Action based learning with Kinders & 6th graders
about 1 month ago, Kelley Schultz
Two older students and two younger children sit in a circle on a gymnasium floor. They are working together on "Fast Word Writing" worksheets placed in plastic sleeves, using dry-erase markers and clipboards to practice writing names and words.
A teenage girl in a light blue sweatshirt leans over a cafeteria table, pointing to lettered blocks to help a young girl in a green dress. They are using yellow baseplates and blue/red blocks to build words. An adult man watches the activity from the side. IMG_2944.jpg A side view of the same literacy activity at the cafeteria table. A young girl with a long blonde braid reaches into a clear bin of letter blocks while a teenage mentor stands by to assist. Yellow building plates and word slips are spread across the table.
In a gym, an older student walks past a line of numbered papers taped to the floor. Each paper shows a number and a corresponding ten-frame diagram. A younger child in a red dress kneels to interact with one of the papers while another child stands nearby.
n a gym, an older student walks past a line of numbered papers taped to the floor. Each paper shows a number and a corresponding ten-frame diagram. A younger child in a red dress kneels to interact with one of the papers while another child stands nearby. IMG_2943.jpg A teenage girl in a light blue sweatshirt leans over a cafeteria table, pointing to lettered blocks to help a young girl in a green dress. They are using yellow baseplates and blue/red blocks to build words. An adult man watches the activity from the side.
A teenage girl in a light blue sweatshirt leans over a cafeteria table, pointing to lettered blocks to help a young girl in a green dress. They are using yellow baseplates and blue/red blocks to build words. An adult man watches the activity from the side.
A young girl in a pink hoodie kneels on a green gym floor mat. She is using a dry-erase marker to practice writing the number 6 on a worksheet that includes a ten-frame and a "number rhyme" poem.
A young girl with a long blonde braid, wearing a red polka-dot dress, kneels on the floor to practice writing the number 5 on a math worksheet. Other numbered stations are visible nearby.
Students in crazy eights math club did a road trip today and had to carefully plan a trip from the East Coast to the West Coast with limitations on gas, miles driven, and other factors! It was a great lesson on adding, subtracting, and planning ahead.
about 1 hour ago, Kelley Schultz
These students are engaging with a math and geography game called "Road Trip!".
The Game Board: Students use a large fabric map of the United States featuring routes and state abbreviations to plan their journey.
Game Pieces: The journey is tracked using dice to determine movement and small car-shaped markers to represent their location on the map.
It looks like this is a log tracking mileage and fuel refills. Based on the handwriting, it’s a great exercise in basic subtraction and keeping a running total!
Fun in the Sun and Snow!
about 19 hours ago, Kelley Schultz
Two smiling young boys stand side-by-side on a paved area covered in light snow and ice, wearing heavy winter coats, snow pants, gloves, and hats. Behind them, a snow-covered playground features a large snow pile, a basketball hoop, and a light-colored building under a clear blue sky.
Two smiling girls in colorful winter gear—one in a purple jacket and the other in a light blue jacket with bright pink snow pants—stand in a large pile of snow. In the background, other children play on the snowbanks near a building under a clear blue sky.
a girl in a purple jacket and pom-pom beanie
A girl with long reddish hair leans back and smiles while sitting in a large, textured snowbank. She is wearing a patterned camouflage-style hoodie and light-colored snow pants.
A side-by-side composite shows two children in dark winter gear standing in a vast, flat snow-covered field. The child on the left wears a black jacket and beanie, while the child on the right wears a black jacket and a brown knit hat.
Some beautiful Origami!
about 21 hours ago, Kelley Schultz
These images highlight intricate paper-folding projects, often referred to as Iris Folding or modular origami, created by students in a school setting.
A top-down view of a completed paper-folding project resting on a dark gray square of paper. The artwork is a symmetrical, star-like mandala made of many small, folded "kite" shapes in various shades of blue and green, radiating outward from a central point. The project is placed on a wooden table next to a colorful, paint-splattered sheet and some blue paper scraps.
Two young girls smile while sitting at a table in a school cafeteria, working on intricate paper-folding art projects. They are surrounded by colorful paper squares, glue sticks, and completed geometric designs, with a guide sheet on the table labeled "Kite," "Pyramid," "Bug," and "Glider." In the background, other students are seated at long tables eating lunch.
Making bracelets and playing Fishy, Fishy on a cold winter's day!
about 22 hours ago, Kelley Schultz
A young boy wearing glasses and a white t-shirt with heart characters stands at a table, proudly holding up a string of colorful beads he has made. Behind him, other children and adults are seated at the same table, which is covered with bead trays and a red bin filled with more beads. The setting appears to be a school gym or community center, with a basketball hoop and an American flag visible in the background.
A woman and several young children sit at a long brown table, focused on stringing colorful beads using grey sorting trays. A young boy in a white heart-patterned t-shirt proudly holds up a finished string of beads while standing at a similar workstation.
These images showcase children participating in various supervised indoor activities within a school gymnasium or multipurpose room
These images capture children engaged in creative jewelry-making and physical activities within a school gymnasium or community center.
These images capture children participating in jewelry-making and physical activities within a school gymnasium
A young girl in a cat-themed dress smiles while displaying a finished bead keychain
A woman and four young children sit at a long brown table in a gymnasium, focused on making jewelry with colorful beads and grey sorting trays. Several other children are visible in the background near a blue padded wall and folding cafeteria tables.
Huge thank you to 6th graders for joining and helping Kinders make their play-dough!
about 22 hours ago, Amy Roy
This second image offers another perspective of the group activity, showing several more children focused on their dough creations at the long cafeteria tables.
These images capture children participating in a hands-on playdough making activity within a school cafeteria or gymnasium.
These images capture a multi-stage, hands-on activity where children and teenagers are working together to make and play with homemade playdough.
These images capture a collaborative "Easy No-Cook DIY Playdough" workshop involving children and teenagers in a school cafeteria or gymnasium setting.
These images document a collaborative "Easy No-Cook DIY Playdough" workshop held for children and teenagers in a school cafeteria or gymnasium.
This collection of images documents a collaborative "Easy No-Cook DIY Playdough" workshop held for children and teenagers in a school cafeteria or gymnasium setting.
This image shows a group of children and teenagers gathered around long tables in what appears to be a school cafeteria or gymnasium, enthusiastically working with dough.
Kinders earned a PBIS class celebration! We will each get to make our own play-dough tomorrow :)
1 day ago, Amy Roy
"A group of eight young children sitting on the floor in a school hallway, smiling at the camera. They are in front of a large, craft-style tree with a beehive and paper bees attached. One child is holding a jar filled with small yellow and white balls. Behind them, a bulletin board displays a colorful bear with the words 'Have a Creative Day!' and various student photos. In the background, another child in a pink outfit is at a water fountain near the hallway doors."
Two of our second grade mathematicians have made it to 1,000 on their number scrolls!
3 days ago, Amy Roy
Two elementary-aged students stand indoors in front of a door, smiling and holding very long strips of paper that extend from their hands down to the floor. Each strip is covered with neatly written numbers or math work in small boxes, showing an extensive completed activity. The student on the left wears a dark shirt, and the student on the right wears a light shirt with a hoodie. Classroom posters about calming strategies and breathing are visible on the wall to the right, and a fan sits on the floor to the left.
Board Meeting Tonight- January 26, 2026
You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Fair Haven Union Middle & High School band room.
This meeting will be in person. Virtually connect by going to:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/zjf-fize-oet
Or dial: (US) +1 413-779-5205 PIN: 549 283 171#

Please note: To participate in conversation virtually and/or ask a question virtually, please use the “raise hand” icon in Google Meet. Typing responses or questions in chat is not an option.
3 days ago, Slate Valley
Graphic announcing a Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board Meeting. Text reads “Please Join Us Tonight” and “Board Meeting.” The agenda includes consent agenda; warning for FY27 school budget; tax rate discussion; committee reports for building and grounds, policy, and executive committee. Meeting details list January 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM, held at Fair Haven Union Middle & High School in the Band Room. The graphic features a circular table with stylized people icons and a Vermont logo.
Good Afternoon,

All Slate Valley Schools will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 26, 2026, due to the weather conditions. Stay safe and have a great day!

Best,

Brooke Olsen-Farrell, Superintendent
4 days ago, Slate Valley
Graphic announcing “No School Snow Day!” with snowflakes on a snowy background. Text reads “Monday, January 26th,” alongside the Slate Valley Unified School District logo.
Slate Valley District Newsletter for January 23, 2026
https://mailchi.mp/df08e8fadaac/slate-valley-district-newsletter-january-16-13835994
6 days ago, Slate Valley
Slate Valley Unified USD newsletter header dated January 23, 2026, featuring an illustration of five bundled-up people shivering in winter coats beneath hanging icicles, suggesting cold winter weather.
ATTENTION: There will be NO WEST BUS this afternoon.
6 days ago, Slate Valley
Graphic of a yellow school bus with a red “Attention” sign and the message “No West Bus This Afternoon” and “Friday, January 23, 2026.” The bus is labeled “BVS,” with “Benson Village School” shown on the bumper.
Fabulous teachers at work on this Friday morning!
6 days ago, Amy Roy
In this classroom scene, an adult woman (likely a teacher) and several young children are gathered around a kidney-shaped table. The woman, wearing glasses and a tan sweater, smiles warmly at the camera, as does a young girl in a blue fleece jacket who is holding a pencil over her worksheet. Two other students—a boy in a yellow Reebok shirt and a girl in a pink top—are also seated at the table, engaged in their work.
An adult woman and a group of young children are playfully posing for a photo in a school hallway, all attempting to do the splits or wide-legged stretches. The woman stands in the background with her arms and legs outstretched, while about nine children are arranged on the floor in front of her, mirroring the pose with varying degrees of success. Everyone is smiling or looking toward the camera. The hallway has green wainscoting and is decorated with colorful bulletin boards showcasing student work.
A teacher stands at the front of an elementary classroom beside a large interactive screen with materials in their hands. Several students sit at round tables writing and looking toward the teacher. The room has cabinets, bookshelves, and classroom supplies, with colorful posters on the walls and bright overhead lighting
An adult sits beside a student at a classroom table, closely supporting the child as they write on graph paper with a pencil. The student leans forward, focused on their work. On the table are a pink water bottle, rolled paper, and classroom materials. In the background are posters promoting calming strategies and affirmations, along with a large screen and teacher workspace, creating a supportive learning environment.
An adult kneels on the classroom floor at a child’s eye level, holding up a small card and reading or explaining it to a young child who stands beside them. The child wears pink clothing and boots. Behind them are classroom shelves with labeled bins, folders, and learning materials, creating a warm, organized early elementary classroom setting.
A teacher stands at the front of an elementary classroom beside a large interactive screen displaying a math lesson with decimals. Several students sit at round tables working in notebooks and looking toward the screen. The room has cabinets, bookshelves, and classroom supplies, with colorful posters on the walls and bright overhead lighting.
FHU Band Bottle Drive - Help our Slaters get to Orlando, FL!
7 days ago, Slate Valley
Graphic announcing FHU Band bottle drive throughout January 2026, with bottle drop-off at Liberty Street Redemption in Fair Haven; proceeds support the band’s trip to the Orlando Heritage Music Festival in Florida.
A student made this amazing heart with such a fabulous message for me! I will "GO GIRL" all day!
7 days ago, Amy Roy
A child's drawing on a heart-shaped piece of paper featuring vertical rainbow stripes. The name "Mrs. Roy" is written in silver marker across the middle. Additional text includes "School" at the top and "go girl" at the bottom, alongside hand-drawn stars and a small heart.
In Crazy 8’s Club this week we looked at mirror image symmetry and rotational symmetry. Students used special cubes to design patterns of symmetry and even took their shot at recreating designs using the cubes with increasing levels of difficulty.
7 days ago, Amy Roy
A top-down view shows a $3 \times 4$ grid of red and white blocks resting on a wooden tabletop. Each block is a square divided diagonally into a red half and a white half. The blocks are arranged to form a repeating, jagged pattern of red stripes and shapes. In the bottom right corner, a portion of a white paper is visible, showing a printed reference diagram for the pattern.
A composite image of four separate photographs shows four young girls in a classroom setting, each sitting at a wooden desk with a $2 \times 2$ arrangement of red and white patterned blocks in front of them.
A collage of classroom photos showing small groups of elementary students working together at round tables with red-and-white pattern blocks or cubes. Students are building designs, matching patterns on worksheets, and discussing their work. Some students smile toward the camera while others focus closely on constructing shapes. The classroom setting includes tables, chairs, storage shelves, and learning materials, highlighting hands-on, collaborative math or problem-solving activities.
First graders listening attentively as two classmates share their read-aloud—building confidence, community, and a love of reading 📚✨
7 days ago, Amy Roy
A student sits in a small rocking chair at the front of an elementary classroom, holding a picture book open while reading aloud. Several classmates sit on a colorful rug, facing the reader and listening attentively. The walls are filled with math and writing charts, a calendar, coin posters, and number lines, creating a structured and engaging learning environment during group reading time.
An elementary classroom scene where a group of young students sit cross-legged on a colorful rug, listening as one student sits in a rocking chair and reads from a book. The walls display anchor charts about writing and math, a calendar, and number lines. The atmosphere is calm and focused during a classroom reading or sharing time.
Mrs. Miller's 4-5 Science TA made their own Vermont animal track stamps. A huge Thank you to one of our student's Grandfather for donating wood blocks for us to create with.
8 days ago, Kelley Schultz
A close-up of a student holding a square wooden block. They have glued blue foam pieces onto the wood to mirror the "Red Fox" track printed on a paper guide next to it.
A student in a black holiday-themed t-shirt holds up a long wooden block with a white foam animal paw print glued to the surface, showing the progress of their handmade stamp.
A close-up view of two students at a workstation using hot glue guns to attach blue foam animal track shapes onto rectangular wooden blocks.
A student stands in a classroom holding up two finished wooden stamps. One stamp features a "Red Fox" track label and the other a "Coyote" track label, both with 3D elements attached for stamping.
A student in a red plaid dress uses a hot glue gun to secure a white foam paw print onto a wooden block. In the background, another student works on a similar project at the same craft station.
A student in a red hoodie sits at a desk and uses yellow scissors to cut out animal illustrations (fox, raccoon, coyote, opossum) from a printed worksheet. A "Geology" book and various wooden blocks are visible on the table.
A close-up view of two students at a workstation using hot glue guns to attach blue foam animal track shapes onto rectangular wooden blocks.
Sticker equations in Kindergarten!
8 days ago, Kelley Schultz
A young girl with blonde hair in a ponytail and a light blue long-sleeve shirt works on her math. She is mid-action, placing stickers into the boxes on her paper. A colorful name tag is visible on the table. Classroom Environment Background Details: Several photos show a vibrant classroom s
A young boy in a blue t-shirt with a tornado graphic focuses on his math worksheet. He is placing small, colorful stickers into square boxes on the paper to solve addition problems.
A young girl with brown hair and a cream-colored ruffled shirt smiles at the camera. She sits at a yellow table with a math worksheet and a sheet of stickers in front of her.
A young girl with dark wavy hair wearing a floral and striped rust-colored dress looks down at her math paper. She is carefully placing stickers into the designated boxes to complete her addition lesson. Overhead and Action Shots
A young boy with short brown hair wearing a blue, yellow, and white striped long-sleeve shirt sits at a yellow table. He is using a yellow pencil to point at a math worksheet featuring boxes filled with colorful stickers and addition signs.
An overhead view of a child with blonde hair working at a blue table. The child is holding a sticker sheet over a worksheet that shows two addition problems: one totaling seven and one totaling five, represented by sticker groups.
A high-angle shot of a young girl with blonde hair in a grey and purple unicorn-patterned shirt. She is focused on peeling a sticker from a sheet to place onto her math worksheet. A black hair scrunchie sits on the table beside her paper. IMG_5297.png: An overhead view of a child with blonde hair working at a blue table. The child is holding a sticker sheet over a worksheet that shows two addition problems: one totaling seven and one totaling five, represented by sticker groups.
A young girl with long blonde hair looks toward the camera while holding a sheet of colorful smiley-face stickers. In front of her is a math worksheet with hand-drawn squares and addition symbols.
A young girl with a pink butterfly clip in her hair leans over a blue table. She is using her fingers to precisely place a small ladybug sticker into a box on her math assignment.
Our older students are learning about the human skeletal system. They constructed their own skeletons and labeled all of the boxes.
9 days ago, Kelley Schultz
Classroom Hallway Bulletin Board A wide-angle shot of a school hallway featuring a long bulletin board divided into blue and purple sections. Multiple life-sized paper skeletons, created by students, are displayed in a row. Each skeleton is decorated with colorful labels and yarn strings identifying various bones. Above the skeletons are math posters showing decimal grids and fractions. The hallway has shiny floors, a grey tiled lower wall, and fluorescent ceiling lights.
Close-up of Skeleton Diagrams (Blue Background) A close-up view of two paper skeletons on a blue bulletin board. The skeleton on the left uses pink labels with red yarn, while the one on the right uses orange labels with green yarn. The labels point to major bones such as the skull, mandible, scapula, and ribs. The handwriting on the labels is in black marker, and the diagrams show clear anatomical details of the rib cage and pelvis.
A life-sized paper cutout of a human skeleton mounted on a purple bulletin board. The skeleton is labeled with yellow sticky notes connected to specific bones by red yarn. Labels include "Skull," "Mandible," "Scapula," "Humerus," "Ribs," "Spine," "Pelvis," "Radius/Ulna," "Carpals," "Phalanges," "Femur," "Patella," "Tibia/Fibula," "Tarsals," and "Phalanges" (feet). A small blue tag at the bottom reads "Hannah."