Halloween events- a puzzle and a newsletter
Keeping you busy is a good thing to do
Good morning Norwich and the Upper Valley readers
Here is the weekly puzzle to keep you busy for a moment or two and a few announcements to help you get through the upcoming busy Halloween events.
All I can say is I witch you a Happy Halloween and let the ghoul times roll.
This week’s jigsaw: Rutland Halloween Parade <https://jigex.com/v3zbg>
I was looking for a colorful Halloween image with a local history
connection, and remembered hearing about the Rutland Halloween Parade.
Learn about its origin in 1960, how it became super-hero themed, and how
Tom Fagan got Marvel Comics involved at:
The Curioustorian
<https://www.curioustorian.com/p/3966a84d-d3d0-440f-bf54-8f950a566576?postPreview=paid&updated=2025-10-24T21%3A30%3A08.842Z&audience=everyone&free_preview=false&freemail=true
>
Cameron Cross
for the
Norwich Historical Society <Norwich Recreation Department - Halloween events coming your way as early as today and a few more. Check it out here and look for the bold/italic titles for each featured event.
Halloween in Norwich 2025
Norwich Halloween 2025
Pumpkin Carving
Saturday, October 25th 3:00-5:00pm
Come join Dan & Whits, the Norwich Business Association and Norwich Rec in carving
pumpkins to display along Main Street.
NorWitchy Woods Walk
Sunday, October 26th – 2:00-4:00pm – Norwich Nature Area
This year’s partners include Dan & Whit’s General Store, Marion Cross
School staff, Richmond Middle School Cross Country, Norwich Police Department, Norwich
Lions Club, Norwich Public Library, Norwich Women’s Club, Crossroads Academy, Youth-in-Action, the Norwich Bookstore, Norwich Congregational Church, Boy Scouts Norwich
Troop 253, TruDataRx and Upper Valley Trails Alliance.
Register online - https://norwichvt.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30339
Halloween
Friday, October 31st - 3:15-7:30pm – (map & locations on inset photo)
To accommodate family scheduling, Tracy Hall will be open for families to meet up after
school and get ready for the evening. Parents are welcome to drop off costumes in the
morning and return after school for the costume switch and school bag pick up. Tracy Hall
will remain open until 7:30pm, offering bathrooms, water and a warming area.
Halloween Activities Around Town
3:15-4:15pm – Costume switches and family meet up at Tracy Hall (300 Main Street)
3:30-4:30pm – The Norwich Inn (325 Main Street) for cider, hot chocolate, and cookies
4:30-6:30pm – Halloween celebration at the Grange (344 Main Street)
4:30pm –Norwich Fire Department & Support Team (11 Firehouse Lane) Hot Dog Open
House with a canned goods food drive.
5:00-6:30pm –Children’s Art Studio – Chimpanzee Halloween (326 Main Street)
5:00-7:00pm – The Norwich Bookstore hosts a scavenger hunt (291 Main Street)
5:00-7:00pm – Norwich Congregational Church hosts bread, soup and cider (15 Church Street)
The Marion Cross Newsletter for this week
Important Dates
Thursday, October 30, 1:30pm - Picture Retakes & Whole School Picture
Tuesday, November 11 - Holiday, School Closed
Thursday, November 13 - Curriculum Night - Math Focus, 5:30 to 6:30
Wednesday, November 26 - Friday, November 8 - Holiday, School Closed
Marion Cross School Website Calendar SAU 70 All School/District Website Calendar
Message From The Principal
Halloween at MCS
At MCS, we love the excitement, creativity, and imagination that come with Halloween! Next week I am certain that our hallways will be buzzing with talk of costumes, spooky stories, and pumpkin projects. Over the past few years, we’ve found that saving costumes and candy for after-school hours and the Norwichy Walk helps keep our school day calm, focused, and joyful for everyone.
During the school day, classes may celebrate the season through learning activities with a Halloween twist — from writing imaginative stories and exploring pumpkin math, to science experiments that bubble and fizz. Teachers may weave in seasonal books, art projects, or problem-solving activities that capture the fun of the holiday while keeping learning front and center.
To help us maintain a smooth and focused day, we ask that students not bring costumes or candy to school on Halloween. Thank you for helping us continue this tradition of celebrating in a way that feels joyful, inclusive, and centered on learning.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Shawn
Student Services Update
We sincerely thank all families who attended our recent family-teacher conferences. Your involvement and support create vital partnerships with our school staff, which is crucial for your child’s success. We truly appreciate the time you took to connect with us, as working together as a team helps us better understand and support each student’s learning and growth. We look forward to continuing this important collaboration throughout the school year!
Have a great weekend.
Greg
School News and Information
Second Graders hard at work in the music room!
This week and last week, the second graders have been learning how the notes they can sing will look when we draw them on the staff. This is a super important skill that they will use for their composing projects in the 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and beyond. Enjoy some pictures from our colorful classes! And thank you, Mr. McGee, for lending us some awesome colored dots!
Thank you from the Celebration Committee
Apple Day Success: A Big Thank You to Our MCS Community!
Our first school-wide celebration last week—the revival of the historic Apple Day—was a huge success, and we’ve heard wonderful feedback from students and staff!
The day was a celebration of all things apple, featuring everything from a cider press and apple tasting to competitive relays and fun craft stations.
A big thank you to the many parents, staff, and students who dedicated their time, and effort and many donations to bring this beloved tradition back to life! Your involvement made Apple Day a truly memorable and joyful event for our whole community.
MCS Spirit Wear Donations
As you clean out your child’s closet, please keep the MCS Spirit Wear in mind!
If you have any gently used spirit wear that’s still in good shape, we would be grateful for a donation to the nurse’s office.
Why donate? We run into situations all year where we’d love to give a piece of spirit wear to a student: a new classmate who arrived after the ordering window, or a child who doesn’t own any but would be thrilled to have some.
Help us spread a little school spirit! Please send your donations to the nurse’s office. Thank you!
Nurse Jane
Family Math Night is Coming!
Join us for the 3rd Annual MCS Family Math Night on Thursday, November 13, from 5:30–6:30 p.m. in the MCS gymnasium!
Families of all ages are welcome to come play math games, enjoy pizza and drinks, and connect with MCS teachers, administrators, and math interventionists.
We’re excited to once again partner with the MCS PTO and the Dartmouth College Department of Mathematics to make this a fun, learning-filled evening for everyone.
We hope to see you there!
News from the Nurse’s Office
Hearing and vision screening will take place on October 30th and 31st. If anyone is able to volunteer for some or all of the time, I would be grateful. Please contact me if this is a possibility. No medical background is necessary. Thank you for considering.
Important: Action Plans for Student Injuries and Medications
To ensure your child’s safety and proper care at school, please follow these guidelines if they experience an injury or require medication:
1. Injuries Requiring Activity Modification
If your child sustains an injury that requires modifications to their daily activities at school (e.g., no running, limited stair use, excused from PE), please send me a copy of the doctor’s discharge instructions or official note immediately.
This documentation is essential as it officially outlines the necessary activity restrictions and is required for us to properly implement a safe plan of care while they are at school.
2. Medications (Including Antibiotics)
If your child develops an infection or illness requiring antibiotic treatment or any other prescription medication during school hours, please provide the following:
A doctor’s order/prescription detailing the medication, dosage, and administration time.
The medication in its original Rx-labeled container for the child being treated.
Tip: Your pharmacy can often provide a separate, properly labeled bottle of the medication specifically for school use—just ask them when you pick up the prescription.
Head Lice
Please inform me immediately if your child is diagnosed with head lice. This helps me track potential clusters by class or grade and take appropriate steps.
If treating your child for lice presents a financial or logistical challenge, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I have treatment kits available and can discreetly send them home.
Important: Guidelines for Illness and Returning to School
Navigating Cold, Flu, and Stomach Virus Season
As we enter the season for colds, flu, and stomach viruses, we want to thank all parents for your partnership in keeping students home when they are sick. This cooperation is vital to slowing the spread of illness within our school community.
Key Symptoms and Return-to-School Policy
If your child experiences any of the following symptoms, they must remain home:
Fever (temperature of 100.4 F or higher)
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Persistent, uncontrolled cough
The rule for returning to school is simple: your child must be symptom-free for 24 hours. Specifically, they must be: 24 hours without a fever (without the aid of fever-reducing medicine) and 24 hours without an episode of vomiting or diarrhea.
Following this policy helps protect everyone. Thank you for your continued support!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Nurse Jane
PTO Bulletin Board
Thank you to the many MCS families and volunteers who have supported PTO activities this month. You’ve offered your support in various ways, from cutting apples, donating cider, purchasing Tea Towels and MCS Spirit Wear, and more. Your generosity and engagement really make a difference!
PTO Fall 2025 Grant Cycle - Proposals due on October 31
One of the impactful ways the PTO supports our school community is through its grant program. We are accepting proposals for the Fall 2025 grant cycle. We welcome proposals from teachers, staff, students, and families. If you have a creative idea that could benefit our school or students, we want to hear it! Examples of past PTO-funded projects include:
Cubetto coding blocks for early learners
6th Grade Textile Science projects
Sound system enhancements for music performances
Solar-powered lights for a community reading lantern project
NEW Submission Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025 | Grant Awards Announced: Week of November 10, 2025. Let’s bring more great ideas to life — submit your proposal today!
EVENTS
Halloween Night in Norwich - Friday, October 31
The PTO organizes a community candy collection each year to support the in-town homes that host 500+ trick-or-treaters on Halloween Night. We’re making progress, and Halloween candy donations are still needed! Collection boxes are located at Dan and Whit’s, Norwich Nursery School, Norwich Public Library, and the Marion Cross School Office.
Family Math Night - Thursday, November 13 - 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Family Math Night is an opportunity for MCS families to come together, learn various math games that reinforce concepts being taught at school, and engage with MCS administrators, teachers, and math interventionists. The event is co-sponsored by the Department of Mathematics at Dartmouth. Please email marioncrosspto@gmail.com if you’re interested in volunteering.
Bike and Walk to School Day
We canceled this event earlier this month due to heavy rain. Unfortunately, we were not able to reschedule the event. We will plan to join the national Bike and Roll to School event on May 6, 2026.
And here are our weekly gentle reminders…thank you for your support!
Donate: Your support helps fund the PTO’s programs and events — a suggested donation of $25 is appreciated, but any amount is welcome. You can pay by cash or check, payable to “Norwich School District.” Please bring cash or a check to the MCS main office at any time.
PTO Directory: If you haven’t yet done so, please add or update your information in our MCS PTO Family Directory. Online access is FREE, and you can choose what info to share. Updates made by October 31 will be included in the print version (details to be announced soon).
Sign up to Volunteer: There are numerous opportunities to volunteer throughout the year. Please complete this Google Form to express your initial interest in volunteer opportunities, and we’ll include you in topic-specific updates.
Have a great weekend!
Courtesy Community Interest Posts
22 Church Street
Norwich, Vermont
802-649-1703
