Slate Valley Unified School District

Shaun Ketcham worked here at Fair Haven Union High School for twenty years after his tenure at Mill River. Over the years, he taught Physical Science, Earth Science, Vermont Ecology, Biology, Honors Biology, Advanced Placement Biology, and Conceptual Chemistry. He was department chair for most of that time. Shaun is well respected and loved with students and staff alike. He will be missed by all. We wish him a happy retirement.

Curt Hier has been a member of the FHUHS faculty since the fall of 1986. A Middlebury College graduate, Curt was hired right out of school and began his career in the social studies department. In his tenure at the high school Curt has coached golf, debate team, and has been the student council advisor. When asked what his favorite moments were in his career, he stated that Speech and Debate was, “like a box of chocolates” and that some of his best and most proud moments as a teacher were watching students succeed in that course. A two-time teacher of the year (1991 and 2000) Curt went on to achieve his MA in education from Castleton University and has always been a vocal member of the department. Best known for his tall stature, endless jokes, and his love of diet Doctor Pepper, Curt has been a familiar face for classes upon classes of students. When reminiscing about the “old days” Curt remarked how much teaching has changed since the good old days of paper/pencil gradebooks of ‘86, and how even after all this time he will miss the school traditions of footballs games and hotdogs, Slaterbration, Winter Carnival, and seeing the special kids each class has to offer. Upon his retirement Curt plans to take part in some spring and fall golf tournaments, and enjoy time with his cat, Cornelius. When asked what it meant to be a teacher he said, “It’s who I am, not what I do,” and that he, “leaves his parking spot to Kyle Ruby and his MESSY room to Ashleigh Sanborn.” Congratulations on your retirement Mr. Curt Hier!

Skip Fenton was a dedicated musician, and music teacher. His passion for Jazz was infectious, and he encouraged his students to write their own music, and improvise during concerts. Skip was able to make connections with his students, and pushed each student to achieve their own musical goals. During his time at Castleton, Skip would frequently make his music room available to students who needed a quiet and safe space to be. Skip also led the marching band that would play on Memorial Day, and also provided music for assemblies and 8th grade graduations ceremonies. Thank you Skip for sharing your passion for music, and for our students!

“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite imagination, and instill a love of learning.” -Brad Henry Sue, this is exactly what you do for not just your students but your colleagues at FHU as well. Please listen and recognize some of the roles that you have played and continue to play in your life as I read this poem that I wrote, recognizing you as the 2019 Yearbook dedication recipient: She is a teacher, first and foremost. Giving the students the skills to succeed, praising them when necessary, Pushing them to excel. She is a mother. Raising two children of her own, Allowing them to dream their own dreams. She is a grandmother. Cherishing those precious first steps, Reliving those first words with her own children As she listens to the newest voices. She is a colleague. Providing unprecedented wisdom, Illuminating optimistic realism even in the most difficult times. She is a friend. Wanting to share successes, Listening with a sympathetic ear. She is a teacher. Changing and embracing New students year after year. Thank you, Susan, for all of your years of service and dedication. Fair Haven Union High School has been so fortunate to have you with us. We all wish you happiness as you move on to the next chapter! THANK YOU! By Tricia Doran

Patricia’s journey as an educator began after a 10 year career running a grocery store with her husband. She also took time at home to raise her children before entering the public school arena. Pat began her career in ARSU/Slate Valley as an instructional assistant at the Orwell Village School. It was here where the passion began and Pat decided to work on her teaching degree. She left Orwell Village School to attend Castleton College, where she graduated with her teaching degree the same year her son and daughter graduated from Castleton College as well. Pat returned to Orwell Village School as a schoolwide teacher before transferring to Fair Haven Grade School in the 2012-2013 school year. She has served as an active collaborative member of the FHGS intervention team as well as the educational support team for nine years. Pat has touched many lives in her role as an educator. With her calm, gentle demeanor, she met students where they were at, developed supportive relationships and worked to facilitate growth in areas of need. Her passion for reading and learning has been evident and she shared that passion with her students. With heartfelt thanks and gratitude, we wish Pat the very best in retirement.

Chris is one of a number of individuals who came to us from across the border in New York. During her years here at Fair Haven Grade School, Chris has worked with students of all ages. She has done each task asked of her with grace and compassion, asking for and taking feedback when needed. She is a warm, friendly, outgoing individual who cares deeply for others. Chris is always ready with a warm smile and greeting. She asks how you are doing and really wants to know, waiting for an answer, not just passing by. In one colleague's words…“When I came back to FHGS, after working in other schools in the district, Chris Brown was very welcoming to me. I did not know her, as she had come on board after I had moved on to other schools. Every morning, she greeted me in the hallway. She also was very welcoming and visited with me during our shared lunch time. I had, in the past, coordinated a Support Staff cookie exchange around the holidays. This year, I could not do this at FHGS due to Covid. Chris was so kind as to pack a special little box of treats for me to share with my family. This was a kind gesture that meant a lot during a very different holiday season. I wish her the best of rest, renewal and relaxation in her much deserved retirement years!” All the Best - Alicia Waymire We all wish Chris the best in her retirement! Enjoy family and friends!

Recognizing Mrs. AWARD, Administrative Assistant Extraordinaire Seriously, many of our children affectionately call her Mrs. Award, thinking this was her real name! Mrs. Carrie Ward has been the familiar face at CES for 22 years, welcoming generations of CES students and their families to our school. She has served in this role under 4 principals. This alone is a feat! Her role as Administrative Assistant is not for the faint of heart! She has supported administration, staff, students and their families over many years, helping with everything from supplying a bandaid to registering students. She knows how to keep track of our students, providing daily check-ins for them as they arrive, and parents rely on that as much as they do, to guide their children safely home via getting them to correct buses or into the Parent Pick-Up (PPU) lines correctly. Her role, however, goes beyond that very important task. During her time here at CES, Carrie has worn many different hats. She was the Registrar, responsible for daily attendance, running reports for administration, organizing class lists for us, giving building tours to new and prospective students, and meeting with families to help them register their child. She has sent for new records and transferred many of our outgoing students. She has been the face of Kindergarten registration for many years, welcoming new, frightened kindergartners and their parents! She has a way of putting them all at ease with her warm welcoming smile. She helps teachers and administrators create purchase requisitions to get needed classroom supplies for our kids! For years she has done many important jobs within our school, too countless to mention them all. She has managed all of these jobs brilliantly over the years. Carrie will be greatly missed by all, and leaves some pretty BIG SHOES TO FILL! We wish her all the best in her retirement, and take comfort in the fact we know she is planning some very special time with her family.

Slate Valley has a wonderful opportunity to host a Future Genius Beta Masters camp for incoming 6th through 9th graders this summer. The camp will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 26th-30th. For more information: https://www.futuregenius.org/programs/beta-masters/ Camp registration: https://www.futuregenius.org/register/

Donna Fabricius, aka “Miss Donna'' has served as a speech and language pathologist in our school district since August of 2005 after receiving her Master’s of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Plattsburgh State University. Donna came to the educational field as a 2nd career and in one of her letters of recommendation it was stated, ‘Donna is an energetic, committed, empathetic person with a professional demeanor. Her interpersonal skills are exceptional! Positive effects of these abilities were evident in her relationships with patients, family members, staff , children, and supervisors. Donna is flexible and easy to work with. In the clinical setting she anticipated what needed to be done, and independently completed those tasks; she was always willing to do more than her share. Her foundation of knowledge was more than adequate, enabling her to diagnose and treat various communication and swallowing disorders. Her positive attitude and willingness to work hard make her a desirable addition to any team. I anticipate that she will become an outstanding speech and language pathologist.” Every word of this letter was proven to be true during Donna’s tenure with our organization. Donna Fabricius is an outstanding speech and language pathologist and has served our district well! Throughout the last 16 years, Donna has served as an SLP in every school in our district. She has served at every grade level throughout the grade span from preschool through high school. She has served students with a variety of skills and abilities and always demonstrated a strength based approach. She has worked school year and extended school year programs, always serving as an advocate for students. She has been the voice of many children while they developed the skills and abilities to use their own. Always an outstanding educator, Donna was formally recognized as the ARSU Outstanding Teacher of the Year for Orwell in 2009. In recent years, Donna has worked extensively with our younger and more complex students. She has been a valued member of our early education and special education team. She has been our local expert in communication and augmentative communication and helped many families acquire the equipment needed to support children across environments. Donna will go to great lengths to see a child succeed! We wish Donna the best of luck in this new chapter or her life. We thank her for her service to our schools, our communities and our kids. Her spirited smile, her positive attitude and her professional expertise are all things that we will miss about Donna! Best wishes to Donna Fabricius!

Recognizing Jill Christiana & Celebration of Her Many Years of Service Jill Christiana is leaving Slate Valley School District after a total of 23 years of service to our “Littles.” Mrs. C, as they all called her, has been an integral part of the lives of countless children. Her work at identifying their needs and then programming to help them become independent individuals is to be lauded. She has made a difference in so many young lives and has been key in helping parents with everything from toilet training, to social emotional and behavioral support, to helping children find their voices using her vast knowledge of language skill development. She has been a tremendous resource to countless families, helping them to secure services as well as supporting families on how to hold their children to high expectations by setting goals in all areas of development that she knew they could achieve. She was firm but fair while supporting families, and made believers out of many of these folks. Jill is an extremely skilled educator. Her ability to observe children and identify what her children need to thrive is nothing short of amazing. She has held many roles from Early Childhood Special Educator to U-Pre-K Classroom Teacher. She is a gifted evaluator. She knows how to navigate the world of licensing and has earned 5 stars in her programming numerous years in a row at Castleton Elementary while running one of the best district Early Ed programs. She is a mentor to staff as well and a valued colleague. Her ability to work with a multi-disciplinary team on behalf of her students has been nothing short of extraordinary. We will truly miss Mrs. C., her can-do attitude, and the belief she had in all students. We are thrilled that she is going to retire and finally take time for herself, her hobbies, and enjoy her family! We will strive to carry on her legacy, but there will only ever be one Mrs. C!

Reminder! Tonight, June 7th: You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Fair Haven Union High School in-person or virtually connect by going to https://meet.google.com/xxb-ijaf-teh or join by phone (US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: 692 154 434 9469# Tonight’s Agenda: https://5il.co/tmal Previous Meeting Minutes: https://5il.co/tc3e

Reminder - This week! Virtual Parent Informational Series - This series is intended to help parents and students make a smooth transition from special education in school to life after high school. For more information and to register: https://www.slatevalleyunified.org/o/fhuhs/page/virtual-parent-informational-series Please note: All sessions in the series will be available for viewing (on demand) on the web page above.

Slate Valley Summer Camp 2021 Ages 6-12 Slate Valley is partnering with Fair Haven Recreation Department at NO COST to any Slate Valley family providing the following Summer Camp options at Fair Haven Grade School for the summer of 2021. Each option includes free breakfast and free lunch, tuition, transportation from our sister schools, all needed supplies, and three weeks of learning activities run by Slate Valley teachers. Register at https://tinyurl.com/SVSummerCamp or email summercamp@svuvt.org or call your child's school to register before June 1st, 2021.

Congratulations to Slate Valley’s Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Casey O’Meara, for receiving the Vermont School Library Association - School Library Advocate Award! The award recognizes an administrator or public figure who has demonstrated belief in and has been supportive of school libraries.

Good Morning, In coordination with the Vermont Department of Health, Vermont Emergency Management, and the Agency of Education, Slate Valley Unified School District is hosting a vaccination clinic at Fair Haven Union High School today. Clinic Details: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Fair Haven Union High School 33 Mechanic St Fair Haven, VT This clinic will serve students ages 12 and up in our district, as well as members of the community. Currently, walk-ins are being accepted. Therapy dogs will be available at the clinic.

Reminder - This week! Virtual Parent Informational Series - This series is intended to help parents and students make a smooth transition from special education in school to life after high school. For more information and to register: https://www.slatevalleyunified.org/o/fhuhs/page/virtual-parent-informational-series

Reminder! Tonight (May 24th) You’re invited to the (virtual) Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Participation will be virtual only. Connect by going to https://https://meet.google.com/drs-woyk-irm or join by phone (US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: 740 586 770 3200# Tonight’s Agenda: https://5il.co/stz1 Previous Meeting Minutes: https://5il.co/so89

Slate Valley Summer Camp 2021 Ages 6-12 Slate Valley is partnering with Fair Haven Recreation Department at NO COST to any Slate Valley family providing the following Summer Camp options at Fair Haven Grade School for the summer of 2021. Each option includes free breakfast and free lunch, tuition, transportation from our sister schools, all needed supplies, and three weeks of learning activities run by Slate Valley teachers. Register at https://tinyurl.com/SVSummerCamp or email summercamp@svuvt.org or call your child's school to register before June 1st, 2021.

Reminder, tonight! Virtual Listening Tours with SVUUSD Board Members (Note: You are welcome to attend any of the meetings regardless of what town you reside in.) Join board members for a conversation about Middle School Reorganization prior to their vote on May 24th. May 19th, 6 PM - Orwell/Benson - Connect by going to https://meet.google.com/djm-sekz-bca or join by phone (US) +1 786-563-9119 (PIN: 104762513)

Reminder, tonight! Virtual Listening Tours with SVUUSD Board Members (Note: You are welcome to attend any of the meetings regardless of what town you reside in.) Join board members for a conversation about Middle School Reorganization prior to their vote on May 24th. May 18th, 6 PM - Castleton/Hubbardton - Connect by going to https://meet.google.com/gee-acpe-ota or join by phone (US) +1 442-900-4083 (PIN: 398252852) If you are unable to attend tonight, there is another opportunity tomorrow evening: May 19th, 6 PM - Orwell/Benson - Connect by going to https://meet.google.com/djm-sekz-bca or join by phone (US) +1 786-563-9119 (PIN: 104762513)