Dear Mary Hogan Families,

It is April Break and that means we are starting to get ready for the end of the year (gasp!) and next year. As we get to the end of the year, we have a number of field trips.

If you’re interested in volunteering for end-of-year activities and field trips, now is the time to register to volunteer! It takes a few weeks for background checks, so please start the process now with this volunteer form to ensure you’re approved. If you think you are approved already but are not currently volunteering regularly at school, it is probably a good idea to double check with Lorrie to make sure everything is all set. Once you are approved, you will be emailed at the beginning of each school year to remain an active volunteer.

Important dates will be on the monthly calendar coming home for May as well as on our website's calendar and here. Many places to see what is coming!

In addition, I wanted to let you know classroom team assignments for the 2024-25 school year:

• Preschool: Kim Forbes, Deb Martin
• Kindergarten: Dana Bibb, Franny Gould, Julie Schondube, Megan Sears
• 1st Grade: Melissa Flint, Adam Gould, Raven Payne, Frankie Wisnowski
• 2nd Grade: Marlies Baird, Connie Mosquera, Liza Raymond, Elizabeth Thacker
• 3rd Grade: Amanda Burnham, Rocco Ceci, Fiona Corrigan
• 4th Grade: Nate Burke, Kate Conklin, Delaynah Leavitt
• 5th Grade: Jan Collins, Deb Levesque, Jessica McColly, To Be Hired

We have 2 open teaching positions at the moment - and interventionist and a 5th grade classroom teacher position. Both are currently advertised and in the interview/hiring process.

Have an awesome break,

Jen

April 22-26 - April Break!

May 1 - Walk and Roll to School Day & Early Release Day

May 2 - 9-10.30am - 5th grade Exhibition. All are invited to see 5th grade learning!

May 4 - 9-11am - Green Up, Clean Up Day at Mary Hogan (info below)

May 16 - Spirit Day determined by 5th grade

• 9am - All School Meeting led by Kindergarten

May 17 - MESA-sponsored Teacher and Staff Appreciation Lunch

May 22 - 6-7 - Incoming Kindergarten Parent Info Night

May 25 - Mary Hogan Night at the Lake Monsters Game (see MESA Section for more info)

May 27 - No School

May 30 - Field Day (see MESA Section for more info) - rain date 6/3

June 6 - 5th grade goes to visit MUMS

June 7 - Progress Reports go home

June 13 - 1.30pm - 5th Grade Promotion

Lake Monsters Game - Saturday, May 25th 6:05pm (First Pitch) - The Lake Monsters are hosting a Mary Hogan School night. Tickets are $8 and $4 from each ticket goes back to Mary Hogan.Click on the link for tickets: Lake Monsters

Funky Chicken Hats - we have some hats and a few patches left for sale. Please email mesa@acsdvt.org if you would like to purchase one!

MESA Executive Committee Openings - MESA is looking for new board members. We specifically need a Read A Thon co-chair. If you have interest in getting more involved, please reach out! The executive committee typically meets one additional time per month. Board members will be voted on in the May meeting.

Field Day - Save the date! Thursday, May 30th (rain date Monday, June 3rd). Last year we had an awesome volunteer turnout and the kids had a blast. Let me know if you would like to help this year or have ideas for stations. (email mesa@acsdvt.org)

Teacher Luncheon - MESA hosts a teacher luncheon every year in May (this year is 5/17) for all of the staff and teachers at Mary Hogan. If you would like to buy a teacher or staff person lunch, you can send us payment via venmo/paypal or cash/check . If you include a message in your donation, we will share that message with the teacher or staff person. Typically, lunch is $15 per person. There are over 100 teachers and staff members at Mary Hogan.

Venmo: https://www.paypal.com/qrcodes/venmocs/533ad668-3f21-4644-adec-ad1562395437?created=1709142115

Paypal: https://paypal.me/mesavt?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US

Our last meeting of the school year is Thursday, May 16th at 6:30pm.

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

We had a great week at Mary Hogan: the sun, the end of the Readathon, Principal's Challenge, celebrations of learning and more made the week extra special. I had a blast being a three toed sloth and trying to see if I was smarter than a Hawk by answering kids questions. I now know the rule for when to use a c- or a k- at the start of a word (k if followed by an e, i, or y and c if followed by an a, o or u) thanks to our awesome kindergarteners! They stumped me. It was also fun winning the Principal's Challenge!

Another new thing this week is our morning drop off traffic pattern. Cars can stop to drop off students along the side walk and then move to the right lane to drive after. Mr. Pratt has been out there to also help students stay safe. Please be patient and kind to him during drop off. He is taking time to help all of our students and has been on the end of some unkind remarks this week. Please show him you appreciate him and his work next week at drop off.

Be well,

Jen

Monday 3/11 - 5.30 - Cooking with NOM - Sign up HERE by 3/9 to come!

Tuesday 3/12 - 10.30-12 - Incoming Superintendent Wendy Baker visits Mary Hogan

Wednesday 3/13 - 1.45pm (time change) - All School Concert warm up for the Thursday event!

Thursday 3/14 - 6.30pm - Band and Chorus Concert in the Gym!

Tuesday 3/19 - 6.30-8pm at MUHS - Screenagers: Next Chapter (for info see below)

Wednesday 3/20 - 9-9.30am - All School Meeting, led by 2nd grade - 2nd grade families invited

Thursday 3/21 - 6.30pm - MESA Meeting in the library

Friday 3/22 - No School - Family - Teacher Conference Day (Teachers will schedule this day or at other times. Be on the look out for info from your child(ren)'s teacher(s).)

We have just completed the 13th annual Mary Hogan School Read-A-Thon! Over 90% of students participated and our school community read over 6,575 hours. The Read-A-Thon is the primary fundraiser for Mary Hogan School and all of the profits go back into supporting the Mary Hogan students. For example, past donations have been used to sponsor author visits, to fund field trips to museums such as ECHO and Shelburne Farms, and to buy additional fun school supplies like playground equipment.

Thank you for your support for this Mary Hogan tradition that has been bringing the community together for over a decade. If you have already sent in your donation, thank you again. If not, we ask that you please do so by March 22nd. Checks can be made out to MESA. Donations can also be made via Venmo or Paypal. You can find information for both methods on the Mary Hogan MESA website.

Hola estimadas familias:

In Spanish class, students are learning about Costa Rica and the origin of faroles which are patriotic symbols of freedom. Students learn that many countries around the world also share important values and how those values are represented and used like: freedom, protection of the environment, respect to others, and more.

Students are learning the use of the verb to have in Spanish “Yo tengo … (I have …) and “tiene …” (he,she, It has …). For example: “La bandera de Estados Unidos tiene estrellas blancas” (The flag of the United States has white stars), Yo tengo muchas frutas, tengo muchos animales, and more.

Also, students are learning that meanings of frases are more important than translation because sometimes the Spanish language will use a different structure or verbs than English. For example, to say the age of somebody, I used the verb -to have- “Yo tengo 10 años” means “I am 10 years old”, or “Yo tengo hambre” to say “I am hungry”.

Students are practicing how to describe an animal of their choice. “Mi animal es …, se llama …, es …, tiene …, and more” Mi animal is …, it’s name is …, it’s …, it has …, etc. Soon, all the videos are going to be in Toddle. Ck your students’ class, then go to the Spanish file to see your child’s performance.

Check my website at MHS. Enjoy it! ¡Qué la disfrutes!

Con cariño,

Señora Jiménez

MESA is excited to invite you to join us for our first Cookies and Canvas painting event! Sunday, April 7th from 2-4 p.m

Local artist, Gail Dorman, will provide step-by-step guidance to help you create your piece of art to take home. Don't worry if you have no previous painting experience, this event is for everyone!

The theme "Lights out, Green Mountains", is a celebration of our community being in the path of totality for the solar eclipse occurring the next day!

$35 per student or adult includes all the necessary painting supplies required to make an 11 x 14 canvas painting. Preregistration and cash or check payment is required before March 31st to confirm your spot. Complementary cookies will be provided.

Adults can attend with or without children, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

To register: Click Here to Sign Up

We look forward to painting with you!

**Payment is nonrefundable, however, reserved spots can be filled by someone else if you aren't able to attend**

MESA has 26 Funky Chickens hats left, plus some patches. They will have them at the Band and Chorus Concert and you can reach out to mesa@acsdvt.org if you would like to get one beforehand.

Free viewing of "Screenagers Next Chapter: Addressing Mental Health in the Digital Age" by filmmaker and physician Delaney Rushton on March 19th at 6:30pm in the auditorium at MUHS. There will be local counselors available to answer questions following the movie! Any questions? Reach out to Julie Altemose - jaltemose@acsdvt.org

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

It has been a great week returning from February Vacation. The temperatures at the start of the week had so many students happy out at recess, enjoying not having to pull on as many layers as right before break. The sun has also been such a wonderful change!

In addition, many classes had celebrations from the Readathon logs being chosen. Classes made s'mores, had a glowing dance party, and students had their last Readathon author visits and reading afterschool sessions. The Readathon fun comes to a conclusion this coming week with the closing ceremony and Principal's Challenge. Since 90% of all Mary Hogan students participated in the Readathon and turned in reading logs, I think that the challenge is on! I can't wait to see what silly things Mr. Stephen and I get to do as part of it!

Be well,

Jen

Tuesday 3/5 - Kindergarten and 5th graders go cross country skiing at Rikert

Wednesday 3/6 - Walk and Roll to School Day

• 9am - Readathon Closing Ceremony
• Early Release Day - preschool at 11.30am, K-5 at 12.35pm.

Thursday 3/7 - We will hold our spring bus evacuation drill.

Monday 3/11 - 5.30 - Cooking with NOM - Sign up to come out next week!

Wednesday 3/13 - 2pm - All School Concert warm up for the Thursday event!

Thursday 3/14 - 6pm - Band and Chorus Concert in the Gym!

Highest % participation by class for log #3 period

The entire third grade had 100% participation in either turning in reading logs or participation in R-A-T approved events. Beyond the third grade, Ms. Collins's class had the highest participation at 94%.

Class with the highest number of minutes per student for the entire R-A-T (i.e. all three logs combined).

Grade 3: Burnham

Grade 4: Burke

Grade 5: Collins

Total for grades 3-5 for the entire R-A-T: 203,075 minutes read, or over 3384 hours

Total for Pre-K through 2nd grade for the entire R-A-T: at least 86,180 mins or at least 1436 hours

Highest teacher/staff reader for the log #3 period: Jan Collins

Teachers and staff total for the entire R-A-T: over 1755 hours

TOTAL READ: 6575 total hours read during the February Read-A-Thon (The average minutes per day went up each successive log period, with the rate being the highest in log period #3.)

There was an astounding 90% participation in the R-A-T among students and 207 or 54% became Hawk Readers (at least 23 of 29 days in February!)

In art class, students are continuing to add to their art-making knowledge by practicing new skills. Kindergarteners learned about weaving on different types of looms. 1st grade students received sketchbooks to practice different drawing skills and plan ideas. Students in 2nd grade created designs on styrofoam and made colorful prints using markers. Students in 3rd grade have continued to plan, problem-solve, and refine their artwork by adding details using open art centers. 4th and 5th grade students practiced tying knots and sewing a running stitch; many are now using this skill to create sewing and embroidery projects.

MESA needs your generosity and support in donating classroom and office supplies. 3/5 we need all the EXTRA fun supplies to help restock for the rest of the year !! Please see sign up genius there are suggested links from Amazon to help you make it easier for you to select items!

Please drop off supplies in the front office by 3/4 thank you !

Also on Sign Up Genius you will notice the slot for Monetary donation (Paypal, Venmo - @MESAMaryHoganSchool), MESA is beginning to plan for the large luncheon that takes place in May for teacher appreciation.

MESA has 26 Funky Chickens hats left, plus some patches. They will have them at the Band and Chorus Concert and you can reach out to mesa@acsdvt.org if you would like to get one beforehand.

Free viewing of "Screenagers Next Chapter: Addressing Mental Health in the Digital Age" by filmmaker and physician Delaney Rushton on March 19th at 6:30pm in the auditorium at MUHS. There will be local counselors available to answer questions following the movie! Any questions? Reach out to Julie Altemose - jaltemose@acsdvt.org

Get ready...a total eclipse is coming to Vermont on April 8, 2024! What you need to know:

• April 8, 2024 will be an early release day! We will end school early because parts of our district will be in totality (darkness) around 3:30pm and Route 7 is expected to be busy with tourists visiting our area for the eclipse. We will follow our usual early release schedule.

• Salisbury 4th grade teacher, Amy Clapp is leading the way in partnership with colleagues across our schools to plan fun eclipse activities for our PK-12 students leading up to the eclipse. We’ll be sharing more details about activities for school and home soon.

• We have eclipse glasses for every ACSD student! These will come home closer to the event. Thanks to our Salisbury students for modeling them!

Not sure what a total eclipse is... Check out the video below!

This year, ACSD is partnering with Dr. Rebecca Eunmi Haslam of Seed the Way LLC to advance our commitment to equity and justice. Dr. Haslam’s focus is on understanding the impact of racial and bias-based harm in our schools. Her work is designed to inform ACSD’s policy and procedures, increase more inclusive classroom practices, and leverage decision-making in meaningful ways. We hope this work will increase the restorative and reparative experiences for students, staff, and faculty in the ACSD community.

Dr. Haslam has completed the first phase of her work at MUMS and MUHS which included meeting with students and staff directly. She is now set to begin phase two which will focus on students and staff in ACSD’s elementary schools. The complete announcement and plan for phase two will be shared with all ACSD K-5 families in March, with a phase two completion date of June 30th. Please be on the lookout for the invitation to participate in this work.

Upon completion of both phases, Dr. Haslam will share findings with incoming Superintendent Dr. Wendy Baker in preparation for ACSD’s implementation of the ACSD Strategic Plan for Equity.

Free tickets for students and chaperones! The VSO is pleased to announce our annual kid-friendly concert on March 3 at 3pm in Rutland. This program includes free admission (pre-registration required), online prep materials to help students engage with the music, and a kid-friendly pre-concert talk. Students may attend as school groups or with their families. More info and sign-up available here: vso.org/student insiders

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

There were SO many events this week at Mary Hogan that it is hard to highlight them all in the newsletter. Here is a quick run down of some of the highlights for me:

• Our incoming superintendent, Dr. Wendy Baker, visited Mary Hogan and got to read Can I Play Too? to kindergartners
• Jane Lindholm and Melody Bodette from the But Why? Podcast came to talk about llamas and how they wrote books from their podcast
• Lora Senf, author of The Clackity, came to talk with 4th and 5th graders about her book and the craft of writing.
• Buddies read together after school in the library and crafted.
• Miss Tricia read Princess in Black during library lunch to 1st grade.
• Miss Vermont USA came in as a mystery reader for Kindergarten
• The North Gym was an obstacle course of fun for all grades
• And of course... Book Character Dress Up Day!!

There were many, many things in between. And, I am completely bowled over by the number of hours we have read together in these first 2 weeks of February - 2897 hours. That is over 120 days of reading combined. Keep reading over break and let's see how many total hours we have all together!

Enjoy February Break!

Jen

February 18-24 Mary Hogan Benefit Sale at The Vermont Book Shop. Mention the word “Hawks” and a portion of the proceeds from your purchase will be donated to the Read-A-Thon. You can also shop online and mention the word “Hawks” at checkout with your order! (see below for more info)

Monday 2/26 - Author visit - Ted Scheu with preschool classes in the morning

Tuesday 2/27 - 8.40am - Author visit - Ashley Wolff with K/1

• 2pm - Author visit - Tamara Ellis Smith with grades 3-5
• 3-4pm - Buddy Reading for Grades 2 and 5 - sign up for Grades 2 and 5

Wednesday 2/28 - 3-4pm - Buddy Reading for Kindergarten and 3rd graders - sign-up for K and 3

Thursday 2/29 - End of Readathon, Turn in those reading logs!

• MESA teacher appreciation event

Friday 3/1 - No school - PD Day

Tuesday 3/5 - Kindergarten and 5th graders go cross country skiing at Rikert

Wednesday 3/6 - Walk and Roll to School Day

• 9am - Readathon Closing Ceremony
• Early Release Day - preschool at 11.30am, K-5 at 12.35pm.

Thursday 3/7 - We will hold our spring bus evacuation drill.

The kindergarten and 5th grades will be going cross country skiing on March 5th. To make this happen, we need to know your child's shoe size and approximate weight.

If your child is in kindergarten or 5th grade, please fill out this survey by 2/28 to help us get ready.

Highest % participation by class

Ms. Collins with 100% participation

.

Class with highest number of minutes per student (i.e. total minutes divided by # of students in a class to account for different class sizes)

Grade 3: Corrigan

Grade 4: Burke

Grade 5: Collins

Mary Hogan R-A-T participants read over 1,556 hours as a school during the second log period. Every group read more this log period than they did last log period!

Total read so far this Read-A-Thon (Logs 1 and 2 combined): over 2,897 hours.

Buddy Reading for Grades 2 and 5 on Feb. 27, and for Kindergarten and 3rd graders on Feb. 28th

Children can sign up to stay after school on February 27th or 28th to read with a Reading Buddy. The students will read in the Mary Hogan Library from 3:00-4:00. Space is limited to 20 students per grade.

Reading Buddies sign up for Grades 2 and 5

On Feb. 28th, students can stay after school with Senora Jimenez to read some books in Spanish and complete an activity.

We have author visits with Ted Scheu, Ashley Wolff, and Tamara Ellis-Smith the week we get back!

Students in Plant and Wildlife Biology wrote children’s storybooks and boardgames about endangered species that they researched as part of a unit on wildlife and global environmental issues. The storybooks and games were created as a way to engage and educate the preschoolers at Mary Hogan Elementary School. This past Tuesday the preschoolers came to MUHS and got to play the games and have the stories read to them. Everyone had a great time and the books and games were donated to the preschoolers so they could engage with them in their classroom.

Get ready...a total eclipse is coming to Vermont on April 8, 2024! What you need to know:

• April 8, 2024 will be an early release day! We will end school early because parts of our district will be in totality (darkness) around 3:30pm and Route 7 is expected to be busy with tourists visiting our area for the eclipse. We will follow our usual early release schedule.

• Salisbury 4th grade teacher, Amy Clapp is leading the way in partnership with colleagues across our schools to plan fun eclipse activities for our PK-12 students leading up to the eclipse. We’ll be sharing more details about activities for school and home soon.

• We have eclipse glasses for every ACSD student! These will come home closer to the event. Thanks to our Salisbury students for modeling them!

Not sure what a total eclipse is... Check out the video below!

This year, ACSD is partnering with Dr. Rebecca Eunmi Haslam of Seed the Way LLC to advance our commitment to equity and justice. Dr. Haslam’s focus is on understanding the impact of racial and bias-based harm in our schools. Her work is designed to inform ACSD’s policy and procedures, increase more inclusive classroom practices, and leverage decision-making in meaningful ways. We hope this work will increase the restorative and reparative experiences for students, staff, and faculty in the ACSD community.

Dr. Haslam has completed the first phase of her work at MUMS and MUHS which included meeting with students and staff directly. She is now set to begin phase two which will focus on students and staff in ACSD’s elementary schools. The complete announcement and plan for phase two will be shared with all ACSD K-5 families in March, with a phase two completion date of June 30th. Please be on the lookout for the invitation to participate in this work.

Upon completion of both phases, Dr. Haslam will share findings with incoming Superintendent Dr. Wendy Baker in preparation for ACSD’s implementation of the ACSD Strategic Plan for Equity.

Free tickets for students and chaperones! The VSO is pleased to announce our annual kid-friendly concert on March 3 at 3pm in Rutland. This program includes free admission (pre-registration required), online prep materials to help students engage with the music, and a kid-friendly pre-concert talk. Students may attend as school groups or with their families. More info and sign-up available here: vso.org/student insiders

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

This week we celebrated the 100th day of school. It is pretty incredible that we are already 100 days into this school year. We have 76 days left before the summer and I can't wait to see how those unfold and all of the growth that happens during them!

This was also the first full week of the Readathon. We had so much fun at literacy night and reading this week. Students turned in their first reading logs on Thursday and after reviewing the logs, we have some amazing facts to share:

• In one week, Mary Hogan Hawks read over 1341 hours!
• Mrs. Collins' and Mrs. Flints' classes had over 93% participation in the Readathon
• The classes in grade 3-5 with the greatest number of minutes per student (total minutes divided by # of students in a class) were: 3rd grade - Burnham, 4th grade - Burke, 5th grade - Collins

Great work to all of the readers this week. Keep on reading, Hawks!

💙,
Jen

Each year we get questions about how the school celebrates Valentine’s Day.

Although we do not celebrate or decorate for particular holidays in school, we do weave holidays into our classroom learning. This means a class may talk about the principles behind the holiday or learn about the history, tradition, or cultures that led to the holiday. For example, this month a class may talk about how Valentine’s Day is a time when we demonstrate the learner profile trait of caring and communicating.

We ask that families do not send in any candy or cards from home. While this can be a great way to show you care about friends outside of school, it can also cause conflict and hurt feelings in school.

Thank you for partnership and support of our continued focus on learning, perspective taking, reflection, and caring.

• 3-4:00pm - Book Club with Tricia for 4th and 5th Graders, My Aunt is a Monster. Sign-ups required. Limit of 10 students

Tuesday 2/13 - Incoming Superintendent Dr. Wendy Baker visits Mary Hogan

• Author Visit for 2nd-3rd Grade. Melody Hescock and Jane Lindholm. Grade 3 from 9:30-10:15 and Grade 2 10:30-11:15
• 3-4:00pm - Book Club with Liz Gander and Brenda Svitavsky. Grade 3. Sign-ups required.
• Reading Buddies Grades 1 & 4, 3-4pm. Come read with a student from another grade. (20 kids). Sign-ups required.

Wednesday 2/14 - 1:30-2:15. Virtual Author Visit with Lora Senf- The Clackity. 4/5th Grade.

• Ice Skating - 9.30-10.30 - McColly/Leavitt, 10.45-11.45 - Thacker/Burnham

Thursday 2/15 - Book Character Dress Up Day! and Turn in Reading Logs

• 3:00-4:00- Page One Literacy Event - Book and a Craft! Sign-ups required. K-2 group (20 students) and grades 3-5 (15 students)

February 18-24 Mary Hogan Benefit Sale at The Vermont Book Shop. Mention the word “Hawks” and a portion of the proceeds from your purchase will be donated to the Read-A-Thon. You can also shop online and mention the word “Hawks” at checkout with your order!

The kindergarten and 5th grades will be going cross country skiing on March 5th. To make this happen, we need to know your child's shoe size and approximate weight.

If your child is in kindergarten or 5th grade, please fill out this survey by 2/28 to help us get ready.

Buddy Reading (Grades 1 and 4) on Feb. 13th

Children in grades 1 and 4 can sign up to stay after school on February 13th to read with a Reading Buddy. The students will read in the Mary Hogan Library from 3:00-4:00. Space is limited to 20 students per grade. Please use the google form to register your child for the Reading Buddy program on February 13th.

Book and a Craft with Middlebury College students- Feb. 15th

Feb. 15th from 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM in the Mary Hogan Library.

Please fill out this form if your child would like to stay after school to listen to a book and make a craft with Middlebury College Students. Limited to 35 students

Seven random students who handed in reading logs were awarded a Read-a-thon prize for their whole class! Congratulations to Rayna E., Marshall B., Ada S., Torin R., Brady S., Ellie S., and Joni H.

In January, all grades reviewed routines and expectations in the music. Students in Kindergarten, first, and second have been playing xylophones and drums to accompany poems and songs such as There’s a Cobbler and 10 In The Bed. Third graders have been diving into each instrument family to learn how instruments are classified and how they produce sound. Fourth graders have started studying and playing the recorder and will start to test for their recorder belts soon. Fifth graders love playing Shoo, Turkey! and have been learning more chords to play on ukuleles. Band and chorus students are working hard to learn and memorize their repertoire for our March 14th concert.

Free tickets for students and chaperones! The VSO is pleased to announce our annual kid-friendly concert on March 3 at 3pm in Rutland. This program includes free admission (pre-registration required), online prep materials to help students engage with the music, and a kid-friendly pre-concert talk. Students may attend as school groups or with their families. More info and sign-up available here: vso.org/student insiders

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

We had a fabulous week filled with so much celebration and fun! We started the week with hot drinks and yummy treats thanks to Mary Hogan families. THANK YOU! The food and warm drinks were delicious and so appreciated!

The Read-a-thon opening ceremony on Wednesday was my favorite day of the week. It was joyful to be together and celebrate our community and reading. We all got Harper's bookmark design, and we got to see the 5th grade choice of Readathon theme song - "The Final Chapter". Be sure to have your child get sponsors and fill out their reading log. Reading logs get turned in next Thursday - 2/8.

We didn't stop celebrating on Wednesday but also had fun on our Sports Day on Thursday. It was a day of many sports - from skiing to basketball, soccer to baseball and more. And then on Friday, we got to Stop, Drop, and Read all together! I can't wait to see what fun we have next week.

Stay magical, Hawks!

Jen

Each year we get questions about how the school celebrates Valentine’s Day.

Although we do not celebrate or decorate for particular holidays in school, we do weave holidays into our classroom learning. This means a class may talk about the principles behind the holiday or learn about the history, tradition, or cultures that led to the holiday. For example, this month a class may talk about how Valentine’s Day is a time when we demonstrate the learner profile trait of caring and communicating.

We ask that families do not send in any candy or cards from home. While this can be a great way to show you care about friends outside of school, it can also cause conflict and hurt feelings in school.

Thank you for partnership and support of our continued focus on learning, perspective taking, reflection, and caring.

Monday 2/5 - Free Book Give Away Grades 1, 2, 4 and 5.

• Ice Skating - 9.30-10.30 - Burke/Conklin, 10.45-11.45 - Corrigan/Ceci
• 3-4:00pm - Book Club with Tricia for 4th and 5th Graders, My Aunt is a Monster. Sign-ups required. Limit of 10 students
  

Tuesday 2/6 - Free Book Give Away Preschool, Kindergarten and Grade 3

• 3-4:00pm - Book Club with Liz Gander and Brenda Svitavsky. Grade 3. Sign-ups required.

Wednesday 2/7 - Early Release Day - preschool at 11.30, K-5 at 12.35.

• Winter Walk and Roll to School Day - hot cocoa awaits those who walk, roll, or carpool!
• NAEP testing in 4th grade in the morning
• Ice Skating - 9.30-10.30 - Thacker/Burnham, 10.45-11.45 - McColly/Leavitt

Thursday 2/8 - Turn in Reading logs, new logs go home

• Book Club with Tricia for 5th Graders, 3-4:00pm. The Clackity
• 5.45-7.15pm - Literacy Night and Spaghetti Dinner, 5:45-7:15. Come have dinner, meet other families, and attend literacy workshops.

Friday 2/9 - 8.40-9.15 - Ashley Wolff author visit with K/1

Monday 2/12 - Ice Skating - 9.30-10.30 - Burke/Conklin, 10.45-11.45 - Corrigan/Ceci

• 3-4:00pm - Book Club with Tricia for 4th and 5th Graders, My Aunt is a Monster. Sign-ups required. Limit of 10 students

Tuesday 2/13 - Incoming Superintendent Dr. Wendy Baker visits Mary Hogan

• Author Visit for 2nd-3rd Grade. Melody Hescock and Jane Lindholm. Grade 3 from 9:30-10:15 and Grade 2 10:30-11:15
• 3-4:00pm - Book Club with Liz Gander and Brenda Svitavsky. Grade 3. Sign-ups required.
• Reading Buddies Grades 1 & 4, 3-4pm. Come read with a student from another grade. (20 kids). Sign-ups required.

Wednesday 2/14 - 1:30-2:15. Virtual Author Visit with Lora Senf- The Clackity. 4/5th Grade.

• Ice Skating - 9.30-10.30 - McColly/Leavitt, 10.45-11.45 - Thacker/Burnham

Thursday 2/15 - Book Character Dress Up Day! and Turn in Reading Logs

• 3:00-4:00- Page One Literacy Event - Book and a Craft! Sign-ups required. K-2 group (20 students) and grades 3-5 (15 students)

February 18-24 Mary Hogan Benefit Sale at The Vermont Book Shop. Mention the word “Hawks” and a portion of the proceeds from your purchase will be donated to the Read-A-Thon. You can also shop online and mention the word “Hawks” at checkout with your order!

Hola estimadas familias:

In Spanish class, students were learning about México and the origin of chocolate. Chocolate was important for the Aztecs Culture and students are communicating what is important for them in Spanish.

Also, students were learning what is affecting cocoa trees in other countries located near the Equator. This could have an impact on the consumption of cocoa in this country. We can learn what each individual can do to help.

At the same time, students were practicing the structure “I would like …” in Spanish with some key verbs and vocabulary learned. For example: “Me gustaría comer frutas y chocolate, Me gustaría beber agua, me gustaría jugar fútbol américano,” and more.

Check my website at MHS. Enjoy it! ¡Qué la disfrutes!

Con cariño,

Señora Jiménez

MESA is looking for volunteers to help run a concessions booth at the Middlebury Rec Gym for two basketball tournaments in February. The dates are 2/3-2/4 (girls tournament) and 2/10-2/11 (boys tournament). These are 5/6th grade tournaments. Please reach out if you have questions. More details and sign up slots are in the link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BACAF2CA2FACF8-47074150-basketball

Your child(ren) came home with Readathon information today. Here are the key points:

• The Read-A-Thon is MESA's largest fundraiser for the year. Read-A-Thon gets kids excited about reading and builds a network of grown-ups who will encourage their reading for years to come!
• All of the money raised goes to the Mary Hogan Community. In past years we have funded class trips to places like ECHO and Shelburne Farms as well as sponsored field days and end-of-year celebrations
• The Readathon lasts the month of February.

1. READ: Any time your child reads outside of school counts! What else counts? When your child reads at a Read-A-Thon event at school, when someone reads to them, when they read to a friend, or when they listen to audiobooks outside of school. These all count for the Reading Log!

2. RECORD: Record if you read for the target on your reading log.

• Preschool through 2nd grade: Your child will write “Y” (for “yes”) in the appropriate boxes for each day they meet their grade-level target.
• Grades 3 through 5: Your child will count the number of minutes they read each day and enter in the specific number read in each daily box as well as the sum of all days in the total box.
• TARGET TIMES:
• Preschool-1st - 20min/day
• 2nd-4th: 30min/day
• 5th: 40min/day
• Return Reading Logs to school on: 2/8, 2/15, 2/29

3. COLLECT: The Read-A-Thon is a chance for Mary Hogan kids to get excited about reading and raise money for their school! It doesn’t matter how much someone offers to sponsor your child for.

• Every bit helps. Children in lower grades might fundraise based on the number of days they meet their target goal; Children in higher grades might fundraise based on a pledge per minute (where the sponsor can also set a “up to” total amount as well).
• At the completion of the Read-A-Thon, please collect money from your child’s sponsors and return it in the envelope (provided later). You can also use VENMO

Please see details in the sign up genius:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BACAF2CA2FACF8-47347285-read

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

The weather this week had us on our toes. Most days, students were reveling in the snow at recess. They love putting it on the slide and going super fast down and sliding right off. They built forts together, and slid around while playing football. Today was a bit wet and soggy out there, but even in the wet water January, students enjoyed the water.

We go out nearly every day, and sometimes, like this week, it is SUPER wet out. Please send in a change of clothes with your kids each day, even if they are in 5th grade. The clothes can live at the bottom of their backpacks but it will be so helpful in the instance they need it. Thanks for your help!

Stay magical, Hawks!

Jen

Your child(ren) came home with Readathon information today. Here are the key points:

• The Read-A-Thon is MESA's largest fundraiser for the year. Read-A-Thon gets kids excited about reading and builds a network of grown-ups who will encourage their reading for years to come!
• All of the money raised goes to the Mary Hogan Community. In past years we have funded class trips to places like ECHO and Shelburne Farms as well as sponsored field days and end-of-year celebrations
• The Readathon lasts the month of February.

1. READ: Any time your child reads outside of school counts! What else counts? When your child reads at a Read-A-Thon event at school, when someone reads to them, when they read to a friend, or when they listen to audiobooks outside of school. These all count for the Reading Log!

2. RECORD: Record if you read for the target on your reading log.

• Preschool through 2nd grade: Your child will write “Y” (for “yes”) in the appropriate boxes for each day they meet their grade-level target.
• Grades 3 through 5: Your child will count the number of minutes they read each day and enter in the specific number read in each daily box as well as the sum of all days in the total box.
• TARGET TIMES:
• Preschool-1st - 20min/day
• 2nd-4th: 30min/day
• 5th: 40min/day
• Return Reading Logs to school on: 2/8, 2/15, 2/29

3. COLLECT: The Read-A-Thon is a chance for Mary Hogan kids to get excited about reading and raise money for their school! It doesn’t matter how much someone offers to sponsor your child for.

• Every bit helps. Children in lower grades might fundraise based on the number of days they meet their target goal; Children in higher grades might fundraise based on a pledge per minute (where the sponsor can also set a “up to” total amount as well).
• At the completion of the Read-A-Thon, please collect money from your child’s sponsors and return it in the envelope (provided later). You can also use VENMO

At the end of Read-A-Thon, there will be a drawing among all Hawk Readers and many prizes will be awarded to individual students. In addition, every Hawk Reader will receive a certificate of achievement and a free donut coupon

Monday 1/29 - Last swimming day

• 8-10am - Hot Wintery Drinks in the staff room from MESA (sign up to help here!)
• 5.30pm - Cooking with NOM at Mary Hogan

Wednesday 1/31 - 9am - Readathon Opening Ceremony - reading logs go home!

Thursday 2/1 - Spirit Day - Chosen by 2nd grade

Friday 2/2 - 10.30-10.50 - Stop, Drop, and Read for all MH students and staff

Monday 2/5 - Free Book Give Away

• Ice Skating - 9.30-10.30 - Burke/Conklin, 10.45-11.45 - Corrigan/Ceci

Wednesday 2/7 - NAEP testing in 4th grade in the morning

Thursday 2/8 - Turn in Reading logs, new logs go home

Friday 2/9 - 8.40-9.15 - Ashley Wolff author visit with K/1

In December, students in Grades K-2 experienced the music of The Nutcracker; they moved expressively with scarves, played melodies with boomwhackers, and listened for patterns. Grade 3 finished up stations to complete experiments to investigate how sound is made. Grade 4 has been working hard to learn and memorize pitch names of the treble staff in preparation to learn to play the recorder. A group of 12 students in Grade 5 went to a real recording studio to sing and record our newest Readathon song – it was a fantastic way to end December!

MESA needs your support in starting out 2024 showing appreciation and support for the staff of Mary Hogan with treating them to a Hot Beverage and treat bar 1/29.

Please sign up using this link . Please drop off supplies to the front office by 1/26.

MESA is looking for volunteers to help run a concessions booth at the Middlebury Rec Gym for two basketball tournaments in February. The dates are 2/3-2/4 (girls tournament) and 2/10-2/11 (boys tournament). These are 5/6th grade tournaments. Please reach out if you have questions. More details and sign up slots are in the link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BACAF2CA2FACF8-47074150-basketball

The Read-A-Thon starts in February (opening ceremony is January 31st) and MESA is looking for volunteers to help run some of the events. Please see details in the sign up genius:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BACAF2CA2FACF8-47347285-read

ACSD schools are participating in the 802 Smiles Network, which promotes dental health programs in Vermont schools. This means your child is eligible for a free dental screening at school and may be eligible to receive preventive dental services at no cost to you. All you have to do is to fill out the online consent forms by February 1st, 2024. We also have paper forms that will be sent home.

The registered dental hygienist can provide the following free services:

• Dental Screening (simplified dental check-up)

• Fluoride Varnish (brush-on liquid that can help prevent cavities)

• Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) (brush-on combination of silver and fluoride that can help stop cavities from getting bigger)

• Dental Cleanings (helps keep the mouth healthy and clean!)

• Oral Health Education (teaches students how to brush, floss, maintain good oral health)

• Dental Sealants (a thin layer of material placed on back teeth to prevent decay)

Our schools will be served by dental hygienist, Michael Messina. If you choose to participate, Michael will send you a follow-up letter after your child’s screening explaining the services provided, whether additional treatment is recommended, and help connect you to a dental professional, if needed. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the school’s dental hygienist, Michael Messina at michaelmessina.rdh@gmail.com or our school nurse.

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

It was a shorter week so the newsletter will be a bit shorter than normal. And, though it was a short week, we packed a lot into it.

We had our second options-based drill of the year on Wednesday. It was remarkable how well the students did during the drill. While this drill can be unsettling, it was good to practice following adult directions to stay safe. Please let me know if you have any feedback for us as you talked with your child about the drill.

Stay warm this weekend!

Jen

Friday 1/26 - 1st grade goes to Shelburne Farms

Monday 1/29 - MESA sponsored "Hot Drinks for Mary Hogan Staff" - see below

- 5.30pm - Cooking with NOM at Mary Hogan. Sign up here and info below

Wednesday 1/31 - Readathon Opening Assembly

As report cards have been sent home and teachers complete their winter conference, it's an important time to begin collecting feedback from stakeholders about the new revisions to the elementary progress reporting system. The elementary progress reporting committee recognizes that revising this system is an iterative process and that tweaks will be needed; we are meeting very soon to devise a feedback tool, and we look forward to your input. Stay tuned!

January's Harvest of the Month is beets. This month we will be cooking TOGETHER(!) at Mary Hogan on 1/29 at 5.30pm in our school kitchen.

We will be cooking beet pesto pasta and beet brownies. There will be nuts, dairy and wheat in this meal.

Sign up by 1/26 if you want to Cook with NOM on 10/13 at 5.30pm at Mary Hogan. The first 10 students who sign up will be invited to come. If more than 10 students sign up then we will have a waitlist and communicate this on 1/26 to families.

When you sign up, please sign up all who will be attending - students and adults - so we can eat together afterwards.

Students in grades K-4 have been reading the Vermont Red Clover books in their classes. They will vote for their favorite one after reading all 10!

Many students are working on the Winter Reading Challenge that Ilsley Library is sponsoring. Students are trying to reach the goal of reading 15 books by the end of March in order to win movie tickets to a special event at the Marquis Theater in April!

The Read-a-thon will take place for the month of February and the library is ordering new books and preparing for the reading frenzy!

MESA needs your support in starting out 2024 showing appreciation and support for the staff of Mary Hogan with treating them to a Hot Beverage and treat bar 1/29.

Please sign up using this link . Please drop off supplies to the front office by 1/26.

MESA is looking for volunteers to help run a concessions booth at the Middlebury Rec Gym for two basketball tournaments in February. The dates are 2/3-2/4 (girls tournament) and 2/10-2/11 (boys tournament). These are 5/6th grade tournaments. Please reach out if you have questions. More details and sign up slots are in the link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BACAF2CA2FACF8-47074150-basketball

Details coming soon!

ACSD schools are participating in the 802 Smiles Network, which promotes dental health programs in Vermont schools. This means your child is eligible for a free dental screening at school and may be eligible to receive preventive dental services at no cost to you. All you have to do is to fill out the online consent forms by February 1st, 2024. We also have paper forms that will be sent home.

The registered dental hygienist can provide the following free services:

• Dental Screening (simplified dental check-up)

• Fluoride Varnish (brush-on liquid that can help prevent cavities)

• Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) (brush-on combination of silver and fluoride that can help stop cavities from getting bigger)

• Dental Cleanings (helps keep the mouth healthy and clean!)

• Oral Health Education (teaches students how to brush, floss, maintain good oral health)

• Dental Sealants (a thin layer of material placed on back teeth to prevent decay)

Our schools will be served by dental hygienist, Michael Messina. If you choose to participate, Michael will send you a follow-up letter after your child’s screening explaining the services provided, whether additional treatment is recommended, and help connect you to a dental professional, if needed. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the school’s dental hygienist, Michael Messina at michaelmessina.rdh@gmail.com or our school nurse.

Ilsley Public Library is challenging the youth in our ACSD community to read 15 titles from the various local and state youth book award lists between January 1st and March 31st. Students should not check off books that they read prior to 2024!

Tracking sheets are being sent home with students!

Youth who read 15 books will earn a ticket to a special movie showing at the Marquis Theater in April!

Questions? Contact Tricia Allen, Youth Librarian:

tricia.allen@ilsleypubliclibrary.org

Girls on the Run is a program designed to inspire girls in grades 3-8 to believe in themselves, build confidence, and be part of their community - at school and in general.

• Our season begins the week of March 18 and will be 10 weeks featuring 20 lessons. Participant registration opens Wednesday, February 21 2024.
• The end of the season 5K Celebration on Saturday, June 1 at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex.

The Ilsley Public Library and a group of 4 Middlebury College seniors are premiering their new program Addison County Adventures! This program focuses on promoting outdoor recreation and community connection in Addison County. On our website we have several starter adventures. These adventures range from self-guided tours of local town centers to fun activities on local hiking trails.

We are currently looking for interested members of the community to test these adventures and submit feedback through our website so we can make this program long-lasting and successful. Additionally, if you or anyone you know is interested in creating an adventure, feel free to delve into the resources we have available on our website regarding that process. These adventures are community-sourced so anybody can participate and create! Any other questions can be directed to Renne Ursitti at the Ilsley Public Library!

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

There was a lot happening this week again at Mary Hogan. We had so much fun with the snow at the start of the week, getting out and making nests and sledding. The wind and rain didn't dampen our spirits, and the theme of the week was being active. We kept busy with wrestling, swimming, exploring the woods, and more!

Today, your child came home with their progress report. This is a new format based on input from families and teachers. There is more information below about the reports and January conferences. Take a moment to check it out. Also, if your child lives in 2 households, we will be mailing the second progress report out on this coming Wednesday, 1/17.

Another thing to note is an email I sent this afternoon about our January Options-Based Drill, which will happen on Wednesday 1/17. Please reach out if you have questions about the email sent home.

Be well,

Jen

Monday 1/15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School

Tuesday 1/16 - Conference Day (Teachers will communicate if they will use this day or another time.)

Wednesday 1/17 - Options Based Drill #2 - see email

Friday 1/26 - 1st grade goes to Shelburne Farms

Monday 1/29 - MESA sponsored "Hot Drinks for Mary Hogan Staff" - more to come

Wednesday 1/31 - Readathon Opening Assembly

Please note we will be holding parent-teacher conferences between January 16th and February 9th for families to meet with teachers to discuss their child's January progress report. We are putting the finishing touches on a revised progress report that will show student progress towards grade level standards and the IB Approaches to Learning. Report cards will be sent home on January 12th.

Some teachers came up with this explanation of the progress reports and process and I wanted to share it with you in case it felt helpful.

MESA is looking for volunteers to help run a concessions booth at the Middlebury Rec Gym for two basketball tournaments in February. The dates are 2/3-2/4 (girls tournament) and 2/10-2/11 (boys tournament). These are 5/6th grade tournaments. Please reach out if you have questions. More details and sign up slots are in the link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BACAF2CA2FACF8-47074150-basketball

The January MESA meeting is Thursday, Jan 18th at 6:30pm in the school library. The principal's round table starts at 6:30pm, followed by the business meeting at 7pm. A Zoom link will also be provided for those that can't attend in person.

Details coming soon!

ACSD schools are participating in the 802 Smiles Network, which promotes dental health programs in Vermont schools. This means your child is eligible for a free dental screening at school and may be eligible to receive preventive dental services at no cost to you. All you have to do is to fill out the online consent forms by February 1st, 2024. We also have paper forms that will be sent home.

The registered dental hygienist can provide the following free services:

• Dental Screening (simplified dental check-up)

• Fluoride Varnish (brush-on liquid that can help prevent cavities)

• Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) (brush-on combination of silver and fluoride that can help stop cavities from getting bigger)

• Dental Cleanings (helps keep the mouth healthy and clean!)

• Oral Health Education (teaches students how to brush, floss, maintain good oral health)

• Dental Sealants (a thin layer of material placed on back teeth to prevent decay)

Our schools will be served by dental hygienist, Michael Messina. If you choose to participate, Michael will send you a follow-up letter after your child’s screening explaining the services provided, whether additional treatment is recommended, and help connect you to a dental professional, if needed. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the school’s dental hygienist, Michael Messina at michaelmessina.rdh@gmail.com or our school nurse.

Ilsley Public Library is challenging the youth in our ACSD community to read 15 titles from the various local and state youth book award lists between January 1st and March 31st. Students should not check off books that they read prior to 2024!

Tracking sheets are being sent home with students!

Youth who read 15 books will earn a ticket to a special movie showing at the Marquis Theater in April!

Questions? Contact Tricia Allen, Youth Librarian:

tricia.allen@ilsleypubliclibrary.org

Girls on the Run is a program designed to inspire girls in grades 3-8 to believe in themselves, build confidence, and be part of their community - at school and in general.

• Our season begins the week of March 18 and will be 10 weeks featuring 20 lessons. Participant registration opens Wednesday, February 21 2024.
• The end of the season 5K Celebration on Saturday, June 1 at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex.

The Ilsley Public Library and a group of 4 Middlebury College seniors are premiering their new program Addison County Adventures! This program focuses on promoting outdoor recreation and community connection in Addison County. On our website we have several starter adventures. These adventures range from self-guided tours of local town centers to fun activities on local hiking trails.

We are currently looking for interested members of the community to test these adventures and submit feedback through our website so we can make this program long-lasting and successful. Additionally, if you or anyone you know is interested in creating an adventure, feel free to delve into the resources we have available on our website regarding that process. These adventures are community-sourced so anybody can participate and create! Any other questions can be directed to Renne Ursitti at the Ilsley Public Library!

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

For more awesome photos, check out the Instagram account, below!

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

Happy New Year! It has been a short week back with the New Year holiday, but we have packed in a lot this week. Some highlights are below in photos, but my highlights include:

• Raising the Black Lives Matter flag and hearing from students about why it matters. (Vermont Public ran a story on Elias and his work to get it raised, as well. If you missed it, check it out here.)
• Spirit Day with so many students dressed in the colors of their grade. I would go into a classroom and there would be a sea of pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. It was pretty cool to see!
• Raptors from VINS visited the 1st graders on Friday and I loved seeing their rapt attention to the presentor (and their giggles when Chesterland, a Harris' Hawk, poop on the table cloth).
• Seeing how invested the 4th graders were this week in their current unit of inquiry (Where We Are In Place and Time). They were exploring the reasons humans migrate - with push and pull factors. Today, they were thinkers as they learned about forced migration and economic migration.
• Watching a kindergarten teacher read aloud a book with no words and just illustrations to her class. She communicated a story from the pictures that varied from the story she told them with the same pictures yesterday. Students giggled as they considered how the pictures could tell many stories.

I can't wait to see what happens in classes next week!

Be well,

Jen

Monday 1/8 - Swimming starts for grades 1 and 2. See email that came home with dates for your child's class.

Friday 1/12 - Progress reports are coming home with your child

Monday 1/15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School

Tuesday 1/16 - Conference Day (Teachers will communicate if they will use this day or another time.)

Friday 1/26 - 1st grade goes to Shelburne Farms

Wednesday 1/31 - Readathon Opening Assembly

Please note we will be holding parent-teacher conferences between January 16th and February 9th for families to meet with teachers to discuss their child's January progress report. We are putting the finishing touches on a revised progress report that will show student progress towards grade level standards and the IB Approaches to Learning. Report cards will be sent home on January 12th. We will be reaching out in early January to set up conference dates and times for all families. Thank you.

ACSD schools are participating in the 802 Smiles Network, which promotes dental health programs in Vermont schools. This means your child is eligible for a free dental screening at school and may be eligible to receive preventive dental services at no cost to you. All you have to do is to fill out the online consent forms by February 1st, 2024. We also have paper forms that will be sent home.

The registered dental hygienist can provide the following free services:

• Dental Screening (simplified dental check-up)

• Fluoride Varnish (brush-on liquid that can help prevent cavities)

• Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) (brush-on combination of silver and fluoride that can help stop cavities from getting bigger)

• Dental Cleanings (helps keep the mouth healthy and clean!)

• Oral Health Education (teaches students how to brush, floss, maintain good oral health)

• Dental Sealants (a thin layer of material placed on back teeth to prevent decay)

Our schools will be served by dental hygienist, Michael Messina. If you choose to participate, Michael will send you a follow-up letter after your child’s screening explaining the services provided, whether additional treatment is recommended, and help connect you to a dental professional, if needed. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the school’s dental hygienist, Michael Messina at michaelmessina.rdh@gmail.com or our school nurse.

Ilsley Public Library is challenging the youth in our ACSD community to read 15 titles from the various local and state youth book award lists between January 1st and March 31st. Students should not check off books that they read prior to 2024!

Tracking sheets are being sent home with students!

Youth who read 15 books will earn a ticket to a special movie showing at the Marquis Theater in April!

Questions? Contact Tricia Allen, Youth Librarian:

tricia.allen@ilsleypubliclibrary.org

Girls on the Run is a program designed to inspire girls in grades 3-8 to believe in themselves, build confidence, and be part of their community - at school and in general.

• Our season begins the week of March 18 and will be 10 weeks featuring 20 lessons. Participant registration opens Wednesday, February 21 2024.
• The end of the season 5K Celebration on Saturday, June 1 at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex.

The Ilsley Public Library and a group of 4 Middlebury College seniors are premiering their new program Addison County Adventures! This program focuses on promoting outdoor recreation and community connection in Addison County. On our website we have several starter adventures. These adventures range from self-guided tours of local town centers to fun activities on local hiking trails.

We are currently looking for interested members of the community to test these adventures and submit feedback through our website so we can make this program long-lasting and successful. Additionally, if you or anyone you know is interested in creating an adventure, feel free to delve into the resources we have available on our website regarding that process. These adventures are community-sourced so anybody can participate and create! Any other questions can be directed to Renne Ursitti at the Ilsley Public Library!

Ilsley Public Library is challenging the youth in our ACSD community to read 15 titles from the various local and state youth book award lists between January 1st and March 31st.

Tracking sheets will come home with students after the winter break. Youth who read 15 books will earn a ticket to a special movie showing at the Marquis Theater in April!

Questions? Contact Tricia Allen, Youth Librarian:

tricia.allen@ilsleypubliclibrary.org

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

I hope you are all warm and that kids are enjoying a slower morning on this first day of break! This past week started with much warmer and rainier weather on Monday. In my 9 years as a principal in ACSD, this was the first early dismissal we have had, so they certainly are not things that happen a lot. And, while we always work to make things smooth, having our first early dismissal in a while meant that we have some things we could improve on for next time!

One thing I am very grateful for is that all families had turned in their emergency dismissal forms. Having these forms meant that we didn't have to call every family to know what their plans were at 2pm. Thank you all for sending these in!

If you have feedback for how we could improve our process for the next time, please reach out. Our Mary Hogan Safety Team will be meeting and reviewing what happened and how we can improve, and we always benefit with your input!

Have a fabulous break!

Be well,

Jen

Thank you to MESA and all the Mary Hogan families who sent in treats for the faculty and staff this past week. They were delicious and so awesome. We all felt the love! Thank you!!

Tuesday 1/2 - First Day back after break

Thursday 1/4 - Spirit Day - Chosen by 1st grade - Wear your grade's color (see below!)

• Preschool - Pink; Kindergarten - Red, 1st grade - Orange; 2nd grade - Yellow; 3rd grade - Green; 4th grade - Blue; 5th grade - Purple

Monday 1/8 - Swimming starts for grades 1 and 2. A letter will be coming home with your child so you know the dates they will be participating during January.

Friday 1/12 - Progress reports are coming home with your child

Monday 1/15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School

Tuesday 1/16 - Conference Day

Please note we will be holding parent-teacher conferences between January 16th and February 9th for families to meet with teachers to discuss their child's January progress report. We are putting the finishing touches on a revised progress report that will show student progress towards grade level standards and the IB Approaches to Learning. Report cards will be sent home on January 12th. We will be reaching out in early January to set up conference dates and times for all families. Thank you.

Girls on the Run is a program designed to inspire girls in grades 3-8 to believe in themselves, build confidence, and be part of their community - at school and in general.

• Our season begins the week of March 18 and will be 10 weeks featuring 20 lessons. Participant registration opens Wednesday, February 21 2024.
• The end of the season 5K Celebration on Saturday, June 1 at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex.

The Ilsley Public Library and a group of 4 Middlebury College seniors are premiering their new program Addison County Adventures! This program focuses on promoting outdoor recreation and community connection in Addison County. On our website we have several starter adventures. These adventures range from self-guided tours of local town centers to fun activities on local hiking trails.

We are currently looking for interested members of the community to test these adventures and submit feedback through our website so we can make this program long-lasting and successful. Additionally, if you or anyone you know is interested in creating an adventure, feel free to delve into the resources we have available on our website regarding that process. These adventures are community-sourced so anybody can participate and create! Any other questions can be directed to Renne Ursitti at the Ilsley Public Library!

Ilsley Public Library is challenging the youth in our ACSD community to read 15 titles from the various local and state youth book award lists between January 1st and March 31st.

Tracking sheets will come home with students after the winter break. Youth who read 15 books will earn a ticket to a special movie showing at the Marquis Theater in April!

Questions? Contact Tricia Allen, Youth Librarian:

tricia.allen@ilsleypubliclibrary.org

Ilsley Public Library will once again be celebrating the new year early with a noon balloon drop in the Ilsley meeting room on Sunday, December 31st.

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

This has been a great week at Mary Hogan. We started with a snow day - and a student speaking at the school board meeting. Along the way, 4th grade had a field trip to Montpelier and they finished their climbing unit. Buddies were meeting, students were experimenting with sculpture in art. First grade walked around Middlebury to learn about community resources in our town in preparation for building a 3D map of town. Preschool skated at the rink and 3rd grade led us at All School Meeting - sharing their learning and playing a would you rather game. And there were some beautiful days for playing outside at recess.

In addition, we heard from Otter Creek Audubon Society that preschool and kindergarten got grants for outdoor learning. Kindergarteners will be able to head up to the Robert Frost Trails in the late spring and preschool will expand opportunities on their playground. Many thanks to OCAS for these grants!

Be well,

Jen

Wednesday 12/20 - Preschool to Memorial Sports Center for skating

Friday 12/22 - No School - Start of December Break

Tuesday 1/2 - First Day back after break

Thursday 1/4 - Spirit Day - Chosen by 1st grade - Wear your grade's color (see below!)

• Preschool - Pink; Kindergarten - Red, 1st grade - Orange; 2nd grade - Yellow; 3rd grade - Green; 4th grade - Blue; 5th grade - Purple

Please note we will be holding parent-teacher conferences between January 16th and February 9th for families to meet with teachers to discuss their child's January progress report. We are putting the finishing touches on a revised progress report that will show student progress towards grade level standards and the IB Approaches to Learning. Report cards will be sent home on January 12th. We will be reaching out in early January to set up conference dates and times for all families. Thank you.

Many thanks to the amazing Miss Hannah, who finished her student teaching in 2nd grade on Friday. She was a consistent, positive, and caring presence for these students (and beyond) this fall. We will miss her and know great things are coming in her teaching career!

In art class, we have been working hard to practice routines and studio expectations. Students have received an art portfolio and are developing craft by practicing skills with different art materials. Kindergarten and 1st graders are learning to care for art materials and share with others at table centers. 2nd through 5th graders are unlocking new supplies around the room in the drawing, research, and collage centers