Castleton Elementary School

More research projects from Ms. Russell's kindergarten class!

Good Afternoon, This month, the FCC is accepting enrollments for the Emergency Broadband Benefit. The Emergency Broadband Benefit is a temporary FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more. As of May 12, 2021, eligible households will be able to enroll in the program to receive a monthly discount off the cost of broadband service from an approved provider. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or by visiting http://GetEmergencyBroadband.org. To learn more about the benefit, visit https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit and the FAQ page: https://www.fcc.gov/consumer-faq-emergency-broadband-benefit.

Ms. Russell's kindergarten class presented their research projects today. Look at these posters! They did awesome!

Reminder! Tonight (May 10th) You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board (virtual) Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Participation will be virtual only. Connect by http://meet.google.com/kbk-umff-mbp or join by phone (US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: 565 144 524 6127# Tonight’s Agenda: https://5il.co/sc46 Previous Meeting Minutes: https://5il.co/rril

The students in Ms. Robertson's class have been studying African culture, geography, animals, and plants. Recently, they read 'A Seed Is Sleepy' and planted African Marigolds! The book 'A Seed is Sleepy' by Dianna Hutts Aston was given to Castleton Elementary School through the CLIF Momentum Grant.

We are pleased to present the May 2021 CES Awards Assembly: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iymmSsAScNQEJR_Gi3VVzeB8KnobFhGu/view?usp=sharing

Save the date! Please join CES and CVS in developing their family engagement procedures to support Slate Valley's Parent/Family Engagement Policy. Prior to the meeting please review these draft procedures (https://5il.co/rx38) to be reviewed and revised at our meeting on May 13th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Join with Google Meet https://meet.google.com/kjc-vbuj-xha?hs=224 or by phone (US) +1 267-518-3495 (PIN: 800707020)

Vermont Forward Plan Clarifications to School Sports Guidance With changes May 1 in the State’s COVID-19 guidance that included advancing to Step 2 of the Vermont Forward Plan, the transition of recreational sports programs to Universal Guidance, and an updated masking policy that requires masks outdoors when you are in a crowd or with other households where you can’t maintain a 6-foot distance, there have been a number of questions about how these apply to both recreational and school-based sports programs. Please review the following clarifications. For athletes participating in school-based sports: The most recent version of A Strong and Healthy Year Guidance, published by the Agency of Education states the following: All staff and students are required to wear facial coverings while in the building. They must also wear them when outside of the building if adequate physical distancing of at least six (6) feet cannot be maintained. -Consistent with the Strong and Healthy Year guidance, athletes participating in low contact and no contact school-based spring sports (i.e., tennis, track and field, baseball and softball) are no longer required to wear masks so long as six feet of physical distance can be maintained. Baseball and softball players must wear masks while sitting in the dugout -Athletes participating in sports involving moderate contact or close proximity (i.e., boys and girls lacrosse, ultimate frisbee) must continue to wear masks at all times during practice and game play. All athletes must wear masks when being bused to a game or meet, in any indoor setting (i.e., locker room or training room), or participating in team-based meeting with six feet of physical distance cannot be consistently maintained. For spectators at outdoor school-based or recreational sports events: -Consistent with the Vermont Forward Plan, 300 unvaccinated people, plus any number of vaccinated individuals, can attend outdoor sports events as spectators. Spectators are not required to wear masks at outdoor sports events so long as six feet of physical distance can be maintained between households. For spectators at indoor school-based or recreational sports events: -Consistent with the Vermont Forward Plan, one unvaccinated person per 100 square feet up to 150 unvaccinated people (whichever is less), plus any number of vaccinated people, can attend indoor sports events as spectators. Spectators must wear a mask at all times while attending an indoor sports event. If an event has no way of determining if an individual is vaccinated, assume all are unvaccinated for capacity limit.

Save the Date! 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 17th, 6 PM - Fair Haven/West Haven - Connect by going to https://meet.google.com/pdu-abre-xnm or by phone (US) +1 585-532-5413 (PIN: 713397202) 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) 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)

5th Graders have been able to explore our pond at CES, live as well as under the microscope. More outdoor learning, at its best!

Good afternoon, as of this moment the Agency of Education has not changed their stance on mask wearing outdoors even though it was changed for the general public. Masks are still required for spectators at all Slate Valley athletic events. We will notify families when the Agency of Education changes their guidance. Thank you for your help with this.

Save the date! On Monday, May 3, 2021, Slate Valley will hold a special screening of the documentary, “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety," online to open up a dialogue between local families, community leaders and experts. The event will feature a viewing of the 56-minute film, followed by an informative panel discussion, led by Kristin H. Benway, Director of Special Services, with special guests Megan Oldenburger, RMHS School Based Clinician, Michael Kell, School Counselor, and former Slater Cael Christian. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__ElOViTuQDG2QTV7IWdFqA. iNDIEFLIX Education has sparked a global conversation about anxiety through screenings of its documentary, “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety.” For more information: https://5il.co/rpnd

Save the Date! 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 17th, 6 PM - Fair Haven/West Haven - Connect by going to https://meet.google.com/pdu-abre-xnm or by phone (US) +1 585-532-5413 (PIN: 713397202) 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) 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)

Good Evening, Please read the following letter regarding the special airing of “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety” on Monday, May 3: https://5il.co/ry3u

Please join CES and CVS in developing their family engagement procedures to support Slate Valley's Parent/Family Engagement Policy. Prior to the meeting please review these draft procedures (https://5il.co/rx38) to be reviewed and revised at our meeting on May 13th, 5:30 pm - 6:30 p.m. Join with Google Meet https://meet.google.com/kjc-vbuj-xha?hs=224 or by phone (US) +1 267-518-3495 (PIN: 800707020)

Students in grades K-4 read the Red Clover Book, Planting Stories, the Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre. Pura became a bilingual storyteller at the New York Public Library and retold folk stories from Puerto Rico. She made her own puppets to recreate these wonderful stories. Our students created puppets to retell the story of the Tiger and the Rabbit.

Dodge House Donation Drive - A FHUHS Student’s R.E.A.L. Project Please view the flyer here for more information: https://www.smore.com/xpe32 This drive is being held by the Slate Valley Unified School District. We hope to raise awareness of homeless Veterans, and support the Dodge House in Rutland, which "provides shelter, clothing, food, and an individualized program to reintegrate veterans back into the community and help them to achieve self­ sufficiency" (http://www.chcrr.org). Donation boxes will be located in the front offices of all Slate Valley schools from March 29th and April 25th.

Save the date! iNDIEFLIX Shines the Light on Anxiety with Must-See Documentary, “ANGST: RAISING AWARENESS AROUND ANXIETY” ANGST will screen live on: Monday, May 3, 2021 AT 6:00pm Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__ElOViTuQDG2QTV7IWdFqA iNDIEFLIX Education has sparked a global conversation about anxiety through screenings of its documentary, “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety”. On Monday, May 3, 2021, Slate Valley will hold a special screening of the documentary online to open up a dialogue between local families, community leaders and experts. The event will feature a viewing of the 56-minute film, followed by an informative panel discussion, led by Kristin H. Benway, Director of Special Services, with special guests Megan Oldenburger, RMHS School Based Clinician, Michael Kell, School Counselor, and former Slater Cael Christian. For more information: https://5il.co/rpnd

Reminder! Tonight (April 19th) You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board (virtual) Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Participation will be virtual only. Connect by going to http://meet.google.com/nmr-haqy-umb or join by phone (US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: 151 630 604 3623# Tonight’s Agenda: https://5il.co/rpa2 Previous Meeting Minutes: https://5il.co/ranl

Dodge House Donation Drive - A FHUHS Student’s R.E.A.L. Project Please view the flyer here for more information: https://www.smore.com/xpe32 This drive is being held by the Slate Valley Unified School District. We hope to raise awareness of homeless Veterans, and support the Dodge House in Rutland, which "provides shelter, clothing, food, and an individualized program to reintegrate veterans back into the community and help them to achieve self­ sufficiency" (http://www.chcrr.org). Donation boxes will be located in the front offices of all Slate Valley schools from March 29th and April 25th.