Sunday, October 14, 2018

RES PRINCIPAL'S BLOG - ROCKETS REPORT - Sun., Oct. 14, 2018

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Families & Community Members:

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

All who attended the Profile of a Graduate community forum Thurs. evening.
Donna Stahl and her family for providing the delicious dinner Thurs. night.
PTO members and parents who helped out with the Leaf Peeper Breakfast.
Barbour & Osgood family for their help in making the K/1 Sustainability Project a success!

Other Items of Interest:

Highlight on the Handbook - The WCUD Family/Student Handbook is full of important information and all principals will be highlighting information in our communications to families. The family district handbook can be found on our website and hard copies can be obtained from RES. The topics covered are being discussed in schools district-wide.

PETS/ANIMALS AT SCHOOL

For student safety and due to student allergies, bringing animals into school is discouraged. Any exceptions for class events, etc., must be cleared by the administrator. Even when students are not in the school, staff should refrain from bringing their pets in. Families will be notified of any class pets that teachers may have.

WCSU schools follow the recommendation of the Vermont Department of Health regarding animals in school or on school grounds during school hours. NO ANIMALS of any kind (dead or alive, or skins, or bones) are allowed in or at the school. Students that wish to share the excitement of a new family pet may bring in pictures. Exceptions:

● Service dogs, law enforcement dogs, service animals.

● Fish in an aquarium.

● Educational presentations led by certified speakers or educators, such as VINS.

WCUD Board Meeting - The next WCUD Board meeting is Monday, Oct. 15, here at Reading Elementary School. A special announcement was sent to families on Thursday with the entire board packet for your review. Please note there is a board workshop from 6-7 PM and though audience members can listen, there is no audience participation. The agenda is here.

Afterschool Program - Bills are in the processing of being sent out, please send in your balance so we can keep our program running. New programs will be offered in the next session. We are looking for an after school director to take over the position that Cathy Knight and Pam Boyer Sheldon currently hold. If you know of anyone interested, please contact Cathy Knight.

SBAC Scores - We have mailed your child's 2018 SBAC scores to your home. If you have any questions regarding them, please reach out to your teacher. This is only one data point in your child's educational record. More information on them can also be found on the VT AOE website HERE.

Pumpkin Raffle - Pumpkin season is upon us. The K/1 class students picked the pumpkins on Friday. Each class will be decorating a pumpkin for their class and it will be raffled off. Raffle tickets have been sent home with each student. Please return all raffle tickets and money by Thurs., Oct. 26. The raffle will be drawn Fri., Oct. 27 in the morning meeting. Thank you for your support!

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL

Sign up your Price Chopper account so RES gets points!
Offer to teach a course in the After School program - share your skills!
Turn in Box Tops for school! Each label is worth 10 cents!

BREAKFAST & LUNCH & MENU FOR NEXT WEEK:

Lunch & Milk Questions - If a child is free and reduced, milk is FREE with either breakfast or lunch. If a child wants milk by itself, there is a 50 cent charge. This is a federal government/state rule. Please let us know if you have questions.

Happening this Week:

Mon., Oct. 15 -

PE - students should wear tennis shoes!
Reading Runners - students need water bottles!
WCUD Board Meeting at Reading Elementary School-agenda HERE

Tues., Oct. 16 -

Library/Tech - please bring back library books!
Reading Fire Department doing a presentation - 8 AM - 9:15 AM PK-6

Wed., Oct. 10 -

Thurs., Oct. 11-

Music & Band

Fri., Oct. 12-

Spanish

Mark Your Calendar/Upcoming Events:

Thursday, Oct. 26 - Tickets & Money due from Pumpkin Raffle 2 PM
Fri., Oct. 27 - Pumpkin Raffle drawn during Morning Meeting 7:35 AM
Tues., Nov. 6 - PTO Meeting 5:30 PM - RES Library
Thurs., Nov. 8 - Make-Up Picture Day
Mon., Nov. 12 - NO SCHOOL
Wed., Nov. 14 - Report cards come home
Sat., Nov. 17 - Pie Sale & Chili Cook-off
Tues., Nov. 20 - RES Community Thanksgiving Dinner 12 - 12:45 PM
Wed., Nov. 21 - 23 - SCHOOL CLOSED

Thoughts to Ponder:

LIFE AT READING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

K/1 picked pumpkins from our pumpkin path last Fri.

Teamwork!

Sunday, October 7, 2018

RES PRINCIPAL'S BLOG - ROCKETS REPORT - Sun., Oct. 7, 2018

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Families & Community Members:

Please join us this Thurs., Oct. 11, 2018, for the Family & Community Engagement Session here at Reading Elementary School. Dinner will be provided from 5:30 - 6 PM. From 6-7:30 PM, an enlightening presentation will involve the audience as we develop the strategic plan. Childcare is available. We need YOUR presence and input so that Reading is represented. Please join us!

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

Darci Blanchard for writing a grant for the RAP program.
Jessica Seaman for helping out with Reading Runners.

Other Items of Interest:

News from the RES PTO - The Leaf Peeper Breakfast is coming up on October 14^th! We are in need of food donations and volunteers to support this event. There is a sign-up sheet in the school lobby (copy attached as well), or you can sign up by emailing the PTO at RES.PTO@yahoo.com.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 10/9 at 5:30 in the Multipurpose room at RES. The agenda for this meeting includes Leaf Peeper Breakfast prep and annual elections. A reminder: The position of Chair is open! Come to the meeting and join in the fun!

Profile of a Graduate Community Dinner - The entire district will be hosting "Profile of a Graduate Community Meetings" which are an important step to constructing a unified district strategic plan. Your voice and ideas are important and valued. Please mark your calendars for Thurs., Oct. 11. We hope to have a good community turnout. If you can't make it that night, please attend one of the others scheduled throughout the district!

Afterschool Program - The Afterschool Advisory Council met and we are all excited about the success of the program to date. New programs will be offered in the next session. Since the beginning of the school year, Cathy Knight and Pam Boyer Sheldon have been the directors. Though we love the work with the students and recognize the need for this valuable service, the sustainability of us continuing to do it with our current full-time jobs has to be addressed. We are looking for an after school director to take over this position. If you know of anyone interested, please contact Cathy Knight.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL

Sign up your Price Chopper account so RES gets points!
Offer to teach a course in the After School program - share your skills!
Turn in Box Tops for school! Each label is worth 10 cents!

Happening this Week:

Mon., Oct. 8 - NO SCHOOL for Students
Tues., Oct. 9 -

Library/Tech - please bring back library books!
"Web of Life" Field Trip - Gr. 6 begins all week
PTO Meeting - 5:30 PM - RES Library

Wed., Oct. 10 -

Thurs., Oct. 11-

Music & Band
Profile of a Graduate Dinner & Presentation

Dinner - 5:30 - 6
Presentation 6 - 7:15 PM
Childcare provided
Community members and families are welcome.

Fri., Oct. 12-

Spanish

Sat., Oct. 13 -

Fire Prevention Fair - see above

PTO Leaf Peeper's Breakfast

Sun., Oct. 14 - PTO sponsored Leaf Peeper's Breakfast 9 - 11 AM

Mark Your Calendar/Upcoming Events:

Mon., Oct. 15 - WCUD Board Meeting at Reading Elementary School
Tues., Oct. 16 - Reading Fire Dept. Presentation to students 8 - 9:30 AM

Thoughts to Ponder:

LIFE AT READING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

Sunday, September 30, 2018

RES PRINCIPAL'S BLOG - ROCKETS REPORT - Sun., Sept. 30, 2018

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Families & Community Members:

It was wonderful seeing so many families at the Back to School Night! Thanks for taking the time to come by and visit!

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

Parents: Mr. Lord, Mr. Lanoza, and Mr. Blanchard for helping us Thursday spread the playground's wood chips - HUGE help!
Janet Maxham for volunteering in the PK classroom!
All the parents who came to the Back to School Night!
The PTO and members who donated to the Pot Luck Dinner!
Neighbor and business owner, Scott Harkins, for spreading the wood chips!

Other Items of Interest:

Highlight on the Handbook - The WCUD Family/Student Handbook is full of important information and all principals will be highlighting information in our communications to families. The family district handbook can be found on our website and hard copies can be obtained from RES. Over the next few weeks, we are focusing on attendance.

Truancy Guidelines

In the case of habitual truancy, a Social Services Truancy Report will be prepared. The preparer, the truant officer, the school Principal, and the school Superintendent will sign this report. Then, the report will be forwarded to the Social Services District Office and copied to the County State’s Attorney. A letter indicating that the report was filed will be sent to the parent. The report is confidential and includes:

Documentation of absences,
Descriptions of actions taken by school personnel to effect change in the habitual pattern of truancy, and
Descriptions of other observed student behaviors that are inappropriate to the school setting.

After the Social Services Report is filed, the caseworker may conduct an investigation that could include a parent interview, student interview, and school personnel interview.

If the results of the investigation indicate that the parent is overtly and consciously interfering with the enrolled student’s school attendance, Social Services and the school will be sent directly to the State’s Attorney for review and possible determination of prosecution of the parents.

The Windsor Central Unified District follows the Windsor County truancy protocol which is outlined below:

Picture Day - Wed., Oct. 3 is the annual picture day. Forms were sent home Friday - please check your child's backpack. Please send the completed forms back into school. Order online before Picture day with your picture ID at mylifetouch.com. Reading Elementary School's Picture ID: VJ178089Q0.

Coming Soon -

Sat., Oct. 6 - 10 AM - 3 PM

Afterschool Program - The Afterschool Advisory Council met and we are all excited about the success of the program to date. New programs will be offered in the next session.

Since we are a licensed program, we are bound by extensive State regulations. We ask that parents give 24 hr. notice to add a student to the program and contact must be made to Mrs. Knight and Mrs. Hatt by an adult, not just by a student when they check in in the morning. If your child is signed up for afterschool, we must have e-mail notification that your child will not be participating with at least 24 hours notice. Please email Mrs. Knight AND Mrs. Hatt, in case one of us is out of the building. The State has strict staff/student ratios, so it's a safety issue to add students without checking first if there is room. If you cancel without 24 hr. notice we will have to charge for that day to help offset the cost of staffing. Thanks for your understanding!

Invoice statements were sent via e-mail last week to families participating in the afterschool program. Thank you to all who have sent in checks to bring your account current and pay ahead as requested.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL