Fall Sports Coaches Needed! If interested, please go to https://slatevalley.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx
Tonight - August 14, 2023
You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Fair Haven Union Middle & High School Library. This meeting will be in person. You can virtually connect by going to: meet.google.com/iqt-wrce-xux
Or dial: (US) +1 386-603-2573 (US) PIN: 323291749
Please join us tonight for our Community Advisory Council Meeting beginning at 5:45 PM in the Central Office Conference Room located at FHUMHS. If you are interested in helping bridge the gap between the community and school, then please consider coming to represent your town in this evolving group.
Five Stars!!!
FHUHS Class of 2010 alumnus Patrick Infurna quoted Hemingway, saying, "The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for…” He continued, “This quote from For Whom the Bell Tolls has always stood out to me. It is my reminder to stay the course, remain unjaded by circumstance, and to always look out for each other.” This philosophy has brought him opportunity and success since graduating high school thirteen years ago.
While at Fair Haven Union High School, Patrick participated on the soccer and wrestling teams. He gave credit to many great teachers in his time from Kindergarten to grade 12, but Mr. Luzer, the high school librarian, was the most influential. “I don’t think I realized how much of my time spent in the library with him was proper mentorship, and I’m grateful.” He said, “Candidly, I just wasn’t a very good student, at least not when I was a teenager, and Mr. Luzer just let me be myself in the library. He encouraged me to use the resources we had there to learn things in ways that worked for me. He spoke to me the way I needed to be spoken to in order to understand, and I think all-in-all Mr. Luzer was a friend.”
Patrick attended Castleton State College, now Castleton University, where he double-majored in Global Studies and Spanish. This focus led him to study abroad in Argentina. Upon graduation, Patrick decided to seek employment in his other passion–soccer. In 2015, he started working for Club Atletico Boca Juniors (CABJ) in Brooklyn, New York. CABJ is the largest professional soccer team in Argentina. Patrick helped establish a US-based office. Next, he worked for COPA90, a soccer media business headquartered in London with an office in New York City, traveling the world to create documentaries about professional soccer culture. Patrick currently works for a professional soccer team from Germany called Eintracht Frankfurt in its International Communications department; he markets the team in the United States. He also co-founded a minor league soccer team in Burlington, VT, called Vermont Green FC. His club prioritizes environmental justice and climate action in all of its operations. Vermont Green FC is working to expand soccer access throughout the state of Vermont. Patrick’s future plans are to continue working in the sports industry, focusing on using this medium to advance social and environmental justice.
When asked if Patrick had any words of encouragement for our current Slaters, he gave three great responses:
“1. Don’t worry too much about timelines. Be vigilant in your pursuit of your passions and of knowledge, but don’t think you need to have everything figured out at any given moment. So much is in the process - enjoy it.”
“2. Rugged individualism is not real life: you don’t have to do anything alone. Everything we are was built with the help of others. On whatever path you take, always look to the collective: family, friends, neighbors, colleagues. Ask for help, give it when you can, be grateful, and express as much.”
“3. Start a band in high school and book shows in your garages.”
Patrick acknowledges his family and friends for their constant support, and added, “If you’re reading this, come to a Vermont Green FC game sometime and check it out!”
Tonight - July 31, 2023
You're invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Special Board Meeting at 6:30 PM in the Fair Haven Union Middle & High School Library. PARTICIPATION WILL BE
IN PERSON
VIRTUALLY CONNECT BY GOING TO
https://meet.google.com/uqa-cary-tuu?hs=224
Or dial: (US) +1 662-747-1017 PIN: 294359597
Boys & Girls Club is Hiring!
Safe travels and best wishes to Vivian L., who will be spending her Junior year abroad in Finland. Read the full article at https://www.slatevalleyunified.org/article/1179081
Proud of our Slaters Class of '23
The plow truck named a couple of years ago by Castleton students is helping with clean up after the floods in Ludlow! Go Stardust!
Native American Day at Castleton Elementary School
“Close your eyes. Imagine a world with no cell phones, no computers, no electronics at all; no planes, trains, or automobiles. Listen closely and hear the birds singing, rivers flowing, and wind blowing.” This is how guest speaker Lucy Cannon-Neel addressed the 4th grade class at Castleton Elementary School. She continued, “Travel back in time 1,000 years, long before the pilgrims landed on Plymouth rock, before any European explorers touched the northeastern portion of what is now called the United States.” Ms. Cannon-Neel then had the students open their eyes to see a descendant of the people who were here at that time. She was referring to herself, for Ms. Cannon-Neel’s ancestors were Native Americans from the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation.
Lucy Cannon-Neel’s visit was the grand prize for a district wide food drive involving all schools in Slate Valley. This food drive was arranged by Slate Valley’s Home to School Liaison, Ms. Carrieann Wolcott. 1,158 pounds of non-perishable and household items were donated to the local food shelf. Castleton Elementary School (CES) collected the largest amount, 590 pounds, therefore winning the challenge and affording them the visit from Ms. Cannon-Neel. On June 9th, all students participated in a day of learning centered on Vermont Native American history and culture.
Each class at CES was able to spend about 40 minutes with Ms. Cannon-Neel. She modified each discussion with students to match their age. But the general topics remained consistent. Ms. Cannon-Neel shared that canoes were the main form of transportation and how the vessels were made without the use of modern tools and materials. Students were introduced to the structures that Native Americans lived in and how they were built, as well as their types of foods and how they hunted, gathered, or grew them.
For recreation, one winter game the Abenaki played is called Snow Snake. They would slide hand-carved pieces of wood on top of the snow to see which would go the farthest. Ms. Cannon-Neel showed a snow snake to the students, along with other artifacts. Some were passed around, allowing students to touch and interact with pieces of history. The older classes ended their time learning a traditional dance and then performing it while Ms. Cannon-Neel sang and beat her moose hide drum. It was a wonderful cultural experience.
Ms. Lucy Cannon-Neel takes great pride in sharing her Abenaki history. For more information concerning the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, visit their website at https://abenakitribe.org.
For the School Year 2022-23, Slate Valley Unified Union schools worked on this goal:
Establish Community Engagement, Service, and Partnerships by providing valuable, relevant, engaging and inclusive learning experiences for a global economy.
Below is a link to a video snapshot highlighting some of the great community engagement activities that happened in our schools throughout the district, such as Open Houses, Guest Readers, Evening of the Arts, Celebrations of Learning, Lunch and Dinners with Families, Work Based Learning Opportunites, just to name a few. Thank you to our community partners and parents who contributed in making this goal achievable and successful. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/eAnPvbk3Awk
Today we said goodbye to colleagues who are either moving on to new positions or starting retirement. We wish them all the very best and the happiest futures!
Sunny smiles on a sunny day! Happy Summer Vacation!
The last day of school arrival at CES brought us signs, lawnmowers, tractors and horses! It's such a fun way to start the last day! Happy summer to all!
Congratulations to Vicki Shaddock on your retirement! We appreciate your many years dedicated to keeping our students safe. You deserve all the happiness during this next stage.
Thank you, Ann, for 17 years of being an amazing instructional assistant for Slate Valley. Your never-ending patience, motivation, and persistence helped many students grow. You will be missed. Congratulations on your retirement!
