Current Announcements

3/26/2021

Dear Families,

This first week of spring did not disappoint with the spectacular weather! Students wasted no time in putting on shorts and arriving at school on bikes and scooters. Teachers took advantage of the weather for outdoor learning and extra recess, and the second grade even set up tables outside for students to enjoy pancakes with their freshly made maple syrup.

With this nice weather, thoughts of gathering with friends and family and traveling inevitably come to mind. I’d like to take this moment, though, to remind our school community that the threat of COVID-19 is still very real. While the number of people being vaccinated is increasing, the majority of people are still not vaccinated and there is concern about COVID-19 variants.

As spring break approaches (April 12-16 for our school), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reminding the public that travel increases one’s chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. The CDC and the Vermont Department of Health recommend people do not travel in order to protect themselves and others from COVID-19; and, according to Vermont state guidelines, students and unvaccinated adults cannot travel without quarantining for 14 days after returning to Vermont and/or getting tested 7 days after returning to Vermont and having a negative test result.

Vermont guidelines also currently limit multi-household social gatherings, as follows:

Vaccinated individuals or households may gather with other vaccinated individuals or households.
For individuals and households who are not fully vaccinated, social gatherings indoors and outdoors in private spaces are limited to only two unvaccinated households at one time, plus any fully vaccinated households.

We sent home a flyer to all families this week titled “April Break – COVID 19 Reminders & Distance Learning Reply form.” Distance Learning will be available after the break for any family that has travel plans and/or if your household will be engaging in higher-risk COVID-19 activities. If you know that your student will need Distance Learning after the break, please fill out the form we sent home and return it to your student’s teacher next week or email info@vsnb.org. You can also leave a message at info@vsnb.org or 802-442-5955 over the break if a member of your household needs to quarantine and/or is being tested for COVID-19.

For complete details on Vermont’s health and safety guidelines, as well as travel and visitor restrictions, please visit the Vermont Department of Health website: www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19.

Thank you for continuing to do your part to protect yourselves and one another. Enjoy the spring weather this weekend!

Warm regards,
Tim Newbold

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Next Week’s Meals Menu (March 29 – April 4)

Click here for the menu.

No Drinking Fountains; Please Send Water Bottle
Due to current pandemic regulations, we cannot allow students to use the water fountains this year. They can, however, use their classroom sinks to fill water bottles. Please be sure to send your student to school with a reusable water bottle every day. If you are not able to provide a water bottle for your student(s), please reach out to School Nurse Kaitlyn Hewson at khewson@vsnb.org or 802-442-5955.

Yearbook Help!

Leslie Koelker is working hard on putting together this year’s yearbook. She would love to include photos of students doing distance learning on Wednesdays. Please email any pictures that you might have to yearbook@vsnb.org.

6th Grade Families: please be sure to send baby pictures of your 6th grader to Mrs. Koelker as soon as possible. Email your photos to yearbook@vsnb.org.

Yearbook Orders

Yearbooks are now on sale for the 2020-2021 school year! Each yearbook costs $13. Payment can be made with a check by using the order form that was sent home with students this week. Or, you can order a yearbook online by going to ybpay.lifetouch.com. Enter the yearbook ID code: 11207821.

COVID-19 Health & Safety Information

Please visit the Health Department website for the latest COVID-19 guidance, restrictions, and travel and quarantine information. As a reminder, COVID-19 testing continues to be easily accessible and quick at SVMC and the Bennington Rescue Squad. Click on the following link for details about testing: https://svhealthcare.org/COVID-19/testing.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lake Paran Spring Break Nature Camp (April 12-16)

Registration is open for Lake Paran’s Spring Break Nature Camp from April 12-16, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Week-long or single-day participation is available. There will be enriching environmental education and place-based experiences in a COVID-19 safe environment, as well as a special live animal presentation by the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum. More info and registration are available online at https://lakeparanvt.org/programs-and-camps/.

For questions email lakeparanvista@gmail.com or call 302-463-6907.

Bennington Little League Baseball & “T-Ball” Registration

Registration is scheduled for the 2021 season. Children who are ages 5-12 by August 31st wishing to play this season must register. This registration is for Bennington and the surrounding area. The cost for Little Leaguer’s is $80 per player, maximum $110/family, and $50 per player for T-Ball (scholarships are available upon request). Even returning players need to register. Birth certificates (xerox copies, no originals necessary) for new players are required. In-person registration will not be available this year, but online is a great option. Visit us at www.benningtonlittleleague.com for a link to register online For anyone not able to register online or if you have questions, please contact Geoff Metcalfe at mauhs92@yahoo.com.

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THANK YOU TO THE VILLAGE SCHOOL’S 2020-2021 BUSINESS PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

All of these partners are helping to support many of our school programs. You can learn more about these partners at https://vsnb.org/bpie-sponsors

GOLD LEVEL:

Bank of Bennington: https://thebankofbennington.com/

SILVER LEVEL:

D.B. McKenna & Co., Inc.: https://www.dbmckenna.com/

RCS Consulting, Inc.: https://www.rcs.consulting/

Whitman’s / Poulin Grain: https://www.whitmansfeed.com/

BRONZE LEVEL:

Adam’s Lock & Security: https://www.adamslockvt.com/

Danielle D. Fogarty, PLC: https://www.ddfplc.com/

Global Z: https://globalz.com/

Maple Leaf Realty: https://www.mapleleafvermont.com/

West Oil Company: https://westoilcompany.com/