Third grade brings fun but no sun to Groundhog Day gathering

Naomi Strada, (Summarized by Tom Scatchard)

The third grade facilitated a school-wide morning meeting filled with joy on Groundhog Day. Students watched Punxsutawney Phil, and he didn’t see his shadow, which supposedly means an early spring.

Third graders also led the school on a dance inspired by “Ice Age: Continental Drift” and the school took turns doing the “Sid” and the “Manny.”

A group of fifth and sixth graders in the Taylor Swift Fan Club surprised the school with a Taylor Swift-themed flash mob dance to conclude the morning meeting.  Much creativity, fun and laughter filled the Multi-Purpose Room to kick off Friday and wrap up the week.

Courtesy photo. Sen. Bernie Sanders, center, and Champlain Valley Union High mentor coordinator Alison Duback (fourth from right) join a group of educators in Washington, D.C., at the National Mentoring Summit.
Courtesy photo.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, center, and Champlain Valley Union High mentor coordinator Alison Duback (fourth from right) join a group of educators in Washington, D.C., at the National Mentoring Summit.

New student teachers
A new round of student teachers have joined the school. They will be working in some first to sixth grade classrooms two days a week until May.

Kindergarten registration now open
Children who live in Charlotte and will be 5 years old by Sept. 1 are eligible to attend kindergarten at Charlotte Central School. Registration runs through Friday, Feb. 23.

If your child has attended one of the Champlain Valley School District’s preschool programs or registered in the past for publicly funded Act 166 universal prekindergarten in the district, email or call 802-425-6600 to find out how to enroll.

If the child has done neither of these programs, please go to cvsd.org and follow the registration links to “kindergarten registration” and go to Step 1 on the registration webpage to start your child’s registration.

Connecting Youth mentoring advocacy
Connecting Youth’s mentor coordinators Alison Duback of Champlain Valley Union High and Kate Rooney of Charlotte Central School recently returned from attending the National Mentoring Summit, a gathering of the nation’s brightest minds in mentoring in Washington, D.C. The summit is packed with learning opportunities, peer-collaboration and inspiration, all focused on one shared goal: expanding and sustaining the youth mentoring movement.

Alison Duback participated in the Summit’s Capitol Hill Day where advocates spent the day meeting with legislators and their staff about the critical value of surrounding young people with supportive relationships. Their last meeting of the day was with Sen. Bernie Sanders.

“He asked about our programs and then asked if we need more mentors. We all said ‘Yes.’ So, he is having his communications person put an article in The Bernie Buzz about mentoring,” Duback said.
To learn more about Connecting Youth’s mentor program, check out the website at connectingyouth.cvsdvt.org.

Digital safety for youth
Detective Krystal Wrinn will facilitate a free virtual workshop on digital safety for youth and the whole family on Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.

Here’s what to expect:

  • Learn practical tips to empower parents and children about cyberbullying, inappropriate content and online predators.
  • Foster respect and kindness in the family’s digital interactions.
  • Make the internet a more positive space for everyone.
    Call 802-652-6800 to ask the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations about “digital safety for youth” to get a meeting invitation and link.

Community connections
On Feb. 15 the PTO will sponsor a community connection series event where participants will hear all about the layers of mental health supports at Charlotte Central School. School representatives will answer questions and share the layers of work that goes into caring for students. Watch for more information about time and location in the coming newsletter on Front Porch Forum.