WEEKLY FAMILY FOCUS FEB 24, 2021
RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL Principal Kathleen Kilbourne
DATES OF IMPORTANCE- MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Feb. 22nd- March 3rd Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)
March 1st- Kindergarten registration opens online for FALL 2021
March 3,4,5 will now be PK-5- in school on all three days (no remote time that week)
MS/HS - 3rd will be a gray pack day, 4th and 5th will be gray pack days.
March 17th- In-service for teachers, NO SCHOOL
April 1st and 2nd will be half days
PRE K Flag of Love and Kindness
"Happy Pig Day" by Mo Williams
PRE K Flag of Love and Kindness
PRE K Homemade Flags of Love and Kindness
We wanted to share with you the wonderful work our preschool classroom did today to celebrate the raising of the RMCS BLM flag. We started the day by reading the story "Happy Pig day" by Mo Willems. In this book –It’s Happy Pig Day and Piggie is so excited! Piggie tells Gerald (an elephant) all about it. Gerald, however, is upset because he is not pink like Piggie. He feels very left out until Piggie tells him that anyone can celebrate Happy Pig Day! We then broke out into a conversation as a class focused on the importance of including everyone, spreading love and kindness, and celebrating both our differences and connections.
We told the children how our school is raising a very special flag that reflects these values and shows that all are welcome at our school regardless of the color of their hair, skin, eyes, etc. We then worked as a class (both AM and PM) to make our own class flags that also represent these values.
It was a great opportunity to talk about some very important things happening in our community and the world and we wanted to share the beautiful flags we created. They sure do scream love, kindness, and inclusion to us!
FALL 2021 Kindergarten Registration
Registration will open for Incoming Kindergarten students on March 1, 2021. If you would like to register a student who will be 5 on or before September 1, 2021, please visit www.sbschools.net/register .
South Burlington School District Online Registration link
Nurses UPDATES over school vacation
GATHERINGS Please remember, the Governor is strongly recommending that people do not gather with people they don't live with; you CAN continue to enjoy outdoor recreation and fitness activities with people you don't live with, as long as you: If you have had COVID-19 or have had the COVID-19 vaccine, as of now you must also not gather with people you don't live with and you must quarantine when you travel or return to Vermont. COLD WEATHER GEAR ✅ Wear you scarf, ski mask or balaclavas over your mask.
TRAVEL
The health department discourages non-essential travel, even within Vermont. PLEASE ALERT THE SCHOOL OF YOUR PLANS if you plan to travel outside of Vermont for leisure and please include the date your student will return to Vermont.
Quarantining is required for 14 days in Vermont when you return. This includes day trips.
If your student does not have symptoms of COVID-19, your student has the option of getting a PCR test on day 7 and can end quarantine with a negative test result. The test must be a PCR test. The exemption to quarantine only applies to essential travel. Please see this link for more details. For more travel and quarantine information, click here. VISITORS If you do gather with people you don't live with, the health department recommends getting tested as soon as 2 days before the gathering, followed by quarantine after the gathering, with a PCR test on day 7 to end quarantine (as long as you have not had COVID-19 symptoms).
TESTING
The Vermont Health Department encourages testing as a critical tool to slowing the spread of the virus. The sooner you know if you have the virus, the sooner you can protect yourself, your loved ones and your community.
COVID VACCINE UPDATE
- Vermonters 70 years and older can now make an appointment to get a COVID-19 Vaccination.
- Visit "Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine" site on the health department's website by clicking here.
- If you know someone who can't make an appointment online or needs to speak with someone in a language other than English, call: 855-722-7878.
Principal Kilbourne Welcoming to the RMCS BLM Flag Ceremony
RMCS 5th Grade Leaders and Speakers
Superintendent Young Supporting our RMCS Student Leaders
Raising the Black Lives Matter Flag at RMCS
After the success of the raising of the Black Lives Matter flag at FHTMS in early February, our elementary schools began doing so as well this past Thursday, February 18 beginning at Rick Marcotte Central School. The event was live streamed into classrooms with 5th graders participating outside. We would like to thank Kristy Dooley, of Kristy Dooley Photography for donating her time and talents to capture these special moments that 5th graders lead as we raised the flag for the first time at RMCS.
For this event led by 5th graders, Principal Kilbourne provide a welcome to all:
" In Jan. 2021 the SB School Board approved flying the BLM Flag at all our schools year round. Previously it had been only approved to fly at the HS, and only in the month of Feb. The grass roots efforts from the student social justice union, and the SOAR students at the middle school are to be applauded for their organized and thoughtful presentations to the board, that moved this request to action. Each and every voice matters, each personal journey matters, YOU matter."
What this flag means to SBSD:
a symbol of our school's pledge to fight racism and racist acts
for students of color, demonstrates our school's commitment to their well-being
shows that we denounce any form of racism and discrimination of our BIPOC students
communicates our pledge toward being an anti-racist school
"Thank you for joining me in this historic moment, where we are publicly committing to doing better, with intention and purpose, to ensure that every member of our SBSD feels safe, connected, and included. I am honored to be part of this important next step in our SB School Community."
Enjoy this video of Mrs.Ransom’s 2nd grade classperforming a ribbon dance to "RISE UP" in Erika Rito’s music class that was played at the end of Central School’s BLM Flag Raising Ceremony.
Gertrude Chamberlin School will hold their flag raising event after the return from break March 5 and Orchard School will follow March 12.
Nourish to Flourish with Common Roots
Hello South Burlington Families and Friends!
This week in Farm to School, we found a wild way to use up the extra cabbage that Farmer Fae grew for us at the Common Roots Farm last summer. We used all of her cabbage to make some fermented sauerkraut! Fermented foods are such a great thing to incorporate into our diets, especially during a pandemic when we want our gut microbiome and immune systems to be as strong as they can be.
The sauerkraut we made is PACKED with good bacterias (or we liked to call them invisible helpers) that will keep our bodies strong and healthy. Humans are actually made of billions of good bacterias that we cannot survive without! The recipe below is super fun to make at home with your family. All you need is a cutting board, knife, grater, mixing bowl, a clean jar with a lid, and a space to keep your kraut at room temp and out of direct sunlight. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
Sauerkraut Recipe
Makes 1 quart-sized jar (or 2 pints)
Ingredients:
● 2 lbs cabbage, (about 1.75lb green and 0.25lb red) - a medium sized cabbage is about 2 lbs, really large ones can be up to 4 lbs.
● 20 g sea salt, (about 2 Tbsp)
● ½ apple, grated
● ½ tsp fresh ginger, grated
Process:
1. First, pull the two outer leaves of the cabbage off of the head and set aside. You will use these later! Amazingly the cabbage leaves are full of beneficial bacteria. Who knew?
2. Then, cut your cabbage into quarters to expose the core.
3. Cut the core out with your knife angled away from you.
4. Then laying the cabbage on its flat side, slice into thin ¼ inch strips.
5. Place your sliced cabbage in a large mixing bowl and add the salt - In case you have more or less than 2 lbs of cabbage, a good rule of thumb to go by is 10g (~1 Tbsp) of salt for every pound of cabbage.
6. Massage the cabbage and salt with your hands for several minutes
a. Listen to the sounds - starts out squeaky and crunchy. As we massage, the sound will change. As water releases from the cells of the cabbage it will start to sound sloppy… like walking through slushy snow!
7. Once your cabbage is soft and a lot of water is released, add your grated apple and ginger. Mix to combine.
8. Pack your kraut tightly in a jar, making sure there are no air bubbles. You will see the liquid rising to the top as you compact!
9. Place a clean cabbage leaf on top to keep the kraut submerged under the liquid. You can also top with the remaining juices in your mixing bowl to make sure there is enough liquid in the jar.
10. Place your jar in a space that is at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. It will take about 2-4 weeks for your kraut to ferment. Check regularly to be sure massaged cabbage is below the surface of the brine water at all times.
11. Once your kraut has reached the desired level of fermentation (some people may like it crunchier than others - it will get softer the longer you leave it out), store your jar in the fridge and it will last for several months. Enjoy!
Cabbage Nutrition Trivia: Kraut and cabbage fueled the bodies of those who built the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids, so what might it do when stacking your wood pile or shoveling show?!
Till next month, Nourish to Flourish!
Lauren Jones, Common Roots - Farm to School Educator
South Burlington Youth Baseball & Softball
South Burlington Youth Baseball & Softball has been providing a safe, healthy way for kids to make friends and stay active for 40 years.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for ages 5 to 12, best of all T-Ball is now being offered free of charge!
Sign up today at www.sbybs.com
- Scholarships available for all league ages
- State and local safety and social distancing recommendations are strictly enforced
- Your child will improve their game and learn important life skills
Family Resources from Howard Center
Caregiving is hard enough without a global health pandemic! Now more than ever, it is CRITICAL that we encourage our caregivers to practice diligent self-care. Our health depends on it, and the health of our children depends on it. It is difficult for caregivers to put themselves first – and we know they are equally as deserving and in need of it. Please consider using these helpful resources.
The Importance of Care for Caregivers (National Association of School Psychologists)
Parenting During Coronavirus: You are Enough (PBS Kids)
Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
COVID Support VT (from 211)
Need Help with Technology? Use this link to access Tech supports!
https://sites.google.com/sbschools.net/sbsdedtechforstudentsfamilies/home
Rick Marcotte Central School
Email: kkilbourne@sbschools.net
Website: sbschools.net
Location: 200 Market Street, South Burlington, VT, USA
Phone: 802 652 7200
Twitter: @rmcschool