keep our schools open. That being said, there may be circumstances that may cause classrooms, teams/houses, or parts of our schools to close. We keep a close eye on our staffing and the rise in cases in our school communities.

There may be a context that arises where one or more of our schools will have to close a grade level or a cohort. This potential context would occur if the number of faculty and staff assigned to that grade level or cohort could not be covered by available substitutes or available staff from the school, other schools, or the district’s central office. While it is unlikely that CVSD would need to close a school entirely, we would if the number of faculty and staff dropped below the level to ensure that safety and learning systems were viable. In addition, of course, we would provide as much notice as possible to accommodate your child staying home for the period of closure.

Contact Tracing/Exposure Notification

Throughout this pandemic, public health experts have given guidance based on the most current scientific research on this ever-changing virus. Over the past two years, we have gone through many phases where different strategies have been more effective depending on the characteristics of the variant most commonly found at that time. Currently, the Omicron variant is forcing us to, once again, reflect on what is working and what needs to be adjusted. Public health experts have agreed that the contact tracing that we have relied on previously to identify and isolate cases is no longer our most effective strategy. Instead, it’s time that we shift our resources and efforts and understand that the COVID-19 we are seeing today is not the same COVID-19 we saw in March of 2020, and as a result, our response needs to be different. We will continue to rely on the expertise of our public health partners and follow their guidance to keep our schools safe.

We will continue to notify families if their child was exposed to a positive case. Here’s information about what to do if your child tests positive or is identified as having been exposed to a positive case. If you prefer a visual view of that information, see this flowchart.

Test to Stay/Antigen Testing

We will maintain the program we have in place until we have further information. Unvaccinated, asymptomatic students who have been exposed to a positive case in school will still be expected to test (antigen) before returning to school.

Parents/Caregivers:

• If your child tests positive, please connect with your school’s health office to make a plan.
• Have conversations with your child(ren) about wearing masks properly.
• Get your child vaccinated or boosted.
• If your child exhibits ANY symptoms, please keep them home.

Vaccines

We are taking proactive steps to ensure that our schools can stay open. One of those is scheduling additional vaccine clinics at our schools. Please consider getting your child vaccinated or a booster, if eligible.

• January 12 and February 2 - CVU
• January 19 and February 9 - Shelburne Community School (SCS)
• January 26 and February 16 - Williston Central School (WCS)

These clinics will include Pfizer for ages 5+, first and second doses, and boosters for ages 12 and up. The SCS and WCS clinics are now available for registration on the Dept of Health’s website. If parents/caregivers are having trouble signing up online, they can make an appointment by calling the Health Department at 855-722-7878, Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Sat. and Sun. 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Families/Caregivers of SCS or WCS students may be interested in having your child vaccinated without a family member or caregiver present. The Department of Health reports that if parents/caregivers sign up via the website, there is a box to check where you provide consent. The site asks the necessary medical screening questions. So while you are welcome to attend the clinic with your child, you do not need to and you don’t need to fill out any forms as long as you’ve used the website to sign up. If registering by phone, please ask them about this possibility.


Again, the Vermont Agency of Education shared some new announcements late on Friday that will impact schools and families. More information will be shared this week. We will diligently review the new information and will share an update with families and caregivers as soon as possible. We thank you for your continued support and for partnering with us in order to keep our schools open and everyone as safe and healthy as possible.

Rene Sanchez, Superintendent

Test Kit Distribution

Dear Champlain Valley School District Community,

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communities as Vermont students return to school, we are encouraging you to have each school-age child in your household take two COVID-19 rapid tests. The State will be providing kits to families of school-aged children through locations across the state so they can know their students return to school healthy and ready to start the new year. The tests are not a requirement for students to return to school.

1. The Vermont Department of Health has distribution sites throughout the state over the next two days (Thursday, Dec. 30 and Friday, Dec. 31). Parents and caregivers should register their school-age children to pick up a kit at a site near them. To register for an appointment to schedule a time to pick up your student’s kits, please go to healthvermont.gov/student-testing.
2. Once you have collected a test kit, please have your student(s) take these tests at least 24 hours apart, starting two days before school begins. So, if your child begins school on January 3, 2022, they should take the first test on January 1 and the second test on January 2.
3. If your child’s test is positive, please report the positive test result to the health department (Go to: Healthvermont.gov/testing and use the “online form to report your results”). Please also share that information with us by sending an email with your child’s name, school, and grade to cvsdcovid@cvsdvt.org. Follow instructions for What to do if you test positive (Go to: Healthvermont.gov/covid-19/symptoms-sickness/).
4. If both of your child’s tests are negative and they are asymptomatic, they can return to school.
5. As of now, the Vermont Department of Health has not changed the timeline for the isolation of positive cases from 10 days. We will, of course, keep families and caregivers posted if/when that changes.

For additional guidance about COVID-19, consult the health department. Any child experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home from school regardless of their test result. Families should continue to monitor their students for COVID symptoms daily. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Some people have reported additional symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, nausea, lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Parents and guardians of students or staff exhibiting symptoms are asked to contact their family physician, the Vermont Department of Health, and the school nurse. As always, the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families is our top priority.

Thank you, again, for helping keep Vermont and our schools healthy.

Rene Sanchez, Superintendent

CVSD Update December 22, 2021

 

December 22, 2021

Dear CVSD Community,

First, we apologize for the length of this letter. We want to provide an update about measures to protect against COVID and what to do if there is a positive case in the near future, especially over the winter break from school. New information was coming in each day this week and it extended the letter! This letter is also available, like all communications, on our website and our blog for future reference.

As we prepare for a new year during this global pandemic, many members of our community have questions about the district’s plans for dealing with a potential rise in cases. This leads us to send out a request and several reminders as we head into the school vacation and holiday season. If you haven’t had a chance, please view the CVSD December newsletter. It may have been lost in the shuffle of emails last week about the TikTok challenge. There’s more information in the newsletter about COVID, including a timely letter from Dr. Leah Costello about staying safe this holiday season.

The Agency of Education has notified Vermont school districts that we will not contact trace positive COVID cases over break. This is because most positive cases would not have been infectious at school and therefore contact tracing and notification will not occur. It also provides a well-deserved break for our nurses, administrators, and faculty/staff who have been working tirelessly to support contact tracing this year.

Governor Scott announced holiday vaccination and testing clinics today. Learn more about those in this press release from the Governor’s office.

COVID + Results

Over the winter break, CVSD would like to collect information about positive cases in order to monitor the number and locations of cases across our system. This way, our principals and administration can best prepare school staff and families for our return to school on January 3. Since the schools will not have personnel monitoring their main phone numbers daily, we are setting up an alternative method for informing the school and the district. Please, if your child tests positive over the school break, do not contact your local school. Instead, please send a message to this email address (cvsdcovid@cvsdvt.org) and provide the student's name, school, and whether the positive result was determined from a rapid test or PCR. You will then receive some information about what to do next. This email address will be monitored daily and will help our schools and the district plan for January 3.

Vaccines

Vaccinations (plus boosters for those eligible) are very effective at preventing infections from developing into serious illness. They also help us keep our schools open. As you likely know, all children ages 5 and up are eligible for COVID vaccines. Those who are 16 and up are eligible for a booster shot, 6 months after their last dose.

CVU will host an upcoming COVID vaccine clinic (for initial vaccines or boosters) on January 12 and February 2 between 9:00-3:00. You can also visit healthvermont.gov/KidsVaccine or call 855-722-7878 to schedule a vaccine.

Record of COVID Vaccination

For those with children who are fully vaccinated, (after the second dose) please let your school’s nurse know by emailing them with your child’s name, grade, and if possible, a photo of the vaccination card. You can find the contact information for your school’s nurse here. This is important because the more vaccinated students we have, the fewer need to participate in Test to Stay.

Test to Stay Update

We will continue our implementation of Test to Stay after the students return from Winter Break. As a reminder, the Test to Stay program is for students who are NOT vaccinated, are asymptomatic, and who may have had an exposure to COVID-19 at school. Based on the way that the Omicron variant is spreading around the country, we wanted to provide notice that should the number of students who need to use the program rise to the point where we cannot adequately staff the program, we may have to revert to quarantining unvaccinated students. Please consider getting your child vaccinated if you have not done so already.

In addition, you may have seen that some of our nearby districts have had to close schools due to the staffing shortages in the run-up to winter break. Should we have to follow a similar path, we will attempt to provide you with as much notice as possible so you can plan for the school’s closing.

COVID Support in Multiple Languages

The Vermont Language Justice Project has provided translated information in 10 different languages in support of sharing important information around COVID-19 with as many people as possible. You can view the videos online here.

Families should continue to monitor their students for COVID symptoms daily. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Some people have reported additional symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, nausea, lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Parents and guardians of students or staff exhibiting symptoms are asked to contact their family physician, the Vermont Department of Health, and the school nurse and not send students to school until it is confirmed that they have not tested positive. As always, the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. 

Patience, adherence to reliable and trusted science and public health guidance, and caring for each other as a community is required now more than ever. We are committed to doing so and ask all members of the CVSD community to do the same.

Rene Sanchez, Superintendent

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If you need other assistance during the break, please consider these resources:

• First Call - 488-7777: phone support, crisis intervention, assessment, and referrals
• In Crisis: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) (National Hopeline Network: USA)
• National Suicide Prevention Life line- 1-800-273-TALK (8255), call or chat online
• Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
• Outright Vermont - support for LGBTQ+ community
• UVM Breathe In Breath Out - How to deal with stress due to COVID-19
• Vermont 211 -Vermont database of resources and services
• Vermont Support Line (833) 888-2557) - peer support warmline open 247 - 365 for call or text
• COVID Counselors @ VT-211
• Teen Crisis Text Line - Crisis Text Line provides free emotional support and information to teens in any type of crisis, including feeling suicidal. You can text with a trained specialist 24 hours a day. Text “HOME” to 741741.
• Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide - Website where you can find information to help yourself or a friend who may be having thoughts of suicide.
• Trevor Lifeline - 1-866- 488-7386 - provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. It offers free, 24/7, confidential counseling. TrevorText—text START to 678-678; TrevorChat—instant messaging at TheTrevorProject.org/help. It also runs TrevorSpace, an affirming social networking site for LGBTQ youth at TrevorSpace.

VT Pediatrician Shares A Letter with the Community

We thank Dr. Leah Costello for sharing this unsolicited letter with us. It addresses COVID, testing, colds, and more. Dr. Costello's words are helpful as we get closer to the holiday season and potentially more gatherings with others.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I write to you with high COVID case rates in Vermont, the news of the omicron variant, and the holidays approaching. Obviously, this is not how we were wanting to close out 2021. But there is hope. With vaccines and the right precautions, we can gather as small groups this holiday season and still keep our schools and community safe.

As a pediatrician and parent, I am relieved that school-aged children are eligible for the Pfizer COVID vaccine. Over 60% of children ages 5-11 in Chittenden County have received their first dose at the time of this letter! The CDC has recommended that all adults over age 18 should get a booster and just approved boosters for 16 to18-year-olds. If you or someone in your family has not received the COVID vaccine, now is the perfect time to get it. Your school nurse can help if your family requires assistance. If you have questions about the vaccine please talk to your physician or listen to one of these question and answer sessions.

An added safety measure this year is the use of testing before and after gatherings. If your entire family feels well, you can use two rapid antigen tests prior to gathering with others. Use one test the day before and one on the day of the gathering to ensure your negative result is accurate. To protect the community, we strongly recommend a PCR test 5-7 days after gathering. If you or anyone in your family is sick, please make the hard, but right, decision to skip your planned event and arrange PCR testing.

COVID is not the only virus we are seeing in our community. Unfortunately, without proper testing, there is no way to know if that mild runny nose is COVID or “just a cold”. We recommend that anyone with symptoms, even the most mild, stay home and be tested with a PCR test. If you choose to do a rapid test and it is negative, you must confirm with a PCR test and stay home until you are all better. This applies to vaccinated and unvaccinated children and adults. If at any point you receive a positive rapid or PCR test please stay home and follow the recommendations of the Vermont Department of Health.

Remaining at home if you are sick is of utmost importance this year. Even if your child is fully vaccinated or has a negative PCR test you must keep them home until they are all better. Sending your sick child to school puts others at risk. Risk of illness, risk of missing school, and risk of disruption for working parents. As a parent of 3 young kids, I understand how hard this is – and how it differs from the time before COVID. We thank you for your efforts.

We are fortunate to offer Test To Stay in many Vermont schools. This allows children who are exposed to COVID at school and who do not have any symptoms to remain at school. In this situation, we use daily rapid antigen tests administered at school. This is the only situation in

which we can use rapid testing for school entry. Children exposed to COVID outside of school and children who are sick are not eligible for Test To Stay.

The continued demands on families and schools are astounding. I am in awe of what our schools are doing on a daily basis to maintain the health of our school communities. And parents, wow, this has been the most challenging time to balance work and parenting. Everyone is doing their best. We are in this together and must hold each other up.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

With Gratitude,

Leah Costello, MD

Timber Lane Pediatrics

Recognizing One of Our Lifechangers

Needless to say, all of our school nurses are heroes and lifechangers. The past 18 months has certainly highlighted their role, their value, and what they bring to our communities. All of our school nurses have gone above and beyond to support the health and wellness of all students and staff. They are on top of the details pertaining to health - especially COVID-related topics, they are instrumental with contact tracing, they communicate important information to all, and have managed to do all of this and more with a smile. 

Allen Brook School principal Angela Filion recognized Williston's head school nurse, Maria Kapetanovic by nominating her for a Lifechanger of the Year Award. You can read more about Angela's nomination here. 

To be considered for an award, nominees must:

• Make a positive impact in the lives of students
• Enhance their school or district’s atmosphere, culture and pride
• Demonstrate exemplary leadership at the school and/or district level
• Possess a proven record of professional excellence
• Show commitment to building a nurturing environment that supports learning
• Adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards

Those qualities certainly describe Maria. Winners will be announced sometime in early 2022. Whether she is one of the official winners or not, Maria is a winner in our book! We thank Maria, and all of our school nurses, for their tireless dedication to all. 

CVSD Update, September 23, 2021

 

In this CVSD Update you will find: 

• A letter from Superintendent Sanchez
• A voluntary COVID vaccine status request
• Updated COVID resources and FAQs
• Child Tax Credit information
• Free and Reduce Price Meals information
• Hispanic Heritage Month and Deaf Awareness Month
• An invitation to learn about and provide feedback on our COVID Recovery Plan
• and more!

A Conversation with Medical Professionals About Returning To School

We were honored, once again, to host this conversation with local medical professionals about returning to school. They also discussed COVID safety measures including vaccines, masks, and more. 

We did the same thing at about the same time last year and are hoping that it's not going to be an annual event!

Thank you so much to the doctors and CVSD educators and lead nurse, Jocelyn Bouyea, for contributing to the conversation. 

CVSD Update July 19, 2021

 

July 19, 2021

Good afternoon Champlain Valley School District Communities!

I hope that the midpoint of the summer finds you enjoying the lovely weather, family time, and the Vermont outdoors.

I want to thank the family and community members who came out to the Shelburne Farmer’s market on July 10. We liked it so much that we are planning to make it a monthly event. CVSD will have a booth at the Shelburne Farmer’s Market on the first Saturday of each month. Not only will we be there to meet people, but we will be able to provide information and updates on our COVID-19 Response Plan, the return to school, job opportunities, and much more.

Though the original date for the Charlotte Grange on the Green was postponed, CVSD plans to have a table at the August 12th happening. We are also looking to be present at the July 28 Hinesburg Concert in the Park. If you are interested in listening to some great music, please join us at these wonderful events.

As we prepare for a full five-day-a-week return for the fall, the Vermont Department of Health is still recommending that unvaccinated people over the age of two should wear masks indoors. It also recommends several other ways to remain safe, even though Vermont does not have state COVID-19 restrictions or requirements for Vermonters or visitors to follow. However, we still need to follow the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidelines for travel on school buses.  Students and drivers are required to wear masks until further notice, including for transportation this summer.

We have no doubt that there will be additional guidance provided between now and the first day of school. We are in frequent contact with Secretary of Education French and with the Champlain Valley Superintendents Association so that we can align our policies, our communication, and our actions to other school districts in Vermont, and especially in the Champlain Valley region.

Finally, in coordination with our district’s annual focus on literacy, especially when it comes to summer reading, I would like to share the books that I am currently working through in July. The first is Coaching for Equity by Elena Aguilar and the second is Noise by Daniel Kahneman, Oliver Sibony, and Cass R. Sunstein. Both books are valuable scaffolds for my role as an administrator and both are by authors whom I have read in other contexts. Noise is heavy on the research surrounding bias while Coaching for Equity provides the hands-on, personal experiences that coaches challenge practitioners to muddle through in order to grow their craft. Though written in very different styles, I still find myself working through their text rapidly, but attentively. If you have time this summer, please wander through any of our town libraries to see if some book or other story-telling medium catches your or your student’s interest. (Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, or Williston).

We will be sending out regular communications and updates, so look for the next one in a few weeks.

Rene Sanchez, CVSD Superintendent

This letter and more can be found in the full newsletter here. We also post these communications on our website and on our Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

Wednesdays are for (Optional) Hikes!

Some educators in Williston have recently begun offering optional hikes on Wednesday afternoons to third and fourth graders. These take place in the afternoons after students have engaged in remote learning in the morning. Here's a brief report from PE teacher Lynn McClintock.


For the past 3 weeks we have been taking 3rd and 4th graders by house/team on walking and hiking adventures. The first 2 weeks we explored the Allen Brook Nature Trail in back of Williston Central School (WCS). Last week we took students from Kaleidoscope House on a hike up Five Tree Hill and down Sucker Brook Trail. What a BLAST!! We will be taking Equinox House this coming Wednesday and Mosaic House the Wednesday after that. What a life. It feels like such a smurftastic use of a Wednesday afternoon. Dustin King, Nadine Paffett-Lugassy, and me are on these adventures with Reba the therapy dog too.

I sent an invitation to each WCS third/fourth grade team with information about when it would be their turn and inviting them to come. It included a permission slip and the details for their parent/guardian. The kids have to get to school somehow. Once, I did pick up a student who wanted to go but had transportation issues. For the trip to Five Tree Hill, we all met at school. The bus dropped us off at Five Tree Hill. I called the bus driver when we were almost finished and she left school and picked us up at Sucker Brook. When we went to the Allen Brook Nature Trail everyone was invited and we were ready to take anyone who came. Close to 20 students joined us each time. For the Five Tree Hill hike, we put on the permission form that we had a limited number. We didn't reach that limit for the first hike. We had 20 and our cut off is 30. We are more likely to reach the limit on the next two trips because they are teams made up of four classes, so there are potentially more students that might be interested. This limit is a drawback because we believe that the more the merrier! We're just so happy we are doing something together and providing this opportunity for students to get outside and move.

Thank you, Lynn, Dustin, and Nadine, for making this possible. "Smurftastic" says it all!

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic - Open to 12-15 Year-Olds!

We are very excited to share this news! If you are the parent/guardian of a student between the ages of 12-15, here's an opportunity for them to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. 

What: Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine clinic at CVU, open to the public by appointment through the Vermont Department of Health

Where: Champlain Valley Union High School, Hinesburg, VT

When: Tuesday, May 18th from 8 am-8 pm (second dose clinic will be June 8th at CVU, scheduled after receiving the first dose)

Who: Open to all, including students ages 12-15 years old

How: Parents/Guardians will need to create an account on the Department of Health website if they haven't already. Once they have an account, they will need to add their child as a "dependent" and register them for an appointment. Parents may accompany their child but they will not have to (by registering them as a dependent, they have given "consent").

*Registration is available as of Thursday, May 13.    

Students who do not attend CVU and whose appointments are during the school day should notify their school of their absence as the state will not be sharing this information with us.

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Additional information from the Vermont Agency of Education:

Access to School Buildings

Since adults will have been eligible for vaccination for more than a month at the time the clinics begin, we anticipate that the largest population will be Vermonters between the ages of 12-18. However, all COVID-19 vaccine clinics scheduled as part of this effort will be open to the community. This is a specific exception to the guidance in A Strong and Healthy Year related to visitors in schools.

Parents will also be welcome to attend these clinics with their children if they would like to do so.

Registration

Registering in advance for these clinics is the best way to secure a dose, and will simplify the process of providing parent/guardian consent (see below). However, these clinics will have a limited number of doses available on a walk-in basis, as long as students under the age of 18 have parental consent.

Parental Consent

Consent from a parent/guardian is required for students under the age of 18 to receive the vaccine. In an effort to make receiving a vaccine as easy as possible, there are multiple ways that parents can provide consent.

By registering for the vaccine online - Parents/guardians can add their children as dependents in the State's vaccine registration system, and then schedule an appointment for them at their school clinic or another convenient community clinic. As part of that registration process, they will be asked to provide consent for their child to be vaccinated.

• By registering for the vaccine online - Parents/guardians can add their children as dependents in the State's vaccine registration system, and then schedule an appointment for them at their school clinic or another convenient community clinic. As part of that registration process, they will be asked to provide consent for their child to be vaccinated.
• By registering for the vaccine using the call center - Parents/guardians can call the state's call center (press "1" to use a language other than English) to make a vaccine appointment for their child. As part of that registration process, they will be asked to provide consent over the phone.
• By attending the clinic with their child - Clinics will provide limited 'walk-in' vaccine doses. If students have their parent/guardian with them, they will be able to provide consent at that time. As a reminder, the best way for students to guarantee their dose is to register in advance.
• Over the phone during the clinic - If the student attends a clinic as a walk-in without their parent/guardian present, the clinic registration staff will be able to accept and document parental consent over the phone, similar to the call center process. As a reminder, the best way for students to guarantee their dose is to register in advance.

Pharmacies

In addition to the school and community-based clinics, they will be able to make appointments to receive the vaccines at pharmacies that offer the Pfizer vaccine. At this time, that includes Kinney Drugs, CVS, Hannaford, and Costco. Students and families can choose to make their appointment wherever is most convenient for them.

Spring 2021 Frequently Asked Questions

What is the issue with contact tracing / quarantining?

The main challenge is the exploding number of cases in Chittenden County combined with how three-foot distancing puts so many more unvaccinated students at risk of contracting the virus.

Why might the new 3 feet social distancing guidance result in more close contacts?
While the guidance has changed from six feet to three feet, the manner in which students are quarantined has not. Thus any student who is within three feet of another student for fifteen minutes or more will need to be absent from school and all activities for seven days and a test. Based on the large number of cases in Chittenden County, it is likely that we would be bringing kids back to school only to send them home. Families who have experienced this quarantining describe the disruption for their child and themselves as quite substantial. So far about 1 in every 16 CVSD students has been quarantined!

What is the impact on daily operations?

The issue with increased cases is both the amount of time it takes to process each case as well as the impact it has on the need for remote learning. While the guidance has changed from six feet to three feet, the determination of who is a close contact and will thus need to quarantine has not. Students who are within six feet of an infected student for 15 minutes (cumulative throughout the day) or in the same space as an infected student for 4 1/2 hours (also cumulative throughout the day) are considered close contacts and must quarantine for 14 days or a negative PCR test after 7 days. We've learned over the last month that even with the six feet social distancing guidance, many, many students end up needing to quarantine. These numbers will increase when the distance we allow between them is reduced. The work of determining these close contacts is left to our administrators, district and school nursing staff, the faculty and staff connected to the students - all in conjunction with the Department of Health. We have had several cases recently that took several days to resolve. Wednesdays provide an opportunity to catch up with this work

Is Covid-19 spreading at school?
Our schools are a reflection of our communities. As community spread ticks up in Chittenden County, we’ve seen a corresponding increase in cases coming into our school buildings. And while our mitigation efforts continue to prove effective at stopping the spread once it enters our buildings, we have seen two cases of what the Department of Health deems an outbreak. By definition, this is three or more cases within the school that could not have been contacted outside of school. Our positive cases have been linked to household transmission with the most common pattern being transmission from an adult to a child living in the same household.

If there is in-school transmission, will we be notified?
In an in-school transmission or an outbreak (three or more cases linked together) is confirmed by the Epidemiology Team, the school is required to notify the families and take appropriate steps suggested by the Department of Health. We also notify the entire school community as a regular practice.

Do all close contacts have to quarantine for the same length of time? It seems some individuals are out for fewer days than others.
The timeline for quarantining has been established by the VT Department of Health based on current research and understanding of the incubation period of the virus and how it spreads. In Vermont, we rely on a team of contact tracers who interview the positive person to establish the individual timeline for each COVID case. Based on that individual’s timeline, the school team works with the Dept. of Health to determine what the necessary quarantine, testing, and remote timelines will be.

Though each case is unique, all individuals identified as close contacts are required to quarantine for seven days from the last day of possible exposure to the person who was infectious (known as day zero). At that point, they must take a PCR Covid test and remain in quarantine until negative results are received. These negative results must be shared with the health office before the individual is allowed back in school. Due to the particulars of a case, the exposure is sometimes not known until days after it occurred. In such cases, there may be different amounts of school days missed.

Is the quarantine requirement consistently applied?
Yes, the quarantine requirement is consistently applied as directed by the VT Department of Health.

What is the school doing to prevent transmission at school?
Our schools continue to be diligent with our protective measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. We believe that the following measures are effective in containing transmission at school:

• Mask wearing by all with very few exceptions for individuals for whom mask wearing is contraindicated in the Individualized Education Plan
• Maintaining 3 feet distancing between students and 6 feet distancing between adults
• Washing hands routinely throughout the day
• Availability of hand sanitation stations in all common areas
• Sending symptomatic students home as soon as symptoms present themselves
• Maintenance of student groupings and seating charts to minimize contacts
• Closing the buildings to the public

Why can we use our judgment to determine whether or not we can bring students back, but cannot use our judgment to require those who travel to quarantine?
The social distancing guidance is a recommendation. Schools are asked to consider local conditions and circumstances as well as the social distance criteria. Quarantining requirements are handed down by the VT Department of Health and the Agency of Education. Here is the response we received when we asked about our ability to require families who have traveled out of state to quarantine while they awaited a negative COVID test result:

Can schools decide to require quarantining after travel for students/staff even though Vermont Forward has removed this?

From Secretary French: No they cannot. They are to follow Vermont Forward and state guidance. School districts do not have the authority to arbitrarily deny students access to in-person instruction.

What is the Vermont Forward guidance relative to travel out of state?

Families who travel out of state are required to get a COVID test three days after return to Vermont. Students may return to school while they are awaiting their test results. If a student is symptomatic, they should self-quarantine.

What is the guidance relative to travel out of the country?

Families who travel out of the country are required to quarantine for fourteen days or seven days with a negative test result.

What activities occur on Wednesday remote days?

• Synchronous Learning
• Asynchronous Learning
• Office hours with students
• Parent meetings
• EST and 504 meetings
• Assessments
• Teacher Planning
• Cross-disciplinary, team teacher planning
• Staff professional learning
• Staff meetings
• Reopening/ Recovery/ Summer Planning

Why isn’t CVU going to four days per week instruction?
From Principal Bunting:

Right now, the main concern is losing more instructional days than we would gain if we made a full return. While the CDC guidance on social distancing has changed from six feet to three feet, the manner in which students are quarantined has not. Thus any student who is within six feet of another student for fifteen minutes or more will need to be absent from school and all activities for seven days and a test. One positive case would result in a minimum of twenty-one other students missing up to five days of instruction. Based on the increase of cases in Chittenden County, it is likely that we would be bringing kids back to school only to send them home. Families who have experienced this quarantining describe the disruption for their child and themselves as quite substantial. So far about one in every sixteen CVSD students has been quarantined!

Is CVU doing anything to add in-person time for high school students?
CVU is looking for ways in which to increase in-person time as the school year progresses. Starting after April break they will allow any student who wishes to come in for academic support to do so. Additionally, they will have ninth graders in for three of the six remaining Wednesdays for the remainder of the year. They are planning a traditional senior week to get seniors back in school before the close of the year. Finally, CVU will offer many free summer opportunities to all students; those opportunities will include courses, camps, and social experiences.

What is the plan/ intention for the fall?
We are planning a full reopening in as near-normal as possible. We imagine that we will still be wearing masks, but expect that the school schedule, routines, and practices will be back to pre-COVID operations. We are planning for, and looking forward to this eventuality.

CVSD Update: March 26, 2021

In this latest update, you will find a letter from Superintendent Pinckney, the status of 7th and 8th grade students returning for more time in school, reminders about travel and quarantining, and more. 

Thank you for taking the time to read it. As always, let us know if you have questions by contacting us using this email address (cvsdinformation@cvsdvt.org) or this form. 

Reminder: Share Your Thoughts!

Good news, we’ve had lots of participation in the ThoughtExchange from parents and guardians and from faculty and staff. It is also now open for high school students as well. Here’s an update on our ThoughtExchange.

There are some great ideas in this exchange, and we need your help to make sure we understand what’s most important to you. If you’re game, please head back into the exchange and rate more thoughts.

Here’s just one of many great thoughts from the exchange that could still use some more ratings:

Please use this link to jump back into the exchange and add stars to show how strongly you agree or disagree with this, and other thoughts.   

https://bit.ly/CVSDMidYearCheckIn

The exchange will be open until 11:59 pm on Sunday, February 21, 2021. Please take some time to participate before then.

We appreciate your participation and contribution to this discussion. Let’s make the most of this opportunity to talk about what really matters to you. Thank you!

Local Pediatrician: Stay Strong!

 Dr. Leah Costello, a CVSD parent, local pediatrician, and physician supporting our COVID team, shared the following letter on her networks and with us. This letter was unsolicited. She asked that we pass it along to our families. 

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

On Christmas day my husband, children and I gathered with my parents, who live locally. A week later, on Saturday January 2nd, we all underwent COVID testing as recommended by the Vermont Department of Health. I was impressed to receive our negative results within 36 hours and woke my children on Monday morning to tell them they could go back to school. They were so excited that it felt like Christmas morning again. 

I feel so lucky to live here in Vermont where I continue to feel safe sending my three children to school and childcare. Despite rising numbers of COVID cases our schools and childcares continue to be one of the safest places in our community. Yes, transmission within a school setting has been seen, but it has been minimal and there is little evidence that schools contribute meaningfully to community spread. This is because the safety protocols in place are effective. It is also due to an incredible amount of work on the part of the entire school and childcare administration, teachers and staff. They are burning the midnight oil, and beyond, to keep our children safe. 

If schools and childcare are not the risk then how are children getting COVID? Many pediatric cases are acquired from infected adults in the home. Other known risks are family gatherings, travel out of state, sleepovers, birthday parties and indoor playdates. We feel safe with people we know, we take off our masks and let down our guard. Knowing this risk we must limit these activities to protect ourselves and protect those educating and caring for our children. 

There is hope on the pandemic horizon. There are two vaccines available that are safe and effective. As a physician, I feel grateful to have been vaccinated and I desperately want everyone to have access to the COVID vaccine as soon as possible, though the supply of vaccine is limited at this time. Vermont has announced the decision to distribute COVID vaccine based on age groupings and I can imagine this was devastating news to those working in schools and childcare centers. The American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter is actively advocating that school and childcare staff be prioritized for the vaccine and we will continue to do this advocacy. 

At this time of intense COVID fatigue, we must continue to make sacrifices to protect our community until the vaccine is available to all. Continue to wear your mask, socially distance, and avoid crowded places. If you gather with anyone out of your household, travel out of state, or have any symptoms of COVID, please stay home and arrange testing. If you or your family member gets COVID please follow the Vermont Department of Health testing and quarantine guidelines to reduce its transmission. We must continue to do our part to prevent the spread of this disease. Our community, schools, childcare centers and children are counting on you. We’ve got this. 

Thank you, 

Leah Costello, MD FAAP 

Timber Lane Pediatrics

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.