Current Announcements & Reminders

The Vermont Arts Exchange (VAE) worked with sixth graders on a project titled “Thinking Outside of the Box.” Each student was given a ceral box and a small set of lights from the Dollar Store. Samples of their artwork can be seen on the VAE Facebook page.

12/11/20

Dear Families,

Thank you for another successful week of in-person learning and also for tuning into last week’s video eblast. As you can see, we are back to the standard text-based eblast, but I look forward to doing another video again soon!

As a reminder, progress reports were sent home with students this week. Please reach out to your student’s teacher if you have any questions.

I appreciate your time and attention to the few announcements and reminders below.

Enjoy your weekend,

Tim Newbold

Students Need to Be Dressed for Winter Weather

Please remember that students MUST dress in winter appropriate clothing: a winter coat, gloves, a hat, and boots, as well as snow pants (when there is snow). Recess, physical education, and classroom breaks will continue to happen outside. It is also recommended that you send your student to school with an extra pair of dry clothing.

We do NOT have extra winter clothes and gear to lend out on a daily basis due to COVID-19 precautions. If your student does not have access to winter clothing or gear, please contact School Nurse Kaitlyn Hewson at (802) 442-5955 or khewson@vsnb.org.

Also, we are continuing to open school windows throughout the day for improved ventilation. Please remind your students to come to school dressed in warm layers (e.g. sweatshirts and sweaters layered over long-sleeved shirts and/or short-sleeved shirts).

Winter Break Schedule

Friday, December 18 will be the last day of school before winter break. School will reopen on Monday, January 4. Please note this plan is subject to change if our school has active COVID-19 cases or if the overall infection rate changes dramatically, and we need to respond accordingly. If you know ahead of time that your student will need to quarantine after the winter break and, therefore, will need to do distance learning, please advise your student’s teacher and the school office. All students will be provided with their Chromebooks and chargers prior to the Winter Break.

Meals

We are pleased to announce that free breakfast and lunch will continue for the remainder of the 2020-2021 academic year. As a reminder, this means that ALL students can obtain meals every day, including on distance learning days and the weekends. This program is being made possible thanks to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE), the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union, and the Abbey Group.

>> Next week’s menu is available at this link.

COVID-19 Testing and Resources

The Southern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) and Bennington Rescue Squad offer PCR testing for COVID-19 on a daily basis. There is no cost for the test at the Bennington Rescue Squad, and the test at SVMC is billed to insurance or $135 out of pocket. For more information on these testing options, go to https://svhealthcare.org/COVID-19/testing.

Vermont has a new app called SARA Alert to monitor people who test positive for COVID-19, close contacts of people with COVID-19, and people visiting or returning to Vermont. It is not a contact tracing system, and it is not GPS-based, so it does not monitor your movements or track your location. Once you sign up, SARA Alert sends daily reminders until they automatically stop after two weeks. You can choose to receive messages by email, text or phone. If you report symptoms, the Health Department will reach out to provide guidance and next steps. More information is available at this link: https://apps.health.vermont.gov/COVID/faq/#4703

Pop-up Art Show

Vermont Arts Exchange (VAE) is once again happy to utilize the windows of the Thomayer building on Main St., Lincoln Square, North Bennington. Currently on display are Village School of North Bennington (VSNB) 5th grade self portraits and second grade Day of the Dead collages. Click here to read more.

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COMMUNITY EVENTS:

Decorate the “Village Christmas Tree” located at Pangaea – All ages are invited to pick up a DIY ornament craft, while supplies last, at Pangaea Tuesday-Saturday (8 a.m. – 9 p.m.) or at the McCullough Library during pickup hours on Wednesday and Friday. You can hang your ornament whenever Pangaea is open. Kiddos will get a special holiday treat for participating!

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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/

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/

Idena Beach Photography: http://www.idenabeach.com

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

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