March 29th, 2020

GREETINGS FROM SWIFT HOUSE REMOTE

Wow, so much has changed since the last Swift Flyer.  Our "Upcoming Events" have been deleted, our classrooms are remote, and our thoughts are with our loved ones and people all over the world in hopes of staying safe and healthy.

At the same time, we hope to provide connections, routines and learning opportunities for your children as we stay safe at home.  We were all exploring a "new normal" this week, figuring out ways to spend constructive time at home while staying connected online.  We would love to share photos of Swifties in these new settings each week. Please send us your photos from home if you're willing to share!

Swift Facilitators in Video Chat Meeting

Mackenzie and her Snowman

Grace's Ocean

Grace's Mountains

Grace's Stunning Moon!

REMOTE LEARNING RESOURCES

We know that you've received an overwhelming amount of information during the coronavirus outbreak.  We are trying to process it all as it comes out and ensure that we create learning opportunities for our kids that are appropriate to the most current CVSD and state guidelines.  To help organize the quickly changing landscape of Vermont education this spring, we have organized as much information as possible in one place:

The Swift House Remote Learning Site

Please bookmark this site and let us know if there are other resources we should link there.  Thank you for your patience and support during this unsettling time in which our lives have all been upended.

READING RESOURCES

We have linked the WCS Library website to our remote learning site, however, we wanted to highlight a few new resources: 

• Dorothy Canfield Fisher List for 2020-21~ An incredible list of books recommended for middle school readers by Vermont librarians.  Students vote on their favorites at the end of the school year.
• The Green Mountain Library Consortium~ The Vermont online library is accessed through your Dorothy Alling Library card.  Download the Libby App, add your library card number, and have instant access to thousands of books and audiobooks for free!  Books can be read on a phone, computer, or transferred to a Kindle.
• Read-Aloud Corner ~ Hear Ms. Arapakas read this year's Red Clover books.  A wonderful resource for any younger students in your house.  

MATERIALS @ SCHOOL

Our fabulous food service staff who hand-out food on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9-10:30 am are willing to distribute materials if a family comes during those days/times.  Contact your child's core teacher if you need to pick up materials left at school.

DOROTHY ALLING LIBRARY 

Although Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is currently closed, we are excited to remain connected to you through online programming. The best way to find programs is to visit www.damlvt.org or www.facebook.com/WDAML. See below for a listing of our online Youth Programs for the week of March 30. Be well and happy reading!

Tuesday, March 31, 10:30am
Preschool Story Time with a Pet Theme, Video will be released on YouTube and Facebook.

Wednesday, April 1, 10:30am
Dorothy's List Read Aloud Preview on Facebook Live: "Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation" by Stuart Gibbs, Best for Ages 10+

Thursday, April 2, 10:30am
Dorothy's List Unboxing, Watch as Miss Jess shows off some of the new Dorothy's List Books that just arrived! Video will be released on YouTube and Facebook.

Friday, April 3, 10:30am
Preschool Music with Marcie
Enjoy children's music with Marice! Video will be released on YouTube and Facebook.

Remember that you can access eBooks, audiobooks and streamed video online through the library 24/7. See more about accessing online materials here: http://damlvt.org/index.php/download-a-book

If you are not connected to the library yet or have any other questions, please contact us during normal business hours. If you reside in Williston/St. George we can set you up with a library card online; it's all you need to connect with our electronic resources.

Email: daml@damlvt.org
Leave a voicemail: 802-878-4918

SUMMER OF SCIENCE 2020—Save the Dates!

From: Lauren Traister

Subject: Summer of Science

Our Summer of Science registration will open on Sunday, March 15 @ 7 pm - first-come, first-served. Check out all of the cool workshops!

And, we are launching a pilot program this summer called TRY 4-H Science and are looking for a few teens to apply to become teen teachers! Applications are due no later than April 1st. Learn more here.

Learn more about the upcoming cafes, Summer of Science and TRY 4-H Science at www.uvm.edu/extension/youth/announcements

QuaranTeen Virtual Science Cafes - Join us each week (Wednesdays @ 3 pm) at our virtual science cafe where you will meet scientists, learn about their work, and participate in informal discussions. We will keep offering virtual cafes each week as long as schools are closed. So, sign up and learn some cool science!! See current line up here; more to come including one on infectious diseases on April 29!

QuaranTeen Time - Getting College & Career Ready

We are inviting high school youth thinking about life after graduation to join Vermont 4-H and Lindsay Carpenter, Outreach Counselor with Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) for one or all three sessions - April 7, 14 and 21 @ 3pm online - to discuss how to get ready for college & career ready. Lindsay will provide tips, tricks, and answer your questions related to college, affordability, and alternative pathways to careers. 

4-H Distance Learning Socials - Kick Off March 30

Join Vermont 4-H each week on Mondays at 3PM as long as schools are closed. Each week a different topic in science, healthy living, and civic engagement will be introduced alongside fun take-home challenges. We will meet back up on Thursdays at 3PM to share out our findings. March 30th will kick off our first Distance Learning Social on photography.  Open to all youth ages 8+.

Zoom a Scientist - Tuesdays @ 12 noon , learn more https://www.uvm.edu/seagrant/education/k-12-watershed-alliance/virtual-learning

Maine's Teen Science Cafe - Tuesdays @ 3pm, learn more https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/learn-at-home/teen-virtual-science-cafes/

All opportunities will be posted to our website and Facebook page. These programs are open to ALL YOUTH; you do not need to be in a 4-H club to participate or even live in Vermont. We will continue to provide online enrichment programming as long as schools are closed.

4-H and Youth | The University of Vermont

March 12th, 2020

UPCOMING EVENTS

• School Dance (5th-8th)~ April 10th, 6:30-8:30 (Tentative)
• Big Basket Raffle Fun Night @ WCS~ NEW DATE: Saturday, May 30th, 6:00-8:30 pm
• 8th Grade Ridin-Hy Trip~ June 4th & 5th
• Swift House Homework Club~ Every Tuesday from 2:00-3:30

MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION

See this week's School Bell and the March 13th  and March 15th CVSD updates for details on the district's latest response to COVID-19. 

TRIMESTER 2 WRAP-UP

• Jumprope: Trimester 2 Jumprope reports will include scores for math, two literature groups, science, social studies, Independent Projects and narrative writing.  Teacher feedback can be found on the Jumprope reports and on student work on their PLP site.

• Conferences: Core teachers sending out conference schedules when school resumes.
• PLPS: Swifties finished their Trimester 2 PLP installments on their sites this week.  They can log into their Gmail to access their site to show you their latest work.  It's pretty incredible to see their growth and reflection on their PLP goals.  

SWIFT NYC TRIP

Parents and Guardians,

In light of the evolution of COVID-19 around the world, and surrounding states, Swift House has made the difficult decision to cancel our trip to New York City this spring. Officials in NYC are recommending that residents refrain from using public transportation, and to work from home if possible. We have a social responsibility to our students, and each other, to do everything possible to maintain the health and wellness of our students, staff and chaperones. With this being said, our decision to cancel this trip is out of the concern of exposure for our group traveling to an urban area with large numbers of people coming and going from all over the world.

We are in the process of requesting refunds from the Hostel, Carmine's Restaurant, and Premier Bus Company. Once these funds are recouped, we will begin the process of returning deposits. Ms. Barland, in conjunction with our Business Manager, will be dispersing these checks (not cash) from our business office, as soon as funds are available. Given there is a March 25, 2020 written notice required to recoup deposits we are unable to take a "wait and see" approach in making the decision to cancel the trip.

Fundraising (Fun Night in October; Bottle Drive; Agave; etc.) money that has already been earned this year will be earmarked for our next Level III Field Trip (2020-2021 academic year). 

We are still planning on following through with two remaining fundraising events. These include a bottle drive, and a Fun Night scheduled for March 28th. The funds earned from these two events will go toward end-of-the-year events for our entire team.  Instead of students going door to door for our bottle drive, we are going to collect the bottles here at school. We will have more details about bottle drop off and Fun Night sign ups coming in a subsequent email.

Please don't hesitate to email with any questions. Thank you for all your support and understanding in this unusual situation. We greatly appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Swift Facilitators

BIG BASKET RAFFLE FUN NIGHT

• The Basket Raffle has been postponed to Saturday, May 30th.  Swift is still hosting Fun Night the evening of the Basket Raffle.  Funds raised will go towards Swift House end of year activities.

• We are collecting gently used toys ages 5-11 for our prize table at the Basket Raffle Fun Night on Saturday, March 28th.

• Sign-Up Here to volunteer for Fun Night. 

BOTTLE DRIVE CANCELLED

Our March 21st bottle drive has been canceled.  If you have been saving bottles and would still like to donate them to a good cause, we have a new option.  You can drop off your bottles at the bin outside the Williston Central School's back entrance anytime.  All proceeds will go towards student activities, such as our school garden club.  Thank you for your understanding and support!

BIG BASKET RAFFLE

It’ll be here on May 30th!

The FAP Big Basket Raffle

Collections for the 20th Annual Big Basket Raffle and Silent Auction are underway!  This is one of FAP’s biggest fundraisers of the year, with proceeds funding FAP programs that support all WCS and ABS students, families and staff.  Items donated by our Williston Schools families will be made into beautiful themed baskets that will be raffled off at the BIG BASKET RAFFLE on Saturday, May 30th, 2020. 

We ask each family to purchase and donate one (or more) item(s) that relate to your class theme:  

Please send donations into your child’s class between now and May (date TBD).

Family contributions are voluntary, and every item, large or small, is greatly appreciated.  Price is not a factor, and all donations are anonymous.  If you have more than one child in a house, it is perfectly acceptable to donate one item per family.  Students may also join together to donate a larger item.  

The Basket Raffle Committee members are also out contacting local businesses for gift basket items, gift certificates, and silent auction prizes.  If you have a connection with a local business you think would be interested in supporting this school fundraiser, please contact Emily Downing Ponce at willistonfap@cvsdvt.org.

SUSTAINABILITY

The TRY group continued their lessons about trees at Allen Brook last week.  Their students modeled the form and function of roots, leaves and branches!

SCIENCE

7th & 8th Graders have been modeling the molecular formulas of chemical reactions, seeing how the Law of the Conservation of Mass applies to each chemical reaction.  In the photos below, they are watching for evidences of chemical reactions such as color change and gases being produced.

SOCIAL STUDIES

7th & 8th Grader students worked in groups to learn about 6 important events in the Civil Rights Era. Students researched, collaborated and then developed slideshows about their assigned topic to teach their classmates. Below is a sampling..

Next, we are going to really look at the Death of Emmett Till, trying to decide if Emmett Till was a victim or a hero? Students will be writing an argument for each claim.