Current Announcements

11/19/21

Dear Families,

Thank you for your flexibility and support this week with our classroom closures in the third and fifth grades. Our thoughts are with these students, staff members, and families. Cases of COVID-19 are at an all-time high in Vermont, and we appreciate your extra vigilance and care in following best practices to keep our community safe.

Last week I held a virtual Family Forum on the outlook for COVID-19 with respect to our school and talked about what children’s COVID-19 vaccinations may mean for our school. To access the video, click on this link and use this passcode: =nuw6UUH.

Next week, our “Safer at School” Surveillance Testing will take place on Monday, November 22, instead of Wednesday (due to the Thanksgiving break starting on Wednesday, November 24). If you have not yet signed your student up for surveillance testing, you can still do so. Click here for more info and for the consent form.

Village School students ages 5 to 11 started getting vaccinated earlier this month, and we appreciate the emails we’ve received about student vaccinations and the photos that have been shared (see below). Children’s vaccinations are available at the SVHC COVID-19 Resource Center and the Vermont Department of Health website has comprehensive listings and information about clinics available state-wide.

Two bright spots are important for me to share this week…

As part of an annual tradition, the Norshaft Lions Club sponsored Village School and Shaftsbury Elementary School sixth graders in the Lions Club international peace poster contest. Each year, students are asked to create a picture that represents a theme without using words. This year’s theme was “we are all connected.” Click here to view the peace posters for this year’s contest winner and honorable mentions.

Last and far from least, yesterday our school dedicated its new sign in honor of Pete Niles, a former Board of Trustees member and a NBGS alumnus. As Pat Gibbons said in her remarks: “Pete understood community service better than most people… His dedication and service to this school were second to none. He loved this school building and his years spent here as a student.” Pete was a driving force behind creating a sign for the school, and gifts contributed to Pete’s memorial fund helped make our school sign possible.

Have a good weekend,
Tim

SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Next week’s COVID-19 Surveillance Testing will take place on Monday, November 22.
The Village School will be closed for Thanksgiving break from November 24-26.
Photo Retake Day: Lifetouch apologizes for the unexpected scheduling change this week. The new Photo Retake Day for our school will be Tuesday, December 14.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

PAVE is running a Children’s Winter Clothing Drive in addition to its Warm the Children program in order to serve the individuals they could not financially sponsor. They are accepting gently used winter clothing items, including: coats, boots, gloves, and snow pants. Please drop off donations at the PAVE office at 102 Dewey Street in Bennington, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The deadline for drop-offs is 12/3/21.