Posted 8/21/23
Dear Village School K-6 Families:
We are thrilled to welcome K-6 students back to school next week! In keeping with Village School tradition, the first day of school will be a celebratory half day, on Thursday, August 31, with a welcome assembly, a parade, and a picnic for students, staff, and families!
Please take a few minutes to read this letter, as it includes essential back-to-school information, including scheduling details for the first day of school and registration information for the After School Program.
It has been a busy summer as our dedicated team of educators have been in and out of school preparing their classrooms and instructional materials for the new school year. Some exciting changes are ahead, such as welcoming new faculty and staff members, the implementation of a new school-wide math curriculum, Eureka Math2, and the expansion of our Pre-K Program.
We are delighted to expand our Pre-K Program to meet the need for more early education in our region, and this resulted in the renovation of two classrooms for Pre-K and lots of extra work for our facilities manager, Terry Maher, and our incredible facilities team. We are grateful for their tireless work throughout the summer to prepare these classrooms, while also getting the rest of the building shipshape for students’ return. In making space for our new Pre-K classroom, we have moved our Music Program across the street to the lower level of the Baptist Church. We are certain that our students will enjoy their weekly excursion over there for music classes.
The Village School is a special place to learn and grow, where our caring and skilled staff work with students to nurture their growth mindset and make connections that help them feel valued, accepted, and capable of achieving their potential. I am proud of the way our students and staff live out our Village School Constitution to be safe, kind, and respectful, while having fun learning. It is our mission to keep children at the heart of all we do, and we will always put the best interests of our students at the center of our purpose.
As always, we will look to you—our families—to be positive partners in supporting the education of your child(ren). When school begins, you will hear regularly from classroom teachers, and I will communicate with you through a weekly email/text message, which will also be posted on our website. My door is always open, and I welcome your communication and input throughout the year. I look forward to another year ahead of purposeful and joyful learning!
Warm regards,
Tim Newbold
Head of School
2023-2024 School Calendar:
The school calendar is available on our website at this link: https://vsnb.org/calendar. Any changes will be communicated to students, families, and staff members, as well as posted on our website.
Registration & Required Documents:
All students must be officially registered before August 31. You should have received an email and text message from our school asking you to register your student(s) online. If you are having any difficulty with registration, please contact office@vsnb.org or 802-442-5955. Registration information and instructions are at this link: https://vsnb.org/school-registration-2023-24/.
North Bennington Graded School District residents must provide a recertification residency of affidavit or a residency affidavit and/or two proofs of residency. These requirements are listed on the “Forms” section of the school’s website for reference: https://vsnb.org/forms.
First Day of School:
The first day of school for students in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade (K-6) is on Thursday, August 31, with the school doors opening at 8 a.m. (Pre-K children will start school the week of September 5th). The official school day begins at 8:15 a.m. with children expected to be in their classrooms and ready to learn at this time.
- 10:30 am: Gather for an all-school assembly; families are welcome to attend the assembly.
- 11:00 am: The Village School First Day Parade for students in grades K-6 will leave the school grounds from the basketball court and wind through the Village center. It’s a beloved tradition, and all family members and friends are welcome to join in the celebration. We encourage everyone to wear their Village School T-shirts (see Village School T-shirt sales information below).
- 11:30 am: Students will be dismissed from their classrooms.
- 11:30 am: Students, families, and staff members are invited to enjoy a picnic lunch at the Village School, free of charge. Following the picnic, head over to The John G. McCullough Free Library for an ice cream social.
- Note: There will be NO breakfast, Morning Gym, or After School Program on August 31. Morning Gym will start on Friday, September 1; the After School Program will start on Tuesday, September 5th (see After School Program registration details below). School will be closed on Monday, September 4, for Labor Day.
Village School T-shirts and School Store:
We encourage students to wear their Village School T-shirts. If your student needs a new T-shirt, they will be on sale for $10 in the school lobby on the first morning of school. You can also check out the Village School Store for a fantastic selection of T-shirts, sweatshirts, bags, hats, outerwear, face masks, and even baby clothes in a variety of colors and styles!
Supplies:
The Village School does not require students and families to buy any school clothing or supplies. All essential instructional materials are provided for each class.
Daily School Procedures:
The School Day procedures are posted on our website at this link: https://vsnb.org/school-day-procedures/. Please take a few minutes to read these important procedures regarding arrival and dismissal, as well as what to do if your student will be late or absent from school.
After School Program:
The Berkshire Family YMCA manages the After School Program at the Village School. The program starts on September 5 and runs Monday-Friday from 3-5 p.m. The cost is $45/week (families may apply for financial assistance if needed). Half days will require an additional sign up, but the cost will be 50% off for families already enrolled in the After School Program. For more information and registration, please use the following link: http://www.bfymca.org/vsnbsa.
Meals:
Breakfast and lunch are FREE for all students for the 2023-2024 academic year thanks to Vermont State. If students purchase milk only, there will be a charge of 60¢. The monthly breakfast and lunch menus are posted online at this link: https://vsnbfood.abbeygroup.info/menus.aspx.
Health and Wellbeing:
The Village School takes the health and wellbeing of our students, families, and staff members very seriously. Please review the Village School’s Health Services and Illness Policy posted on our website at this link: https://vsnb.org/health-and-wellness.
Social-Emotional Learning:
It is the Village School’s philosophy that children who feel safe, secure, and nurtured will be successful learners. With this philosophy in mind, our entire school community works together to embrace social-emotional learning (SEL), which provides students with a strong foundation in building skills to: develop healthy identities; understand and communicate their emotions; self-regulate their actions; set and achieve both personal and collective goals; feel and show empathy for others; resolve conflicts with friends, parents/guardians, and the other adults in their lives; establish and maintain supportive relationships; and to improve problem-solving abilities so that students are able to make responsible and caring decisions. These skills are cultivated collectively through efforts both within the classroom and outside of the classroom, by all members of the school community, including: faculty, support staff, administrators, and the school counselor.
Communications:
The Village School sends all-school communications to parents/guardians via email and text message. Every week, the school sends “current announcements” to families, and these announcements are also posted on the school website. Events, activities, meetings, and schedule changes are announced via email/text and posted on the website, as well. The Village School’s website address is www.vsnb.org.
