PUTNEY CENTRAL SCHOOL
An exceptional PK-8 School located in beautiful southern Vermont
PCS NEWS 3/21/25
Dear PCS Community,
Thank you for another great week here at school. Spring has certainly spring - our once massive snow banks are small isolated piles, bulbs are popping up, mud is everywhere, and the sap is flowing! It has been nice to see many of our elementary families in yesterday and today for conferences, and we look forward to our evening of student-led conferences in the middle school later in the Spring.
In case you are wondering why the shift to running our Spring conferences in a student-led format in most of our elementary classrooms and in our middle school, I want to share our thinking on the matter, and some resources. We find that there are many benefits to offering student-led conferences, where students are held at the center of the parent-teacher connection, and they themselves share their learning, their goals for the future, and things that they are proud of in the classrooms. This intentional centering of the student is a means to promote their active engagement in learning, reflect on their own growth as a learner, develop a sense of pride in the work that they get to share, and establish our students as leaders of their own learning, as opposed to more passive recipients of knowledge and experiences. We are excited for this shift, and hope that you see value in the experience. If you are finding yourself still wanting an individual connection time with a classroom teacher, we will of course accommodate that as well.
Here is an article on the topic if you are interested: https://www.edutopia.org/article/student-led-parent-teacher-conferences/
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Upcoming Dates
NEXT WEEK - Kindness Week! - please see the newsletter for the themed days graphic
Wed. 3/26 - Forest For Learning community input event (see below). 6:00 in the library
Thurs. 3/27 - 2nd annual Chili and Mac'n'cheese cookoff! (5:00 set up, 5:30 tasting begins in the gym)
Mon. 3/31 - Friday 4/3 - VTCAP Assessment window at PCS
Thurs 4/3 - Community information night regarding the PCS Community Schools grant and ways to be involved. 6:00 in the library
April 8 - Daytime show of Frozen Jr (whole school trip) at Landmark College
April 9-11 - Evening performances of Frozen Jr.
VTCAP Assessments
Here is a letter detailing our school's approach to the upcoming VTCAP assessments. Please know that we do not want this experience to be stress-inducing for our students, and view the experience primarily as a way to reflect on our progress academically as a school and on the effectiveness of our curricular decisions and instructional systems. Here is the schedule - each day will consist of generally not more than 60-90 minutes of assessment in the elementary grades, and 120 minutes in the middle school.
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Schedule:
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PCS Summer Camp Sign ups
The window to sign up for summer camps closes on Monday, March 24th. Here is the the google form to sign your students up for the PCS summer camp if interested. In addition, here is a one-pager with some details about camp for this upcoming summer. Please reach out if you have questions! We will notify you about enrollment by next Friday.
Chili Cook-Off!
Please see attached flyer for information about the upcoming Chili Cook-off, the event is coming up on March 27th! This fun event is a fundraiser for the 5th grade trip to Keewaydin- please spread the word to your networks.
We are looking for more contestants to enter the competition, and we also want to spread the word far and wide to get as many people to come and taste as possible!
If you are interested in helping out at the event please reach out to myself or Kat for ways to pitch in- thanks!
To the best chili and mac and cheese,
Jen and Kat
Family Climate Survey
Earlier this week I sent out our annual family climate survey. It is linked again here. Please know that if you wish, you are able to complete one survey for each student if you have multiple students at PCS. If you would rather just complete one, that is also fine. Thank you for taking the time to contribute your thoughts - this is important data and information that we consider in making plans moving forward.
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend,
Jon
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Staff Highlight
Rylan Bristol- Facilities Manager
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​I was born and raised in Brattleboro and right after high school moved to Fort Drum NY where I served in the Army for 3 years. I traveled around the US and overseas quite a bit during active duty before eventually settling back home after my service. When I got out of the military I moved back to town and very soon after, met my wife. We have 2 young daughters Everly and Emeline and 2 dogs, Tilly (chihuahua pug) and Cooper (great pyrenees). In my free time, you can find me hiking, going for walks with my kids and pups, or just spending time outside. I also enjoy spending time in my workshop making signs with my wife, and just working on house projects. I am brand new to PCS this year and couldn't be happier to be a part of this community!
Notes From Nurse Nicole
Hi PCS Families,
Wow, can you believe it’s almost March already? Time is flying by! I hope this newsletter finds you staying warm and healthy. Hopeful thinking has me feeling spring is just around the corner, but I also know there is still plenty of time for getting out in the snow!
Unfortunately, head lice are still making the rounds at PCS. It’s really important that you keep an eye on your child/ren’s heads if you notice any signs of itching or discomfort. If you need any help or advice, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to assist however I can.
Thanks for your attention to this!
Health and Wellness
As we move into the spring, it’s that time of year when I get to spend more time in classrooms talking about health and wellness. Next week, I’ll be visiting the 6th grade (more details to come for 6th grade families), and later this spring, I’ll be working to reach all of our students in some way to talk about health, body awareness, and wellness.
I wanted to share a few resources with you that could be helpful for talking to your kids at home about these topics. If you're interested in borrowing any books, feel free to reach out! We have extra copies of some of these.
Thanks for your support as we work together to keep our students healthy and informed!
Some of the books I use and love;
What Makes A Baby, Sex Is A Funny Word, You Know, Sex
All written by Cory Silverberg and illustrated by Fiona Smyth
https://www.corysilverberg.com/ (age recommendations for each book are on the website)
You-ology: A Puberty Guide for Everybody, By Melisa Holmes, MD, FACOG; Trish Hutchison, MD, FAAP; Kathryn Lowe, MD, FAAP
Website for parents 4th-6th grade
https://teachingsexualhealth.ca/parents/information-by-age/10-11-and-12-year-olds/
Website I use some of these for the students and here is a guide for parents;
Counselor's Corner
Dear PCS Families,
Welcome to March! As we move into spring, it’s a perfect time to focus on growth—both personally and academically! This month, we’re continually focusing on three important themes: Kindness, Flexibility, and Resilience. These qualities help students navigate challenges, build positive relationships, and thrive in a supportive school community. Throughout the month, we’ll be teaching students about:
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Kindness: How small acts of kindness can make a big difference in their own lives and others’ lives.
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Flexibility: Understanding that plans can change, and learning to adjust to new situations with a positive attitude.
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Resilience: Developing the ability to bounce back from setbacks, keep trying, and stay optimistic in the face of challenges.
Our lessons and activities will include:
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How to Practice Kindness: Giving compliments, helping others, and being a good friend.
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Being Flexible: Accepting changes, adapting to new plans, and learning to stay calm when things don’t go as expected.
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Building Resilience: Teaching students how to persevere through challenges and use mistakes as opportunities for growth.
Kindness Week (March 24-28):
Let’s make the world a kinder place! During Kindness Week, students will engage in various activities to promote compassion and empathy. We’ll have daily kindness challenges, such as compliment chains, and performing secret acts of kindness around the school. Students will learn the power of kindness and how it can positively impact others and themselves.
Monday 3/24: Wacky Hat Day
Theme: "Wear your heart to invite kindness to stay"
Encourage your child to wear a fun and wacky hat! This is a great way to start the week with creativity and kindness. Remind them to share a kind compliment with a friend.
Tuesday 3/25: Crazy Hair Day
Theme: "Crazy Hair, Caring Heart!"
Let your child express themselves with a fun and crazy hairstyle while remembering to be kind in both words and actions.
Wednesday 3/26: Teachers Dress Like Students & Students Dress Like Teachers
Theme: "Different Roles, Same Goal: No Bullying!"
Students and teachers will switch roles for a day! This is a fun way to remind everyone that kindness and respect should be shown to all, no matter their role in school.
Thursday 3/27: Throwback Day (80s or 90s Style)
Theme: "Kindness is Timeless!"
Have your child dress in 80s or 90s fashion to celebrate that kindness never goes out of style!
Friday 3/28: PJ Day or Comfy Clothes & Bring a Stuffie
Theme: "Stay Cozy, Stay Kind!"
Students can wear their pajamas or comfy clothes and bring a favorite stuffed animal to school. Let’s wrap up Kindness Week with warmth and compassion!
We appreciate your support in making this a memorable week for our students. Thank you for helping us spread kindness!
#KindnessWeek #ChooseKind
Let’s Connect! If you have any concerns or would like to discuss your child’s progress, feel free to reach out to me at mlazarus@wsesdvt.org or 802-387-5521 ext. 130. I’m here to support students and families in any way I can.
Wishing you all a wonderful and positive month ahead!
All the best,
Marisa
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