Principal's Newsletters 2023-24

Newsletter #9

RES Newsletter #9October 29, 2023

A Note From Ms. C

Dear RES Families,

As we approach the end of October and the chilly fall weather settles in, we have much to celebrate and look forward to at RES!

Tuesday afternoon will be an extra-fun as we enjoy a Fall Fun celebration complete with hayride and dance party. Hands-on learning continues in each classroom, and we are so excited to connect with families to celebrate students’ progress and plan for next-steps in their learning during caregiver-teacher conferences.

Have a wonderful week ahead!

With gratitude,

Meg

Nuts n’Bolts

10/31: Fall Celebration 2:00 - 2:50 (Families are welcome to join the fun!)

11/3: No School

11/4: Vermont Children’s Museum Play and Learn Time @RES (3:00 - 5:00) Information to come!

11/8: Early Release Day

11/20-11/24: No School - Thanksgiving Break

Volunteer at RES!

Would you, or someone you know, like to spend time with an incredible group of kiddos, during the school day? There are many ways that folks can get involved with, and volunteer, at RES.

Would you like to join students for lunch once a week?
Do you have an interest that you would like to share with our young people?
Would you like to share your love of reading with a student?
Does playing with a lively group of kiddos at recess sound like fun?
Do you have time to spare helping out in a classroom, on a consistent basis? On an inconsistent basis? I

If you would like to become involved at RES, let’s connect!

Please send an email to Meg Cheresnick (MCheresnick@acsdvt.org) and we can explore ideas together! Also, please take a look at this website which outlines the district’s volunteer policy and application.

Addison Central SEPAC

WHO WE ARE:

The Addison Central Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is an organization led by parents (defined broadly) that focuses on improving the education and experiences of students with special needs and disabilities in the Addison Central School District (ACSD).

Learn more at: www.AddisonCentralSEPAC.org

WHAT WE DO:

Support families through information, events, and community.
Collect community input and help district leaders understand the concerns of families and students.
Collaborate with ACSD to improve district policies and practices.

STAY IN THE KNOW!

Don’t miss out on SEPAC resources and events! Sign up for updates at the link below.

P.E. News from Ms. T!

During this month in Physical Education the students developed the skill of throwing and catching. Through fun games like battleship, trash the neighbors yard, and hula hut castle the students had the chance to work on their form and accuracy while throwing. To develop the skill of catching we had the opportunity to play hero and villain freeze tag, boom city and ring collector. Ask your student which game was their favorite!

Newsletter #8

RES Newsletter #8 October 15, 2023

A Note From Ms. C

Dear RES Community,

It was such a pleasure having families visit our open house this past Tuesday!

Students took their visitors on a tour of their classroom (and in Ms. H’s class - a scavenger hunt!) and were able to share the spaces and places where they spend their days learning! Kiddos made bookmarks with Mrs. O’Neill, we looked at old RES pictures and started a memory-picture-poster and a collection of reasons why we feel RES is such a special place. We will continue to gather together to celebrate and share joy, both in and out of the classroom!

Nuts n’Bolts

10/20: Picture Day (8:00am) and FORS Pizza Bake (5:00pm)

OpenHouse!

More Mushroom Fun!

K/1 wasn't the only class to explore the mushroom-filled wonderland that is the surrounding woods! Ms. O's class, Jeannie, Ms. Erin, and Mr. Alex, all explored the many different varieties of mushroom that can be found in Ripton! Students had a fantastic time being mushroom detectives, and supporting and working together in their hunt for marvelous mushrooms! Thank you to Ms. O for organizing this fun afternoon, and for Jeannie for joining the group and letting us explore her trail!

2nd Grade Math Time

Ms. H's second-graders learned about the "doubles plus one" strategy this week. They used ten frames, number racks, and even Lego people to explore ways to show that 6 + 7 can be solved using the strategy.

Doubles plus one strategy helps students recognize that equations like 8 + 9, 5 + 6, 7 + 8, etc. can be solved by seeing that they are doubles ( 8 + 8, 5 + 5, 7 + 7) plus one more, so if they know their doubles facts, they can then easily solve these facts as well!

K/1 Students open creativity!

Every morning, students in Mrs. Giroux's class has exploration time where they get to choose how they want to explore their play and creativity. Some students create Lego structures, some kiddos co-build elaborate structures, others create a collage of pumpkins living in a midnight haunted house, and others explore stencil-fun. It's always a joy to see the many ways that students' creativity shines through each morning!

Megan Cheresnick

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Newsletter #7

RES Newsletter #7!

Dear RES Families,

Thank you so much to all of the organizers, volunteers, families, community members, and supporters who came together for the 36th Annual Ripton Ridge Run this past Sunday! Erin described the event as being “wrapped in a big hug” and I cannot think of a better way to describe the love and sense of community that was out in full force during the celebration! Our students and staff are so lucky to have a community that cares so deeply about them and their school experience. Thank you!

Our school community continues to come together with our student-led All School Meetings each Monday. Upper-graders continue to reflect on, and refine the meeting each week. Students are doing an amazing job of being courageous leaders, stepping outside their comfort zone, presenting to the whole school and choosing activities that bring joy and connection to the meeting with fun activities like, “Would you Rather!” and creative greetings!

We are excited to welcome families tonight (10/10) for our Open House from 5:00 - 6:00 pm! It will be an informal hour where folks can visit classrooms, share ideas about monthly evening activities, make bookmarks, explore the library, chat and connect!

Nuts n’Bolts

10/10: Ripton Elementary School's Open House (5:00 - 6:00)

10/20: Picture Day

FORS Pizza Bake (5:00pm)

As always, please reach out with any questions/thoughts!

With gratitude,

Meg

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Friday Ripton Ridge Fun Run

There were many smiles and flushed faces as students crossed the finish line at Friday’s Kid’s Ripton Ridge Fun Run at school. A huge thank you to Erin, Joanna, and Ms. T for coordinating this fun afternoon! Students ran the kid’s course on Friday (and were greeted by a silly surprise in the forest!) during P.E. class. Kiddos cheered each other on, and everyone received a RRR shirt (thank you, FORS!) to commemorate their successful run!

Kindness

Students continue to recognize the many ways that kindness shows up at RES. From sharing pencils, to checking in on friends, to inviting others to play - students are celebrating kindness in all of its forms and we are so grateful that there is no shortage of kindness to celebrate with this wonderful group of kiddos! A big thank you to Ms. O’Neill for organizing the 40 Days of Kindness challenge, and a second thank you to our kiddos for helping us live this challenge year-round!

Julien's Stretch: "The Dab"

Kiddos Co-Creating a New Game at Recess

So Grateful for Everyone's Generosity and Support!

Megan Cheresnick

Megan is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Newsletter #6

RES Newsletter #6!

Dear RES Families,

This past week at RES began with an All School Meeting created and presented entirely by our fourth- and fifth-grade student leaders. The students are planning, reflecting and crafting an ASM that is meaningful and a time for our school to gather and experience community and joy. We are so grateful for their creativity and their leadership!

Our school also continues to celebrate kindness with the 40 Days of Kindness, initiated by Mrs. O’Neill. The kindness of our students is out in full force daily, and also shone through extra this week as we saw so many students helping each other during our Fire and Buss drills. Thank you to our entire school community for everyone’s mindful participation in our important drills this week!

From the Ridge Run, to changing leaves, to more learning and exploring in crisper weather - we have much to look forward to as we begin this first week of October!

As always, please reach out with any questions/thoughts!

With gratitude,

Meg

Nuts n'Bolts:

10/4 : Early release for students. (1:00 dismissal for both bus and pickups)

10/6: Kiddos get their own Ridge Run tee shirts (thank you, FORS!) and race in a school-based “Mini Ridge Run.”

10/8: Ripton Ridge Run (12:30pm)

10/10: Ripton Elementary School's Open House (5:00 - 6:00)

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Woods Wednesday!

The ways in which community and the natural world are woven into the daily experiences of our school are truly unique and so beautiful. I wanted to share with folks a tradition that most folks know about, and for which we are so grateful for - Ms. Whittemore’s Woods Wednesdays.

Every week, Ms. Whittemore and Mrs. Giroux lead the K/1 class on a Woods Wednesday afternoon. This past week the class ventured out to “Owen’s Trail” which is a special path created by classmate Owen and his family! Kiddos were also joined by RES parent Joanna on their walk, which was filled with questions, wonderings, and observations - many of which revolved around the many different types of mushrooms that students found on the trail!

During Woods Wednesdays, curiosity and exploration abound - students are given agency to explore, question, and learn more about what they notice and experience. The class was engaged in learning about their “local” natural world and moved their learning forward when they examined photographs and a “mushroom guide” provided by Joanna!

Questions about similarities and differences, learning about the terms edible and inedible, descriptive adjectives to describe their observations, were all a part of their afternoon. And on a deeper level, students were engaging in turn-taking while looking at pictures, advocating for needs when some students were not able to see, and listening to each other and offering space when needed.

Our teachers’ attention to the social, emotional, and natural lives of our children and the intention with which they weave that into their daily experiences at school is one of the many reasons why our school is such a special place.

A Note from P.E.

Hello all,

During this month of PE our students have been practicing expectations, routines and teamwork. As we are building our PE community we also completed our skills unit of kicking. During this unit students had the chance to practice foot skills in stations and mini soccer games. We look forward to continuing to build a fun and safe community in PE.

Miss T

Ripton Ridge Run!

This year’s Ripton Ridge Run will be Sunday, October 8th starting at 12:30. It is the 36th year in a row we have hosted this event! We’re looking forward to the event being a big success once again this year.

As in past years, there will be a kids’ race, a 5K and 10.4K running race and a 5K walk. Runners and walkers begin to arrive at the school around 10:30 am, and the afternoon is capped off with a delicious chili lunch, a raffle and prizes, ending around 2:30. As a school community, we take pride in hosting this event. All RES children benefit directly from this event since proceeds go directly to FORS, Inc. which helps pay for school programs, artists in residencies, field trips, musical performances and more.

Megan Cheresnick

Megan is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Newsletter #5

RES Newsletter #5

September 24, 2023

Dear RES Families,

Our wonderful staff continues to create learning opportunities and experiences for our students that build on their interests and curiosity. This past week at RES saw students creating (mini… controlled…) explosions, searching in the woods for interesting flora, and searching inside of books to find interesting connections! As we move into this final week of September, we look forward to gathering together for a student-planned All School Meeting, and celebrating the kind acts that fill our days here a RES.

As always, please reach out with any questions/thoughts!

With gratitude,

Meg

Nuts n'Bolts:

Open House: Ripton Elementary School's Open House will be October 10th (5:00 - 6:00)

Options-Based Drill: We will be conducting our September Options Based Drill on Friday (9/29). Here is more information about the drill: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UjpoHTel2Cmhz4yHAyvVxjQkg3y-orh1pivGkI6oVL8/edit?usp=sharing . (I will also be sending this separately by email early this week)

Ripton Ridge Run: October 8th starting at 12:30pm

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Thank You, Eric!

So much goes on behind the scenes of our school to ensure it runs smoothly and safely, and we wanted to acknowledge and express so much appreciation and gratitude for the work that Eric Warren has put into keeping our school running smoothly. The past few weeks have posed some extra challenges with a finicky well, and Eric has gone above and beyond, helping us during, before, and after hours. Thank you, so much, for your kindness, support, and selflessness commitment to helping to keep our school running smoothly and safely! We are so grateful for you!

All New All School Meeting

In response to our All School Meeting about All School Meeting, the fourth and fifth grader class decided to take on the task of planning a student-crafted All School Meeting. As a group, they identified the components of what were most important to a meeting, divided the tasks, and will run a “practice” All School Meeting this week! From there, they will reflect on what went well and what could be improved upon. They are each confidently embodying the role of leaders as “upper graders” of our community. We are so grateful for, and excited to watch, the leadership they are undertaking in this new role!

A Message from the Ripton Ridge Committee:

We are linking a Google sheet HERE for caregivers to sign up to volunteer, make chili, or cookies. Volunteers are needed to help set up, park cars, oversee water stops, serve lunch and clean up afterwards. Please put your name on the spreadsheet or let Erin Robinson know what you would like to sign up for (riptonoffice@acsdvt.org). All families living along the race routes are asked to help pick up garbage that has been littered along the roadsides. We also ask dog owners living on the race routes to keep their dogs inside during the race.

It takes over 70 volunteers to help pull off this major fundraising event. Running or walking in the race is not volunteering (although your entry fee does help); please contact one of the race committee members to let us know how you will be helping make this year’s 36th annual Ripton Ridge Run a success.

Thank you!

The Ripton Ridge Run Committee

Barry King Joanna Doria

Laura McIntosh Debi Waters

Tracey Harrington Jeannie Cash

Megan Cheresnick

Megan is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Newsletter #4

RES Newsletter #4 September 17th, 2023

A Note From Ms. C

Dear RES Community,

This past week has been a lot of fun with everyone delving deeper into learning together and exploring new ways to join together as a RES community. On Monday, we held an “All School Meeting about All School Meeting” where mixed-age groups tackled the question: What should All School Meeting look like this year? Later that week, classrooms thought about the question: Why do we have All School Meeting? Why is it important? From our conversations, we created the basic scaffold for an All School Meeting that reflects the hopes and ideas of our students. It is not surprising that the common sentiments echoed from each class was that ASM is a way for us to gather together, celebrate as a community, problem-solve as a group, and have fun and share joy. We are excited to see how our ASMs are shaped throughout this year with our students leading the way in how it is created and run!

Two important announcements:

1. To echo what Matt Corrente wrote in his email, we are so grateful to everyone for your patience as we work through these bus challenges.

Erin sent out a school-based email earlier today, but if you did not also receive an email and phone call from ACSD (sent by Matt Corrente, Director of Finance and Operations) please let us know and we will ensure that you receive all future emails/phone calls.

Ripton bus for Monday (9/18):

The morning Ripton bus will run as usual, with a substitute driver.
The 3:00 Ripton bus is not available, but thanks to Ken’s kindness we are able to offer the 4:15 bus option for families.
The Hancock-Granville bus is unaffected.

2. Please save the date for Ripton Elementary School’s Open House: October 10th from 5:00 - 6:00pm.

We're Gaga for Gaga!

Thanks to the generosity of FORS and kindness of helping families and community members, our playground is now home to its very own Gaga Ball pit! This game has quickly become a favorite activity during recess. Ms. T, our amazing P.E. teacher, worked with students during P.E. class to understand and practice the rules. Students are having so much fun playing the game, while also being mindful of being positive and “good sports.” Disagreements arise and are talked through, even sparking a discussion that resulted in an “official” rule change to reflect what the students felt was fair. With Gaga Ball students are practicing conflict resolution while also having a ball! (pun intended :) )

The Pigeon Has to Go to Ms. H's Class

This week, Ms. H’s class read a kid-favorite story, “The Pigeon Has to go to School.” To practice the skill of checking for understanding, second and third graders walked around the classroom in a thinking scavenger hunt where they answered “who, what, where, when” questions about the story, with a partner. The activity was a wonderful way for the students to check their understanding, practice reading aloud, listening and working together with a partner, and practice time management skills as they moved from one question to the next. Kiddos were smiling and moving about the room buzzing with thoughts and answers together - learning in a way that practiced social as well as academic skills!

21 Days of Kindness

Looking at Lichen!

Megan Cheresnick

Megan is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Newsletter #3

RES Newsletter #3!

September 10th, 2023

RES Newsletter #3!September 10th, 2023

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A Note from Ms. C

Dear RES Community,

This was a week filled with a lot of heat, learning, and problem-solving! Students continue to practice the routines and rhythm of the day, while engaging in activities that create a strong classroom and school community that is at the heart of RES!

As we move through our days together we are working as a whole-school community to ensure that students’ voices are heard and celebrated!

Here are some ways that our students are being engaged in decision-making at RES:

Our recess expectations were crafted as a school during our “Recess Brainstorming Activity.”

Students were asked for suggestions for how to address some “hiccups” in the lunch procedure. Rather than adults making changes and telling the kids what to do, the students thought about and offered solutions which are being tried and reflected upon.

Each class discussed ideas for creative ways to celebrate birthdays. The result was a Birthday Menu from which kiddos can choose all/some/none of the options below:
- Whole-school singing Happy Birthday
- Special Birthday Seat in the lunchroom
- Choose something from the Birthday Treasure Box
- Special activity (extra recess, dance party, game) to add to the day’s schedule
- Birthday Crown or Badge
- Birthday Bag filled with messages from classmates
- Happy Birthday card signed by staff

Congratulations, Mrs. Giroux!

A HUGE congratulations to K / 1 teacher, Melissa Giroux who recently completed her Master’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University!

Mrs. Giroux spent the past two years learning and taking classes, while also teaching full-time (an amazing one at that!), and being a super-star mom to her own kiddos!

Mrs. Giroux is an amazing and inspiring person. The entire Ripton Elementary School community is incredibly proud of her and so grateful that she is sharing her love of kids and passion for teaching, with our students!

Dismissal Information

Thank you for your flexibility as we shift our dismissal routine. Our intention in this change is to ensure that all students are accounted for at all times, to keep our kiddos safe. :)

Dismissals will take place in the Bell Room (front entrance). Please meet your child here for pick-up.

If there is a day-of change to dismissal plans, please email or call the office as soon as possible.

Please make sure that you tell the supervising adult before you leave with your child.

Children who are under the supervision of a care-giver are welcome to play on the playground after they are dismissed, but it is important that care-givers are actively supervising and supporting their children during that time.

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Thank You, Ken!

We are so grateful to Ken Caul for driving our Wednesday afternoon Ripton bus while Bet-Cha staffs a substitute driver. It is a later arrival, but thanks to his kindness we are able to offer an after school bus ride to our students. Ken is a Middlebury native and a retired youth hockey referee where his care for kids was front and center. Before every game he would remind the players, “Above all, have fun.” He shows that same care for children during his current position driving the youth of ACSD, a job he has held for the past 13 years.

Fun fact: When not behind the wheel of a school bus he can be seen behind the wheel of his beloved white Mustang!

Thank you, Ken!

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An Eggselent Afternoon!

Walking into the Bell Room Friday at 1:47pm, one would have seen a cluster of 4th and 5th graders, all eyes fixed on clever contraptions of all shapes of sizes being dropped from the arms of an adult… who was standing on a chair. Not a sight you’d see every day! As each creation dropped, shouts of, “Ohhhhh!” and “Did it break?!” were heard as kids rushed over to inspect the damage sustained to their creations after their plummet to earth.

Why? This was the culmination of an engineering project devised by Ms. O to challenge her students to work as a team and create a container that would protect an egg from breaking when dropped.

On the surface this was a fun activity that challenged the minds of students to think creatively and critically. It sparked conversations about gravity and engineering, yet upon closer inspection there was deeper learning that Ms. O skillfully facilitated.

Students were actively supporting and encouraging each other. The caring support also took the form of spontaneous joy when someone said that they were feeling anxious. A classmate paused and then replied, “You mean egg-xious?!” This then opened the door for all sorts of punny jokes, “We’re going to fry this!” “This is egg-stra!” “That was an egg-selent try!” “We’re making really bad yolk-s.” Spontaneous laughter and clever puns then filled their walk to the Bell Room.

Students could have learned about engineering and gravity in any number of ways, but here students learned academics while also sharing joy, engaging in creative thinking, and practicing the values of supporting and encouraging each other. It was an eggcelent sight to see!

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Panorama Survey Information

As parents, teachers, and caregivers, we know that social emotional learning (SEL) is crucial for our students’ success in school and in life. To support this learning, we first need to understand how students are doing. Last year, a group of teachers and administrators identified research-backed SEL measurement tools and selected the Panorama surveys. This year, we will again be using Panorama as a tool. The survey will be given a total of three times (fall, winter, spring), and it takes students about 10-15 minutes to complete. We will use the data we collect to reflect on student learning and strengthen our programs and instruction to help all students succeed.

In the next month, we will provide a survey to our K-12 students. Students in 3rd-12th grades will self-reflect on skills related to self-management, self-awareness, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness. For grades K-2, teachers will complete a much shorter survey on the same topics about each student in their class. We ask that all students participate, because their feedback will provide valuable insights to help us improve and adapt our district to support all students.

Please notify us if you wish to opt your child out of taking the survey by emailing Erin with your child’s name, grade, and class by September 15, 2023.

Thank you in advance for supporting this important work. If you have any questions please contact Meg or Courtney Krahn, Director of Teaching and Learning (ckrahn@acsdvt.org; 820-382-1276).

Newsletter #2

RES Newsletter #2!

RES Newsletter #2! September 5th, 2023 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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The First Few Days...

Our classrooms and hallways are buzzing with joyful and curious learning! Our teachers and staff welcomed our kiddos with open arms and we are coming together as a Ripton Elementary School community swiftly and seamlessly!

A new year often brings with it some new changes, yet what will always remain the same is the care that we have for each other, our child-centered community, and the excitement we all share for learning and growing together!

Please see below for a few “nuts and bolts” items.

As always, please reach out with any questions/thoughts!

I am so grateful to be a part of this amazing community.

Thank you.

Meg

Nuts n'Bolts:

After School Playground Use:

Our playground is open to the public starting at 3:45, after the second bus leaves and all students are dismissed from RES.

All students who have signed-up and are staying for the late bus will be under staff supervision on the playground from approximately 3:00 - 3:40. Any other children who want to remain on the playground after 3:00 are welcome to do so, but must be accompanied by an adult who is responsible for their supervision.

Dismissal:

To ensure that all students are able to exit the building and be accounted for, we will be modifying our dismissal procedure slightly.

Bus riders will board the bus first.
Students who are picked up will be met by their care-giver at 3:00 at the entrance. Students who walk home will also be dismissed at this time.
Students who have signed up for the 3:40 bus will be dismissed to the library and signed-in by a staff member, and take a bathroom and water break before we start their outside time.

Friendly reminders:

Our school day ends at 3:00
The 3:40 Bus is available for folks whose schedule is such that it would be a hardship for the student to take the 3:00 bus.
Prompt pickups are essential for our staff to be able to leave on time and attend after-school meetings. (and we also understand that once in a while, emergencies happen!)

FORS: Friends of Ripton Elementary School

The Friends of Ripton School, Inc. (FORS) is a non-profit organization comprised of volunteers from the community who work together to support the Ripton Elementary School community in making the school the best it can be. Funds generated by FORS, Inc. are used to support and broaden Ripton Elementary’s academic program through extra curricular activities and events. FORS organizes fundraising projects throughout the year, as well as specific school and community related events.

The group meets regularly during the school year to plan events and approve funding requests. FORS is also a forum for discussion on a variety of school and community related issues. Typically, FORS members are parents of students at Ripton Elementary, however, any interested community member is invited to join. FORS has an active and committed core of parent involvement. Please contact Erin Robinson, 388-2208/779-4134 or forsincvt@gmail.com, if you are interested in volunteering or getting involved with FORS in any way.

We hope that you will please take a moment to fill out the Information Release for FORS.

The Maybe-Poisonous-Caterpillar: What would you have done?

At recess on Thursday I walked over to a group of kiddos who were looking at a yellow and white caterpillar. “Don’t touch it, it’s poisonous!” one kiddo warned. Another said, “We should kill it. It’s dangerous.” There was a pause. The group considered what was said. Another young person responded, “Well, it’s outside” and another suggested, “Let’s move it with a stick so it’s safe and we’re safe.” A conversation about safety, respecting our natural world, and consequences of our actions all took place within a short and beautiful window of time. All outside. All coming from the minds and hearts of children.

Outside play is such a beautiful time for our children to explore, to learn - about themselves and others, and to practice what it is to be mindful members of a community.

Our young people come to us with so much wonder and wisdom. When we stop to listen, and to guide with a question or two, we help shape our future and that makes me feel incredibly hopeful and grateful.

Wednesday Afternoon Bus

We are so grateful for everyone’s flexibility as we work through the challenge of our Wednesday afternoon bus temporary-solution. Here is the “in a nutshell” explanation:

Bet-Cha does not have a driver for the afternoon (3:00, or 3:40) Ripton bus route. This does not affect the Hancock-Granville bus; that bus will leave at 3:40 as usual.

Wednesday after school, families have the option of either:

Picking up their student(s) at 3:00
Students may take the bus home at 4:15.

Why? Bet-Cha is working to hire and train a substitute bus driver for the Wednesday afternoon bus route.

Ken has kindly volunteered to come after his afternoon route to drive our Ripton students home. This bus leaves at 4:15 as it occurs after his regular route.

We know this is not ideal, and it makes for a very long day, but we are grateful to Ken for allowing us to offer a way for our students to take the bus home on Wednesdays.

Megan Cheresnick

Megan is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Welcome Back to School!

RES Welcome Back 2023-24

RES Welcome Back 2023-24 August 23, 2023 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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Dear Ripton Elementary School Families,

Greetings! I hope this Back to School letter finds you well and enjoying the final days of summer break. Enclosed you will find some of the dates and details for the start of school and some information about the year ahead.

This past month I have really enjoyed connecting with families, staff, and kiddos and cannot tell you how much I have appreciated everyone’s kindness and warm welcome! Joining the Ripton community is such a privilege and I am excited to start the year together and engage in a year (and beyond!) of growth and learning!

The teachers, staff and I look forward to connecting with students and families, and sharing more information about the year ahead at the Back to School Picnic on Monday, August 28th at 5:00 p.m.

The first day of school for all students, Kindergarten through 5th grade, will be Wednesday, August 30th starting at 8:00 a.m. The school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. each day. Students may be picked up at 3:00 or ride the bus home - 3:00 (Ripton students), 3:40 (Hancock/Granville students). View the bus schedule and routes here for either the Ripton or the Hancock Granville bus.

All necessary student forms will be sent home electronically and on the first day of school (please let us know if you would prefer paper copies). We ask that you please return them by Friday, August 30th. Thank you in advance for helping us maintain up-to-date records on your child(ren) and accurate contact information for families.

It is a privilege to be of service to this incredible community and I am so excited to begin our work together!

With so much gratitude,

Meg Cheresnick

Ripton Elementary School Principal

ps. Please read the "Nuts & Bolts section at the bottom of this email for a few other important school details.

Every year ACSD recognizes two members of the district’s support staff who are outstanding members who consistently go above-and-beyond in their commitment and care for our community. This year, our very own Alex Cox was the recipient of this Barb Whittemore Award!

Anyone who knows Alex will understand how deserved this recognition is, and I would like to share an excerpt from Tracey Harrington’s presentation Alex’s award at the district’s 2023 Welcome. “He sees, appreciates and fosters students’ individual talents by lifting them up with kindness and empathy. Alex makes the school, the community and the world a better and more beautiful place. Alex has a tremendous ability to always remember what's most important and reminds everyone around him, both students and adults alike, that above all, they matter, they're important, and they are loved. He clearly cares deeply for kids and the community. There is simply nothing happier or more hopeful than seeing Alex work with students! Alex can do anything, and be anyone in the whole school. He always says YES to helping students, YES to supporting staff, and YES to doing it all over again the next day. He lifts our spirits, and calms us down (both students and adults).”

We are beyond grateful that Alex is such an integral part of our school’s community! Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Alex!

We are so excited to welcome Liam Battjes-Greenwood to Ripton Elementary School as our special educator! Liam has been in the field of education for 13 years and most recently served as the special educator at Shoreham Elementary School and the Social Emotional Learning Coordinator at the Middle School.

Over the summer, many hands have worked hard to clean and fix up the halls, rooms, and playground at Ripton Elementary School. Thanks to FORS and our families, we now have a Gaga Pit for students to enjoy! Also, so much gratitude goes out to the families who helped with clean-up days, to the ACSD buildings and grounds crew, and for Erin’s tireless work and effort! Also, our amazing custodian, Maryann, who has put an incredible amount of time and effort into caring for our building - she is truly a superhero!

Our community shared an evening filled with joy, treats, and connection on July 21. We enjoyed lots of popsicles, we played a lot (even got some playground time in before the rain started again!), and there were definitely many, many puddles! We look forward to many more fun-filled community events in the coming months!

A huge thank you to Greg Pask and the Ripton Conservation Commission for hosting two Bug Blacklighting Nights at RES last month! It was fascinating to learn all about the many tiny (and not so tiny!) creatures that also call Ripton home!

Connecting with Meg: Please always feel free to reach out however is most convenient for you - phone, email, note, in person - making time to connect and listen and respond to families is a priority and the most important part of my job. Email: MCheresnick@acsdvt.org Phone: 802-388-2208

Breakfast and Lunch: Lunches continue to be free of charge for students. Students who would like school lunch will do so each morning in the classroom, rather than in advance. Breakfast (also free of charge) will also be offered to all students each morning. (August/September menu is enclosed)

Items from Home: Toys, special items, and sports equipment are such a fun part of childhood, but can often get lost or cause distractions when brought to school. Please enjoy these items at home, and if there are specific pieces of equipment (balls, frisbees, etc.) that a student would like to play with during recess that we do not have, please let us know and we will look into getting one for the school for all to enjoy!

Celebrating Birthdays: Talking to several families, children, and staff, I have heard a desire to revisit how we celebrate birthdays at RES. To give voice and ownership to the students, we will be planning together how we celebrate birthdays - moving towards their suggestions for ways to make each student’s day special, and possibly moving away from edible treats. Also students who have a summer birthday, will be welcome to choose a day during the school year or celebrate their half-birthday.

Monthly Community Events: Do you have an idea for a community event that our school could hold that brings folks together for joy/learning/connection? If so, please share your idea(s) with us! (Meg’s contact information is listed below).

Hancock/Granville Bus: Students who live in Hancock/Granville are supervised afterschool between 3:00 and the bus’ arrival at 3:40 by RES staff. To ensure that we have adequate staffing, we ask that if your child needs to take the later Ripton bus due to scheduling hardships, that the family contact Meg to sign up in advance. If there is a day-of emergency, of course please call the school and we will accommodate your need, but for students who are pick-ups or can otherwise ride the 3:00 Ripton bus we ask that families sign up in advance.