Dear Slate Valley Community Member,
Today, January 22, 2021 we learned about individuals at Fair Haven Grade School and Fair Haven Union High School that have Coronavirus Disease. These individuals were in attendance while contagious. Contact tracing is underway and we are in the process of notifying anyone with possible exposure and sending them home until a final determination on quarantine can be made.
Due to the number of staff and students impacted as well as the number of individuals waiting for testing results as of today, Fair Haven Grade School and Fair Haven Union High School will be fully remote the week of January 25th. In addition, beginning today all athletic practices will be canceled for Fair Haven Grade School and Fair Haven Union High School until February 1st. If conditions allow, we will return to in person learning on Monday, February 1st. All other schools will operate as normal at this time.
Meals will be available to those impacted by the school closure. Follow-up information on this will be sent from the building level.
Both cases are a result of community transmission. As always, we are working closely with the Department of Health. We continue to advise our staff and students to stay home when sick. At this time we urge you to follow the restrictions on gathering with anyone outside of your home. We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms. This is especially important given that we know the virus is in our community.
Please read the complete letter from Superintendent Olsen-Farrell here: https://5il.co/ovqc
Tonight!
Community Connections: A Virtual Meeting with Slate Valley Central Office Administrators
January 20th
6 - 7 PM
Join with Google Meet https://meet.google.com/cvi-tned-tyc
or by phone(US) +1 402-527-4082 (PIN: 450007785)
Outdoor fun at VOAP today!
Community Connections: A Virtual Meeting with Slate Valley Central Office Administrators
January 20th
6 - 7 PM
Join with Google Meet https://meet.google.com/cvi-tned-tyc
or by phone(US) +1 402-527-4082 (PIN: 450007785)
Tonight!
Topics: Budget Outlook & District Reorganization
Please take this opportunity to learn about the upcoming budget outlook as well as continue the discussion about the board's plans for district reorganization.
Join us at 6 p.m. to discuss the upcoming budget and district reorganization on the following dates.
Jan. 12th with Mike, Rick, Tara, Tanya, and Angela (Fair Haven/West Haven) https://meet.google.com/bsc-wcrm-zbw or join by phone (US) +1 929-287-3647 (PIN: 876141866)
Jan. 13th with Tim, Julie, Toni, Josh, and Christine (Castleton/Hubbardton) https://meet.google.com/qok-edco-jhq or join by phone (US) +1 401-285-6400 (PIN: 766569448)
Jan. 14th with Pati, Becky, and Beckah (Benson) https://meet.google.com/rat-adyy-xye or join by phone (US)+1 929-266-1990 (PIN: 284595478)
Jan. 14th with Peter, Glen, and John (Orwell) https://meet.google.com/rat-adyy-xye or join by phone (US) +1 585-535-3234 (PIN: 48340626)
Dear Slate Valley Community Member,
On 1-11-21 we learned about an individual connected with Fair Haven Grade School that has Coronavirus Disease. This individual was in attendance while contagious. Contact tracing has been completed and there were no close contacts due to this individual’s work with our school. This case was contracted through community transmission. We are working closely with the Department of Health. We continue to advise our staff and students to stay home when sick. We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms. This is especially important given that we know the virus is in our community.
Please read the full letter from Superintendent Olsen-Farrell here: https://5il.co/ogts
Reminder! Tonight (January 11, 2021)
You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board (VIRTUAL) Meeting
Fair Haven Union High School, 6:30 p.m.
Participation will be VIRTUAL ONLY. Connect by going to https://meet.google.com/bfa-wnzj-tio or by calling (US) +1 317-961-0599 PIN: 177 396 689#.
Tonight’s Agenda: https://5il.co/o9q3
Previous Meeting Minutes: https://5il.co/nxpn
Topics: Budget Outlook & District Reorganization
Please take this opportunity to learn about the upcoming budget outlook as well as continue the discussion about the board's plans for district reorganization.
Currently the board is exploring a plan for district reorganization that would include the consolidation of all district middle school students to the high school beginning with the 2022-2023 school year. This would result in the closure or educational repurposing of Castleton Village School. Sixth grade students in Castleton would then attend Castleton Elementary School.
To address the anticipated low enrollment of middle school students in Benson Village School, the board voted on December 7th in favor of in-district school choice (with transportation) for 7th and 8th grade students for the 2021-2022 school year.
Listening tours are an opportunity to have a conversation with your board members. Please join us at 6 p.m. to discuss the upcoming budget and district reorganization on the following dates.
Jan. 12th with Mike, Rick, Tara, Tanya, and Angela (Fair Haven/West Haven) https://meet.google.com/bsc-wcrm-zbw or join by phone (US) +1 929-287-3647 (PIN: 876141866)
Jan. 13th with Tim, Julie, Toni, Josh, and Christine (Castleton/Hubbardton) https://meet.google.com/qok-edco-jhq or join by phone (US) +1 401-285-6400 (PIN: 766569448)
Jan. 14th with Pati, Becky, and Beckah (Benson) https://meet.google.com/rat-adyy-xye or join by phone (US)+1 929-266-1990 (PIN: 284595478)
Jan. 14th with Peter, Glen, and John (Orwell) https://meet.google.com/rat-adyy-xye or join by phone (US) +1 585-535-3234 (PIN: 48340626)
Dear Slate Valley Community Member,
On 1-9-21 we learned about an individual with Coronavirus Disease at the Fair Haven Grade School. This individual was in attendance while contagious. Contact tracing has been completed and the school will be open for in-person instruction on Monday January 11th. However, one classroom will be remote all next week. All of the parents and staff of the impacted classroom have been contacted. We are working closely with the Department of Health. We continue to advise our staff and students to stay home when sick. We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms. This is especially important given that we know the virus is in our community.
Please read the full letter from Superintendent Olsen-Farrell: https://5il.co/of3d
Dear Slate Valley Families,
I know thus far that 2021 has proven to be a trying time for our community, state and country. Furthermore, I know that anxiety is at an all time high. We have had 8 reported cases of COVID connected to either a staff member or student since November. The prevalence of these cases has escalated in the last few weeks. Up until this point we remained relatively unscathed.
Please note that we work closely with health officials. We follow the Agency of Education Safe and Healthy Start Guidance. So far we have not had any in-school transmission of the virus. This means that while in school, an individual has not spread it to another individual in the school setting. All the transmission has been community based to date, meaning the exposure occurred outside of school. Although this is the case, we are swift and thorough with tracing possible in-school close contacts and through the Department of Health, quarantine them to observe for symptoms until they can get tested. By following the guidelines, close contacts are kept to a minimum in the school setting.
From this point forward, we will only be notifying Slate Valley families when a case specifically impacts the operations of the school, meaning that the employee or student was in attendance while contagious. We know COVID is widespread in our communities.
I also wanted to let you know that staff has been able to get tested at work since November. While this is voluntary, we have a large number of staff that are being tested on a regular basis. So far these tests have all yielded negative results.
I take my job very seriously when it comes to student and staff safety. There are no easy answers for any of us. There are risks to learning in person and there are risks to moving to remote learning. Some of the risks to moving to remote learning include the impact on mental health, child abuse going unreported, learning loss, and further spread of the virus in the community as students have greater opportunity to congregate without protective measures and parents needing to leave their jobs thus increasing poverty. We look at the data and weigh the risks in order to make the very best decision possible for our kids. That being said I encourage you to work with your building principals if you have concerns. We all need to support each other during this very difficult time.
All the best,
Brooke Olsen-Farrell
Superintendent
A few more shared photos from Decade Day today!
We enjoyed Decade Day at Fair Haven Grade School today!
Dear Slate Valley Community Member,
On 1-5-21 we learned about an individual with Coronavirus Disease at the Fair Haven Grade School. This individual was not in attendance while contagious and therefore there is no need for contact tracing in our school community. Transmission did not occur in the school environment and is community based. We are working closely with the Department of Health. We continue to applaud our staff and students who are staying home when sick. We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms. This is especially important given that we know the virus is in our communities.
Please read the complete letter from Superintendent Olsen-Farrell: https://5il.co/oanu
Slate Valley Unified School District is seeking temporary part-time Custodians, up to 25 hours per week, during the COVID pandemic to maintain the cleanliness of the school facilities as well as 1 regular part-time Custodian 20 hours per week. Custodial experience preferred.
For additional information, contact Chris Cole, Director of Operations at 265-4905 or email ccole@svuvt.org.
This position will remain open until filled. E O E
Are you totally bummed we missed out on Throwback Thursday? Us too! We're rescheduling "Throwback Thursday" to Tuesday, January 5th. Celebrate with us!
Slate Valley MS Athletics -Grades 5-8 - Winter Sports Registration Reopened
Please go to Formreleaf.com and register your athlete for winter bball.
Registration will close on Jan 3rd at 6am - This will be the last opportunity to register, it will not be reopened.
Reminder - Yearly sports physicals are required (every 14 months)
Middle School Basketball for Slate Valley can start as early as Jan 11th. Please check the Slate Valley App for practice and game schedules. That is where you will find changes and updates.
Thank you,
Kim Alexander
Hello all -
Winter sports practices have been given the go ahead. Practices for Slate Valley 5-8 teams will begin the week of January 11, 2021.
We will be implementing practices with strict guidelines, including the wearing of masks, maintaining 6 foot distancing and no physical contact. At this point intra squad scrimmages and interscholastic competitions are prohibited, but will be revisited.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our athletes. To ensure that we can begin and maintain a winter sports season, I ask you to please remember to follow all safety measures, including travel and multi family guidelines. If your athlete will be traveling or is sick please keep them home and follow the Covid guidelines.
I will be working on a practice schedule over break, which will be uploaded onto the Slate Valley app.
We are still looking to fill some coaching slots.If you are interested or know of anyone, please have them contact me at: kalexander@svuvt.org. The following positions are open: CES/CVS: 5/6 Boys head coach and assistant coach. 5/6 Girls assistant coach, 7/8 Boys assistant coach.
Thank you,
Kim
FHGS Students were able to get out and enjoy the snow!
Dear Slate Valley Community Member,
On 12-22-20 we learned about a person with Coronavirus Disease at the Fair Haven Union High School. This person was not in attendance while contagious and therefore no special actions need to be taken. We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms. This is especially true going into the holiday break and knowing the virus is in our communities.
Please read the full letter from Superintendent Olsen-Farrell with links to resources here: https://5il.co/o60d