Communications

U.S. Air Force Concert Band to Perform FREE Concert at Rockville High School

(VERNON, Connecticut) – The U.S. Air Force Concert Band is touring the Northeast and will make a stop at Rockville High School on Friday, March 24. The FREE concert begins at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium.

Tickets are required and can be obtained online at: https://www.music.af.mil/usafband/events/national-tours/concert-band/

“Our military bands are among the best in the world and to have the United States Air Force concert band perform in Vernon is a special opportunity for our community,” Mayor Dan Champagne said.

The U.S. Air Force Concert Band is one of six performing ensembles in the Air Force and is the premier musical group. It is based at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C.

Members of Rockville High School’s band will work with band members by helping them setup for the concert, and then will join them as they warm up.

“Our musicians are going to get to experience and work with one of the finest musical ensembles in the world,” said Rockville High School Band Director Raymond J. Sinclair II, who spearheaded the effort to bring the Air Force band to Vernon.

The band will perform music from a variety of genres, including Broadway, classical, marches, opera and the movies. Selections include John Williams’ E.T. Adventures on Earth from the movie E.T. The program begins with the National Anthem and ends with American Anthem, Battle Hymn of the Republic and A Salute to Our Troops.

“It’s an honor for our community, our schools and our students to have one of the armed forces’ premier bands visit Vernon and work with our students,” Superintendent Dr. Joseph P. Macary said.

The concert at Rockville High School is the second stop on a tour that begins in New Jersey and ends on April 3 in Maine.

Please print your tickets or be prepared to show them on your mobile device. Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance time for ticket holders. All unclaimed seats will be released to non-ticket holders 15 minutes prior to performance time.

Rockville High School Athletic Department Hosts First ‘Vernon Girls and Women in Sports Day’
Goal is to Encourage Elementary and Middle Schools Girls to try Sports

Rockville High School athletes and coaches are inviting Vernon elementary and middle school girls to the high school gym on Tuesday night (March 14) for Vernon Girls and Women in Sport Day.

The special event, hosted by the Rockville High Athletic Department and featuring members of several girls’ sports teams, is free and designed to introduce girls to sports, celebrate their participation and encourage them to continue in athletics at the high school.

The younger athletes will get to meet high school athletes, ask them questions and participate in a variety of sports, Rockville High School Athletic Director Jeff Farrell said.

The program runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Girls in grades 3 through 5 check in from 5 to 5:30 p.m., then participate in activities. Girls in grades 6 through 8 check in from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

Several sports will be featured and members of the girls’ teams will put their younger counterparts through drills and introduce them to sports they might not know about.

“I think it’s important to see more girls in sports,” said Anaya Tolton, a Rockville High School senior who is a member of the volleyball, basketball and track and field teams. “I know some girls look for female role models before they think about trying something. It’s important for them to have someone to look up to, to inspire them to get involved.”

Farrell said this year’s program will feature basketball, soccer, lacrosse and cheerleading. The goal is to add more sports to the event next year, he said.

“The whole point is to promote young girls and young women in sports, being active and having fun,” Farrell said. “Girls will rotate through a couple different sports. If it’s something new to them, they can try it out. And we can connect our younger kids to our high school athletes.”

Lily Hollworth, an RHS senior who plays soccer and runs indoor and outdoor track, said participating in athletics is about much more than competing.

“It’s a great way to meet new people and find something you enjoy and can become passionate about,” she said.

Isabel Cintron, a senior who runs cross county and indoor and outdoor track, agreed. She said she was very shy in elementary school. Sports allowed her to meet new people and become part of a community.

“Some of my closest friends came from running,” she said. “It feels like a family.”

To register, click this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeuWsg8O_Hk2vO_OmC6wzj-IZAPDFYtl5DELvVDb5z_Y7Tm8A/viewform

Veteran Educator Melissa Iles Selected to Lead Vernon Regional Adult Based Education

The focus of Melissa Iles’ career in education has been to break down barriers and enable students to learn and be successful in life.

She first did that as a special education teacher, working with students who have physical, learning or emotional disabilities to help them reach their full potential. That work continued in Iles’ subsequent positions, including as Vernon’s Director of Pupil Services.

Melissa Iles

As the new Director of Vernon Regional Adult Based Education (VRABE), Iles said she is excited by the opportunity to work with a new group of students and to help them overcome obstacles, reach their educational goals and experience a meaningful and high quality education.

“I believe all that experience helping students break down barriers makes me a perfect fit for adult education,” Iles said. “Our goal is to work with students who did not follow the traditional educational route, who may have had some difficulties navigating along the way. We are here to help them complete their educational journey. I find that very exciting.”

The people who seek the services of VRABE come from a variety of backgrounds and have diverse goals. Some are seeking a traditional high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma. Others are seeking classes in VRABE’s English as a Second Language program.

There are also people who are studying to become U.S. citizens. Others are seeking continuing education opportunities to learn a new skill, such as how to use Excel, paint with watercolors, draw, crochet or use sign language.

“For so many people, the services and courses we offer are life-changing,” Iles said. “There are so many opportunities for a learner to grow, achieve and thrive.”

It’s never too late to attain a high school diploma, to learn a new skill or to seek another service VRABE offers, Iles said.

”Adult education plays an important role in our ongoing effort to help all people become independent learners and productive contributors to society,” Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said. “Aside from the benefits that come from completing a high school education, adult education builds confidence, encourages people to step out of their comfort zone and builds social connections.”

VRABE’s adult continuing education classes have fees, but high school completion programs, citizenship classes, English as a Second Language classes and college transition courses are free for people 17 and older who are no longer enrolled in public school. Courses are offered in a variety of locations and childcare is available at some sites.

VRABE serves residents of Vernon, Ashford, Bolton, Colchester, Coventry, East Windsor, Ellington, Glastonbury, Griswold, Mansfield, South Windsor, Tolland, Willington and Wethersfield. For more information about VRABE’s offerings, please visit www.vrabe.com.

Vernon Board of Education Receives CABE ‘Leadership Award of Distinction’ for Teamwork, Leadership and Commitment to Student Achievement

The Vernon Board of Education has been recognized for its consistent teamwork and leadership with a Leadership Award of Distinction by the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. Vernon is one of only 15 districts in Connecticut to achieve this distinction.

Vernon’s school board has been recognized multiple times by CABE and has received the organization’s leadership award for seven straight years.

The Leadership Award of Distinction recognizes the board’s laser-like focus on improving student achievement, its commitment to conduct business in an open and transparent manner, and to adhere to board policies that reflect a commitment to fulfilling its mission.

“The Vernon Board of Education consistently goes above and beyond in its pursuit of excellence,” CABE Executive Director Patrice McCarthy said. “The board creates an environment where administrators and teachers help students achieve every day. It is also committed to carrying out its business in a cooperative manner that is consistently focused on providing the best education possible for Vernon students and providing Vernon taxpayers with the best value.”

Serving on a board of education is one of the most important jobs a person can embark on, Vernon Superintendent Dr. Joseph P. Macary said.

“We have a board that works hard to understand the issues and challenges we face, but that also sets high expectations for student achievement,” Dr. Macary said. “The board knows that the sky is the limit for Vernon children.”

Board Chair Anne Fischer said teamwork is essential for the Board of Education. Board members take on a variety or responsibilities beyond attendance at meetings. They interact with school staff, serve as liaisons to schools and departments and work on multiple subcommittees.

“When you run for the Board of Education you are making a significant commitment of time and energy,” Fischer said. “A collaborative approach to our mission leads to better outcomes for our students, our staff and administrators and our community. We are grateful to CABE for recognizing our board's dedication and efforts to educate the students of Vernon with the belief that all children can learn using a whole-child approach."

The Vernon Board of Education was recognized on Nov. 18 at the annual CABE/CAPSS Convention. CAPSS is the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents.

Rockville High School Agriculture Students Sell Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Poinsettias, other items at FFA Holiday Sale this Thursday
Students Show Off Creative, Agricultural and Entrepreneurial Skills

VERNON, Connecticut – Students and staff in Rockville High School's Agricultural Science and Technology Education program are making wreaths, porch pots, holiday centerpieces and birch reindeer that they will be selling, along with poinsettias, Christmas trees and students' crafts, at Thursday's FFA Holiday Sale.

The sale is from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the RHS ASTE building and all are welcome.

The sale is the key fundraiser for the Rockville High School FFA chapter and gives ASTE students the opportunity to showcase some of the many of skills they learn.

Students grew the poinsettias, harvested the trees from a Christmas tree farm on land leased from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and have been making wreaths and other items.

Making wreaths is not as easy as it seems, sophomore Maya Martin said. "It's really hard!"

Not so, said Piper Jones, also a sophomore. "I thought it was going to be harder," Piper said.

The annual sale is a big deal for the FFA Chapter and gives students a chance to engage with the community, with program alumni and others, said Ashley Lanz, the department's animal science teacher.

ASTE Chair Erika Bahler said students are making about 200 wreaths that will be for sale along with the birch reindeer, Christmas trees and other items. They will also be selling items they have produced, she said.

The Holiday Sale gives students practical and entrepreneurial experience because many agricultural businesses produce holiday products this time of year, she said.

Devon Belknap, a sophomore, was particularly proud of their wreath. "We really want to make sure everything we do is as perfect as possible," Devon said.

Vernon Public Schools Use ‘Trunk or Treat’ to Remind Families to Apply for Free and Reduced-Price Meals
Families Receive Apples or Delicata Squash Rather Than Candy

Halloween is about tricks and treats, usually in the form of candy. But the Vernon Public Schools Food & Nutrition Services department used the Town’s recent Trunk or Treat event to remind families of the benefits of locally-grown, healthy foods.

Families could receive apples or a delicata squash, as well as a recipe card with instructions on how to prepare the squash to bring out its sweet, nutty flavor.

Elizabeth Fisher, Director of Food and Nutrition Services for the Vernon Public Schools (wearing the carrot costume) and Tiffany Garrett (dressed as peas in a pod) and Tiffany’s children pose at the recent Trunk or Treat event in Vernon.

"We got some funny looks for handing out squash, but then we explained that delicata squash is delicious, healthy and easy to prepare,” said Elizabeth Fisher, the Director of Food & Nutrition. “We strive every day to serve Vernon children delicious and healthy meals at school. It only makes sense to also give parents and guardians ideas about how to add more healthy options to their meals at home.”

Fisher and her team also used Trunk or Treat to remind families that FREE breakfast and lunch are available to all Vernon Public Schools students through Dec. 31, 2022 because the district opted in to the School Meals Assistance Revenue for Transition (SMART) program. Those free meals end Dec. 31 and unless families act immediately, they may lose access to free and reduced-price meal options.

It is essential that families with students who may be eligible for free and reduced price lunches apply as soon as possible so that their children, if they qualify, can continue to receive free or reduced-price lunches. Families that do not apply will revert to FULL PAY when the SMART funds expire on Dec. 31.

To apply, please visit this link: https://www.vernonpublicschools.org/free-and-reduced-meals.

Families whose children attend Maple Street School, Northeast School and Skinner Road School do not need to apply because those schools are covered by another meal program and will receive free meals for the remainder of the school year. If those families have students at another school, though, they need to apply for those students.

Families that have received a Notice of Direct Certification for Free or Reduced-Price Meals from the Food and Nutrition Services Department for this school year do not need to fill out an application.

Questions regarding meal applications and eligibility can be directed to Elizabeth Fisher, the Director of Food & Nutrition, at efisher@vernon-ct.gov.

The squash came Cloverleigh Farm in Columbia. The Vernon Public Schools regularly purchase fresh, local produce for Vernon school children. Fresh produce is also grown by Rockville High School Agriculture Science and Technology Education students for the RHS cafeteria.

Rockville High School Kicks off Career Pathways Program for Class of 2026

VERNON, Connecticut – Freshmen at Rockville High School are the first class to experience a new program designed to help them identify a possible career and set them on a course of study that prepares them for that career or to continue their education.

The Career Pathways program requires every member of the Class of 2026 to join one of three academies. Students will then have the opportunity to select an area of focus, called a pathway.

The goal is to get students more engaged in their own learning, to better prepare them for a career or post-secondary education, and to help them be successful when they leave Rockville High School, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said.

“Preparing students for meaningful post-secondary experiences, be they at college, in the military or the workforce, is the mission of the Vernon Public Schools,” Dr. Macary said. “Providing these career pathways will enable students to determine where they want to become successful in life.”

It's important to provide students with options that meet their needs, Rockville High School Principal Jason Magao said.

“We’re trying to positively impact every student,” Magao said. “Typical high schools are designed for students who plan to go to college. We need to make sure we are doing our best for students who have college aspirations as well as those who do not. There are many successful people who took different paths in life but it all begins with the drive and opportunity to succeed.”

The Career Pathways program helps students discover the next chapter in their lives.

“We want to empower everyone to be successful when they leave here, whether they want to be a welder or a doctor,” said Bryan Wright, a technology education teacher at Rockville High School. The three academy options are:

• Academy for Advanced Technology and Science.
• Academy for Arts, Business and Communications.
• Academy for Health, Human and Public Services.

Within each Academy students will find a variety of pathways that can be adjusted to match their particular interest. In addition to coursework, students will have opportunities to participate in internships with local businesses and an opportunity to enroll in courses at local colleges and universities. These courses will provide students with college credits that will follow them upon graduation.

“All students will choose an academy,” Wright said. “Those hyper-focused will enroll in a pathway and have more specific areas of study for their interest.”

Students who have not yet figured out what they want to do need not worry. School officials know that many students won’t be ready to choose an academy or pathway immediately. That’s why all incoming freshman will first take exploratory classes that allow them to experience the opportunities each academy presents.

“We’re going to broaden their horizons and give them a sampling of everything we have to offer,” said Jennifer Kasek, a business teacher and the career services coordinator.

Even after that sampling, students may discover the pathway they choose is not right for them.

“Students aren’t locked in,” said Charles Martucci, a business and computer education teacher. “If they decide it isn’t what they want, they can change.”

The Academy for Advanced Technology and Science is grounded in the traditional STEM areas: science, technology, engineering and math. It also includes Rockville High School’s Agricultural Science and Technology Education (ASTE) program. The Academy is for students considering careers in science, manufacturing, agribusiness, construction management, engineering and design, information technology and natural sciences.

The Academy for Arts, Business and Communications blends STEM and the humanities. It is for students interested in areas such as business and finance, hospitality and food service, digital media and design, performance arts, journalism and new media.

The Academy for Health, Human and Public Services also blends STEM and the humanities to help students interested in careers that could include biomedical science, healthcare, human and family services, education and teaching, government service, law enforcement, the fire service and the military.

All students will continue to have traditional core requirements, including algebra 1, geometry, U.S. history, English, biology, world language, American civics, personal finance and health and physical education.

There is enough flexibility built into the program and Connecticut graduation requirements to allow students to pursue a curriculum that is personalized to their career goal.

Martucci said the program follows on Dr. Macary’s goal of having all students identify an area of interest earlier.

Rockville High School Band Hosts US Bands New England States Championships
Volunteers are Needed for a Variety of Jobs at the Competition

VERNON, Connecticut – Rockville High School will be alive with the sound of marching bands Saturday as the Rockville High School band hosts the US Bands New England States Championships.

Raymond Sinclair, the new Director of Bands at Rockville High School, said such competitions are a great opportunity to see and hear top notch bands and watch high school students give their all as they try to win a championship for their school.

“You’re going to see some of the best marching bands from around New England,” Sinclair said.

Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said it’s a great day for Vernon Public Schools to have the stadium at Rockville High School host the competition.

“Extracurricular activities that engage and challenge students are a crucial part of the education we offer in Vernon,” Dr. Macary said. “To compete effectively, students will use the musical skills they have developed, will cooperate with each other and create and achieve something that not only enriches their lives, but will result in a great show for all who attend and live within earshot of Rockville High School.”

Rockville High School Principal Jason Magao said giving students the opportunity to learn, perform and compete is an important part of the experience at Rockville High School. Saturday’s competition has the added bonus of giving band members the opportunity to share their talent with the community.

“Vernon has always taken great pride in the Rockville High School band and Saturday will be a great chance for the community to see what our band has been up to under the leadership of our new director,” Magao said.

Tickets are $20 at the door. The Rockville High School Band Boosters will sell refreshments and have fundraising raffles and a 50/50 drawing to benefit the Rockville High School band.

Volunteers are still needed to handle a variety of tasks, including traffic, logistics and food service. Volunteers get free admission. To sign up to be a volunteer, please visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4aaea829a4fcc16-newengland.

“We are hoping alumni, former band members, parents, anybody that can spare a few hours can come out and help us put this event on,” Sinclair said. “Anyone who can volunteer is greatly appreciated.”

US Bands was pleased to be able to use Rockville High School because of its spectacular football facilities and the school’s reputation for hosting great shows, Sinclair said.

“Spectators are going to see top quality performances from 14 bands from throughout New England,” Sinclair said. “For many of these bands, the competition will be their final performance of the season and two bands will be crowned champions.”

In addition to the Rockville High School Marching Band, competitors include Plainville High School, East Lyme High School, East Haven High School, Manchester High School, Rocky Hill High School, Danbury High School, Bethel High School and Fitch High School from Groton. Several Massachusetts bands will compete too. They include Case High School from Swansea, Mass., Abington High School, Dennis Yarmouth Regional High School and Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the competition begins at 5:30 p.m. The Rockville High School band is second on the schedule and will perform about 5:40 p.m. The last performance is shortly after 9 p.m. and at 9:30 p.m. awards will be presented.

Rockville High School Student Tommy Glinski Kicks-Off 7th Annual ‘Socktober’ Campaign to Help Cornerstone

(VERNON, Connecticut) – Tommy Glinski, a freshman at Rockville High School, is in the midst of another “Socktober” campaign to collect socks for people who are experiencing homelessness.

Since his Socktober campaign began, more than 5,000 pairs of socks and as well as cash have been donated to aid Vernon’s Cornerstone shelter, which serves the area’s homeless population. Tommy is hoping this year’s effort is the biggest yet and helps shelters and clothing banks across greater Hartford. The effort runs until Nov. 15.

Tommy began collecting socks for Cornerstone in 2016, when he was a third grader at Northeast School in Vernon. He was looking for a way to help his community, learned about Socktober and contacted Bryan Flint at Cornerstone.

“I wanted to try to make a difference, to help people,” Tommy said. “And I learned that this really simple gesture, providing new socks for people, was a good way to help.”

Cornerstone operates a homeless shelter that serves Vernon and several other communities. It also has a clothing bank and a variety of other programs to help people.

“We went to Cornerstone to see what they needed,” Tommy said. “They said they were really low on socks.”

Tommy asked his teachers at Northeast School for their help. That first year people donated 200 pairs of socks.

When Tommy moved to Center Road School in Vernon for fourth grade, he asked his teachers if he could continue Socktober there. They loved the idea and more socks were collected for Cornerstone. Tommy has kept it going since. The campaign continued and expanded when Tommy moved onto to Vernon Center Middle School and asked Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne for help spreading the word about Socktober and to place collection boxes in town buildings. Tommy is now a student at Rockville High School.

“Tommy’s continuing commitment to help his community is inspiring and impressive,” Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said. “He represents what makes Vernon a special place. We look out for each other and Tommy has taken that to a new level with his annual Socktober campaign to assist our neighbors at Cornerstone.”

Flint said the Cornerstone is usually able to help people with second-hand clothing that is donated to its clothing bank. “We have shirts and pants and jackets and shoes,” Flint said. “If you get those used, it really doesn’t matter.”

But socks and underwear are a different matter, he said. “Quite reasonably, no one wants used socks or underwear,” Flint said. “That’s why we try to provide folks with new socks and underwear.”

Flint said that Cornerstone does not just aid people who are experiencing homelessness. Sometimes people show up at Cornerstone’s door soaking wet because they have been out in the rain. People can come in, take a shower and get a set of clean, dry clothes, he said. And new socks and underwear. Flint asks that in addition to socks, people consider donating a package of underwear too.

Tommy said that all kinds of socks are needed – for men, women and children – and asks that people place their donations in collection boxes that have been placed at the Vernon Police Department, Vernon Town Hall, Rockville High School, Northeast School, Maple Street School and Vernon Center Middle School. There are also collection boxes at LuAnn’s Bakery and Earthlight Solar and Energy Solutions, both in Ellington.

Vernon Public Schools Host Job Fair, Seek the Best of the Best to Fill Teaching and Other Positions
Interviews to be Conducted Onsite at Job Fair

VERNON, Connecticut – The Vernon Public Schools will host a job fair on Thursday, September 22nd, 2022 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Rockville High School library/media center, 70 Loveland Hill Road, Vernon.

There are multiple positions open, including special education teacher, Spanish teacher, paraeducators, speech and language pathologist, transportation and logistics coordinator, director of adult education, and school bus drivers. The Vernon Public Schools offer competitive pay and top-notch benefits, including health insurance and retirement.

Vernon Public Schools leaders will be on hand to answer questions, discuss career paths in education and conduct immediate on-site interviews with people who attend.  

“If you want to work in a great community, with dedicated staff, and learn and grow as a professional, Vernon is the place for you,” Assistant Superintendent of Schools and Human Resources Director Robert Testa said.

While teachers are primarily responsible for educating students, all Vernon Public Schools employees play a role in educating Vernon’s children, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said.

“Every member of our team contributes to student success,” Dr. Macary said. “Teachers, paras, school bus drivers, custodians and cafeteria workers help make our award winning schools safe, welcoming and dynamic places where students can do their best. The Vernon Public Schools are a great place to work because we are building the future.”

Vernon Public Schools Mark First Day of School with Hugs, High Fives and Momentum

Thursday was the first day of school in Vernon, and after first day ceremonies and celebratory hugs and high
fives, students, teachers and staff got to work.

Superintendent Dr. Joseph Macary and Assistant Superintendent Robert Testa visited each of Vernon’s five
elementary schools to check in with principals about how things were going, greet teachers new to the district
and give pencils and a pep talk to every kindergarten student.

“The first day of school is always a great day,” ’Dr. Macary said. “It’s exciting to see kindergarteners and other
students who are ready to learn.”

Vernon police also visited every school on Thursday to check the perimeter of each building and ensure a safe
learning environment.

Everyone is hopeful this school year will be “normal.” The past three school years have been heavily impacted
by the COVID-19 pandemic, either through school being remote or absences by students and staff who
became ill. Across Connecticut and the nation, the pandemic has taken a toll on student achievement as
measured by standardized tests.

But those tests also revealed good news in Vernon, where Dr. Macary pushed for a return to in-school learning
as early as possible. While every district saw scores decline, there were bright spots in Vernon.

“Vernon outperformed the state average in English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science during the 2021-
2022 school year,” Mr. Testa said. “Our district goal is to improve every year. We focus on growth in schools. And last school year, our students’ achievement outperformed the state average in these three key areas.
That means we have momentum to keep moving forward.”

The state measures the percentage of students who reach their personal academic growth targets.

“In third grade, every student, based on their performance, is assigned a growth target,” Mr. Testa said.

“The average percentage of growth target achieved by our students outperformed the state average in English
Language Arts and Mathematics.”

For the Vernon Public Schools, 72.3 percent of students reached their targets in math and 61.7 percent
reached their targets in English Language Arts. The state average was 65.2 percent in math and 60.4 percent in
English Language Arts. This is truly meaningful progress and our goal is to keep moving forward.”

“In person learning and targeted use of math and English interventionists was the key,” Dr. Macary said. 
“When we identified a student who was struggling, we immediately provided the assistance that student
needed to be successful. Our teachers and administrators work hard every day to make sure our students are
getting the support they need.”

Several times during Thursday’s tour of the elementary schools, Dr. Macary and Mr. Testa talked to principals about making sure interventionists went to work immediately with students who have already been identified as needing support.

“We have high expectations of our students and we know that they can achieve,” Dr. Macary said.

“We also have high expectations of our teachers and administrators,” Mr. Testa said. “No one slips through the cracks in Vernon. Every student matters and we are committed to making sure every student gets the support they need to be successful.”

Vernon Agriculture Science and Technology Students Grow Fresh Produce to be Served in Rockville High Cafeteria You’ve heard of ‘Farm to Table.’ How about ‘Farm to Cafeteria Tray?’

The Vernon Public Schools are taking the “farm to table” movement to a new level. Students in Rockville High School’s Agriculture Science and Technology (ASTE) program are growing cucumbers and lettuce their classmates will enjoy in the school cafeteria.

You might call it farm to cafeteria tray.

Project Homegrown is a partnership between the Vernon Public Schools’ Food and Nutrition Department and the ASTE program, and in addition to growing fresh produce includes the composting of kitchen scraps from the cafeteria. The compost is added to the soil used to grow the fresh produce.

Rockville High School Senior Jessica Donovan displays the cucumbers she just harvested.

“I have been thinking a lot about the ASTE program and how we could work together,” said Elizabeth Fisher, Director of Food and Nutrition for the Vernon Public Schools. “I reached out to Erika Bahler, who is the director, and asked if they’d be interested in starting a collaboration and Erika said ‘absolutely.’”

Junior Troy Balsewicz carries a tray of lettuce from the ASTE greenhouse.

The impetus was a grant program through the North Central District Health Department to encourage farm to school programs and to help cover costs, which consisted largely of vegetable seeds, bins for vegetable scraps, and other supplies.

On Wednesday (May 4, 2022) Rockville High Senior Jessica Donovan harvested the first cucumbers. Junior Troy Balsewicz made a first cutting of the lettuce he and his teachers and classmates grew.

Rockville High Senior Jessica Donovan cuts cucumbers from a vine in the ASTE greenhouse.

When the weather gets warmer, the ASTE students will also grow cherry tomatoes in a garden they have prepared. The garden club will continue to grow food through the summer and fall for the Vernon Schools nutrition program.

“I can’t think of a better way to reinforce for the Rockville High School community the important contributions of the ASTE program and agriculture in general,” Vernon Schools Superintendent Dr. Joseph Macary said. “Our students will be enjoying fresh vegetables grown by their friends just a few hundred feet from where they are eating. This is great for everybody.”

Rockville High ASTE Teacher Erika Bahler shows students Jessica Donovan and Troy Balsewicz how to harvest lettuce.

Bahler said students in horticulture classes and the after school garden club are enthusiastic about providing classmates with hyper-locally sourced lunches in the cafeteria and showing off what they do at ASTE.

“They’re excited about the fact that what they are growing is going to be in their school lunch, that they’re going to find it in the school cafeteria when they get lunch each day,” Bahler said.

Junior Troy Balsewicz carries lettuce he just harvested.

“It’s great to have fresh produce that is locally grown,” Donovan said, adding locally-grown food is easier to transport and helps reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases. “You get to see where the food you grow goes and the affect it has on your community. Other students also get to see what we’ve been doing in the ag program.”

Donovan snipped the cucumbers from their vine, which is growing in an ASTE greenhouse. Teacher Erika Bahler helped her determine which cucumbers were ready to be picked and which need some more growing time.

Bahler showed Balsewicz how to cut the lettuce, also grown in a green house, then he finished the job, placing the mixed greens in a bucket for delivery to the cafeteria.

“It’s a really nice opportunity to be able to do this,” Balsewicz said. “We’re able to provide something for the school and our fellow students get to see what the ag program is doing. Many of the people over there really don’t know what goes on over here.”

And while the Vernon Public Schools Food and Nutrition Department uses locally grown produce as much as possible, the produce grown by the ASTE students takes it a new level.

“You can’t get any fresher than next door,” Bahler said.

Vernon Center Middle School Student Creates Word that is Recognized by New York Times in Vocabulary Challenge
Sixth Grader Blake Lewis Earns Honorable Mention for Word ‘Seath’

Sixth and seventh graders in Regina Lee’s Talented and Gifted classes at Vernon Center Middle School spent several class sessions discussing how words are created and then went to work inventing new words.

Sixth grader Blake Lewis’ word was judged to be so original that it won “honorable mention” from The New York Times in a Vocabulary Challenge for middle and high school students. Read the story here.

Blake Lewis

“When I first gave the kids this assignment some of them were really intimated,” Lee said. The concept of creating words is difficult. And there’s a tendency for older people to dismiss new words created and spoken by younger generations, she said. “Older people say, ‘that’s not a real word.’”

In fact, new words are created all the time to fill new needs.

“Every word is a real word,” Lee said. “Whether words get into the dictionary depends on how well we decide they meet the needs of our language. And that means how commonly new words are used.”

Lee had her students view a TED talk by lexicographer Erin McKean, who urges students to create new words. Just as people create art and music, they can and should create words, she said.

“You can make a new word right now,” she said. “English has no age limit. Everybody who speaks English decides together what’s a word and what’s not a word. Every language is just a group of people who agree to understand each other.”

New words can be created in a variety of ways – by taking them from other languages, compounding words by putting two words together, or blending by combining two words into one, McKean said.

To create his word, Blake, 11, thought about articles he has read about the health of the world’s oceans.

“There is information about how the seas’ health is getting worse and worse,” Blake said. “So, I thought of a word for it – ‘seath.’ I used “sea” and the last part of ‘health.’”

He said he was “amazed” when he learned the judges at The New York Times listed his word among the top entries they received.

“I’m hoping that someday Blake’s word is used by scientists,” Lee said. She suggested the “seath scale for ocean health” would be a good way for the word to be used. In the submission to The New York Times, Blake suggested this sentence: “Horrible pollution is decreasing our world seath.”

Although Blake’s word was the only one to be recognized by The New York Times, Vernon Center Middle Schools created many interesting and fun words, Lee said.

Some of those words include:

• CollyDrop: a person who drops out of college. – Parker Burns, grade 6
• Sheltooz: a house with a lot of pets and a crazy dynamic. – Storm Berard, grade 7
• Arreltion: when you find something (a book, movie, TV show or song) that puts the emotions you have been feeling into words and makes you feel seen and understood. – Rowan Hodgkins, grade 7
• Knucklepluckle: someone who picks at their fingers, cuticles or nails. – Lucy Powers, grade 7
• Jad: when you feel happy for someone because they got a good opportunity, but also sad because they will be leaving to seize the new opportunity. – Soumil Jain, grade 7
• Snickely: the act of sneezing uncontrollably. – Jacob Brown, grade 6
• Crish or crished: what happens when you drop a glass item and it breaks into many pieces. – Mason Pitkin, grade 6
• Exquizamble or exquizambled: to make someone think they look better than they actually do, or to act as if you look better than you actually do. – Livia Castle, grade 7

Author and Vernon Resident Joy Houlder Visits Vernon Elementary Schools to Read Her Children’s Book ‘Calvin Dreams’ to Students

VERNON, Connecticut – Some Vernon elementary school students received a special treat this month when author Joy Houlder visited their classrooms to read from her book “Calvin Dreams: And that he will be bigger than the moon!”

At Vernon’s Skinner Road School, students were enthralled by Calvin and Houlder’s vivid illustrations, which show Calvin exploring his dreams with his stuffed bunny as a sidekick.

Author Joy Houlder reads her book “Calvin Dreams” to second graders in Denise LaVacca’s class at Vernon’s Skinner Road School.

When Houlder finished reading, the students’ arms shot into the air with questions about those illustrations, what it’s like to write a book and about Calvin.

“Can I tell you all something?” Houlder said. “Calvin is a real boy.” The children gasped.

“Calvin is actually my little brother,” Houlder continued. “He was 1 when I wrote this book.” 

And then there was one more surprise. Houlder told the children that she is one of them. She grew up in Vernon, attended Vernon Public Schools, then college, where she wrote the book about Calvin, who is now 4. The students saw in her someone they could aspire to be.

Author Joy Houlder reads to first graders in Lauren Worsham’s class at Vernon’s Skinner Road School.

“Ms. Houlder is an example of all the great things you can accomplish when you work hard,” Melissa Trantolo, the Director of Teaching and Learning for Vernon Public Schools, told the first graders in Lauren Worsham’s class. 

As she stood up to leave, some students gathered around to hug her and ask more questions.

“I’m going to be dreaming about this,” Houlder said. “It’s incredible and humbling at the same time.”

Houlder, 24, works for Eastern Connecticut Health Network as a Family Resource Specialist at Vernon’s Maple Street School, where teachers and students know her and her book well.

Second graders at Vernon’s Skinner Road School listen as Author Joy Houlder reads her book “Calvin Dreams.”

“So many teachers at Maple Street School were telling me about Joy and what a fabulous person she is,  what a fantastic author and illustrator she is and about the positive messages she is sending out to our students,” Trantolo said. “I went and met her and absolutely fell in love with her. I asked her if she would be willing to visit all the schools and share her story with them?”

Houlder happily agreed.

“The kids absolutely loved her,” Trantolo said. “They’re able to quickly make connections with her, and her book shows students of color in a positive light and lets all students know they have a place. It’s just amazing.”

Houlder said she wrote “Calvin Dreams” because she was excited to have a little brother and because she saw a void in books for children of color. In many situations, a Black male protagonist is working for civil rights or in another historical context. She said she wanted to create a book that featured a Black boy in fantasy situations. Those are the types of books she had trouble finding herself in when she was young.

She wrote the book for Calvin so he would have something special, but was encouraged by a college professor to think bigger. She began drawing and then putting together a story as a special course during her senior year at Emmanuel College in Boston. She graduated in May 2019 and the book was published the following December.

On the back cover is a message to the children she is trying to reach: “Dear underrepresented child, believe in yourself and chase your dreams.”

“Calvin Dreams” can be found online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

U.S. News & World Report ranks Vernon’s Lake Street School Among Best in Connecticut

Vernon, Connecticut – U.S. News & World Report magazine, long known for ranking colleges and healthcare providers, has listed Vernon’s Lake Street School among the best elementary schools in Connecticut.

The magazine this month released its first ranking of elementary and middle schools nationwide. The magazine used data reported to state and federal agencies to rank more than 80,000 public elementary and middle schools across the country.

Lake Street School was ranked No. 60 out of 560 schools in Connecticut. The magazine’s rankings are based on math and reading proficiency on state assessments as well as how students perform compared to expectations. The data the magazine relied on is from the 2018-2019 school year.

“Our teachers, administrators and staff work hard each day with the goal of challenging students to achieve at the highest level,” said Dr. Joseph Macary, Vernon’s Superintendent of Schools. “Parents play a key role in that effort and the success of our students, and this ranking is recognition of that work.”

Lake Street School, like all Vernon Public Schools, has a culture where students thrive and are challenged to do their best work, Principal Terese Duenzl said.

“This recognition from U.S. News is based on test scores, which are important in assessing our students’ performance and tell part of the story about what makes Lake Street School a wonderful place for children to learn,” Duenzl said. “But Lake Street School is about much more than test scores. We have a strong and supportive family community. Our staff works together to do what’s best for kids. As a result, our students are engaged, challenged each day, immersed in the arts, and taught to think critically and collaboratively as they grow into life-long learners.”

While Lake Street School has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report, all Vernon Public Schools are focused on creating an environment where all students can achieve at the highest level, Assistant School Superintendent Robert Testa said.

“In every Vernon school, everything we do each day is designed to move students forward,” Testa said. “We have a high quality curriculum, top-notch educators and high expectations for everyone. We look at each child in our schools and ask, ‘what does this child need to do his or her best,’ and then we do whatever we can for that student. We know that all Vernon children are capable of being top performers and we push them toward that.”

Last year, Vernon’s Northeast School was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School. Northeast School’s students, families, teachers, staff and administrators were recognized for overall academic excellence and closing the achievement gap.

“If you have a quality teaching staff and focused interventions in English Language Arts and Mathematics for students who are not yet on grade level, you are moving forward,” Dr. Macary said. “Add in a relevant curriculum and a culture of students, parents, teachers, administrators and staff working as a team, and everyone benefits.”

Vernon Students Return to School
Superintendent Greets Newest Students, Teachers 

VERNON, Connecticut – The first day of school in Vernon was filled with anticipation, excitement, lots of smiles and 45 new teachers and staff who eagerly joined their veteran colleagues to provide Vernon students with the best educational experience possible.

 “The students are telling me they are happy to be back,” Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said. “Teachers, paraprofessionals and other school staff are telling me the same thing. We are having a great first day of school and everyone is happy to be here.”

Dr. Macary greets students Wednesday morning at Center Road School.

Dr. Macary, joined by Assistant Superintendent Robert Testa and Director of Business and Finance William Meier, toured district schools Wednesday to check in with principals, staff and students, and to provide a special greeting to new teachers and kindergarteners.

At Center Road School Dr. Macary asked kindergarteners how many could count to 10 already. Several then demonstrated their counting skills and earned a round of applause from their teachers and administrators.

“It’s great to see everybody,” Dr. Macary told children in Kristen Piscottano’s kindergarten class at Center Road School. “Everybody have a great first day.”

Dr. Macary greets new teacher Anthony Messina at Maple Street School.

At Maple Street School Dr. Macary dropped in on Anthony Messina’s fifth grade class to welcome Mr. Messina to Vernon. “Welcome, we’re glad to have you here,” Dr. Macary said. “Let me know if you need anything.”

Although students returned to school Wednesday, teachers have been preparing their classrooms and attending training and the annual convocation to open school.

Regina Lee, Vernon’s Teacher of the Year and a talented and gifted teacher at Vernon Center Middle School, urged her fellow teachers to never become discouraged, to remember the immense responsibility that comes with being a teacher, and to appreciate the lasting impact they will have on students.

Vernon Teacher of the Year Regina Lee speaks to Dr. Macary at Vernon Center Middle School.

“We have the unique ability of meeting the students at their current stage of development, embracing their strengths and weaknesses, and showing them we like them and care about them no matter what,” Lee said. “We have to love them no matter what kind of day we are having.”

She described the teachers who helped her during her journey from being a young immigrant who did not speak English to an adult who treasures their opportunity to help her students learn and achieve.

“During their whole lives our students will have people putting limits on their hopes, telling them they can’t, or they never will,” she said. “Regardless of what happens in our classroom, we must not be part of that destructive crowd, even subconsciously. We don’t have to condone everything our students do but the words we choose and our actions will be remembered by them forever, and will definitely impact some of the decisions they make. None of us are set in stone. We change all the time. Our students don’t always understand that so we have to show them that their world is full of possibilities and potential for change.”

Lee told her colleagues that in their classrooms, they are the most powerful people in the room and their influence on their students is great.
“Let’s behave every day as if that is the day students will remember about us,” she said.

The continuing coronavirus pandemic is impacting schools. Students will continue to wear masks and to socially distance. All Vernon students will also continue to receive free breakfast and lunch through the 2021-2022 school year.

The first day lunch in Vernon schools featured Dzen Farm corn and Johnny Appleseed’s Farm apples.

Elizabeth Fisher, the director of Food and Nutrition Services, is working to ensure students have the most nutritious meals possible. Monday’s lunch featured corn from Dzen Farms in South Windsor and apples from Johnny Appleseed’s Farm in Ellington.

No paperwork is required to participate in the free meal program, although it is critical that all eligible families complete and submit free and reduced-price meal applications to the school district so that it can be determined whether they are eligible for other programs. For more information, please visit the Food & Nutrition Services page on the district website.
 

VERNON STUDENTS WIN LOCAL FIRE PREVENTION POSTER CONTEST

Two Vernon Public Schools students were honored in January for their artistic efforts and fire prevention messages.

Shawn Parrot, 8, a third-grader at Skinner Road School, and Chase Kopcza, 9, a fourth-grader at Lake Street School, were the Vernon winners in the annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest.

Shawn Parrot, left, and Chase Kopcza display their winning posters.

Vernon Fire Marshal Dan Wasilewski and Deputy Fire Marshal Chris Wilcox presented each winner with a certificate and a gift card during visits to their schools.

Shawn said his poster is intended to help children understand that “you should not play with lighters and matches.” 

Shawn's poster

Shawn also said he wanted people to understand that firefighters “help people when there is a fire.” Shawn is a student in Carol Chatterton’s class.

Chase’s poster show’s an elaborate forest scene with a tent, pine trees and a camp fire. He said he wanted people to know “how dangerous it is to leave your campfire unattended if you go to bed” and that “It could start a forest fire.” 

Chase's poster

Chase said his mom, an artist, explained to him how to create a realistic scene, and how to draw pine trees. “It’s very tiring for your fingers,” he said. Chase is a student in Stephanie Schipper’s class.

All Vernon Public Schools third- and fourth-graders were eligible to enter the contest and Wasilewski and Wilcox judged the entries. Chase’s poster will move on to the Tolland County poster contest.

Shawn Parrot is recognized by Vernon Fire Marshal Dan Wasilewski, left, Skinner Road School Principal Bryan Kerachsky and Deputy Fire Marshal Chris Wilcox.

“We have a lot of creative and artistic students in Vernon and they did such a great job with their posters it was really difficult to choose winners,” Wasilewski said. “Ultimately, Chris and I thought Shawn’s and Chase’s posters best illustrated this year’s theme of “Fire Prevention, Everyone, Every Day.”

Chase Kopcza is recognized by Vernon Fire Marshal Dan Wasilewski, Lake Street School Principal Tracy Duenzl and Deputy Fire Marshal Chris Wilcox.

The annual poster contest is sponsored by the Connecticut Fire Marshals Association, the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association, the State Fire Marshal, the Connecticut Department of Education Connecticut Fair Plan, an insurance provider.
 

Counselor at Vernon Center Middle School Donates Kidney to Save a Life, Urges Others to Consider Becoming Living Organ Donors

VERNON, Connecticut – As a counselor at Vernon Center Middle School, Kim Sass is used to regularly giving of herself to help students with the myriad of issues and struggles adolescents face each day.

But it was a billboard that Sass spotted along I-84 that got her thinking about another way she could quite literally give of herself to help another person.

“I remember that there was a woman, a mother from Willington, who put up a billboard for her son,” Sass recalled. “He needed a kidney.”

Mary Kozicki is that mother and she was seeking a living donor to provide a kidney for her son Austin, who since he was a child has struggled with a disease that damaged his kidney. It was now time for a transplant and the wait for a kidney can be years.

Sass thought about the billboard. She is healthy and strong, has no chronic health issues and has participated in marathons and triathlons in the past.

“As everything was happening with COVID, you just more and more give thanks for your health,” Sass said. “I began to think donating a kidney was something I could do and I started looking in to living organ donation.”

Sass contacted Hartford Hospital and in August began the process of becoming a living donor. There were interviews with the transplant coordinator, a social worker, a nephrologist and the surgeon, medical evaluations and testing.  She was approved to be a living donor at the end of October.

Sass got word in mid-November that she matched someone who needed a kidney and underwent surgery December 3^rd.

Sass knows only that her kidney went to a child. She’s curious about who the person is and what condition the recipient has been enduring. In the end, Sass returns to what motivated her to become a donor in the first place – her good fortune of being a healthy person and her belief she could help someone.

“I don’t know who got my kidney, but I do know that if they were on the transplant list their life was being dramatically affected,” Sass said. “If I can function with one kidney, I’m walking around with something someone else needs to live a normal life.”

That the recipient of her kidney was a child makes Sass wonder whether he or she can now go outside and play, go to school and live a life untethered to hospitals and machines.

 “I think it’s kind of neat that I can do something that has such a dramatic impact on someone’s life,” she said.

Sass said she hopes others will consider becoming living donors. It’s rewarding and safe for the donor and life-changing for the recipient, she said.

Kozicki, whose billboard inspired Sass, said she was delighted to learn of Sass’s decision. It’s the third donation Kozicki said she knows of resulting from a person seeing the billboard.

Her son Austin did find a donor and received a kidney and is doing well, she added.

“The Living Donation program at Hartford Hospital is such an amazing program that I never knew existed,” Kozicki said. “Our family, we just don’t have the ability to be donors and I thought we were going to be on the list forever.”

Kozicki said she was glad to be able to spread the word about the living donation and to build awareness and to encourage others to consider donating.

“I felt very strongly it wasn’t just about Austin’s need for a kidney, but raising awareness about the need for kidney donors and awareness of the living donor program,” she said. “It is so easy to save someone’s life. Not only Austin’s life was saved but other peoples’ lives were saved. To be a small part of spreading the word, that feels amazing.”

Sass views her experience as a living donor the same way. Although she was reluctant to speak publicly about donating a kidney, she decided it was important to spread the word and to encourage others to consider being a living donor because the need is so great.

“In my job I have to be an advocate for kids,” Sass said. “If I’m doing this and I have a good experience, I think my job right now is to advocate for people to be living donors.”

To David Caruso, the principal at Vernon Center Middle School, Sass’s decision to be a living donor provides an example to students at VCMS and throughout the Vernon Public Schools.

“We talk about our core values all the time and what it means to be a good person and to help people,” Caruso said. “It exemplifies what we value at Vernon Center Middle School and in the Vernon community, the giving of one’s self to help others. Educators are doing that every single day. Kim just found a different way to do it.”

Kari Rancourt, a nurse and transplant coordinator at Hartford Hospital, said there are 388 people waiting for a kidney transplant through Hartford Hospital’s transplant program, and the number grows each year. Nationally, about 100,000 people are waiting for a transplant and about 20,000 transplant surgeries occur, she said.

“The problem with kidney disease is it’s not super visible,” Rancourt said. “People don’t truly understand how life-saving a donation can be. This really is a life-changing and life-saving gift.”

People who are organ donors at death help, but only three out of 1,000 people die in a way that allows for organ donation, Rancourt said. That makes living donors crucial.

Sass was unusual in that she was a non-directed donor, meaning she volunteered without a specific recipient in mind. It’s rare for the transplant program to hear from people interested in such a donation, but Rancourt said she’d love to hear from more.

“Non-directed donors are very special people,” she said. “For the person who is moved to do this, they’re moved by some bigger calling and they are definitely part of an amazing group of people.”

The process is voluntary and donors can change their minds at any time, Rancourt said. All of a donor’s medical costs related to the donation are covered, she added.

“There’s no greater gift you can give than the gift of life,” Rancourt said.

For more information about the Living Donor program at Hartford Hospital,  please call 860-696-2021 or visit:

https://hartfordhospital.org/services/transplant-services/departments-services/living-donation

Rockville High School’s Unified Sports Team wins Michaels’ Jewelers Cup and National Banner

VERNON, Connecticut -- Rockville High School’s Unified Sports program has been making winners and a difference for more than a decade and was recently honored by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference as one of the best programs in Connecticut.

The team received the Michaels Jewelers’ Unified Sports Cup Award, which recognizes the team and its athletes for what they achieve both on and off the court. Rockville High’s program also won a National Unified Champion School banner from Special Olympics.

Rockville High School Unified Sports athletes and mentors pose with the Michaels’ Jewelers Cup and the National Unified Champion School banner.

Unified Sports is a movement in Special Olympics to bring students with disabilities together with their peers who do not have disabilities. About 95 percent of Connecticut’s high schools participate in the program.

Unified Sports athletes at Rockville High compete in soccer, basketball, bowling and tennis. But athletics is only part of what happens. The athletes and their student mentors and coaches also host an annual Snowflake Dance for area Unified Sports programs and sponsor an annual bowling tournament. They also join together for fundraising efforts, a family pasta dinner, trips to professional sporting events and programs with students in Rockville High’s Agricultural Science & Technology Program.

“This is an opportunity for the students with disabilities to participate and to be part of the school’s athletic program,” said Joe Prignano, the team’s coach and a transition coordinator in Rockville High School’s special education program. “When they compete they are incredibly competitive, but it is also nurturing. The sportsmanship and comradery is unbelievable when you go to these events.”

The Michaels’ Cup will reside at Rockville High for the year. The banner is Rockville High’s to keep.

Rockville High School Unified Sports athletes Emily Aiudi, Peter Kratzke, Brianna Jimenez and Alexis Lebel pose with the Michaels’ Cup.

“The Michaels’ Cup is like an Olympic gold medal,” Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Macary said. “And winning the Michaels’ Cup is wonderful recognition of a program that illustrates our school system’s commitment to a culture of inclusion and equal opportunity. Unified Sports is good for the athletes and it’s good for our schools and community.”

Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said the Unified Sports team’s achievement is something he hopes makes all Vernon residents proud. “On behalf of myself and the town council, congratulations to the athletes, coaches, mentors and everyone else who supports Unified Sports and played a role in this amazing accomplishment.”

“The Michaels’ Cup is a big deal for Rockville High School and we are so honored to have earned it,” added Rockville High School Principal Jason Magao. “Our athletes, mentors and coaches make us proud.”

The mentors are students who do not have disabilities who volunteer to help their fellow students enjoy sports and the other programs the team offers.

“Our mentors, they’re so good-natured,” Prignano said. “They blend very well with our athletes.”

Ashley McCauley, a Rockville High senior and team mentor, said she got involved in Unified Sports as a freshman. “It looked like fun and a good way to include students with disabilities in the larger school community,” she said. “I love it.”

Peter Kratzke and Tyler Lapointe are in their third year as athletes on Rockville High’s Unified Sports team. Both said they love sports, competing and being on the team.

“We like to warm up and get ready for our games,” Lapointe said.

“I like the sports and it motivates me to get healthier, “ Kratzke said.

The coronavirus pandemic has limited what the team has been able to do, but the team hasn’t given up, McCauley said. “We can’t do basketball or soccer, but we’re trying bocce.”

The relationships mentors and athletes build carry over into other school activities, which is important, said Megan McAuliffe, another mentor. “The relationships we build continue outside of Unified,” she said. “We gain a lot of friends.”

Vernon Schools Work to Ensure Students Have Reliable Internet Access at Home

VERNON, Connecticut – Since the spring, Vernon Public Schools staff have worked hard to ensure all students have laptop computers and reliable access to the internet so that they can fully participate in virtual and hybrid learning.

School staff have stayed in contact with families to troubleshoot any issues and have become aware that some students are struggling with spotty internet access and other issues. It’s a problem that school officials are ready to help families address.

“It is crucial that children have reliable internet connections so that they can fully participate in their classes,” Vernon Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert Testa said. “We have had a lot of success addressing technology needs, but we understand that situations change. We want to hear from anyone who is having trouble because we can help.”

It is Cynthia Zingler’s team in the district’s Family School and Community Partnerships Center that is on the leading edge of helping school families and breaking down barriers to learning, including spotty internet access.

“Families should contact their principal or school social worker if they are having internet access difficulties,” said Zingler, Director of Family School and Community Partnerships. Families can also reach out directly to Zingler at czingler@vernon-ct.gov.

Internet access is just one of the many ways the Family School and Community Partnerships Center helps children and families. For many families, the Center is their first point of contact with Vernon Schools because it is where they register their children for school.

The Center also offers playgroups for preschoolers to build relationships between parents and the school system, and provides families with tools and strategies for at home learning. The Center also helps connect families with community services, including basic needs such as food and clothing. There’s really no problem or issue Zingler and her team won’t try to address.

“When anyone has a need, we look for a way to help,” Zingler said. “By having relationships with service organizations and state and local agencies, we can usually figure out a way to get a family the assistance it needs.”

The Center’s goal is to engage families with the school system early and to eliminate all barriers to a child’s success in school.

“Food and housing-insecurity are barriers that can interfere with a child’s ability to learn and thrive in school,” Zingler said. “It makes sense for the school system to take an active role in helping families through difficult times. If we can help keep a child focused on school and learning, the whole community benefits.”

Research shows that when schools, parents, families and communities work together, students earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, stay in school and are more motivated.

“All of this work is about building trust and relationships,” Zingler said. “When we work together, we set high standards for all students, in all classrooms, and work with parents to help their children meet those standards. And that’s good for everybody.”

Construction Underway on Final Phase of Safe Routes to School Initiative

Program Encourages Children to Walk and Bicycle to Skinner Road School

(VERNON, Connecticut) – Construction is underway on the final phase of a multi-year effort to encourage students to walk and bike to school and to make the routes children take to school safer.

Much of the work is funded by the Safe Routes to School grant the Town of Vernon received several years ago which focused on Skinner Road School. Careful management of construction costs has allowed for additional improvements to the sidewalks that lead to Rockville High School.

“By being careful stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars, we are able to do more with this project than initially planned,” Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said. “These sidewalk improvements will benefit everyone, but especially our community’s school children.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration and the Connecticut Department of Transportation funded most of the grant. The Town of Vernon also completed some of the work.

“We know that physical activity, such as walking or biking to school, is beneficial for children,” Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said. “Being active helps students do better academically and have lower levels of stress. This work to improve routes to Skinner Road School will make them more accessible for children with disabilities and safer for all children.”

The final phase includes replacing existing asphalt sidewalk with concrete sidewalk in the following locations:

 Along Dart Hill Road west of Skinner Road toward the bridge over the Hockanum River.
 Along both sides of Route 83 from Regan and Dart Hill roads to the Loveland Hill Road intersection.
 Along the east side of Loveland Hill Road to the southern entrance to Rockville High School.

The bulk of the work is complete with crews now focused on the Loveland Hill Road portion of the project.
In locations where the sidewalk intersects a driveway, a concrete driveway apron will be installed.

Other improvements under the grant have included reconfiguring the Skinner Road School parking lot, a new walking path on school grounds, a walking path connecting Hayes Drive with Barbara Drive, improved crosswalks and signage along Skinner Road, all of which were completed by Vernon Public Works Department crews.

“The improvements around Skinner Road School have been years in the making and it’s gratifying to see that we are entering the final stage,” Vernon Town Administrator Michael Purcaro said. “There was tremendous collaboration among school, town officials and community stakeholders, who saw the benefits the Safe Routes to School program would bring and then worked together to make it a reality.”

The Safe Routes to School initiative’s goals include: reducing childhood obesity and getting children physically active by walking or riding bicycles to school, making the routes children take to reach school safer and more pedestrian-friendly, and reducing congestion and air pollution by having fewer children driven to school.

The contractor selected for the sidewalk work is Wiese Construction of Norwich. The cost of the project is approximately $500,000.00. Milone and MacBroom consultants of Cheshire prepared the specifications and plans and will inspect the work.

Maple Street School Students Create 266 Veterans Day Cards to Win Superintendent’s Challenge

(VERNON, Connecticut) – The students at Vernon’s Maple Street School have won the Annual “Superintendent’s Challenge” by creating 266 hand-made cards for local Veterans to mark Veterans Day.

For several years Vernon’s superintendent of schools has challenged students to make cards for veterans and Superintendent Dr. Joseph P. Macary continued the tradition this year.

Vernon students created 1,163 cards that were distributed to veterans though local businesses and organizations and at the Veterans Home and Hospital in Rocky Hill.

“Understanding the meaning of Veterans Day is important, and this is a way for all students, especially our youngest students, to begin to develop an appreciation for the special people who have served our nation in the armed forces,” Dr. Macary said. “The students at Maple Street School did an especially wonderful job creating cards for our veterans.”

At Maple Street School, some students made more than one card, Principal Josh Egan said. Teachers urged their students to create cards and the art teacher encouraged students too, he said.

“My father was a veteran so we wanted to make sure we were supporting our veterans for all they did for the country,” Egan said.

Veterans Day falls on November 11th each year, and marks the armistice that ended World War I on November 11th, 1918. The holiday, initially called Armistice Day, was created in 1919.

Schools were in session on Armistice Day because school and community leaders understood that the best way to convey the somber meaning of the day was to have children in school. The holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954, and eventually schools closed on the holiday.

In 1995, the legislature changed the law to allow Connecticut schools to be in session on Veterans Day if there were programs about veterans. Vernon has opted to be open on Veterans Day for several years.

The Vernon Public Schools, in partnership with family and community, is committed to provide a quality education,
with high expectations, in a safe environment where all students become independent learners and productive
contributors to society.

This year, COVID-19 prevented veterans from visiting to talk to students about their experiences in the armed forces and to help them understand the meaning of the day. But that will resume.
“The students learn firsthand about what the holiday means,” Dr. Macary said. “I think it’s really, really powerful and it brings Veterans Day to life.”

Egan said it is unfortunate students were not able to meet and listen to veterans this year.
“Having veterans in the building and celebrating them is a great thing,” Egan said. “We have a lot of family members that served and it’s a great way to show them our appreciation.”

Congressman Joe Courtney Visits Northeast School, Tells Students to be Proud of National Blue Ribbon School Award

(VERNON, Connecticut) – Students at Vernon’s Northeast School got a special visitor and a special gift Thursday as they continue to celebrate their school’s recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, congratulated students for the hard work that earned Northeast School the National Blue Ribbon School award from the U. S. Department of Education, and presented the school with an American flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol.

“Northeast School is a very special place,” Congressman Courtney told fifth graders as he recalled his son Bobby’s time as a student at Northeast many years ago. “Bobby had teachers who worked hard to help him and it made a huge difference in his life. I’m so grateful to the team that is here. It is very clear to me that kind of commitment to students is still what this school is all about.”

Congressman Courtney tried to help the students understand the significant of their achievement. Of the more than 100,000 public schools in the United States, Northeast School was among the very few selected for recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School because of the hard work of students and their teachers. As a member of the education committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Courtney said he knows how “intensely competitive” the selection process is.

“You guys did it,” he said. “Think about that. That is a really huge statement about the work that every single one of you is doing. Because you worked so hard, because you’ve got such great teachers, you have been recognized in Washington, D.C., as being a center of excellence and that’s something you should feel really good about.”

Northeast School was among 367 schools nationwide and four in Connecticut to be honored.

The annual awards program recognizes schools for their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing the achievement gap. Northeast was recognized for closing the achievement gap, but has actually achieved both, ranking among the top 15 percent of all schools in the state the past two years and helping its high need students achieve at a high level.

Each year since the 2015-16 school year, the number of students at Northeast School meeting or exceeding grade level proficiency in English Language Arts and Math has increased.

For the 2015-16 school year, 56.9 percent of Northeast Students met or exceeded the standard in English Language Arts and 44.5 percent met or exceeded the standard in math.

By the 2019-19 school year, the number of students meeting or exceeding the standard increased 22.8 percent in English Language Arts to 69.9 percent, and in math the number increased 44 percent to 64.1 percent of students meeting or exceeding the standard.

The same level of progress has been demonstrated in the Connecticut’s Next Generation Accountability results, which are essentially a report card for a school’s whole approach to teaching students.

In four of the last five years, Northeast School’s score has beat the state average. And the past two years, Northeast School was rated among the top 15 percent of schools in the state.

Northeast School Principal Brenda Greene said what’s special about the National Blue Ribbon School Award is that schools cannot apply for it.

“You work hard, do your job and focus on helping your students be successful,” she said. “And maybe your school is recognized. What is important is that the kids have a great experience here and are prepared for middle school and high school. The foundational skills you get in elementary schools are not taught again. This is it. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make sure students are ready for middle school.”

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert Testa said it is gratifying for Vernon schools to receive not only state recognition but national recognition.

The teachers and staff at Northeast School create an environment for children to learn, to grow and to be successful, Testa said.

“One measure we look at is how many students are connected to at least one adult,” Testa said. “In this school, all of our students are connected to adults. That’s what creates the climate where every student is noticed, every student is challenged and every student is supported so that they can do the best they can.”

Congressman Courtney posed for a photo with school students and staff with the flag he brought from the capitol.

“Remember this moment,” he told the children. “This is a very rare thing and you should all feel very good about it.

Deputy Commissioner of Education Visits Northeast School, Praises Students for National Blue Ribbon School Achievement

 (VERNON, Connecticut) – Connecticut Deputy Education Commissioner Desi Nesmith visited Vernon’s Northeast School Tuesday to celebrate the school’s achievement of the National Blue Ribbon School award and to congratulate students and teachers for their hard work.

“I want you to know how proud we at the state Department of Education are of all of your hard work,” Deputy Commissioner Nesmith told students gathered outside the school. “Congratulations and thank you for working so hard.”

Northeast School was one of only four school in Connecticut and 367 in the nation to be designated a National Blue Ribbon School for 2020. The annual awards program recognizes schools for their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing the achievement gap. Northeast School was recognized for closing the achievement gap, but its students are also top performers in Connecticut.

Northeast School has ranked among the top 15 percent of all schools in the state the past two years.

Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Macary asked the students if they knew why they were being recognized?

“Because we are a great school and we are all great students,” a student replied.

Deputy Commissioner Nesmith presented Northeast School with a banner recognizing the National Blue Ribbon School award and urged the students to keep focused on learning.

“Please keep up the hard work,” Deputy Commissioner Nesmith said. “We are so proud of you and you should be proud of yourselves. Well done Northeast School.”

Additional events to celebrate Northeast School’s achievement are scheduled for this week.

Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne Honors Northeast School Students, Teachers and Staff for Hard Work and Recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School

(VERNON, Connecticut) – Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne honored the students and staff at Northeast School Monday morning for their hard work and for being recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

Mayor Champagne read a proclamation and told Northeast’s students that he and the entire Town of Vernon are proud of them.

“What you have achieved in being named a National Blue Ribbon School is very special,” Mayor Champagne said. “Congratulations to all of you, to your principal, to the staff and your parents for coming together and working so hard to distinguish yourselves as one of the top schools in the nation.”

Northeast School was one four schools in Connecticut and one of 367 in the nation to achieve the National Blue Ribbon designation this year.

“The entire Northeast School family should be very proud of their many accomplishments and unwavering dedication to a world class education for all,” reads the proclamation from Mayor Champagne and the Town Council.

Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Macary said the honor “validates the hard work of dedicated teachers and staff” and cooperation by parents and the community. “This type of continuous and diligent collaboration helps our students thrive.”

Mayor Champagne singled out Northeast Principal Brenda Greene for her focus on getting the best out of Northeast students. “Dr. Greene has high expectations of everyone at Northeast and works hard to create an atmosphere where students, teachers and staff can achieve at a high level,” Mayor Champagne said.

This week is National Blue Ribbon School Celebration Week in all of Vernon’s schools.

“We’ve very, very excited and we’re proud of all of you,” Dr. Macary told the students. “It’ because of you we have this award, because of your hard work, your teachers’ hard work, the staff, and your parents. Enjoy it. It’s going to be a great week.”

The annual awards program recognizes schools for their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing the achievement gap. Northeast is being recognized for closing the achievement gap, but has actually achieved both, ranking among the top 15 percent of all schools in the state the past two years and helping all students achieve at a high level.

Each year since the 2015-16 school year, the number of students at Northeast School meeting or exceeding grade level proficiency in English Language Arts and Math has increased.

For the 2015-16 school year, 56.9 percent of Northeast Students met or exceeded the standard in English Language Arts and 44.5 percent met or exceeded the standard in math.

By the 2019-19 school year, the number of students meeting or exceeding the standard increased 22.8 percent in English Language Arts to 69.9 percent, and in math the number increased 44 percent to 64.1 percent of students meeting or exceeding the standard.

The same level of progress has been demonstrated in the Connecticut’s Next Generation Accountability results, which are essentially a report card for a school’s whole approach to teaching students.

In four of the last five years, Northeast School’s score has beat the state average. And for the past two years, Northeast School was rated among the top 15 percent of schools in the state.

“The key to Northeast School’s success is we look at the kids individually,” said Dr. Brenda Greene, who has been principal at Northeast School for nine years. “We ask, ‘what does this child need?’ We drill down and do whatever we can for the individual student. That child will be the best he or she can be.”

Dr. Macary said that if such results can be achieved at Northeast School, they can be achieved at any school.

“If you have a quality teaching staff and focused interventions in both English Language Arts and Mathematics for students who are not on grade level, you are helping push the tide forward,” Dr. Macary said. “That along with a relevant curriculum is a formula for success. It’s a team effort – students, parents, teachers, administration, staff, everybody.”

There is a simple but powerful mantra at Northeast School, “Work hard and Be Nice.” Northeast School was previously recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School during the 1991-1992 school year.

Vernon Seventh Grader Tommy Glinski Kicks-Off 5th Annual ‘Socktober’ Campaign to Help Cornerstone Foundation

(VERNON, Connecticut) – Tommy Glinski, a seventh grader at Vernon Center Middle School, is in the midst of another “Socktober” campaign to collect socks for people who are homeless.

He has collected more than 1,500 pairs of socks and nearly $1,000 in four years to aid Vernon’s Cornerstone Foundation, which serves the area’s homeless population. And Tommy is hoping this year’s effort is the biggest yet.

Tommy began collecting socks for the Cornerstone Foundation in 2016, when he was a third grader at Northeast School in Vernon. He was looking for a way to help his community, learned about Socktober and contacted Bryan Flint at Cornerstone.

“I wanted to try to make a difference, to help people,” Tommy said. “And I learned that this really simple gesture, providing new socks for people, was a good way to help.”

The Cornerstone Foundation operates a homeless shelter that serves Vernon and several other communities. It also has a clothing bank and a variety of other programs to help people.

“We went to Cornerstone to see what they needed,” Tommy said. “They said they were really low on socks.”

Tommy asked his teachers at Northeast School and Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne for help spreading the word about Socktober and placing collection boxes around town. That first year people donated 200 pairs of socks.

When Tommy moved to Center Road School in Vernon for fourth grade, he asked his teachers if he could continue Socktober there. They loved the idea and more socks were collected for the Cornerstone Foundation. Tommy has kept it going since.

“When Tommy asked for some help, I was glad to do what I could,” Mayor Champagne said. “It’s great to see young people take an interest in helping their community, especially our residents who need a hand. Tommy’s interest in helping others is a great example of the kind of community spirit we see in Vernon on a regular basis. And it illustrates what a great community Vernon is.”

Flint said the Cornerstone Foundation is usually able to help people with second-hand clothing donated to its clothing bank. “We have shirts and pants and jackets and shoes,” Flint said. “If you get those used, it really doesn’t matter.”

But socks and underwear are a different matter, he said. “Quite reasonably, no one wants used socks or underwear,” Flint said. “For clothing that is the closest to your body, we try to provide folks with new socks and underwear.”

Flint said that Cornerstone does not just aid people who are homeless. Sometimes people show up at Cornerstone’s door soaking wet because they have been out in the rain. People can come in, take a shower and get a set of clean, dry clothes, he said. And new socks and underwear. Flint asks that in addition to socks, people consider donating a package of underwear too.

Tommy said that all kinds of socks are needed – for men, women and children – and asks that people place their donations in collection boxes that have been placed at the Vernon Police Department, Vernon Town Hall, Rockville High School, Skinner Road School, Maple Street School and Vernon Center Middle School. The Socktober campaign runs through Nov. 20.

Soldier Dad Home from Overseas Deployment Surprises Daughter at Vernon’s Lake Street School

VERNON, Connecticut – Gabriella Flint, a kindergartener at Vernon’s Lake Street School, got a wonderful surprise Monday morning when her father, a soldier with the Connecticut Army National Guard who had been deployed to Jordan since January, surprised her at school.

Gabriella, who is known as Ella, and her classmates in Kelly Browne’s class were outside taking a mask break and doing stretches when her dad, Sgt. First Class David Flint, walked up. “Daddy!” Ella said as she opened her arms to get a hug. Her dad picked her up and she buried her head in his shoulder.

There was a collective “awwww” and some tears from school staff assembled to watch the moment, and cheering from Ella’s classmates. Ella’s younger brother Max, 3, had his reunion earlier in the day at his daycare.

David Flint returned from deployment Sunday evening and hid in the family’s basement so that he could share the happy moment with Ella’s classmates, which delighted Lake Street School Principal Tracy Duenzl, whose own family has a history of military service.

 “It can be a very private thing, but it was very nice that they shared it with us,” Duenzl said “It was very special.”

Ella was a bit shy, by said she is happy her dad is home.

Her mom, Cara Flint, asked her whether she wanted to finish the day at school or come home.

“Come home,” Ella replied.

David Flint said he tried to be in touch with his family each day via Facetime, but there’s nothing like being home.

“Today was special,” he said. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing these guys a lot. It was awesome of the school to let me do this. It was a good day.” Flint is assigned to the 242^nd Construction Management Team.

Congressman Joe Courtney tours ASTE Program at Rockville High School, Delivers Face Masks to School Nurse

(VERNON, Connecticut) – U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney visited Rockville High School Thursday to drop off face masks for staff in the school nurse’s office and to tour the school and take a look at the improvements being made to the Agricultural Science and Technology Education program.

The congressman, who is a Vernon resident, also discussed with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary the extension of the free school meals program through the end of the school year. The CARES Act provided meals through the summer and then through Dec. 31, but the extension ensures all Vernon students can get free breakfasts and lunches through the end of the school year.

Congressman Courtney, D-2^nd District, and several colleagues wrote to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue urging him to extend the food programs and waive the income eligibility requirements. Secretary Purdue subsequently agreed to do so. That means all Vernon students continue to be eligible for free meals, whether they are attending school in-person or virtually.

“This has been a real help to our families as they navigate the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic,” Dr. Macary said. “As a school district, we are delighted we are able to partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure our students receive nutritious and healthy food.”

“In my visits to schools around the district, I have seen firsthand how much our communities have relied on the new flexibility Congress authorized for our Summer Meal Programs,” Congressman Courtney said. “And I am grateful Secretary Purdue acted on the new funding that we authorized, and has extended these programs through the end of the school year.”

Students attending school fulltime will continue to receive free breakfast and lunch at school. Students who are attending school under the hybrid plan will receive free breakfast and lunch the two days they are at school and can pick up a three-day meal box for the remaining three days of the school week. Students who are learning from home fulltime can pick up five-day meal boxes.

Pickup is Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Vernon Center Middle School or Rockville High School. The meal boxes must be ordered by the Monday before pickup. To order meal boxes, please click here:  Meal Box Orders.

Congressman Courtney also delivered five boxes of facemasks and several KN95 masks to School Nurse Jasmin Flores and Nursing Assistant Jennifer Nichols. The masks were donated by the Rossi Foundation.

Flores said masks are always needed and will be used for students who forgot their mask or need a replacement.

Rockville High School Principal Jason Magao gave Congressman Courtney a tour of the school, including the Agricultural Science and Technology Education program, where several improvements have been made and more are planned.

“We’re giving the students the opportunity to bring all aspects of agriculture to the next level,” Magao said. “Agriculture is not just growing crops and raising livestock. Sustainable agriculture is what we’re working on, breeding programs, agricultural structures, aquaculture, veterinary science, floriculture. These kids are coming out with certifications in welding, in mechanics, they’re coming out with skills and certifications that will get them jobs.”

“Agriculture is so important to our economy, nationally and right here in Connecticut,” Dr. Macary said, adding Magao has worked hard to get ASTE students and faculty the tools and facilities they need to move the program forward.

Vernon Elementary Schools Students Will Resume Fulltime, In-Person Learning on Tuesday, October 13

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(VERNON, Connecticut) – Vernon’s elementary schools will transition to fulltime, in-person learning on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said this week.

Vernon has been successful with its COVID-19 mitigation strategies and state Department of Public Health metrics show the risk of COVID-19 infection is low in Vernon, Dr. Macary said.

“For me, there’s a sense of urgency with our students in kindergarten, first grade, second grade and third grade,” Dr. Macary said. “There’s a huge learning loss.”

Schools always struggle with the regression that occurs during summer vacation, but it’s even more urgent now due to the coronavirus pandemic and the shutdown of schools last spring, Dr. Macary said.

“We talk about the summer regression – that’s usually eight or nine weeks,” he said. “However, we haven’t had normal school for 22 weeks. We know there’s regression and loss of learning, mainly because students are only going to school two days a week.”

Vernon has been operating with a hybrid program since schools opened. One cohort of elementary school students attends school Monday and Tuesday and a second cohort attends Thursday and Friday. All students attend school virtually on Wednesday while schools are carefully cleaned.

About 70 percent of Vernon elementary school students are attending school. The rest are engaged in fulltime virtual learning at home and will be able to continue doing so, Dr. Macary said.

Some students are anxious to get back to school fulltime.

“I’d just love to go for the full five days,” said Caleb Asiedu, a fifth grader at Northeast School. “Every day, I really just can’t wait to go to school.”

“I like to play and learn stuff,” Dev Patel, a first grader at Northeast said.

“I want to hang out with my friends,” added Northeast third grader Bentley Gochee.

Dr. Macary could not agree more.

“Students learn better when they’re in school and that’s why we want everybody back in school,” Dr. Macary said. “Our teachers have worked heroically to engage our students through virtual learning, but it’s just not the same as being in a classroom.”

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert Testa said that while virtual learning is getting better and better, it’s difficult for teachers to give students the one-on-one attention they need if they are struggling with a concept.

“Some students need extra help with the foundational skills of reading, understanding numbers and learning how to decode words, especially in the primary grades,” Testa said. “Learning is more teacher-directed in those grades. As you get older, school is more student-directed.”

About 70 percent of Vernon’s elementary school students are expected to return to school fulltime on October 13. Students will have mask breaks through the day and social distancing will be maintained.

“Our goal is to get students to mastery in reading comprehension and numeracy skills by third grade,” Dr. Macary said. “If we can achieve that then the likelihood of their success in middle school and beyond grows tenfold. The early learning is critical for us.”

So far there is no timeline to have Vernon Center Middle School and Rockville High School return to fulltime in-person learning, Dr. Macary said. But it’s likely Vernon Center Middle School students will return to school fulltime first, he said. The school schedules will be altered to enhance learning.

Dr. Macary briefed the Board of Education on his plan Monday night and board members asked good questions and provided feedback on the plan.

There is an enhanced cleaning regimen at each school and that combined with the district’s mitigation strategies should allow officials to reach the critical balance of leaning and safety.

“We are following the state Department of Public Health’s guidelines for cleaning and sanitizing every day,” Dr. Macary said. “The schools are now cleaner than they’ve ever been.”

The mitigation strategies include:

• Face coverings at all times for students and staff
• Regular hand-washing for students in bathrooms
• Reconfigured water fountains to avoid germs
• Sanitizing and cleaning all tabletops and desks
• Cohorting of students and contact tracing
• Twice daily cleaning of high-touch areas
• Self-monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms
• Social distancing, maximizing where feasible
• Visual markers and positioning in hallways
• No public entry and limited visitors
• Bagged breakfast and lunches in the cafeteria
• Enhanced building cleaning every day

“In Vernon we believe in a whole child approach to learning and that’s academic, social and emotional,” Dr. Macary said. “The only way you can give all three of those is in a school setting, where you have the teacher providing the academics, you can socialize with your friends and get emotional support from our support staff.”

Teaching and parenting are hard jobs, and it’s not fair to ask parents to educate their children. That’s the school system’s job, Dr. Macary said.

“We’re here to serve our students and we need to do our jobs,” he said.

NES Named One of the National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2020

Northeast School

2020 National Blue Ribbon School Profile

VERNON HOSTS GOV. LAMONT, LT. GOV. BYSIEWICZ, EDUCATION COMMISSION CARDONA AT SKINNER ROAD SCHOOL

School District showcases reopening plans to keep students, staff safe so focus can be on learning

Mayor Daniel A. Champagne and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary welcomed Governor Ned Lamont, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, state Education Commissioner Miguel A. Cardona and other state leaders to Skinner Road School Tuesday morning to showcase Vernon’s work to reopen schools and to keep children and staff safe.

The visitors, including state Reps. Timothy Ackert, R-Coventry, and Michael Winkler, D-Vernon, spoke with administrators and viewed teachers in action educating children while at the same time following guidelines to keep everyone safe.
“The most important thing we need to do is build confidence in the community to bring them back,” Superintendent Macary said. “Students learn better when they’re in school and we want everybody to come back to school.”

Vernon has instituted a hybrid program. One cohort of students attends school Monday and Tuesday while the second attends Thursday and Friday. All students attend school virtually on Wednesday while schools are carefully cleaned. When not in school, students work virtually on assignments. 

The hybrid program will be reevaluated every two weeks. School officials are keeping a close eye on health data and are prepared to respond according. 

“The goal right now is to keep kids safe and I think we’re doing a good job of that,” Mayor Champagne said, adding it was encouraging to see students wearing masks. When one child removed his mask, staff quickly redirected the child to put his mask back on, the mayor noted.
“It’s good to have kids in school to learn, but it’s also good to have the opportunity for parents to have choice as well,” Mayor Champagne said.

For the times students are not in school, school staff have been in contact with families to assess their technology needs and ensure children are able to learn, Skinner Road School Principal Bryan Kerachsky said.

Inside the school, Governor Lamont and Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz visited prekindergarten and fifth grade classrooms and a virtual kindergarten classroom, joining teacher Kelly Zimmermann engage her students via laptop computer.

“Friends can you all say ‘good morning?’” Zimmermann asked her students.

The governor said he was energized to see students and teachers who were enthusiastic and engaged.
“We really wanted to come to Vernon, to Skinner Road School to show parents and teachers a community that’s doing it in a very thoughtful way,” Governor Lamont said. “I loved walking through the classrooms. The kids were excited to be back. The teachers were really excited to be back. But you’re doing it carefully.”

The Governor also noted that one teacher altered her mask so that there was clear plastic over her mouth so that a hearing-impaired student in her class could read her lips. 

“The Superintendent just reminded me, there’s nothing more important than a kid a classroom being with his or her friends and teachers,” the Governor said.

Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz said it was impressive to see pre-kindergarteners and older students all wearing masks and the other efforts school leaders have taken to ensure schools are clean and safe.

“The whole idea is to get parents comfortable,” she said. “Right now, 22 percent of the families have chosen to keep their kids home and the goal with this continued hard work, innovation and cleaning and keeping kids safe is that everyone will be back to school shortly,” she said. 

Superintendent Macary highlighted for the governor an innovation by town maintenance staff to convert water fountains into spigots for students to fill water bottles. All it took to retrofit the water fountains was $7 in parts, the superintendent said. 

“Vernon did it right,” Commissioner Cardona said. “The district and the town planned well together. They communicated well together. They were realistic and they shared with the community what to expect. It really was a community effort and we saw that today.”

 

Mr. Rockville High School Pageant Returns
Annual Event is a Highlight for Senior Class and a Fundraiser for Senior Activities

VERNON, Connecticut – The Mr. Rockville High School Pageant returns this Rockville High School this Friday, December 10th, after a one-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 29th annual pageant features nine senior boys who will perform a talent, participate in a Q&A, perform a group dance, and strut their stuff in swimwear and formal wear.

The annual event is hosted by the Class of 2022 and raises money to help cover the cost of the senior prom and other class activities. This year’s program begins at 7 p.m. in the Rockville High School auditorium and tickets are $10. All are welcome.

“The winner gets a crown, a Mr. RHS sash and bragging rights,” said Amanda Langan, a chemistry teacher and senior class advisor. The winner also gets a free ticket to the senior prom.

“It’s a farcical beauty pageant,” added Paul Courtois, a social studies teacher and activities director. “Every year it’s so different. Sometimes the students are really talented. And sometimes they’re just out there just to have fun.”

On more than one occasion the talent demonstrated by a student has left the audience in awe, Courtois said. “It’s always a lot of fun,” he said.

In between performances by the contestants, the emcees provide entertainment.

The seniors vying for Mr. RHS are Gavin Antonelli, Christopher Cotto, Jaeden Dullivan, Owen Federowicz, Thomas Gearin, William Johns, Ryan Harvey, Leon Moran and Henry Tyus.

For the talent portion, some of the contestants will play a musical instrument, sing or perform a dance routine. Some are still determining what their talent will be.

The Mr. RHS pageant is one of the highlights of the year for seniors and a major fundraiser for the senior class. Money is used to defray the cost of the senior prom and other programs.