Happy Last Day of School - WE DID IT!
Today's All School Morning Meeting was a return to rituals and routines of the pre-COVID era. We had an amazing audience to celebrate summer birthdays, honor the work of all this year and reintroduce the closing song of BPS.
We enjoyed a fun, relaxed and playful celebration on Wednesday afternoon to honor all 4th grade students and their accomplishments, and then were joined by the rest of the school to enjoy extra recess and a visit to the Ben & Jerry's truck!
Here are Ms. Schoolcraft's remarks from the 4th grade celebration:
When the students in front of you started their journey at BPS, most of them were 3, 4, or 5 years old. They had backpacks that almost pulled them down the stairs when they came in the building, they were excited and eager and wide-eyed. This school was so big and it was tricky to find their way…so many doors, stairs, hallways and PEOPLE! They practiced, grew and they learned.
Today, these students have survived over two years of pandemic school. They have been in Zoom rooms, Google Meets, Google Classroom, Google Calendar, Google Slides, Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Mail, Seesaw, Zearn, Prodigy, Lexia, Math Seeds, Reading Eggs and Mystery Science. These students know more about navigating online school than any one of us did two years ago! Reentry to a “more typical” year this year had its ups and downs, but one thing was constant - learning.
I’m going to share something from one of my favorite books - 365 Days of Wonder. This book is a companion to Wonder by RJ Palacio, an all-time favorite read aloud from when I taught 3rd and 4th grade.
The precept for June 8th is by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
Mr. Neville says “Make it a good day…or not…the choice is yours.”
Next year, wherever you are a fifth grader, you will have choices. These choices add up over time to make you into the person you are. You are all unique individuals with many gifts. We (all of us here) can’t wait to see the choices you make and the grown-ups you become in the future.
From all of us at Brookside, Congratulations 4th graders!
Ms. Mosher has been working on the BPS Comfortship the past few months and we are excited to relaunch in time for summer:
Please check it out when you can!
Have a WONDERFUL summer and we'll see you on August 26th for the First Day of School 2022-2023!
Not Quite Independence Day - 6/25
Are you interested in having a Brookside float in the NQID Parade, on 6/25/22?
Please complete this survey so we can gauge interest: https://forms.gle/6ze8j92kFiJTYs8i9
The 13th Annual Green Mountain Mile Saturday, June 25th, 2022
The race will take place before the 4 pm parade.
The one-mile course starts on the access road to the Ice Center in Waterbury. The race will merge onto VT Route 100 north and continue on Main Street ending at the Reservoir Restaurant. The course is flat.
Awards
Lollipops to all kids, prizes to overall winners presented at the finish.
Race day registration closes at 3:30PM at Ice Center.
Race starts at 3:45PM sharp
Mail-in registration must be received by Thursday, June 23rd
Pre register at Brookside Primary School Friday, June 24th, 5:00-7:00pm
Please make checks payable to Brookside Primary School. Mail to:
Tom Thurston
Brookside Primary School
School 47 Stowe Street
Waterbury, VT 05676
Individual- $10.00 Age 14 and under- $5.00
Parking is available at Brookside Primary School, The Ice Center, or the Train Station.
The start is on the access road to the Ice Center. At the south end of Main Street in Waterbury take a left (just before you cross the bridge over the Winooski River). Maplewoods will be on your left. Start is approximately 1⁄4 mile down this road.
Contact Information: Tom Thurston: 802-244-7195, tthurston@huusd.org
Nurses' News:
Public COVID Testing Distribution will be closing soon:
Tests will not be available for pickup at schools over the summer.
You can still pick up tests through the Vermont Department of Health until June 25th. After that, VDH is ending their testing program. You can get up to four antigen test kits for each appointment (there are two tests per kit, for eight tests total), but only one LAMP per appointment.
When you make an appointment, you can choose from three types of tests:
Take-home antigen
Take-home LAMP (similar to PCR)
PCR
You can order free tests through the US Postal Service here: https://special.usps.com/testkits
Take-home tests will continue to be widely available at pharmacies around the state and are covered by most health insurances.
The Barre District office of the Vermont Department of Health (5 Perry Street, Barre) will also have LAMP and antigen kits available for pickup this summer.
Vaccine Boosters:
Many locations are offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics in the coming weeks. These walk-in clinics will offer boosters and first or second doses to children and adults.
Boosters are recommended for many people who have completed their vaccine series. Check out the VDH website to find out if you should get a COVID-19 booster shot so that you can be up to date.
The Centers for Disease Control recently approved children ages 5 through 11 years to receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial vaccination series. The walk-in clinics will provide vaccines for both children and adults. No registration is needed.
6/10 1pm-5pm- Waterbury Ambulance- 1727 Guptil Road
6/10 9am- 2pm- Waitsfield United Church of Christ- 4355 Main Street
6/11 1pm-5pm- Waterbury Ambulance- 1727 Guptil Road
6/11 9am- 2pm- Waitsfield United Church of Christ- 4355 Main Street
6/12 1pm-5pm- Waterbury Ambulance- 1727 Guptil Road
6/13 1pm-5pm- Waterbury Ambulance- 1727 Guptil Road
6/14 1pm-5pm- Waterbury Ambulance- 1727 Guptil Road
6/15 1pm-5pm- Waterbury Ambulance- 1727 Guptil Road
6/16 1pm-5pm- Waterbury Ambulance- 1727 Guptil Road
6/16 4pm-7pm Waterbury Farmers Market
6/17 1pm-5pm- Waterbury Ambulance- 1727 Guptil Road
6/17 9am- 2pm- Waitsfield United Church of Christ- 4355 Main Street
Community Postings:
Summer Programming with The Children’s Room!
NATURE EXPLORATIONS:
1-2 Tuesdays per month in the summer, 10-11:30 am @ various trailheads in the area. Get outside for some fresh air and fun! We go to a different trailhead or natural area to explore and connect with the natural world and with each other. Activities are hands-on and facilitated by an instructor. Ages 0-6 and carriers are helpful for little ones. Email childrensroom@huusd.org to sign up. Enrollment is always open! Summer dates: June 7, June 21, July 12, August 23, August 30
PLAYGROUND & SWIMMING HOLE MEET UPS:
Come join The Children’s Room for some fun in the water and the sun! We are doing monthly playground and swimming hole meetups. Check the online calendar for weather cancellations and updated locations. 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Snacks provided too!
● Sunday, June 26th- Playground Meet Up at Stowe Community Playground, near Stowe Elementary School and Stowe Parks and Recreation Department
● Sunday July 10th- Swimming Hole Meetup, location TBD
● Saturday, August 13th- Swimming Hole Meetup, location TBD
HOW TO TALK TO YOUNG CHILDREN ABOUT RACE, RACISM AND ANTI-RACISM:
Sunday, July 17th, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, at Camp Meade in Middlesex. Join The Children’s Room and Waterbury Area Anti-Racist Coalition for an in-person workshop with Emma Redden and Grace Aldrich of The Full Story School. For parents, relatives, care providers and early educators...all adults with young children in their lives. Sliding fee scale, $5-50 per person. Professional development credits available for early educators and administrators. Contact Heather LaRocca at childrensroom@huusd.org for information and to register. We will be offering a 5 session series workshop with Full Story School in the fall too!
DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR:
Saturday, August 27th, 10:00 - 11:00 am @ Bridgeside Books in Waterbury. In partnership with Bridgeside Books and with a generous grant from Revitalizing Waterbury, Bridgeside Books and TCR are hosting a Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH). Vermont Drag Queens will be sharing stories focused on individuality, activism, gender, creativity, expression, and social responsibility. Following the stories, we’ll be having crown decorating activity too! lead kids in an activity decorating their own crowns. For more information, see Bridgeside Books events.
Is The Children’s Room open? Our play space at Brookside Primary School is not open for the summer, BUT we will reopen again with the start of the 2022-23 school year! For more information on The Children’s Room or programs, see The Children’s Room website, calendar or Facebook page, or email childrensroom@huusd.org.
Makersphere Kids Summer Camps!
There are still a few openings in some great MakerSphere kids summer camps! Full and partial scholarships are available! Camps for other age groups are also available. June 20 – 24 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – for kids entering grades 5 through 10 NQID Parade Float Camp. Design and build a float for the annual Not Quite Independence Day Parade, which will be held on June 25th. Help to brainstorm ideas that incorporate the parade's theme and bring it to life. Campers will participate in all aspects of planning, painting, drawing and building, and can then be a part of the parade on June 25th. Camp fee: $300 July 25 – 29 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – for kids entering grades 6 through 10 Graphic Novels & Comics Camp. This camp is jam packed with projects to spark creativity and imaginations. Campers will learn how to create comics, develop characters, and write a story in graphic novel format. Inking, coloring and sketching skills, drawing faces from various angles, and lettering styles will all be covered. Other projects will take skills even further onto canvas and in 3D creations. Camp fee: $300. Check out these and other camps for all ages at: https://maker-sphere.coursestorm.com/category/kids-summer-camps-2022 The Waterbury Area MakerSphere Cooperative Inc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the Waterbury community and beyond. Learn more at makerspherevt.com.
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