Fair Haven Grade School

You’re invited to join us this evening at 6 PM for a Community Connections virtual discussion on District Reorganization. Community Connections are an opportunity for community members to have a conversation with Central Office administrators. Join us by going to https://meet.google.com/jxr-qubs-ptw or by phone (US)+1 609-438-1179 (PIN: 408 338 127#)

Dear Slate Valley Families, I hope this letter finds you well and beginning to see some light at the end of the very long tunnel. With the uptick in COVID cases and a holiday weekend upon us, I would like to send some reminders. As we are headed into a holiday and a week off with warmer weather, I just wanted to remind everyone to stay vigilant to protect one other. We are almost there, but the pandemic is not quite over. We want to continue to prevent any outbreaks that could result in limitations on learning, extra-curricular activities, sports, and future events such as graduation. We saw how gatherings and travel affected us after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. There has been a recent surge in cases in our community, so maintaining precautions is very important for preventing spread. This is especially true because several individuals who have recently tested positive have experienced no symptoms. Without following mask and social distancing guidelines, people are unknowingly spreading it. Please follow our current Vermont gathering guidelines regarding the number of households and vaccine receipt. If you travel, please follow quarantine guidelines upon return. Additionally, please wear masks, stay 6 feet apart, and sanitize/wash your hands often. If parents are vaccinated, it does not mean that children can travel without quarantine. It may mean that your student may not be able to return to in person learning after April break. We know this has been so difficult and so many of us are "over it," but we need to keep up the precautions for a little while longer. Positive change is coming, but we are not there yet. And to get there as soon as possible, we all need to continue to maintain the great illness prevention work we are all doing. So do the fun holiday traditions, gather as much as you can under the guidelines, enjoy family as best you can, and soon we will be back to a much better place. Thank you for your continued support of the schools and our community's health. Sincerely, Brooke Olsen-Farrell Superintendent

Dodge House Donation Drive - A FHUHS Student’s R.E.A.L. Project Please view the flyer here for more information: https://www.smore.com/xpe32 This drive is being held by the Slate Valley Unified School District. We hope to raise awareness of homeless Veterans, and support the Dodge House in Rutland, which "provides shelter, clothing, food, and an individualized program to reintegrate veterans back into the community and help them to achieve self­ sufficiency" (http://www.chcrr.org). Donation boxes will be located in the front offices of all Slate Valley schools from March 29th and April 25th.

You’re invited to join us on March 31st at 6 PM for a Community Connections virtual discussion on District Reorganization. Community Connections virtual chats are an opportunity for community members to have a conversation with Central Office administrators. Join us by going to https://meet.google.com/jxr-qubs-ptw or by phone (US)+1 609-438-1179 (PIN: 408 338 127#)

One of our FHGS 8th grade students participated in a Vermont Youth Summit with Governor Phil Scott and students across the state. She did a fantastic job sharing her thoughts about what school life has been like since COVID-19 and what she hopes for as we move forward.

Students learned about different forms of energy in an outdoor gallery walk. Students were able to enjoy the spring conditions, get a movement break, read, learn and record facts about 13 different forms of energy.

Middle school TAs recently held their annual "Sled Races." Pictured here are students from Mr. Clark's TA with their winning sled. Congratulations to all our middle school students on completing this fun winter challenge!

Dear Slate Valley Families, We have been through a lot this year and over the last four years as a Slate Valley Community. In the past four years we have experienced a threat to school safety and COVID-19. As a result, anxiety has increased for some of our staff, students and community members. The safety, social and emotional wellbeing of students, staff and our community continue to be priorities for Slate Valley as we move towards recovery. As we move forward with recovery from the pandemic, we are also faced with the potential release of a person who threatened staff and students at Fair Haven Union High School. In 2018, the individual who threatened FHU was adjudicated as a youthful offender, a designation for a defendant under the age of 22 and facing charges within the adult criminal justice system. Youthful offender status only follows an individual through their 22nd birthday, which this individual will turn this year. In some cases these individuals are reintegrated into the community or area prior to the regulation of their youthful offender status. When someone is adjudicated as a youthful offender, information about that individual's whereabouts, treatment, or possible consequences cannot be shared. In this case the Department of Corrections and Department of Children/Families have joint oversight of this individual until his 22nd birthday which is in August. I pride myself on being able to accurately communicate when I have knowledge of matters which may impact our community, but in this case I don’t have any additional information. I have repeatedly asked for the information and have been denied access to the information. I have been left to assume there is a likelihood that this individual could return to Vermont in the very near future. If I did have the information, you would have the information as well. Although I know I don’t have specific information on this one individual, I do know that we have been doing great work in terms of school safety and we will continue to be vigilant as a school community. If at any time you have concerns directly related to this individual or any safety concern, please contact local law enforcement. They take these calls very seriously and will promptly look into concerns. I am fully aware of the anxiety that this may cause some of you on top of COVID-19. However, I felt the need to bring it to your attention as I believe you have the right to know as much as possible. Again, the safety, social and emotional wellbeing of students, staff and our community are the priorities for Slate Valley. Below you can find contact information for those agencies or individuals you can contact if you are in need of support: Students can contact their school counselors and other school support by calling the individual schools. To access community based support for mental health issues, please call Rutland Mental Health (for intake appointments) at 775-2381 or the Crisis Line at 775-1000. Families/Community Members may also contact Rutland Mental Health (for intake appointments) at 775-2381 or the Crisis Line at 775-1000. As in the past, we encourage community members to report any suspicious or concerning behaviors that may have a negative impact on schools within the District to your local law enforcement agency: Fair Haven Police Department: 802-265-4531 Castleton Police Department: 802-468-5012 VT State Police Rutland Barracks: 802-773-9101 We are all in this together and we all need to do our part to take care of one another. Sincerely, Brooke Farrell, Superintendent

Students in grades 4, 5 and 6 will be learning Ukulele in music class with Mrs. Hutchins starting this week (and hopefully outside in the near future as our spring weather has arrived!)

We have three basketball games scheduled for today that will be streaming on our FHGS Athletics YouTube channel. https://bit.ly/3rbjAtV At 4:00 the FHGS/BVS 7/8 Girls tip off against the CVS/OVS 7/8 Girls. At 5:30 the FHGS/BVS Grade 7 Boys tip off versus the CVS/OVS Grade 7 Boys. In our third and final game of the evening, the FHGS/BVS 8th Grade Boys tip off against the CVS/OVS 8th Grade Boys at 7:00.

Reminder! Tonight (March 22, 2021) You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board (Virtual) Meeting Fair Haven Union High School, 6:30 p.m. Participation will be VIRTUAL ONLY. Connect by going to http://meet.google.com/yyb-ypeg-juu or join by phone (US)+1 617-675-4444 PIN: 867 675 227 0575# Tonight’s Agenda: https://5il.co/qtk1 Previous Meeting Minutes: https://5il.co/qgoh

We are happy to share our March Newsletter. Take a look at some of the great things happening at FHGS! https://5il.co/qtsj

This afternoon on the FHGS Athletics YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/3f0o8kb, we'll be streaming a game featuring the FHGS/BVS 7/8 Girls team as they take on Christ the King - Rutland. Tip off is scheduled for 4:30.

We have two games featuring the CES/CVS/OVS Grade 5/6 combined teams this afternoon streaming on the CES Athletics YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/2PcjHb1. At 4:30 the Grade 5/6 girls take on the FHGS/BVS Grade 5/6 girls. That game will be followed by the 6th grade boys vs the FHGS 5/6 boys team with tip off scheduled for 6:00.

This afternoon at 5:00 we have a basketball game between the FHGS/BVS 5/6 Boys and the CES/OVS 5th Grade Boys that will be streaming live on the FHGS Athletics YouTube channel here: https://bit.ly/2QjfhQr

Link Updated: meet.google.com/uew-eubv-gvi Join us this afternoon at 3:30 PM for a virtual meeting to discuss our draft Title I Parent Involvement Policy (E-1). This meeting will be an opportunity for parents to provide feedback on the policy. In an effort to focus our work on Wednesday afternoon, please review a draft Title I Parent Involvement Policy https://5il.co/qm74 and accompanying draft procedures https://5il.co/qm6y. These two drafts will be considered in relation to the Title I Parent/Family Engagement Toolkit https://5il.co/qm6u provided by the Vermont Agency of Education. Meeting ID: http://meet.google.com/uew-eubv-gvi Phone Number: +1 443-671-8799 PIN: 834 838 577#

FHGS Chorus was able to rehearse as a full group for the first time this year, with all COVID precautions in place. We can't wait to hear what they put together!

This afternoon on the FHGS Athletics YouTube Channel, https://bit.ly/3dX3Nf7, the FHGS/BVS Grade 5/6 Boys will take on the CES/CVS/OVS 6th Grade Boys with tip off scheduled for 5:00. Rosters for the FHGS/BVS team can be found here: https://bit.ly/3lm0Je5 Rosters for the CES/CVS/OVS team can be found here: https://bit.ly/3cDWs1S

This Week! The Slate Valley Unified School Board is hosting a week of Virtual Listening Tours beginning on March 16th to continue the discussion on district reorganization. Listening tours are an opportunity to have a conversation with board members. You may attend any of the meetings - regardless of which town you reside in. Please join us at 6 p.m. for a discussion about district reorganization on the following dates: March 16th with Tim, Julie, Toni, Josh, and Christine (Castleton/Hubbardton) Join with Google Meet https://meet.google.com/wyi-oqrg-pnc or join by phone (US) +1 209-850-2378 (PIN: 574504536) March 17th with Pati, Becky, Beckah, Peter, Glen, and John (Benson/Orwell) Join with Google Meet at https://meet.google.com/ifr-ijcb-qdc or join by phone (US) +1 573-343-8213 (PIN: 143009028) March 18th with Mike, Rick, Tara, Tanya, and Angela (Fair Haven/West Haven) Join with Google Meet https://meet.google.com/ust-vwqk-mmx or join by phone join by phone (US) +1 786-592-9982 (PIN: 735144976)

The FHGS/BVS Grades 7 & 8 Boys Basketball teams will be in action this afternoon as they take on Christ the King - Rutland live on our FHGS Athletics YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3dX3Nf7 The FHGS/BVS 7th Grade Boys will tip off at 4:30 to be followed by the 8th Grade Boys at 6:00. Rosters for the FHGS/BVS teams can be found here: https://bit.ly/3cNcV3Z