Reflection on Winter Weather Decisions

CSD Community, I want to acknowledge how difficult the roads were yesterday afternoon and this morning. I’m pleased to report that all of our buses arrived safely with no incidents during these commutes. Thanks as always to our incredible team of bus and van drivers! The decision to close or delay is always carefully considered and never taken lightly. Before any anticipated snowfall, we consult a number of forecasts  (including this hourly weather graph from the National Weather Service ) and take any winter weather advisories or warnings into consideration. Then we’re up around 4:00 am to talk with the town road crews, the police department, the bus company, and our district’s maintenance crew to get a report of the current road conditions. We compare what they say with what’s forecasted and make our best judgment on whether it's safe to have the buses out.  That being said, even with the best forecasters and conversations, it remains a very challenging decision. If you followed the forecast for this week’s storm, we got much more snow than was projected by weather experts. This was unexpected because the trend so far this winter was that we have received  less  snow than forecasted. To that end, a few times this winter we wanted to stay open but the districts around us closed, which posed a staffing issue as many of our employees have children in other districts and would not be able to come to work. Even though we sometimes poke fun at snow days,  like with our annual snow day videos , the decision to cancel or delay school is one that we labor over. We understand that our decision has a significant impact on families. No matter what the call ends up being, some folks are happy and others are frustrated. We take this process seriously, knowing that the safety of our children and employees is our greatest responsibility.  I would like to thank the road crews and our district’s maintenance team for all their hard work over the last 24 hours. We are optimistically planning for a typical dismissal and an uneventful drive home this afternoon.   Amy Minor Superintendent of Schools

Wednesday, Mar 15 2023

School Budget Vote is Tomorrow!

CSD Community, Town Meeting Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, March 7th with voting taking place in the gym at Colchester High School between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm. One of the items to be voted on is the district budget for next school year. All residents received CSD's Annual Report to the Community in the mail last month and we also posted several videos with Superintendent Amy Minor on our social media platforms explaining what's included in the budget and how it will impact taxpayers in our community. Thanks to the many students and employees who welcomed us into their classrooms as we traveled around the district filming! Your Vote Matters Video Series, Episode 1 Your Vote Matters Video Series, Episode 2 (Student Voice by CHS Senior, Olivia Dallamura) Your Vote Matters Video Series, Episode 3 CSD 2023 Annual Report to the Community Every vote matters and we hope that if you didn't vote early, you'll be able to make time tomorrow to swing by CHS and cast your ballot. We look forward to welcoming our students back to school on Wednesday! Colchester School District Stay connected with the district on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter !

Monday, Mar 06 2023

Next Virtual Community Caregiver Night: February 7

Save the date for the next session in our Virtual Community Caregiver Series. Use the below Zoom link to join us on Tuesday, February 7th at 6:30 pm or click here to add the event to your calendar. We hope to see you there! Colchester School District Community Caregiver Series Topi c: Trauma Informed Education and Racial Trauma Join Zachary Key MA, LCMHC in a focused discussion examining what trauma is, what race and racism are, and how these two ideas intersect in a presentation known as racial trauma. He will discuss what these presentations look like, how to talk to children and adults who are navigating racial trauma, how our systems can better serve these populations, and what we can do moving forward to help mitigate these challenges. How to Attend Topic: Trauma Informed Education and Racial Trauma Time: Feb 7, 2023 06:30 PM Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89709611327?pwd=UTVqTDRzeUh0UUgzMmovbHJVTzN2UT09 Meeting ID: 897 0961 1327 Passcode: 670623 About the Presenter Zachary is the Assistant Director at the Counseling and Psychiatry Services Clinic at the University of Vermont. He also serves as a lecturer at the University of Vermont Graduate Counseling Program. He serves as an internship supervisor and has developed and taught a course on Racial Trauma and Creating Pro-Equity Systems. Zachary also provides consulting and support for educational agencies and businesses throughout Vermont.

Tuesday, Jan 31 2023

Upcoming Virtual Community Caregiver Night: January 17

Save the date for the next session in our Virtual Community Caregiver Series. Use the below Zoom link to join us on Tuesday, January 17th at 6:30 pm or click here to add the event to your calendar . Understanding ADHD: Support Strategies for Home and School   The next session in our Virtual Community Caregiver series will be on  Tuesday, January 17th from 6:30 - 8:00 pm . After providing an overview of ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), board-certified behavior analyst, Allison Eaton, will explore a variety of evidence-based strategies that parents and teachers can use to help individuals with ADHD reach success in daily life. Allison has worked in therapeutic, school, and clinical settings to support children with a wide range of emotional and behavioral challenges. Currently, Allison is a behavior specialist at Colchester Middle School. Allison is passionate about working with students who have histories of trauma, as well as students with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD. Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81154688720?pwd=QWh6dUxwcTkwRFZFb1JuL1dQSExSZz09 Meeting ID: 811 5468 8720 Passcode: 015743 We hope to see you there! Colchester School District

Tuesday, Jan 03 2023