Important Dates

June 13 - 6th Grade Celebration (rain date 6/14/22) @ 5pm

June 15 - Day of Play

June 15 - Retirement Celebration hosted by the PTO

June 16 - Last student day of school of students

 

Message from the Principal

 

Today our school participated in a drill to secure our building.  As much as it pains me to think that part of school is preparing for horrible events like an active shooter, it is comforting at some level to know that we have a plan and that we are able to successfully practice our plan.  Our drill today went well.  It was evident that many, many families had conversations with their children about safety and safety drills - thank you.  During a typical school year, we conduct fire drills, secure the school drills, and clear the halls drills. 

On a much happier note, we have a number of celebrations and trips planned between now and the close of the school year.  Most all classrooms have PBIS celebrations planned.  Just today, Mr. Petrone’s class celebrated their positive behaviors by camping on the Norwich Green!  MCS teachers are great about communicating these smaller classroom celebrations and trips to families.

As a school there are some larger celebrations planned.  Of most excitement is The Day of Play, which will occur on June 15th.  This is a school-wide celebration to recognize that our pellet container is full and our end of the year behaviors are stellar!  On this day, we will basically spend the day playing. 

On June 13th at 5 PM we will celebrate our departing 6th graders and recognize them for being a wonderful part of the Marion Cross School for so many years.  This event will occur on the Norwich Green and involve recognition of students, a couple of dances performed by the sixth graders, and some time for families to mingle afterward. 

On the afternoon of June 15th, the PTO is hosting a retirement gathering to celebrate Ginny Moore, Fran Walz, Rick Newton, and Lindsay Putnam for their service to our school.  Each has made a difference in the lives of students and families.  Please come and wish them well in their retirement.

June 16th will be the last day of school for students, with a 12:00 dismissal time. 

I would like to thank each of you for all of your flexibility, patience, and kindness this school year.  In all of my years in education, this has been the hardest.  Daily, there are multiple adults and children absent from our school.  People, myself included, are tired of covid, school violence, and the general state of the world.  However, I am endlessly thankful to work with students who are amazing, teachers who are talented and collaborative, and families who are nothing less that fantastic.  The willingness to work together and treat each other with kindness has allowed us to persevere through a difficult school year.

Have a restful weekend,

Shawn

Message from Student Services
 

Happy Friday! 

I hope you all had a peaceful and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend. 

This week Shawn and I had two opportunities to share the work of the MCS Schedule and Programming Committee.  The MCS Coffee Talk and the Norwich School Board meeting on Wednesday were both well attended.  For those of you unable to attend, I wanted to summarize the work of the committee in this newsletter.

The MCS Schedule and Programming Committee has been meeting since January.   Individuals on the committee have met for many hours together and, on their own, reaching out to their constituents.  The scope of this work was:

1.   To work together to identify goals for the master schedule and discuss best practices for elementary school scheduling.  

2.   To research best practices and identify instructional times for different subjects.

3.   To discuss different schedules and eventually select the one that we felt best fulfilled our goals.

a.   Link to document that summarizes the committee work that all members reviewed and was submitted to the board meeting.

This was incredibly hard work because we have many things that are really important to our school and community (morning meetings, community times, two recesses, chorus, instrumental music, Rep, outdoor learning opportunities, French, and much more).  I believe everyone on the committee appreciates everything that we do in our school. 

We are going to continue to meet and discuss the feedback we heard this past Wednesday.

Thank you,

Greg

 

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Friendly Reminder from the Library: All library books are due by Friday, June 10. We have had an amazing year in the MCS library with checkouts up more than 15% over pre-covid rates (not including our nearly 2000 ebook and audiobook checkouts this year). Thank you for all the ways you support our MCS community of readers! While the MCS library will be closed during the summer, the MCS Sora collection will be available for digital checkouts. Please reach out to Jillian Van Ells if you have any questions or need to arrange for book replacement.

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Talking to Children About Violence

We are all devastated by the events in Texas on Tuesday and this article from the National Association of School Psychologists does a good job highlighting how and when to talk about violence with your children.

Katie Cormier

MCS School Counselor

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PAL( Peer Adventure Learning)  and PE

On the move to physical and social success!!!

 

This week we focused on community.  What makes a strong community, who makes up a community, how can we be helpers in our community? Students had fun building structures outdoors to simulate different parts of the community.

 

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News from the Nurse

It has been a wonderful first year at Marion Cross School!  I thank you for all the support and encouragement you have given me through a very challenging ever changing time.  No matter what Covid brings our way we will persevere and your communication and diligence in caring for your child(ren) has helped make this possible.

I am looking forward to summer but I am also looking forward to another fun and exciting year in the fall.  I hope everyone stays safe and healthy and able to have a fun and relaxing summer. 

In regards to the 22/23 school year, I have some exciting family events happening in August and September that will prevent me from being here at the start of the year.  My eldest son is to marry in Germany and my youngest daughter is expecting her first child, my first grandchild in Colorado.  As much as I love MCS my heart and body will be with my family celebrating these exciting times. Vermont offered assistance to school nurses this year which made it possible for me to have Elizabeth (she has been awesome) helping in the health office since January, this is not extended into next year.

I know the MCS families are a supportive and engaged community.  I am asking if there are any nurses or those with a medical background among you that could sub in the nurse's office?  I wish to have this all organized prior to my departure on August 25th.  Please let me know if you have any availability or interest in helping some or all of the time needed. Thank you for considering, Nurse Jane janeglick@hanovernorwichschools.org or 802-649-1703 ex 5130

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PTO News

 

Summer Community Gardens

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Each year we need volunteers to help keep the MCS gardens watered and healthy during the summer. Students plant the gardens with Lindsay Putnam, and families care for them during the summer... a big task made easier with many hands! Please sign up to help. It is fun and greatly appreciated!  Monday June 6th right after school, Lindsay Putnam will meet with all the volunteers at the giving garden to walk through the watering process.

 

Retirement Celebration - JUNE 15TH

Ginny Moore, Lindsay Putnam and Rick Newton are retiring this year after 25, 23 and 18 years, respectively. The MCS PTO invites you to join us to celebrate all that they have brought to our school over the years. We will honor these amazing teachers on June 15 at 2:15pm. There will be sweet treats and lemonade will be served.  Sign up if you would like to contribute to helping us make this a fete fitting of these cherished teachers!

This is a community event—bring a chair or blanket if you’d like and spread the word, all are welcome!