Past Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

April 18, 2008

Dear Families,

Alas! Spring has truly arrived and just in time for vacation. Thank goodness!

A huge thank you to the numerous volunteers who contributed to the success of the Spring Fair. I would like to particularly thank and acknowledge the year-long work of fair chairpersons Shani Mekler and Jennifer McGrath. They truly have put in hundreds of hours. The other job that spans 6 months or more is coordination of the silent auction. Special thanks to Deb Norotsky and Joyce Henley for their excellent work! All jobs were well done and contributed to making this event one of the best ever.

The wonderful chairs to be thanked:

         Penny Shortsleeves                     Cindy Reichard                   Robin Hall
         Dana Feitelberg                            Darcy Newman                  Susie Merrick
         Margie Vagt                                  Janice Valgoi                      Anne Marie Bergeron
         Annette Harton                             Cathy Sheffield                   Sheri Hill
         Dennis Beatty                               Jennifer McGrath                Darlene LeClair
         Julie Beatty                                   Karen Dantzscher               Lisa Gibbs
         Sue Heroux                                   Paula McMackin

These hard working folks helped raise $15,000 for our school. A great time was had by all! (Please see Shani Mekler’s note on the back of this newsletter.)

Speaking of long-term volunteerism, Scott and Bobbe Pennington should be applauded for their 19 years of leading our Science Fair. One hundred young scientists shared their excellence last Wednesday evening. It was impressive! Kudos and thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Pennington!

When we return from break, we have an assembly Tuesday morning at 8:30. The assembly is Foodplay, an Emmy Award-winning live theater show. It combines fantastic feats of juggling, captivating characters, music, magic and audience participation with motivating health messages to help children take charge of growing up healthy and fit. Addressing the major nutrition, fitness, and self-esteem concerns affecting today’s schoolchildren, FoodPlay provides kids with the practical tools they need to improve their eating and exercise habits – all in a spirit of fun and celebration! Since 1982, the program has been presented to more than two million school children nationwide. For more information, check out the website at www.foodplay.com. FoodPlay is sponsored by Hannaford and arranged by our PTO assembly coordinator, Jennifer Killeen. As always, all are welcome.

Enjoy the next week off! Do something special with your children and hope the sun shines on all of us!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

April 11, 2008

Dear Families,

What a great week of spring weather and some sunshine!

Excitement is at an all time high today at school! The biggest event of the year, Spring Fair, is tonight! Shani Mekler and Deb Norotsky and a host of others have provided tremendous leadership to pull this off once again. Come have dinner at school, play some games, bid on the fantastic silent auction items, and have some family fun! Game tickets cost 25 cents and prices for food are modest. We sent a parking notice a couple days ago regarding alternative spots and the fact our field is out of the question. Hope to see you all!

The Science Fair is next Wednesday, April 16^th at 6:15. We have dozens of students participating with exhibits. Please come and enjoy our student scientific excellence. Thanks to Bobbe and Scott Pennington for organizing and running this event.

Book Fair: Thank you for attending and supporting our book fair. We raised over $1900.00! We use that money to:

Support the Accelerated Reader program by purchasing quizzes, party food and small incentives
Purchase the eggs and supplies for the chick hatch
Purchase books on tape and CD for student use
Purchase new and used books
Add to our “Usborne Internet Linked” book collection

We were also able to purchase over 100 books to donate for classroom libraries. Your generous support makes this all possible! Thanks again to Thandi Bergfalk, Kris Larson, and Abby Klein for their contributions to make this project so successful. Thanks to the many parents who helped staff this event.

Yearbook forms have gone home this week. Note the deadline of May 23^rd and the price is again $8.00. Please make checks to RM Central School PTO.

Many have asked about the school start time survey recently issued. Hopefully you were able to respond. Results and compilations will be available in the next couple weeks. I certainly will keep you posted.

Doug Day is sponsoring a Jump Rope for Heart on Monday, April 14^th from 2:45-3:45. A one time donation of $5.00 is recommended, though any amount is welcome. All the proceeds go to The American Heart Association. Doug can answer any questions at 652-7211.

The Leduc family sells homemade donuts at the Knights of Columbus to benefit Camp Ta-Kum-Ta. When they were awarded “Family of the Month” and given $100.00 to donate, they sent $50.00 to CampTa-Kum-Ta and $50.00 to our Henriette’s Project. A child from the Congo can go to school for a whole year for $50.00! Thanks Rachael, Faith and the Leduc family.

Check out the information on the back about a nationally known author speaking at SBHS.

Enjoy the weekend! See you at Spring Fair!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

April 4, 2008

Dear Families,

Standing room only! Such was the case at our evening Scholastic Book Fair event featuring our own teacher/author Abby Klein. Special thanks to Mrs. Klein for sharing her talent and to Mrs. Larson and Thandi Bergfalk for all of their work to make the Book Fair so successful.

Our next CARES assembly is Tuesday, April 8^th at 8:15.am. Wear your CARES shirts or class colors.

Kindergarten registration is set for Wednesday and Thursday, April 9^th and 10^th.

It’s almost time! Spring Fair is next Friday night! Be sure to come for dinner with your family, have fun with the games, and check out the silent auction with over 100 awesome items. The event is next Friday, April 11, from 5:30-8:00. Please see the flyer going home today for times and details!

From Susie Merrick: A wonderful tradition at our school is our Staff Appreciation Day, which this year will be Monday, May 5. On this special day, families offer a delicious breakfast and lunch to our much-loved teachers at Rick Marcotte Central School. Interested in helping? Please contact Susie Merrick at merrick@champlain.edu or 660-3189. Please also keep an eye out for the flyer going home today.

The PTO would like to remind you of the (rescheduled from 4/10) PTO meeting on Tuesday, April 8^th at 6:30 in the cafeteria. Attending this meeting will be Elizabeth Fitzgerald, School Board member, who will making a short presentation on the proposed school budget for 2008-2009 which will be voted on at the South Burlington Town Meeting Day on May 20^th. She will also be available to answer any questions you may have regarding the budget or the vote. This is also the final meeting before the Spring Fair, so please join us for an informative meeting.

Other important voting dates:

· Late April 2008: Absentee ballots should be available. If not, you’ll be placed on a waitlist, and one will be mailed to you when they become available. Please contact the City Clerk.

· May 14: Last day to register to vote for the May 20, 2008 budget vote

· May 17: Last day to mail in absentee ballot

· May 19: Last day to vote by absentee ballot in person at City Clerk’s office

· May 20: Town Meeting Day, South Burlington
Remember, your voice is your vote, and we need your voice heard!

There are lots of notices going home today. Please be sure to empty those backpacks!

Enjoy the weekend!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

March 28, 2008

Dear Families,

I was remiss not to comment about “mix it up” day in the cafeteria in the last newsletter. Children seemed to surprise themselves at how fun it was. Thanks to Mrs. Nash and the kindness committee for making this happen. Thanks to all of you for honoring a school-wide peanut free day.

The fifth grade community service is hosting a big food drive for the Chittenden County Emergency Food Shelf. This drive will begin on Monday, March 31, and run throughout the month of April only. Here’s what we are requesting from each grade level:

Kindergarten: tuna
1^st grade and multi-age: soup
2^nd grade: pasta, crackers, mac and cheese
3^rd grade: meals in a can (e.g. spaghetti-os, etc.)
4^th grade: peanut butter
5^th grade: cerea

Thanks for your help with this important project.

Please remember parent conferences will take place on April 3^rd and April 4^th. Dismissal will be at 11:30 both days.

The Book Fair takes place in the library during conferences and from 6-8 Wednesday night. Our own K teacher, Abby Klein, is the author of the Ready Freddy series published by Scholastic. Abby will be on hand Wednesday to sign books and at 6:30 pm will read and talk about being an author. Come by, pick up some books, and meet a RMCS author!

Many thanks to the families who shopped at Hannaford this fall and who turned in the Hannaford Helps Schools Certificates to the collection tin here at RM Central School. We collected $522 worth of certificates here at school. Our share of the certificates that were collected at the Hannaford on Dorset Street (we share those certificates evenly along with other schools participating) was worth $144 bringing Rick Marcottte Central School’s total to $666. I am pleased to let you know that RMCS has won the $1000 bonus for collecting the most certificates this year! Again, thank you for participating in this valuable PTO fundraiser. Thanks to Carolyn Terhune for coordinating this great project.

The School Board recently passed our proposed budget for the 2008-2009 School Year. The adopted budget represents a 4.1% increase. This Budget will be put to a public vote at South Burlington’s Town Meeting Day on Tuesday, May 20^th. Look for the two month countdown calendar in your child’s folder, which identifies dates and times that the budget will be reviewed in public forums, as well as key dates regarding voter registration and absentee ballot voting. Your Vote is Your Voice, please vote on May 20^th. Our own parent Lisa Levite is leading the effort to get folks to the polls.

We are gearing up for our Spring Fair to be held on Friday, April 11, from 5:30-8:00. Thanks in advance for considering signing up to help with an event to make sure the evening runs smoothly. This is a huge event for our school community! To sign up for a ½ hour shift, please contact Shani Mekler at sdgelf@adelphia.net (863-1325). We couldn’t do it without you!

Enjoy the weekend!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

March 21, 2008

Dear Families,

Yet again a week of celebration! Mrs. Paula Jensvold delivered 7 lb. 8 oz Carson Bennett on Tuesday evening. Mom, Dad and baby Carson are home and all doing well. We are fortunate that Ms. Jana Taylor, a former student teacher and employee of RMCS will finish out the year for Paula.

The Book Fair is coming! The fair runs:

· April 2, Wednesday: 7:30 am – 3:30 pm and 6:00 – 8:00 pm

· April 3, Thursday: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm

· April 4, Friday: 7:30 am – 1:00 pm

The Book Fair benefits all of our students because the proceeds (over $1,500 last year) go directly to our wonderful school library for new books and supplies. We also added many new books to classrooms through the Classroom Wish List program. Please join us this year for a fabulous selection of books.

A very special event will take place on Wednesday, April 2^nd from 6:30 – 7:15 in the library. Abby Klein, our new Kindergarten teacher, is also author of the popular Ready, Freddy series published by Scholastic. Abby will talk to students and parents about being an author and read from a new upcoming book. She has offered to sign books before and after her talk. Please join us for this special evening!

HOOD 2008 SOX TOPS FOR KIDS – Start collecting those Hood milk tops again starting April 1, or whenever you see the “2008 Sox Tops” label begin. We’ll be collecting them through the end of October. We got a late start last year so we didn’t earn as much as we could have, so let’s get the ball rolling early this year. If you have any questions, you can check out the poster on the bulletin board at school, log onto Hood.com or call Susan Sobczak at 652-9925. You can send the caps in with your child or put them in the container at the front desk. There is no competition amongst classrooms on this one. It’s a school-wide effort. Thank you for your participation.

The 5^th grade class will be in your neighborhood on Saturday, April 5^th to collect bottles to raise money for their end-of-year trip to Smugglers Notch. As always, you may drop off your returnable bottles and cans at any time at the container in the lobby of RM Central School or bring them directly to Dorset Street Beverage Center (inside MT Bellies Deli). Let them know you are donating your bottles to the RM Central School 5^th grade Smugglers Notch class trip. The Beverage Center accepts donations from 10:30-11:30 am and 1:00-6:30 pm Monday through Friday and from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm Saturdays. Thank you for your support of this fundraising activity!

Special attention for 4^th grade families and the Spring Fair: There will be a flyer going home with a special Dentist Delight idea for grade 4 students. Please read and return ASAP. Thanks to Mrs. Ann-Marie Bergeron for setting this booth up.

Science Fair information is being sent home today. This wonderful event is run by Scott and Bobbe Pennington.

Let’s hope for some sunshine this weekend!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principa

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

March 14, 2008

Dear Families,

Time for celebration again! Our RMCS Odyssey of the Mind team took first place at last week’s state competition. Our hardworking team of 4^th and 5^th grade students includes: Nirali Desai, Clark Deng, Mathieu Bergeron, Katie McLane, Neerja Patel, and Sharvari Athalye and is coached by Ann-Marie Bergeron. They will compete in the world competition at the University of Maryland in May. Way to go!

Mrs. Nash has formed a Kindness Committee. The committee, with a representative from each third through fifth grade classroom, is working to make Rick Marcotte Central School the welcoming, friendly place that we enjoy being a part of. One idea the committee has come up with is a mix-it-up at lunch day in which every student gets a colored disk that matches one of the tables in the lunchroom. Students get to sit with and get to know others at their grade level with the same colored disk. We have some fun challenges or conversation starters to get groups going and enjoying their time together over lunch. Learning to be comfortable with a variety of different students contributes to everyone feeling connected. We hope that will extend to the playground, bus, hallways, and other classes. Our mix it up day is next Wednesday, March 19^th. We are asking all students to bring a PEANUT FREE LUNCH. Thanks!

Please be sure to see the back of this letter today regarding a survey on school start times. The district is looking for feedback and hoping you will take a few minutes to share your thoughts.

The Rugged Bear would like to extend an invitation to the families of Rick Marcotte Central School along with the other schools in Chittenden County. The store will be hosting a School Appreciation Day on March 19^th, 2008. Parents will receive a 10% discount of all of their purchases that day, including already discounted clearance merchandise. Our school will benefit by receiving 10% of the value of all purchases made on that date by parents from our school. Parents need only mention for which school they are shopping and they will receive the discount. No paperwork is required! The Rugged Bear is located at 4 Market Street. Store hours on March 19^th are 9:30 am until 6 pm. Please call 860-1370 with any questions.

Special thanks to Lee Jackson for spending countless hours to enable us to e-mail all of you with just a push of a button. Yippee! It is important to note we will only use this option in case of a school emergency. I plan to run a test next week. Please be looking for an e-mail from school. If by next Friday you have not received an e-mail and wish to be on the list, please let us know. Lee worked tirelessly with our software and with tech people to help make this happen. We are very grateful!

Mark your calendar: the last fifth grade bake sale is next Tuesday, March 18^th. Popcorn sale is March 28^th! We also have only ½ day of school on Tuesday, March 25th.

At our assembly on Tuesday Danny Terhune’s Dad, Captain Brian Terhune, presented our school with a flag that was “flown proudly over Camp Justice, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.” Mr. Terhune is with the Air National Guard and we are glad he has returned safely.

Kindergarten registration will occur the week of April 7^th. If you know folks who will be enrolling, please have them call for details.

Enjoy the weekend!

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

March 7, 2008

Dear Families,

Welcome back! It was nice to see all of the students back buzzing in the hallways. Hope your vacation was joyful.

The next PTO meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 13^th at 6:30 pm. Please join us!!

Our next C.A.R.E.S. assembly is set for next Tuesday at 8:15. Please remember to wear your C.A.R.E.S. t-shirt or class color.

If anyone has taken interesting and fun pictures of school events and would be willing to share them for the yearbook, please contact Mary O’Neil at oneil6@comcast.net. Thank you!

We are still collecting spare change to help send children in the Congo to school. It costs $50.00 to send a child to school for a whole year. Our current total is $627.80. Thanks for your continued generosity.

Remember the Book Fair is set for Wednesday, April 2nd – Friday, April 4^th. If you would like to volunteer or if you have any questions, please call Thandi Bergfalk at 864-3447. Be sure to mark your calendar to come pick up some books!

Please see the flyer for the Silent Auction Fundraiser that will be happening during our School Spring Fair on Friday, April 11^th.

Enjoy the weekend!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

February 22, 2008

Dear Families,

We were treated to three fabulous assemblies this week presented by Matt from the Boston Museum of Science. Be sure to ask your 3^rd – 5^th grade student about their “shocking” experience. Special thanks to our PTO for sponsoring such an exciting learning opportunity.

Our “clear the halls” drill went extremely well. Students and staff all followed instructions and the school was secure in a matter of minutes. Our school resource officer, Kevin Grealis, was on hand and gave us kudos for a job well done.

Please notice the lovely green bench placed in our lobby. The bench will soon have a plaque to honor Teri Johnston. Teri was a dedicated school volunteer, PTO chair and the mom of Emma and Caroline. Teri passed away suddenly on September 23, 2006. The PTO generously donated the bench and will soon attach the memorial plaque. We shall forever miss Teri and will long remember her contributions to our school.

Due to inclement weather last week, the School Board has had to reschedule the date for the adoption of the 2008-2009 school year budget. The new date is March 3^rd at 7:00 in the FHTMS library. Additional opportunities to review the school budget are March 20^th, Steering Committee budget workshop and presentation, City Hall, 7:00 pm and April 10^th, public Hearing on City and School budgets, City Hall, 7:00 pm.

Our entire team of grade 3-5 teachers attended a day long workshop on the writing process. We were able to bring in a national trainer who inspired and informed our work. We continue to challenge ourselves to strengthen our teaching of writing while building enthusiasm and confidence in our students as writers.

Remember school vacation is next week and the following Monday and Tuesday. Also note our last in-service day is scheduled for March 25^th with an 11:30 dismissal. Parent conference ½ days are scheduled for April 3^rd & 4^th.

Whether you are headed to a sunny place or planning to play in your backyard, enjoy this extra time as a family.

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

February 15, 2008

Dear Families,

The weeks just fly by and get more interesting as we go. A snow day and Valentine’s Day in the same week is a repeat of last year! What fun!

Next week we will practice another type of safety drill known as “clear the halls.” This type of drill is used when a situation arises that requires us to ensure all students are inside the building and in their classrooms. There are external situations (such as the case with the bank robbery on Williston Road) which would require us to lock our external doors and tighten movement in the building in order to account for all children at all times. Of course, there could be an internal situation which would also require a clear the halls drill. In either situation, I come onto the intercom with directions to clear the halls. Students gather quietly on the rug in their classroom, the teachers lock their door and do a head count. Teachers will be talking to their students about the entire process. Teachers have the script that I will read over the intercom and all staff have been trained in procedures. All exterior doors will be locked, students and staff will then be cued by me as to the next steps. In the case of this first drill, we will simply call the drill over after 3-5 minutes of halls being cleared and the exterior secured. All SB schools are now practicing this drill. We feel it is very important to take all precautions and practice necessary steps to keep our students safe.

Our “Celebrating Our Presidents” assembly will be Monday, February 18^th at 9:30. The K-2 students will share a song about Lincoln, grade 3 about Washington and grades 4 & 5 about all the presidents. It should last 20-25 minutes and all are welcome.

Our Boston Museum of Science assemblies are next Wednesday, February 20^th. K-1 students will attend from 8:30-9:00; 2^nd and multi-age will attend 9:45-10:15; and grades 3-5 will attend from 1:10-2:10. The themes are “Observing Electricity and Magnets” for the K-2 students and “Electromagnetism” for grades 3-5. These are generously sponsored by our PTO and coordinated by Sheri Hill and Melissa Baker.

Update to the PTO newsletter that was sent home last week! There have been some changes to the meetings where the 2008-2009 school budget will be reviewed. Here is the complete, updated listing: 2/20/08, School Board Adopts Budget, FHMS Library 7:00 pm; 3/20/08, Steering Committee budget workshop and presentation, City Hall, 7:00 pm; 4/10/08, Public Hearing on City and School budgets, City Hall, 7:00pm.

After studying Helen Frost’s masterful work, an inspired group of grade 5 students and parents set out to bring her to RMCS to work with grade 5 students on May 2nd. The $1500 plus airfare price tag seemed daunting. Sure enough, this dedicated team has raised $1700 in just two weeks. Thanks to the parents and students and to the following donors: $500 from the South Burlington Police Association, $100 from Als French Fries, $100 from the Professional Firefighters of Vermont, $100 from Dr. Paul Boerman, and a $100 anonymous donor. The icing on the cake was when two groups of students shared their “pitch” and poetry with Chittenden Bank managers Pat Murtaugh and John Knox. The two generous individuals completed our needs with an $800 gift. Thank them if you are in those banks! What a great way to show kids the community cares about them. And as a fifth grader told the bank manager, “lf Helen Frost comes to our school, she will definitely teach us how to be better writers and poets, and we’ll do better in high school and college. Then we will be able to get a very good job.” A poignant message from a ten year old! Invest in us now; it will pay off in the future. Wow!

Remember school vacation is February 25^th – March 4^th. It’s coming right up!

Enjoy the weekend!

Warm Regards

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

February 8, 2008

Dear Families,

Wow! Crazy weather and 12 foot snow piles makes for busy days at school!

Thanks to the room parents who initiated the phone tree during our recent closing. We certainly discovered a few glitches which will be ironed out for next time. Overall our system was efficient and will be even better next time!

All grade 3, 4, 5 students will have their NECAP scores in their backpacks today. NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) is the assessment used to determine the attainment of required skills to meet state standards in math, reading and writing (grade 5). The test is given in October and therefore is the measurement of skills attained through the prior year. Remember this is one snapshot of student achievement and not the single indicator of progress or academic success. We will use the test results to guide our instruction. Your child’s teacher can help with additional information should you desire.

Our NECAP scores:

Subject/Grade	2005	2006	2007
Reading beginning of grade 3	78%	85%	88%
Reading beginning of grade 4	77%	82%	85%
Reading beginning of grade 5	82%	85%	94%
Reading beginning of grade 6	87%	84%	79%

Mathematics beginning of grade 3	80%	77%	88%
Mathematics beginning of grade 4	75%	81%	78%
Mathematics beginning of grade 5	79%	77%	81%
Mathematics beginning of grade 6	84%	78%	84%

Writing beginning of grade 5	61%	64%	73%

We are pleased with our two year gain in writing. We have been intentional about ramping up our teaching of the writing process. Only two other elementary schools in the county scored in the 70’s in writing! Good progress with still work to do!

Our penny drive for Henriette’s Relief Project to support children and families in the Congo continues. We are six weeks into our drive, and we have collected $502.55. Thank you and keep those pennies coming!

Our school wide morning meeting CARES assembly will be at 8:15 next Tuesday morning. Please WEAR YOUR CARES SHIRTS or class color. The kindergarten children will be teaching us a couple new songs.

You are warmly invited to join us on Wednesday, February 13^th, at 8:30 am in the grade 5 project room, when a group of family volunteers will be putting together the Valentine’s Day flowers to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. It’s a fun, wonderful morning. Please call Susie Merrick at 660-3189 or merrick@champlain.edu if you’re able to come. Thanks!

Our PTO newsletter is in backpacks today. It is filled with important information. Special thanks to all who submitted articles and to Melissa Baker for putting it all together.

Our fifth grade students produce a publication called Central Press. You can view it on the web. If your child would like to contribute a short poem or drawing, they may do so by putting it in the press box with their full name on it by March 1^st.

PTO Popcorn Day will be next Friday, February 15th. Bring your quarters!

Enjoy the weekend!

Warm Regards!

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

February 1, 2008

Dear Families,

Can you believe it is February already? Time does indeed fly when you’re having fun!

Report cards are going home today. As you will quickly recognize, our new format is much shorter. We have gone from ten pages (too much information) to two pages, assessing the “power” standards for each content area. Please be sure to complete the feedback form provided and return it with the envelope. We value your opinion.

There is still time to sign up for French Club and Spanish Club. The deadline to send in your form and fee is next Friday, February 8^th. The sessions are from 3-4 for 8 weeks and start February 12^th. For more info please contact Sylvie Fretwell at 652-0893.

Mrs. Lewis would like to say a HUGE thank you to the PTO for helping to fund the purchase of 3 bulletin boards. Now there is even more space to display all of the beautiful artwork that our students create. If you have not been in lately you should come check it out. There is artwork on display from every single classroom in the school!

Please note the next PTO meeting is Thursday, February 7^th at 6:30. This is a change from the original date of February 14^th. All are welcome as we zoom in on plans for our Spring Fair.

Some dates for your calendar:

The 5^th grade bake sale will be Tuesday, February 5^th from 9-11 am.
CARES assembly (wear our shirts/class color) is February 12^th at 8:15. These are always brief, about 15-20 minutes.
Celebrate our Presidents assembly is Monday, February 18^th at 9:30. Each grade will share a song they learned about a president with the 4^th and 5^th grade singing about all 50 states. This will be about 30 minutes
Boston Museum assemblies sponsored by the PTO are scheduled for Wednesday, February 20^th. We will have three sessions, two for K-2 and one for 3-5. We will send more detailed information in the next few weeks.

This school moves into action quickly. When we learned today would be ½ day, room parents went into high gear. Thank-you all! If you have any new emergency numbers please be sure your room parent and the main office have those numbers (including cell phone numbers).

Enjoy the long weekend!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

January 25, 2008

Dear Families,

I now know how to be the most popular principal on the planet! Offer free popcorn! We completely lost track of the fact that today is the last Friday of the month and thus popcorn day at school. When the smell hit the hallways at 8:00 am, panic ensued. No one had quarters in their pockets! In order to quell the mounting concern, I declared the office would pay for free popcorn for all. The celebrations and thank yous have been endless! Indeed, it is the little things.

Special thanks to popcorn popping moms Julie Groen and Angela Ferro who came to the principal’s rescue, agreeing to pop 400 bags!

Tonight is Family Fun Night. It is from 6:30–8:00 and families are asked to contribute to the “pot-luck” snacks in the following way: A-D brings drinks; E-P brings healthy snacks; Q-Z brings something sweet. There are no costs for food or fun!

The next fifth grade bake sale is February 5^th. We’ll be sure to remind folks!

Special thanks to a team of fifth grade parents who worked with students today to cook 4 complete meals. The meals were then delivered to COTS Family Shelter and Westview House. Another great way we show caring at RMCS.

Speaking of caring, last call for CARES t-shirts is today. The shirts are $5.00. Deadline is this coming Monday.

Update on Henriette’s Project: The kind folks at Northfield Savings Bank (Suzanne Grenier & staff) have offered to match our first $50.00 and make an additional $50.00 gift. Thank them if you are in the bank! Keep those coins coming. We want to send lots of kids in the Congo to school.

A note from the cafeteria: please be sure to check labels on foods if your student is inclined to choose to sit at the peanut free tables. Specifically, Quaker Oats and other granola bars have traces of peanuts/peanut oil.

We’ve had some concern expressed around people parking at the top of the curb cut and leaving to come inside, making it hard for other cars to pass by to exit. Please park in the lined spots in the lot if you need to come in. Thanks!

Remember, there is only ½ day school next Wednesday, January 30^th. Dismissal is at 11:30 and no lunch is served.

Stay warm this weekend.

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

January 18, 2008

Dear Families,

We had a rainbow of colorful, caring students and staff at our C.A.R.E.S. assembly this morning. The students were quite excited to wear their school shirts. If, by chance, you forgot to order one another form is attached. Our re-order will be due by Monday, January 28^th. This will be the last time to order this year. We will be wearing our school shirts at our CARES assemblies and other selected days/events.

At our assembly we applauded the fact that we raised $250.00 for Henriette’s Relief Project in one week. Wow! We reminded the children that every person contributing a little adds up to a lot. It costs $50.00 a year to send a child in the Congo to school for a year. We are excited to see how many students we will be sending to school! We are participating in this project in memory of Rusty Jacobs, a RMCS Dad who passed away suddenly last year.

Family Fun Night is next Friday, January 25^th from 6:30-8:00. Lots of games, crafts, dancing and treats fill the evening. In the past, the high school student council members helped run our games. This year they are not available and thus we need some spare hands. If you are willing to help out for ½ hour, could you please call Khrishna Hines at 999-1726. A flyer regarding details will go home either today or Tuesday. See you there!

Please be sure you have January 30^th on your calendar as ½ day. We will dismiss at 11:30 and no lunch will be served.

The school district budget process begins with a presentation at the school board meeting on January 23^rd at 7:00 pm. Please see the notice on the back of this newsletter.

The second semester French and Spanish Club info should be in backpacks today.

The nurturing parent program begins on January 29^th. It is excellent! Contact Tana Randall at 893-4878 for more information or to register.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

January 11, 2008

Dear Families,

Wow! For some of us, it doesn’t get much better than 60 degrees in January! For others, the diminishing piles of snow create sorrow. Poor Mr. Day!

We’re sending home an important piece of information today. As a school, we are adopting Henriette’s Relief Project as the recipient of our coin drive over the next 6 months. David and Patty Hallam, Directors of the Project, introduced the program to the children at our school wide morning meeting last week. The Henriette Project supports the educational, medical, and nutritional needs of children and families in extreme poverty in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We learned that $50 sends a student to school for an entire year. We are adopting this project in honor of Rusty Jacobs, father of Katie who was a RMCS student, now in 7^th grade. Rusty passed away suddenly last year. He supported this project and we want to contribute to this meaningful work in his memory. Please, help us by sending in any coins you can. For this effort, we are welcoming more than pennies. You might even start a little jar at home for everyone to pitch in with a family goal. Additionally, if you or your business would like to contribute, send it on in! We will share our progress at our monthly CARES assembly. In honor of Rusty, and in an effort to make a difference in the world, we hope this is our biggest giving project ever.

Mark your calendars! Family fun night is scheduled for Friday, January 25^th from 6:30 to 8:00. There are crafts, a DJ, dancing, bingo, snacks and lots of fun.! The event is free and families are asked to bring an item to share. More info will come home next week.

Important volunteer opportunity! We are looking for 3 individuals to lead and organize Café Central at our Spring Fair. The 3 member team coordinates the food and volunteers for the evening. The chair from last year is happy to meet with the team to provide details. Can you help? Spring Fair is April 11 from 5:30 - 8:00. If you feel you could be a part of this team or if 3 friends wish to step forward together to help out, please call Shani Mekler at 863-1325. Thanks!

Please, remember there is no school on Martin Luther King Day, January 21^st.

Enjoy the weekend!
Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

January 4, 2008

Dear Families,

Wow! We were glad to be back but the frigid weather has kept us inside. As a reminder, if the temperature or wind chill is below zero, we do not go outside.

An important note from the transportation department: If your child rides bus #1 or bus #20 and wishes to invite a friend over, you must get permission from the driver or the transportation director prior to sending the note to school. Those two buses are quite full and cannot always accommodate a lot of extra riders. Please indicate on your note to the teacher you have checked with transportation. The bus garage number is 652-7498. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.

We have installed new tile in the fourth grade wing to replace the tattered carpet. We also installed two hand sanitizers in the cafeteria which are a big help in our efforts to have clean hands in the lunchroom.

Though it may not feel like it now, spring will soon be here and along with that our school Spring Fair. The Silent Auction Committee will soon be starting to work on this year’s silent auction. All who may be interested in taking part in this great fundraiser are invited to Deb Norotsky’s home at 284 Four Sisters Road on Tuesday, January 9^th at 9:00 am for an informal coffee to discuss the auction and our plans. If anyone is interested in participating, but unable to attend, please contact Deb at 862-1919 or Joyce Hendley at 660-2775.

Mr. Day wanted me to remind you that families are welcome to borrow snowshoes and skis. Simply come to the gym on Friday to sign out the equipment. Our new PE schedule for skiing will run from 1/14/08 – 2/22/08. Students will have PE once a week for one hour. This change is to accommodate the six week snowshoe and cross country skiing unit Doug provides. No other PE teacher would outfit 380 kids a week and take them outside! Thanks Mr. Day! Watch your classroom newsletters for your new PE day. Dress warmly!

Report cards have been revised and made much more user friendly. I think you will find them full of information you need around the essential standards in each content area. The new 2 page format allows teachers to work on the document from home. Report cards will be sent home on February 1, 2008.

Enjoy the balmy weekend! I’m guessing the playground might be quite wet next week!

Warm Regards,

Sue Luck
Principal

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL
10 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-652-7200
Fax- 802-658-9047

_{Sue Luck, Principal}

sluck@sbschools.net

December 21, 2007

Dear Families,

Holiday celebrations, Native American feasts, concerts and lots of snow has made this a very festive, exciting and busy week here at RMCS!

Today is our last day as we head into vacation. School resumes on Wednesday, January 2, 2008.

A note from the transportation department: if your child plans to ride a different bus home, you must get permission from either the bus driver or the transportation director prior to writing the permission note to school. Our director has indicated that two buses in particular (#1 & #20) cannot always accommodate extra riders so permission in advance is necessary. The bus garage number is 652-7498. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.

Mrs. Mary O’Neil does a great job with our yearbook photos but can’t be at all events. She has asked that you kindly forward any group/class photos that might be yearbook worthy. Her e-mail is oneil6@comcast.net.

As a reminder our Superintendent of Schools, John Everitt, will present information on Vermont Act 82 (Education Quality and Cost Control), and his interpretation on the effect this legislation will have on the South Burlington school system. Legislators from South Burlington will also be on hand to offer their perspective. The presentation is sponsored by our PTO and will occur at our school on January 3^rd from 7-8:30. This is important legislation that could have a tremendous impact on the future of our schools. Hope you can attend.

Parents interested in taking the Parenting On Track series of 4 free classes (Wednesday, January 9^th, 16^th, 23^rd, 30^th) and two follow-up tele-classes (2 & 4 weeks following) should sign up as soon as possible at www.sharedventures.net. Once at the site, parents can click on the *contact us* tab in the navigation bar at the top of the site, then enter your name and email. In the message you can reference the Orchard class, your wish to register, and indicate which school your children attend. See more in

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