Announcements 8-28-2019 First Day of School

1st Day of School is WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28th

This digital announcements page will be updated as needed until the first day of school. You can access the most current version of the announcements at THIS LINK. New important dates and content will be added to this specific page of the blog through the 28th.

IMPORTANT DATES AUGUST First Day of School for 1st - 8th grades - HALF DAY Wednesday, August 28th. 7:30 - 10:55 AM. SEPTEMBER Labor Day - No School Monday, September 2nd. First Day of School for Prek and kindergarten - HALF DAY Tuesday, September 3rd. 8:00 to 10:00 AM. Athletes and Family Members: Meeting with the Athletic Director and Coaches Tuesday, September 3rd. 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Location: Cafeteria MRUSD Board Meeting Wednesday, Sept 4th. 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Location: Central Office. 28 Catherine St. MRUSD Board Meeting Wednesday, Sept 18th. 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Location: Bellows Free Academy, 71 S Main St. Library 8th Grade Lake Champlain Event Field Trip Friday, September 20th. 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM St. Albans City School Open House Thursday, September 26th. 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Location: Library, Gyms, Cafeteria 4th Grade Lake Champlain Event Field Trip Friday, September 27th. 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM OCTOBER School Picture Days (by Cold Hollow) Tuesday-Thursday, October 1st-3rd. 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Location: AC206 Professional Library MRUSD Board Meeting Wednesday, October 2nd. 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Location: Central Office. 28th Catherine St. RiseVT Measurement Day. 1st, 3rd, and 5th Grades Tuesday, October 8th. 8:30 to 10:30 AM. Location: 2nd Floor Art Gallery. St. Albans City School 1st-3rd Grade Math Night Tuesday, October 15th. 5:30 to 7:30 PM MRUSD Board Meeting Wednesday, October 16th. 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Location: Fairfield Center School, 57 Park St. Conference week PreK - 8th Grade Monday - Friday, October 28th - November 1st.

ATHLETICS All athletes will receive their registration paperwork on the first day of school within their classes and at lunch. There is an informative parent meeting at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd in the cafeteria where all of the paperwork can be turned in and the athletes can meet their coaches. All Fall athletics will begin on Wednesday, September 4th.  Fall schedule: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12IiRxtC76PTj_cuY-J7krGqq2j3enpFT/edit  There will be two 5/6 girls soccer teams- white and navy, 5/6 boys soccer, 7/8 girls soccer, 7/8 boys soccer and cross country for 5th-8th graders. Most 5/6 girls soccer practices will be scheduled together but games will be played separately.

EVENTS AND NOTICES 2019/2020 SCHOOL MAILING You should receive a school mailing prior to the start of school. It will include a letter, school calendar and a list of important dates to know. LINK TO A DIGITAL VERSION OF THESE ITEMS If you did not receive a letter during the week of August 19th-23rd, it is most likely due to the school not having your most recent address. We need up-to-date addresses and phone numbers so that we can reach you at times like this and in cases of emergency. Thank you. 1st-8th grade parents will be receiving a substantial PACKET WITH FORMS TO FILL OUT brought home by your child at the end of the first day of school, August 28th. Kindergarten parents will get a similar packet a bit later. Y AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM COMING TO ST. ALBANS CITY SCHOOL The Y has decided there is enough interest to support an afterschool program at St. Albans City School. The Y Staff will be at the Resource Fair (7:15-8:45am) on the first day of school (Aug 28) to sign up or parents can use the following link.  Registration link:  https://gbymca.wufoo.com/forms/20192020-y-before-and-after-school-registration/ Info about the Program: The hours children spend outside of the classroom are critical to their growth and development. The Y is committed to providing children with a safe, enriching and fun environment during out-of-school time, where we foster positive physical, social, emotional and cognitive growth. Our curriculum complements the school day with extended learning opportunities that include sports, outdoor play, the arts, skill-building clubs, STEM, literacy and more. Each Y School Age program is available to all children in grades K-6. Our full-week options and hours are designed to meet the childcare needs of working families. Our flexible enrollment schedule encourages children to participate who may need enrichment, exercise or a supervised environment with positive adult role models just a few days each week. The program runs from dismissal until 6pm daily, Monday- Friday Afterschool Rates: 1 day $35 2 days $59 3 days $71 4 days $82 5 days $92 Additional After-School Opportunities: St Albans Rec Dept: Here are the links for the Afterschool program and Vacation/ Inservice Camps.  The Rec Dept will be working on a first come first serve basis. https://stalbansvt.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29917  (Afterschool) https://stalbansvt.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29947   (vacation and in-service) St. ALBANS CITY SCHOOL OFFERS SOCCER THIS FALL. HERE IS AN ADDITIONAL FREE SOCCER OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER Saint Albans Youth Soccer Club (SAYSC) Fall 2019 Soccer registration is open. Our fall program is designed to complement Rec Dept and school soccer. Registration is free ($0), including the tournaments. U8 Boys, U8 Girls, U10 Boys, U10 Girls, U12 Boys, U12 Girls, U14 Boys, and U14 Girls; birth years 2006 through 2013. We will have a fall program for every age/gender, regardless of player numbers. Town/state of residence doesn’t matter. See https://www.stalbanssoccer.org/fall-2019-soccer for the details and to sign up online.

PICTURES AND REPORTS IMPORTANT DOOR ALARM INFORMATION All exit doors will engage an alarm unless they have been set up with a badge recognition system for school daytime hours. To avoid having to meet with grumpy facilities staff and members of the city police department to explain your mistaken door use, we urge you to exit via the front entrance, near team USA or the exits next to the big gym. Thank you. The doors shown in this image are next to Renaissance NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION Each year there is some turnover of staff and each year the new staff arrive a day early for the new school year to get used to their place of work. They hear from the administrative staff and they connect with experienced long-time teachers at the school to mentor them through the coming school year. TEACHER INSERVICE DAYS Teachers, para-educators and administrators gathered in the library and cafeteria to plan for the new year. The three inservice days at the beginning of the year bring staff up to speed on changes in the expectations, programs, and schedules that make the school run. The staff also get a chance to work with each other to plan their curriculum and duties. Finally, guest educators provide valuable insight into effective dynamics between students and staff. The whole experience is intensive and hopeful as everyone seeks to provide the best learning experience possible for our students. DONATED SCHOOL BACKPACKS AND SUPPLIES On Tuesday, August 20th the school received a very generous donation of backpacks and supplies. These backpacks will help some of our students be better prepared for the new school year. Assistant principal Rouleau is pictured with the donation. MORE MAINTENANCE PHOTOS Custodian Richard Barratt was photographed clipping off branches overtopping the walkway roof in front of the building. This action will prevent excessive leaf and branch debris on the roof that can hinder water runoff. He also took the opportunity to remove tennis balls and pathway rocks that had been tossed onto the roof over the last school year. FRUIT TREE INFORMATION (8-14-2019) In spite of some dry periods this summer, a decent crop of apples and pears are gradually maturing in the School's orchard. As tempting as it may be, we ask that everyone leave the fruit in the trees for use by the farm-to-school program in September. Mrs. Lamb and Mrs. Smith will be going out to harvest the fruit to make apple and pear sauce and pies. By leaving the fruit on the trees for this purpose we will be fulfilling the goal of the 4th-8th graders that planted the orchard years ago. They hoped that the kindergarteners at the time would be harvesting and processing the fruit in their last few years at the school. Their wishes have come true. Note: some of the fruit is small or slightly blemished. These issues won't prevent them from being used in delicious food products. LINK TO THE STEWARDSHIP ORCHARD WEBPAGE for the history of our fruit trees. ADDITIONAL REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE WORK PICTURES Here a broken window was being replaced 8-15-2019 This window technician had to smash the old window out and then fit & caulk in a new one. A pair of electricians replaced all the emergency hallway lights. 8-14-2019 The outdoor classroom area was spruced up 8-15-2019 A heap of emergency lights and batteries The lift was also used to paint the building roof edging. 8-14-2019 A plastic edge was installed around the first gaga pit. 8-15-2019 The goal is retain gravel in a walkway around the gaga pit 3 - 4 inches of crushed gravel was added to the gaga pit to get rid of dust and mud problems Cleaning and waxing the floor surfaces continued as the beginning of school approached. 8-15-2019 Lots of weed whacking was done. 8-14-2019 Another roofing edge painting picture The four-square shelter had its’ wood treated to prevent additional sun and moisture damage 8-14-2019 SCHOOL FLOWERS AT PEAK It is a special time in the summer where the flowers planted by students and staff are spectacular. They are a colorful and varied contrast to the industrial lines of the main school building. The lush flowers flanking the stairs into the entrance of the school were planted by our farm-to-school coordinator, Heather Smith, this past spring.