Job Opening: After School Program

We are looking for a passionate, knowledgeable educator to lead hands-on garden and cooking activities with elementary school students this spring and summer!!

This is a part-time job, approximately 112 hours this spring and summer during the after school program and summer camp. Specifically, this would include 2 hours per day (including prep/cleanup and working with students from 4:15-5:15 PM), 4 days per week at the four TRSU elementary schools. There is potential for this position to pick back up in the fall sessions for an additional 104 hours.

As the Farm to School Garden & Cooking Club Instructor your main responsibility will be to plan and prepare materials/supplies activities; work with students from 4:15-5:15 in the afternoon to implement garden-based and cooking activities that focus on teaching children about gardening, nutrition and cooperation. Each school is equipped with a brand NEW mobile cooking station and have established school gardens!

This position is flexible and could involve multiple people in different communities. We are open to any suggestions and experts in the field! If interested please contact Venissa White at 802-591-2294 or venissa.white@trsu.org

-- 

George O Thomson, Principal

Cavendish Town Elementary School

P.O. Box 236

Proctorsville, VT 05153

Phone 802-226-7758

Email: george.thomson@trsu.org

Cavendish Update 4/7/17 News/College/Recycling/Easter

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 4/7/17 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Recycle Your Plastic Bags

3. College Planning/Semester Abroad/School Trips for Cavendish Students

4. Events: Includes Easter Services

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Congratulations to Proctorsville resident Pat Moore who picked up his 11th National Championship in snowboard racing at the NASTAR National Championships at Steamboat Springs, Co. His three grandsons Ryan, Archie and Lauchie Cameron, made the podium in their respective races. Five-year-old Lauchie became the fourth racer in NASTAR history to win his age group in both skiing and snowboarding.

Robert P. Holland Cavendish Photographer: Robert Perkins Holland (November 29, 1908-May 4, 1986), originally from Atchison Kansas, made his home in Cavendish, with his wife Helen, on Atkinson Rd. Employed by the National Park Service, over time his hobby of photography turned into a professional career. His photographs have appeared in many publications including: American Rifleman, Down East, Ford Times, Holiday, Life and Health, Saturday Evening Post, Vermont Life, as well as in post cards, greeting cards, calendars and roadside billboards. There is now a Robert Holland Facebook page.

Watch the GM Production of The Wizard of Oz on uTube: Whether you missed the performance or want to replay the highlights, check out the spring production of GMUHS’s production of the Wizard of Oz on uTube.

May 2 Vote Set on Green Mountain Act 46 Merger: The town school boards and town clerks of Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish and Chester met at Green Mountain Union High School on Monday, March 27, to lay out and agree to the process for holding votes on forming a Regional Education District to fulfill their obligations under the Act 46 school merger law. The polling time will be from 9 am to 7 pm. Absentee ballots will be available by April 12 and early voting begins at the same time. Cavendish will hold an informational meeting on the proposed merger April 25, 6:30 at CTES. While the formation of the Green Mountain Unified School District will have no impact on where Cavendish students go to school, it does transfer the town’s school assets to the District. Chester Telegraph

Town to Vote on Future of Black River High School: Enrollment at the school has been declining steadily in the last decade. It dropped 8 percent just last year. Officials say they don't have adequate funding to operate the school and could potentially face penalties from the state under Act 46. "There are certain things that we are unable to provide: a real in-depth course program or band and music because we just don't have the students that are involved in it," said Bruce Schmidt of the Ludlow School Board. In May, town residents will decide whether to keep the school open or shut it down. If it shuts down, students would transfer to Mill River Union High School in North Clarendon. "I would love to keep Black River open," Schmidt said. "But I need to look at my position as school board chair at what is best for the kids, what is going to be the opportunities that we can provide for the kids, as well as what will be affordable for the taxpayers and the town of Ludlow." WCAX

Fletcher Farm School for the Arts & Crafts Marks its 70th: Fletcher Farm School for the Arts & Crafts will be celebrating its 70th anniversary on July 1 during their annual craft festival.  Browse their new website, www.fletcherfarm.org, to sign up for one of their spring classes now, and explore our summer classes running from June 24 through September 1. The Craft and Gift Shoppe, featuring the work of member artists, will be opening on June 24. FMI:  802-228-8770 or info@fletcherfarm.org.VT Journal

Rutland Herald Retrenches: A pay wall is days from being reinstalled for readers of The Times Argus and Rutland Herald, where a consolidation of news operations is underway. Two Herald reporters in southern Vermont will be reassigned to cover Rutland County as the newspaper concentrates on its core readership, according to editor Steven Pappas.  The two papers have been losing readers in their hometown communities. VT Digger

VT Attorney General: IRS Phone Scams Are on the Rise: Pressure to hit the April 15 filing deadline isn’t the only thing Vermonters have to worry about this tax season. State officials say scam calls from IRS impersonators are on the rise. At a press conference on Monday, VT Att. General TJ Donovan said that there were more than 6,000 attempted frauds reported in 2016. By far the most prevalent telephone scam in the state is the IRS tax scam. VPR

2. RECYCLE YOUR PLASTIC BAGS: The following plastic bag items can be recycled at various local stores- grocery bags, bread bags, case overwrap, dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, ice bags, wood pellet bags, Ziploc & other re-sealable bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, salt bags, and cereal bags. All materials must be clean, dry and free of food residue. The following local stores participate in the Trex recycling program: Market Basket, Hannaford, Price Chopper, Shaw’s, Target, and Whole Foods.

Trex Recycling Plastics has created a win-win-win situation. When you donate your unwanted plastic materials to Trex, not only are you helping to keep thousands of pounds of waste out of landfills, you're also helping us to continue to create beautiful and environmentally responsible outdoor products. And, as an additional incentive, communities and schools that enroll in our recycling programs are eligible for high-performance, low-maintenance awards and prizes.

Tips to help you in recycling plastic bags: Download the free Trex Recycling Poster and stick it on your refrigerator, recycling bin or wherever it can serve as a reminder. Keep your plastic bag recycling in with your shopping bags, so each time you go to the grocery store you’ll remember to recycle.

3. COLLEGE PLANNING/SEMESTER ABROAD/SCHOOL TRIPS: With some planning ahead, Cavendish students can go to college, study abroad and partake in school trips and exchange programs without accruing debt. For the last several years, Cavendish Connects has been providing updated information for students and families interested in college or other secondary education at Paying for College-Never too Soon or Too late.

This was recently updated to include information on how VT high school students can be earning free college credits. Each of the Vermont State Colleges hosts a full-year alternative to the senior year in high school. Students take standard college courses to complete their senior year of high school and their freshman year of college simultaneously—tuition free. Vermont Technical College hosts the Vermont Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), for students who have a strong academic record and are interested in math science and technology. FMI: Pathways for High School Students.

The new post, College Planning/Semester Abroad/School Trips for Cavendish Students,  outlines how students can go about paying for trips and semesters abroad beyond setting up a “Go Fund Me” site. Please note, that while GoFundMe definitely has brand recognition, it takes a higher portion of money raised than equivalent crowd funding sites, some of which are specifically designed for students. Please see the post for more information.

EVENTS

Easter services are included below. Note that Gethsemane Episcopal, Calvary Church and Cavendish Baptist are joining together to offer Holy Week and Easter Sunrise services.

APRIL 7 ( Friday): Family Bingo at CTES, 6-8 pm

APRIL 8 (Saturday): Trout Season Opens

APRIL 10 (Monday): Select Board Meeting, 6:30 pm at the Cavendish Town Office

APRIL 13 (Thursday): Maundy Thursday, 5:00pm at Gethsemane Church, 89 Depot Street, Proctorsville.

APRIL 14 (Friday): Good Friday 7:00pm at Calvary Church, 60 Assembly of God Drive, Proctorsville

APRIL 15 (Saturday): Easter Egg Hunt! 10:00 A.M., Cavendish Recreation and Jill's Place are sponsoring an Easter Egg Hunt at Greven Field.Bring your little chicks down to search for eggs and prizes in and around Greven Field. Easy pickins' for the little ones, and a bit more challenging for the older kids. FMI & Help to help out: Terry O'Brien 738-3215 or Jill Flynn 802-282-9426, or dthuskies@hotmail.com or Cavendish Rec. on Facebook.

APRIL 16 (Sunday): HAPPY EASTER! Outdoor Easter Sunrise, 5:55am, Jackson Gore Roundhouse, 111 Jackson Gore Road, Ludlow with coffee afterwards

• Easter Morning Worship - 10:00am, Cavendish Baptist Church 2258 Main Street, Cavendish

For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.  

College Planning/Semester Abroad/School Trips

The following information has been tailored for Cavendish students who wish to pursue college or post secondary education,  those in college who wish to do a semester abroad and high school students who would like to take advantage of school trips and exchange programs.

COLLEGE PLANNING: Go to Paying for College-Never too Soon or Too late for information that is regularly updated. Be aware that Vermont high school students can be earning free college credits. Each of the Vermont State Colleges hosts a full-year alternative to the senior year in high school. Students take standard college courses to complete their senior year of high school and their freshman year of college simultaneously—tuition free. Vermont Technical College hosts the Vermont Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), for students who have a strong academic record and are interested in math science and technology. FMI: Pathways for High School Students. By using opportunities outlined, college is very much within reach of Cavendish students. However, it does require planning and forethought. 

SEMESTER ABROAD/EXCHANGE PROGRAMS/FIELD TRIPS

School Sponsored Trip: School sponsored trips or exchange programs (such as going to France for several weeks) often hold group fundraisers, which can help reduce the overall cost. If you are organizing such fundraisers, consider activities such as sports tournaments (“five-a-side” soccer, Ping-Pong, dodge ball, basketball etc); 5k runs; bingo night; dinners; bottle drives; tag sale; pancake breakfasts; raffle; car wash; bake sales. Combining multi activities such as a car wash, bake and tag sale will yield better results than just one activity alone.

Study Abroad: If you are trying to raise money to pay for your semester abroad or an educational trip, consider the following:

• Lots of people are raising funds, so the more unique and creative your approach, as well as your fundraising objective, the easier it will be.

• Some colleges and universities offer scholarships for studying abroad, so start by checking with your college’s study abroad department as well as  your major/minor departments and professors to see if they know of any concentration-specific study abroad scholarships. FMI: How to Find Study Abroad Scholarships

• Create a blog, website or other social media site so people can learn more about your plans and how they can be involved.

• Link to a Crowd Funding site that you have set up. While Go Fund Me was first out of the block, they take 8% of whatever you raise. Consider alternative sites that are similar but take less. Check out Top 5 GoFundMe Alternatives or 5 Best GoFundMe Alternatives from Crowd Crux

• Develop your fund raising campaign letter/materials that:

- outlines the reasons why you want to study abroad or participate in a trip etc.

- describes the trip/semester

- specify needs-e.g. airfare, program fees, passport fees etc.

- explains what you are doing to raise money, timeframe you need to do it by

- provide details on how they can help-send money to an acct, donate on-line, hold a fundraiser for you, donate frequent flyer miles, let others know of your campaign etc.

Include URL(s) website, blog and/or social media site so they can follow your progress.

A good fundraising letter can be modified slightly and be sent to not only friends, family, colleagues, social media sites, but also area businesses. Be friendly, upbeat and thank them in advance for whatever support they can provide.

• Use the Cavendish Business Directory to contact area businesses that might be willing to sponsor you. Area restaurants have been known to earmark profits from desserts or specific dishes to help a student raise money for a trip. They will expect you to “advertise” that they are doing this.

• If you belong to a church, ask if they would be willing to hold a special collection for you. Be prepared to talk about what you are planning on doing, provide a display board, handouts and offer to do a special program after your return.

• If you belong to a sorority, fraternity or campus organization, see if they would be willing to hold a fundraiser for you.

• Create some unique fund raising activities that are funny and people will respond to. Try a "goat insurance" fundraising event that people can't resist because they can't stop laughing. Flyers are mailed to your friends, family, colleagues or whomever announcing that you will be raffling off a donated goat-substitute any item, such as a trunk full of zucchini in August.  For $10, a person can send in the names of three people.  Letters are then sent to those three people, telling them they have a chance to win a goat (or whatever you choose).  But, for $10 they can buy "insurance" to protect themselves from being entered in the raffle. On the specified date, anyone who hasn’t paid insurance will be offered an opportunity to opt out of the “goat” by making a donation of $25. Check out some other ideas. http://www.fundraising-ideas.org/DIY/pottyinsurance.htm

• Write a press release and send to local newspapers. Identify ways people can help you.

• Become the “Honey Do” person where you will do odd jobs, run errands, babysit, shovel snow, do yard work, cook, clean or whatever else is needed.

• Cavendish’s town wide tag sale -the last Saturday of July-is the place to set up a table on one of the village greens (register by e-mailing cavendishconnects@gmail.com) and sell gently used items, things you’ve made, including baked goods, and even consider having a mini raffle.

• In lieu of holiday and birthday gifts, request financial support for your trip.

• If you can make a craft item, such as jewelry, set up an Esty site or sell it off of your website. 

Cavendish Update 3/31/17 News/CCF Grant/Events

Rich Svec during Irene Recovery.

IF YOU COUNT ON CAVENDISH CONNECTS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COUNT ON YOU.

                                          SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

 This Sunday is the retirement/thank you party for Rich Svec, 3-5 pm at Murdock’s on the Green (Proctorsville). Everyone is invited.

 3/21/17 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Cavendish Community Fund Accepting Grant Applications

3. Events

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

McBride, Merin and Pollard Running for Green Mountain Union District: On March 21, the State Board of Education approved the Two Rivers Supervisory Union Act 46 Study Committee Report. On May 2, the town will vote whether we wish to be part of the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD), which would include Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish, and Chester; and to vote for three candidates who would serve on the unified school board-there would no longer be a GM or CTES school board. To that end, Doug McBride and Fred Merin, both on the CTES board and Bruce Pollard, GM school board, are running for the new GMUSD board. Note that while the proposed plan has Cavendish students continuing to go to CTES and GM, there would be a change in that the school property would be transferred to the GMUSD. Learn more about ACT 46, by going to the Twin River Supervisory Union’s website or stopping by the Town Office and picking up a copy of “Two Rivers Supervisory Union Act 46 Study Committee Report.” The issue of Act 46 was discussed at length at Town Meeting. See the Dish for more information.

 • Music Rings Out Again in Cavendish Village: In 1976, a carillon system was installed in the Cavendish Baptist Church steeple to ring out music in memory of Chadwich James Stockman.  After a few lightning strikes over the years, a new system was needed.  Thanks to the ingenuity of Peter Kelleher, a new set up is now in place and is much less likely to attract lightening.  If you're in the village area, you'll be able to hear the music at 9:00, noon and 3:00 on weekdays and at noon and 3:00 on weekends. Watch the video

• Coolidge Solar Project Approved: State regulators have approved a massive Windsor County solar array that will be four times the size of any such project built in Vermont so far. The Coolidge Solar project, to be built in Ludlow and Cavendish, will be capable of producing 20 megawatts of power. The largest existing array in Vermont is just under 5 megawatts, according to state officials. In granting a certificate of public good, the board wrote that Coolidge Solar “will result in significant economic and environmental benefits for the state of Vermont.” “Furthermore, the evidence presented in this docket has convinced us that the proposed project can be constructed without undue adverse impacts on Vermont’s natural and built environment and without presenting a risk to health and safety,” board members wrote. Coolidge Solar power will be going out of state. Even though Green Mountain Power won’t be buying the array’s electricity, Coolidge Solar still will be using Vermont infrastructure. So the project’s state approval is contingent on the developer’s filing a final system impact study and allowing four weeks for its review by interested parties. VT Digger

• Impact of Proposed Budget Cuts on Meals on Wheels: According to the advocacy organization, Agewell Vermont, "70% of our Meals on Wheels funding comes from federal dollars through the older Americans Act, which clearly could put us at risk, should future cuts come to fruition." WCAX

• Proposed Budget Cuts Threaten After School Programs Across VT: The Trump administration wants to cut $9.2 billion, or 13.5 percent, from the Education Department’s budget. If Congress approves the cuts, after-school programs that help thousands of Vermont children would take a big hit. These are programs that offer supervision, tutoring and in some cases meals before and after school and during the summer. VPR

• House Votes 138-0 in Favor of New Tax Bill: The Vermont House has given its unanimous support to a tax bill that raises roughly $5 million in new revenue by implementing stronger enforcement efforts and without raising any existing taxes or fees. The bill also managed to accomplish Gov. Phil Scott's goal to balance next year's state budget without increasing any taxes or fees. The bill should raise additional money by stricter enforcement of a state law the requires consumers to pay the sales tax for online purchases. An agreement with internet sales giant Amazon to collect Vermont's sales tax will also yield the state around $8 million next year. VPR

• Take Down Bird Feeders on April 1: Vermont Fish and Wildlife recommends taking down all bird feeders by April 1. Warm spring weather and melting snow means bears will becoming out of their winter dens in search of food. The bears like suet and birdseed, particularly black oil sunflower seeds, officials said. Other sources of food that will attract the bears are pet food, barbecue grills, and garbage. Purposely feeding bears is illegal. Residents are advised to keep chicks and honeybees secure with an electric fence or other bear-proof measures, feed pets indoors, and store trash in a secure trash.

2. CAVENDISH COMMUNITY FUND ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS: The Cavendish Community Fund is now accepting grant applications for spring 2017 grant awards. The deadline for applying is May 19th. Applications that miss that date will be considered in the fall.

This is the tenth year in which the Fund has provided support for educational, artistic, or cultural programs, projects, or events that benefit the Cavendish community in some way. The Fund has helped finance plays, workshops, and classroom events. It has contributed to the renovation of library and classroom spaces for better learning environments. It helped the tropical Storm Irene recovery by supporting a fund raising concert. It helped clean gravestones, dig for archeological artifacts, conduct open studios, show films, coordinate summer concerts, organize health training, and more.

Last year the Fund made two grants. The first went for durable equipment to be used in STEM programming for local elementary school students through the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library. The second was paid to the Cavendish Community Theater for a holiday production of “It’s About Believing”, which was performed at the Gethsemane Church in Proctorsville. The grant covered direction, music, advertising, props and refreshments.

Grants are available for projects, programs or events that directly benefit the Cavendish community in some way. A panel of local citizens reviews the applications and recommends awards based on the quality and feasibility of each proposal. The number of grants and the amount of each depend on how many applications are received.

Application guidelines are available at the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association’s website under the Community Fund tab.  Hardcopies are also available at Crow’s Bakery in Proctorsville and at the Cavendish town office.

For further information on applying, on eligibility or on any other aspect of the grant program, or for help completing the application, please call Barbara Dickey at 226-7187 or Peter LaBelle at 226-7250.

3. EVENTS

APRIL 1 (SATURDAY): Maple Supper at Cavendish Baptist Church, 5:30-7L00 pm

APRIL 2 (SUNDAY): Thank you/Ret9rement Party for Rich Svec, 3-5 pm Murdock’s on the Green (Proctorsvillle). Community invited.

APRIL 4 (TUESDAY): Community Luncheon, noon, Gethsemane Church

For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.