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Cavendish Town Informational Meeting Monday night (3/29/22), Zoom or at CTES @ 7 pm. Voting Tuesday (3/30/22) 10-7 @ the Proctorsville Fire Hall.
TICKS ARE OUT AND THEY’RE HUNGRY!
3/25/22
1. GMUSD votes down CTES’s Early Release Day
2. Cavendish Info
3. Covid update
4. Events
1. GMUSD VOTES DOWN CTES’S EARLY RELEASE DAY: On Wednesday evening the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUHS) and the Ludlow/Mt Holly board met to discuss whether all of the schools in the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) should adopt Cavendish Town Elementary School’s (CTES) Tuesday’s early release, which allows the teachers to have weekly educational in-services. As it is, the weekly 2.5 hours per week over the 36 weeks of the school year provides 90 hours of in-service versus the five days of in-service throughout the year, which yields 40 hours.
By having a slightly longer school day, CTES students receive the same instructional hours as the other schools in the district. In addition, CTES has an after school program with high student participation. However, it is the desire of TRSU Superintendent Lauren Fierman to have all schools on the exact same schedule.
CTES has had this schedule for 30 years and regularly performs better on standardized tests than other elementary schools in the TRSU. As Fierman has noted, “If that is a benefit for one of our schools, it should be a benefit for all of our schools. I believe there is a clear benefit for our teachers and therefore for our students from having this.”
At the March 17 GMUSD board meeting, parents voiced concerned over the change for two primary reasons: the cost for child care and missed instructional time. As noted above, CTES students have equal instructional time, as their daily schedule has been adjusted, and an after school program is provided.
By a vote of 8-2, CTES lost the continuation of its early release day as the majority of the GMUSD board voted to end it starting with the fall of the 22/23 school year. The two no votes came from Cavendish board representatives Julia Gignoux and Abe Gross.
The response on the Cavendish Facebook page to the news of the vote centered around the loss of local control by the town for its school. As one Cavendish resident noted, This is the perfect example as to why the reshaping of school boards was a mistake. Time to go back to each town/school having their own board and then Windsor Southwest over all. I think this has cost us money, not saved it and I don’t see any improvement in the education.
Another former CTES parent wrote, Why did this even come up for a vote by the school board? What has been happening here for about 33 years shouldn’t have even come up for a vote by others who have nothing to do with our town. This was developed to get the school in line with state regulations and keeping it there. It had nothing to do with ski program. It was chosen to be on Tuesday so the teachers knew what would be happening that week it just so happened it was ski day. I helped getting it started along with the PTO. Fifteen minutes was added to each end of the day to make up for time that would be loss, is that going to be 8:15 and 2:45 now?
A Mt. Holly resident noted, As a Mt Holly parent, I'm sad for you all losing this as you have made it work over the years. It's a shame the administration forced the hand that it had to be the same for all, but we sure didn't want it. Our kids need more classroom time, certainly not less.
To the concern of whether this will interfere with the Tuesday ski program, it shouldn’t as all of the TRSU schools participate in the snow sports program.
What is concerning about this vote, and its consequences, is that by being part of the TRSU, the Tuesday early release, that has worked for decades for CTES, with proven results, is being scrapped. Fierman clearly saw the benefits of CTES’s in-service program, and most likely is aware that it’s been adopted in other parts of the country. On the one hand she’s saying, I believe there is a clear benefit for our teachers and therefore for our students from having this, while at the same time she’s overseeing a process where if the other schools don’t want it, it can no longer benefit CTES.
At Wednesday’s meeting both district boards voted unanimously in favor of creating a joint committee to study an improved model of professional development and to make recommendations for the 23/24 school year.
2. CAVENDISH INFO
• CTES Singo Fundraiser: Cavendish Town Elementary School is holding a fundraiser on March 31 (Thursday) from 6-9 at Outer Limits Brewery in Proctorsville featuring the game SINGO. This is a new and exciting musical spin on the traditional game of Bingo. Instead of listening for a number, players are listening to their favorite music. Everyone can play, just $10.00 per game for 3 rounds. There will be two games, for a total of 6 rounds. There will be a 50/50 raffle. Grand Prizes up to $200, $100 gas gift card and a one night stay at The Golden Stage Inn. The evening will be filled with fun and laughter. Take a chance on winning gift cards for gas, jewelry and many other great prizes. Money raised will be used to replace and update playground equipment.
• Abe Gross: Vote for Steve, not for me!: Green Mountain school board member Abe Gross wants Cavendish residents to vote him out of office when the town holds its town meeting balloting on Tuesday, March 29. Chester Telegraph
• Carmine Guica Young Historians April Update: As part of the Carmine Guica Young Historians (CGYH) program, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) provides teachers, students, families and the community with information on town, state and national history for the month ahead.
• Cavendish Library Needs Volunteers. The Cavendish Library is looking for help transporting Everyone Eats meals from Killarney to the library on Wednesday mornings in April, May and June. Is anyone interested? If so, call Kata. 802-226-7503
• Ludlow Community Garden Invites Members to Join: The Ludlow Area Community Garden is open to all residents of Ludlow and neighboring towns. It is fenced-in and located in the Fletcher Farm grounds on Route 103, at the border between Ludlow and Proctorsville. Individual 10 foot by 10 foot plots are used to grow vegetables, flowers, and some fruits. Shared plots, double plots, and waist-high raised beds are also available. All members take care of their own plots as well as help maintain the common areas of this beautiful garden. The yearly fee includes the use of all garden tools, hoses, carts, water, compost, some seeds, and other materials. FMI: Michael Lawson at 207-317-0443, Phil Carter 802-228-7445, or Rosa Donohue at 802-228-7496.
• United Church and Rotary fundraiser raises over $12,000 to support Ukraine
• Everyone Eats Program Extended Until July 1: Vermont Everyone Eats, the unique Covid-19 recovery program that provides Vermonters impacted by Covid with prepared meals made by Vermont restaurants using locally grown and produced ingredients, will continue through July 1, 2022. The program had previously been set to end on March 31, but will now continue due to FEMA’s 100% cost share being extended for existing Covid-19 relief programs.
3.COVID UPDATE: For local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other resources, including for Long Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.
WEEKLY STATE DATA: The state no longer provides data for schools or towns.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Dr. Mark Levine, Health Commissioner, outlined ongoing changes. In the coming months, Covid vaccines will be administered by health care providers and pharmacies, as state run vaccine clinics will be phased out by mid -April. When vaccines are available for children under 5, they will be provided by pediatricians and family practitioners. “When the time comes, you will make an appointment through your clinician’s office rather than through the Health Department registration system,” Levine said. That noted, the state will continue to offer “small community clinics,” to reach those who do not have a primary care provider. “Should there be some unforeseen circumstance that develops with the virus — which won’t be just here in Vermont, it’ll be all across the country — … we’re poised to stand things up again,” he said.
The seven-day Covid case average rose about 14% this week compared to last week, according to the latest modeling report. With the second lowest hospitalization rate in the country, VT’s increasing number of Covid cases, attributed to the variant Omicron BA.2, places it fourth highest in the country (26 cases per 100k) for new cases. The current seropositivity, percentage of positive tests, has risen to 5% and 17 people have died in March (total 615)
The BA.2 variant, an offshoot of Omicron, is more contagious than omicron, but the vaccines/booster appear to reduce its impact. Interestingly, Governor Scott noted on Tuesday that about half of hospitalized Covid patients tested positive after coming to the hospital for something else.
4. EVENTS
MARCH 26 (SATURDAY) Noon-2pm at the Cavendish Library. The Senior Solutions team will be holding ‘open hours’ to answer any questions residents may have related to the 3SquaresVT food benefits and Fuel Assistance
MARCH 27 (SUNDAY): 1-2 pm Visit with an author: Howard Coffin, at the Cavendish Library. FMI: Kata at 802-226-7503
MARCH 28 (MONDAY): Hybrid Town Informational Meeting; 7 pm. In person at CTES multi-purpose room or via zoom.
MARCH 29 (TUESDAY): Cavendish Voting Day by Australian Ballot. 10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Department.
MARCH 31 (THURSDAY): CTES SINGO Benefit, 6-9 pm at Outer Limits
APRIL 1 (FRIDAY): Cavendish Dog License renewal due
APRIL 5 (TUESDAY): Registrations for Free Easter Dinner due today. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 to reserve your free dinner(s).
APRIL 15 (FRIDAY): Town Office closed for Good Friday
APRIL 15 (FRIDAY)-APRIL 23 (SATURDAY): Passover
APRIL 16 (SATURDAY): Easter Jazz Concert at St James United Methodist Church Main St Proctorsville at 6PM.
APRIL 17 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER
MAY 2 (MONDAY): Grant applications for the Cavendish Community Fund are due. FMI: Douglas McBride at 226-7142 or Peter LaBelle at 226-7250.
JUNE 1 (WEDNESDAY): CCCA’s Cavendish Calendar Photography Contest photographs are due today. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.
JULY 30 (SATURDAY): Cavendish’s Annual Town Wide Tag Sale, 9-2.
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