Please Read - Last Post for this News and Announcements Blog

Lamoille South Supervisory Union, Elmore Morristown Unified Union School District and Stowe School District are deploying new websites. As part of that process, we will be using a new system for posting News and Announcements. This is the last post that will be made to this blog. Below is a link to the page on our new website where you can signup for the new News and Announcements. You will immediately notice one of the improvements in the new sites is that you can sign up for many blogs at once. If you have a child in one of our schools, you should have received an email from your school principal with a link to signup for the News and Announcements. The link in this post and the link in that email serve the same purpose. There is no need to do both.

If you signed up to receive emails from this soon-to-be retired site, you will need to sign up at the new site. Our apologies for the inconvenience but we are sure you will find the new system better in many ways.

If you no longer wish to receive email alerts from any of our News and Announcements, you do not need to take any action.

This blog will remain accessible for those that use it as a reference but we will no longer add any new content.

Subscribe Here - https://www.lamoillesouthsu.org/manage-blog-subscription.php

More information on the new sites and how to give feedback will be forthcoming.

If you have any questions or need technical support, please send an email to lssutech@lssuvt.org to open a support ticket.

Announcements Week of August 28, 2017

Attention Seniors:

• Important Dates: September 7th – Senior Meeting- Getting Ready for College 7am-7:50am, Auditorium.
• UVM will waive their application fee ($55) for any Vermont students applying through the Early Action Program, application deadline is November 1st. (UVM uses the online Common Application).
• September 19th – NEACAC Fair UVM/Patrick Gym 6:30 pm-8:30 pm.
• September 20th – NEACAC Fair UVM/Patrick Gym 9 am-11am.

      College Visits:

• Hobart & William Smith – Tuesday, September 12th @ 1:30pm
• Skidmore College – Wednesday, September 13th @10:45am
• Lafayette College – Monday, September 18th @ 10:30am
• Middlebury College – Tuesday, September 19th @ 9:00am
• Pennsylvania State University – Tuesday, September 19th @ 12:00pm
• St. Athselms College – Tuesday, September 19th @ 2:00pm

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• HS/MS Parent/Student/Coaches Fall Sports Meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 30th at 6:00pm in the cafeteria.
• National Honor Society essays are due no later than Thursday, August 31st. 
• Jazz band starts next week, 9/5.
• On Wednesday, September 13th there will be a school wide assembly to discuss Student Council, Class Officers and the Election Process during TA tim

Community Service Opportunities:

• Stowe Jazz Festival – September 8th, 9th, & 10th. Contact Katie Benninhop for more information, kmcdonald25@gmail.com.
• Stowe Land Trust – Looking for volunteers to help celebrate their 30th Anniversary at Strawberry Hill Farm. September 9th from 2:30-7:30pm. Contact Catherine Drake by September 4th at catherineedrake@gmail.com for details.

Website Refresh Starting Wednesday 8/23/17

Lamoille South Supervisory Union, Stowe School District, and Elmore-Morristown School District will be refreshing their websites, beginning this evening, Wednesday, August 23, 2017.  There is likely to be intermittent issues for the next 24 hours.  Please bear with us.  More information about the new websites and how to give feedback will be forthcoming.

If you are trying to access E-Registration through the school district websites, an alternative would be to use the following link https://ps.morrisville.org/public to access the parent portal.

If you are having any difficulties accessing the parent portal, or resetting your password, please call Melissa Gillen at 802-888-4541, ext. 5559 or email her at melissa.gillen@lssuvt.org, and she will assist you.

Stowe Board Brief - August 16, 2017

The Stowe School District, Elmore-Morristown Unified Union, and Lamoille South boards met to continue their work on our Act 46 Alternative Governance Structure self-study. The boards reviewed the tax implications of both voluntary and forced governance mergers, reconfirming that any merger would present little to no tax benefit to either district and a likely eventual increase in Stowe’s homestead tax rate. This confirms that the boards are on the fiscally responsible path by seeking an Alternative Governance Structure that would maintain two separate districts under one supervisory union.

There are two important upcoming meetings, during which the boards will seek input from both communities regarding a draft of the Alternative Governance Structure proposal that will eventually go to the State Board of Education. On Monday, September 25, at 6:00 PM, the boards will meet at Stowe High School, and on Tuesday, September 26, at 6:00 PM, the boards will meet at Peoples Academy. A draft of the Alternative Governance Structure proposal--our districts’ response to Act 46--will be available several days in advance of these meetings. We encourage members of the community to read this draft and then attend a meeting to give feedback. Community response is crucial to our response to Act 46, and these meetings will allow the board to hear what community members think.

Below, please find the schedule of upcoming Act 46 meetings, which has been revised:

●     Wednesday, September 13, 6:00. Stowe Elementary School Music Room

●     Monday, September 25, 6:00. Stowe High School Auditorium

            Community Engagement Meeting -- PLEASE ATTEND

●     Tuesday, September 26, 6:00. Peoples Academy Auditorium

Community Engagement Meeting -- PLEASE ATTEND

●     Tuesday, October 24, 6:00. Morristown Elementary School Library

●     Wednesday, November 15, 6:00. Stowe Elementary School Music Room

School Board Brief - August 14, 2017

Lamoille South Supervisory Union Curriculum Director Valerie Sullivan briefed the Stowe School Board on our progress implementing Proficiency Based Learning, including a review of what it is, work done to date, and next steps for the coming school year.  

Board members are enthusiastic about our district’s progress toward proficiency based and personalized learning systems.  Our teachers have developed standards by which they will measure and report each student’s progress towards mastering important skills and concepts. The district is customizing a reporting system, which teachers will use to organize and track data about student progress and to communicate that progress to students and  parents. Plans are also in place to strengthen student understanding of mindset, motivation, and metacognition to support their transition to Proficiency Based Learning. There will be a great deal of communication between the administration, teachers, parents, and students as we continue to implement this new process, which will serve students’ learning needs.

The Board is looking forward to regular updates on the work in our schools on Proficiency Based Learning and Personalization at meetings throughout the school year.  

Superintendent Tracy Wrend briefed the board on the ramifications of Act 85, which determines how the state will capture savings from changes in teacher health insurance. Lamoille South Supervisory Union’s contractual net employer/employee contributions to healthcare are close to the target plan laid out by the state, and we do expect to generate savings from the health insurance transition to offset amounts expected to be withheld from state education fund payments.  In addition, Act 85 set yield amounts and non-residential tax rates at a different level than projected  during budgeting, and ultimately local tax rates are lower than was projected in March.

School Board Brief - June 05, 2017

Stowe School Board held its final regular meeting for the 2016-2017 school year. Superintendent Wrend shared the annual report for 2015-2016, which is available here.

Please click this link to see the regularly scheduled meetings for the upcoming school year, as well as Lamoille South Supervisory Union and joint Act 46 meetings.

Announcements - Tuesday, June 6, 2017

·         All students – TIME TO CLEAN OUT YOUR LOCKERS!  Stowe High School is not responsible for items left behind. ·         All students who plan on taking AP Calculus next year: Meet in Teagan Garon's room briefly at the start of TA  Tuesday, June 6th to get your textbook and summer assignment. ·         NO Chorus or Band classes Tuesday, June, 6th, please report to SPP periods 3 & 4. ·         All girls' playing Field Hockey or interested in playing Field Hockey next year, please meet Coach Janet Godin  Wednesday, June 7th in the auditorium lobby during the beginning of TA time. ·         All students enrolled in AP Biology for next year MUST attend a meeting after school at 2:45  Wednesday, June 7th in Mr. McDowell's room. Expectations for the summer and next year will be outlined. The meeting should only require 15-20 minutes. ·         Students who are registered to take Human Rights and Genocide need to meet in Ms. Schafer's room on Thursday, June 8th during snack to discuss Rwanda trip interest. ·         BAND EXAM UPDATE! Thursday, June 8th – HS Band will be held during the students regular classes period 3 or 4. No double block mandatory rehearsal. Friday June 9th HS band needs to be dismissed from their 3 period classes at 9:55. We will rehearse in the auditorium with the Seniors for about 20 minutes. Students will get to their 4th period classes around 10:25. This ½ hour time frame in Mandatory. ·         Seniors: Mandatory graduation rehearsals are on Thursday, June 8th at 1:15pm and Friday, June 9th at 10:00am. ·         Attention Band and Chorus members: the following items need to be returned no later than Friday June 9th. You will be charged $3 A PAGE for missing music. This will add up VERY fast so get your folders in please. o   All Band Music (except Pomp & Circumstance & Maserpiece) o   All Chorus Music o   All Jazz Music (and is put away properly in the Master folders) o   Jazz Band outfits with shirt dry cleaned – brought back in plastic and everything marked with your name. o   NON-refundable check for $75 if you intend on going to see Phantom of the Opera this fall. ·         The Second Annual Scout Film Festival will take place Friday, June 9th – Sunday, June 11th here in Stowe and offers a variety of events! Opening Day Screening at the Helen Day Art Center, Opening Night Reception and Entertainment at Trapp Family Lodge, Film Screenings, Workshops with Industry Experts, and exciting Awards Ceremony at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center on Saturday night including a Red Carpet (dress it up!); Musical Entertainment by THE SNAZ, Vermont's own indie rock band from the depths of Brattleboro , VT; Hysterical Mistress of Ceremony, Host Laura Sullivan; Reception directly following and Sunday Final Networking Gathering.  ·         Stowe Parks and Recreation will be offering a Red Cross Babysitter Course on Saturday, June 17th. Ages 11 – 16, Registration deadline is Monday, June 12. Contact Stowe Rec. for more information and to register #253-6138.     ·         Art students – It's time to please pick up you Art Work from Ms. Crouse or Ms. Zimbalatti. ·         Juniors English Honor students, please see Ms. Schnee for you summer reading. ·         If you have signed up for either AP European or AP US History for next year, please see Mr. Williams for your summer assignment. ·         If you have signed up for Grade 10 Honors English, please see Ms. Hoffmann for your summer reading assignment. ·         Attention seniors - There are extra Graduation Announcements available in the office for $1 a piece. ·         Community Service: o   Stowe Vibrancy looking for volunteers for their July 4th festivities, see Charlene for times and more details. o   Volunteers needed for the Stowe Free Library book sale. Sale is Wednesday, July 5 – Monday, July 24th. Contact Bonnie Knight for more information and to set up hours. bonniesknight@gmail.com   ·         Enrollment for the 2018 school trip to Italy and Austria has opened. Please see. Mr. Dornfried for registration details. ·         Cotton Brook Fun Run – Come check it out! On Tuesdays through June 20th in Cotton Brook, runners, joggers and walkers gather to participate in the Cotton Brook Fun Run. Choose ½ mile, 1 mile, 2.2 miles or the ever challenging 5k. It is a great way to improve your overall strength and endurance. We meet below the gate in Cotton Brook every Tuesday at 5:15pm rain, snow, sleet or hail, but not during thunderstorms. Remember it's fun, it's fast and it's free! Contact Becky McGovern #253-2252. ·         Stowe Tennis Club is looking for a summer lifeguard. If you are interested please contact Adi Barnett at 802-793-1218. ·         Fall Sports Registration is now open; please register on the school website. Deadline is Saturday, July 1st 2017.