October 16, 2020
Dear Families,
Way to go Vermont! Please take a few minutes to read an article that was published this week in Politico titled “Which States Had the Best Pandemic Response?” The article applauds Vermont for “its unblemished record” in response to COVID-19, stating: “The odds could have been stacked against the state…It shares borders with some of the hardest-hit states and has the third-oldest population in the country. But Vermont swiftly flattened its initial wave and has since gone weeks at a time without any new confirmed infections.” Vermont is doing something right, and we are all part of this success! Let’s take a moment to recognize this and also keep up our good efforts.
Yesterday, we had a beautiful morning at the school as students helped plant trees in dedication of three beloved community members. Two maples were planted along the school’s front entryway in memory of Faye Hardy, who worked as the librarian and then secretary for the North Bennington Graded School (NBGS) and VSNB for 37 years, and for Daniel Taub, who served as Zoning Administrator in North Bennington for several years and was a volunteer for many years at the North Bennington Graded School, particularly with the Environmental Learning for the Future (ELF) program.
A Gingko tree was planted in the playground in honor of Ray Mullineaux, who recently retired from his position as a custodian at VSNB and who continues to serve as the Chair of the North Bennington Graded School District Prudential Committee. The tree plantings were made possible by the North Bennington Tree Committee and Pembroke Landscaping. Visit The Bennington Banner online to see a photo gallery of the tree plantings and dedications.
Please note these several additional items:
Dress for Cool Weather
In case you missed our note last week, please remind your children to dress for cool weather. Ventilation is one of our best tools in the fight against airborne illnesses like COVID-19, and we will continue to have one or more windows open in each classroom to allow fresh air to come in. Physical education classes will also continue to take place outside as much as possible. If your student(s) does not have enough cool-weather clothes, hats, gloves, or boots, please reach out to the school nurse, Kaitlyn Hewson, at 802-442-5955 or khewson@vsnb.org.
Breakfast and Lunch Menu for Oct. 19 – 25th
Next week’s breakfast and lunch menu are available on the school website at this link.
Vermont Temporary Broadband Subsidy Program
If you require high-speed Internet services for distance learning or remote work, the State of Vermont Department of Public Service is offering a Temporary Broadband Subsidy for up to $40 per month toward an Internet service subscription. Payments under the program can be applied retroactively to March 1 (for already-established accounts) through December 20, 2020. You must apply before November 30, 2020. Click here for more information.
Halloween
Last but not least, if Halloween is on your mind, you may want to read the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for celebrating Halloween and other holidays in a safer way. One safe Halloween activity we are recommending is the Vermont Arts Exchange’s 28th Annual North Bennington Halloween Parade, which will take place on October 31st at 4 p.m. This year’s event will be a “stay in your car” parade starting at Bennington College and ending at the Vermont Arts Exchange (VAE)/The Train Depot. Full details are available on the VAE website by clicking here.
Warm regards,
Tim Newbold
P.S. Our school has an opening for a substitute teacher position per diem. If you are interested, please go to the VSNB on Indeed job posting.
