Announcements 9-4-12

A Refreshing Change

SACS now has four water filtration coolers throughout the school. You can stop for a quick drink of filtered water or you can fill up your water bottle to go. The systems even have a counter on the top that counts how many times it fills up a water bottle to show how much waste is eliminated when you don't use disposable plastic bottles. This week all students received a SACS water bottle so they can fill up throughout the school day. 

Labor Day - No School

There is no school on Monday Sept. 3rd. 

French Update

All students who had signed up for French will come home with a letter describing the virtual option. We ask parents to please discuss this with their child and have the signed form back to us on Tuesday. 

Eighth grade students are looking at French and Spanish options. Seventh grade students will get some language and virtual learning experiences this year to prepare them for the same options in their eighth grade year. We are still working on the details of the seventh grade level. 

PTO

The PTO is putting on their first meeting of the school year on Wednesday Sept. 5th at 6:00pm in the SACS Library. There will be someone at the front door to let you in. We welcome all parents who want to get involved. 

PAG 2013

The PAG is the parent advisory group that plans activities for end of year activities for eighth graders. The first meeting of the PAG is immediately following the PTO meeting on Sept. 5th in the library. Any parents of eighth graders interested in getting involved are invited to attend.

Missing something?

Two brand new pairs of sneakers were left in the cafeteria on Friday. If you are missing a pair please see Mrs. Biggie.

Athletics

Signups are now closed. Please make sure you return your paperwork to Mrs. Trainer. 

5/6 Boys Soccer - practice begins Tuesday 9/4 and will happen all week from 3:30 - 4:30.

5-8 Cross Country Practice starts Tuesday 9/4 and will also happen all week from 3:30 - 4:30

5/6 Girls Soccer begins Tuesday 9/4 at 3:30

7/8 Boys Soccer begins Tuesday 9/4 at 5:30

Lunch Schedule for 2012-2013 School Year 


Time                           Learning Community

10:45 - 11:15             Dynamic Design, Renaissance, Team USA

11:15 - 11:45             Investigators, Explorers

11:30 - 12:00            Imagination, Travelers

11:45 - 12:15             Discovery, Incredibles

12:00 - 12:30            Triumph, Voyagers

12:30 - 1:00              Bright Beginnings 


Hot Lunch Entree for Tuesday September 4th

Dress Your Own Burger or Vegetarian Veggie Burger on Whole Wheat Bun 

Sliced Tomato and Lettuce 
Roasted Broccoli 
Happy Birthday 100% Fruit Juice Shape Up 
Fresh Fruit 
Farm Fresh Milk

Announcements 8-31-12

SACS School Meals Meet Tough New Nutrition Standards

As St. Albans City School students return to school this fall, they'll find healthy new choices in their school cafeteria.

St. Albans City School will be serving school meals that meet tough new federal standards, ensuring that meals are healthy, well-balanced and provide students all the nutrition they need to succeed at school.

School meals offer students milk, fruits and vegetables, proteins and grains, and they must meet strict limits for saturated fat and portion size. Starting this school year, school lunches will meet additional standards requiring:

• Age-appropriate calorie limits
• Larger Servings of vegetables and fruits (student must take at least one serving of produce)
• A wider variety of vegetables, including dark green and red/orange vegetables and legumes
• Fat-free or 1% milk (flavored must be fat-free)
• More whole grains
• And less sodium

"We're always working to offer St. Albans City School students healthier and tastier choices," said Nina Hansen, Food Service Director for The Abbey Group. "In addition to meeting new nutrition standards, we're also part of USDA's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Fuel Up to Play 60, and The Learning Kitchen. 

School meals are a great value and a huge convenience for busy families. It's $1.10 for breakfast and $1.60 for lunch. Free and Reduced Lunch application can be fund online at: http://www.education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_nutrition/school_nutrition/program/forms/educ_nutrition_fr_application_meal.pdf or by calling Desiree Gunter at 527-0565 ext. 3006.

To find out more about St. Albans City School's healthy school meals visit: http://www.abbeygroup.net/school-stacity.php

Field Trip

The Voyagers are going to the Pool from 2:30-4:45

SACS Daily Wellness

 Today's wellness tip comes from the USDA.  

For everyone:   Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.   

Consider this advice when going to the cafeteria for lunch or eating dinner at home.

Suggestions for how families can increase fruit intake.

• Keep a bowl of whole fruit on the table, counter, or in the refrigerator.
• Refrigerate cut-up fruit to store for later.
• Buy fresh fruits in season when they may be less expensive and at their peak flavor.
• Buy fruits that are dried, frozen, and canned (in water or 100% juice) as well as fresh, so that you always have a supply on hand.
• Consider convenience when shopping. Try pre-cut packages of fruit (such as melon or pineapple chunks) for a healthy snack in seconds. Choose packaged fruits that do not have added sugars.

Hot Lunch Entree for Friday August 31st

Chicken Fajitas
Chicken, Sautéed Onions &; Peppers, Soft Flour Tortilla, Salsa, Cabot Sour Cream
Brown Rice Pilaf
Warm Black Beans
Celery Sticks
Fresh Fruit
Farm Fresh Milk

Announcements 8-30-12

A Great First Day

Team USA doing team building activities

Thank you to the many parents and families who joined us for the Parent Resource Fair. We had a record turnout and exciting start to the new school year. 

A Note to French Students and their families

Our French teacher decided at the last minute to accept a job in another part of the state. We are taking this as an opportunity to see how VHS (Virtual High School) could provide foreign language instruction to our students. We are working on the details and a letter will go home by Tuesday at the latest. Thank you for your patience as we resolve this.  We working to make this an even better solution for our students, branching into Spanish for the first time this year. If you questions or concerns please email Ms. Cavallo at cavalloj@fcsuvt.org.


First Week Checklist

Please fill out and return the Student Information Verification sheet as soon as possible so we can update our records with your current information.

If you are interested in applying for Free & Reduced Lunch the form can be found online here: http://www.education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_nutrition/school_nutrition/program/forms/educ_nutrition_fr_application_meal.pdf

If did not receive a form and would like one sent to you please email gunterd@fcsuvt.org. If you have questions need any assistance please contact Desiree Gunter at 527-0565 ext 3006. 

Please return the green 2012-2013 Health Update Form ASAP to the Nurses Office.

Please read and go over the 2012-2013 Student Handbook with your child. 

Wellness at SACS

Hi SACS community,  

My name is Mitch Craib (Mr. C.) and I am the new Wellness Coordinator at the school.  I will be presenting little pieces of wellness information in many of the daily announcements this year.  Here are a few guidelines about endurance exercise to start with.

People often wonder how much exercise is needed for health and fitness.  The American College of Sports Medicine's recommendations for continuous aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, cycling, cross-country skiing, rowing, elliptical training, Zumba, etc. are as follows:

Cardio-respiratory (heart and breathing) Exercise

• people should get at least 150 minutes of this kind of exercise (such as brisk walking) per week.
• 30-60 minutes sessions of exercise (five days per week) are best
• Or, 20-60 minutes of vigorous exercise, like running (three days per week) work well. (Example: Monday, Wed, Friday)
• One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions (of at least 10 minutes) both work well to improve health and fitness.

Athletics

Please see Mrs. Trainer at lunch today and tomorrow to sign up for Cross Country and Soccer.  

Hot Lunch Entree for Thursday August 30th


Homemade Shepherd’s Pie 
Ground Beef, Mashed Potato & Corn 
Fresh Grape Tomatoes  
Hearty Carrot Muffin 
Fresh Fruit 
Farm Fresh Milk

Announcements 8-29-12

Welcome Back

With the construction behind us, and all of the staff and faculty back to work, all that SACS is missing are students and families. It is with much happiness and excitement that we welcome you all back to school today!

A session begins at 7:45 and B session begins at 8:15.

Parents will begin their day in classrooms with students.

At 9:00am please join us in the Large Gym for our annual Resource Fair for parents and families.

A students are dismissed at 10:45 and B students will be dismissed at 11:15.

Thursday August 30th is the first full day of school.

Astronomy Night Tonight

Mr. Mehaffey will be setting up the school telescope and his telescope, for some sky watching, the evening of the first day of school, August 29. Mr. Mehaffey will be setting up on the basketball court in the back of school, and ready for a dark sky, if the weather is clear. We will be looking at the moon, some double stars, planets, and other celestial objects, when it is completely dark, probably after 9 pm. Everyone is invited. If it is cloudy, we will try another night.

Dress Code

Please take a moment to review the SACS Dress Code. 

Announcements 8-28-12

The Finishing Touches

All Staff and Faculty were back at school on Monday, and everyone was hard at work. 
Some Team USA students even came by to their teachers unpack their classrooms. 


An Introduction


Dear Parents, Guardians and St. Albans City School Staff,

My name is Lori Cutting and I am the new School Counselor for grades K-3 at St.
Albans City School. This is a very exciting time for me as I am in the process of
meeting many new school staff, teachers and students.

I am new to Vermont as I moved here three years ago from Massachusetts. For the
past three years I have worked for Franklin Central School in Franklin, VT, as an
elementary school counselor.

I would like to take this opportunity to encourage you to contact me with any
questions or concerns, as we work together to support all students during their time at
St. Albans City School.

You can reach me by e-mail at cuttingl@fcsuvt.org or by phone at 802-527-0565
ext. 2306.

I look forward to being a part of the St. Albans City School community!

Sincerely,

Lori Cutting

Enjoy the last day of Summer Vacation

We look forward to welcoming you back on Wednesday August 29th!

Announcements 8-27-12

Stargazing

Mr. Mehaffey will be setting up the school telescope and his telescope, for some sky watching, the evening of the first day of school, August 29. Mr. Mehaffey will be setting up on the basketball court in the back of school, and ready for a dark sky, if the weather is clear. We will be looking at the moon, some double stars, planets, and other celestial objects, when it is completely dark, probably after 9 pm. Everyone is invited. If it is cloudy, we will try another night.

Announcements 8-24-12

Ready to Roll!

We have received our Certificate of Occupancy and teachers are unpacking and getting ready! Welcome letters have been mailed to all students. Faculty and staff are working hard in the last few days before we welcome students and families to the 2012-2013 school year. The first day is Wednesday August 29th and it's a half day for students. Please take time to review the new bus routes in your welcome letter. Please call Mrs. Biggie with any questions or concerns. We look forward to seeing everyone next week!

Athletics

Sign ups for Soccer and Cross Country are 8/29-8/31. Please see Mrs. Trainer at lunch to sign up.

Girls 7/8 Soccer Meeting will take place on 8/31 at 5:30pm in the Library.