With eight days of school under our belt, we're ready for a 5-day week next week! We have many new faculty and staff at BPS this year, who we will be highlighting over the course of the next few weeks.
Jenny Macri - Music
My name is Mrs. Macri and I am the new music teacher here at BPS! I am so excited to make music this year! My family and I recently moved to VT from the Hudson Valley in NY where I taught elementary music for 7 years. Before teaching I was a music therapist and worked in a preschool. My favorite activities are singing, playing outside, and going on new adventures.
Brendan Hurley - Grade 4 Long Term Sub (Ms. Anderson's class)
I've taught as an elementary school teacher for ten years. I'm now long-term subbing in fourth grade through December. I started a small organic vegetable farm in Warren called The Veggy Hut (@theveggyhut) this summer. I also love the outdoors and being active.
Ilana Scharoun - PK Instructional Assistant
Hi! My name is Ilana and I am very excited to be working at Brookside as a Paraeducator in one of the Preschool classrooms. I previously worked at Washington County Mental Health Services and at Riverbranch Community School. I am also a graduate student studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Outside of work I love hiking and exploring the great outdoors with my children, swimming in cold water, practicing yoga, taking pictures of wild mushrooms, and learning the ukulele.
Looking forward to a beautiful year with this wonderful community!
Dr. Evelyne Hopkins - Special Education
My name is Dr. Evelyne Hopkins. I joined the Brookside Primary School this year as a
Special Educator. I have worked as an educator and administrator in both New Jersey
and Pennsylvania for the past 25 years. In my spare time I am a Junior Olympic and
Collegiate Level Gymnastics Judge currently serving on the Vermont Gymnastics State
Board. I look forward to beginning a year filled with positive learning experiences and
loving memories.
Please check out our BPS Instagram account: @brooksideprimaryschool for little windows in to our world each week!
We look forward to our continued partnership to support your student's learning this year. Have a great weekend!
With gratitude,
Sarah & Chris
Save the date for our Fall Open Houses:
Tuesday 9/17 5:30-6:30 grades K, 1.
Wednesday 9/18 5:30-6:30 grades 2, 3, 4
Wednesday 10/9: PK Open House
4:30 - 5:00: Monday + Tuesday classes
5:00 - 5:30: Thursday + Friday classes
Picture Day is September 19! Forms will be sent home by homeroom teachers. Please return the forms ASAP.
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 thee 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.
PE News: Bike & Scooter Week / Walk & Bike to School Day
Bike and Scooter week in PE will be September 23 - 27. Student's may bring their own helmet and or bike/scooter to use during their PE class. BPS has plenty of bikes/scooters/helmets for students to use. Very Important: we have had bikes and scooters stolen from the playground if they are left overnight. All bikes/scooters should be picked up as soon as possible after school ends. We cannot store bikes overnight.
Families are invited to Walk, Bike and Roll to school!
When: Wednesday, September 25, 2025
Time: Meet at 7:00, depart at 7:15
Location: Rusty Parker Park
Note: Helmets are required to participate
Need a helmet? Waterbury Recreation has partnered with the University of Vermont Medical Center to provide affordable helmets. We are selling helmets for $15 each. This partnership is thanks to the non-profit program Protect Your Head at All Times (PHAT). PHAT has the mission to promote the use of helmets in all sports and activities that involve a risk of head injury. Research shows that helmets work in preventing or reducing the impact of head injuries, such as concussion or traumatic brain injuries.
If you are interested in a helmet, please complete the request form: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQAAAAAAAAAAAANAAV1ALxlUODQySkpZR0tKTDdETUc5VFNYUlAzQTk3Sy4u&route=shorturl
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
Calling all parents, grandparents and community members! Do you enjoy the outdoors and 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 training 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!
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=player
Coach 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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