RISE at CVU 2024

The last two weeks took on a distinct character as the academic year wound down at Champlain Valley Union High School. The regular class schedules and programming gave way to a flurry of final projects, presentations, and assessments. Once these culminating activities were complete, the school transitioned into RISE, an enrichment program that occupied the remaining two weeks before summer break.

RISE stands for Reflective Interest-based, Student Experiences. Students attended either two sessions a day, morning and afternoon, or chose to participate in a full-day session each day. Students might also have explored an Independent Learning Seminar. RISE is a part of the academic school year and attendance is a graduation requirement.

An excerpt from the RISE 2024 Catalog: 

Our current educational model needs regular, system-wide, and equitable opportunities for student to develop and cultivate interests. We believe that RISE better accounts for the whole student (their interests and values), connects to the pursuit of lifelong learning, and will increase engagement and a desire to learn. Our model shows that, as a student-centered school committed to personalization, proficiency, and social-emotional wellbeing; we value the fusion of conventional and flexible learning opportunities to meet the needs of all students. 

Thank you Peter Booth, Carly Rivard, and Luke Dorfman for your incredible efforts to make this experience happen. And thank you to all staff for sharing your interests and passions with students in an enriching way.

Here's a small sampling of some of the varied offerings this year.

• Art and Activism: Puppets, Power, Protest, and Paint

Puppets? Protest? Join us for an integrated creative and theatrical experience. One of the many uses of art is to communicate, to express thought, to educate, and to motivate. Art and Activism explores the historical and contemporary use of images to create platforms for social issues through art and community engagement. While gaining perspective and context through examination of contemporary artists, we will work together to bring our own passions and interests to the masses. How will we do this? Through the creation of larger-than-life puppets! We will conclude with a theatrical presentation created entirely by participants. 

• Explore Non-Traditional Career Pathways

The intention for this RISE session was for students to be exposed to a variety of career pathways that may not require a 4-year college degree. We explored regional workplaces and career and Technical centers, with a focus on the fasted growing careers in Vermont, especially the trades. We did some career development work to explore interests and abilities and visited different workplaces that aligned with those interests. The goal was to visit a different place of employment daily off campus so that we could explore all of the careers involved and figure out next steps after high school. 

• Sports Analytics

Sports Analytics offered an exciting introduction to the world of data-driven sports analysis. Participants learned statistical techniques, explored data visualization, and applied their skills to analyze performance data from various sports. They unlocked the secrets of sports succedss through data-driven insights!

•  Game Programming

Students learned how to write code to create games of different types. They grew to understand that programming a game is a different experience from playing a game. They looked into the creativity and logic behind creating games. They learned through tutorials, experimentation, and examples from professional game developers. 

• Linguistics: The Art and Science of Language(s)
• Why is it so hard to say "She sells seashells by the seashore?" (Phonetics)
• What's the difference between a tapping bot and a dabbing pod? (Phonology)
• What is the "cran" in cranberry? (Morphology) 
• You this sentence can understand - but how? (Syntax)
• How did 'hlafweard' become 'lord'? (Historical Linguistics)

Participants explored these questions (and more!) by completing linguistic puzzles, investigating word histories, playing language games, composing metrical poetry, and digging into examples from the world's 7000+ languages. 

One session at RISE was called Documenting RISE: Photojournalism in Action. Facilitated by Olivia Gatti, CVU librarian and a Pulitzer prize-winning photographer, a group of students branched out to visit and capture the essence of various RISE offerings, in and out of the school building. See their photos below. (The names on the slides are the photographers.)

Thank you to everyone who helped make RISE a success once again! 

Past posts about RISE: 

2023

2019

The Origins of RISE

Celebrating CVSD Retirees

It's that time of year where, with bittersweet emotions, we recognize those that are moving on and retiring from CVSD. 

Thank you, thank you. 

If you'd like to reach out to any of these people, feel free to use the CVSD Kudos topic on Let's Talk and we'll make sure your message gets to them. 

WCS Students Win a National Competition

Williston Central School's Equinox team is comprised of third and fourth graders. Two of the teachers, Jamie Coffey and Karin Ward, each adopted cows through the Discover Dairy program. They both got calves from the Gervis Family Farm in Enosburg, Vermont. Jamie and Karin shared photos over time with their combined classes to watch the progress of Aurora and Tawny.

Aurora is the heifer on the left and Tawny is the Brown Swiss on the right

Then they received an email with a challenge to make a video to go with the Discover Diary song. Students helped to choreograph the movements and started learning the words to the song as fluency practice. Thanks to other adults in the building, Tara Weegar and Jessica Wilson, the video was created and submitted. They won the award for the grades 3-5 category, nationally! 

The students won an ice cream party with heifer-patterned décor and lots of Vermont ice cream from Wilcox Dairy, a farm that sits at the base of Mount Equinox. 

Congratulations! 

Lindy Gramling wins 2023 Adapted Physical Educator of the Year Award

Williston Physical Educators, Cathy Kohlasch, Dustin King and Kate Grozier congratulate Lindy Gramling (in white) for her recognition as the 2023 SHAPE Vermont Adapted Physical Educator Award.

Lindy Gramling, a school-based physical therapist for the Champlain Valley School District, has been named the 2023 Adapted Physical Educator of the Year by SHAPE Vermont, the Society of Health and Physical Educators.

Lindy has been a physical therapist for 29 years and has worked with many students and staff in the Champlain Valley School District since 2019.

Lindy is an advocate for students who collaborates and communicates thoroughly with a comprehensive team of physical educators, special education case managers, classroom teachers, families, and primary care medical personnel.

She was recognized for her outstanding work as a professional who supports students with skill work, participation, and inclusion to be sure their best interests and needs are met.

"I cherish feeling so invited by my PE colleagues into the service of these amazing kids. Whether sharing lunchtime together on the gym floor or connecting in the offices, classroom, and hallways, we always find time to share our observations, our perspectives, and creativity about helping children thrive in the PE classroom. Being part of such a collaborative and inspired team is as joyful as seeing the children I work with feel a sense of pride successfully participating with their peers."   - Lindy Gramling

"Lindy's years of experience, professionalism, smile, enthusiasm, and perseverance make for a positive connection with all. We are fortunate to have such a caring and competent person assisting the students, families, and staff in our district."   - Cathy Kohlasch, Williston Central School Physical Education Teacher

Congratulations, Lindy and thank you for all you do for students in Williston and CVSD!

CVSD Students Share Their Stories and Voices

We posted these two videos earlier on our social media channels and wanted to make it easy for anyone to access them. 

Thank you to all student contributors. You are inspiring!

Current students share their voices.

Past students share their memories and experiences.

CVSD's National Board Certified Educators

Three additional educators in the Champlain Valley School District, all based at the Williston Central School, have attained National Board Certification, a significant achievement in the field of education.

We extend our sincere congratulations to:

Colleen O'Brien - Early Adolescence Mathematics
Courtney Sherman - Exceptional Needs Specialist, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Deb Laskarzewski - World Languages, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood

Two educators maintained their certification, which is also a proud accomplishment. Congratulations to Erin Crowley (ABS) and Andrea Griffin (WCS). 

Colleen, Courtney, and Deb join others in CVSD who have achieved this recognition. At fifteen, our district has the largest number of Board Certified Educators in the state of Vermont! 

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National Board Certification was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. It is the most respected professional certification available in K-12 education.

Created by teachers, for teachers, the National Board Standards represent a consensus among educators about what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. Board certification is available in 25 certificate areas spanning 16 disciplines from Pre-K through 12th grade.

The certification process requires that teachers demonstrate standards-based evidence of the positive effect they have on student learning in alignment with the Five Core Propositions. They must exhibit a deep understanding of their students, content knowledge, use of data and assessments and teaching practice. They must also show that they participate in learning communities and provide evidence of ongoing reflection and continuous learning.

A Long-Awaited Sculpture in the WCS Courtyard

 Here's a guest post from WCS art educator, Abbie Bowker. 

Our guest artist/educator, Katie O’Brien had the idea for this sculpture when a cedar tree fell in her yard and she wondered “what if I were to put the tree back together again - as a sculpture?” The idea was formed and she worked with ABS/WCS teachers Sara Beeken and Julie Rogers to create a proposal for collaborative outdoor sculpture at one of our Williston Schools. The trio received a grant from the Williston Family as Partners group to fund the project which was supposed to happen the spring of 2020. We picked up the project and planned to reinstate it this fall!

Katie supplied all the materials for the project from the grant, and her fallen cedar tree. She cut off small pieces of the branches so that each student could “take home a piece of the sculpture” and make something special they could wear as a necklace or hang as a decoration. She wanted the kiddos to be able to contribute to the community sculpture, but also wanted something tangible they could keep as a memento.

As a class we prepared by learning about color theory and color mixing. Next, we learned about contrast and unity as concepts relating to color, and balance and repetition as concepts relating to design/pattern. When Katie came to us, our students learned about the idea of abstraction being either representational or non-objective and considered what kind of design they wanted to use on their section of the sculpture. 

She showed them an example of a similar work she had made in her garden, and demonstrated painting techniques they could use on their artworks. Over the course of the next few days two of our 5th and 6th grade classes contributed to painting the sculpture.

A few students helped to “thread” the sculpture like beads and we fine tuned the presentation of it indoors.

Then, Katie and her husband Tim came and installed the sculpture in the courtyard! It was a fantastic experience for all!

Thank you to our student artists, Katie, Tim, Sara Beeken and Julie Rogers, and Families as Partners for whom we could not have had the experience without! I hope you will be able to see the beautiful sculpture in the courtyard, or outside our music room window, soon!

CVSD UVM Outstanding Educators 2023

We are proud to share that Jen Bickel-Hayes and Michaela Whitman were recognized recently at UVM's 43rd Outstanding Educator event. Jen is a school counselor at CVU and Michaela is a primary teacher at Hinesburg Community School. They were nominated by their peers and building administrators. 

The comments below were submitted with their nominations for this award.

Jen Bickel-Hayes Champlain Valley Union High School, Champlain Valley School District 

Jen takes responsibility for the students who she most directly serves, and works tirelessly meeting their educational and mental health needs. She manages the school’s Naviance system, communicates with families, helps coordinates with transfer students, while squeezing in more students than her schedule physically allows - and all with a smile on her face. She makes every student feel seen, heard, and cared for. Jen cares about her work, the people she serves, and the systems she oversees.

Michaela Whitman Hinesburg Community School, Champlain Valley School District 

Michaela is an incredibly collaborative teacher. She is eager to learn new teaching strategies. I see her actively implementing those ideas and sharing her observations with her team. Michaela builds a community within her classroom and finds ways to include all students. She works actively to keep all students engaged in the classroom. Michaela has a wealth of professional knowledge about teaching.

Congratulations to Jen and Michaela and thank you for all you do on behalf of CVSD students!

A Unique Look at the CVU Class of 2002

Through a series of recent events, we discovered that there are a number of CVSD (and what was formerly CSSU) alumni working in the district. We reached out to those that we know of from CVU's class of 2002 and asked them to share a few memories. Here's what they shared, in their own words. 

    

Mariel Adsit (CCS and SCS school psychologist)

I grew up in Charlotte– I attended CCS K-8 and then CVU. I have many fond memories of both CCS and CVU. At CCS, I forged strong connections with peers and adults and discovered some of my strengths and vulnerabilities as a learner. I got the support I needed to develop my weaker skill sets, even if it meant going to a room in the basement to get extra help (the room is no longer!). Luckily I was allowed to bring a friend! I think this early experience ultimately inspired me to help others figure out their learning profile and to get the necessary support (as a School Psychologist). At CVU, I enjoyed my time on the tennis and Nordic ski teams and expanded my interests. Sadly, Psychology was not a course option at the time.

Doug Pierson (CCS special educator)

Memories from CVSD schools:

Being completely confused that in the middle of our math class all of a sudden we would start doing Tai Chi with Mrs. Heatherlee

Walking in to Mr. Mares class and having him announce to the entire class that an average student will get a C in my class. Being an athlete and getting a C didn’t really work so I remember turning to Pete Cernosia and thinking this is going to be a really long semester. It turned out that after a hard few weeks he was one of my favorite teachers and he had this great ability to push students to pay attention and give everything their best in his class. This class helped me the rest of my years at CVU.

For some reason, I was nominated to be the class Marshall (I think that is what it was called) and I don’t enjoy being the center of attention but as part of being the Marshall I had to walk the senior class (class of 2001) down and light a candle with a match in front of everyone (the entire class, parents etc.) My hands were shaking I was so nervous being up on stage that I was having a hard time lighting the match. It took me some time but once I finally lit the match and the candle I took a deep breath of relief and ended up blowing out the candle.

At SCS, I was on the Delta house and I remember Mr. Carlson would sit/stand on tables and sing to you in his Elvis voice happy birthday.

For sports, I was fortunate to have Shep all four years at CVU for my soccer coach and I’ll never forget him driving us to play North Country. We were close to the top of this big hill and all of a sudden we heard a giant pop. He pulled the bus over and we were all wondering what was going on and what happened until we looked behind us and saw all the soccer balls rolling down the road. The loud pop was us running over a ball but we also all had to get off and run down to retrieve all our soccer balls.

A small connection I have from then to now would be I remember being a big brother while at CVU and coming back to SCS to read to a young boy in 2nd grade. I also remember doing a project around teaching the first grade and going into HCS to help out for a semester. I remember having to teach my own lesson at the end and thinking back I had a great time doing this. I also had some family personal connections in special education and going into college didn’t know what else I wanted to be so decided education it was. I am now in my 14th year at CCS as a special educator working with the 3rd and 4th grade teams.

Laura Dyer (ABS teacher)

My memory would be of working in Carmen LaFlamme's class for WISH (Williston Student Helpers) in 8th grade (Mr. Ford would drive us over to the newly-built Allen Brook School from Williston Central in his car!). Mrs. LaFlamme told me I would make a great teacher and that I could have her job someday, which was the highest compliment from my very own kindergarten teacher! I went on to get my degree and come back to teach kindergarten at ABS, but I missed Carmen's retirement by one year.

Of course, a highlight was meeting Mariel Adsit in Justin Chapman's lit class at CVU and making a friend for life!

Brett Cluff (SCS 5-8 principal)

My favorite part of CVU was the purposeful community-building activities and structures. Coming from Charlotte, I felt like a small fish in a big pond. Some of the memories from CVU that come to mind first were the time I spent in advisory. Chris Hood was my advisor! I loved the relaxed atmosphere and the chance to get to know kids across grade levels. Climbing the wall in Project Adventure and all the field trips we took in Nichols Core were also really helpful in making us feel like part of the same team.

I got to learn from some amazing educators in my time at CCS and CVU. I think my favorites were usually the ones who really listened to what kids had to say and brought some humor into the classroom. I've tried to reflect that in my own career. As a school principal, I may not always be able to solve every problem, but I can at least listen with empathy and try to connect with kids and adults through laughter.

Laura Rice (CVSD Director of Human Resources)

As I think back to my time as a student in CVSD, there is one person that always comes to mind. Ms. Downer was a school counselor at CCS for many years. She is a beam of light and every time I saw her, she would make it a point to stop and chat. I always enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with her. Ms. Downer was never a downer, even in some dark moments when she had to give me bad news. She was a rock for me and I am forever grateful for her patience, kindness, and welcoming attitude. I ran into her this past spring at a restaurant and when I told her who I was, it was like no time had passed. We picked up in conversation. I hope that someday there is a person who thinks back fondly to my interactions with them in this same light.

When I was a kid, I often thought I would be a teacher mostly because of the awesome teachers I had at CCS and CVU. There was a culture of kindness and support that felt like an extension of home. I wanted to be in a place where I could support people the same way I felt supported. In college, I discovered my passion for supporting adults and it has now all come full circle with being in HR in education.

Dianna Fletcher (transportation)

I am a proud alumni of both CVU and CCS and would love to share! There are so many wonderful memories from my time as a student here.

One of my most cherished memories was when I was in the CCS Jazz Band. We were playing on Church Street on the very last day of my 8th-grade year. As we all came down the stairs to leave, all the teachers and staff had gathered in the lobby to send us off since we wouldn't be there at dismissal time. It was so heartwarming and special. And now, even after all these years, there is still a wonderful sense of warmth and caring flowing through the halls.

It is so amazing to connect with old peers that you haven't seen since graduation. They are your coworkers and the parents of the students you work with. The result is a community that feels more like family than individual groups and a real connection to where we all came from. I feel truly blessed to work where I grew up and to give back to the community.

Jennifer Goodspeed (SCS food service)

I remember one of my teachers at Charlotte Central School, Catthy Folly. One of her family members worked with my mom after I had been in her class. When she heard through the grapevine that I was having a baby, she made me a baby blanket and I still have it.

For my CVU grad challenge, I learned how to decorate cakes. It didn’t lead to what I’m currently doing, but now I see the connection!

I am happy to be doing this job as the hours align with being able to be there for my daughter, who is now a student at CVU.

Amanda Laberge (WCS teacher)

I attended Shelburne Community School from K-8th grade. My fondest memories there are of teachers and projects that I enjoyed, like the Pioneers unit with Ms. Morrissey (yes, Marybeth Morrissey, a current colleague at WCS was my 5th-grade teacher) and the Salem Witch Trials unit with Dick Carlson. I also remember the teachers that I connected with most and stayed in touch with long after graduation from SCS and CVU, like Meg O'Donnell, Dave Ely, and Carl Recchia.

Some of my favorite memories at CVU were from events with the Madrigal Singers, and the performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat my 9th-grade year, during which I was thrilled to wear gold go-go boots and play the honorable part of the Camel's Second Hump.

I also remember an English course at CVU in which our teacher asked each of us to perform part of a song. I don't remember which song I performed, but I do remember Brett Cluff's rendition of "Turn the Page" by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. I think in my young mind, it was Grammy-worthy!

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing at CVU for almost the entire day of Tuesday, 9/11/01 when we were just starting our senior year.

Overall, I remember finding my people in both my peers and teachers; they were people who supported and accepted me and who I'm grateful to have known. I feel very fortunate to work with several of them now, and to catch up a little bit at every district inservice and hear about their families and experiences living and working in.

When I was a student at SCS and CVU, I learned the value of teachers who care deeply about who their students are as human beings; that is the most important lesson that I have carried with me into my role as a middle-level classroom teacher. It is a lesson that transcends time and all of the changes we've seen in our society over the past 20+ (!) years.

Thank you for being a part of our community in so many ways, from student to employee! We value what you bring to our district and its schools.

STEAM Works at WCS

Allan Miller and Abbie Bowker, WCS educators, shared this guest post and video about a powerful STEAM project that took place in the latter part of the school year. View the video to learn more about the experience that integrated  many elements of STEAM, and which included ways to support our multi-lingual learners and families. 

This spring a small group of WCS 5th, 6th and 7th graders with a strong interest in art and design were invited to be part of a special pilot project that was part of a Vermont Agency of Education STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) grant. Nine Vermont middle and high schools were selected for the project, based on their original idea for addressing a local school or community problem. The WCS STEAM Team, led by Art Teacher Abbie Bowker and Design Tech Teacher Allan Miller, proposed that a group of students could improve school climate and teacher morale by having students create a multilingual entryway welcome and individual teacher name signs using laser and vinyl cutting technologies. This video is their project summary, highlighting the process the team used, as well as the positive impact their efforts had around the school. As a pilot it was extremely successful, and the team is exploring how it can continue to make the school community even more welcoming and inclusive through student STEAM creations.

Recognizing This Year's Retirees

Sadly, it's the time of year when we recognize those who are retiring from CVSD. Thank you for your many years of service and dedication to CVSD students, schools, colleagues, and the larger community.

You will be missed. 

We wish you all the very best on your next adventures!

The Return of RISE

It was four years ago that we last wrote about RISE at CVU. You can learn more about the origin of RISE and see some highlights of the 2019 program. CVU took a hiatus from RISE after 2019 due to COVID and the many adjustments to school and schedules. Happily, it has returned and it is off and running as of June 1! 

Given that it's been four years, it's likely new to most students and families in our district. Here's a bit of a refresher.

RISE stands for Reflective Interest-based, Student Experiences and is taking place during the last two weeks of the school year. Students attend either two sessions a day, morning and afternoon, or choose to participate in a full-day session each day. Students may also explore an Independent Learning Seminar. RISE is a part of the academic school year and attendance is a graduation requirement. It culminates on June 14 with a Presentation of Learning Day. 

Peter Booth, a Nexus teacher at CVU, is also the coordinator of RISE. Thank you Peter, and all CVU staff, for your incredible efforts to make this experience a reality once more! 

Here's a small sampling of some of the varied offerings this year followed by photos from some of the sessions.

• Empowering Women in Business
• In this session, we will explore the challenges and rewards women face as they enter the workforce. Topics around gender equity, finding your leadership voice, balancing work and life, self-care, and the importance of self-advocacy will be the focus of our class time.
• What participants will gain from this session is confidence in their thoughts and ideas, the skills to implement ideas, a knowledge of the resources available to support women in business, a deeper understanding of what it is like to work in business, and strategies for self-care as they balance the demands of work and life.
• Strategies to reach these goals will include guest speakers, field trips to local businesses, a job shadowing opportunity, and a potential trip to New York City to meet and network with women in business leadership positions.
• Wilderness Leadership and NOLS Wilderness First Aid
• In this full-day offering, students will develop their self-reliance, group-work, and leadership skills in a wilderness setting. They will come to understand the CVU motto of “Take care of yourself, take care of each other, and take care of this place” in a whole new context. 
• Students will become NOLS Wilderness First Aid and CPR certified, do their own leadership inventory and training, hike the trails in the region, and do community service for the Green Mountain Club and Vermont Youth Conservation
• Fractals, Ferns, & Formulas
• In this session, we will explore fractals, the infinitely complex mathematical shapes that are found all around us! After an introduction to fractals and their creation, we’ll investigate the connections to geometry, nature, art, architecture, technology, and more.
• The Science of Happiness
• Based on the most popular course at Yale, The Science of Happiness will focus on the question, “Why do I feel the way I do?”
• In this RISE session, students will grapple with strategies designed around how to increase their own happiness and build more productive happiness habits. We will examine misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the brain that guide us to think the way we do, and the research/strategies that can help you change. By the end of the session, students will be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity (or more) into their life.
• Come join us for a RISE focused on finding happiness and joy!
• Painting and Poetry
• Painting AND Poetry? It’s a win/win combination! The focus of this school-appropriate twist on the “Paint & Sip'' phenomenon is to encourage all students, regardless of artistic or writing ability, to engage in activities where they will be asked to think about varied subject matter, paint it, and then write about it using multiple forms of poetry. The culminating activity will be to participate in an in-house "Paint & Sip" (on age appropriate beverages, of course) class by a local artist who will guide students through a class-selected painting.
• Cooking for Independent Living
• Do you love a home-cooked meal? Do you have a sense of what you love to eat, but you are not sure how to prepare it? Would you like to leave this course with a menu of meals you have already prepared once, and are prepared to make again?
• In this course, we will work collaboratively to prepare meals (some in one pot preparation!) that you can return to time and time again once you are living independently, or for your current living situation! Impress your friends and parents with these go-to meals. Designed for first-time cooks, you will learn some basic techniques for preparing some main meals, paired with sides of vegetables and starches. Important- Many or most of these dinner entrees will not be vegan or vegetarian friendly…Please consider this course only if you are comfortable preparing and consuming fish, beef, pork, and chicken.
• Celebrating Culture and Diversity: A Project-Based Learning Experience
• Are you fascinated by the beautiful diversity of human cultures? Do you want to learn more about your cultural heritage, or are you curious about other cultures?
• In this RISE course, we’ll explore, celebrate, and experience the range of elements that make up culture: language, food, clothing, art, music and dance, spirituality, gender roles, etc. We’ll also open up avenues for you to explore your own cultural interests more deeply.

Click on the three vertical dots below the slides for a larger view/full screen.

Math and Music Are Connected

The information for this post was shared by Lori Marino, music teacher at Shelburne Community School. 

A fourth grade class was learning musical notation. Specifically, the associated number of beats each note is “worth” in a 4/4 measure. I drew the diagram shown in the pictures below. The last student to leave class had left the class line and drawn a note with multiple flags with a number written beneath it in the first picture. The student knew to increase to the power of 2 each time a flag was added to the eighth note which is valued at 1/2 beat in a 4/4 measure.

Curious when I saw the large number written below the note the student had drawn, I called a colleague, Jodi Sanders, in to see if we could verify. Sure enough after we worked through each power of 2 (we did have to resort to a calculator!) we verified that the student (who did not have a calculator!) nailed the value!! 

This was a remarkable accomplishment! After acknowledging the student's achievement later this afternoon, they told me that they had memorized all of the powers of two through 300 something million and proceeded to rapidly rattle off all of the numbers Jodi had worked to figure out earlier in about 5 seconds!

I thought this was a great academic/artistic connection to share!

Note: The excitement spread to others and students continue to make these connections. Here's another photo of what they worked on 2 days later. 

Wow, thank you for sharing this with us, Lori!

CVSD Update, November 17, 2022

 

Dear CVSD Families and Caregivers,

This November community newsletter features many celebrations, upcoming events, and updates about work in the district.

Thank you for taking the time to read it and have a wonderful Thanksgiving week.



As always, let us know if you have questions, feedback, or compliments using our Let's Talk page on the district's website.

CVSD UVM Outstanding Educators 2022

We are proud to share that Hannah Carey and Heidi Huestis were recognized today at UVM's 42nd Outstanding Educator event. Hannah is a math teacher at CVU and Heidi is the librarian at Charlotte Central School. They were nominated by their peers and building administrators. 

The comments below were submitted with their nominations for this award.

Hannah Carey is a creative, connected, and collaborative teacher. She knows her students deeply, resulting in lasting relationships. Students name her as a favorite teacher for years after taking her class. Hannah is most passionate about creating opportunities to make learning more engaging and pursues innovations to meet this need. Her ideas use connections between math and other subjects to help students see the relevance of their learning in the world. We are grateful for Hannah’s work!

 

Heidi Huestis has touch-points with every staff member and student in our building sharing her love of literature with all. She uses her knowledge of students, their interests and their abilities to create access to rich books for all. She volunteered as a middle school advisor and spends every morning creating a safe space and fostering connections with our middle school students. Heidi is more than our CCS librarian, she is an asset to the whole CCS community.

Congratulations to Hannah and Heidi and thank you for all you do on behalf of CVSD students!

Williston Candidates' Forum a Great Success

Last Friday, the middle school students at Williston Central School hosted their biennial Candidates' Forum. The teachers and their students invited the Republican and Democratic candidates for US Senate, US House of Representatives, Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General.

Various candidates for federal and state offices were invited and nine were able to attend. This is a great opportunity to inform students and educate them about the political issues facing voters in the November elections. These are the offices our 7th and 8th students were busy researching and preparing questions for. The 5th and 6th grade students also studyed the candidates, political parties, and issues of the election. They created posters that lined the walls in the school and auditorium. Following the forum, students will use the evidence from the forum for a writing assignment.

“The Williston Candidate Forum is an authentic way for our students to learn about democracy. It encourages students to thoughtfully engage in the process of educating themselves about relevant issues and asking questions to further their understanding of the topics,” said Jackie Parks, Williston Central School Building Principal. “Ultimately we want students to become active in their communities and this learning experience provides them with the foundation to build on as they grow into responsible and involved citizens.”

The following candidates and the office they're running for attended this year's forum: 

• Gerald Malloy (R), US Senate
• Peter Welch (D), US Senate
• Becca Balint (D), US House of Representatives
• Phil Scott (R), Governor of Vermont
• Brenda Siegel (D), Governor of Vermont
• Joe Benning (R), Lt. Governor of Vermont
• David Zuckerman (D), Lt. Governor of Vermont
• Michael Tagliavia (R), Vermont Attorney General
• Charity Clark (D), Vermont Attorney General

In addition to posing challenging questions to the candidates, some students were behind the cameras livestreaming and recording the event. They had support from the Media Factory. The complete recording can be seen at this link, thanks to the Media Factory. 

This was the 12th candidate forum sponsored by the social studies committee at WCS. Thank you to this exemplary group of teachers for preparing your students so well!

Here's a small sampling of photos taken at the event.



View additional coverage of the event from local TV stations.
WPTZ: Vermont Students Meet with Candidates During Forum
WCAX: Students Questions Vermont Candidates on the Issues

WFFF: Vermont Candidates Discuss Major Issues in Middle School Hosted Forum

Welcome Back CVSD Faculty

Today marked the official first day back for our faculty across CVSD. For the first time in three years, we gathered together at CVU for Convocation and professional development. With nearly 500 faculty members in CVU's auditorium and library (livestreamed), we started the day with speeches and a fabulous keynote. 

First, CVU's student co-presidents Asa and Kyle spoke to the whole group about their experiences in CVSD schools, with shout-outs to the many educators that had a direct impact on them. They reminded us that they have yet to experience a high school year not impacted by COVID-19 and are excited to embark on this final year of learning and connecting. 

Angela Arsenault, our School Board chair, shared an inspirational welcome message. She acknowledged the challenges we've all faced through the pandemic. She led us through an exercise to envision our dream school and district that is supportive and inclusive for all children. 

Superintendent Rene Sanchez told of the work that the district's leadership team engaged in this summer, helping to develop a focus for the year. With teaching and learning at the center of our work, we will emphasize growth and belonging for all. Incorporated into that are the more specific topics of identity, direction, connection, and proficiency. We'll be sharing more information about how we will define and incorporate those terms into our work with students and one another soon. 

Rene also recognized faculty and staff who had been in the field of education for longer than 30 years, culminating with CVU teacher, Norm McClure, who is starting his 50th year! (Yes, you read that number right!)

Our keynote today was Joelle van Lent, a licensed psychologist who focuses on resiliency. Her presentation was authentic, inspiring, and engaging. There are many things that resonated with everyone, especially after the last few years. She provided ideas and suggestions for how we can support our students and each other. 

After a short break, we shifted the focus to those four areas of identity, direction, connection, and proficiency. Everyone was offered the choice of reading an article, listening to a podcast, or watching a video (there were multiple options for each under each topic). Then we gathered in rooms by topic and discussed our experiences and ideas. 

Our final activities were community circles of about 10 in each group. There were 50 groups spread out in rooms around CVU. We responded to questions about identity, direction, connection, and proficiency. And then each group created a collaborative quilt square with some plans and intentions for the year. These squares were collected and displayed together for all to see and appreciate. It's an impressive collection of creative and thoughtful expression and ideas. Zoom in if you can!

It was a great welcome to a new school year with a positive tone, engaging speakers and activities, and inspiration for a fabulous school year. Thank you to everyone who helped plan, coordinate, and facilitate the day. We're excited to welcome students back next week! 

Meeting Needs During Post-Service

Our educators are hard at work this week! All PreK-8 educators were together in one building on Monday and Tuesday  for a variety of opportunities. The mornings were spent in PLCs, allowing grade level teams, departments, and other cohorts to have time together. for reflection, planning, and working with data. 

In the afternoons, there was a selection of workshop offerings. 

SEL and Mental Health: Annie O'Shaughnessy facilitated Resting in a Community of Care and Debby Haskins hosted Healing Your Heart. 

Technology: Options included Getting Organized (anything tech-related, especially Gmail and Google Drive!) and updating team and department websites.

Art: Mindful Mark Making and Calming Collage

Physical Movement: Rally Ball

Comments we heard afterward: 

"I need more time to get organized!""This is just what I needed." "Thank you for providing this opportunity and the time." "It was fun and relaxing!" "It was great to reconnect with district colleagues and be together again."

The work continues back in school buildings for the rest of the week.

Rising Star at CCS

Congratulations to Andrew Lounsbury, middle level science educator at Charlotte Central School! Andrew was selected to receive the Rising Star Award from the Vermont Association of Middle Level Education. (VAMLE)

According to the VAMLE website:

The Vermont Association for Middle Level Education (VAMLE) honors a Vermont middle level educator who has been passionate about teaching young adolescents and uses middle level best practices for three years or less. Three educators have been recognized by the VAMLE Board for the Rising Star Award this year based on their outstanding efforts and successes as relatively new middle level educators.

Andrew was nominated by his colleague and mentor, Allan Miller during the 2020-2021 school year.

Mr. Miller, now an educator at Williston Central School, notes in describing Andrew’s effects on students, “‘Relationships first’ - as we know middle level students are unique, and not all educators have the passion to connect with them in all their quirkiness, emotions, and energy. But it’s clear from being online or in-person with Andrew that he ‘gets’ them and that he is about connecting with them. Students show up to his office hours just to tell jokes, to share about their new dog or come to be part of the online Chess Club he started just because they enjoy being around him.”

Allan also mentioned, “When I meet with the team, I truly have to remind myself that this is really his [Andrew’s] first year as a teacher - his impact has been that significant already. He truly was the right person at the right time for the CCS Omega Team, and one we hope will be part of CCS for many years to come. Honestly some days I come away feeling like I’ve learned more from him than he from me . . . which is awesome!” It’s a valuable advantage as a team member to have a novice teacher play such a responsible role in the team’s success with students and in organizing challenging alterations in the schedule—a role that Andrew has clearly embraced.

Andrew with VAMLE's Executive Director Dave F. Brown and CCS principals Jen Roth and Stephanie Sumner

Congratulations, Andrew, and thank you for your many contributions to the students of CCS.

Thank you to CVSD's Retirees

We honor and thank those who are retiring from CVSD this year and wish them all the very best on their next adventures.