Benson Village School

Action based learning with Kinders & 6th graders

1 day 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 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.

💐 Celebrating Terri Demasi 💐

After nearly 25 years of dedicated service, we extend our deepest gratitude to Terri Demasi as she prepares for retirement. From being the welcoming voice and friendly face in the Fair Haven Grade School front office to her incredible leadership with Applefest and years of guiding students through Sewing Club, Terri’s professionalism, generosity, and calm presence have touched every corner of our school community.

Thank you, Terri, for the countless hours, care, and heart you’ve given. You will be truly missed, and we wish you all the best in this well-deserved next chapter!

about 6 hours ago, Slate Valley

Retirement celebration graphic honoring Terri DeMasi, Fair Haven Grade School administrative assistant, with her portrait, flowers, and text thanking her for 24 years of dedicated service in Slate Valley.

K-2 sledding fun!

1 day ago, Kelley Schultz

A young child in a blue puffy jacket and a camouflage hat waves one hand while sliding down a snowy slope in a blue sled. A light-colored building with blue trim is visible in the background.

A young girl with long blonde hair, wearing a pink patterned jacket and teal snow pants, smiles while sitting in a bright green sled on a snowy slope.

A young boy wearing a grey jacket, tan pants, and a Spiderman-themed beanie sits in a red sled. He is looking down at the snow as he slides, with deep sled tracks visible on the hill behind him.

A young girl in a pink coat and a white beanie with a pink bow sits in an orange sled, holding the rope and laughing as she descends a snowy hill. Other children on sleds are visible at the top of the hill in the background.

A child wearing a light green jacket, black snow pants, and a camouflage beanie sits in a red plastic sled. They are sliding down a snowy hill, holding onto the rope handles with purple gloves and smiling.

2nd & 4th Grade reading buddies

1 day ago, Kelley Schultz

Three boys are sitting in a circle on a classroom rug, focused on a graphic novel or comic book laid flat on the floor. The boy on the left, wearing a black hoodie with pink accents, points to a panel in the book. Two other boys—one in a grey hoodie and one in a textured blue fleece—lean in with smiles, watching the story unfold. Classroom posters about "Heart Breathing" and "Calming" are visible on the wall behind them.

Two young girls are sitting on a patterned rug on the classroom floor, leaning against a beige wall. The girl on the left, wearing a black "DANCE" t-shirt, holds a wide picture book open across her lap as she reads. The girl on the right, in a white butterfly shirt, looks toward the camera. A bookshelf filled with colorful children's books is visible to their right, and hand-written number lines are pinned to the wall above them.

Two boys sit on a rug in the foreground, deeply engaged in a book about insects; the boy on the right holds the book while the boy in the camouflage hoodie looks on. In the background, two girls from a previous photo are also seated on the rug, reading a different red-covered book together. The wall behind them is decorated with student-made number lines and educational charts.

Three young boys are gathered around a wooden desk in a classroom, looking intently at an open non-fiction book about animals. One boy in a yellow shirt sits on the left with his head resting on his arms, while a boy in a grey shirt leans over from the center. On the right, a boy in an orange shirt stands and points to a page featuring a photo of a bear. In the background, a digital whiteboard displays a colorful video game screen.

2nd & 4th Grade reading buddies!

2 days ago, Kelley Schultz

Two young girls sit on the floor of a classroom, surrounded by storage bins and books. The girl on the right, wearing overalls, holds an open book and smiles at the girl on the left, who is wearing a red outfit and looking at the book. A book titled "What About Worms?" lies on the floor nearby.

Three young girls are gathered closely together on the floor, focusing on a book. The girl in the center holds the book, and another girl points to a detail on the page, engaging in shared reading. IMG_5717.jpg: Two young girls sit on the floor of a classroom, surrounded by storage bins and books. The girl on the right, wearing overalls, holds an open book and smiles at the girl on the left, who is wearing a red outfit and looking at the book. A book titled "What About Worms?" lies on the floor nearby.

A young girl in a tie-dye shirt sits on a colorful classroom rug, pointing at a book's illustration while reading aloud to another young girl who is listening intently. Other students and desks are visible in the background.

Board Meeting - December 15, 2025
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/yij-wmxa-hpe
Or dial: (US) +1 218-288-2598 PIN: 302 314 435#

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

Slate Valley District Newsletter: December 12, 2025
https://mailchi.mp/1ca25391063e/slate-valley-district-newsletter-december-12-2025

6 days ago, Slate Valley

Elks Hoop Shoot: December 21, 2025

6 days ago, Slate Valley

A flyer for the “Elks Hoop Shoot,” sponsored by the Rutland Elks Lodge #345. The top left shows an illustration of a basketball going through a hoop, and the top right features the Elks Lodge emblem with an elk head and clock. The flyer announces that there is no charge to enter the contest, which is open to boys and girls ages 8–9, 10–11, and 12–13, based on age as of April 1, 2026. The event takes place Sunday, December 21, 2025. Registration is at 1:00 p.m. at Fair Haven Union Middle & High School, 33 Mechanic St., Fair Haven, VT. For questions or more information, the flyer lists the Rutland Elks Lodge phone number 802-773-6266.

Mrs. Stockwell came in to teach our students more about the circulatory system today. Students learned about oxygen levels in our blood pressure, and pulses. Students loved the hands on learning she gave them.

7 days ago, Kelley Schultz

Top Left: A teacher, wearing a leopard-print top, is using a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope to take the blood pressure of a female student at a round wooden table. The student is wearing a pink and black tie-dye hoodie. Classroom posters are visible in the background. Top Right: The same teacher is taking the blood pressure of a male student at the same table. The student is wearing a blue t-shirt that says, "NOT CRYING, IM JUST IMAGINING WHY I MIGHT." Bottom Left: A female student, wearing a pink hoodie, is listening to the chest of the male student in the blue t-shirt using a stethoscope. Both are seated at a round table. A "Welcome All" poster with a map of the United States is behind them. Bottom Right: A close-up shot of a fingertip pulse oximeter displaying the results. The screen shows %SpO₂ 84 (Oxygen Saturation) and PRbpm 47 (Pulse Rate per minute). The device is blue and black.

Top Left: A teacher, wearing a leopard-print top, is demonstrating how to use a blood pressure cuff on a female student wearing a white t-shirt. They are seated at a table. A whiteboard behind them shows the numbers 125/80 and the phrase "the strongest whole body." Top Right: Two students are standing next to each other. A female student in a green sweater is looking down, holding a small object, while a male student in a red hoodie stands nearby, observing. Bottom Left: A female student in a pink hoodie is holding the earpieces of a stethoscope up to her ears with a focused expression. Bottom Right: A male student in a red hoodie is holding a stethoscope to his own chest, mimicking taking his vital signs, with a serious expression.

Due to the inclement weather, all after-school activities are cancelled for today, Wednesday, December 10th. This includes athletics, clubs, and any other school-sponsored events along with Boys and Girls Club.

Thank you for your understanding. Please stay safe.

8 days ago, Slate Valley

Last night, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., our school was filled with families coming together to celebrate the joy of reading! Teachers were on hand to meet with parents, guardians, and students to talk about the importance of literacy and share helpful tips to support and encourage young readers at home.

Students enjoyed a variety of hands-on activities, including creating their own puppets and practicing letter formation on a clever sensory board made with glitter and hair gel—such a fun and creative way to build early literacy skills!

Thank you to all the families who joined us and to our dedicated staff for making this event so meaningful.

8 days ago, Slate Valley

A teacher in a yellow sweater helps two young girls press their hands onto a textured sensory pad at a red table.

Families and students stand and talk around the classroom during an open house event with worksheets displayed on tables.

A teacher in a teal sweater bends down to review a paper with a young girl holding a plastic bag of materials.

Two adults review a “Reading Level Guide” booklet together inside a classroom.

A smiling young girl in a purple coat proudly holds up a decorated paper bag puppet with colorful feathers.

A male teacher watches a young student draw on a strip of paper at a red table.

A young boy draws on a brown paper bag puppet, adding feathers at a red table.

A teacher with pink-tinted hair helps two girls explore craft materials at a classroom counter.

Children gather with a teacher at a counter filled with craft materials and googly eyes during a classroom activity.

Families gather around a classroom table as a teacher works with two young girls on a sensory activity. Worksheets are laid out on nearby tables.

Math Igloos!!!!

10 days ago, Amy Roy

A classroom bulletin board display with a light blue background, bordered by a white and red checkered pattern. The board is covered with multiple student-made projects shaped and colored like igloos, arranged in rows. Each igloo has the title "MATH IS SNOW EASY" written at the top. The igloo projects are segmented into different sections where students have written about various math skills or problems. Some igloos are partially colored in with markers or crayons, while others are mostly black and white. There are 17 igloo projects visible on the board and two placed on the ledge below.

$A colorful, fan-shaped classroom math display titled "MATH IS SNOW EASY." The fan is segmented into various math problems written by hand on paper. Visible problems and answers include:Multiplication: $5 \times 3 = 15$Factors of 36: $1, 36, 18, 9, 6, 12, 2, 3, 4$Order of Operations: $5 \times 10 \times (2 \times 7) = 700$ and $9 \times (8 \times 5) + 200 = 560$Comparing Decimals: $6.25 < 6.52$Convert to a Decimal: $\frac{9}{1000} = 0.009$Adding Fractions: $\frac{3}{4} + \frac{5}{8} = \frac{11}{8}$Factors of 24: $1, 24, 2, 12, 3, 8, 4, 6$Half of 18: $9$Half of 50: $25$Subtracting Decimals: $74 \times 100$ times as much as $0.03$Improper Fractions to Mixed Numbers: $\frac{14}{6} = 2 \frac{2}{6}$Order the fractions greatest to least: $\frac{8}{5}, \frac{4}{6}, \frac{3}{4}, \frac{4}{5}, \frac{2}{7}$ (The fractions are written in the center of the fan).The background is a solid blue wall.$

1st grade Snowflake work!

10 days ago, Amy Roy

A bulletin board displays six children's winter-themed worksheets titled “Let’s Draw a Snowflake!” Each page includes a colorful drawing of a child doing a fun activity in the snow—such as sledding, playing with a pet, or making igloos—along with simple handwritten sentences describing the activity. The artwork features bright colors, stick figures, snowflakes, and winter scenes. The worksheets are arranged in two rows of three on a blue background.

a sign that says Snowflkes have 6 sides or points on white paper with identical snowflakes on either side of the words. The sign is on a blue background

11 different student created snowflakes on black paper, they are silver, they are posted on a blue background on a bulletin board.

Sustained partner reading in 3rd Grade!

10 days ago, Kelley Schultz

Two girls are sitting together on the classroom floor, leaning against a wall with academic posters. The girl on the left wears glasses and a dark floral top, and the girl on the right wears a gray 'A E' hoodie. They are holding an open book together.

A wide shot of a classroom showing students reading. Some students are sitting on a rug in a circle in the background, while two girls are sitting at a wooden desk in the foreground, reading their books.

Two girls are sitting side-by-side on the classroom floor, smiling at the camera. The girl on the left wears a navy "IT'S A TAYLOR VIBE" shirt, and the girl on the right wears a light blue tie-dye shirt with paw prints. They have an open book between them.

A young girl with long blonde hair sits on the classroom rug, absorbed in reading a book she holds open. She is wearing a blue and pink patterned shirt and black pants.

Two young boys are sitting on a colorful, patterned rug, closely reading from the same open book. They are leaning against a bulletin board with classroom rules written on it.

A young girl with a braided ponytail sits on a classroom floor, concentrating on reading an open book. She is wearing a red t-shirt with a Christmas design and black leggings. A pink water bottle is next to her.

1st Grader's PBIS celebration! While at music, their stuffies got cozy in the classroom!

10 days ago, Kelley Schultz

Two young children, a boy and a girl, are sitting at a red table in a classroom, smiling at the camera. The girl is holding a yellow Pikachu plush toy, and the boy is holding a blue turtle or tortoise plush toy. A wooden game with colored sticks is in the center of the table, surrounded by colored pencils.

Three young boys are playing in a classroom. One boy is sitting with a plush seal or sea creature next to him. Another boy is sitting inside a stack of colorful hula hoops. A third boy and an adult are playing inside a small, colorful play theater/puppet show structure in the background. Colorful floor tiles and math charts are visible.

Three young girls are sitting at a large red hexagonal table in a classroom, engaged in an activity. The girl on the left is holding a large blue plush caterpillar/monster toy. The girl on the right is holding a small reindeer plush toy. Colored markers, sticky notes, and a paper with a blue circle design are on the table. Other children and toys are visible in the background.

A group of approximately 11 elementary school children, smiling and posing in a classroom while holding various plush toys, including a large blue one, a yellow Pikachu, a green dragon, a sloth, and others. Math and reading decorations are visible on the wall behind them, and they are standing on a colorful splatter-paint rug.

. A large, light blue, furry Sulley from Monsters, Inc. is sitting next to a smaller, white and blue sleeping plush toy with a star pattern.

An overhead view of two green yogavocado-sa mats and one purple folded mat on a light-colored floor. A green shaped plush toy is resting on the left mat, and a blue, round-shaped plush toy is on the right mat. A small brown coconut toy is tucked under the purple mat.

A close-up of a blue classroom chair with a green Bulbasaur plush toy and a yellow Pikachu plush toy sitting on the seat, tucked under a desk.

A pink and red plush toy (looks like an axolotl) is peeking out from under a folded purple yoga mat on the floor. A red heart-shaped design is visible on a rug next to the mat.

A close-up, centered shot of a small, brown plush reindeer toy with large, sparkly gold eyes and glittery gold antlers, sitting on an orange mat.

A high-angle photo shows three plush toys sitting together in a small, oval-shaped white bed with a brown, snakeskin-like patterned lining. The largest toy in the back is a brown chicken with a yellow beak, black eyes, and a red comb and wattle. To its left is a plush snake with a brown and black diamond pattern, coiled slightly around the chicken. In the foreground is a bright red, round plush toy with a cheerful embroidered face and a white patterned bandana on its head. The three toys rest on a vibrant red table surface.

Board Meeting - December 8, 2025
You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Benson Village School Gym.
This meeting will be in person. Virtually connect by going to:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/zax-xtsz-dcp
Or dial: (US) +1 413-398-0531 PIN: 998 151 118#

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.

10 days ago, Slate Valley

Kinders filled their honeycomb and earned a classroom celebration on Monday!

11 days ago, Kelley Schultz

A group of young children pose together in a school hallway, most wearing colorful jackets and backpacks. They are gathered around a decorative tree display with small bees attached to the branches and a paper beehive filled with marbles. A display case with school merchandise is visible on the left, and a yellow bulletin board is on the right. The children are smiling and sitting or standing in front of the tree.

Slate Valley District Newsletter December 5th Edition: https://mailchi.mp/de3f115536de/slate-valley-district-newsletter-december-5th-edition

13 days ago, Slate Valley

2nd Graders "Guess the word on your head" acting as word detectives who used process of elimination to figure out which long-vowel word they were wearing. After discovering their mystery word, each student wrote a sentence using it to show their understanding.

13 days ago, Kelley Schultz

Group of 4 girls): Four elementary school girls smiling and holding dry-erase boards with sentences. They are wearing colored paper crowns with words written on them: 'explain,' 'field,' and 'label.' The sentences read, from left to right: "there is going to be a wrap [or 'wrench']", "The tech is explaining my wrench", "The field is green.", and "I can use a label to put on boxes to know what is inside it."

(Girl with 'Field' crown): A young elementary school girl wearing a pink butterfly-patterned dress and a yellow paper crown with the word "field" written on it. She is smiling and holding a dry-erase board that says, "The field is green."

(Large group of children): A large group of elementary school children smiling in a classroom. The four girls from the previous photo are on the left, and three boys are in the back holding up dry-erase boards. The boy on the far right is holding a board with a drawing of a crayon and the text "I was a crayon."

(Boy with 'Kidney' crown): A young elementary school boy wearing a blue and yellow paper crown with the word "Kidney" written on it. He is smiling and holding a dry-erase board that says, "I have a kidney."

A young elementary school girl with long dark hair, wearing a blue and yellow paper crown with the word "explain" written on it. She is smiling and holding a dry-erase board that says, "The teacher is explaining my work.

(Boy with 'Complete' crown): A young elementary school boy wearing a blue and yellow paper crown with the word "Complete" written on it. He is smiling and holding a dry-erase board that says, "I complet Level 10 now I am on level 11."

1st Graders filled their Honeycomb and earned a celebration with their stuffed animals!

13 days ago, Kelley Schultz

A group of about fifteen young children sit and kneel together in a school hallway, smiling for the camera. One child in the center stands and holds up a small trophy or object. Behind them is a door labeled “Cub Den #109,” a fall-themed decorative tree with orange leaves, and a bulletin board displaying student work. Several pairs of boots are lined up along the wall to the left.