Welcome back!!

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! 

August 22, 2019

Dear Moretown Elementary School Families,

We are excited for another great year beginning Monday, August 26th!


So much exciting stuff this year, but first and foremost, we will continue our commitment to our core values of Joy, Community and Kindness!


Speaking of joy, our building looks amazing. It has been repaired and painted on the outside, cleaned and prepped on the inside. Our new/improved building is thanks to the hard work of Matt and his crew at Cutting Edge Contracting and our very own maintenance crew here at MES. We are appreciative of all the work that went into making our school student-ready!


We are also thrilled to share about some new staff joining the Moretown School Community. Nancy Willard joins us as our new Librarian/Tech Integrationist. Nancy is moving back home from Texas with her family. We are glad to have Jan Gillen rejoin MES as the Kindergarten classroom aide. Laura Caffry will also be in Kindergarten as a paraprofessional. Laura lives in the valley, most recently having worked at the Fayston School. Jeannie Randall joins us our new food service person. Join me in welcoming these folks to the Moretown Community.


There are so many things to be excited about for the upcoming school year. We will continue to appreciate and explore our environment and all that surrounds us. MES looks forward to the continuation of our successful and community supported Educating Children Outdoors program (A North Branch Nature Center partnered curriculum) for grades Pre K – 2. The students will spend time learning in the outdoors and about the outdoors on the beautiful land that surrounds the school. This is our 9th year in our partnership with North Branch, and it seems to just keep getting better. The 3rd/4th graders are participating in an awesome project with the Bird Diva Bridget Butler. We were fortunate to receive a grant through North Country Federal Credit Union that will fund this winged adventure.


In the world of technology, we have many new Chromebooks in the building for the continuation of our 1:1 device program for grades 3 – 6. Our Kindergarten and 1st/2nd grade classrooms will have 1:2 ratio with iPads. These tools are great for many learning apps including SeeSaw, which is being used in all of our classrooms to document, record and share important learning. Most classrooms are also now equipped with iPod touches to capture the amazing work going on. We are fortunate to have all these tools for learning .


We will be expanding our intervention model this coming school year. Our interventionist Kathy Haskell did an amazing job last year to set up systems and supports for the MTSS (Multi Tiered System of Supports) model here at Moretown School. Now we’re ready to reach all kids with the literacy intervention blocks (K-6). This will look like all students getting what they need based on assessment data. The intervention block will be a sacred time for all students to work on skills at their level. Through regular check-ins the adults will be assessing and adjusting to help every student progress and feel successful.



Our MECA program continues to be an integral part of MES. We boasted over 140 students in attendance for our summer program. The program, led by Moie Moulton, Kaitlin McDonaugh and their excellent staff, continues to expand and improve its offerings. MECA provides our youngest learners the opportunity to spend the whole day learning with us, and our school-age students the awesome afterschool experience they all love. Follow us on Facebook @MECAprogram.


In our continued dedication to kindness, we will be using Responsive Classroom, restorative practices, and a commitment to relationships to build classroom communities. These approaches will be used proactively to build trust and connections, and will also be used in reaction to when things are more difficult. These relationships build a strong foundation, even when things get a little shaky.


Additionally, you will see a continuation of our progress report system guided by ACT 77 (personalized learning plans and proficiency based learning http://education.vermont.gov/flexible-pathways) which includes:


Family conferences that are built into the school calendar two times within the school year; once in late October/early November and once in March (see the school calendar for specific dates). These conferences focus on goal-setting. School staff works with students and their families to establish focused goals, based upon strengths, challenges and interests students have demonstrated. Academic, as well as social-emotional proficiencies play an important role when establishing focused goals.


Progress on these goals, as well as general growth monitoring, is shared in report cards sent home in January and June. Teachers may share information regarding student strengths and challenges outside of these established communication cycles and families are encouraged to reach out to teachers if they have questions regarding their child’s progress.


As you and your family prepare for the new school year consider these steps that can be taken to insure a smooth transition at the beginning of the year:

• Talk with your child about the school year to come. What is he/she looking forward to? Is there anything he/she is nervous about? What does he/she hope for in the coming year? The way you talk about school does much to shape your child’s perceptions. If you share excitement and positive thinking, it is likely that they will feel that as well. When we joke about “dreading” returning to school, we are passing along a belief to our children!
• Build your child’s confidence by revisiting all that your child accomplished last year, as well as growth and accomplishments from the summer. From learning to ride a bike, to reading, to public speaking, to understanding division, our children accomplish such growth that we sometimes take it for granted. It’s good to celebrate the accomplishments while we simultaneously offer even more challenges.
• Help your child prepare by organizing a backpack for school, looking over the lunch menu for the first week, going through before and after school plans and identifying a spot and time where reading or homework can be done. Also help your child acclimate to the school schedule with earlier bedtimes and wake up times. And practice going to the bus stop to make sure you leave yourself enough time.
• Label all of your child’s belongings. Many kids will have the same backpacks, lunch boxes, etc. Print your child’s name, use stickers, or even use a luggage tag to help them identify their stuff. Help your child to learn emergency information. This will help both you and your child feel secure.

The main office at MES is open beginning at 7:15 on school days. Our main contact number is 496-3742 if you need to reach us in the morning. The school will be open beginning at 7:15 for early morning drop off of students, students will meet in the multi-purpose room. School begins everyday at 7:30 a.m. and dismissal is at 2:30 p.m. If your child arrives after 7:40 a.m. they are considered tardy and are required to check in at the office upon arrival to obtain a slip that will notify their teacher that they have checked in. Classrooms start their day promptly at 7:45 with most classes holding morning meetings to promote and reinforce the social curriculum. It is extremely important that each child be here on time so that he/she can participate in these activities. If your child will be absent or arriving after 8:15 a.m, we ask that you call us to let us know.


MES continues to be committed to safety and security, using the tools we have in place. Our main entrance doors will be locked everyday between 8:00-2:15. Please use the buzzer at the front door and smile for the camera. Loretta will greet you into the building if arrive during the school day. Please proceed directly to the office to sign in and receive a VISITOR sticker. All visitors will be required to wear their sticker while they are in the building. Just dropping off a student or picking one up?  No sticker necessary.

Our overall school schedule will shift a bit to allow for recess before lunch, but lunch times will remain the same as last year: 

• Pre-school and MECA Lunches will occur at 11:00
• Lunch for grades K - 2 begins at 11:30 and ends at 12:00
• Lunch for grades 3 -4 begins at 12:00 and ends at 12:30
• Lunch for grades 5 - 6 begins at 12:30 and ends at 1:00

Meal prices for students are $3.50 for lunch and $2.00 for breakfast. Checks should be made out to the Harwood Food Service. Our food service programs have merged across the district, bringing the best of all the schools/menus to one program. Check out the new website food.huusd.org to find out more about local ingredients, payment options and, of course, the awesome Bobat Cafe menu.


I will continue to send out information to parents via Swift Reach every Friday night, just like you are used to. This information will also be posted online in the weekly Moretown School blog (linked here). These emails contain important news and or other community information relevant to Moretown families. You will need to subscribe to the blog using your email address. In addition to the blog, you can now follow Moretown School on Twitter @MoretownSchool and Instagram @moretownschoolvt. For families without internet access we are happy to send out these communications in an alternate format upon request.


An important first day packet will go home the first day of school. This packet will include Health forms, a field trip form and a Photo Release form, as well as the Free and Reduced Lunch Application . Please take the time to review the information contained in the packet and send back the required forms to school as soon as possible. When the links are live and ready, you will receive an email form HUUSD with directions to update your child’s registration information. All other information will be sent via Swift Reach and found on the Moretown School website and/or blog.


Our handbook provides additional information regarding our school procedures and expectations. It is accessible via our school’s website www.moretownschool.com or by clicking here. Speaking of our website, we should have a new and improved website up and running sometime in September… stay tuned.


I am excited to have the kids walk in that first day. I look forward to working with students, staff and families to ensure success for every MES student.


Sincerely,


Mandy Couturier
Principal
Moretown Elementary School