The Village School of North Bennington re-opened on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Students are attending school in-person on all days except for distance learning on Wednesdays.
This page contains the most up-to-date school-wide communications and information from the Village School regarding COVID-19.
*Please see the Meal Plan details at the bottom of this page
____________________________________________________________________________
MOST RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS SENT TO FAMILIES
• May 14, 2021 – COVID-19 precautions not changing at VSNB at this time + Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine clinic for students 12 and older, and more
• May 7, 2021 – Please Help Us Plan for Next Year & Current Announcements
•April 30, 2021 – National Teacher Appreciation Week, Mental Health Awareness Month, and Pangaea VSNB Fundraiser
• April 23, 2021 – Stay in Your Car Village Parade, Seeds of Hope, Kindergarten Enrollment & Screenings
• April 9, 2021 – April Break, Vermont’s “A Strong and Healthy Year” Guidance, COVID-19 Health & Safety Information Updates and Procedural Changes
• April 2, 2021 – April Break Reminders, April Break Meals, Yearbook Orders...
• March 26, 2021 – April Break Reminders, Water Bottle Reminder, Yearbook Help Needed, Yearbook Orders…
• March 19, 2021 – Progress Reports, VAE/VSNB Art Show, and COVID-19 Vaccination Schedule for Vermonters…
• March 12, 2021 – Second Trimester ends, allergy vs. COVID-19 symptoms, health screening questions changes…
• March 5, 2021 – NBGSD Annual Meeting, voter information, VSNB Read Across America with Kindness Week…
• February 26, 2021 – 100 Days of School, Local Voting, NBGSD Annual Meeting
• February 19, 2021 – School to Reopen for In-person Instruction on February 22nd
• February 14, 2021 – Notice of Positive COVID-19 case at the Village School
• February 12, 2021 – Winter Break Announcements
• February 5, 2021 – Winter Break Reminders and Distance Learning Reply Form, Voter Information, and Winter Break Camp
ARCHIVE OF ALL 2020-2021 ANNOUNCEMENTS:
>> Click here for the archive of announcements.
____________________________________________________________________________
MASK POLICY
Acceptable masks include:
- Multilayer masks made of washable, breathable fabric (the CDC recommends masks with two or more layers)
- Disposable surgical masks (multilayer are best)
Non-acceptable masks:
- Bandanas
- Neck gaiters (cloth tubes that wrap around the face)
- Masks with valves (these only protect the wearer)
- Knitted or fleece masks
>> Click here to read the CDC’s flier on “How to Select, Wear, and Clean Your Mask”
____________________________________________________________________________
ILLNESS POLICY & NURSE’S OFFICE PROCEDURES
>> Click here to read the VSNB illness policy
>> Click here to read the VT Department of Health’s COVID-19 information for families’ return to school following illness
>> Click here for a flowchart on “COVID-19 in Pediatric Patients”: VT Department of Health & UVM’s algorithm for determining triage, evaluation, testing and return to school
____________________________________________________________________________
COVID-19 RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
• General questions about COVID-19? Dial 2-1-1
• COVID-19 Testing: Click here for the latest information on testing (including where and how to get tested in the Bennington region)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
https://www.cdc.gov/
• Government Information and Services:
https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus
• State of Vermont Agency of Education:
https://education.vermont.gov/news/covid-19-guidance-vermont-schools
• United Counseling Service – Family Emergency Services
• Vermont Department of Health:
https://www.healthvermont.gov/response/infectious-disease/2019-novel-coronavirus
• Get the Facts on Coronavirus from CBC/Radio-Canada (Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIL5m5XznNY
• The National Association of School Psychologists Parent Resource for Talking to Children About COVID-19.
• The New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network:
https://www.nctsn.org/resources/parent-caregiver-guide-to-helping-families-cope-with-the-coronavirus-disease-2019
____________________________________________________________________________
*FREE MEALS FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGH DECEMBER 2020
VSNB is offering free weekday and weekend meals to all students through December 2020. Thanks to the USDA, AOE, SVSU, and the Abbey Group for making this happen. VSNB students can order and obtain their meals in school.
Meals are also being delivered Monday-Friday via bus throughout the greater Bennington region. All children 18 years or younger qualify for one free breakfast and one free lunch each day. In addition, meal pickups are available at the middle school on all weekdays, from 7:30 a.m. – 12 noon. Click here to go to the SVSU website for pick-up locations and more information.
____________________________________________________________________________
COVID-19 Prevention & Testing
If you are a close contact to someone with COVID-19, the Vermont Department of Health states: “You need to stay home and away from other people to prevent further spread of the virus.”
Soon you will receive a call from a Health Department Contact Tracer. Please answer the call. The Contact Tracer will give you important information, including the date you may have been exposed and how long you need to stay home. According to the Department of Health, you should follow these steps:
- Please quarantine at home. This means avoiding activities outside of your home—like going to school, work, grocery shopping, or recreation—and separating yourself from others in your home. Learn more about quarantine.
- Watch for symptoms of COVID-19 and call your health care provider if you start to feel sick.
3. Get tested as soon as you can. It’s okay to leave home to get tested, for urgent medical care or if you feel unsafe at home. You must quarantine and follow guidance provided by the Department of Health even if this test is negative.Drive-up testing is available at SVMC and at the Bennington Rescue Squad, which offers quick, easy, and free testing daily. Click on the following link for details about testing: https://svhealthcare.org/COVID-19/testing.
As cases have increased, the recommendations regarding who should be tested have changed. People who meet the following criteria should be tested:
- Close contacts with a positive case. These include those who share a household or worksite with a positive person, and those who have attended an event with that person. Close contacts should be tested immediately and again after 7 days.
- Anyone who plans to participate in a gathering/event.
- Anyone who has attended a gather/event.
- Anyone who travelled out of state.
- Anyone who has a visitor from out-of-state.
- College students returning to Vermont.
According to the Vermont Department of Health, it is also important to get re-tested 7 days after a single possible exposure, as it takes your body some time to create a measurable load of virus. Those who wait 7 days after a single possible exposure are more likely to get an accurate result. Testing too early can lead to a false negative.
Waiting for Test Results
While you are waiting for test results, follow these instructions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and any directions you receive from the organization administering the test. The bottom line is that you should self-quarantine until your results are known.
