🎥 The #EWSD Board Meeting on December 17 is now available to watch thanks to the Media Factory 👉https://www.mediafactory.org/?modal=77,episode,233975
🌿 The December EWSD family newsletter is out now 👉 https://bit.ly/3OynWcD
Are you interested in a career with the EWSD? Take a look at all the current job opportunities: www.ewsd.org/jobs 🌿😊
🔔 Reminder that there will be no school on Monday, December 23 through Wednesday, January 1 for Early Winter Break. School will resume on Thursday, January 2.
The Heavenly Food Pantry, located at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Essex Junction, will be open to families residing in Essex, Essex Junction, and Westford on Thursday, December 19, from 3 to 6 p.m.
The pantry asks for proof of residence for each household in the form of a current utility bill with a physical address listed. In place of this, families may provide current correspondence from a government agency or other official mail. Identification for each household member may consist of a driver’s license, hospital card, insurance card, school-issued ID, social security ID, or birth certificate. As usual, there are no income requirements to visit the food pantry and a variety of food is available to everyone; however, additional food from the USDA is provided once a month to eligible families who fall below federally mandated guidelines.
The next food pantry distribution will occur on Monday, January 13, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Beginning in January 2025, those coming to the pantry will be asked to limit their visits to once a month.
Westford second graders packed their suitcases, grabbed their passports, and boarded their imaginary flights for an exciting journey around the world. Through this creative adventure, they'll explore diverse holidays and traditions!
In October, the National Junior Honor Society at EMS hosted the Fall Back Jamboree. As part of the event, students remembered Addi, a classmate who passed away. In her memory, the students took part in helping children who are experiencing a chronic medical crisis by writing messages of hope, strength, and friendship in encouragement cards, as well as coloring 'pet rocks' to help bring smiles to their faces.
Essex Elementary second grade teacher Virginia Yandell has been nominated for National Life Group’s 2024-25 LifeChanger of the Year award. This program honors outstanding K-12 educators and school staff across the U.S. for their excellence, leadership, and positive impact on students. Seventeen winners will be selected, each receiving up to $10,000 to share with their school. 👏🌟
Essex High School Band Director Heather Trutor has been honored as one of School Band and Orchestra Magazine's "50 Music Teachers Who Make a Difference" this year.
🎉 This week's employee spotlight is Marjorie Wichert 🎉 "Both of my kids have had Margie as their Pre-K teacher, and she goes above and beyond for her students! She is always responsive when I have a question for her, and always so approachable. We are very lucky to have her teaching our kids. We so appreciate all the work, kindness, and patience she puts in every day. She is a fabulous teacher!". .... Is there an EWSD employee you'd like to nominate for the spotlight? Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/Aykx7NNp6bzdLgcB9
The EHS 10th graders came together to learn about and explore the programming options available at the Center for Technology, Essex. Students interested in applying for a program at CTE can submit applications beginning on January 1.
The #EWSD Board will next meet on Thurs., December 12 starting at 6:30 p.m. The full meeting will be available to watch on Facebook Live thanks to the Media Factory (https://www.facebook.com/BTVMediaFactory).
Agenda items for the meeting include:
- FY26 Budget Development Update
- Superintendent Search Update
- 2.7 Compensation and Benefits
To learn more about the EWSD Board, please visit: http://www.ewsd.org/schoolboard
EHS Math teacher Kristin McNamara gave EHS STEM Academy students an inside look at her graduate school experience. She shared what to expect as a grad student, offered advice from former students and EHS alumni, and even highlighted excerpts from her Master’s Thesis. She proudly sported her JMU and Tennessee gear, too!
Members of the EHS Girls Cross Country team, running under their club name The Swarm, won the Nike Cross Regional Northeast Open race with 3 girls placing in the top 21! The race was held at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, NY and included runners from NJ, PA, CT, RI, VT, NH, MA and ME.
EHS School Counselor, Siobhan Barber, was recently spotlighted by the Vermont School Counselor Association 👉 https://vermontschoolcounselor.org/spotlight
ADL 7th grader Tsering Lama was recently celebrated as the winner of both the Local Lions Club Peace Poster Contest and the State of Vermont Peace Poster Contest. Additionally, fellow students Jenny To and Hadley Dion will receive special awards of recognition for their poster submissions!
The Heavenly Food Pantry, located at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Essex Junction, will be open to families residing in Essex, Essex Junction, and Westford on Monday, December 9, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Families will be given a number when they arrive and asked to wait in the sanctuary. When their number is called, they will be registered beginning at 5:30 p.m. A volunteer will greet and escort them around the pantry, allowing them to make selections of their choosing.
After food is gathered, it will be weighed (information for pantry use only) and another volunteer will bring the food to the person’s vehicle. Shopping carts will be made available for those within walking distance of the pantry. The pantry asks for proof of residence for each household in the form of a current utility bill with a physical address listed. Instead, families may provide current correspondence from a government agency or other official mail. Identification of each household member may consist of a driver’s license, hospital card, insurance card, school-issued ID, social security ID, or birth certificate.
As usual, there are no income requirements to visit the food pantry and a variety of food is
available to everyone; however, eligible families who fall below federally mandated guidelines may access additional food provided by the USDA once each month. Those not able to attend the pantry may call the Church office at 878-5745 Ext. 4 between 9 a.m. and noon today and Monday to leave contact information (name, address, phone number, no. of people in household) so delivery arrangements can be made. A follow-up call to complete registration will take place on Monday morning. People are currently able to visit the pantry each time it is open: the 2nd Monday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and the 4th Thursday of the month from 3-6 p.m. (except for November and December when it is the 3rd Thursday). Beginning in January 2025, households will be asked to limit their visits to once a month.
The next food pantry distribution will occur on Thursday, December 19, from 3-6 p.m.
ADL and EMS teachers Melanie Tupaj and Heather Covillon set aside class time each day for two weeks to participate in the 2nd annual Francomanie song tournament hosted by Roxxem; a language learning program that uses popular music to engage students in language acquisition. Out of 737 classes participating in the tournament, Mme Covillon's 8th grade classes placed 12th, the 7th grade placed 20th, and the 6th placed 99th. Mme Tupaj's 7th grade classes placed 15th and 18th, her 8th graders placed 21st and 155th, and her 6th graders placed 29th and 76th.
The Westford kindergarteners have been learning about mandalas; a circular art form found in many cultural practices and is also a symbol of connection. They spent time outside creating mandalas using natural materials they found. Through this experience, they learned more about Indigenous cultures, built meaningful connections across their school community, and shared a love and appreciation for their outdoor space. 🌳🪨🌼
The EWSD Budget Survey will close this Friday, December 6! This is the first, most accessible, and comprehensive way for you to share your input on the budget and the priorities for our District. We ask and encourage each of you to take this opportunity to make your voice heard: https://forms.gle/rkfBsqoahmetRbSs7
