🌿 Need a Hand? Let Slate Valley High School Students Help! 🌿 Spring is here, and that means it’s time to tackle those yard projects, clean-ups, and small home improvement tasks! Luckily, hardworking high school students in the Slate Valley community are ready to lend a hand. Whether you need leaves raked, a garden bed prepped, a shed organized, or even some firewood stacked, these students are eager to help—and gain valuable experience while giving back to their community! To have your project added to the list for Green Up Day, contact Jackie Phillips at jphillips@svuvt.org or call her at 802-265-4966.
Throwback Thursday: As we celebrate the start of this year’s spring sports season, we’re throwing it back to 1985! ⚾🥎⛳🏃♂️ Take a look at our FHUHS athletes in action from the baseball, softball, track, and golf teams—showcasing Slater pride with timeless team spirit. Here's to honoring the past and cheering on the future! #takingitback40years #weareslatevalley #slaternation
“Slate Valley Style” is a song that celebrates the heart of the Slate Valley School District—its students, teachers and staff. It highlights the strong bond between educators and learners, the challenges they overcome together, and the pride in their shared achievements. With uplifting melodies, the song captures the spirit of collaboration, resilience, and hope for the future within the community. #weareslatevalley #slaternation
https://youtu.be/hdXeTpmJZFk?si=FwF6BYigBrUFd11K
WHERE Are They Now WEDNESDAY: Daniel Hall
Daniel Hall, a proud member of the Fair Haven Union High School Class of 1987, has carved out a remarkable path in both music and technology, despite never attending college. Entirely self-taught, Daniel has cultivated a successful career as a Senior Level Software Engineer for a private firm while maintaining a deep passion for music.
During his time at Fair Haven Union, Daniel excelled in music and computers, finding inspiration and mentorship from his music teacher, Richard Dodd. His high school years were filled with musical achievements, participating in keynotes, district festivals, All-State music festivals, and earning the prestigious honor of being 1st seat, 1st chair in the All New England ensemble. After graduation, his musical talents took him across Europe, performing as the 2nd seat, 1st chair with the All American Winds Concert Band in Italy, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Austria.
Today, Daniel continues his musical journey, overcoming the challenges of dyslexia with the help of AI technology to compose instrumental music reminiscent of legendary composers Hans Zimmer and John Williams. Fans can follow his work on SoundCloud under his alias, Spotapod.
Beyond music and technology, Daniel is the author of the global bestselling book Top 100 List of Lies on Social Media. A free e-book download is available until April 30th. You can redeem this offer by going to: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1646794.
He also finds joy in bowling and, most importantly, in his role as a husband and father to seven foster and adopted children.
Daniel's favorite quote, passed down from his mother, Maggie Hall, is a guiding principle in his life: "Life is not defined by how successful you are, it's defined by your mistakes and how well you learn from them." His advice to current Slate Valley students is simple yet profound: "Take some time to evaluate your life."
Fifth grade students in library class are diving into the world of robotics with Edison robots! They began their journey by using barcodes to program their robots with fun and interactive behaviors—like following a black line, responding to a flashlight, and even engaging in a Sumo wrestling match. After mastering the basics, students transitioned to EdBlocks, a drag-and-drop coding platform, to take on more complex tasks such as navigating a preset path, flashing lights, and playing music. In the photos, students are working together to tackle an exciting "autonomous train" challenge, applying their coding skills in a creative and hands-on way.
The second grade students were all smiles today as it was their turn to celebrate Family Lunch—sharing laughs, a meal, and special time together!
Trivia Tuesday: Did You Know?
With the revised FY26 proposed budget, all six of our towns are projected to see a TAX DECREASE! 🙌 This is great news—even with a 3.69% increase from last year.
The updated budget, going to vote on April 15, now totals $31,623,010—that’s $463,256 less than the original proposal after recent cuts. Visit https://www.slatevalleyunified.org/ for more detailed information.
Today kicked off our Spring Family Lunch Week!
We were so happy to welcome family members of our Kindergarten and First Grade students to join their children for lunch. Smiles, hugs, and happy chatter filled the cafeteria—what a great way to start the week!
We can’t wait to continue the fun with more grades throughout the week!
The CES faculty and staff flipped the script with their own Spirit Week! Students had to play detective each day, guessing the mystery theme — from Blackout Day to Beach vibes, Neon 90’s throwbacks, cozy PJs, and even sipping from anything but a cup! Cheers to school spirit and keeping everyone on their toes!
MEET Faculty and Staff MONDAY: Featuring Erin Haley
Erin has been a dedicated member of the Slate Valley School District since 2011. She began her career as the Receptionist at Castleton Elementary School, where she also served as the Athletic Director for two years and pitched in with summer custodial work. After getting married in 2014, Erin and her husband considered moving south, but ultimately chose to stay close to family. She returned to CES as a substitute teacher, then transitioned into the role of Nursing Office Assistant and also worked as an Instructional Assistant for several years.
Erin’s passion for working in the schools led her to Fair Haven Grade School, where she became the Administrative Assistant. After three years there, she moved into her current role as the District Middle School Administrative Assistant in 2022.
Outside of work, Erin loves spending time with her children and attending all of their activities. She makes the most of summer with adventures like hiking, kayaking, and soaking up the sun on beach days—especially when there's a salty ocean breeze involved.
Creative minds at work in Art Club! 🎨✨ Several times a year, Mrs. Parrott and Mrs. Simpson hold Art Club after school. This session, students learned how to craft their own colorful beaded bracelets with guidance from Mrs. Parrott's daughter, a talented middle school student. Everyone put in great effort to master this tricky craft, and the results were absolutely stunning!
🌿 Need a Hand? Let Slate Valley High School Students Help! 🌿
Spring is here, and that means it’s time to tackle those yard projects, clean-ups, and small home improvement tasks! Luckily, hardworking high school students in the Slate Valley community are ready to lend a hand.
Whether you need leaves raked, a garden bed prepped, a shed organized, or even some firewood stacked, these students are eager to help—and gain valuable experience while giving back to their community!
To have your project added to the list for Green Up Day, contact Jackie Phillips at jphillips@svuvt.org or call her at 802-265-4966.
(April 2, 2025) Today's Rutland Herald School District Highlight: Cookies and Conversation
Superintendent Brooke Olsen-Farrell and Director of Curriculum Casey O’Meara foster open dialogue with students across Slate Valley through their “Cookies and Conversation” events. They visit students at each of our schools — Benson Village School, Castleton Elementary School, Fair Haven Grade School, Fair Haven Union Middle and High School, and Orwell Village School—creating meaningful opportunities for discussion and connection. These informal gatherings provide a space for students to share their thoughts on school life, from policies like the “10 and 2” rule to their appreciation for supportive teachers and school leaders. Younger students expressed their love for playgrounds, favorite subjects, and caring principals, while older students discussed topics like school meals, cell phone use, and new campus ideas, such as gardens and chickens. Whether chatting with kindergartners or student council representatives, these events highlight the importance of student voices in shaping a positive school environment — one cookie at a time!
New Podcast! Director of Curriculum Casey O'Meara, FHGS 5th grade teacher Judy Folmsbee, and Instructional Coach Abigail Wald provide an overview of Cognia State Testing, outlining its purpose, structure, and the expectations for both teachers and students.
View or listen at: https://youtu.be/TfWz_ZqgLZg
Engage, Connect, Be Informed!
Join us on Monday, April 14, 2025, for an important discussion with our representatives as we continue exploring updates on the Governor's education plan. This is your chance to stay informed, ask questions, and make your voice heard!
📅 Date: Monday, April 14, 2025
📍 Location: Fair Haven Union Middle and High School Library
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM
We look forward to seeing you there! This meeting precedes the Budget ReVote Information Meeting, which begins at 6:30 PM in the FHUMHS Band Room.
Our 5th graders have been working hard on their covered wagon projects! After spending several weeks learning about pioneers and the Westward Expansion, they put their knowledge into action by designing and building their own unique wagons.
Each wagon tells a different story, and students had a blast bringing history to life through this hands-on project! Great job, 5th grade!
This past weekend, our very own Mrs. Corliss traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, along with a thousand others for the National Education Association's thirty-third annual Educational Support Professionals Awards Convention. This four day event honored the outstanding accomplishments of fifty individuals, one for every state in the union, for their unwavering commitment to their students, communities, and professions.
Mrs. Corliss was chosen as the 2025 Vermont ESP of the year out of dozens of applications. We here in Castleton Elementary School were not at all surprised by this well-deserved accolade. She has been putting forth her whole heart and soul into her work for over thirty years.
While our students missed Mrs.Corliss while she was gone, they were very happy to help celebrate her with their own "award winning" trophy letters, cake, smiles, and hugs.
📢 Executive Committee School Board Open Mic 🎤
Join us for an open forum where community members can engage in meaningful discussions, ask questions, and share their thoughts directly with district school board members. This is a great opportunity to stay informed and have your voice heard on important school-related and FY26 Budget matters!
When: Monday, March 31, 2025
Where: Fair Haven Union Middle & High School Library
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Attend in person or virtually by joining here: https://meet.google.com/ovx-wura-tpw
We look forward to seeing you there! Your input matters.
