Important Dates

• Tuesday, April 8 - Coffee Talk POSTPONED - see note below
• Monday, April 14 - Friday, April 18 - April Break, No School
• Thursday, May 22 - Mayfest
• Monday, May 26 - Holiday, No School

Message from the Principal

A Stellar Performance by Mr. Ramsey and the Grades 3-6 Students

On Thursday evening, Mr. Ramsey and the grades 3-6 students delivered a truly outstanding performance that left the audience beaming with joy. The event, held at the Congregational Church, was a resounding success, thanks in part to their generous support in providing the perfect venue. The church was filled to capacity with guests who were eager to experience the talent of our young performers.

The music was uplifting, cheerful, and expertly executed, showcasing the incredible dedication and passion of our students. Each performance radiated energy and enthusiasm, and it was clear that the students take immense pride in their work. We are fortunate to have such a talented group of young musicians who not only love to sing but also bring so much joy and positivity into our lives.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Facilities Department for transporting and setting up the risers from RMS, as well as to the classroom teachers for their support during practice sessions and their presence on the evening of the performance. Their contributions were vital in ensuring the success of the event. Everyone left the performance in high spirits, grateful for an evening filled with music, joy, and community.

Coffee Talk POSTPONED

We received word from Rebecca Holcombe that she will not be able to join us on Tuesday for an engaging conversation about the current state of education reform in Vermont. We are going to postpone the Coffee Talk scheduled for Tuesday, April 8th to a date after the April break. We know that having facetime with Rebecca will be worth the wait!

Have a wonderful weekend,
Shawn

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Student Services Update

Kindergarten Registration is Open!

If you are a Norwich, VT resident and have a child who will be five by September 30th, 2025, it's time to register them for Kindergarten at Marion Cross School!

If you are new to our district, please do the following two steps:

1. Visit the enrollment page on our website
2. Complete the 2025-26 enrollment form.

**If you are in our Pre-K or have enrolled in our district to receive Act 166 funds (Universal Pre-K), you do not need to enroll again.

All students in our Pre-K, registered with our district for Act 166 funds, and newly enrolled folks, will receive details about our Kindergarten Orientation that will occur on May 16th. On this day, the students will have an opportunity to meet our dedicated staff, explore our facilities, and families will learn more about our wonderful Kindergarten program!

Questions or Need Assistance?
Feel free to contact our friendly Front Office staff at (802-649-1703) for any questions or help with the registration process.

We look forward to welcoming your child and meeting you soon!

Sincerely,
Greg Bagnato

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Counselor's Corner

Welcome to another exciting week in Class Counsel with Ms. Keel! We’ve been diving deep into our emotions and learning how to manage them like pros! Let’s take a look at what we’ve accomplished and what’s coming up next!

Last week

In Mrs. Freeman’s Kindergarten class, we continued our exploration of feelings and practiced ways to “feel calm.”  Meanwhile, Miss Anderson’s Kindergarten class started learning about the Zones of Regulation and tried out a new breathing technique called “crab breathing.”  In First Grade, we wrapped up our discussions on frustration by trying out calming strategies. In Second Grade, we began our journey with the movie Inside Out as part of our Zones of Regulation unit.  Third Grade is finishing up their unit on Emotion Management, while Fourth Grade explored the T and E in STEP: Think of Solutions and Explore Outcomes to make the best choices in problem-solving. In Fifth Grade, Mrs. Dustin’s class started exploring Inside Out 2 as part of our Puberty unit, Mr. Burkhart’s class tested their puberty knowledge with a fun game of Jeopardy, and Mr. Frey’s class wrapped up the last video in the Puberty Workshop, focusing on New Emotions, New Feelings, and hygiene. Finally, in Sixth Grade, students discussed what happens in the brain during strong emotions, sharing examples of what to do versus what they might do when their amygdala takes over.

Next week

Next week, we’re bringing it all together! In Mrs. Freeman’s Kindergarten, we’ll review everything we’ve learned about emotions. In Miss Anderson’s class, we’ll move into the Green Zone of Regulation. First Grade will also review their skills as social detectives before diving into the Zones of Regulation. In Second Grade, we’ll continue our adventure with Riley and her friends from Inside Out. Third Grade will have some fun activities before the break and starting a new unit. Fourth Grade will focus on the P in STEP: Pick the Best Solution in problem-solving. In Fifth Grade, Mrs. Dustin’s class will keep exploring puberty through Riley’s eyes in Inside Out 2, while Mr. Burkhart’s class will start the movie, and Mr. Frey’s class will test their knowledge in a round of Jeopardy! Finally, Sixth Grade will work on describing how strong emotions affect their decisions and explore strategies to manage those emotions effectively.

Things to know

If you’re interested in learning about setting healthy boundaries online and off with young children (toddlers to tweens), Cindy Pierce, author, comic, and storyteller, is giving a presentation on April 7th at Artistree. Follow this link for more information.

Until next time!

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm! We’re excited to keep learning and growing together. Have a fantastic week ahead!

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School News and Information

4th Grade Explores the Norwich Historical Society collection

In the fall, 4th graders walked to the NHS to view their "Favorite Things" collection.  Students had the opportunity to explore a variety of different objects.  They then selected their favorite to draw and write about.  In connection with the 4th grade paragraph writing unit, students wrote paragraphs about the artifact that they chose, prompted by a variety of questions.  The student work is now accessible of the NHS's online exhibit at: https://norwichhistory.org/our-favorite-things/

Thanks to Sarah Rooker for designing and organizing this project and to Doug Lufkin for donating his time and skills to make the online exhibit.

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PTO Bulletin Board

PTO Upcoming Dates:

• Tuesday April 8: Coffee Talk, 8:15 am, Multi POSTPONED
• Friday May 2: PTO Annual Meeting, Officer Elections, 8:15 am, Multi
• Monday May 5: Pie Day, National Teacher Appreciation Week,  Multi

Mud Stomp was wonderful! We saw lots of smiles and laughter as families danced the night away, Vermont style. Thank you to the musicians, volunteers, and a BIG thank you to Stephanie Hamilton for coordinating a really fabulous event.

BOOK BUZZ had a triumphant return! It was a lovely night of hearing kids and community members pitch their favorite books in 90 seconds. Kari Cramer deserves a huge round of applause for reviving Book Buzz!  

Place an order for the amazzzzzing book picks of our MCS presenters by April 9 and The Norwich Bookstore will donate 20% of sales to MCS. They put together a great page where you can see  all Book Buzz picks  and order online. Bee line it over!
 

Consider volunteering for the PTO

Our next PTO meeting is May 2 and we will elect officers for next year. We are in need of a treasurer, a secretary, and a vice president. We’d love to chat about these opportunities to build community and connection here at MCS - feel free to reach out via marioncrosspto@gmail.com

Help the MCS PTO with the Hannaford school dollars program

Hannaford Helps Schools program runs from March 16-June 7th. Purchase select items from Hannafords to earn a school dollars coupon at checkout. Scan the QR code on the school dollar coupon, select Marion Cross School and raise money for our school!

Your Name Here: Labels!

The PTO also has an ongoing fundraiser through Mabel’s Labels! If you are switching over to spring gear and need to label items, search for “Marion Cross Elementary School (Norwich)" in the "support a fundraiser" line of the checkout screen. Thank you!