This week has radiated with positive energy and excitement for the return to school! As a long line of first graders walked up the stairs to for their specials classes this week, one student exclaimed, "This school is like a city!!"
Picture Day is September 19! Forms will be sent home by homeroom teachers. Please return the forms ASAP.
PickUpPatrol - Bus Stop Updates
You may notice slight changes made to PickUpPatrol addresses. This is to standardize the bus stops, making it easier for our bus drivers to organize their dismissal list each afternoon. Reach out to kguziak@huusd.org or call the Bus Barn directly (802-244-6422) with any questions.
Backpack Program is back!
The BPS Backpack Program, started by Denise Goodnow, is again sponsoring, free of charge a “weekend of food” for your child. We are able to offer a supply of nutritious meals and snacks for children over the weekends and extended breaks at no cost. Any child enrolled at Brookside Primary School is able to receive these weekly bags of food for themselves and each child in their family.
If your family could benefit from this, please email Kelsey Guziak at kguziak@huusd.org or complete this form.
From the Counseling Center
Hello Students and Families,
Welcome back! We are so excited to all be together again. We want to introduce ourselves and the school counseling program at BPS.
You may be wondering, what is the role of a school counselor? School counselors support all students in three domains, social emotional wellness, academic support, and career exploration. We teach classroom lessons, run small groups, and meet with students individually. Please make sure to check out the BPS Comfortship website or stop by and say hello in our new counseling center. The BPS School Counseling Program also had a new member, Theo, our therapy dog. We look forward to supporting and working with our amazing BPS students and families. Please do not hesitate to reach out anytime, we look forward to connecting with all families throughout the school year.
Warmly,
Ashley Bergeron (Ms. B) and Kately Mosher (Ms. M)
802-583-8017 802-583-8065
Other Information:
Back-to-School bus routes are posted here. Route changes and/or revisions will be live on that site as well.
School start (doors open) 7:30am
AM recess (playground staffed) 7:15-7:30am
Students are marked TARDY after 7:45am
Dismissal begins at 2:20pm
The Main Office is open from 7am - 3:30pm. Please know that it is not typically staffed outside of those hours and plan accordingly.
We will continue to offer AM dropoff in both the front loop and the back parking lot. Both are for "drop and go" and we have staff at both entrances to ensure student safety. Please park your car in a space (other than the visitor lot drop or the front circle) if your child needs additional support exiting.
Save the date for our Fall Open Houses:
Tuesday 9/17 5:30-6:30 grades K, 1. *Note: PK will have their Fall open house at a later date
Wednesday 9/18 5:30-6:30 grades 2, 3, 4
NO SCHOOL 9/2 (Labor Day)
Student/Family Handbook
Important information and expectations are outlined in the Brookside Primary School Student/Family Handbook. Please review it; this document can also be found on our website.
Four Winds Volunteers Needed
Want to get involved in the classroom? Brookside Primary School's Four Winds Nature Education program is seeking volunteers to help teach students about our natural world. This year the theme is “Ecosystems” and we will be teaching 6 different lessons over the course of the academic year. Curriculum materials including background information and activity descriptions are provided by the Four Winds Institute and are accessible online. We have an in-person training session prior to teaching each of the 6 lessons. The training sessions are led by a professional environmental educator and naturalist. There are a variety of different activities for each lesson, including an informative puppet show, hands-on experiments, games, crafts, dances, songs, examination of provided specimens, and observations in nature. Our training sessions are on Thursday mornings, and our first one is on Thursday, September 12th. If you can’t make the in-person meeting you can study the materials at home to prepare for teaching the lesson. Ideally each class is taught by a team of two volunteers. The classroom teacher is always there to help with managing the kids as well. Four Winds Institute provides us with many of the scientific materials and we organize and gather household items to be used for the lesson activities. Please email Heather LaRocca at fourwindsbps@gmail.com to let us know if you are interested in volunteering this year or if you have any questions about the program.
Student Information opt-out
To ensure the privacy and security of our students and their families, you have the option to opt out of having your contact information shared with the photography company that takes students’ school pictures.
If you do not wish for your personal contact information (your name, child’s name, your email) to be shared with this company, please notify the school’s administrative assistant, Kelsey Guziak at kguziak@huusd.org by 9/15/24.
Volunteering
Are you interested in volunteering this year? There is a formal process that must be complete before you are able to volunteer with our students. Please follow the link below to get started!
Nurses' Notes
On Wednesday, the Vermont Department of Health released a communication about the presence of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in Vermont communities. The Health Department has released public health recommendations for towns at high risk for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).
While Waterbury is not listed as a high-risk area, there are a number of surrounding areas that are (Alburgh, Burlington, Colchester and Swanton). Health Department officials recommend that people in high-risk areas avoid spending time outdoors as much as possible between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. to avoid mosquitoes that could carry the virus. The recommendation will be in place until the first hard frost that kills mosquitoes.Even if you don’t live in a high-risk area, everyone in Vermont should take steps to prevent mosquito bites and protect themselves from mosquito-borne illness:
Limit the amount of time you spend outdoors at dawn and dusk.
Use EPA-registered insect repellent labeled as effective against mosquitoes.
Apply repellent when you are going to be outdoors, especially at dawn or dusk.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
Fix any holes in your screens and remove standing water around your home.
For the most up to date information on high and moderate risk towns, please visit Mosquitoes in Vermont on the Health Department website. For more information, including translated materials, visit HealthVermont.gov/mosquito or HealthVermont.gov/EEE.
COVID 19 Updates
As we return to school, we wanted to share recent information from the Vermont Department of Health regarding COVID-19.
Here is an explanation of the signs and symptoms, along with the current guidance from the Vermont Department of Health on when to return to normal activities.
If you choose to test, you can access test kits at local ambulance services, grocery stores, or pharmacies.
The Vermont Department of Health requests that anyone who test positives report to this website: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6507748/Vermont-COVID-19-Self-Test-Result-Reporting-Form.
THANKS!
The American Legion Auxiliary in Waterbury came by with a surprise donation of school supplies for classrooms today! Thank you so much for your generosity - it will go to good use by our students and staff!
Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend and we will see you Tuesday!
In partnership,
Sarah & Chris
COMMUNITY POSTINGS
Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff. As always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities.
Waterbury Youth Soccer Fall Season Registration Open!
Waterbury Youth Soccer is a recreational soccer league for players in Kindergarten - 6th grade living in Waterbury, Vermont, and surrounding communities. Registration is $50 per child for the Kindergarten program, $60 per child for 1st-2nd grade program, and $65 per child for the 3rd-6th grade program. Scholarships are available. Registration closes on August 31, so don't wait to sign up!
The season kicks off the week of Sept 2!
Player Registration Link (Kindergarten - 6th grade):https://system.gotsport.com/programs/99858166Y?reg_role=playerCoach Registration Link:https://system.gotsport.com/programs/99858166Y?reg_role=coach
Please visit www.waterburysoccer.com to learn more or reach out to waterburyyouthsoccer@gmail.com with any questions!
One Arts Studio at Camp Meade is now offering After School Art for kindergarten through fourth grade on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. If your child attends Moretown Elementary School transportation is available from school to camp; otherwise parents must arrange transportation. The camp includes both student and teacher led projects covering activities from clay, beading, and mask-making to gelli-printing and more. To register and learn more visit: https://oneartscenter.com/
Explore Nature with Family-Friendly Hikes at Mad River Glen!
Join Stark Mountain Foundation and Mad River Glen this summer and early fall for three, exciting nature hikes! Guided by naturalist Amanda Palumbo, these hikes are a fantastic opportunity to explore local plant life and enjoy the beauty of Stark Mountain’s environment.#FamilyHikes #Botany #MadRiverGlen #StarkMountainFoundation #Vermont
Hike Details:
Dates: August 31st, October 5th, and October 12th, 2:00-4:30 pm.
Location: Stark Mountain Trail to Kent Thomas Nature Center (Meet at the flagpole in front of the Mad River Glen Basebox).
Duration: 2.5 hours, depending on the group.
Ages: 5 years and up (Accompanied by an adult).
Cost: Free, but you must pre-register.
What to Pack: Hat, sunglasses, water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, raincoat, and sturdy shoes.
Pre-registration Required: The hike will be limited to the first registered people. Please click on the link to register. bit.ly/NatureHikes.
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