Sixth graders meet with Phillies baseball scout

The whole Charlotte Central School staff spent part of Wednesday’s professional learning time working in committees to enhance the experiences of the students. By design, these committees have a diverse team of staff members who share their expertise and passion for continuous improvement of the school.

The School Safety Committee leads school safety work by developing protocols, training and communication with guidance from the Vermont Agency of Education.

The Sustainability Committee is responsible for the school environment (including the gardens and compost shed), the Farm to School initiative, and supports students and teachers as stewards of our environment.

The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Committee coordinates staff training, shares data trends with the staff and plans school celebrations.

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee promotes equity and inclusion, as well as working to disrupt systems of inequity. The team creates learning experiences for students, professional learning for staff and aligns school practices to the Champlain Valley School District equity policy.

The Program Council is made up of representatives from all cohorts of the school and focuses on big systems work such as the continuous improvement plan, the multi-tiered system of supports, and the systems and structures efforts.

Charlotte Central School is a very busy place as the school heads into the holidays. The fifth-eighth grade classrooms will be gathering donations until Dec. 16 to fill 16 food boxes for the local food shelf. These boxes are needed to sustain our local families throughout the winter break. There are three extra boxes in the lobby for anyone who is inspired to contribute.

Tips from a baseball scout
Members of the Alpha sixth grade team were thrilled to attend a question-and-answer session with community member Erick Dalton this week during morning advisory.

Dalton, a pro scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, opened the floor to any questions students had. Some of the messages that resonated from his visit can be applied far beyond the realm of sports: What do you do when no one else is looking? How can you build up those around you to have a stronger team? How do hardships offer opportunities for resilience and perseverance? What is the power of an honest apology?

The school is grateful to Dalton for giving his time and energy to Charlotte Central this week. These questions could be used as conversation starters at home.

Preschool lottery open
The Champlain Valley School District Early Education Program is now accepting applications for a random preschool lottery drawing for the 2023-24 school year.

This lottery is for an opportunity to enroll in one of the school-based classrooms which run 10 hours per week. (Note: Any eligible students from Charlotte who are drawn would attend classes at Hinesburg Community School.)

Children who will be age 3 or older by Sept. 1, 2023, and who have not enrolled in kindergarten are eligible to enter the lottery.

All applications must be received by Feb. 3, 2023, and are located on the district’s early education website at tinyurl.com/3bu4z678. Paper applications are available upon request.

For more information, please visit the district website or contact director of early education Erin Gagne at [email protected].

Brief reminders
The last two district budget development meetings will be held on Jan. 10 and 17 at 6 p.m. in room 160 at the high school and online (more information).

The Charlotte Central School Winter Concert will take place this Monday, Dec. 19, at 6:30 in the multi-purpose room. The fifth-eighth grade chorus and four of the school bands will be performing.