This weeks MCS Cross Words
News to keep you informed and a Bike to school video too!
Hello Norwich,
I am sharing this weeks Cross Words with you as there is a lot of info about the MCS school that I feel residents should know about. (Take a moment to make some pop-corn, and maybe check out the Bike to school Video HERE compliments of Kata Sasvari.) (You will also find the link just below the PTO bulletin board.) Enjoy the video and then take in the Cross Word for the latest news.
Cross Words
10/22/2021
Important Dates
Tuesday, November 2 - Picture Retake Day
Friday, November 5 - Parent Teacher Conferences - No School
Wednesday, November 10 - 8:15am - Coffee Talk
Thursday, November 11 - Holiday, No School
November 24 - 26 - Thanksgiving Break - No School
Message From The Principal
Good afternoon,
This week, the Message From the Principal will feature a write-up by Lindsday Putnam about Fall Clean Up Day. Everyone worked hard, especially Lindsday, who worked tirelessly as well! Thanks for your work Lindsay.
Have a lovely weekend,
Shawn
This week has been our annual Fall Clean Up Week at MCS. So much work has been accomplished by students - and they have all been overflowing with enthusiasm. It has been so wonderful and fun. We have raked many leaves that we will add to the compost pile over the year to make soil for the garden. We are also adding leaves to the brand new vernal pool which Graham Webster dug for us last night in the meadow! (Well, it is for salamanders and wood frogs, actually, but we will be observing and studying there next spring!) We will use the raked up playground leaves to line the pool. Fifth grade has been testing the soil chemistry in the garden, making recommendations for amendments for the next growing cycle, and adding compost for next year. Several classes have been tackling invasive plants. We have pulled up many hundreds of buckthorn, burning bush, and bittersweet plants that would otherwise take over our woods. We have collected trash, pulled weeds, and made a final harvest of the MCS gardens which we donated to Willing Hands. Several different classes cleaned up the raised bed gardens and other garden spaces around school. Truly your children have made a wonderful effort this week to help out both MCS and others. And we all had fun doing it!
Thanks,
Linsday
Message From Student Services
PBiS Update:
To make a positive climate we believe that we need to first build up our classroom and school-wide communities. We also believe that if students know and practice following our common expectations (Kind, Respectful, Responsible, and Safe) they will support each other by creating a productive learning environment. Finally, we also believe that to reinforce the desired behaviors we notice them by giving the student (s) a tangible complement (an “owl pellet”).
Students are given owl pellets for following school rules. They contribute their owl pellets to a classroom receptacle.
When the classroom receptacle is full, that homeroom will have a class celebration. After the celebration, the students then add all their classroom compliments to the school wide receptacle (an aquarium).
When the aquarium is full of compliments we have a school celebration...which happened today. Ask your student what they did for their classroom and school celebrations.
Also, if we have any handy parents that would like to improve our school-wide receptacle, let me know...I would love your help.
Thank you,
Greg Bagnato
School News and Information
From the Health Office
Dear families,
We have completed three weeks of school wide surveillance testing for all that have registered for the program. This week we had a total of 179 students and staff tested. We have perfected our technique cutting our time down from our initial testing of four and half hours to three hours this week. We can thank the students and staff that have willingly helped smooth the process, they are amazing!
Vermont weekly testing is done by way of a quick, non-invasive nasal swab, collected under the supervision of a school nurse, or other trained staff. Unlike many COVID-19 tests of the past, these are easy for students 5 years and older to perform themselves under supervision.
Through weekly testing, our school will be better equipped to:
Prevent the spread of the virus, especially among those individuals who are asymptomatic.
Make evidence-based decisions. By deploying a school testing program, Marion Cross School will be able to make well-informed decisions with regard to relaxing other prevention measures, such as masking.
Prepare our community for future curveballs in the pandemic. In preparation for the possibility of new, more virulent strains, having a comprehensive testing program in place in schools will help inform our community of new strains and viral patterns.
Students may only participate in the program with permission from a parent or guardian. To participate in the program, you must sign this consent form on behalf of your student. There is no charge for participating. Any student aged 5 years or older is eligible to participate. (District is listed under Norwich School) You may sign your child up at any point and once they are signed up it is good for the year. If you have any questions or need assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
In advance of signing the consent form, it is important to Marion Cross School that you are fully informed regarding the process and that we answer any questions you might have. To learn more about our COVID-19 testing program, please visit the Agency of Education’s Covid-19 Surveillance Testing Program Overview.
With this testing program in place, we can keep our schools safe and your student(s) in school. Thanks again for your support during this challenging time.
Sincerely,
Jane Glick BSN, RN
Marion Cross School Nurse
All are welcome to join us in the Norwich Public Library's garden on Saturday, October 23, 11:30 - 12:30, for cider and donuts to welcome our new Youth Services Librarian, Erin Davison. Join Erin for stories and songs beginning at noon (there's a ukulele involved!)
PAL( Peer Adventure Learning) and PE - On the move to physical and social success!!!
For the past few weeks our focus has been on Respect. We talked about ways to show respect at home and school and played some fun games to practice respect. We spelled out respect in a relay game, wrote an acrostic poem and practiced earning respect through group games.
Pics of the Week
Volunteer Sign Up
SAU70 requires that anyone volunteering in the district completes the Volunteer Application Form. The following link will direct you to the form, and details the Volunteer Background Check Process.
We are hopeful that at some point during this school year, we will be able to allow volunteers back into our schools. Please be aware that there may be background checks needed, depending what level of volunteering you are able to offer. In the meantime, opportunities may arise that don't involve being in the schools or with the students.
Please reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you
Emma Cottage
SAU70 Volunteer Coordinator
Interested in Subbing?
Would you like a taste of the best job in the world? We would love to have you join us occasionally in the school. If you are interested in being a substitute teacher, please follow this link: https://sau70.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=19
PTO Bulletin Board
Bike to School Video: Thank you to Kata Sasvari for sharing this bike to school video! It is also on the MCS website, enjoy!
From Kata:
HERE is the video (I am so excited for you guys to see this!!) It is also super special, because it does not just follow the kids on Norwich roads but also has the (last year) 6th graders song as the background music. (A little explanation for this: Travis Ramsey asked the 6th graders to write songs last year as their music projects. Then these songs made it to Tuck Stocking of Tuck's Rock Dojo, who recorded these songs for them. This is one of 8 songs they wrote, and its called : Two)
Next Monthly Meeting Is Thursday November 4th, at the fire pit in Girard Way Fire Pit, from 6-7pm, bring a chair we will have marshmallows!
Halloween Candy Drive
Marion Cross PTO is collecting bags of individually-wrapped candy, as well as glow sticks/bracelets. Glow sticks will be distributed to trick or treaters, by the Norwich Recreation Department, at the Norwichy Woods. The candy will be distributed to the in-town families. Collection boxes are in the following locations: Dan and Whits, Norwich Nursery School, Norwich Town Clerk's Office, Norwich Public Library, Marion Cross School Office. Thank you in advance for your kind donations! You can drop off candy until October 29th.
Norwich School Board Vacancies : The Norwich School Board has recently received the resignation of one of its school board members. Vacancies on the Norwich School Board will be filled in accordance with the provisions of 16 V.S.A. § 706e. The appointee will serve until the next School District Election. In addition, the appointee will also serve on the SAU 70 and Dresden School Boards. The school board will be accepting letters of interest for the vacant seat through October 29, 2021. The letter should explain why the candidate is interested in serving on the school board. Selected candidates will be interviewed at a regular school board meeting in November 2021. This position will be filled until the next. Annual Meeting. At that time, the position will be placed on the ballot for a three year term.
Letters of interest should be submitted to Tom Candon, Norwich School Board Chairperson
Tom Candon
Norwich School Board Chair
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent
SAU 70
41 Lebanon Street
Hanover, NH 03755
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